Venezuela bombs airstrip used for illegal drug trade
By IANS
Elorza (Venezuela) : Venezuelan army has destroyed a secret airstrip used for illegal drug trade in the state of Apure, some 45 km from here, Spain's EFE news agency reported.
The airstrip was located some 15 km from the Colombian border, Col Nestor Reverol, director of the National Antidrug Office (ONA), said in a statement Saturday.
The army has launched Operation Boquete I against drug traffickers in the country. Around 19 aircrafts and 600 soldiers are taking part in the operation.
Suspected US airstrike kills six in Pakistan
By DPA,
Islamabad : A suspected US missile strike in Pakistan's troubled South Waziristan tribal district near Afghan border Wednesday killed at least six people, officials said.
Two missiles, believed to have been fired from a US-operated Predator drone, hit a house in Kani Goram area of the district, a known safe-haven of Taliban and Al Qaeda fighters.
"According to the information we received from our local sources, the explosions destroyed a house and a vehicle parked there and killed six people," said a local intelligence official who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Sri Lankan prison riot toll rises to 27
By IANS,
Colombo: The toll in the prison riot here rose to 27 Saturday after prisoners and the military overnight exchanged gunfire, police and prison officials said.
ASEAN chief calls for restraint in border dispute
By DPA,
Singapore : The chief of Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) has called for "maximum restraint" in the border dispute between Cambodia and Thailand, while Cambodia has asked for UN intervention, news reports said Sunday.
Nearly 1,000 Cambodian troops and more than 500 Thai soldiers continue to face each other on the disputed territory.
Surin Pitsuwan, secretary-general of the Asean and a former Thai former minister, urged ministers from the two countries to talk, The Sunday Times said.
Dozens Sri Lankans arrested for election violence
By Xinhua,
Colombo : Some 58 people have been arrested for election-related violence across Sri Lanka, the police said Wednesday.
They have been arrested for election violence such as attacking the rivals and their property, damaging election propaganda material, as well as general flouting of election laws, the police said.
Elections are to be held on Aug. 23 for provincial councils of North Central and Sabaragamuva provinces.
For environment’s sake, give Tibet back: American academic
By IANS,
New Delhi : Tibet, often called the water tower of Asia, should be handed back to the Tibetan people because its environment is increasingly becoming fragile and only they can conserve it, says noted American Buddhist writer Robert Thurman.
Quake in Peru kills eight
Lima: At least eight people were killed and six injured following a 5.1-magnitude earthquake which jolted southern parts of Peru, authorities said Sunday.
The temblor...
No sex for 100 million years – micro organisms baffle scientists
By DPA
Hamburg : Asexual micro organisms continue to display an amazingly diverse ability to adapt to their ever-changing environment as they have over the past 100 million years, according to scientists who are baffled by these creatures' non-sexual evolutionary change.
New research by scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Botanical Physiology in Potsdam, Germany, say they have discovered startling new evidence of adaptation to external environmental stimuli by asexual micro organisms.
Sarkozy promises PM to look into turban issue
Paris, Sep 30 (IANS) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Tuesday took up the issue of the ban on Sikh students wearing turbans in French schools when he met President Nicolas Sarkozy, who promised to look into it.
"The French president told the prime minister he will look into it," Indian Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon told reporters after the India-France summit here.
"The prime minister conveyed the (community's) concerns and spoke about the sensitivities of the Sikhs living in France on this issue," he said.
UAE, Germany discuss bilateral relations
By IANS,
By WAM,
Berlin: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Germany Tuesday discussed their bilateral relations.
Distrust in media hits new high in US: Report
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Washington: More Americans - around 60 percent - distrust the mass media than ever before, US polling agency Gallup reported.
Moderate quake hits Japan
By Xinhua,
Tokyo : A moderate quake with a magnitude of 5.0 jolted northern Japan, the Japan Meteorological Agency said Tuesday.
The focus of the quake, which occurred at 9.13 p.m. local time (0013 GMT), was some 50 km under the sea off Fukushima prefecture, the agency said.
There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage to property and no tsunami warning was issued.
Oil platform in South Atlantic on fire
By DPA,
Buenos Aires : A fire broke out on an oil platform off Argentina's South Atlantic coast, prompting the evacuation of eight workers, the Argentine navy said Wednesday.
Modi visits Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in UAE
Abu Dhabi : APrime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday visited the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, in his first engagement after arriving...
US considering terror tribunals with new rules
By DPA,
Washington: US military commissions to try terrorism suspects could be revived as early as this summer, but with increased legal protections for the accused, reported the Washington Post Saturday.
After President Barack Obama's inauguration, the White House instituted a 120-day suspension of the military commissions.
Syrian chemical weapons under control: Russia
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Munich : Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said the Syrian authorities were keeping chemical weapons under control.
Pipeline blast kills 27 in Mexico
By DPA,
Mexico City : The explosion of an oil pipeline in the central Mexican town of San Martin Texmelucan killed 27 people Sunday and left 52 injured, including five in serious condition.
Two Tibetan women arrested after protests
By DPA,
Beijing : Two Tibetan women were arrested for staging separate protests that were critical of China in the Chinese province of Sichuan, an advocacy group for Tibet said Saturday.
A nun in her 20s and a 36-year-old woman were detained Thursday in Ganzi after handing out pamphlets that called for the exiled Dalai Lama's return to Tibet, respect for Tibetans' human rights, religious freedom and the release of Tibetan political prisoners, the International Campaign for Tibet said.
Their whereabouts are unknown, it added.
Moscow hails Mali political settlement
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Russia Monday hailed the conclusion of an agreement on restoring constitutional order in the west African nation of Mali, where a military junta has seized power.
Mother of Australia’s stabbed children arrested
Sydney: Police Saturday arrested the mother of seven of eight children who were found stabbed to death at a house in Australia's Cairns city,...
Teens who shun physical activity more likely to be ill
By IANS,
Sydney : Teens who shun physical activity are more likely to fall ill because of sedentary lifestyles, according to Queensland University of Technology researcher Kyra Hamilton.
Hamilton, who also has 15 years nursing experience, said the results were split fairly evenly down the middle: just under half (42 per cent) of the 423 teens surveyed were regularly active, and just over half (58 per cent) were not regularly active.
Kazakhstan allows U.S. non-military transit to Afghanistan
By RIA Novosti,
ASTANA : Kazakhstan has permitted the transit of non-military logistical supplies for U.S. troops deployed in Afghanistan, a Kazakh Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Monday.
Yerzhan Ashikbayev said only the land transit of civilian cargoes for the U.S. contingent in Afghanistan had been allowed. He also said that their "technical and commercial parameters" had yet to be specified.
Moscow said on Friday it would allow the transit of non-military supplies for U.S. troops in Afghanistan as soon as Washington provided Moscow with cargo specifications.
Another member of Nepal royal family dead
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS
Kathmandu : The malignant star stalking Nepal's royal family claimed another victim Wednesday with an aunt of King Gyanendra, who was linked to one of the financial scandals that contributed to the king's downfall, succumbing to cancer after a long, painful battle.
Princess Helen, who died in her 70s, was the widow of prince Vasundhara, the flamboyant uncle of the king, and sister of Prabhakar Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana, a former business partner of the king.
43 percent Americans have less than $10,000 for retirement
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : As the number of American workers with virtually no retirement savings grew for the third straight year, over four in 10 had less than $10,000, according to a new survey.
The percentage of workers who said they had less than $10,000 savings grew to 43 percent in 2010, from 39 percent in 2009, according to the Employee Benefit Research Institute's annual Retirement Confidence Survey released Tuesday.
Israel scrambles fighter jets to fend off drone from Gaza
Jerusalem: The Israeli Air Force scrambled fighter jets to the Gaza border after Islamist group Hamas launched a drone during a military parade it...
Dozens die in Sudan jet inferno
By IRNA,
Pretoria : At least 28 people are known to have died on Tuesday evening when a passenger plane burst into flames after landing at Khartoum airport in Sudan.
Another 53 people are also missing following the accident in the Sudanese capital, although 123 people survived.
The Airbus A310 with more than 200 people on board landed in bad weather and was taxi-ing on the runway when an engine caught fire.
The Sudan Airways flight had flown from Jordan's capital Amman via Damascus.
Zimbabwe Opp Wins Assembly Majority
By Prensa Latina
Harare : The ZEC (Zimbabwean Electoral Committee) said on Wednesday that opposition Movement for Democratic Change won most seats for grabs in general elections held on Saturday.
According to official results, MDC won 96 seats; while another opposition group got nine, and ruling National African Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) won 94.
The winner of the presidential post is yet to be revealed.
Candidates were Robert Mugabe (vying for it for the fifth consecutive time), MDC leader Morgan Tsvangurai and independent Zimba Makoni.
Modi visit: India, Uzbekistan to boost security, defence ties
Tashkent : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said India and Uzbekistan have agreed to intensity security cooperation, as well as in the fields...
New line-up of European Commission announced
Brussels : European Commission president-elect Jean Claude Juncker announced a new line-up of the European Commission Wednesday, with politicians from Britain, Germany, France, Sweden...
German state legislator backs Sharia law introduction in Bavaria
By IRNA,
Berlin : A liberal lawmaker from the south German state of Bavaria has supported the introduction of the Sharia law in his conservative home state, the daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper reported Thursday.
Georg Barfuss of the Free Democratic Party (FDP) said the Sharia should be allowed if there areas which are "compatible with the constitution."
The MP, who is also the integration commissioner in Bavaria, added that key elements of Muslim life like prayers, fasting and the pilgrimage to Mecca should be officially recognized in Bavaria.
Chinese vice-consul robbed in Russia’s Far East
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Unidentified persons robbed a vice-consul of China's general consulate in the Russian Far Eastern city of Khabarovsk, a local police source said on Sunday.
Three unidentified persons approached the vice consul in a Khabarovsk street on Saturday and forced him to give them 15,000 rubles ($600), a mobile phone, a watch and a diplomatic card, the police source said.
The diplomat estimated the damage at 30,000 rubles ($1,250), the police source said.
Measures are under way to find and arrest the robbers, the police source said.
Recalling the 2004 tsunami that devastated Aceh
By IANS,
Washington : The massive earthquake that shook Indonesia Wednesday brought back terrifying memories of the 2004 tsunami that swept through Aceh province.
Making electronics with a twist
By IANS,
Washington : Researchers have made electronics that can bend, stretch and now twist as well, considered the ultimate in the subject.
Yonggang Huang, professor of civil engineering at Northwestern University's McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science, and John Rogers, professor of materials science and Engineering at University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign), have improved their "pop-up" technology to create circuits that can be twisted.
Such electronics could be used in places where flat, unbending electronics would fail, like on the human body.
EU pledges over $5 mn aid to Asia’s flood victims
By Xinhua
Brussels : The European Union (EU) Thursday pledged humanitarian support, which could include 4 million euros ($5.5 million) in financial aid, to South Asian countries devastated by one of the worst monsoon flooding in the region's history.
The Humanitarian Aid Department (ECHO) of EU's executive arm the European Commission "is now preparing a funding decision in the region of four million euros to meet the urgent needs of vulnerable communities affected by the floods in South Asia," said the Commission.
Hundreds of Tibetan rioters in Sichuan surrender to police
By KUNA
Tokyo : A total of 381 people involved in the riots in Aba county in the Tibetan-inhabited areas in Sichuan Province, northwest China, have surrendered themselves to the police as of Monday noon, China's official news agency Xinhua reported Tuesday.
Law enforcement authorities of Aba county issued a notice on March 19, urging those who had taken part in the riots on March 16 to submit themselves within ten days.
Police crack down on Muslim rebels in Sri Lanka
By DPA,
Colombo : Police launched a crackdown on Muslim militants in eastern Sri Lanka when a deadline to surrender illegal weapons ended, a police spokesman said Sunday.
The grace period to surrender weapons ended Saturday with a poor response, producing less than 25 weapons out of an estimated cache of more than 10 times that much, deputy police inspector general Edison Gunatillake said.
Security forces were pursuing militants identified as "jihadist groups" operating in the Kattankudy area, 303 km east of Colombo.
More people now want to be astronauts: NASA
By IANS/EFE,
Washington : NASA has received 6,372 applications for its 2013 class of astronauts, double the usual number, the US space agency said.
Singapore jets scrambled to intercept small plane
Simgapore (ANTARA News) - Singapore closed its commercial airspace for almost an hour on Tuesday as fighter jets scrambled to intercept a small plane headed towards the city-state without permission, the Civil Aviation Authority said on Wednesday.
The Defence Ministry said two Republic of Singapore Air Force planes took off around 6:45 p.m. local time (1045 GMT) to intercept a single-engine turboprop Cessna 208 and escort it to land at the Changi Airport.
Police have started an investigation, local media reported.
Italy’s senate passes wiretap restrictions bill
By IANS/AKI,
Rome : Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi won a major victory when Italy's Senate passed a controversial law to restrict wiretapping and impose fines on news organisations that publish leaked information on criminal probes.
The upper house of the Italian parliament backed the measure 164 to five Thursday. The bill now goes to the lower house of parliament or Chamber of Deputies for final approval.
Economic development Beijing’s top priority: official
By Xinhua,
Beijing : Beijing government's top priority is to maintain a "steady and relatively fast" economic development, Mayor Guo Jinlong said here Monday, adding international financial crisis has affected its economy.
Guo made the remarks while delivering a government report at the city's annual legislative session.
He said the international financial crisis has affected Beijing's economy, as the city witnesses a continuing downturn in the real estate market, mounting pressures for businesses, and reduced growth rates in industrial output, export, fiscal income and economy.
Indian power firm to co-host summit in Nepal
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS
Kathmandu : Faced with an imminent energy crisis and stiff resistance to hydro-power projects, Nepal's independent power producers have tied up with bankers and PTC India Ltd to host a power summit here to break the ice and cut the red tape.
Co-hosted by Nepal Bankers' Association and Independent Power Producers' Association Nepal, the two-day Power Summit 2007 that kicks off Monday will see major players from India and government officials taking part.
Sri Lanka appoints reconciliation commission
By DPA,
Colombo : Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa Monday appointed a reconciliation commission to investigate the country's ethnic conflict and make recommendations to prevent a recurrence, officials said.
The appointment came as the country marked the first anniversary of the end of the 26-year war against separatist Tamil rebels.
The commission was given a mandate to investigate only events since February 2002, when an aborted ceasefire came into force.
Over 30 militants killed in Chechnya this year
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : The Russian Joint Group of Forces in the North Caucasus killed 32 militants in Chechnya this year as of April 27, the group's commander Gen. Nikolai Sivak said Tuesday.
"Unfortunately, we did not see a decrease in the number of losses, and this year 17 federal troops were killed as of April 27, against 15 [in the same period] last year," the group commander added.
China makes its presence felt in Goa
By IANS,
Panaji: After Chinese goods taking over the Indian market, a Chinese film will open 40th edition of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) here Monday.
"Wheat", directed by He Ping, is set in 260 BC when China was mired in a long and bloody war between the Qin and the Zhao dynasties.
Starring Fan Bingbing and Wang Jue, "Wheat" tells the story of women left behind after their husbands are sent to war. The film was produced for $6 million and was funded by He's own Beijing Classic Culture, along with Polybona Films, and the state-backed Xi'an Film Studio.
One dead, 70,000 homes collapsed in China aftershock
By AFP,
Chengdu, China : At least one person died and more than 260 others were injured Sunday in southwest China by the strongest aftershock since a massive quake two weeks ago, authorities and state media said.
The aftershock, which measured 6.4 on the Richter scale, also destroyed more than 70,000 homes and left 200,000 others in danger of collapse, Xinhua news agency reported, quoting a local disaster relief official.
Nepal, China try to revive Kathmandu-Lhasa bus service
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS
Kathmandu : Almost eight months after it closed, Nepal and China are trying afresh to revive the much-hyped Kathmandu-Lhasa direct bus service ahead of the Olympic Games in Beijing next year.
An eight-member Chinese delegation arrived from Tibet Saturday to hold talks with Nepal's transport officials on how to resurrect the bus service that halted primarily due to Chinese reluctance to issue visas to travellers.
China’s presence in Latin America not a threat: US
By IANS,
Beijing : China's increasing presence in Latin America was not a matter of concern or a threat to the US, a top American official said here Wednesday.
"It is certainly not a concern, not a threat. We very much welcome China's continued engagement, investment and trade with countries in the western hemisphere," Arturo Valenzuela, US assistant secretary of state for western hemisphere affairs, was quoted as saying by China Daily.
Valenzuela made the comment during a US-China meet on Latin America, held under the auspices of the China-US Strategic and Economic Dialogue.
‘Arrested teenager a British Muslim convert’
By IANS,
London : Police in the southwestern city of Bristol Saturday carried out a series of controlled explosions at the home of a British teenager arrested earlier on charges of terrorism.
The local media named the man as Andrew Ibrahim, described as a 19-year-old British Muslim convert, but police refused to comment on his identity or ethnicity.
Police raided Ibrahim's house in a Bristol cul-de-sac and carried out the first controlled explosion at 2 a.m. Friday after arresting the man under the Terrorism Act, acting on an intelligence tip-off.
20 killed in Pakistan road accident
Islamabad: At least 20 people were killed and 40 others injured in a road accident in Pakistan's Tarnol town on Wednesday, media reported.
The accident...
Blix: U.S. report makes attack on Iran less likely
By Xinhua
Geneva : The latest U.S. intelligence report on Iran's nuclear program seems to have lowered the possibility for a military attack on Tehran in the near future, former U.N. nuclear chief Hans Blix said on Wednesday.
An armed attack on Iran "is not credible, cannot happen after this over the next few years," Blix, former U.N. chief arms inspector and head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, told reporters in Geneva.
Former Nepali PM’s party boycotts general elections
By Xinhua
Kathmandu : Former Nepali prime minister Surya Bahadur Thapa Tuesday announced that his Rastriya Janashakti Party (RJP) has decided to boycott the constituent assembly elections scheduled for April 10.
According to a press release by the RJP, the central executive committee of the party met Tuesday and decided to boycott the election, pointing at the situation in Madhes, the southern region of Nepal known as Terai plains.
Indian Americans welcome nomination of Rashad Hussain as US Religious Freedom Ambassador
On July 30, the White House nominated Hussain, who has served in various roles including Senior Counsel at the Department of Justice’s National Security...
US releases $450 mn of Iran’s frozen funds
Washington: The US has taken steps to release a $450-million installment of Iran's frozen funds as part of an interim deal on Tehran's nuclear...
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.
Pesticide concentrations decreasing in US
By IANS,
Washington : There is some good news on the pesticide front in the US, where its widespread use has been routine, but with little knowledge of the long-term effects on the nation's groundwater.
The results of a new study show that samples taken from over 300 wells across the US have not retained a high concentration of pesticide contamination. The news is a result of a decade long study to assess the extent of the impact of contaminants on the nation's water supply.
S Korea Cabinet Offers to Resign
By Prensa Latina,
Seoul : The entire South Korean cabinet headed by Prime Minister Han Seung-soo offered to resign on Tuesday, the same day over one million demonstrators will be protesting the official policy.
The police ordered the mobilization of 37,000 agents nationwide to face the massive protest summoned by trade unions, with student and other associations gradually joining it.
The collective resignation aims to stop the movement opposing President Lee Myung-bak, which emerged after the conservative politician"s decision to give the green light to US beef imports.
Chinese Premier Thanks UN’s Support For Quake Relief
By Bernama,
Yingxiu : Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on Saturday extended gratitude to United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for the United Nations' support and help for quake relief.
Wen briefed Ban on China's quake relief efforts, saying Chinawill carry out reconstruction as soon as possible.
Ban Ki-moon arrived in Chengdu, capital city of quake-stricken Sichuan Province, Saturday morning and then rushed to visit Yingxiu town in Wenchuan County, epicenter of the 8.0-magnitude earthquake on May 12, to express his sympathy for those who suffered from the devastating quake.
With virtually no pension system, Chinese fear getting old
By DPA
Beijing : "Those who have borne a son can quietly grow old," is an oft-repeated Chinese saying. But in a rapidly ageing society, many Chinese find themselves overwhelmed by the financial responsibility for their parents.
"My parents are relying on my help. But I don't know where the money will be coming from," complains Zhang Jinrong. "I scarcely earn enough money to support myself."
Chinese leaders pay silent tribute to Kunming attack victims
Beijing : Chinese leaders and political advisors Monday paid silent tribute to the victims of the terrorist attack in the city of Kunming at...
18 killed in violence, airstrikes against IS in Iraq
Baghdad: At least 18 people were killed and 36 others wounded in separate bomb attacks and airstrikes targeting positions of the Islamic State (IS)...
Over 150 injured in Belgrade riots
By RIA Novosti
Belgrade : Protests against Kosovo's independence, the largest in Serbia's history, turned into running street riots in Belgrade overnight leaving over 150 people injured.
Around 250,000 people took to the streets in the Serbian capital on Thursday for a demonstration of national unity in the wake of Kosovo's declaration of independence on Sunday and its subsequent recognition by over a dozen countries.
Cher to marry Medvetz soon?
By IANS,
Los Angeles: Singer Cher is reportedly planning to tie the knot with her biker boyfriend Tim Medvetz.
Dalai Lama offers to quit if Tibet violence spirals
By IANS
Dharamsala : The Dalai Lama Tuesday said he was ready to step down as the Tibetan spiritual leader if unrest in his homeland where anti-China protests have claimed 13 lives spun out of control.
"If things become out of control, then resignation is the only option," the Dalai Lama told reporters in this hill town, the seat of his Tibetan government-in-exile that is not recognised by any country.
It was his second press conference since China ordered a vicious crackdown on anti-Beijing protests sweeping Tibet.
US’ Asian Population Split Over Hillary And Obama
NEW YORK, Feb 8 (Bernama) -- Although Asians living in the US have shown little interest in the fortunes of the Republican candidates in the ongoing presidential race, their interest in the two prominent Democratic candidates, Hillary Clinton and rival Barack Obama, has been high-itched.
Suhasihni Doraiswamy, a second generation Malaysian Indian from Penang, who is working as an intern in New York's downtown financial district, calls herself a complete Hilary fan who would give her vote to the former First Lady.
Cuba uses biotechnology to revive coffee industry
By IANS,
Havana: Cuban researchers are trying to revive the nation's wilting coffee production by using bio-technology, an expert said.
U.S. ‘Disappointed’ by China Activist’s Jail Sentence
By SPA
Washington : The United States said Thursday it was “disappointed” by the prison term imposed on Chinese activist Hu Jia, saying his activities were legitimate under Chinese law.
“We certainly, in that particular case, have raised our concerns about it and are disappointed to see the results that are taking place,” State Department deputy spokesman Tom Casey told reporters.
Dam burst kills 50 in Indonesia
By DPA,
Jakarta : At least 50 people were killed and many were missing Friday after a dam broke near the Indonesian capital Jakarta, officials said.
The Situ Gintung dam in Tangerang district, 50 km south of the capital Jakarta, collapsed at about 2 a.m. (1900 GMT Thursday), sending water crashing into a crowded residential area, officials said.
Hundreds of homes were submerged and many swept away.
Rustam Pakaya, the head of the Health Ministry's crisis centre, said the death toll had risen to 50 after rescuers found more bodies.
Russia, Ukraine reach deal to resume gas supplies to Europe
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : The prime ministers of Russia and Ukraine said early on Sunday they had reached a deal that would allow to restart gas supplies to Europe.
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said after the talks with his Ukrainian counterpart Yulia Tymoshenko that Ukraine will pay the European price for Russian natural gas with a 20% discount this year while Kiev will not increase the current transit fees it receives for Russian gas.
India not serious to hold talks on Kashmir: Pakistan
Islamabad : India's response to Pakistan's peace initiative was non-serious and it does not want to hold talks on Kashmir issue, Pakistan's Representative...
Maoists give Nepal king four weeks to leave palace
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : Nepal's former Maoist guerrillas, who fought a 10-year-long civil war to oust the nation's ruling royal dynasty, have now given embattled King Gyanendra a deadline of four weeks to quit the palace, following their stunning victory in this month's crucial election.
Baburam Bhattarai, deputy chief of the former rebels who could become the new prime minister of Nepal, has warned the king that if he failed to leave the Narayanhity royal palace within the deadline, people would force him to do so.
One killed in Nepal train crash
By IANS,
Kathmandu : One man died and four were injured Monday when a train rammed into a tipper in southern Nepal on the Himalayan republic's only railway line.
The accident occurred around 10.30 a.m. when the train, heading towards Nepal's famed pilgrim town Janakpur from Jaynagar on the Indo-Nepal border, rammed into a tipper laden with sand that was streaking across the railway tracks in violation of signals.
UNHCR calls upon Greece review its asylum procedure
By KUNA,
Geneva : The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) called Friday upon the Government of Greece to promptly review its asylum procedures.
UNHCR spokesperson Ron Redmond told reporters that other governments and the European Commission are encouraged to reinforce their support to Greece.
"UNHCR remains committed to continue supporting the Government of Greece in strengthening its asylum system to a level reflecting international and European standards and good practice," said Redmond.
Dalai Lama supports ban on bullfighting in Spain
By DPA,
Barcelona : The Dalai Lama has given his backing to a planned bullfighting ban in the northeastern Spanish region of Catalonia, the animal rights association ADDA said Friday.
There was "considerable evidence" that bullfights were "a cruel practice which publicly inflicts atrocious pain to innocent and sentient animals," the Dalai Lama said in a letter quoted by ADDA.
Tibet's spiritual leader urged Catalan regional legislators to support a bullfighting ban which has already won preliminary acceptance by the regional parliament.
EU urges sides in Russia-Ukraine gas row to fulfill commitments
By RIA Novosti,
Brussels : The EU urged both Moscow and Kiev to fulfill their commitments on gas supplies and transit to Europe ahead of an extraordinary meeting of EU envoys on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine gas dispute in Brussels on Monday.
Russian gas monopoly Gazprom cut off gas supplies to Ukraine on Thursday after last-ditch talks with Kiev on a new deal for 2009 and debt repayments failed late on New Year's Eve. Some European countries, including Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria, and Romania, have reported drops in Russian gas supplied through Ukraine's pipeline network.
End of war in Sri Lanka welcomed amid concerns about human cost
By DPA,
Colombo : Celebrations to mark the end of Sri Lanka's civil war were planned on a national holiday Wednesday as the international community welcomed the end to fighting. But some countries expressed concerns about the human cost of the conflict's end phase.
Most of the events planned Wednesday were to praise the security forces involved in the military operations against the Tamil rebels, which drew to an end Monday. Television and radio programmes were being broadcast to pay tribute to the military personnel.
Deadly cyclone devastates Mayanmar biggest city
By Xinhua,
Yangon, Myanmar : A deadly cyclone Nargis, which occurred over the Bay of Bengal, has almost totally devastated Yangon, Myanmar's biggest city, with lots of trees on streets and roofs of many buildings being torn down Saturday.
Having hit Yangon for over 10 hours since Friday midnight until Saturday noon, the unprecedented violent cyclone has resulted in an inestimable loss of the properties, eyewitnesses said.
Report: U.S. sailor admits killing Japanese cabby
By Xinhua
Tokyo : A Japan-based U.S. Navy serviceman whose credit card was found in a taxi had admitted killing the cabby, Japanese media reported on Wednesday.
The 22-year-old sailor, who was arrested by the U.S. Navy on March 22 around central Tokyo's Gotanda train station, confessed the crime on Tuesday, Kyodo News quoted sources close to the investigation as telling.
China asks teachers not to accept holiday gifts
By IANS,
Beijing: China has warned schools and teachers not to accept any gift or bribe or "misuse" public money during the coming New Year holiday season, a media report said Saturday.
China mud flow toll rises to 254
By Xinhua,
Xiangfen (China) : The toll in last Monday's mud-rock flow in north China's Shanxi province has risen to 254, authorities have said.
The accident occurred Monday morning when the embankment of a mining reservoir containing tonnes of liquid iron-ore waste collapsed, submerging downstream villages and a crowded market.
The mine in Xinagfen county had no valid licence.
Rescuers have started de-silting operation along a 300-metre long ditch in search of bodies.
Obama most polarizing president in 40 years: Bush aide
By IANS,
New York : Taking up cudgels on behalf of his former boss, a former top aide for George W. Bush has slammed President Barack Obama for his "borderline" obsession in blaming the former president for the current mess.
Karl Rove, who is credited with scripting Bush's two victories in 2000 and 2004, says Obama is increasingly becoming a polarizing figure because of his actions and rhetoric.
Cuba, Venezuela ink deals worth $3.16 bn
By EFE,
Havana : The governments of Cuban and Venezuela bolstered their bilateral cooperation with the signing and negotiation of 285 new projects for 2010 worth $3.15 billion, including the creation of eight joint ventures.
Cuban President Raul Castro and his Venezuelan counterpart, Hugo Chavez, presided in Havana on Saturday at the close of the 10th Binational Committee, which coincides with the summit of the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas, or ALBA, the Venezuelan leader's response to the since-derailed US proposal for the Free Trade Area of the Americas.
Saakashvilii calls for international peacekeepers
By DPA,
Moscow/Tbilisi (Georgia) : Georgia's President Mikhail Saakashvili called for international peacekeepers in the conflict zone around the country's two breakaway provinces, Georgian media reported.
"The preservation of Georgia's territorial integrity is impossible without an internationalization of the peacekeeping troops," Saakashvili said at a meeting of the country's national security council late Friday.
But the breakaway regions Abkhazia and South Ossetia are opposed to an international peacekeeping force, currently being discussed by the European Union (EU).
China expands its oldest n-plant
By IANS,
Beijing : China has completed the expansion of its first nuclear power plant in Qinshan that will now help generate about 34 billion kwh of electricity annually.
58 Mexicans die of flu
By IANS/EFE,
Mexico City : A total of 58 people have died of flu in Mexico so far this year. The deaths were caused by different strains of flu virus, the predominant one being swine flu.
Adding lime to seawater could cut back carbon levels
By IANS,
Washington : Adding lime to seawater could dramatically reverse carbon dioxide accumulation in the atmosphere, according to a new study.
However, the idea was thought impracticable because of the cost of obtaining lime and the quantity of carbon released in the process.
Gilles Bertherin, of Shell, which is funding the project, said: “There are potentially huge environmental benefits from addressing climate change - and adding calcium hydroxide to seawater will also mitigate the effects of ocean acidification.”
Thousands of Tamils protest at UN Geneva headquarters
By DPA,
Geneva : Thousands of ethnic Tamils from all over Switzerland and beyond gathered outside the UN headquarters in Geneva Wednesday to protest the Sri Lankan government's action in northern region and to demand help from the UN.
Organisers claimed some 15,000 were taking part in the angry demonstration, which prompted a major police presence, though organisers used volunteers to maintain control over the emotional crowd and the event ended without major incident.
Modi, Obama vow to ‘chalein saath saath’
By Arun Kumar,
Washington : Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Barack Obama Tuesday vowed to "chalein saath saath - together we go forward"...
Migrants most exposed to rights violations: UN
By IANS
Geneva : Migrants are the most vulnerable to human rights abuse and will continue to be so unless appropriate actions are taken, the UN agency for human rights has said.
Migration is a worldwide phenomenon, and touches virtually all countries in all regions of the world, said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour in a statement Tuesday to mark the International Migrants Day which falls on Dec 18, WAM news agency reported.
British PM Brown rules out early election
By DPA
London : After weeks of mounting speculation, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has ruled out holding an early general election, his spokesman confirmed Saturday.
There would be no November election as had been widely anticipated of late, the spokesman said.
Brown's Labour Party has enjoyed a surge of popularity in opinion polls over the past few weeks - only to see this drastically reduced in the past couple of days.
Drowning countries clutch at monetary straws
By Joydeep Gupta, IANS,
Poznan (Poland) : Climate change is already drowning homes of people in coastal areas, especially in the developing world. The money available to them from the international community to adapt to a new life is less than a percent of what the UN says will be needed.
And now countries are bickering over who will administer this small Adaptation Fund and who will be paid from it.
Austria: 1 killed, 19 injured in fire at home for asylum-seekers
By SPA,
Vienna : Officials in southern Austria say a fire that swept through a building housing asylum-seekers has killed one person and injured 19 others, according to AP.
Police in the city of Klagenfurt say one of two people who jumped from a second-floor window to escape the flames was killed. They say the second jumper suffered serious injuries.
Investigators were trying to determine what caused the early morning fire on Thursday. Authorities say firefighters extinguished the blaze by 9 a.m. (0700 GMT).
Wall Street rallies after Citi’s bailout plan, Obama’s new team
By Lalit K. Jha, IANS,
New York : Buoyed by the US government's massive rescue plan for Citigroup and announcement of President-elect Barak Obama's economy team, Wall Street rallied behind Monday soaring to a new high.
Bench-mark Dow Jones Industrial Average increased by as much as 397 points (4.9 percent) to 8443.39. When clubbed with the jump in Dow's on Friday, this was the biggest two-day surge since 1989.
NASDAQ was up 87.67 points, or 6.33 percent, at 1,472.02, while the Standard & Poor's 500-stock index rose 51.78 points, or 6.47 percent, to 851.81.
Canadian province presents world’s first green budget
By IANS
Vancouver : British Columbia Tuesday became the first province in North America to impose a carbon tax on people to check emission of greenhouse gases.
Imposed under its so-called green budget, the carbon tax will be levied not only on vehicle fuels such as petrol, natural gas and diesel but also home heating gases.
Many activists say it is the world's first green budget. Emissions of greenhouse gases - mainly carbon dioxide - is warming the earth's atmosphere and leading to climate change, with disastrous consequences.
Obama outnumbers McCain in campaign expense in July
By Xinhua,
Washington : Reports released on Thursday showed that U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama spent 55 million U.S. dollars for his campaign in July, compared to the 32 million dollars his Republican rival John McCain invested.
According to the financial reports Obama's campaign filed to the Federal Election Commission, he raised more than 50 million dollars in July and remained strong momentum in inspiring new donors.
29,000 Colombians evacuated due to floods
By IANS/EFE,
Bogota : Over 29,000 people have been forced to leave their homes in Colombia due to massive floods triggered by torrential rains, the Colombian Red Cross (CRC) said.
Fidel Castro denies bad health ‘rumors’
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Havana: Fidel Castro, the leader of the Cuban revolution, has
rubbished rumours that his health is deteriorating.
China chemical plant pollution leaves 500 sick
By Xinhua,
Changsha (China) : More than 500 villagers have been found with very high levels of a toxic metal in their bodies following a series of leaks at a chemical plant in central China, officials said Monday.
A total of 509 people fell sick after they were exposed to cadmium, a toxic metal pollutant, discharged by the Changsha Xianghe Chemical Plant in China's central Hunan province, Zhou Mengde, an official investigating the incident, said.
Zhou said the government has offered free health checkups to 2,888 people living within a radius of 1,200 meters from the plant.
Acclaimed pianist Van Cliburn dies
By IANS/EFE,
Los Angeles: Classical pianist Van Cliburn, known for his triumph at a 1958 Moscow competition, died Wednesday after a battle with bone cancer. He was 78.
Ecuador proposes multilateral force to patrol Colombian border
By Xinhua
Quito (Ecuador) : Ecuador's security minister has proposed setting up a multilateral peace-keeping force to guard Colombia's border if the country is unable to patrol it by itself.
Speaking to the nation's Constituent Assembly Tuesday, Ecuadorian Security Minister Gustavo Larrea said Colombia has no military garrisons to guard its border with Ecuador. Colombia's largest insurgency group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), has hideouts on the border.
Sarkozy, Lula set common goals for Copenhagen summit
By EFE,
Paris : French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his Brazilian counterpart Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said thay have adopted a common position for the Copenhagen climate change summit that suggests, among other measures, the creation of a World Environmental Organisation.
The document that both will take to the Danish capital next month is "our climate bible", the Brazilian president told a press conference after his meeting with Sarkozy in the Elysee Palace Saturday.
Hillary Clinton wishes ‘Shubho Nobo Borsho’ to Bengalis
By IANS,
Washington : US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has wished "Shubho Nobo Borsho!" to Bengali communities around the world on "Poila Boishakh", the Bengali New Year.
NASA turns on humanoid robot in space station
By IANS,
London : NASA Tuesday turned on a humanoid robot in the International Space Station for the first time since it was delivered in February, a media report said.
Kelly Osbourne awarded Style Icon award
By IANS,
London: Singer Kelly Osbourne has been awarded as the Style Icon award at the Cosmopolitan Ultimate Women of The Year Awards 2012.
Bolivian president asks pope to abolish priestly celibacy
By IANS,
Vatican City : Pope Benedict XVI received Monday in the Vatican the president of Bolivia, Evo Morales, who sought the abolition of priestly celibacy and the admission of women to the priesthood.
After a 25-minute meeting, Morales with the help of an interpreter announced the handing over of a letter to the pontiff.
In the note, Morales described himself as a "member of the Catholic Church" and proposed "the need to overcome the crisis in the church, which, as you said, is wounded and sinful".
African migrants face racism in Australia
By IANS,
Melbourne : African migrants face racial discrimination in Australia at every level, the Australian Human Rights Commission has found.
Africans feel racism at work places, schools, while finding house and in the criminal justice system, the watchdog said in its report on the treatment towards one of Australia's newest migrant and refugee groups.
Younger African Australians complained of constant harassment by police, said the report which is based on interviews with more than 2,500 community members.
Citigroup launches counterattack to stabilise firm
By Arun Kumar,IANS,
Washington : Amid rumours about the impending departure of Vikram Pandit, the Indian-American CEO of Citigroup, the banking giant is reported to have launched a counterattack aimed at stabilising the company.
While Citigroup executives and directors continue to wrestle with the question whether drastic changes are needed at the New York firm, its officials have been talking in recent days to Treasury Department and Federal Reserve officials, the Wall Street Journal reported Sunday.
Nearly 22,500 killed in violent cyclone in Myanmar
By NNN-Xinhua,
Yangon : A total of 22,464 people have been killed in two divisions of Yangon and Ayeyawaddy in a violent cyclone storm Nargis that swept Myanmar's five divisions and states on last Friday and Saturday, according to state radio Tuesday evening.
Of the victims, 21,793 are in Ayeyawaddy division, while 671 are in Yangon division.
A total of 41,054 were missing -- 40,695 in Ayeyawaddy division and 359 in Yangon division, the report said, adding that 670 were injured in the Yangon division alone.
US goverment awards Lockheed Martin fro F-16 ATPS FOR PAKISTAN
WASHINGTON, May 15 (NNN-APP) -- The US government has awarded a contract to Lockheed Martin for 18 Sniper Advanced Targeting Pods (ATP), a part of the new Advanced Block 52 F-16 aircraft programme for Pakistan.
"This sale culminates a two year combined effort by Lockheed Martin's Missiles and Fire Control and Aeronautics businesses to upgrade the precision attack capability of one of our key allies," said Ken Fuhr, director of Fixed Wing Targeting Programmes at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control.
Marine biology laboratory to monitor Arabian waters
By IANS
Dubai : Nakheel, one of the world's largest real estate developers, and the United Nations University will jointly develop a marine biology laboratory for comprehensive environmental monitoring of the Arabian Gulf waters, WAM news agency said.
The United Nations University - International Network for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH) is a UN entity created to strengthen global water management capabilities. It will train staff on the latest ecological monitoring technology and provide unbiased and objective analysis.
Dubai : Nakheel, one of the world's largest real estate developers, and the United Nations University will jointly develop a marine biology laboratory for comprehensive environmental monitoring of the Arabian Gulf waters, WAM news agency said.
The United Nations University - International Network for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH) is a UN entity created to strengthen global water management capabilities. It will train staff on the latest ecological monitoring technology and provide unbiased and objective analysis.
North Korea speeds up its missile programme: Russian source
By RIA Novosti
Moscow : New test launches of short-range missiles by North Korea prove that the Communist regime has plans to continue with its missile programme, a high-ranking Russian defence source said.
Peace talks between Philippine government, MILF again break down
By Xinhua,
Manila : The peace talks between Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) held in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur on July 24 to 25 broke down because the government side attempted to make changes on the issues on ancestral domain, said the MILF on Saturday.
"The talks collapsed because the government was undoing already-settled issues on ancestral domain. The signing of Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain set for August 5 was cancelled," said Mohagher Iqbal, chief negotiator of the MILF, at the MILF website.
Olive tree in Italy to be named after Michelle Obama
By IANS,
Rome : A 1,400-year-old olive tree in Italy will be dedicated to American first lady Michelle Obama for her efforts to promote healthy eating.
Illegal immigrants face growing backlash across US
By DPA
Nashua (New Hampshire) : Bustling around his tiny Mexican restaurant, Jesus Hernandez briefly pauses during his 10-hour workday to complain about Americans who say illegal immigrants steal US jobs.
Sumatran tiger body parts sold openly in Indonesia
By DPA
Jakarta : Hides and bones of endangered Sumatran tigers are sold openly in Indonesia for traditional medicines and jewellery, an environmental group said in a report published Wednesday.
The Britain-based wildlife monitoring network Traffic said tiger body parts, including canine teeth, claws, fur, whiskers and bones were on sale in 10 percent of the 326 retail outlets surveyed during 2006 in 28 cities and towns across Sumatra.
UN expresses shock over Polish president’s death
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he was shocked over the death of Polish President Lech Kaczynski in a plane crash in western Russia that also killed 96 others on board Saturday.
"The Secretary-General was shocked to hear the news of the plane crash in which Polish President Lech Kaczynski, his wife and many other people, including senior officials, were killed in Smolensk, Russia," Ban's spokesman said.
Encouraging turnout in Bhutan’s historic mock polls
By Syed Zarir Hussain
IANSThimphu : The final round of mock elections in the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan, a dress rehearsal for the planned transformation of the 100-year-old monarchy to democracy, ended Monday with moderate to heavy polling.
Forty-three pipeline fire victims buried in Lagos
By DPA
Abuja : The death toll in a petroleum pipeline blast in Lagos, south-west Nigeria, rose to 43 on Wednesday as the corpses, which were burnt beyond recognition, were buried in a mass grave.
Scores of Nigerians scooping up leaking fuel burned to death on Tuesday when the vandalized pipeline they were stealing from burst into flames, police said Wednesday. The dead were men, women and children of various ages.
British Curry King survives to tell tale of Mumbai terror
By IANS,
London : Two British tycoons were caught in the terror strike at Mumbai's Taj Mahal Palace and Tower hotel. Mumbai-born Sir Gulam Noon, known as 'Curry King', lived to tell the tale. Leading yacht maker Andreas Liveras could not.
Liveras was the lone Briton to die in the attack. In contrast, it was for the second time that Noon had a miraculous escape in a terror strike in Mumbai. He had earlier escaped unhurt during the 1993 bomb blasts and he was staying at the Taj hotel at that time too.
China reports 900,000 TB cases in 2011
By IANS,
Beijing : Around 900,000 cases of tuberculosis were discovered and treated in China in 2011, the health ministry said.
The cases included 423,000 infectious cases,
Russia ‘confident’ Obama will study missile shield plan
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said that Moscow is "confident" the U.S. president-elect will look into the effectiveness of the Bush administration's plans for a Central European missile shield.
Lavrov said in an interview aired on the Moscow-based Ekho Moskvy radio station on Saturday that Barack Obama would "analyze the situation concerning the deployment" of elements of a U.S. missile shield in the Czech Republic and Poland "from the point of view of their cost and effectiveness."
Vatican names inspectors for Irish church sex scandal
By DPA,
Vatican City : The Vatican Monday announced that it will dispatch four senior clerics to Ireland in September as inspectors chosen by Pope Benedict XVI to investigate the handling of sex abuse cases involving priests there.
Benedict first referred to the probe, or apostolic visitation, in a March 19 letter to Irish Catholics in which he apologised to those who suffered molestations when they were children.
13 dissidents arrested in Cuba
Havana, Sep 28 (IANS) At least 13 opponents of Cuba's communist government who were to take part in a march here to demand better conditions for political prisoners have been arrested, said Marta Beatriz Roque, the dissident leader of the outlawed Assembly to Promote Civil Society.
Roque said Thursday that among those arrested was Jorge Luis Garcia Perez, known as "Antunez", who was released from prison in April after serving a 17-year sentence for opposing the government, reported Spanish news agency EFE.
Foreign investments worth Rs.541 crore approved
By IANS,
New Delhi : The government has cleared 22 foreign investment proposals worth Rs.541 crore, including a Rs.237.2-crore project of Mumbai-based telecom company Tikona Digital Networks, the finance ministry said Monday.
Kolkata-based water infrastructure company Electrosteel Castings and Anant Raj Industries are also among the companies whose projects got the government nod.
Electrosteel will pump in Rs.157.47 crore, while Anant Raj will invest Rs.90.2 crore, the government said.
Bush holds talks with Chinese president
By DPA,
Beijing : Chinese President Hu Jintao and his US counterpart George W. Bush held formal talks Sunday, after Bush appealed for greater religious freedom during a church visit earlier in the day.
Chinese state media said Hu hosted a banquet lunch for Bush at the government's Zhongnanhai leadership compound following the talks.
But the reports gave no immediate details of the talks, which were scheduled to last 30 minutes.
Bush earlier visited Beijing's Kuanjie Church for Sunday morning worship.
North Korea to punish ‘non-mourners’
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : North Koreans who did not mourn the death of "Dear Leader" Kim Jong-il can face at least six months in prison, a South Korean media outlet said Wednesday.
Russia to build new intercontinental missile by 2018
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Russia will build a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) by 2018, a senior military official has revealed.
Koirala’s daughter sinks, nephew rises in Nepal polls
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS
Kathmandu : Nepal Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala's dream of nurturing a dynasty was floundering Saturday after vote counting showed his daughter and minister without portfolio Sujata Koirala falling behind in the no-holds barred electoral battle in the volatile Terai plains.
However, his nephew Shashank Koirala is ahead in Nawalparasi in southwestern Nepal.
Kosovo secession legal, rules International Court of Justice
By DPA,
Belgrade/Pristina : The UN's International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled Thursday that Kosovo broke no laws by declaring independence, disappointing Belgrade and exhilarating Pristina.
Court President Justice Hisashi Owada said that international law contains no "prohibition on declarations of independence".
Over 53,000 couples in Beijing opt for second child
Beijing: Over 53,000 couples in Beijing have applied for a second child since the capital city changed its birth control policy in early 2014.
By...
‘Switch off TV, save 10 percent of your power bill’
By Joydeep Gupta, IANS,
Poznan (Poland) : Simple things like switching off your TV and computers, instead of keeping them on standby, can help save 10 percent of your electricity bill.
"I don't understand why people aren't doing it," says Diana Urge-Vorsatz, expert member of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), referring to simple things that people can do every day to reduce power bills and fight climate change at the same time.
Italians go to polls to elect new prime minister
By RIA Novosti
Rome : Italians are voting in a general election on Sunday to elect a new parliament and choose a new prime minister.
Center-right former prime minister and media magnate, Silvio Berlusconi, and center-left former Rome mayor, Walter Vetroni, are seen as the main contenders for Italy's premiership. Both candidates focused on economic matters during their election campaigns.
Polling stations opened at 8:00 a.m. (6:00 GMT) and will close at 3:00 p.m. (1:00 p.m. GMT) on Monday.
Seven die in Fiji cyclone
By DPA
Wellington : Seven people died after tropical Cyclone Gene strafed Fiji, cutting power lines and water supplies, wrecking crops and filling evacuation centres with families driven from their homes by flooding, according to reports received in New Zealand Wednesday.
As the cyclone moved off into the Pacific, the island state's Disaster Management Office said it had not been able to assess the total damage but half the country's population of about 920,000 may have been affected, Radio New Zealand reported.
Manila bars human rights critics’ arrival
Manila, Sep 28 (DPA) The Philippines has barred more than 500 human rights, labour and political activists from entering the country, alleging that they have links to terrorist organizations, an international human rights watchdog said Friday.
The New York-based Human Rights Watch said it has obtained a list by the Bureau of Immigration and the Department of Justice banning 504 people with "al-Qaeda/Taliban links" from entering the Philippines in July and August.
1,279 new dengue cases found in Chinese province
Beijing : China's Guangdong province has reported 1,279 new cases of dengue, health authorities said Sunday, pushing the total number of cases to 20,132.
A...
Ruling party accuses Maoists of killing a member
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS
Kathmandu : A ruling party in Nepal Monday said the Maoists - who are part of the coalition government - had killed one of its members in gross violation of the peace pact.
Former Israeli premier Sharon’s son jailed for fraud
By DPA
Tel Aviv : The son of former Israeli premier Ariel Sharon began serving a seven-month prison term Wednesday for fraudulently raising millions of Israeli shekels for his father's 1999 primaries campaign.
Awaited by scores of reporters, Omri Sharon, 43, arrived at Tel Aviv's district court Wednesday morning, from where he was taken to Israel's Ma'asiyahu prison, in Ramle south-east of Tel Aviv.