Now, tougher aircraft frames, biomediccal implants
By IANS,
Washington : Harnessing 'molecular levers' could help engineers make more efficient and durable material from airplane frames to biomedical implants, according to an American study.
Communists mull quitting government after Nepal poll rout
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : Routed from the capital and smarting under a humiliating defeat in the historic constituent assembly election, Nepal's largest communist party Sunday began mulling quitting the coalition government, saying it had lost the rationale to remain in power.
Beyonce wants to play America’s first black superhero
By IANS,
London : Following the election of Barack Obama as America's first African-American president, singer Beyonce Knowles has expressed her desire to play the country's first black superhero.
The 27-year-old diva has met executives at DC Comics and Warner Brothers, who own the rights to the super heroine "Wonder Woman", to play the lead role, reports dailymail.co.uk.
Toll in Jamaica violence rises to 73
By DPA,
Washington/Mexico City : The official number of fatalities in unrest in Jamaica since the weekend rose to 73 Thursday, amid concerns about the use of force by police.
Accused drug kingpin Christopher "Dudus" Coke is not among those killed, Information Minister Daryl Vaz said. Around 400 people have been arrested, the authorities said.
Bush Worried about Fuel High Prices
By Prensa Latina,
Washington : US President George W. Bush assured he was worried because of the increase of fuel prices, while he rejected the proposal to end the federal tax on fuel during summer.
Bush said the solution for the fuel crisis is not so easy, since the problem is suffered by working families.
However, his propositions are based on the construction of new refineries, nuclear plants and perforations in Alaska, and not in the solutions for a short term of time stated by presidential candidates.
Nepali minister meets former king
By Xinhua,
Kathmandu : Nepali Home minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula Monday let a team, inspecting the former royal palace and meeting former king Gyanendra.
After inspecting the former royal Narayanhiti palace in the downtown of Nepali capital Kathmandu, Minister Sitaula informed reporters about the meeting.
"I am ready to accept the decision of the first meeting of the Constituent Assembly (CA) and leave the palace within the given time frame," the former king told Home minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula.
Has LTTE executed its military spokesman?
By M.R. Narayan Swamy, IANS,
New Delhi : Sri Lanka's Tamil Tigers may have killed their high-profile military spokesman on charges of being a "traitor" when they began suffering heavily early this year, Tamil sources say.
Speculation that Irasiah Ilanthirayan alias Marshall has been executed has been doing the rounds of Tamil circles for around a month. The sources now say that he could have been done away with in January.
Arrest warrant issued for German over attack on foreigners
By DPA
Mainz (Germany) : A 29-year-old German was ordered to be kept in detention Saturday, following a racist attack on two foreigners which put a Sudanese man in hospital.
The unnamed man was arrested Friday along with an accomplice, aged 26, who was freed on police bail.
They are accused of beating up the Sudanese and an Egyptian man, following a wine festival near the town of Mainz in western Germany.
Merkel surprised at fuss over her plunging-neckline gown
By DPA,
Berlin : German Chancellor Angela Merkel was surprised at the news-media attention to the plunging neckline of an evening gown she wore to an opera in Oslo, her deputy spokesman said in Berlin Monday.
The chancellor's plain ankle-length black frock exposed an unusual amount of bosom Saturday evening and stole the limelight from Norwegian princesses Victoria and Mette-Marit in more demure dress.
Thomas Steg said it had not been her intention to divert attention from the stunning architecture of the new opera house, and she was sorry if she had outshone the Norwegian royals.
Putin gets parliament’s nod for armed forces in Ukraine
Moscow: Russian Federal Council, or upper house of the parliament, Saturday approved President Vladimir Putin's request for using armed forces in Ukraine.
After the approval,...
Myanmar junta snubs UN secretary-general
By DPA,
Yangon : The Myanmar junta Saturday snubbed UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's requests to free opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, or even to visit the Nobel peace laureate, who is currently in a Yangon jail, sources said.
Ban arrived in Yangon midday Saturday from Naypyitaw, Myanmar's military headquarters, 350 km north of Yangon, where the UN chief met twice with junta supremo Senior General Than Shwe.
Barack Obama has rare instinct for consensus, says ex-aide
By Ashok Easwaran, IANS,
Chicago : If Barack Obama wins Tuesday's presidential election, the world will see the United States in a very different light because of his ability to be inclusive and form a consensus, a former close aide has said. It may also herald the debut of dal on the White House menu, he added.
US no longer a dominant superpower: Ex-Clinton advisor
By IRNA,
Berlin : A top advisor to former US president Bill Clinton acknowledged that his country was "no longer a dominant superpower" in the world amid mounting political and security challenges.
Speaking at Berlin's prestigious American Academy Wednesday evening, the vice president and director for foreign policy at the Brookings Institution in
Ban calls for more protection for women
By DPA,
New York : UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon Thursday called on UN members to offer more protections for women who are victims of violence and other crimes.
"Whether it is domestic violence, sex trafficking, so-called 'honour' crimes or female genital cutting, violence against women and girls continues to be a horrific and all-too common crime," Ban said.
In too many regions of the world, women still live in fear, he said in calling for stronger laws to protect women and efforts to inform men about ending domestic violence.
Brown, Fayyad call to stop Israeli settlement activity
By DPA,
London : British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and his Palestinian counterpart, Salam Fayyad, agreed Monday that Israeli settlement activity remains the chief barrier preventing progress towards a two-state solution in the Middle East.
Speaking after breakfast talks in London, Fayyad said there was still a chance to preserve the principles agreed in 2002, provided that both Israel and the Palestinians showed "full compliance" with the accords.
Blazing fires still threaten Nilgiris forests
By IANS
Coimbatore : Over 6,000 sq km of the precious Nilgiris forests, a heritage ecosystem, is threatened by forest fires that are still blazing, wildlife department officials said here Thursday.
The biosphere straddles three south Indian states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala and holds the reserve forests of Nagarhole and Bandipur (Karnataka), Mudumalai (Tamil Nadu) and the unique Silent Valley (Kerala).
Tamil Nadu's forest department has been put on high alert in the Mudumalai forest ranges.
Two dead, 192 injured after quake hits Greece
By RIA Novosti,
Athens : Greece is continuing to be hit by aftershocks following Sunday's earthquake, which killed two and injured 192, the country's state television said on Monday.
The quake measuring 6.5 on the Richter scale, with an epicenter at the Peloponnese Peninsula some 205 km (127 miles) east of the capital Athens, destroyed over 50 buildings and damaged more than 200 others.
Wanted, a Facebook to tackle global financial crisis: WB chief
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : World Bank Group President Robert B. Zoellick has suggested formation of a core group comprising seven emerging powers, including India, joining the Group of Seven to deal with the global economic crisis.
"The G-7 is not working. We need a better group for a different time," he said in a speech to the Peterson Institute for International Economics here Monday.
"For financial and economic cooperation, we should consider a new Steering Group including Brazil, China, India, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and the current G-7."
Sri Lanka’s truce begins, LTTE kills soldier
By IANS,
Colombo : Sri Lanka's temporary truce with the Tamil Tigers to mark the Sinhala and Tamil New Year began Monday even as the rebels killed a soldier in sniper attack, the military said.
Military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) fired a mortar shell wounding one soldier and killing another in Puthukkudiyiruppa area in Mullaitivu district.
"Other than these two incidents, things are smooth in the battle area," he said.
There has been no response from the LTTE regarding the unilateral halt in fighting by the government.
29 killed in Nigerian road accident
By IANS,
Abuja: A total of 29 people were killed in a road accident in Nigeria Friday, reported Xinhua.
Co-op sought in Indonesian nuclear plans
By Xinhua,
Jakarta : The Indonesian government is considering offering incentives for regions that allow part of their area to be used as a site for nuclear power plants.
"The concept is being formulated by a working team for nuclear power plants under the ministry," the Jakarta Post daily Thursday quoted Evita H. Legowo, an expert adviser at the Indonesian Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, as saying.
Nevertheless, opposition from local communities had been a major problem in developing nuclear power plants, she said.
Britain launches helpline for victims of forced marriages
By IANS
London : Worried about the spread of the controversial practice of forced marriage and honour-based violence among Asian communities, the British government Friday launched a national helpline for such victims.
The Honour Network will be run by the charity Karma Nirvana - a dedicated forced marriage and honour-based violence helpline staffed by former victims offering emotional and practical support, Home Office Minister Vernon Coaker said.
China expels Hong Kong journalists from Tibet
By Jaideep Sarin, IANS
Hong Kong : At a time when China is under international pressure to give greater access to the media in the run up to the Olympic Games, Chinese authorities have packed off nearly 20 Hong Kong journalists from Lhasa.
Media, both electronic and print, in Hong Kong is making the Chinese authorities feel uneasy with the state of turmoil in Lhasa and other places in Tibet after violence broke out in that territory over the last few days.
EU approves acquisition of Dutch company by ArcelorMittal
By EuAsiaNews,
Brussels : The European Commission , the EU’s executive boy, announced here Wednesday that it has cleared under the EU Merger Regulation the proposed acquisition of Dutch company Noble European Holdings B.V., a subsidiary of Noble International Ltd. of the US, by ArcelorMittal of Luxembourg.
After examining the operation, the Commission concluded that the transaction would not significantly impede effective competition in the European Economic Area (EEA) or any substantial part of it.
Obama scores big win in smallest state
By Arun Kumar, IANS
Washington : Barack Obama, vying to be America's first black president, returned to his winning ways with a victory in the country's least populated state, routing rival Hillary Clinton in Wyoming's Democratic caucuses.
Obama won the first state to hold a contest since Clinton bidding to be the first woman to take the White House won three of four states March 4 in a close, bitter race for the party's presidential nomination.
4,000 year-old temples found in Peru
By IANS/EFE,
Lima : Peruvian archaeologists have discovered two ceremonial temples believed to be buried since more than 4,000 years.
Brown to spell out Labour vision of ’10 years in power’
By DPA
London : Britain's Prime Minister Gordon Brown Monday appeared to dampen speculation that he could call a snap election next month, three months after he took power.
Speaking in a television interview Monday, Brown said he would first focus on the "concerns of the country," including the fight against crime and better health care.
Later Monday, Brown will address his first annual conference as leader of the Labour Party in Bournemouth, southern Britain.
India yet to arrive on military satellite scene: US expert
By Venkatachari Jagannathan, IANS,
At least 15 killed in Sri Lanka fighting
By Xinhua
Colombo : At least 14 Tamil Tiger rebels and one soldier were killed in clashes between the government troops and the rebels in the northern Mannar district, Sri Lankan military said.
According to the officials from the Media Centre for National Security, seven Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels were killed in an attack launched by the troops at Pallikuli around 1 a.m. local time.
One soldier was killed and two others were injured in the battle.
Seven other rebels were killed by the troops in two clashes at Aadampan.
US woefully unprepared for nuclear attack: Pentagon study
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : The US is woefully unprepared for any kind of nuclear attack with the expertise needed to survive such an attack atrophied since the end of the Cold War, a Pentagon task force has warned.
The threat of an all-out nuclear exchange between Russia and the US may be less than it was during the Cold War, but the decades-long efforts to avoid a possible Armageddon has had a downside, the advisory panel noted after a comprehensive review,
Putin to bring arms contracts worth $3 bln to Libya – paper
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Russia has prepared arms contracts worth $3 billion for outgoing president Vladimir Putin's visit to Libya this week, a business daily said on Tuesday citing defense and aircraft industry officials.
The Kremlin said on Monday Putin would visit the oil and gas-rich north African state on April 16-17 at the invitation of Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi, giving no details of the agenda.
Bolivia bus accident leaves at least 17 dead
By RIA Novosti,
Buenos-Aires : At least 17 people died and 15 were injured when a bus lost control and hurtled into a 200-meter gorge in Bolivia, the national ABI news agency reported on Monday.
"A total of 17 bodies have been found at the site of the crash, and the search for three missing passengers is ongoing," the agency quoted traffic police chief Augusto Angulo as saying.
The accident occurred on the highway linking La Asunta to Chulumani, notorious for its high rate of road deaths.
The bus was heading for Bolivia's administrative capital, La Paz.
Nepal braces for prime ministerial duel
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : After a 10-year epic battle with the security forces to topple Nepal's monarchy, the former Maoist guerrillas will now duel with Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala Friday for the republic's first prime ministership.
The Maoists' alliance with the caretaker prime minister and his Nepali Congress (NC) party, which has been in tatters since the April election, will be cleft as Nepal's constituent assembly holds its first election to choose a new prime minister.
US presidential candidate accused of sexual harassment
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Washington: Two US women have complained of "inappropriate behaviour" from Herman Cain, a presidential Republican frontrunner, the Politico newspaper said Monday.
Britain’s inflation goes up as food and fuel prices rise
By DPA,
London : Rising fuel and food prices pushed inflation in Britain above 3 percent in May, to its highest level since the current inflation measure was introduced more than a decade ago, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said Tuesday.
Figures showed that the Consumer Price Index (CPI), by which inflation is measured in Britain, rose by 0.3 percentage points to 3.3 percent in May, from 3 percent in the previous month.
However, if measured by the Retail Price Index (RPI), which includes mortgage interest rate payments, inflation in Britain stood at 4.3 percent in May.
South Korea to vaccinate people against swine flu
By IANS,
Seoul: South Korean health authorities plan to vaccinate nearly 40 percent of the country's population against the influenza A (H1N1) virus, WAM news agency reported Wednesday.
The vaccination will be carried out on a total of 19.5 million people by the end of February, the Ministry for Health, Welfare and Family Affairs said. The figure is around 2 million more than the initial inoculation target.
Earthquake hits Indonesia, tsunami warning issued
By Xinhua
Jakarta : A powerful earthquake with magnitude of 6.7 rocked West Nusa Tenggara province in eastern part of Indonesia Sunday evening prompting a tsunami warning in the region, said the Meteorology and Geophysics Agency.
"We have issued a tsunami warning," Ali Imron, an official of the agency, told Xinhua.
There has been no report of damage or casualties, he said.
The quake struck at 11.02 p.m. local time with epicentre 50 km southwest Raba town of the province and at a depth of 50 km, he said.
Floods wreak havocv in several districts
By NNN-Govt Portal,
Colombo : Floods following heavy rains caused heavy damage in several districts with several deaths reported and nearly 8,000 families displaced and also cutting off access roads in many areas.
A total of 7,860 families (33,408 persons) were reported displaced in Colombo, Kalutara, Ratnapura, Puttalam, Nuwara-Eliya, Galle, Gampaha and Kegalle.
Resettlement and Disaster Relief Services Minister Rishard Badiudeen has directed the District Secretaries and Divisional Secretaries of the relevant districts to carry out immediate relief work.
White rice with goodness of brown cousin developed
By IANS,
London : Scientists have refined the milling process to create a rice that has all the taste of white rice but many of the health benefits of the brown variety.
Ex-Thai PM’s wife jailed for tax fraud
By Xinhua,
Bangkok : The wife of former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra was sentenced to a three-year jail term Thursday by a court here for tax fraud involving 546 million baht (about $15.8 million).
The court found Pojaman Shinawatra guilty of tax evasion involving 546 million baht and sentenced her to a three-year jail term.
Pojaman's stepbrother Bannaphot Damapong and her personal secretary Kanchana Honghern were also found guilty in the same charges filed by the Attorney General in March 2007.
About 30 arrested following clashes in NZ
By Xinhua,
Wellington : Approximately 30 people were arrested early Sunday after riot police clashed with a crowd on the New Zealand southern city's Dunedin.
The arrests followed a trouble-free day as students associated with the unofficial Undie 500, a Christchurch to Dunedin car run, partied around the city.
Inspector Lane Todd said police and the fire service were called to an incident involving a fire just after midnight, the New Zealand Press Association reported.
China, US end fifth strategic dialogue
By Xinhua
Guiyang (China) : China and the US have concluded their fifth strategic dialogue here after discussing bilateral and international issues, the Chinese foreign ministry said.
The two-day dialogue that ended Friday was co-chaired by Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Dai Bingguo and US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte.
The two sides discussed development of China-US relations and cooperation in international and regional issues.
Cambodia’s former king is dead
By IANS,
Phnom Penh : Former Cambodian king Norodom Sihanouk is dead. He was 90, an official said Monday.
OPEC daily basket price closes lower
Vienna: The basket of 12 crude oils of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) closed at $59.67 a barrel on Thursday compared to...
Snowstorm threat increases for US
By Xinhua
Washington : The National Weather Service of the US has warned that the latest snowstorm is expected to hit hard across the Midwest and the northeast regions and may disrupt public amenities.
The winter storm is "pushing eastward from central plains into northeast US," it said, adding "the storm is expected to produce heavy snow over the next couple days (from Saturday)."
Storm warnings and watches extended Saturday from Missouri across parts of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine, it said.
Terror attack warning for restaurants, cinemas in UK
By IANS,
London : Police are warning restaurants, theatres and cinemas in the UK to be prepared against terrorist attacks amid fears of British towns becoming terror targets in the future.
The Home Office says the National Counter Terrorism Security Office (NCTSO) is due to publish shortly two new protective security guidance booklets for cinemas, theatres, restaurants and hotels.
There is no specific intelligence pointing to attacks on town centres and the NCTSO says its guidance documents and training exercises are intended to prepare businesses for the worst, The Telegraph said.
Three killed in Russian food storage fire
By IANS,
Moscow: Three people were killed early Tuesday after a fire broke out in a food storage complex in Russian city of St. Petersburg, emergency authorities said.
Bush renews call for offshore drilling
By DPA,
Washington : US President George W. Bush Wednesday renewed his call for lifting of a federal ban on oil drilling off the US coast and placed the blame for high petrol prices squarely at the feet of the Democratic-controlled Congress.
Bush acknowledged the economic struggles plaguing the US population and said lifting the offshore drilling ban would help lower surging petrol prices.
Iran’s selection of new UN envoy not viable: US
Washington: The US said Tuesday that it has told the Iranian government about its "not viable" selection of a new UN ambassador for his...
US Senate postpones climate action for lack of support
By DPA,
Washington : The US Senate has postponed action on overhauling climate and energy policy, the chamber's top Democrat said Thursday, proposing a much scaled-back version in its place.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said it was "terribly disappointing" to put off action on climate change, but the Democratic Party had to be realistic that conservative political opposition meant "we don't have the votes" to pass a broad bill.
Indian Navy chief on maiden visit to China
By IANS,
New Delhi : On the maiden visit of an Indian Navy chief to China, Admiral Sureesh Mehta will be attending the Chinese International Fleet Review during his week-long tour, an official said here.
Seeking to engage the Chinese military on a greater level, Mehta flew to China on Saturday night and will return April 25.
Iran must respect rights of citizens: US
By DPA,
Washington : Iran's leaders must respect the rights of their citizens and uphold the country's international obligations, the United States said Saturday, on the first anniversary of the Islamic republic's disputed presidential election.
US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton called for the immediate release of imprisoned human rights activists as well as three American hikers who have been detained for almost a year without being charged.
Spanish airport reopened after hoax bomb threat
By DPA
Madrid : The airport on the Spanish holiday island of Ibiza was reopened Saturday after a bomb threat was revealed to have been a hoax, the state radio reported.
Kosovo plans to open 20 embassies abroad this year
By RIA Novosti
Belgrade : Kosovo authorities plan to open 20 embassies abroad, the deputy prime minister of the self-proclaimed state, Hajredin Kuci, said.
Kosovo unilaterally declared its independence Feb 17, adopting a new national flag and national emblem.
The province's sovereignty has so far been formally recognised by 36 countries, including the US and most European Union (EU) members. Russia and China have consistently backed Belgrade's position that Kosovo must remain a part of Serbia.
US lawmakers seek to expand Cuba trade, travel
By IANS/EFE,
Washington : Democrats and Republicans in the US House of Representatives have presented a bill seeking to broaden travel and agricultural exports to communist Cuba.
The bill was presented Tuesday by the chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, Minnesota Democrat Collin Peterson, and has 30 co-sponsors, including Republicans Jerry Moran of Kansas, Jeff Flake of Arizona and Jo Ann Emerson of Missouri.
Bank of America to cut 30,000 jobs
By IANS,
Washington : Bank of America said Monday that it will cut about 30,000 jobs over the next few years to slash costs, Xinhua reported.
Russia to have new law to ensure foreigners’ hospitality
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
MOscow : In order to ensure all basic facilities for foreign visitors in the country, Russia will bring a new law under which the hosts can be punished if they fail to take proper care of their guests from abroad.
The government has submitted a draft law to the Duma introducing administrative responsibility for Russians who fail to receive foreign guests properly. Administrative responsibility means a person could be fined or receive a warning.
US scared of Modi becoming PM: Shiv Sena
Mumbai: The Shiv Sena Monday said the US was "scared" at the prospect of BJP leader Narendra Modi becoming India's next prime minister.
An editorial...
New navigation system to help motorists avoid jams
By IANS,
London : A new car navigation system is being developed to help motorists negotiate rush hour jams by advising them about the best possible routes.
The 'Congestion Avoidance Dynamic Routing Engine' (CADRE) uses “artificial intelligence”, or AI, to interpret live traffic information shared among vehicles fitted with a special GPS, or Global Positioning System.
Two anti-foreigner attacks reported in Berlin
By IRNA,
Berlin : Foreigners became victims of xenophobic assaults in two separate incidents in Berlin over the past day, the daily Der Tagesspiegel reported Tuesday.
In the first case, a 27-year-old Serbian man and his pregnant wife were hit and abused by three unidentified assailants as they picked up their children from day-care center in Berlin's Weissensee district.
Meanwhile, a 15-year-old foreign boy whose nationality was not immediately known, was assaulted by two men as he was on his way to school in Berlin's Schoeneberg neighborhood.
New Year’s Eve violence claims over 50 lives in Colombia
By IANS,
Bogota : The New Year began on a violent note in Colombia as 54 people lost their lives and more than 100 were injured in clashes among revellers, EFE news agency reported Friday.
Northern province of Ceasar has been the worst hit with six deaths while five people were killed in the capital Bogota region, according to a police statement.
Four deaths were reported from northeastern Medellin province while deaths were also reported from Cauca, Uraba and Cali province, the statement said.
Nepal’s ‘most wanted’ votes for Maoist bomb maker
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : In addition to stunning alliances and cut-throat rivalry, Nepal's presidential poll runoff Monday received yet another dramatic twist with a lawmaker, who was once among the most wanted criminals in the country, turning up in the capital to vote for a former bomb maker and revolutionary.
Babban Singh, who won the April election from Rautahat district in the Terai plains while remaining underground, created a furore with his surprise appearance at the International Convention Centre Monday morning to take part in the presidential poll run-off.
Sobhraj freedom hope dashed again
By IANS,
Kathmandu : Charles Sobhraj's hope that he would be acquitted of the 1975 murder of an American tourist in Nepal receded again Sunday with a critical hearing being deferred.
Now the "Bikini Killer" of yesteryear would have to wait for a month when his appeal is heard again Dec 8.
Sobhraj is serving life imprisonment in Kathmandu's Central Jail for the murder of Connie Jo Bronzich 33 years ago. If the appeal is rejected by Nepal's Supreme Court, the 64-year-old would have to serve at least 10 more years behind bars.
President Obama to make first foray abroad to Canada Thursday
By IANS,
Ottawa : US President Barack Obama will make his first foray abroad after his inauguration with a whirlwind visit Thursday to Canada, his country's biggest trading partner.
During his six-hour stay in the Canadian capital, Obama will meet Prime Minister Stephen Harper, opposition leader Michael Ignatieff and other leaders.
Though it will be a customary visit by the US president to its closest ally, the two leaders will discuss the gamut of issues that will include trade, global meltdown, Afghanistan and the environment.
Wall Street surges on interest rate cut
By DPA
New York : US stocks made their largest gains in five years Tuesday after the central bank cut its benchmark interest rate and two leading investment firms posted earnings that assuaged fears about the financial sector.
The Federal Reserve cut its benchmark interest rate by 0.75 points to 2.25 percent, in the latest of a series of dramatic attempts to boost the sagging US economy and temper volatility in global financial markets. The US central bank has now lowered the federal funds rate by a total of two percentage points since the beginning of the year.
Hong Kong teacher accused of sex with 13-year-old pupil
By DPA,
Hong Kong : A Hong Kong teacher has been charged with having sex with a primary school pupil and keeping pictures of the encounters on his computer, a court report said Friday.
Primary school teacher Chung Wing-kwok faces one count of possessing child pornography and one of having unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under 16.
The 32-year-old is also accused of indecently assaulting a second girl, aged 11, during extra-curricular activities at the school, said the report in the South China Morning Post.
8 missing after small ship sunk in Indonesia
By Xinhua,
Jakarta : Eight people on board have gone missing after a small fishing ship sunk in the waters off Brebes town of Central Java province in Indonesia since Monday, rescue team said on Tuesday.
A rescuer from the town Ade Daniraharjo said that searching for those missing was underway on Tuesday.
"Eight people went missing on Monday, we keep searching them," he told Xinhua in a telephone interview.
The rescuer said that the cause of the accident was the ages of the wooden ship, in which the woods have been decomposed.
Search on for Yemeni plane crash survivors; child rescued
By DPA,
Johannesburg/Sanaa : A five year-old child was being brought ashore Tuesday, after surviving a Yemen Airways plane crash near the Comoros Islands, officials said.
Abdillah Mougni, secretary-general of Comoros republic's transport ministry, said the child, whose gender he did not know, was being brought to shore by boat.
Mougni also said only one body had been recovered from the water so far, although three bodies had been seen floating in the water from helicopters.
The Comoros islands are located between Madagascar and Mozambique, off south-eastern Africa.
‘Women farmers a priority for ensuring food security’
By Vishnu Makhijani, IANS,
Colombo : Empowering women to be confident farmers should be a priority of South Asian countries, an agricultural policy document released here Tuesday said.
Maoists to seek no-trust vote against Nepal PM
By IANS,
Kathmandu : After vacillating for almost a year, Nepal's opposition Maoist party Wednesday decided to seek a no-trust vote against Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal.
"This government will not be able to draft a new constitution (within the deadline of May 28)," Maoist member of parliament and spokesman Dinanath Sharma told the media after the standing committee of the formerly outlawed party held deliberations Wednesday to decide its next strategy ahead of a "grand push" against the government Thursday.
Venezuela threatens to cut oil to US
By IRNA
Madrid : Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has threatened to cut off his country's oil shipments to the United States if a court ruling goes forward ordering Venezuelan assets be frozen in a case brought by Exxon Mobil.
The dispute centers on President Hugo Chavez's nationalization of heavy oil projects.
"One court orders that Venezuela be frozen," he said on his weekly television and radio program "Hello, President." "If you wind up freezing and hurt us, we will hurt you. Do you know how? We are not going to send oil to the United States."
Sikh group slams Canada’s no-Singh no-Kaur rule
By IANS
Toronto : A Sikh group has slammed the long-standing Canadian immigration policy that forces Sikhs with the surname Singh or Kaur to change their last names if they want to migrate to the country.
The criticism came after an Indian Canadian Sikh woman, Tarvinder Kaur, who is pregnant, said her husband Jaspal Singh's application to become a permanent resident has been delayed because of his last name.
"He has no choice but to legally change his name in India so he can be with me before I give birth next month," she said.
Indian family murder-suicide in US: Family problems suspected
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : US police has ruled out financial problems as the motive behind the apparent murder-suicide of six Indians in California, suggesting the crime was likely related to "family dynamics and personal relationships."
Santa Clara, California police Tuesday identified the victims and alleged gunman in the grisly murder-suicide Sunday night and provided a glimpse into the family situation that spiralled into violence and claimed six lives.
Widow from 9/11 attacks among New York crash victims
By DPA,
New York : A woman who had lost her husband in the Sept 11, 2001 terror attacks on the World Trade Center (WTC) was among those killed in the late Thursday air crash in New York state, her sister said early Friday.
"We know that she was on that plane," Sue Bourque was quoted by the Buffalo News as saying about her sister Beverly Eckert, who had been waiting at Buffalo airport to pick her sister up when the Continental Airlines plane crashed some 10 kilometres away.
Czech striker Koller joins third-division Cannes
By DPA,
Prague: Legendary Czech striker Jan Koller is to play for the third-division French club AS Cannes at the close of his professional career, the CTK news agency reported Monday, citing the player's manager.
The towering 2.02-metre (6ft-8inch) forward, who turns 37 in March, signed an 18-month contract with the club Monday, the report said citing Pavel Paska, Koller's manager.
Sri Lankan man hospitalized after apparent racial mass assault in N. Germany
By IRNA
Berlin : A 43-year-old Sri Lankan man was hospitalized with a concussion and multiple bruises after a group of thugs beat him up in an apparent racial attack Wednesday evening in the north central German town of Goslar, news reports said Thursday.
At least 12 assailants punched the victim repeatedly until he remained motionless on the ground.
One of the thugs used a walker to hit the helpless victim.
Last week, a 36-year-old Vietnamese woman and her two-year-old daughter became of victims of anti-foreigner assault in Berlin.
Colombian court ends Uribe’s bid for third term
By IANS/EFE,
Bogota : Colombia's Constitutional Court has rejected a proposal to amend the country's charter to allow President Alvaro Uribe to seek a third consecutive term.
Both the bill (to amend the constitution) and the legislative process that produced it were deeply flawed, court president Mauricio Gonzalez said Friday.
Uribe was first elected in 2002 for a four-year term, but ran again in 2006 after the Colombian constitution was changed to allow him to seek a re-election.
A survey in December showed that Uribe could win the May 30 election if allowed to contest.
Female IS member reportedly back in Britain
London: A female Islamic State (IS) recruiter dubbed "Mrs Terror" is reported to have returned to Britain, a media report said on Friday.
Special Branch...
Top Italian bank official found dead
By IANS/AKI,
Rome: The communications chief of troubled bank Monte Paschi di Siena (MPS), the world's oldest bank and Italy's largest lender, has been found dead.
Australian victims given drugs for sexual favours
By IANS,
Melbourne: Two brothers in an Australian town sexually assaulted teenage girls for years and one of them gave his victims drugs in return for sexual favours, a court was told.
Michael El Ali, 44, and Houssam Khaled El Ali, 37, both from Katoomba, New South Wales, were each charged with 10 child sex offences by magistrate Andrew George at the Parramatta Bail Court Saturday, The Sydney Morning Herald reported.
Braille ballot to assist visually impaired voters in South Africa
By IANS,
Pretoria : Visually impaired South Africans will now have the opportunity to cast their votes secretly for the first time on a Braille ballot sheet during the general elections next week.
Chief electoral officer Pansy Tlakula told BuaNews the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has developed the Braille template to ensure blind South Africans enjoyed similar rights as others at polling stations countrywide.
Tlakula said each polling station will be provided with Braille template for the national and provincial elections.
British MPs hail Nepal’s pledge to allow Gurkha recruitment
By IANS,
Kathmandu : A team of British lawmakers is leaving Nepal Friday with an assurance by Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' that his government will not halt the recruitment of the famed Gurkha soldiers into the British Army.
"We greatly appreciated the prime minister's statement to the delegation that the recruitment of Gurkhas into the British Army will continue," Sir John Stanley, leader of the Inter-Parliamentary Union British Group's delegation from the British Parliament to Nepal, said here Thursday.
70 students suffer from food poisoning in China
By IANS,
Beijing : Seventy students fell ill after they had a meal at a primary school in south China, an official spokesman said.
The students suffered from fever, stomach aches and diarrhoea Wednesday after having food at Yingcai Primary School in Yulin City of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Xinhua quoted spokesman with the regional public security bureau Qin Yongjun as saying Thursday.
Indian-Germans boycott BJP MP Tejaswi Surya from speaker’s panel at startup conference
TCN News
Indians in Germany have addressed the Consul General of India at Hamburg to bar Indian MP Tejaswi Surya from speaking at the upcoming...
Gunmen slaughter 12 in Guyana
By Paras Ramoutar, IANS
Port of Spain : A gang of gunmen slaughtered 12 people, including three policemen, in Bartica in Guyana Monday, reminiscent of the massacre of 11 ethnic Indians at Lusignan just under a month ago.
According to a police official in this Caribbean country where ethnic Indians form a majority, the gunmen attacked the Bartica Police Station and killed three officers, whilst residents in the river-island community shut doors and closed all openings in their homes to ward off potential attacks.
The gang came by boat on the Essequibo river.
Courts approve Nortel sale; Canada’s opposition says stop it
By Gurmukh Singh, IANS,
Toronto : Even as courts in Canada and the US Tuesday approved Ericsson's $1.13-billion bid last week to acquire the wireless business of Nortel, the 127-year-old Canadian corporate icon, political leaders here are putting pressure on the government to stop the sale.
Once a world leader in telecom equipment technology, Nortel is selling all its businesses to pay back its creditors after suffering $5-billion losses last year. Toronto-based Nortel has been operating under bankruptcy protection in Canada and the US since January.
One killed in Colombo blast
By IANS
Colombo : One person was killed and four others, including three school children, were injured in a bomb blast in south Colombo Monday morning, the Sri Lankan Army spokesman said.
"The bomb was kept in a flower pot in the middle of Galle Road opposite Roxy cinema at Wellawatte," military spokesman Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara told IANS.
Reports said the bomb was a claymore mine used mainly by the Tamil rebel group Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
China has multiple plans for financial crisis impact: Official
By Xinhua,
Beijing : China has multiple plans to prepare itself for further negative impact of the global financial crisis, a top banking official said Friday.
China's long-held policy of keeping the Renminbi exchange rate "basically stable at an appropriate and balanced level" is "relatively comprehensive and enough", Zhou Xiaochuan, governor of China's central bank, told a press conference on the sidelines of the parliament's annual session.
EU faces deep, broad recession: European Commission
By DPA,
Brussels : Europe faces a deep and broad recession this year, the European Commission predicted Monday, with economic activity in the 16-strong eurozone set to shrink by 1.9 percent as a result of the world's worst economic crisis since World War II.
"The economic horizon has now significantly darkened as the European Union economy is hit by the financial crisis that deepened during the autumn and is taking a toll on business and consumer confidence," the European Union's executive arm said in presenting its latest economic forecasts.
Cuba to sign UN human rights agreements ‘shortly’
By DPA
Havana : Cuba will "shortly" sign two UN human rights agreements, Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque said.
Perez Roque Monday further expressed the will of the communist island to cooperate more closely with the Human Rights Council of the UN.
The "political decision" to sign the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights was taken, according to Perez Roque, following a "radical change" introduced by the new Human Rights Council.
U.S. NGO names Modi among world’s seven worst persecutors, clubs RSS with Taliban
In a report, “2021 Persecutor of the Year Awards,” released here this month, the International Christian Concern (ICC) clubbed the “Sangh Parivar,” India’s Hindu extremist...
Foreign Secretary Shivashankar Memon arrives in US; terrorism to be top on agenda
By NNN-PTI,
Washington : Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon arrived here on two-day visit to the US and is scheduled to meet Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs William Burns and other State Department officials.
Menon's visit to Washington, which began Monday, was planned and scheduled way ahead of last week's terror attacks on Mumbai which claimed nearly 200 lives, including some American nationals.
Thousands displaced in Nepal flooding
By DPA,
Kathmandu : Thousands of people were displaced from their homes in eastern Nepal after flooding caused by heavy monsoon rain inundated their villages, media reports said Thursday.
More than 1,500 houses were partially underwater in Saptari and Sunsari districts, about 400 km east of the capital, forcing residents to seek refuge elsewhere, the Kathmandu Post newspaper reported.
"Over two dozen villages were inundated by floods triggered by continuous rainfall since Tuesday evening," the newspaper said.
US senate panel rejects public health insurance option
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : In a major setback to President Barack Obama's plans to overhaul America's health care system, a Senate panel has rejected an amendment to include a government-run public health insurance option.
The Senate Finance Committee Tuesday rejected two Democratic amendments that would have created a government-run "public option" with the panel's chairman bowing to staunch Republican opposition that he said would prevent final passage of a bill containing such a provision.
Hillary Clinton to visit Africa next week
By IANS,
Pretoria : US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will visit South Africa next week as part of her seven-nation tour of Africa, BuaNews Reported.
Clinton will begin her tour Aug 5 when she arrives in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital, to attend the 8th US-Sub-Saharan Africa Trade and Economic Cooperation Forum (AGOA Forum).
She will also visit South Africa, Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Liberia and Cape Verde.
Treating childhood anxiety will prevent complications later
By IANS,
Washington : A psychiatrist has made a strong pitch for treating childhood anxiety disorders or they could lead to substance abuse and mental disorders in adulthood.
"Anxiety disorders may cause children to avoid social situations and age-appropriate developmental milestones," said Graham Emslie, professor of psychiatry and paediatrics at University of Texas-Southwestern.
"Further, the avoidance cycle can lead to less opportunity to develop social skills necessary for success later in life. Treatment would help children learn healthy coping skills."
Trucks set on fire in Chile
By IANS/EFE,
Santiago : Hooded assailants intercepted two freight trucks, pulled out the drivers and set the vehicles on fire in a southern town in Chile.
The incident took place Wednesday in Araucania region, where ethnic Mapuche Indian activists have torched vehicles, highway toll booths and lumber shipments on earlier occasions as part of a protest to reclaim ancestral lands from business and forest products companies.
Iran must explain secret nuclear programme: Bush
Washington, Dec 12 (DPA) US President George W. Bush said Iran must explain the nature of a secret nuclear weapons programme alleged in a US intelligence report and warned the Islamic state will become increasingly dangerous if it continues to enrich uranium.
"We believe Iran had a secret military weapons programme. And Iran must explain to the world why they had a programme," Bush said during a meeting with Italian President Giorgio Napolitano Tuesday.
China’s railway investment decreases
By IANS,
Beijing : China's railway investment in the first 10 months of this year fell sharply, authorities said.
NRI qualifies for Clean Elections programme in New Jersey
By IANS
New York : An Indian American woman candidate for New Jersey state Senate has become the first person to qualify in the state's Fair and Clean Elections pilot programme, a system of government financing of political campaigns in the US.
Europeans back select developing countries at climate talks
By Dipankar De Sarkar, IANS,
London: The Climate summit in Copenhagen is likely to be presented with an Ethiopian proposal backed by key European leaders that seeks to raise money by taxing different pots of big business, according to reports here Wednesday.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, who has been shuttling between the capitals of Britain, France and Germany, is expected to propose a tax on airlines, shipping and the financial services industry - the so-called Tobin Tax.
Nuclear non-proliferation meet aims for n-weapons free world
By NNN-PTI,
Melbourne : An ambitious aim to make world free of nuclear weapons apart from the danger of such weapons falling into terrorists hands formed the part of discussions between global leaders who met at the inaugural meet of new commission on Nuclear Non-proliferation and disarmament.
Speaking at the meeting yesterday, Gareth Evans, the commission's co-chair, said world was headed for another Hiroshima or worse because of the risk of miscalculation or accident.
We will get majority, claim three Nepal parties
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS
Kathmandu : The three biggest partners in Nepal's ruling coalition are all claiming they will win a majority in Thursday's constituent assembly election, which is expected to not only lead to the framing of a new constitution but also shape the future of politics in the country.
Sher Bahadur Deuba, who was Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala's political heir in the past and could regain his position, says his Nepali Congress (NC), the biggest party in parliament, will sweep Thursday's election.
Palestinian killed, four Israeli militants injured
By KUNA,
RAMALLAH, Feb 2 (KUNA) -- A Palestinian was killed and four Israeli militants injured by gun shots in Al-Khalil (Hebron) on Monday.
A Spokesman of the Israeli Army said a Palestinian opened fire on forces in Hebron, which returned fire killing him and injuring four others.
The spokesman did not reveal the name of the militant who was killed or the four others who were taken into Israeli territory. He added, however, that the man had opened fire while in his vehicle.
US, China want North Korea to restart nuclear talks
By DPA,
Seoul: The US government has joined China in calling on North Korea to restart the stalled six-nation denuclearisation talks, media reports said.
"We would like to see the six-party process begin again as soon as possible. But as I've said many, many times, that right now it's up to North Korea to agree to come back to the talks and to take affirmative steps towards denuclearisation," Yonhap news agency quoted State Department spokesman Philip Crowley as saying.
Google rejects German criticism of Street View
By DPA,
Berlin: US internet giant Google Tuesday defended its Street View application - a compendium of photographed city streets - from privacy concerns in Germany, where criticism of the company has mounted.
Minister Ilse Aigner, who is responsible for consumer affairs, again accused the US company of privacy invasion by photographing Germans' homes without asking each householder in advance for permission.
Economic crisis may prompt faster Chinese action on climate front
By Bill Smith, DPA,
Beijing : China is already the world's biggest emitter of greenhouse gases, according to some estimates, putting it at the centre of international debate on how to combat climate change.
An action plan last year reaffirmed China's commitment to reduce energy consumption compared to economic output by about four percent annually, and emissions of major pollutants by two percent a year to 2010.
Moscow hopes for constructive defense shield dialog with Obama
By RIA Novosti,
Sharm El-Sheikh : Moscow hopes for a more constructive dialog with the administration of Barack Obama about the deployment of U.S. missile defense shield elements in Europe, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.
Democrat Obama, who is the first African American to be elected U.S. president, will assume office on January 20, 2009.
Senate committee approves Holder for US attorney general
By DPA,
Washington : A Senate committee voted Wednesday to approve Eric Holder as the next top US law enforcement officer, sending the nomination to the full chamber for a final vote.
The Senate is expected to approve Holder, 58, to become the first African American to head the Justice Department. The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 17-2 to back the nominee, a committee spokesman said.
India, China sign mechanism for border peace
By IANS,
New Delhi: India and China Tuesday signed a border mechanism framework to maintain peace on the disputed boundaries between the two countries.
China asks provinces to set up hotlines for sick babies
By Xinhua,
Beijing : China Saturday asked all provincial governments to immediately set up hotlines to help people access proper medical facility for treatment of babies taken ill after drinking tainted milk powder in the wake of a baby food scandal that shook the nation.
At least four babies died and more than 6,000 infants developed kidney stones after drinking baby formula tainted with melamine, an industrial chemical used in fertilisers, plastics and dyes.
To date, eight provinces and municipalities had set up such lines.
East Timor sends more forces to hunt rebels
By SPA
Dili : East Timor sent over 1,000 police and soldiers to sweep hills and raid homes on Friday in pursuit of rebels involved in last week's assassination attempts on the country's president and prime minister, Reuters reported.
Rebel soldiers raided Jose Ramos-Horta's home last Monday, seriously wounding the president during a gunfight.
Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao, who escaped unhurt in a separate attack, ordered the country's military and police forces to form a joint command to arrest followers of rebel
leader Alfredo Reinado.
Anorexic Australian twins die in house fire
By IANS,
London: Two Australian identical twin sisters who drew public attention due to their desperate battle with anorexia, have died in a house fire, Daily Mail reported Tuesday.
Pro-government supporters stage rally in Thailand
Bangkok : Pro-government supporters in Thailand staged a rally Saturday a day after anti-government protestors marched in Bangkok in a "final battle" to oust...
OPEC predicts declining oil demand and oversupply for 2009
Vienna, Dec 16 (DPA) One day before members of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) meet to discuss reducing production, the cartel said Tuesday that global oil demand would decrease in 2009, contributing to an overhang of stocks.
As industrialised countries slipped into a recession, global oil consumption would fall to 85.68 million barrels per day next year, a year-on-year decrease of 0.18 percent, Vienna-based OPEC said in its monthly oil market report.
US, China wrap up talks on economy, global warming
By DPA,
Washington : The US and China have agreed to work together to stabilise the world economy and explore ways to cooperate on climate change.
The global powers concluded two days of talks in Washington Tuesday.
The dialogue focused mainly on recovering from the economic downturn but included a broad array of topics from global warming to nuclear proliferation and terrorism.
OPEC crude price $126, Indonesia to pull out of cartel
By DPA,
Vienna : The price for crude oil produced by the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries has dropped below $126, OPEC said Wednesday.
One barrel (159 litres) of crude from OPEC's 13-brand reference basket stood at $125.91 Tuesday, down 66 cents from the previous day.
On Wednesday, OPEC's only south-east Asian member Indonesia announced plans to pull out of the cartel.
Energy minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro cited Indonesia's slowing oil production which was not sufficient to satisfy the domestic market as the main reason for the decision, media reports said.
FIFA chief Blatter to visit Cuba
By IANS,
Havana: FIFA president Joseph Blatter is expected to arrive in Havana Tuesday on a two-day work visit for meetings with national sports officials.
French president urged to confront Chavez on press freedom
By IANS
Paris : Reporters Without Borders (RSF), an international non-governmental organisation devoted to freedom of press, has urged French President Nicolas Sarkozy to take up the issue of press freedom with his visiting Venezuelan counterpart Hugo Chavez, Spanish news agency reported Tuesday.
Chavez arrived here Monday to brief Sarkozy about his country's efforts in brokering a deal between the government of Colombia and its main rebel group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), for the release of 45 high-profile hostages.
Over two tonnes of poached caviar seized in Russia
By RIA Novosti,
Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky (Russia) : Over two tonnes of poached red caviar was seized Wednesday in Kamchatka in Russia's Far East, a police spokesman said.
"A vessel carrying 2.2 tonnes of salmon caviar was detained Wednesday in the Kamchatka river," the spokesman said.
The vessel's 25-year-old owner failed to provide documents verifying the legality of the delicacy. A probe into the incident has been launched.
During last year's anti-poaching operations, police seized over 61 tonnes of red caviar and 525 tonnes of salmon; 107 vessels were confiscated.
Traffic crashes shoot up in Hanoi after soccer win over Thailand
By DPA,
Hanoi : Traffic accidents went up by 30 percent in Hanoi Wednesday night after a Vietnamese football victory over rival Thailand triggered wild celebrations across the city, a doctor from Bach Mai hospital said Thursday.
"We have given first aid to 62 victims in the past 24 hours," said Nguyen Doc Lap. "This is an increase of 30 percent over normal days. There are many serious cases."
Nguyen Tien Dung, an officer with Hanoi's department of traffic, said, "Three people were killed in traffic accidents on Christmas Eve."
Australia, India sign MoU for joint research, teaching
Hyderabad: Australia's Deakin University and the Indian School of Business (ISB) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for joint research and teaching.
They will...
Croatia, Hungary and Bulgaria recognize Kosovo
By DPA
Zagreb : Serbia's neighbours Croatia, Hungary and Bulgaria jointly said that they are recognizing Kosovo Wednesday, a month after the province declared independence from Belgrade.
The decision will be formally announced later in the day by all three countries, the governments of the three said.
"The declaration of independence of Kosovo came after the failure of all the efforts of the international community to find a negotiated solution between Belgrade and Pristina on the status of Kosovo," a joint statement said.
Obama looks forward to working with new Indian government
By Arun Kumar,
Washington: As exit polls suggested that the Narendra Mod- led Bharatiya Janata Party was set to win the Indian election, President Barack...
70 books, 2,000 years old, found in Jordan
By IANS,
London : A total of 70 books, made of lead and dating back to over 2,000 years, have been found in a cave in Jordan.
Commander of US aircraft carrier removed over raunchy videos
By DPA,
Washington : The commander of a US aircraft carrier has been removed from his post following revelations he made racy videos that were shown to the crew of the ship, the Navy said.
UK aid performance hit by low ranking on protecting human rights
London, Nov 29, IRNA , Britain was ranked ninth out of 23 OECD countries in the first Humanitarian Response Index (HRI) published Thursday.
Top of the index, launched in London by former UN Secretary- General Kofi Annan, was Sweden, followed by Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands and the European Commission. The US was ranked further down in 16th place.
Briatin was highlighted to have a strong track record working with humanitarian partners, in generous funding to multilateral organisations and their appeals and in supporting contingency planning and capacity building efforts.
Lethal drug-resistant TB spreads at alarming rate in South Africa
By IANS,
Johannesburg : A drug-resistant strain of tuberculosis (TB) is spreading at an alarming rate in South Africa and is threatening to overwhelm health services in neighbouring countries, a report in the country's Sunday Times said.
The report said that one-sixth of the world's cases of extensively drug-resistant TB, or XDR-TB, were in South Africa.
New strains were developing independently of each other in different parts of the country, the report said.
Brazil to mordenise military, defence industry: Lula
By IANS,
Brasilia : Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has unveiled plans to modernise the country's armed forces and the defence industry, EFE news agency reported.
"Launching this plan means treating the armed forces as seriously as they deserve. It will serve to modernise equipment, armoured vehicles, ships and armament," Lula said at a ceremony in the presidential palace Thursday.
"It will reorganise the three forces and restructure the defence industry," he added.
Panama Canal remembers “liberation” amidst great challenges
By DPA
Panama City/Washington : Only four days after the formal start of work to expand its world-famous canal, Panama will mark on Friday the 30th anniversary of the historic Torrijos-Carter Treaties.
The agreements that Panamanian strongman Omar Torrijos and then US president Jimmy Carter signed on Sep 7, 1977 launched a process, which concluded on Dec 31, 1999 with the US handing control of the canal to Panamanian authorities.
Western coverage of Tibet riots biased: Chinese media
By Xinhua
Beijing : The journalists' association of China has strongly criticised Western media for biased coverage of the riots in the Tibetan capital Lhasa.
Coverage of the Lhasa riot by some Western media organisations was distorted and betrayed the basic principles of accuracy, objectivity and impartiality for news reporting, Zhai Huisheng, executive vice-chairman of the China Journalists' Association, said Tuesday.
Ship loaded with sulphuric acid sinks off Sri Lanka
By DPA,
Colombo : A Turkish ship transporting sulphuric acid sank off Sri Lanka's north-eastern coast Thursday, three days after attempts to repair a leak in the vessel failed, a navy spokesman said. The ship had sailed from Tuticorin in India.
Sulphuric acid is widely used for lead-acid batteries for vehicles.
The ship's 19-member crew was rescued by the Sri Lankan Navy after the MT Granba reported a leak off the Trincomalee area Monday and attempts were made to carry out the repairs.
India to Sri Lanka: Killings of Tamil civilians must stop (
By IANS,
New Delhi : Expressing concern at the plight of civilians in Sri Lanka, India Wednesday asked the war-torn nation to ensure that the killings of Tamil civilians are stopped and underlined that it will do "all it can to also ameliorate the humanitarian crisis".
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh held a special meeting late Wednesday night to discuss the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Sri Lanka. The meeting was attended by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Defence Minister A.K. Antony, National Security Adviser M.K. Narayanan and Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon.