Prachanda takes charge in people’s name
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : Nepal's Maoist chief Pushpa Kamal Dahal “Prachanda” began a new chapter in the federal democratic republic's history Monday by assuming oath of office and secrecy as prime minister in the name of the people and not God.
UN report says US dollar is unreliable for foreign currency reserve
New York, June 30, IRNA -- The dollar is an unreliable international currency and should be replaced by a more stable system, the United Nations Economic and Social Council said in a report.
"The dollar has proved not to be a stable store of value, which is a requisite for a stable reserve currency," the report said.
Many countries, in Asia in particular, have been building up massive dollar reserves. As a result, those countries' currencies have become undervalued, decreasing their ability to import goods from abroad.
Strong earthquake hits eastern Indonesia
By Xinhua
Jakarta : A powerful earthquake measuring 6.0 on the Richter scale rocked north Sulawesi province in eastern part of Indonesia Tuesday but there were no tsunami warning or immediate report of casualty or damages.
According to the Meteorology and Geophysics Agency, the quake struck at 10.37 a.m. with the epicentre 138 km southeast Bitung town of the province and at 35 km under seabed, an official of the agency Rahma Baharuddin said.
"The quake is not potential for tsunami," she said.
Five killed as helicopter used by Bolivian president crashes
By IANS,
La Paz : Four Venezuelan pilots and a Bolivian were killed when a helicopter that was used hours earlier by Bolivian President Evo Morales crashed in central Bolivia, EFE news agency reported Tuesday quoting Defence Minister Walker San Miguel.
The Super Puma helicopter belonging to Venezuelan Air Force crashed Sunday night near Colomi, a town in Cochabamba province, Miguel said in a press conference here Monday.
The helicopter was going from Cochabamba a Cobija in the Amazonian province of Pando, about 1,232 kilometres north of La Paz.
South Korean President names three new ministers
By SPA,
Seoul, South Korea : South Korea's President named new ministers of welfare, agriculture and education Monday in his first government revamping, one month after his entire Cabinet offered to quit over a beef import deal with Washington, the Associated Press reported.
Lee Myung-bak tapped Jang Tae-pyoung, a former agriculture ministry official, to take over the ministry, and named ruling party lawmaker Jeon Jae-hee as head of the welfare
ministry, presidential spokesman Lee Dong-kwan said.
US slaps sanctions on Iran’s petrochemical industry
By IANS,
Washington: The US government has slapped sanctions on Iran's petrochemical industry as part of its efforts to intensify the squeeze on Tehran's economy.
Comminist Party of Nepal gains half seats of CA direct poll
By Xinhua,
Kathmandu : Data from the website of Election Commission (EC) of Nepal at Monday noon showed that the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) (CPN-M) has bagged half seats of the Constituent Assembly (CA) election through direct elections.
The updated data showed that CPN-M has won 120 seats out of the total 240 selected under the first-past-the-post (FPTP) electoral system, while Nepali Congress (NC) has won 37, the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) (CPN-UML) won 32 and Madhesi People's Rights Forum (MPRF) got 29.
Nurses accused of killing 16 in Uruguay hospitals
By IANS/EFE,
Montevideo : Uruguayan authorities tried Monday to calm people following an alarm generated by the deaths of 16 patients in two Montevideo hospitals at the hands of two nurses.
Cristina Fernandez re-elected president of Argentina
By IANS,
Buenos Aires : Cristina Fernandez has been re-elected president of Argentine with nearly 53 percent of the votes, officials said.
Obama to sign Venezuela sanctions bill
Washington : US President Barack Obama plans to sign into law a bill expanding sanctions on Venezuelan officials accused of violently oppressing protests against...
Thai soldiers confess to killing Chinese sailors
By IANS,
Beijing : Nine Thai army men have surrendered and confessed to killing 13 Chinese sailors in Thailand earlier this month, the Thai police chief has said.
Protesters shut down Bangkok’s international airport
By DPA,
Bangkok : Anti-government protesters Tuesday forced a temporary closure of departure flights from Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi International Airport, airport officials confirmed.
"Arriving flights are still coming in but we've stopped all departures," said a Suvarnabhumi Airport spokeswoman, who asked to remain anonymous.
The protesters, belonging to the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), laid siege to the airport Tuesday evening as part of their efforts to topple the government by Wednesday.
China seeks Pakistan help to nab six terrorists
By IANS,
Beijing : China wants Pakistan to help arrest six Islamist terrorists whose assets and funds have been frozen.
US missile shield chance to develop region: Polish PM
By DPA,
Warsaw : Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has said the US anti-missile shield is not only a military installation, but a chance to develop a northern Polish province that is to host the base.
Tusk said that residents near the city of Slupsk should feel the shield is also "a chance to develop the region", after he met local government officials from the area Monday.
"Everyone who took part in the meeting believes in the possibility of working together," he told reporters. "We want to unite our efforts, starting from information and ending with money."
Philippine mall bombing toll rises to 11
By DPA
Manila : The death toll in the bombing of an upscale shopping mall in the Philippine capital rose to 11 Sunday as authorities checked reports that an Al Qaeda-linked group was behind the attack, officials said.
A 24-year-old man died in hospital early Sunday from severe injuries from Friday's bomb attack at the Glorietta shopping centre in the financial district of Makati City, while rescuers recovered the body of a 23-year-old female computer programmer late Saturday.
Over 190 dead in Tanzania ferry accident
By IANS,
Dodoma : Over 190 people have been confirmed dead in an accident which took place after a ship capsized near Tanzania's Zanzibar island in the Indian Ocean Saturday.
Tibetan parliament-in-exile speaker sworn in
By IANS,
Dharamsala : Penpa Tsering Tuesday took oath of office as the speaker of the Tibetan parliament-in-exile, an official statement said.
Tsering, a member of Tibetan parliament from Domey province, was sworn-in by Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama at a ceremony held in this Himachal Pradesh hill station.
Tsering replaced Karma Chophel, whose term ended Nov 30.
"Chophel was on the post for two and a half years. Penpa will now hold the position for the remaining half of the five-year term of the 14th parliament-in-exile," said the statement.
Felix becomes powerful category five hurricane
By DPA
Washington : Hurricane Felix has intensified into the most powerful category of storm, threatening Central America and the Caribbean, US forecasters said.
The US National Hurricane Centre in Miami upgraded the storm to category five Sunday and said it would continue to pick up steam at a rapid pace. Warm weather speeded the storm's quick rise to a major hurricane from a tropical storm Saturday.
Felix threatened Jamaica and Grand Cayman, where tropical storm conditions were possible within 36 hours.
US Army shooter shouted Allah-u-Akbar; 13 people killed
By DPA,
Washington : A top US Army official confirmed Friday that the suspect in the killing of at least 13 people at a Texas army base likely shouted "Allah-u-Akbar" (God is great) before opening fire.
Army Lieutenant General Robert Cone, commander of the Fort Hood, Texas, base where the shootings took place Thursday, made the comment in answer to a question from NBC news.
Cone said "there are first hand accounts" to the effect that the suspect, Major Nidal Malik Hasan, had yelled the Muslim religious chant.
Energy saving to be key issue at Hanover Fair
By Jean-Baptiste Piggin, DPA,
Hanover (Germany) : When the Hanover Fair, the world's principal exhibition for industrial machinery, opens next week, one of the principal talking points will be ways to save scarce energy. Machinery that thumps metal, extrudes plastic or pumps air through pipes consumes vast amounts of electricity, and engineers are looking for ways to both cut factory power bills and help fight global warming.
South Africa calls for global assistance for Zimbabwe
By IANS,
Pretoria : South African President Kgalema Motlanthe Thursday called on the international community to come forward and help Zimbabweans rebuild their nation under the newly formed unity government, BuaNews reported.
Motlanthe, who is also the chairman of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) that facilitated the warring political parties of Zimbabwe to agree on a unity government, will visit Harare to witness the swearing in of the new cabinet ministers Friday.
India gives 50 tonnes of roofing sheets to Nepal for reconstruction
Kathmandu : India will give 50 tonnes of galvanised corrugated steel sheets (GC sheets) to earthquake-ravaged Nepal for rehabilitation and reconstruction in the...
Chavez ties Merkel to Hitler ahead of EU-Latin America summit
By DPA,
Caracas : Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has attacked German Chancellor Angela Merkel, comparing her to Adolf Hitler in response to her criticism of the South American leader's policies.
Merkel belongs to the political right, "the same right that supported Hitler, fascism," Chavez said on his television programme
"Alo Presidente" Sunday.
Chavez's remarks came after Merkel said that the left-wing leader is not the voice of the region.
Thirty years on, EU and ASEAN seek stronger partnership
By DPA,
Madrid : The European Union (EU) and the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Wednesday pledged to upgrade their cooperation in order to support each other's integration efforts and to recover from the global crisis.
"We are both evolving very quickly," Brunei Foreign Minister Mohammed Bolkiah said as foreign ministers from the two blocs marked the 30th anniversary of their official relations at a Madrid meeting.
"Europe and South-East Asia need each other maybe more than ever before," Bolkiah said.
Toll rises to 60 in Myanmar shipwreck
Bangkok : Toll in the Friday's shipwreck off the coast of Myanmar's western state of Rakhine has risen to 60, with dozens of people...
Kids with home computers score lower marks
By IANS,
Washington : While education activists worldwide seek to bridge the "digital divide" by ensuring universal access to home computers, students are found to post lower scores once these technologies arrive aat home, says a study.
Jacob Vigdor and Helen Ladd, professors at the Duke University's Sanford School of Public Policy, analysed responses to computer-use questions included on North Carolina's mandated End-of-Grade tests (EOGs).
Russia to supply aid for quake-hit China
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Russia’s emergencies ministry will send two aircraft carrying humanitarian aid to earthquake-hit China Tuesday, the ministry said.
Jailed for 15 years, US woman wants to be pastry chef
By IANS/EFE,
Lima : An American woman, who spent 15 years in a Peruvian prison for helping rebels plan an attack on the parliament, has been granted parole and wants to work as a translator and a pastry chef.
Lori Berenson, 39, a native of New York, was released Tuesday. However, judge Jessica Leon Yarango barred her from leaving Peru and forbade any contact with others convicted of terrorism.
Berenson signed the parole document without raising any objections or consulting her attorney and resisted posing for photographers.
A woman killed every two hours in Brazil
By IANS/EFE,
Rio de Janeiro : A woman is killed every two hours in Brazil and this average puts the country in 12th place among nations registering the most violent deaths of women, a study has said.
Most of the victims are killed by relatives, husbands, boyfriends, former partners or men they rejected, the 2010 Map of Violence study said Tuesday.
Forty percent of women killed in Brazil are between the ages of 18 and 30, and most cases are related to domestic violence, the report prepared by the independent Sangari Institute said.
Lankan troops retake villages close to Elephant Pass
By IANS,
Colombo : Sri Lankan troops fighting their way northwards from the recently captured Tamil Tiger rebel stronghold of Kilinochchi Monday entered the southern end of Elephant Pass and took control of villages lying on the outskirts despite resistance from the rebels, defence ministry said here.
Myanmar protesters in Thailand urge India to act
Bangkok, Sep 27 (DPA) Dozens of protesters Thursday burned an effigy of Senior General Than Shwe - Myanmar's military supremo - outside the Myanmar embassy to Bangkok, while calling on China and India to do more to stop the violence in Yangon.
"We want the Chinese and Indian governments to do something, especially the Indian," said May Zi, a spokesman for the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB), Myanmar's self-styled government in exile.
Putin promises swift probe into Kaczynski plane crash
By DPA,
Moscow : Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has promised a swift probe into the cause of the plane crash that killed Polish President Lech Kaczynski and at least 96 others Saturday.
"We must do everything to help the families and dependants of the victims," Putin told state television following an inspection of the crash site near Smolensk, in western Russia. He also held a minute's silence for the victims there.
Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev had earlier appointed the Kremlin chief as head an official commission of inquiry into the crash.
Rail Service In Thailand’s Southern Border Area Resumes Amid Tight Security
By Bernama,
Hat Yai : Train services in Thailand's restive South resumed early Saturday amid tight security, six days after being suspended as a result of an attack in which three people and a police officer were killed, Thailand News Agency (TNA) reported.
Saturday's first train to the far south, packed with passengers, left Bangkok for Sungai Golok district in Narathiwat province on the Malaysian border, after State Railway of Thailand (SRT)'s staff returned to work as they were satisfied with the security measures.
Bush signs law to remove Mandela’s ‘terrorist’ tag
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : President George W. Bush signed a bill Tuesday removing Nelson Mandela's name from its lists of terrorists - over 14 years after he was elected South Africa's president.
The new law removes from US immigration watch lists the name of the South African leader and others on the list because of a relationship with the African National Congress (ANC), South Africa's ruling party since 1994.
Russia may destabilise other countries too: Kouchner
By DPA,
Paris : French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner voiced fears Wednesday that Russia might destabilise other countries after it recognised two Georgian breakaway regions.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev formally recognised Tuesday the breakaway territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia after Russian lawmakers unanimously passed a resolution to that effect Monday.
Russia had "acted outside international law", Kouchner told French radio station Europe-1. "Other targets" for Russia now could be "the Crimea, Ukraine, Moldova."
Army spokesman: DPRK not to abandon nuclear deterrence
By Xinhua,
Pyongyang : The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) said Monday it would not abandon nuclear deterrence if the United States maintains its troops on the Korean Peninsula at their current level.
A spokesman for the Panmunjom Mission of the Korean People's Army (KPA) made the remarks in a statement carried by the official KCNA news agency after Washington and Seoul agreed to maintain U.S. troops in South Korea at their current level.
Policeman kidnapped in Russia
By IANS,
RIA Novosti,
Moscow: Armed men in masks kidnapped a police officer in Russia's troubled southwestern region of Ingushetia, officials said Friday.
Gunfight continues at Indian consulate in Afghanistan
Kabul: Gunshots continued to ring out Monday at the Indian consulate in Afghanistan's Mazar-e-Sharif city that a group of armed men attacked a day...
Death toll in China train crash rises to 71
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : The death toll from China's worst train crash increased to 71 on Wednesday, with more than 400 injured after two trains smashed into each other in eastern China earlier this week, national media said.
The passenger train bound from Beijing for the resort city of Qingdao derailed on a bend in Zibo in the Shandong province on Monday, sending at least 12 carriages into a ditch, before crashing into a second train, traveling from Shandong's Yantai city to Xuzhou.
Trinidad’s Hanuman fest: Learning from wisdom of monkey god
By Paras Ramoutar
Port of Spain, March 25 (IANS) Trinidad and Tobago is set to host a 'Hanuman Heritage Festival' next month that will include cultural events, religious discourses and a global Hindu conference on the popular monkey god.
"It is aimed to provide a profound and enlightening spiritual experience; to explore and benefit from the...wisdom and devotion of Lord Hanuman for the attainment of a higher level of consciousness," said Swami Brahmadeoji, spiritual leader at the Brahma Vidya Peetham.
Indonesia: Tsunami survivors recovering, but challenges remain
By NNN-IRIN,
Jakarta : Six months after a devastating tsunami struck Indonesia's southern Mentawai Islands, survivors are slowly rebuilding, but huge challenges remain, say aid workers.
Australia’s Aborigines become first-time homeowners
By DPA
Sydney : Residents of the Northern Territory town of Nguiu will become the first Aborigines to own their own homes under a ground-breaking agreement reached between the Australian government and traditional landowners.
UN Assembly President vs. US Blockade
By Tomas Anael Granados Jimenez, Prensa Latina,
United Nations : Nicaraguan Miguel d" Escoto, president of the UN General Assembly, said Tuesday that the economic blockade imposed by the United States to Cuba is an expression of "Washington’s unhealthy obsession against that island."
"The US government does not simply tolerate that a country like Cuba defends solidarity and values the world needs for the survival of the human specie," D" Escoto told Prensa Latina.
‘Pakistan using anti-terrorism laws against clerics’
Islamabad: The Pakistani government is using anti-terrorism laws against the ulema (religious scholars), Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-F (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has said.
Religious seminaries were...
Four years on, Russia remembers Beslan school tragedy
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Russia Monday marked the fourth anniversary of the Beslan school tragedy in which 331 people, including 186 schoolchildren, were killed by separatist militants of Chechnya.
During the memorial, flowers and floral wreaths were laid and candles lit in memory of the deceased. The proceedings started with the ringing of the school bell to mark the exact time when the school was seized.
Militants burn down government chopper in Chile
By IANS/EFE,
Santiago : Militants from the Mapuche Indian community set fire to a forest service helicopter in Chile, officials said.
We are victims, say three ‘missing’ Indians in New Zealand
By Neena Bhandari, IANS,
Sydney : Three of the 39 Indians, who disappeared in New Zealand en route to attend the Catholic Church's week-long World Youth Day (WYD) festivities in Sydney, have said they were duped by their travel agent and are not trying to cheat the immigration system.
"We are victims ourselves and we are not trying to cheat the system," the three men, aged between 32 and 34, have told Joy Reid of the Radio New Zealand soon after meeting immigration officials along with two representatives of the Indian community in Auckland Thursday afternoon.
Bank of Albania governor arrested
Tirana : The Bank of Albania (BoA) Governor, Adian Fullani, was arrested Friday over charges of office abuse following theft of 713 million leks...
Economic recovery leads to more divorces in Britain
By IANS,
London: The divorce boom in Britain is being linked to the slowing down of the global economic recession because warring couples can now afford the cost of the divide.
The number of couples finalising divorces in the country has gone up by six percent in the last three months, from 28,600 to 30,400, the Pannone law firm said.
Death toll in Indonesian ferry accident rises to 27
By DPA,
Jakarta : The death toll in the ferry accident in Indonesia rose to 27 Monday as rescue workers resumed their search for dozens of people missing after an overloaded ferry sank in bad weather off the island of Sumatra, officials said.
Rescue teams had picked up about 250 survivors and 27 bodies by Monday morning, while the number of missing remains unknown.
Rustam Pakaya from the Health Ministry's crisis centre said at least 17 people were still missing.
Babysitting goes mega-corporate in Germany
By DPA
Hamburg (Germany) : Amid headline-making cases of child neglect in Germany, enterprising professional babysitters are in greater demand than ever before.
During the past two years, Germany has been shocked by at least five cases in which children were starved to death by drug-abusing or dysfunctional parents and neighbours who did not notice anything.
So the demand for professional and qualified babysitters has soared, as responsible parents prefer not to let their little tots out of their eyes even at the doctor's office or at the gym.
Ex-Tamil rebel supporters back ex-army leader in presidential race
By DPA,
Colombo: A former pro-rebel Tamil political party Wednesday officially announced its support of former army commander Sarath Fonseka in Sri Lanka's Jan 26 presidential election.
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA), Sri Lanka's most prominent Tamil party with 22 members in the 225-seat parliament, called on minority Tamils to support General Fonseka, the opposition candidate, who is running against incumbent Mahinda Rajapaksa.
"We feel that he understands the problems of the minorities much better than his opponent," TNA leader R. Sampanthan said in Colombo.
Russian tanks remain as Bush, Medvedev trade barbs over Georgia
By DPA,
Tbilisi : Russian armoured forces were showing little inclination to quit Georgia Saturday, in the wake of an exchange of barbs between the Presidents of Russia and the US over the South Ossetia war.
Russian marines, tank and helicopter forces were occupying the Georgian port city Poti, and 100 vehicle-armoured column had reportedly moved into the city Senaki, 30 km inland.
South Korea seeks to enter UAE armaments market
Seoul, Nov 11 (IANS) South Korea is seeking a breakthrough in its drive to export its new generation fighter-trainer during the air show in Dubai Nov 11-15 that brings together some 800 defence equipment firms from 80 countries, hosted by the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The UAE is on the top of the shortlist of potential buyers of the T-50 Golden Eagle supersonic trainer jet, priced at $25 million each, the WAM news agency reported.
The Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) developed the aircraft in partnership with Lockheed Martin and began mass production in 2005.
Boeing teams with Space Adventures for private space flights
By DPA,
Washington : Houston-based Boeing Company Wednesday said it has a tentative agreement with Space Adventures Ltd to provide seats for private passengers into outer space.
New Zealand parliament holds its first session after polls
Wellington : New Zealand's 51st Parliament Monday held its first sitting since last month's general election for the swearing-in of all 121 members.
David Carter,...
German Catholics quit church in record numbers after abuse scandals
By IRNA,
Berlin : A record number of Germans have left the Catholic Church this year in wake of revelations about numerous massive abuse cases, daily newspaper Welt reported Wednesday.
Arrest warrant issued for German over attack on foreigners
By DPA
Mainz (Germany) : A 29-year-old German was ordered to be kept in detention Saturday, following a racist attack on two foreigners which put a Sudanese man in hospital.
The unnamed man was arrested Friday along with an accomplice, aged 26, who was freed on police bail.
They are accused of beating up the Sudanese and an Egyptian man, following a wine festival near the town of Mainz in western Germany.
Two killed in shooting at US theatre
Washington: A gunman shot dead at least one person before killing himself at a theatre in the US state of Louisiana, media reported.
The gunman...
Sea burial, the green fad in grave-crunch Britain
By Venkata Vemuri,IANS,
London : Burial at sea is gaining popularity in Britain with grave space going scarce. And, it's also green.
More and more people are opting for a watery send-off at the two locations off the British coast - near Isle of Wight and Newhaven in East Sussex - where the burials are allowed.
At these places no dredging, fishing, trawling or diving is allowed and the Marine and Fisheries Agency has to issue licences for every burial.
Internet eclipses print media, radio as source of news
By IANS,
Sydney : The Internet is rivalling and even eclipsing traditional media, particularly television, with users spending less time watching TV, listening to the radio and reading newspapers than non-users, according to a new study here.
Users are also more likely to turn to the net as their primary source of information for important news stories. These findings are based on a survey of 1,000 Australians by Centre for Creative Industries (CCI).
The study also found that 20 percent of the people interviewed had never used the net, resulting in a digital divide in the country.
Lip readers spot what William told Kate
By IANS,
London : Before his wedding ceremony began, Prince William told his bride Kate, "You look absolutely beautiful", according to professional lip readers.
South and North Korean leaders hold historic talks
By Xinhua
Pyongyang/Seoul : South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun and North Korean leader Kim Jong Il concluded their first round of formal summit talks in Pyongyang Wednesday.
The talks began at around 9.30 a.m. at the Paekhwawon State Guest House in Pyongyang and lasted more than two hours.
In Seoul, presidential spokesman Cheo Ho-seon said in a press release that the two leaders have agreed to hold another around of talks at 2.30 p.m.
Italy launches probe agaist 10 suspects for alleged terror links
Rome:At least ten people are being investigated in Italy for suspected ties with Islamist terrorist networks abroad, media reported Tuesday.
Chief prosecutor Massimo Pignatone opened...
Body search relaxation urged for Russian inmates
By IANS,
Moscow: The Russian Justice Ministry has been urged to amend its regulations allowing manual body cavity searches of inmates, a lawmaker said Thursday.
Advanced nations most likely to face terror attacks: Study
By IANS,
Washington : Countries with advanced economies as well as a high degree of civil liberties are most likely to face the brunt of terror attacks, says a new study.
Economic status has more to do with target countries than it does with the states where the attacks originate, says Princeton University economist and professor Alan Krueger.
"Public opinion appears to be a useful predictor of terrorist activity," said Krueger. In findings consistent with his earlier work, he said there is no direct link between poverty and terrorism, contrary to a popular view.
Biometric system to monitor endangered species
By IANS,
Washington : Biologists will now be able to identify and monitor endangered animals without capturing or trapping them.
University of Bristol scientists have devised an intelligent, non-intrusive surveillance system that can be integrated with wildlife habitats and provide detailed and reliable data on endangered species.
The research develops computer vision and human biometrics in order to better understand and conserve endangered species, especially the African penguin (Spheniscus demersus).
Sri Lanka to set up community villages for ex-rebels
By IANS,
Colombo: The Sri Lankan government said Saturday it will set up community villages to rehabilitate former Tamil Tiger rebels.
Over 11,000 former cadres of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) are now sheltered in 18 state-run rehabilitation centers. The majority of them surrendered to the military during the last stages of the battle in May last year and the rest were arrested.
Over 50 Boko Haram fighters killed in Nigerian military raid
Lagos: Over 50 suspected Boko Haram fighters were killed in a military operation by troops in Nigeria's northeastern state of Borno, the stronghold of...
US to shut down 15 military bases in Europe
Washington: The US plans to shut down 15 military bases across Europe, US Defence Secretary, Chuck Hagel has said.
According to the Pentagon, the move...
Made in India FUSO trucks launched in Indonesia
Chennai: Commercial vehicle maker Daimler India Commerical Vehicles (DICV) and Japan's Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation Japan have launched two new models, both...
World Food Programme nourishes 267,000 people in Nepal
Kathmandu : The UN World Food Programme (WFP) said on Wednesday that it distributed food to 267,000 of the 1.4 million Nepalese people in...
Texas struggles to provide relief to hurricane victims
By Xinhua,
Washington : The U.S. state of Texas was struggling to provide relief to its residents who have been badly hit by the Hurricane Ike on Monday, as the storm moved to Canada.
According to a CNN report, the Hurricane Ike has moved into Canada after it left a trail of destruction from the U.S. Gulf Coast to the Great Lakes.
However, the state government was still urging thousands of people to leave some badly-hit area where relief supplies could hardly be delivered to meet victims' need.
Russia, China to set up regional disaster management centre
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Russia and China plan to set up a regional disaster management centre as part of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), a Russian emergencies ministry official said Friday.
The SCO, a regional bloc comprising Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan, primarily addresses security issues, but has recently moved to include economic and social projects as well to their agenda..
Sarkozy’s lover poses naked for men’s magazine
By RIA Novosti
Paris : The French president's girlfriend, the singer and former supermodel Carla Bruni, has posed naked for a Spanish glossy men's magazine, French media reported on Thursday.
An image of Bruni wearing only a pair of black leather boots was published in the February edition of DT.
Bruni was also pictured wearing a wedding band, which is set to fuel the rumor that she and the French leader have wed in secret.
A spokesman for the magazine said the photograph was taken before her relationship with Nicolas Sarkozy was officially confirmed.
Fifth US swine flu death confirmed
By DPA,
Washington/New York : The toll from swine flu in the US reached five Friday, with nearly 5,000 confirmed cases.
Texas state health officials late Friday announced that a man who died last week in South Texas has been confirmed by laboratory tests to have been infected with the A(H1N1) flu virus. The victim was described as in his 30s and suffering underlying health problems that increased his vulnerability to flu complications.
Phoenix, Arizona officials Thursday revealed that a woman in her late 40s with lung disease had died last week from complications of the same virus.
Nepal poll juggernaut starts rolling
By IANS
Kathmandu : Nepal's election juggernaut has finally started rolling with the parliament forming a committee for amending the constitution, the UN sending a team of election observers and former US president Jimmy Carter arriving in Kathmandu Wednesday to discuss poll preparations.
Russia mulls air defence systems service centre in India
Moscow: Russian air defence systems manufacturer Almaz-Antei is in talks over setting up service centres in India, China, Vietnam, and Algeria, a company official...
Sri Lanka’s rupee depreciates 3.2 percent
By IANS,
Colombo : Sri Lanka's currency depreciated by about 3.2 percent Wednesday for the second successive day on new government policy, the island's central bank said here.
Eight killed in US illegal racing accident
By DPA
Washington : Eight people were killed and three injured when a car crashed into a group of spectators gathered to watch an illegal drag race (high speed race) in a suburb south of the US capital, according to media reports.
It was unclear whether the car was involved in the race around 3 a.m. (local time) Saturday in Accokeek, Maryland, police told the Washington Post.
Most of the victims were in the crowd, but at least one of those killed was a passenger in the car.
Sex, drugs and corruption scandal hits US government department
By DPA,
Washington : US Department of Interior employees engaged in sex, illegal drug use, accepted gifts and steered federal contracts toward oil and gas companies, according to a wide-ranging internal investigation.
Inspector General Earl Devaney's report, more than two years in the making and released Wednesday, chronicled a "culture of substance abuse and promiscuity" and serious ethical violations among a small group of employees.
Medvedev presidency to be ‘direct continuation’ of Putin era
By RIA Novosti
Moscow : As he cruised to victory in Russia's presidential polls, Dmitry Medvedev said his presidency would be a "direct continuation" of the policies of the man who backed him to lead the largest country on Earth.
Medvedev has so far received 69.22% of the vote with 70% of the ballots counted in Russia's presidential polls, according to Central Election Commission data. His nearest rival, Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov, is on 18.26%.
EU approves deal to enhance depositor protection
By IANS,
Brussels: The Council of the European Union (EU) Tuesday approved a political agreement reached with the European Parliament aimed at further harmonising EU...
CIA had numerous plots against Castro
By DPA
Washington : The US had a long and at times colourful history with Fidel Castro that featured a missile crisis that brought the world to the brink of nuclear war and the Bay of Pigs fiasco.
In addition to those highly publicised events that underlined the deteriorating relations between Washington and President Fidel Castro, there were plenty of other acts that took place more quietly, including numerous CIA plots to kill or humiliate the Cuban leader.
US working hard to check Wall St impact on economy: Bush
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : As the US financial system reeled with the turmoil on the Wall Street, President George W. Bush assured that his administration was working to reduce disruptions and minimise the impact on the broader economy.
"As policymakers, we're focused on the health of the financial system as a whole," Bush said at the White House Monday, using the visit of Ghana President John Kufuor to reach out to the Americans "concerned about the adjustments that are taking place in our financial markets".
Sri Lanka fighting continues to dominate Tamil tinsel town
By T.S.V. Hari, IANS,
Chennai : In a bid to show his solidarity towards Sri Lankan Tamils, superstar Rajnikant has urged his fans to avoid celebration of his birthday on Dec 12.
"When every Tamil heart is wounded over the sufferings of our brethren in Sri Lanka, it is inappropriate to celebrate my birthday," Rajnikant was quoted as saying in a press statement issued by Sudhakar, the new aide to the star within hours of announcing that the star will head his own fan clubs' association.
Kamal Haasan, the other top Tamil thespian, did the same Nov 5.
Fiji president revokes constitution, bans elections to 2014
By DPA,
Wellington : Fijian President Ratu Josefa Iloilo, whose military government has been declared illegal by the Court of Appeal, revoked the constitution Friday and sacked the country's judges, according to reports from the capital Suva.
He decreed that fresh elections will not be held for five years.
In an address to the nation, Iloilo appointed himself head of state and said he would appoint a new judiciary and a new interim government to rule until elections are held by September 2014, the independent website Fijilive reported.
China a strong, prosperous nation, says Obama
By IANS,
Shanghai : The US does not seek to contain China's rise, visiting US President Barack Obama said here Monday, adding that China was a "strong and prosperous and successful member of the community of nations".
Obama made the remarks during a dialogue with Chinese youth in the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum in the country's economic hub here.
He said the world is fundamentally interconnected.
"The jobs we do, the prosperity we build, the environment we protect and the security we seek are all shared," Xinhua news agency quoted Obama as saying.
Qatari Prince wins UN award for anti-drug efforts
By TwoCircles.net news desk
New York: Qatar’s Crown Prince, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani, today received an award from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) for his efforts to encourage young people to turn away from narcotics and achieve their full potential through sport.
Announcing the Certificate of Honour at UN Headquarters in New York, UNODC Executive Director Antonio Maria Costa commended the Crown Prince for setting up the Doha-based Global Sport Fund.
Panama Canal earns record $2 bn in 2008
By IANS,
Panama City : The Panama Canal linking the Pacific and the Atlantic oceans, one of the busiest man-made waterways, has earned a record $2 billion in revenues during the fiscal year 2008, Spain's EFE news agency reported Thursday.
The incomes were 14 percent higher than $1.76 billion recorded in the fiscal year 2007, which at the time was a record, the Panama Canal Authority said.
The canal's fiscal year runs from Oct 1 to Sep 30.
The waterway posted record revenues despite a drop in the crossings during the 2007-2008 fiscal year, it said.
Earthquake rocks Sumatra, Indonesia
By Xinhua,
Jakarta : An earthquake with the magnitude of 5.8 rocked Sumatra Island of Indonesia on Thursday morning, but there was no immediate report of damage or casualty, meteorology agency said here.
The quake struck at 05:22 Jakarta time (2222 GMT Wednesday) with epicenter at 164 kilometers southwest Lais town of Bengjuku province and at 20 kilometers in depth, an official of the agency said.
About one hour later, a tremor with the magnitude of 5.4 jolted the island, said the official.
Mother jailed for 99 years for assaulting daughter
By IANS,
Washington: A US mother has been sentenced to 99 years in prison for cruelly beating her two-year-old daughter and gluing her hands to a wall, Xinhua reported.
Journalist murdered in Mexico
By IANS/EFE,
Puebla (Mexico) : A journalist was murdered as he left a bank in Puebla, a city in central Mexico, officials said.
Will Van Persie find scoring touch in World Cup final?
By DPA,
Johannesburg: Dutch striker Robin van Persie was expected to score loads of goals in South Africa, but so far it is teammate Wesley Sneijder who has been finding the back of the net.
Van Persie has netted once, against Cameroon in a group game, in the six matches he has started, while Sneijder is joint top scorer with five.
Last season, the Arsenal striker suffered an ankle injury which sidelined him for over five months, and he only returned to action just weeks to the World Cup kick-off.
Nearly 12,000 may face child porn charges in Germany
By DPA
Berlin : Up to 12,000 people could face charges of possessing child pornography following a major police campaign in Germany, media reports said Monday.
More than 300 people in the east German state of Saxony Anhalt alone could face charges following a long-running German-wide police action against child pornography, a prosecutor's office spokesman said, confirming a report in the daily Mitteldeutschen Zeitung.
The police said Friday that about 1,700 people across Germany have been accused of possessing child pornographic material.
Former Georgian minister gets jail term for graft
By RIA Novosti
Tbilisi : A court in the Georgian capital Friday sentenced former defence minister Irakly Okruashvili, currently in France awaiting extradition, to 11 years in prison for taking bribes.
His lawyer, Eka Beseliya, described the court's ruling as "political" and said it would be challenged within a month.
Okruashvili last September accused his former ally President Mikheil Saakashvili of plotting to seize Georgia's breakaway republic of South Ossetia, lobbying for his support to get commercial deals and ordering the killing of businessman Badri Patarkatsishvili.
Australian PM says climate breakthrough unlikely in Japan
By Xinhua,
Canberra : Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said here on Tuesday the Group of Eight meeting he would attend in Japan was unlikely to reach a breakthrough on the issue of climate change.
"This is the first major economies meeting at heads of government level and the first G8 outreach meeting attended by Australia," Rudd told reporters before flying to Japan to attend the G8 meeting in Hokkaido, Japan with Climate Change Minister Penny Wong, at which they will be official observers.
China’s mudslide-hit county crawls back to normalcy
By IANS,
Beijing : Life is slowly returning to normal in China's Zhouqu county, where rain-triggered mudslides left at least 1,254 people dead, while 490 are still missing.
The mudslides hit the county in Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Gansu Province Aug 8.
Survivors of the devastating landslides were still trying to come to terms with the loss of their loved ones.
Thailand’s new Cabinet sworn in
By Xinhua,
Bangkok : Thailand's new Cabinet led by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva was Monday sworn in by King Bhumibol Adulyadej in the resort town of Hua Hin, some 200 km from here.
Vejjajiva was elected Thailand's 27th prime minister in a parliamentary vote Dec 15. Thirty-five members of his Cabinet also participated in the swearing-in ceremony.
Berlin police arrest 250 neo-Nazis in illegal May Day rally
By IRNA,
Berlin : Around 250 neo-Nazis were arrested on Saturday for staging an illegal May Day rally in Berlin's city center, according to the press.
Those arrested were reportedly taken away by several busses after police surrounded the far-right group, among them neo-Nazis from Spain, Italy and the Czech Republic, in Berlin's Kurfuerstendamm district for gathering illegally away from an earlier authorized demonstration route.
Silent in the past, why has the Gulf reacted so strongly this time?
The experts said that targeting Prophet Muhammad, the most revered figure in Islam is a red line for Muslims across the world.
Zafar Aafaq |...
Gaddafi defends Somalia pirates: report
By DPA,
Nairobi : Libyan leader and new head of the African Union (AU), Moammer Gaddafi has defended the actions of Somalian pirates as an act of self-defence against "greedy" Western nations, the Kenyan newspaper Daily Nation reported Friday.
The paper, reporting on Gaddafi's courtesy call on AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, quoted him as saying: "It is not piracy, it is self defence. It is defending the Somalian children's food.
UN chief to see climate change effects in Antarctica
By Xinhua
Santiago : UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is to view for himself the worrying effects of global warming when he visits Antarctica this week with the Chilean environment minister.
Chilean Environment Minister Anlia Uriarte said Wednesday the secretary-general would see the scientific activity in Antarctica and evidence of the faster-than-expected melting of the world's ice caps due to climate change.
EU condemns embassy attacks in Serbia
By DPA
Brussels : European Union (EU) Friday strongly condemned the anti-Kosovo protests that saw angry demonstrators attack a number of foreign embassies in Serbia.
"I strongly condemn the attacks perpetrated yesterday against foreign embassies and economic assets in Belgrade which caused important material damage and put human life in danger," said Olli Rehn, the EU's enlargement commissioner.
"We respect the democratic right of the Serbian people to voice their opinion on developments in Kosovo, but the use of violence for expressing one's opinion is unacceptable," Rehn added.
Italian prime minister Berlusconi elected ‘Rockstar of the Year’
By IANS,
Rome: The Italian edition of music magazine Rolling Stone said Monday it has elected sex scandal-plagued Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi as its 2009 "Rockstar of the Year".
Berlusconi, a former cruise ship crooner, who continues to record Neapolitan love songs, did not win the title based on musical merits, the magazine indicated.
The 73-year-old media magnate-turned politician earned it "with a lifestyle for which the rock 'n' roll definition seems even to be reductive," Rolling Stone editor-in-chief, Carlo Antonelli said.
Acquitted ex-warlord gets hero’s welcome in Kosovo
By DPA
Pristina : Former Kosovo rebel commander and prime minister Ramush Haradinaj have returned home to a hero's welcome after being acquitted of alleged war crimes against Serbs.
A drummer group and hundreds of cheering people, some waving Albanian and US flags, greeted Haradinaj at the airport in Pristina Friday, the capital of newly independent Kosovo, when he arrived from The Hague.
"I am pleased to be...back with my family and among the citizens of Kosovo, where I belong," he said later in a televised speech.
13 dead as hailstorms hit China
By IANS,
Beijing: At least 13 people were killed and more than two million affected as hailstorms hit several parts of China, officials said.
UK police too focused on ‘kettling’ protesters, says Liberty
By IANS,
London : Senior officers policing last month's mass protest march in London focused too heavily on threatening to 'kettle' demonstrators, according to civil rights group, Liberty.
Fresh tug of war for power begins in Nepal
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : Close on the heels of an election that saw the rout of Nepal's two big ruling parties and a stunning victory for the Maoists, a new tug of war for power has begun between Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala's Nepali Congress (NC) and the former guerrillas.
With the Maoists winning 220 seats in the 601-member constituent assembly and the NC reduced to half of that, the former rebels have begun consultations with other parties for a coalition government to be led by their chairman Prachanda.
China rail traffic up during holidays
By IANS,
Beijing : China's railways carried a record 67.3 million passengers during the holiday period from Sep 28 to Oct 7, Xinhua reported Saturday.
French foreign minister to visit UAE Saturday
By IANS,
Paris : French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe will visit the UAE Saturday as part of his Middle East tour that will also take him to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait.
$40,800 bid to name butterfly after a loved one
By IANS
New York : An unidentified person bid $40,800 for the naming rights of a new species of butterfly -- and scientists will use the money to continue their research.
Researchers at the University of Florida discovered the new owl butterfly in Mexico's Sonoran desert earlier this year and decided, in a first, to offer its naming rights in an online auction.
The new butterfly's scientific name is Opsiphanes blythekitzmillerae, but its popular name, chosen by the winning bidder, is Minerva -- in memory of Margery Minerva Blythe Kitzmiller of Ohio.
Austrians affected by incest case encouraged to express feelings
By DPA,
Vienna : Austrian police Saturday continued their investigation into the "house of horrors" case in which a 73-year-old man has admitted to having held his daughter in a basement dungeon for 24 years, raped her repeatedly and fathered her seven children.
Josef Fritzl was also being probed in connection with other crimes of a sexual nature.
His victims, 42-year-old Elisabeth, her six surviving children - three of whom spent their lives in the tiny basement dungeon - and Frizl's wife Rosemarie were meanwhile undergoing psychological treatment.
China, Japan, South Korea pledge support to region’s peace, growth
By Xinhua,
Fukuoka (Japan) : Leaders of China, Japan and South Korea Saturday vowed to work together to fight the global financial meltdown and help the region achieve steady and sustainable growth.
In a joint statement signed after a tripartite summit meeting here, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, his Japanese counterpart Taro Aso and South Korean President Lee Myung-bak said they would work to promote tripartite partnership "to create a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable future for the region and international community".
114-year-old Syrian man dead
By RIA Novosti,
Damascus : A man who had six sons and 175 grandchildren and great grandchildren died in Syria at age 114, the SANA news agency said.
Isa Ali an-Nadir was born in 1895, when Syria was part of the Ottoman Empire (1299-1923). He died in his home town of Quneitra in southwest Syria.
Isa Ali had said his meals everyday included milk, homemade butter and ground wheat, as well as strong coffee, were reasons for his longevity.
Rights groups criticize conduct of dissident’s trial
By DPA
Beijing : Human rights organizations Wednesday criticized the trial of well-known Chinese dissident Hu Jia as unfair, saying his attorneys were prevented from properly defending him.
The lawyers had 20 minutes during Tuesday's four-hour trial in Beijing to present their case, were often cut off by court officials and were given just six days' notification of the trial date, China Human Rights Defenders said.
In addition, Hu's relatives and observers were barred from the proceedings, the rights group said.
Medvedev congratulates Obama on independence day
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Russian President Dmitry Medvedev sent a message to his US counterpart Barack Obama congratulating him on America's Independence Day July 4.
Chinese forces battle rain as war game continues
By IANS,
Beijing: Chinese forces Thursday battled rain while continuing a five-day military exercise featuring drills that include the relocation of air defence positions and command posts.
More than 12,000 Chinese military personnel, along with seven types of military aircraft, divided into Red and Blue rivals, took part in exercise Vanguard-2010 which started Tuesday in seven cities across Henan and Shandong provinces, Xinhua reported.
Myanmar opposition party to sue junta over election laws
By DPA,
Yangon : Myanmar's main opposition party decided Friday to sue the military-run government for issuing unfair election laws, opposition sources said.
An executive meeting of the National League for Democracy (NLD) - which is headed by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi - decided to sue the government over election laws promulgated last week, NLD Rakhine member Aye Tha Aung said.
He said the NLD found clauses that excluded the participation of Aung San Suu Kyi and other political prisoners from the election process as unlawful.
Globalisation in reverse gear as oil prices soar: Canadian report
By Gurmukh Singh, IANS,
Toronto : Trade liberalisation and technology may have flattened the world, but rising transport prices will once again make it rounder, says a report by a major Canadian bank.
In its study - "Will Soaring Transport Costs Reverse Globalization?", the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) says soaring oil prices are driving transport costs to such levels that businesses will be forced to seek supplies locally, rather than importing at huge costs from China and India.
Five arrested in Australia for alleged terror plot
Melbourne : Australian counter-terrorism police on Saturday arrested five men in Melbourne for an alleged terror plot.
According to officials, two of the five men...
Climate change threatens economies of small Caribbean islands
By IANS
Santo Domingo : Climate change is posing a threat to the economies of the small islands in the Caribbean that are vulnerable to extreme weather conditions, according to a UN expert, Spain's EFE news agency reported Wednesday.
Ricardo Sanchez, regional director of the United Nations Environment Programme, told a press conference Tuesday that the Caribbean islands "are on the front line of the battle against climate change due to their level of vulnerability".
New British government unified with US on Iran
By DPA,
Washington : The new British government strongly backs efforts to enact UN Security Council sanctions on Iran aimed at the Islamic state's nuclear activities, British Foreign Secretary William Hague said Friday.
Hague declared he will push for swift measures within the European Union (EU) modelled on comprehensive US sanctions for Iran's refusal to comply with international demands on its nuclear programme.
5,000 Chinese orphans get free insurance
By IANS,
Beijing : Five thousand orphans in China have received a year of free medical insurance for treatment of "critical illnesses".
Russia-Georgia close to war, Tbilisi to blame: Russian envoy
By RIA Novosti,
Brussels : Russia has accused Georgia of escalating tension along the Caucasian country's border with breakaway Abkhazia republic and warned that Tbilisi would be responsible if war with Moscow breaks out.
Russian envoy to NATO Dmitry Rogozin Tuesday said Georgia was planning to march its special forces trained by NATO instructors into Abkhazia, adding that it could lead to "serious bloodshed".
"Georgia is really extremely close to a war, but Georgia is itself to blame for this," Rogozin said.
Killed Somali pirates were ‘untrained’ teenagers: Gates
By Xinhua,
Washington : US Defence Secretary Robert Gates has said the three Somali pirates who were killed by the Navy's Seals to end a hostage crisis were "untrained" teenagers.
Addressing an audience at the Marine Corps War College in Quantico, Virginia, Gates said Monday that the slain pirates, aged at between 17 and 19, were heavily armed but inexperienced.
They were shot dead Sunday at the end of a five-day standoff with the US military after they attacked a US-flagged cargo ship about 400 km from Somali coast and held the ship's American captain as hostage.
At least 50 killed in Uganda bus crash
By DPA
Kampala : At least 50 people were killed Thursday when a bus overturned on a highway in southwest Uganda and burst into flames, radio reports said.
The bus was said to be speeding as it overturned while passing a trailer truck in Kingo village, near Masaka, 130 km from Kampala, Kampala-based Central Broadcasting Service (CBS) reported.
It quoted police spokeswomen Judith Nabakooba as saying that up to 30 more people who had been on the bus were taken to hospital with severe injuries.
Time running out for Nepal ahead of republic
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : Nepal remained mired in uncertainty Tuesday with major parties failing to reach a deal on power-sharing and giving full shape to the newly elected assembly, a day before it shakes off its ancient line of kings and becomes a republic.
Despite elaborate arrangements made to swear in the new constituent assembly at 1 p.m. Tuesday, the parties had failed to nominate the additional 26 representatives needed to give full shape to the body even after holding two rounds of negotiations.
US military blames private guards for unprovoked firing
By DPA
Washington : Reports by the US military from the scene of a shooting last month in Baghdad corroborate the Iraqi government's stand that private security guards overreacted, the Washington Post reported, citing an anonymous source.
A senior US military official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told the newspaper that guards from the private security contractor Blackwater USA, escorting a US State Department official, were apparently unprovoked when they opened fire on Iraqi civilians and motorists while driving through a busy intersection.
India needs to make full use of Iranian n-deal: President
Chandigarh: President Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday said India needs to make full use of the opportunities offered by the recent Iranian nuclear deal, including...
US drone attack kills six in Pakistan
By IANS,
Islamabad: At least six suspected militants were killed in a US drone attack in Pakistan's North Waziristan tribal area, a TV channel reported Tuesday.
The drone fired two missiles at a house in the North Waziristan area of Deegan, killing at least six militants and injuring four, the private TV Express reported.
It was the eighth US air strike this month in the tribal area, which Washington considers as a centre of Taliban and Al Qaeda militant activity, according to Xinhua report.
Tibetan leader Karmapa Lama flies to the US Thursday
By IANS,
Dharamsala : Tibetan spiritual leader the Karmapa Lama, the only major monk reincarnate recognised by both the Dalai Lama and China, will leave for the US Thursday on a fortnight-long visit, a spokesman of the Tibetan government-in-exile said here Wednesday.
"His eminence the 17th Karmapa, head of the Kamtsang Kagyu sect, will go on a historic visit to the US from May 15 to June 2," the spokesman said.
Thai premier flies to Myanmar on persuasion mission
By DPA,
Bangkok : Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej flew to cyclone-devastated Myanmar Wednesday on a mission to persuade the ruling junta to grant visas to relief experts trying to enter the country, officials confirmed.
The prime minister left Don Muaeng Military Airport aboard an Air Force plane loaded with 100 satellite phone sets and related equipment as well as medicine to hand over to Myanmar's generals in Naypyitaw, the country's new capital.
Ingushetia president injured in assassination attempt
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : The president of Russia's volatile southern republic of Ingushetia has been hospitalised after he was seriously injured in an assassination attempt, the republic's interior ministry said Monday.
"Ingush President Yunus-bek Yevkurov, his younger brother and one of his bodyguards were injured in the explosion. They have all been taken to hospital," the interior ministry said.
A source in regional security agencies said Yevkurov was in serious condition in intensive care, while his brother had died.
IMF probing chief’s relation with worker
By IANS,
New York : The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is investigating whether its chief, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, abused his position in connection with a brief affair with a female subordinate at a time when the key multilateral institution is focusing on helping developing countries withstand the global financial crisis.
The law firm hired by the IMF is expected to complete the investigation by the end of the month, the Wall Street Journal reported Saturday.
Magnitude-5.9 quake hits Japan
By IANS,
Tokyo : An earthquake measuring 5.9 on the Richter scale Tuesday hit Japan off the east coast of Honshu, but there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.
China, Nigeria vow to further bilateral co-op
By Xinhua
Beijing : China and Nigeria on Thursday vowed to expand cooperation from fields such as energy and telecommunications to agriculture, infrastructure and manufacturing.
The two sides issued a joint press communique after talks between Chinese President Hu Jintao and visiting Nigerian counterpart Umaru Yar'Adua, pledging to continue to promote the growth of relations.
During the talks, the heads of the state expressed satisfaction at the evolving strategic partnership between their two countries.
Clinton loaned $5 million of her own money to campaign
By DPA
Washington : Senator Hillary Clinton has loaned $5 million of her own money to her presidential nomination campaign to keep up with her rival Barack Obama, the Democratic contender has said.
"We had a great month fund-raising in January, broke all records," Clinton told reporters.
"But my opponent was able to raise more money. And we intended to be competitive and we were."
Muslim sues Tesco for forcing him to carry alcohol
By IANS,
London : A Muslim youth who worked with Britain's biggest retailer Tesco has sued the store for religious discrimination after he came to know that he carried crates of alcohol bottles as part of his job, the Daily Mail reported Monday.
Mohammed Ahmed, 32, who was raised in Saudi Arabia, had worked in a distribution depot of Tesco for eight months before quitting "in protest", the newspaper said.
2 Indian-origin teens held for serial crimes in Canada
By IANS,
Vancouver : Police here have arrested two Indo-Canadian teens after a long hunt for a series of robberies and assaults in the south Vancouver area in March.
Eighteen-year-old Manpreet Johal and 19-year-old Sanjit Sunner have been charged with multiple counts of robbery and more than a dozen brutal assaults on their victims.
Police said they were looking for a third man in the case.
In a two-week crime wave in March, the three assaulted their victims to snatch purses and wallets. They stole valuables from their victims walking alone just before midnight.
Myanmar junta rules out Suu Kyi’s participation in polls
By DPA
Yangon : Myanmar's ruling junta informed visiting UN envoy Ibrahim Gambari that they would not amend the draft constitution to allow opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi to contest the 2010 polls, media reports said Saturday.
The military regime Friday turned down a request by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon that the regime amend the new constitution to "ensure inclusiveness", Information Minister Brigadier-General Kyaw Hsan told Gambari in a long lecture that was printed in all state-controlled media Saturday.