No plans to run for president: Hillary Clinton
By IANS,
Washington : Outgoing Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says she still has "absolutely no plans to run" for president but is looking forward to more "adventures" down the road.
Commercial aviation disasters of 2014
New Delhi : Major commercial aviation disasters of 2014:
1. Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 - March 8 - The aircraft, with 239 passengers and crew onboard, disappeared on its way to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur. No trace of the aircraft has been found even after months of international aerial, ground and underwater searches.
15 killed in China highway accident
By Xinhua
Changsha (China) : At least 15 people have been killed and 25 injured when a bus rammed into the rear of a tanker, triggering a fire and an explosion in central China's Hunan province, authorities said.
The accident occurred at around 7.00 p.m. Monday at Chenzhou city on the north-south freeway connecting Beijing and Zhuhai cities, according to the traffic police.
The blaze engulfed three more vehicles, a police spokesperson said. Traffic on the Beijing-Zhuhai freeway was stopped temporarily because of the accident.
UN bodies express concern over use of children in violent protests in S Nepal
By Xinhua
Kathmandu : The United Nations agencies based in Nepal on Friday expressed concern over the use of children in violent protests in southern Nepal.
In a press release jointly issued by the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Nepal, it was stated that they are increasingly concerned at the threat of harm to children, given the violent protests that have been taking place in the Terai.
Missing Brazilian air force plane located, nine survivors found
By EFE,
Rio de Janeiro : Brazilian military sources have said that at least nine of the 11 people on board the Brazilian air force plane that disappeared over the Amazon Thursday morning survived an emergency landing.
"Of the 11 occupants of the plane, one is missing and there are indications of a possible death. The other nine are fine," the air force authorities said Friday.
The Cessna C-98 Caravan made a forced landing Thursday morning in the Amazon forest along the Itui river between the villages of Aurelio and Rio Novo, the authorities added.
Police to question male students in Roebuck’s suicide investigation
By IANS,
London : South African police have decided to question 16 male students, who lived with renowned sports commentator and writer Peter Roebuck in an eight-room house.
Muslim Converts decline in Belgium
By SPA,
Brussels, Belgium : Belgian newspapers reported recently that the number of new Muslim converts during the last twelve months ranged between 500 to 600 persons.
The Belgian sources said that this figure reflects a decline in the proportion of new Muslim Converts which usually ranges between 1000 to 1200 people annually.
Karim Guimart in-charge of Muslim Society said the decline is due to the fact that Islam is "no longer" the focus and concentration of the media in recent times, contrary to what was recorded in the years that followed the attacks of September 11, 2001.
First Japan Woman as PM Hopeful
By Prensa Latina,
Tokyo : Japan's former Defense Minister Yuriko Koike officially presented her candidature for the prime minister's post on Monday, thus becoming the first woman disputing that position in the country's history.
Koike, 56, will run for the leadership of the governmental Democrat Liberal Party, with the elections set for September 22.
The former TV anchorwoman told press she has received the enthusiastic support of her colleagues, and added the country could perfectly have a woman as head of the government to overcome the standstill in the Japanese society.
China-Taiwan start direct transport, postal service
By Xinhua,
Beijing : China and Taiwan Monday morning began direct air, sea transport and postal services, the latest step to further improve the strained ties between the two rivals.
The move marks an end to the practice that air and sea transport as well as mail between the mainland and Taiwan had to go through a third place.
At 7:20 a.m., a Shenzhen Airlines flight took off from the Shenzhen Airport for Taiwan. Forty minutes later, another mainland flight left Shanghai for the island.
Direct shipping, transport and postal services across the Taiwan Strait also started Monday.
India condemns attack on US consulate in Libya
By IANS,
New Delhi: India Wednesday strongly condemned the attack on the US consulate in Libya that killed Washington's envoy and other US officials.
Post-Soviet bloc to offer aid to Kyrgyzstan
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : The post-Soviet security bloc Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) will offer emergency assistance to law-enforcement agencies in Kyrgyzstan, where more than 138 people have died in four days of ethnic clashes.
"They have enough strength for today, but do not have enough equipment, helicopters, ground transportation, logistics and even gasoline, oil and lubricants," CSTO secretary general Nikolai Bordyuzha said.
Qantas to cut 500 jobs
By IANS,
Sydney : Australia's largest airline Qantas Airways announced Monday that it would cut 500 jobs following a review of its heavy aircraft maintenance and engineering operations.
North Korea restarts firing artillery shells in Yellow Sea
By DPA,
Seoul: North Korea Thursday fired artillery shells near the disputed maritime border with South Korea for a second day, media reports said.
The North began firing towards the South Korean island of Yeonpyeong near the Northern Limit Line (NLL) in the Yellow Sea at 8.15 a.m. (2315 GMT Wednesday), the Yonhap news agency said, quoting a defence official.
IMF, EU pledge $159 bn to save Greek economy
By IANS,
Athens : Greece has reached an agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the European Union (EU) on a $159 billion rescue package for the debt-laden country.
The agreement includes harsh spending cuts through 2012.
Prime Minister George Papandreou made the announcement Sunday after workers' unions staged violent anti-government protests at May Day rallies, Prensa Latina reported.
Papandreou said people would be urged to make "great sacrifices" to avoid catastrophe.
Obama urges China to free Nobel laureate Liu
By IANS,
London: US President Barack Obama has called on China to free Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo, a media report said Saturday.
Nepal government forms committee to probe plane crash
By IANS,
Kathmandu : The Nepal government Monday set up a four-member probe committee to investigate Sunday's aircraft crash in the Himalayan country which claimed...
Swedish diplomat named UN mission chief in Afghanistan
By DPA,
New York: Stefan de Mistura, a veteran UN troubleshooter, was named head of the UN mission in Afghanistan Wednesday.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, who selected de Mistura to replace outgoing Norwegian Kai Eide, said the Swedish diplomat will take over March 1.
De Mistura previously headed the UN mission in Iraq and held other important UN assignments.
Ban said Afghanistan is reaching a turning point in its struggle for survival and its population want a "larger say" in running the country.
Japanese shares climb on US, European gains
By DPA,
Tokyo : Japanese stocks rose in Thursday morning trading, supported by overnight gains on the US and European markets amid hopes for the global economic recovery.
The kilogram is losing weight!
By IANS
New York : The kilogram is losing weight and many international scientists believe it is time to redefine it!
The kilogram is based on the International Prototype Kilogram (IPK) - or the "Le Grand K" - a bar of platinum-iridium alloy made in the 1880s and kept in a vault near Paris.
Of the seven units of measurement in the International System, the kilogram is the only base still defined by a physical object.
And copies of the IPK have changed over time by either gaining or losing weight as compared to the standard kilogram.
Pope Benedict XVI wraps up his visit to Spain
By IANS/EFE,
Madrid : Pope Benedict XVI Sunday wrapped up his visit to Spain, where he participated in the Catholic Church's World Youth Day celebrations.
Protesting Tibetan monks attempt suicide, go on hunger strike
By DPA
Beijing : Two monks have reportedly slashed their wrists in an attempted suicide and others have begun a hunger strike as Chinese troops surrounded and locked down monasteries in the Tibetan capital of Lhasa, US-based Radio Free Asia (RFA) reported Friday.
The crackdown on hundreds of demonstrating monks started Monday when they attempted to march to Lhasa to protest Chinese rule over Tibet.
The two monks from Drepung monastery were in critical condition after cutting their wrists Thursday, according to RFA.
Washington State Senate opens with Hindu prayer
By IANS
New York : The Washington state senate opened for the first time with a Hindu prayer involving the chanting of Sanskrit mantras.
Rajan Zed, a prominent Hindu chaplain who has earlier read opening prayers in the US Senate and many state senates, read the prayer from ancient scriptures before the Washington Senate in Olympia Friday. After first delivering the prayer in Sanskrit, he read its English translation.
Zed read from the "Rig Veda", besides lines from the Upanishads and the "Bhagavad Gita". He started and ended the prayer with "Om", the Hindu mystical syllable.
Thousands march to mark 150 years of the Red Cross
By DPA,
Solferino (Italy) : At least 8,000 people took part in a torch-lit march Saturday evening to mark the Battle of Solferino in northern Italy, the event that led to the creation of the Red Cross.
"It's really a very good thing to see so many people, especially young people, who are motivated to be committed to humanitarian work," Jakob Kellenberger, president of the International Committee of the Red Cross, told DPA.
"I am pleased people are here just to remember the disaster of war. ... They are also all aware the fight for peace is never-ending."
Nine killed in Brazil elevator accident
By IANS,
Brasilia : At least nine people were killed Tuesday when an elevator fell from a 20-metre height at an under construction building in northeast Brazil, Xinhua reported.
Indian IT solutions firm forays into Egypt
By IANS,
Bangalore : Leading IT solutions provider IDS Softwares Ltd has forayed into Egypt to automate the hospitality industry and extend its footprint in North African countries, a top company official said.
“We have already bagged a deal from Egypt’s leading hotel chain Pyramisa Hotels to deploy our suite of products developed at our global R&D facility in Bangalore to automate its operations,” IDS general manager Rajesh P. Yadav said in a statement here late Thursday.
Submarine rams into ship as navigator listens to iPod
By IANS,
London/Washington : A US nuclear submarine rammed into a ship causing damage worth nearly 60 million pounds as its navigator was listening to his iPod - a portable media player, a media report said Sunday.
The Sun Sunday cited an official report as saying that sailors on the USS Hartford were also using loudspeakers so they could play music while on duty.
Fifteen sailors on the Hartford were injured when it collided with the transport ship USS New Orleans in the Persian Gulf in March 2009.
37 LTTE rebels, four troopers killed in N. Sri Lanka
By KUNA,
New Delhi : At least 37 rebels of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and four government soldiers have been killed in battle fatigues Northern Sri Lanka.
On the Mannar front 21 LTTE rebels and one soldier were killed in separate clashes yesterday, Sri Lankan Defence Ministry said in a statement Wednesday at Colombo.
While one LTTE cadre was killed in Elathumadduwal and Muhamalai in clashes, two soldiers were killed in Muhamalai in Jaffna yesterday, Sri Lanka's Media Centre for National Security said today.
‘Google disabling applications for Cuban users’
By EFE,
Havana : Cuba's official Juventud Rebelde newspaper has criticised Google for blocking access to certain applications, including the Zeitgeist search trends tool, for users on the island.
"Even though Google has a domain for Cuba (.cu), Zeitgeist appears to bypass the Caribbean archipelago in offering its results," the official daily of the Cuban Communist Party's youth organisation said Thursday.
The US-based information provider has also blocked Cubans' access to Google Earth, Google Desktop Search, Google Code, Google Toolbar and Chrome, Juventud Rebelde said.
Facebook reaches saturation point in Britain
By IANS,
London : Social networking website Facebook is nearing its saturation point in Britain and its growth in the country has gone down over the past six months.
Britain, however, has the second-largest membership of Facebook in the world, at 25 million. The list is led by the US, while Indonesia and Turkey follow Britain.
EU summit inches towards 10-year economic plan
By DPA,
Brussels : European Union leaders are inching towards agreement on some of the key elements of a 10-year economic plan, but will need months to agree on the final details, draft documents for an EU summit on Friday reveal.
The two-day EU summit, which started on Thursday, is meant to launch a programme of economic reforms which would reverse the bloc's economic decline by 2020 by making it more innovative, competitive and climate-friendly.
Disgraced Malaysian politician blames ‘certain partymen’
By IANS
Kuala Lumpur : Malaysian politician Chua Soi Lek, who resigned as health minister and lawmaker after being caught in a sex romp on video, has blamed "certain partymen" of his Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) for the scandal but has refused to elaborate further.
Chua, who resigned Wednesday, has acknowledged the woman in the DVDs as "a personal friend". Though media reports Thursday said she is a florist, details about her have not so far become public.
Oil slick coats 40 km of South Korea coast
By DPA
Seoul : More than 40 km of South Korea's western coastline has been coated in oil after a collision involving a tanker, a spokesman for the maritime and fisheries ministry said Monday.
The slick in the Yellow Sea stretched for 150 km, he said, after a barge rammed the Hong Kong-registered super tanker Hebei Spirit Friday, spilling an estimated 10,500 tonnes of oil.
Italian and Danish fighter jets over Libya, governments confirm
By DPA,
Copenhagen/Rome: Italian and Danish fighter jets have been participating in enforcing the no-fly zone over Libya, the governments in Copenhagen and Rome confirmed separately Sunday night.
US tightens Iran’s access to international finance
By DPA,
Washington : The US has moved to cut off all Iranian transactions routed through US banks to further tighten sanctions over the Islamic state's nuclear and other illicit activities, the US Treasury Department has announced.
Iranian banks and other institutions could previously send transactions through US banks as long as they were initiated by a non-Iranian or American bank outside the US and ended in a non-Iranian or American bank outside the US.
London conference on Afghanistan opens amid tight security
London, Jan 28, IRNA – Delegates from 70 countries and international organisations gathered for talks on the future of Afghanistan in London Thursday amid tight security.
The Metropolitan Police said that it had taken "all eventualities" into account when planning security for one-day international conference but was not prepared to comment on the arrangements or challenges posed by such a high-profile event.
East Timor President Ramos-Horta wounded in attack
By DPA
Sydney : East Timor President Jose Ramos-Horta, who was wounded in a pre-dawn rebel attack Monday on his home in capital Dili, was reported stable and ready for medical evacuation to Australia.
The Nobel peace laureate and former prime minister was shot twice in the stomach in an exchange of fire that reportedly cost the life of rebel leader Major Alfredo Reinado, who had been on the run since escaping jail in August 2006.
American Express chief executive seen as Vikram Pandit’s replacement
By IANS,
New York : American Express chief executive Kenneth Chenault is among those being considered to replace Vikram Pandit, the Indian American chief of Citigroup Inc - the banking giant that Sunday received a massive bailout package from the US government.
Federal officials did not "push" for the immediate ouster of Pandit as part of the pact with Citigroup but the Wall Street Journal indicated in a front page report that he was not insulated completely and that several names were being touted as his replacement.
Tibet was non-negotiable for Dalai Lama’s brother
By Mayank Chhaya, IANS,
Chicago : Thubten Jigme Norbu, the elder brother of Buddhist spiritual leader the Dalai Lama who died last week in the US, considered the status of Tibet "non-negotiable" throughout his life.
Asked during an interview four years ago in Bloomington, Indiana, whether he agreed with the idea that Tibetans should settle for autonomy rather than independence, Norbu, who was also known as Takster Rinpoche, said: "No, I do not, but I also know that you cannot get anything more from the Chinese. The status of Tibet must be Tibet, nothing else.
Two held for trading Russian state jobs
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow: Police have detained two men suspected of trading in top executive and law enforcement jobs, the interior ministry said.
Four sentenced over syringe attack in China
By Xinhua,
Urumqi (China) : Four people were sentenced to between 8 to 15 years in prison Thursday for stabbing a pedestrian with a syringe in Urumqi, capital of China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
The Municipal Intermediate People's Court of Urumqi delivered the sentence.
Three Americans killed in France plane crash
By IANS,
Paris : Three Americans, including a woman, were killed when their private jet crashed in France, Xinhua reported.
The plane crashed in southeastern France's Var region Friday.
Bank of England boss freezes his own pay raise
By Venkata Vemuri, IANS,
London : The chief banker of England has refused a pay hike of over 15,000 pounds in the next two years, putting into practice what he preaches about cutting down on public expenditure.
Governor of the Bank of England, Mervyn King, has said no to his right to a 2.5 percent increase in salary in 2010 and 2011, according to the bank's annual report.
His annual pay packet with benefits will, therefore, remain at 305,764 pounds. That's around 30,000 pounds more than the country's highest paid civil servant.
France discussing “Ponant” pirates fate with Somali authorities
By KUNA,
Paris : France said on Monday that it was in close contact with the Somali government regarding the fate of six sea pirates captured Saturday by French Special Forces.
The pirates had been involved in the week-long hostage taking aboard the luxury yacht "Le Ponant" before fleeing Friday, allegedly with a ransom for the boat and its 30-member crew, 22 of whom were French and eight Philippino.
Russia may spend $12 bn on satellite navigation system
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Russia may spend 346.5 billion rubles (almost $12 billion) on its Glonass satellite navigation system in 2012-20, the Kommersant daily said Wednesday.
Indo-Canadian doctors reveal new device to save brain stroke victims
By IANS,
Toronto : Canadian researchers are on the verge of perfecting a vaccum-like device to clear brain clots much faster than current clot-dissolving drugs, according to Indo-Canadian researcher Mayank Goyal.
Goyal, who is director of the Seaman Family M.R. Research Centre at the University of Calgary and a professor of radiology and clinical neurosciences, revealed at the on-going Canadian Stroke Congress on Quebec City Tuesday that the new device poses less risk of bleeding and works more effectively to save lives.
Chinese teen killed in Ghana mine crackdown
By IANS,
Accra: A 16-year-old Chinese boy has been killed and over 100 others have been detained by police in Ghana during a crackdown on illegal gold mining.
150 arrested in Myanmar for illegal arms possession
Yangon : A total of 150 people have been arrested in Myanmar in the first eight months of this year on charges of possessing...
Gas leaks kill 50 Britons a year
By IANS,
London : Carbon monoxide gas leak from faulty appliances killed 50 Britons in the past year, a government report said.
Tiger loses the plot and roar as Majors elude him
By DPA,
Hamburg: As if failing to win a Major during 2009 was not bad enough for Tiger Woods, the year ended in disaster for the American as he was injured in a mysterious car crash and then had his alleged extra-marital affairs splashed across the front pages of newspapers all over the world.
After several women went public with their alleged affairs, sport's first billionaire, who had carefully spent much of his career crafting an image of sport's Mr.Nice admitted to "transgressions", without elaborating.
Chinese military withdraws from Lhasa
By IANS
Dharamsala : Chinese military units have withdrawn from Tibet's main city Lhasa, the Tibetan government-in-exile said here Friday.
"Military units that were brought in specifically to suppress the Tibetan demonstrations in Lhasa were withdrawn at 3 p.m. Wednesday," said the spokesman of the Tibetan government-in-exile.
"But the Public Security Bureau (PSB) and other law enforcement agencies (that are permanently stationed in Lhasa) continue to remain."
Russian ship seized off Somalia
By RIA Novosti
Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk (Far East) : Russia has informed the NATO fleet that a Russian ship was seized by pirates off the coast of Somalia, the Russian Far Eastern rescue center said on Sunday.
"The ship was seized by pirates near Somalia on February 1 at 1:17 p.m. Greenwich Time," the center said.
According to the center, the ship, Svitser Korsakov, had six people on its board: two Brits and four Russians.
Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk (Far East) : Russia has informed the NATO fleet that a Russian ship was seized by pirates off the coast of Somalia, the Russian Far Eastern rescue center said on Sunday.
"The ship was seized by pirates near Somalia on February 1 at 1:17 p.m. Greenwich Time," the center said.
According to the center, the ship, Svitser Korsakov, had six people on its board: two Brits and four Russians.
Over 900 civilians leave LTTE-held areas in Sri Lanka
By DPA,
Colombo : Over 900 civilians left the Tamil rebel-controlled areas in northern Sri Lanka over the weekend as fierce fighting continued between government troops and the rebels, military officials said Sunday.
A group of civilians had left on their own while others were helped by the International Committee of the Red Cross to leave the Mullaitivu area, 395 km northeast of the capital, by sea.
Nepal’s Constituent Assembly to meet May 8
Kathmandu : Nepal's Constituent Assembly will now meet on May 8, its chairman Subhas Chandra Nembang said on Thursday, Xinhua reported.
The summer session of...
Let the two-state solution be a reality: Pope
By DPA,
Tel Aviv : Pope Benedict XVI ended his journey to Israel and the Palestinian territories by issuing a powerful call for peace.
"Allow me to make this appeal to all the people of these lands: No more bloodshed! No more fighting! No more terrorism! No more war!" he told a farewell ceremony at Tel Aviv's Ben-Gurion International Airport Friday.
"Let it be universally recognised that the State of Israel has the right to exist, and to enjoy peace and security within internationally agreed borders.
Malaysia awaiting debris verification results
Kuala Lumpur : Malaysia is awaiting a verification as to whether the debris found on Reunion island is from the missing Malaysia Airlines...
Spies to root out Muslim extremism from British schools
By IANS,
London : The British government has recruited former MI5 spies in schools as a measure to root out Islamic extremism and extremists.
Thai PM Heads To Myanmar On UN, International Mission
By Bernama,
Bangkok : Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej left Bangkok to negotiate with the Myanmar military government, to allow international relief workers to enter the cyclone-stricken country in order to help the storm's victims.
The prime minister left Bangkok to Yangon bringing 100 satellite phones to give to the State Peace and Development Council as requested.
Thai officials will also install a satellite station there to restore communication in Myanmar, the Thailand news agency (TNA) reported Wednesday.
Tall people earn more, Australian survey finds
By DPA,
Sydney: The taller you are, the more you earn, but being fat doesn't affect your pay, Australian researchers have said.
Being five centimetres above average can increase a worker's pay by an average of 1.5 percent, Andrew Leigh from the Australian National University and Michael Kortt from Sydney University found.
"We see this effect both for men and women, but it's strongest for men," Leigh said.
There was no obvious explanation for the effect of height on earnings, they said of the study that found no correlation between weight and wages.
Ukraine coal mine blast injures three, 40 missing
By RIA Novosti,
Kiev : Three miners were injured and another 40 reported missing following an explosion in a coal mine in east Ukraine, the country's emergencies ministry said Sunday.
The accident at the Karl Marx mine in the town of Yenakiyevo in the Donetsk region occurred at 6:00 a.m. Moscow time (02:00 a.m. GMT) Sunday when a gas and air mixture exploded.
"Three miners who were on the surface were injured in the blast, while the fate of 40 who were working underground remains unknown," the emergencies ministry said.
Victims of New York shooting came from eight countries
By DPA,
Washington : The 13 victims of Friday's shooting at a service centre for immigrants in a New York town included two US citizens and people from seven other countries.
The largest number of victims - four - were from China, the Binghamton Press and Sun-Bulletin reported online Monday.
The information was released by city officials in Binghamton, where the shootings took place at the American Civic Association, which provides services to refugees and immigrants and classes to prepare them for US citizenship naturalisation.
Gunman kills four in US
By IANS,
Los Angeles : A gunman shot dead four people, including his wife, in an Arizona community of the US early Sunday, authorities said.
According to a police report, the gunman entered a home in Lake Havasu City of Arizona and started shooting people inside, Xinhua said.
The attacker fled with two of his children in a truck after the shooting, the report said.
Those killed were the children's mother and three others. Two survived in the shooting, police said.
Olympic torch relay ends in Canberra, six arrested
By DPA,
Sydney : Several people were arrested and minor scuffles reported between the police and protesters Thursday as the beleaguered Beijing Olympic torch relay made its way under an intense security cordon along Canberra's 16 km, steel-barricaded route to Commonwealth Park.
Unlike disruptions seen in Europe and the US, the relay was smooth here, with the Olympic flame ending its run uninterrupted in full view of spectators, protesters and the media in a festive and noisy atmosphere.
Chad Rebels Accept Conditional Truce
By Prensa Latina
Nairobi : Chadian rebels accepted an immediate truce Tuesday, but conditioned it on the resignation of President Idriss Deby, who is in the capital N Djamena, supported by the UN, the United States and France.
Over 1,000 people are estimated to have been wounded in clashes between army and rebel forces in N Djamena.
Trial begins of doctors accused of attempted car bomb murders
By KUNA,
London : The trial of two doctors accused of attempting to murder hundreds of people with car bomb attacks in London and Glasgow, Scotland, was beginning Thursday, lawyers said.
Bilal Abdulla, 29 and Mohammed Asha, 28, are being held in custody accused of conspiracy to murder and conspiracy to cause explosions.
Prosecutors were opening their case against the two men at Woolwich Crown Court, south-east London.
The trial judge told potential jurors yesterday that prosecutors believe the pair were motivated by a fundamental form of Islam.
Irish vote will not stop enlargement: EU
By DPA,
Luxembourg : The political crisis caused by Ireland's rejection of the European Union (EU)'s Lisbon treaty will not stop the bloc's enlargement, with progress for Turkey, Bosnia and Croatia expected this week, EU officials said Monday.
There is "no direct link" between the Irish vote and enlargement, EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said ahead of a meeting with EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg Monday.
"Enlargement will not stop, the process of European unification and integration will not stop," Finland's Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb said.
WFP sends relief aid to victims of Mynamar”s cyclone
By KUNA,
Rome : The World Food Program (WFP) began Tuesday sending relief aid to the victims of the Nagis cyclone which hit Mynamar last weekend.
The WFP affirmed that food supplies began to reach people in areas which were severly devistated Mynamar's southern coast area.
New Zealand prime minister fights for political life
By DPA
Wellington : New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark - after nearly nine years in office one of the longest-surviving leaders in the developed world - is gearing up for the fight of her political life against a greenhorn politician bent on ousting her this election year.
If the opinion polls are correct, Clark, 58, a Labour Party member of parliament since 1981, is heading for a humiliating thrashing at the hands of John Key, 46, who became leader of the opposition conservative National Party only 16 months ago.
18th Indian man jailed in Singapore riots case
Singapore : An Indian man was Tuesday sentenced to 31 months in jail for his involvement in the Dec 8, 2013, riots in this...
Legal immunity for Modi challenged, group announces reward for serving summons
Washington: Challenging US officials' contention that Prime Minister Narendra Modi enjoyed immunity from lawsuits in US courts, a US-based group announced a $10,000 reward...
Roman skeleton found with freak pelvic tumour
By IANS,
London: Archaelogists have discovered body of a Roman woman with a tumour in her pelvis embedded with four deformed teeth and a bone.
SCO Members Signs Agreements On Illegal Migration, Natural Resource Usage
By Bernama,
Astana : Representatives of the supreme courts of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member states agreed to exchange their cooperation of judicial bodies in issues of illegal migration and natural resource usage.
In a two-day meeting here, the participants also agreed to exchange their corresponding legal declarations taken by the Supreme Courts, Kazakhstan's Khavar Agency reported Wednesday.
11 victims of Air France crash identified
By DPA,
Sao Paulo : Brazilian authorities have identified 11 victims, three weeks after an Air France jet carrying 228 people crashed on its way to France, a news report said.
The forensics department in the port town Recife identified 10 Brazilians, among them five women, and one foreigner, whose bodies were among the 50 recovered after the Airbus A330 crashed June 1 off Brazil's coast.
The victims could be identified by their fingerprints and dental records, the O Globo newspaper reported.
Unresponsive plane crashed off Jamaica
Kingston : An unresponsive private plane crashed in the sea off Jamaica, officials of the island nation said Friday.
It could not be immediately known...
New campaigns on maternal, child mortality buoyed by progress
By IRNA,
Tehran : Updated data on mortality rates among mothers and young children are likely to encourage G8 leaders, who at their meeting later this week will make this health issue – long considered a neglected area of international development efforts – a 2010 priority.
Chinese media turns black-and-white to mourn quake victims
By IANS,
Beijing : Print and online versions of major Chinese newspapers including China Daily, Global Times, People's Daily and Shanghai Daily wore a black-and-white look Wednesday to mourn the more than 2,000 victims of the devastating quake in northwestern Qinghai province.
The banner on top of the China Daily website read "Sharing Sorrow, Moving Forward", while that of the mouthpiece of the Communist Party of China, People's Daily, read "China mourns for Qinghai quake victims".
Russia’s Medvedev optimistic about relations with Washington
By SPA,
Moscow : Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said Wednesday he was moderately optimistic about relations with the United States, saying the Kremlin is prepared to work with whoever succeeds U.S. President George W. Bush.
Associated Press quoted Medvedev as saying that Moscow and Washington must cooperate to maintain global stability _ even if their views on U.S. plans to install missile defense sites in Europe, and other security issues, differ sharply.
UN chief urges immediate release of Suu Kyi
By DPA,
New York: United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has called for the immediate release of Aung San Suu Kyi, to mark the 65th birthday Saturday of the Myanmar pro-democracy leader.
Ban said he was "deeply concerned" that the Nobel Peace Prize laureate remains under house arrest.
"I have been persistently, consistently demanding that all the political prisoners including Aung San Suu Kyi should be released without condition as soon as possible, so that they would be able to participate in the political process," Ban said in New York.
EU probe targets ring-tone scams
By DPA,
Brussels : Most European internet sites that sell ring-tones and wallpapers that can be downloaded to mobile phones are suspected of misleading customers and breaching European Union (EU) rules, officials here said Thursday.
The EU executive, the European Commission, coordinated an investigation into more than 500 websites across the 27-member bloc, as well as in Norway and Iceland.
Obama, McCain square off in debate amid economic crisis
By DPA,
Washington : Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain began their second presidential debate Tuesday night in a discussion on the economy against the backdrop of a widening global credit and economic crisis.
In the only presidential debate scheduled in the so-called town hall meeting format, the two candidates quickly heard questions from a group of 80 undecided voters about the financial crisis in the US and the $700-billion rescue package approved last week in Congress.
World Bank provides $100 mn for Haiti emergency
By DPA,
Washington : The World Bank is providing $100 million in emergency money for Haiti's recovery and reconstruction after a fierce quake devastated the capital city, the bank said Wednesday.
Tuesday's magnitude-7 earthquake flattened large areas of the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince, leaving tens of thousands, perhaps more than 100,000, dead, Haitian officials have said.
"This is a shocking event and it is crucial that the international community supports the Haitian people at this critical time," World Bank president Robert Zoellick said in a statement.
Four killed in blast in Philippines
By DPA,
Manila : Four people were killed and several wounded when a homemade bomb exploded outside a Catholic cathedral in a southern Philippine city Sunday, police said.
The blast occurred as churchgoers were coming out of the cathedral in Cotabato City, 960 km south of Manila, said police Chief Inspector Alexander Sarabia.
He said two soldiers and two civilians died in the blast.
"The victims were rushed to nearby hospitals for treatment," he added.
1,000 held in Myanmar for breaking the law
By IANS,
Yangon: Over 1,000 people have been arrested in western Myanmar's Rakhine state for breaking the law and violating human rights, state media reported Saturday.
US Democrats Tuning for Election
Washington, Feb 8 (Prensa Latina) US Democrats are tuning up mechanisms ahead of the primaries on Saturday, marked by the virtual tie between presidential pre-candidates Hillary Clinton, and Barack Obama.
After the tough results of the so called ó super-Tuesday, ó both contenders are focusing on the US Virgin Islands, and the states of Louisiana, Nebraska, and Washington, where the delegates for the party's National Convention will be elected Saturday.
On Sunday, the race will continue in Maine and on Tuesday, in the capital and the territories of Virginia and Maryland.
China hit by another strong aftershock
By IRNA,
Beijing : The area in China devastated by an earthquake has been hit by another strong aftershock as rescuers pulled scores more people alive from rubble.
Geological Survey said the latest quake measuring 6.1 magnitude, which follows scores of slightly less strong tremors during the week, hit 49 miles west of Guangyuan in Sichuan province.
It struck as rescuers returned to Beichuan, where thousands of residents have fled over fears a dam could ruin.
Three US citizens killed in Mexico
By IANS,
Washington : Three US citizens were killed in a northern Mexican city sharing borders with the US state of Texas, the State Department said.
7/7 inquest starts in London more than five years on
By IRNA,
London : The official inquest into the deaths of 52 people killed in the 7/7 attacks on London’s transport system started on Monday, more than five year after the atrocities.
US may set up military tribunal for 9/11 suspects
By DPA,
Washington: Reports that the White House may use military tribunals to try key terrorism suspects linked to the September 11, 2001, attacks drew a sharp rebuke from civil rights groups Friday.
The Washington Post reported that President Barack Obama's legal advisers were set to recommend that Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the self-proclaimed mastermind of the 2001 attack, and four alleged co-conspirators, be tried for their crimes in a military tribunal.
Myanmar constitutional referendum commences across country
By Xinhua,
Yangon : A nationwide referendum on a draft constitution commenced in Myanmar on Saturday morning as scheduled with people across the country starting to go to poll to cast votes on the charter.
The referendum is being held across the country except areas still declared as natural-disaster-hit regions.
As 40 townships in Yangon division out of 45 and 7 townships out of 26 in the southwestern Ayeyawaddy division are under such status, ballot casting in these areas is postponed to a fortnight later on May 24.
Londoner of Nigerian descent suspect in terror attack
By IANS,
London : Michael Adebolajo, a 28-year-old Londoner of Nigerian descent, is one of the two suspects who hacked to death a British soldier in London, a media report said Thursday.
700 Chinese donate organs in three years
By IANS,
Beijing : Seven hundred Chinese donated 1,918 organs from the start of 2010 to March 20 this year, Health News reported Friday, citing the national organ donation center.
Four get death sentence for China terror attacks
By IANS,
Beijing : Four people involved in deadly terror attacks in China's Xinjiang Uygur region in July have been sentenced to death, a media report said Thursday.
Death toll in Sichuan from quake rises to nearly 40,000
By KUNA,
Tokyo : A total of 39,577 people have been confirmed dead in the May 12 massive quake in southwest China's Sichuan Province alone, and another 236,359 people injured as of Tuesday afternoon, state-run Xinhua News Agency reported.
Li Chengyun, vice governor of Sichuan Province, told reporters that 60,026 people have been rescued from earthquake debris and close to 4.85 million people relocated.
Meanwhile, as of midday Tuesday, 159 aftershocks measuring above 4 on the Richter scale had been monitored in the province, according to the China Seismological Bureau.
Majority rule out re-election of French president
Paris : Nearly nine out of 10 French people do not want President Francois Hollande to win another term in office in the next...
New Russian president nominates Putin as prime minister
By IRNA,
Moscow : Three hours after taking oath, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev nominated Vladimir Putin as prime minister.
IRNA reporter in Moscow said that the announcement was made by Kremlin spokesman.
Brazil denies ‘arms race’ with Venezuela
By Xinhua
Rio De Janeiro : Brazil has denied it will get into an arms race with Venezuela even if the latter imports weapons.
"If Venezuela is importing weaponry, it is their problem," said Brazilian Defence Minister Nelson Jobim Wednesday.
While testifying at the Chamber of Deputies' Foreign Relations and National Defence Committee, Jobim said the government would promote military diplomacy in South America.
The Brazilian minister is scheduled to visit all the countries on the continent in the first half of 2008.
Nepal PM breaks eclipse taboo
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : Nepal's new Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal Wednesday took the lead in watching the much-acclaimed longest solar eclipse of the century, breaking an old taboo that in the past forbade Nepalis from venturing out during the phenomenon.
China offers ‘anger-release’ service for netizens
By IANS,
Beijing : More than 400 online stores in China are providing "anger-release" service to their customers who wish to get rid of their mental stress caused by family matters, studies and pressure at work places.
According to online shopping website Taobao, such stores have become popular among young netizens who are ready to pay the shop owners for listening to their secrets and tolerating their scoldings, China Daily reported.
China chemical plant pollution leaves 500 sick
By Xinhua,
Changsha (China) : More than 500 villagers have been found with very high levels of a toxic metal in their bodies following a series of leaks at a chemical plant in central China, officials said Monday.
A total of 509 people fell sick after they were exposed to cadmium, a toxic metal pollutant, discharged by the Changsha Xianghe Chemical Plant in China's central Hunan province, Zhou Mengde, an official investigating the incident, said.
Zhou said the government has offered free health checkups to 2,888 people living within a radius of 1,200 meters from the plant.
Fearing shortage, Sri Lanka imports rice from Myanmar
By P. Karunakharan, IANS,
Colombo : Building up a buffer stock to prevent a looming rice crisis, Sri Lanka is importing 7,000 tonnes of rice from Myanmar and is hopeful 43,000 tonnes of rice would also be brought from that country in the near future.
"A ship with 7,000 tonnes of rice left port in Myanmar on May 20 and is scheduled to reach Colombo harbour on May 27. We are hopeful of bringing another 43,000 tonnes of rice from Myanmar as soon as possible," Commerce and Consumer Affairs Ministry Secretary R.A.D. Ratnayake told IANS Thursday.
Eight miners rescued from gold mine in Colombia
By IANS/EFE,
Bogota : Eight miners, who were trapped inside a gold mine in Segovia town in Colombia, have been rescued.
The miners were found Saturday by rescue teams and were in good condition despite a lack of fresh air, John Fredy Rendon Roldan, director of Colombia's Antioquia Provincial Disaster Response Department, said Sunday.
The miners were trapped when an electric transformer exploded Friday at the mine.
At least 32 people were working at the mine at the time of the blast, of whom 24 were rescued by emergency workers.
White House considering force reduction in Iraq
By DPA
Washington : The Bush administration is working up several plans that would reduce US combat forces in Iraq by one-third or more by mid-2008, The New York Times reported Saturday.
Hunger in Latin America accompanies lack of social security
By DPA,
Santiago : The 53 million people suffering hunger in Latin America and the Caribbean would be helped by stronger government policies backing agriculture, including for small individual farmers, the regional office of the FAO said Wednesday.
The 53 million includes 15 million children under age 5 who are suffering from chronic malnutrition in the region, particularly in Guatemala, Bolivia, Honduras, Peru and Ecuador.
"These are countries that also lack resources for social security," said Jose Graziano, regional director of the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).
US markets plunge, S&P 500 sinks to 11-year low
By DPA,
Washington : US stocks plunged Thursday, with the broadbased Standard & Poor's 500 Index losing 6.7 percent to close at its lowest point since 1997 and economic indicators signalling a recession.
The S&P 500 has dropped 49 percent this year and is poised for its worst annual decline in its 80-year history.
Modi accorded ceremonial reception, holds talks with Li
Beijing : Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on Friday accorded an official ceremonial reception at the Great Hall of People here after which he...
US nuke part deliveries to Taiwan irks China
By DPA
Beijing : China Wednesday expressed its "strong dissatisfaction" about the delivery of US nuclear warhead parts to Taiwan that Washington divulged the day before while admitting there had been a mistake.
"We express our serious concern and strong dissatisfaction," a Foreign Ministry spokesman said. "We urge the US to conduct a thorough investigation and inform the Chinese side ... truthfully."
Pope recovers from fall to lead midnight Christmas Mass
By DPA,
Vatican City : Pope Benedict XVI late Thursday fell briefly in a scuffle when a woman trying to get to the pontiff jumped a cordon barrier as Christmas midnight Mass began in St Peter's Basilica.
Shortly after the incident, the 82-year-old pontiff, who appeared unharmed, again took hold of the golden cross he was carrying before being knocked down, and continued to lead the procession for the beginning of the Mass.
Benedict, clad in gold-embroidered robes and wearing his bishop's mitre, then presided over the rest of the ceremony and delivered his homily.
N. Korea says it notified U.S. of all nuclear programs
By IRNA-Kyodo
Beijing : North Korea insisted Friday it is not to blame for the ''regrettable'' failed Dec. 31 deadline to implement a six-party nuclear deal, saying it has already fulfilled most of its obligations by disabling its nuclear facilities to the utmost extent and by declaring its nuclear programs to the United States.
Modi, Kerry pay tribute to Paris terror victims
Gandhinagar : With Parisians gearing up Sunday to hold a massive solidarity rally in France against the terror attack on French magazine Charlie Hebdo,...
Gandhi quotations to comfort London Underground passengers
By DPA,
London : Travellers on London's Underground network are finding their anger about delays and overcrowding relieved by philosophical bon mots from great thinkers like Mahatma Gandhi, Albert Einstein and Jean-Paul Sartre.
From Thursday, drivers on Piccadilly Line trains will be asked to embellish routine service updates with quotes such as Gandhi's "There is more to life than increasing its speed."
While some travellers might find their journeys more thought-provoking, others are bound to frown at the innovation for disrupting their reading habits or music entertainment.
France Hosts Colloquium on Cuban Five
By Prensa Latina,
Paris : Large international participation and high professional level of lawyers generated a rich debate here on the cases of five Cuban antiterrorist fighters unjustly held in US prisons.
A positive balance and a further step to publicize information about the lengthy unjust sentences handed over to the Cuban Five, as they are known worldwide, were the results of the colloquium.
They are Antonio Guerrero, Rene Gonzalez, Ramon Labañino, Gerardo Hernandez and Fernando Gonzalez, who were sentenced in a fixed trial that was denounced here.
Nepal’s interim government resigns
By Anil Giri, IANS,
Kathmandu : Chairman of Nepal's interim election government Khil Raj Regmi Tuesday tendered his resignation from the post of Chief Justice...
Seven killed in US house fire
By DPA,
Washington : Seven people, including five children, were killed as a fire broke out in a house in southern US, media reports Sunday said.
Firefighters said those who were charred to death Saturday in Memphis, Tennessee state, included a 38-year-old woman, an 18-year-old male, three girls aged below nine and two boys below five.
Three children - boys aged 11 and 16, and a 17-year-old girl - suffered second-degree burns, the Memphis Commercial Appeal newspaper reported.
Floods kill 73 in Bolivia
By IANS
La Paz : Heavy rains and floods have killed 73 people since last November in Bolivia, while more than 95,000 families have been rendered homeless, a government official has said.
According to the latest report from Civil Defence, the greatest number of deaths occurred in the southern province of Chuquisaca, EFE news agency reported Saturday.
Of the more than 95,000 families driven from their homes, some 20,000 are in the province of Beni, whose capital, Trinidad, was almost submerged several weeks ago.
S. Africa, Venezuela Sign Coop Agreements
By Prensa Latina,
Pretoria : South Africa and Venezuela signed on Tuesday important agreements to consolidate South-South cooperation, official sources reported.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and his South African peer Thabo Mbeki signed the Framework Agreement, which according to the presidents is of great significance for full development of both nations, integration and establishment of a new world order.
Tokyo stocks close sharply lower
By Xinhua,
Tokyo : Tokyo stocks closed sharply lower Tuesday with the key Nikkei index briefly dipping below the 10,000 mark for the first time since December 2003.
The benchmark Nikkei-225 Stock Average lost 317.19 points, or 3. 03 percent, from Monday to 10,155.90 at its close.
In the afternoon Nikkei trimmed some losses after hitting a new low of 9,916.21 in nearly five years in the morning, down 556.88 points, or 5.32 percent.
The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange was down 21.44 points, or 2.15 percent, to 977.61.
Colombia rebels will not release key hostages: defector
By Xinhua
Bogota : Colombia's largest insurgency group Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) has no intention of freeing its top hostages, a defector has said.
Pablo Montoya killed his immediate superior Ivan Rios Friday for a $2.6 million reward on him, before turning himself over to the authorities, a local radio station reported Monday.
Montoya carried the severed hand of Rios at the time of his surrender to the authorities. He said he also killed Rios's girlfriend.
UN chief lays out challenging agenda for 2008
By Xinhua
New York : UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday put peacekeeping, pre-emptive diplomacy, climate change, improving the lot of poor countries and internal reform on top of the body's priorities in 2008.
Addressing staff in a meeting held at the UN Headquarters, Ban called all UN colleagues to remember the great expectations the world placed on the organization.
Zimbabwe: Opposition Disrupts Elections
By Prensa Latina,
Harare : The Zimbabwean police accused the opposition of trying to disturb the second electoral round for the presidency of this African country Friday.
The accusation was backed up with the attempt of burning several cabins fitted out for voting.
The police said five members of local Movement for Democratic Change, led by Morgan Tsvangerai, tried to burn several cabins for the elections, which gives a sample of their own purposes.
Putin, Medvedev disclose incomes for 2012
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev each earned almost 5.8 million rubles (about $187,000) in 2012, according to their tax reports.
Chinese arms ship leaves Luanda after offloading building supplies
By DPA,
Johannesburg : The controversial Chinese ship carrying arms for the beleaguered government of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe left the Angolan port of Luanda after offloading cement and construction material, unions said.
The International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) and the International Trade Union Confederation Tuesday said they had been informed by their members in Angola that the An Yue Jiang had restocked on fuel and food before leaving but made no attempt to offload its 77 tonnes of arms.
3 Indian pilgrimd to meet New Zealand immigration officials today
By NNN-PTI,
Melbourne : Three Indian pilgrims of the 39, who have disappeared on their way to Sydney to see the Pope at the World Youth Day celebrations, are likely to meet New Zealand immigration officials today and provide leads about the alleged immigartion scam, New Zealand Sikh Society said.
Modi worshipped at Pashupatinath temple as Nepal royals did
By Anil Giri,
Kathmandu : Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday became the first top dignitary to be accorded the privilege of offering special puja...
Soldier, two rebels killed in Colombia
By IANS,
Bogota : A Colombian soldier and two Left-wing rebels have been killed in a clash near the border with Ecuador, EFE news agency reported Monday.
According to the report, two insurgents of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and a soldier were killed in a clash near the Puerto Ospina village in Putumayo province Saturday.
The soldiers were conducting a combing operation near the village, some 700 km south of Bogota, when they were attacked by the rebels that led to a gunfight, the report said quoting army sources Sunday.
Democrats give Florida, Michigan half-say in blow to Clinton
By DPA,
Washington : The Democratic Party of the US has voted to give Florida and Michigan a voice in the presidential nomination process after disputed January elections but with only half their normal voting power, in a significant blow to the dwindling ambitions of Hillary Clinton.
In a raucous Saturday meeting interrupted many times by heckling from the crowd, the party's rules committee, the Democratic National Committee (DNC), was unable to get unanimity on both decisions, which Clinton advisor Harold Ickes said "hijacked" the democratic process.
Global economic downturn putting migrants at risk: Ban
By IANS,
United Nations : UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has stressed that migrants were highly vulnerable to the global economic crisis.
"The world's more than 200 million migrants are especially vulnerable to the financial downturn shaking the global economy," Ban said on the occasion of the International Migrants day.
UN ready to assist Myanmar after cyclone disaster — Ban
By KUNA,
United Nations : Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has expressed deep sadness at death of over 350 people as a result of a deadly cyclone that struck military-ruled Myanamar.
Absconding serial blast mastermind wins Nepal poll
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : A man wanted for a string of blasts in Nepal's capital Kathmandu last year has been elected from a Terai constituency in the country's historic constituent assembly election.
Babban Singh, who has been on the run since September when three explosions in crowded public places, including a bus, killed two students and a housewife, was Monday declared winner from a constituency in Rautahat district along the Indo-Nepal border.
Georgia may consider hosting US missile shield
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Georgia Wednesday said that it may consider to host a US missile shield system on its soil if Washington puts up a request.
"If [the US] come and tell us that they want to (set up a missile base), we would certainly be willing to talk about it," Gela Bezhuashvili said in an interview with British daily The Financial Times.
"There is no formal application, not even informal talks," he said. "But if they ask for help, we will talk with them."
US Senators Admonish Republican Legislator
By Prensa Latina,
Washington : The US Senatorial Ethics Committee admonished on Friday republican Senator Pete Domenici for communicating with a New Mexico Attorney and ask about an investigation related to a public corruption case, the CNN published today.
Although that legislative authority did not consider that Domenici tried to influence the inquiry, it did reproach him for his telephone conversation with David Iglesias in 2006.
Protests in Texas over refusal of marriage licences to homosexuals
Washington : Supporters protested in Granbury city, capital of Hood county in the US state of Texas against county clerk Katie Lang's decision to...
Chile to build first Antarctic museum
By Xinhua
Santiago : Chile will build the world's first Antarctic museum in the southern city of Punta Arenas, according to a local media report.
At the museum, people would be able to know more about the Antarctic and how it affects the world, the report quoted Jose Retamales, director of the Chilean National Antarctic Institute, as saying.
The Antarctic museum will be built in the heart of the city, facing the Strait of Magellan. It will cost $20 million and is expected to open to the public in three years.
EU commits $70 mn to make Internet safer for children
By Xinhua,
Brussels : The European Union (EU) Tuesday said that it will spend 55 million euros ($70 million) in a five-year programme to make Internet safer for children.
The programme will co-fund projects to increase public awareness and create a network of contact points that allow reporting on illegal and harmful content and conduct, mainly on child sexual abuse material, grooming and cyber bullying.
Obama seeks renewable energy partnership with India
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : President Barack Obama wants India and the United States to build a renewable energy partnership as they work together to find solutions to climate change issues.
Obama conveyed this to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's special envoy on climate change issues, Shyam Saran, during a meeting Monday with leaders of delegations to a meeting of the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate here.
Maoist victory casts shadow over Bhutan refugee resettlement
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : The historic victory of Nepal's former Maoist guerrillas in this month's crucial election and their bid to lead the new government has cast a dark shadow over the process started by the US and other western governments to offer Bhutanese refugees in Nepal new homes abroad.
No defence ties with China, says Sri Lanka
By IANS,
Hua Hin (Thailand) : Sri Lanka has "very close" and "very special" ties with China but there is unlikely to be a defence relationship between Beijing and Colombo, Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollogama has said.
Asked how he saw the China engagement going, Bogollogama told Singapore's Straits Times newspaper Saturday: "It is very close and I call it very special because they have supported our economic agenda and us politically in the Security Council."
He added: "China-Sri Lanka relationship is very special and a growing one."