Mexicans Maltreated in United States
By Prensa Latina
Mexico : The International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH) denounced Wednesday abuses committed against Mexican immigrants in the United States, and called them an attack on the elemental human rights of immigrants.
FIDH represents 155 world human rights organizations, and in its text released in Mexico City denounced that US criminal law has a double system of sentencing for immigrants even if their papers are in order, which is discriminatory.
12 killed in US coalmine blast
By IANS,
Washington : At least 12 miners have been killed and 10 missing after a blast at a coalmine in the US state of West Virginia.
The blast occurred Monday afternoon at Massey coalmine located near Charleston in West Virginia, Xinhua reported Tuesday.
Kevin Stricklin, an administrator with the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration, said rescuers found five more bodies as they dug into the underground Upper Big Branch mine. He said the search for the 10 missing miners is still on.
अदालत में जाकर लड़ाई लडेंगे मुस्लिम संगठन ,बेगुनाहों की रिहाई की कवायद में जुटे
जिब्रानउद्दीन।Twocircles.net
बीते कुछ दिनों से देशभर में मुसलमानों के ऊपर हुए अत्याचार के खिलाफ कई मुस्लिम संगठनों ने अपनी आवाज़ें बुलंद की हैं और...
Sri Lanka captures last stretch of rebel-held coast
By DPA,
Colombo : The Sri Lankan security forces Saturday took the final strip of coast held by Tamil Tigers during the final phase of their offensive to defeat the guerrillas, a military official said.
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) have now been driven back to an area of less than one sq km in the northeast, a military spokesman said, and for the first time in the conflict the rebels have no access to the sea.
The military claimed that senior LTTE leaders, including its chief Velupillai Prabhakaran, remained in the rebel-held area.
Plan to close Tempelhof Airport angers many Berliners
By DPA
Berlin : Sixty years ago, Tempelhof Airport was a focus of world attention when the Allied airlift began and vital food supplies were flown in round-the-clock to save West Berlin from starvation.
The airlift, which began in June 1948 and lasted until September 1949, was a historical turning point in post-war German history. It put paid to the Russian blockade in a bid to drive the Western powers from the city and turn Berlin into a communist stronghold.
Russia, China for World Nanotech Lead
By Prensa Latina,
Moscow : Russia and China will sign a cooperation agreement that will bolster them to world nanotechnology leadership.
Leonid Melamed, director of Russia’s state-run Rosnanotech Corporation, described as fruitful the talks with Chinese Science and Technology Minister Wan Gang.
Radio Mayak said the parties will run a joint venture to produce competitive items although Melamed admitted that Russia and China trail the US, Japan, the EU and South Korea in the field.
Japan FM to visit Moscow April 12-15 for peace treaty talks
By RIA Novosti
Tokyo : Japan's foreign minister will arrive in Russia on a four-day official visit on Saturday for talks on bilateral cooperation and a peace treaty, a Japanese foreign ministry official said on Friday.
Russia and Japan have failed to sign a formal peace treaty following World War II over their territorial dispute on the South Kuril Islands. Tokyo has moved to step up bilateral ties with a view to signing the treaty with Russia's new leadership.
Rare earthquake hits England
By IRNA
London : Many parts of England were hit in the early hours of Wednesday with the biggest earthquake in the UK for nearly 25 years.
People as far apart of Newcastle in the northeast, Manchester in the northwest, central and eastern England as well as London were reported to have felt the tremor, which the British Geological Survey (BGS) recorded as having 5.3 magnitude in the epicentre.
Pilot programme slashes cardiac deaths by 73 percent
By IANS,
Washington : An innovative programme combining nursing and pharmacy teams that work with cardiac patients and their doctors has slashed heart attack deaths by 73 percent.
The team is connected by technology tools that help them deliver care proven to improve health outcomes.
George C. Halvorson, chairman and CEO of Kaiser Permanente (KP), a healthcare provider, associated with the project, stressed the importance of caregivers' training, coordination, and ability to use technology in achieving better health outcomes.
Woman reveals sex encounter with New Zealand minister
By DPA,
Wellington : A Korean businesswoman, who filed a complaint with police about disgraced New Zealand minister Richard Worth, says she had a "sexual encounter" with him at a hotel, a newspaper reported Friday.
The woman, who lives in Auckland, says he invited her to an official function he hosted in parliament in Wellington in March and then took her to a hotel room "where a sexual encounter took place", the New Zealand Herald reported.
No South Asia reference in US-China joint statement
By IANS,
Washington : The US has made clear that the absence of a reference to Beijing's role in South Asia in the latest US-China joint statement did not necessarily reflect a change in policy.
Five killed in Brazil plane crash
By IANS,
Rio de Janeiro : Five people were killed when the small plane in which they were travelling crashed in southwestern Brazil, EFE reported.
The accident occurred Sunday in the Brazilian state of Parana, some 250 km from the border with Paraguay, according to fire department officials.
All five people, including a woman, on board the aircraft have been killed, officials said.
The plane was on its way from Sonora to Arapongas region at the time of the accident.
An investigation into the cause of the accident is currently underway.
Benin Foreign Minister to Cuba
By Prensa Latina
Havana : Benin´s Foreign Affairs minister Moussa Okanla is to start an official visit to Cuba Wednesday, to expand bilateral links, "Granma" newspaper reported.
Okanla´s agenda in Havana includes meeting with his Cuban counterpart Felipe Perez Roque and other Cuban authorities. He will also visiti sites of historic and scientific interest.
Okanla's first visit to Cuba will foster ties of friendship and cooperation existing between both countries.
US Muslim woman fired from work for wearing hijab
Washington : A muslim woman in the US was fired from her new job at a dental clinic for wearing a hijab to work.
Najaf...
Myanmar Plans Resettlement For 7,000 Cyclone Victims
By Bernama,
Yangon : The Myanmar authorities are making arrangements to resettle 7,000 cyclone victims temporarily accommodated in three relief camps in Laputta, one of the hardest-hit townships in the Ayayawaddy delta region.
The 7,000 victims will be repatriated from these relief camps to their native villages with 10-day ration and be resettled at allocated houses under a lucky-draw system, China's Xinhua news agency quoted a local daily's report on Wednesday.
Shares fall sharply in Seoul
By DPA,
Seoul : Shares on the Seoul Stock Exchange nosedived Monday, sending the benchmark Kospi index down more than 4 percent as worries over the global financial crisis persisted despite a US bail-out plan.
The Kospi plunged 60.9 points, or 4.3 percent, to close at 1,358.75.
Declining issues outnumbered advancers 775 to 79.
The main index of the technology-heavy Kosdaq market declined 25.71 points to 406.39.
Human error killed seven US marines during training
By IANS,
Washington : A mortar explosion that killed seven US marines during training in March was caused by "human error", military investigators have found.
Japanese euphoric as cherry blossoms bloom
By Aliki Nassoufis, DPA,
Tokyo : They are as soft as silk, no larger than half a thumb, and conquer Japanese hearts every spring: cherry blossoms, known in Japan as "sakura".
Anticipation starts building across the country in February. When the first buds open in the south-west, national euphoria breaks out. Newspapers follow the north-easterly advance of the flower front until millions upon millions of the delicate blossoms adorn the Japanese archipelago.
US heat wave crashes power systems
By DPA,
New York : The US East Coast and parts of the Mid-West and Canada sweltered Tuesday in temperatures of 38 degrees Celsius and higher amidst power outages from record demand and rising health concerns.
Temperatures peaked at 41.1 degrees in Frederick, Maryland, about 50 km north of Washington, DC, and reached 39.44 degrees in New York City, according to AccuWeather and other weather reports.
Philadelphia, Washington DC and Philadelphia saw temperatures reach 38 degrees, prolonging a two-week-long heat spell that has seen daytime temperatures rarely drop below 30 degrees.
Minority communities from across the World write letter opposing CAA: Full Text
Here is the full text of the letter written by members of the minority community from across the world expressing their concern over the...
Relief work not effective, says Nepal PM
By Anil Giri,
Kathmandu : Nepal's Prime Minister Sushil Koirala admitted on Monday that the relief and rescue efforts following Saturday's deadly earthquake was not...
Advance of int’l justice pre-eminent legacy of Annan: Ban Ki-moon
By APP
United Nations : Honouring Kofi Annan at the conferral of a new MacArthur Award, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says that the establishment of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the acceptance of the principle of the responsibility to protect stood out as the culmination of his predecessor’s tenure.
There are no sides over stimulus at G20, says Obama
By DPA,
Washington : US President Barack Obama has insisted that there were no divisions forming over economic stimulus policies among leaders attending next month's summit of the world's 20 leading economies.
Obama, who held talks Saturday with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on the global financial crisis and energy issues, was asked by reporters about perceived difference between the US and the European Union (EU) on government borrowing for stimulus measures.
"I can't be clearer in saying that there are no sides. This is a phony debate," Obama said.
Sri Lanka Prepares SAARC Summit
By Prensa Latina,
Colombo : The activities for the Fifteenth Summit of South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation have begun here Monday with meetings of Vice Ministers and experts.
With the slogan "Our Peoples's Assopciation" the conference gathered eight regional countries' presidents together to analyze common programs aimed at fighting terrorism, poverty and climate change.
They will also discuss formulas to alleviate energy and inflationary crisis and water availability.
Buddhism fastest-growing religion in Singapore
By DPA,
Singapore : Buddhism is the fastest-growing religion in Singapore, particularly among the young and educated, a census conducted by The Straits Times showed Monday.
The number of people aged 15 and over who are Buddhists jumped from 31 percent of the population in 1990 to 43 percent, or 1.1 million people, 10 years later, making it the largest religion in the city-state.
The census figures published in the newspaper showed a fourfold jump in Buddhists who were graduates between 1990 and 2000. Membership numbers of Buddhist youth groups have soared.
US requires 40,000 more health IT professionals
By IANS,
Washington : United States alone requires an additional 40,000 IT professionals to move its healthcare toward a paperless system that cuts costs and medical errors.
That is the finding of an analytical report presented here on Friday at the meeting of Steering Committee on Tele-health and Healthcare Informatics, by William Hersh of Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU).
The report was based on an analysis of the HIMSS Analytics database, the largest and most comprehensive source of its kind, with information from 5,000 US hospitals.
Nepal seeks extension of UN peace mission
By SPA,
Kathmandu : Nepal said on Wednesday it will request the United Nations to extend by six months its peace mission while the issue of rehabilitating thousands of former Maoist fighters, crucial to stability, gets resolved.
The integration of more than 19,000 former rebels, housed in U.N. supervised camps, with the regular army is key to capping a 2006 peace deal that ended a civil war and brought the rebels to the political mainstream, Reuters reported.
Russia slams politicisation of arms control in Europe
By NNN- Prensa Latina
Moscow : The United States and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation have used the European arms control system as a means to achieve their political goals, a Russian military source confirmed on Saturday.
Following his recent meetings with the US and NATO representatives, the General Staff chief of Russia's Armed Forces, Yuri Baluyevski, said that the reciprocal actions of his country are not political shows.
UN to Myanmar: Supply Aid to Victims
By Prensa Latina,
United Nations : UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon demanded the government of Myanmar to help thousands of survivors of the Nargis cyclone, because otherwise results could be fatal.
Ban requested, in a dramatic call to authorities in Yangon, the elimination of restrictions for entering in that country aid supplies and personal from humanitarian agencies because "the survival of many people is at stake".
Hong Kong joins China in three-day mourning
By DPA,
Hong Kong : Hong Kong Monday joined China in declaring three days of official mourning for the victims of the earthquake which shook Sichuan province killing thousands last week.
Government offices and workplaces throughout the city fell silent at 2.28 p.m. - the exact time that the earthquake struck Monday, May 12 - to observe a three-minute silence to commemorate the dead.
The stock exchange also suspended trading for three minutes and border traffic came to a temporary standstill as buses, MRT trains and ferries sounded their horns to signal the start of the silence.
US pledges $1.8 million to Khmer Rouge trials
By DPA,
Phnom Penh : The United States has decided to finance the upcoming trials of former Khmer Rouge leaders, pledging $1.8 million for the next year with the promise of more to come, US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte said Tuesday.
Wrapping up his three-day official visit with a press conference, Negroponte said the US government was impressed with the progress of the joint UN-Cambodian tribunal, despite allegations of graft.
"We expect to be active amongst donors to see (the tribunal) continues," he said.
British court scraps ban on sham marriages by immigrants
By IANS,
London : Immigrants, legal or illegal, can use sham marriages to continue to stay in Britain. A court has ruled against the blanket ban on such marriages and an appeals court has upheld that ruling. It says the ban breaches human rights.
The ban came into force in 2004 following the government's concerns about thousands of bogus marriages by immigrants to stay in Britain. It was declared illegal by the high court in April 2006 following an appeal by three couples whose marriages were banned. The Law Lords upheld the ruling Wednesday.
McCain, Obama spar in final faceoff before poll
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : In their final faceoff before the Nov 4 US presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain sparred in their debate televised live over issues ranging from the economic crisis to who has run the more negative campaign.
Seeking to separate himself from the unpopular policies of President George Bush in the midst of America's worst economic crisis in decades, a trailing-in-the-polls McCain declared he was his own man and would go in a "new direction".
Morrison Menon case studies in Dubai Women College curriculum
Doha : UAE-based chartered accountants Morison Menon on Sunday said that two of studies have been included in the business curriculum of Dubai Women...
Europe Commission: Nukes not Taboo
By Prensa Latina,
Brussels : The European Commission on Saturday advocated a nuclear way out to the rise in oil prices and climate changes, against some conceptions of atomic energy as a taboo subject.
The EU executive organ is studying the rise of private investment in the nuclear sector, even though the issue is in the center of strong debates in several European States such as Germany, Great Britian, or Spain, over security of the facilities.
Five Indian Americans selected for J8 Youth Summit
By IANS
New York : Five Indian American high school students are among eight people selected to represent the US in the J8 summit, a parallel youth event to the G8 Summit.
Kavitha Narra, Rohit Nalamasu, Kritika Kailash, Aarthi Minisandram and Sudha Gollapudi will represent the US at the next G8 summit in Germany in June.
The team calls itself Aquilones ('Eagles' in Latin). Its other members are Rachel Peterson, Kelly O'Reilly and David Kastleman.
No military expansion, China vows in white paper
By IANS,
Beijing : China would not pursue military expansion, it declared in a white paper on national defence issued Thursday.
Allegedly imported high-grade “ice” flooding Philippines
By Xinhua,
Manila : High-grade, crystal-clear "ice" (methamphetamine hydrochloride) from abroad is now being sold in the Philippine black market, the chief of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) said on Monday.
It is a sign that illegal drug syndicates have penetrated the country's defenses, said PDEA chief Dionisio Santiago.
"The shabu (local name of methamphetamine hydrochloride) that is circulating in the market right now is 98-percent pure," Philippine TV network ABS-CBN citing Santiago reported.
Toll in Mozambique poisoned brew tragedy reaches 67
Maputo : The number of people who have died after drinking a local alcoholic brew called "phombe" rose to 67 Monday morning in Tete...
Tool manipulation similar among blind and sighted
By IANS,
London: Blind people think about manipulating tools in the same regions of the brain as do the people who can see, says a study.
The researchers say this adds to the evidence that the brain has a fairly defined organisation, while still being able to adapt to unusual conditions, such as not having any vision.
When you look at a glass in front of you on the desk, it sets off a lot of reactions in your brain. Part of your brain categorises it: "That's a glass!"
Mother of 14 courts controversy, cash
By Andy Goldberg, IANS,
Los Angeles : What kind of woman with six children under the age of eight has eight frozen embryos implanted and gives birth to octuplets?
To her detractors, Nadya Suleman is dangerously child-obsessed lunatic more in need of psychiatric help than fertility treatment. For these people, Suleman and the doctors who performed her in-vitro fertilisation were guilty of a profound breach of ethics.
10 troops die in Venezuela chopper crash
By IANS/EFE,
Caracas : Ten Venezuelan soldiers have died when their helicopter crashed in southwestern part of the country, an official said.
The accident occurred when the Russian-made MI-17 was taking off after leaving a military patrol on the ground in Apure state, said Luis Motta, general commander of the Bolivarian National Guard, Saturday. The soldiers were involved in anti-drug operation.
Clinton urges party to back Obama
By IRNA,
New York : Hillary Clinton has called on Democrats to unite behind Barack Obama as the party's presidential candidate, saying she was his "proud supporter".
Speaking at the party's nominating convention, Mrs Clinton said they could not afford to lose to the Republicans.
"Whether you voted for me or voted for Barack, the time is now to unite as a single party with a single purpose."
Obama, who beat Mrs Clinton in the primary race, will formally accept the party's nomination on Thursday night.
Chinese shares plummet 3.44 percent in morning session
By Xinhua,
Beijing : Chinese shares tumbled 3.44 percent in the morning session Monday with the Shanghai Composite Index ending at 1,931.75 points, down 68.82 points or 3.44 percent from the previous close.
The smaller Shenzhen Component Index ended at 6,109.95 points, down 275.4 points or 4.31 percent.
The two major index both opened lower Monday. The Shanghai Composite Index opened at 1,978.56 points, down 22.01 points or 1.1 percent from the previous closing while the Shenzhen Component Index opened at 6,330.19 points, down 55.17 points or 0.86 percent.
China’s growth important for global recovery: World Bank chief
By IANS,
Washington : China's growth is a very important factor in the global economic recovery, World Bank President Robert B. Zoellick has said.
UN to Debate Climate Change
By Prensa Latina
United Nations : The UN General Assembly will debate climate change next week, taking the next step after the Bali Conference, General Assembly President Srgjan Kerim of Macedonia announced on Thursday.
We need a common vision, a global consensus, an alliance for action, said the diplomat, who stated that only then, "will we have the opportunity to face up to this huge challenge to our lives."
Albania pulls its troops out of Iraq
Tirana, Dec 18 (DPA) Albania has pulled its last contingent of 200 troops out of Iraq and they will return home Saturday, local media reported Thursday.
Albanian Defence Minister Gazmend Oketa has travelled to Mosul to pick up the last remaining troops.
At the same time, another Balkan country - Bosnia and Herzegovina - also announced the withdrawal of its troops from Iraq, while Britain has said it will withdraw its contingent in July.
Hillary Clinton faints, has concussion: Report
By IANS,
Washington : US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has fainted, sustaining a concussion, a media report said Saturday.
20 LTTE rebels killed in northern Sri Lanka
Colombo, Sep 28 (Xinhua) At least 20 Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels and a Sri Lankan Navy trooper were killed in a fierce sea battle between the rebels and the navy, defence officials said Friday.
A battle erupted between a flotilla of LTTE sea wing boats and the Sri Lanka Navy's Dvora fast attack craft off Pulmoddai in the eastern port district of Trincomalee at around 3.00 a.m. Friday.
Tibet reopens to tourists next month
By Xinhua
Lhasa : Tibet will reopen to domestic and foreign tourists from May 1, tourism authorities said Thursday.
Zhanor, deputy director of the region's tourism bureau, said all travel agencies would be allowed to arrange tours, and those travelling on their own would also be welcome.
The regional government stopped issuing tourist permits to foreign travellers on March 16 and the bureau recommended Chinese travel organisations postpone tour plans after the March 14 riot in Lhasa.
A new era of samosa diplomacy at the White House
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : Chicken samosas were among the fare served at a White House reception hosted by President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama for ambassadors including Indian envoy Meera Shankar.
Besides the Indian delicacy, waiters bore trays of tequila smoked salmon on crisps, leek tartlets, petit filet mignon sandwiches, cream brulee and blueberry vanilla tartlettes as Obama pledged renewed US engagement with the world at the reception Monday.
34 Tamil rebels, 1 soldier killed in fighting in North of Sri Lanka
By SPA
Colombo, Sri Lanka : Government troops attacked separatist Tamil Tiger bunkers along the front lines in Sri Lanka's embattled north, triggering gun battles that killed 34 rebels and one soldier, the military said Friday.
The soldiers destroyed three rebel bunkers in Thursday's push in the Vavuniya region, just south of the rebels' de facto state in the north, killing 20 guerrillas, a Defense Ministry official was quoted as saying by the Associated Press.
World Bank pledges aid boost for poor nations
Washington, Sep 28 (DPA) World Bank member countries have pledged to more than double the bank's aid to the poorest countries and agreed to make loans for developing nations cheaper.
The lender's governing board approved plans to offer $3.5 billion in 2008-2010 for grants and loans to help the 81 poorest nations, especially in Africa, up from $1.5 billion in the current three-year effort, bank president Robert Zoellick said.
Nepal Maoists seek parliamentary session to abolish monarchy
By NNN-PTI
Kathmandu : Nepal Maoists Friday set in motion a process to convene a special parliamentary session to abolish the monarchy and declare the country a republic.
"We have done it to ensure declaration of republic through the interim parliament and to ensure all out proportional representation," Maoist leader Krishna Bahadur Mahara said after registering the document at the Prime Ministers Office. The motion was later registered at the Parliament Secretariat.
Putin attends n-submarine ceremony
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Russian President Vladimir Putin took part in a ceremony to launch the construction of Russia's fourth Borei-class (Project 955A) ballistic missile submarine.
Swedish tycoon’s firm fined for destroying Amazon rainforest
By IANS,
Rio de Janeiro : Brazilian authorities have slapped a fine of $234 million on a company owned by Swedish tycoon Johan Eliasch for illegally felling 230,000 trees in the Amazon rainforest, Spain's EFE news agency reported Sunday.
London-based Eliasch is being investigated in Brazil by the Abin state intelligence agency for allegedly illegally buying large swathes of the rainforest and grassland in order to commercially exploit it through a company known as Gethal Amazonas S.A., the news agency quoted officials as saying.
Suicide car bomb hits US consulate in Iraq
Baghdad: A suicide car bomb went off on Friday near the US consulate in the city of Arbil, capital of the Kurdistan, leaving unknown...
US sees many concerns in IAEA report on Iran
By DPA,
Washington : The US found many worrying revelations in a new report from a global nuclear watchdog Thursday that for the first time acknowledges Iran could be developing a nuclear warhead.
The Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said it had a "broadly consistent and credible" body of information about Iranian nuclear activities and said Tehran could be developing nuclear payload for a missile.
US announces $40 mn to design new nuclear plant
By IANS,
Washington : The US government will spend $40 million to design its Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP), Xinhua reported.
Two teams led by Westinghouse Electric Co. and General Atomics are tasked with the planning and designing of the plant.
However, whether to go ahead with the construction of the plant would be decided only after the designing work is completed, the US Energy Department said in a statement Monday.
Obama acknowledges Greece”s efforts to extend security, stability
By KUNA,
Washington : US President Barack Obama emphasized here late Tuesday the efforts exerted by Greece to "extend" security and stability.
In remarks he gave on Greek Independence Day, Obama said "let me acknowledge Greece's efforts to extend the security and stability in our time, toward a just and final settlement in Cyprus, fully integrating the Balkans into Europe." He also acknowledged the visiting Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou's "personal work to improve relations with Turkey," and thanked him for his leadership.
Russia to deploy new Su-34 bombers
By IANS,
Moscow: Russia has said it will deploy five Su-34 frontline bombers in an air base near Voronezh city, Xinhua reported.
Nepal Maoists blame ‘fanatics’ for Pashupatinath row
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : Nepal's ruling Maoist party is blaming "Hindu fanatics" for the raging controversy over the sacking of three Indian priests at the Pashupatinath temple, one of the holiest Hindu shrines revered by millions of Hindus worldwide. The Maoists are calling it a conspiracy to mar India-Nepal relations.
Lawmaker Dinanath Sharma, who is also the newly appointed spokesman of the former guerrilla party, said that "Hindu extremists and regressive elements" were whipping up a propaganda accusing Maoists of trying to interfere in religious matters.
China hosts World Buddhist Forum sans Dala Lama
By DPA,
Beijing : The Dalai Lama was a notable absentee Friday as religious leaders gathered in the eastern Chinese city of Wuxi for the second World Buddhist Forum.
More than 2,000 delegates from about 60 nations are scheduled to attend the opening of the event Saturday, under the theme "A harmonious world - a synergy of conditions", organisers said.
At least 15 missing after boat accident in Peru
By DPA
Lima : At least 15 passengers have been missing after a boat capsized in northern Peru.
The Santa Elena, which was carrying 40 people and a load of wood on the Tapiche River, capsized Friday for unknown reasons, media reports said, quoting regional officials in the rain-forest province of Loreto that borders on Ecuador, Colombia and Brazil.
The reports said 25 people had been rescued. It was possible that some of the missing were trapped inside the boat as it went down.
Tibet adopts statute to protect Potala Palace
Lhasa : A regulation for protecting the 1,300-year-old Potala Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was adopted by the legislature of southwest China's Tibet...
Russian troop withdrawal from Georgia starts
By DPA,
Moscow/Tbilisi(Georgia) : Russian forces have begun withdrawing from Georgia, with a first convoy of vehicles moving out of the South Ossetian capital Tskhinvali, reports said Monday.
There was no initial official confirmation by the Russian military to the report.
According to the reports, the withdrawal so far involves groups of between five and 10 armoured vehicles. They were seen heading toward the Roki tunnel which connects Russia and Georgia in the Caucasus mountain region.
Australian fighting against IS killed in Syria
Brisbane : An Australian man, fighting alongside Kurdish forces against the Islamic State (IS) terror group, was killed when he stepped on a landmine...
Household robots can be security risk
By IANS,
Washington: People are increasingly using household robots for chores, communication, entertainment and companionship but safety and privacy risks of the information-gathering objects that move around our homes are not yet adequately addressed, according to a new study.
It's not a question of evil robots, but of robots that can be misused, said the University of Washington (UW) study.
"A lot of attention has been paid to robots becoming more intelligent and turning evil," said co-author Tadayoshi Kohno, a UW assistant professor of computer science and engineering.
Myanmar to receive UN envoy, ASEAN condemns violence
New York, Sep 28 (DPA) The government of Myanmar has agreed to receive a United Nations envoy dispatched to assess the crisis in that country where military authorities have cracked down on pro-democracy demonstrators, a UN spokeswoman said.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has received Myanmar's assurance it will cooperate with envoy Ibrahim Gambari, Marie Okabe said Thursday.
"The secretary general is pleased by the cooperation," Okabe said.
Myanmar democracy icon wants to sue junta
By DPA,
Yangon : Myanmar's democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi has advised her now defunct political party to sue the ruling junta for forcing its dissolution, opposition sources said Sunday.
Suu Kyi, who is serving an 18-month sentence under house arrest, gave her legal advice to her team of lawyers, Nyan Win, Kyi Win and Khin Htay Kywe, at a meeting Saturday.
"Daw (Madame) Aung San Suu Kyi told us that we should sue the government for forcing the National League for Democracy (NLD) to be abolished, because it was unlawful," Nyan Win said.
16 LTTE rebels killed in northern Sri Lanka
By Xinhua
Colombo : Sixteen Tamil Tiger rebels were killed and four government soldiers were injured in two clashes between the army and the rebels in northern Sri Lanka, defence officials said Sunday.
Defence officials said that eight Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels were killed and two soldiers were injured Saturday when the LTTE launched artillery fire on the army and soldiers retaliated in the northern district of Vavuniya between 04.00 p.m. and 06.00 p.m. local time (10.30 and 12.30 GMT).
Medvedev is new Russian president, vows to follow Putin policies
By IANS
Moscow : Lawyer-turned-politician Dmitry Medvedev was Monday elected Russia's new president by a landslide and declared immediately that he will pursue his mentor and predecessor Vladmiri Putin's policies.
Even before a formal announcement of his victory was announced, Medvedev, who has been the first deputy prime minister in Putin's cabinet, said his presidency would be a "direct continuation" of the policies of his predecessor.
EU-US compromise brings hope for securing Bali Roadmap
By Xinhua
Bali, Indonesia : The compromise of the European Union and the United States over 25-40 emissions goals for rich countries by 2020 has brought a glimpse of hope for securing a Bali Roadmap before the U.N. climate change conference in Indonesia's resort island of Bali concludes.
The two-week meeting, starting on Dec. 3 and was scheduled to end on Friday, runs into Saturday as marathon talks, discussions and bargains are still going on among climate negotiators to the meeting.
Troops capture key Sri Lankan area, 420 killed
By IANS,
Colombo : Sri Lanka troops Sunday captured the Puthukkudiyiruppu area in Mullaitivu district, killing over 420 guerrillas over the past three days, a military spokesman said.
"The 53 and 58 Divisions captured the entire Puthukkudiyiruppu area this morning, inflicting heavy damage among the LTTE fighting cadres," military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said.
The troops also seized three 130 mm long-range artillery guns from the rebels.
American schoolboy youngest to conquer Everest at 13
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : A 13-year-old American schoolboy, whose bid to climb Mt Everest had landed him in the eye of a controversy, Saturday proved his critics wrong by becoming the youngest person to summit the world‘s highest peak.
Californian Jordan Romero strode up to the summit Saturday taking the northern route via Tibet to achieve the feat first performed by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa May 23, 1953.
US consumer confidence improves
By IANS,
New York: US consumer confidence increased in April after an unexpected drop in March, said a report by the research institute Conference Board.
Resettlement of Bhutanese refugees to US begins
By IANS
Thimphu : The process of resettlement of hundreds of Bhutanese refugees living in camps in neighbouring Nepal to the US has begun and the first batch is expected to migrate by January next year.
US Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees and Migration, Ellen R. Sauerbrey, said the US government would take 60,000 refugees over a five-year period although the limit could be extended if required.
Lohan plans quite New Year
By IANS,
Los Angeles: Actress Lindsay Lohan is reportedly planning to have a quite New Year unlike her usual preferences.
Nepal Maoists reject PM’s proposal of child king
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS
Kathmandu : Nepal's Maoists Monday rejected Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala's bid to save the monarchy by installing King Gyanendra's five-year-old grandson, saying their aim was to abolish the institution in all forms and that they regarded the palace as the fountainhead of the nation's woes.
Kidnapped Sikh faces Taliban threat of conversion: Father
By Gurmukh Singh, IANS,
Toronto : Desperate for the safe release of his 32-year-old son Robin Singh from the Pakistani Taliban, Toronto-based Bishan Dass said his son faces threat of conversion.
An IT professional with degrees from the US, Robin Singh was kidnapped by the militants in Peshawar Feb 12 for a ransom of 10 million rupees. A father of three sons, Singh is one of the four Sikhs abducted recently by the Pakistan Taliban from Peshawar for ransom.
Jakarta police arrest 10, thwart terror attacks
By Xinhua,
Beijing : An attack targeting Westerners in Jakarta was averted when anti-terror police arrested 10 suspected militants and seized a large cache of high-powered bombs, police and media reported Thursday.
Among those detained was a Singaporean who met several times with Osama bin Laden, a senior police officer told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media.
Indians in Nepal can’t be bothered to vote
By Sudeshna Sarkar,IANS,
Kathmandu : They think nothing of hopping across the border to India to attend a wedding, obtain medical treatment or attend business conferences.
But tens of thousands of Indians living in Nepal can't be bothered to make the journey home to cast their votes.
This year, as India embarked on a nearly month-long parliamentary polls from Thursday, there was a strong campaign in that country to get the inert voter to the polling booth.
Indian-American Aziz Ansari ranked sixth top paid comedian
Washington : Indian-American Aziz Ansari has debuted on the Forbes list of Highest-Paid Comedians 2015 with $9.5 million in earnings, thanks to his fan-favourite...
Thai military junta transfers 24 more officers
Bangkok : The Thai military junta announced the transfer of 24 more officers to inactive positions and also set out an eight-point plan for...
Research to study domestic violence in south Asian households
New York, Sep 28 (IANS) A new research has been launched in the US to study the degree to which South Asian women in the country seek help to deal with domestic violence and the effectiveness of criminal justice interventions.
The Asian Pacific Islander Institute on Domestic Violence (APIIDV), in association with the University of Michigan School of Social Work, has launched the research project, funded by the National Institute of Justice.
‘Europe needs more migrant workers’
By IANS
Brussels : Europe will be facing increasing labour shortage at least over the next 20 years and will need people in various sectors of the economy, European Commission president Jose Manuel Barrosso said Tuesday.
Bush Raises Concerns Over Tibet Crackdowns
By SPA
Washington : In a stream of efforts, U.S. President George W. Bush on Thursday again voiced concern over the violent crackdown in Tibet by Chinese authorities.
Bush’s concerns came as yet another European leader on Thursday vowed to boycott the 2008 Beijing Olympics, which China says are being rattled by Tibet’s religious leaders, the Dalai Lama. China has no relations with the Dalai Lama, who has been living in exile.
A White House statement said Bush called Chinese President Hu Jintao to stress the need for talks between Beijing and the Dalai Lama.
Zimbabwe declares national emergency over cholera outbreak
By Xinhua,
Harare : Zimbabwe has declared a national emergency following a countrywide outbreak of cholera epidemic and asked donor countries for assistance, the state-run Herald newspaper reported Thursday.
Health minister David Parirenyatwa said Wednesday hospitals were in urgent need of drugs, food and equipment to tackle the situation.
"Our central hospitals are literally not functioning. Our staff is demotivated and we need your (donors) support to ensure that they start coming to work and our health system is revived," Parirenyatwa said.
Pakistan should change its mindset toward India: US
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : General David Petraeus, architect of the US military surge credited with dramatically reducing violence in Iraq, has said that Pakistan's leaders need to realise that their biggest threat comes from internal extremists, not from neighbouring India.
"It's an intellectually dislocating idea for the institutions of Pakistan," Petraeus, the leader of US Central Command, which oversees the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, told a forum at the Harvard University Tuesday, referring to the country's military and political establishment.
Europe determined to overcome crisis: Italian president
By IANS,
Rome : Europe is determined to overcome its current crisis, Italian President Giorgio Napolitano said after meeting his German and Polish counterparts in Italy.
US urges China to release detained Tibet protesters
By DPA,
Beijing : The United States Sunday urged China to release eight US citizens who were sentenced last week to 10 days in detention for their role in a series of protests in support of Tibetan independence.
US envoy to China Clark T. Randt raised the issue of the detentions with Chinese officials Saturday and called for the immediate release of the eight, US embassy spokeswoman Susan Stevenson said in a statement.
McCain tries to hold on to states won by Bush in 2004
By AFP,
Reno, Nevada : Barack Obama and John McCain will fight a weekend duel over states won in 2004 by President George W. Bush, a sure sign of the Democrat's edge heading into the last week of the White House race.
A heavy-hearted Obama arrived back on the US mainland in the early hours of Saturday after an emotional trip to Hawaii to visit the gravely ill grandmother who brought him up, possibly for the last time.
Madelyn Dunham, 85, is suffering from a broken hip, osteoporosis and other undisclosed ailments.
Myanmar cyclone report to be given to Asean meet
By DPA,
Yangon : Results of an assessment of the damage wrought by Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar will be presented next month at an Association of South-East Asian Nations (Asean) ministerial meeting in Singapore, a tripartite assessment team announced Tuesday.
A 350-member tripartite team from Asean, the United Nations, Myanmar government with advisors form the World Bank and Asian Development Bank have finished collecting data for a "credible and independent" assessment of the damage wrought by Cyclone Nargis, which hit Myanmar's central coast May 2-3.
Sarkozy calls for European intervention force
By DPA,
Paris : French President Nicolas Sarkozy Tuesday called for the establishment of a European intervention force of 60,000 soldiers.
In a major defence address in Paris before some 3,000 French soldiers, Sarkozy called for a "modern, flexible" European rapid intervention force that will enable Europeans "to act together" and which can be deployed anywhere in the world for at least one year.
25 rebels killed in Sri Lanka clashes
By DPA
Colombo : Fighting between government troops and Tamil rebels continued Thursday in northern Sri Lanka, with at least 25 insurgents killed, military officials said.
Ten of the rebels were killed in two separate engagements in Mannar, some 320 km north of the capital Wednesday, when troops repulsed two rebel attacks in the area, while two government soldiers were wounded, officials said.
Eight more rebels were killed in Vavuniya, 240 km north of the capital, in two confrontations Wednesday. Two anti-tank mines were recovered in the area.
Act against child labour, rights body says
Geneva : Governments should better regulate businesses to prevent child labour in global supply chains, Human Rights Watch said in a video released on...
Obama to offer position for Powell if elected president
By Xinhua,
Washington : US Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama said Monday that if he is elected, he will ask former secretary of state Colin Powell to serve as an advisor in his administration.
"He (Powell) will have a role as one of my advisers. He has already served in that function, even before he endorsed me." Obama said on NBC's Today show.
"Whether he wants to take a formal role, whether that's a good fit for him, is something we'd have to discuss," he added.
Gordon Brown leads Britain to new era
By Xinhua
London : Gordon Brown took over as British prime minister Wednesday, ending his long years of waiting for the top job and hopefully opening a new era for the country.
In a short speech at the gate of his new home No. 10 Downing Street after his premiership was confirmed by Queen Elizabeth II, Brown, with rare smile, said he will form a new government with new priorities.
North Korea may have up to 60 kg of plutonium: US expert
By RIA Novosti
Washington : North Korea could have accumulated up to 60 kg of plutonium since the early 1990s, Robert Gallucci, a former chief US negotiator with Pyongyang, told a seminar in Washington.
Gallucci, who now heads the Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University, said the reclusive communist state held six to seven kg of plutonium in the early 1990s, and could have accumulated another 50 kg at its Yongbyon facility since then.
Seven killed, 25 injured in traffic accident in northwest China
By RIA Novosti
Beijing : Seven people were killed and 25 were injured after a passenger bus collided with a truck on an expressway in China's northwest province of Shaanxi, the Xinhua news agency said on Wednesday.
The agency said the cause of the accident, which took place on Tuesday night, is still unknown and that all of the injured passengers are receiving treatment at four local hospitals.
Swiss company to set up textile machinery plant in Maharashtra
By IANS,
Mumbai : Reiter Group of Switzerland Tuesday announced that it will set up a Rs.2.5 billion plant to manufacture cotton spinning machinery near Pune.
An agreement was signed in Zurich Monday between Maharashtra Chief Secretary Johny Joseph and Reiter India directors Peter Gnaegi and Micheal Enderlse.
Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, currently on a 10-day European tour to garner investments, and Reiter Group chief executive Hartmut Reuter were present on the occasion, Deshmukh's aide told IANS here.
China ship tragedy: Toll escalates to 396
Beijing: A total of 396 people have been confirmed dead after rescuers lifted a Chinese cruise ship that capsized on the Yangtze river on...
Powerful quake hits Costa Rica, two killed
By IANS,
San Jose : A powerful earthquake measuring 6.2 on the Richter scale struck north central Costa Rica Thursday, killing two girls and causing widespread damage, EFE news agency reported Friday.
According to authorities, two children were killed after a landslide following the quake buried thier house in the town of Fraijanes de Alajuela, about 50 km west of San Jose, in Alajuela province.
The epicentre of the quake was near Poas volcano, one of Costa Rica's main tourist attractions, in Alajuela province, about 60 km northwest of the capital San Jose.
NY governor caught with woman in his closet: Report
By IANS,
New York : After his predecessor Eliot Spitzer quit when his $1,000-an-hour romps with call girl Ashley Dupre became public two years ago, current New York Governor David Paterson too is facing rumours of sexacapades.
The state's first African-American governor, who is also legally blind, said to have been found in close encounter with many pretty women, including one in the closet of his mansion, the New York Post 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.
30 more die in Vietnam floods
By DPA,
Hanoi : At least 30 people were killed and 25 were missing after heavy rains hit central Vietnam, bringing the death toll in October to 97, authorities said Monday.
Kidnappers demand $5 mn for kidnapped Red Cross staff
By DPA,
Manila : Islamist militants holding captive three staff of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) are planning to demand at least $5 million in ransom for their hostages' freedom, military sources said Sunday.
According to military intelligence sources, Swiss Andreas Notter, Italian Eugenio Vagni and Filipino Mary Jean Lacaba are being held in the jungles of Indanan town on Jolo island, 1,000 km south of Manila.
The kidnappers, estimated to number 25, are led by rebel commander Albader Parad and Akmad Jumdail alias Dr. Abu Pula of the Islamist Abu Sayyaf group.
Too much commitment in romance can boomerang
By IANS,
Washington : Don't be too committed in romantic relationships or it might boomerang, leaving you depressed, anxious and fretful, warn experts.
When one or both partners place too much emotional weight on their relationship, they tend to evaluate their self-worth solely based on the outcomes of their romantic interactions.
This is what psychologists term as relationship-contingent self-esteem (RCSE) and, according to University of Houston researcher and assistant professor Chip Knee, it's an unhealthy factor in romantic relationships.
Lee Declares Bid To Maintain Election Neutrality
By Bernama
Seoul : President Lee Myung- bak Tuesday declared his government's determination to maintain neutrality through the general election campaign and to crack down on violations of the election law and the use of vicious smear tactics.
"Campaigning for the general elections is about to kick off, as the public face worsening livelihoods. Government ministries and agencies must steer clear of any suspicious acts that might cause controversy over the government's election neutrality," Yonhap news agency quoted Lee, as saying at a weekly Cabinet meeting.
Two-headed snake born in Argentine wildlife centre
By IANS
Buenos Aires : A two-headed snake was born at a wildlife centre in northern Argentina, marking the first such case in an area that is home to numerous species of the reptiles.
The pit viper was born at the Jorge Washington Abalos Venomous Animals Institute, a unit of the health ministry of Santiago del Estero province, EFE news agency reported Monday.
US stocks climb on bank forecasts, oil price rise
By DPA,
New York : A rise in oil prices helped drive US stocks higher Wednesday together with improved forecasts for some of the country's top banks.
Crude oil jumped 4.1 percent to $68.81 per barrel in New York, spurring a rally in energy companies including Exxon Mobil and Chevron.
Financial stocks gained as some analysts recommended buying the shares of prominent banks, including Goldman Sachs, which could be granted approval to pay back government loans as soon as next week.
US not to recognize Crimean referendum: Obama
Washington: President Barack Obama has said the US will not recognize the Crimean referendum and vowed to impose fresh sanctions on Russia.
In his talks...
Ex-Interpol chief convicted of corruption
By DPA,
Johannesburg : South Africa's former top policeman and ex-head of Interpol Jackie Selebi was found guilty of corruption Friday after being found to have been in the pay of a convicted drug smuggler.
Selebi, 60, was convicted in the South Gauteng High Court of corruption but found not guilty of a separate charge of defeating the ends of justice.
He was freed by the court pending his sentencing, set for July 14. The maximum sentence for corruption is 15 years in prison.
In handing down his judgement, Judge Meyer Joffe said Selebi showed "complete contempt for the truth".
Iran tests radar evading aircraft
By IANS,
Tehran : Iran has conducted a successful test of its first domestically developed radar-evading aircraft, a senior military official said.
The prototype of the aircraft named 'Sofreh Mahi'(flatfish) which staged a "successful flight" passed all radar-evading tests, Lieutenant Commander of the Iranian Army Air Force General Aziz Nasirzadeh said Sunday.
The General said that once the flatfish-shaped aircraft passes further tests and its features and capabilities are completed, the Defense Ministry will start its mass production.
Seven killed in China van blast
By IANS,
Beijing: At least seven people were killed and more than 20 injured Friday in an explosion in a van in China's Heilongjiang province, Xinhua reported.
Russia may free 45,000 prisoners of second world war
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Russia could release 45,000 people imprisoned in the country since the second world war and grant amnesty to 300,000 convicts to mark the 65th anniversary of its Victory Day May 9, Russian Association of Lawyers said.
The amnesty, to be declared by the Russian parliament, would come into effect May 9, when the country celebrates the 65th anniversary of its victory over Nazi Germany in the World War II, said Pavel Krasheninnikov, co-chair of the Russian Association of Lawyers.
UK’s Labour Party braced for losses in local elections
By DPA
London : Britain's ruling Labour Party was braced Friday for heavy losses in local elections, which are the last of the Tony Blair era.
As counting began after polls closed late Thursday in large parts of England, Wales and Scotland, commentators said that Labour's national share of the vote could drop below 25 percent, with the opposition Conservatives and Liberal Democrats making gains.
Although reliable results will not be known until Friday, it is expected that the outcome will have a direct impact on national politics, given that Blair is shortly expected to step down.
China seeks to calm anti-France sentiment among its people
By DPA,
Beijing : China is seeking to calm anti-France sentiment among its people in the wake of the tumultuous Paris leg of the Olympic torch relay, which has made France the target of a nationalist campaign in China.
Seeing the pro-Tibet protests and chaos surrounding the torch run in Paris as an affront to China, the nationalists have held their own demonstrations and called for boycott of the French retailer Carrefour as well as French products.
US ready to help in Mumbai terror probe
By IANS,
New Delhi : The US is ready to offer "full cooperation" to India to investigate the terrorist attacks in Mumbai, US ambassador David Mulford told Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon Saturday.
Mulford said the US offer could include sending security teams.
"President (George W.) Bush has directed us to offer cooperation to Indian authorities in any way that we can. We will be doing that," Mulford told reporters after meeting Menon at South Block, the seat of India's external affairs ministry.
Indian-American Muslims strongly condemn terrorist attack on civilians in Florida
By TCN News
Members of the Association of Indian Muslims of America (AIM) unanimously passed a resolution strongly condemning the horrible terrorist attack on civilians in a social club in Orlando, Florida on June 11 by a terrorist who happened to be Muslim.
Secret German military study warns of dramatic oil crisis
By IRNA,
Berlin : A confidential German army study warned of a looming oil crisis which could have dramatic political and economic consequences for the world, the Hamburg-based weekly news magazine Der Spiegel said Tuesday.
According to the report, a think-tank of the German army has for the first time ever analyzed the security policy dimensions of the peak oil problem.
Peak oil is the point at which oil production reaches its maximum and then declines.
Many experts say global oil production will either reach its peak this year or in 2011.
New drug takes eight years for approval in the US
By IANS,
Washington : New drugs being developed for complex diseases might still take eight long years to win US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval, according to a study.
Although the average time for FDA approval for new drugs declined to 1.1 years in the 2005-07 period, yet combined clinical and approval time continues to hover around eight years, according to Tufts Centre for the Study of Drug Development (Tufts CSDD).
At least 29 killed as bus falls into a river
By Xinhua,
Lima : At least 29 people were killed and 15 more injured as the bus they were traveling in dived into a river in Peru, police said Wednesday.
The bus was heading to the city of Yauyos, 140 km southeast of Lima, as it skid off the road and plunged into the Canete river.
Four passengers survived the accident and the cause of crash is still under investigation, police said.
Explosion at Russian oil refinery, 1 killed
By RIA Novosti,
Irkutsk : An explosion hit Russia's Angarsk Oil Refinery owned by state oil company Rosneft in eastern Siberia Sunday, killing one person, authorities said.
The roof measuring 120 sq metres collapsed at the plant.
There is reportedly no threat of any more explosions or harmful emissions.
The company is one of Russia's largest refineries processing west Siberian oil coming via Transneft pipelines.
‘British voting system a recipe for corruption’
By IANS,
London : The British voting system is "a recipe for corruption", election monitors from developing countries have said after thousands of people complained of not being allowed to vote.
International election observers said the integrity of the polls was at risk as it was based on trust rather than thorough identity checks. They expressed doubt over the legitimacy of the election result, reported timesonline.co.uk Sunday.
2,800 held for abducting minors in China
By IANS,
Beijing : About 2,800 people suspected of abducting minors and forcing them into criminal activities have been arrested in China, according to police.
Zimbabwean passenger arrested at airport with drugs
By IANS,
New Delhi: A Zimbabwean passenger, flying to South Africa, was arrested with banned drugs from the Indira Gandhi International Airport here Tuesday, a security official said.
Indonesia issues tsunami warning
By IANS,
Jakarta : Indonesia issued a tsunami warning Friday after an 8.9-magnitude earthquake hit Japan, Xinhua reported.
US downplays Bhutto’s return to politics
By Xinhua
Washington : The US has downplayed the possible return to politics by former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, saying it's a matter for the Pakistanis to deal with.
"This is a matter for the Pakistanis to deal with," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said Friday.
"I, personally, am not aware of any legal barriers to her return, but I think you'd have to check with Pakistani authorities and check with her party," McCormack said.
Russia needs $1 trillion investment to modernize economy – Ivanov
By RIA Novosti
Munich : Russia needs $1 trillion in investment to modernize its economy, Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov said on Sunday.
Ivanov, who spoke at an international conference on security in Munich, said Russia would like to focus on private investment while state support was a catalyst for investment processes and a guarantee for financial investment by business, including foreign investors.
Italian court recognises gay union for first time
Rome: An Italian, recognising a same-sex marriage contracted overseas, has authorised two men to have their union recorded in the local civil registry.
The court...
World Bank chief vows more efforts to combat climate change
By IANS,
Washington: World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim has pledged that the Bank was committed to tackling climate change "more than anything else".
Tense Calm in Timor Leste
By Prensa Latina
Dili : Calm prevails in Timor Leste on Tuesday, amid tensions over possible consequences of the recent attacks against the president and prime minister.
President Jose Ramos Horta was shot and wounded yesterday by a group led by former military deserter Alfredo Reinado, who died in the attack, according to Prime Minister Hanana Gusmao, who escaped unharmed in a similar action.
Ramos Horta was operated at an Australian hospital, and doctors are hopeful on his full recovery.
Australian interest rates rise as economy surges
By DPA,
Sydney : Australia's Reserve Bank increased interest rates by 25 basis points Tuesday, the second increase in as many months, in an attempt to contain inflation as the economy emerges out of the global financial crisis.
Interest rates are now at 3.5 percent, marginally above the 50-year lows ushered in by the bank to stimulate economic investment.
Muslim parliamentarian in Britain to retire over ‘death threats’
By DPA
London : A British Muslim member of parliament (MP) Friday announced his withdrawal from politics after receiving death threats for his involvement in clearing up a racist murder three years ago.
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