Who will hold the reins of Russia’s power vertical?
By DPA,
Moscow : President Vladimir Putin pulled tight the shuddering lines of Russia's fledgling post-Soviet federalism when he took office in 1999, creating the so-called "power vertical", a part feudal, part bureaucratic human pyramid of power ending at the Kremlin.
But for the first time in Russia's history Wednesday, the head of state is not being forced from office but leaving at the peak of his power and popularity in compliance with the constitution.
Sri Lanka court issues arrest warrant against LTTE chief
By Xinhua,
Colombo : The High Court here Monday issued arrest warrants against Tamil Tiger rebels' chief Velupillai Prabakaran and three others for the murder of Sri Lanka's former foreign minister.
The police, however, told the court that Prabakaran's arrest was not possible due to the ongoing military operation in the north, where he is believed to be hiding. The case will be heard again May 13.
Spain for Zapatero´s Re-election
By Prensa Latina
Madrid : The leader of the Spanish Socialist Workers Party (PSOE), Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, is today moving forward to a possible re-election as president of Spain, after four years facing up constant bombing of a fierce opposition.
Zapatero, always marked as one of the youngest elements in the environment he performs, has a delicate alternative in the Sunday general elections.
Relief work for cyclone victims underway in Myanmar
By Xinhua
Yangon : Relief work for cyclone victims are urgently underway in Myanmar's cyclone-hit regions with the government, non-governmental organizations and individuals being engaged in striving for the reconstruction of infrastructures destroyed in a recent deadly cyclone storm and rendering assistance to the victims.
Led by Prime Minister General Thein Sein, four infantry divisions have rushed to the scene by seven helicopters, 60 fiber boats and 10 ships to carry out emergency relief operation.
Indian Canadian gets 11 years for beheading daughter
By IANS,
Vancouver : An Indian Canadian, who killed his two-year-old daughter last year in Delta near here, was jailed for 11 years Friday.
Forty-eight-year-old Lakhvinder Singh Kahlon had slit the throat of his toddler on the morning of Jan 18 last year at the family home when his wife, Manjit, was away to drop their two elder daughters at school.
When she returned home, the wife found the two-year-old Ravinder beheaded.
Key senators nearing compromise on US climate legislation
By DPA,
Washington : Three key US senators has said they had the outlines of a compromise on far-reaching climate legislation that has been stalled for weeks in the Senate.
Senators John Kerry, a Democrat, Joe Lieberman, an Independent, and Lindsey Graham, a Republican, released a four-page "framework" that they said would help wean the US off its dependence on foreign energy sources and protect the economy.
Bangladeshi held in plot to bomb US Federal Reserve
By IANS,
New York: A Bangladeshi man was arrested here Wednesday in a sting operation by US authorities for allegedly plotting to bomb the Federal Reserve bank.
Colombian hostage seeks Castro’s help, jail in Cuba
By DPA
Bogota : An ailing former Colombian senator held hostage by leftist rebels since 2002 has asked Cuban President Fidel Castro to intervene on his behalf, saying he would be willing to remain a prisoner in Cuba in order to receive medical treatment.
Jorge Gechem's request comes from a letter made public Tuesday.
Former legislator Consuelo Gonzalez - released last week after more than six years as a hostage of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) - Monday handed letters and photographs to the families of Gechem and seven other hostages.
The World in 2008: A year of extremes
By Eva-Maria McCormack,DPA,
Berlin : The year 2008 can be called a year of extremes: it saw huge trauma, beginning in the shadow of the assassination of former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto just days earlier and ending with a global market crisis that has brought despair to millions across the world. Yet the worst is still to come.
Hindu temple sues British charity over cow killing
By IANS
London : A popular Hindu temple near London has sued Britain's largest animal welfare charity saying it had illegally carried out the mercy killing of a cow that was under the temple's care.
Gangotri, an ailing 13-year-old Belgian blue jersey that was being looked after by devotees at the Bhaktivedanta Manor temple, was put down by veterinarians of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) last December as priests prayed in the temple.
Bolivian president protests FIFA altitude rules, plays at 6,000 metres
By DPA
La Paz : Bolivian President Evo Morales played football at an altitude of 6,000 metres to protest FIFA rules banning matches above 2,500 metres.
China, US pledge to expand cooperation
By Xinhua,
Annapolis : China and the United States pledged to expand their mutual cooperation and strengthen economic and trade ties at the fourth round of their Strategic Economic Dialogue (SED) here Tuesday.
"Due to the complicated, changeable nature of the current global economic and financial situation, both China and the US are facing a lot of challenges," visiting Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan said at the opening session of the meeting, adding that the SED under such circumstances will have special significance for both the countries.
Mugabe dismisses opposition claims of violence
By DPA,
Johannesburg/Harare : Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe has dismissed opposition claims of violence ahead of next week's presidential run-off election, saying the claims were aimed at tainting the vote, state media as reported.
The Herald newspaper quoted the 84-year-old Mugabe speaking at a rally in the country's second city Bulawayo on Friday as saying: "They have been saying their supporters are being beaten up by our soldiers. They say this so that they can later say the elections were not free and fair, which is a damn lie!"
210,000 Chinese graduates appointed village officials
By IANS,
Beijing : The number of college graduates appointed as grassroots officials in China's rural areas reached 210,000 by the end of last year, the Communist Party of China announced Sunday.
China considers law to ensure elevator safety
By IANS,
Beijing: China is considering a law to ensure safety of elevators, reported Xinhua. (13:36)
UNICEF working to address needs of Nepali women and children flood victims
By NNN-UNNS,
Kathmandu : The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is working with its humanitarian partners in Nepal to address some of the specific needs of women and children who have been displaced by the recent floods in the country’s east.
Almost 30 shelter sites have been set up so far to accommodate the increasing numbers of internally displaced persons (IDPs), which the Government estimates to be around 107,000. Children are said to make up nearly half of that number.
Canada firm on quitting Afghanistan by 2011
By IANS,
Toronto : The Americans may have shown renewed interest in Afghanistan but Canada stays firm on its decision to end its mission in the war-torn country by 2011, says Canada's new foreign minister Lawrence Cannon.
The minister told a television channel Sunday that the tough stand by US president-elect Barack Obama on Afghanistan will have no impact on the Canadian decision to pull out of Afghanistan by 2011.
During the US presidential campaign, Obama promised to send two more US brigades to Afghanistan to go after the Al Qaeda and its leader Osama bin Laden.
Myanmar junta congratulates Obama
By DPA,
Yangon : Joining a world hopeful of change, Myanmar's military junta has sent congratulation notes to US president-elect Barack Obama and vice president-elect Joseph Biden, news reports said Saturday.
State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) Senior General Than Shwe sent a message of congratulations to Obama Friday while the junta's number two, Vice-Senior General Maung Aye, sent a similar message to Biden, The New Light of Myanmar reported.
UN Security Council meets on North Korea’s nuclear test
By DPA,
New York : The UN Security Council held an emergency meeting Monday to discuss the new challenge presented by North Korea's testing of a nuclear device.
The 15-nation council met in a closed-door session after the council's five permanent members - the US, Russia, China, Britain and France - along with Japan and South Korea held a separate meeting to consider action against the Pyongyang government.
Diplomats said the council most likely would issue a statement on the event
Clinton prepares to take last stand in presidential race
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : As a trailing Hillary Clinton prepared to take her last stand in the Democratic presidential primaries with rival Barack Obama close to the finish line, she sent mixed signals as to her next move.
Campaigning before the final two nominating contests in Montana and South Dakota Tuesday, Clinton said she would now be making her case to super delegates, who are not bound by primary results, that she is the strongest candidate to beat Republican John McCain in November.
Indian Australian diaspora, Australian MP’s call for immediate end to Australian govt’s India travel...
As the Australian government has banned travel from India amid an exponential surge in Covid cases, concerned representatives of the Indian diaspora in the...
Obama outnumbers McCain in campaign expense in July
By Xinhua,
Washington : Reports released on Thursday showed that U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama spent 55 million U.S. dollars for his campaign in July, compared to the 32 million dollars his Republican rival John McCain invested.
According to the financial reports Obama's campaign filed to the Federal Election Commission, he raised more than 50 million dollars in July and remained strong momentum in inspiring new donors.
G7 ministers pledge to stimulate recovery of global economy
By DPA,
Rome : Finance ministers and central bankers from the Group of Seven (G7) most-industrialized nations ended talks Saturday with a pledge to re-establish confidence in the stricken global financial system and to stimulate a worldwide economic recovery.
A concluding statement after the gathering in Rome also renewed a commitment to avoid protectionist measures.
"An open system of global trade and investment is indispensable for global prosperity," the statement said.
Sri Lankan naval vessel sunk by LTTE at Trincomalee
By KUNA,
New Delhi : A Sri Lankan Navy's logistic supply vessel was sunk Saturday through underwater explosion triggered by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in an harbour at Trincomalee, ahead of provincial elections.
"Sri Lankan Navy's logistic supply ship - A520 - at the Ashraff harbour in Trincomalee was sunk in an underwater sea explosion early this morning. Crew members are, however, safe," Navy spokesman Commander DKP Dassanayake told Indo Asian News Service.
The navy has launched a search operation in the area, the news agency said.
Nepal quake takes heavy toll of Hindu temples
Kathmandu : The devastating earthquake in Nepal has destroyed or badly damaged many Hindu temples both in the Kathmandu Valley and elsewhere.
Saturday's 7.9 magnitude...
Opposition challenges recount as Zimbabwe crisis deepens
By AFP,
Harare : Zimbabwe's opposition challenged Sunday a recount it said was loaded towards the ruling party as rigging allegations were traded and regional leaders failed to stem the deepening post-election crisis.
Britain’s RBS to raise $35 bn under bailout scheme
By DPA,
London : Britain's Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) announced Monday that it will be raising 20 billion pounds ($35 billion) of new capital under a government bail-out scheme.
The bank also said that its chief executive, Fred Goodwin, is to stand down following the recent turmoil surrounding the bank which saw its share price fall to 1.71 pence.
The announcement came as the Treasury announced details of its plan to prop up banks to the stock exchange.
Pro-Kremlin movement leader held for unofficial Moscow rally
By RIA Novosti
Moscow : Police have detained members of pro-Kremlin youth movement Nashi as well as the group's head, Nikita Borovikov, for holding an unsanctioned rally near the EU office in Moscow, a spokeswoman said Wednesday.
"We installed a bell that was to toll for democracy in Europe. The movement's leader spoke for a while, but police dispersed the rally quickly," Kristina Potupchik said.
She said the movement decided to hold a protest after some members were refused visas for Europe, in particular, Estonia and Finland.
Explosion in Sri Lankan capital, two killed: police
By AFP,
Colombo : A hand grenade exploded inside Sri Lanka's capital of Colombo late Saturday, killing two people and injuring at least nine others, the defence ministry said.
The blast took place near a bus stop in Colombo's densely-populated Wellawatte area, the ministry said in a statement.
"Two civilians were killed in the explosion," police media spokesman Ranjith Gunasekera told reporters. "At least nine other civilians suffered injuries," Gunasekera said, adding that the victims were rushed to the nearby Kalubowila Hospital.
Mexican farmers to form human wall to protest NAFTA
By Prensa Latina
Mexico City : Thousands of Mexican farmers and social group members will form a human wall Tuesday along the border checkpoint in Ciudad Juarez to protest the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).
"That human wall will be formed on the Cordoba-Americas International Bridge in Ciudad Juarez, state of Chihuahua, to criticise the NAFTA on agricultural sectors," the Farmers' Democratic Front of Mexico said.
Russian Air Force to reduce officers’ number by 30 percent
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : The Russian Air Force will reduce the number of officers by 30 percent under the current military reform, an official said Tuesday.
The ongoing reform of the Russian military envisions the overall reduction of the Armed Forces to one million servicemen, including 150,000 officers by 2012.
Google, YouTube to get Russian site blacklist updates
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow: Google and YouTube will receive updates regarding "blacklisted" websites in Russia, the country's communications oversight agency said.
Stressed out: men and women differ there too
By IANS
New York : Men and women tend to react differently to stress, with men adopting a "fight-or-flee" attitude and women using a "tend-and-befriend" strategy.
That's the conclusion of a new study by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania on how men and women differ in their neural responses to psychological stress.
According to the study, the different reactions to stress in men and women can be traced back to the way humans evolved.
Nikkei falls to a four-year low; broader Japanese index sheds 1,000 points
By DPA,
Tokyo : Japan's key Nikkei 225 Stock Average fell to a four-year low Monday on worries about the financial crisis, despite US Congressional approval of a Wall Street bail-out.
The benchmark Nikkei index was trading early afternoon (1:43 p.m.) at 10,434.17, down 503.97 points, or 4.60 percent.
The broader Topix index of all first-section issues fell below the psychological marker of 1,000 points for the first time since December 2003.
UN tribunal convicts army colonel for Rwandan genocide
Nairobi, Dec 18 (DPA) A UN tribunal Thursday sentenced former Rwandan Army colonel Theoneste Bagosora to life in prison for helping to organise the 1994 genocide in the east African country.
Bagosora, who was the Director of Cabinet in the defence ministry at the time of the genocide, faced 12 counts of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Obama to host Palestinian president in March
By IANS,
Washington: US President Barack Obama will meet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at the White House March 17, the White House said Thursday.
The president...
‘Youth need to take lessons from Gandhi and Luthuli’
By Fakir Hassen, IANS,
Durban : The youth of the world need to learn from the message of peace that both Mahatma Gandhi and Africa's first Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Chief Albert Luthuli espoused, Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma and African National Congress President Jacob Zuma reaffirmed here Thursday.
The two were the chief guests at the launch of the Gandhi-Luthuli Chair of Peace Studies at the University of KwaZulu Natal (UKZN).
China sparks aircraft carrier scare, but says it will be ‘defensive’
By IANS,
London : Refusing to scotch speculation that China is building one or more aircraft carriers, a senior Chinese defence ministry official has said if and when such a warship is built it will be used for defensive purposes.
"The question is not whether you have an aircraft carrier, but what you do with your aircraft carrier," Major General Qian Lihua, a senior official with the ministry of defence, said in comments published here Monday.
Fidel Castro happy with Betancourt’s liberation, decries FARC action
By IANS,
Havana : Former Cuban leader Fidel Castro has expressed his happiness over the rescue of former Colombian presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt and 14 other people held hostage by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) insurgents and decried hostage-taking as unjustifiable.
"Out of a basic sense of humanity, we were pleased to hear the news that Ingrid Betancourt, three American citizens and other captives had been freed," EFE reported Saturday quoting Castro in an article released Thursday on the government web page Cubadebate.
Obama camp lets rip over McCain aide’s terror claim
By AFP,
Washington : Democrat Barack Obama kept up an onslaught on John McCain Tuesday after one of the Republican's most trusted aides said a terrorist attack on US soil would benefit his White House bid.
Despite an apology from campaign strategist Charlie Black, and a disavowal from McCain himself, Obama's campaign said Black's slip had unmasked the "politics of fear" behind Republican election tactics.
Polish president dies in air crash
By Surender Bhutani, IANS,
Warsaw: Polish President Lech Kaczynski and his wife Maria were killed with some 130 people when their plane crashed Saturday while preparing to land in Russia in foggy weather, officials said.
The accident took place when the Russian-built Tuplilov 154-M reportedly struck some trees and caught fire as it approached the airport in the city of Smolensk in western Russia.
They were going to Russia to participate in an official ceremony in Katyn, where 20,000 Poles were killed by Soviet forces during World War II.
Rahul Gandhi all set to visit UAE to woo NRIs
TCN news:
Indian National Congress (INC) president Rahul Gandhi will be visiting Dubai on 11th of January 2019 to address the Indian Diaspora there at...
Girl suspected to be raped by uncle, killed by mother
By RIA Novosti,
Petropavlovsky-Kamchatsky (Russia) : A three-year-old girl was killed in Russia's Far East by her mother who suspected that her brother had raped her daughter, a spokesman for investigators said Friday.
Investigators in the town of Yelizovo have established that in July 2008 the 30-year-old woman suspected that her brother had raped her daughter and that it would be better for the girl to die after this.
"The woman thought that the girl should not live after what had happened and stabbed her 25 times with a kitchen knife."
Obama backs equal rights to gays, but not same sex marriage
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : President Barack Obama has promised to continue to "support measures to bring the full spectrum of equal rights to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" (LGBT) Americans", but stopped short of backing same-sex marriage.
Saying he's "proud to be the first President to appoint openly LGBT candidates to Senate-confirmed positions in the first 100 days of an Administration," Obama issued a presidential proclamation Monday in honour of LGBT Pride Month.
Myanmar to release over 6,000 prisoners
By IANS,
Yangon : The Myanmar state-run radio and television Tuesday announced the release of 6,359 prisoners from Wednesday under an amnesty ordered by the country's president.
Spain calls off election campaign after attack blamed on ETA
By AFP
Madrid : Spain ended its election campaign early after a former politician from the ruling Socialist Party was shot and killed Friday in the northern Basque region in an attack blamed on the separatist group ETA.
Google.cn is now Google.com.hk, China says promise violated
By IANS,
Beijing : Google has "violated its written promise" and is "totally wrong" for stopping the censoring of its Chinese language search engine results and blaming China for alleged hacker attacks, a government official said Tuesday morning as the internet giant moved its search engine site to Hong Kong.
Chad president announces state of emergency
By Xinhua
Yaounde (Cameroon) : Chad's President Idriss Deby Itno has declared a state of emergency in the country, according to reports reaching here from the Chad capital N'Djamena.
The measure was to tighten security after a rebel attack on N'Djamena this month, said the reports, quoting an address by Deby on TV and radio.
"These are exceptional measures which I must take to assure the normal functioning of the state," said Deby.
17 killed in Sri Lanka suicide blast
By Xinhua,
Colombo : At least 17 civilians were killed Monday morning in a suicide attack by the Tamil Tigers in the no fire zone (NFZ) in the island's north, the military said.
The defence ministry said the attack took place when troops tried to rescue about 10,000 civilians from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in the less than 20 sq km NFZ area at Puttumatalan.
The government says that 120,000 people live in the area that the LTTE still controls. More than 70,000 people have died in Sri Lanka's civil war since 1983.
Foreign policy expert stresses resolution of root causes behind world turmoil
WASHINGTON, Oct 8 (APP): Urging avoidance of confrontational policies, a foreign policy expert has underlined the need for a conciliatory approach to achieving durable world peace through resolution of root causes behind current turmoil affecting countries around the globe.
“The language of hate produces hateful consequences in an already inflamed global environment,” said Mowahid Hussain Shah, attorney-at-law, who also serves as Special Assistant to Chief Minister, Punjab, at a well-attended forum at American University.
5,000 evacuated in Mexico due to heavy rains
By IANS/EFE,
Mexico City : Over 5,000 people have been evacuated in Mexico's southern state of Tabasco as torrential rains caused two rivers to overflow their banks.
"The situation is very critical," Tabasco state Governor Andres Granier said Saturday.
Three years ago, in 2007, the state had seen heavy flooding that displaced around one million people.
The evacuation Saturday was being conducted by the army and navy in the face of rising water levels in the Carrizal and Samaria rivers.
Bird flu case found in South Korea
By IANS
Seoul : South Korean officials have detected the H7 strain of avian influenza virus at a duck farm in the country's sixth largest city Gwangju and stepped up efforts to prevent it from spreading.
The metropolitan health department culled about 16,000 ducks at the farm and three other nearby farms in the city some 330 km south of the capital, WAM news agency reported Sunday.
While the H7 strain is not highly contagious for humans, there is a possibility that it could mutate into a more virulent form.
Two Indian-Americans charged with insider trading
By Arun Kumar,
Washington: Two Indian American doctors are among six people charged by the US federal regulator with insider trading in advance of eBay's...
Goldman Sachs considering online bank: Report
By DPA,
New York : New York-based bank Goldman Sachs is considering launching an online bank, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday.
The name of the bank and the details of the plans are still unknown, sources told the daily.
Goldman Sachs already has about $20 billion in deposits, and attracting even more deposits would make it more stable, a valuable asset during the world financial crisis.
Even though it is doing better than most of its rivals, Goldman Sachs is expected to report a net loss of about $2 billion later this month.
US sees piracy as rising threat
Washington, Oct 1 (DPA) The seizure of a vessel last week off the coast of Somalia reflects the region's rising piracy problem, which could require greater security measures to ensure the safe flow of cargo, the US Defence Department has said.
"This is a persistent problem, although an increasing one, that has indeed drawn the attention of high-ranking people within this building," Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell said.
Clean fuel campaign prompts backlash from developing nations
By Chris Cermak, DPA,
Washington : Efforts by industrialised countries to reduce their dependence on foreign energy sources and cut climate-changing emissions has prompted a strong backlash from some developing nations dealing with a worsening food crisis.
The problem lies in bio-fuels, an alternative source of energy that is often made from food crops. The World Bank last week said that a boost in bio-fuels production was largely to blame for an 83-percent increase in food prices over the last three years.
Nuclear submarines on display at Chinese naval parade
By Xinhua,
Qingdao (China) : Nuclear powered submarines were on display for the first time Thursday at China's naval parade off the coast of Qingdao.
The parade marked the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy.
President Hu Jintao, who is also chairman of the Central Military Commission, was accompanied by PLA Navy Commander Admiral Wu Shengli aboard the destroyer Shijiazhuang.
The parade displayed 25 naval vessels and 31 aircraft of the PLA Navy, including the country's nuclear submarines.
Mozambicans demand compensation for xenophobia victims
By DPA,
Maputo : Thousand of people marched through Mozambique's capital Maputo Saturday to urge that their government demand neighbouring South Africa pay compensation to Mozambican victims of a recent spate of xenophobic attacks.
At least 62 people were killed and hundreds injured in the anti- immigrant violence that swept through poor communities across South Africa last month.
At least 23 Mozambicans were among the victims, most of whom were Africans.
Argentina’s central bank chief resigns
By IANS/EFE,
Buenos Aires : Argentina's central bank head Martin Redrado has resigned.
His resignation came before a congressional panel could issue a non-binding opinion on President Cristina Fernandez's decision to fire him.
"The government has sought to trample on Congress and on the independence of the central bank by carrying off the reserves, which belong to the people, and I imposed technical and professional limits," Redrado said Friday at a press conference.
Thai universities nix cross-dressing at graduations
By DPA,
Bangkok : A council of Thai university presidents has turned down a request from a transvestites' advocate group to cross-dress at graduation ceremonies as "inappropriate", media reports said Sunday.
Siroj Pholphanthin, head of the council of Rajabhat Universities' presidents, said it would be inappropriate for male students to dress in female uniforms at graduation ceremonies, because their degrees are handed out by members of the royal family, The Nation newspaper reported.
Quake unleased 1,000 times energy of all n-weapons
By IANS,
London : The total energy released by the megaquake in Japan was about a thousand times the combined energy of all the world's nuclear weapons or 6.7 trillion tons of TNT.
20 vehicles collide in China, five dead
By IANS,
Beijing : At least five people died and many others were injured when more than 20 vehicles collided in China, authorities said.
17 killed in Peru bus accident
By IANS,
Lima : At least 17 people, including two children, have been killed and 10 injured when the bus they were travelling in plunged into a 60-metre-deep ravine in western Peru, EFE news agency reported Monday.
The accident occurred Sunday along a highway in Olmos district, over 800 km north of Lima, when the bus heading from the jungle city of Tarapoto to Sullana city went off the road into the ravine.
A total of 78 passengers were onboard the bus when the accident occurred.
An investigation into the cause of the accident is underway.
Bin Laden calls on Muslims to support Palestinians
By DPA,
Istanbul : Muslims around the world should come to the support of the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, according to a message allegedly released by Osama bin Laden, leader of the Al Qaeda terrorist network on the Internet Wednesday.
Bin Laden said in the 22-minute long audio message that Muslims should either directly support the fight against the Israeli offensive into the Gaza Strip.
According to the message, diplomatic meetings on the topic were pointless. "The only way to free the al-Aqsa mosque and Palestine is through Holy War."
Brawl erupts at Halal festival in Melbourne
Melbourne : A violent brawl erupted outside the community event at the Melbourne Showgrounds on Sunday when a small group of anti-Islam protestors clashed...
Uribe, Chavez urged to settle their differences
By IANS
Bogota : Colombian President Alvaro Uribe and his Venezuelan counterpart Hugo Chavez have been urged by a group of 80 people from both countries to put an end to their differences, Spanish news agency EFE reported Sunday.
The group comprising of politicians, diplomats, academics and journalists, has made this request to the duo in a letter published in Colombian media Saturday.
In their letter, they urged both presidents to avoid giving statements that "only serve to escalate the crisis" between the two bordering countries.
Ex-Israeli PM convicted in graft case retrial
Tel Aviv: An Israeli court on Monday found former prime minister Ehud Olmert guilty of fraud and breach of trust, two years after he...
287,000 commit suicide in China each year
By IANS,
Beijing : Around 287,000 people commit suicide each year in China, official statistics show.
‘App’ named 2010 Word of the Year
By IANS,
London : High school English teachers are crying into their textbooks over the American Dialect Society's choice for ‘Word of the Year' - 'App'.
Seeking to give a positive image to Hinduism in US
By IANS
New York : About 30 students sat barefoot and cross-legged as they chanted Sanskrit verses and did yogic postures in an exercise conducted by the Hindu Students Council at North Carolina State University this weekend.
America’s historic Marshall Plan marks 60th anniversary
By Frank Brandmaier, DPA
Washington : Former US president Harry S. Truman had no doubt about the gravity of the document that lay before him one spring day in 1948, nor any doubt that what it proposed would be a success.
"Few presidents have had the opportunity to sign legislation of such importance as the Foreign Assistance Act of 1948," said Truman upon signing the law April 3 that year.
"This measure is America's answer to the challenge facing the free world today. It is a measure for reconstruction, stability, and peace."
Harassed husbands outnumber their counterparts: NGO
By IANS,
Chandigarh: The Domestic Violence Act, which aims to shield the rights of women, is being misused by some to harass their in-laws and extort money from their husbands, an NGO alleged here Saturday.
Representatives of Save Indian Family Foundation (SIFF), an organisation that is fighting for the rights of Indian husbands, said cases of men being harassed by their wives clearly outnumber the cases of harassed women.
Belgian farmer damages NATO pipeline
By RIA Novosti,
Brussels : A farmer driving a tractor in his field has accidentally damaged a NATO pipeline, causing a leak of around 50 cubic meters of oil near the Walloon city of Mons, national media said.
The pipeline pumps oil to the nearby central command of NATO's military forces.
The accident occurred late on Wednesday. The leak was eventually plugged at 4:00 a.m. local time (02:00 GMT), RTBF TV reported. A special commission has been set up to assess the environmental damage caused.
Global Woman Leaders Strive For Bigger Role In Asia-Pacific
By Bernama,
Hanoi : Over 940 woman business, professional and governmental leaders from 72 countries and regions are seeking practical solutions and strategies to enhance their role in the Asian-Pacific region, Xinhua news agency quoted Global Summit of Women (GSW) President Irene Natividad as saying Thursday.
Taiwan seeking free trade agreement with Asean
By DPA,
Taipei : Taiwan hopes to sign a free-trade agreement (FTA) with the Association of Southeast Asia (Asean), so that the island is not marginalized, a newspaper reported Tuesday.
Taiwan, which has been seeking to sign a free-trade deal with ASEAN for several years, made the FTA a more urgent priority after ASEAN and its three dialogue partners - Japan, China and South Korea - announced plans to launch an $80 billion currency reserve swap fund to guard against financial crisis in Asia, the Liberty Times said.
US, China reach climate change deal
By DPA,
Copenhagen/Washington: US President Barack Obama has reached a deal with China on climate change, the US television network MSNBC reported Friday, citing a US official in Copenhagen.
The deal was expected to set the scene for a wider agreement on measures to combat global warming at the UN climate change conference in the Danish capital.
"We are minutes from a deal if nothing unexpected happens," diplomats close to the talks told DPA.
Three earthquakes strike Indonesia, dozens injured
By DPA
Jakarta : A strong earthquake struck off the eastern Indonesian island of Sumbawa early Monday, killing at least one person and injuring 19 others, prompting a tsunami warning that was later lifted, seismologists and local media reports said.
The quake, measuring 6.7 on the Richter scale, struck 50 km southwest of the Raba district town on Sumbawa island in West Nusa Tenggara at 12.02 a.m., Indonesia's Meteorology and Geophysics Agency (BMG) reported.
Mistake during military show injures 16 in France
By DPA,
Paris : Sixteen people were injured when a soldier fired live ammunition instead of blanks during a demonstration of military techniques for use in hostage situations in France, the defence ministry said late Sunday.
The wounded included one soldier and 15 civilians in Paris in the incident at a military barracks in Carcassonne, France. Eleven of the injured had serious wounds, including a 3-year-old child and a second person in critical condition, local officials said.
UN survey finds ‘major drug abuse’ in Afghanistan
By DPA,
Kabul: The number of opium and heroin users in Afghanistan has risen 75 percent in the past five years, as total users of illegal drugs reached one million, a UN survey released Monday found.
There are at least 350,000 heroin and opium addicts in the country, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said in its 2010 Drug Use Survey, last published in 2005.
Anti-Israel protests target UK bank
London, Jan 17, IRNA -- One of Britain’s leading banks is being targeted in the latest wave of anti-Israel demonstrations across the country, protesting against the ongoing slaughter of more than 1,000 Palestinians in Gaza.
Protests were being held by the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign (SPSC) Saturday at Lloyds TSB in Edinburgh and Glasgow after the bank stopped clearing the cheques of Britain’s largest Palestinian charity, Interpal.
No control over US surveillance in country: New Zealand PM
Wellington : New Zealand Prime Minister John Key Wednesday said his government and intelligence agencies had no control over what data the US National...
EU leaders call for international financial reform
By Tejinder Singh, IANS,
Brussels : European Union leaders have agreed that next week’s emergency summit in Washington must lead to a reformed international financial system, declaring: “We cannot fail".
Meeting ahead of the Nov 15 summit, leaders of the 27-nation EU agreed to “defend the common vision for restructuring the financial system”, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, current holder of the rotating EU Presidency, told journalists.
Temple attack in Pakistan not because of faith: Reema Abbasi
Kolkata: Asserting that Hindus were not persecuted in her country, Pakistani journalist-author Reema Abbasi on Saturday attributed land-grabbing rather faith behind attacks on temples...
Lankan sailor who attacked Rajiv Gandhi sells – Hindi music
By NNN-PTI
Colombo : He loathed the peace agreement signed by Sri Lanka and India strongly enough to strike former Indian premier Rajiv Gandhi with a rifle, but today the former Lankan sailor makes a living selling Hindi music.
Naval rating Wijemuni Vijitha Rohana de Silva slid into history 20 years ago today when he struck a heavy blow on Gandhi injuring his shoulder, as the Indian premier inspected a guard of honour in the Sri Lankan capital Colombo.
Colombo : He loathed the peace agreement signed by Sri Lanka and India strongly enough to strike former Indian premier Rajiv Gandhi with a rifle, but today the former Lankan sailor makes a living selling Hindi music.
Naval rating Wijemuni Vijitha Rohana de Silva slid into history 20 years ago today when he struck a heavy blow on Gandhi injuring his shoulder, as the Indian premier inspected a guard of honour in the Sri Lankan capital Colombo.
At least 50 dead in Kenya church fire
By Xinhua
Beijing : Fifty people, including many children, were killed Tuesday in a church fire torched by a mob in western Kenya when they were shelering from violence following Kenya's disputed election, according to local police and Red Cross sources.
Beijing : Fifty people, including many children, were killed Tuesday in a church fire torched by a mob in western Kenya when they were shelering from violence following Kenya's disputed election, according to local police and Red Cross sources.
14 Russian pilgrims killed in Ukraine bus crash
By IANS,
Kiev: At least 14 people were killed and 22 injured Saturday when a bus carrying Russian pilgrims to a monastery in Ukraine met with an accident, RIA Novosti reported.
UN official named to work for democracy in Myanmar
By DPA
New York : A United Nations official who held talks last year on democratic reforms with the Myanmar government has been reappointed to continue his efforts.
Thailand’s ousted political clique makes comeback
By DPA
Bangkok : People Power Party (PPP), whose main platform has been its support for former Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted by a coup last year, has emerged the clear winner of polls held at the weekend, according to an unofficial tally Monday.
According to the Election Commission's count of 93 percent of votes cast in Sunday's elections, the PPP won 228 of the 480 contested seats, 12 short of a majority.
The US immediately welcomed the outcome of the election.
EU urges Russia to withdraw ‘extra’ troops from Abkhazia
By RIA Novosti,
Brussels : The European Parliament Thursday called for immediate withdrawal of some 300 Russian soldiers deployed recently in Georgia's breakaway republic of Abkhazia.
Russia announced at the weekend that it had deployed unarmed railroad troops in Abkhazia to help repair track in the Georgian separatist region, a move that Tbilisi denounced as an aggressive, accusing Moscow of preparing a beachhead for military intervention.
Brazilian presidential candidate killed in plane crash
Rio de Janeiro: Eduardo Campos, a candidate for the Brazilian presidency, died Wednesday morning in a plane crash in Santos, in southeastern state of...
$1.4 mn US aid to Mexico to fight drug trafficking
By IANS,
Mexico City : Mexico has signed an agreement with the US for a $1.4 million aid package to fight drug trafficking in the country, EFE reported Thursday.
The accord was signed Wednesday by US envoy to Mexico Tony Garza and Mexican deputy foreign secretary Carlos Rico.
The funds being provided under the so-called Merida Initiative will be used to buy equipment and technology and to train Mexican law enforcement agencies to strengthen their capacity to fight transnational organized crime.
European central banks to cut rates to ward off recession
By DPA,
London/Frankfurt : Faced with a looming recession and rapidly falling inflation, Europe's two leading central banks are expected to cut rates this week as monetary authorities around the world step up efforts to slash the cost of money.
Indeed, analysts are predicting that the Bank of England (BoE) and the European Central Bank (ECB) will each announce Thursday at least 50-basis-point reductions in borrowing costs in a fresh bid aimed at shoring up economic confidence in Europe.
Sri Lankan human rights situation criticised
By IANS
Geneva : The rights situation in Sri Lanka came in for sharp criticism here Tuesday from UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour.
"Regrettably, the various national institutions and mechanisms that could be expected to safeguard human rights have failed to deliver adequate protection," Arbour said addressing the 6th session of the Human Rights Council.
Arbour was on a mission to Sri Lanka recently from Oct 9-12 at the invitation of Persident Rajapakse.
Curfew lifted in riot-torn Urumqi, tension prevails
By Xinhua,
Urumqi (China) : Riot-hit Chinese city Urumqi appeared calm under heavy paramilitary police presence Wednesday after an overnight traffic curfew, though sporadic violence was still reported.
Traffic restrictions continued to be imposed in some major streets Wednesday, with members of the Armed Police patrolling. Armoured personnel carriers stood by as more people appeared in the streets Wednesday than Tuesday.
Twitter may transmit misinformation about antibiotics
By IANS,
Washington : Social networking sites like Twitter can spread misunderstandings about proper use of antibiotics, a new study says.
Columbia University and MixedInk (New York) researchers studied the content of Twitter updates mentioning antibiotics, to determine how people were sharing information and assess the proliferation of misinformation.
"Research focusing on microblogs and social networking services is still at an early stage," Daniel Scanfeld of Columbia University said.
Australia’s Aborigines become first-time homeowners
By DPA
Sydney : Residents of the Northern Territory town of Nguiu will become the first Aborigines to own their own homes under a ground-breaking agreement reached between the Australian government and traditional landowners.
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.
Police HQ Sends Extra Personnel To North Maluku
By Bernama,
Ternate, N Maluku : The National Police Headquarters has sent 100 Mobile Brigade (Brimob) personnel to Ternate in North Maluku where the political situation is heating up in a protracted dispute over the outcome of the province's gubernatorial election, Antara news agency quoted a spokesman as saying.
"The National Police Headquarters has sent another 100 Brimob personnel from Kelapa Dua in Jakarta to join 200 Brimob personnel who arrived in Ternate early April," the spokesman of the North Maluku provincial police, Commissioner Norrtjahyo, said on Thursday.
The murder of Qandeel Baloch and the ‘honour’ in killing
By Parvin Sultana for Twocircles.net
Of the many vices that inflict a patriarchal society, honour killing is one. It arises from the idea that women’s...
US open to restoring diplomatic ties with Venezuela, says official
By EFE,
Washington : The US government has said that it views as positive Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's proposal to discuss the restoration of full diplomatic relations between the two countries.
"Dialogue is what we believe is important. And we will see where and how things go with regard to President Chavez's suggestion that we exchange ambassadors. We're looking at it. We think it's a positive idea, and we'll go from there," State Department's spokesman Robert Wood said Monday.
World’s oldest champagne found in Baltic Sea
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : A Swedish diver may have found the world's oldest drinkable sparkling wine when he recovered several bottles of champagne amid the wreckage of a 230-year-old ship in the Baltic Sea, Swedish and Finnish media reported.
Fishermen of Finland's Aland archipelago told Christian Ekstrom of the sunken ship several years ago, but the diver thought the vessel was too small and not worth the risk of a 55-metre dive. He, however, became interested in the ship later and made a dive earlier this week.
Serbia rules out use of force against breakaway Kosovo
By RIA Novosti
Belgrade : Serbian Defense Minister Dragan Sutanovac said on Wednesday that Belgrade would not use military force to thwart Kosovo's drive for independence.
Speaking in an interview with Dnevni Avaz, a popular daily published in Sarajevo, Sutanovac said: "I have said many times that the Kosovo problem cannot be resolved militarily."
"When we tried to resolve problems in the former Yugoslavia by deploying the army, we encountered even greater problems," the minister said.
Hitman held three years after killing wrong man
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow: A hitman, who killed the wrong person in 2009 before finally getting the right one six months later, has been arrested in Russian city of St. Petersburg.
LTTE says it’s ready to honour ceasefire
By Xinhua
Colombo : The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) said Thursday it was still ready to honour the Norwegian-backed ceasefire even as the government gave notice unilaterally withdrawing from the 2002 agreement.
In a statement posted on its website ltteps.org, the rebel organisation said: "The LTTE wishes to state that even at this juncture, it is ready to implement every clause of the ceasefire."
On Jan 2, the government gave 14 days' notice required to pull out of the agreement.
US envoy to meet Aung San Suu Kyi
By DPA,
Yangon: US Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell is scheduled to meet with Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi and other opposition politicians during a two-day visit to Myanmar, officials said Saturday.
"Campbell will visit here May 9-10 and he will meet both senior officials from government and opposition," an official who requested anonymity told DPA.
The envoy is scheduled to meet Suu Kyi and other politicians in Yangon Sunday, the official said.
Brown Britain’s third worst PM since WW II
By IANS,
London : Gordon Brown was Britain's third worst prime minister since World War II, a survey has shown.
A study carried out among 106 leading academics showed Brown was rated tenth of the 12 premiers in office since 1945.
The Sun reported Tuesday that only Sir Anthony Eden and Sir Alec Douglas-Home came behind Brown.
Brown, who was prime minister for less than three years, scored a dismal 3.9 out of 10.
‘Hyde Act will remain even under next US presidency’
By Pranay Sharma, IANS,
New Delhi : The controversial Hyde Act that has become the "centrepiece" in the Indo-US nuclear deal would remain even if Democrat candidate, Barack Obama or Republican nominee John McCain, becomes the next president of America, George Perkovich, internationally renowned non-proliferation expert said here Tuesday.
"What has been agreed upon has bi-partisan support. I don't see them undoing the Hyde Act," Perkovich told IANS.
Several injured in Nigeria blast
By IANS,
Lagos : Several people were injured in a car explosion Sunday near the Nigerian capital city Abuja, Xinhua reported. There were no reports of any casualties.
Three confirmed dead in Sydney hostage crisis
Sydney: Three people, including the gunman, another man, aged 34, and a woman, aged 38, were confirmed dead while four people were injured after...
Floods cause havoc in southern Africa
By SPA
Lusaka : About 1.5 million Zambians may have to flee their homes because of floods in southern Africa that have cut off vast areas of Zimbabwe and killed six people in Mozambique.
Zambian state television showed people carrying beds, chickens and goats above their heads as they moved through surging waters. Half of the country has been put on alert.
Tens of thousands are at risk in the region after heavy rain, said the United Nations which was consulting with governments on Tuesday to assess the flood damage.
Russia to export S-400 air defence system from 2009
By RIA Novosti
Elektrostal (Moscow Region) : Russia may start exporting the S-400 Triumf (NATO codename SA-21 Growler) air defence systems from 2009, the head of the Almaz central design bureau said Monday.
"Within two years, our forces will test this system to ensure that there are no problems with it (on the market)... and then we will start producing them for export from 2009," Igor Ashurbeili said.
Lavish funerals in vogue in SE Asian societies
By IANS,
Beijing : More and more people in Southeast Asian countries now want to give their dead relatives a "lavish" funeral, the best that money can buy.
US Congress backs final changes to landmark health bill
By DPA,
Washington : The US Congress Thursday approved one last round of changes to the landmark health reform bill already signed into law by President Barack Obama, ending a divisive year-long domestic debate that has taken a violent turn this week.
The votes in the Senate and House of Representatives marked the final steps in a complicated set of procedural manoeuvres that have played out in a bid to get Obama's top domestic priority through the legislature. Republicans, united in opposition to the reforms, have used every available procedure to slow the process.
‘Brazil’s economic prospects positive despite crisis’
By Xinhua,
Rio de Janeiro : Brazil's economic prospects in 2009 remain positive despite the ongoing global financial crisis, says a study by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
According to the OECD study released Monday, Brazil is among the few nations in the world that will not register a economic slump in the next six months.
Brazil is the only nation among 34 analyzed by the study whose Advanced Composed Index, a measurement of a country's economic activity levels, remains higher than 100 points.
2,000 die in Mexico’s organised crime
By IANS,
Mexico City : Murders linked with organized crime and drug trafficking in Mexico during the first half of the year have gone well over 2000, EFE said Monday quoting newspaper report.
In the latest of the killings, 12 people, among them two minors, were murdered Saturday in the country's most violent states of Tamaulipas and Chihuahua in the north, El Universal daily reported.
‘Harry Potter And The Deathly…’ highest global grosser
By IANS,
London : "Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1" has become the highest international grosser of "Harry Potter" franchise.
Two ships collide in sea off China
By IANS,
Beijing : Two foreign-flagged cargo ships collided in the sea off China's Shandong province Monday, Chinese maritime authorities said. There were, however, no casualties.
Germany’s first driverless mass-transit train in service
By DPA,
Nuremberg (Germany) : Germany's first driverless mass-transit train line has officially begun service in the southern city of Nuremberg, with a computer in charge of the underground trains.
Driverless trains are already in use in other nations, including Singapore's North East Metro Line (NEL) operating since 2003, but Nuremberg's 600-million-euro ($900-million) system is unique because it mixes human-driven and computer-controlled trains on the same track.
365 mn expected to ride Chinese trains this summer
By IANS,
Beijing : About 365 million passengers are anticipated to travel by trains during summer travel peak season in China this year, Xinhua reported Monday.
Demand to rebuild Tamil schools in Malaysia
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur : The Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) has demanded that 60 percent of the 523 Tamil schools in the country be rebuilt by 2011 under a financial package allotted to promote better education among the two million-plus ethnic Indians.
MIC President S. Samy Vellu urged the government to set up a committee to coordinate rebuilding and refurbishing of the schools, for which a RM 50 million ($23 million approx.) stimulus package has been planned.
Pilots blamed for worst accident in Brazil’s aviation history
By Xinhua
Rio De Janeiro : Human error is to blame for the worst accident in Brazil's aviation history on July 17, the weekly magazine Veja claimed Monday.
Veja based its report on sources that allegedly have had access to the contents of the black box flight data recorder and the cockpit voice recorder. The contents of recorders currently remain under wraps by the Brazilian Air Force.
Over three million Somalis need emergency food aid: report
By Xinhua,
Nairobi : A humanitarian crisis is unfolding in Somalia with the number of people needing food aid in the lawless nation rising to more than 3.2 million this year, a UN funded report said Wednesday.
"The scale, magnitude and speed at which the crisis is deteriorating are alarming and profound," the Food Security Analysis Unit (FSAU) said.
The FSAU called the situation in the Horn of Africa nation one of the worst in the world in recent days.
13,500 troops to be deployed for London Olympics
By IANS,
London : Around 13,500 armed forces personnel, including specialist dog handlers and bomb disposal experts, would be deployed during the 2012 London Olympic Games.
Pakistan criticises India for opposing it’s deal with China
Islamabad: Pakistan has criticised India for opposing its $46 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), media reports on Wednesday.
“India’s reaction and outburst on the CPEC...
Over 100 rescued, one killed in US ice floe accident
By Xinhua,
Washington : About 134 people have been rescued and one killed after hundreds of fishermen stuck Saturday on a large ice floe floating away from the Ohio shoreline of Lake Erie, the US Coast Guard said.
"So far 134 people have been rescued and one person deceased," Matthew Schofield, a public affairs officer of the ninth Coast Guard District which oversees the region, told Xinhua over telephone.
But authorities has no information on how many people had been stranded, he said, adding some of them may have managed to get out on their own.
Chirac faces corruption charges
By DPA
Paris : A French judge Wednesday ruled that there was enough evidence to open an investigation against former president Jacques Chirac for corruption, a spokeswoman for a Paris court said.
Following several hours of questioning Wednesday, judge Xaviere Simioni placed Chirac under formal investigation on the charge of embezzlement of public funds.
In France, to be placed under investigation is a formal judicial step that could lead to charges being filed.
China cleans oil spill from freighter
By IANS,
Hangzhou (China) : Maritime workers cleaned an oil spill at the mouth of the Yangtze river Monday, a day after an Iranian-registered freighter was stranded on rocks off east China.
The freighter "Zoorik" was stranded at around 5 a.m. Sunday at Luhuashan at the estuary of the Yangtze. Thirty-seven people on board, including a two-year-old boy, were rescued.
The freighter was damaged in the accident and fuel began to spill shortly afterwards. By 10 a.m. Monday, oil slick was visible on the water.
Dalai Lama ‘disappointed’ by Sarkozy, no Paris visit
By DPA,
Paris : Tibetan religious leader the Dalai Lama will not attend a planned meeting of Nobel Prize recipients in Paris out of "disappointment" with French President Nicolas Sarkozy, French media reported Sunday.
"No visit is planned. There had never been any official invitation," Matthieu Ricard, a spokesman for the Dalai Lama, was quoted by the weekly Journal du Dimanche as saying.
`China never copied Western political system’
By IANS,
Beijing : China's top legislator Wu Bangguo Friday said that the country has never copied Western political systems.
Al Gore gets school honour
By IANS,
Los Angeles : Former US vice-president Al Gore who has lately dabbled in environmental filmmaking is set to be honoured with an environmental school in his name in Los Angeles.
The CarsonGore Academy of Environmental Sciences will open Sep 13.
Al Gore shares the school honour with writer Rachel Carson, who is credited with launching the modern environmental movement, reports imdb.com.
Gore is the first vice-president to have a Los Angeles school named after him.
Poaching in India may increase as China opens ivory market
By Sanjeeb Baruah, IANS,
New Delhi : Elephant poaching in India may increase as China plans to open its domestic market for limited sale of ivory products after a UN committee gave its consent, experts have said.
The CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna) recently allowed China to import 108 tonnes of elephant ivory from Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe. China is considered the world's largest ivory market.
Aniston donates $500,000 for Haiti relief
By IANS,
London : Hollywood Actress Jennifer Aniston has donated $500,000 to the Haiti relief appeal.
The "Marley And Me" star gave the amount to charities Doctors Without Borders, Partners in Health and AmeriCares to help aid victims of the devastating earthquake which hit the Caribbean nation Jan 12, reported femalefirst.co.uk.
Aniston also took part in Hope for Haiti Now telethon, which has so far raised $58 million for the Caribbean nation, where at least 150,000 people have died.
Moscow’s moves on British Council threaten ties: Britain
By RIA Novosti
London : Britain's Foreign Office has said Moscow's actions against the British Council, whose regional offices Russia wants closed for alleged tax violations, could further harm bilateral relations.
Russia Monday said it would deny visas to new British consular staff in St. Petersburg and Yekaterinburg after the local British Council offices continued work despite a closure order.
Bolivian wins Mister International 2009 contest
By EFE,
Taipei : Bolivia's Bruno Kettels was crowned Mister International 2009 at a ceremony held in Taichung city in Taiwan.
The 20-year-old Kettels, who studies chemical engineering, beat out Spaniard Hector Soria for the title in the competition final Saturday night. Also in the running in the final were contestants from Lebanon, France and Poland.
Another Latino winning a trophy in this year's competition was Venezuela's Luis Nuzzo, who received the Mister Congeniality award, while the Taiwanese contestant, Terry Shih, took the prize for best traditional outfit.
Haiti cholera deaths top 1,500
By IANS,
Port-au-Prince : An estimated 1,523 people have died of cholera and the epidemic could last for years in Haiti, the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) has said.
Battle for new Nepal government hots up
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : With just two days left for Nepal to hold its third prime ministerial election in less than two years, the battle for the top job hotted up Monday with the major parties leaving no stone unturned to grab the post.
As 601 members of parliament go to the polls Wednesday to elect the 34th prime minister of the turbulent Himalayan nation, a pall of gloom and uncertainty hangs over the election with the two largest parties - the Maoists and the Nepali Congress (NC) - still locked in an eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation.
OPEC crude price $126, Indonesia to pull out of cartel
By DPA,
Vienna : The price for crude oil produced by the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries has dropped below $126, OPEC said Wednesday.
One barrel (159 litres) of crude from OPEC's 13-brand reference basket stood at $125.91 Tuesday, down 66 cents from the previous day.
On Wednesday, OPEC's only south-east Asian member Indonesia announced plans to pull out of the cartel.
Energy minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro cited Indonesia's slowing oil production which was not sufficient to satisfy the domestic market as the main reason for the decision, media reports said.
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