Belgian city introduces school ban on crosses
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Brussels : The administration of the Belgian city of Charleroi has introduced a ban on wearing of both Muslim veils and Christian crosses in local schools.
The ban applies to both primary and comprehensive school students.
In April, the lower chamber of the Belgian parliament approved a bill prohibiting women from wearing full-face Islamic garments, such as the burqa or niqab, on streets, parks, sports grounds and buildings "meant for public use".
British expert to advise on peace talks between Philippine gov’t and Muslim rebels
By Xinhua,
Manila : Britain will send an expert to the Philippines to give advice and assistance to the stalled peace process between the government and Muslim rebels in Mindanao, southern Philippines, British officials said here on Saturday.
The offer came after Malaysia announced its plan to pull out peacekeepers from Mindanao last month, due to failure by the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels to make a formal peace deal.
IS calls on ‘lone wolves’ to attack New York, Las Vegas
Washington: Authorities in New York City and Las Vegas have beefed up security at major tourist sites after the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group...
Sri Lanka’s ruling party wins parliamentary elections
By DPA,
Colombo: Sri Lanka's ruling alliance secured a landslide victory in the parliamentary elections, according to official final results announced Wednesday after a re-vote in two districts.
The United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) led by President Mahinda Rajapaksa secured 4.8 million of the votes, or 60.3 percent. The United National Party (UNP) received 2.3 million or 29.3 percent, marking the worst defeat for the opposition since 1977.
Take firm action on Somalia piracy: maritime body to UN
By Lalit K. Jha, IANS,
United Nations : The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has urged the UN Security Council to act fast with firm determination to "rid the world of this modern scourge" of increasing armed robbery and piracy off the coast of Somalia.
Addressing a meeting of the Security Council on Somalia Thursday, IMO Secretary General Efthmios Mitropoulos said a coordinated and cohesive response at the international level was necessary for the safety and well-being of seafarers and for seamless delivery of humanitarian aid to Somalia.
China’s Dalian Wanda to set up industrial townships in India
New Delhi: The $100-billion Dalian Wanda Group of China is planning to develop industrial townships in India with built-in facilities such as schools, hospitals,...
Prachanda’s China trip proves costly for Nepal
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : Nepal's first Maoist Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda's China visit has proved costly for the cash-strapped Himalayan republic, causing it financial, economic and diplomatic losses.
Barring a meagre $300,000 flood assistance from the Chinese government, the Maoist leader has returned home Wednesday not just empty-handed but also shrunk in stature and having ruffled its other giant neighbour India in the bargain.
Nepal strikes hampering aid deliveries to flood victims
By NNN-IRIN
Kathmandu : Strikes and political violence in southern Nepal have been hampering efforts by aid workers to distribute aid to flood victims, said officials from the Nepal Red Cross Society (NRCS).
Over 583,000 flood victims in the country’s densely populated Terai region continue to be affected by food shortages and face accommodation problems, according to the NRCS, the country’s most active relief organisation.
Indo-Nepal Power Summit 2008 begins in Kathmandu
By Xinhua,
Kathmandu : The third Indo-Nepal Power Summit 2008 will begin in Nepali capital Kathmandu on Tuesday to explore the possibilities of hydropower project cooperation between Nepal and India.
According to The Himalayan Times daily, Deputy Prime Minister Bam Dev Gautam will inaugurate the two-day summit. As many as 300 delegates from Nepal and India are expected to participate in the meeting.
Indian Minister of State for Commerce and Power Jairam Ramesh and a 60-member delegation that includes leading power developers will grace the summit.
Rights body sees rise in Zimbabwe abductions
By Jan Raath, DPA,
Johannesburg/Harare : One of Zimbabwe's leading human rights organisations has pointed out that cases of abduction and killings of opposition activists are increasing ahead of the controversial run-off in presidential elections next month.
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) said it was "greatly disturbed by the escalating phenomenon of enforced disappearance of political party members," adding the victims had been "abducted, severely tortured and in a growing number of cases, extra-judicially executed," with the corpses dumped usually in remote areas.
One dead in protests in Greece
By DPA,
Athens : A 16-year-old died Saturday in clashes between demonstrators and police in the Greek capital Athens, media reports said.
A policeman intended to deliver a warning shot, but the bullet hit the young man in the chest, the report said.
The police officer was sitting in an official car with a colleague when demonstrators attacked the vehicle with rocks and other objects.
Modi reaches Tokyo
Tokyo : Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived here Sunday on the second leg of his five-day visit to Japan.
Modi reached the Japanese capital after...
Arctic border states agree to cooperate
By DPA,
Copenhagen/Ilulissat, Greenland : The five countries bordering the Arctic Wednesday agreed to "the orderly settlement of any possible overlapping claims" in a move to avert conflicts over the potential oil and other resources in the region that will open up in the wake of global warming.
Norway, the US, Canada and Russia attended the meeting in western Greenland co-hosted by Danish Foreign Minister Per Stig Moller and premier Hans Enoksen of self-governing Greenland.
Switzerland Reports Fire-arm Loss
By Prensa Latina
Bern : The Swiss Federal Defense Department confirmed the loss of over 4,300 military standard-issue firearm in the last decade, and just a small number of them have been recovered.
Of the total number of lost weapons, which includes rifles (models 57 and 90), and pistols (models 75 and 49) they have only recovered 260, said Felix Endrich, spokesman of the National Helvetian Agency.
According to Endrich, citizens are those who report to the Army the loss of weapons.
In Switzerland, men keep their weapons at home while doing military service.
South Korea warns of stern response to North’s n-threat
Seoul : South Korea Thursday warned North Korea, saying that it would face a stern response from the international community if it conducts another...
EU to pick president at special summit Nov 19
By DPA,
Brussels : European Union leaders are to hold a special summit to choose the bloc's first-ever full-time president Nov 19 in Brussels, the EU's Swedish presidency announced Wednesday.
Sweden currently holds the EU's rotating presidency. But the bloc's Lisbon Treaty, which is expected to come into force Dec 1, creates the posts of full-time EU president and of foreign-policy director.
18 ‘punished’ in China over coal mine accidents
By IANS,
Beijing : A total of 18 government officials in southwest China's Guizhou province have been punished over three coal mine accidents that killed nearly 60 people, officials said.
There’s still time and space for diplomacy on Iran: US
By IANS,
Washington : The White House Monday reiterated that there was still "time and space" for diplomacy in dealing with Iran's nuclear standoff.
Nepal king spurns asylum reports
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : Nepal's royal palace has said reports in the national and international media that King Gyanendra was contemplating fleeing the country following an imminent Maoist victory and the abolition of his crown were "totally fabricated and unfounded".
Under tremendous pressure from the Maoists, whose top leadership has been urging the king to surrender his throne and become a law-abiding common citizen, the palace mustered energy to condemn the reports and indicated that the royal family had no intention to seek asylum in neighbour India or elsewhere.
US government reviewing options in Blackwater case
By DPA,
Washington, Jan 9 (DPA) The US government is reviewing options for proceeding with the prosecution of five Blackwater contractors accused of killing innocent Iraqi civilians in a September 2007 shooting.
US State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said Friday that a Dec 31 decision by a federal judge to dismiss manslaughter charges against the five security guards does not "exonerate the defendants or necessarily terminate the proceedings".
Rejuvenated and fit Jeev returns to action at WGC
By IANS,
Akron, (Ohio): After a three-week gap, Jeev Milkha Singh will return to action at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational at the Firestone Country Club in Akron Ohio.
Jeev said he has fully recovered from the side muscle injury that forced him to withdraw from the British Open last month.
Jeev, at 41st, the highest Asian in World Rankings, will first tee off at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational and will then move to PGA Championships, where he finished tied ninth for his first-ever top-10 finish in a Major.
Motherhood is revolutionary: Penelope Cruz
By IANS,
London: Actress Penelope Cruz says having her son Leonardo was a life changing experience and has transformed her as a person.
British police battle against knife crime
By SPA,
London : Fourteen-year-old Martin Dinnegan sensed he was in danger when a group of boys pulled faces at him on a London bus. An hour later he was dead, stabbed in the back by the same gang that pursued him after he got off at a bus stop, according to dpa.
Teenagers posturing in front of victims, and being ready for violent confrontation were now the "scourge of cities and towns," the prosecutor dealing with Martin's murder said.
"This is such a case, which leads from dirty looks to death in one hour," he added.
Obama asks coloured people to take responsibility
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : Vowing to stand up for them the way earlier generations stood up for him, Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama has asked America's coloured people to take responsibility for their own lives.
Americans must demand that government and business take more responsibility "to break the cycle of poverty and violence gripping this country," he said Monday addressing the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People (NAACP), a civil rights organization for ethnic minorities.
Filipino broadcaster killed in Christmas Eve attack
By DPA
Manila : A Filipino broadcaster was killed Monday in a daring daylight attack by unidentified gunmen in a southern Philippine city, police said.
Ferdie "Batman" Lintuan, a hard-hitting commentator who tackled various topics in his radio show, was the fifth journalist to be killed in the Philippines this year.
Police said Lintuan had just left the compound of local radio station DxGO in Davao City, 990 km south of Manila, when two gunmen approached his car and opened fire.
Two colleagues were with the victim in the car.
Russian spacecraft docks with ISS
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : The Russian Soyuz TMA-21 manned spacecraft - nicknamed "Gagarin" - docked with the International Space Station (ISS) Thursday, the mission control said.
Turkish PM: closure case against AK Party means against national will
By Xinhua
Ankara : Ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party Chairman and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Saturday the closure case was a move against national will, not against AK Party, the semi-official Anatolia news agency reported.
Chief prosecutor of the Supreme Court of Appeals Abdurrahman Yalcinkaya filed a lawsuit to close the AK Party Friday, saying "the party has become the focal point of anti-secular activities."
"We are a political party struggling for democracy," Erdogan was quoted as saying at his party meeting in southeastern province of Siirt.
Russian terror crimes down by 50 percent
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : The number of terrorism-related crimes in Russia went down by half in 2011 from the previous year's figures, a top official said Wednesday.
Death toll from Japan’s strong quake mounts to 9
By Xinhua,
Tokyo : Three more people were found dead in rescue operations Sunday in Japan's quake-hit Miyagi Prefecture, bringing the death toll to 9.
The three dead were found when some 1,200 rescue workers were searching for 16 people who have been unaccounted for since the 7.2-magnitude quake occurred at 08:43 a.m. Saturday (23:43 GMT Friday).
IOC urged to act on media freedom abuses in China
By DPA,
Beijing : A human rights watchdog called Friday on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to establish a mechanism for reporting violations of media freedom in China.
The Human Rights Watch (HRW) said rights groups had provided the committee with "extensive documentation" of abuses but insisted it had to do more than state its "disapproval" of attempts to hinder journalists' work.
"The IOC's public expression of concern is welcome, but it won't have any effect without real action," said Sophie Richardson, Asia advocacy director at HRW.
Drought affects 90 percent of Argentina
By EFE,
Buenos Aires : About 90 percent of Argentinian territory is affected by the current drought, although the situation is aggravated in certain provinces by the spread of forest fires, figures released Sunday by officials said.
The most serious situation is in the central province of La Pampa and in Buenos Aires and Cordoba in the north-central region, where thousands of families are facing temperatures exceeding 30 degreec Celsiusand are getting along as best they can with the lack of water.
Regular exercise wards off common cold
By IANS,
London : People who are fit and active are far less likely to get coughs and sniffles. And even if sporty types get colds, they are milder and don't last as long, says a new research.
Russia will stop Ukraine from annihilating opponents in east: Putin
Moscow : Russia will not allow the central Ukrainian authorities to annihilate its political foes and opponents in the embattled eastern Ukraine, Russian President...
Mine blast kills at least 7 in Kazakhstan
By Xinhua
Almaty : At least seven miners were killed and 23 were missing after a methane gas explosion ripped through a mine in central Kazakhstan Friday.
The Abaiskaya mine is one of Kazakhstan's eight mines owned by the world's largest steel-maker, Luxembourg-based Arcelor Mittal.
The Interfax news agency said the explosion occurred at the Abaiskaya mine in the central Karaganda region around 9:30 a.m. local time (0330 GMT) when 191 miners were working underground.
‘Avatar’ wilts under Maoist strike in Nepal
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : Hollywood director James Cameron's globally-hyped new sci-fi epic "Avatar", that rockets a paralysed ex-Marine into a battle of the worlds on a distant moon, has run into an unexpected enemy in Nepal -- a mammoth general strike called by the republic's former Maoist guerrillas.
20 killed as trains collide in Belgium
By DPA,
Brussels : Twenty people died Monday morning and an unknown number were injured as two passenger trains collided head-on in the Belgian town of Halle, local media reported.
Flemish broadcaster VRT and the Belga news service cited the mayor of Halle as the source of the figures. The mayor's office could not confirm the report when contacted by DPA.
Earlier, police said that the two commuter trains rammed one another head-on approximately one kilometre from Halle station. Police spoke of several people being "heavily injured", but were unable to give further details.
Kazakhstan to flood mine where 30 people died in blast
By RIA Novosti
Astana : The Abaiskaya mine in central Kazakhstan where 30 people were killed in a methane blast three days ago is being flooded, the country's emergencies ministry said on Monday.
Of the 191 miners in the pit when the explosion went off at 9:30 a.m. local time (3:30 a.m. GMT) on Friday, 161 have been rescued. Seven bodies were recovered, and the search for the remaining 23 missing miners was broken off on Sunday.
Operations to pump water into the mine's conveyer and ventilation shafts were launched on Sunday to prevent the fire from spreading.
Sobhraj ties the knot
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : On Wednesday, when Nepal celebrated the culmination of its biggest Hindu festival Dashain, non-Hindu Charles Gurmukh Sobhraj too had a reason to rejoice after tying the knot with his 20-year-old Nepali fiancée Nihita Biswas after a tumultuous courtship marked by media glare and controversy.
Norway’s biggest quake hits Svalbard archipelago
By SPA
Oslo : An earthquake of 6.2 magnitude -- the biggest in Norwegian history -- jolted the sparsely
populated Svalbard archipelago in the Arctic on Wednesday night, the Norsar seismic research institute said on Thursday.
"This is the biggest earthquake on Norwegian territory in history," the institute said in a statement.
"The earthquake happened at sea about 10 km (six miles) below the surface, and was felt strongly in (the Norwegian town of) Longyearbyen."
Russia creates special force to combat terrorism
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Russia has created a special task force to combat crime and terrorism in the north Caucasus region, the Kremlin said Wednesday.
President Dmitry Medvedev ordered the creation of the unit, which would be operational from April 19.
The president also ordered officials to prepare a new programme to combat crime and terrorist acts in the region.
The orders were given after an emergency meeting convened by Medvedev in response to terrorist attacks in Moscow and Dagestan that killed more than 50 people last week.
African Union suspends Mali from its membership
By IANS,
Addis Ababa : The African Union (AU) Friday suspended Mali from its membership after Malian soldiers announced they have taken power in the country.
Statue of Liberty evacuated after fire scare
By IANS,
New York : Visitors were evacuated from the Statue of Liberty here Wednesday after a fire scare.
Officials said an elevator motor inside the statue's pedestal overheated and started smoking about 1:30 p.m. local time, Xinhua reported.
There were no reports of injuries or damage to the statue.
U.S. experts start disabling nuclear facilities in DPRK
By Xinhua
Washington : The United States said on Monday that its experts have started working to disable nuclear facilities in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).
A team of U.S. nuclear experts had arrived at Yongbyon, north of Pyongyang, where DPRK's sole functioning nuclear reactor is situated and begun the work of disabling the facilities, deputy State Department spokesman Tom Casey told reporters.
"This is a positive first step in the process and we certainly hope to see it continue," Casey said.
Quake jolts Japanese islands, tsunami warning issued
By DPA,
Tokyo : A 7.4-magnitude earthquake shook a chain of Japanese islands early Wednesday, forcing the Meteorological Agency to issue a tsunami warning.
Government, ethnic groups close to agreement in Nepal
By DPA
Kathmandu : The Nepalese government and an ethnic group Monday said they were close to clinching a deal to end nearly two weeks of crippling general strike in southern Nepal and to address demands of the ethnic Madhesi community living there.
Leaders of the United Democratic Madhesi Front, which spearheaded the general strike in the southern plains known as Terai, said most of the issues had been resolved.
North Korea restarts operations at n-complex
By IANS,
Pyongyang: North Korea Tuesday said it has decided to restart operations at the Nyongbyon nuclear complex.
Chinese culture minister visits Taiwan
By DPA,
Taipei : China's culture minister arrived in Taiwan Thursday for a week-long visit, signalling further warming in the island's relations with its bitter rival.
Cai Wu became the highest-ranking Chinese official to visit Taiwan in 12 years, a trip made possible after the two sides began mending fences in 2008 and started a series of exchanges and cooperation programmes.
"I hope my visit can further promote cross-strait cultural exchanges and peaceful development," Cai said.
Putin nominates financial monitor Zubkov for prime minister
By RIA Novosti
Moscow : Russian President Vladimir Putin nominated Wednesday the head of the country's financial regulator, Viktor Zubkov, for the post of prime minister.
The lower house of parliament could vote in the new premier Friday, State Duma Speaker Boris Gryzlov said.
Zubkov heads the Federal Financial Monitoring Service, and comes as an unexpected candidate following widely circulating rumours that First Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov would take the post.
Ukrainian president dissolves parliament, calls snap elections
By RIA Novosti,
Kiev : Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko dissolved parliament on Wednesday evening and announced snap elections in the country.
The step was taken due to a failure by members of parliament to form a new ruling coalition.
Yushchenko, currently on a visit to Italy, announced the former Soviet republic's third general elections in less than three years during a pre-recorded speech on national television. No date was set for the polls.
Black pope “possible” after Obama`s White House win
By ANTARA News,
Turin, Italy : Barack Obama's victory in the US presidential vote marks a "great step forward for humanity" that could be mirrored with the election of a black pope, according to a top US Roman Catholic cleric.
"If Obama at the White House is like the first time man (stepped on) the moon, then it can certainly happen at the threshold of St Peter's," the Archbishop of Atlanta, Wilton Daniel Gregory, was quoted as saying in an interview published Thursday in an Italian newspaper.
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.
US may give lethal weapons to Syrian rebels: Report
By IANS,
Washington: The US is considering providing lethal weapons to Syrian opposition forces and a decision is expected within weeks, a media report said Wednesday.
Myanmar builds first liver transplant hospital
By IANS,
Yangon : Myanmar is building its first-ever liver transplant hospital, a media report said Sunday.
Fire kills 14 at German workshop for disabled
By IANS,
Berlin: At least 14 people died and seven injured in southern Germany after a fire broke out at a workshop, having disabled people as employees, police said Monday.
Clinton, Obama to Challenge Michigan
Washington,Jan 9 (Prensa Latina) After her victory in the New Hampshire primaries, presidential aspirant Hillary Clinton will try to win in the Michigan elections on January 15, to break the tie with Senator Barack Obama.
Clinton, whom polls had placed below her fellow Democrat in the north-eastern state, had 39 percent of votes, against the Afro-American senator's 37 percent.
After her defeat in Iowa on Thursday, she changed her electoral speech, in an attempt to dazzle young voters, considered key pieces in that state.
Death toll in China floods rises to 40
By Xinhua,
Kunming (China) : The death toll from floods and landslides caused by heavy rains in China's southwestern Yunnan province rose to 40 Wednesday, the provincial government said.
According to the provincial civil affairs department, six people were missing and at least 42 injured in the disaster as of Wednesday.
The province witnessed insistent rain after it was struck by the remnants of tropical storm Kammuri Thursday. At least 11 prefectures and cities in the province bear the brunt of the disaster that affected more than 1.25 million people.
Poland urges NATO countries to back Ukraine’s membership bid
By RIA Novosti
Kiev : Poland has called on members of the North Atlantic alliance to support Ukraine's request to join the NATO Membership Action Plan (MAP), the Polish foreign minister said on Saturday.
In mid-January, Ukraine sent NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer a formal letter, requesting consideration of Ukraine's bid to launch its NATO Membership Action Plan.
Release all political prisoners, end curbs on freedom of expression in Kashmir: Amnesty India
TCN News
Amnesty International India on Thursday called for the immediate release of all political prisoners marking the first anniversary of abrogation of Article 370...
Canada’s Ahmadiyya Muslims condemn attacks in Mumbai
By IANS,
Toronto : The Ahmadiyya Muslim community in Canada has condemned the "heinous and cowardly acts of terrorism" in Mumbai, which left at least 148 people dead and over 327 injured.
The attacks against India go against the teachings of Islam, community leaders said in a statement.
"There can be no justification for the taking of innocent lives and the infliction of violence and terror upon (defenceless) civilians, no matter what the pretext," said Lal Khan Malik, president of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community in Canada.
Swift keen on buying house in London
By IANS,
Los Angeles: Singer Taylor Swift is reportedly planning to buy a house in London because she has fallen in love with the place.
We cannot ‘corroborate’ death of IS No. 2: US
Washington : The US Central Command has said that it cannot "corroborate" the death of the second-in-command of the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group,...
Hounded by office stares – someone maybe gossipping about you
By IANS,
London: Do you wonder why your colleagues keep staring at you? Lingering stares in office may be a sign that you are being targeted by malicious gossip or wagging tongues.
Australian PM supports U.S. bailout plan
By Xinhua,
Canberra : Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said on Monday the 700 billion U.S. dollars (845 billion Aust dollars) financial market bailout plan should be supported to stabilize the world's largest economy.
U.S. legislators finally struck a deal over the weekend for the bailout proposal for the U.S. financial system to avert the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s.
Senior police officer killed in Ingushetia in North Caucasus
By RIA Novosti,
Nazran : A senior police officer has been killed in an attack by unidentified assailants in the North Caucasus Republic of Ingushetia, the republic interior ministry said on Sunday.
Magomed Batkhoyev, who headed the ministry's department for struggle against the illegal trade in narcotic drugs, was driving a Volga car in Nazran when unidentified assailants opened fire at him on Sunday afternoon. Batkhoyev died of wounds on his way to hospital while his wife, who was also in the car, was hospitalized with gunshot wounds of various gravity, the ministry said.
Georgia slams Russia for lifting sanctions on Abkhazia
By RIA Novosti
Tbilisi (Georgia) : Georgia has denounced Russia's decision to lift sanctions from Georgia's breakaway republic of Abkhazia as illegal.
"This is an immoral and illegal decision. A serious provocation aimed at destabilising the situation in the Caucasus that will lead to an unpredictable development of events," President Mikheil Saakashvili said Friday.
Death toll in Nepal bus crash now 20, seven Indians identified
Kathmandu/New Delhi: The death toll in Monday's bus accident in Gothibang in Nepal increased to 20 Tuesday, and seven of them have been identified...
Australia should join region’s arms race : PM
By DPA,
Sydney : Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said Wednesday Australia needed more naval power to protect the country's borders in response to a military build up in the Asia Pacific region.
"We must as a matter of priority start to rebuild those skill deficits in our Navy," Rudd told reporters when asked to clarify his warning Tuesday that there was an arms race in the region and Australia needed to beef up its defence force in response.
The prime minister told a meeting of old soldiers that in the Asia Pacific "we see a substantial arms' build-up over time."
Myanmar court postpones verdict on Aung San Suu Kyi
By DPA,
Yangon : A Myanmar court Friday postponed until Aug 11 its verdict on opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and three others charged with breaking the terms of her house arrest, officials said.
"The judges said they needed more time to review the laws," said a government official who attended the trial at a special court set up in Insein prison. The session lasted only 10 minutes.
Foreign diplomats, including representatives from the US, British and German embassies, attended the trial which was expected to issue a guilty verdict on Suu Kyi, 64.
Teenager arrested in Netherlands over cyber attacks for WikiLeaks
By DPA,
The Hague : A 16-year-old suspected hacker has been arrested in the Netherlands for allegedly having attacked the websites of Mastercard and Visa, Dutch authorities said.
Iowa carries traditional political weight to 2008 presidential race
By Xinhua
Washington : Over 300 million Americans and more around the world are closely watching a U.S. Midwestern state with a size of no more than 150,000 square meters and population of less than 3 million where the primaries of the 2008 presidential elections started.
A total of eight Democrats and seven Republicans who are vying for 2008 presidential candidacy gathered there to grasp the last minute to recruit more votes, while media and political observers are searching for clues that can show who is most likely to win.
Summit of Mekong River countries kicks off
By DPA
Bangkok : The third summit of the six-nation Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) group, connected by the Mekong River, was officially launched Sunday morning in land-locked Lao capital Vientiane, Radio Laos reported.
The bloc comprises Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.
It was established in 1992 to promote economic and social development, irrigation and cooperation within the six countries linked by the 4,200-km river.
Passenger ferry sinks in central Philippines
By DPA,
Manila : A passenger ferry with more than 800 people on board sank after it ran ground off a central Phililippine island, local officials said Sunday.
The ill-fated MV Princess of the Stars suffered engine trouble and was battered by huge waves and strong winds spawned by typhoon Fengshen while navigating in the seas of Sibuyan island Saturday.
A local town mayor told news network ABS-CBN that some dozens of bodies have been recovered. But the report has not yet been confirmed.
Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg to visit India next week
New Delhi: Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg will be visiting India next week to attend a summit.
Zuckerberg will also meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, according...
Brazilian president slams excommunications over minor’s abortion
By IANS,
Rio de Janeiro : Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has criticised a Catholic archbishop for excommunicating the mother of a nine-year-old girl who had an abortion after being raped by her stepfather, EFE reported Saturday.
Gomes Sobrinho, the archbishop of Olinda and Recife, has also excommunicated the doctors who had performed the abortion on the girl, who was 15 weeks pregnant, with twins.
"As a Christian and a Catholic, I deeply regret that a bishop has had such conservative behaviour," Lula said.
China cancels may 1 plan to reopen Tibet, official
By ANTARA News/AFP,
Beijing : China has abandoned plans to reopen riot-hit Tibet to tourists on May 1, a tourism official in the Himalayan region said Thursday, amid reports of simmering tension there.
Asked whether the reopening for foreign and domestic tourists had been postponed, a Tibet Tourism Bureau official told AFP by phone: "Yes, because conditions are not ripe for it."
The man, who refused to give his name but said he was director of the bureau`s main Lhasa office, said a new date had not yet been set.
Pirates were exemplars of democracy: study
By IANS
London : Swashbuckling Johnny Depp might have lent an irresistible romantic halo to sea pirates, whose exploits he vividly brought to life on the big screen. But a daring, yet well-researched, new study has touted them as exemplars of democracy.
In "An-arrgh-chy: The Law and Economics of Pirate Organisation", Peter Leeson explores the fascinating "golden age" of these outlaws during the late 17th and early 18th centuries.
China, US to hold 5th round of strategic dialogue
By Xinhua
Beijing : China and the US will hold the fifth round of strategic dialogue here Jan 17-18, foreign ministry spokesperson Jiang Yu said here Thursday.
Dai Bingguo, Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister and John Negroponte, US Deputy Secretary of State will co-chair the dialogue, Jiang said at a press conference.
"The two sides will continue to have an in-depth exchange of the views on Sino-US relations and the international and regional issues of common concerns based on the previous four dialogues," she said.
London saddles up for nude bike race
By RIA Novosti
London : Cyclists in Britain and around the world are gearing up to celebrate the fourth World Naked Bike Ride (WNBR), in protest against global oil dependency.
Spanish artist Pablo Palazuelo dead
By IANS
Madrid : Spanish painter and sculptor Pablo Palazuelo died Wednesday in Madrid at the age of 90.
Immediately after the news of his death, Spanish Culture Minister Cesar Antonio Molina said Palazuelo was "one of the most important figures in abstract art of the second half of the 20th century" and that his death constitutes "a great loss for the world", Spanish news agency EFE reported.
Palazuelo, born Oct 6, 1916, studied architecture in Madrid and later at Oxford before deciding to fully devote himself to painting in 1939.
Emerald brooch of Russian empress sold for over $1.6 mn
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
New York : A diamond and emerald brooch owned by Empress Catherine II the Great of Russia went under the hammer for more than $1.6 million at a Christie's auction.
The imperial gem was bought by an anonymous phone bidder, for the price which exceeded the pre-sale estimate of $1-$1.5 million.
The unique item is made of silver-topped gold, and combines a hexagonal-cut Colombian emerald of exceptional quality weighing between 60 and 70 carats and three rows of rose and old mine cut diamonds.
Zimbabwean opposition leader elected parliament speaker
By Xinhua,
Harare : Zimbabwean opposition party Monday won the vote for speaker of the first parliament since the disputed election in March, according to agencies.
Lovemore Moyo of the main opposition the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) won 110 votes, dealing a blow to President Robert Mugabe in a post-election power struggle, reports said.
Zimbabwean parliament convened Monday despite a deadlock in power-sharing negotiations to end a post-election crisis.
Repatriation of Sudanese Refugees Restarted
By Prensa Latina
United Nations : Repatriation of Sudanese refugees from Ethiopia was restarted Tuesday after two months of interruption because of bureaucratic problems, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees reported.
A caravan transferring 605 Sudanese citizens from the camp of Bonga, most of them under 18 years of age, will reach the Sudanese state of Blue Nile Tuesday.
The UN organization said this movement is the first since December 29, and it is hopeful it leads to regular movement of repatriation.
Party capital heaves sigh of relief – except for strippers
By DPA
Prague : A young stripper wearing braids and a skimpy black outfit has a bored, blank stare as she sits slouched on the backrest of a chocolate-brown leather club chair.
While only two years ago her workplace - a dim red-lit strip club in the historical heart of Prague - would be already crowded with British revellers, during last week its high-heeled personnel clearly outnumbered the clients.
Disagreements exist concerning EU treaty after foreign ministers meet
By XinhuaÂ
Luxembourg : Foreign ministers of the European Union (EU) said disagreements on some key issues still exist concerning a new EU treaty after their night talks here on Sunday.
    Speaking to reporters following the night discussions, Portuguese Foreign Minister Luis Amado said that "on some key points, we have (made progress), but on some others, we did not."
    "I believe the German (EU) presidency will be able to tackle these," he added.
China considers amending election law for better representation
By Xinhua
Beijing : China's parliament is considering amendment to the election law to give equal representation to rural and urban residents, said a parliament spokesman here Tuesday.
"Given the increasing urbanization in China, the present election law needs amending," said Jiang Enzhu, spokesman for the first session of the National People's Congress (NPC), at a press conference.
According to the present election law, the number of people a rural NPC member or deputy represents is four times the number of people an urban deputy does.
Sri Lanka’s ruling party records landslide victory
By DPA,
Colombo : Sri Lanka's ruling party Friday recorded a landslide victory in local polls, further strengthening President Mahinda Rajapaksa's grip on power.
Senior citizens maltreated by family members, others
By IANS,
Washington : Nearly 13 percent of America's senior citizens suffer verbal, fianancial or physical maltreatment at the hands of family members and others, according to a study.
The research was conducted by a team led by Edward O. Laumann at the University of Chicago and based on interviews with over 3,000 residents aged 57 to 85.
"The population of the country is aging, and people now live with chronic diseases longer. So it's important to understand, from a health perspective, how people are being treated as they age," Laumann said.
Food security, biofuels top G8 agriculture talks
By DPA,
Cison di Valmarino (Italy): Ensuring global food security, and the role played by biofuels in curbing harmful climate change dominated talks Saturday during the first-ever meeting of agriculture ministers from the Group of Eight (G8) countries.
During the first two sessions of talks, which are scheduled to run until April 20, ministers from the world's most powerful economies shared the view that "something must be done" to safeguard food supplies threatened by sudden price hikes and speculation, Italian Agriculture Minister Luca Zaia said.
Ukraine detains 12 riot police officers
Kiev : Ukrainian authorities have detained 12 riot police officers on suspicion of involvement in the deaths of protestors in Kiev during the recent...
Fire destroys Sikh temple in Washington state
By IANS,
Washington: A Sikh temple and school that was under construction in Vancouver in Washington state has been burned to the ground in an early morning fire, according to a media report.
EU Commissioner Frattini resigns to take up new post in Italy
By KUNA,
Brussels : Franco Frattini, Vice-President of the European Commission (EC) responsible for justice, freedom and security, has resigned to take up his new post as Italys foreign minister.
EC spokesman Johannes Laitenberger told a news conference here Thursday that Frattini has accepted to join the new Italian government as a foreign minister and submitted his resignation to the Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso. The current EU transport Commisisoner Jacques Barrot of France will replace Frattini and an Italian will get the transport portfolio in the EC instead.
Plane carrying 180 passengers crashes in Sudan
By DPA,
Khartoum/Nairobi : A plane carrying about 180 passengers crashed while landing in the Sudanese capital Khartoum, reports said late Tuesday evening.
Pictures from Sudanese television showed flaming wreckage and firefighters desperately battling the blaze.
New Taiwan President for China Links
By Prensa Latina,
Taipei : Taiwan president-elect Ma Ying-jeou said he was in favor of thawing relations with China after eight years of tensions due to the current Taiwanese administrations separatist policy.
Ma stated in this capital that the first step was made with the meeting held between the vice president elect, Vincent Diew, and the Chinese President, Hu Jintao, during the Boao Forum for Asia 2008 in Hainan Island last weekend.
Chinese missiles can hit US bases in Asia
By IANS,
Washington: China can hit five out of six US bases in Asia with a wave of missiles in the event of a military confrontation, a US Congressional report says.
Australia spurns US request to take Guantanamo inmates
By DPA,
Sydney : Australia rejected Saturday a formal request from the US to resettle Chinese nationals currently detained in the Guantanamo Bay military prison.
The Australian newspaper said Prime Minister Kevin Rudd had been urged by Beijing not to take the 17 former terror suspects who are ethnic Uyghurs.
President George W. Bush is reluctant to let China take the Uyghurs for fear they would be tortured or even executed.
Rail accident victim in Malaysia identified as Indian
Kuala Lumpur: Police confirmed the man who was run over by the Express Rail Link (ERL) near an interchange station in Malaysia, was an...
Religions unite to protest with holy water and incense in Hong Kong
By Antonio Broto,
Hong Kong : Pro-democracy activists have built a small church and a Buddhist temple with rubble and recycled material in the Hong...
Lively’s ex-boyfriend happy for her
By IANS,
Los Angeles: Actress Blake Lively's ex boyfriend actor Penn Badgley is happy for her and newlywed husband actor Ryan Reynolds.
Larsen and Toubro in pact with Russian firm for nuclear plants
By IANS,
Mumbai : Indian diversified conglomerate Larsen and Toubro (L&T) has further expanded its footprint in the nuclear power space, signing a pact with a Russian nuclear energy major to design and develop reactors for the Indian market, including four at Kudankulam in Tamil Nadu.
L&T had earlier signed similar pacts with Westinghouse Electric of the US and Atomic Energy of Canada.
2,000-year-old Roman ship found
By IANS/AKI,
Genoa : The remains of a 2,000-year-old Roman merchant ship has been found in Italy.
End of an era as Nepal celebrates Republic Day
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : "We will never forget our immortal martyrs," sang hundreds of voices in Kathmandu's biggest public park, marking the end of an era as Nepal's 239-year monarchy gave way to a federal democracy with the birth of the world's newest republic.
"We have been awaiting this day for years," said Radha Gyawali, newly sworn in member of the historic constituent assembly, whose Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist had in the past spearheaded a signature campaign against the members of the royal family who committed excesses.
Hurricane Dean strengthens, Mexico declares emergency
By DPA
Washington : Hurricane Dean picked up strength in the Caribbean as forecasters upgraded it to a major category four storm with winds of 232 km per hour.
Mexican officials Friday declared a state of emergency in the Caribbean region.
The centre of the storm had passed south of the Virgin Islands, the National Hurricane Centre in Florida reported. The Dominican Republic and Guadeloupe were still under hurricane warning, the centre said.
Earlier in the day, Dean blew between the islands of Saint Lucia and Martinique.
Obama begins European tour with visit to Germany
By DPA,
Dresden : US President Barack Obama arrived in the eastern German city of Dresden Thursday evening for a 24-hour visit that will see him meet Chancellor Angela Merkel and tour
the former Nazi concentration camp of Buchenwald.
During his second visit to Germany in 10 weeks, Obama will also view some of Dresden's cultural highlights and visit a US military hospital to meet American soldiers wounded in combat.
Asean sponsors conference on Myanmar cyclone
By Xinhua,
Jakarta : The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) has agreed to sponsor an international conference to boost global commitment to assist Myanmar in mitigating the impact of deadly cyclone Nargis.
The conference to be attended by representatives from the international community would be held in Yangon May 23, Antara news agency Tuesday quoted Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda as saying.
"The detailed plan for the conference is still under discussion," the minister said in an interview with Antara Monday.
Russia, US to hold anti-terror drill
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Vladivostok : The Russian and US navies will hold joint anti-terrorism exercises in late October near the Mariana Islands, east of the Philippine Sea, an official said.
Five kids killed in Russia house fire
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Six people, five of them children aged between 18 months and seven years, died in a fire in Russia's Krasnoyarsk territory, officials said Sunday.
Sri Lanka accuses Canada of misusing voluntary funds
Colombo : The Sri Lankan government Tuesday accused the Canadian government of using its voluntary funds to the Commonwealth Secretariat as a political tool...
Brown holds talks with Iraqi premier on hostage video
By DPA
London : British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has discussed with his Iraqi counterpar, Nouri al-Maliki the airing of a video apparently showing a British hostage held in Iraq, a British government spokesman said here Wednesday.
The spokesman said Brown spoke to al-Maliki over phone Wednesday and both "deplored the taking and public parading of hostages and agreed to continue their close cooperation to secure their early release".
Larry King ends 25-year stint as CNN interviewer
By IANS,
Los Angeles : Larry King's record-breaking run as prime-time talk-show host ends Thursday night as he hangs up his suspenders after 25 years on CNN.
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.
China’s quake orphans take part in Olympic torch relay
By Xinhua,
Wanzhou (China) : An American foundation working for orphans in China said Sunday 50 children who lost their parents in the devastating May 12 earthquake were taking part in the Olympic torch relay in Sichuan province.
Jenny Bowen, executive president of Half the Sky Foundation, said she was running a leg in Sunday's Wanzhou relay in Sichuan's Chongqing municipality for the children.
Obama or McCain? – A poll watcher’s guide to the finish line
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain's final race for the magic figure of 270 electoral votes begins Tuesday with over 200 million Americans straddling nine time zones going to the polls over 19 hours.
The polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. (local) in each of the 50 states and the capital city of Washington DC with a total of 538 electoral votes based on their population. Under America's winner take all system followed by all but two states, the one who gets the most popular votes takes all its electoral votes.
New Transneft head against Siberia pipeline project speedup
By RIA Novosti
Moscow : The new head of Transneft, the company managing the construction of an oil pipeline from East Siberia to the Pacific Ocean, is opposed to the speedup of the project, a business daily said on Monday.
Spain to offer movies to US libraries, universities
By IANS/EFE,
Miami : Spain will provide its films to US libraries and educational institutions to promote teaching of the language.
German parliament to take up case of alleged CIA killer commandos
By IRNA,
Berlin : The domestic affairs committee of the German parliament is to deal with the issue of alleged CIA death squads in Germany when it meets on January 27, news reports said Thursday.
The topic will be placed on the agenda following a request by the fraction of The Left party (Die Linke), the chairman of the German parliament's domestic affairs committee, Wolfgang Bosbach was quoted saying.
Clinton focuses on North Korea during Japan trip
By DPA,
Tokyo : The world's two largest economies presented a united front toward North Korea Tuesday during a visit to Tokyo by US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, agreeing to apply more pressure to force the dictatorship to give up its nuclear weapons programme.
"We must advance our efforts to secure the complete and verifiable denuclearization of North Korea," Clinton said, adding that North Korea's threats to test fire a long-range missile would "be very unhelpful."
Another group calls for shutdown in Nepal’s Terai
By IANS,
Kathmandu : With less than 80 days left for the promulgation of a new constitution in Nepal, the nascent republic went on the boil once again Saturday with its Tharu community, believed to be the descendants of the Buddha, going on the warpath.
Eight Tharu organisations have called a shutdown of nearly one-third of Nepal's 75 districts in the volatile Terai plains Sunday to show their opposition to the major parties' plans to carve up the Terai in one or a couple of states when the country is restructured.
Half of world’s poorest countries can escape poverty by 2020 – UN
By IRNA,
Tehran : Half the world’s 48 least developed countries (LDCs) can “graduate” out of their impoverished status within 10 years, according to a United Nations report released Wednesday.
French presidential election kicks off
By IANS,
Paris : The first round of the 2012 French presidential election kicked off in France Sunday.
U.S. uncertain missile shield deal can be reached in S.Russia
By RIA Novosti
Washington : The U.S. and Russia may not resolve their European missile shield dispute at an upcoming meeting in Sochi between the presidents, but will continue working on the issue, a White House official said.
The U.S. intends to deploy 10 interceptor missiles in Poland and a radar in the Czech Republic citing a threat from Iran and other "rogue states," while Russia views these plans as a destabilizing factor for Europe and a threat to its national security.
Orchid Chemicals completes business transfer to Hospira
By IANS,
Chenna: City-based Orchid Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals Ltd Tuesday announced the completion of sale and transfer of its generic injectable finished dosage business to Hospira Healthcare India Pvt Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hospira Inc, US.
Orchid Chemicals and Hospira had signed a business transfer agreement last December to sell its injectibles business, the manufacturing complex, research and development facility at Irungattukottai near here along with employees for $400 million.
Abbas, Kerry discuss ceasefire in Gaza
Ramallah: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Thursday urged US Secretary of State John Kerry to work jointly to ensure a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip,...
Over 30 rebels killed in Sri Lanka clashes
By DPA
Colombo : More than 30 Tamil rebels were killed in three separate confrontations in northern Sri Lanka, where fighting has escalated over the past two months, a military spokesman in Colombo said Thursday.
Fighting broke out between troops and rebels close to a major irrigation project in Mannar, 290 km north of the capital, Thursday after rebels made an attempt to infiltrate into an area controlled by the security forces, the spokesman said.
Obama, Medvedev meet before signing arms control treaty
By DPA,
Prague : US President Barack Obama and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev met at Prague Castle in the Czech capital Thursday for the signing of a new nuclear arms reduction pact.
The two leaders are set to ink a pact under which their countries would be obliged to reduce their nuclear arsenals. The deal is to replace the expired 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) if ratified by the US Senate and Russian Duma.
The presidents posed for photographs in the castle's sunlit gardens and proceeded to hold bilateral talks before the signing ceremony.
Brazilian aircraft carrier catches fire; 1 dead
By IANS/EFE,
Rio de Janeiro : One sailor died and two suffered burns in a fire Wednesday aboard the aircraft carrier Sao Paulo, the only warship of its type in Brazil's navy, officials said.
US trade deficit drops to lowest in nine years
By Xinhua,
Washington : The US trade deficit fell by 28.3 percent in February to $25.97 billion, the lowest since November 1999, the commerce department reported Thursday.
This marked a record seventh straight month of trade deficit decline in the country. Analysts had been expecting the trade imbalance to narrow to $36.4 billion.
US exports of goods and services unexpectedly increased by 1.6 percent in February to $126.76 billion, the first increase after six straight monthly declines.
Three militants killed in Pakistan shootout
Islamabad: Three militants were killed in a shootout with security forces in Pakistan’s Balochistan province, media reported on Sunday.
According to security sources, the Frontier...
U.S. envoy to discuss N.Korea nuclear problem in China
By RIA Novosti
Beijing : The U.S. envoy to the six-nation talks on North Korea's nuclear program set off for Beijing on Thursday for a two-day visit, the Chinese Foreign Ministry announced on Thursday.
Ministry spokesperson Jiang Yu said Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill would hold consultations with Deputy Foreign Minister Wu Dawei on issues relating to the talks involving the two Koreas, China, the United States, Russia and Japan.
Ministry spokesperson Jiang Yu said Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill would hold consultations with Deputy Foreign Minister Wu Dawei on issues relating to the talks involving the two Koreas, China, the United States, Russia and Japan.
Plane with 1,400 kg of cocaine seized in Honduras
By DPA,
Tegucigalpa : Honduran police seized a small plane with 1,400 kg of cocaine in the northwest department of Colon, local media reported.
Radio HRN quoted an unnamed officer of the drug enforcement bureau Sunday as identifying the plane as a twin-engine Cessna 441 registered in Venezuela.
Colon is one of the Honduran zones utilised for transporting illegal drugs by air, sea and land from South America to markets in the north, especially the US.
On Jan 8, another Venezuela-registered plane was seized on the nearby Caribbean island of Utila with 1,500 kg of cocaine.
Snubbed Sikh wins race case against Manchester police
By IANS
London : A Sikh policeman who was refused a dozen applications to join the police force in his home town is set to receive a five-figure compensation for racial discrimination.
Sangram Singh Bhacker, who comes from Manchester, about 320 km from here, had been trying to join his home city's police force for 18 years but was turned down despite having served five other police forces in England.
Maldives headed towards presidential system
Male, Aug 19 (IANS) Maldives is headed towards a presidential system of government, early trends of results of Saturday's historic referendum in the Indian Ocean nation show.
Over 62,700 votes have gone in favour of a presidential system as against around 31,300 votes for a Westminster-style multiparty democracy, according to trends available at 9.30 a.m. India time Sunday.
Germany to review youth crime laws after attacks
Berlin, Jan 2 (DPA) Germany is considering tougher juvenile crime laws following a brutal attack by two immigrant youths in Munich, government spokesman Ulrich Wilhelm said in Berlin Wednesday.
"There is without any doubt a problem with highly aggressive repeat offenders," he told reporters.
The third attack in two weeks by youths on passengers in the Munich underground train system has catapulted juvenile delinquency to the top of government agenda, with politicians calling for boot camps for the offenders.
Sweden world’s best place for mothers: Report
By Xinhua,
Stockholm : Sweden has been described as "the best place to be a mother” by a US-based charity organisation in a report assessing the well being of mothers around the world.
The report, released Tuesday by Save the Children aid agency, illustrates where mothers fare best and where they face the greatest hardship.
The organisation has done the assessment taking into consideration such aspects as longevity, drinking water quality, maternity leave allowances, women's political participation and the mortality rate of children under five.
Italians declare 97 bn euros stashed off-shore
By IANS/AKI,
Rome: Italians who stashed money in off-shore bank accounts declared 97 billion euros in the last eight months since the government announced amnesty for tax evaders.
Under a tax-evasion amnesty between September 2009 and April this year, Italians have disclosed their hidden off-shore funds worth 97 billion euros, the Bank of Italy said in a statement Monday.
Non-partisan US report calls for cut in forces in Iraq
By DPA
Washington : A non-partisan report to be released Sunday in Washington calls for US forces in Iraq to be cut by half by 2010 and proposes United Nations-led continuous negotiations among leaders of Iraqi factions, modelled on the Bosnian peace talks of the 1990s.
The panel that authored the report has links with the Iraq Study Group, the US bipartisan panel that in December 2006 recommended a gradual withdrawal from Iraq. That study was led by former secretary of state James Baker and former congressman Lee Hamilton.
World Wide Web consortium sets up India office
By IANS,
New Delhi: The World Wide Web Consortium's (W3C) India office was inaugurated by Minister of State for Communications and IT Sachin Pilot Thursday.