OSCE to tackle European security challenges
By DPA,
Athens : Foreign ministers at Europe's main security organisation OSCE agreed on a framework to tackle Europe's future security challenges.
Foreign ministers from 46 of the 56-nation Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), which includes the US and Russia, gathered here to look at developing a stronger security policy for Europe during the two-day meeting.
Nepal plans 12-fold increase in science budget
By IANS,
Kathmandu : The new Nepalese government is planning a $125 million science budget for the current year - a whopping 12-fold increase over that of last year.
The money will be allotted to the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology (MEST), with the budget likely to be approved next month.
Shortly before the country's April elections, the Maoist party - now with the largest number of seats in Nepal Assembly - released a manifesto declaring: "Without science a country cannot develop".
US Congress to Question “Imperial” President
By Prensa Latina,
Washington : The Judicial Committee for the House of Representatives of the United States will have a hearing next week to analyze "the imperial presidency of George W. Bush and possible legal answers".
Democrat John Conyers, head of the Committee, stated Friday that in the last seven years many accusations of Republican officials" misbehavior have been filed.
Thai-Cambodia border row exposes Asean’s Achilles’ heel
By John Grafilo, DPA,
Singapore : The failure of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (Asean) to settle an escalating border row between two of its members has sorely exposed the bloc's weakness in resolving disputes within the organization.
Fresh from its successful work in spearheading an international humanitarian mission into cyclone-devastated Myanmar, the 10-country Asean abdicated from mediating in the dispute between Thailand and Cambodia.
China says 5 million left homeless in quake
By SPA,
Chengdu, China : China said it was struggling to find shelter for many of the 5 million people whose homes were destroyed in last week's earthquake, while the region remained jittery Tuesday over warnings of aftershocks.
Meanwhile, rescuers pulled a 31-year-old man to safety, the second case of someone being found alive a week after the May 12 earthquake struck Sichuan province. Officials say the death toll is expected to surpass 50,000, and millions have been left homeless.
US, Cuba hold highest-level meeting after 1959
Panama City : US Secretary of State John Kerry and Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez held a highest-level meeting in Panama City after a...
Anti-Israel protests target UK bank
London, Jan 17, IRNA -- One of Britain’s leading banks is being targeted in the latest wave of anti-Israel demonstrations across the country, protesting against the ongoing slaughter of more than 1,000 Palestinians in Gaza.
Protests were being held by the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign (SPSC) Saturday at Lloyds TSB in Edinburgh and Glasgow after the bank stopped clearing the cheques of Britain’s largest Palestinian charity, Interpal.
Cuba doesn’t lack future generation of leaders: Vice president
By IANS/EFE,
Havana : First Vice President Jose Ramon Machado has said that Cuba does not lack leaders to replace those who carried out the revolution that brought Fidel Castro to power in 1959, the Juventud Rebelde newspaper reported.
"The leaders of the future are everywhere," 79-year-old Machado said Sunday in an address to the Union of Communist Youth, or UJC, a party entity, in the coastal city of Cienfuegos.
"There are always many who have the qualifications. You have to reach them and have a good organisational policy," he said.
Australia defends APEC’s climate fudge
By DPA
Sydney : Australian officials Sunday trumpeted as "an enormous diplomatic breakthrough" the acceptance by 21 Asia-Pacific countries meeting in Sydney of "aspirational goals" for reducing the greenhouse-gas emissions that cause climate change.
"This is the first occasion ever that China, which is becoming the world's largest carbon dioxide emitter, has agreed to any notion of targets at all for developing countries as well as developed countries," Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said. "That is, by the way, an enormous diplomatic breakthrough."
Chinese premier calls for close ties with Japan
By IANS,
Tokyo : Visiting Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao Sunday called for deepening ties with Japan, playing down "problems and misunderstandings between the two countries".
Addressing a gathering here, Wen said: "Although there are problems and conflicts between the two countries, and some misunderstanding between the two peoples, I am confident the China-Japan friendship is rooted among the two peoples and we must inherit and push forward the friendship."
Cheney lashes out at Obama after airline attack
By DPA,
Washington : Former US vice president Dick Cheney has accused President Barack Obama of "trying to pretend we are not at war" with terrorists in the wake of the Christmas Day attack on a US airliner.
In a statement to Politico published Wednesday, Cheney said Obama's policies have sought to cast aside the realities of the war on terrorism by taking a "low key" response to an attack, suspected of being carried out by a Nigerian citizen with Al Qaeda ties.
I am president because of Mahatma Gandhi: Obama
By IANS,
New Delhi: US President Barack Obama Monday paid his ultimate homage to Mahatma Gandhi -- for guiding him to the presidency of the world's oldest democracy.
US says it’s closer to missile defence deal with Czech Republic
By Xinhua
Washington : The US has said that it is closer to a deal with the Czech Republic to deploy radar units in that country as part of the US missile defence system in Europe.
"We are moving ever closer to an agreement with the Czech Republic. Hopefully, we'll have something to announce within a matter of weeks, and not longer than that," Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell said Tuesday.
Talks with the Czech Republic "continue to progress very, very well", he said, adding that there is no progress in the US diplomatic efforts to engage Russia.
UN condemns Nepal poll killing
By IANS
Kathmandu : Condemnations came in soon after an armed group gunned down a communist candidate in the turbulent Terai plains in south Nepal, raising concerns about the security situation and the future of the twice-postponed polls.
The UN Mission in Nepal (UNMIN), which is observing the crucial April 10 election to ensure it is free and fair, issued a press statement expressing deep concern over the killing of Kamal Prasad Adhikari of the Rastriya Jana Morcha party, who was shot repeatedly by three armed men at his residence in Betahani village in violence-prone Banke district.
US court rules against Obama’s immigration programme
Washington : A US federal appeals court on Tuesday refused to allow President Barack Obama's immigration programme to take effect immediately, putting his immigration...
Myanmar Referendum A Sham, Says Human Rights Watch
By Bernama,
Bangkok : The May 10 Myanmar referendum on a new constitution is a sham process aimed at entrenching the military as conditions for free and fair voting do not exist, the Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a new report released Thursday.
Brad Adams, Asia director at HRW, said the country's ruling generals were showing their true colours by continuing to arrest anyone opposed to the referendum and denying the population the right to a public discussion of the merits of the draft constitution.
Russia aims big, can build 10 more n-reactors in India
By IANS,
New Delhi : A day after India and Russia inked a civil nuclear accord that envisages Russia building four additional reactors in Tamil Nadu, Russian ambassador to India Vyacheslav Trubnikov Saturday raised the stakes saying that his country was capable of supplying 10 more reactors to India.
"We are capable of supplying 10 more nuclear plants," the envoy replied when asked whether Russia had discussed new sites for the construction of Russian-design nuclear power plants with India.
"It's for the Indian government to decide," he said.
Shipbuilding top priority for India: Modi to Hyundai head
Ulsan (South Korea) : Shipbuilding is a top priority for India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi told the chairman of Korean manufacturing giant Hyundai Heavy...
Vietnam Increases Fighting against Drug Trafficking
By Prensa Latina
Hanoi : The Vietnamese Anti-Drug Police Department (DPD) issued an alert because of the international drug-trafficking attempts to extend its activities in this country.
Starting from this situation, the Anti-Drug Police Department decided to intensify international cooperation in this field, and diversify the methods of investigation.
Two Coast Guard men rescued from Sri Lankan fishermen
By IANS,
Chennai : The Indian Navy Friday afternoon rescued two Indian Coast Guard personnel held captive by two Sri Lankan fishermen in their boat since Wednesday.
"The Lankan fishing vessel was located around 200 km east of Chennai. Naval personal boarded the fishing vessel and rescued the Coast Guard personnel. The Lankan fishermen and their vessel have been towed to Vishakapatnam," a naval official said.
The apprehended Sri Lankan fishing trawler will be handed over to police to initiate penal action as per Maritime Zones of India Act 1976.
BP begins test for last effort to cap oil leak
By DPA,
Washington : Oil giant BP Wednesday began a critical test to determine whether it can finally stop an oil leak that has been gushing from a ruptured well in the Gulf of Mexico for nearly three months.
The start of BP Plc's "integrity test" came after the US government, which had delayed the procedure for more than 24 hours over safety concerns, gave its final go-ahead on the condition that BP take some extra precautions.
Civil servants quit en masse in southern Nepal
By IANS
Kathmandu : As Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala's government began a battle for survival in parliament Monday, civil servants began quitting en masse in protest against the growing insecurity in the Terai plains.
A total of 99 secretaries resigned from village development committees (VDCs) - municipal bodies - in Sarlahi district in southern Nepal, saying they felt unsafe working in villages.
Obama lands in Strasbourg for NATO meeting
By DPA,
Strasbourg (France) : US President Barack Obama landed in Strasbourg Friday ahead of a NATO summit in the French city.
The presidential Air Force One plane landed in France shortly after 11 a.m. after flying from Stansted airport in London, where Obama attended the G20 meeting.
The US president, wearing a dark suit and blue tie, was accompanied by his wife Michelle, who was wearing a black overcoat with a pattern of mauve roses.
Job losses reflect economy in recession: Bush
By DPA,
Washington : President George W. Bush Friday said he was concerned about the more than 500,000 US jobs lost in November as the economic recession deepens, and insisted his administration was helping ease the credit crisis at the heart of the economic downturn.
The rise in the US unemployment rate to 6.7 percent "reflects the fact that our economy is in a recession," Bush said. US economists this week officially declared the world's largest economy has been in a recession since December 2007.
Germans spend one million euros for decorating Christmas tree
By Sedqi Hamdan, KUNA
Berlin : Residents of German cities, towns and villages have been preparing for Christmas since the beginning of this month. The annual joyful occasion falls on December 24 and lasts for three days.
Preparations are reaching the climax. This is obvious everywhere, whether on the streets, at markets, houses and shops.
The most prominent manifestations of the preparations could be seen in Christmas markets that are held in neighborhoods, displaying ornamented materials, beverages and food for this special occasion.
A valuable insight into Sri Lanka’s peace process
By M.R. Narayan Swamy, IANS,
The book, "A Powderkeg in Paradise", is not a historical account of the Tamil separatist campaign that bled Sri Lanka for a quarter century before the military finally decimated the Tamil Tigers in May 2009. In nearly 250 crisp and easy to read pages, Jon Oskar Solnes delves into his rich and intimate knowledge of the conflict, gained as an official of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM), to tell the world why and how the once seemingly indestructible Tamil Tigers lost it so badly.
Satyam demands apology from World Bank
By IANS,
Hyderabad : Taking objection to certain statements made by the World Bank, India's fourth largest software services company Satyam Computer Services Thursday demanded an apology from the international aid institution.
The company, in a statement here, said it "vigorously objects to certain inappropriate statements made by World Bank representatives reported recently in the press".
Satyam urged the World Bank to withdraw the statements and apologise for the harm done to the company.
Abkhazian president sets off on Moscow visit
By RIA Novosti,
Sukhumi : Sergei Bagapsh, the president of Georgia's breakaway republic of Abkhazia, has left the province on an official visit to Russia, a spokesman for the Abkhaz government said on Tuesday.
Relations between Russia and Georgia have been strained in recent months, since Russia stepped up support for Abkhazia and sent more peacekeeping troops into the region. Tbilisi has accused the Kremlin of trying to annex the territory.
Myanmar’s frustrated aid drive puts faith in ASEAN
By DPA,
Bangkok : Frustrated by the Myanmar junta's constraints on a relief drive for 2.5 million people affected by Cyclone Nargis, the international aid community is counting on the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) to speed things up, aid workers said Thursday.
The United Nations and Asean will hold a pledging conference in Yangon Sunday to seek donations for an accelerated aid drive for the victims of Cyclone Nargis, which hit Myanmar's central coast on May 2-3 leaving at least 133,000 people dead or missing.
Six million expected to vote in Gilgit-Baltistan polls
Islamabad : About six million registered voters are expected to go to polls on Monday to elect 24 members of Pakistani Kashmir's Gilgit-Baltistan legislative...
UN chief condemns attack on mosque in Iraq
United Nations: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has condemned in the strongest terms the attack on a mosque in eastern Iraq Friday that killed up...
Poland ready to talk missile shield with Russia, the U.S.
By RIA Novosti
Warsaw : Warsaw is ready to hold talks with Russia and Washington on the proposed U.S. anti-missile shield if it is deployed in Poland, the deputy foreign minister said.
At a meeting on Sunday in south Russia, U.S. President George W. Bush and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin once again failed to overcome their differences on the U.S. missile defense, but agreed to continue negotiations.
No midterm climate goals to come from G8 summit: Japan
By DPA,
Tokyo : Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda Tuesday quashed expectations that leaders at July's Group of Eight (G8) summit would reach agreement on medium-term goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
The G8, which consists of seven of the world's leading economies and Russia, is "no forum" to decide such an issue, Fukuda said in Tokyo in an interview with the largest news agencies from the G8 countries.
An agreement on midterm emissions cuts was instead the "main challenge" for UN-organized climate talks that are set to wrap up at the end of next year, he said.
Voting begins in Indonesia elections
By Xinhua,
Jakarta : Indonesians began voting Thursday morning in parliamentary elections, the third since the fall of the Suharto dictatorship in 1998.
Voting began at 7 a.m. in Indonesia's easternmost Papua province in the sprawling archipelago nation of more than 17,000 islands spanning three different time zones.
There are about 171 million eligible voters, who will elect members of the national parliament, regional representatives and districts parliamentary members from 38 national political parties and six local parties in Aceh province.
Mexico flies first plane with bio-fuel
By IANS,
Mexico City : Mexico has carried out the country's first flight using fuel made from plants in an Airbus A320 plane.
World’s oldest man dies at 112 in Japan
Tokyo: Sakari Momoi, a Japanese man recognised as the world's oldest male by Guinness World Records, has died at the age of 112, a...
49 killed in Nigeria twin blasts
Abuja: At least 49 people were killed and many injured when two powerful explosions rocked a market in the Nigerian city of Gombe, a...
18,500 bottles of fake vodka destroyed in China
By IANS,
Beijing : More than 18,500 bottles of counterfeit vodka were destroyed Monday after customs officers seized the goods before they entered China's northern city of Tianjin.
Maoists renew attack on rivals ahead of polls
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS
Kathmandu : With less than a month left for the crucial constituent assembly election in Nepal, the Maoists, who signed a peace pact after a decade-old war on the state, have renewed their attack on rivals, raising doubts about the freeness and fairness of the polls.
75 kg cocaine seized at Moroccan airport
Rabat (Morocco): At least 75 kg of cocaine was seized in Morrocco after two people were arrested at the Casablanca airport, a media report...
WikiLeaks accuses Hillary Clinton to stealing its logo
Washington : International whistleblower organisation Wikileaks has accused former US first lady and secretary of state Hillary Clinton of stealing its “innovative” Twitter logo...
Shortages become acute on ground in Haiti
By DPA,
Port-au-Prince: Time was rapidly running out to find survivors from the devastating earthquake which struck Haiti this week, the International Committee of the Red Cross warned Friday.
Haiti woke up Friday with the critical 72-hour window to find survivors drawing to a close and without much of the international aid it so desperately needs. Transporting supplies and humanitarian workers has been hampered by poor roads and an airport unable to work to full capacity.
68 combatants killed in Sri Lanka’s weekend clashes
By IANS,
Colombo : At least 51 Tamil Tigers and 17 soldiers were killed and over 120 wounded in weekend clashes in Sri Lanka's northeast, military authorities said Monday.
According to the Media Centre for National Security (MCNS), 28 guerrillas of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and nine soldiers were killed Saturday and 23 rebels and eight soldiers Sunday in fierce clashes in Kilinochchi, Vavuniya, Weli-Oya and Mullaitivu areas.
Almost 90 LTTE cadres and 34 soldiers were wounded in these clashes.
US president’s inauguration speech not a legal requirement
By Xinhua,
Washington : Since George Washington's first inauguration in 1789, every president has delivered an inauguration speech, although it is not a legal requirement.
Washington's second inaugural address is the shortest on record, with 135 words.
The longest inauguration speech was delivered by William Henry Harrison. It was 8,445 words long.
Harrison gave this speech outdoors in the bitter cold March 4, 1841.
One month later, he died of pneumonia, which was believed to have been brought on by his exposure to the severe cold.
Russia Air Drills over Atlantic Successful
By Prensa Latina
Moscow : All exercises scheduled in the joint maneuvers by the Russian Air Force and Navy over the Atlantic and Arctic oceans were successfully accomplished, a military source confirmed Sunday.
Over one hundred flights carried out mock battles, reconnaissance missions, patrolling, and refuelling. The operations included bombing and missile launching against supposed enemy naval and air groups, according to a release by the Russian Air Force.
Russian space freighter undocked from ISS
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Russian space freighter has undocked from the International Space Station Monday to embark on a two-month flight to carry out a geophysical experiment.
The Progress M-04M space freighter had been docked with the ISS since Feb 5 and will now remain in autonomous flight for two months to take part in a geophysical experiment to study the reflective characteristics of the freighter's hull and the transparency of the earth's atmosphere, a mission control spokesperson said.
It will then be "buried" in the Pacific Ocean July 1.
Infectious diseases killed 1,400 in China
By IANS,
Beijing : Infectious diseases led to the death of at least 1,419 people in China in July, the health ministry said Wednesday.
UK told to consult more widely on changing Israeli war crime arrests
London, March 19, IRNA – The UK government has sent its controversial plans to restrict the arrest of Israeli leaders for alleged war crimes to judicial authorities and human rights groups after being told by MPs to consult more widely.
Justice Minister Claire Ward said copies had now been sent to Lord Chief Justice, the Senior Presiding Judge, the Chief Magistrate, the Justices' Clerks' Society, the Criminal Bar Association, the Law' Society, Liberty, JUSTICE, and Amnesty International.
Moral victory for India in British parliament’s Kashmir debate
London: The British government Thursday condemned terrorism and violence and rejected mediation in the dispute between India and Pakistan on Kashmir in a parliamentary...
China pledges reconciliation with Taiwan
By SPA,
Beijing : China vowed on Thursday to seize a chance for reconciliation with Taiwan and respect the desire of Taiwan's people to be their own masters, a sign it is in no hurry to bring the island it claims as its own back to the fold, according to Reuters.
Chinese Minister of Taiwan Affairs Chen Yunlin, speaking two days after Ma Ying-jeou became Taiwan's new president, ending the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party's troubled eight-year rule, said both sides were making "positive" efforts to resume negotiations. There is no timetable for talks.
Seoul preparing for inter-Korea summit: former premier
By Xinhua
Seoul : Seoul had begun preparations for a new round of inter-Korea summit this year amid progress on nuclear issues with Pyongyang, former South Korean prime minister Lee Hae-chan said Monday.
Bomb victims compensated in Sri Lanka
By Xinhua,
Colombo : The Sri Lankan government has begun paying compensation to the victims of Friday evening's bomb attack, which was blamed on Tamil Tiger rebels, officials said on Sunday..
"We have already paid compensation to 11 victims," A. C. N. Razak, secretary to the Ministry of Rehabilitation and Resettlement said.
The bomb which went off on a crowded bus in the Colombo's populated suburb of Piliyandala on Friday night killed 26 and injured 72 passengers.
Police jeep caught in explosion in eastern Sri Lanka
By DPA
Colombo : A powerful pressure mine ripped through a police jeep injuring three policemen in an area recently captured from the Tamil rebels in eastern Sri Lanka, a military spokesman said Tuesday.
The mine went off in Karadiyanarua, Batticaloa, 280 km east of the capital, as the policemen were returning after inspecting a new police station opened in the area to restore civil administration in the region, he said.
Asia tries to block swine flu after four confirmed cases
By DPA,
Seoul : South Korea Saturday reported East Asia's second human case of swine flu as other countries in the region sought to minimise the risks of infections by cancelling flights and imposing visa requirements on Mexico, the worst-hit country in the outbreak.
The 51-year-old nun in South Korea confirmed to have the H1N1 strain of the flu has been isolated in hospital since Tuesday after displaying flu symptoms following her return a week ago from Mexico, the Korea Centre for Disease Control and Prevention said.
US citizen arrested in Chicago for attempting to join IS
Washington: An US citizen has been arrested at Chicago airport for attempting to travel overseas to join the Islamic State (IS), the US Justice...
Terror threat rises in Britain: police chief
By Xinhua
London : Britain's top police officer revealed here Tuesday that the number of terrorist plots in Britain is increasing "year on year".
Ian Blair, chief of the Metropolitan Police, told the Home Affairs Select Committee that at present there is no need to extend the maximum detention period for terrorism suspects without charge from 28 days, although there will be in the near future, Sky news reported.
The chief urged the parliament to find a way to prolong the detention period before an atrocity occurs.
Most kids don’t require scans after head injury
By IANS,
Washington : Most kids who get CT (computed tomography) scans after seemingly minor head injuries do not need them. The scan only exposes them to heightened radiation risk and cancer, a new study says.
After analysing more than 42,000 children with head trauma, a team led by two University of California-Davis (UC-D) trauma physicians has developed guidelines to prevent children from exposure to such risks.
The study uses data collected at 25 hospitals from children who were evaluated for the possibility of serious brain injury following trauma to the head.
Ukraine’s debt for Russian gas supplies in 2007 paid in full
By RIA Novosti
Kiev : Ukraine has paid over $1 billion to Gazprom to clear its debt for Russian gas supplies in 2007, Ukrainian First Deputy Prime Minister Oleksandr Turchinov said on Wednesday.
The presidents of Russia and Ukraine agreed on a roadmap two weeks ago to settle Kiev's overall $1.5 billion debt for Russian gas supplies in 2007 and 2008.
"Ukraine's debt as of January 1, 2008 has been paid off," Turchinov told a Cabinet meeting.
French firm bags Abu Dhabi energy project deal
By IANS,
Abu Dhabi : French energy firm GDF SUEZ Energy International has bagged a multimillion dollar contract to supply power and water to the emirate of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for the next 20 years.
Though the exact figure of the deal has not been disclosed, GDF SUEZ will own 40 percent of the Shuweihat 2 power generation and seawater desalination plant while the remaining 60 percent will be with the Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority (ADWEA), reports said.
Cuban Medical Team back from China
By Prensa Latina,
Havana : The Cuban medical brigade of the Henry Reeve International Contingent, returned home, after several weeks of intensive work attending victims of the earthquake that devastated China.
The island"s Public Health Minister Jose Ramon Balaguer highlighted in the Monday welcoming ceremony the work carried out by the members.
The brigade, comprised of 36 experts in surgery, orthopedics, intensive medicine, laboratory, radiology and physiotherapists, worked in the hospital of Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province, where the tremor took place.
Kyrgyzstan president sworn in for second term
By Xinhua,
Almaty (Kyrgyzstan): Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev was sworn in Sunday for his second term in office, media reports said.
Bakiyev was re-elected in the country's presidential election July 23, winning 76.12 percent of the votes.
The main opposition candidate, Almazbek Atambayev, garnered only 8.41 percent of the votes, according to results announced by the country's Central Election Commission.
It was the fifth general election of the country since its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.
Seven killed in Indonesia cafe fire
By IANS,
Jakarta : Seven people, including a pregnant woman, were killed in a fire in a cafe in Indonesia Friday, police said.
The fire gutted the cafe in Surabaya, capital of East Java province, and one of the victims was a pregnant woman, a police officer named Ngadiran was quoted as saying by Xinhua.
S Koreans to hold protests against Bush’s visit to Seoul
By Xinhua,
Seoul : Thousands of South Koreans plan to hold protests against U.S. President George W. Bush's visit to Seoul on Tuesday amid tightened security measures in the capital city.
Civic activists against U.S. beef imports vowed to stage candlelight rally from 7 p.m. local time (1000 GMT) in Seoul. Organizers expected about 1,000 people will participate in the gathering, local media reported.
College students also planned to hold a protest near the U.S. embassy in downtown Seoul in the day.
LTTE’s last stronghold Mullaitivu captured: Lankan army chief
By P. Karunakharan, IANS,
Colombo : Sri Lankan troops fighting their way into the areas of the Tamil Tiger rebels Sunday captured the rebels' last major bastion of Mullaitivu, dealing severe body blow to the beleaguered rebel outfit, the island-nation's army chief said Sunday.
"Mullaitivu, the (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) LTTE garrison town has been completely captured by our heroic troops. It is now totally under our control," Army Chief Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka announced through the national television.
Two jailed for killing man by pouring boiling water
By IANS,
London: Two men have been jailed for life in Britain for murdering a 70-year-old man whom they tortured by pouring boiling water over him, BBC reported Friday.
Pollution forces birds to change their tune
By IANS
London : A new study reveals that male wild birds exposed to pollution develop more complex songs, preferred by the females, though they show reduced immunity.
Katherine Buchanan and her colleagues at Cardiff University came to this conclusion after studying male European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) foraging at a sewage treatment works in southwestern Britain.
Analysing earthworms that constituted their prey, the researchers found that birds exposed to greater pollution developed longer and more complex songs compared to a control group male birds.
No Deal for Mbeki in Zimbabwe
By Prensa Latina,
Harare : South African President Thabo Mbeki left Harare without landing the coveted national unity deal between President Robert Mugabe and opposition Morgan Tsvangirai.
Mbeki left Zimbabwe after confirming a possible arrangement between Mugabe and the head of a splinter of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), Arthur Mutambara.
Still, government sources say the pact has not been signed due to disagreements with Tsvangirai.
Al Qaeda launches English online magazine
By IANS,
Washington : In a move that is being seen as a way to recruit more US-born terrorists, militant outfit Al Qaeda launched what it is calling its first English language online magazine.
The magazine, called "Inspire", was posted on radical Islamist websites, the CNN reported citing SITE Intelligence Group, an organisation that tracks terror groups.
The launch of the magazine, however, did not go smoothly as only three pages of what was billed as a 67-page magazine appeared online. A fourth page showed nothing but garbled images.
India beat Afghanistan to win SAFF title
Thiruvananthapuram: Skipper Sunil Chhetri struck in extra-time to enable India claim their seventh SAFF Championship title by defeating a spirited Afghanistan 2-1 in a...
Woman arrested for killing her seven babies in US
Washington: Police in the US state of Utah Sunday arrested a 39-year-old woman for killing her seven infants over a 10-year period, the media...
Bush to host Obama, former presidents at White House lunch
By DPA,
Washington : US President George W. Bush will host former presidents and his successor, Barack Obama, at the White House for a private meeting during lunch Wednesday, the White House said.
The meeting will mark the first gathering of all former presidents at the White House since 1981, spokeswoman Dana Perino said. Bush and Obama will hold a private one-on-one meeting before the expanded presidential gathering, she said.
Among the living presidents are Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton, along with the current and future White House occupants Bush and Obama.
US trade mission to visit Sri Lanka
By IANS,
Colombo : A multi-sector US trade mission - the first since the end of the Sri Lankan conflict - will travel to Colombo Feb 7-8 after visiting India.
British campaigners defend Asian journalist against prying police
By IANS,
London : Senior journalists and freedom of expression campaigners in Britain Monday protested a bid by British police to force an acclaimed Asian journalist to hand over his notes from interviews with a former Al Qaeda terrorist.
A British court this week is to hear the case against Greater Manchester Police, which is also trying to force four international media groups to hand over notes from interviews with journalist Shiv Malik.
Putin turns 55, celebrates last birthday as president in Kremlin
MOSCOW, October 7 (RIA Novosti) - President Vladimir Putin is celebrating Sunday his 55th birthday in the Kremlin, for the eighth and last time in the president's capacity.
Putin who remains widely popular in Russia amid oil-driven economic growth in the country said he would celebrate his birthday with members of the Russian Security Council, and senior military and security officers.
Over 2,300 now dead from cholera in Haiti
By IANS/EFE,
Port-au-Prince : A total of 2,323 people have died and 104,614 have been sickened so far in the cholera epidemic besieging Haiti since mid-October, authorities said Monday.
US Congress wants to keep Myanmar import ban
By IANS,
Washington : The US Congress Thursday voted to extend a ban on imports from Myanmar by one year despite recent easing of other sanctions against the country.
Bush signs law to remove Mandela’s ‘terrorist’ tag
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : President George W. Bush signed a bill Tuesday removing Nelson Mandela's name from its lists of terrorists - over 14 years after he was elected South Africa's president.
The new law removes from US immigration watch lists the name of the South African leader and others on the list because of a relationship with the African National Congress (ANC), South Africa's ruling party since 1994.
Five killed as Maoist activists clash with police in west Nepal
By DPA,
Kathmandu : At least five people, including a police officer, were killed after violent clashes erupted between police and Maoist supporters in western Nepal, media reports said Saturday.
The clashes erupted Friday after police tried to evict thousands of illegal settlers occupying forest land in Kailali district, about 400 kilometres west of the capital, Kantipur newspaper reported.
The Maoist-aligned squatters had been illegally occupying forest land and constructed huts to start a settlement last week.
People rebuked at work buy expensive items with credit card
By IANS,
London : People feeling low after a rebuke or threat at the workplace often shop for expensive, luxurious items, paying with their credit cards.
Italian police bust online child-pornography ring
By IANS,
Rome: At least 10 people were arrested in Italy as police carried out a nationwide raid on a child-pornography ring Monday, having discovered over five million such images.
Suspicious package prompts partial evacuation of British parliament
London : Part of the British Parliament was evacuated Monday morning after a suspicious package was discovered, media reported.
People in the offices of Portcullis...
Italy’s parliament dissolved, fresh polls in April
By DPA
Rome : Italian President Giorgio Napolitano Wednesday announced he had "regrettably" dissolved Italy's parliament, paving the way for a snap election without first reforming the country's electoral law.
"Regrettably, I have to take a decision which will bring voters back to the polls" without parliament first approving electoral law reform, Napolitano said in a televised statement.
Russia, Iran agree on schedule for Bushehr plant
By SPA
Moscow : Russia and Iran on Thursday reached agreement on a schedule for finishing construction of the Bushehr nuclear plant, Russian news agencies reported.
The reports cited the head of plant contractor Atomstroiexport, Sergei Shmatko, as saying details of the timetable will be released later this month.
Hundreds flee fresh terror in Nepal’s Terai plains
By IANS
Kathmandu : As the peace pact signed between Maoist guerrillas and Nepal's multi-party government turned one year old, fresh terror rose in the southern Terai plains, causing hundreds to flee in dread.
A new armed group calling itself the Terai Tigers has been spreading terror in Sunsari district, causing at least 150 families to leave their homes and seek shelter in the bordering districts, Nepal's state media said Wednesday.
“Yes” side claims lead in Irish referendum on Lisbon Treaty
By DPA,
Dublin : The "Yes" side was claiming that an exit poll showed strong support for the European Union's Lisbon Treaty as vote-counting in Ireland's second Lisbon Referendum got under way Saturday.
Opposition Fine Gael, who campaigned for a "Yes" vote, has claimed that an exit poll shows there has been strong support for the treaty, Ireland's national broadcaster RTE reported.
The party carried out an exit poll using a representative sample of 1,000 voters in 33 locations around the country.
Sarkozy, Brown humbled at EU summit
By DPA
Brussels : European Union (EU) leaders humbled French President Nicolas Sarkozy Thursday by watering down his ambitious plans to create a union of Mediterranean countries.
They also gave British premier Gordon Brown thumbs down by opposing his idea of reducing VAT rates for environmentally friendly fridges and televisions.
The EU's traditional spring summit in Brussels, which was due to end Friday, was largely devoted to finding ways of reviving the European economy, securing its energy supplies and stopping global warming.
Insurgents bomb rail track in Thailand
By Xinhua,
Bangkok : Insurgents Saturday morning detonated a huge bomb along an important rail track in Thailand's southernmost Ruso district, causing suspension of rail service in the entire south of the country.
The 10 kg bomb, wrapped inside a big iron box, was detonated by a mobile phone signal while six railway inspectors were checking facilities along the track at about 7 a.m., the Traffic Radio reported.
One railway inspector was injured in the blast and was rushed to hospital, the radio said.
Kerry starts Kenya visit to underline anti-terrorism cooperation
Nairobi : US Secretary of State John Kerry has arrived in Nairobi and started his visit in Africa, with fighting terrorism and regional situation...
`Lack of hard currency Cuba’s most pressing problem’
By IANS/EFE,
Havana : Cuban Vice President Marino Murillo has said that a shortage of hard currency remains the most pressing problem for the island's communist government.
Murillo, who is also economy minister, said that Cuba needs bigger exports and import substitution to generate reserves.
The vice president told a gathering of economists that the government is giving priority to revenue-producing sectors such as tourism, telecommunications and civil aviation, Communist Party daily Granma reported.
Press Council condemns Paris terror attack
New Delhi : The Press Council of India (PCI) Thursday condemned as "barbaric" and "brutal" the attack on a French satirical magazine in which...
Israels home building in West Bank “jeopardize” peace process – White House
By KUNA
Washington : The White House said on Tuesday that Israels plans to build new homes in the occupied Palestinian territories could "jeopardize" US efforts to resolve the Palestinian Israeli conflict.
Israel is considering to build around 300 new homes within the 1967 occupied territories in the West Bank, which is threatening to halt the negotiation track between Palestinians and Israelis nearly two weeks after the Annapolis conference last month.
Beach vacations likely to increase skin cancer risk in kids
By IANS,
Washington : Vacationing by the beach might not be so safe for your kids, as it exposes them to a higher risk of skin cancer, according to a new study.
For instance, it led to a five percent increase in moles among seven-year-old children. Their numbers are a major risk factor for malignant melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer.
Melanoma rates have been rising dramatically over recent decades. More than 62,000 Americans are diagnosed with melanoma each year and more than 8,000 die.
Eurofighter fully combat ready, Royal Air Force
By KUNA,
London : The British Royal Air Force (RAF) was Tuesday declaring the Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft capable of carrying out ground attacks, as well as its original air defence role, it was announced here.
The hi-tech fighter jets costing 67 million pounds each have been upgraded and training exercises have been taking place, the RAF said.
Critics have said the Typhoon is an outdated Cold War weapon, unsuitable for modern wars against terrorists and insurgents, but the RAF said the upgrade means the fighter will be able to operate more effectively in Iraq and Afghanistan.
House approves easing US restrictions on Cuba travel
By IANS,
Washington : The US House of Representatives has approved a $410 billion spending bill that includes a provision easing the restrictions the Bush administration imposed on Cuban-Americans' travel and remittances to Cuba.
The lawmakers passed the measure by a 245-178 vote that will permit Cuban-Americans to visit their families in the island nation once a year, and not once every three years as current rules stipulate.
UN Security Council to discuss Russian-Georgian dispute
By RIA Novosti,
United Nations : The United Nations Security Council has scheduled a meeting for Wednesday on Georgia's request, to discuss accusations of Russian aggression in Abkhazia, a breakaway Georgian region.
The latest dispute over the province, one of two regions that Tbilisi says Russia is trying to annex, was fueled on Monday when Georgia said a Russian fighter jet shot down an unmanned reconnaissance plane in Georgian airspace. Russia's Air Force denies the allegation.
‘Russian billionaire in bid to buy British paper’
By IANS,
London : A Russian billionaire and former KGB agent's approach to buy the Evening Standard, London's traditional daily, has been rebuffed by its owners, according to media reports Friday.
Viscount Rothermere, the controlling shareholder of the Daily Mail and General Trust (DMGT), rebuffed an approach by Alexander Lebedev, former first director of the Soviet spy agency KGB, who made his fortune from banking, the Times reported.
WHO researchers’ call for action on childhood environmental health
By IANS,
Washington : Exposure to environmental threats can affect children's health and development early in life and into adulthood.
World Health Organisation (WHO) and Boston University scientists suggest that it is time for both industrialised and developing countries to assess the environmental burden of childhood diseases.
Domestic intelligence foils terror plot in Morocco
Rabat : Moroccan authorities have foiled a terror plot in the north African nation's northeastern town of Salwane which envisaged terror acts, including assassination...
Girl suspected to be raped by uncle, killed by mother
By RIA Novosti,
Petropavlovsky-Kamchatsky (Russia) : A three-year-old girl was killed in Russia's Far East by her mother who suspected that her brother had raped her daughter, a spokesman for investigators said Friday.
Investigators in the town of Yelizovo have established that in July 2008 the 30-year-old woman suspected that her brother had raped her daughter and that it would be better for the girl to die after this.
"The woman thought that the girl should not live after what had happened and stabbed her 25 times with a kitchen knife."
France declines comment on US-IAEA strain
By KUNA,
Paris : France declined Monday to comment strong criticism of the United States by the Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Mohammed El-Baradei, who reacted strongly to not having been informed about US intelligence information on alleged Syrian-North Korean nuclear cooperation.
El-Baradei said that statements by the US, which were subsequently echoed by France, undermined the role of the UN nuclear watchdog and he cautioned unilateral action by members was counterproductive.
US Congress honours first Indian American member
By Arun Kumar, IANS
Washington : Dilip Singh Saund, the first Indian-American to be elected to the US Congress nearly 50 years before Louisiana governor elect Bobby Jindal, has been honoured with a portrait in the complex.
Saund, who represented the 29th congressional district of California in the US House of Representatives from 1957 until 1963, is the seventh person to be so honoured.
27 mn people displaced within their own country: UN
By IANS/WAM,
Geneva : The number of people forcibly displaced within their own country grew by four percent to 27.1 million in 2009, the UN has said.
Persistent conflict in Pakistan, Somalia and the Democratic Republic of Congo, accounted for the increase in the overall figure, it said.
However, the number of refugees worldwide remained relatively stable at 15.2 million, the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said in its 2009 Global Trends report Tuesday.
Japan coast guards find empty lifeboat from missing cargo ship
By RIA Novosti
Moscow : Japan's Coast Guard Service has discovered an empty lifeboat from a cargo ship that went missing with its Russian crew last month, Russia's Ministry of Transportation said on Thursday.
The Kapitan Uskov dry cargo ship with 17 Russian crew members on board was declared missing in the East China Sea on January 24, when it was due to arrive in Hong Kong with freight of over 4,500 metric tons of rolled metal.
The Cambodian-registered vessel, which left Russia's Far East port of Nakhodka on January 15, last had radio contact on January 20.
South Africa has southern hemisphere’s largest mosque
By IANS,
Johannesburg : The largest mosque in the southern hemisphere, built at a cost of about $24 million, has opened to the public here in South Africa.
Number of Ebola cases in Nigeria hits 19
Lagos : The Nigerian government Monday said the country has recorded another Ebola case in southwest Lagos state, bringing the total number of Ebola...
Sri Lanka rights activists speak about ‘challenging’ task
By M.R. Narayan Swamy
IANSNew Delhi : One of two Sri Lankan Tamils who have won a highly respected rights award say recording human rights abuses by both sides in their country for two decades despite death threats has been a challenging task.
Parents forget kid at airport, fly away
By Gurmukh Singh, IANS,
Vancouver : You might have heard umpteen times of passengers forgetting their documents or handbags in a hurry to catch a flight. Ever heard someone forget their child?
A newly arrived family from the Philippines here did forget their two-year-old son while catching a connecting flight to Winnipeg Monday.
Since domestic flights in Canada don't allow heavy handbags on international flights, the family - comprising the parents and grandparents of the boy - were forced by Air Canada staff at Vancouver international airport to re-arrange their bag weight.
Russia hopes Obama administration will listen in START talks
MOSCOW, December 25 (RIA Novosti) - Russia hopes the new U.S. administration will be more ready to listen to Russia's position regarding a replacement for a strategic weapons treaty, a deputy Russian foreign minister said Thursday.
"We hope very much that the next administration will have more of a desire and readiness to accept our case in this area," Sergei Ryabkov told a press conference in Moscow.
The Strategic Arms Reduction (START-1) Treaty signed between the Soviet Union and the United States in 1991 expires on December 5, 2009.
World Bank gives Senegal $55 mn to tackle flood
By IANS,
Dakar: The World Bank and Senegal have signed an agreement for $55 million which the west African nation will use to address the challenges arising from floods, Xinhua reported.
What does Hillary want? She doesnt know
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : As Hillary Clinton found her last slender hopes of winning the Democratic presidential nomination dashed, she finally herself asked the question pundits had been posing: "What does Hillary want?"
But the vanquished lady who like victor Obama wanted to script her own history as the first woman occupant of the White House did not really answer her own question, as she addressed a crowd of supporters Tuesday in New York.
Putin calls for closer ties with Cuba
By Prensa Latina
Moscow : Russian President Vladimir Putin in a message has called for closer economic and cultural ties with Cuba as the two sides meet in Havana for the eighth session of the Intergovernmental Commission.
In a letter addressed to the council of ministers in Cuba Thursday, Putin stressed the need to rebuild trade ties that were severed following the break-up of the Soviet Union.
Currently, a Russian delegation is in Havana for bilateral talks.
Business as usual in Times Square as search for bomber continues
By SPA
New York : Police believe they may have found the bicycle that carried a hooded, solitary bomber to a high-profile target: a military recruiting center at the heart of Times Square, AP reported.
But they have yet to close in on a suspect in Thursday's pre-dawn attack, which damaged the landmark recruiting station but hurt no one.
As Times Square returned to business as usual Friday, police released a photo of the bicycle, looked at dozens of security videotapes and scoured Times Square for possible witnesses.
Polish PM sacks justice minister
By IANS,
Warsaw : Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has fired Justice Minister Jaroslaw Gowin after the latter accused German scientists of buying and experimenting on embryos bought from Poland.
Suharto battles systemic infection
By SPA
Jakarta, Indonesia : Former Indonesian President Suharto's condition deteriorated Tuesday as doctors kept him sedated and worked to fight off a systemic infection, the head of his medical team said.
Suharto remains on a respirator and is suffering from pneumonia, said Mardjo Soebiandono. His condition has been fluctuating, but remains grave, CNN reported.
Doctors at Pertamina Hospital said earlier they would continue to keep Suharto, 86, on a ventilator until all his organs stop functioning.
South Africa’s new cabinet sworn in
Johannesburg : South Africa's new cabinet was sworn in Monday amid criticism for being bloated.
The proceedings got underway with President Jacob Zuma swearing in...
Kidnapped Belgian tourists in Guatemala released
By DPA
Guatemala City : Four Belgian tourists who had been taken hostage in Guatemala have been released, officials said Sunday.
A group of farmers and hired rural workers seized the tourists and three Guatemalans Friday to demand the release of one of their leaders who has been jailed for the illegal taking of land, a local radio broadcast reported.
The released tourists - two couples from Flanders ranging in age from 59 to 62 - were transported to the Belgian embassy in Costa Rica following a medical examination, said Sergio Morales, the Guatemalan state attorney for human rights.
Money from Tiananmen Square memorial to go to China quake victims
By DPA,
Hong Kong : All money from the annual candlelight vigil in Hong Kong next week marking the 1989 Tiananmen Square massace will go to China's earthquake victims, organisers said Wednesday.
Tens of thousands of people gather in Hong Kong's Victoria Park every June 4 to remember the students killed by Chinese soldiers in the 1989 pro-democracy movement in Beijing.
The event raises around 700,000 Hong Kong dollars ($89,688) and organiser Cheung Man-kwong said this year all money would go to the survivors of the Sichuan earthquake.
Che Guevara legend endures, 41 years later
By Cecilia Caminos, DPA,
Buenos Aires : Argentine-born Ernesto "Che" Guevara, the physician who imprinted his forceful personality on revolution in Latin America during the second half of the 20th century, would be turning 80 Saturday had he survived the perils of his activism.
But despite his execution at age 39, he continues to have a strong imprint on Latin American politics. On Saturday, his followers will gather for the unveiling of a statue in his birthplace Rosario, some 250 km up the Parana River from Buenos Aires.
China considers law to ensure elevator safety
By IANS,
Beijing: China is considering a law to ensure safety of elevators, reported Xinhua. (13:36)
German upper house okays controversial anti-terror bill
By IRNA,
Berlin : Germany's upper chamber here Friday approved a disputed bill aimed at widening the counter-terror competencies of police and the Federal Crime Office (BKA).
The new revised bill which is to become law on January 1, will allow authorities to spy out the homes and personal computers of not only terror suspects but also doctors, lawyers and journalists.
Critics of the bill have argued that the new law would infringe on the rights of individuals and was therefore unconstitutional.
Obama asks Iran to seize n-talks opportunity
Washington: US President Barack Obama Thursday called on Iran to seize the opportunity of nuclear talks to open a "new chapter in the history".
"There...
Ban rejects Taiwan’s UN admission
By DPA
New York : UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon dismissed Taiwan's most recent requests to gain admission to the world organisation, saying that the Taiwanese had no legal basis to join.
"This matter was carefully considered by the secretariat (of the UN) and in light of Resolution 2758, it was not legally possible to receive the purported applications for membership," Ban said in answer to a question of whether he had received the requests.
UN chief makes three demands on Myanmar’s rulers
By Betwa Sharma, IANS,
United Nations : United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has asked the Myanmar leadership to release all political prisoners, including Aung San Suu Kyi, resume a dialogue between the government and opposition, and create conditions for credible and legitimate elections to be held next year.
"I made specific proposals with a particular focus on three outstanding concerns, which if left unaddressed could undermine any confidence in Myanmar's political process," he told the Security Council in a briefing following a two-day visit to the country July 3-4.
Fossils reveal 500 million-year-old tulip-shaped creature
By IANS,
Toronto: A tulip-shaped creature inhabiting ocean depths more than 500 million years ago has emerged from the famous Middle Cambrian Burgess Shale in the Canadian Rockies.
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.
‘Spy’ most popular among Russians on Facebook
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Anna Chapman, one of the 10 people arrested in the US on the charges of spying for Russia, has been rated as the most popular among Russians on the online social networking website Facebook.
The Russian version of Chapman's Facebook page has topped the rating of most visited users on the network, German Klimenko, owner of Liveinternet.ru statistics website said.
"The rating is complied in accordance with the number of page visits. We have developed it this way in order to differ from Yandex with its rating of blogs," said German Klimenko.
Russian president’s blog tops 3,500 users by second day
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : The number of registered users to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's personal video blog passed 3,500 Tuesday afternoon, a spokesman said here.
The Russian president has had a video blog on the Kremlin site since the autumn of 2008, but visitors who register may now leave their own comments. The interactive service on the president's personal web-page was launched Monday.
US mounts record security to keep Obama inauguration safe
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : Barack Obama will be sworn as America's first black president Tuesday under the tightest security ever, shielded by a new, heavily armoured Cadillac limousine, bullet-resistant glass, fighter planes overhead and Secret Service SWAT teams toting automatic weapons.
The president-elect himself will wear bullet-resistant clothing, speak behind a protective glass shield and ride in the inauguration parade in an armoured Cadillac limousine, with doors and windows so thick that he probably would survive a bomb blast, according to law enforcement officials.
Phelps retiring at right time: Soviet gymnast Latynina
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
London : "American swimmer Michael Phelps is right to quit the sport after breaking my record of 18 Olympic medals," says former Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina.
‘Military solution not enough to defeat IS’
United Nations : A military solution alone will not be enough to defeat Islamic State (IS) in Iraq and the government needs to restore...
British PM brings sports icons like Coe to India
By Manish Chand, IANS,
New Delhi: Olympic medal-winning athletes and sports icons like the legendary Sebastian Coe will be part of British Prime Minister David Cameron's 100-plus entourage when he arrives here Tuesday.
Accompanied by top cabinet ministers, business honchos and sports stars, Cameron arrives here late Tuesday for a three-day visit clearly aimed at adding that extra spark to a long standing relationship.
Euro zone democracy: Market forces over people’s power?
By Rajiv Dogra, IANS,
Democracy may be an unfinished project, but can its imperfections be an excuse for Euro zone oligarchs to dismiss two elected governments?
Australia confirms its first swine flu case
By DPA,
Sydney : A woman who arrived back in Australia on a flight from Los Angeles to Brisbane last week has been confirmed as the country's first swine flu patient.
Queensland health authorities said the woman tested "weak positive" for the new influenza A (H1N1) virus and has already recovered.
"This is clearly a serious development but we are in a situation where the best medical advice seems to be indicating that this person would not have been infectious," state chief medical officer Jeanette Young said.
Berlusconi denies existence of more embarrassing photos
By DPA,
Rome : Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, in an interview published Monday, has denied the existence of photographs whose publication could further embarrass him as he prepares to host a Group of Eight summit later this week.
Berlusconi was reacting to a report by the London-based Sunday Times that a series of photographs taken at the premier's luxury Sardinian villa would surface ahead of the G8 summit, which begins Tuesday in L'Aquila, Italy.
Cremation ground conversion angers Malaysian Hindus
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur : Tamil Hindus of Tupah Estate, about 10 km from Bidor in Perak state, held a peaceful demonstration after their cremation ground was illegally converted into agricultural land, Malaysia Nanban newspaper has reported.
Estate resident M. Marimuthu, 54, claimed that the Indian community in the area had been using the ground for the past 90 years.
He said "some irresponsible people" had taken control of the land and claimed ownership.
Beckham, Pattinson among most stylish men of 2012
By IANS,
Los Angeles: The GQ magazine has revealed a list of "most stylish men of 2012" with actor Daniel Craig topping the list which also features footballer David Beckham.