Some 200 Thai troops stationed at border area with Cambodia
By Xinhua,
Phnom Penh : Thailand has stationed around 200 troops at the border area with Cambodia over a land dispute around the Preah Vihear Temple, according to the provincial authority of Preah Vihear Wednesday.
The Cambodian side insisted that the Thai force entered its territory, while the Thai side denied.
Both forces were in armed situation, the provincial authority said.
Russia successfully launches two European satellites
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : A Rokot carrier rocket with two European satellites has been successfully launched from the Plesetsk space center in northwest Russia, a spokesman for the Russian Space Forces said on Monday.
"A Rokot carrier rocket with the SMOS spacecraft and the Proba-2 mini-satellite, developed under European Space Agency's initiative, has been successfully launched," Aleksei Zolotukhin said, adding the launch took place at 4:50 a.m. Moscow time (01:50 GMT).
Tamil-Army Clashes Leave 15 Dead
By Prensa Latina,
Colombo : At least 12 Tamil rebels and three government soldiers died in clashes in northern Sri Lanka, military sources in this capital reported on Tuesday.
According to the Ministry of Defense, the army launched a counterattack in Palampiddi area, about 205 miles north of Colombo, on Monday, in response to a Tamil rebels attack to a military defense line.
The military report says that at least 15 soldiers and over 50 rebels of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam died on Sunday during an army advance to conquer Palampiddi.
Russia ready to start talks on CFE Treaty this autumn
By RIA Novosti
Moscow : Russia is ready to start talks on an amended Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE) Treaty this autumn, and will continue to honour its provisions until the deadline set by a presidential decree, a Russian diplomat said Friday.
Late last week, President Vladimir Putin signed a document suspending Russia's observance of the CFE Treaty and related agreements, citing the "extraordinary circumstances concerning Russia's security that require emergency measures," and set a 150-day deadline for the West to ratify it.
Russia proposes Middle East meet in Moscow
By RIA Novosti
Moscow : Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will visit Syria, Israel and the Palestinian territories March 19-21 to discuss holding a Middle East meeting in Moscow, a ministry spokesman said Tuesday.
Mikhail Kamynin said in a statement the issue of a Middle East meeting is being discussed with the Palestinians, the Israelis, countries involved in mediating the conflict, and members of the Arab League.
Haze continues to worry Beijing on eve of opening ceremony
By V.Krishnaswamy, IANS,
Beijing : The Beijing Olympic Games Organising Committee will have its fingers crossed in the fervent hope that the skies, which have had haze hanging over it for the last few days, will clear out in time for the opening ceremony Friday.
The opening ceremony is due to start at eight seconds past eight minutes at eight p.m. on August 8. The ceremony itself, which has been kept as a big secret will last three-and-a-half-hours and will showcase Chinese culture and its progress through the years.
Pope Benedict on first outing after attack
By DPA,
Rome: Pope Benedict XVI made his first trip outside the Vatican amid tight security Sunday - three days after he was floored by a reportedly deranged woman at midnight mass in St Peter's Basilica.
The 82-year-old pontiff visited the Catholic community of Sant'Egidio community area of Trastevere in Rome, where he dined with the poor.
Italy quake: 98-year-old woman rescued after 30 hours
By Xinhua,
Rome : A 98-year-old woman was pulled out alive from the earthquake rubble in Italy's L'Aquila city after being trapped for 30 hours, Italian media reported.
Maria D'Antuono told ANSA news agency that while trapped under her house, she killed time by "doing crochet". She is in good condition.
The death toll in Monday's earthquake, which centred near L'Aquila about 95 km northeast of Rome, has hit 250, a government official was quoted as saying by local media.
Russia’s Medvedev focuses on social themes
By Erik Albrecht, DPA
Moscow : Dmitry Medvedev, the man Vladimir Putin handpicked to succeed him as the president of Russia, has no reason to worry about winning Sunday's election.
After Putin chose Medvedev, deputy head of government, as his desired successor in December, Medvedev's approval rating raced from 24 to 70 percent. At the age of 42, he will be Russia's youngest head of state since the time of the tsars.
Former US president Clinton meets Kim Jong Il
By DPA,
Seoul: Former US president Bill Clinton arrived Tuesday in Pyongyang and met North Korean leader Kim Jong Il in an unannounced visit aimed at securing the release of two American journalists held by the Stalinist state for months.
Clinton was greeted by high-ranking North Korean officials, including Kim Kye Gwan, North Korea's top nuclear negotiator, North Korea's state-run Central Television said. He later met Kim Jong Il, whose health has been in question since he reportedly suffered from a stroke last year.
Schedule of events for Obama’s inauguration
By IANS,
Washington : Here is the schedule of events for Barack Obama's inauguration as 44th president of the US Tuesday:
8 a.m. (6.30 p.m. IST): Gates to the inaugural ceremony on the West Front of the US Capitol open.
10 a.m. (8.30 p.m. IST): The inaugural festivities start. Two-hour programme includes musical selections and invocation by Rev. Rick Warren.
11.45 a.m. (10.15 p.m. IST): Joe Biden is sworn in as vice president.
12 noon (10.30 p.m. IST): Barack Obama takes the oath of office as president using Abraham Lincoln's inaugural Bible.
European business climate deteriorates again – INSEE
By KUNA,
PARIS : The business climate in European nations continued to deteriorate in March but at a slower pace than in February, although the outlook is still bleak for European business, Frances National Statistics Institute (INSEE) said in a report Tuesday.
Some improvement was noted in Belgium, and there was relative stability in France and Germany, but the business climate in Spain and Holland worsened, the report said.
Ready to discuss Cuba blockade with Obama, says Raul Castro
By RIA Novosti,
Mexico City : Cuban President Raul Castro has said his administration is ready for a dialogue with US president-elect Barack Obama, according to Mexican news sources.
On his arrival in Brazil Monday on the eve of a Latin American and Caribbean summit, Castro said he would like to hold talks with Obama regarding the economic blockade that the US imposed on the communist-ruled island for 46 years.
Syrian military police chief defects
By IANS,
London : The commander of Syria's military police has defected from President Bashar-al Assad's government and fled to Turkey, BBC reported.
Italian business confidence falls
By IANS/AKI,
Rome : Italian business confidence fell in February as the euro zone's third-largest economy was mired in recession.
Cuba releases images of Fidel Castro after six months
By IANS,
Havana : After almost six months, Cuba's ailing leftist leader Fidel Castro has appeared on state television. This time he was shown chatting with his younger brother and the country's President Raul Castro, and visiting Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez, EFE news agency reported Thursday.
In the footage aired on Cuban state television, the 81-year-old Fidel looked healthy and was seen sitting and standing while talking to his guests. The video was without audio except for Chavez greeting his friend and ally with the slogan: "Always to victory".
New conflict with Ugandan rebels looms on horizon
By Henry Wasswa, DPA,
Kampala : The two-year peace process in Uganda aimed at ending a rebellion by the notorious Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) lies in tatters as the rebels re-arm and Uganda, Congo and southern Sudan gear up for battle.
The LRA rebellion, which stretched over decades with varying degrees of intensity, saw tens of thousands killed or mutilated and several million displaced.
Now military officials say LRA leader Joseph Kony is preparing to re-ignite the civil war that wreaked havoc in northern Uganda.
Colombia names Silva as defence minister
By EFE,
Bogota : Colombian President Alvaro Uribe has named Gabriel Silva as the country's new defence minister.
Silva, who will succeed Juan Manuel Santos, will join office in August.
Juan Manuel Santos resigned from his post in May.
Colombian Armed Forces chief Gen. Freddy Padilla de Leon ran the defence ministry on an interim basis after his resignation.
Gabriel Silva earlier worked with the National Coffee Growers Federation.
N. Korea developing new devices to jam GPS signals
By KUNA,
Tokyo : North Korea has been developing a signal jamming device with an extended range, Yonhap News Agency reported Tuesday, citing the South Korean Defense Ministry.
Sri Lanka calls Pakistan ‘true friend’
By IANS,
Colombo: Sri Lanka has described Pakistan "as a true friend" after Islamabad congratulated Colombo following the decimation of the Tamil Tigers.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Hussein A. Bhaila made the observation after receiving a message from Pakistan's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Nawabzada Malik Amad Khan Wednesday.
"The government and the people of Sri Lanka have considered Pakistan as a true friend of Sri Lanka, which has always stood by it in times of need," the defence ministry quoted Bhaila as saying.
Ukrainian president, opposition sign deal to end crisis
By IANS,
Kiev: The Ukrainian president and opposition leaders signed an agreement Friday to end the country's nearly four month-long political crisis which has left...
No diesel, no cremation in Chinese city
By IANS,
Beijing : A funeral parlour in China's Chongqing city stopped its cremation services after it failed to buy diesel to fire its incinerators.
Flooded Chinese mine’s toll rises to 21
Beijing : The toll in the flooded Xiahaizi coal mine in southwest China's Yunnan province rose to 21 Sunday as rescuers found two more...
Tibet’s major Buddhist monastery reopens after March riot
By Xinhua,
Lhasa : A major Buddhist monastery in Tibet's capital Lhasa has been reopened to visitors after it remained closed since the March 14 riot, monastery officials said Thursday.
The Zhaibung Monastery, on the western outskirts of the city, has opened most of its palace halls and has received dozens of tourists since Tuesday, a monastery staff said.
The monastery was closed to visitors after the March 14 violence which led to the deaths of at least 18 civilians and one policeman, with businesses looted and residences, shops and vehicles torched.
Nepal government gets king’s crown, palace but not throne
By IANS,
Kathmandu : Before he made his final exit from the Narayanhity palace here as a commoner, Nepal's last king Gyanendra handed over his crown, sceptre and other heirlooms to the government. But he didn't part with the dynasty's spectacular snake throne, cleverly crafted to nurture the image that the king was a divine incarnation.
Key UN climate change summit opens
By DPA,
Copenhagen : A UN conference aimed at halting global warming attended by representatives from nearly 200 countries officially opened here Monday.
The 12-day conference in the Danish capital aims to keep climate change in check through huge emission cuts by the world's richest nations and massive aid to the world's poorest.
It has been described by organisers as "the biggest show on earth today".
World’s biggest diamond found in South African mine
By DPA
Johannesburg : The world's biggest diamond has been found in a mine in South Africa's northwest province.
According to SAfm public radio the stone found was twice the weight of the previous record-holder, the Cullinan Diamond, which weighed about 3,106 carats when found in present-day Gauteng province in January 1905.
The Cullinan was cut into several smaller stones, which now adorn the British crown jewels.
The stone was to be transported to Johannesburg under tight security, Safm said. No further details were immediately available.
Somali exodus surges as insecurity grows
By Xinhua
Nairobi : An estimated 8,000 Somalis have fled escalating violence in Somali capital Mogadishu as growing tension and insecurity soars in the Horn of Africa nation, the UN humanitarian agency has said.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said Saturday that 126,000 others have moved to other regions between February and May this year.
"The unpredictable insecurity in Mogadishu created uncertainty among residents with about 8,000 moving during June while 126,000 others moved to other regions between February and May 2007," OCHA said.
Exit polls show President Morales wins recall referendum in Bolivia
By Xinhua,
Lima : Exit polls showed on Sunday that Bolivian President Evo Morales has won the recall referendum to remain in office, according to reports reaching here from La Paz, the administrative capital of Bolivia.
According the exit poll conducted by the ATB commercial television station and the firm Captura Consulting, Morales has garnered 60 percent of valid ballots.
Analysts said the victory would boost Morales' clout in pushing forward his socialist reforms in this Andean nation amid strong opposition.
Two Indians among 14 terror suspects held in Spain
By DPA
Madrid : At least 14 suspected Islamist terrorists from the Indian sub-continent were arrested by Spanish police in apartments in Barcelona, Spain's Interior Ministry reported Saturday.
Interior Minister Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba said 12 of those held were Pakistani nationals and two were Indians. The group had been "very well organised" and had already assembled bomb-making material.
Small quantities of explosives and four timers were found during search of five apartments. However, there was no indication of any imminent attack having been planned.
Latest quake kills woman in Tibet
Beijing : One woman was killed and two other people were injured in Tibet as China's neighbouring country of Nepal was jolted by another...
Now, gas from human waste for Canadian homes
By IANS,
Vancouver : Residents of the North Shore area in this Canadian city will be using gas from human waste to burn their furnaces and heat water, one of the first instances in the world when it has been used in an urban neighbourhood.
The gas (or biogas) will be collected as a by-product in the processing of human waste, the Vancouver Sun reported Monday.
Quoting city officials, the paper reported that a $1.1-million project has been proposed to capture and purify biogas at the local Lions Gate sewage treatment plant.
Thirty-three countries facing grave food crisis: Report
By DPA,
Berlin : Thirty-three countries, chiefly in Africa and Asia, are experiencing "very serious" to "grave" food supply problems, two food assistance groups have said.
Presenting the annual Global Hunger Index (GHI) for 2008, the German food relief group Welthungerhilfe and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) warned against neglecting the fate of starving people amidst the current financial crisis.
Prince William may delay taking up royal duties
By IANS,
London : Prince William may delay starting full-time royal duties and continue to be with the military for much of the next decade, a media report said Monday.
William, 28, knows that if he leaves the Royal Air Force (RAF) in 2012 after his planned three-year tour of duty as a search-and-rescue helicopter pilot, he will have only repaid about half of the 800,000 pounds training cost, Daily Express reported.
William's advisers expected him to leave the RAF after one tour of duty and go back to an earlier plan to start full-time royal duties like his father Prince Charles.
Kremlin calls on voters to go to the polls
Moscow(DPA) : Campaigning in Russia's parliamentary elections officially closed Friday with the Kremlin using all means to exhort people to cast votes in the Dec 2 polls.
President Vladimir Putin's United Russia is set to sweep an overwhelming victory, but it is the opinion polls that worry the Kremlin.
Voter apathy in the Putin camp is widespread because his victory looks assured.
In a campaign advertisement Thursday, Putin warned voters, "Please don't think that everything is predetermined and will be preserved automatically... go to the polls on Dec 2 and vote for United Russia."
Somali government, opposition sign power-sharing deal
By Xinhua,
Mogadishu (Somalia) : The Transitional Somali government and a main opposition faction, the Alliance for the Reliberation of Somalia (ARS), have finalized a power-sharing deal during talks in Djibouti, according to reports reaching here Wednesday.
The new accord brightens up prospect of a stable set up that would be able to restore law and order to the country after two decades of ruinous civil war and would deal effectively with the pirates who have unleashed a reign of terror in the Gulf of Aden, the world's busiest maritime trade route.
Military agents secure release of Colombia’s Betancourt
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Former Colombian presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt and three U.S. nationals were freed after being held hostage for several years by a Marxist rebel group, through a bloodless military intelligence operation.
The politician, who holds dual French-Colombian citizenship, had been the focus of an international campaign since her capture in 2002, with leaders including the French president attempting to negotiate her release.
Indian-American programmes robots to follow the leader better
By IANS,
Washington : An Indian-American professor of engineering has programmed a robot that can sense your head turning left a fraction of a second before your body makes that left turn. That turn of the head is the cue it will pick up to keep following.
While negotiating a highway or sauntering down the street, people pick up cues about what other people are going to do and act accordingly.
Lights off in Indonesian red-light district during Ramadan
Surabaya (Indonesia), Sep 26 (DPA) Millions of Muslims across Indonesia flocked to traditional markets and department stores earlier this month to snap up special foods, gifts and clothing ahead of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.
But in the east Java city of Surabaya, hundreds of people, mostly men, were flocking to the city's famous Dolly red-light district to get in one final liaison before the holy month temporarily shut it down.
Mozambique Ices Human Trafficking
By Prensa Latina
Maputo : The National Assembly of Mozambique unanimously approved a law to treat human trafficking as a felony.
Assumane Aly Dauto, head of the Parliament Commission for Legal Affairs, Human Rights and Justice, said the new law complements the old Penal Code, beefs up the law on child kidnapping or exploitation, and protects women and children.
The new legislation relies on a probe by South African and Mozambican agents of charges by victims of alleged sex networks.
US renovates schools in former LTTE area
By IANS,
Colombo : The US is rehabilitating seven schools and a hospital in eastern Sri Lanka in a bid to improve the lives of people hit by the ethnic conflict, it was announced Thursday.
This would be done through the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the US Pacific Command. Five of the schools are in Trincomalee district and the hospital and two schools are in Batticaloa district.
The chosen areas were once held by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
Pirates seize gas tanker off Kenyan, 17 crew on board
By DPA,
Singapore : Pirates have seized a liquefied gas tanker off the coast of Kenya, an official of the Singapore-registered owner said Sunday.
$9.7-bn Sandy relief approved by US House of Representatives
By IANS,
Washington: The US House of Representatives Friday passed a legislation that would make payments worth $9.7 billion to insurance claims related to Hurricane Sandy.
Sarkozy’s former wife to marry boyfriend
By DPA
Paris : Former wife of French President Nicolas Sarkozy, Cecilia Ciganer-Albeniz, will marry her boyfriend, French media reported Thursday, citing the Italian fashion house Versace, which will be dressing the bride and groom.
According to Versace, Cecilia and advertising executive Richard Attias will tie the knot in New York City sometime in March. Some sources have given the date as March 22.
Post-quake rebuilding will take three years: China
By Xinhua,
Beijing : Reconstruction work after the devastating May 12 earthquake in southwestern China will take three years, a Chinese official said Friday.
Li Chengyun, vice governor of quake-hit Sichuan province, told reporters here that the provincial government planned to build new villages, townships and cities in the quake-ravaged province in three years.
Sinking global economy looks to China
By Song Jing and Chen Zhi, Xinhua,
Lima : With the global financial crunch topping the agenda at recent international conferences, China is increasingly being seen as an important factor in resolving the crisis and creating stability.
Job creation, economic growth Obama’s top priority
By IANS,
Washington : US President Barack Obama has said his top priority is to focus on the nation's job creation and economic growth.
Earthquake hits Solomon Islands
By Xinhua
Canberra : A magnitude 6.7 earthquake hit the Solomon Islands in the Pacific Ocean Thursday night.
However, there were no casualties or significant damage reported from the quake, with its epicentre located only 75 km west-south-west of the Pacific nation's capital of Honiara, said the Australian Broadcasting Corporation Friday quoting police and the Solomon Islands National Disaster Management Office in Honiara.
But they added they were still to hear from isolated villages nearer the quake's epicentre.
College women drink excessively to hook men
By IANS,
Washington : College women may be downing a peg too many in order to hook their male counterparts but without much success, according to a new study.
A survey of 3,616 college students at two universities found that the bulk of women overestimated the amount of alcohol a typical guy would like his female friends, dates or girlfriends to drink.
The results showed 71 percent of women overestimated the men's actual preference of drinks at any given event. The women overestimated by an average of one-and-a-half drinks.
India contributes $1 mn to tsunami trust fund
Bangkok: India Friday donated $1 million to the UN tsunami preparedness fund to strengthen early warning systems for natural disasters in Indian Ocean and...
IS releases new video of massacre at Iraq’s Air Academy
Baghdad: The Islamic State terrorist group has released new video footage showing last year's mass execution of hundreds of Iraqi soldiers in the northern...
Georgian president to address NATO Parliamentary Assembly in Spain
By RIA Novosti,
Tbilisi : Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili is to address on Tuesday a session of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in Spain, Georgia's presidential press service said.
NATO's 54th Parliamentary Assembly session runs from November 14 to 18 in Valencia.
Russia's envoy to NATO has criticized the alliance for refusing him the right to address the session. The NATO Parliamentary Assembly's president, Jose Lello, refused Dmitry Rogozin's request, saying there was not sufficient time to fit him into the session schedule.
200 prisoners escape in Liberian jail break
By DPA,
Monrovia (Liberia) : The Liberian government has put the final number of prisoners who escaped in a mass jail break earlier this week at 200.
Speaking to journalists Tuesday, Justice Minister Philip Banks told journalists that more than 20 prisoners were injured while attempting to escape from Monrovia Central Prison on Monday.
The prisoners, mainly armed robbers on remand, had warned prison guards Monday that they would attempt to break out if they did not get a court date before Christmas, reports said.
Former fighter pilot named Canadian military chief
By IANS,
Ottawa : Prime Minister Stephen Harper has announced that Lieutenant-General Thomas Lawson has been appointed Canada's new chief of the defence staff, the country's top military post.
Russia sends 25 tonnes of aid for Syrian refugees
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Beirut: A Russian emergencies ministry plane carrying 26.7 tonnes of humanitarian aid for Syrian refugees in Lebanon has reached Beirut.
Albanian parliament elects new president
By Xinhua
Tirana : The Albanian parliament has elected Bamir Topi to be the country's new president, local media reported.
Bamir Topi, the deputy leader of the ruling Democratic coalition, was elected as the president Friday night after he won 85 votes, while his rival got 55 votes.
A candidate needs at least 84 votes, or three-fifths of the 140-seat parliament, to secure the post of the presidency, which has powers over the country's judiciary and armed forces.
Russia warns Poland of US missile defence plans
By SPA
Moscow : Russia will aim to convince Poland of the strategic threat posed by US missile defence plans in the first direct talks over the controversial system, the Foreign Ministry said Wednesday, according to dpa.
Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Kislyak is to meet his Polish counterparts in Warsaw on Thursday marking recently improved relations between the two countries.
Philippines stops issuing haj passports to Muslim pilgrims
Manila : The Philippines has stopped issuing haj passports for Muslim pilgrims after detention of over 170 Indonesians with fake documents using Manila as...
NY Times names BBC head as CEO
By IANS,
New York : The New York Times Co. has pinned high hopes on outgoing BBC head Mark Thompson to grow its digital and global businesses by announcing him new CEO late Tuesday.
Vice President urges local gov’ts to “offer whatever” to help quake victims
By Xinhua,
Xi'an : Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping has urged local officials to help solve living difficulties for people who have suffered from a major earthquake.
Xi made the call during his inspection to northwestern Shaanxi Province, in which some counties were seriously affected by the deadly quake in neighboring Sichuan Province on May 12.
Kosovo’s parliament approves constitution
By RIA Novosti
Belgrade : Kosovo's parliament approved on Wednesday a national constitution due to enter into force on June 15, Serbia's BETA news agency reported.
According to the document, Kosovo, which declared its independence on February 17 and has been recognized by most Western powers, is a parliamentary republic in which the president holds substantial powers and the official languages are Albanian and Serbian.
All 103 MPs present voted in favor of the constitution.
Ferrari start court action against Stepney
By DPA
Maranello (Italy) : Ferrari have started court proceedings against their performance development chief Nigel Stepney, accusing the British technician of attempted sabotage.
Chinese charity takes care of jailed parents’ kids
By IANS,
Beijing : A charity organisation in China's Henan province has started a unique programme - it takes care of children of convicted people.
The children of convicts not only receive education and healthcare at the Xinxiang Sun Village, a charity set up in 2004, but also psychological counselling and job training.
Russia pushes for own peace plan in Georgia, US opposes
By DPA,
New York : Russia has submitted a formal text to the UN Security Council aimed at ending the conflict in Georgia, but the US and Britain said they were not ready to vote for it.
The 15-nation council, which held a two-hour closed-door discussion late Thursday, also had a second draft resolution for consideration from France, the current president of the European Union, which called for the immediate and definite withdrawal of Russian troops from Georgia.
US to push for more UN sanctions on Iran: Obama adviser
By DPA,
Washington : The US is pushing for more sanctions in the UN Security Council against Iran for its continued pursuit of a nuclear programme, President Barack Obama's national security adviser said Sunday.
"We are about to add to that regime's difficulties by engineering, participating in very tough sanctions," James Jones told the Fox News channel.
The added measures could come before the end of February, he said.
Jones said support for sanctions in the UN was already growing, and that he was hopeful to gain Chinese support.
G8 rejects Mugabe’s election in violence-torn Zimbabwe
By RIA Novosti,
Toyako : G8 leaders said Robert Mugabe's reelection as president of Zimbabwe was illegitimate and called on the African state to peacefully resolve its political crisis following the violence-ridden vote.
Opposition candidate Morgan Tsvangirai claimed victory after the March 29 presidential vote, but pulled out from a runoff citing political repression and murders. Mugabe, who has ruled the country for 28 years, won the one-candidate vote.
New Obama strategy to beat terrorists in Afghanistan, Pakistan
By Arun Kumar,IANS,
Washington : Vowing not to allow terrorists to plot against the American people from "safe havens" in Afghanistan and Pakistan, President Barack Obama said the US will forge a new strategy to defeat the Al Qaeda and combat extremism.
Turning to the cost of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan in his first speech Tuesday night to a joint session of Congress focusing on economy, Obama said his budget for the first time "includes the full cost of fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan".
IPI condemns Marxists for newspaper blockade
By IANS,
Vietnna: The International Press Institute (IPI) has condemned the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) for the blockade of two newspapers in Kerala by its cadres.
Sri Lanka Navy destroys rebel ship
By Xinhua
Colombo : The Sri Lankan navy said Sunday that its fighter aircraft had destroyed a ship belonging to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) that was smuggling weapons.
Military officials said the vessel was destroyed at about 1,000 nautical miles (1,852 km) southeast off Dondra in the south of the country.
There was no response from the rebels to the military claim.
The navy on Sep 10 destroyed three vessels suspected to be carrying arms and ammunition to the Tigers including a bullet-proof vehicle for their reclusive leader Velupillai Prabakaran.
Rice arrives in Tokyo for N.Korean nuke talks, ties
By KUNA
Tokyo : US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived in Japan Wednesday, the final stop on her three-nation swing through East Asia, for a series of talks with Japanese leaders as part of diplomatic efforts to make progress in stalled six-party talks on denuclearizing North Korea and to strengthen the Japan-US alliance.
Six found decapitated in Mexico
By IANS/EFE,
Mexico City : Six people were found decapitated inside an abandoned car in the western Mexican state of Michoacan, authorities said.
The vehicle was left on a heavily travelled road linking Morelia, the state capital, with the city of Quiroga, said the state Attorney General's Office.
All the victims - five men and a woman - were bound and had the letter "Z" etched on their skin, sources in the AG office told EFE. The marks may refer to "Los Zetas", a band of deserters from the Mexican special forces who now constitute the armed wing of the Gulf drug cartel.
Spending cuts to push unemployment to three million in Britain
By Venkata Vemuri, IANS,
London : The British government's spending cuts are projected to result in 500,000 public sector job cuts between now and 2015 and the unemployment level expected to touch the three million mark.
The employment group, Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), has warned in a report that there was little prospect of real wage growth until at least 2015, and public sector workers faced pay cuts.
The chancellor is expected to lay out sweeping cuts to try to trim the 156 billion pound deficit in his budget 22 June.
EU ‘well on track’ to Kyoto goals: officials
By DPA,
Brussels : The European Union (EU) is on track to hit its short-term target for reducing emissions of the gases which create global warming, officials in Brussels said Wednesday.
But serious challenges remain if the bloc is to hit its medium-range targets, with emissions of the main greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide (CO2), barely dented by current policies, figures from the European Environment Agency indicated.
Germany to launch probe into US spying on Merkel
Berlin: Germany's Federal Prosecutor General Harald Range has decided to launch a criminal investigation into alleged hacking of Chancellor Angela Merkel's phone by the...
Let Sikhs join military: US lawmakers
By IANS,
New York : Forty-one members of the US House of Representatives have written to defense secretary Robert Gates to permit Sikhs wearing their religious symbols to join the military.
Sikh organisations have been lobbying with US lawmakers after the refusal by the army to let two Sikhs with turbans join active duty a few months ago.
Captain Kamaljit Singh Kalsi, a doctor, and Second Lieutenant Tejdeep Singh Rattan, a dentist, were told to remove their turbans by the military when they were about to enter active duty after completing their preliminary programme.
Tunisia to hold legislative, presidential polls separately
Tunis : Tunisia's presidential and legislative elections will be held separately, the secretary general of the country's largest workers union -- the UGTT --...
Syrian refugees could double or triple in 2013: UNHCR
By IANS,
Geneva: The number of Syrian refugees is expected to witness a major rise by the end of this year, following shortage of fund for aid, the UN's refugee agency has warned.
Orbiting cosmonauts vote in Russian polls
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Three Russian cosmonauts cast their ballots for the presidential elections Sunday from the International Space Station (ISS), Russia's Mission Control said.
‘Monk in Lhasa monastery died of starvation’
By IANS
Dharamsala (Himachal Pradesh) : A Buddhist monk has died of starvation in a monastery as Chinese forces have blocked food supplies to it, the Tibetan government-in-exile said here Tuesday.
"Monk Thokmey (only first name given), living in the Ramoche monastery in Lhasa, died due to starvation as the Chinese military have not been allowing food and water into the monastery since March 14. The monk died on March 24," said a spokesman of the Tibetan government-in-exile, which is not recognised by any nation.
Marcel Siem leads Avantha Masters, Gangjee tied third
By IANS,
Gurgaon: Germany's Marcel Siem took the opening honours at the at the 1.5 million euros (approximately $2.1 million) Avantha Masters golf with an eight-under-par 64 for a single shot lead over Chinese Taipei's Chan Yih-shin here Thursday.
Rahil Gangjee was the best Indian in the field in tied third with a birdie-birdie finish that saw him card a 67 for the day alongwith six others.
The event is tri-sanctioned event by the Asian Tour, European Tour and Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI).
Rain, flooding leave 54 dead in Nicaragua
By DPA,
Managua : Rain from tropical storm Matthew caused flooding that left 54 people dead and 5,000 homeless with infrastructure damage including roads and bridges, Nicaraguan authorities said.
11 sentenced to death in Egypt
Cairo: An Egyptian court on Tuesday sentenced 11 people to death, including one in absentia, in the retrial of a football stadium massacre case.
Seventy...
9/11 terrorists came from Canada: John McCain
By IANS,
Toronto : Former Republican presidential candidate John McCain created a diplomatic flap Friday when he told a US television network that 9/11 terrorists came from Canada.
He joined US homeland security secretary Janet Napolitano who earlier this week suggested that the 9/11 terrorists entered the US from Canada.
McCain told Fox News channel that the homeland security secretary was right in suggesting that the terrorists entered the US from Canada to carry out the biggest attack on American soil eight years ago.
Thai PM: 40 Thai Medical Teams May Enter Myanmar
By Bernama,
Bangkok : Thailand's Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej said Wednesday Myanmar junta leaders would allow medical teams from Thailand into the country for humanitarian missions in a couple of days, but still insisted foreign aid workers are not needed, Thailand News Agency (TNA) reported.
Holding a balloon on an Arctic ice floe
By DPA
Potsdam (Germany): Juergen Graeser's working day is dark, bitterly cold and punctuated by visits from ravenous polar bears. The German science technician is camping on an Arctic ice floe that drifts about nine kilometres per day.
The temperature outside his hut: 37 degrees Celsius below freezing. Every day he sends up a balloon on a long string to check how cold the higher air is.
Germany's Alfred Wegener Polar and Ocean Research Institute sent Graeser to join 20 Russians on the unusual work detail.
19 crew rescued in another ship sinking in Philippines
By DPA,
Manila : A Panama-registered cargo vessel with 19 South Korean and Filipino crew members on board sank off the eastern Philippines as the death toll in the sinking of a domestic passenger ferry rose to nine, the coast guard said Monday.
All four South Korean and 15 Filipino crew members of the MV Hera were rescued Monday off Eastern Samar province, 660 km south of Manila, coast guard spokesman Lieutenant Armand Balilo said.
"They are all in a lifeboat which is being towed by a fishing boat," he said.
‘FARC leader’s death won’t hasten hostage release’
By IANS,
Brasilia : The death of the top leader of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) may not lead to early release of its hostages, including former presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt, Spain's EFE news agency reported Wednesday.
"The FARC is a very well-organised group. They have a Stalinist line and their chain of command is intact," the agency quoted Betancourt's husband Juan Carlos Lecompte as saying.
Betancourt is being held hostage for more than six years by the FARC, Colombia's largest left wing insurgency group fighting the government for control.
Bush poster pelted with shoes in Canada
By IANS,
Toronto : Former US President George W. Bush, who appeared at a joint "conversation" with former president Bill Clinton here Friday, was greeted with angry protests by hundreds of Canadians.
In scenes reminiscent of those witnessed in Calgary two months ago when Bush appeared there for a luncheon speech, protesters Friday threw shoes at his posters outside the venue at the Toronto Metro Convention Centre venue.
17 killed in Moscow fire
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : At least 17 people died in a fire that swept through a market warehouse in Moscow early Tuesday, Russia's emergencies ministry said.
Imam vows to go ahead with Ground Zero mosque
By DPA,
New York : The imam behind the controversial planned Islamic cultural centre close to the site of the destroyed World Trade Center vowed Monday to press ahead with the project.
Local elections result, setback for Sarkozy’s party
By IRNA
Paris : President Nicolas Sarkozy's ruling UMP conservative party is trailing in the first round of French local elections.
Early results, based on a count of 65.7 percent of votes, put the UMP at 45.5 percent with the opposition socialists at 47 percent.
The vote is seen as a test of Sarkozy's first year in office. His popularity has fallen in recent months.
However, the socialists' lead is smaller than some predicted, and the outcome in some large cities in particular remains finely balanced.
At least 19 killed in US floods
By DPA,
Washington : At least 19 people were killed in the US after torrential rains caused heavy flooding, according to media reports Monday.
Twelve people were killed in the state of Tennessee while four deaths were reported in Mississippi and authorities counted three fatalities in Kentucky.
Thousands of people had to flee their homes, while hotels and nursing homes were evacuated in Nashville, the Tennessean newspaper said.
Nepal dismisses 14 hydro-electricity licences
By IANS,
Kathmandu : Nepal has scrapped due to lack of progress 14 licences for various projects to generate a total of 611 MW of hydro-electricity.
Malaysian jet search concludes
Perth: Nothing related to the missing Malaysian jetliner was retrieved Monday as a multilateral air and sea hunt for MH370 concluded in waters about...
Three out of four Americans think Obama will do a good job
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : As US President-elect Barack Obama visited the White House to discuss transfer of power, a new poll found two-thirds of all Americans view him positively and three-quarters think he will do a good job as president.
But illustrating the daunting challenges he faces when he takes office Jan 20 was the new CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey's finding that only 16 percent of those questioned say things are going well in the country today. That's an all-time low.
Eighty-three percent say things are going badly, which is an all-time high.
Rescue work continues in China, nearly 20,000 dead or missing
By KUNA,
Tokyo : The death toll from Monday's earthquake in southwest China's Sichuan Province has climbed to 12,012 killed and 26,206 injured, with the number of dead likely to further rise, as at least 7,841 people remained buried, state media reported.
The death toll is the highest for a quake in China since the Tangshan earthquake in the northern province of Hebei in 1976, which claimed 242,000 lives.
US says it will move on domestic subsidies
By IANS,
Geneva : The US will move on its domestic subsidies that distort global trade on agriculture in order to ensure a successful outcome of the Doha Development Round this year, the country's trade representative said Monday.
“We know that we have a contribution to make when it comes to our trade distorting domestic subsidies. We will make that contribution, we know that we have a leadership role to play in this round,” Susan Schwab told reporters at the World Trade Organization here.
Clinton replaces campaign manager
By SPA
Washington : Democratic Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton replaced campaign manager Patti Solis Doyle with longtime aide Maggie Williams on Sunday, engineering a shake-up in a presidential campaign struggling to overcome rival Sen.
Barack Obama's financial and political strengths, AP reported.
The surprise announcement came hours after Obama's sweep of three contests Saturday and shortly before the Illinois senator won caucuses in Maine on Sunday.
Philippines, Muslim rebels reach breakthrough in peace talks
By DPA,
Manila : The Philippine government said Thursday stalled peace talks with the country's largest Muslim separatist rebel group were expected to resume soon after negotiators reached a breakthrough on a contentious issue.
Negotiations between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) have been suspended since December 2007 due to disagreements over the ancestral domain issue, or the creation of a Muslim homeland in the southern region of Mindanao.
Woman linked to Moscow twin blasts detained
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : A Lithuanian woman, suspected to have links with last month's twin suicide blasts at Moscow subway stations that killed 40 people, has been detained, a media report said Sunday.
The 20-year-old woman from western Lithuanian city of Klaipeda was detained at the Vilnius international airport while trying to board a Moscow-bound flight shortly before two bombs detonated during the morning rush hour at Lubyanka and Park Kultury metro stations March 29.
Olympics disappoint Beijing landlords
By Xinhua,
Beijing : The ongoing Beijing Olympics have brought excitement and success to many, but for landlords in the Chinese capital who had hoped to reap a small fortune from the tourists, the Games have turned out to be a big disappointment.
Real estate agencies said the actual deal prices for short-term renting is generally lower than what the owners had expected, who raised their rental 4.6 times over the normal rate.
France formally begins probe into Air France disaster
By DPA,
Paris : An investigation into the cause of the Air France disaster was formally opened in France Wednesday as the country began a period of national mourning with a service for the dead in the Notre Dame Cathedral.
President Nicolas Sarkozy and other government members will attend the memorial service in Paris later Wednesday at the cathedral.
An investigation into the crash was formally opened after fragments found in the Atlantic Ocean were confirmed as debris from the Airbus A330-200 aircraft, which was carrying 228 people.
Energy tops agenda as Black Sea summit convenes in Istanbul
By DPA
Istanbul : The leaders of 12 countries have wrapped up a summit of Black Sea region countries pledging to increase cooperation in trade, energy and transport ties.
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.
China, India top over-performers in improving trade logistics
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington: China and India are the top two over-performers among developing economies in improving their capacity to efficiently move goods and connect manufacturers and consumers with international markets, according to a new World Bank Group survey.
India is also rated as the best performer from South Asia though overall it's listed 47th among the 155 economies ranked in the Logistics Performance Indicators (LPI), included in the report "Connecting to Compete 2010: Trade Logistics in the Global Economy".
Bank of China to open Taiwan branch
By IANS,
Beijing : China's third-largest bank, the Bank of China, will open a branch in Taipei.
Taiwan's financial regulator gave its approval Wednesday, Xinhua reported.
OSCE warns Russia against jeopardizing Georgia sovereignty
By RIA Novosti,
Astana : The OSCE Parliament Assembly adopted a resolution on Thursday urging Russia to avoid steps that compromise Georgia's sovereignty in its breakaway provinces.
Members of parliament from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's 56 member states are currently meeting in Kazakhstan's capital, Astana, for their annual session.
Paris haute couture season opens with optimism
By IANS,
London : Paris haute couture for spring-summer 2009 kicked off with major designer houses participating in it and experts are predicting good turnover despite the financial meltdown.
"The growth will be lower in 2009, but we are expecting growth. I believe that in this world you still have people looking for the exceptional custom-made dresses,” Vogue.co.uk quoted Bruno Pavolovsky, president of Chanel, US-based fashion house, as saying.
Long-term truce with Hamas impossible: Israel
Jerusalem: Israeli government Sunday said it is not possible to have a long term truce with the militant Palestinian organisation Hamas.
Speaking in a press...
Indian-origin journalist honoured in Canada
Ottawa: An Indo-Canadian journalist has been felicitated here by the community members for her outstanding achievements in the media.
Adrienne Batra, Toronto Sun newspaper's editor-in-chief,...
Rabbi calls German military support for Israel a “tragedy”
By IRNA,
Berlin : A leading anti-Zionist rabbi branded German military support for the criminal Zionist regime a "tragedy," the German press agency dpa reported Monday.
Rabbi Reuven Cabelmann was quoted saying that arms deliveries to the Zionist state were a "tragedy for the Jewish people and religion."
He stressed it was "tragic" that these weapons were being used "to kill innocent people, women and children."
"It is tragic that all of this is taking place in the name of the Jewish religion ...," Cabelmann said.
Southeast Asia heads for property slowdown but no bust
By DPA,
Bangkok : Having lived and learned from the 1997 crisis, Southeast Asia's property markets have so far proved resilient to the US subprime crisis and knock-on financial meltdown but they are far from immune to the global mess.
"No one can get off scot free from what's happening because global liquidity has been reduced and also the feel-good factor has gone," said David Simister, chairman of real estate company CB Richard Ellis Thailand.
Germany fights dreaded Chinese beetle
By DPA,
Braunschweig (Germany) : A Germany-wide infestation of the citrus longhorned beetle, a major tree pest, has been blamed on a shipment of bargain-price maple trees from China to the Netherlands.
Germany's Julius Kuehn Institute said the beetles, a serious threat not just to citrus crops but to many standing trees, had been found in two German states, Bavaria and North Rhine-Westphalia, but had probably been spread all over Germany by a supermarket chain.
UAE carrier to start Nepal flights
By IANS
Kathmandu : With the signing of a bilateral labour agreement between Nepal and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Etihad Airways of the UAE will start flights to Nepal this autumn.
Chinese military withdraws from Lhasa
By IANS
Dharamsala : Chinese military units have withdrawn from Tibet's main city Lhasa, the Tibetan government-in-exile said here Friday.
"Military units that were brought in specifically to suppress the Tibetan demonstrations in Lhasa were withdrawn at 3 p.m. Wednesday," said the spokesman of the Tibetan government-in-exile.
"But the Public Security Bureau (PSB) and other law enforcement agencies (that are permanently stationed in Lhasa) continue to remain."
New York Times endorses Barack Obama
By Arun Kumar,IANS,
Washington : The influential New York Times Friday became the fourth mainstream American daily to endorse Barack Obama, saying he "has proved that he is the right choice to be the 44th president of the United States."
"The nation's problems are simply too grave to be reduced to slashing 'robo-calls' and negative ads," it said in an editorial Friday. "This country needs sensible leadership, compassionate leadership, honest leadership and strong leadership. Barack Obama has shown that he has all of those qualities."
More South Asians making Washington DC their home
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : America's capital city has become home to the nation's fifth largest South Asian population with ethnic restaurants, salons, perfumeries and numerous houses of worship, according to a new survey.
Even as Washington, DC's total population decreased by 5.7 percent between 1990 and 2000, the overall immigrant population actually increased by 25 percent, with the Asian population demonstrating a 42 percent growth.
Sri Lankan government rejects rebels’ truce offer
By Xinhua
Colombo : The Sri Lankan government said Friday it will continue its military operations against Tamil Tiger rebels despite the latter's announcement that it would abide by the ceasefire agreement signed with the government in 2002.
Defence spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella told reporters that government troops will "liberate" the whole country from terrorism.
Myanmar survivors emerge desperate for help
By AFP,
Labutta, Myanmar : Thousands of shell-shocked survivors of the Myanmar cyclone emerged Wednesday, desperate for food and water after trekking for days through flood waters littered with the bodies of the dead.
An AFP reporter who reached the remote southern delta hardest hit by the storm, which left more than 60,000 dead or missing, said there was virtually no food or fresh water in this ruined town blanketed by the stench of death.
Nepal Maoist chief skips statute meet for resort rest
By IANS,
Kathmandu : Pushpa Kamal Dahal, the revolutionary who as Prachanda had led a 10-year war demanding a people's constitution in Nepal, skipped a key constitution committee meeting Monday because he had decided to take a break in a resort in the cooler climes of northern Nepal.
Protect our nationals on your territory, China tells Pakistan
By IANS
Beijing : China has asked Pakistan to ensure security of Chinese nationals working on various projects in that country in the wake of recent attacks on them.
China's Defence Minister Cao Gangchuan conveyed this to visiting Pakistani Secretary of Defence Kamran Rasool during their meeting here, Online news agency reported Thursday.
Nine killed in China kindergarten attack
By IANS,
Beijing : Seven children and two adults at a kindergarten were hacked to death Wednesday while 11 students sustained injuries in a frenzied attack in China's Shaanxi province. The attacker later committed suicide.
A 48-year-old villager, identified as Wu Huanming, hacked to death five boys, two girls and the kindergarten owner-cum-teacher, Wu Hongying, using a kitchen meat knife at around 8 a.m. local time Wednesday at a privately-run kindergarten in Linchang village in Nanzheng County, Xinhua quoted officials of the Shaanxi Provincial Emergency Response Office as saying.
260 Guatemalans cook 1,200 dishes
By EFE,
Guatemala City : Around 260 Guatemalan chefs set a new Guinness record by preparing 1,200 different dishes.
According to the restaurateurs association, Guatemala beat the previous record of 1,028 dishes set by Turkey last April.
The president of the restaurateurs association, Peter Meng, said the feat Thursday night wrapped up the 2009 Food Fair.
The judging was based on flavour, variety and that all the dishes prepared, many typical of Guatemalan cuisine, be eatable, according to the Guinness adjudicator Carl Saville.
Californian boy burns 21 houses down
SANTA CLARITA, October 31 (RIA Novosti) - A boy started a major fire in California after playing with matches, destroying 38,000 acres of land and 21 houses, local media said Wednesday citing north Los Angeles County authorities.
"He admitted to playing with matches and accidentally starting the fire," on October 21, the Denver Post quotes a police spokesman, Diane Hecht, as saying.
The boy, whose name and age were not released, was freed into his parents care after being interviewed by local police. His case will be sent to the district attorney's office.
Scientists duplicate keys with help of zoom lens
By IANS,
Washington : Computer scientists can now duplicate keys without looking at them; all they need is a photo or an image of the object, thanks to a new software.
They successfully decoded the image of a key, lifted from a distance of 195 feet with a cellphone camera, fed it into their software which then produced the information required to create copies.
In yet another example, they used a five-inch telephoto lens to capture images from the roof of a campus building and duplicate keys sitting on a café table more than 200 feet away.
Bali high drama – then the warming conference finds its cool
By Edgar Bauer and Christiana Oelrich
Bali Island : When the doors of the conference hall finally opened after dramatic scenes rarely seen at a major international event, the air that wafted out was refreshingly cool.
The organisers had clearly made sure that the air conditioning had been going at full blast - perhaps not sending quite the right message about energy reduction, but urgently needed to cool tempers.
© TwoCircles.net