Georgian parliament head denies Tbilisi seeks Russia’s isolation
By RIA Novosti,
Riga : Georgia prefers dialog and cooperation with Moscow to Russia's international isolation, the Georgian parliamentary speaker told Latvian lawmakers on Thursday during a visit to Riga.
"Georgia does not call for Russia's isolation, it is for dialog and cooperation, based on the norms of humanity and international law," David Bakradze said in his address to the Lativan parliament.
The Georgian official also thanked Latvia for its position on the five-day conflict between Russia and Georgia over South Ossetia in August.
Spain overwhelm Russia to set up final date with Germany
By DPA,
Vienna : A stunning second-half performance that netted three goals saw Spain power past Russia in a Euro 2008 semi-final clash in Vienna Thursday to reach their first major final for 24 years.
Second-half goals from Xavi Hernandez, Daniel Guiza and David Silva sealed a 3-0 victory for Luis Aragones' side, who will now play Germany in Sunday's final.
"We came here to win the tournament," Cesc Fabregas, one of the stars of the night, said.
"We go to the final, it's the most difficult thing. In a final anything can happen, but right now we have to enjoy the moment."
Russia’s Soyuz spacecraft docks with ISS
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Russia's Soyuz TMA-M manned spacecraft has docked with the International Space Station (ISS), the mission control said Sunday.
Fire at World Trade Center in New York
By IANS,
New York : A fire broke out at the One World Trade Center tower in New York Saturday but firefighters managed to put it out in about an hour, media reports said Sunday.
Death toll in Siberian mine incident rises to three
By RIA Novosti,
Kemerovo : The bodies of two more miners that were trapped in a coalmine in west Siberia, have been found, bringing the death toll to three, a deputy regional governor said on Sunday.
The incident at the mine named after Lenin in Mezhdurechensk in the south of the Kemerovo Region occurred on May 30. A total of 17 miners worked in the coalmine at the time of the rock collapse.
Obama ‘deeply troubled’ by Iran violence after elections
By DPA,
Washington : US President Barack Obama said he was "deeply troubled" by Iran's violent protests brought on by a disputed election, but said the Islamic country was free to pick its own president.
Speaking for the first time since Iran's election Friday, Obama said it would have been wrong for him to remain "silent" amid the reports of violence in Tehran and other major cities.
South Africa drafts internet providers to fight trafficking
By IANS,
Cape Town : Internet service providers in South Africa will be obliged to report internet addresses on their servers that are suspected of containing information related to human trafficking, the country's justice minister said.
This is among the provisions contained in a new bill aimed at curbing human and child trafficking in the country, BuaNews reported Wednesday.
Australians find wreck of German warship
By DPA
Sydney : The wreck of the Kormoran, the German ship that sank HMAS Sydney and is responsible for Australia's worst maritime disaster, has been found off Australia's west coast, officials announced Sunday.
The Kormoran, a minelayer dressed up to look like a Dutch freighter, took Australia's most modern warship by surprise at sunset Nov 19, 1941.
None of the Sydney's 645 crew survived. Of the 397 aboard the Kormoran, 317 survived and were interned in Perth until the end of World War II.
Sri Lanka steps up air raids, LTTE reiterates truce offer
By IANS,
Colombo : The Sri Lankan Air Force Sunday stepped up air raids targeting suspected Tamil Tiger positions in the north amid reports that the rebel outfit has reiterated its consent for cessation of hostilities with the government of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Air Force spokesman Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara said the air force jets launched "simultaneous air strikes at 12.50 p.m. targeting a Sea Tiger commander centre" one kilometer north of Paranthan, and an artillery gun position six km southeast of Pooneryn.
Mexican museum exhibits Picasso’s works
By EFE,
Mexico City : Sixty-seven lithographs and engravings by Spanish painter Pablo Picasso are on display at a museum in Mexico's Merida City.
The exhibition, titled "Picasso: the multiple beauty", is being organised to mark the 467th anniversary of the city's foundation.
The art show at the Yucatan state capital will run for two months, Marisol Puerto, an official of the Merida City administration said, adding that, the engravings were provided by the Picasso Foundation in Malaga, Spain, the birthplace of the famous painter (1991-1973).
One more hurdle in Hillary Clinton’s path to Foggy Bottom?
By Arun Kumar,IANS,
Washington : Polls show that Americans overwhelmingly approve of Hillary Clinton as secretary of state, but some legal eagles say the constitution comes in the way of the former first lady joining Barack Obama's "team of rivals".
Article 1, Section 6 of the US Constitution says: "No Senator or Representative shall, during the time for which he was elected, be appointed to any civil office under the authority of the United States, which shall have been created, or the emoluments whereof shall have been increased during such time."
Nine killed in Brazil bus accident
By IANS,
Rio de Janeiro : Nine people were killed and 22 others injured when a passenger bus veered off the road and fell into a river in southwestern Brazil, EFE reported Tuesday.
Three other people were missing after the accident in Alem Paraiba town, the report said.
Heavy shower caused the driver to lose control of the vehicle on a curve, it said.
There were 34 people on board the bus at the time of the accident.
The authorities have started an investigation into the incident.
Russia, China denounce US global missile defence plans
By RIA Novosti,
Beijing : China and Russia Friday denounced the US moves to establish a global missile defence system, saying the plans threaten the global strategic balance.
Both countries denounced the US plans through a joint declaration signed after talks between visiting Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and his Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao in Beijing.
The Russian president arrived here Friday morning on a two-day state visit in his first foreign trip outside the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) after assuming office early this month.
New Asean chief vows to get its charter ratified
By Xinhua
Jakarta : The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean)'s new secretary general, former Thai foreign minister Surin Pitsuwan, vowed to get the landmark charter of the 10-nation bloc ratified, a local newspaper reported Tuesday.
The charter, which turns the grouping into a full legal entity and creates legally binding rules, needs to be ratified by all members to take effect.
Weak leadership makes it difficult to reach Israeli-Palestinian agreement
By TwoCircles.net news desk
With the Annapolis meeting having turned into a kick-off event, new approaches will be needed to give the subsequent Israeli-Palestinian negotiations a chance to succeed and minimize costs of failure, said a report by the Intenrational Crisis Group. Report points the weak Israeli and Palestenian leadership makes it difficult to reach an agreement and see it through.
Sexual violence against children widespread: Study
New York : Sexual violence against children is more widespread than thought, spanning its morbid shadow across the world, according to a new study...
Myanmar airlines suspend some international flights again
By Xinhua,
Yangon : The Myanmar Airways International (MAI) has temporarily suspended again its international flights to Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur since its last flights to the two destinations in the past week, the leading local news journal Myanmar Times reported in this week's issue.
The suspension will last until the end of next month when the air routes would probably be resumed with new aircraft to replace the old one, the airline's marketing department was quoted as saying.
A new Mr. X in Air India bombing plot
By Gurmukh Singh, IANS
Toronto : A Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) officer sprang a surprise at the ongoing Air India inquiry when he said that the plot to bomb the Delhi-bound Flight 182 in June 1985 could possibly have been solved long ago if the Canadian Secret Intelligence Service (CSIS) had not stopped his police force from pursuing a suspect just days before the tragedy.
The suspect, called Mr. X, had allegedly tested the bomb that brought down Flight 182 on June 23, 1985, off the Irish coast, killing all 329 people on board.
Three Chinese engineers arrested in Balco chimney crash case
By IANS,
Raipur : Chhattisgarh police Monday arrested three Chinese engineers in the case of the under-construction chimney crash at Vedanta Resources Plc-controlled Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (Balco) that killed 41 workers Sep 23 last year.
The engineers were employed with the Chinese construction major, Shandong Electric Power Construction Corporation (SEPCO) that was building Balco's 1200-MW thermal power plant in Korba town, about 240 km from state capital Raipur.
Efforts on to retrieve black money stashed abroad: government
By IANS,
New Delhi : The government is not sitting idle over the issue of retrieving over Rs.70 trillion of Indian black money stashed in various foreign banks and will detail the actions taken in this regard within "48 hours", the Supreme Court was told Wednesday.
Additional Solicitor General Gopal Subramaniam made this assertion before a bench of Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan during the hearing of a lawsuit that accused the government of being oblivious to black money stashed away by tax evading citizens in foreign banks.
French aid workers held in Chad to return home soon
By DPA
Paris : The six French aid workers sentenced to eight years of forced labour by the government of Chad will leave for France by the weekend, the Nouvel Observateur magazine said Thursday.
The workers - who belonged to the L'Arche de Zoe (Zoe's Ark) aid organisation - were also fined around $9 million for attempting to kidnap more than 100 African children in October.
Supporters of the aid organisation have criticised the sentence as too harsh.One of the defence lawyers, Gilbert Collard, has also called the punishment a "legal scandal".
Russian opposition plans two mass rallies
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow: Members of the Russian Opposition Coordination Council have announced their decision to hold two mass rallies in April and May.
Australia’s unemployment rate at 5.4 percent
By IANS,
Sydney: Australia's unemployment rate remained unchanged at 5.4 percent in February, data released Thursday by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) showed.
Russian, Georgian leaders pledge to end wrangling
By RIA Novosti,
Strelna : The presidents of Russia and Georgia said on Friday they wanted to tackle controversial issues that have plagued bilateral relations in recent years.
Meeting his Georgian counterpart ahead of an informal summit of leaders of the post-Soviet CIS states near St. Petersburg, Russia's Dmitry Medvedev said: "I believe we are capable of resolving all problems" without mediators.
Mikheil Saakashvili said there were a lot of "unresolved issues in bilateral relations, but none were unsolvable."
Two US journalists detained in North Korea: Report
By Xinhua,
Seoul : Two US journalists have been detained by North Korean authorities, South Korea's Yonhap News Agency reported Thursday.
The women journalists were detained two or three days ago near the Tumen River that borders China, Yonhap quoted unnamed sources as saying.
The two journalists were detained when they kept on gathering information despite officials' warning against it.
UNSC urges immediate end to Israeli-Palestinian violence
UNITED NATIONS, Mar 2 (APP): The UN Security Council, meeting in the wake of Saturday’s deadly Israel attack on Gaza that killed more than 50 Palestinians, called early Sunday for an immediate end to violence between Israel and the Palestinians.
The five-hour emergency session was convened at the request of Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas after Israeli forces turned to the use of heavy weapons in a new escalation of the conflict. Many women and children were among those killed in the Gaza Strip.
Canada marks turning point of crucial battle in World War II
By Xinhua,
Ottawa : Ceremonies were held Sunday across Canada to mark the turning point in the Battle of the North Atlantic, a major confrontation between allied ships and German U-boats during the Second World War.
The long battle began in 1939 and reached its turning point in May 1943 when allied ships finally began to push back against the German navy, allowing supply vessels to reach allied forces.
Floods hit homes in Russia
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Over 500 homes were flooded in the central Russian region of Ryazan after melting snow caused the river Moksha to overflow, officials said.
Jackson memorial to be unveiled in London
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
London: A memorial to Michael Jackson will be unveiled at a theatre in London June 24, on the eve of the first death anniversary of the pop star, a media report said.
The Lyric Theatre in London will be a first permanent Jackson memorial in the city, where his fans came after his death June 25, and created a shrine of candles, tributes, flowers and books of condolence, the BBC reported.
The unveiling ceremony will be attended by Britain's Got Talent 2009 winners and other prominent performers.
Modi worshipped at Pashupatinath temple as Nepal royals did
By Anil Giri,
Kathmandu : Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday became the first top dignitary to be accorded the privilege of offering special puja...
UN seeks ASEAN’ support on post-2015 development
Nay Pyi Taw : Expressing his support for the ASEAN members, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon Wednesday urged them to back a post-2015 development...
Five die in Brazil when elevator crashes
By IANS/EFE,
Rio de Janeiro : Five miners died in a elevator accident at an emerald mine in northeastern Brazil, officials said.
U.S. marine wanted for slaying pregnant colleague arrested
By Xinhua
Beijing : A U.S. marine suspected of brutally slaying his pregnant colleague who had accused him of rape was arrested Thursday night in Mexico, according to media reports.
Magdalena Guzman, a spokeswoman for Michoacan, Mexico, state prosecutors office, said Marine Corporal Cesar Laurean was detained by Mexican police on a street in the small town of Tacambaro, Michoacan, around 7 p.m. EDT Thursday.
Laurean, 21, was charged with first-degree murder in the death of Lance Corporal Maria Lauterbach, 20, who was eight months pregnant.
Hazy skies make plants grow, slow down climate change
By DPA,
Vienna : Plants grow better and absorb more carbon dioxide under hazy skies, a team of European researchers has said, presenting a study in Vienna that may affect strategies against climate change.
It has been known for some time that man-made particles in the air slow down the heating of the atmosphere by reflecting the sun's heat.
But the new findings, published in this week's edition of Nature magazine, show that diffused light also reaches more of a plant's surface, leading to an increased absorption of carbon dioxide.
Prachanda under pressure after media house attack
By IANS,
Kathmandu : Nepal's ruling Maoist party Monday faced growing public condemnation after a media house was attacked allegedly by its labour unions, forcing party chief and Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda to deny his men's involvement and promise an investigation.
Condemnation started pouring in after a group of people Sunday stormed the office of Himal Media, a media house that publishes two magazines and a weekly tabloid, smashed furniture and window panes and assaulted several staff members.
12 killed in China landslide
Beijing: At least 12 people were confirmed dead after their bodies were retrieved from the debris of a landslide that hit China's Yunnan...
Islamic Declaration on Climate Change calls Muslims to support Paris meet in December 2015
By A Mirsab, TwoCircles.net,
Istanbul/New Delhi: An ‘Islamic Climate Change Declaration’ has called on the world's Muslims to play an active role in combating...
12 leftist guerrillas arrested in northern Colombia
By IANS
Bogota : Colombian authorities have arrested 12 suspected guerrillas belonging to the country's largest insurgency group during a raid near the northern town of Los Palmitos, Spain's EFE news agency reported Wednesday.
Those taken into custody were part of a unit of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), the police said Tuesday. The police and the military launched a joint operation to catch the rebels.
Cell phones shown to impair lab animals’ memory
By IANS,
London : Swedish researchers have found memory impairment in rats exposed to cell phone radiation for two hours every week for more than a year.
The rats subjected to a memory test were released into a box with four objects. These objects were changed on two occasions and their position was also altered both the times.
The actual test trial was the third occasion. This time the rats encountered two of the objects from the first occasion and two of the objects from the second.
US issues fresh moratorium on offshore drilling
By DPA,
Washington : The US government Monday issued a revised ban on deepwater oil drilling that could allow operations to resume if companies demonstrate they do so safely.
The revised ban, aimed at preventing another explosion like the April 20 BP well rupture in the Gulf of Mexico, also lifted prior restrictions based on depth.
US Interior Secretary Kenneth Salazar issued a revision of a disputed May 27 moratorium that had been aimed at enacting a six-month freeze on offshore deepwater drilling.
Under fire, Bush offers talks on Iraq ‘benchmarks’
By DPA
Washington : US President George W. Bush has said he will consider setting benchmarks for progress in Iraq to help end a tense deadlock with Congress that is delaying money for US troops.
Steve Jobs’ biography bestseller
By IANS,
Late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs' biography topped the non-fiction section while Ravinder Singh's "Can Love Happen Twice" ruled the fiction charts this week.
Non-Fiction
India, China like brothers: Consul general
By IANS,
Mumbai : India and China are not just neighbours, but are also brothers, China's new consul general here Wang Donghna said Tuesday.
Speaking to Maharashtra Governor S.C. Jamir, whom he called on at the Raj Bhawan, Wang said that both India and China are emerging global superpowers.
"Therefore, peace and development in the region would benefit them both as well as the whole world," he observed.
The way to a lady’s heart is through her stomach – if you’re a...
By Ernest Gill, DPA,
Hamburg : The way to a lady's heart is through her stomach - if you're a male chimpanzee seeking a mate. But you have to be patient and feed her lots of meat over a long period of time, according to new findings by German scientists.
Wild female chimpanzees copulate more frequently with males who share meat with them over long periods of time, according to a study led by German researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Munich.
No plan to make OPEC-style gas cartel: Putin
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has sought to allay fears over the possibility of Moscow joining an OPEC-style cartel of gas exporting countries, during his talks with his Egyptian counterpart Ahmed Nazif.
A number of major gas producers have established the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF), but have not yet adopted a charter.
The group, which already includes Venezuela, Iran, Libya, the United Arab Emirates, Russia, and other countries, lacks a strict membership system. Norway has observer status.
Mix or match to check ethnic violence: US study
By Arun Kumar, IANS
Washington : Based on a study of ethnic violence in India and former Yugoslavia, American scientists suggest that such conflict may be prevented by either integration or separation of communities.
Like molecules in a chemist's test tube, different ethnic or cultural groups interact differently depending on the degree to which they are mixed together, say May Lim and colleagues at the New England Complex Systems Institute (NECSI) and Brandeis University in Massachusetts.
EU urges sides in Russia-Ukraine gas row to fulfill commitments
By RIA Novosti,
Brussels : The EU urged both Moscow and Kiev to fulfill their commitments on gas supplies and transit to Europe ahead of an extraordinary meeting of EU envoys on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine gas dispute in Brussels on Monday.
Russian gas monopoly Gazprom cut off gas supplies to Ukraine on Thursday after last-ditch talks with Kiev on a new deal for 2009 and debt repayments failed late on New Year's Eve. Some European countries, including Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria, and Romania, have reported drops in Russian gas supplied through Ukraine's pipeline network.
Nepal Maoists blame ‘fanatics’ for Pashupatinath row
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : Nepal's ruling Maoist party is blaming "Hindu fanatics" for the raging controversy over the sacking of three Indian priests at the Pashupatinath temple, one of the holiest Hindu shrines revered by millions of Hindus worldwide. The Maoists are calling it a conspiracy to mar India-Nepal relations.
Lawmaker Dinanath Sharma, who is also the newly appointed spokesman of the former guerrilla party, said that "Hindu extremists and regressive elements" were whipping up a propaganda accusing Maoists of trying to interfere in religious matters.
Sri Lanka’s opposition alliance promises salary hike
By IANS,
Colombo : Sri Lanka's opposition alliance United National Front (UNF) has said it will raise the salaries of government employees if it comes to power in the April 8 parliamentary election, Xinhua reported.
The UNF is led by Sri Lanka's main opposition United National Party (UNP).
In its poll manifesto, released Tuesday, the UNF pledged a hike of rupees 10,000 (about $87) in the salaries of government employees.
The salary will be increased gradually from a hike of rupees 3,500 with immediate effect, UNF leader Ranil Wickremesinghe told reporters.
Over 6,000 people arrested in Shanghai
By IANS,
Beijing : Over 6,000 people, including 31 foreigners, have been arrested in Shanghai ahead of an international expo for their alleged involvement in theft, pornography and prostitution.
Police launched a 12-day crackdown in an effort to make Shanghai city safer during the upcoming international expo to be held from May 1.
More than 30,000 police officers conducted around 900 raids and arrested 6,402 people on various charges, China Daily said Tuesday quoting the Shanghai public security bureau.
South Africa unites in call to end xenophobic attacks
By Fakir Hassen, IANS,
Johannesburg : Churches, businesses and the civil society Friday joined the chorus of condemnation of xenophobic attacks on migrants from other African countries in South Africa.
Religious organisations and civil society pledged to co-operate with government to combat xenophobic attacks and ensure the realisation of the African Renaissance at an Anti-xenophobic Coalition meeting here.
The coalition was formed by the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), business organizations and churches to mark Africa Day celebrations.
Two arrested for racially abusing Gurkha soldiers
By IANS,
London : Two British teenagers have been arrested after shouting racist abuses at Gurkha soldiers.
The incident took place in Folkestone, about 100 km here, last week when the two, aged 17 and 19, allegedly insulted the Gurkhas with taunts of "go home" near their barracks, and has caused outrage among local politicians.
The men are said to belong to the Royal Gurkha Rifles, the former battalion of Prince Harry, son of Prince Charles.
Prince Harry served with the Gurkhas in Afghanistan before his recall earlier this year following a security leak about his whereabouts.
Opinion poll buoys Australia’s ruling party
By DPA
Sydney : Prime Minister John Howard's conservatives have halved the lead of Kevin Rudd's Labor Party and could yet win the Nov 24 general election, an opinion poll released Tuesday showed.
Halfway through the six-week campaign, support for Labor slipped to 54 percent from 58 percent a week earlier and the ruling coalition rose to 46 percent from 42 percent.
The poll perked up the Howard camp, which has been behind in opinion polling since Rudd took over the Labor leadership in December.
Indonesia to deploy 8,000 police for Obama trip security
By DPA,
Jakarta : Indonesian police plan to deploy more than 8,000 personnel to provide security for a much-awaited visit by US President Barack Obama next week, a spokesman said Wednesday.
Georgian ex-PM sentenced to three years in jail for power abuse
Tbilisi : A Georgian court Monday sentenced former prime minister Vano Merabishvili to three years in prison for abuse of power in connection with...
Russia, India, China outline development of nuclear sectors
By RIA Novosti,
Beijing : Officials from Russia, India and China at a nuclear energy conference here confirmed Monday their countries' interest in developing nuclear technology including, a fast neutron reactor.
Alexander Agapov of Russia's nuclear power corporation Rosatom, said Russia was planning "a gradual transition from 2020 to a new technological platform on the basis of fast neutron reactors with a closed fuel cycle".
83 workers buried in Tibet landslide
By IANS,
Lhasa : As many as 83 workers were buried alive Friday when a major landslide hit a mining area in China's Tibet region, authorities said.
IAEA completes first stage of monitoring in North Korea
Vienna, Aug 2 (DPA) Experts of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) monitoring the shutdown of nuclear facilities in North Korea have said the mission was on time after initial delays due to radioactive contamination.
"We completed this step of our mission. This kind of monitoring and verification issues is of a continuous nature. We were already able to fulfil our planned activities and we are going to headquarters to evaluate and assess what we did," IAEA team leader Adel Tolba told journalists after arriving at Vienna Airport.
Dalai Lama calls for more global pressure on China
By IANS
Dharamsala (Himachal Pradesh) : Emboldened by the growing support from the global community, Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama Friday urged for more global pressure on China to put an end to the crackdown in Tibet.
"I appeal to the global community's continued support in calling for an immediate end to the current crackdown, the release of all those arrested and detained, and medical treatment to the injured," the Dalai Lama said here in a statement Friday.
British court upholds ailing Hindu’s plea for open air funeral
By Dipankar De Sarkar, IANS,
London : A British court Wednesday upheld an ailing 71-year-old Hindu's plea to be allowed to be cremated on an open pyre, sparking celebrations among Hindus in Britain.
Master of the Rolls Lord Neuberger told the Appeals Court that "open air" funeral pyres are lawful under British law, fulfilling Davender Kumar Ghai's plea to be "naturally cremated in a sacrament of fire".
Ghai, who suffered a stroke in December 2009 and is said to be "very ill," has been battling for years to be allowed a Hindu cremation.
Woman battles 4.5 metre python to save pet dog
By DPA
Hong Kong : A British woman in Hong Kong described Sunday how she fought with a 4.5-metre Burmese python to save her pet dog from being crushed to death.
Catherine Leonard, 41, kicked and punched the snake after seeing it wrap itself around her 20-kg pet dog Poppy near a stream on a walking trail in Hong Kong's rural Sai Kung Country Park.
Leonard was walking her pet and two other dogs on a trail close to a family picnic area a week ago when the python pounced on Poppy and coiled itself around the dog.
Italy’s senate passes wiretap restrictions bill
By IANS/AKI,
Rome : Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi won a major victory when Italy's Senate passed a controversial law to restrict wiretapping and impose fines on news organisations that publish leaked information on criminal probes.
The upper house of the Italian parliament backed the measure 164 to five Thursday. The bill now goes to the lower house of parliament or Chamber of Deputies for final approval.
Madagascar’s Rajoelina in a corner after AU suspension for ‘coup’
By DPA,
Addis Ababa/Antananarivo : Madagascar's new leader was in a corner Friday after the African Union (AU) suspended the country over his "coup" and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) said it was planning sanctions.
The chairman of the AU Peace and Security Council, Bruno Nongoma Zidouemba, said Rajoelina's army-backed arrival to power through the streets constituted a "civilian and military coup".
Marc Ravalomanana resigned as president Tuesday after months of mass protests.
Ecuador Picking New Foreign Minister
By Prensa Latina
Quito : Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa presides Friday over a meeting of the ministers' cabinet, to appoint the country's new foreign minister, after Maria Fernanda Espinoza resigned from that post.
The Presidence' media secretary Julia Ortega stated Thursday that there are several candidates with conditions to occupy that important post.
The press chief pointed out that current Tourism Minister Isabel Salvador is included in the list of aspirants, on which Correa has the last word.
US, South Korea launch new round of naval drills
By DPA,
Seoul : US and South Korean warships Monday kicked off a round of anti-submarine drills aimed at showing strength against Stalinist North Korea.
North Korea launches five more missiles: Report
By DPA,
Seoul : North Korea fired five more missiles off its east coast Saturday, according to South Korean media reports.
The missiles, apparently Scud rockets, were fired over the Sea of Japan, the Yonhap national news agency said citing government sources.
"It is a provocative act that clearly violates UN Security Council resolutions 1695, 1718, and 1874 that bar North Korea's every activity related to ballistic missiles," South Korea's foreign ministry said in a statement, Yonhap reported.
Germany’s Merkel warns against protectionism
By DPA,
Berlin : German Chancellor Angela Merkel warned Thursday against protectionism in the face of the global economic and financial downturn.
"We will master the crisis together," she told parliament ahead of a European Union (EU) summit in Brussels Thursday.
Merkel said cooperation was the best way to combat the crisis and restore confidence in the markets.
One of the goals of the two-day EU meeting is to forge a common position on financial market regulation that can be presented to the Group of 20 summit (G20) of industrialised and emerging economies in London April 2.
Nepal sends Bhutanese refugees to third country for resettlement
By DPA,
Kathmandu : More than 420 Bhutanese refugees living in UN-run camps in eastern Nepal have been resettled in another country as part of a third-country resettlement programme, a media report said Sunday.
A total of 422 refugees were sent to the US, New Zealand, Canada and other countries since the programme began earlier this year, Annapurna Post reported.
Mark Zuckerberg donates $25 mn to fight Ebola
Washington: Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg announced on that social networking site that he and his wife, Priscilla, have donated $25 million to the US...
Belarusian opposition leader sentenced for carrying EU flag
By DPA,
Minsk (Belarus) : A leader of Belarus' political opposition was sentenced to 10 days imprisonment for displaying a European Union (EU) flag in public.
Mikola Statkevich, leader of Belarus Social Democrat party and an opponent of Belrus' authoritarian President Aleksander Lukashenko, had been on trial for displaying the flag during an unsanctioned May 1demonstration.
Some 20 supporters of Belarus' eventual membership in the EU gathered outside the National Library in Minsk, and unfurled banners and flags. Police arrested the participants and sent them to a city jail.
European Parliament calls for fresh polls in Kenya
By DPA
Strasbourg : The European Parliament Thursday urged that new presidential elections be held in Kenya in view of the controversy and unrest following the election outcome.
If new elections were not possible, then at least there should be a fair re-counting of the ballots by an independent body, a resolution passed by parliament in Strasbourg said.
It also said that in the future, Kenya needed a truly independent election commission that would assure free and fair voting.
Bio-scientists, curators pool expertise to preserve world’s art, heritage
By IANS,
Washington : Biotech scientists have teamed up with curators to stem the decay of world's art and cultural heritage, hastened by the depredations of climate change.
Many of the world's cultural treasures are created out of organic materials like paper, canvas, wood and leather which, in prolonged warmth and dampness, attract mould, micro-organisms and insects, causing decay and disintegration.
Dalai Lama welcome at ‘appropriate’ time: Taiwan president
By DPA,
Taipei : Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou Friday said he welcomes Tibet's exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, to visit, but only when the time is "appropriate."
"When the timing is appropriate, we welcome him to visit Taiwan to engage in various religious activities because he has many worshippers in Taiwan," said Ma, in an attempt to pacify a growing outcry over his recent hint of declining to host the Dalai Lama.
In a meeting with a group of Italian lawmakers, Ma said Taiwan welcomes all religious leaders to visit the island for religious activities.
Chavez vows to come back stronger after surgery
By IANS/EFE,
Caracas : Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez who left the country Friday to undergo a surgery in Cuba for a lesion has vowed to come back stronger after the operation.
Countries can enter Somali waters to fight piracy: UN
By Lalit K. Jha, IANS,
United Nations : The UN Security Council has passed a resolution permitting member countries to enter the territorial waters of Somalia to fight piracy.
The US-sponsored resolution, passed unanimously by the Security Council Tuesday, is valid for 12 months. It welcomes the recent initiatives taken by countries like India, Canada, France, Russia, Britain and the US to counter piracy off Somali coast.
World’s most powerful microscope turns Canada into nanotech hub
By Gurmukh Singh, IANS,
Toronto : Canada's famous McMaster University at Hamilton near here is set to become the world leader in nanotechnology with the installation of the world's most advanced and powerful electron microscope.
The Titan 80-300 Cubed, installed last summer, has turned the world famous university into a global nanotechnology research.
Built by the world nanotech leader FEI Company in the Netherlands at a cost of $15 million, the Titan can examine at the nano level hundreds of everyday products in order to understand, manipulate and improve their efficiency.
China to introduce green insurance system against pollution hazard
By Xinhua
Beijing : China is to introduce a green insurance system to better monitor polluting industries and help victims get immediate compensation, an environment watchdog official said here Monday.
The system, which aims at having all industries with pollution risks insured, will be implemented nationwide by 2015 after a trial period, said Pan Yue, vice director of the State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA).
The system has been initiated under a roadmap jointly set by the SEPA and the China Insurance Regulatory Commission (CIRC), Pan said.
1, 000 soldiers in NATO-led disaster exercise in Finland
By SPA,
Helsinki, Finland : More than 1,000 soldiers from 25 NATO and partnership countries on Sunday battled imaginary flooding and storms, in the largest international exercise held in Finland.
The five-day drill is aimed at coordinating operations in a crisis between 15 NATO members and 10 Partnership for Peace allies. It included 130 civilian volunteers acting as victims and concerned relatives of people hit by a major storm and floods.
Russian stock market briefly sags on blast news
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Key indexes of Russia's leading stock
exchanges dipped Monday morning on news of bomb attacks in two metro stations here.
However, the indexes recovered soon afterwards.
The first blast took place at 7.52 a.m. at the Lubyanka metro station, close to the Federal Security Service (FSB) headquarters, killing at least 23 people and injuring 18.
The second blast occurred about 40 minutes later at the nearby Park Kultury metro station, within walking distance of the Kremlin. The blast killed at least 12 people and injured 15 others.
Bolivian provinces reject ruling against autonomy plan
By IANS
La Paz : Four opposition-controlled provinces have rejected a ruling by Bolivia's top electoral tribunal that declared planned referendums on autonomy proposals to be illegal, EFE news agency reported Sunday.
The governor of Bolivia's eastern province of Santa Cruz,Ruben Costas, said Saturday the National Electoral Court, known as the CNE, has no authority to prohibit a plebiscite on autonomy for the state as the referendum was called by the province's elected officials and is "fully constitutional".
Missing jet: Search may last several days
Canberra/Beijing: Australian maritime authorities said Friday that the search in the southern Indian Ocean for a missing Malaysian airliner may last several days due...
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.
Shimon Peres sworn in as Israeli president
By Xinhua
Jerusalem : Shimon Peres was sworn in as the ninth president of Israel in Jerusalem Sunday.
The inauguration started at 6 p.m. (1500 GMT) at the Israeli Knesset (parliament).
Peres, 83, examined the Israel defence forces' honour guard, accompanied by acting president and Knesset Speaker Dalia Itzik.
The president then placed a wreath on a monument commemorating Israel's fallen soldiers.
At 6:30 p.m. (1530 GMT), Peres was sworn in and signed a declaration. He is expected to give a speech later.
Media sensationalises medical research stories: study
By IANS,
Washington : Most of the media coverage on medical research is marred by ignorance, sensationalism and a nexus among scientists, reporters and journals keen on hyping a study.
The analysis, conducted by Gary Schwitzer of the University of Minnesota School of Journalism, found such reports failed to address costs, harms, benefits, the quality of evidence, and other treatment options.
Australia prepares for horse-flu outbreak, cancels races
By DPA
Sydney : Race meetings were scotched across Australia Saturday to stop the spread of equine influenza after 11 horses stabled in Sydney were found to have the debilitating viral infection.
"All horse racing, and the thoroughbred and horse industry across Australia, in all of its sectors and components, could be affected in the worst-case scenario," said Agriculture Minister Peter McGauran.
"But we won't allow ourselves to even consider the worst-case scenario because we are working to contain it - otherwise the worst-case scenario will eventuate."
Delhi’s street kids raise money for Nepal victims
New Delhi : Many streetchildren living in the national capital on Thursday took to the streets to collect aid for victims of the Nepal...
Rajapaksa to frame new constitution
Colombo : Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa Tuesday agreed to form a new constitution and strengthen the campaign against corruption.
Launching his election manifesto, Rajapaksa,...
Romans slaughtered prostitutes’ babies in England
By IANS,
London : A farmer's field near an ancient Roman villa excavated in Buckinghamshire has yielded a long-buried secret - it was a graveyard for prostitutes' babies slaughtered by the Romans.
The site was an ancient brothel and the 97 baby skeletons found there could have been the unwanted babies of prostitutes, say experts.
Plagiarism allegations haunt Russian lawmaker
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow: In the latest plagiarism scandal, yet another State Duma deputy, Rishat Abubakirov, is facing allegations of copying chunks of his dissertation from another source.
Ruling Party Vows Prompt Ratification Of Korea-U.S. Fta
By Bernama,
Seoul : South Korea's ruling party is pushing for prompt parliamentary ratification of a free trade deal with Washington, despite ongoing opposition from liberal parties and civic groups here, Yonhap news agency reported.
After securing a majority in the National Assembly via last week's elections, the conservative party of President Lee Myung-bak has been pushing to open an extraordinary parliamentary session next month to settle several bills including the motion to ratify the Korea-U.S. free trade deal which has been pending for seven months.
UN seeks urgent action on CAR food crisis
United Nations: A senior UN relief official has stressed the need to act quickly to assist people suffering from food insecurity and malnutrition in...
Jindal slams Obama, but says America will overcome
By Arun Kumar,IANS,
Washington : Louisiana's Indian American governor Bobby Jindal, who may challenge President Barack Obama in 2012, has expressed doubts that the new Democratic president can rescue Americans from the economic storms.
Tapped by the Republican party to deliver its response to Obama's first congressional address Tuesday night, Jindal criticised the president's massive stimulus package but emphasised that the US economy can recover.
Women activists call ask Philippines president to quit
By DPA
Manila : Hundreds of women activists Saturday marked the International Women's Day in the Philippine capital demanding the resignation of scandal-tainted President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
The activists marched through the main streets denouncing the alleged massive corruption perpetrated by Arroyo, her family and allies.
Chanting "Gloria resign", the women carried a giant cardboard replica of a handcuff which they said should remind Arroyo that she has to answer for all her crime against the people.
The end of an era: Mugabe gives up a share of power
By DPA,
Harare : Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe's 28-year monopoly on power came to an end Monday when he signed an historic agreement to share power with his decade-long rival, Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai.
The deal on a unity government, which comes after eight weeks of tripartite negotiations brokered by South African President Thabo Mbeki, ends Mugabe's decades-long monopoly on power.
Countries meet to limit big tobacco’s influence
Industry Interference seen as #1 Obstacle to Health Treaty's Enforcement
By Nick Guroff,
On-site report from
3rd Conference of Parties, WHO FCTC, DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA
Durban: Representatives of 160 ratifying countries currently meeting in Durban, South Africa will negotiate guidelines for a provision in the global tobacco treaty that will determine whether millions of people get the health protections they are now guaranteed under the treaty.
Blast at petrol station kills four in eastern China
By RIA Novosti,
Beijing : At least four people died and another four were injured on Tuesday in a blast at a petrol station in eastern China, local media said.
The incident occurred in the Anhui province after a tanker containing 200 cubic meters of gasoline exploded, the Sina news agency said.
Local authorities said the death toll could rise as two of the injured are in a critical state. An investigation into the blast is under way.
Peacekeepers abusing children, says British charity
By IRNA,
London : Children as young as six are being sexually abused by peacekeepers and aid workers, according to a leading UK charity.
Children in post-conflict areas are being abused by the very people drafted into such zones to help look after them, Save the Children said in a new report Tuesday.
The report, No One to Turn To, called for a global watchdog to be urgently established to monitor the "significant" scale of the exploitation of minors.
Clinton revives campaign with Ohio, Texas wins
By SPA
Washington : Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton threw up a roadblock on Sen. Barack Obama’s path to the Democratic presidential nomination by winning the giant Ohio and Texas primaries, NBC News projected Wednesday morning.
“For everyone here in Ohio and across America who’s been counted out and refused to be knocked out, and for everyone who has stumbled but stood right back up, and for everyone who works hard and never gives up, this one is for you,” Clinton said at a raucous rally in Columbus on a night when she took both of the two major prizes on offer.
Winds close Wellington airport after people blown over
By DPA,
Wellington : A storm with gale force winds and Antarctic temperatures caused the cancellation of at least 25 flights in and out of Wellington International Airport Sunday because officials said it was not safe for passengers or air crew to walk onto the tarmac.
Some people boarding small planes were blown over before the flights to and from provincial towns were grounded soon after 7 a.m. affecting more than 900 passengers, news reports said.
Bigger planes on main trunk routes were not affected because they use air bridges.
Race to reach survivors as China quake toll hits 617
By IANS,
Beijing : Rescuers fought chilly weather, strong winds and frequent aftershocks Thursday to claw through rubble and reach survivors of the devastating earthquake that left 617 people dead and nearly 10,000 injured in northwest China.
The 7.1 magnitude quake, which struck Yushu prefecture in southern Qinghai province early Wednesday, also toppled 15,000 residential buildings and forced 100,000 residents to be relocated, authorities said.
China quake boy pulled out after 80 hrs under school rubble
By RIA Novosti,
Beijing : A school boy was rescued after 80 hours trapped in the rubble of a collapsed school building in southwest China's Sichuan province, hit by a powerful quake Monday, local media said on Friday.
The massive earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale led to the destruction of many school buildings with over 6,000 classrooms destroyed. In one school alone 300 children were killed when a three-storey building collapsed burying over 850 pupils in Qingchuan.
Bank of Japan ends emergency measures, leaves interest rates low
By DPA,
Tokyo : Japan's central bank decided Friday to end its purchases of corporate debt at the end of this year as the world's central banks begin withdrawing emergency measures taken in the thick of the global financial crisis.
With credit now easier to come by, the Bank of Japan also decided at the end of a one-day meeting to prolong unlimited collateral-backed loans to banks a final time until March 31.
Maoists give Nepal government 72 hours to quit
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : Nepal's former guerrilla party, the Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), Monday warned that if new Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal did not dissolve his coalition government within 72 hours and make way for a Maoist-led national government, it would start a new protest movement both from the street and parliament.
Iran ceased n-weapon programme in 2003: US report
By Arun Kumar, IANS
Washington : The White House has hailed a new US intelligence report that, reversing its own claims, says Iran ceased its nuclear weapons programme in 2003 and has not resumed work toward building nuclear weapons.
The National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) released Monday also concludes that Tehran is most likely "keeping open the option" to develop nuclear weapons in the future by continuing to build missiles and pursue a civilian nuclear power programme.
India to provide $2 bn to Bangladesh, 22 agreements inked
Dhaka : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said India will provide Bangladesh a Line of Credit worth $2 billion as he held talks...
US House passes Obama’s economic stimulus plan
By Xinhua,
Washington : The Democratic-controlled US House of Representatives has approved President Barack Obama's $819 billion economic stimulus plan containing emergency spending and tax cuts.
The House measure, which was approved Wednesday, combines roughly $275 billion in temporary tax cuts for both individuals and businesses along with about $544 billion for job-creating investment projects, health industry improvements, expanded aid for the poor and unemployed, and improving education.
Russia reports first swine flu deaths
By RIA Novosti,
Chita (Russia) : Two women diagnosed with swine flu have died in eastern Siberia's Chita area, the regional governor's press service said Tuesday.
"Two women are believed to have died of the influenza A/H1N1 virus," the spokesman said, adding that official confirmation of the causes of death would only be available in 21 days.
One of the victims, a 29-year-old woman, was pregnant. Doctors were unable to save the baby.
When Madonna threatened to quit performance
By IANS,
Los Angeles: Singer Madonna threatened to quit a live performance after a group of people were smoking and the smoke got on her nerves.
China, US agree to enhance strategic trust
Washington : On the eve of a new round of high-level talks, China and the US agreed to work to enhance strategic trust, media...
Canadian professor tied to 1980 French bombing denied bail
By IANS,
Toronto : A Canadian university professor, facing extradition to France for his alleged involvement in the bombing of a Paris synagogue in 1980, was denied bail Wednesday.
Hassan Diab, who teaches part-time at Ottawa University and Carleton University in Ottawa (both in Ottawa), was arrested Nov 13 for his alleged links to a Palestinian group that killed four worshippers by bombing a Paris synagogue 28 years ago.
Indian-American physcians launch research foundation
New York : The American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), the largest ethnic association of medical professionals in the US, has...
Bush leaves Rome after meeting with Pope Benedict XVI
By KUNA,
Rome : U.S. President George W. Bush left the Italian capital Rome on Friday after he was warmly received in the Vatican by Pope Benedict XVI, thus completing Bush's visit to Italy and the Vatican in three days.
Bush and his huge delegation headed to Ciampino Airport, to climb aboard Air Force 1, with Paris as the third destination in his European tour.
After an unprecedented walk through the Vatican gardens, Bush held a private meeting with the the spiritual head of the Roman Catholic Church in the historical St John's Tower, lasting half an hour.
Russian businessman keep away heirs from family trade
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Russian businessmen prefer to keep their heirs away from family business in a bid to spare them from the "burden and uncertainty that accompany running a large business".
A poll conducted by UBS and Campden Research companies revealed only 32 percent of the respondents want their children to continue the business while 68 percent insist their offspring choose their own career.
The survey was conducted among 25 Russian businessmen, whose fortune exceeds $100 million.
Obama to meet security chiefs in wake of Detroit plot
By DPA,
Washington: One day after returning from a winter vacation in Hawaii, US President Barack Obama was to host a critical meeting Tuesday with his top security chiefs at the White House.
Obama will gather leading officials from intelligence agencies, homeland security, justice and others to discuss policy changes in the aftermath of the Christmas Day plot to blow up an airliner over Detroit.
Obama returned to Washington on Monday after a two-week break in Hawaii, the state he once called home.
US stocks rise as Fed halts interest rate cuts
By DPA,
New York : Major US stock-market indices closed higher Wednesday after the Federal Reserve kept interest rates steady and sounded more positive on US economic growth.
The US central bank kept its benchmark federal funds rate at 2 percent, after slashing 3.25 percentage points since September.
A statement from the Fed's monetary-policy board sounded more optimistic on economic growth but warned of greater inflation risks.
Former US soldier held for trying to join terror outfit
By IANS,
Washington : A former US Army soldier has been arrested and charged with attempting to travel to Somalia to join terrorist group Al Shabaab.
Joint research by Britain, India to boost nuke cooperation
By IANS,
New Delhi: Days after India and Britain signed a civil nuclear cooperation declaration, the two countries Saturday inked a pact to undertake joint research in the area.
"The declaration is an important boost for both country. It will help to mature our civil nuclear relationship. In March, we will welcome two high level delegations to UK, enabled by this new agreement which will truly kick start our partnership," British Minister for Business, Innovation and Skills Pat McFadden said after the siging.
Grenade blast during Colombia football celebration kills 1
By EFE,
Bogota : One person was killed and 29 others wounded when a man accidentally set off a grenade in downtown Medellin, the capital of the northwestern province of Antioquia, as people were celebrating Colombia's World Cup qualifying win over Ecuador.
Initial reports said the blast occurred at 7.40 p.m. Saturday at San Antonio Park, where the man pulled the pin on the grenade as fans celebrated the Colombian squad's 2-0 win over Ecuador at Medellin's Atanasio Girardot Stadium and watched the game between Argentina and Brazil.
Mayans did not predict end of world in 2012: expert
By IANS/EFE,
Tegucigalpa : The pre-classic era calender of Maya civilisation did not predict the end of life on earth in 2012, an archaeologist has said.
The Mayans in their texts and symbols did not predict the end of the world in 2012, said Ricardo Gonzalez, a Peru-based researcher.
"At no time did the Mayans leave a warning of the destruction of the planet because it is not noted either in the codices or in the high-relief symbols at their archaeological sites," Gonzalez said in his presentation in Honduras.
Movie theme park planned near Rome
By IANS/AKI,
Rome : A 500-million euro movie theme park named after Italy's renowned Cinecitta film studio is to be built on the outskirts of the capital Rome.
The theme park will be called Cinecitta World and will be constructed on 150 hectares of land at Castel Romano.
According to a report in the Italian daily La Repubblica, the theme park will include 35 family attractions, as well as restaurants, snack bars and shops.
It will be built on the same location where Hollywood producer Dino De Laurentiis had his studios during the 1960s.
UN chief for strengthening of families
United Nations : UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon Wednesday called for strengthening of families so that the society may progress as one family.
"By providing...
North Korea cuts hotline with South Korea
By IANS,
Seoul : North Korea has snapped a hotline with South Korea, authorities said here Monday.
Rescue divers find bodies in Philippine”s sunken ferry
By KUNA,
Tokyo : Rescue divers on Tuesday recovered at least two bodies inside a ferry that sank Saturday off the coast of the central Philippine province of Romblon with about 850 people on board, the Manila-based newspaper reported.
One of the two recovered bodies appeared to be that of an officer of the M/V Princess of the Stars, said Commodore Luis Tuason, chief of the Metro Manila Coast Guard, according to the Inquirer newspaper.
Row over visas at Indian consulate in Birmingham
By IANS
London : An angry crowd stormed the Indian consulate in Birmingham after a row erupted over reduction in the number of visas being issued.
Around 200 people, many of them British Indians, stormed the consulate office Monday, furious at the consulate's decision to drastically cut down the number of visas it would issue.
"It's disgusting, we're being treated like animals. They say they published information about this on their website but I looked at the London website and there was nothing about it there," said Mary Thomas, an angry visa seeker.
Fifteen years on, South Africans demand real emancipation
By Clare Byrne,DPA,
Qunu (South Africa) : Through the cracked window of his mud hut Malibongwe Ntshakaza can just about see the roof of Nelson Mandela's retirement villa 100 metres away - but he's never seen South Africa's most famous son in the flesh. In fact, the father of four has only ever seen Mandela on TV.
Ntshakaza says this is because he has spent most of the past 14 years since the end of apartheid on the road, looking for a job.
Sri Lankan eye banl in Pakistan
By NNN-Govt Portal
Colombo : Sri Lankan eye specialists have announced that an eye bank will be set up in Sialkot, Pakistan to provide free eye treatment including transplanting of corneas.
A.P.S. Abeysuriya, a Sri Lankan eye specialist said at the launching of a free cornea transplanting camp at the Aleem Welfare Hospital on Wednesday (26) that the proposed eye bank would be functional by December 2008 and that Sri Lankans will be donating corneas directly to the facility.
Obama offers Mrs Clinton to be secretary of state
By IRNA,
New York : President-elect Barack Obama has met with Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton to discuss what role she might play in his administration.
Speculation in recent days has focused on the possibility that Obama would ask Clinton, a second-term senator from New York, to be his secretary of state.
Others mentioned for that post include Senator John Kerry, Democrat from Massachusetts and the party's presidential nominee in 2004, and Tom Daschle, the former Senate majority leader.
Hong Kong bank offers 0.001 percent interest rate on deposits
By DPA,
Hong Kong : Hong Kong's leading bank, HSBC Holdings, Thursday was offering interest rates so low that customers would need to save $250,000 for a year to earn enough interest to buy a cup of coffee.
A record low interest rate of 0.001 percent was being offered by HSBC, which has 4.2 million customers in the city of seven million, because of what it described as rock-bottom interbank rates.
The rate meant that a saver would need to deposit two million Hong Kong dollars ($258,000) for a year to get enough interest to buy a cup of coffee costing 20 Hong Kong dollars.
German minister apologises for racist attack
By DPA
Berlin : German Economics Minister Michael Glos made a formal apology Tuesday to Indian Finance Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram for the racist attack on a group of Indian men in the town of Muegeln last month.
"I most deeply regret and condemn the event in the strongest terms," Glos said on the first day of a meeting of the Indo-German Economic Commission in Berlin.
"There can be no rationalising of violence and xenophobia in an open and tolerant democracy," Glos said.
Halle Berry hopes for ‘X-Men’ return
By IANS,
New York : Oscar winning actress Halle Berry is keen to follow in the footsteps of Hugh Jackman by reviving her X-men character for a prequel.
Berry, who played weather-controlling mutant Storm in the first three films, would love to return to the franchise with her own "X-Men Origins" picture.
"I think that would be great. Storm deserves her own movie - if I can still fit into the suit," imdb.com quoted her as saying.
Her co-star Jackman's new movie "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" is set before the comic book trilogy and narrates the story of its superhero alter ego.
Obama, McCain battle into last weekend before polls
By DPA,
Washington : Leaving nothing to chance and taking no vote for granted, the two US presidential candidates kept up a frenetic pace Saturday as they plunged into the last weekend of campaigning before Tuesday's election.
Democratic Party presidential candidate Barack Obama is increasing his lead over Republican rival John McCain as the campaign enters its final phase, according to a poll published Saturday by the Washington Post.
Myanmar’s monks urge EU to bring junta chief to court
By DPA,
Yangon : The European Union (EU) should use their meeting in Brussels Thursday to back a call to bring Myanmar's junta chief to be tried in the international court for crimes against humanity, Myanmar's activist monks said in a statement Wednesday.