Rising seas pose danger to big cities
By Xinhua
Beijing : Sea levels rising at an "alarming" rate because of climate change and depleting groundwater threaten coastal economies, officials warned Tuesday.
Two key cities, Shanghai and Tianjin, are among those facing the biggest threat, State Oceanic Administration (SOA) spokesman Li Haiqing said, citing the agency's 2007 sea-level monitoring report.
In the last 30 years, the financial hub of Shanghai has seen the sea level rise 115 mm, or the length of half a chopstick, the report says.
Six SAARC leaders attending Modi swearing-in, Pakistan yet to confirm
New Delhi: Six SAARC neighbours have confirmed their attendance at the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi, but Pakistan has yet to confirm...
US retires F-117 stealth fighter after 27 years
By Xinhua
Washington : The US Air Force bid farewell to F-117, the world's first attack aircraft employing stealth technology, after it served for 27 years.
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio, which manages the F-117 programme, hosted an informal retirement ceremony with military leaders, base employees and representatives from Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico Tuesday.
Rescue efforts continue in Japan’s quake-hit areas
By Xinhua,
Tokyo : Rescue and relief efforts continued Sunday as some 1,200 rescue workers are still searching for 16 people who have been reported missing in Japan's earthquake-jolting northeastern areas.
Rescue workers, consisting of members of the Self-Defense Forces, firefighters and police officers, have been carrying out their rescue operations in the worst-hit Kurihara, Miyagi Prefecture and other areas locations since the 7.2-magnitude quake occurred at 8:43 a.m. Saturday (2343 GMT Friday).
Magnitude 7.8 quake hits Solomon Islands
Beijing: A powerful earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale jolted near Solomon Islands early Sunday, China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC) said.
The temblor, which...
Economic and social disadvantage affect voter turnout
By IANS,
Washington : Disadvantages like early pregnancy, dropping out of high school, being arrested or going to an underprivileged school in adolescence contribute to lower voter turnout in adulthood.
Julianna Sandell Pacheco and Eric Plutzer of the Pennsylvania State University used data from the National Education Longitudinal Survey to measure disadvantage and voter participation.
Two mummies found in Peru
By EFE,
Lima : Two mummies, dating back to around 1,460 A.D., were found near an archaeological site in northern Peruvian province of Amazonas.
"The tombs had been plundered, but one of the mummies was fully intact," said Maria Dolores Ramos, an official in charge of culture and tourism.
The discovery was made at a place opposite the Karajia archaeological complex in Luya Viejo district, the official said.
Senior LTTE leader killed, says Sri Lankan military
By Xinhua,
Colombo : A senior leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) sea wing was killed in fighting in the northeast Sri Lanka, defence officials said Sunday.
The leader, Chellian, was killed over the weekend when troops successfully captured a key LTTE defence position in Karayalamullaivaikkal area in the Mullaithivu district, said Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara, the military spokesman.
Facebook death threat against German banker
By DPA,
Berlin : German banker Thilo Sarrazin, who caused outrage with a book blaming Islam for the poor integration of Muslims, has been threatened with murder on social networking website Facebook, media reported Tuesday.
Police are investigating the threat, German daily Bild reported.
The controversial 65-year-old banker has been placed under police protection and was accompanied by four officers at a speaking engagement Monday.
Sri Lanka Army Captures Parappakandal City
By Prensa Latina
Colombo : Sri Lanka army announced capture of Parappakandal northern strategic city so far in the hands of Tamil rebels, killing 24 during the fights that took place in that region.
According to a military dispatch spread in Colombo, Parappakandal, one of the biggest cities in northern Uyilankulan, completely passed under the troops control joining another defeat for the Tigers Tamil separatists which have the area under siege.
Monks blocked from pagodas in Myanmar
By DPA
Yangon : Hundreds of riot police and soldiers Wednesday blocked Buddhist monks from entering Yangon's holiest pagoda, the Shwedagon, in a crackdown on a weeklong barefoot rebellion in Myanmar's former capital.
Police and soldiers manned barricades erected on the road to the east gate of the Shwedagon Pagoda, preventing marching monks from using the shrine as a launch pad for their ninth day of peaceful protests.
Similar shows of military might were visible elsewhere in the city.
Estonia mourns deaths at orphanage fire
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Tallinn : The government of Estonia has announced Monday as the day of mourning for victims of an orphanage fire that killed 10 children.
Snap poll in Canada likely
By IANS,
Toronto : Canada, which has not seen a majority government since 2004, faces the prospect of its fourth general election in five years.
In his statements Monday, opposition Liberal Party leader Michael Ignatieff didn't rule out the possibility of a snap election to end the minority rule of the Conservative Party.
The ruling party led by Prime Minister Stephen Harper came to power in January 2006 after toppling the Liberal Party which was plagued by a so-called sponsorship scandal under which it doled out millions to its favourites in Quebec province.
Tibet to soon re-open to foreign tourists
By NNN-PTI,
Beijing : The restive Tibet region, which was closed following violent anti-China protests last month, would be reopened to foreign tourists "soon", the regional government has said.
Temples in the Tibetan capital of Lhasa would also soon resume religious activities, according to officials in the remote Himalayan region.
Riots broke out last month in Lhasa and other Tibetan- populated areas in the most vicious pro-independence protests in the last two decades, prompting authorities to keep them out of bounds.
US plans financial system overhaul
By DPA
Washington : The US Federal Reserve would get broad new powers of regulation over financial institutions under a proposal to streamline oversight in the largest regulatory overhaul since the Great Depression, Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said Monday.
The 218-page "blueprint" is designed to better respond to market disruptions and was proposed before the current economic slowdown that began in the housing market and has since spilled into the wider economy.
World’s longest captive snake on display in U.S.
By Xinhua
Beijing : Fluffy, a gigantic python thought to be the world's longest captive snake, will be on permanent display at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, U.S., media reported Monday.
The 7.3-meter reticulated python is about as long as a moving van and thick as a telephone pole.
The zoo bought Fluffy for 35,000 U.S. dollars from its breeder in Oklahoma, which raised the python from a hatchling.
Beijing : Fluffy, a gigantic python thought to be the world's longest captive snake, will be on permanent display at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, U.S., media reported Monday.
The 7.3-meter reticulated python is about as long as a moving van and thick as a telephone pole.
The zoo bought Fluffy for 35,000 U.S. dollars from its breeder in Oklahoma, which raised the python from a hatchling.
NATO counts on resumed military cooperation with Russia
By RIA Novosti,
Corfu (Greece) : NATO hopes that military cooperation with Russia will be resumed after Saturday's Russia-NATO Council session on the Greek island of Corfu, the alliance said.
NATO spokesman James Appathurai said "a resumption or military-to-military contacts" can be expected, adding that the Council was an organization with a great potential.
EU ministers ask Ireland to explain ‘no’ to Lisbon Treaty
By DPA,
Luxembourg : The European Union's (EU) foreign ministers Monday called on their Irish colleague to explain his countrymen's rejection of the Lisbon Treaty, warning that no quick solutions were in sight.
"Ireland signed the Lisbon Treaty, it is up to her to find a solution," Danish Foreign Minister Per Stig Moeller said at a meeting in Luxembourg.
But his Austrian colleague, Ursula Plassnik, said it would be unfair to isolate Ireland and called on all 27 member states to come up with a way out of the impasse.
Burundi government and rebel group repledge peace
By SPA,
Bujumbura, Burundi : A joint statement by the Burundi government and the country's last remaining rebel group says they have signed a cessation of hostilities.
The statement says Monday's pact has been signed by Evariste Ndayishiniye for the government and National Liberation Force spokesman Pasteur Habimana.
A previous cease-fire signed in 2006 failed to hold, after the two sides disagreed on its implementation although neither side renounced it.
Bandaranaike wants to see women in peacekeeping role
By IANS
Brussels : Former Sri Lankan president Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga called for women to play an active role in crisis management and peacekeeping around the globe.
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.
Wanted: better South Asia experts for the US
By Dipankar De Sarkar, IANS,
London : There is an urgent need for better South Asia experts to advise the next US government, says former American diplomat Robin Raphel.
"We used to have experts - thinktanks, students, professionals or diplomats - who could move around and work. Sadly, that's not the case any longer," said Raphel, former US assistant secretary of state for South Asia.
"One of the tasks of the new US administration will be to rebuild the cadre of South Asia experts," Raphel told a London conference on India and Pakistan organised by the Tehelka media group.
German chancellor to attend Nuclear Security Summit in US
By IRNA,
Berlin : German Chancellor Angela Merkel is to participate in the upcoming Nuclear Security Summit in Washington following an invitation by US President Barack Obama, government spokesman Ulrich Wilhelm told the weekly news magazine Der Spiegel on Sunday.
The nuclear security meeting due to take place on April 12 and 13 is to dwell on non-proliferation and securing atomic weapons and nuclear material.
Some 43 heads of states and governments, among them leading nuclear weapons states, are to attend the confab.
Six killed in helicopter crash in Philippines
By IANS,
Manila : At least six people, including a provincial governor, were killed Monday in a helicopter crash in northern Philippines, officials said.
Outgoing governor of Quezon, Rafael Nantes, two of his security guards and the pilot were killed after the chopper crashed in Lucena City in the northern province of Quezon, about 300 metres upon takeoff, said Col. Generoso Bolina, an army spokesman.
He said the chopper hit two houses on the ground, killing two civilians.
According to Lt. Gen. Roland Detabali, the helicopter exploded when it was on its way to Manila.
Prachanda on China visit for better ties
By IANS,
Kathmandu : While his party has kept parliament paralysed for nearly four months and refused to release child soldiers despite repeated urgings by the government and the international community, the chief of Nepal's former Maoist guerrillas, Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda, will be embarking on a week-long China visit Sunday to better ties.
Nigerian terrorist was called ‘the Pope’
By IANS,
London: The Nigerian man who tried to blow up a trans-Atlantic flight this week was so clean he was nicknamed the Pope, his former British teacher said.
Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, 23, who has been charged with attempting to bomb a Northwest Airlines flight from Amsterdam to Detroit, earned the nickname because he did so little wrong, the Daily Mail reported Monday quoting his ex-teacher.
23 killed, 438 hurt during Panamanian carnival celebration
By Xinhua,
Panama City : At least 23 people were killed and 438 injured during carnival celebrations in Panama, the authorities said.
During the four-day "Rey Momo" (Momo King) celebrations which ended Tuesday, 23 people were killed in traffic accidents and violent incidents.
Among the 438 injured, most were wounded by guns, knives, glass bottles and other objects used by troublemakers, said Eynar Cruz, director of the Emergencies Center of the Santo Tomas Hospital (HST).
North Korea rejects UN resolution on human rights
Pyongyang : North Korea Monday rejected a UN resolution condemning human rights violations in the country.
North Korea "totally opposes and rejects" the resolution, "a...
One injured in Pakistani firing along LoC
Jammu : A civilian was injured in unprovoked shelling by the Pakistani Army along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's...
Australia grants refugee status to Sri Lankans in Nauru
By Neena Bhandari, IANS
Sydney : As many as 72 Sri Lankans detained on the Pacific island of Nauru have been granted refugee status by Australia and efforts are underway to resettle them in other countries.
Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews said in a statement: "Australia is now exploring resettlement options in other countries for the Sri Lankans that have been assessed as being refugees. They will remain in Nauru while arrangements are made to resettle them elsewhere."
Chinese envoy cuts short Taiwan trip after being assaulted
By DPA,
Taipei : A senior Chinese official cut short his Taiwan visit and returned to China Wednesday, after he was shoved to the ground by pro-independence activists during a visit to a temple the previous day.
"I feel bad that police have to deploy so much manpower to protect my safety and I don't think I should cause them so much trouble, but the public will tell right from wrong," said Zhang Mingqing, vice chairman of the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS), at the airport.
Russian helicopter with rescuers leaves for quake-hit China
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : A Russian Mi-26 helicopter left for China on Saturday carrying two rescue teams to help with the relief operation following the May 12 earthquake that has left over 60,000 dead, the emergencies ministry said.
The helicopter took off from Khabarovsk in Russia's Far East, near the Chinese border, the ministry's press service said in a statement.
The teams will be working round the clock in the disaster-hit region.
South Korea expects peace talks with North
By RIA Novosti
Moscow : South Korea hopes talks with North Korea could be started to end officially the 1950-53 Korean War when Pyongyang's denuclearization schedule reaches a 'proper stage,' Foreign Minister Song Min-soon said Thursday.
The two Koreas have been technically 'at war' since the 1950-53 Korean War. However, any formal peace treaty would require the participation of the US and China, which were also involved in the conflict.
About two million women trafficked every year: UN
By DPA,
New York : An estimated two million women are caught each year in the worldwide sex industry while countless children and other women are forced into low-waged jobs, the UN said Tuesday in a renewed effort to fight human trafficking.
The UN said there are no accurate statistics, but the number of women trafficked across borders each year could be twice as high if the count includes those forced into domestic situations.
Ukraine crisis: Merkel stands by Germany’s triad policy
Berlin : German Chancellor Angela Merkel has stood by Germany's foreign policy in the wake of the Ukraine crisis and stressed the importance of...
Thirty years on, Steve Biko’s ideas still inspire
By Clare Byrne, DPA
Johannesburg : "The world will not forget the Steve Biko affair," angry parliamentarian Helen Suzman warned South Africa's apartheid government following the death of the influential Black Consciousness leader in police custody on Sep 12, 1977.
Wednesday marks the 30th anniversary of Biko's passing at the age of 30 after suffering brain damage caused by a police beating. To this day his death is mourned as having robbed South Africa of one of its great leaders, whose radical ideas on race and African identity are still seen as very germane.
Devyani Khobragade re-indicted, India says ‘unnecessary step’
Washington: Dashing hopes of a closure of the Devyani Khobragade affair, Indian American prosecutor Preet Bharara has secured a fresh indictment of the Indian...
Sarkozy says he will trim migrants quota
By IANS,
Paris : French President Nicolas Sarkozy Tuesday said if re-elected, he would cut immigration flow to half.
62-million-year old crocodile fossil found in Brazil
By RIA Novosti
Rio De Janeiro : Brazilian scientists have found the fossil of a previously unknown species of marine crocodile, which lived 62 million years ago and survived the dinosaurs, researchers said.
The species "Guarinisuchus munizi", found in the northeast coastal region of Pernambuco, has given rise to new theories about the migration of pre-historic animals.
Alexander Kellner of the National Museum here said: "Based on the discovery, we know what happened near the Brazilian coast. Now the question is whether the same happened worldwide. We believe it did."
Ecuadorian president to resign if links to rebels are proved
By DPA,
Lima (Peru) : Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa said here Saturday that he is willing to step down from office if it is proved that his government backed the leftist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).
Correa made this comment amid allegations by Colombian authorities that FARC - who hold former Colombian presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt and over 700 others hostage - may have given funds to Correa's presidential campaign and that the government in Quito may have granted protection to the rebels.
Georgia’s Patarkatsishvili to stay in London during election
By RIA Novosti
Tbilisi : Georgian opposition candidate, billionaire Badri Patarkatsishvili will stay in London during Saturday's presidential election, his election headquarters' spokesman said Friday.
Patarkatsishvili, 52, a media magnate believed to spark protests against former President Mikheil Saakashvili in November, said Thursday he would still run for president at the January 5 election despite his earlier announcement to pull out from the race.
LEDs set to revolutionise lighting
By IANS,
Washington : Energy efficient, ecologically sound light emitting diodes, or LEDs, are emerging as the hottest choice in illuminating homes and businesses.
"We are on the verge of a revolution," says E. Fred Schubert, professor of electrical engineering and physics at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute New York and co-author of a paper on the subject. "There are tremendous opportunities that open up with LED."
Armed protesters march through Chinese city, toll rises to 156
By Xinhua,
Urumqi (China) : Protesters armed with clubs and knives Tuesday marched through this riot-hit Chinese city as the death toll in the ethnic clashes rose to 156 and over 1,400 people were arrested for the violence, authorities said.
The dead include 129 men and 27 women, Li Yi, head of the publicity department of Xinjiang regional committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), said Tuesday morning.
Australian millionaire leaves daughters $4.50
By IANS,
Sydney : A former mayor in Australia has left her three daughters $1.50 each out of her $3.5 million estate because she believed they were involved in the death of her mother.
Valmai Roche, who died in 2009 aged 81, left "30 pieces of silver of the lowest denomination of currency" - or 30 five cent pieces - to each of her daughters saying it was "blood money due to Judas", the Daily Telegraph reported Monday.
Taiwan ready to buy 60 warplanes from US: official
By DPA,
Taipei : Taiwan is ready to buy 60 F-16C/D warplanes from the US and will pass the budget for the purchase as soon as Washignton approves the sale, a lawmaker said Sunday.
Lin Yu-fang, a member of the parliament's defence committee, made the remark in response to a newspaper report that a US official will come to Taiwan later this month to persuade incoming President Ma Ying-jeou to approve the purchase.
US arrest of Russian spies sparks protests in Moscow
By DPA,
Moscow/Washington : The arrest in the US of 10 individuals accused of spying on Russia’s behalf has sparked strong denials in Moscow, but Washington played down the prospect of a diplomatic rift between the two countries.
The Russian foreign ministry confirmed that the arrested included Russian citizens, but insisted that there was no wrong doing and that US interests were not affected.
"They had taken no action which harmed the interests of the US," the ministry said on its website Tuesday.
Researchers now know why Obama’s dog has curly hair
By IANS,
Washington : Data from Portuguese water dogs, one of which is owned by US President Barack Obama, helped researchers identify a gene that gives some canines curly hair and others long, wavy hair.
It was part of a National Institute of Health (NIH) study showing that variations in only three genes account for the seven major types of coat seen in purebred dogs.
The findings also point towards understanding complex human diseases caused by multiple genes, says an University of Utah (U-U) release.
US daily has a scoop: “Obama Wins!”
By IANS,
Washington : The US presidential election may be a week away, but the New Mexico Sun News has already declared Democratic nominee Barack Obama the winner!
"Obama Wins!" is the headline of the edition on newsstands now, complete with "special collector's edition" in red bold typeface, CNN reported calling it "either a major scoop or 'Dewey Beats Truman' déjà vu 60 years later."
'Dewey Defeats Truman' was a famously incorrect banner headline on the front page of the first edition of the Chicago Tribune Nov 3, 1948.
China Rail goes English
By Xinhua
Beijing : Foreigners will find it easier to buy train tickets in the Chinese capital, now that the city's major railway station has begun to provide services in English.
Obama promises ‘relentless’ response to oil spill
By DPA,
Louisiana/Washington : US President Barack Obama Sunday warned of a "massive and potentially unprecedented environmental disaster", as the widening oil slick in the Gulf of Mexico edged to 14 km off the coast of Louisiana.
But Obama said his administration would continue to mount a "relentless response" to the oil spill, the result of the sinking of an offshore rig April 20.
"We will spare no resource to clean up whatever damage is caused," Obama said in Venice, a staging ground for efforts to fight the oil slick, after meeting state and federal officials in Louisiana.
South Korea vows retaliation if North Korea attacks
By IANS,
Seoul : The government of North Korea will "vanish from the earth" if it wages a nuclear attack on South Korea, the South Korean defence ministry here said Friday.
Resist Chinese pressure on Tibet, Nepal told
Kathmandu: Nepal has imposed increasing restrictions on Tibetans living in the country as a result of strong pressure from China, Human Rights Watch said...
Cameron invites Suu Kyi to visit Britain
By IANS,
London: British Prime Minister David Cameron has invited Myanmar's pro-democracy campaigner Aung San Suu Kyi to visit the country later this year.
North Korea snapping military hotline not constructive: US
By IANS,
Washington : The US has said that the snapping of military communications hotline by North Korea was "not constructive."
Georgia submits note on cease-fire to Russia
By Xinhua,
Moscow : Georgia submitted on Sunday to the Russian embassy in Tbilisi a note on cease-fire while Russia said Georgia has not stopped hostilities in its breakaway region of South Ossetia yet.
"Georgia is ready to start immediate talks with the Russian Federation on an end to all hostilities and a cease-fire," Interfax news agency quoted the Georgian Foreign Ministry as saying in a statement.
Legless New Zealand woman swims with ‘mermaid tail’
By DPA,
Wellington : New Zealander Nadya Vessey, who lost her legs in a childhood illness, now swims like a mermaid - thanks to Oscar-winning movie special effects wizards Weta Workshop, according to media reports Wednesday.
The workshop, which won Oscars for their effects on "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy, made a mermaid wetsuit for her, complete with fishtail, which she tested in a Wellington pool.
ASEAN members ‘tiny blips’ compared to India, China: Singapore PM
By IANS,
Singapore : Members of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) are only "tiny blips" on investors' radar screens compared to China and India, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said Wednesday.
Opening the 29th ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) session, Lee said the 10-member group has to struggle to get its share of investments, jobs and growth.
World finance ministers to convene in Bali
By Xinhua
Jakarta : Finance ministers from across the world will hold a two-day meeting in conjunction with the international conference on climate change next month in Indonesia's resort island of Bali.
They will discuss financial issues and policies to address the concern of climate change, Indonesian Finance Minister Mulyani Indrawati said Thursday.
South and North Korea hold working-level military talks
By Xinhua
Seoul : South Korea held working-level military talks with North Korea Monday in preparation for the upcoming talks between defence ministers, officials said.
"Today's (Monday) working-level talks are to prepare for the defence ministerial talks," said South Korean defence ministry spokesman Col. Kang Yong-hee.
It is unclear whether the two sides will be able to set the date for the talks during Monday's meeting, he said.
The two sides might have another preparatory meeting if needed, he added.
One out of five British MPs suffer mental illnesses
By IANS,
London : Over a fifth of British MPs have experienced a mental health problem, but are too scared to talk in case they lose their seat, a survey has revealed.
An anonymous survey of 94 MPs, 100 lords and 151 parliamentary staff members showed that 19 percent of MPs, 17 percent of peers and 45 percent of parliamentary staff said they had experienced a mental health problem, reported The Independent.
But one in three said work-based stigma and expecting a hostile reaction from press and public stopped them from being open about these problems.
22 killed, 50 wounded in Sri Lanka suicide blast
By P. Karunakharan, IANS,
Colombo : At least 22 people, including two key members of the main opposition United National Party (UNP), were killed and over 50 wounded Monday when a suspected LTTE suicide bomber blew himself up in Sri Lanka's north-central town of Anuradhapura, the military said here.
Military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said that the suicide bombing occurred around 8.45 a.m. Monday at a UNP function near the old bus stand in Anuradhapura town, over 200 km north of here. A retired Major General of the army were among those killed on the spot.
16 killed in South Africa bus collision
By IANS,
Johannesburg: At least 16 people were killed and 27 injured Saturday when a speeding bus collided with another in southern South Africa, Xinhua reported.
US designates TTP chief as global terrorist
Washington: The US State Department Tuesday designated Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Maulana Fazlullah as a "specially designated global terrorist."
The consequences of this designation include...
Russia continues to bomb Georgia
By DPA,
Moscow/Tbilisi : Fighting continued overnight to Monday in Georgian capital Tbilisi, despite attempts by western mediators to end the conflict between Georgia and Russia and calling for an immediate ceasefire by all parties.
Two explosions were heard overnight in the capital Tbilisi, according to Georgia's interior ministry. Two military bases were also bombarded by Russian fighter planes, though no details were available.
Russia to buy 92 Su-34 fighters
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Russia has signed a deal to buy 92 Su-34 Fullback fighter-bombers from the Sukhoi aircraft maker, the defence ministry said Thursday.
US spying on UN leadership: WikiLeaks
By DPA,
London : The US is engaged in a spying campaign against the leadership of the UN, according to leaked diplomatic cables published by Britain's Guardian newspaper on its blog Sunday.
Chinese negotiator flies to Taiwan for talks
By DPA,
Taipei : Chinese negotiator Chen Unlin arrived in Taipei Monday for the highest-level talks between Taipei and Beijing in half a century.
Chen and his 74-member delegation arrived in a chartered Air China plane which landed at the Taoyuan International Airport near Taipei at 11:45 a.m.
The talks will begin at the Grand Hotel in Taipei Monday afternoon and last until Thursday.
The highlights of the talks will be Tuesday when Chen and Taiwan's negotiator sign four pacts on expanding ties and Thursday when President Ma Ying-jeou is scheduled to meet Chen.
Nigerian suspect in US plane explosion may be charged Saturday
By IANS,
Washington: The Nigerian man who allegedly set off a small explosion on board a Northwest Airlines flight near Detroit could face charges later Saturday, according to an official familiar with the case.
The suspect, identified by a member of Congress as Abdul Mudallad, is a Nigerian national who claims to have ties to Al Qaeda, reports Detroit's Free Press Journal.
British nuclear-powered submarine hits underwater rocks
By DPA,
London : A British nuclear-powered submarine, HMS Superb, hit an underwater rock in the northern Red Sea, ministry of defence said Wednesday.
No crew members were hurt in the incident and the submarine remains watertight, according to a ministry spokesman.
The submarine's sonar equipment was damaged in the incident, which occurred Monday, forcing it to surface.
However, the submarine's nuclear reactor was "completely unaffected," according to the spokesman.
A full investigation was under way to determine the cause of the collision.
Nepali political parties sign 23-point agreement
By Xinhua
Kathmandu : The top leaders of Nepal's ruling Seven-Party Alliance (SPA) Sunday signed a 23-point agreement, ending months-long political stalemate and paving the way for the Constituent Assembly (CA) elections by mid April next year.
With the signing of the agreement, the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) (CPN-M) will be returning to the council of ministers. Four of the CPN-M ministers resigned from their posts on Sep 18, to express their disagreement over announcing the country a republic and the electoral system to be adopted during the CA elections.
US sends first ambassador to Libya in 36 years
By DPA,
Washington : The US Senate has approved sending the first US ambassador to Libya in 36 years, the final step in warming relations between the one-time enemies.
"We're very pleased, very pleased," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said Friday.
But Gene Cretz, the veteran US diplomat confirmed by the Senate, could have a very short-lived tenure as ambassador to Libya. President-elect Barack Obama has the opportunity to change any US ambassadors he sees fit when he enters office on Jan 20.
The Senate confirmed Cretz's appointment late Thursday night.
4 police wounded in car explosion in breakaway Georgian region
By SPA,
Tbilisi, Georgia : An official says four police officers have been wounded by an explosion in the breakaway Georgian region of South Ossetia, AP reported.
Spokeswoman Irina Gagloyeva of the region's unrecognized government says the Thursday morning blast hit a car that one of the wounded officers had received from a Georgian person.
She alleges the blast was a terrorist attack staged by Georgian security agents.
Also Thursday, a grenade hit a car carrying law enforcement officers in another part of South Ossetia, critically wounding one.
Hundreds of passengers evacuated at LA International Airport
Los Angeles (ANTARA News) - Hundreds of passengers were evacuated Sunday at the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) after a passenger made a suspicious comment, airport authorities said.
The evacuation caused the delay of two USAirways flights and 20 Southwest Airlines flights, holding up 1,850 passengers, according to airport officials.
Airport police ordered the evacuation after receiving a report that a male passenger made a suspicious comment about a bomb threat, said Nancy Castles of the Los Angeles World Airports.
Terror link not ruled out in missing jetliner mystery: CIA
Washington: The possibility of a terror link cannot be ruled out yet in the " mystery" of the missing Malaysia Airlines flight, John Brennan,...
Sri Lanka truce pact was lopsided, say negotiators
By P.K. Balachandran, IANS
Colombo : The truce pact with the Tamil Tigers the Sri Lankan government decided to annul Wednesday had in it the seeds of its own destruction, government peace negotiators have said.
The Ceasefire Agreement (CFA) was crafted in early 2002 by the Norwegian facilitators in "undue haste" to beat a February-end deadline, said Bernard Goonetilleke in an earlier speech in Washington.
10 die in Yemen plane crash
By IANS,
Sanaa : All 10 people aboard a Yemeni military cargo plane died Wednesday when their aircraft crashed near an airport here, officials said.
Australian jihadists found guilty of terror plot
By DPA,
Sydney: Five Australians face the prospect of life in prison after being convicted in a Sydney court Friday of plotting a terrorist attack.
The five Muslim men, aged 25 to 44, had pleaded not guilty to stockpiling explosive chemicals, firearms and ammunition with the intention of carrying out an act of terrorism.
The court was told the men worked together for months preparing an attack and that they possessed pamphlets glorifying suicide bombings that would "kill as many of the enemy as possible".
Death toll in Peruvian quake surpasses 400
By DPA
Lima : The death toll of the powerful earthquake that struck central Peru had climbed to at least 437, the Institute for Civil Defence in Lima said.
Civil Defence chief Luis Palomino said 829 people were injured and 16,659 families suffered damage to their property in Wednesday's quake, the worst in 27 years in Peru.
Peruvian Fire Department commander Roberto Ocno Thursday put the death toll "between 500 and 510" people, and estimated the likely figure of injured at 1,600.
Norway holds memorial for twin attack victims
By IANS,
Oslo : Norway Sunday held a grand national memorial ceremony honouring the 77 victims of the twin attacks in the capital city of Oslo in July.
Mekong countries striving for shared prosperity
By Xinhua
Vientiane : Leaders of the six countries in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) are gathering here on Saturday for their third summit meeting scheduled for March 30-31 to discuss ways to deepen economic cooperation for their countries' shared prosperity.
The theme of the Third GMS Summit is "Enhancing Competitiveness through Greater Connectivity".
Tamil refugees in Sri Lanka to return home from Thursday
By IANS,
Chennai: Sri Lanka has assured a team of 10 MPs from Tamil Nadu that 58,000 Sri Lankan Tamils currently staying in fenced-off camps will be taken back to their homes from Thursday, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi said here Wednesday.
"There are 253,000 Tamils living in the camps and they will be sent back to their original places in phases - that is the assurance the MPs team got from Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa," the DMK chief told reporters here.
China cuts Tibet-Nepal links ahead of uprising anniversary
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : Determined to prevent anti-China demonstrations in Tibet Wednesday, the 51st anniversary of a failed Tibetan uprising against Chinese annexation, Beijing has snapped most links between the former Buddhist kingdom and its neighbour Nepal.
The bridge connecting northern Nepal with Tibet - the Friendship Bridge - has been effectively closed by the Chinese authorities, rights body International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) said in a statement, while flights between Kathmandu and Lhasa, the Tibetan capital, have been grounded since Friday.
Russia’s arms sales may increase by 12 percent in 2010
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow: Russia expects to boost its arms sales by 12 percent in 2010, the Federal Agency for Military Cooperation said Wednesday.
"We calculate arms sales of $9.5 billion," head of the agency Mikhail Dmitriyev said.
India, China, Algeria, Venezuela, Malaysia and Syria are the main buyers of Russian arms. Vietnam also emerged as a key importer after it signed a deal to buy submarines, aircraft and other military hardware from Russia late last year.
Bush hosts Sarkozy for lunch – new era of relations?
By DPA
Washington : US President George W Bush met French President Nicolas Sarkozy for lunch at the Bush family's Oceanside private estate, eager to underscore a thaw in relations between Washington and Paris.
Bush made plain that smoothing divisions over the Iraq war was one aim of the meeting Saturday, the third between the two presidents since Sarkozy took office in May.
One killed, 10 injured in US party fight
By IANS,
Los Angeles : At least one person was killed and 10 injured in a fight at a birthday party in this US city Saturday, police said.
At least three dead in high sea collision
By DPA,
Tokyo : At least three people were reported killed and 13 missing after a freighter collided with a fishing boat off southern Japan, newspaper report said Sunday.
Rescue teams were searching for the missing crewmen after a Hong Kong freighter and a Chinese fishing boat collided Friday on the East China Sea, the Japan Times said.
The report said the fishing boat sank immediately after the collision and two members of its crew were rescued.
Immigrant death in ‘police action’ dent Canada’s image
By IANS,
Toronto : The death of two European immigrants, allegedly from the use of taser - an electric shock weapon - used by police, have put the Canadian government in a tight spot.
The Italian ambassador has mounted an attack on Canada for the taser death of an Italian immigrant last year.
Claudio Castagnetta, 32, who died in police custody in Quebec City last September, was allegedly shocked with taser and later denied medical care.
Nepal vice president ends Hindi row with Maithili oath
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : After festering for 18 months and deepening the rift between the hill and plains people, Nepal's Hindi row Sunday came to an uneasy end with embattled Vice President Paramananda Jha re-taking his oath of office and secrecy in his mother tongue Maithili.
EU condemns detention of Myanmar’s Suu Kyi
By DPA
Berlin : The European Union's German presidency has "deeply condemned" the one-year extension of the house arrest of Myanmar opposition leader and Nobel Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.
Philippines Clashes Kill 5, Hurt 6
By Prensa Latina
Manila : A confrontation between government forces and alleged members of the New Philippines People's Army (NEP) killed five soldiers and wounded six on Wednesday in the south of the archipelago, an army source reported.
The army spokesman Colonel Benito de Leon told media that the fighting occurred in the coastal town of Cateel in the eastern province of Davao, 55 miles south of Manila.
Previously, the chief of the Armed Forces general Hermogenes Esperon noted that scale and intensity of military operations would be increased to neutralize NEP.
Explosion in Nicaraguan ship kills five
By IANS,
Quito : At least five people have been killed and 30 injured in an explosion on board a Nicaraguan-flagged vessel in the port of Manta in western Ecuador, EFE news agency reported Thursday, quoating officials
Juan Carlos Medranda, the head of radio operations for the Manta firefighters, said that the blast occurred when a pipe on board the ship carrying ammonia gas ruptured and the gas ignited.
US forewarned Pakistan on supporting India for UNSC
By IANS,
Islamabad: The US had forewarned Pakistan about support to India as a permanent member in the UN Security Council ahead of President Barack Obama's visit.
Nepal rules out greater role for UN in peace process
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS
Kathmandu : In a blow to the UN's hope for a greater role in Nepal's peace process, the government Wednesday ruled out giving additional responsibility to the world body.
Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala held a meeting of his cabinet to discuss the UN interest in additional involvement and decided not to widen the mandate of the UN Mission in Nepal (UNMIN).
US slaps sanctions on two Pakistan terror groups for helping LeT
By Arun Kumar,
Washington: The US has targeted two Pakistan-based terrorist organisations and frozen the assets of their leaders for providing financial support to...
11 drown in Mexican river
By IANS
Guadalajara (Mexico) : At least 11 members of a religious group were killed when a river rose without warning in the western Mexican state of Jalisco, the Spanish news agency EFE said.
Earlier, the death toll from the weekend incident was put at nine. However, emergency services personnel recovered two more bodies Monday from the Cuixtla river.
Clinton campaign works to put pressure on front-runner Obama ahead of key races Tuesday
By SPA
Washington : Analysts and even supporters of Hillary Rodham Clinton have said she needs to win two big states next week to keep her presidential campaign afloat. But her advisers are seeking to put the burden on front-runner Barack Obama, saying if he doesn't sweep all four states Tuesday, it would show Democrats are having second thoughts about him, reported ap.
Former Sri Lankan Army chief arrested, to be court-martialled
By IANS,
Colombo : Former Sri Lankan Army chief Sarath Fonseka was arrested Monday and will be court-martialled for military crimes, an official said.
Lakshman Hullugala, director general of the Media Centre for National Security, told state television that Fonseka will be court-martialled.
Fonseka has been accused of revealing military secrets and also plotting the assassination of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the Daily Mirror of Sri Lanka reported on its website.
He was arrested by the military police.
Fonseka's media secretary Senaka de Silva was also arrested.
Brazil to build new airport in Sao Paulo after tragedy
By Xinhua
Rio De Janeiro : The Brazilian government has announced that another airport will be built in Sao Paulo, following Tuesdays' airplane accident that killed about 200 people at the Congonhas International Airport.
In a speech on national television Friday night, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said that despite the recent investment in the Congonhas airport, the main problem of the traffic overflow remained.
He then announced a series of measures to be taken to solve the problem, including building a new airport in Sao Paulo.
Mayer spends time with Perry’s parents
By IANS,
Los Angeles: Singer Katy Perry and John Mayer displays how strong their relationship was going after the two reportedly met at former's parents over Christmas.
China plans to build world’s highest airport in Tibet
By IANS,
Lhasa : China plans to construct the world's highest airport in Tibet, officials said Tuesday.
The new airport will be built at an altitude of 4,436 metres, Xinhua news agency reported.
Xu Bo, director of the Tibetan Branch of the China Civil Aviation Administration, said the airport planned to be built at Nagqu prefecture would be 102 metres higher than Bamda airport in Tibet's Qamdo prefecture, which has been the world's highest airport since its completion in 1994.
Yet another Indian American joins USAID
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : Sohini Chatterjee, an Indian American lawyer involved in development work worldwide, has been appointed as Senior Advisor in the Office of Donor Engagement in the US Agency for International Development's newly created Policy Planning Bureau.
Chatterjee will work closely with USAID administrator, Dr Rajiv Shah, the highest ranking Indian American in the Obama administration, and another Indian American, Nisha Desai Biswal, recently appointed as the Assistant Administrator for Asia in the agency.
Floods in Indonesia kill 8
By RIA Novosti,
Jakarta : Eight people were killed and another two were reported missing in floods in Indonesia's West Sulawesi region over the weekend, the Jakarta Post newspaper said on Monday.
Thousands were forced to leave flooded homes, and the popular tourist destinations of Kuta and Seminyak in Bali were also inundated.
About 500 hectares of rice paddies have been flooded in the province of West Nusa Tenggara.
Local officials fear there could be more floods due to continuing heavy rains.
Cholera death toll reaches 484 in Zimbabwe: WHO
By NNN-ANTARA,
Geneva : The number of cholera cases in Zimbabwe has increased to 11,735, including 484 deaths, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday.
The death rate at this point is 4 percent of all cases, which is high, said Fadela Chaib, spokeswoman of the UN agency.
Chaib said the high death rate probably meant that sick people did not arrive to the medical centers quickly enough, or that even once they arrived there was a shortage of medicines.
Three Kashmiri shahtoosh traders arrested in Nepal
By IANS
Kathmandu : Three Kashmiris were arrested in Nepal for selling shawls made from shahtoosh, the wool of an endangered Tibetan chiru antelope, trading in which is banned world over.
Cuba to sign UN human rights agreements ‘shortly’
By DPA
Havana : Cuba will "shortly" sign two UN human rights agreements, Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque said.
Perez Roque Monday further expressed the will of the communist island to cooperate more closely with the Human Rights Council of the UN.
The "political decision" to sign the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights was taken, according to Perez Roque, following a "radical change" introduced by the new Human Rights Council.
Moscow opens world’s largest urban snowboarding track
By IANS/EFE,
Moscow : Moscow is now home to the world's largest urban course for jibbing, a type of snowboarding with obstacles, the Russian sports facility's managers said.
Danger of unexploded mines surfacing after Sri Lanka floods
By DPA,
Colombo : Sri Lanka's military warned of unexploded mines surfacing after heavy floods in the northern and eastern regions that have claimed at least 37 lives, officials said Sunday.
Japan to issue multiple entry visa to Indians for short stay
New Delhi:Japan will issue multiple entry visas for short term stay of Indians from July 3 onwards, the embassy of Japan here said Thursday.
"The...
UN special envoy to meet Aung San Suu Kyi in Myanmar
By DPA,
Yangon : The United Nations special envoy to Myanmar, Ibrahim Gambari, is scheduled to meet opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi on an official visit expected to start this weekend, government sources said Friday.
Gambari is expected to arrive in Yangon Saturday to revive his so far unsuccessful efforts to push Myanmar's ruling junta to free Suu Kyi and thousands of other political prisoners and to allow democratic reforms in the military dictatorship.
MPs back new UK-US defence trade treaty
By IRNA
London : An all-party group of MPs Tuesday praised a new treaty signed by former prime minister Tony Blair to ease military sales between the UK and US just before he left office in June.
"It is vital to the interests of both the US and the UK that our Armed Forces have access to the equipment they need to fight effectively alongside their US allies in current and future operations," the Defence Select Committee said.
Aide pays for 76-yr-old’s Everest record
By IANS,
Kathmandu : A Nepali helper who helped the world's oldest climber summit Mt Everest this year has had to pay dearly for the record, losing his fingers and toes.
Dharma Bahadur Rai was part of the six-member Senior Citizens' Mount Everest Expedition that saw 76-year-old Min Bahadur Sherchan conquer the 8,848-metre peak May 25 and add a new record in the nearly six-decade-long climbing annals of the world's most charismatic mountain.
Nine killed in mine blast in southwest China
By DPA
Beijing : Nine people have been killed in a gas explosion at a coalmine in southwestern China, local officials said Monday.
The toll given by officials in the blast at Shizishan mine in Yunnan province halved the number of victims reported initially in local newspapers.
All 36 miners who had been missing in Sunday's accident at the Shizishan mine near Zhaotong had been rescued and seven miners were injured, the officials said.
Berlin ‘deeply concerned’ over ongoing unrest in Bahrain
By IRNA,
Berlin: German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle expressed Saturday 'deep concern' over the ongoing security crackdown in Bahrain.
Floods affect 8 million in Asia: UN
By IANS,
Geneva : At least 650 people have died and over eight million people have been affected by floods and typhoons in Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos and the Philippines, the UN has said.
Sri Lanka bans meetings inciting hatred among religions
Colombo : Sri Lanka Sunday announced a ban on public meetings and rallies which promote hatred among religions.
The ban will also apply to any...
Rafendi Djamin elected Indonesia representative in ASEAN Human Rights Commission
By NNN-Antara,
Jakarta : The Indonesian government has appointed human rights activist Rafendi Djamin to represent it in the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR), a foreign ministry spokesman said.
Director of ASEAN Political and Security Affairs Ade Sukendar made the remarks here on Friday.
Sandy Baruah takes over as US Small Business Administrator
By IANS,
Washington : Santanu "Sandy" K. Baruah, an Indian American, has taken over as Acting Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA), an independent agency of the federal government, to help small business concerns.
President George Bush had nominated Baruah, 43, to be the new head of the agency with proposed 2009 budget of $659 million in June 2008, but his Senate confirmation ran into bipartisan concerns about the agency.
British Govt welcomes transfer of Basra province toIraqi control
LONDON, Oct 31 (APP): The British Government has welcomed Iraqi Prime Minister Maliki’s statement that Basra Province will transfer to Iraqi control in December.
Clinton offers condolences to Australia flood victims
By KUNA,
Washington : U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton late Monday offered prayers and condolences for the victims of Australias massive flooding.
South Korean leader calls for firmer line on Pyongyang
By RIA Novosti
Moscow : South Korea's president Wednesday urged North Korea to cooperate on the issue of repatriating prisoners of war and those abducted, and to speed up denuclearisation efforts, Yonhap news agency said.
Conservative leader Lee Myung-bak, who came to power last month after his election victory late last year, has repeatedly said he plans to seek more in return from Pyongyang for South Korea's generous subsidies.
Myanmar’s largest airport to be upgraded
By IANS,
Yangon: Myanmar's largest Mandalay International Airport will be upgraded, a media report said Saturday.
Climate change worries young Russians less than other teens
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Young Russians are less concerned than their counterparts in other countries about climate change, according to a new United Nations survey.
The survey of 12-18 year olds in Russia, Brazil, India, the United States and South Africa was released by the United Nations Environment Program on Friday.
Four hundred young people were surveyed in each country, and 85% said they were "very" or "somewhat concerned" about climate change. Concern was highest in Brazil, with 96% of respondents reporting concern, and lowest in Russia, where the figure was 70%.
Law extending powers of Turkmen parliament comes into force
By RIA Novosti,
Asghabat : A law extending the powers of Turkmenistan's parliament came into force on Tuesday after being published in the official press.
On December 14 Turkmenistan voted in their first parliamentary elections, since the new constitution was adopted in September, as part of reforms announced by the country's president, Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov, in the gas-rich ex-Soviet republic.
Economic crisis will not deter US foreign aid
By DPA,
Washington : President George W. Bush said Tuesday the US must remain committed to providing assistance to developing countries despite economic turmoil at home.
Bush gave the keynote address at the White House's Summit on International Development in Washington, touting his administration's achievements while reminding the gathering that combating poverty abroad is vital to US national security interests.
London condemns Serb attacks on UK, foreign embassies
By IRNA
London : The British government has condemned the series of attacks on the US, UK and other embassies in Serbia following the declaration of independence by Kosovo that has been supported by many western countries.
"While the Kosovo issue raises strong feelings in Serbia, no cause can justify such displays of violence," Foreign Secretary David Miliband said.
"We have made clear to the Serbian government that we expect them to fully uphold their obligations to protect our embassy and other diplomatic premises," he said.
Four killed, 34 injured in China train accident
By Xinhua,
Nanning (China) : Four people died and 34 were injured after a train derailed in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region early Wednesday, authorities said.
Train 1473, from Xiangfan of central Hubei province to Zhanjiang of Guangdong province, derailed at 4.22 a.m. in a valley in Liuzhou city of Guangxi.
The locomotive and its first four sleeper cars derailed, said the Nanning Railway Bureau.
Of the 34 injured, 11 were in serious condition, said Xiang Jun, a government official in Liuzhou.
Do more to limit global warming, UN tells countries
By IANS,
Bali : Countries will have to be far more ambitious in cutting greenhouse gas emissions if the world is to effectively limit a rise in global temperature to 2 degrees Celsius, says the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).
A new UNEP study modelling greenhouse gases (GHG) that are warming the earth says that annual global GHG emissions should not be larger than 40 to 48.3 Gigatonnes (Gt) of carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalent in 2020 and should peak sometime between 2015 and 2021.
India, South Korea to expand defence, security cooperation: Modi
Seoul : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that India and South Korea have agreed to expand their defence and security cooperation and...
Moscow cafe evacuated after bomb threat
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : A coffee shop in Moscow was evacuated late Saturday following a call reporting a bomb threat, police said Sunday.
More than half Americans fear rise of Muslim extremism
By IANS,
New York : More than half of Americans fear the rise of Islamic extremism, says a survey taken after the shooting at the Fort Hood Army base in Texas earlier this month.
In the worst-ever shooting at any US army base, Major Nidal Malik Hassan, an army psychiatrist, allegedly mowed down 12 fellow soldiers and a civilian when he fired on his comrades to protest his upcoming posting to the war zone.
The shooting by the Muslim soldier occurred just two months after two Muslims were arrested for bomb-making plot, raising fears of a backlash against the community in the US.
Canada’s first white Christmas in four decades
By Gurmukh Singh,IANS,
Toronto : With snow blanketing the country from coast to coast Thursday, Canada had its first white Christmas in almost four decades.
Since some parts of the province of British Columbia in western Canada generally don't receive much snowfall, the country has not witnessed a white Christmas since 1971.
With 41 cm of snow Thursday morning, British Columbia's main city Vancouver, in fact, recorded the whitest Christmas in Canada.
Thousands march to mark 150 years of the Red Cross
By DPA,
Solferino (Italy) : At least 8,000 people took part in a torch-lit march Saturday evening to mark the Battle of Solferino in northern Italy, the event that led to the creation of the Red Cross.
"It's really a very good thing to see so many people, especially young people, who are motivated to be committed to humanitarian work," Jakob Kellenberger, president of the International Committee of the Red Cross, told DPA.
"I am pleased people are here just to remember the disaster of war. ... They are also all aware the fight for peace is never-ending."