Claims of sweeteners ‘bizarre’: Keith Vaz
By Dipankar De Sarkar, IANS,
London : British Member of Parliament Keith Vaz Thursday described as "bizarre" a claim that he was offered a peerage or knighthood in return for backing the government on a controversial anti-terrorism bill last month.
"Why on earth would anyone want to give up a seat with majority of 53,000, one of the safest Labour seats in the country, for a peerage?"
"This is bizarre, to the say the least," Vaz, who represents Leicester East constituency in the southeast of England, told IANS.
Zuma sworn in for second term as South African president
Pretoria : South African President Jacob Zuma was sworn in Saturday for a second five-year term at a ceremony attended by hundreds of foreign...
Australian state pushes for dowry ban
Sydney : The Australian state of Victoria is pushing for a ban on the Indian practice of dowry in marriages amid concerns that it...
American doctor with Ebola back in US for treatment
Washington: One of two American doctors who contracted the Ebola virus while treating patients in Liberia was brought back to the US for treatment...
Modi and his ‘Make in India’ lion pitch hard for investments
Hannover : The familiar lion-logo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "Make in India" campaign was painted all over this German town, as he made...
Where are the babies? German birth rate sinks
By DPA
Wiesbaden : Germany's birth rate is sinking despite many years of tax breaks for parents and plans to expand kindergarten to help working parents, statistics show.
Last year's tally of live births in the nation of 80 million was 672,700, a drop from the previous year by 13,100, the Federal Statistics Office said in Wiesbaden.
The total fertility rate of a German woman today was calculated at 1.33.
Number of neo-Nazis up in Germany: report
By IRNA
Berlin : The number of neo-Nazis has continued to rise over the past year, the weekly Focus news magazine on Saturday cited Germany's domestic Verfassungsschutz intelligence agency as saying.
Around 4,400 neo-Nazis belonged to the hardcore German far-right scene last year which is 200 more than in 2006.
The Focus report is based on statistics released in the yet unpublished annual Verfassungsschutz report.
The German Interior Ministry refused comment on the Focus story.
UK parliament adjourns ahead of general elections
By IRNA,
London : Britain’s parliament session has been adjourned until after next month’s general election with a final flurry of around 20 bills passed in a 48-hour marathon session.
Although ministers temporarily retain their government post, all MPs seeking re-election become parliamentary candidates among others contesting seats.
The final session of parliament has been described as one of the most scandalised in British history and included revelations about the extent of expenses claimed by MPs from all parties.
Obama look-alike in Azerbaijan becomes celebrity
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Asif Mustafayev, an artist in northwestern Azerbaijan, has become a celebrity in the ex-Soviet Caucasus state for bearing a striking resemblance to US President Barack Obama.
The 31-year-old with tanned skin and curly hair is called "our Obama" by his fellow villagers, who often drop into his place with their guests to show off the local look-alike of the world's No.1 leader, Russian daily Vremya Novostei has reported.
UN chief promises full probe into child abuse
By DPA,
New York : UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said Tuesday reports of child abuse by UN peacekeepers and aid workers was a "significant and painful issue" that needs to be addressed comprehensively and robustly.
"Even one incident is one incident too many," Ban said in a statement read by a spokesperson.
"The secretary general is deeply concerned by the Save the Children report focusing on the under-reporting of child sexual exploitation and abuse by aid workers and peacekeepers," Michelle Montas said.
Trinidad Hindus celebrate Janmashtami with fanfare
By Paras Ramoutar, IANS,
Port-of-Spain : Devout Hindus turned out in large numbers at the over 200 temples across Trinidad and Tobago for celebrations to mark Janmashtami, the birth of Lord Krishna, which began Thursday evening and went on till early Friday. Hindus of Indian origin form about 40 percent of the population in this country.
For several days now, Hindus have been refurbishing and cleaning their homes in preparation for the festival.
Mystery surrounds origin of salvaged treasure claimed by Spain
By IANS
Tampa (Florida) : The origin of the fabulous treasure valued at $500 million found by the firm Odyssey Marine Exploration in waters near Spain continues to be a mystery, according to the Spanish news agency EFE.
The day-to-day work of a score of people who are meticulously cleaning the thousands of silver coins and other assorted objects that Odyssey brought up from the depths of the Atlantic still has not led to identification of the wreck.
North Korea planning to test medium-range rocket, says report
By DPA,
Seoul : North Korea appeared to be preparing to test a medium-range missile at the same time as an intercontinental one, a South Korean media report said Tuesday.
Evidence of launch preparations has been observed at a site at Anbyeon on its east coast, the state-run Yonhap news agency quoted an unnamed member of parliament as saying.
Officials in the defence ministry in Seoul briefed the politician about the test, Yonhap said.
North Korea's medium-range missiles are considered a particular threat to South Korea and Japan, both of which are in their ranges.
Thai student burns school to get out of class
By DPA,
Bangkok : A Thai teenager who torched the library at his boarding school to avoid having to attend class said he got the idea from protesters who burned buildings in Bangkok last month, media reports said Monday.
The 16-year-old, whose grades had been slipping, reportedly confessed to having set alight the facility at the Mahidol Witthayanusron School, some 60 km northwest of the capital, in the early hours Sunday.
No one was injured in the blaze, but the co-ed school which has around 720 students was closed for the week.
Chopper crashes, crew killed in bid to rescue Japanese climber
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Indian among four arrested in Sri Lanka for overstaying
Colombo: An Indian, along with three Chinese men, was arrested for overstaying and engaging in illegal trade in Sri Lanka, police said.
The Indian, 34,...
Everest climber kicked out for carrying ‘Free Tibet’ banner
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS
Kathmandu : An American who had enrolled in a much-hyped research expedition to Mt Everest has been kicked out by Nepal's security forces after searches unearthed a pro-Tibet banner in his luggage, media reported Wednesday.
Both Nepal and China have stepped up vigilance to prevent anti-China protests in the Himalayan region ahead of the Olympic torch march.
Man kills six in central Tokyo stabbing spree
By RIA Novosti,
Tokyo : At least six people were killed and 12 injured in central Tokyo on Sunday when a man drove a truck into a crowd before stabbing several passersby, Japan's Kyodo news agency reported.
The agency said the assailant, Tomohiro Kato, 25, from the Shizuoka Prefecture, was arrested and has admitted to the attack.
The agency quoted Kato as telling investigators: "I came to Akihabara to kill people. I am tired of the world. Anyone would do. I came alone."
Japan warned of possible nuclear leak
By SPA,
Tokyo : Japan's Foreign Ministry says the U.S. Navy has warned that a nuclear sub may have had radioactive leaks during recent port calls in southern Japan.
The Foreign Ministry said in a statement Saturday that the U.S. Navy told it a small amount of radiation might have leaked from the nuclear-powered submarine USS Houston as it traveled around the Pacific. The Houston made calls in March and April in the southern Japanese naval ports of Sasebo and Okinawa.
Rise in number of visitors to UK
LONDON, Dec 14 (KUNA) -- The number of overseas visitors to the UK increased last October following falls in the previous three months, according to official figures released here Friday.
Foreign residents made 2.74 million visits to the UK last October compared with 2.51 million in the same month last year, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.
The rise came despite fewer visits from North Americans, which was made up for by a rise in the number of European tourists.
British chopper crashes at sea
By IANS,
London : A British helicopter Thursday crashed into the North Sea off Scotland but all 16 people on board are safe, an officer said.
‘China may build up N-capability to counter US missile shield’
By IANS,
Moscow : China may strengthen its nuclear capability in response to the US global missile defence plans, said a Russian military expert.
"At present, China has a very limited nuclear potential, but my recent contacts with Chinese military representatives indicate that if the United States deploys a global missile defence system, in particular in the Far East, China will build up its offensive capability," said Lt. Gen. Yevgeny Buzhinsky, former department deputy head in the Russian Defence Ministry.
Obama warns Uganda over anti-gay bill
By IANS,
Washington: US President Barack Obama Sunday voiced his "deep disappointment" at Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni's plan to enact a legislation that would criminalise...
Pollock, Jayasuriya star in Mumbai Indians win
By IANS,
Mumbai : Two old war horses of Mumbai Indians, Shaun Pollock and Sanath Jayasuriya, joined forces to give a mesmerising performance that blew away Kolkata Knight Riders by eight wickets in an Indian Premier League contest here Friday night.
Pollock (3-12) produced one of the best spells of the tournament to plot the spectacular collapse of Knight Riders, who crashed to 67, the lowest score of the tournament. Sri Lankan veteran Jayasuriya (48 off 17 balls) then tore the bowling apart to gatecrash at the victory doorstep in just 5.3 overs.
Russia to use Baikonur space centre until 2050: Roscosmos
By RIA Novosti
Moscow : Russia will use the Baikonur space centre in Kazakhstan until 2050, the head of the Russian space agency said.
"The Russian president has set the task to use the Baikonur space centre in full until 2050. We have approved the proposal," Anatoly Perminov, head of the federal space agency Roscosmos told journalists on Cosmonautics Day Saturday.
Baikonur, built in Kazakhstan in the 1950s, was first leased by Russia from Kazakhstan under an agreement signed in 1994 after the break up of the Soviet Union.
Flowers make it a wetter, cooler world
By IANS,
Washington : Flowering plants make the world a cooler, wetter place, says research. The effect is especially pronounced in the Amazon basin where flowering plants replaced with non-flowering plants would result in an 80 percent decrease in the area covered by wet rainforest.
Bolivian revenues from gas exports fall over $1 bn
By EFE,
La Paz : The revenues that Bolivia receives from natural gas exports will come in at roughly $2 billion for all of 2009, down from $3.16 billion last year, the Bolivian Hydrocarbons Chamber, or CBH, said.
The CBH, which comprises all the natural gas and oil companies that operate in the country, said Thursday in a special report that the "price factor" was the primary cause of the drop.
The main markets for landlocked Bolivia's natural gas are Brazil and to a lesser extent Argentina.
Zimbabwe’s Tsvangirai to withdraw from talks if mediation fails
By DPA,
Harare/Johannesburg : Zimbabwe's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai Sunday warned he would withdraw from talks on political power-sharing if mediation failed to break a month-long deadlock.
"If this mediation fails, we will say, 'This marriage has failed to be consummated, and we cannot force things,'" Tsvangirai said at an MDC rally in Zimbabwe capital Harare.
"There will be no option but to go our separate ways," he told his supporters.
Kazakh school expels HIV-positive pupils
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow: A private school in Kazakhstan has expelled two girl pupils who were found to be HIV-positive, local TV outlets reported.
Obama halts transfer of Guantanamo detainees to Yemen
By DPA,
Washington: The US has halted the transfer of inmates from the Guantanamo Bay detention facility back to Yemen, where an Al Qaeda branch allegedly plotted the Dec 25 attack on a Detroit-bound airliner, President Barack Obama said Tuesday.
About half of the nearly 200 remaining prisoners at Guantanamo are Yemeni citizens, making their fate a key component of the administration's pledge to close the controversial facility in Cuba.
Mexico begins evacuations ahead of powerful hurricane
By EFE,
Mexico City : Officials in the Mexican state of Baja California Sur have started evacuating residents of Pacific coastal communities as Hurricane Jimena approaches the area.
Hurricane Jimena is a category four storm on the five-point Saffir-Simpson scale.
"Already in Los Cabos, particularly in San Jose del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas, we have a significant number of families in the temporary shelters. In the city of La Paz, we are still waiting to get the order to begin the evacuations," Baja California Sur Government secretary Luis Armando Diaz said Tuesday.
Post-Sandy woes force New York to cancel marathon
By IANS/EFE,
New York: Two days after announcing the annual New York Marathon would take place Sunday as scheduled, Mayor Michael Bloomberg reversed course and cancelled the event.
Panicky government workers start leaving troubled Terai
Kathmandu, July 19 (IANS) Panic-stricken by systematic attacks by a variety of armed groups and facing threats to leave or face dire consequences, government employees have started an exodus from the turbulent Terai, creating an administrative vacuum in the southern plains ahead of a crucial election.
The brutal murder of a senior municipal official in Siraha district Wednesday by a band of former Maoists takes the number of government employees killed in the Terai since March to seven.
A teenage pregnancy and US presidential elections
By Mayank Chhaya, IANS,
Chicago : In this season thick with ideological intransigence, the news that the Republican Party's vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin's 17-year-old daughter is pregnant is symptomatic of how irresolvable the pregnancy-abortion-abstinence debate really is.
Bomb blast in front of Nepal parliament
By IANS,
Kathmandu : A bomb exploded in front of Nepal's interim parliament in Kathmandu Tuesday, creating panic and triggering intense police search.
However, there were no casualties, police said.
Security forces found pamphlets scattered in the New Baneshwor area, claiming the blast was the handiwork of a new organisation, Dynamic Youth Force.
Though the new budget session started Monday, the house was not in session when the explosion occurred around 11.30 a.m.
Brown laughs, jokes in first public appearance as ex-PM
By IANS,
London : In sharp contrast to his sombre demeanour over the past few weeks, Gordon Brown cracked jokes and looked relaxed when he made his first public appearance after resigning as prime minister of Britain.
Brown, who was in his home constituency in Scotland Thursday afternoon, flashed a smile and hugged youths. He looked happy on being surrounded by students at the Adam Smith College.
He emerged from 24 hours of exile at his home in North Queensferry to visit the college, where he is chancellor, Daily Mail reported Friday.
Russian opposition activist put under house arrest
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow: A Moscow court has ruled to release opposition activist Konstantin Lebedev and place him under house arrest instead.
US remembers victims of 9/11 terrorist attacks
By Xinhua,
New York : New York city started commemorating the eighth anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center Friday morning.
The ceremony is being held at Ground Zero, where the twin towers stood, to remember those who died in the coordinated attacks Sep 11, 2001.
Nearly 3,000 people died when four planes were crashed in New York, at the Pentagon and in a Pennsylvania field.
Opposition seeks probe after Bhutan’s historic poll
By Syed Zarir Hussain, IANS
Thimphu : The first visible signs of protest and anguish over Bhutan's transition from monarchy to democracy has been made public with the embattled People's Democratic Party (PDP) hinting that last week's historic parliamentary elections was not fair.
The PDP that won just three of the 47 seats in the National Assembly or lower house in parliament during the March 24 elections have sought a probe by the country's Election Commission to find the reasons for the one-sided verdict.
Canadian prime minister to apologise for rejecting Sikhs in 1914
Ottawa : Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Monday that he will offer a full apology for a government decision in 1914 to...
Israeli stabbed, soldier survives similar attempt
By KUNA,
RAMALLAH : An Israeli was stabbed in Jerusalem on Sunday while another, a soldier, survived a stabbing attempt in Yafa, according to Israeli Radio.
The radio said that the Israeli was stabbed on his way to school and he was left with minor injuries.
Israeli police are now searching for the Palestinian stabber.
In a separate incident, an Israeli soldier survived a stabbing attempt in Yafa.
Israeli police started a search but could not tell whether the attacker was a Palestinian or not, the radio stated.(end) nq.aia KUNA 081237 Feb 09NNNN
Woman freed after 33-year jail for assassination plot
By DPA,
Washington: Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme, convicted of trying to assassinate former US president Gerald Ford, was released Friday after spending 33 years in prison, a spokeswoman for the Federal Bureau of Prisons confirmed.
Fromme, 60, pointed a loaded gun at Ford during a California event in 1975. A secret service agent managed to wrestle Fromme to the floor before she was able to pull the trigger.
Hip fractures triple elderly women’s chances of dying
By IANS,
Sydney : Bone fractures, even minor ones, increase a person's chances of dying, particularly if he is elderly. But hip fractures just double the risk for women, which is three times the risk for men.
These findings underline the importance of preventing and treating osteoporosis, a devastating condition that affects millions worldwide, including two million Australians.
Someone is hospitalised with an osteoporotic fracture every five to six minutes, averaging 262 hospitalisations daily in Australia.
Unidentified flying object explodes over southern Vietnam
By DPA,
Hanoi : A large unidentified flying object exploded over an island off southern Vietnam, and local officials said Wednesday they suspected it had been a military or civilian aircraft.
The explosion occurred Tuesday morning above Cua Can commune on Phu Quoc, a large island belonging to Vietnam off the coast of Cambodia, according to Ngang Van Truyen, chairman of the commune.
"It was a huge explosion, and we thought at first that it was thunder," Truyen said. "But then we saw a 100-metre-long smoke trail in the sky and knew that it was the explosion of a flying object."
Harsh winter storms kill 107 people in China
By NNN-Xinhua
Beijing : Disasters caused by prolonged low temperatures, icy rain and heavy snow in the southern part of China in the past month killed 107 people and left eight others missing as of Tuesday, said Civil Affairs Minister Li Xueju here on Wednesday.
He added direct economic loss was estimated at 111.1 billion yuan (about 15.3 billion U.S. dollars) while speaking at a national video conference on disaster relief.
Bomb hoax at New York airport
By DPA,
New York, Aug 1 (DPA) Flights in many parts of the US were disrupted after New York's La Guadia airport was put out of action for three hours Saturday following a bomb threat apparently by a drunk man.
Police said the man claimed to have a bomb in his bag and threatened security staff. Once the incident was over, the bag was found to contain only wires and batteries.
Because the airport serves inland destinations, flights to many parts of the country were expected to be disrupted for some time because of the knock-on effect of delays.
Over 300 children killed in Gaza fighting: Unicef
By DPA,
New York : More than 300 children have been killed and 1,500 others injured during the Israel-Hamas fighting in Gaza Strip, the UN Children's Fund has said.
"Each day more children are being hurt, their small bodies wounded and their young lives shattered," Unicef director Ann Veneman said Wednesday.
Unicef said children, who constitute a majority of the 1.5 million-population in Gaza, and their families are trapped by the fighting. Israel and Hamas are now engaged in battle close to centres of residential areas, posing more threats to Palestinian civilians.
Road accident kills 14 in Thailand
By Xinhua,
Bangkok : At least 14 people were killed Saturday morning when the pickup truck in which they were travelling rammed into another truck ahead in Thailand's northeastern province of Roi Et, a media report said.
The driver of the pickup truck lost control of the vehicle when one of its tyres burst which caused the accident, the Nation news network reported.
The pickup truck was rushing to an election centre in Phanom Phra district at the time of the accident.
Fourteen people died on the spot, while two injured were taken to a hospital.
Kosovans’ mass grave found in Macedonia
By DPA,
Pristina/Skopje : Macedonian and Kosovo officials are planning a joint investigation of a possible mass grave in Macedonia that might contain the bodies of Kosovan civilians killed in the 1999 war between Serb forces and Kosovan Albanians, officials said Wednesday.
"Kosovo and Macedonia are trying to find a way to organise and act over the suspected mass grave near the river Lepenec in Skopje," Skender Durmishi, Kosovo's ambassador in Macedonia, told DPA.
"We are trying to put together a working group that will deal with the issue," he added.
Lincoln’s 200th birthday coincides with Obama inauguration
By Pat Reber, DPA,
Washington : In an ironic twist, the US will be celebrating the 200th birthday of president Abe Lincoln - the US leader who ended slavery - just weeks after the inauguration of its first black president, Barack Obama.
Thus, it is hardly surprising that the theme of Obama's Jan 20 historic inauguration will be dominated by Lincoln, a president who also took office as the nation faced huge challenges.
The announcement was made Wednesday, just a day after Obama's election felled the final racial barrier for non-whites in the US.
June 2010 deadliest month for US army
By IANS,
Washington: Thirty-two American soldiers killed themselves in June this year, the highest ever in a month for the US army.
Twenty-one of the suicide victims were on active duty, while 11 were on reserve and on the National Guard troops, Prensa Latina reported.
A total of 245 soldiers killed themselves in 2009, with about 70 percent of cases occurring among recruits who have not seen combat, US Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Peter Chiarelli said.
Texas allows Sikh policemen to sport beards, turbans
Washington: In one of the biggest goodwill gestures to one of the largest communities in the US -- the Sikhs -- the state of...
Serb protesters storm Kosovo court, UN intervenes
By DPA
Pristina : The chief of the UN Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), Joachim Ruecker, Friday ordered the police to "restore law and order" after hundreds of Serb protesters stormed a court building in the hotspot town Mitrovica as the head of NATO visited the former Serbian province.
Some 300 protesters broke through an international police cordon in the northern, Serb-dominated section of the divided Mitrovica and broke into the UN municipal court building, Kosovo police said.
Nepal detains 500 demonstrating Tibetan exiles
By DPA,
Kathmandu : Police in Nepal Thursday broke up anti-China demonstrations by Tibetan exiles near the Chinese embassy and detained over 500 demonstrators.
More than 800 Tibetans gathered in small groups shouting anti-China slogans and denouncing the Beijing Olympic Games before they were detained by the police.
The demonstrators, including monks and nuns, carried banners depicting killings in Tibet by the Chinese forces and shouted "down with IOC" for letting the games be held in China.
Azerbaijan to hold presidential elections on Oct. 15
By Xinhua,
Moscow : Azerbaijan will hold presidential elections on Oct. 15 this year, and incumbent President Ilham Alijev has been officially nominated as a candidate, news reports from the country's capital Baku said on Saturday.
Clinton rating up again on eve of Pennsylvania primary
By Xinhua,
Washington : U.S. Democratic presidential contender Sen. Hillary Clinton saw her rating rebound on the eve of Tuesday's pivotal primary in Pennsylvania, according to polls released Monday.
A Zogby International tracking poll of 602 likely primary voters taken April 19-20 shows that Clinton leads her Democratic rival Sen. Barack Obama 48 percent to 42 percent.
In the same poll last weekend Clinton led just 45 percent to 44percent, but she has steadily opened her lead in Zogby's daily tracking since then.
U.S. woman stuck to toilet seat for two years
By RIA Novosti
Moscow : A woman in the U.S. state of Kansas became stuck to her toilet after sitting on it for two years, local media said on Thursday.
The 35-year-old woman, Pam Babcock, locked herself in the bathroom and sat there for so long that her skin grew around the toilet seat.
Her boyfriend, Kory McFarren, 36, said he had brought her food and water every day and often asked to come out of the toilet. However the kansascity.com news portal reported that she would unfailingly reply, "Maybe tomorrow."
South-Asian community held protest outside White House in solidarity with Rohingya Muslims
TCN News
South-Asian community members from Metropolitan Washington area staged a peaceful demonstration against the ongoing genocide of Rohingyas in front of the White House...
South Korean president-elect to face inquiry
By DPA
Seoul : Outgoing South Korean President Roh Moo Hyun Monday named a former judge to lead an independent inquiry into his elected successor, Lee Myung Bak, on stock fraud charges.
Lawyer Chung Ho Young, a former chief of the Seoul High Court, pledged to be impartial and do his best to discover the truth behind the charges against Lee.
FAO calls on governments to hold food price line
By IANS
Rome : The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has sent out an urgent appeal to governments of the world to take immediate measures to help poor countries overcome the steep increase in food prices, WAM news agency reported Wednesday.
Unprecedented price hikes for basic food, driven by low food stocks, droughts and floods linked to climate change, high oil prices and growing demand for bio-fuels have created near famine conditions in at least 37 countries, the UN body said and added that internal armed conflicts have aggravated the situation.
Falling oil output greater risk to UK than terrorism, says report
By IRNA,
London : Falling oil production in coming years is greater risk to the UK than from the threat posed by terrorism, according to a new report from an industry taskforce.
The report from the Peak Oil group warned that the problem of declining availability of oil will hit the UK earlier than generally expected - possibly within the next five years - as producer countries start to scale down the pumping of dwindling supplies.
‘Bush gave secret orders allowing raids in Pakistan’
By IANS,
New York : President George W. Bush has secretly approved orders that allowed US military special forces, for the first time, to mount ground assaults inside Pakistan territory against terrorists and Afghan insurgents, without the prior approval of the Pakistani government, The New York Times reported Thursday.
The orders were given in July, the newspaper said, citing senior US officials speaking on condition of anonymity.
Sarkozy couple reach new heights, as stars of comic books
By DPA,
Paris : French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife Carla Bruni became stars of France's comic book scene last year.
The cover of the recently published book, "Carla and Carlito", depicts the French first lady carrying an image of Sarkozy in a baby sling.
It has sold 100,000 copies and demand continues, the newspaper Le Parisien reported in late December. The book depicts Bruni as the real power in the Elysee Palace and reveals that her control over him is so strong that the staff refer to him as Carlito or little Carla.
Six dead after tropical storm Fay hits Florida
By DPA,
Miami : At least six people have died in the US state of Florida, which has been drenched by monsoon-like rains because of Tropical Storm Fay, officials said Friday.
The deaths were caused by drownings and car accidents, Florida Governor Charlie Crist said.
The National Guard was involved in rescue operations in the northern coastal city of Melbourne. Residents claimed to have seen alligators swimming in the muddy waters that swirled around their homes.
Mexico announces high-speed rail project
By IANS/EFE,
Mexico City : Mexico's government has announced a high-speed rail project in the Yucatan Peninsula aimed at unlocking that region's full economic potential.
15 percent of world trade should be Chinese: Minister
By IANS,
Beijing : As the second-largest economy and with a fifth of the world's population, China should account for 15 percent of global trade volume, Minister of Commerce Chen Deming said.
Virginity is ‘luminous and fruitful’, says Pope
By DPA,
Vatican City : Pope Benedict XVI praised Thursday the Catholic women who have vowed to remain virgins, a choice which is "as luminous and fruitful in the eyes of the faith as it is obscure and futile in the eyes of the world".
Virginity "recalls the transitory reality of life on earth and an anticipation of good things in the future," Benedict told representatives of the Ordo Virginum, or Order of Consecrated Virgins, who met him at the Vatican.
Taiwan to allow officials, military personnel to visit China
By DPA,
Taipei : Taiwan plans to allow its government officials, military personnel and state enterprise executives to visit China in view of eased cross-strait tension, media reports said Saturday.
Taipei will soon lift the ban on officials, state enterprise executives and military personnel visiting China, Premier Liu Chao-shiuan was quoted as saying by the China Times.
Taiwan’s top negotiator heads to China for historic talks
By DPA,
Taipei : Taiwan's top negotiator with China Wednesday headed to Beijing for historic talks that will pave the way for cross-strait rapprochement after six decades of impasse.
"We hope through the talks this time, the two sides would be able to achieve a win-win situation so that people across the Taiwan Strait can live better," said Chiang Pin-kung, chairman of the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF), before departing.
Che Guevara’s hair goes for $120,000 at U.S. auction
WASHINGTON, October 26 (RIA Novosti) - A U.S. bookshop owner from Houston has paid almost $120,000 for an auction lot including a lock of Ernesto "Che" Guevara's hair, a spokeswoman for the Heritage Auction Galleries said.
Earlier media reports that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, a great admirer of Guevara, would take part in Thursday's auction proved to be false. The sole bidder for the lot was Bill Butler, 61, who paid a total sum of $119,500. He said he would display the hair of "one of the greatest revolutionaries of the 20th century," in his bookstore.
Bush rejects criticism over DPRK nuclear issue
By Xinhua,
Washington : U.S. President George W. Bush rejected on Saturday suggestions that he is softening American stand on the policy toward the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), saying he would not accept a deal that damaged the interests of the region.
Speaking to reporters after his talks with his South Korean counterpart Lee Myung-bak at the presidential retreat at Camp David in Maryland, Bush said that "Obviously, I'm not going to accept a deal that does not advance the interests of the region."
Russian rescuers to search 100 sq km area near Japan’s Sendai
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow: Russian rescuers intend to search a 100 sq km area around the disaster-struck Japanese city of Sendai by the end of Thursday, the head of the search team said.
North Korea seeks better ties with US, nuclear-free peninsula
By IANS,
Pyongyang : North Korea Friday called for an end to the hostile relationship between Pyongyang and Washington while reiterating it will pursue for a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula.
"The fundamental task for ensuring peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in the rest of Asia is to put an end to the hostile relationship between DPRK (North Korea) and the USA," Pyongyang said in a joint New Year editorial with Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Xinhua reported.
UN chief hopeful of Copenhagen deal
By Joydeep Gupta, IANS,
Copenhagen : Negotiations at the Copenhagen climate summit"have been very slow", UN chief Ban Ki-Moon rued Thursday evening, "but I have not seen anything to indicate we can't seal a deal".
In a briefing for select media from around the world, Ban said: "I believe we can seal a deal because all major players want it. Over 130 world leaders are here. If they can't seal a deal, who can?"
Britain, Canada, Australia, US, France issue travel warnings
By IANS,
New Delhi : With the Mumbai terrorist attacks continuing for over 24 hours, the US, Britain, Canada, Australia and France were quick to warn their citizens to avoid travel to India's financial capital.
The US embassy here issued a warden message, urging Americans to defer travel to Mumbai for at least the next 48 to 72 hours.
China’s earliest household registers deciphered from Qin bamboo slips
By Xinhua
Changsha : China's earliest household registers have been deciphered from a bunch of Qin dynasty (221 BC-207 BC) bamboo slips excavated from Liye, in Hunan province in Central China.
"According to the registers, slaves and maids were listed as their masters' household members by the population management system in China's first united empire of Qin," said Yun Chae Sok, a Korean scholar, who specialises in reading Qin bamboo manuscripts.
Quake Victims Riot in Algeria
By Prensa Latina,t
Algiers : Chlef, one of the most important cities in Algeria, was the stage of new clashes between residents and riot police continued on Monday, with dozens wounded and considerable damage so far reported.
At least 60 have been arrested in the disturbances that broke out Sunday when a group of young people took to the streets to protest the annulment of compensation for the 1980 earthquake victims.
Witnesses reported that this morning's clashes began when security forces tried to stop protestors from looting public buildings and setting fire to vehicles.
100,000 Christians killed every year, says Vatican official
By IANS,
London : Around 100,000 Christians are killed every year around the world because of their faith, a top Vatican official has said.
73 killed in Jamaican drug violence
By IANS/EFE,
Kingston : At least 73 people were killed and dozens wounded in clashes between security forces and drug gangs in Jamaica, authorities said.
Clashes erupted during raids Thursday to capture crime boss Christopher "Dudus" Coke, who is wanted by the US on drug and weapons charges.
About 500 people have been arrested in the raids, said Glenmore Hinds, the deputy police chief.
The casualties occurred in the Tivoli Gardens neighbourhood of the Jamaican capital, a stronghold of Coke and the parliamentary constituency of Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding.
Radioactive water leaks from Japan n-plant
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Tokyo : Highly radioactive water is leaking into the sea from Japan's tsunami-hit Fukushima nuclear power plant, its operator said Saturday.
Mahatma Gandhi’s 139 birth anniversary celebrated in South Africa
By NNN-PTI,
Durban : Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary was celebrated all over South Africa with a call by the chairman of the Gandhi Phoenix Settlement Trust saying that Gandhi's teachings should act as declaration of faith to fight causes of despair and despondency.
"All celebrations of Gandhi's birthday are not just sentimental expressions but an act and declaration of faith and a call to action to address that we consider the causes of our despair and despondency," said Mewa Ramgobin, Chairman of Gandhi Phoenix Settlement Trust.
Peruvian president declares state of emergency
By IANS,
Lima : Peruvian President Ollanta Humala has declared a state of emergency following massive rallies against a multi-billion-dollar mining project in the north of the country.
41 killed in China floods
By IANS,
Beijing : Floods and landslides triggered by torrential rains in northwest China have left at least 41 people dead and 107 missing, an official said Wednesday.
Heavy rain ravaged 22 counties in three cities in southern parts of Shaanxi province since last Friday, Xinhua reported.
By Tuesday afternoon, 1.66 million people in the three cities were affected and 27,160 houses were destroyed.
In Ankang alone, two major landslides occurred Sunday night, leaving 14 dead and 35 missing.
430 Nepalese soldiers awarded in Haiti
By Xinhua
Kathmandu : At least 430 Nepalese soldiers based in Mirebalais, in Haiti's Central Region, were awarded United Nations peacekeeping medals for their outstanding performance there, The Kathmandu Post reported on Tuesday.
According to a statement issued by the UN Stabilization Missionin Haiti and made available by UN office in Kathmandu, Secretary-General's Special Representative for Haiti Edmond Mulet presented the medals to them at a function on Aug. 6.
US urges Ukraine, Russia to settle gas dispute
By DPA,
Washington : The US Thursday urged Russia and the Ukraine to resolve their dispute over payments and debts owed for natural gas in a "transparent, commercial manner".
In a statement issued by US Department of State acting deputy spokesman Gordon Duguid, the US said it was "concerned" that Russia's Gazprom had cut off gas that is sold to Ukraine.
"The US encourages Gazprom and Naftogaz to resume negotiations on an agreement that will maintain the reliability of gas delivery to Ukraine and Europe," Duguid said.
Myanmar to set up seven more industrial zones
By IANS,
Yangon : Myanmar plans to set up seven more industrial zones in addition to the existing 18, official media reported Wednesday.
US optimistic about final nuclear deal with Iran
Washington: A day after reaching a framework agreement with Iran, the Obama administration on Friday sounded upbeat about the prospect of a final deal...
Brazil comedians protest ban on imitating political hopefuls
By IANS/EFE,
Rio de Janeiro : Dozens of Brazilian comedians protested here against a ruling preventing people from imitating or satirising politicians running for office in October's general elections.
Under regulations in force since 1997, it is not permitted to "use tricks, editing and other audio or video resources that, in some way, humiliate or ridicule a candidate, party or coalition" on television and radio.
EU ministers discuss ‘Blue Card’ to fill worker shortage
By DPA
Brussels : European Union (EU) interior ministers met in Brussels Thursday to discuss plans for an "EU Blue Card" designed to lure skilled workers from Asia and Africa in order to fill labour shortages in the wealthiest members of the 27-member bloc.
This is the first time that national governments came together to debate the initiative, which was first proposed by EU Commissioner Franco Frattini several months ago and which was adopted by the EU's executive Oct 23.
Child porn suspect arrested in Russia
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : A 50-year-old Russian man suspected of using minor and teenaged girls to film child pornography videos has been arrested, police said Tuesday.
The suspect, a resident of Amur region, made explicit videos and took photographs of at least five girls, aged 10-14, including his stepdaughter, police said. A great number of video recordings and pictures of explicit sexual content involving children were found during the investigation.
Bush Reiterates Support for Colombian President
By SPA
Washington : U.S. President George W. Bush on Tuesday pledged his continued support for Colombia President Alvaro Uribe, who has provoked the outrage of neighboring Ecuador and Venezuela by sending Colombian troops into Ecuador to conduct a raid against rebels.
“America fully supports Colombia’s democracy,” Bush said. “We firmly oppose any acts of aggression that could destabilize the region.”
‘Greater appetite’ now for Security Council reform: General Assembly President
By Arul Louis,
United Nations : UN General Assembly President Sam Kahamba Kutesa says there is "greater appetite" among member nations for reforming the Security...
More than a dozen injuries in New York explosion
By DPA
New York : Up to 16 people were injured in a steam pipe explosion in midtown Manhattan during rush hours that sent muddy brown water spewing into the air and brought transport to a standstill, broadcast reports said.
Two of the injured were in critical condition, MSNBC reported, and there were reports of one death. Various broadcasters reported from 12 to 16 people were injured. Televised images showed a red pickup truck trapped in a large crater at the site of the explosion.
Officials said that an exploding transformer could have caused the accident.
South Korea wary of North Korean guns during naval exercise
By DPA,
Seoul : South Korea's military briefly ordered civilians on a border island into bomb shelters after hearing sounds of artillery from the North, officials said Sunday.
Glaciers in southern Alps shrinking at alarming rate
By IANS,
Sydney : Glaciers in the southern Alps have lost 2.2 billion tonnes of permanent ice in a year since April 2007, the fourth highest annual loss since monitoring began.
For the past 32 years, the New Zealand based National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research (NIWA) has been surveying 50 glaciers in the southern Alps, using a small fixed wing aircraft, to record the height of the snow line at the end of summer
John Mayer donates $500,000 to Haiti victims
By IANS,
London : American musiciam John Mayer has become the latest celebrity to make his contribution to the victims of the Haiti earthquake.
The singer has donated $500,000 to the relief effort by handing over the cash to the American Red Cross, reports contactmusic.com.
He has also given charity bosses the permission to use "The Heart of Life", the song he performed on CNN TV special "Haiti: How You Can Help", in a new public service announcement.
US was insulted by Israel’s housing plans: Clinton
By DPA,
Washington : US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Israel's behaviour during the visit of Vice President Joe Biden to the couintry was "insulting", raising the level of tension in an open diplomatic rift with Israel.
"The announcement of the settlement the very same day the vice president was there was insulting ... an unfortunate and difficult moment for everyone," Clinton said in an interview with CNN.
One in four US companies plan salary freeze
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : About a quarter of businesses in America have frozen workers' salaries for 2009 in the wake of a pessimistic economic outlook, according to a new survey.
Outsourcing and consulting firm Mercer in a survey released Monday said 25 percent of organizations surveyed said they have already decided not to raise their employees' pay, and another 20 percent are considering a salary freeze this year.
External force caused MH17 crash: Dutch investigators
The Hague : An external force caused the Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 to crash in eastern Ukraine, the Dutch Safety Board investigating the disaster...
Seven killed in China building blaze
By DPA,
Changsha (China) : Seven people, including four women, were killed Tuesday when a fire broke out at a five-storey commercial building in central China, an official said.
The incident took place in Chaling County of Hunan Province, 200 km east of the provincial capital of Changsha.
The fire charred the first and second floors of the building, Xinhua reported.
Six people were injured in the fire.
The blaze was brought under control after two hours, a spokesman of the Chaling County administration said.
The cause of the fire is being investigated.
UK denies protecting Karadzic from arrest
By IRNA,
London : The British government has played down claims that it ordered its troops not to capture former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic shortly after he was indicted for genocide and war crimes 13 years ago.
"We have no knowledge of this alleged incident and we would not comment on intelligence matters," a spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said.
"The UK has been fully committed from the outset to bringing to justice indicted war criminals from the former Yugoslavia," the spokesman was quoted saying by the Daily Telegraph Monday.
Package with garbage dumped outside US embassy in Bulgaria
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow: A suspicious package reported to the Bulgarian police by the US embassy in Sofia turned out to be a bag full of garbage.
Jews, Muslims, Indian Americans join hands against hate crimes
Washington, (IANS): People from the Jewish, Muslim, and Indian American communities gathered on the steps of Tifereth Israel Synagogue in northwest Washington and stood...
US deputy Secretary of State to visit Ukraine
By IANS,
Washington : US Deputy Secretary of State William Burns will visit Ukraine amid prevailing uncertainty in the wake of a series of dramatic...
Dalai Lama regrets protests against Olympics torch relay
By IANS,
Dharamsala : The Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, has expressed regret for protests targeting the Olympics torch relay, a spokesman of the Tibetan government-in-exile said here Saturday.
"Since I have always supported the Beijing Olympics I feel sorry for the incidents (of protests against the Olympics torch relay) that have taken place in London and Paris but fully understand the demonstrators' desire to express their feelings," he said.
The Dalai Lama, on a visit to the US, was speaking to reporters at Ann Arbor Friday.
Gunman kills six people in Bosnia village-police
By SPA,
Sarajevo : A man shot and killed six people in a village near the northern Bosnian town of Tuzla on Thursday, three died in their homes and three were gunned down aboard a bus, police and witnesses at the scene said, according to Reuters.
One other person was wounded in the early-morning incident in the village of Gornja Lipnica, and was taken to hospital.
Initial reports said the gunman was a 45-year old from the local area, but there were no other details on his identity or motives.
Clashes Leave 26 Dead in Sri Lanka
By Prensa Latina
Colombo : Fierce fighting in the northern Sri Lankan territory in the last few weeks have left at least 25 Tamil rebels and one government soldier dead in the last 24 hours, according to military spokespersons in this capital.
The most violent clashes are taking place in Mannar, Jaffna, and Vavuniya districts, which define the territory occupied by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and administrated by the Sri Lankan government.
According to a military release published in Colombo, Sri Lankan troops also had nine soldiers wounded.
Four plead guilty for trying to buy missiles for LTTE in US
By IANS,
New York/Toronto : Four people, three of whom were Toronto based Sri Lankan Tamils, have pleaded guilty in a New York court to charges that include conspiring to acquire anti-aircraft missiles and provide material support to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a designated terrorist organisation.
Russian arrested for illegal tours in Goa
By IANS,
Panaji: A Russian national operating illegally as a tourist guide was arrested Friday by Goa tourism authorities, an official said.
US Fed chief asks Congress to review AIG bailout
By IANS,
Washington : US Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke has requested Congress to review the involvement of his organisation in the bailout of insurance giant American International Group (AIG), Xinhua reported.
UN’s Nepal mission cannot be completed by Jan 23
By IANS,
United Nations : Despite considerable political progress being made, the task assigned to the UN Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) cannot be completed before the end of its current mandate on Jan 23, UN envoy for Nepal Ian Martin has said.
The UNMIN needs another extension, though on a smaller scale, Martin told reporters at the UN headquarters in New York Monday.
Martin is here to brief the top UN officials about the current situation in the Himalayan country. Last week, briefed the powerful 15-member Security Council.
US Supreme Court backs lethal injection executions
By DPA,
Washington : The US Supreme Court Tuesday upheld the right of states to lethally inject prisoners sentenced to death, opening the door for states to resume the practice.
There had been a virtual nationwide moratorium on executions since the Supreme Court in September agreed to to hear the case of two inmates in Kentucky who argued lethal injections violated a constitutional clause against "cruel and unusual punishment".
Drought in Somalia Leaving Somalis Destitute, UN Warns
By SPA
United Nations : United Nations relief agencies have begun responding to a drought in central Somalia that has resulted in severe water shortages, a scarce supply of crops for livestock and has left Somali farmers and their families destitute, UN spokesperson Michele Montas said Friday.
The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and its partner agencies are currently assisting Somalis in the Galgadud region of Somalia “by providing water, constructing shallow wells, and installing water pipes,” Montas told the press.
Four killed in plane crash in Rio de Janeiro
By Xinhua
Brasilia : A small plane carrying four people crashed Sunday morning in downtown Rio de Janeiro, killing all aboard, confirmed Brazil's National Agency of Civil Aviation (NACA).
According to the NACA, the plane crashed in the district of Barra da Tijuca, between the Woods of Barra da Tijuca and the condominium of Mandala. After the crash, the plane exploded and killed one pilot and three passengers.
Applicants swamp island site for Australia’s dream job
By DPA,
Sydney : Applications are in from Mongolia, Croatia and even the Vatican for a dream job on offer in an advertising campaign run by Australian tourism authorities.
The successful applicant gets a six-figure pay packet and rent-free luxury accommodation for six months as the caretaker of a paradise island on the Great Barrier Reef.
There have been more than a million hits to the islandreefjob.com website advertising the token position and more than 350 people have already submitted the mandatory 60-second video clip begging for an interview.
China says torch protests ‘shameful’ as Tibet pressure mounts
By AFP
Beijing : China Tuesday said attempts to disrupt the Olympic torch relay were "shameful" after protests at the ceremony to light the flame added to pressure over its handling of ongoing unrest in Tibet.
Amid reports of new bloodshed during a major crackdown by Chinese forces, the demonstrations in Greece on Monday underlined world anger over Tibet and a determination to keep harassing China's communist leaders on the issue.
Rock defects below earth surface impact quakes
By IANS,
Sydney : Defects in rocks lying below the earth's surface can modify the impact of seismic waves generated by earthquakes, says a study by the Australian National University.
Olympic rehearsals made Halliwell’s birthday bizarre
By IANS,
London: Singer Geri Halliwell said her 40th birthday was very "bizarre" as she spent the entire day rehearsing for the London Olympics closing ceremony.
US bombing senseless violence, says UN chief
By IANS,
United Nations : UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has condemned the bombing at the Boston Marathon as "senseless violence".
World Bank Chief Urges Global Response to Food Crisis
By SPA
Washington : World Bank President Robert Zoellick on Wednesday urged a new coordinated global response to deal with soaring food prices that contribute to hunger, malnutrition, and instability.
Speaking ahead of World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) meetings in Washington next week, Zoellick said the global food crisis requires the attention of political leaders in every country because higher prices and price volatility were likely to continue.
China launches website for intellectual property rights
By IANS,
Beijing : Chinese government has launched a new website to spread awareness about the intellectual property rights.
The website, www.court.gov.cn/zscq, which was open Mondya will be run by The Supreme People's Court of China.
It is a platform for disseminating information relating to protection of intellectual property rights (IPR), Xinhua reported.
Information such as judicial interpretations, court notices and decisions, surveys and research on IPR protection will be available on the website.
Australia to help US in Iraq air strikes
Canberra: Australia has expressed willingness to contribute its Super Hornet fighter jets to help US-led air strikes in Iraq.
Defence Minister David Johnston said Wednesday...
Japan may go without n-power
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Tokyo : Operations at Japan's all nuclear power plants could be suspended "momentarily" starting May 6, Japanese Trade and Industry Minister Yukio Edano has said.
Bush bids farewell to world leaders
By DPA,
Washington : With just one full day left in office, US President George W. Bush spent Monday making farewell telephone calls to more than a dozen world leaders, the White House said.
Virus of infidelity infects 76 percent of relationships: Study
By IANS,
Washington : Infidelity is widespread with people tending to cheat on their partners very often, which may be as high as 40 to 76 percent, according to a study.
The probability of someone cheating... (is) very high," said Geneviève Beaulieu-Pelletier, doctoral student at the Université de Montréal's Department of Psychology.
OPEC oil price drops to $42.56
By DPA,
Vienna : The price for crude oil produced by the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) continued falling last Friday, when it dropped to $42.56, the cartel reported Monday.
That was a drop of $1.50 per barrel (159 litres) of OPEC crude at the end of the week, versus $44.06 on Thursday.
OPEC calculates an average price based on 13 important brands produced by its members.
Obama ‘disappointed’ at Pakistan’s blocking of FMCT talks: NYT
By Manish Chand, IANS,
Washington: A day before the 47-nation Nuclear Security Summit opens here, US President Barack Obama has "expressed disappointment" over Pakistan's bid to block the opening of negotiations on a treaty to halt the production of new bomb-making material.
Quoting an unnamed senior American official, The New York Times said in its Monday edition that Obama used his private meeting Sunday afternoon with Pakistan's Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani to "express disappointment" over the Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty (FMCT).
US sharpens criticism of Mugabe
By DPA,
Harare/Washington : The United States Friday sharpened its criticism of Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe's regime, five weeks after the disputed presidential elections.
US State Department spokesman Tom Casey, in unusually sharp tones, called for an end to the violence against the opposition, indirectly signalling Washington's desire to see Mugabe relinquish power.
The verification process of the Zimbabwe presidential election entered its second day Friday amid reports that the parties were deadlocked with the opposition continuing to say it won the poll.
Nepal crown prince fit after heart surgery
By Sudeshna Sarkar
Kathmandu,(IANS) Despite trying times for the royal family, Nepal's Crown Prince Paras, who suffered a major heart attack last month, has passed a stress test with flying colours.
The 36-year-old, who had to have emergency cardiac surgery last month after a heart attack, checked into the same Norvic Escorts International Hospital Monday morning for tests to monitor his recovery.
The headstrong prince, said to be fond of smoking and a fast lifestyle, underwent a stress test, ECG and echocardiogram.
Pilots hailed as heroes for emergency landing in Hong Kong
By DPA,
Hong Kong : An Australian captain and co-pilot were Wednesday hailed as heroes for safely landing a Cathay Pacific Airbus after it developed severe engine trouble on a flight to Hong Kong.
Eight people were injured jumping down chutes after the Airbus A330 made an emergency landing at Hong Kong International Airport Tuesday afternoon at the end of a flight from Surabaya, Indonesia.
Colleagues who talked to the pilots said they performed a remarkable feat landing the stricken plane, carrying 322 passengers and crew, after one engine failed and the second malfunctioned.
Four killed in Chian road crash
By IANS,
Beijing: At least four people were killed and 13 injured, seven of them seriously, in a road accident in China's Guizhou province, authorities said.
220 rhinos killed in South Africa this year
By IANS,
Johannesburg : At least 220 endangered rhinos were killed by poachers for their horns in South Africa since the beginning of this year, authorities said.
Japan toll is 11,620
By IANS,
Tokyo : The death toll in Japan's earthquake and tsunami of March has climbed to 11,620 people with 16,464 people still missing, Xinhua reported Friday.
Islamic Declaration on Climate Change calls Muslims to support Paris meet in December 2015
By A Mirsab, TwoCircles.net,
Istanbul/New Delhi: An ‘Islamic Climate Change Declaration’ has called on the world's Muslims to play an active role in combating...
German Social Democrats reshuffle leadership for 2009 election
By Xinhua,
Berlin : Germany's Social Democratic Party (SPD) on Saturday elected a new leadership, aiming to challenge rival Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU) in the general election of 2009.
At an SPD national conference here, Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, 52, was appointed the party's candidate to challenge Merkel next year.
He won 95 percent of the votes from 515 delegates, including former SPD chancellors Helmut Schmidt and Gerhard Schroeder.
Japan bracing for up to 3-metre tsunami
By DPA,
Tokyo : The Japan Meteorological Agency warned that a "major" tsunami of up to 3 metres could hit Japan's Pacific coast in the next few hours Sunday following a massive 8.8-magnitude earthquake overnight in Chile.
The agency issued the "major" tsunami warning Sunday morning for its entire Pacific coast, urging people in the areas to head immediately to higher ground.
The agency projected that the tsunami could reach Hokkaido, Japan's northern island, and Izu-Ogasawara islands around 1 p.m. (0400 GMT) Sunday and later in the rest of the areas under warning.
Sarkozy to create fund to fight rising oil prices
By DPA,
Paris : French President Nicolas Sarkozy said Tuesday he would create a fund to aid people who are the most affected by the spiralling cost of oil.
Sarkozy told RTL radio that the fund would be financed by surplus from state revenues from value added tax (VAT) on petrol, which amounted to about 150 to 170 million euros ($237 million to $268 million) per quarter.
He also said he intended to propose to other European Union countries to suspend the VAT on petroleum products as a way of dealing with the rising price of crude oil.
Lithuania presidential poll runoff kicks off
Vilnius : The Presidential poll runoff kicked off in Lithuania Sunday.
The country's incumbent President Dalia Grybauskaite and her rival Zigmantas Balcytis were competing for...