Traffic accidents claim 82 lives per day in Indonesia
By Xinhua,
Jakarta : Road accidents claim an average of 30,000 lives per year, or 82 per day in Indonesia, making it the No.3 biggest cause of death in the country, said an official at a seminar on Thursday.
"The numbers are based on official data. I personally believe road accidents are like the iceberg phenomenon," Indonesian Consumers Foundation coordinator Tulus Abadi said at a discussion on transportation safety here.
"Traffic accidents are currently the third most frequent cause of death after heart attack and stroke," he added.
Court to rule on Zimbabwe result
By IRNA
Pretoria : A Zimbabwean High Court judge is set to rule on a petition by the opposition demanding the immediate release of the country's recent election results.
The judge said he would first consider the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission's (ZEC) argument that his court did not have jurisdiction in the case.
Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has said he defeated President Robert Mugabe in the presidential election.
No results have yet emerged from the March 29 presidential voting.
Aid arriving in Myanmar, but junta remains under fire
By DPA,
Yangon : International aid continued to arrive in cyclone-ravaged Myanmar Tuesday, but criticism mounted as the efforts were hampered by logistics problems and the military junta's bureaucratic stalling.
More than a week after Cyclone Nargis struck, hundreds of thousands are still without access to food, water and medicine, threatening a "health catastrophe" that could increase the death toll 15-fold, aid agencies have warned.
The authorities in Myanmar said Tuesday that 34,273 people had died in the cyclone and that 27,838 were still missing, the BBC reported.
Ecuador defence minister, armed forces chief sacked
By IANS
Quito : Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa has sacked the defence minister and the entire military leadership over allegations that the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has infiltrated the country's intelligence set-up.
Defence Minister Wellington Sandoval announced his resignation Wednesday at the Presidential Palace and was immediately succeeded by Correa's personal secretary and leftwing Indigenous Social Movement leader Javier Ponce, EFE reported.
Head of Joint Chiefs of Staff Hector Camacho and Army Commander Guillermo Vasconez also stepped down the same day.
New US law seeks disclosure of foreign payments
By IANS,
Washington: Publicly traded oil, gas and mining companies, including those from India and other emerging economies, will be required to disclose their payments to foreign governments under the landmark financial reform legislation.
The new law awaiting President Barack Obama's signature will require companies to report on their filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) such payments on a country-by-country and project-by-project basis, according to the Washington Times.
Three Indian students selected for International Astronomy Olympiad
Kolkata : Three students from the states of Telangana, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra have been selected to represent India in the International Astronomy Olympiad...
Japan’s emperor celebrates 20 years on the throne
By DPA,
Tokyo : Thousands of Japanese Thursday congratulated Emperor Akihito on the 20th anniversary of his accession to the throne.
At an official ceremony in Tokyo's National Theatre, Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama passed on his government's congratulations.
The 75-year-old monarch became emperor Jan 7, 1989, after the death of his father Hirohito.
Following a period of mourning for his father, Akihito was officially crowned as Japan's 125th emperor Nov 12, 1990 in the Imperial Palace in central Tokyo.
Former crown princess presides over ‘Mrs Nepal’ contest
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : As Nepal still hesitates to bid a final adieu to the crown, the women in the deposed royal family have been the first to adapt to their new role as civilians.
Former Crown Princess Himani, who retained her popularity even during the height of the anti-monarchy movement in 2006 that saw the abolition of the crown, was back in the news Sunday after she presided over a contest during a traditional festival celebrated by married women.
US presidential candidates to honour 9/11 victims
By DPA,
Washington : Putting aside partisan politics, the two US presidential candidates are to appear together on Sep 11, the seventh anniversary of the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington.
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama and his Republican rival John McCain have planned a visit to New York Thursday, their campaigns announced Saturday.
Over 41 million Germans use Internet: survey
By IRNA
Berlin : More than 41 million people, older than 14 years, have used the Internet during the third quarter of 2007, said a study released Thursday by the Frankfurt-based AGOF online research group.
Some 41,3 million Germans went online at least once during the third quarter of last year.
People between 14 and 29 years are the most active Internet users in Germany as 92.9 percent of them go online.
MH370 cockpit-ATC talk shows nothing abnormal: Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur: The Malaysian government Tuesday released the 64-minute transcript of communications between the missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 and the air traffic controller...
International meeting to seek ban on cluster bombs
By DPA
Wellington : Representatives from 120 countries will meet in New Zealand next week to draft an international agreement banning cluster bombs that have killed or maimed thousands of civilians - but the US and other major weapon-producing nations will not attend.
Russia, China, India, Pakistan and Israel - which was widely condemned for indiscriminate use of the bombs in its 34-day war on Hezbollah in Lebanon in 2006 - will be conspicuous by their absence.
Heathrow `naked’ image row: woman plans legal action
By IANS,
London : A 29-year-old airport security worker plans to take legal action after a colleague passed a lewd remark on her `nude' image when she mistakenly walked into an X-ray machine, a media report said Thursday.
Jo Margetson plans to sue the authorities concerned and spent Wednesday in talks with Heathrow owner BAA, The Sun reported.
She has spoken to lawyers at a civil rights group amid allegations that her privacy and human rights were violated.
Fire burns down Brazilian national park
By IANS/EFE,
Brasilia : An area equivalent to 10,000 soccer fields has been wiped out in a massive wildfire in a national park here in the Brazilian capital.
Russia to build balanced nuclear missile force by 2050
By RIA Novosti,
Sevastopol (Russia): The Russian Navy is developing a concept of building a balanced nuclear missile force by 2050, the Russian Navy commander said Sunday.
"In our understanding, it is important to know exactly what the navy should be by the year 2050, proceeding from two things: it must be a balanced nuclear missile force and, secondly, it must comply with the state's national interests and economic possibilities," Admiral Vladimir Vysotsky said on the occasion of Russia's Navy Day celebrated Sunday.
Chavez returns home after cancer surgery
By IANS,
Caracas : Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said on his Twitter account Monday that he has returned home after a two-month cancer treatment in Cuba.
North, South Ossetia hold day of mourning for terror victims
By RIA Novosti,
Vladikavkaz : The disputed Georgian region of South Ossetia joined North Ossetia on Saturday in a day of mourning for the victims of Thursday's terrorist attack in the capital of the Russian North Caucasus republic.
Twelve people, including a female suicide bomber, were killed and around 40 wounded in Thursday's blast at a bus stop in Vladikavkaz. The bomb was set off as passengers got out of a public minibus.
"On the day of mourning in North Ossetia, the funerals of 10 victims of the explosion will be held," a government official said.
BBC headquarters hit by strike
By DPA,
London : Major BBC radio and TV news programmes were silenced Friday as journalists launched a 48-hour strike against changes in pension provisions.
Menon, Rajapaksa discuss bilateral ties, political situation
By P. Karunakharan, IANS,
Colombo : Visiting Indian Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon and Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa Saturday discussed the prevailing political situation in the island nation, a day after India announced the second instalment of humanitarian assistance amounting to 40 million (Sri Lankan) rupees for the war-affected Tamil civilians in the country's north.
The meeting took place Saturday morning in the central hill district of Kandy, official sources said.
22 killed in China bridge collapse
By Xinhua
Fenghuang (China) : At least 22 people have been killed in a bridge collapse in Hunan province of central China, officials said Tuesday.
The road bridge, under construction over the Tuojiang River in Fenghuang, collapsed at 4.40 p.m. Monday, blocking the Fenghuang-Daxing highway.
Officials had earlier said that a total of 123 workers were at the site when the bridge caved in. However, over 1,000 rescuers at the accident site were still trying to determine the exact number.
After wowing the Big Apple, Modi off to win Washington
By Arun Kumar,
Washington : After wowing the Indian-American community and wooing the big business in the Big Apple, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is...
US stocks rebound on positive signs in economy
By DPA,
New York : US stock markets rose Wednesday on signs of economic recovery as the Federal Reserve said a number of regions are reporting an easing of the country's economic downturn.
The Federal Reserve said five of its 12 regional banks reported a "moderation in the pace of decline, and several saw signs that activity in some sectors was stabilizing at a low level," according to the central bank's Beige Book, a regional report on the economy.
Macedonia’s ruling coalition leads elections
By Xinhua,
Skopje : Macedonia's ruling alliance led the country's elections with ballots from 736 of the total of 2,976 polling stations counted, initial results showed on Sunday.
The coalition of For Better Macedonia led by Nikola Gruevksi's VMRO-DPMNE has won 56,507 votes, while the opposition coalition Sun-coalition for Europe led by the Social Democrats won 26,510 votes.
The main ethnic Albanian opposition party, the Democratic Union for Integration, got 16,925 votes, while the ruling Democratic Party of Albanians harvested 22,538 votes.
Sri Lanka military probing war crime allegations
By IANS,
Colombo : The Sri Lankan Army said Monday it was still investigating allegations of atrocities during the war against the Tamil Tigers that ended in 2009.
Malaysia to hold 50th independence celebrations at London’s Convent Garden
By Bernama
Kuala Lumpur : Covent Garden, the entertainment centre for opera, theatre and street performances in London, will be transformed with the sights, sounds and flavours of Malaysia from June 6 to 10 June.
The week will be the highlight of Visit Malaysia Year 2007 and Malaysia's 50th Independence Anniversary celebrations in the English capital.
UAE, China discuss economic cooperation
By IANS,
Guantao (China) : The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and China discussed bilateral economic cooperation at a meeting of the representatives of the two countries here.
UAE Minister of Foreign Trade Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi on the sidelines of her visit to China, discussed commercial and investment ties between the two countries with Zhain Gun, the Chinese deputy foreign minister.
Both sides discussed ways to support the UAE and Chinese companies investing in each others markets and to strengthen business ties between the two countries.
Yangon readies for showdown between rifles and robes
Yangon, Sep 26 (DPA) Hundreds of riot police and soldiers were stationed Wednesday at Yangon's City Hall in preparation for a crackdown on a monk-led rebellion that has seized the city for the last week.
At least 12 truckloads, each of about 40 police and soldiers, were dispatched Tuesday night to City Hall after tens of thousands of monks defied a government order to end their protest marches and return to their temples.
Stevie Wonder not keen on drugs
By IANS,
London: Singer Stevie Wonder prefers to stay away from drugs because of a bad past experience. He says he felt he'd "lost part of his brain" when he smoked marijuana first.
North Korea warns it may halt nuclear disablement process
By KUNA
Tokyo : North Korea warned Friday that it may halt the disablement process of its key nuclear facilities unless Washington drops its "unreasonable" demand over the country's suspected uranium enrichment program.
"If the US keeps insisting what does not exist exists and delays the settlement of the nuclear issue, it would have a serious impact on the disablement of nuclear facilities," a North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman said in a statement, carried by the official Korean Central News Agency.
Hung parliament predicted for Britain
By IANS,
London : Britain could see its first hung parliament in more than a quarter of a century, a British newspaper predicted Tuesday after the ratings for the country's main party in opposition slid three points.
The latest monthly Guardian/ICM poll suggested support for the opposition Conservative Party declined to its lowest for nearly two years, leaving Britain facing the prospects of a hung parliament at the coming general election due by June 3.
Electors in Britain rarely return hung parliaments - the last such was in 1974 and the one before that in 1929.
Gunmen kill nine in Mexico
By DPA,
Mexico City : An attack by an armed commando left nine people dead and five injured at a rehabilitation centre for drug addicts in the northern Mexican city of Ciudad Juarez, police have said.
The attack happened late Wednesday, while patients were attending a religious ceremony and the dead included the pastor, the authorities said Thursday.
Socorro Garcia, the pastor's wife, told the Mexican media that four masked attackers entered the centre and started shooting indiscriminately.
Obama to visit India in August or October: Manmohan
By IANS,
On Board Air India One: US President Barack Obama will visit India in August or October, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Saturday.
Obama will come to India in August or October, the dates have not yet been finalised, Manmohan Singh told journalists when asked about the US president's visit to India.
The prime minister Saturday returned home after an eight-day visit to the US and Brazil where he participated in three multilateral summits and held over half a dozen bilateral meetings with world leaders.
Countdown for Nepal king: 21 days to go
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : The seeds of self-destruction that he had sown three years ago when he tried to control the government bore fruit Thursday with Nepal's Election Commission finalising the poll results, which leaves embattled King Gyanendra with just 21 days of privileged life.
Though the fateful election that sealed the king's fate and approved of a republic took place April 10, the Election Commission made the final formal announcement of results and issued certificates to winning contestants only Thursday, after winding up the technicalities.
Workshop on “Research Methods and Research Paper Writing” concludes at AMU
By TCN News,
Aligarh: The week-long workshop on “Research Methods and Research Paper Writing” organized by the Department of Business Administration of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) concluded today.
The workshop was meant to give guidelines to research scholars of Departments of Business Administration, Commerce, Economics, Psychology and Agricultural Economics and Business Management of AMU. The workshop was participated by a number of research scholars from different universities of the country.
Tibetan government-in-exile website crashes
By IANS
Dharamsala : The Tibetan government-in-exile's official website crashed Friday. Some suspect it has been hacked.
The site tibet.net is a major source of news about Tibet and Tibetan diaspora through the eyes of the Tibetan government-in-exile based here.
The website is not working since Friday morning.
Last year, that site as well as 35 other Tibetan affairs related websites were hacked and it took days before they were restored.
This time it isn't clear whether it has been hacked again.
US-led maritime drill starts off South Korea
By DPA,
Seoul : A US-led multinational naval drill started off South Korea Wednesday, aiming to prevent a hypothetical transfer of weapons of mass destruction at sea, media reports said.
UK rejects calls for new inquiry into death of Iraq arms inspector
By IRNA
London : The British government have rejected calls for a fresh inquiry into the 2003 death of former Iraq arms inspector, David Kelly, following the publication of evidence in a new book by an MP, concluding it was unlikely he committed suicide.
Speaking during a brief debate in parliament on Tuesday, Justice Minister Lord Hunt said there were "no plans" for a new inquiry into the death of Kelly, after he was identified as the source behind claims that the UK exaggerated Iraq's threat before the 2003 war.
African AIDS epidemic slows down: World Bank
By Xinhua
Abidjan : The pace of the deadly AIDS epidemic is slowing down in some African countries due to a series of effective prevention measures, Cote d'Ivoire media quoted a World Bank report as saying.
Michael Jackson’s brain taken out for tests before burial
By IANS,
London : King of Pop Michael Jackson, whose funeral is slated for Tuesday morning, will be buried without his brain. The singer's brain has been taken out for neurological tests.
Following an autopsy at the Los Angeles Coroner's Office, the singer's brain has been taken our for further neurological tests, including ones to see what drugs he had taken. Jackson's family doesn't want to postpone the funeral. Therefore, they have decided to bury him without his brain, reports dailymail.co.uk.
26 arrested in Spain for child pornography
By IANS/EFE,
Valencia (Spain) : Twenty six people were arrested and 10 others booked in Spain for uploading and sharing child pornography contents on the internet.
In a fresh crackdown against paedophiles across 18 provinces over past four months, thousands of kiddie-porn files were intercepted, police said Tuesday.
Besides, 10 computers, 78 hard drives, a memory pen and 673 CDs and DVDs with pedophilic content have also been seized during raids at various places, they said.
Body parts found at US plane crash site in Kyrgyzstan
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Bishkek : Parts of the pilots' bodies have been discovered at the site of Friday's US military plane crash in Kyrgyzstan, the Kyrgyz emergencies ministry said.
Navies step in as natural disasters rise four-fold
By Ritu Sharma, IANS,
Port Blair : With natural disasters registering a four-fold increase in the past decade owing to a variety of factors, the navies of the Asia-Pacific region are gearing up for an increasing humanitarian role and deliberating on the means to provide succour during calamities.
The murder of Qandeel Baloch and the ‘honour’ in killing
By Parvin Sultana for Twocircles.net
Of the many vices that inflict a patriarchal society, honour killing is one. It arises from the idea that women’s...
NATO Snubs Georgia, Ukraine Membership
By Prensa Latina
Bucharest : The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) on Thursday rejected Georgia's and Ukraine's candidatures to enter the Western military alliance, but pledged to bring the issue to the table in the coming future.
In what is considered a neutral stance, NATO postponed the membership decision on the two former Soviet republics, foil Macedonia's aspirations, but approved the formal membership of Albania and Croatia.
Russian, Indian presidents to discuss trade, nuclear cooperation
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : The presidents of Russia and India will discuss cooperation in trade, economics, science, nuclear power and space industry, at talks in Moscow later Thursday, a Kremlin source said.
Pratibha Patil was invited to pay an official visit by Dmitry Medvedev and arrived Wednesday. She will leave Russia Sep 6.
The source said the two leaders will also touch upon urgent international and regional issues and noted that bilateral trade is growing.
Etihad, Alitalia to launch Rome-Abu Dhabi flights
By IANS,
By WAM,
Abu Dhabi: Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, and Italian flag carrier Alitalia have announced direct Rome-Abu Dhabi flights from December.
Nine Pakistanis released without charge, to face deportation
By Dipankar De Sarkar,IANS,
London : Nine Pakistani men, whose arrest over an alleged terrorist bomb plot in northwest England led to a row between Britain and Pakistan, have been released without charge.
They were among 12 men who were arrested by British police April 8 after raids on houses in the cities of Manchester, Liverpool and Clitheroe.
Two of the men are still being questioned while a third had been handed over to the custody of the UK Border Agency three days after the arrests, made over what Prime Minister Gordon Brown had described as a "very big terrorist plot".
Slovenia to help poor neighbourhood it escaped
By DPA
Ljubljana (Slovenia) : Slovenia's agenda for its six-month presidency of the EU highlights the remarkable development of the tiny Alpine-Adriatic republic in less than two decades.
In 1991, Slovenia fought its way out of the economically and politically moribund Yugoslavia.
Now, it is set to start 2008 as president of the elite 27-nation bloc and with the aim of helping its former sister-republics, most of all troubled Serbia, to finally start catching up.
Nude church service called off following threats
By ANTARA News/DPA,
Amsterdam : A group of Dutch nudists called off a special church service to be held in a nudist park after receiving threats, a spokesman for the group said Friday.
In June, the Christian Gan Eden nudists held their first church service at the Flevo-Natuur nudist park in Zeewolde in the eastern Netherlands and planned to hold a second service.
However, the group was hit by numerous emails and phone calls, many of them threatening, the Gan Eden spokesman said. The church service was called off and the group shut its website down.
Britain reviews child protection after toddler’s death by torture
By Venkata Vemuri, IANS,
London : A shocked British government has ordered a full review of the country's child protection measures after a court convicted a young mother, her boyfriend and another man for the terrible death by torture of a 17-month-old child.
In his short life, the boy known as Baby P endured 50 injuries - including broken bones and back - at his home in a London borough.
Myanmar hunts for bombers for two blasts in Yangon
By Xinhua,
Yangon : The Myanmar authorities are hunting for suspected bombers in two bomb blasts which occurred in the downtown areas of the country's biggest city of Yangon on Sunday night, according to state media Tuesday.
A man, supposed to be at the age of 30, is under suspicion for the responsibility of one of the two blasts in the city's Kyauktada and Pabedan townships.
EU condemns Pakistan suicide attack
By IANS,
Brussels : European Union foreign policy chief Javeir Solana Sunday condemned the suicide bomb attack that killed 53 people at the Marriott Hotel in Pakistan's capital Islamabad Saturday.
Solana said he condemns "in the strongest possible terms the despicable bomb attack", according to EuAsiaNews.
He also expressed his sympathy to the Czech Republic on the death of its envoy Ivo Zdarek and a colleague of his in the attack.
Climate summit on verge of collapse
By Joydeep Gupta, IANS,
Copenhagen : A day before it was scheduled to come up with an agreement to save the world, the climate summit was on the verge of collapse Thursday with rich countries refusing to promise that they would either cut their pollution any more or give poor nations any meaningful sum of money to cope with the effects of climate change.
Attack on UN camp in Mali condemned
United Nations : UN Secretary-General Ban Ki moon has condemned a terrorist attack on a UN peacekeeping camp in Mali.
At least three people were...
Maoists end three-day strike in Nepal
By IANS,
Kathmandu : The three-day general strike called by Nepal's former Maoist guerrillas ended formally Tuesday with a "victory meeting" in the capital.
After paralysing the country for two days and a half and shutting down transport, industries, markets and educational institutions, protesters Tuesday brought out "victory rallies" from different parts of the capital that converged in front of the interim parliament.
Roberto Carlos joins Ronaldo at Brazilian giant Corinthians
By DPA,
Sao Paulo: Brazilian left-back Roberto Carlos returned to play football in his native country and joined Corinthians Monday with a one-year contract.
The former Real Madrid idol, who lately played for Turkish club Fenerbah�e, was welcomed by thousands of Corinthians' fans at the Parque Sao Jorge stadium in Sao Paulo.
Ronaldo, another veteran of Brazil's 2002 World Cup winning team, also plays for the popular club.
11 killed in Nigeria church blasts during Christmas prayers
By IANS,
Abuja/London: At least 11 people were killed and many more injured after bomb blasts targetted Christmas Day church services in two Nigerian cities, BBC reported.
Guatemalans who fled volcano eruption return home
By IANS/EFE,
Guatemala City: Thousands of people who were evacuated Thursday because of the violent eruption of the Fuego volcano in Colombia have returned home after seismic activity diminished.
British society divided along ethnic lines: Report
By DPA
London : Extremism and ethnic segregation are on the rise in Britain despite three decades of trying to build a multicultural society, a report by the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) said Wednesday.
Divisions between Britain's ethnic groups are deeper than ever and are fuelling religious and political extremism to a dangerous extent, said the report.
"Extremism, both political and religious, is on the rise as people become disillusioned and disconnected from each other," said the CRE.
China jails rights activist for 5 years
By DPA
Beijing : A court in southern China's Guangdong province Wednesday sentenced a well-known legal rights activist to five years in prison after convicting him of "illegal business activity," a rights group said.
The court in the provincial capital, Guangzhou, announced the sentencing of lawyer Guo Feixiong following a trial earlier this year that was "marked with serious procedural irregularities," US-based Human Rights in China (HRIC) said.
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.
US voters throng polling stations in historic election
By DPA,
Washington/Chicago : Tens of thousands of US voters waited patiently in serpentine queues Tuesday to vote in the country's historic election. Many had started lining up before dawn and some braved pouring rain to cast their ballot.
Officials were prepared for an unprecedented turnout as voters delivered their verdict on Democrat Barack Obama, 47, and his Republican rival John McCain, 72, after the longest and most expensive campaign in US history.
Images of violence desensitise viewers to others’ pain, suffering
By IANS,
Washington : Violence-themed video games and movies desensitise people to the pain and suffering of others, according to the latest research.
These findings of two studies conducted by University of Michigan (UM) psychology professor Brad Bushman and Iowa State University professor Craig Anderson fill an important research gap in the literature on the impact of violent media.
Post poll violence in Kenya claims 250 lives
KUWAIT, Jan 2 (KUNA) -- At least 250 people were killed, including 30 who were burned to death at a church in ethnic violence in Kenya, the BBC monitored here said on Wednesday.
The violence has been raging since last Thursday when Mwai Kibaki was officially re-elected president. He along, with the defeated opposition leader, Raila Odinga, who contested the poll, has called for cessation of the violence.
62-million-year old crocodile fossil found in Brazil
By RIA Novosti
Rio De Janeiro : Brazilian scientists have found the fossil of a previously unknown species of marine crocodile, which lived 62 million years ago and survived the dinosaurs, researchers said.
The species "Guarinisuchus munizi", found in the northeast coastal region of Pernambuco, has given rise to new theories about the migration of pre-historic animals.
Alexander Kellner of the National Museum here said: "Based on the discovery, we know what happened near the Brazilian coast. Now the question is whether the same happened worldwide. We believe it did."
Free Ukrainian reporter: Kremlin body to Syrian rebels
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow: The Russian presidential human rights council has demanded that Syrian militants immediately release Ukrainian journalist Ankhar Kochneva.
EU, Russia may discuss new partnership agreement
By RIA Novosti
Moscow : The European Union (EU) and Russia could launch talks about a new partnership and cooperation agreement within the next six months, a senior EU official said Tuesday.
The latest Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between Russia and the EU was signed June 24, 1994 in Corfu, Greece. The document came into force Dec 1, 1997, and expired in November 2007.
North Korea to sign non-aggression treaty with ASEAN: Singapore
By ANTARA News,
Singapore : North Korea plans to sign a non-aggression treaty with its Southeast Asian neighbours following a key regional security gathering here next week, Singapore's foreign ministry said Monday.
The announcement came on the heels of the latest round of six-party talks aimed at ending the North's nuclear programmes, at which Pyongyang agreed to disable its main nuclear facilities by the end of October.
North Korea told Singapore, current chair of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), that it would accede to the treaty next week.
Moscow urges Belgrade, Pristina to continue Kosovo talks
By RIA Novosti
Moscow : Moscow has called on Belgrade and Pristina to continue negotiations on the status of Kosovo, and hopes that a compromise is still possible, Russia's UN envoy said on Friday.
The Contact Group's troika of mediators - Russia, the United States and the European Union - submitted to the UN Security Council and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon a report on December 10 saying that the parties had failed to reach an agreement after "120 days of intensive negotiations."
Obama urges UN to punish North Korea for missile launch
By IANS,
Prague : US President Barack Obama has said that North Korea violated international rules when it tested a rocket capable of sending weapons at long range, and called on the UN Security Council to take action, a media report said.
"This provocation underscores the need for action, not just this (Sunday) afternoon at the Security Council but in our determination to prevent the spread of these weapons," Obama said.
"Rules must be binding. Violations must be punished. Words must mean something," the New York Times quoted Obama as saying Sunday.
Palestinian children under house arrest, awaiting trial
Jerusalem : Dozens of Palestinian children are being held within the walls of their homes in East Jerusalem, by order of the Israeli authorities,...
Cambodian FM Asks Asean For Help On Preah Vihear Dispute With Thailand
By Bernama,
Phnom Penh : Cambodian foreign minister has asked Singapore, the chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), to intervene and find peaceful solution for its current Preah Vihear dispute with Thailand, Xinhua news agency quoted the minister's letter sent Monday and made available to reporters here Tuesday.
Obama signs executive order to close Guantanamo prison camp
By DPA,
Washington : US President Barack Obama signed an executive order Thursday to close the controversial prison camp at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba within a year.
The order sets into motion a review of the cases of all the remaining 245 detainees at the facility and an evaluation of ways to relocate them. That could involve repatriating them to their home nations or to a third country.
Obama also signed an order banning inhumane treatment of detainees and mandating that any interrogations of terrorism suspects in US custody come under the compliance of the US Army's Field Manual.
49 killed as aircraft crashes into house in New York state
By IANS,
New York : Forty nine people were feared to have died as an aircraft flying from Newark to Buffalo crashed into a house in New York state, media reports said Friday.
Erie County executive Chris Collins said at a news conference that "49 people, including one on the ground, were killed", New York Times reported.
The Continental Express flight from Newark to Buffalo crashed into the house about seven to nine km from Buffalo Niagara International Airport, officials said.
The plane carried 44 passengers and a crew of 4, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
China to face power shortage
By IANS,
Beijing : China will continue to face a power shortfall this year due to increasing demand and stagnant growth in new power plants, according to an industry association.
London mayor Britain’s most respected politician
By IANS,
London: London Mayor Boris Johnson is the most respected politician in Britain, a new poll has found.
Sri Lankan president to visit Bodh Gaya
By IANS,
Patna: Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa will visit Bodh Gaya in Bihar Feb 8 to pray at the site where Lord Buddha attained enlightenment, an official said Saturday.
IMF mulling guidelines for sovereign wealth funds
By DPA,
Washington : International Monetary Fund (IMF) Thursday formed a group to examine the practices of sovereign wealth funds, which have taken up increasing stakes in financial institutions and corporations around the world.
The new committee of government and business representatives will report in October at the twice-annual meetings of the IMF and World Bank with a set of global guidelines for the state-controlled funds to operate under.
Three dead, five hurt in Brazil chopper crashes
By IANS
Sao Paulo : Three people have been killed and five injured in three separate helicopter crashes within a span of two hours in the south eastern Brazilian state of Sao Paulo, Spanish news agency EFE reported Friday.
The first accident took place Thursday in Carapicuiba, a suburb of Sao Paulo city, where a helicopter carrying four people crashed into a main thoroughfare.
A woman and a child were killed on the spot while the pilot died later at a city hospital. One passenger survived.
Four officials sacked as 18 kids die in accident
By IANS,
Beijing : Four officials were sacked in China after 18 kindergarten children were killed in an accident.
World’s major air accidents in 2008
By Xinhua,
Beijing : US Continental Airlines flight crashed Thursday in suburban Buffalo in northern New York State, US, killing all 48 onboard and one on the ground. The following is a chronology of major air accidents worldwide in 2008.
On Feb 21, 2008, a passenger plane belonging to a Venezuelan airline company Santa Barbara crashed in the Venezuelan Andes just after takeoff. All 46 people on board were killed.
On April 15, 2008, a passenger plane crashed into a market in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, killing over 50 people.
Amsterdam steps up security after airline incident
By DPA,
Amsterdam/Washington: Security measures at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport were stepped up Saturday morning after a Nigerian passenger allegedly tried to set off an explosive device on a Northwest Airlines flight from Amsterdam to Detroit the day before.
All passengers to the US are now being body-searched individually, a spokesperson for the National Coordinator for Counterterrorism (NCT) said.
Thai coalition gov’t to carry on in face of protests
By Xinhua,
Bangkok : The six parties led by People Power Party (PPP) in Thailand's coalition government on Saturday vowed to remain united and carry on its duties in face of continuous anti-government protests.
Stressful job might take life
By IANS,
London: A stressful job can change the way body handles fat, resulting in raised cholesterol levels and even a heart disease, almost fatal for anyone.
Putin sings, plays piano at charity event
By IANS,
St. Petersburg : Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin played the piano and sang an English song at a charity event in St. Petersburg for children diagnosed with cancer.
Zimbabwe poll panel says runoff vote needed
By DPA,
Harare/Johannesburg : Zimbabwe's Election Commission said Friday neither President Robert Mugabe nor his main challenger Morgan Tsvangirai had won outright in the March 29 presidential election, meaning a runoff vote was needed.
The commission said that while Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Tsvangirai had beaten Mugabe, he had won only 47.9 percent of the vote - not the 50 percent required for an outright win. Mugabe had won 43.2 percent of the vote.
Russian spaceship docks with ISS
Moscow: A Russian spaceship carrying a new international crew docked with the International Space Station (ISS) Friday.
The Soyuz TMA-12M brought Russian cosmonauts Alexander Skvortsov...
Myanmar quietly releases 96 monks
By DPA
Yangon : Myanmar's military regime has released from detention 96 monks who participated in September's marches, permitting half of them to return to the Ngwekyaryan monastery in Yangon, sources said Monday.
Authorities released the 96 monks, including Abbot Sayadaw U. Yevada, last Friday from the Kaba Aye detention centre, where they had been kept since the government crackdown on monk-led protests Sep 26-27.
Myanmar premier in Thailand for talks, home-cooked meal
By DPA,
Bangkok : Myanmar Prime Minister Thein Sein arrived in Thailand Tuesday for a three-day visit that is to include a home-cooked meal by his Thai counterpart.
Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej, known for his culinary skills, has invited General Thein Sein to his home Tuesday night to enjoy a meal prepared by the premier himself, government spokesman Wichianchote Sukchotrat said.
Myanmar, deemed a pariah state among Western democracies, was one of the first countries Samak visited after becoming prime minister Feb 6.
Thai PM refuses to resign despite growing crisis
By DPA,
Bangkok : Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej Thursday refused to resign from his post despite growing pressure on him to step down after failing to evict thousands of protesters from Government House, the seat of power, for more than a week.
"I cannot leave because under a democratic system no one group can force me to resign," Samak said in a broadcast to the nation Thursday morning. "I will stay on to heal the country's democracy."
Britain’s spending cuts to affect queen’s purse
By Venkata Vemuri, IANS,
London : A financial crisis is a great leveller. Proposed spending cuts by the British government are to affect the queen's annual bursary too, according to a media report.
The government may announce a one-year freeze in the Civil List, a settlement under which the queen receives money from parliament every year to perform her public duties.
Currently, the annual payment stands at 7.9 million pounds. The settlement is increased every decade, but this amount has remained frozen since 1990.
Policeman kills three civilians in China
By IANS,
Beijing : A policeman Saturday shot three civilians dead and injured a senior police officer in China.
The incident took place in Taipusi Banner in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
Wang Fengliang, the suspect, is a detective in the public security bureau, Xinhua reported. He has been detained.
Victim blames ‘godless’ Maoist chief for Nepal flood
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : Even as Nepal's political parties are blaming neighbour India's "negligence" for the breach in a barrage in the Terai plains that rendered tens of thousands homeless in both countries, one victim is blaming "godless" Maoist Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda for the disaster.
Roundup of Election Developments
By SPA
Washington : Presidential candidates in the United States focused their attention on the country’s capital Washington D.C. and the surrounding states of Maryland and Virginia on Monday, ahead of a Tuesday election for both parties.
D.C., Maryland and Virginia will hold their primary votes on Tuesday, in what is being called the Potomac Primary by many, after the Potomac River that flows through all three areas.
Medvedev, Sarkozy talk before summit on Georgian crisis
By DPA,
Moscow : Just hours before a European Union (EU) emergency summit on the crisis in Georgia, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and French President Nicolas Sarkozy discussed the situation on the telephone, the agency Interfax has reported.
The two leaders focussed on the disputed buffer zones held by the Russian Army on Georgian territory along the two breakaway republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, according to the late Sunday report from Interfax, which cited presidium officials in Moscow.
Italy does not need EU help: Monti
By IANS,
Rome : Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti has denied that his country requires any bailout from its European partners.
Pentagon chief praises Ukrainian restraint
Washington: US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel has praised the restraint demonstrated by Ukrainian forces in Crimea and commended Tenyukh's leadership.
The sentiments were expressed during...
Microsoft, Yahoo meet for merger talks
By DPA
San Francisco : Senior executives from Microsoft and Yahoo met for the first time this week to discuss Microsoft's takeover offer for the internet company, the Wall Street Journal reported Friday.
The meeting reportedly took place Monday near Yahoo's headquarters in Silicon Valley and was the first face-to-face talks between the two companies since Microsoft tabled its unsolicited bid for Yahoo on Jan 31.
Romania parliament ratifies EU-Moldova association agreement
Bucharest : Romania's Senate Thursday approved the draft law to ratify the European Union (EU) association agreements with Moldova, Ukraine and Georgia.
The Deputies' Chamber,...
British PM brings sports icons like Coe to India
By Manish Chand, IANS,
New Delhi: Olympic medal-winning athletes and sports icons like the legendary Sebastian Coe will be part of British Prime Minister David Cameron's 100-plus entourage when he arrives here Tuesday.
Accompanied by top cabinet ministers, business honchos and sports stars, Cameron arrives here late Tuesday for a three-day visit clearly aimed at adding that extra spark to a long standing relationship.
Russia to retaliate against US missile system
By Xinhua
Moscow : President Vladimir Putin has warned that Russia would take retaliatory measures against the deployment of a US missile defense system in Central Europe, Itar-Tass news agency reported Monday.
EU countries reach agreement on labour rules
By DPA,
Luxembourg : EU employment ministers working overnight Monday reached a long-debated agreement on rules concerning working time and temporary workers, said council chairwoman Marjeta Cotman, the Slovenian minister for labour and familiy and social affairs.
The agreement came after the 27 voting members established a qualifying majority for approval of the new measures that will impact millions of European workers and employers.
Bomb explosion in Kathmandu
By IANS
Kathmandu : A bomb went off in an upmarket area of the capital Monday afternoon, but there was no injury or damage.
Kathmandu police told IANS a "socket" bomb went off on the road in the Panipokhari area near the Japanese embassy.
The explosion comes a month after three serial blasts ripped through Kathmandu, killing three women and injuring over two dozen people,
The bomb, that derives its name due to sockets being fused together, is one of the most commonly found explosives in Nepal, especially in the Terai plains in the south.
US stocks jump as oil price falls
By DPA,
New York : US stock indices recorded their biggest jump in a month as oil prices fell sharply Tuesday and the Federal Reserve opened the door to extending emergency lending into 2009.
Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke said that the central bank's unprecedented lending to investment banks, set up in March at the height of the credit crisis for a six-month period, could be extended into 2009 if the financial sector's "unusual and exigent circumstances continue to prevail."
25 killed in China bus accident
By Xinhua
Guiyang (China) : At least 25 people were killed after their bus veered off a slippery mountainous road in the southwestern Guizhou province Tuesday morning, officials said.
A 35-seater passenger bus, carrying 38 people, veered off a highway in the mountainous area of Zunyi City and plunged into a 40-foot-deep valley at about 7.40 a.m., officials with the provincial work safety supervision administration said.
Two passengers were in a critical condition, while 11 people received minor injuries, doctors said.
OANA Executive Board Meeting kicks off in Baku
By ANTARA News/AzerTaj,
Baku : The 30th OANA Executive Board Meeting "News for Everybody in the Globalizing World" organized by the AzerTAc has started Tuesday in Baku.
The meeting is attended by OANA President, ANTARA CEO Ahmad Mukhlis Yusuf, heads and top representatives of national news agencies from 21 countries.
It also gathered Wolfgang Vyslozil, EANA President, CEO of the Austrian news agency APA, heads of national news agencies of Bulgaria, France and Jordan.
British TV channel accused of encouraging marital rape
By IANS,
London : A TV channel in Britain has been accused of encouraging marital rape after a guest said in a programme that "a woman cannot refuse her husband's relations", a media report said.
Daily Express reported that the nation's leading Muslim TV channel was Thursday night accused of encouraging "marital rape" and promoting hatred and intolerance.
Ofcom, which is a broadcasting watchdog, Thursday began a probe after being handed a report by think tank Quilliam on the London-based Islam Channel.
Hiroshima Marks 63rd Anniversary of US Nuke Blasts
By Prensa Latina,
Hiroshima, Japan : One minute of silence, wailing sirens and pigeons at Japan's martyr city recalled the horrors of the US nuclear attack 63 years ago.
Over 45,000 people at Peace Memorial Park honored hundreds of thousands of victims of the US August 6, 1945 radioactive threat to the world.
On the fatal morning, a B-29 bomber released the 4t bomb loaded with 1 kg of uranio-235 that blasted some 600 meters above the ground.
Over 45,000 people at Peace Memorial Park honored hundreds of thousands of victims of the US August 6, 1945 radioactive threat to the world.
On the fatal morning, a B-29 bomber released the 4t bomb loaded with 1 kg of uranio-235 that blasted some 600 meters above the ground.
5 more palaces, 8 jungles owned by Nepali king to be nationalized
By Xinhua
Kathmandu : A ministerial-level committee formed to look into the nationalization of Nepali royal property Sunday recommended the nationalization of five more palaces and eight jungles owned by the king, a leading website, eKantipur.com reported.
Sunday's meeting of the committee headed by Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula took the decision to nationalize the five other palaces and eight jungles registered in the king's name.
US embassy in Pakistan denies its diplomat declared PNG
By IANS,
Islamabad: The US embassy here has denied reports that one of its diplomats had been declared persona-non-grata after an apparent scuffle with the police in the northwestern city of Peshawar.
Gerald M. Feierstein, the charge de Affairs at the US mission here, told Online news agency that the facts about the incident, in which the diplomat allegedly pointed a gun at the police and which occurred in Peshawar's diplomatic enclave had been distorted.
Tourists splash out 1 bn euros a year on Milan shopping
By IANS/AKI,
Milan : Tourists spend a staggering 1 billion euros annually on shopping sprees in Italy's fashion capital, Milan, according to a study by the city's chamber of commerce.
The designer stores near the city's gothic cathedral are the biggest draw, but the elegant Corso Vittorio Emanuele is also popular with tourist shoppers.
Stores in the less central but increasingly trendy via Torino and via Buenos Aires do good business. Also, 75 percent of tourists in Milan have come to the northern city to shop, and Germans and Spaniards are the most numerous, the study said.
Jamaica violence toll climbs to 49
By IANS/EFE,
Kingston : Four days of fighting between members of Jamaican security forces and gunmen working for a drug lord have left 49 people dead in this capital, officials have said.
Jamaica's ombudsman and public defender said they counted 44 bodies when they ventured into Kingston's strife-torn Tivoli Gardens neighbourhood late Tuesday, adding to the five fatalities - including two policemen and a soldier - reported earlier.
‘Unlearning’ vital for success in business: study
By IANS,
Sydney : Unlearning practices associated with an old workplace is just as good as picking up new ones to impact a company's productivity, according to new research.
“Unlearning” implies discarding prior knowledge to make room for new information that would be useful when applied to major change affecting such an organisation.
Karen Becker of Queensland University of Technology has been studying unlearning and said it was an important, but often overlooked, way of dealing with workplace changes.
North Korea claims to have carried out nuclear fusion
By DPA,
Seoul : North Korea has successfully carried out a nuclear fusion reaction, its official news agency said Wednesday.
The breakthrough announced by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) would be a technical step forward from the nuclear fission reactions which Pyongyang has already tested.
"The successful nuclear fusion marks a great event that demonstrated the rapidly developing cutting-edge science and technology of the DPRK (North Korea)," the KCNA report said.
Asia-Europe labor minister meeting declares for better migrant worker protection
By Xinhua,
Jakarta : The second Asia and Europe Labor ministers concluded in Bali, Indonesia, their on Wednesday with a declaration promising to provide better protection on migrant workers, the Jakarta Post said here Thursday.
The ministers had discussed for two days issues on migrant workers at the second Labor and Employment Ministers Summit of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in Bali, Indonesia.
IAEA ready to help nations secure nuclear material
By DPA,
Washington : The head of the UN nuclear watchdog has welcomed the commitment in Washington of world leaders to secure nuclear materials, and said his agency was ready to help.
During a summit hosted by US President Barack Obama Tuesday, leaders and top officials from more than 40 countries agreed to take steps to better secure dangerous nuclear material to prevent it from being used in terrorist attacks.
Kin hikes reward for American trekker missing in Nepal
By IANS,
Kathmandu : Almost two months after a young American hiker went missing in Nepal, her family Wednesday trebled the reward for anyone who found her, refusing to call off their month-long search and rejecting the possibility that she may not be alive.
Paul Sacco, a former soccer player who travelled to Nepal last month to search for his 23-year-old daughter Aubrey, who went missing during a hike in the Langtang National Park in northern Nepal, said his family is now offering a reward of NRs.300,000 to anyone who finds her.
Taiwan seeks F-16s to boost defence
By DPA,
Taipei : Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou called Thursday on the US to sell F-16s to Taipei to boost the island's defences after the Pentagon said this week that China is gaining military superiority over Taiwan.
"Taiwan people's top concern is Taiwan's security," Ma said. "I hope the US can cautiously consider selling F-16C/Ds to Taiwan as the balance of cross-Strait military power is tipping in China's favour."
Frantic campaigning as Britain goes to polls Thursday
By IANS,
London : Party leaders with an eye on No.10 Downing Street rolled up their sleeves and shook that extra hand ascampaigning shifted to top gear as Britain prepared to vote Thursday in one of the most closely fought elections in recent times.
The Conservatives, led by David Cameron, are hoping to return to power after 13 years of Labour government, while Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg's surging popularity could upset many political calculations.
Russia sends four MiG-29K fighters to India
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow: Russian aircraft maker MiG has delivered four MiG-29K/KUB ship-borne fighters to the Indian Navy under a contract concluded in 2010, the company said.
French EU Presidency expresses “immense joy” at release of Betancourt
By KUNA,
Paris : The EU Presidency, currently held by France, early Thursday expressed "immense joy" at the news that Franco-Colombian political figure Ingrid Betancourt had been released from captivity after a covert operation by Colombian forces.
Betancourt, who was a Presidential candidate in Colombia's elections at the time, was kidnapped in 2002 by extreme-left guerrillas from the revolutionary "FARC" group and she had been held in a jungle hideout for six years before her release late Wednesday.
Bangladesh PM, Jamaat condemn blogger’s murder
Dhaka : Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and leading political parties, including the Jamaat-e-Islami, have condemned the brutal murder of a fourth blogger in Bangladesh,...
Japanese scientists try to grow human organs in pigs
Tokyo : Professor Hiromitsu Nakauchi will conduct a series of experiments in August to develop human organs in pigs, the cells of which can...
Britain announces $87 bn bailout plan for banks
By DPA,
London : The British government Wednesday announced a major rescue package for leading banks of 50 billion pounds ($87 billion) to stabilize the banking system, according to a statement to the London Stock Exchange.
Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling, detailing the plan in a written statement to the London stock market Wednesday, has said it was aimed at placing the banking industry on a long term "sound footing."
A government spokesman said the plan was aimed at securing the "substantial restructuring of banking."
Clinton to be first US secretary of state to visit Chennai
By IANS,
Washington : US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who is leading a high-level delegation to New Delhi for the second round of strategic dialogue July 19, will also visit Chennai.
Water shortage can cause global conflict, warns UN
By IANS,
United Nations: Increasing demand for water and shortage of the resource across the world can become a potential source of conflict, the United Nations has warned.
The increased demand for clean water and the fall in supply sources cause a scramble increasingly evident. Border waters can become a cause of potential conflict when dealing with a survival problem, said Ali Treki, chairman of the UN General Assembly.
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.
Chilean police defuse time bomb near church after receiving anonymous report
By Xinhua
Santiago : The Chilean police defused a time bomb Sunday after receiving an anonymous call which reported the bomb near a military church in the capital city.
The call was received around 11 a.m. local time. A special-action police unit then rushed to the military church in Providencia District and evacuated the people in and around the church.
After a close examination around the site, the police finally found the time bomb and successfully removed the fuse from it in time.
New Zealand’s new leader keen to atttend Asia-Pacific summit
By DPA,
Wellington : New Zealand prime minister-elect John Key said Sunday that he wanted a fast-track swearing-in process so that he could attend an important Asia-Pacific regional summit in Peru this month.
Key, whose conservative National Party swept to victory over the incumbent Labour-led coalition in Saturday's general election, told a news conference it would be in the country's best interests if he could attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) summit in Lima on Nov 22-23.
US sees many concerns in IAEA report on Iran
By DPA,
Washington : The US found many worrying revelations in a new report from a global nuclear watchdog Thursday that for the first time acknowledges Iran could be developing a nuclear warhead.
The Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said it had a "broadly consistent and credible" body of information about Iranian nuclear activities and said Tehran could be developing nuclear payload for a missile.
China-Myanmar oil pipeline still under discussion
By KUNA
Tokyo : Construction of the oil pipeline from Myanmar to southwest China's Yunnan Province is still under discussion, the state-run news agency Xinhua reported Monday, citing a top provincial official. The long-awaited pipeline is expected to provide an alternative route for China's crude imports from the Middle East and Africa and ease the country's worries of its over-dependence on energy transportation through the Strait of Malacca.
Barack Obama wins: CNN
By IANS,
Washington : CNN projects that Barack Obama will be elected the next president of the United States.window.onload = function() {var adsPercent = 1;if(Math.random()...
Foreigners not knowing English clear driving tests in Britain
By IANS,
London : Over 10,000 people of various nationalities have cleared driving tests in Britain without having knowledge of basic English, according to government documents.
Serb president receives death threat
By RIA Novosti,
Belgrade : Serb President Boris Tadic has received a death threat that accuses him of "betraying the country," Belgrade's Blic newspaper said on Monday referring to sources in the president's administration.
The newspaper said the letter was one of a number of death threats sent to Tadic since Kosovo declared unilateral independence from Serbia on February 17.
British media say Hitler’s love child may be living in U.K.
LONDON, December 13 (RIA Novosti) - The British media was awash with rumors and speculation on Thursday that Adolf Hitler's love child may have been born in the U.K. in 1940, and that he could still be living in the country.
Martin Bright, writing in the New Statesman magazine, said that in 2002 he received a phone call from a woman named Val Hann who had read an article he had written about Unity Mitford, a British high-society fascist who was reportedly Hitler's lover.
Taiwan, China to resume talks amid dispute over island’s sovereignty
By DPA,
Taipei : Taiwan and China, after decade-long tension caused by former president Chen Shui-bian's bid for Taiwan independence, will resume dialogue next week to pave the way for lasting peace.
During the semi-official dialogue, held June 11-14 in Beijing, the two sides are expected to sign pacts on opening weekend charter flights and allowing mainland tourists to visit Taiwan.
Advanced nations most likely to face terror attacks: Study
By IANS,
Washington : Countries with advanced economies as well as a high degree of civil liberties are most likely to face the brunt of terror attacks, says a new study.
Economic status has more to do with target countries than it does with the states where the attacks originate, says Princeton University economist and professor Alan Krueger.
"Public opinion appears to be a useful predictor of terrorist activity," said Krueger. In findings consistent with his earlier work, he said there is no direct link between poverty and terrorism, contrary to a popular view.
California emergency grows as wildfires spread south
By DPA,
San Francisco : California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger extended California's state of emergency Thursday, declaring disaster status in Santa Barbara county where a wildfire threatened the coastal community of Goleta.
The Gap Fire has burned some 970 hectares and the order made Santa Barbara the most southern of the 11 counties to be declared a disaster area as a spate of wildfires have ripped through the state in the past two weeks.