Chavez’s party takes most states in Venezuela polls
By RIA Novosti,
Caracus : President Hugo Chavez's United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) has triumphed in the majority of states in nationwide polls to elect mayors and governors, election officials said on Monday.
The PSUV won in 17 out of the OPEC country's 22 states. The opposition took the capital, Caracas, and the two most populous states. Results from two states, Carabobo and Tachira, have yet to be determined and the vote is said to be too close to call.
Chinese PM to visit Russia
By IANS,
Beijing : Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao will visit Russia Nov 6-8, the Chinese foreign ministry said.
Two soldiers injured in mine blast in Chechnya
By RIA Novosti,
Grozny : Two interior troops soldiers were injured in a mine blast in Russia's North Caucasus Republic of Chechnya, local police said on Sunday.
The soldiers hit a landmine in the mountainous Vedeno district in southern Chechnya on Saturday and were hospitalized with injuries of various gravity, the police said.
"The mine exploded when the interior troops soldiers were carrying out reconnaissance and ambush operations in a forest near the village of Elistanzhi in the Vedeno district at about midnight yesterday," the police said.
China jails dissident rights activist
By DPA
Beijing : Well-known Chinese dissident Hu Jia was sentenced Thursday to three and a half years for criticising the ruling Communist Party, his lawyer told reporters outside the court.
The Beijing Number One Intermediate People's Court found Hu, 34, guilty of "inciting subversion of state power", lawyer Li Fangping said.
The human rights activist argued he was not guilty at a closed sentencing session Wednesday, following his trial March 18.
Prodi to quit politics, refuses to head interim gov”t
By KUNA
Rome : Resigned Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi said Saturday he wanted to quit politics to stay with his family, considering his government's losing a confidence ovte at the senate two days ago.
"Now i will practice my role as a grandfather," Prodi said in press remarks, his first since the senate denied his government a vote of confidence on Thursday.
Hollande recalls French ‘debt’ to Muslim soldiers
By IINA,
Paris : President Francois Hollande Tuesday said France “owed a debt” to Muslim soldiers who died in World War I and pledged a...
Scientists show how infection fighting cells form
By IANS,
Sydney: Scientists have shown for the first time how an important class of immune cells, which spur development of antibodies to fight infections, comes into being.
Dutch girl survives Tripoli crash
By DPA,
Tripoli/Cairo : A nine-year-old Dutch girl survived Wednesday's crash of an Afriqiyah Airways plane, a Tripoli airport spokesman said.
The Airbus A330 plane with 105 people on board had started at Johannesburg and crashed while landing. The cause of the crash was not immediately known.
Galliano’s work not relevant: Raf Simons
By IANS,
London: Raf Simons claims John Galliano's work is no longer relevant because his clothes restrict a woman.
Ukraine refuses to transit gas for Europe: Gazprom
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Ukraine's national energy company Naftogaz refused to accept Russian gas due to be transited to Europe for the second day running, Russia's gas monopoly Gazprom said Wednesday.
Gazprom said it submitted another application with Naftogaz Wednesday for the transit of 98.8 million cubic meters of gas that include 13.9 million cubic metre meant for Moldova, 62.7 million for the Balkan states, and 22.2 million for Slovakia.
Russia Takes Measures against Social Problems
By Prensa Latina
Moscow : Russia has taken measures to guarantee the continuity of the social policy implemented by President Vladimir Putin over the past eight years after the transfer of power.
Less than two months before the presidential elections, Putin is aiming the government's efforts to solve the most pressing social problems.
Fundamental facts on Myanmar draft constitution
By Xinhua,
Yangon : The following are fundamental facts on the 194-page 15-chapter 2008 Republic of Union of Myanmar Constitution, drafted by a 54-member State Constitution Drafting Commission in accordance with the detailed basic principles laid down by the National Convention. The new constitution is the third in Myanmar history with the first drawn in 1947 and the second in 1974.
Kenyan leader expresses commitment to peace talks
By Xinhua
Nairobi : Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki Wednesday called on negotiators who are trying to resolve the political unrest in the country to move with speed and resolve all outstanding issues.
Kibaki, who met former UN chief Kofi Annan over the suspended talks, expressed his commitment to the talks, saying the outstanding issues should be tackled under the current constitution.
Fighting terrorism is a ‘long war’: US defence secretary
By IANS,
Washington : Even winning the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan will not end the "long war" against terrorism, so the fight against Al Qaida and other terrorists should remain the top military priority for the US in the coming decades, according to an analysis by Defence Secretary Robert M. Gates.
Merkel welcomes Modi at Hannover Messe
Hannover : German Chancellor Angela Merkel welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Hannover Messe industrial fair, in which India is the partner country,...
Malaysian of Gurkha origin becomes role model
By IANS
Kuala Lumpur : M. Rajesh Badur, a Malaysian of Gurkha origin, has become a role model after being the first in his community to earn a Master's degree in business administration.
"I am honoured and proud. It was not easy coming from a community stereotyped as security guards or bodyguards," said the father of one.
"I would like to become a role model for the community."
Germany and France present proposal for chairing Mediterranean Union
By IRNA
Berlin : Germany and France have made a special proposal for chairing the planned Mediterranean Union, government spokesman Ulrich Wilhelm told the press here Wednesday.
According to the Franco-German plan, the Mediterranean Union Presidency will be comprised jointly of an European Union country bordering on the Mediterranean Sea and a Mediterranean Sea littoral state.
The presidency is to rotate every two years over the next 18 years, Wilhelm said.
Indian sentenced to 20 months for sex with minor
Singapore: An Indian national in Singapore was on Tuesday sentenced to 20 months' imprisonment for having sex with a minor, a media report said.
Dere...
Actor George Clooney named UN Messenger of Peace
UNITED NATIONS, Jan 18 (APP): Hollywood actor, filmmaker and human rights advocate George Clooney has been designated by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon as a U.N. Messenger of Peace to raise awareness of the world body’s peacekeeping efforts.
Clooney, who will join eight other internationally renowned individuals as Messengers to advocate on behalf of the UN, has been recognized for his work to focus public attention on crucial international political and social issues.
Europeans back select developing countries at climate talks
By Dipankar De Sarkar, IANS,
London: The Climate summit in Copenhagen is likely to be presented with an Ethiopian proposal backed by key European leaders that seeks to raise money by taxing different pots of big business, according to reports here Wednesday.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, who has been shuttling between the capitals of Britain, France and Germany, is expected to propose a tax on airlines, shipping and the financial services industry - the so-called Tobin Tax.
New opportunities in taxi-driving for Asian and minority ethnic communities
LONDON, Oct 7 (APP): Women and people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities, who are currently significantly under-represented in the taxi industry, will now have new opportunities to train to be a licensed taxi driver under a project being launched by the Mayor of London and the London Development Agency.
According to a media release, the project, run by the London Development Agency, aims to address some of the barriers experienced by people from under-represented groups to work towards greater diversity in the taxi trade to reflect London’s diverse population.
Russia trains Greek Tor-M1 crews
By RIA Novosti
Moscow : Russia is training a group of Greek military specialists to operate Tor-M1 air defense systems in service with the Hellenic Army, a senior military official said on Thursday.
According to various sources, the Greek Armed Forces currently deploy about 25 Tor-M1 (SA-15 Gauntlet) and at least eight S-300PMU1 (SA-20 Gargoyle) air defense systems, both Russian-made.
Sri Lanka donates flood relief to Thailand
By IANS,
Colombo : Sri Lanka has donated over $50,000 worth of aid to Thailand as flood relief, the external affairs ministry said.
China registers Cuban drug to treat diabetes
BY Prensa Latina,
Beijing: The Chinese government has registered a Cuban drug that is used for treating acute diabetic patients, officials said.
The Heberprot-B, a drug manufactured in Cuba, was introduced in Beijing Monday.
Foreign drugs have to be registered under the Chinese Medicine Regulation Agency before they can be prescribed to patients.
Luis Herrera, director of the Genetic and Biotechnology Engineering Centre (CIGB) in Cuba, said the Heberprot-B is an effective drug to cure diabetic patients.
US bombing senseless violence, says UN chief
By IANS,
United Nations : UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has condemned the bombing at the Boston Marathon as "senseless violence".
S. Africa opposes assault on rebel Comoros island
By SPA
Plaisance, Mauritius : South Africa's president said he opposed a threatened African Union-backed assault by the Comoros archipelago's troops against the rebel island of Anjouan, saying it should be given time for a poll, according to Reuters.
Hundreds of federal troops have amassed on nearby Moheli island vowing an imminent assault on hilly, wooded Anjouan after its French-trained former gendarme leader, Mohamed Bacar, defied the national government with an illegal election last year.
Canadian PM under fire for not fighting climate change
By Xinhua
Ottawa : Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper's stance on climate change at the Commonwealth meeting came under fire with opposition accusing the government of "sabotaging" world environmental efforts.
"Instead of leading by example, this prime minister engaged in sabotage of the Commonwealth conference," Liberal Leader Stephane Dion said at the House of Commons Monday.
"When the Commonwealth turned to Canada ... Canada looked away," added Liberal deputy leader Michael Ignatieff.
Death toll rises to 16 in Mogadishu violence
By SPA,
Mogadsihu : Eight more people died in Somalia's capital on Saturday, residents said, bringing the death toll in Mogadishu from two days of violence to 16.
The rubble-strewn city had been relatively peaceful this week during tentative U.N. peace talks in Djibouti between the interim government and opposition figures based in Eritrea, Reuters reported.
But the calm was shattered on Friday when at least eight people were killed, and locals said eight more died on Saturday.
18 killed, 45 wounded in Sri Lanka fighting
By IANS,
Colombo : At least 15 Tamil Tiger guerrillas and three government soldiers were killed and 45 wounded Thursday in fierce clashes in Sri Lanka's north, the defence ministry said Friday.
It said that advancing government troops attached to the 59 Division "encountered stiff resistance from the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam)" in Mullaitivu jungles Thursday "as the soldiers were further closing in on the terror dens in Mullaitivu".
Planet earth facing catastrophe, time running out: report
DUBAI, May 15 (NNN-WAM)--- The Middle East will be at the forefront of weather-change consequences as water and other resources become ever more scarce, reported the Gulf News.
Citing a report by Christian Aid, who have been monitoring the impact of environmental change across the planet, the Dubai-based daily said that the planet is facing a catastrophe." If no cohesive global action is taken to combat climate change, then about one in seven of the global population will be forced to leave their homes by 2050.
"That is the stunning conclusion that cannot be easily dismissed.
At least six dead in mid-air helicopter crash in U.S.
By RIA Novosti,
Washington : At least six people were killed and three critically injured when two medical helicopters were involved in a mid-air collision in Flagstaff, Arizona, the Federal Aviation Administration said on Monday.
The exact number of fatalities is still unclear with some local radio stations putting the death toll at seven. It is believed a patient, helicopter pilot and medic are among the dead.
The two choppers fell in woodland near a local hospital and exploded, injuring two rescuers. The blast caused a wildfire which is currently being tackled by firefighters.
Recession batters Spain’s tourism industry
By EFE,
Madrid : Spain's tourism industry is forecast to end 2009 down 5.6 percent from last year's already depressed level, its worst performance in a decade, the Alliance for Tourism Excellence, or Exceltur, said.
The crucial summer season "has not been at all encouraging" and the signs of a possible recovery in 2010 are still "very weak", the group said Thursday.
Although between July and September the pace of decline in tourist activity moderated slightly, that was achieved only by a steep reduction in prices.
LTTE offers unilateral truce for SAARC summit
By IANS,
Colombo : The Tamil Tiger guerrillas Monday night offered unilateral truce with the Sri Lankan government between July 26 and Aug 4, as a sign of "goodwill" for the upcoming SAARC summit that opens here Aug 2.
Claiming that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) was always keen to develop friendship with the countries around the world and especially the neighbouring countries, the group however warned that it would retaliate if the government troops disregarded its "goodwill gesture" and carried out military operations.
Americans to see more presidential election ads
By Xinhua,
Washngton : Americans are seeing more TV campaign ads in this presidential election, because presidential hopefuls Barack Obama and John McCain have intensified reach to voters, the USA Today reported Wednesday.
Democrat Obama has spent 27 million U.S. dollars on general-election ads while his Republican rival John McCain has spent 25 million dollars.
Both are on the air in key states including Colorado, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
Nepal declares emergency in Saptakosi flood areas
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : Faced with his first crisis within 72 hours of being sworn in, new Maoist Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal "Prachanda" Thursday declared a state of emergency in the worst flood-devastated areas in southern Nepal to speed up rescue, relief and rehabilitation work.
Kuwaiti parliament dissolved over fuel price row
Kuwait City : Kuwait's cabinet has resigned and parliament has been dissolved, triggering early elections following disputes between MPs and the government over fuel...
Badawi asks Malaysians to adopt moderate path
By IANS
Kuala Lumpur : Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has again criticised the narrow-mindedness and intolerance propounded by a small group of people and has urged his countrymen to adopt a moderate path.
"Over the last few months, narrow-mindedness and intolerance, propounded by a small group, have served to test our faith in each other," he said in his Christmas message.
Malaysians should move forward and put the country's interest before any narrowly defined demands," he was quoted as saying by the Star newspaper Wednesday.
Fire erupts in N London market with no injuries
By Xinhua
London : Hazardous response teams were sent to battle a major fire broke out in Camden Town market, northern London, on Saturday evening, with no injuries reported.
The flames, which is said to have leapt up to over 10 meters in the air, started at about 19:20 local time in Camden Market, one of the biggest tourist attraction in London.
Up to 100 firefighters and 25 fire engines were sent there for the fire fight, which lasted about three hours.
London : Hazardous response teams were sent to battle a major fire broke out in Camden Town market, northern London, on Saturday evening, with no injuries reported.
The flames, which is said to have leapt up to over 10 meters in the air, started at about 19:20 local time in Camden Market, one of the biggest tourist attraction in London.
Up to 100 firefighters and 25 fire engines were sent there for the fire fight, which lasted about three hours.
India, Pakistan trade heavy fire in Jammu district
Jammu: Heavy firing started early Monday between the Indian and Pakistani troopers along the line of control (LoC) in Poonch district of Jammu region.
"Pakistan...
British, French foreign ministers meet Sri Lankan leader
By DPA,
Colombo : The foreign ministers of Britain and France met with their Sri Lankan counterpart Wednesday amid protests from Buddhist monks calling for an end to foreign interference in Colombo's war against Tamil separatist rebels in the north-east of the country.
British Foreign Minister David Miliband and his French counterpart, Bernard Kouchner, met behind closed doors with Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama and were due to meet President Mahinda Rajapaksa later in the day before visiting refugee camps in the Vavuniya area, 254 km north of Colombo.
EU to press for climate change deal
By DPA,
Are (Sweden): The European Union (EU) is hoping for progress in the run-up to a global climate change summit in December, Swedish Environment Minister Andreas Carlgren said Saturday.
"We expect the negotiations to speed up," Carlgren said at the end of a two-day informal meeting of EU environment ministers in Are, 630 km northwest of Stockholm.
The gathering agreed that Sweden, current holder of the EU's rotating presidency, would be given a mandate to negotiate on behalf of the 27-member bloc at the climate summit in Copenhagen.
Bad Cooking Oil Alerts Europe
By Prensa Latina,
Brussels : The detection of contaminated sunflower oil coming from Ukraine in countries like Italy, Holland, Spain, France and the UK caused a state of alert in the European Commission Saturday.
A spokesman confirmed that to face the situation, customs offices from the 27 country members of the European Union increased the control of Ukrainian exports.
The product is contaminated with mineral oils since it was not previously refined for commercialization, and it was learned that several lots of it went out from Ukrainian national territory to the EU on February 23.
Anti-war activist to take on Pelosi in U.S. congressional election
By Xinhua,
Los Angeles : U.S. anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan has launched a congressional campaign, in an uphill effort to snatch incumbent House Speaker Nancy Pelosi from her seat in the November election, a report said Saturday.
Sheehan, who became famous after years of her personal peace mission, was at San Francisco City Hall Friday to take out papers for her independent run for Congress. Her name would not show up on the ballot without over 10,000 signatures from voters in the district.
Maintaining steady, fast economic development still China’s top agenda for second half
By Xinhua,
Beijing : The Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee said on Friday it would continue to put maintaining a steady and fast economic development and stabilizing basic prices at the top of its agenda for macroeconomic control in the second half of 2008.
The remarks were made here at the CPC Political Bureau meeting on Friday. It was presided over by Hu Jintao, CPC Central Committee general secretary.
British PM gorges on roadside hot dog
By IANS,
New York : David Cameron was treated to a roadside hot dog by New York mayor Michael Bloomberg after the British prime minister arrived in the city for his first official visit.
Bloomberg met Cameron at a street corner outside Penn station after the premier arrived by train from Washington. The two men grabbed a quick bite at a food stand but ignored questions from reporters while they ate. Cameron even flashed a thumbs-up sign when asked about his lunch, the Telegraph reported.
Four killed, 66 injured in US subway collision
By DPA,
Washington : Two subway trains collided Monday in the US capital Washington, leaving four people dead and scores injured, Mayor Adrian Fenty said.
The accident occurred around 5 p.m. (2100 GMT) near Washington's border with the state of Maryland, on a section of track above ground.
One train had apparently stopped between stations before being struck from behind by a second train.
TV footage showed one heavily damaged carriage pushed up on top of another. The force of the collision tore the floor out of the moving train as it vaulted onto the stopped carriage.
Bomb scare prompts US university evacuation
By IANS,
Washington : A bomb threat at the Louisiana State University (LSU) Monday resulted in evacuation and cancellation of all campus activities for the day, Xinhua reported.
Power tower blasted in S Philippines
By Xinhua,
Manila : A transmission tower of the National Transmission Corp. was "bombed" on Wednesday in the southern Philippine province of North Cotabato, local media reported.
National news network ABS-CBN News said the unidentified assailants used two improvised explosives to topple the tower.
Police are in the pursuit of the suspects and there is no reports of casualties yet.
Eradication of poverty key to eradication of illicit crops – Ban
By IRNA,
Tehran : UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in his message for International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, June 26, 2010, said in seeking to eradicate illicit crops, poverty should be wiped out.
According to a press release issued by the UN Information Center (UNIC), the full text of his message reads:
Java quake toll rises to 49
By DPA,
Jakarta : UN agencies and the Indonesian government were dispatching relief teams Thursday as the death toll from a magnitude 7.3 earthquake that struck Java island rose to 49, officials said.
Dozens were still missing and feared dead after the quake Wednesday triggered a landslide in Cianjur district in West Java.
Fahmi Azhar, an official at the West Java disaster relief coordination agency, said 49 people had been killed in the disaster but the number was likely to rise as news of more casualties came in.
NATO military build-up in Europe worries Russia
By RIA Novosti
Moscow : The Russian foreign minister has termed the NATO's expansion in Europe as a move aimed at building up military potential rather for strengthening European security, and said that Russia will take "appropriate measures" to counter it.
Russia has been unnerved by NATO's eastward expansion and recent US plans to deploy missile defence systems in Poland and the Czech Republic.
"We are certain that the geographical expansion of NATO cannot be justified by security concerns," Sergei Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister told a news conference here.
45 killed in Cameroon bus accident
By IANS,
Yaounde (Cameroon) : At least 45 people were killed in a bus accident overnight in Cameroon, media reports said Monday.
The accident occurred in Etoundou village, 130 km from the capital city of Yaounde, Xinhua reported quoting local media.
There were altogether 60 passengers in the bus.
Russia to test launch ballistic missile
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Russia will test launch later Friday a Topol intercontinental ballistic missile from the Plesetsk space centre in northern Russia, a spokesman for the Strategic Missile Forces (SMF) said.
The missile was in active service from 1987 until 2007, and deployed with the 54th Strategic Missile Division near the town of Teikovo, about 240 km northeast of Moscow.
"The goal of the upcoming launch is to confirm the reliability of the technical characteristics (of Topol missiles) during an extended service period," Alexander Vovk said.
Another Siberian villager seeks damages for fallen rocket parts
By RIA Novosti
Novosibirsk : Another villager in southwest Siberia plans to sue the space agency Roscosmos for compensation after rocket fragments fell on his land, the local administration said on Wednesday.
A resident of the Ust-Kumir village in the Republic of Altai said he is determined to seek compensation of moral damage after a 0.6-kg (1.3 lbs) rocket fragment was found in his hayloft in March.
Research names Russia second largest arms export
Moscow: Russia and the US together made up over half of all arms export worldwide in the five-year period ended in 2013, the Stockholm...
Asian-origin official is new Conservative appointee
By IANS
London : As part of Conservative leader David Cameron's efforts to raise the party's profile in the Asian community, Kulveer Ranger, a party functionary of Asian origin, has been appointed its new Vice-Chairman for Cities.
Ranger, 32, has experience of working with major organisations relating to transport and regeneration, specifically in city environments. At the last general election Kulveer stood as the parliamentary candidate for Makerfield against the Labour incumbent Ian McCartney.
Voting begins in Serbia’s crucial poll
By DPA,
Belgrade : Voting started Sunday in Serbian snap parliamentary elections with the country's course to European Union (EU) membership at stake.
The 6.75 million registered users are to choose from 22 tickets, but the crucial choice is between the ultra-nationalist Serbian Radical Party (SRS) and President Boris Tadic's pro-EU Democratic Party (DS), both tipped to win close to one-third of ballots cast.
Half of world’s meals go into the bin
By IANS,
London: Experts have revealed that half of the food produced in the world is actually being thrown away every year.
Two Madrid airport bombing suspects arrested in France
By Xinhua
Madrid : Spain's Interior Minister Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba has said that the two men suspected of involvement in the 2006 Madrid airport bombing have been arrested by the police.
Rubalcaba Saturday confirmed that the Spanish and French police have arrested three suspected members of the Basque separatist group ETA Friday in southern France, two of who are suspects of the Madrid bombing.
The deadly bombing Dec 30, 2006, at the Madrid airport destroyed a multi-storey parking garage and killed two people.
Eurasian Fund against Crisis
By Prensa Latina,
Moscow : A joint $10 billion anti-crisis fund is atop the agenda of the leaders of the Euro-Asian Economic Community in Russia.
Russian Presidential Advisor Serguei Prijodko says the EAEC project will help soothe the effects of the global economic and financial crisis started in the US.
The fund will grant sovereign loans and stabilization credits, fund commercial operations with the EAEC and help effect inter-state investments, says the official.
Australia lays out plan for closer ties with Asia
By IANS/EFE,
Sydney : Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard presented a strategic plan Sunday designed to strengthen ties between her nation and Asia.
Zimbabwe Army in new wave of violence, says rights group
By DPA,
Johannesburg/Zimbabwe : The Zimbabwean Army is responsible for a new wave of brutal attacks against opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) members and supporters throughout Zimbabwe, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said Wednesday.
The Malawian HRW delegate told South African radio that military forces were providing trucks and equipment to militias, so-called "war veterans" who have been implicated in numerous acts of torture and other violence against MDC members and supporters.
Spanish airport reopened after hoax bomb threat
By DPA
Madrid : The airport on the Spanish holiday island of Ibiza was reopened Saturday after a bomb threat was revealed to have been a hoax, the state radio reported.
Diaspora seeks more time to exchange old notes
By Fakir Balaji
Bengaluru: The Diaspora comprising Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) and Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) has sought extension of the deadline to exchange...
UAE humanitarian hospital treats over 2,000 in Sudan
By IANS,
Abu Dhabi : United Arab Emirates' humanitarian hospital which was set up in Sudan late June has so far provided free treatment to over 2,000 patients in the African nation, WAM news agency reported Saturday.
The Emirates World Humanitarian Mobile Hospital, the first of its kind in the world, has been in operation for the past 40 days in the African country which is facing severe economic and health crisis.
The mobile hospital has recruited several specialist doctors from around the world to give the best medical facilities to the people of Sudan.
Georgian leader welcomes new deal on Russian pullout
By RIA Novosti,
Tbilisi : Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili gave a cautious welcome on Tuesday to a new deal on the withdrawal of Russian forces from the South Caucasus state.
Under the agreement, brokered by the EU on Monday, Russia has pledged to pull all troops out of the undisputed parts of Georgia within one month, leaving peacekeepers in South Ossetia and Abkhazia, which Moscow has recognized as independent countries.
Sarkozy’s party scores big win in French general election
By DPA
Paris : French President Nicolas Sarkozy's Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) and its allies scored a resounding victory in first round of the general elections.
Former US governor sentenced to 14 years in prison
By IANS,
Chicago : Former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich was sentenced to 14 years in prison Wednesday, after being found guilty on 18 counts of corruption.
Dominican lawmaker accused of rape
By EFE,
Santo Domingo : A Dominican lawmaker under fire for having allegedly gotten an underage girl pregnant now faces rape accusations from two women, charges flatly denied Tuesday by legislator Julio Romero's defence counsel.
The complaint of the two women was presented Monday night on the programme "El informe" on Channel 7 television, one week after the same show presented the story of an 18-year-old woman who claims to have borne Romero's child when she was 16.
The two women, whose names were not revealed and who live abroad, said the rapes took place more than a decade ago.
Search on for missing chopper carrying Philippine president’s staff
By DPA,
Manila : The Philippines Wednesday mounted search and rescue operations for a missing air force helicopter carrying senior staff of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo amid reports that the chopper could have crashed and exploded.
The Bell 412 helicopter, carrying five passengers and two pilots, was on its way to Banaue town in Ifugao province, 270 km north of Manila, from the nearby mountain resort city of Baguio when it went missing Tuesday.
Iran blasts China over new UN sanctions
By IANS,
Tehran : Iran has harshly criticised China over its yes vote on new sanctions against the Islamic republic at the UN Security Council (UNSC), Iranian state-run Press TV reported Thursday.
Director of the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran Ali-Akbar Salehi described China's decision as an indication that the West was "holding dominion" over the Beijing government.
154 Dutch citizens killed in Malaysian air crash: official
Amsterdam: At least 154 Dutch citizens have been killed in the Malaysian passenger crash in the eastern part of Ukraine Thursday, the airlines' European...
65 killed in plane crash in Thailand
By IANS
Bangkok : At least 65 people were killed and 40 were injured as a Thai commercial airliner with 128 persons aboard crashed when landing at the Phuket International Airport in southern Thailand Sunday afternoon, Bangkok's transport radio station FM 100 reported.
The MB 82 aircraft of Thailand's budget airline, One-Two-Go airline, crashed into trees and caught fire, after it attempted a failed landing at around 3.40 p.m. Sunday (0840 GMT).
Boeing delivers 200th transport aircraft to US Air Force
By Gulshan Luthra, IANS,
Los Angeles : Boeing has delivered the 200th C 17 Globemaster III strategic transport aircraft to the US Air Force (USAF).
The aircraft was flown from its Long Beach production facility here July 30 to the USAF Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey, the aircraft's new home, company sources told India Strategic defence magazine.
USAF has ordered a total of 223 aircraft.
Boeing is slowing down production of C 17s, expecting some more new international orders before the facility is closed down in four to five years.
China seeks efficient government websites for public
By IANS,
Beijing: Government websites in China have been warned to address general public's concerns properly and keep information updated, else they will be closed down.
Spanish Vote in March
By Prensa Latina
Madrid : The Spanish Minister Council will approve in an extraordinary session on Monday the call to general elections on March 9 to renew the Congress.
With that approval and publication of the document on Tuesday in the Official Bulletin, the electoral schedule will start and the courts will remain dissolved until the election conclusion, when the Parliament will be renewed.
Indonesia`s presence at G-8 summit in Hokkaido very important
By SPA
Tokyo : Japan considers Indonesia`s presence at a G-8 meeting in Hokkaido next July very important as Indonesia is expected to voice the developing countries` views on current international issues, a senior Japanese official said here on Thursday, according to ANTARA.
"Indonesia and other ASEAN member countries are invited to offer suggestions in an effort to build constructive discussions in the G-8 meeting," the Japanese official said.
Chinese banks granted loans worth $108 bn in December
By Xinhua,
Beijing : Chinese banks granted 740 billion yuan ($108 billion) in loans in December, the biggest monthly figure after 803.6 billion yuan in January 2007, the Shanghai Securities News reported Monday.
This was a result of the country's "moderately easy monetary policy" and central government's incentives to encourage lenders to increase credit supply to boost economic growth, the paper said.
Outstanding loans topped 30 trillion yuan at the end of December, up 19 percent year-on-year, according to the report.
French government favours Tibetan cause: Dalai Lama
By IANS,
Dharamsala : Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama Wednesday said here that the French government had openly expressed concern over the issue of Tibetan independence.
"The issue of Tibet is a matter of concern for the French government and the European Union too," the Dalai Lama told reporters during his visit to the Himachal Pradesh assembly complex. The assembly is meeting here this session.
He said his recently concluded visit to Poland, where he met French President Nicolas Sarkozy and other European Union leaders, was very crucial.
‘Modi as head of government is ring-fenced against summons’
By Arul Louis ,
New York: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is “ring-fenced” as a sovereign representative of India and cannot be served summons in a...
Radioactive water leaks from Japanese nuclear power plant
By RIA Novosti
Tokyo : Water containing small amounts of radioactive contamination has leaked from the Ohi nuclear power plant on a Japanese island, Kansai Electrical Power said Tuesday.
The company, owner of the plant and the second largest power producer in Japan, announced that 3.4 tonnes of radioactive water had leaked from the 1,175 megawatt generating unit No. 1 of the power plant Monday evening.
The leak from the plant on Honshu Island, 320 km (200 miles) west of the Japanese capital, was fixed the same evening.
US shows proof of North Korea-Syria n-cooperation
By DPA,
Washington : US intelligence officials were on Capitol Hill Thursday to present lawmakers with evidence that North Korea assisted Syria in the construction of the nuclear reactor destroyed by the Israeli military in September, a US official said.
The members of the Congress were to see evidence "that outlines a very compelling case to show that there was in fact a Syrian effort with North Korean assistance to build a covert nuclear reactor", the official said on condition of anonymity.
Call for G20 summit to focus on protectionism
By Shabtai Gold, DPA,
Geneva : Many experts feel next week's Group of 20 (G20) meeting in London needs to be focused on fighting protectionism. They warn world leaders against getting distracted.
"Economic isolationism can lead to a negative spiral of events such as those we saw in the 1930s, which made a bad situation much, much worse," said World Bank chief Robert Zoellick recently.
ASEAN+1 talks conclude with ties deepened
By Xinhua,
Singapore : Foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) held talks with their counterparts from the key dialogue partners separately here on Wednesday, discussing further cooperation in integrated markets, climate changes and regional security.
ASEAN-CHINA
US to extradite Bolivian criminal
By NNN-Prensa Latina
La Paz : The Bolivian Government confirmed on Monday that the United States will extradite ex-Interior Minister Luis Arce Gomez, wanted in Bolivia for genocide, after his release from a Miami-based prison on November 22.
Bolivian Deputy Minister of Justice Wilfredo Chavez received US notification that they will deport Luis Arce Gomez, who served as minister of Interior during the Luis Garcia Meza dictatorship, a period when he was known as "cocaine minister."
Russian customs officers seize 21 kg of cocaine on Ecuador ship
By RIA Novosti,
St. Petersburg : Russia customs officers in St. Petersburg have discovered 21 kg of cocaine on board a ship from Ecuador, the customs press-service said on Monday.
The ship arrived in Russia's second largest city on Friday.
A crew member later admitted during questioning that the drugs belonged to him. The ship was travelling under a Maltese flag.
An investigation has been launched. The sailor now faces up to seven years behind bars.
California to use DNA crime-fighting technique
By Xinhua,
Los Angeles : California will become the first state in the United States to use DNA to try to identify elusive criminals through their relatives, the Los Angeles Times reported on Saturday.
The policy is aimed at identifying a suspect through DNA collected at a crime scene by looking for potential relatives in the state's genetic database of about a million felons, according to the paper.
Once a relative is identified, police can use that person as a lead to trace the suspect, the report said.
Venezuela’s Coca-Cola bottler reaches truce with ex-employees
By IANS
Caracas : Venezuela's Coca-Cola Femsa , the leading bottling unit of Latin America, has announced that it has reached a truce with the former employees who had been blockading part of its installations since Feb 5 demanding reinstatement.
"Operations will return to normal soon following the truce, which was the only way to solve the crisis," Rodrigo Anzola, the legal chief of the company, said Friday at a press conference here, Spain's EFE news agency reported Saturday.
South Ossetia, Abkhazia to seek recognition
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Georgia's breakaway republics South Ossetia and Abkhazia will seek recognition as sovereign states under international law, their leaders have said.
South Ossetia leader Eduard Kokoity in a joint press conference here Thursday with Abkhazia's Sergei Bagapsh said that following Georgia's attack Aug 8 on South Ossetian capital Tskhinvali, the two separatist provinces would seek international recognition.
Troubled Real Madrid to hold poll in July
By DPA,
Madrid : Vicente Boluda, interim president of Spanish football giants Real Madrid, has told sports daily AS that elections will be held at the club July 5.
Boluda in an interview said that "the elections will be held on July 5...It is impossible to organise them before."
So far, there has been no official confirmation from the club of the July 5 election date.
He added that July 7 "the players will return from holiday, and on the 10th they will be in training".
Boluda did not clarify whether he would be a candidate or not.
US military arming ex-terrorists in Kosovo: Russia
By DPA
Moscow/Brussels : Russia's firebrand envoy to NATO Dmitry Rogozin said Thursday that US military aid to Kosovo amounted to arming "former terrorists".
Responding to news of US President George W. Bush's approval of military aid to Kosovo, the Russian ambassador warned that such a move could lead to "new terrorist clashes in the Balkans".
"To give former terrorists weapons for the war against terrorism appears at least amusing if not worse," the Interfax news agency quoted Rogozin as saying from Brussels.
Out of power, Nepal Maoists to wage new war in parliament
By Sudeshna Sarkar,IANS,
Kathmandu : Losing the battle against the army chief and compelled to quit after being deserted by its allies, Nepal's Maoist party Tuesday said it would now take the fight to the floor of the interim parliament, in a retaliatory move that is bound to deal another blow to the wilting peace process.
A divided UN challenged by Myanmar’s obstinacy
By J.T. Nguyen, DPA,
New York : It took a natural disaster the size of Cyclone Nargis for the UN to find that it cannot work easily with an authoritarian regime like Myanmar, which has not warmly welcomed international aid despite high civilian deaths and destruction.
The UN had quickly brought assistance to victims of deadly earthquakes in Iran and Pakistan in the past, and after the 2004 tsunami in Indonesia. Governments in those countries welcomed aid and international relief workers with open arms.
Atlantis Ready to Return to Earth
By Prensa Latina
Washington : Uncoupling from the international space station, the crew of the space shuttle Atlantis started preparations for return to the earth Monday.
After uncoupling, Atlantis made another turn to take photos of the thermal layer, seeking alterations that might compromise security during its return through the atmosphere.
During this mission, European space lab Columbus coupled to the station, where three astronauts, including in biomedicine and material science, could work simultaneously.
Nigeria denies abduction of 20 women by Boko Haram
Abuja: The Nigerian government denied reports that a group of 20 women were abducted last weekend by the militant organisation Boko Haram, media reported...
When hate hits home: NRIs wake up to racism
By Jaspal Singh
A forum on hate crimes against Indians and peoples hailing from South Asia is being held at MIT on Saturday May 6,2017...
GCC countries face numerous agricultural obstacles – expert
By NNN-KUNA,
Manama : Harsh weather conditions, lack of irrigation resources, and poor soil are some of the numerous obstacles facing agricultural development in the GCC region, stated an agricultural expert.
Desert science and wasteland expert Dr Assad Al-Ajmi said in a forum on GCC agriculture that the performance of agriculture as a productive force in the region was very weak, saying that the lack of sources to irrigate crops was also in the way of development for this sector.
Solana: EU to decide in coming days on resuming Chad
By SPA
Munich : The European Union is expected to decide within the next few days when to resume the deployment to Chad of a peacekeeping force, which was suspended after an upsurge of rebel violence, ap quoted EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana as saying Sunday.
We have to continue the deployment, Solana told reporters at an international security conference.
Assad peace plan detached from reality: US
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Washington: Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's proposed peace plan is far from reality and proves again that he must resign from his post, the US has said.
Sobhraj battles shadowy adversary for freedom
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS
Kathmandu : With a fresh countdown starting for Dec 19 when Nepal's Supreme Court is expected to give its final verdict in a murder case that put Charles Sobhraj -- the crime genius of the 70s pursued by the Interpol and media alike -- behind bars, it is not only the 63-year-old who is holding his breath.
A shadowy adversary who had been trying to pin him down for three decades is also anxious about the verdict, hoping the life sentence Sobhraj received in Kathmandu's district court for the murder of an American backpacker in 1975 would stick.
Clinton, Obama neck and neck, McCain widens lead
By Arun Kumar, IANS
Washington : Democrats Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama were running a tight race, while John McCain was padding his lead in the Republican contest as first results from Super Tuesday's battle for party nominations came in.
While Obama, hoping to be America's first black president, was winning more states, Clinton aspiring to be the first woman to occupy the Oval Office was picking up states with more delegates to the party's nomination convention.
Majority Europeans Against US Confrontation With Iran
London, Oct 17, IRNA,A new poll suggests the majority of people in Europe, Asia and North America are opposed to any US confrontation with Iran over its peaceful nuclear drive.
The poll, conducted by mainstream newspapers in Britain, France, Canada, Belgium, Japan, Poland, Mexico and Switzerland, also suggest that the next US president should "specifically rule out" any military action against Tehran.
According to the "Guardian", in Britain 47 percent say George Bush's successor should study other options including diplomacy to resolve Iran's nuclear issue.
UN workers’ toll in Haiti Quake reaches 94
By RIA Novosti,
United Nations : The number of UN workers killed in last month's earthquake in Haiti has reached 94, while eight of its staff remained unaccounted for, a spokesman for the UN secretary general Ban Ki-Moon said.
The UN headquarters in the Christopher Hotel was levelled in the 7.1-magnitude earthquake that devastated Port-au-Prince Jan 12, killing over 212,000 people and leaving more than 1 million homeless.
Kenyan Police Attack Anti-Govt Protests
By Prensa Latina
Nairobi : Kenyan police and riot troops attacked demonstrators protesting President Emilio Mwai Kibaki using tear gas in several cities of Nairobi, east Africa.
Those protests occurred after yesterday's election of ODM (Orange Democratic Movement) opposition leader Kenneth Marende as Parliament president, 105 votes to 101.
This was the first legislative session since the December elections, which results were questioned by ODM, triggering persistent protests.
Brazil, Iran seek more joint economic cooperation
By EFE,
Tehran : Iran and Brazil can play an important role in "the new world order through their cooperation on the international scene" and increase their bilateral collaboration, Iranian Foreign Minister Manoucher Mottaki has said.
On Wednesday night, Mottaki met Brazil's deputy foreign minister, Roberto Jaguaribe Gomes de Mattos who is on an official trip to Iran.
During the meeting, both men reviewed the international and regional situations, as well as the development of bilateral relations.
US Senate calls for Iraq’s partition
Washington, Sep 27 (DPA) US lawmakers have voted to split Iraq into a loose federation of sectarian-based regions and urged President George W. Bush to press Iraqi leaders to agree.
More than 20 Republicans joined Democrats Wednesday to pass the non-binding measure in the Senate, 75-23, showing frustration in both parties about Bush's war policy and lagging national reconciliation in Iraq.
Supporters of Iraqi partition believe it would let Shia, Sunni and Kurdish factions settle their differences and make it easier for US troops eventually to return home.
Maldives signs torture treaty, to host UN visit
By IANS
Male : The Maldives, after being named as one of the first signatories of the UN Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture (OPCAT), will host a visit by the international Subcommittee for the Prevention of Torture later this year.
White House applauds Myanmar by-election
By IANS,
Washington : The White House has applauded the parliamentary by-election in Myanmar, calling it an important step in the country's democratic transformation.
1000 global rights orgs, individuals urge US govt to impose “targeted sanctions” against India...
TCN News
Owing to the increase in communal violence and hate speech in India, over a thousand Indian American civil rights organizations, academicians and human...
Death blow for LTTE as Prabhakaran, aides killed in Sri Lanka
By IANS,
Colombo : Velupillai Prabhakaran, the feared leader of Sri Lanka's ruthless Tamil Tigers, was killed Monday while trying to flee the battle zone in the island's north with two top aides, ending one of the world's longest running insurgencies that bled the island nation for over a quarter century.
NATO chief gets one year job extension
By IANS,
Brussels : NATO Wednesday decided to extend its Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen's service by one year until July 2014, Xinhua reported.
Russia may need to target European missile shield: Putin
By RIA Novosti
Moscow : Russia may have to retarget some of its rockets at the missile defences that the US is planning to deploy in Central Europe, President Vladimir Putin said Thursday.
The president was addressing his last annual press conference at the Kremlin before he steps down after March 2 presidential election. More than 1,400 newspersons attended the marathon conference that lasted more than four hours.
Israeli spy satellite begins sending photos back
By Xinhua
Jerusalem : The Ofek-7 spy satellite, launched three days ago, began transmitting images back to authorities in Israel, local daily Ha'aretz said Thursday.
NSA talks virtually off as India, Pakistan stick to stands
New Delhi/Islamabad : Prospects for NSA talks between India and Pakistan looked increasingly bleak on Saturday as Pakistan insisted it will take up...
Pope warns educators against contradicting church teachings
By DPA,
Washington : Pope Benedict XVI warned US educators Thursday against contradicting the church's positions at religious universities, which have drawn criticism for diverging from official teachings on issues such as abortion.
In a speech at the Catholic University of America, Benedict affirmed the role of academic freedom on the church's university campuses but said that such freedom should not be used to "justify positions that contradict the faith".
Greece requests EU/IMF financial aid package
By DPA,
Athens : Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou said Greece faced a "difficult road" as he called for the activation of a European Union/International Monetary Fund aid package aimed at pulling the country out of a debt crisis.
"We are faced with a difficult road ahead...It is imperative that we ask for the activation of the mechanism," Papandreou said while visiting the remote Aegean island of Kasterllorizo.
The prime minister said he already asked Finance Minister George Papaconstantinou to make a formal request for the plan's activation.
Spy thriller: US picks up 10 Russian agents
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : Less than a week after Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and President Barack Obama signalled the end of the Cold War with a burger lunch in Washington, the United States picked up ten people on charges of working as Russian spies. The arrests Sunday capped an almost surreal investigation that extended to the Clinton administration and involved video surveillance, hidden microphones and surreptitious FBI searches of homes along the East Coast.
Sri Lanka hopeful of Indian backing at UNHRC
By IANS,
Colombo: Sri Lanka Wednesday said it was hopeful of India's support against a US-sponsored resolution at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.
Mountain bikers to raise funds for Nepal quake victims
Shimla : Three-time champion of the Mongolia Bike Challenge Cory Wallace and Himalayan Adventure Sports and Tourism Promotion Association (HASTPA) on Wednesday joined hands...
UN urges Colombian guerrillas to free hostages
By Xinhua
Bogota : The UN has urged the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), country's largest insurgent group, to continue to free hostages unilaterally.
The UN asked the FARC Friday to free the captives who are sick, such as Colombia's former rightwing presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt and colonel Luis Mendieta.
The FARC freed four former Colombian legislators Wednesday and announced the end of unilateral release of hostages, insisting that the Colombian government demilitarise two municipalities to begin peace talks.
Merkel, Sarkozy call for intensive EU security cooperation
By KUNA,
BERLIN : German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy, in a joint article published in Sueddedusche Zeitung on Wednesday, underscored the importance of closer cooperation within the European Union (EU) member states in foreign and security policies.
The two leaders emphasized European unity, besides developing joint capabilities through civil and military means, and declared refusal of turning the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) into international security agency.
Berlusconi attacker to be put under house arrest
By IANS/AKI,
Milan : The man who assaulted Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi in December last year will be put under house arrest after a psychiatric assessment found him "mentally infirm".
Massimo Tartaglia will also be allowed to attend a community psychiatric therapy centre as his lawyers had requested, judge Cristina Di Censo ruled Monday.
"We are very pleased at this news because it means our client can receive treatment," said Tartaglia's lawyers Daniela Insalato and Gian Marco Rubino.
Talks with Castro ‘very emotional: Venezuelan president
By IANS
Cienfuegos (Cuba) : Visiting Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has said he had wide ranging discussions with Cuban leader Fidel Castro over issues like strategy and international economy and the talks were "very emotional".
"We spoke for more than two hours and talked about strategy, tactics, the world economy," Chavez said in a statement, Spain's EFE news agency reported Sunday.
The Venezuelan leader met his ideological mentor Thursday for the first time after the later reportedly said he was not interested to remain in power.
Peru’s new president sworn in
By IANS,
Lima : Ollanta Humala was sworn in Thursday as Peru's new president, Xinhua reported.
He will remain in the post for five years.
Rockets come from behind to beat Timberwolves
BY IANS,
Houston: The Houston Rockets came from 20 points behind to claim a 108-100 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves in NBA (National Basketball Association) action at Toyota Center.
New Zealand PM questions safety of players in Zimbabwe
By IANS,
London : New Zealand Prime Minister John Key has questioned whether it was safe for its cricketers to tour Zimbabwe, a country undergoing political and social breakdown.
New Zealand are scheduled to play a one-day series in Zimbabwe in July, but Key made his scepticism clear.
He questioned why the International Cricket Council (ICC) continues to support the country.
"There are security risks for our players, there is the risk of cholera, and quite frankly we don't support that regime and we have made that quite clear," Key said.
Sri Lanka Fighting Continues
By Prensa Latina
Colombo : Northern Sri Lanka is registering strong fighting as government troops continue their operations to remove Tamil rebels from their bastions, reported the Defense ministry.
According to a military release in Colombo clashes occurred throughout the defensive line in Nagarkovil city, in Jaffna peninsula, where 15 Tamil tigers died and 30 others were wounded. The army counted two deaths.
Heavy fighting as Sri Lanka troops approach Sea Tiger bastion
By IANS,
Colombo : Fierce fighting broke out between the troops and the Tamil Tiger rebels as Sri Lankan soldiers made a fresh bid Thursday to advance towards a well-fortified Sea Tiger bastion in the north, the military here said.
Military spokesman Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara told IANS that the ground troops operating in the north-western Mullaitivu district "were advancing towards the Sea Tiger bastion, Alampil", located about 10 km south of Mullaitivu.
EU set for mid-November summit on top posts
By DPA,
Brussels : The European Union will hold an extraordinary summit Nov 12 or 19 to discuss who should become the bloc's new president and top diplomat, diplomats in Brussels said Thursday.
EU leaders had hoped to discuss the issue at a summit in Brussels Thursday, but that hope was dashed after the Czech constitutional court said that it would not rule on the EU's reforming Lisbon Treaty before Nov 3.
The Treaty creates the post of EU president and "high representative", a foreign minister in all but name.
Girls Aloud announce their comeback
By IANS,
London: Popular band Girls Aloud have announced their comeback Oct 19.
NASA hails new era in space
By IANS,
Washington : NASA head Charles Bolden has hailed a "new era" in exploration after the launch of the first cargo delivery to the space station Tuesday by a private company, BBC reported.
16 policemen killed in terror attack in China”s Muslim region
By KUNA,
Tokyo : Up to 16 policemen were killed and 16 others injured in a suspected terrorist attack in northwest China's Muslim-majority Xinjiang region on Monday, ahead of the opening of the August 8-24 Beijing Olympic Games, state-run Xinhua News Agency reported.
Two attackers drove a tip lorry into the police station to hit a team of policemen who were jogging nearby in a morning exercise in Kashgar city at about 8 a.m. (00:00 GMT), Xinhua said, citing police.
Former Trinidad PM Basdeo Panday suspended from parliament
By Paras Ramoutar, IANS
Port of Spain : Trinidad and Tobago's former prime minister Basdeo Panday has been banned over the weekend from participating in parliamentary debates until the end of the present session that ends in December 2008.
The saga started two weeks ago when, during a sitting of the House of Representatives, he used a laptop and refused to obey Speaker Barry Sinanan who asked him to desist from using the laptop while the House was in session.
Nepal court begins hearing Sobhraj’s final appeal
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS
Kathmandu : Four years after he was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of an American backpacker, Charles Sobhraj, once wanted by the police of several countries, finally had his break as the apex court Wednesday began hearing his final appeal for freedom.
Obama outlines vision of military might with diplomacy
By Arun Kumar,
Washington: India barely figured as US President Barack Obama Wednesday outlined a foreign policy vision of using both military might unilaterally as...
Young women pressurised for sex even when not feeling like it
By IANS,
Sydney : Young women were pressurised into having sex with partners even when they didn't feel like it, according to a study.
"Thirty-seven percent of young women who took part in the study had experienced pressure from partners to have sex when they didn't want to," said Moira Carmody, assistant professor at the University of Western Sydney.
"This involved manipulation such as 'if you love me you will have sex', through to ignoring non-verbal and verbal indications of uncertainty or refusal, and even using physical force," said Carmody.
Austrian woman kept in dungeon, abused for 24 years
By DPA,
Vienna : Austrians were left shocked Sunday as details emerged of a 42-year-old woman who was sexually abused and held prisoner by her own father for more than 20 years.
The 73-year-old man was believed to have fathered six children with his daughter, Police Colonel Franz Polzer said in a press conference in the eastern Austrian town of Amstetten. A seventh infant was believed to have died shortly after his birth.