‘Shoe bomber’ fears as extremists eye London street gangs: report
By IANS,
London : Islamic extremists are targeting notorious teenage criminal gangs in London for recruitment, a newspaper reported Sunday quoting British security officials.
Police have identified three gangs that are being targeted - Poverty Driven Children, the Muslim Boys and Money Crew, members of the Special Branch, which deals with national security issues, told the Observer newspaper.
Algeria confirms missing aircraft crashed in Mali
Algiers : Algeria Thursday confirmed that the missing flight AH 5017 of Air Algeria with 116 people on board crashed in Mali, media reports...
China provides home to 100,000 poor farmers
By IANS,
Beijing : China will relocate over 100,000 poverty-hit farmers to their new homes this year as part of the first phase of a rehabilitation project.
EU, US to seek financial squeeze on Iran
By DPA,
Brdo (Slovenia) : The European Union and the United States agreed to tighten the squeeze on Iran's financial links to disrupt its alleged support of terrorism and nuclear proliferation, according to a draft statement at an EU-US summit Tuesday.
US President George W. Bush and top EU officials renewed a demand for Iran to suspend uranium enrichment, warning that "we are ready to supplement (UN) sanctions with additional measures," the document said.
Nepal strikes first high note after king’s fall
Kathmandu, Aug 2 (IANS) Almost 15 months after the fall of King Gyanendra's regime, turbulent Nepal has struck its first high note with the selection of a new national anthem.
Veteran musician Ambar Gurung pipped the Nepal Army and his much younger peer Nhoo Bajracharya to have his score chosen from six submitted to the council of ministers after a search for a new anthem that lasted almost 14 months.
UN names panel to finance climate change technology
By DPA,
New York : A United Nations 19-member, high-level advisory group tasked with raising funds to help developing countries counter climate change with modern technology, was announced Thursday.
The climate change financing group is co-chaired by British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, who will work with Guyana President Bharrat Jagden and Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg.
North Korea snapping military hotline not constructive: US
By IANS,
Washington : The US has said that the snapping of military communications hotline by North Korea was "not constructive."
Australian state pushes for dowry ban
Sydney : The Australian state of Victoria is pushing for a ban on the Indian practice of dowry in marriages amid concerns that it...
UK coalition a ‘sham,’ says Miliband
By IRNA,
London : Secretly recorded comments by Liberal Democrat ministers showed that the coalition government was 'a sham,' opposition Labour leader Ed Miliband said Wednesday.
Soyuz returns to Earth from ISS ahead of schedule
By DPA,
Moscow : The Russian Soyuz capsule landed safely early Friday after disembarking from the International Space Station (ISS) four days earlier than originally planned.
Israel’s response to war crimes ‘totally inadequate,’ says Amnesty
By IRNA,
London : Israel’s latest response to the UN on its investigations into alleged violations of international law by its troops in Gaza a year ago is totally inadequate, says Amnesty International.
Crucial questions about the conduct of attacks in which hundreds of civilians were killed and thousands were made homeless are not credibly addressed in Israel’s update to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the London-based human rights organisation said.
Unesco condemns murders of two journalists in Brazil
By IANS/EFE,
Paris : The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) Monday condemned the murders of two journalists in Brazil.
McCain cancels attendance at Munich security conference
By IRNA
Berlin : US Senator John McCain who is the front-runner for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination, has called off his attendance at the 44th Munich Conference on Security Policy, due to take place in Munich from February 8 to 10, the organizer of the confab Horst Teltschik said Thursday.
He added that McCain's election team believed that the Republican presidential candidate should continue to focus on the primaries in the US states.
China police arrest 30,000 suspects in cyber crime crackdown
Beijing : Police in China's capital city of Beijing have arrested some 30,000 suspects involved in cyber crimes in an online crackdown that began...
Six killed in China road accident
Beijing: At least six people were killed in a collision between a truck and car in China's Hunan province, police said Saturday.
The accident happened...
Europe Withdraws Support to Kenya Govt
By Prensa Latina
Strasbourg : Skepticism over the results of December's elections and repudiation of the wave of violence were the main arguments the European Parliament used on Thursday to demand withdrawal of economic support to Kenya.
The EP unanimously adopted the resolution temporarily canceling direct financial assistance from the European Union to Kenya's government.
Russian freighter disappears in Caspian Sea
By IRNA
Moscow : A sea rescue center in Astrakhan, in southern Russia, on November 17 launched a search-and-rescue operation to answer a distress call from a Russian freighter that had disappeared in the Caspian Sea, the transportation ministry said.
The Kamyust-1 freighter, sailing under the Russian flag and registered at the Taganrog port, was on its way from Astrakhan to the Iranian port of Anzali, but failed to arrive to its destination on schedule," a ministry spokesperson said.
Blair to be named Mideast Quartet envoy
By Xinhua
Washington : Outgoing British Prime Minister Tony Blair will be named on Wednesday as Middle East peace envoy of the Quartet, or the United States, the European Union, the United Nations and Russia, local mass media reported Tuesday.
   Members of the Quartet will announce the appointment insimultaneous statements from Washington, New York, Brussels and Moscow, the Associated Press quoted an unidentified official as reporting.
Powerful North Korean military figure dies
By DPA,
Seoul : Jo Myong Rok, one of the most influential military figures of the North Korean communist regime and a close confidante of military ruler Kim Jong Il, died at age 82.
Tsunami warning issued after quake hits Japan
By IANS,
Tokyo : A powerful earthquake measuring 7.1 on the Richter scale struck off the eastern Japan coast Sunday, prompting the authorities to issue a tsunami warning.
Mediation efforts continue in Kenya
By DPA
Nairobi : Kenyans affected by political unrest received the first deliveries of UN aid supplies Sunday as international mediators continued negotiations to seek a solution to the conflict that has engulfed the country since the Dec 21 presidential polls.
Top US envoy for Africa Jendayi Frazer was Sunday scheduled to meet President Mwai Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga, who accuses Kibaki of cheating in the elections to win a second term in presidential office.
Russian carrier-based aircraft to exercise in Greek airspace
By RIA Novosti,
Athens : Deck-based aviation of Russia's heavy aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov will hold exercises in the Greek airspace in January, the Greek National Defense General Staff said on Friday.
"The exercises will take place on January 3-4 and on January 8-10 southeast of Rhodes Island and on January 11 south of Crete," the General Staff said.
The exercises will be held in international waters but the aircraft will fly in the Athens airspace, the General Staff said.
Myanmar may use force to curb riots
By IANS,
Yangon: Myanmar President U Thein Sein has warned of using force as a last resort to suppress the current rioting in the country and protect people.
Abkhazian president sets off on Moscow visit
By RIA Novosti,
Sukhumi : Sergei Bagapsh, the president of Georgia's breakaway republic of Abkhazia, has left the province on an official visit to Russia, a spokesman for the Abkhaz government said on Tuesday.
Relations between Russia and Georgia have been strained in recent months, since Russia stepped up support for Abkhazia and sent more peacekeeping troops into the region. Tbilisi has accused the Kremlin of trying to annex the territory.
Aim for the goal, end child labour, says ILO
By IANS,
Geneva : The International Labour Organisation (ILO) Wednesday said that countries should take inspiration from the momentum and pulsating energy of the 2010 FIFA World Cup and aim for the goal of eliminating child labour by 2016.
World Day Against Child Labour is observed June 12.
Quake-tsunami may cost Japan $235 bn, says World Bank
By IANS,
Tokyo : The devastating earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan March 11 may cost the country's economy $235 billion, the World Bank said Monday.
US F-16 jet goes missing off Italy
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Rome : A search is underway for a US F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter jet that went missing on a training flight off the coast of Italy.
Mercedes bionic car at New York’s Museum of Modern Art
By DPA
New York : Mercedes is showing a bionic concept car in New York's Museum of Modern Art as part of an exhibition showcasing "trailblazing innovations" in the fields of design and science.
The bionic car, taking design cues from the tropical boxfish, boasts near-perfect aerodynamics combined with a lightweight concept.
Powered by a high-tech diesel engine with BLUETEC technology, the bionic car has a fuel consumption of 4.3 litres per 100 km, which makes it 20 percent more economical than a comparable production model, according to the car-maker.
Pashupatinath under siege once again
By IANS,
Kathmandu : The celebration of Indra Jatra - the festival of the rain god - was marred in Nepal Thursday as violence erupted in the capital over the new government's decision to appoint Indian priests at the revered Hindu temple of Pashupatinath.
"Go back to India, Indian priests" and "Down with the government" screamed protesters who blocked the road leading to the 5th century shrine in the capital, burnt tyres on the road and forced shops to shut down.
The Muslim Council of Britain concerned over BNP success in London election
By APP,
London : UK’s largest Muslim organisation: The Muslim Council of Britain has expressed concern over the success of far right candidate of the British National Party in the Thursday’s election of London Assembly and thought its awareness campaign did not yield desired result.
BJP for sanctions against Sri Lanka if civilian deaths continue
By IANS,
Bangalore : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Sunday said that it did not favour creation of a separate state (Eelam) for Tamils in Sri Lanka and demanded that India impose sanctions on Colombo if civilian deaths continue.
The BJP also did not have any sympathy for Velupillai Prabhakharan, chief of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), senior party leader Yashwant Sinha told reporters here. Prabhakharan "is a proclaimed offender" and the LTTE "is a terrorist organisation," Sinha added.
16 million Chinese women married to gay men
By IANS,
Beijing : Sixteen million women in China are married to homosexual men, an expert claimed.
Beijing accuses US of promoting ‘China threat’
By DPA
Beijing : China's foreign ministry Monday accused the US of continuing to spread a "China threat" in a new military report, and attempting to "interfere with China's internal affairs."
Nepal, India begin security talks
Kathmandu:Nepal's request for supply of arms and military stores and equipment from India was expected to figure prominently in talks on security issues between...
Scores injured as high-speed train hits fallen tree in western Germany
By IRNA
Berlin : Several people were injured Saturday morning when a high-speed inter-city (ICE) train hit a fallen tree near the west German town of Bruehl, news reports said.
Among the injured was also the train driver, according to a railway spokesman.
Most injuries were reported to be minor.
The train did not derail in the accident, the report added.
The tree dropped on the rail tracks as a result of hurricane 'Emma' which had been whiplashing through north and northwestern Germany at a speed of up to 150 kilometers an hour.
Five people killed in attack on deputy mayor in Philippines
By DPA,
Manila : Five people were killed when unidentified gunmen attacked a convoy of a town deputy mayor in the southern Philippines, officials said Saturday.
Vice Mayor Wilson Nadang was unhurt in the ambush which happened Friday in Santo Nino village near Tukuran, a town in the province Zamboanga del Sur, 810 kms south of the capital here.
Nadang, who is deputy mayor of the nearby town Labangan, told a local radio station that five of his security escorts were killed in a gunbattle with the attackers.
Still time to avoid civil war in Syria, says Hollande
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Paris : French President Francois Hollande has said there is still time to find a political solution to the Syrian crisis and avoid a civil war in the Middle East country.
14 killed as tornadoes strike US
By DPA
Washington : Tornadoes touched down throughout the southern US, killing at least 14 people and injuring dozens more on the largest election day to date in the 2008 presidential race, the media reported.
Tennessee, Arkansas, Kentucky and Mississippi were worst hit in the tornadoes that hit late Tuesday night. The toll was likely to increase.
At least four people were killed in Tennessee and a tornado swept through the city of Memphis, the city's Commercial Appeal daily newspaper reported online. CNN reported that some 90 people were injured.
Kathmandu valley paralysed as Buddhists, Dalits go on warpath
By IANS
Kathmandu : Fresh violence flared up in Kathmandu valley Wednesday as groups of Buddhists and Dalits, a community once regarded as untouchables, clashed with the police as they tried to enforce a shutdown.
By early morning, nearly 20 people had been arrested from three areas in the capital for trying to vandalise a taxi that dared to defy the closure and for obstructing roads.
The Samyukta Ganatantrik Dalit Mukti Morcha spearheaded the shutdown, demanding proportional representation for Dalits in the upcoming election.
Indonesia seizes money from Suharto’s youngest son
By DPA,
Jakarta : The Indonesian government seized more than $133 million from a company run by the youngest son of late dictator Suharto, local media reports said Saturday.
Finance Minister Sri Mulyanu Indrawati said state-run Bank Mandiri was ordered to seize 1.225 trillion rupiah ($133.5 million) from accounts of Timor Putra Nasional, a controversial car company owned by Hutomo Mandala Putra, better known as "Tommy Suharto," the Jakarta Post reported.
"(The transfer) is an effort to help secure state assets," Indrawati was quoted as saying.
‘No stimulus package can stop recession in US, Canada’
By Gurmukh Singh,IANS,
Toronto : No fiscal stimulus by governments in the US and Canada will stop their economies from recession in 2009, said an independent Canadian think- tank Wednesday.
Proposed tax cuts and government spending on infrastructure are no recipe for stopping contraction of the two economies, the Conference Board of Canada said in its two-report.
In 'Canadian Outlook: Winter 2009,' the board said the US-led global recession will cause the Canadian economy to contract in the first two quarters of the year.
US again tells Pakistan: Focus on extremists not India
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : Warning that Al Qaeda and Taliban extremists in Pakistan are posing "an ever more serious threat to Pakistan's very existence," a top US general has asked Islamabad to turn its focus from India to extremists.
Pakistan must reconfigure its military forces to deal with counterinsurgency operations rather than to continue its conventional focus on traditional rival India, Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of the US Central Command, told a House panel Friday.
Zimbabwe’s cholera toll rises to 2,024
By Xinhua,
Geneva : The toll in Zimbabwe's cholera outbreak has risen to 2,024, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said Tuesday.
On Monday alone, 117 new cholera deaths were recorded in the country.
Of the 39,806 accumulated cholera cases, 1,472 cases were reported Monday, the agency said in its latest report.
Zimbabwe's devastating cholera outbreak started in August. Till date 2,024 people have died.
WHO spokesman Gregory Hartl said main cause of the outbreak was due to the collapse of the country's water and sanitation systems.
Bush calls on Russia to end Georgia crisis
By DPA,
Washington : US President George W. Bush called on Moscow to end the crisis in Georgia as Russian President Dimitry Medvedev signed a six-point European Union-mediated peace plan in the conflict over the breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
"Russia needs to honour the agreement and withdraw its forces, and of course end military operations," Bush said from his ranch in Crawford, Texas.
Medvedev's signature Saturday came a day after Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili signed the document aimed at defusing the crisis in the Caucasus.
McCain, Obama win Wisconsin, moving closer to nominations
By Ronald Baygents, KUNA
Washington : US senators John McCain and Barack Obama emerged from victories in the Wisconsin primary on Tuesday night with McCain virtually assured of the Republican presidential nomination and Obama poised to possibly end the presidential bid of former first lady Hillary Clinton when Texas and Ohio vote in two weeks.
Russian Nobel winner Solzhenitsyn dies at 89
By DPA,
Moscow : Alexander Solzhenitsyn, the Nobel prize winner for literature who was exiled from the former Soviet Union for his graphic portrayals of life in Soviet labour camps, died here early Monday. He was 89.
The Interfax news agency reported the news quoting literary circles in the Russian capital, where he was living since 1994 after the fall of the Soviet Union.
The world famous writer and historian had not been seen in public for months, and had reportedly been seriously ill for months. He died from the aftermath of a stroke, according to unconfirmed information.
New York finds traces of radiation likely from Fukushima reactors
By DPA,
New York : Traces of radioactive iodine, most likely from Japan's Fukushima nuclear reactors, were detected in New York, news reports said Wednesday, citing the state's health department.
How a Messi fan in Kerala village became a football journalist in Spain
Jushna Shahin’s passion for the sport made her achieve the unthinkable.
Najiya O | TwoCircles.net
KERALA — Jushna Shahin’s earliest memories are of watching football matches on...
11 charged for stealing 40 mn credit card numbers
By DPA,
Washington : In the largest and most complex case of identity theft in the US, 11 people have been charged with stealing more than 40 million debit and credit card numbers, the Justice Department said.
The indictments, by grand juries in Massachusetts, California, and earlier in New York, charged three US citizens, and one person from Estonia, three from Ukraine, two from China and one from Belarus with crimes including identity theft, fraud and conspiracy. One person was only known by an alias online.
China gives more farm subsidies to cool inflation
By Xinhua
Beijing : China promised Wednesday to increase financial support to agricultural produce as part of efforts to rein spiralling inflation blamed on food shortages.
"Reinforcing agriculture has a pivotal role in maintaining sound and fast economic development, curbing inflation and safeguarding stability," the State Council, or the cabinet, said in a statement.
The cabinet agreed at a meeting chaired by premier Wen Jiabao that China would "immediately" increase the subsidies for farmers' on inputs and seeds, and raise the government's purchasing prices of grain.
Road accident kills 14 in Thailand
By Xinhua,
Bangkok : At least 14 people were killed Saturday morning when the pickup truck in which they were travelling rammed into another truck ahead in Thailand's northeastern province of Roi Et, a media report said.
The driver of the pickup truck lost control of the vehicle when one of its tyres burst which caused the accident, the Nation news network reported.
The pickup truck was rushing to an election centre in Phanom Phra district at the time of the accident.
Fourteen people died on the spot, while two injured were taken to a hospital.
Two Madrid airport bombing suspects arrested in France
By Xinhua
Madrid : Spain's Interior Minister Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba has said that the two men suspected of involvement in the 2006 Madrid airport bombing have been arrested by the police.
Rubalcaba Saturday confirmed that the Spanish and French police have arrested three suspected members of the Basque separatist group ETA Friday in southern France, two of who are suspects of the Madrid bombing.
The deadly bombing Dec 30, 2006, at the Madrid airport destroyed a multi-storey parking garage and killed two people.
US navy n-submarine collides with cruiser
By IANS,
Washington : A US Navy nuclear-powered submarine collided with a missile cruiser during routine operations off the east coast, the US Navy said.
Plane makes emergency landing on busy highway
By IANS
Santiago : A small plane has made an emergency landing on a busy highway in the capital city of Chile but without causing injury or damage, Spanish news agency EFE reported Wednesday.
The four occupants of the Cessna 172 light plane were also safe in Tuesday's incident, authorities said.
The plane landed, apparently after experiencing technical problems, on a stretch of the Costanera Norte highway that spans Santiago from east to west.
Police, emergency teams and civil aviation officials were sent to the scene.
UN grants $15 mln for election in Indonesia
By Xinhua,
Jakarta : The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) granted 15 million U.S. dollars to help conduct general election in Indonesia in 2009, Indonesian Development Planning Ministry said here Wednesday.
The launching of the offer named the Donor Program Support to Indonesia General Election was held in the ministry, signed by Bambang Sutedjo, Deputy for Law Politics and Defense of the ministry and the UNDP Director in Indonesia Hakan Ejorkman.
7 dead, 26 others missing in Philippines’ cargo vessel sinking
By Xinhua,
Manila : Seven crew members drowned and 26 others went missing when a cargo vessel sank off the Philippines' central province of Iloilo over the weekend, local media reported on Tuesday.
The coal-laden M/V Lake Paoay, with 37 people on board, was sailing in the waters of Carles town when strong waves battered it at the height of typhoon Fengshen's onslaught over the weekend, Philippine TV network ABS-CBN reported.
The cargo vessel was on its way from Antique province to Cebu when tragedy took place.
20,000 mobile phones lost in Britain everyday
By IANS,
London : A staggering 20,000 mobile phones are either lost or stolen every day in Britain, a media report said.
Oil prices steady after falling back from overnight record near US$110
By SPA
Singapore : Oil prices held steady Wednesday after falling back from an overnight record near US$110 a barrel, supported by the further weakening of the U.S. dollar. AP reported.
In Tokyo currency trading Wednesday, the greenback fell against the yen in Asia despite the U.S. Federal Reserve's plan to pump US$200 billion (¤130 billion) into the financial markets to help ease the strain from the credit crisis.
India to pitch for easing of US high-tech exports
By IANS,
New Delhi: Ahead of US President Barack Obama's visit in November, India will push for easing of high-technology exports and review steps required to implement the nuclear deal during talks between National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon and his US counterpart James Jones here Wednesday.
The Iranian nuclear issue and the situation in Afghanistan will also figure in the discussions, sources said.
Jones, who arrives here late Tuesday night, will hold wide-ranging talks with Menon with an eye on "deliverables" during Obama's visit to India in November.
UN peacekeepers face probe for sexual abuse in Congo
By IANS,
United Nations : The United Nations is investigating the alleged involvement of its two peacekeepers in a sexual abuse case in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a UN spokesman said.
"The Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) has received an allegation of sexual exploitation against two military personnel serving with the United Nations Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo," Farhan Haq, the UN associate spokesman, told reporters Wednesday.
Passengers injured as trains collide in Belgium
By DPA,
Brussels : Two passenger trains collided Monday in the Belgian town of Halle, south of Brussels, leaving several people seriously injured and more trapped in the coaches, police reported.
The two trains ran into one another head-on approximately one kilometre from Halle station, police in the town told DPA. Several people were "heavily injured", but there was as yet no confirmation of how many.
The accident happened during the morning rush hour and after overnight snowfall.
Dalai Lama will live to be 113
By IANS,
Dharamsala : An oracle has predicted that the Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama will live to be 113, the Tibetan cabinet said on his 76th birthday Wednesday.
Mandela calls for action on poverty on 90th birthday
By DPA,
Johannesburg : From his ancestral home in South Africa's impoverished Eastern Cape province, former president Nelson Mandela used the occasion of his 90th birthday Friday to call for renewed action on poverty.
"Poverty has gripped our people. If you are poor, you are not likely to live long," South Africa's favourite son said in his home village of Qunu, where he was celebrating his birthday weekend with family and friends.
Plant inspired solar cells to revolutionise energy storage
New York A new technology developed by scientists at University of California - Los Angeles (UCLA) can store solar energy for up to several...
Kyrgyzstan says Russians will retain military presence
By RIA Novosti
Bishkek : Kyrgyzstan has never questioned the presence of Russian troops and military facilities on its territory and has no plans for their withdrawal, the Kyrgyz defense minister said on Tuesday.
"The agreement on the presence is automatically extended each year," Ismail Isakov said, "it is beneficial for both sides."
The minister said that Russia annually pays some $4.5 million to Kyrgyzstan for the military bases and also provides Bishkek with military and technical equipment as part of the lease agreements.
Fed extends credit to Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs
By DPA,
Washington : The US Federal Reserve Board has agreed to applications by investment banks Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs to become bank holding companies.
The rate-setting central bank said in a statement that the approval was granted, pending a five-day antitrust waiting period.
Eight die as bus falls into Peru river
By IANS
Lima : Eight teenagers were killed and 36 injured when a bus they were travelling in plunged into a river in the southern Peruvian province of Apurimac, Spanish news agency EFE reported.
According to the authorities, the accident occurred Monday at around 4.30 a.m. when the driver of the bus with 52 people on board lost control at a turn, and the vehicle fell into a 50 metre depth ravine.
US Congress to reconsider immigration reform bill
By DPA
Washington : Leaders in the US Senate have agreed to reconsider an immigration reform bill pushed by President George W. Bush that had appeared to die last week.
50 injured in Spain bomb blast
By DPA,
Madrid : A car bomb planted by suspected members of the militant Basque separatist group ETA injured 46 people overnight in the northern Spanish city of Burgos, hospital sources said Wednesday.
The car had been parked behind police barracks where families of police officers live.
Thirty-eight of the injured were taken to hospital, but none of them were reported to be in a serious condition. The victims included police officers, their wives and children. Most of them had bruises or cuts from shards of glass.
Mozambique, India could partner in oil, gas, agriculture: Mukherjee
New Delhi: Mozambique, which recently made gas discoveries amounting to 200 trillion cubic feet and has vast reserves of coal, could partner with India...
Bankers, governments discuss regulation at Davos forum
By DPA,
Davos : Bank executives met central bankers and government officials here Saturday to discuss whether regulations should be imposed on financial markets.
Officials from the US and Europe were taking part in the discussions with Deutsche Bank, Switzerland's UBS and other major banks at the World Economic Forum in the Swiss mountain resort.
US bans drone operations at national parks
New York: The United States has banned launching, landing or operating drones from all national parks, monuments and other historical sites.
"We have serious concerns...
Nazi camp atrocities on display in Shanghai
By IANS,
Beijing : An exhibition on the infamous Auschwitz concentration camp of the Nazis opened in China's Shanghai city Thursday.
UN chief deeply concerned over Iraq crisis
United Nations: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki- moon Sunday voiced deep concern at "the deepening crisis in Iraq and the rising number of civilian deaths...
China allocates $9 bn for quake relief
By Xinhua,
Beijing : China has allocated 66.75 billion yuan ($9.71 billion) for May 12 quake relief and reconstruction, the finance ministry said Monday.
This included 59.74 billion yuan from the central budget and the rest from the local budget, the ministry said on its website.
Imported materials and equipment for quake reconstruction would get special import tariffs, it said.
The grace period is from July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2011. Details of the policy were yet to be revealed.
Another GI in Japan Arrested for Rape
By Prensa Latina,
Tokyo : Japanese authorities arrested another US soldier on Friday, this time for raping a 19-year old girl in northern Japan.
James Littlejohn, 22, stationed at Misawa Air Base in Aomori, is accused of sexually abusing the girl when she was returning home alone after visiting a friend.
The US soldier was reportedly drunk when he attacked the girl, according to police.
This is the latest incident of US military violence against Japanese citizens, and threatens to increase Japanese rejection of the US military presence.
Electric solar wind sail to power space travel
By IANS,
London : An electric solar wind sail developed by the Finnish Meteorological Institute two years ago has moved rapidly from invention towards implementation.
The electric solar wind sail developed by Pekka Janhunen might revolutionise space travel. It uses the solar wind as its thrust source and therefore needs no fuel or propellant.
The electric sail could enable faster and cheaper solar system exploration. It might also enable economic utilisation of asteroid resources by producing rocket fuel in orbit, for example.
British counsellor sacked for not helping gay couples
By IANS,
London : A relationships counsellor is suing his organisation for dismissing him from service because he admitted that his Christian beliefs prevent him from giving sex therapy to gay couples.
Relate Avon, Britain's national counselling service, dismissed Guy Macfarlane, 47, from his job after he had problems talking to gay couples about their intimate sexual relationships. He has taken his case to the employment tribunal, saying he is a victim of religious discrimination.
At least 27 killed in cold storage fire in South Korea
By Xinhua
Seoul : At least 27 people were killed and 13 remained missing after a massive explosion at a cold storage house in South Korea Monday.
The accident occurred in Icheon, 80 km southeast of Seoul, around 10 a.m. local time (0100 GMT) in the basement of a two-story warehouse and caused fire, police said.
Local media said 57 people were working at the warehouse when the explosion occurred.
The rescue workers have confirmed 27 dead and 13 missing in the accident. Seven people escaped safely while 10 wounded have been sent to hospitals after being rescued.
White House uses Twitter to justify Iran nuclear deal
Washington : In a clear indication of social media's increasing clout and power to influence public opinion, the White House has launched...
Seven killed in UN chopper crash in Nepal
By IANS
Kathmandu : At least seven people, mostly UN personnel, were killed as the helicopter ferrying them from a Maoist guerrilla camp crashed in a remote area in eastern Nepal Monday afternoon, Nepal's official media said.
Kieran Dwyer, spokesman at the UN Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) that is assisting in the managing the Maoists People's Liberation Army's arms and combatants told IANS that an UNMIN chopper was involved in the crash.
"The heliocopter was returning to Kathmandu from the Maoist cantonment in Sindhuli in the east," Dwyer said.
World summit aims at closing gaps in finance market rules
By DPA,
Washington : The leaders of the world's top economic powers are expected to agree Saturday to close off all gaps in the regulation of world finance markets following a financial crisis that is threatening to plunge the global economy into recession.
The government heads of the Group of 20 nations gathered Friday night in the White House for a dinner hosted by US President George W. Bush and are expected to sign off on the agreement at an historic summit Saturday.
Russian scientists revive plants frozen for 30,000 years
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : A team of Russian biophysicists has successfully grown ancient plants from tissue material that stayed frozen in the Siberian region for about 30,000 years.
China Launches Two Natural Disaster Monitoring Satellites
By Bernama,
Taiyuan : China launched two satellites for monitoring ecological environment and natural disasters at around 11:25 a.m. here on Saturday.
China's Xinhua news agency reported that the two satellites, launched from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in Shanxi Province, were carried by a Long March 2C rocket.
They were expected to enhance the country's capacity to prevent and reduce natural disasters, according to Bai Zhaoguang, a leading scientist and designer of the satellites.
Vietnam’s stelae declared Unesco World Heritage Site
By IANS,
Hanoi : The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) has declared the 82 stelae of the Temple of Literature in Vietnam as a World Heritage Site, Prensa Latina reported.
The Temple of Literature, located in a park in central Hanoi, was founded by emperor Ly Thanh Tong in 1070. It is dedicated to Confucius.
Vietnam's first university was established in the complex in 1076 to train the administrative and defence staff.
Josipovic wins Croatian presidential elections
By DPA,
Zagreb : Croatia's opposition Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate Ivo Josipovic has swept the country's presidential election run-off Sunday to become the next head of state, exit surveys said.
Television channels Nova and RTL said Josipovic with 64.6 percent of the vote defeated his rival, the populist Zagreb Mayor Milan Bandic, who garnered 35.3 percent.
"We knew the difference would be vast," Igor Dragovan from Josipovic's campaign headquarters said. The margin projected by exit polls is in line with the last-minute popularity surveys.
Georgia summons Russia’s envoy over railroad troop protest
By RIA Novosti,
Tbilisi : Georgia's Foreign Ministry summoned Russia's envoy Monday to hand over a protest note after Moscow deployed unarmed railroad troops to the breakaway region of Abkhazia.
Media reported Saturday that a unit of Russian railroad troops was being sent to the region at the request of Abkhazia to help repair parts of the republic's rail infrastructure.
The Foreign Ministry says the deployment indicates Russia is preparing for military intervention.
McCain wants 100 n-plants in US, cites India, China, Russia
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : Citing India, China and Russia as examples, Republican presidential nominee John McCain wants to revive America's own nuclear programme by building 100 new plants to solve its growing energy problem.
Making a strong case for nuclear energy, at a town-hall-style meeting at Missouri State University Thursday, McCain said that he saw nuclear power as a clean, safe alternative to traditional sources of energy that emit greenhouse gases.
Employees’ rude behaviour affects consumers
By IANS,
Los Angeles: Rude behaviour among employees can negatively affect consumer perceptions - even when the incivility isn't directed at the customer.
Across a range of places, including restaurants, banks, government offices, retail stores and universities, consumers frequently report seeing employees behaving badly with other employees.
The bad behaviour also include derogatory comments or inappropriate gestures, research by the University of Southern California (USC) Marshall School of Business showed.
Russia welcomes move on Kosovo
By DPA
Moscow : Russia has welcomed as "logical" the decision at the United Nations (UN) in New York to refer the Kosovo independence issue to a six-nation contact group.
"This is a logical consequence of our active policy. We want to lay the foundations for a continuation of the dialogue with the aim of reaching an agreement between Pristina and Belgrade," a Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman said late Friday, according to Interfax.
Bill Gates is unforgettable for many Chinese
By Xinhua,
Beijing : To many Chinese, Bill Gates, who stepped down as Microsoft's executive chairman Friday, is more than a billionaire. For them he represents an age and a spirit.
Chinese became familiar with his name some 15 years ago when the computer became a common household necessity.
According to an online survey at QQ.com, 48 percent of the 218,550 votes listed Gates' most impressive title as "one of the world's richest" people.
Five killed in Nigeria market attack
Nairobi: At least five people were killed and 30 others injured Sunday in a suicide attack staged by a woman at a market in...
Iran frees detained British sailors
By IANS,
Tehran : Iran has released five British sailors who were detained Nov 25 after apparently straying into Iranian waters, British and Iranian officials said Wednesday.
The sailors were detained in the vicinity of Siri Island off Iranian coast, Iran's Mehr news agency reported.
"Five Britons who had been detained near Siri Island after the illegal entry of their boat were released," the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) public relations office at Siri Island said in a statement.
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...
Hamas fires mortar missiles at Israeli forces in Gaza
By KUNA,
GAZA : Martyr Ezz Eddin Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, on Tuesday launched several mortar missiles at an Israeli special force in central Gaza Strip.
The Israeli force was trying to advance into eastern al-Maghazi refugee camp at the heart of the Strip, the armed wing said in a release handed out here, a copy of which was obtained by Kuwait News Agency (KUNA).
It said one of its combat groups "had fired 18 mortar missiles at an Israeli force making incursions into eastern al-Maghazi refugee camp in the center of the Strip".
Pakistan and US at odds on Obama’s war policy
By Sajjad Malik,DPA,
Islamabad : President Barack Obama's policy on Afghanistan and Pakistan, with its focus on eliminating militant hideouts in Pakistan's mountainous tribal border regions, has failed to win over many policymakers in Islamabad.
Sharp differences between the two key allies have surfaced since Obama unveiled the strategy March 27 and, contrary to the past, the Pakistani side is not keeping the disagreements secret.
Aide pays for 76-yr-old’s Everest record
By IANS,
Kathmandu : A Nepali helper who helped the world's oldest climber summit Mt Everest this year has had to pay dearly for the record, losing his fingers and toes.
Dharma Bahadur Rai was part of the six-member Senior Citizens' Mount Everest Expedition that saw 76-year-old Min Bahadur Sherchan conquer the 8,848-metre peak May 25 and add a new record in the nearly six-decade-long climbing annals of the world's most charismatic mountain.
Kennedys give a boost to Obama in US presidential race
By Arun Kumar, IANS
Washington : The battle for the Democratic party ticket has taken a keener edge with the Kennedys backing Barack Obama ahead of the Super Tuesday's coast to coast nomination contests in the US presidential race.
The Kennedys' endorsement for Obama hoping to be America's first black president was seen as another blow to former first lady Hillary Clinton's campaign for the White House after her massive defeat in last week's primary in South Carolina.
Sri Lankan air force sinks two LTTE boats
By Xinhua,
Colombo : The Sri Lankan Air Force sank two attack craft of the Tamil Tiger rebels in air strikes Sunday, the defence ministry said..
"Sri Lankan Air Force MiG-27 fighter jets launched precision air strikes at identified Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) attack craft sinking two, while destroying another, north of the Mullaittivu lagoon at around 1 p.m. (0730 GMT)," the ministry said in a statement.
Bush takes back power after colonoscopy
By Xinhua
Washington : U.S. President George W. Bush took back presidential power after undergoing a routine colonoscopy Saturday.
The White House made the announcement more than two hours after Bush temporarily ceded power to Vice President Dick Cheney for the procedure at 7:16 a.m.(1116 GMT).
In a letter sent to both Senate and House leaders, Bush reclaimed his presidential power at 9:21 a.m. (1321 GMT).
Cheney served as acting president while Bush was under anesthesia during the colon screening.
10 killed in Canada avalanches this winter
By Xinhua
Ottawa : Ten people have been killed by avalanches across Canada so far this winter, making it the highest avalanche death rate in 25 years, experts said.
"This is the highest number of avalanche fatalities we've seen by this date. We have 10 so far this season and this is the most we've had by Jan 8," said Cam Campbell from the Canadian Avalanche Centre Tuesday. The centre began taking records more than a quarter-century ago.
From 1978 to 2007, an average of 11 avalanche fatalities has occurred per year in Canada, the centre reports.
Rana is no Gandhi: FBI to court
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington: Pakistan-born Chicago businessman Tahawwur Hussain Rana, accused of complicity in the Mumbai terror attacks, "is no Gandhi", say US prosecutors questioning his self-portrayal as a man of non-violence.
"Ironically, in invoking the name of a man who embodied the principles of non-violence and speaking the truth, Rana seeks to mislead this court as to the extent of his admiration and support for mass murderers," federal prosecutors said in papers filed Monday in a Chicago federal court.
UN asks for agreement on nuclear disarmament
By DPA,
New York : With one day left before a month-long nuclear review conference ends Friday, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urged the participants to agree on nuclear disarmament as expected by the world.
"There is too much at stake for the conference to repeat the failure of 2005," Ban said in a letter to the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty meeting at UN headquarters in New York.
British MPs tweet, and how!
By IANS,
London : Tweeting seems to have become a near obsession with British parliamentarians, says a survey revealing that they spent 1,000 hours on Twitter last year.
Russia delivers two Su-30 fighters to Algeria
By RIA Novosti,
Irkutsk : Russia's Irkut corporation, the manufacturer of the famed family of Su fighter planes, said on Monday it had delivered another two Su-30MKA Flanker multi-role fighters to Algeria.
Under a 2006 contract worth about $2.5 billion, the Irkut corporation is set to deliver a total of 28 Su-30MKA fighters to Algeria by 2010. The company has so far supplied six aircraft.
"Two [Su-30] multi-role fighters were delivered to Algeria on May 31 by an An-124 Condor heavy transport plane," a company spokesman said.
U.S. to remove DPRK from terror list if it makes full declaration
By Xinhua,
Washington : The United States said Wednesday that it would quickly remove the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) from its list of state sponsors of terrorism if the DPRK makes a full declaration of its nuclear programs.
"We'll have to wait and see. It could be quite soon if that were to happen," White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said.
"We just don't know if they're actually going to do it," she said, adding that the United States hopes to get a "correct and verifiable" nuclear declaration from the DPRK.
Former Thai premier Thaksin flies to Nicaragua
By DPA,
Bangkok : Thailand's fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra Saturday left the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for Nicaragua, where he has been granted a diplomatic passport, media reports said.
Thaksin has been in the UAE for the past month, the Arabian Business magazine said.
Thaksin's Thai passport was revoked Monday after he was charged with inciting his supporters to create chaos in Thailand in a bid to topple the government via a phone-in addresses from abroad in which he at one point reportedly called for a "people's revolution".
Italy president assigns facilitators to end impasse
By IANS,
Rome : Italian President Giorgio Napolitano has asked 10 experts and political figures to help solve the political impasse stemming from February's inconclusive general elections.
A stimulus to jump start economy first priority: Obama
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : US President-elect Barack Obama has vowed that restoring the nation's economic equilibrium will be a major priority of his administration as it works to ease credit crisis, help American families and restore growth and prosperity.
"I do not underestimate the enormity of the task that lies ahead," Obama told reporters at the Hilton Hotel in Chicago at his first news conference since his election. "We have taken some major action to date, and we will take further action."
Financial crisis yet to peak: Russia
By RIA Novosti,
Washington : The global financial crisis has yet to peak and individual governments must now take appropriate measures to deal with its effects, Russia's finance minister Alexei Kudrin has warned.
Kudrin led the Russian delegation in Washington at the Oct 10-13 meetings of world finance leaders.
The Group of Seven (G7) industrial countries comprising the US, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Canada, met Friday before participating Saturday in a meeting of the Group of 20, a wider group of developing-emerging markets that includes Russia.
Russia Paves Way to Caspian Sea Gas Pipe
By Prensa Latina
Moscow : The Russian government approved a cooperation agreement with Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan to build a gas pipe to supply hydrocarbons to Europe from Central Asia through Russia, government sources said on Tuesday.
The gas pipe, which will hug the coast of the Caspian Sea, has been approved by the cabinet of ministers, Cabinet Vice President Sergei Narishkin pointed out.
For his part, Russian President Vladimir Putin asked the members of the executive to boost the project during Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev's upcoming working visit.
US abuzz with ‘wedding of the century’
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
New York: The picturesque small town of Rhinebeck, about 150 km from here, is all abuzz for former first daughter Chelsea Clinton's marriage Saturday billed as the "wedding of the decade" and "wedding of the century" by a frenzied media.
On the eve of the "top-secret" wedding of the daughter of former first couple Bill and Hillary Clinton, tiny Rhinebeck is undergoing a transformation from a sleepy little town to media Mecca.
G8 leaders call for global summit on financial crisis
By DPA,
Brussels : The leaders of the world's seven richest countries and Russia called Wednesday for a global summit to address the current financial crisis and a revival of world trade talks.
"While our focus now is on the immediate task of stabilizing markets and restoring confidence, changes to the regulatory and institutional regimes for the world's financial sectors are needed to remedy deficiencies exposed by the current crisis," a joint statement from the leaders said.
FBI to aid Cambodia in probing murder of reporter
By Xinhua,
Phnom Penh : The Cambodian government has accepted an offer of assistance from the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in pursuing the July 11 murder of opposition party-affiliated journalist Khim Sambo and his son, national media said Monday.
The U.S. Embassy on July 14 offered the help to investigate the drive-by shooting on street and the Cambodian Interior Ministry officially accepted the offer late Friday evening, English-Khmer language newspaper the Cambodia Daily quoted embassy spokesman John Johnson as saying.
China accuses Dalai Lama of `separatism’ in anniversary speech
By DPA,
Beijing : China Thursday accused the Dalai Lama of showing "his nature of separating the nation" in a speech to mark the 51st anniversary of the Tibetan uprising against Chinese rule.
In his own speech Wednesday, the Tibetan Buddhist leader and head of Tibet's government in exile expressed his "solidarity" with the Uighur ethnic minority in China's far western region of Xinjiang and his sympathy for the "great difficulties and increased oppression" they had experienced.
19 LTTE rebels killed as troops capture fresh areas: Military
By IANS,
Colombo : At least 19 Tamil Tiger rebels were killed Wednesday when the troops forcing their way into the last LTTE strongholds captured fresh territories from the rebels in the northeastern Mullaitivu district, the military here said.
It said that the troops captured Pachchapulimoddai, the eastern-most edge of the LTTE's Puthukkudiyiruppu build-up, amid fierce resistance from the rebels.
Thailand vetoes plan to directly elect PM
Bangkok : Thailand's Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC) has rejected a plan to directly elect the prime minister and cabinet, saying the idea carries risks.
The...
UK launches `deradicalization program’ to counter extremism
By IRNA,
London : The British government Tuesday announced new guidance to help and support local authorities, schools, community groups and the police to tackle violent extremism and prevent radicalization in communities.
"The national security challenges we face demand fresh approaches. A key element of our strategy aims to stop people getting involved in extremist violence," Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said.
Brown meets bank chiefs to discuss credit crunch
By IRNA,
London : Prime Minister Gordon Brown held breakfast talks Tuesday with the heads of Britain's top banks on credit crunch and the world's economic crisis.
After the meeting, Brown said that 'a range of measures' to get confidence back in the housing market were discussed in a 90-minute summit.
He said that he recognized people's concerns in trying to get a mortgage but insisted that he would not be diverted from taking 'unpopular' decisions to ensure Britain gets through the global credit crunch.
45 killed in Cameroon bus accident
By IANS,
Yaounde (Cameroon) : At least 45 people were killed in a bus accident overnight in Cameroon, media reports said Monday.
The accident occurred in Etoundou village, 130 km from the capital city of Yaounde, Xinhua reported quoting local media.
There were altogether 60 passengers in the bus.
FARC to be blamed if Betancourt dies: Sarkozy
By IANS
Paris : French President Nicolas Sarkozy has said the Left-wing Revolutionary Armed forces of Colombia (FARC) would be held responsible if former presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt dies in their captivity.
"A decision on your part would suffice to save a woman from death and maintain the hope of all those who remain detained. Make this decision: free Ingrid Betancourt," the French leader said Tuesday in a televised message directed to Manuel "Sureshot" Marulanda, chief of Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), EFE news agency reported Wednesday.
UN mission likely to stay on in Nepal
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : The political wing of the UN, which made a controversial entry in Nepal two years ago to assist the peace process, is likely to get a new lease of life after its term ends in July.
The UN Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) was established in January 2007 at the insistence of the Maoist guerrillas though Nepal's southern neighbour India had opposed the entry in the beginning.
UNMIN was asked to keep watch over the Maoists' People's Liberation Army (PLA) and their weapons as well as monitor the constituent assembly election.
Human rights groups welcome court ruling against UK stop and search
London, Jan 13, IRNA – The decision by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) to rule Britain’s anti-terrorism stop and search powers illegal has been welcomed by human rights and civil liberty organisations.
The Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHCR) said it had repeatedly highlighted the ineffectiveness and human rights violations of such measures which have lead to ethnic and religious profiling in the UK
South-East Asia’s wealth management sector booming
By DPA,
Singapore : South-East Asia is seen as second only to China in growth potential for the wealth management field, a published survey said Tuesday.
Some 60 percent of the wealth managers from India, Taiwan and Hong Kong expected annual revenue growth of more than 15 percent.
Market volatility in the United States and Europe has made little dent in the industry's confidence, said the survey of wealth managers by Barclays Capital.
Asia's wealth management growth is not expected to slow over the next two years, according to the findings in The Straits Times.
Sarkozy defends scandal-plagued minister, himself
By DPA,
Paris : French President Nicolas Sarkozy tried to put out a damaging political firestorm by defending late Monday his beleaguered minister for labour and social affairs, Eric Woerth.
Responding during an hour-long interview on France 2 television to weeks of allegations that have severely damaged his standing with the French people, Sarkozy said, "Eric Woerth is an honest man, he is a competent man, he is a man who has my complete trust".
Obama wins Wyoming caucus
By DPA
Washington : Senator Barack Obama was the projected winner of the Democratic caucus in the western state of Wyoming Saturday, in the latest contest in the state-by-state battle to represent the party in November presidential elections.
Obama was leading with 59 percent of the vote to opponent Hillary Clinton's 40 percent, with 96 percent of the state's caucus sites reporting results, CNN said.
Death penalty used as political weapon: Amnesty
By DPA,
London : The death penalty is still used as a political weapon in many countries including China, Iran and Sudan, a report released Tuesday by human rights organisation Amnesty International said.
"Even as world opinion and practice shift inexorably towards abolition, the extensive and politicised use of the death penalty continues," it said.
Sangay favours ‘middle-way’ policy on Tibet
By IANS,
Dharamsala : Tibetan political leader Lobsang Sangay Tuesday again favoured the 'middle-way' policy to resolve the issue of Tibet.
Chinese officials asked to use cars less often
By Xinhua
Beijing : The Chinese cabinet has ordered all central government bodies to use cars less often and more efficiently and use "economic, energy-saving, environment friendly and domestically manufactured" automobiles.
"All units should tighten the regulation of cars and cut down the size of the fleet to a controlled scale. The number of automobiles should not be increased unless a new department is formed," said a circular issued earlier this week by the government.
Clinton planning exit as Obama and McCain look ahead
By DPA,
Washington : Hillary Clinton could step out of the US presidential race Friday, leaving Democratic candidate Barack Obama to focus on a general election fight with Republican John McCain that is already in full swing, US media reported Wednesday.
Obama, 46, clinched the Democratic Party's nomination for president Tuesday, becoming the first African American to get the nod of a major US political party, but Clinton has yet to formally concede the race.
President Patil leaves Britain after three-day visit
By IANS,
London : President Pratibha Patil left London Thursday after a three-day state visit to Britain, the first by an Indian president in nearly 20 years.
Patil left for Cyprus where she will be on a state visit.
Patil had earlier in the day joined Britain's Queen Elizabeth II to launch the 2010 Commonwealth Games Baton Relay at a gala Indian ceremony in Buckingham Palace.
The Indian president also addressed a meeting of business leaders organised by the UK-India Business Council (UKIBC) in London.
‘China should address Tibet issue’
By IANS,
Dharamsala : China has to address the discontent prevailing in Tibet, a minister in the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) has said.
Two more big earthquakes shake Pacific Ocean
By DPA,
Wellington : Two more large earthquakes -- of magnitude 6.3 and 5.1 -- were recorded in the Pacific Ocean Friday, the US Geological Survey reported.
The first quake, which hit at 2.07 pm (0107 GMT) was centred 85 km south-east of Hihifo, Tonga, and 377 km from American Samoa, which was hard hit by tsunamis triggered by a magnitude-8.0 earthquake Tuesday.
The epicentre of the second quake, which occurred 48 minutes later, was located 190 km west-south-west of Apia, the capital of the island state of Samoa which was also devastated by Tuesday's quake.
Mexican cop kills three fellow officers, then self
By IANS/EFE,
Cancun (Mexico) : An on-duty police officer killed three fellow officers and then himself in downtown Cancun, a resort city on Mexico's Caribbean coast, an official said.
Nepali CPN-M intensifies initiative to form new gov’t
By Xinhua,
Kathmandu : The Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) (CPN-M) has tabled a proposal for a common minimum program to form and operate the next government at the 25-party meeting, local newspaper The Kathmandu Post reported on Sunday.
In the meeting held at the CPN-M parliamentary party office in the Nepali capital of Kathmandu on Saturday, the largest party in the Constituent Assembly (CA) presented, to the other 24 CA parties, its program for the new government formation which has been divided into five parts.
Aung San Suu Kyi faces new lawsuit
By DPA,
Yangon : Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, currently on trial for breaking the terms of her house detention, now faces a civil court case in which she must fight for ownership of her house, her lawyer said Tuesday.
Suu Kyi's cousin, retired army officer Lieutenant Colonel Khin Maung Aye, on July 24 posted a public notice in the Mirror newspaper, claiming that he owned a portion of Suu Kyi's compound in Yangon and had already sold it.
The advertisement said that anybody who wanted to oppose the sale could register a legal objection within seven days.
Socialists sail to victory in Spain’s elections
By DPA
Madrid : Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero's Socialist Party took a clear victory in Sunday's parliamentary elections but remained well short of an absolute majority.
Both the Socialists and the opposition conservative People's Party (PP) increased their number of seats in a sign of the increasing bi-polarization of Spain's political scene.
The Socialist Party had taken a "great victory," organizational secretary Jose Blanco said, describing it as "the triumph of dialogue and respect for pluralism".
Tibetan exiles to celebrate Panchen Lama’s birthday
By IANS,
Dharamsala : Tibetan refugees here will celebrate the 19th birthday of the Panchen Lama April 25, a spokesman of the Tibetan government-in-exile said here Wednesday.
"There will be an early morning prayer congregation in Dharamsala to be led by monks and then they will perform Sangsol (incense offering)," the official said.
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