Nepal’s Maoist party wants cases against its cadre dropped
Kathmandu : Nepal's main opposition Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) demanded Friday that there should be an agreement among parties to bring all...
Nepal Maoists begin power race against time
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : After their victory in a 10-year war against the royal dynasty, time has begun to run out for Nepal's former Maoist guerrillas with just 48 hours left for the expiry of the time given to them to form a new government.
Last Tuesday, President Ram Baran Yadav called on the Maoists, who had emerged as the largest party after the April election, to prove their majority in the caretaker parliament and form the new government within a week.
Political coup in Canada; Dion to replace Harper as new PM
By Gurmukh Singh, IANS,
Toronto : In a political coup, Canada's three opposition parties have joined hands to oust the just elected minority government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
In a deal signed by the Liberal Party and the New Democratic Party (NDP) and backed by the separatist Bloc Quebecois in Ottawa Monday, the first two parties will form a new government, with the third supporting them from outside.
Under the deal, Liberal Party leader Stephane Dion will become the new prime minister till May when his party chooses a new leader to replace him.
Adhesive 10 times stickier than gecko’s developed
By IANS,
Washington : Researchers have successfully developed a gecko-inspired synthetic adhesive that is at least 10 times stronger than its natural counterpart.
Liming Dai and colleagues from the University of Dayton constructed their adhesive out of two slightly different layers of multi-walled carbon nanotubes.
Thai coalition parties agree on amending constitution based on 1997 charter
By Xinhua,
Bangkok : Coalition parties in Thailand's government have agreed on using the abrogated 1997 version as a model to amend the current 2007 Constitution, local media reported Tuesday.
Samart Kaewmeechai, secretary to the government whips coordination committee said Monday that coalition parties in the government led by Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej will propose a motion for amendment before the Parliament by the end of this month and the charter rewrite is expected to be completed by September, according to newspaper The Nation.
Obama embarks on whistle-stop tour linking him to Lincoln
Washington, Jan 17 (IANS) Barack Obama has set out for Washington for his historic inauguration Tuesday as America's first black president with a whistle-stop train journey that symbolically links him to the nation's icon Abraham Lincoln.
Like Lincoln, who travelled by rail from Philadelphia to Washington on the last leg of his journey to be sworn in for his first term in 1861, Obama too is travelling from the birthplace of the nation's democracy to the capital city.
Poland to deploy US missile unit by year end, says minister
By Xinhua,
Warsaw : Poland will deploy a US missile unit in the country later this year as part of a pact with Washington, Deputy Defence Minister Stanislaw Komorowski said Thursday.
Russia has strongly opposed the move.
"For the first time US soldiers will be stationed in Poland. This will be symbolic for Poland," Komorowski said in an interview with a newspaper.
Asia’s first bird flue combat depot launched in Thailand
By DPA
Bangkok : The US Tuesday launched Asia's first avian influenza combat depot in Thailand to supply emergency kits to fight new outbreaks in the region of the H5N1 virus that has killed at least 235 people worldwide.
"The Regional Distribution Centre in Thailand, the first of three regional supply centres that are being established worldwide, will help ensure countries in Asia will be able to take fast action to counter avian influenza without endangering the lives of the rapid-response teams," said US Ambassador to Thailand Eric John.
Earthquake hits Aleutian Islands of US
By IANS,
New York : An earthquake measuring 5.7 on the Richter scale jolted Aleutian Islands of the US state of Alaska Sunday, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said.
India-heavy team is America’s college cricket champion
Washington: The University of South Florida (USF) cricket team, made up of all but one players from India, has won this year's American College...
Nepal talks fail, peace process in danger
By IANS,
Kathmandu : As negotiations between Nepal's Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and Maoist chief Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda failed Saturday, the former guerrillas vowed to keep up their siege on parliament -- a move that could derail the promulgation of a new constitution next summer.
"We are ready to call off our protest if the prime minister agrees to create a conducive atmosphere in parliament for a debate," former premier Prachanda told the media before departing on a 10-day trip to Britain.
However, he said it would not be possible.
Washington, New York snowed in, shutters government
By Arun Kumar,IANS,
Washington/New York : Denizens of Washington Wednesday woke up to an eerie ghost town as the fourth powerful snow storm of the season buried the capital of the world's most powerful nation, already groaning under the weight of weekend's historic blizzard, under a thick white blanket.
As the new blizzard that began Tuesday afternoon picked up pace threatening to dump another 10 to 20 inches of snow over Washington, northern Virginia and eastern Maryland, the federal government remained shuttered for the third consecutive day.
Monks’ marches in Yangon makes junta squirm
By DPA
Yangon : Thousands of monks marched to Yangon's Shwedagon Pagoda Sunday on the sixth day of their peaceful protests against Myanmar's military regime, which has thus far refrained from cracking down on the saffron-robed rebellion.
Monks from various townships marched through the streets to congregate at the spiritual heart of Myanmar's old capital of Yangon, shortly after midday where they recited mantras.
Water level of China’s main quake lake keeps falling, dangers remain
By Xinhua,
Mianyang, Sichuan : The water level of the Tangjiashan quake lake was still dropping on Wednesday, while experts warn that dangers remain.
As of 8 a.m., the level had fallen to 714.62 meters from the highest mark of 743.1 meters and the lake was draining at a rate of 68.4 cubic meters a second, according to the quake lake relief headquarters in Mianyang.
One farmer dead in clash between Philippine troops, Moro fighters
By ANTARA News/DPA,
Manila : One farmer was killed on Tuesday when fresh fighting broke out between government troops and Muslim separatist rebels in the southern Philippines, an army spokesman said.
The soldiers were on patrol in the village of Pagangan in Aleosan town in North Cotabato province, 960 kilometres south of Manila, when Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels attacked them.
Lieutenant Colonel Julieto Ando, an army division spokesman, said a farmer was killed when he was hit by a stray bullet during the fighting.
US man arrested for plotting attack on military base
Washington: An American man who was allegedly plotting a suicide attack at a military base in US' Kansas state has been arrested, authorities said.
John.T....
Lockheed begins construction of US presidential choppers in India
By Gulshan Luthra
New Delhi : Construction of the first lot of six VH 92 Super Hawk helicopters that transport the US president...
Senator Kennedy’s death ends `historic’ US chapter
By DPA,
Washington : Senator Edward Kennedy, who became the Kennedy family's political standard bearer after his brothers president John F. Kennedy and senator Robert Kennedy were assassinated, has died at 77 after battling brain cancer.
Kennedy died late Tuesday at his home in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, his family said.
US President Barack Obama, whose race for his Democratic Party's nomination last year got a big boost from Kennedy's endorsement, early Wednesday paid tribute to his late mentor.
UN biodiversity conference facing “sticking points”
By DPA,
Bonn : Delegates to the UN biodiversity conference here Bonn are haggling over a series of "sticking points" in the final text to be agreed before the conference closes Friday, a UN spokesman said.
There were technical and legal problems regarding measures to combat climate change and their impact on biodiversity, David Ainsworth, a spokesman for the UN's Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), told journalists.
Death toll from Indonesia blast rises to three
By NNN-ANTARA
Jakarta : The death toll caused by a powerful blast that tore through a residential area in Indonesia's East Java province rose to three early Sunday, after a man died overnight in hospital, medical staff said.
The 23-year-old victim died at the Syaiful Anwar general hospital in Malang city, around midnight, a member of staff who only identified himself as Agus told AFP.
"He was brought in unconscious with injuries in the head and his limbs, and died without regaining consciousness," said Agus by telephone.
Taiwan shaken by 12 earthquakes, no casualties
By DPA,
Taipei : Taiwan was struck by 12 undersea quakes, including a powerful one on the eastern part of the island, but no damage or casualties were reported so far, the earthquake centre said Thursday.
The first quake, measuring 5.9 on the Richter scale occurred at 2.28 a.m. (1828 GMT), shaking the eastern county of Taitung. The second tremor struck 24 minutes later with a magnitude of 4.3 near Chengkung in Taitung, the centre said.
World’s oldest stone axe with sharpend edge found
By IANS,
Sydney: The world's oldest stone axe with a sharpened edge has been discovered in northern Australia.
New Sri Lanka army chief attacked by rights group
New York : Sri Lanka’s promotion of a senior officer whose division was implicated in serious human rights abuses casts doubt on government pledges...
US questions Israeli housing project in East Jerusalem
By DPA,
Jerusalem: The US has asked Israel to halt a construction project in occupied East Jerusalem and summoned Israel's Ambassador to Washington Michael Oren for clarification, Israel Radio reported Sunday.
The issue is the latest in an ongoing dispute over Israeli construction in the occupied territories.
Israel regards East Jerusalem, which it captured in the 1967 Middle East War and annexed shortly afterwards, as part of its "undivided capital".
The US sees East Jerusalem as occupied Palestinian land and demands that Israel halts all settlement activity there.
Half of global populatin will live in cities by end of 2008
United Nations (ANTARA News/Xinhua) - By the end of this year, half of the world`s 6.7 billion people will live in urban areas, according to a UN report released Tuesday.
The 2007 Revision of World Urbanization Prospects, prepared by the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), provides the official UN estimates and projections of the urban, rural and city populations of all countries in the world up to 2050.
UN chief urges more investment in women for development and peace
By APP
United Nations : UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called for greater investment in women and girls, which will help further economic growth and advance development. “Investing in women is not only the right thing to do. It is the smart think to do,” Ban told a commemoration event at the UN Headquarters for the International Women’s Day, which falls on Saturday.
“I am deeply convinced that, in women, the world has at its disposal the most significant and yet largely untapped potential for development and peace,” he said.
Sri Lanka indicted for war crimes, international probe sought
By IANS,
Toronto : Indicting Sri Lanka of war crimes in the later stages of the ethnic war that ended a year ago with the annihilation of the Tamil Tigers, an independent international report Monday asked Colombo to submit itself to outside probe into human rights violations.
In its report titled `War crimes in Sri Lanka,' the Brussels-based International Crisis Group said that if Sri Lanka does not comply, sanctions must be imposed on it.
US asks Sri Lanka to turn page, reach out to Tamils
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : As Colombo declared victory against the Tamil Tiger rebels, the US asked Sri Lanka to turn the page on its past and engage Tamils to create a political arrangement that protects the rights of all its citizens
"This is an opportunity for Sri Lanka to turn the page on its past and build a Sri Lanka rooted in democracy, tolerance and respect for human rights," State Department spokesman Ian Kelly told reporters Monday.
Germany confirms renewed outbreak of bird flu
By IRNA
Berlin : A spokeswoman for the German agricultural ministry confirmed here Sunday that the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus was detected at a poultry farm in the southern city of Erlangen. Speaking at a press briefing, Ursula Huber said some 160,000 animals were affected by the virus and had to be culled.
She added the poultry farm was already sealed off and preventive measures were put in place.
According to earlier German press reports, some 400 geese were found dead in their stalls on Friday.
Spain will not extradite Isabel Peron to Argentina
By DPA,
Madrid : Spain's National Court Monday decided against extraditing former Argentine president Maria Estela Martinez de Peron, 77, to Argentina, where she is being linked with crimes committed by death squads during her presidency in the 1970s.
The court said the accusations against Peron, popularly known as Isabelita, were not crimes against humanity and had therefore expired.
Peron's defence had argued against the extradition on the grounds that she was a Spanish citizen and that her health was frail.
Gordon Brown defends decision not to call for polls
By Dipankar De Sarkar, IANS
London : Shrugging off a miserable weekend, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown Monday made a stout defence of his decision not to call general elections this year, saying he needs more time to implement his political, social and economic vision for Britain.
"Yes, I did consider holding elections, but went with my first instinct, which was to get on with the job of implementing my vision for Britain," Brown told a crowded press conference.
"You've had a better weekend than I had," he told his media critics.
Cancer deaths to increase in Cuba this year, says report
By Prensa Latina,
Havana: Cancer will be the leading cause of death, while fatalaties due to cardiovascular diseases will occupy the second place on the list of fatal ailments in Cuba this year, a media report said.
The expected rise in cancer deaths is due to risky lifestyle behaviours as well as the existence of better diagnostic tools for the disease, as doctors will be able to detect cases that were earlier not possible, the Juventud Rebelde newspaper reported Sunday.
Hannover gears up for Narendra Modi visit
Hannover : German city Hannover is gearing up for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit on Sunday, where he along with German Chancellor Angela Merkel...
Hispanics greet Barack Obama’s presidency with optimism
By IANS,
Miami : The Hispanic community has greeted with hope and optimism the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th president of the United States, EFE reported.
In Chicago, dozens of Hispanics gathered early Tuesday at a Mexican community organisation to watch on television the historic swearing-in of the first African-American to become the nation's president.
Jorge Mujica, one of the organisers of the immigration rights marches May 1, 2006, said that while he is happy with the change, he prefers "not to believe until he sees" what the new president does.
Rath Yatra draws crowds in New York
By IANS
New York : A Ratha Yatra (chariot festival) organised by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) drew hundreds of people in New York.
German, French scientists share Nobel Prize for Medicine
By IANS,
Stockholm : Harald zur Hausen of Germany, and Françoise Barré-Sinoussi and Luc Montagnier of France Monday won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for 2008.
"The Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet has today decided to award The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for 2008 with one half to Harald zur Hausen for his discovery of human papilloma viruses causing cervical cancer and the other half jointly to Françoise Barré-Sinoussi and Luc Montagnier for their discovery of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)," a statement issued by the Nobel Foundation said.
Russian Senate Revokes Agreement with Ukraine
By Prensa Latina
Moscow : The Russian Council of the Federation (Senate) revoked an intergovernmental agreement with Ukraine on the shared use of antimissile defense systems and control of outer space, signed in 1997.
Due to the situation caused by the radar stations in Mukachevo and Sebastopol, Russia decided to relinquish those facilities and derogate the pertinent agreement, explained the president of the committee for affairs of Commonwealth of Independent State, Vadim Gustov.
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.
Eleven killed by gunmen in Guyana
By IANS
Georgetown : At least 11 people have been killed and three others injured when a group of gunmen opened fire on them in a rural area of Guyana, the police have said.
The incident occurred Saturday in Lusignan village, some 16 km from Georgetown, in which the gunmen attacked five houses, opening the doors and shooting people indiscriminately, said Leroy Brummel, chief of the Guyana police, EFE news agency reported Sunday.
The victims included four men, two women, three little boys and two girls.
Russia to set new border line in Arctic
By Maxim Krans, RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Recent discussions about national geopolitical concerns and spheres of interest have predictably reached the issue of Russia's northern border.
President Dmitry Medvedev set the task of formalizing Russia's right to a considerable part of the Arctic shelf at the Sep 17 meeting of the country's Security Council. This will "turn the Arctic into Russia's resource base of the 21st century", he said at the meeting held to discuss protection of Russia's national interests in the Arctic.
US will offer emissions reduction target at Copenhagen talks
By DPA,
Washington : The United States will offer a mid-term target for cutting its climate-damaging emissions when world governments meet for the critical UN-backed Copenhagen summit next month, US media has reported, citing a senior administration official.
To date, the United States has not offered a 2020 target for reducing greenhouse gas emissions that are blamed for global warming, resisting such calls from Europe and major developing countries.
Dalai Lama suggests EU model for Tibet, China
By Dipankar De Sarkar, IANS,
London : Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama Thursday said the European Union offered a possible political model for China and Tibet to co-exist in "meaningful autonomy".
Dismissing calls for Tibetan independence, the Dalai Lama said he was "fully committed" to an idea of autonomy where Beijing would be responsible for defence and foreign policy, leaving business, education, environment and other matters to be "handled by Tibetans themselves".
"That's meaningful autonomy," the Dalai Lama said in an interview with BBC radio broadcast Thursday.
Israel, Hamas extend truce in Gaza
Cairo: A five-day ceasefire extension agreement has been reached between Israel and Hamas in Cairo to give the two sides a chance to hold...
41 escape from Mexico prison
By IANS/EFE,
Mexico City : Fortyone inmates, most of them facing charges of murder or abduction, escaped from a prison in the northern Mexican city of Matamoros, authorities said.
All but three of the escaped prisoners were facing charges for federal offences such as murder and kidnapping. Two prison guards also fled with them, Ives Soberon Tijerina, public safety secretary of Tamaulipas, said Thursday.
Two officials have been sacked and some 100 guards and administrative employees were being interrogated in this connection, he said.
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.
British pop singer jumps to death
By IANS,
London : British pop singer Charles Haddon climbed up a 60-foot mast and plunged to his death after having a sold out gig.
Dailymail.co.uk reports that Haddon, 22, was apparently feeling "very down" after Friday’s gig at the Pukkelpop festival in Belgium, which attracted 180,000 people this weekend.
Haddon's fatal fall took place hours after a girl had been injured by another member of his group diving off the stage.
Britain lauds inclusion of Libyan groups in terror list
London : British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond has welcomed the UN Security Council's decision to put Libya's Ansar Al Sharia Benghazi (AAS-B) and Ansar...
Troops deployed in Maldives after mass cabinet resignation
By DPA,
Colombo : The Maldives National Defence Force was deployed in the streets Wednesday after the cabinet resigned en masse over the alleged blocking of legislation by the opposition.
A Maldivian High Commission spokesman in Colombo said the deployment was to ensure security and no incidents had been reported.
Military chief Major General Moosa Ali Jaleel said Tuesday's resignations had "resulted in an upheaval in the political situation of the country that might lead to negative effects on the peace and tranquility of the country".
Maoist-goverment talks fail, three-day Nepal closure from Sunday
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu: Nepal's former Maoist guerrillas, who are now the largest party in the former kingdom, Saturday said they would go ahead with their decision to enforce a three-day general strike nationwide from Sunday after talks between their leaders and the ruling parties failed.
Relatives of Briton executed in China slam media, government
By IANS,
London : Relatives of a Briton executed by China Wednesday blamed the British media, government and human rights campaigners for not pleading his case early or strongly enough.
"This is an example of Britain's powerlessness in the world," said Amina and Ridwan Shaikh, whose cousin Akmal Shaikh was executed by China Tuesday after being found guilty of drug smuggling.
Moody’s keeps negative outlook for Spanish banks
By IANS,
Madrid: International credit ratings agency Moody's has said it would keep a "negative" outlook on the Spanish banking industry.
Poll: Australians want more investment in renewable energy
By Xinhua,
Canberra : A Newspoll released on Monday showed that Australians want the government to invest profits from an emissions trading scheme (ETS) in renewable energy.
The poll, commissioned by Greenpeace Australia, found 84 percent of respondents didn't want profits to be used to compensate the coal industry. And just 10 percent favored coal-fired power generators should be compensated under the scheme.
In a press statement, Greenpeace spokeswoman Trish Harrup called on the government to amend its proposed scheme.
South Korea buys Indonesian aircraft for coastguard
By ANTARA News,
Seoul : South Korea has signed a 90-million-dollar deal with Indonesia to buy four transport planes for the coastguard, officials said Tuesday.
Under the deal signed on Monday, Indonesia will deliver four CN235-110 aircraft by 2011, the Defense Acquisition Programme Administration said.
"They will be used for various missions," a spokesman told AFP, adding the plane, which is equipped with an advanced radar system, is already used by South Korea's air force.
LTTE forced Canadian Tamils to sign pre-payment forms
By IANS,
Toronto : Canadian police have seized documents showing Tamil Tigers leader Vellupillai Prabhakaran soliciting money from Tamils here for his armed struggle in Sri Lanka.
The documents, seized by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in raids on the offices of the World Tamil Movement in Toronto and Montreal, show a 2002 letter by Prabhakaran, asking Tamils in Canada to send him 15 of the ``100 crore'' rupees he needs for his armed struggle. Fifteen crore Sri Lankan rupees is equal to about three million Canadian dollars.
Violence, Sequel of US Invasion of Panama
By Prensa Latina,
Panama : The 1989 US military occupation of Panama is blamed for the emergence of a new form of violence in Panama: bank robbery.
El Siglo daily says that after the US invasion in 1989, Panama was devastated, giving birth to today"s criminal monsters who are improving their tactics.
The toppling of the military regime and low morale of the newly born National Police that replaced the Defense Forces, along the huge arsenal in the hands of the criminals, encouraged bank robbery.
Eastern Public School in Bhopal accorded with Global Education Award
By TCN News,
Bhopal: The Eastern Public School (EPS) in Bhopal was awarded with highly coveted Global Good Governance (3G) Education Award by Cambridge...
Prabhakaran vanishes along with three aircraft: report
By IANS,
London : Tamil Tiger leader Vellupillai Prabhakaran appears to have vanished along with a fleet of at least three Czech-made Zlin 143 single-engine aircraft, a newspaper reported Saturday.
The Times said that although Sri Lankan forces have captured five of the six airstrips that were used by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), Prabhakaran himself may have escaped.
It quoted Sri Lankan officials as saying they are unsure whether Prabakharan is in Mullaitivu, the LTTE's last outpost, or has already escaped - possibly by aircraft but more likely by boat.
DPRK invites IAEA to discuss shutdown of nuclear facilities
By Xinhua
Pyongyang : The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Saturday invited a delegation of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to discuss the shutdown of its nuclear facilities at Yongbyon under the Feb. 13 agreement, the official news agency reported.
A working-level delegation of the IAEA will be invited to the DPRK to talk about "the procedures of the IAEA's verification and monitoring of the suspension of the operations of nuclear facilities at Yongbyon under the Feb. 13 agreement," according to the Korean Central News Agency.
Flames spark deadly fight-or-flight decisions in Australia
By DPA,
Sydney : Kinglake was a picture-perfect high-country town 100 km north-east of Melbourne that was home to 600 people. On Saturday a forest fire barrelled through and now it's little more than a name on a map.
Survivor Christopher Harvey is convinced that "there was no chance of fighting or taking care of this fire". One minute the crimson ball of flame was on the ridge above the town, the next it was in their midst.
Anti CAA protest staged by Harvard students in Boston, USA
TwoCircles.net
Harvard student community observed the first 24-hour anti-CAA protest in Boston, US on the occasion of Republic Day of India. This protest started at...
Policeman caught performing lewd act in car
By IANS,
Sydney : An Australian policeman has been charged with behaving in an offensive manner after he was caught performing a lewd act in his car, a media report said.
Helicopter crashes during Air Force celebrations in Ecuador
By DPA,
Quito : An Ecuadorian Air Force helicopter crashed Tuesday as it flew near Quito air base during celebrations to mark the 89th anniversary of the service, Ecuadorian media reported.
Two Air Force officers were on board, but they reportedly managed to leave the aircraft by themselves after the crash before being taken to Quito's Military Hospital.
The helicopter, an Indian-made Dhruv, had been bought this year.
According to media reports, three helicopters were flying around the base at the time of the accident.
World’s oldest weather report found in Egypt
New York: If you thought weather prediction was a recent phenomenon, you would be in for a surprise if told that weather prediction was...
Heavy rainfall leaves nine dead, 32 injured in Colombia
By Xinhua,
Bogota : Heavy rainfall during the past week has left nine people dead and 32 others injured in Colombia, the Social Security and Health Ministry said Wednesday.
The rainfall has brought flooding, mud-rock flows and landslides in more than 150 cities and towns in 26 provinces in western and central Colombia, Social Security and Health Minister Diego Palacio Betancour said.
Weather forecasters said the rainfall is likely to last till late June, and the disaster-hit region is expected to expand northward.
Four killed in combat chopper crash in Russia
By IANS,
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow: At least four people were killed when a Mi-35 combat helicopter crashed in a mountain in southwestern Russia's Dagestan region.
Jakarta police arrest 10, thwart terror attacks
By Xinhua,
Beijing : An attack targeting Westerners in Jakarta was averted when anti-terror police arrested 10 suspected militants and seized a large cache of high-powered bombs, police and media reported Thursday.
Among those detained was a Singaporean who met several times with Osama bin Laden, a senior police officer told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media.
Chad rebels for ceasefire, Sarkozy threatens to intervene
By DPA
N'Djamena/Paris : A spokesman for rebel groups seeking to overthrow Chadian President Idriss Deby told a French radio station Tuesday they had accepted "in principle" an immediate ceasefire even as France said it would intervene, if necessary.
"We now want a national dialogue and a peaceful resolution to the conflict," Abderaman Koulamallah told RFI radio. "We want to stop the war and start a dialogue."
Russian warships to hold drills in Indian Ocean
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Russian warships from the Pacific and Northern fleets will conduct exercises in the Indian Ocean later this year.
"Pacific and Northern fleet warships will meet and jointly perform a series of combat training missions in the Indian Ocean," Russian Navy spokesman Captain Igor Dygalo said.
Over 30 killed in Nigeria attacks
Lagos: More than 30 people have been confirmed dead following fresh attacks by unidentified gunmen in Birnin-Magaji area of northwest Nigeria's Zamfara state, officials...
Thousands defy China to demand Hong Kong democracy
By DPA
Hong Kong : Tens of thousands of people Sunday demanded democracy for Hong Kong on the 10th anniversary of its return to Chinese rule, hours after China's president warned them not to defy Beijing.
A climate refugee comes to town
By Joydeep Gupta
Bali, Dec 12 (IANS) Bangladeshi poet Javed Haider once wrote the famous lines: "Give me rice, or I'll eat up your map". Akter Banu brought that home to delegates at the UN climate change conference here as only a direct victim of global warming can.
Banu lives in a village called Char Bhadrapur in Pabna district of Bangladesh. She lives in a hut - now more and more often on top of that hut - as repeated floods in the river Jamuna bring the water up to her rafters. She is well on her way to becoming a climate refugee.
Canada cuts ties with Iran
By IANS,
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow: Canada has frozen diplomatic relations with Iran and will expel Iranian diplomats from the country, Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird has said.
15 people killed in Philippines road accident
By DPA,
Manila : Fifteen people were killed when a passenger minibus plunged into a 70-metre-deep ravine in the northern Philippines, police said Wednesday.
Fifteen more were also hurt in the accident Tuesday in Besao town in Mountain province, 285 km north of Manila, Senior Superintendent Fortunato Albas said.
Albas, the provincial police chief, said heavy rains made part of the mountain road collapse, causing the mini-bus to fall into the ravine while negotiating a slope.
UN to Strategize on Human Trafficking
By Prensa Latina
United Nations : The UN Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking (UN.GIFT) has called a meeting of NGOs and the private sector Feb 13-15 in Vienna, to develop a new strategy to fight human trafficking and set the issue on the world agenda.
A press release informs that the meeting will coordinate fund raising and increase public awareness about the complicity existing at all levels, in order to fight this outrageous crime/industry that generates billions of dollars.
Solved: the Antarctic ice sheet mystery
By IANS
London : The mystery surrounding the formation of the Antarctic ice sheet - particularly its effect on ocean temperature - has been solved. Or so contends a new study.
Cardiff University researchers say they solved the mystery by travelling to Tanzania and studying the temperature records of microfossils in ancient sea-floor mud, Sciencedaily.com reported.
The Antarctic ice sheet formation is one of the most important climatic shifts in earth's history.
Sensitive military data missing again in Britain
By IANS,
London : In the latest incident of security breach in Britain, a computer drive containing information about a large number of British armed forces personnel is missing, the Ministry of Defence said Friday, The Independent daily reported.
The portable drive contains personal details of about 100,000 serving officers of the army, navy and air force, and their relatives.
The ministry said the theft came to their knowledge Wednesday and MoD police were investigating.
Warming ties: Israel thanks India for abstaining on UNHRC vote
New Delhi : Israel on Saturday thanked India for not voting on an "anti-Israel bashing" UNHRC resolution, which sources said was a result...
Nurses accused of killing 16 in Uruguay hospitals
By IANS/EFE,
Montevideo : Uruguayan authorities tried Monday to calm people following an alarm generated by the deaths of 16 patients in two Montevideo hospitals at the hands of two nurses.
Day-Lewis, Chastain win best actors at Golden Globe
By IANS,
Los Angeles: Daniel Day-Lewis and Jessica Chastain were named the best actor and actress in a motion picture (drama) respectively, at the 70th Golden Globe awards ceremony here.
Serbia reiterates opposition to Kosovo independence
By Xinhua
Berlin : Serbia has rejected the UN resolution that will lead to supervised independence for Kosovo.
"Any further talks between the Serbian government and representatives of the Albanian majority in the province would not need a new resolution to take place," Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica told reporters after meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel Tuesday.
Flood cancels 100 flights in Tokyo airport
By KUNA
Tokyo : More than 100 flights at Tokyo's Haneda airport, Japan's busiest domestic air hub, were cancelled on Tuesday due to strong winds and heavy rains that hit the Tokyo metropolitan area.
Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways, the nation's two biggest carriers, cancelled a total of 102 domestic flights in the morning and early afternoon, affecting about 13,700 passengers, the airlines said.
Haneda airport had one of the three runways closed in the morning as some parts of the runway became submerged caused by flooding, according to the airport authority.
New Moore Island in Bay of Bengal disappears: Report
By IRNA,
New Delhi : About 90 per cent of the New Moore Island that surfaced in the Bay of Bengal in the aftermath of Bhola cyclone in 1970 have submerged as per satellite images collected by the Jadavpur University.
"Satellite images have confirmed that about 90 per cent of the Island, about three km long and 3.5 km wide, have submerged," sources in the School of Oceanography Studies of the University said in Kolkata, capital of West Bengal state, Thursday.
Local fishermen had also confirmed the disappearance of a major part of the Island, they said.
Two killed in fresh Israeli airstrike on Gaza
Gaza: A fresh Israeli airstrike on Gaza Strip killed two Palestinians and wounded three others Thursday night, authorities said.
The airstrike hit the central Gaza...
Obama to host Cameron at White House in March
By IANS,
Washington : US President Barack Obama will host British Prime Minister David Cameron at the White House during an official visit in March, the White House said.
Anti-Govt Alliance Plans Tight Security For Rally On Tuesday
By Bernama,
Rayong : The Rayong provincial branch of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) is preparing to deploy 300 security volunteers to ward off any potential threat in this eastern province, Thailand news agency (TNA) reported.
The volunteers will be on watch in addition to an official security force of 400 police officers and military, according to Suthi Achasai, PAD's leader in Rayong.
Due to the failure of the authorities to stop violence last week in Udon Thailand, PAD officers on Monday filed a complaint with the United Nations in Bangkok.
Pentagon reviews tapes from terrorism interrogations
By Xinhua
Washington : The Pentagon is reviewing nearly 50 newly-found tapes with footage of terror suspects being questioned, including one that shows "the forcible gagging of a terrorism suspect," The New York Times reported Thursday.
The paper said the footage was created while two men, Jose Padilla and Ali al-Marri, were being questioned at a Navy brig in South Carolina.
Finnair plans to reduce emissions by 41 percent by 2017
By IANS,
New Delhi : Nordic carrier Finnair says it plans to reduce aircraft emissions by 41 percent by 2017 through continuing fleet renewals.
"Our goal is to reduce emissions between 2009 and 2017 by 24 percent per seat and per 100 kilometres. Between 1999 and 2009 we succeeded in reducing emissions by 22 percent. Our ambitious overall target is to reduce emissions by 41 percent between 1999 and 2017," Kati Ihamäki, Finnair's vice president for sustainable development, writes on the airline's blog.
Mine blast kills eight in Myanmar
By Xinhua
Yangon : Eight passengers were killed and six injured in a mine blast attack on a bus by an anti-government armed group in northeastern Kayin state, the New Light of Myanmar reported Thursday.
A seven-member group of the Kayin National Union (KNU) detonated the mine and fired small arms Tuesday at a passenger bus that was on its way from Kawkareik to Myawaddy, close to the Thailand border.
Polish defense minister to discuss U.S. missile plans in Washington
By RIA Novosti
Warsaw : Polish Defense Minister Bogdan Klich is to discuss Washington's plans for a missile defense base in Poland during his current visit to the U.S., a Polish Defense Ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday.
Barbara Bartkowska said Klich would meet with U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, and negotiations would focus on the deployment of a U.S. missile defense base in Poland and the International Security Assistance Force mission in Afghanistan.
UN allocates $214 mn for ‘hunger hotspots’
By DPA,
Rome : The UN World Food Programme (WFP) Tuesday announced a $214-million roll-out directed at 14 global "hunger hotspots".
The measure comes as nearly one billion poor people worldwide grapple with the "unrelenting global high food and fuel price crisis", the Rome-based WFP said in a statement.
The $214 million will help provide food rations to highly vulnerable groups; continuing to feed school-aged children even while school is out and giving supplemental food to pregnant women and young children whose mental and physical development is at stake, WFP said.
Fire in Brazil prison kills eight inmates
By IANS
Rio de Janeiro : Eight inmates have been killed in a fire at a jail in Rio Piracicaba in southeastern Brazil, Spain's EFE news agency reported Thursday.
The blaze, which was started by a short-circuit Tuesday night in one of the cells, spread quickly all over the jail in Rio Piracicaba, a small city in the interior of Brazil's Minas Gerais province.
According to the police, the inmates could not get out of their cells because the guard, who was on duty at that time, had left his post.
70,000 evacuated in east China following typhoon threat
By Xinhua,
Hangzhou : Authorities in east China's Zhejiang province Monday moved some 70,000 people to safety and called back more than 12,000 fishing boats as typhoon Fung Wong approached.
Typhoon Fung Wong, which was lashing Taiwan Monday morning, continued to head toward the China coast, the observatory at Zhejiang said.
Fung Wong, the eighth tropical storm to hit China's coast this year, is set to sweep across the Taiwan Straits Monday and is expected to make landfall between Xiapu and Jinjiang counties in neighbouring Fujian at midnight.
Thailand’s Election Commission names 74 appointed senators
By NNN-TNA
Bangkok : Thailand's Election Commission on Tuesday announced the appointment of 74 members of the Senate who will represent half of the Upper House while the other half will be elected nationwide on March 2.
The 74 senators represent a ratio of 6 men to one woman. The oldest is 72 years old and the youngest 42.
EC secretary general Sutthiphon Thaweechaikarn said the appointed senators came from diverse backgrounds including academics (15), government officials (14), private sector (15), various professions (15) and other sectors (15).
Cambodian PM writes to UNESCO, accuses Thailand of aggression
By Xinhua,
Phnom Penh : Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has written a letter to UNESCO, accusing Thailand of aggression by moving troops into disputed border territory, and warned that Thailand threatened peace in the region.
"Thai behavior gravely threatens peace and stability in the region" and Thailand is "defying all principles of international law," Hun Sen said in the letter addressed to Koichiro Matsuura, director general of UNESCO.
Helicopter crashes into Black Sea drilling rig, 19 dead
By DPA,
Kiev : A Ukrainian helicopter crashed into a Black Sea oil drilling rig Monday, killing 19 of the 20 people aboard, a government spokesman said.
The MiG-8 passenger helicopter had been carrying workers to an oil rig some 70 km in the Sea of Azov near the Crimea peninsula, said Yury Avdeev, an official from the state-owned Chernomornaftogaz energy company.
The dead included 16 rig workers and three flight crew, Avdeev said.
One oil worker of the 20 people aboard the aircraft survived the fiery crash in critical condition, the Interfax news agency reported.
Sir Syed Day 2014 in San Francisco Bay Area
By Ras H. Siddiqui, TwoCircles.net,
San Francisco: The Aligarh Muslim University Alumni Association of Northern California carried on its annual tradition of holding Sir Syed Day in the San Francisco Bay Area with a fine evening of cultural expression, reflection and entertainment at the ICC in Milpitas on Saturday, September 20th.
Russia’s Putin backs ally Medvedev as successor
MOSCOW, December 10 (RIA Novosti) - Vladimir Putin backed on Monday his longtime ally Dmitry Medvedev, widely seen as a moderate pro-business figure, as a candidate for the March 2 presidential election.
Putin's support of First Deputy Prime Minister Medvedev has been received as the president's signal that Russia will stick to its free market aspirations and seek close ties with the West.
Obama presses for action on his plan to jumpstart economy
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : Picking up the theme from his first news conference, US President-elect Barack Obama used his first radio address since winning the presidency to press for action on his proposals to restore the economy.
In the weekly Democratic radio address Saturday, Obama hit upon key points that he made a day earlier, saying that he recognises "we only have one president at a time," but that "we don't have a moment to lose."
Obama likely to seek re-election: White House
By IANS,
Washington : US President Barack Obama is likely to run for re-election in 2012, a White House spokesman has said.
Nearly 400 bodies of tsunami victims unidentified
By Xinhua,
Bangkok : A total of 388 bodies of tsunami victims remain unidentified after four years, the Thai Tsunami Victim Identification and Repatriation Center in Thailand's Phangnga said on Wednesday ahead of the fourth anniversary of the tsunami on Dec. 26.
Center director Nitinai Sornsongkram said that the center received 3,696 bodies in February 2005 and 3,308 bodies were identified, and retrieved by their relatives.
Nitinai affirmed that the agency workers are still trying to identify the bodies and to return them to their families as soon as they can.
Liberated Indian women scavengers walk the ramp at UN
By IANS,
New York : It was a proud and unthinkable moment for about two score women scavengers from remote parts of India who staged a catwalk with prominent fashion models in front of the representatives of over 150 countries at the United Nations headquarters here Wednesday.
Expelled Russian diplomat bought secrets: Latvian minister
By RIA Novosti
Riga : A Russian diplomat, expelled from Latvia last Monday, had bribed local officials to buy classified information, the Latvian interior minister has said.
The ex-Soviet state has expelled Russian embassy official Alexander Rogozhin, on charges of espionage against the country.
Moscow called the expulsion an "unfriendly act" and in a retaliatory move it expelled a Latvian embassy officer "for activities incompatible with his diplomatic status and damaging the country's national security".
British Muslim group to tackle forced marriages
By IANS,
London : More than 70 percent of marriages in the British Muslim community involving a foreign spouse have some element of coercion or force, a leading Islamic group has admitted.
While police and government authorities deal with some 300 reported cases of forced marriages every year, the true figure of such abuse is in its thousands, the Muslim Arbitration Tribunal (MAT) said in a report that backed up government's fears about the scale of the problem.
Missing journalist’s ‘remains’ found in Nepal
By IANS,
Kathmandu : A month after a Nepali journalist working for a Maoist daily went missing, what could be the remains of his body were found Friday in a remote forest.
Jagat Prasad Joshi, himself a Maoist activist, had spent eight years underground during the 10-year People's War launched by the Maoists from 1996 when the party was banned, its publications shut down and its leaders hunted down by security forces.
Millionaire Hong Kong businessman escapes jail
By DPA,
Hong Kong : A high-profile millionaire Hong Kong businessman was beginning a community service order Saturday after escaping jail for drunkenly groping two male taxi drivers.
Stephen Gan Fock-wai, known as the Prince of White Flower Oil because of his company's health products, was ordered in a courthearing Friday to perform 180 hours of community service.
He was convicted of assaulting two taxi drivers by fondling their thighs and crotches as they drove him home.
Thai King endorses new constitution
By Xinhua
Bangkok : The King of Thailand has endorsed the country's new constitution, president of the Constitution Drafting Assembly Noranit Settabutr said at a press conference here Friday.
King Bhumibol Adulyadej signed the 2007 Constitution after Noranit and Meechai Ruechupan, President of National Legislative Assembly, submitted the new charter to the monarch for royal endorsement at the King's Bangkok residence Chitlarada Palace.
The new constitution draft won public approval by a 57.81 percent margin in the country's first national referendum Aug 19.
China’s private sector provides 90 percent of jobs in 2010
By IANS,
Beijing : Over 150 million people in China found employment in the first few months of 2010 and 90 percent of these jobs were provided by the private sector, a Chinese cabinet minister has said.
At the end of this year's first quarter, private firms employed more than 152 million people, and more than 700,000 laid-off workers in 2009 found jobs again in the private sector, Zhou Bohua, minister of state administration for industry and commerce, was quoted as saying by the Global Times.
Nepal fears fresh row during Dashain festival
By IANS,
Kathmandu : After crippling protests this week by its Newar community over the new government's attempt to slash grants for a religious festival, the former Hindu kingdom of Nepal is now bracing for a fresh row during the upcoming Dashain ceremony.
Though Nepal axed its monarchy two years ago and became a secular republic, Dashain continues to be the centrepiece of a nation used to celebrating dozens of religious festivals devoutly every year.
The 10-day Dashain, corresponding to India's Dussehra, begins on Sep 30 with the Ghatasthapana ritual.
Braille ballot to assist visually impaired voters in South Africa
By IANS,
Pretoria : Visually impaired South Africans will now have the opportunity to cast their votes secretly for the first time on a Braille ballot sheet during the general elections next week.
Chief electoral officer Pansy Tlakula told BuaNews the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has developed the Braille template to ensure blind South Africans enjoyed similar rights as others at polling stations countrywide.
Tlakula said each polling station will be provided with Braille template for the national and provincial elections.
Text of remarks by Obama after meeting Modi
New York: The following is the full text of remarks made by US President Barack Obama after his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi...
Iranian Navy saves Singaporean ship from pirates
By IANS,
Tehran: The Iranian Navy has saved a Singaporean merchant ship from pirates while it was crossing the Bab-el-Mandeb strait in the Red Sea, the IRNA news agency reported Saturday.
Britain announces $87 bn bailout plan for banks
By DPA,
London : The British government Wednesday announced a major rescue package for leading banks of 50 billion pounds ($87 billion) to stabilize the banking system, according to a statement to the London Stock Exchange.
Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling, detailing the plan in a written statement to the London stock market Wednesday, has said it was aimed at placing the banking industry on a long term "sound footing."
A government spokesman said the plan was aimed at securing the "substantial restructuring of banking."
Jacob Zuma awarded ‘Africa’s Best President’ title
By IANS,
Johannesburg : South African President Jacob Zuma has been awarded the title of 'Best African President' for his role in the country's struggle for liberation and his contributions for the continent at large, a media report said.
Zuma was felicitated Tuesday evening at the Africa Consciousness Media Leadership Awards organised to honour African individuals who have contributed towards the liberation and development of the continent.
Three killed as New Zealand air force helicopter crashes
By IANS,
Wellington : At least three people were killed and one seriously injured after a helicopter of the New Zealand air force crashed, officials said Sunday.
The Iroquois helicopter of the Royal New Zealand Air Force crashed while enroute from Ohakea to Anzac Day commemorations in Wellington.
Police and ambulance services said they were called to the scene on farmland near the Paekakariki Hill Rd, 40km north east of Wellington about 6.45am.
Raven crown for world’s youngest king in Bhutan
By IANS,
Thimphu : The sound of the gong accompanied by lamas chanting religious hymns would reverberate in Bhutan's capital Thimphu Thursday when 29-year-old Oxford educated Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck would be formally crowned the fifth king of the Himalayan kingdom.
Wangchuck is all set to become the world's youngest monarch and head of the state of the youngest democracy after the coronation ceremony.
Strike in ITC’s Nepal factory after worker’s murder
By IANS,
Kathmandu : Agitated workers went on strike at the tobacco factory of ITC in south Nepal Thursday demanding security after one of their peers was killed by an armed group.
Lila Lamichhane, an employee at Surya Nepal's tobacco factory in Simra town in Bara district, was abducted Wednesday while returning home from work.
Late at night, his body was found near a rivulet.
The Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha, an armed group led by former Maoists, is suspected to have been behind the killing.
Fourteen Killed In Illegal Fireworks Plants In China
By Bernama,
Beijing : Fourteen people were killed in explosions at two illegal fireworks plant over the weekend, with three weeks to the Lunar New Year celebrations when fireworks are in demand.
Thirteen died on Saturday in an abandoned kiln which was turned into a fireworks plant in eastern Shandong province, Xinhua News Agency reported.
The force of the blast also destroyed eight bungalows, a minibus and split trees in half.
Death blow for LTTE as Prabhakaran, aides killed in Sri Lanka
By IANS,
Colombo : Velupillai Prabhakaran, the feared leader of Sri Lanka's ruthless Tamil Tigers, was killed Monday while trying to flee the battle zone in the island's north with two top aides, ending one of the world's longest running insurgencies that bled the island nation for over a quarter century.
Russia prepares for future combat in the Arctic
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Russia must be ready to fight wars in the Arctic to protect its national interests in a region that contains large and untapped deposits of natural resources, a high-ranking military official said in an interview published Tuesday.
OSCE secretary general to visit Russia
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's secretary general will arrive in Russia on Saturday for a one-day visit, an OSCE source said.
During Marc Perrin de Brichambaut's visit, he is due to meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. The meeting will focus on preparations for the OSCE Foreign Ministers Council in Helsinki on December 4-5, the source told RIA Novosti.
Powerful quake shakes Indonesian islands
By DPA,
Jakarta : An undersea earthquake measuring 6.4 on the Richter scale struck off the eastern Indonesian island of Sumba late Monday afternoon, but there were no immediate reports of injury or damage, meteorologists said.
The quake hit at a depth of 86 km with its epicentre about 107 km northwest of Waingapu, a district town on Sumba island in Indonesia's East Nusa Tenggara province. It occurred at 6:52 p.m. (local time), the Indonesian Meteorology and Geophysics Agency said.
There were no immediate reports of injury or structural damage from the quake, the agency said.
US stocks mixed on disappointing data
By IANS,
New York : US stocks opened mixed Wednesday on negative data, although more and more investors believe that a new round of quantitative easing will come.
US to attempt satellite shoot-down Thursday: report
By DPA
Washington : The US Navy has set Thursday for its first attempt to shoot down a defective satellite, CNN broadcaster reported, citing two unnamed officials.
The shoot-down, which has drawn protests from China, would come a day after the US shuttle Atlantis is expected to land back on Earth - a key consideration in the plans.
Without an interception, the rogue satellite's decaying orbit could bring it back to Earth March 6 with no way to predict where it may land.
11 people killed in landslides, flash floods in Philippines
By DPA
Manila : At least 11 people were killed in landslides and flash floods triggered by several days of heavy rain in the Philippines, officials said Tuesday.
The National Disaster Coordinating Council said more than 3,000 people have been displaced by the rains brought by Tropical Storm Lando.
Several cities in the eastern, central and southern Philippines have been flooded.
Five of the victims were buried when a mine tunnel collapsed Monday in Placer town in Surigao del Norte province, 965 km south of Manila.
Canadian Tamils in black mourn victims of ‘war crimes’
By IANS,
Toronto : In their biggest gathering in Canada after the end of the ethnic war in Sri Lanka last year, thousands of Tamils held a memorial service for war victims at the Ontario provincial assembly here.
More than 12,000 people wearing black clothes and head bands marked the first anniversary of the annihilation of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Tuesday with a pledge to work peacefully for their right to self-determination.
Pakistan, China to jointly develop satellite
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : Pakistan and China Friday signed an agreement to build a communication satellite in the next three years, officials said.
China will provide $200 million to Pakistan to build the PAKSAT-1R satellite.
Pakistan Space and Upper Atmospheric Research Commission (SUPARCO) and China Great Wall Industry Corporation (CGWIC) will jointly develop the satellite.
The agreement was signed by Pakistan's Economic Affairs Division (EAD) Secretary Farrakh Qayyum and China' Ambassador to Pakistan Luo Zhaohui.
Russian Soyuz with South Korean on Board
By Prensa Latina
Moscow : The successful separation of spaceship Soyuz TMA-12 from impulse vector Soyuz-FG launched from the cosmodrome of Baikonur, Kazakhstan Tuesday, put the first South Korean cosmonaut Yi-So-Yeon into orbit.
Together with her there are Russian cosmonauts Serguei Volkov and Oleg Koronenko, members of the 17th expedition to the International Space Station, said the Roscosmos Federal Agency.
US dispatches destroyer to search for Malaysian airliner
Washington: The US Navy said Saturday that it has dispatched a warship to assist in the search for a missing Malaysia Airlines plane.
The USS...
Will Bill Clinton block Hillary’s choice as top diplomat?
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : As US President-elect Barack Obama pondered over naming Democratic primary rival Hillary Clinton as secretary of sate, media reports suggested that her husband Bill Clinton's complicated global interests may pose a hurdle.
Obama's advisers "have begun reviewing former President Bill Clinton's finances and activities to see whether they would preclude" the former first lady's appointment as the nation's top diplomat, said the New York Times.
Kazakhstan mine blast toll reaches 30
By DPA
Moscow : The death toll in the coalmine explosion in Kazakhstan rose to 30 after rescue workers called off the search for 23 missing miners, officials said Monday.
The Interfax news agency cited Kazakh Civil Defence Minister Vladimir Boshko, visiting the site at the city of Karaganda, as saying that the shaft where the explosion took place was now filled up with water.
Corruption stubbornly high after a decade-long fight
By DPA
Washington : Global efforts to cut corruption and improve government quality have made little progress in the last 10 years, despite bright spots mainly in Africa and Eastern Europe, the World Bank said.
Indian father, son face lawsuit in US over hedge funds
By IANS,
Washington : An Indian father and son who ran two small hedge funds catering to Silicon Valley Indian professionals are facing a lawsuit by angry investors alleging the two hid big losses in 2008.
The lawsuit alleges Vishwas Godbole, 64, told investors in 2008 that the funds were withstanding the financial crisis, but a year later he told them the funds' value had actually dropped by a combined $18 million, according to mercurynews.com, a news site that focusses on Silicon Valley.
Latin America’s largest illegal market
By Veronica Sardon, DPA
Buenos Aires : La Salada, on the outskirts of Buenos Aires, boils with commercial activity as many thousands of people walk through its packed, narrow corridors in search of the best bargain.
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