Sikh to be first non-white member of British far right party
By IANS,
London : A 78-year-old Sikh is set to become the first non-white member of British National Party (BNP), a media report said Monday.
Rajinder Singh, an anti-Islamic activist, has been supporting the anti-immigrant far right party for about a decade, though being a non-white, he is barred from joining it, Daily Mail reported on its web site Monday.
Singh will soon be able to join BNP as a fully-fledged member after the party last weekend began the process of changing its constitution to not discriminate on the grounds of race or religion, the report said.
Russian doctors treat over 100 Haitians in mobile hospital
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Russian doctors in Haiti treated more than 100 earthquake survivors over the weekend, and Emergency Situations Ministry representative said on Monday in Moscow.
The emergency clinic was flown into the quake-stricken country on one of the first Russian aid planes, but initially had difficulty finding a secure area to set up, as most open public spaces had been taken over by people who had lost their homes..
Amsterdam gays dreaming of a pink Christmas
By ANTARA News/DPA,
Amsterdam : Amsterdam's gays are planning special Christmas celebrations this year with their first "Pink Christmas" festival due to start on Thursday.
The ten-day festival organized by the Dutch ProGay Foundation includes a special Christmas fair on December 21, a manger stall with two live Josephs and two live Marys, as well as a gay church mass on Christmas day.
Most of the activities are located in and around the Reguliersdwarsstraat, known for its many gay venues, in the old city centre.
German Catholic activists slam Pope’s silence on child abuse scandal
By IRNA,
Berlin : A leading German Catholic activist organization on Saturday lashed out at Pope Benedict XVI for his silence on the widening child abuse scandal in Germany.
Talking to IRNA in Berlin, Annegret Laakmann of the pro-reform Catholic group 'We Are The Church' said had been a "major loss of trust" in the German Catholic church which was partially due to the pontiff's refusal to address the case.
The Catholic activist added the church had "missed the opportunity" to use the Easter mass ceremonies as an opportunity for what it labeled a "new beginning."
Crew of hijacked Chinese cargo ship rescued
By IANS,
Tehran: All 28 Chinese crew members on board a Chinese cargo ship hijacked by Somali pirates have been rescued, the Chinese embassy in Tehran said.
Don’t panic, Nepal tells citizens
By Anil Giri,
Kathmandu : Amid unending aftershocks of Saturday's powerful earthquake, the Nepal government on Sunday urged people not to be taken in by...
Online portals can help search for holiday homes
By DPA
Berlin : Holidaying in Spanish fincas in Mallorca or a short break in a penthouse in London are two of the trends that continue to enjoy popularity at present.
It's not just families who are taking advantage of this form of independence; singles and business travellers are also opting to forego hotels and pensions.
Together with the supply of mainstream commercial holiday-homes, a growing number of private individuals are advertising their homes in newspapers and online.
UN upgrades Palestinian status to non-member observer state
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
New York: The UN General Assembly Thursday recognized the Palestinian Authority as a non-member observer state.
Court Sentences Abusers during Genoa Summit
By Prensa Latina,
Rome : An Italian court sentenced 15 of 45 defendants involved in abuses and beatings of demonstrators during the G-8 Summit in Genoa to a total of 24 years in prison.
After 12 hours of deliberations, the court of the Italian city of Bolzaneto announced the sentences handed over to the defendants, including riot police officers, prison officials and medical personnel, who were involved in the events that took place in July 2001.
U.S., Russia to promote nuclear energy co-op
By Xinhua
Washington : The United States and Russia pledged on Tuesday to expand nuclear energy cooperation and make nuclear energy available to developing countries.
"We are determined to play an active role in making the advantages of the peaceful use of nuclear energy available to a wide range of interested states, in particular developing countries, provided the common goal of prevention of proliferation of nuclear weapons is achieved," the White House said in a joint statement.
Travel bans complicated Ebola fight: WHO official
Nairobi: Travel prohibitions to Ebola-hit West African countries have undermined the fight against the pandemic that has claimed 2,500 lives, a World Health Organisation...
Injured Tamils overwhelming hospital, says doctor in Sri Lanka
By IANS,
Colombo : The unfolding human tragedy of weary civilians fleeing the LTTE-held area in the island's north has "overwhelmed" a 450-bed hospital in Vavuniya which now tends to 1,700 badly wounded patients, a doctor said.
Spanish parliament approves labour market reform
By DPA,
Madrid : The Spanish parliament Tuesday approved a controversial labour reform in a vote marked by the abstentions of most legislators.
The reform is meant to make Spain's rigid labour market more flexible in an attempt to slash the country's 20-percent unemployment rate and to restore market confidence in the sluggish economy.
The trade union confederations UGT and CCOO, however, said the reform increased the vulnerability of workers without improving productivity.
Venezuela’s president reshuffles cabinet
By Xinhua
Caracas : Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has reshuffled his cabinet and named a new vice president of the country.
Ramon Carrizales, the housing minister, will replace Jorge Rodriguez as new vice president, Chavez said in a telephonic interview aired Thursday on state television VTV.
He said there have been 12 changes in his new cabinet, but did not give details about this cabinet reshuffle.
Israel ups pressure on Hamas as fighting enters 19th day
By DPA,
Tel Aviv/Gaza : Israel appeared Wednesday to be increasing its pressure on Palestinian militant groups in the Gaza Strip, as its air force attacked 60 targets in the salient overnight, bringing to 160 the number of airstrikes carried out in the past 24 hours.
A military spokesman said Wednesday morning that the latest targets included police headquarters in Gaza City, rocket launching sites, nine arms depots and 35 smuggling tunnels beneath the Gaza-Egyptian border, which Israel believes are used to bring weapons into the salient.
At last… a first puppy for the Obamas: Report
By DPA,
Washington : Sure, he's had a lot to deal with: The finance crisis, North Korea, the $787 billion stimulus package, how to shut down Guantanamo, when to withdraw from Iraq.
But the question that has nipped at his heels every step of the way, ever since he made the promise on election day before tens of thousands in Chicago, was this: When would President Barack Obama and his family get the much-awaited first puppy?
The answer is a black and white, six-month-old Portuguese water dog named Bo - a gift from Senator Edward Kennedy, the Washington Post reported online Sunday.
Obama has an edge as Americans still blame Bush: NYT/CBS poll
By IANS,
Washington: President Barack Obama enjoys an edge over Republicans in the battle for public support as Americans blame former president George W. Bush, Wall Street and Congress much more for the nation' s economic problems, according to a new poll.
A majority say the president has yet to offer a clear plan for creating jobs, the latest New York Times/CBS News poll published Friday found.
Low turnout in local polls in northern Sri Lanka
BY DPA,
Colombo: A low voter turnout marred the first local elections held in northern Sri Lanka after the defeat of Tamil rebels, officials said Saturday.
Municipal elections took place in Jaffna town, 396 km north of the capital, and elections for the urban council in Vavuniya, 240 km north of Colombo.
The elections were the first in the northern province without the presence of the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) that held sway for 26 years before being crushed by the military in May.
IAEA and Iran agree on reactor inspections
By DPA
Vienna : Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have reached agreement on visits by IAEA inspectors to Iran's heavy-water reactor at Arak, currently under construction, the IAEA said Friday.
One of several agreements reached during a visit by IAEA Deputy Director General Olli Heinonen to Tehran on July 11-12, IAEA inspectors will be allowed to visit Arak by the end of July. The UN nuclear watchdog was denied access to the site after Iran unilaterally cancelled an inspection agreement with the IAEA.
Australian soldier held for threatening civilians
By IANS,
Sydney : A 28-year-old soldier has arrested in Australia for terrorising residents and motorists on a street with a replica rifle, an official said Sunday.
Nearly 1,200 vehicles burnt in France on New Year’s Eve
By IANS,
Paris : A total of 1,193 vehicles were burnt on New Year's Eve in France, according to the French government.
Northrop to build US navy’s next-generation aircraft carrier
By Xinhua,
Los Angeles : California-based company Northrop Grumman said it has bagged a $5.1 billion contract from the US Navy to build its next-generation aircraft carrier.
The new aircraft is named after late US president Gerald R. Ford.
The company Thursday said it would be the first of a new class of US aircraft carrier in more than 40 years.
The new Ford-class aircraft will replace the navy's nuclear-powered Nimitz-class carriers that have been in service since early 1970s, Northrop said. The first carrier will be ready in 2015.
Colombian authorities seize uranium, explore rebel links
By IANS
Bogota : The Colombian government has seized 30 kg of uranium suspected to have been sought by the country's leftist insurgent group FARC, EFE news agency reported Friday.
"The uranium was found Wednesday in Pasquila district on the highway leading to San Juan de Sumapaz," a defence ministry statement said.
The radioactive material was found following a joint operation by the police and the army. The area is known to be an important base of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).
Colombian scientists confirmed that it was uranium.
Ecuador defence minister, armed forces chief sacked
By IANS
Quito : Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa has sacked the defence minister and the entire military leadership over allegations that the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has infiltrated the country's intelligence set-up.
Defence Minister Wellington Sandoval announced his resignation Wednesday at the Presidential Palace and was immediately succeeded by Correa's personal secretary and leftwing Indigenous Social Movement leader Javier Ponce, EFE reported.
Head of Joint Chiefs of Staff Hector Camacho and Army Commander Guillermo Vasconez also stepped down the same day.
ELN rebels release two kidnapped Colombian journalists
Bogota : At least two Colombian journalists, kidnapped by ELN rebels and held for four days have been freed, their employer Noticias RCN said...
Talks on Western Sahara Postponed
By Prensa Latina
United Nations : The fourth round of talks between Morocco and the pro-independence POLISARIO Front on the future status of Western Sahara has been postponed briefly, an official UN spokesperson said Wednesday.
At the end of their third round of talks in Manhasset, New York, in early January, both parties agreed to meet again March 11-13.
However, the meeting has been re-scheduled for March 16-18 in the same place, UN spokeswoman Michele Montas said without giving any further explanation.
Asia Society calls for strategy to avert water crisis
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : Warning that decreased access to a safe, stable water supply in Asia "will have a profound impact on security throughout the region", the Asia Society has sought a strategy to avert a crisis in countries like India.
The cascading set of consequences reduced access to fresh water will trigger include impaired food production, the loss of livelihood security, large-scale migration within and across borders, and increased economic and geopolitical tensions and instabilities, said a task force report of the Asia Society released in New York Friday.
Man dressed as ‘Snoopy’ arrested while breaking into prison
By IANS,
London : A man was arrested in Britain as he tried to break into a prison to free an inmate while dressed as Snoopy, a character from comic strip Peanuts.
Thesun.co.uk reported Monday that jail workers were stunned when confronted by the Peanuts character waving a gun. When the man dressed as Snoopy and an accomplice failed to break down a door, they pelted prison officers' cars with concrete "missiles", it said.
"It's not every day you see a giant cartoon dog going on the rampage after trying to break into a prison," the report quoted a prison service source as saying.
We are victims, say three ‘missing’ Indians in New Zealand
By Neena Bhandari, IANS,
Sydney : Three of the 39 Indians, who disappeared in New Zealand en route to attend the Catholic Church's week-long World Youth Day (WYD) festivities in Sydney, have said they were duped by their travel agent and are not trying to cheat the immigration system.
"We are victims ourselves and we are not trying to cheat the system," the three men, aged between 32 and 34, have told Joy Reid of the Radio New Zealand soon after meeting immigration officials along with two representatives of the Indian community in Auckland Thursday afternoon.
China detains 15 more foreign journalists
By DPA,
Beijing : Police in Shanghai detained at least 15 foreign journalists who were trying to report a weekly anti-government "strolling" protest Sunday, two of the journalists said.
Brown hopes for better relations with Russia
By DPA
London : British Prime Minister Gordon Brown Monday congratulated Russia's president-elect Dmitry Medvedev on his landslide victory, but stressed that the new Russian government would be judged "on its actions."
Brown's spokesman said the British leader was "looking forward" to meeting Medvedev at the summit of Group of Eight (G-8) industrial nations in Japan in July, and suggested that there might be a chance to ease tensions in relations.
Closest UK elections in over 35 years
By IRNA,
London : Britons go to the polls next month to cast their votes in what could be the closest general election in over 35 years and the lowest turnout in almost a century.
The date of the elections on May 6 was confirmed by Prime Minister Gordon Brown Tuesday as the latest opinion polls show the opposition Conservatives leading the ruling Labour Party but perhaps by not enough in marginal seats to win an overall parliamentary majority.
African Union Building Kenya Peace
By Prensa Latina
Nairobi : An African Union mission led by Ghanaian President John Kufuor is seeking to defuse the current volatile situation in Kenya.
Kufuor, also current AU president, will try to resolve the crisis caused by denunciations of fraud during the general elections on December 27.
The delegation, also made up of AU Commissioner for Peace and Security Said Djinnit, is expected to meet with re-elected President Mwai Kibaki, and the candidate for ODM (Orange Democratic Movement), Raila Odinga.
Cuba Vice President stresses lower energy consumption
By NNN-Prensa Latina
Cienfuegos, Cuba : Cuban Vice President Carlos Lage extolled in this central southern city that the island cut its fossil fuel consumption in the last three years, noted for high economic growth.
Precisely when the country s economy is growing, diesel consumption fell by seven percent and gasoline by 13 percent, informed Lage after a tour Saturday of Cienfuegos energy facilities.
Russian explorers reach bed of world’s deepest lake
By RIA Novosti,
Irkutsk (Russia) : A team of Russian scientists descended to the bottom of Siberia's Lake Baikal in two mini-submarines Tuesday, setting a new world record for a freshwater dive.
News channel Vesti-24 said the submersibles, Mir-1 and Mir-2, reached a depth of 1,680 metres in the world's deepest lake, which holds 20 percent of the planet's fresh water.
LTTE claims 53 Sri Lankan soldiers killed in clashes Sunday
By NNN-PTI,
Colombo : Battling to defend their last remaining stronghold Mulaitivu, the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) claimed that 53 Sri Lankan soldiers were killed in the Army's bid to advance towards the town Sunday.
The rebel website TamilNet said at least 80 Lankan soldiers also sustained injuries in the clashes that occured to the east of Paranthan junction, as the Tigers repulsed the troops' fresh attempt to advance towards the town.
"The SLA forces were forced to abandon their attempt to advance after suffering high casualties," the website claimed.
Sri Lanka protests Miliband’s address to Tamils
By DPA,
Colombo : Sri Lanka lodged a protest with Britain Wednesday over Foreign Secretary David Miliband's decision to address a Tamil group that Colombo claims is a front for the former guerrilla army.
Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama summoned Mark Gooding, Britain's acting high commissioner in Colombo, to protest Miliband's planned address at the Global Tamil Forum in London.
"We lodged our protest as the organisation is known to be a front of the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam)," Bogollagama told reporters in Colombo.
Saudi Arabia, US discuss defence cooperation
By IANS,
Riyadh: Saudi Arabia and the US Sunday discussed ways to boost their defence cooperation.
Chinese officials sacked for illicit sex
By IANS,
Beijing: Chinese officials who trade power for sex are increasingly losing their jobs.
iPhones, BlackBerrys to help check corruption
By IANS/EFE,
Mexico City : Curbing corruption may be easier with a new application that enables users of iPhones and BlackBerrys to catch police taking bribe and also check traffic instructions.
The new application created for iPhone and the iPod will soon be available to BlackBerry users. It has a traffic-fine calculator, a map showing directions to parking lots where vehicles are impounded after their drivers violate traffic rules.
Medvedev swears in as president
By IRNA,
Moscow : Dmitry Medvedev was sworn in on Wednesday as Russia's third president since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
The inauguration ceremony was held in the Kremlin in front of 2,400 guests.
Medvedev, 42, won a landslide victory in the March elections.
But while Vladimir Putin handed over the reigns of power, his central role in the ceremony reflected the part he has to play in Russia's future.
Putin, 55, was barred by the constitution to run for a third consecutive term in the March polls.
15th international oil, gas exhibition starts in Tehran
By IANS,
Tehran : The 15th International Oil, Gas, Refining and Petrochemical Exhibition opened here Thursday at the Tehran International Fair Grounds.
The five-day exhibition coincided with the 101st anniversary of oil exploration in Iran, the state-run IRNA news agency reported.
About 435 foreign firms and 907 Iranian companies are participating.
Up to 10 million people in Iraq require aid: UN
United Nations: Up to 10 million people in Iraq, including vulnerable people in areas currently controlled by the Islamic State (IS), will require some...
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.
DPRK agrees to declare, disable nuclear programs by end of year
By Xinhua
·DPRK has agreed to disable all its nuclear programs by the end of this year, Hill said.
·Hill said his talks with Kim Gye Gwan had been "very good and very substantive" .
·The next full session of the six-party talks is expected to start in mid-September in Beijing.
Geneva : The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has agreed to declare and disable all its nuclear programs by the end of this year, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill said here on Sunday.
Bear kills man in Siberia
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow: A man was killed in Russia's east Siberia region when a wild bear attacked a geologists' camp site, police said Monday.
Slovakian government defies EU to reopen nuclear plant
By DPA,
Bratislava (Slovakia) : The Slovakian government decided in an extraordinary session Saturday night to reopen its Jaslovske Bohunice nuclear power plant closed at the beginning of the year as a result of the Russian-Ukrainian gas dispute.
"I am aware that we are violating our accession agreement with the European Union (EU) with this decision, and I accept the full political responsibility for it," Prime Minister Robert Fico said during a press conference broadcast on TA3 TV news channel.
Medvedev, Obama to meet in New York on Sept. 23
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : The U.S. and Russian presidents will meet in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly to discuss progress towards a new bilateral arms control treaty, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday.
"At a meeting that will take place in New York on September 23, [Dmitry] Medvedev and [Barack] Obama will hear a report on the progress of the talks," Lavrov said.
Doctors also at risk during surgery
By IANS,
Washington : Patients are not the only ones at risk during cardiac procedures; doctors also face health risks, especially radiation risk to their eyes.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is helping to raise awareness of threats, through training in radiation protection related to medical uses of X-ray imaging systems.
The issue of protection from radiation for doctors is particularly acute in the case of lengthy angioplasty and other cardiac interventions performed under X-ray fluoroscopic guidance.
Canadian Charge d’Affaires summoned to foreign ministry
By IRNA,
Tehran : Canada’s Charge d’Affaires to Tehran was summoned to Foreign Ministry Wednesday evening in protest at former Canadian ambassador’s clandestine ties with CIA.
According to the Information and Media Department of the Foreign Ministry, Managing Director for North American Continent Affairs delivered a protest letter to the Canadian diplomat about the violation.
China stages its biggest maritime rescue exercise
By Xinhua,
Ningbo (China) : China's maritime rescue services staged their biggest exercise so far in the East China Sea Friday by involving 35 ships, three aircraft and 1,000 personnel.
The exercise was jointly held by the Ministry of Transport and east China's Zhejiang province, said He Yipei, deputy director of the Zhejiang Maritime Safety Administration.
The exercise began at 9 a.m. off the coast of Ningbo and lasted about an hour.
Indonesia to build four nuclear power plants by 2025
By Xinhua
Jakarta : The Indonesian government plans to build four nuclear power plants by 2025 to meet electricity demand, an official said Wednesday.
"If one nuclear power plant can produce 1,200 megawatts of electricity, we need four plants by 2025 to meet our demand," State Minister for Research and Technology Kusmayanto Kadiman was quoted as saying by the national Antara news agency.
Russian FM: Russia, U.S. may reach common ground on missile defense
By Xinhua
Moscow : The consultations between Russia and America on missile defense might see an agreement that considers Russia's interests, the Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in a meeting with President Vladimir Putin on Monday.
A Russian-American working group on the missile defense, set up under an accord between Vladimir Putin and his U.S. counterpart George W. Bush, meets for the first time on Monday in Washington.
The two-day consultations will be held behind closed doors.
CIA had numerous plots against Castro
By DPA
Washington : The US had a long and at times colourful history with Fidel Castro that featured a missile crisis that brought the world to the brink of nuclear war and the Bay of Pigs fiasco.
In addition to those highly publicised events that underlined the deteriorating relations between Washington and President Fidel Castro, there were plenty of other acts that took place more quietly, including numerous CIA plots to kill or humiliate the Cuban leader.
US blacklists new alias of Al Qaeda-linked outfit
By IANS,
Washington: The US State Department has blacklisted the outfit Ansar al-Shari'a, which it said was a "new alias" of the Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP).
North Korea threatens South Korea with ‘holy war’
By DPA,
Seoul : North Korea Friday threatened to cut off all dialogue with South Korea following reports that Seoul had revised a contingency plan to deal with the potential collapse of Pyongyang's Stalinist regime.
In a statement released by its state-run media, North Korea's National Defence Commission vowed to wage a "pan-national holy war of retaliation" to blow away the South Korean government.
Death toll in Greece wildfires crosses 50
By DPA
Athens : Raging wildfires in Greece have killed over 50 people and destroyed hundreds of houses as firemen were largely forced to wait for sunrise Sunday before renewing the battle against the massive blazes.
Residents of the Peloponnese peninsula, in southern Greece and on Euboea island hunkered down for another night of horror Saturday as an early loss of daylight caused firemen to shut down helicopters and planes working to contain the blazes.
Germany considers Bulgaria promising ally in EU
By KUNA,
Sofia : Germany considers Bulgaria a strategic ally in the European Union (EU), the German interior minister said on Tuesday.
Shoible Volfgang said at a joint press conference that was held by the end of his visit to Bulgaria, during which he held discussions with Bulgarian Minister of Interior Mihail Mikov, that Germany and Bulgaria are cooperating in the field of security, in a way that fulfills the common interests of the two countries.
Georgian defense minister denies war plans
By RIA Novosti,
Tbilisi : Georgia's defense minister denied Thursday that the country planned to wage war against its breakaway republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
"We are not going to attack or start a war against anyone," David Kezerashvili told Russian journalists. "I do not think Georgia looks like a country that has gone mad and suddenly decided to wage a war against Russia," he said.
Tensions between Moscow and Tbilisi have escalated rapidly since Russia's Vladimir Putin called for closer ties between Moscow and Abkhazia and South Ossetia in mid-April.
Jordan launches electoral reform
By DPA,
Amman : The Jordan government said it has set up a committee tasked with overhauling the country's electoral law in a bid to appease protesters calling for greater political choice.
Face masks could protect against swine flu pandemic
By IANS,
Sydney : Donning a face-mask is an easy way to protect oneself from severe respiratory illnesses like swine flu when vaccines are unavailable or in short supply, according to a study.
In the first ever clinical trial of the efficacy of masks, researchers found adult mask wearers at home were four times more likely than non-wearers to be protected against a range of respiratory viruses, including influenza, SARS and even the common cold.
Chess forbidden in Islam, rules Saudi grand mufti
London : Saudi Arabia's grand mufti Sheikh Abdullah al-Sheikh has said that playing chess is forbidden in Islam, a British newspaper reported on Thursday.
Responding...
Chinese lose millions in US visa scheme
By IANS,
Beijing : More than 250 investors have been allegedly cheated by an American, Anshoo R. Sethi, who led them to believe their investment could boost their prospects of US citizenship.
Eight Colombian soldiers killed in clash with rebels
By DPA,
Bogota : Eight Colombian soldiers have been killed in a clash with leftist rebels of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) in the northeastern Perija mountains on the Venezuelan border.
"Unfortunately eight military officers died today in the province of La Guajira. The events took place in the early hours as the soldiers were ambushed by FARC," said La Guajira Interior Minister Jose Ballesteros Wednesday.
Army reinforcements were sent to the site of the clash in the town of Villanueva, Colombian Defence Minister Juan Manuel Santos said.
11 killed in south China rains
By IANS,
Beijing : Landslides and floods triggered by torrential rains in southern China's Guizhou province have killed at least 11 people and damaged homes of 980,000 residents, officials said.
Indian American’s family accused of bribery in slavery case
By IANS
New York : Prosecutors at a bail hearing for a wealthy Indian American couple charged with slavery and keeping illegal migrants have told the court that the mother of one of the accused tried to bribe a relative of a victim.
UNSC condemns violence in Zimbabwe, urges Mugabe to end intimidation
By KUNA,
United Nations : The Security Council late Monday condemned the political violence engulfing Zimbabwe as a result of the planned run-off election and called on the Government of President Robert Mugabe to stop the attacks, to cease intimidating the opposition, and to release political leaders who have been detained.
In a statement read out by council president US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, the council said the violence and restrictions on the activities of the opposition "have made it impossible for a free and fair election to take place" next Friday as planned.
Former Argentine governor gets 25 years in jail
By EFE,
Buenos Aires : A former governor in Argentina was sentenced to 25 years in prison for human rights abuses during the military regime between 1976 and 1983, officials said Thursday.
Some 18,000 people had disappeared in Argentina during the military regime, according to an official estimate. Human rights organisations put the figure at 30,000.
Juan Carlos Colombo was the governor of Formosa province from 1976-1981 under the military regime. He was promoted to general in 1977.
Australia good place to work, study, say Indians
By IANS,
New Delhi: Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr Wednesday welcomed findings of a survey that indicates Indians see Australia as a good place to visit, live, work and study.
5 Maoists held for deadly attack on Nepal journalist
By IANS,
Kathmandu : Four days after a woman journalist was savagely attacked in western Nepal and left to die on a desolate hillside, police Saturday arrested five cadres of the opposition Maoist party, including a local leader.
Hundreds of journalists continued to march in protest in Kathmandu and towns outside the valley Saturday demanding punishment for the attackers, who had slashed radio and print journalist Tika Bista in Rukum district Tuesday, leaving her with deep gashes on her head, legs and arms.
Son’s schooling spells trouble for Britain’s black woman MP
By Venkata Vemuri, IANS,
London : Britain's first black woman MP Dianne Abott, who is a contender for Labour's party chief post, is in the political crosshairs for using the race card to justify sending her son to an expensive private school.
Her son James went to the prestigious City of London School that costs 10,000 pounds a year and has just finished his international baccalaureate and is hoping to go to Cambridge University.
IMRC to provide monthly ration to 1,500 poor and elderly women in Hyderabad
By TCN News
Hyderabad: US-based Indian Muslim Relief and Charities (IMRC), in collaboration with their Hyderabad-based sister organisation Sahayata Trust, have launched a programme...
Pentagon to launch missiles to shoot satellite in orbit
WASHINGTON, Feb 14 (KUNA) -- The Pentagon is planning to shoot down a failed spy satellite before it re-enters the Earths atmosphere in early March, top US officials said.
The officials from the White House and the Pentagon made the announcement on Thursday to launch a navy missile to shoot down the 2,500 pound satellite in space, because of the risk of spreading debris and potentially hazardous fuel over hundreds of miles of the Earth's surface.
South Korean serial killer admits to murder of seven women
By DPA,
Seoul : A South Korean man who was arrested for murdering a student admitted to killing six other women, police officials in the northern Kyonggi province said Friday.
The 38-year-old said he raped his victims and then strangled them with a nylon stocking. The women had been reported missing between December 2006 and November 2008.
According to the official Yonhap news agency, the man, who has several previous convictions for different crimes, told police that he witnessed the death of his wife four years ago and since then felt the urge to kill out of frustration.
About 200 gold-diggers still trapped in South Africa mine
By IANS,
Johannesburg : About 200 illegal miners were still trapped underground in an abandoned gold mine east of Johannesburg but were refusing to be...
North and South Korea discuss family reunions
By DPA,
Seoul : North and South Korea Wednesday began discussing reunions between divided families after an almost two-year break.
The talks, scheduled to last three days, between representatives of the Red Cross from each country took place at a holiday resort on North Korea's east coast where family reunions have previously taken place.
"I have great expectations for family reunions this coming Chusok (harvest festival in early October)," said Choe Song Ik, the head of the North Korean delegation, the Yonhap news agency reported.
Nine murder convicts hanged in Pakistan
Islamabad: Nine death row prisoners convicted of murder were hanged on Tuesday across Pakistan's Punjab province.
Mukhtar, who was hanged in Lahore Central Jail, was...
Modi arrives in Bangladesh
Dhaka : Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived here on Saturday on a two-day "historic" visit to Bangladesh.
Modi, who arrived at Dhaka's Hazrat Shahjalal...
Antiquities dealer caught smuggling Egyptian artefacts
By DPA,
Cairo : A Lebanese antiquities dealer was arrested in Bulgaria after being charged with smuggling stolen ancient Egyptian artefacts, Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) has said.
"Ali Abu Taam was accused of smuggling more than 1,000 antiquities and helping Egyptian dealer Tareq al-Sweissi smuggle Egyptian pieces that belonged to different dynasties," said SCA chief Zahi Hawas.
Hawas added that Abu Taam, who was arrested with help from Interpol, is one of the main figures in al-Sweissi's 2003 case. Al-Sweissi was caught while smuggling 280 pieces of antiquities.
Researchers design vehicle to help blind drive
By IANS,
Washington : A student team in the Virginia Tech College of Engineering is providing the blind with an opportunity many never thought possible -- the opportunity to drive.
A retrofitted four-wheel dirt buggy, designed by them, uses laser range finders, an instant voice command interface and a host of other innovative, cutting-edge technology to guide blind drivers as they steer, brake, and accelerate.
Nepali farmers irate over India’s alleged breach of accord
By Xinhua,
Kathmandu : Irate Nepalis threatened to resort to protests after the Indian government, according to their claims, failed to provide them with water from the Gandak canal as stated in an agreement, local newspaper The Rising Nepal reported on Monday.
Gandak canal was constructed by India, with water flowing from and through Nawalparasi district of Nepal, some 110 km southwest of Nepali capital Kathmandu, to north India.
Spain reduces pay of lawmakers, judges
By IANS/EFE,
Madrid : Spain's lower house of parliament has agreed to cut the pay of the speaker, lawmakers, judges, mayors and municipal officials in an effort to reduce the country's budget deficit.
Lawmakers' pay will be cut by 10 percent while members of parliament who receive supplementary pay by virtue of their roles as legislative officers and party spokespersons will take a 12 percent reduction.
Leaders of all parties in the parliament also agreed Tuesday to suspend all unnecessary official foreign travel in a bid to trim expenses amid an austerity drive.
No boycott on Olympics, EU foreign ministers vow
By DPA
Brussels : The European Union member states will not boycott the Olympic Games in China but could stay away from the opening ceremony in protest at events in Tibet, EU foreign ministers said Friday at an informal meeting in Slovenia.
"We will not let ourselves be hitched to a propaganda bandwagon, and that goes for the whole EU... The question is whether we give such a strong political signal, whether we watch very closely how the situation develops in China," Austrian Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik said.
Russia seeks to prove it has right to part of Arctic shelf
By RIA Novosti
Moscow : Russia's Arctic research is aiming to secure the country's right to a piece of the Arctic shelf, Vladimir Putin said on Thursday at his last annual news conference as Russian president.
"As to our research, it is certainly aimed at proving that the Russian Federation has the right to a part of the shelf, but we are conducting it in line with international laws, under the auspices of the UN," Putin said.
Six US citizens killed in Mumbai attacks : state dept
By ANTARA News,
Washington : The State Department said on Monday that six US citizens had been killed and two wounded in the attacks on Mumbai.
"In terms of numbers of dead, I believe that number is six. Two Americans injured," State Department deputy spokesman Robert Wood told reporters when asked for an update of the US casualty toll. He did not list the condition of the injured.
Wood added that the US Consulate in Mumbai has been "working around the clock to monitor injured Americans, help arrange transport or burial of deceased Americans" and help others find shelter.
Very fat kids will be sent to care, UK parents warned
By IANS,
London : Concern over child obesity in the UK has stretched to a point that parents have been warned of forced separation from extremely over-weight children on grounds of parental neglect.
Such children will be put under charge of carers, local councils have said, in their latest attempt to make parents directly responsible for their children's weight.
The fattest youngsters should be seen as examples of “parental neglect” and handed over to social workers, according to the Local Government Association (LGA).
Indian jailed for rioting in Singapore
Singapore : An Indian national was Thursday sentenced to 25 months in jail, becoming the sixth Indian to be convicted for last year's riots...
U.S. woman stuck to toilet seat for two years
By RIA Novosti
Moscow : A woman in the U.S. state of Kansas became stuck to her toilet after sitting on it for two years, local media said on Thursday.
The 35-year-old woman, Pam Babcock, locked herself in the bathroom and sat there for so long that her skin grew around the toilet seat.
Her boyfriend, Kory McFarren, 36, said he had brought her food and water every day and often asked to come out of the toilet. However the kansascity.com news portal reported that she would unfailingly reply, "Maybe tomorrow."
Newly-elected Nepali president resigns from all party posts
By Xinhua,
Kathmandu : President of Nepali Congress Girija Prasad Koirala has accepted the resignation tendered by newly-elected President Rambaran Baran Yadav from the post of the party's General Secretary and member of the party, stating that he needed to be independent from partisan affiliation to maintain dignity and integrity of the post of the president, the National News Agency RSS reported on Wednesday.
Russia says it implements ceasefire agreement
By Xinhua,
Moscow : Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said that his country has fully complied with the six-point French-brokered peace plan, the Kremlin press service said Saturday.
During his telephone conversation with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Medvedev said "Russia fully abides by the Medvedev-Sarkozy principles and noted that they remain fully valid," the Kremlin said.
Facebook, Twitter should be monitored: ex-British spy
By IANS,
London : Social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter should be monitored to prevent their misuse by paedophiles and terrorists, a former British spy chief has said.
Man raped daughter, locked up another in room for a year
By IANS,
London : A man in the US repeatedly raped one of his daughters, who was less than 13 years old, and locked up another in a room no bigger than a wardrobe for more than a year, it was reported here Tuesday.
The case is similar to that of Josef Fritzl, an Austrian father who kept his daughter locked in a room for years and repeatedly raped her.
Daily Mail reported that Jeffrey York not only ruled his home with fear, he prevented his wife and seven children from meeting friends and family.
Canadian soldier shot at war memorial in Ottawa
Ottawa : A Canadian soldier was shot and wounded by an unidentified gunman at the National War Memorial in Ottawa and more shots were...
Hundreds demonstrate against French retail giant in China
By Xinhua,
Beijing : Hundreds of Chinese Thursday demonstrated in front of French supermarket Carrefour here raising slogans against the retail giant and demands for Tibet's independence.
The protesters also raised slogans in suppor of the upcoming Beijing Olympics.
Carrefour and France became target of protests by Chinese nationalists after the April 7 Paris run of the Olympic torch was repeatedly interrupted by rights activists protesting what they called was suppression of Tibetan demonstrators by Chinese authorities.
Russia may blacklist air passengers, pilots
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Pilots who violate work rules and unruly passengers could be blacklisted in Russia under a bill now in parliament, an MP said.
70 ill after eating in restaurant near Beijing
By IANS,
Beijing: At least 70 people have fallen ill after eating at a restaurant in a resort near here, police and health officials said Saturday.
The people showed symptoms of nausea and vomiting after having lunch Friday at the restaurant in Shuian Shanba, a holiday resort in the outskirts of Beijing.
Most of the sick people were treated in local hospitals and nine of them, including a two-year-old boy, were sent to a hospital in Beijing.
All nine people had clonidine, a drug for high blood pressure, in their blood, a doctor at the hospital was quoted as saying by Xinhua.
Samsung chairperson resigns after indictment
By DPA,
Seoul : Samsung Group chairperson Lee Kun Hee Tuesday announced his resignation, less than a week after he was indicted for tax invasion and breach of trust.
Lee, 66, apologised for the distress that the three-month investigation of South Korea's largest conglomerate had caused and took full responsibility, "both legally and morally", for the scandal.
"I pledged to make Samsung as a top-class company about 20 years ago, but I'm really sorry for not living up to the promise," Lee said at a nationally televised news conference.
Canadian markets post 20 percent gains after record low
By IANS,
Toronto : Financial and energy shares propelled Canadian markets to cross the important 9,000-mark for the first time in two months.
After sinking to the lowest level since 2004 early this month, Canadian markets have now posted gains of almost 20 percent.
During the trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange, the composite index crossed the important mark - seen only once this year - to close at 8,995.50 points.
Indian American prefers trial in webcam spy case
By IANS,
New York : A former Indian American student accused of using a webcam to spy on his roommate's encounter with another man is set to go on trial after rejecting a plea deal.
Sri Lanka vows to capture Prabhakaran, dead or alive
By IANS,
Colombo : Sri Lanka has vowed to capture cornered Tamil Tigers chief Velupillai Prabhakaran "dead or alive" even as it turned down appeals for a ceasefire from Britain and France.
The military establishment, which is determined to crush the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), has also rejected calls that aid workers be given access to the war zone in the northeastern coast of Mullaitivu.
GM borrows $4 billion more from US government
By DPA,
New York : Ailing automotive giant General Motors Corp on Friday borrowed another $4 billion from the US Treasury Department, boosting its total government aid to $19.4 billion.
GM had earlier forecast it would need an additional $2.6 billion of government loans before June 1, but said in a government filing that it now needed $1.4 billion more beyond that initial estimate.
As a result, the carmaker decreased its estimated need for government aid after June 1 to $7.6 billion from an earlier figure of $9 billion.
EU Presidency welcomes Colombia”s signing of CTBT
By KUNA
Ljubljana : The EU Presidency, currently held by Slovenia, welcomed Friday Colombia's signing of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) and its commitment to all conditions of the treaty.
In a statement, the EU Presidency noted that Slovenia was one of ten remaining countries in Annex 2 that had yet to sign the treaty, adding that this would encourage them to follow suit.
It also said that this move on the part of Colombia was an important step in encouraging countries of Latin America and the Caribbean to commit to the CTBT.
Journalist back in Sweden after attack in Egypt
By DPA,
Stockholm : A Swedish television reporter assaulted last week on assignment in Egypt has been flown back to Sweden and is recovering in hospital Wednesday.
Fiji interim PM casts further poll doubt
By Xinhua,
Wellington : Fiji's interim Prime Minister Commodore Frank Bainimarama on Tuesday again cast doubt over the likely date for a general election, the Fiji Live website reported.
Addressing soldiers in Fijian at the 3FIR parade at Albert Parkin Suva on Tuesday, Commodore Bainimarama said a general election would only be confirmed once the purpose of the clean-up campaign -to completely eradicate corruption - is achieved.
Bainimarama said some politicians were trying to dictate when the election should be held.
NAM Concerned at Biological Weapons
By Prensa Latina
Geneva : The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) called on Tuesday to strengthen the United Nations Biological Weapons Convention (BWC).
On behalf of the NAM, which Cuba presides, the Cuban ambassador to International Bodies in Geneva, Juan Antonio Fernandez, underlined the need to consolidate multilateral dialogue to make achievements in that field.
Tech to help US meet ’25-by-25′ energy goal: report
By IANS,
Washington : Technology needs to gear up to enable the US to meet 25 percent of its energy requirements from renewable sources by 2025 -- what is known as its "25-by-25" goal.
And this has to be done without adding to consumer costs, according to a study by the independent think tank RAND that said biomass resources and wind power have the greatest potential to contribute toward reaching this goal.
The study supersedes an earlier 2005 RAND report and finds that meeting the goals would be more challenging than outlined in the earlier version.
EU and US concerned over Nepal election postponement
By DPA
Kathmandu : Nepal's main donors Friday expressed concern over the postponement of a key November election after disagreement over the Maoist demands for immediate abolition of the monarchy.
The European Union said it was deeply concerned while the US said it was disappointed by the government's decision to postpone the Nov 22 election of an assembly to draft a new constitution and decide on the future of monarchy.
China Earthquake Deaths at 29,000
By Prensa Latina,
Beijing : Nearly 29,000 people have been reported dead so far in the earthquake tragedy Monday of the Chinese province of Sichuan, the State Council Information Department said.
The number of wounded has reached 198,347, the source confirmed.
The provincial government has placed the number of people killed at 28,300, and another 10,600 are still trapped under destroyed buildings.
The confirmed death toll in all affected areas rose Saturday to 28,881, according to official figures.
UN wants broadband for half the world by 2015
By DPA,
New York : Half of the world's population should have access to high-speed internet within five years, the UN said Sunday.
British MPs over-claimed more than £1 million in expenses
By IRNA,
London : Over half of British MPs were ordered Thursday to repay a total of more than £ 1 million ($1.6m) in excessive expense claims on second homes, but none of the returned money will add to public finances.
The independent panel investigating the expenses scandal found that 390 MPs, some 52% of 752 current and former MPs investigated, had over-claimed £1.3 m since 2004, but this was reduced to £1.13m following appeals so far.
Big cities losing appeal for Chinese youths
By IANS,
Beijing : In a growing China, big cities like Beijing and Shanghai no longer hold appeal for Chinese youths who are exploring smaller places for better job prospects, a media report has said.
A poll conducted in China said majority of young Chinese -- 75.3 percent of the total 8,729 participants -- preferred to leave big cities like Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou and settle in smaller cities and provincial capitals which have many advantages like light traffic, moderate living cost and relatively good air quality, Xinhua news agency reported.
China punishes 5,000 officials for corruption
By Xinhua,
Beijing : The Chinese government has taken penal actions against some 5,000 senior officials for corruption and breach of law, a senior official of the Communist Party of China (CPC) said Friday.
Gan Yisheng, deputy head of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, said that nearly 5,000 officials have been punished for acting against the public interest, including corruption and breach of law.
He said 801 officials have been already prosecuted, while the supervision departments have settled 144,000 cases and penalised 151,000 officials since November 2007.
Mark Twain to tell all – 100 years after death
By IANS,
London : Mark Twain's autobiography is finally to be published later this year, and a section is on his scandalous relationship with a woman who became his secretary after his wife died.
The writer, who created Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn, had instructed that his autobiography should not to be published till 100 years after his death.
Mark Twain died April 21, 1910. He left behind nearly 5,000 unedited pages of memoirs along with handwritten notes that said he didn't want them to be published for at least a century.
Asia-Pacific stocks plunge on Wall Street’s cue
By DPA,
Tokyo : Asian stocks took a big dive Thursday, reacting to a sharp fall overnight on Wall Street and wiping away gains from earlier in the week.
Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average plunged 6.53 percent to 8,899.14 while the broader Topix index of all first-section issues also lost 5.96 percent to close at 909.3.
The plunge came on the heels of a Wall Street decline brought on by a report showing rapidly rising job losses.
Russia, U.S. sign $5 bln uranium sales deal
By RIA Novosti
Moscow/Washington : Russia and the United States have signed a trade deal allowing Russia to boost enriched uranium exports to the U.S., Russian state nuclear agency Rosatom said Saturday.
Moscow/Washington : Russia and the United States have signed a trade deal allowing Russia to boost enriched uranium exports to the U.S., Russian state nuclear agency Rosatom said Saturday.
Russia’s envoy warns NATO against security discrimination
By Ria Novosty
Moscow : Russia's newly appointed envoy to NATO, Dmitry Rogozin, warned the 26-nation alliance on Friday against discriminating against others in order to ensure its own security.
"They [NATO countries] should understand that no one's security can be ensured to the detriment of others' safety," Rogozin told the Rossiiskaya Gazeta government daily.
President Vladimir Putin signed a decree appointing Rogozin, an outspoken nationalist ex-lawmaker, as Russia's permanent envoy to NATO on Thursday.
UN Secretary General warns against failure to act on climate change
By NNN-APP
United Nations : U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki Moon warned Friday in San Francisco that there will be grave consequences if all countries do not work together to tackle climate change as an issue to be addressed within the framework of the world body.
“I am not a scientist, I am not an economist, but if you ask any scientist or economist they will tell you the science is clear, the economics are clear,� he told a breakfast meeting with staff of the San Francisco Chronicle, according to a press statement issued by the United Nations.
United Nations : U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki Moon warned Friday in San Francisco that there will be grave consequences if all countries do not work together to tackle climate change as an issue to be addressed within the framework of the world body.
“I am not a scientist, I am not an economist, but if you ask any scientist or economist they will tell you the science is clear, the economics are clear,� he told a breakfast meeting with staff of the San Francisco Chronicle, according to a press statement issued by the United Nations.
North Korean n-test highly provocative: Obama
By IANS,
Washington: US President Barack Obama condemned the North Korean nuclear test that was conducted Tuesday, calling it "highly provocative".
Nobel Peace Prize award ceremony for Liu begins in Oslo
By IANS,
Oslo : The Nobel Peace Prize committee Friday began its award ceremony for Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo in the face of continuing anger from the Chinese government, a media report said.
Pope discusses Islam relations with Anglican Head
By IINA,
Rome : Pope Benedict and the Archbishop of Canterbury discussed Christian-Muslim relations yesterday in their first meeting since the Anglican leader caused a storm with comments on the role of Sharia law in Britain.
The Vatican said the Pope had received Rowan Williams in a private audience but gave no details. An Anglican spokesman said the two spoke privately for about 20 minutes and discussed Christian-Muslim relations, inter-faith dialogue and the Pope's impression of his visit to the United States last month.
South Korea, US launch joint military drill
By Xinhua
Seoul : South Korea and the US launched their annual joint military exercises Monday despite strong oppositions from North Korea.
The exercise, codenamed Ulchi Focus Lens (UFL), will last for 12 days.
According to the South Korean defence ministry, about 10,000 US troops, with about half of them coming from outside of the Korean peninsula, will participate in the exercise.
The UFL, which began in 1975, is the world's largest computerized command-and-control exercise to foster joint defence capability of South Korea and the US.
Abrupt climatic shifts could overtake US sooner than later
By IANS,
Washington : Abrupt climatic shifts could overtake the US if melting polar ice continues to outrun recent projections, according to a government report.
Many scientists also apprehend the possibility that abrupt, catastrophic switches in natural systems is likely to punctuate the steady rise in global temperatures now underway.
The report commissioned by the US Climate Change Science Program, was authored by experts from Geological Survey, Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and other leading institutions.
Stop using excessive force, Amnesty tells Nepali police
By IANS
London : Nepal's police are using "excessive and lethal force" to disrupt protests by members of the Madhesi community, the human rights group Amnesty International believes.
Police were reported to have fired at a group of protestors in Siraha district in the Terai, killing a 22-year-old protester, this week.
Gunmen kill five policemen in western Mexico
By IANS,
Mexico City : Seven policemen have been shot dead by gunmen in Mexico's western state of Michoacan, EFE news agency reported Sunday.
Gunmen shot dead seven policemen Saturday in an ambush near the town of Pareo, an official said, requesting anonymity. The bodies were found same day.
Meanwhile, Michoacan Attorney General's Office has sent a special team to the area to investigate the case. A bullet riddled SUV was found abandoned near the site.
1,500 World War II-era shells found in US
By IANS,
New York : A team of divers claimed to have found a cache of roughly 1,500 live ammunition scattered in a bay here more than 50 years ago following an accident.
Two injured in blast outside Colombo
By IANS
Colombo : At least two people were injured in an explosion on a bus on the outskirts of the city Saturday morning.
The explosion occurred in Mount Lavinia, 8 km south of the Sri Lankan capital city of Colombo, the police said.
According to military spokesman Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara, the explosion occurred in a bus at about 10.55 a.m.
About the casualties, the spokesman said: "We have no idea. Troops have gone there to investigate."
Oil spill off Argentina under control
By IANS
Buenos Aires : The mysterious oil spill detected last week off the coast of Argentina's southern Patagonia, which killed hundreds of water birds, has been brought under control, officials in southern Chubut province have said.
A thick black oil slick, which was detected by officials last Thursday, covered an area of 24 square kilometres in the Atlantic Ocean near the city of Caleta Cordova. Over 500 waterfowls died in the slick.
USDA Forecasts Wheat Production Growth In Russia, World 2008-09
By Bernama,
Washington : The United States Department of Agriculture expects a growth in the wheat production in Russia and the whole world in the 2008-2009 marketing year, Russian news agency, Itar-Tass, reported Saturday.
According to Itar-Tass, the USDA said it its forecast released on Friday that the risen prices and favourable weather conditions in most countries of the European Union and former Soviet republics contributed to the expected growth in the wheat harvest.
Janet Jackson to open up about brother Michael
By IANS,
London : Pop legend Michael Jackson's sister Janet, who hasn't yet spoken publicly about her brother's death, finally plans to give an in-depth interview about her grief.
"Janet is giving a leading magazine exclusive interview which would be its cover story where she would discuss her brother in detail and will talk about the time they were together," femalefirst.co.uk quoted a sorce as saying.
Janet has not publicly paid tribute to her brother, but recently she made an emotional posting on her blog.
India, Australia should cooperate in maritime security: Modi
Canberra : In a historic speech in the Australian parliament, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday termed Australia a major partner of India in "every...
World cities join hands to combat climate change
By DPA
New York : Fifteen of the world's largest cities have agreed on a $5-billion initiative with major banks to retrofit buildings in their cities to save energy, in the first such enterprise to combat climate change.
Asia leads in reducing poverty, says World Bank
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington: Despite the economic and financial crisis that has swept across the globe, the target to reduce by half the proportion of people living in extreme poverty is still within reach in several developing regions, says the World Bank.
Home to the most people living on less than $1.25 a day, Asia has accounted for much of this remarkable achievement, according to the World Development Indicators (WDI) 2010, released Tuesday, giving a statistical progress toward achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
March 2010 ‘bloodiest’ month in Mexico
By IANS/EFE,
Mexico City : With 958 killings, March 2010 was Mexico's "bloodiest month" ever since President Felipe Calderon launched a military operation against the drug cartels in December 2006, a media report has said.
The figure brings the total number of gangland killings during the Calderon administration to 18,757, El Universal newspaper said Thursday.
More than 2,550 people have died so far this year.
Melamine found for first time in eggs
By DPA,
Hong Kong : Potentially toxic industrial chemical melamine has been found for the first time in eggs imported into Hong Kong from China, a media report said Sunday.
The move has prompted concerns that the chemical, which can cause kidney stones and other renal problems particularly in children, has contaminated more of the city's food supply than first thought, the South China Morning Post said.
Report: cases of school torture on rise in Nepal
By Xinhua,
Kathmandu : The cases of punishment in the name of discipline in Nepali schools are on rise, said a report prepared by Save the Children Norway and Hatemalo Sanchar on Sunday.
Hatemalo Sanchar, a private organization working on the behalf of the Nepali children unveiled the study report on Sunday in the Nepali capital Kathmandu.
US stocks continue to drop
By DPA,
New York : Dropping oil prices and waning investor confidence over the government's plan to save Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac mortgage firms brought the US Standard & Poor's 500 Index to its lowest level since 2005 Tuesday, despite a pitch by US President Goerge W. Bush to calm market jitters.
The NASDAQ high tech index was up slightly, but the Dow Jones also declined.
Exxon Mobil Corp slid the most since March as crude fell more than $6 a barrel amidst growing concern a slower economy will reduce demand.
US firm announces plan to mine near-Earth asteroids
By IANS,
Los Angeles : A newly established US company, Deep Space Industries, Tuesday announced a plan to harvest near-earth asteroids.
Three killed in US plane crash
By Xinhua,
Los Angeles : Three people were killed and one seriously injured Monday when the aircraft in which they were travelling crashed near an airport in Santa Catalina Island in Los Angeles, officials said.
Los Angeles County Fire Department (LACFD) spokesman Ron Haralson said the private plane burst into flames after it crashed near the runway of the island's airport.
Haralson said three people were found dead at the site, while the fourth person, who was seriously injured, was rushed to a hospital for treatment.
Firefighters were rushed to the spot to put out the blaze.
© TwoCircles.net
Send this to a friend