Two dead, 100 injured in China quake
By IANS,
Beijing : Two people died and about 100 others were injured in China in a 5.7-magnitude quake Sunday, the authorities said.
Muslim inmates plotting prison uprising
By KUNA,
London : Emergency plans have been drawn up over fears that a prison officer could be taken hostage by Muslim fanatics inside Britains jails, according to a report here Monday.
The dossier has been compiled in the past few months amid mounting racial tension in the UK prison system, The Daily Mail newspaper said.
It details the action to be taken in the event of the "worst case scenario".
A senior prison source told the daily that it was "a real live threat".
Indonesia floods kill 11 people, displace thousands
By SPA
Jakarta : Floods and landslides triggered by torrential rains in Indonesia's Java and Nusa Tenggara Timur islands have killed 11 people and displaced thousands over the past two weeks, a health ministry official said on Friday, according to Reuters.
Rustam Pakaya, head of the ministry's crisis centre, said more than 3,500 people have been displaced in Central Java where some cities have been inundated by filthy water up to two metres high for nearly two weeks.
Tibetan aid for Nepal quake victims
Dharamsala : The Tibetan government in-exile here on Sunday expressed its grief over the loss of lives in Nepal following a massive earthquake that...
Pine bark reduces jet lag
By IANS,
London : Pycnogenol, a bark extract from the French maritime pine tree, reduces jet lag in passengers by nearly 50 percent.
A recent two-part study, comprising a brain CT scan and a scoring system, showed Pycnogenol lowered symptoms of jet lag like fatigue, headaches, insomnia and brain oedema (swelling) in both healthy individuals and hypertensive patients.
Jet lag, also called desynchronosis, is a temporary disorder that causes a variety of temporary mental and physical impairments as a result of air travel across time zones.
French airliner missing over Atlantic, 228 on board
By DPA,
Paris/Rio de Janeiro : An Air France flight with 228 people on board has been lost over the Atlantic Monday morning, sparking a major search mission off the Brazilian coast.
The Airbus A330-200, flight number AF 447, left Rio de Janeiro for Paris, but radio contact was lost with the plane shortly after 0600 GMT, reports in both countries said.
"The plane could have been hit by lightning," said the Chief Executive of Air France, Pierre-Henri Gourgeon, suggesting the plane could have lost its power supply during a storm.
Ukraine insists on four Euro 2012 venues
By DPA,
Kiev (Ukraine) : Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko said his country would provide all four planned venues for the Euro 2012 competition despite severe financial problems.
Speaking to reporters in Kiev, Yushchenko rejected a Polish media suggestion that six of the eight venues for the tournament be in Poland, and that Ukraine's host share be reduced from four to two sites.
"We have all indications that we can guarantee a normal preparation process (for Euro 2012)," Yushchenko said.
Kenyan police shoot dead two terror suspects
Nairobi: Kenyan police on Saturday shot dead two terror suspects in an incident that left one police officer injured in the coastal town of...
More UN patrols after rockets found near Israel border
By DPA,
Beirut : The UN Interim Forces in southern Lebanon (UNIFIL) Thursday stepped up its patrols along the Lebanon-Israel border after Lebanese troops dismantled eight rockets that were apparently ready to be launched at northern Israel.
"Our UN troops are on alert and our patrols are enhancing their movements at the borders after the Lebanese army dismantled the rockets," UN spokeswoman Yasmina Bouziyan said.
US authorises $178mn for Russian nuclear safety
Washington, Dec 13 (RIA Novosti) The US House of Representatives has passed a defence policy bill authorising $178 million for nuclear security in Russia.
Of the total allocated sum, $93 million will be spent on destroying strategic offensive armament in Russia, while around $48 million has been set aside for the storage of nuclear weapons, and some $38 million for the safe transportation of nuclear arms under the Cooperative Threat Reduction Programme.
Indian envoy briefs Pranab on Sri Lanka, plight of civilians
By IANS,
New Delhi : As Tamil Nadu observed a shutdown over the plight of civilians caught in the military offensive in Sri Lanka, Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Alok Prasad Thursday briefed External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee about developments in the island nation.
Prasad met Mukherjee and Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon and told them about the massive exodus of Tamil civilians from the no-fire zone in Sri Lanka in the last few days that has triggered a humanitarian crisis.
Guantanamo detainee back in Britain amid torture claims
By DPA,
London : The first prisoner to be released from Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, since US President Barack Obama ordered a review of all detainee cases, arrived in Britain Monday alleging that he was subjected to "medieval" torture in which British intelligence services had been complicit.
Binyam Mohamed, a 30-year-old Ethiopian national who lived in Britain before his arrest in Pakistan in 2002, touched down at a military airport near London, accompanied by a doctor and government officials.
France mobilizes 10,000 troops to boost security
Paris : France is mobilizing 10,000 troops to boost security, as security forces search for what the French prime minister called a "probable" accomplice to three days of bloodshed in and around the capital.
Britain to build Europe’s largest bio-research centre
By IANS,
London : Britain plans to build Europe's largest medical research centre where thousand of scientists can work together on different projects.
The 1.4-hectare complex worth 600 million pound will have separate research laboratories for everything from stem cells to influenza when it opens in 2015.
The UK Centre for Medical Research and Innovation (UKCMRI) is being funded by a range of government and charitable organisations including the Medical Research Council (MRC), Cancer Research UK, the Wellcome Trust and University College London.
Global conf on “Beyond the Meltdown: Search for Options” in Delhi
By TCN News,
New Delhi: What are the opportunities for India to come in the league of developed countries when the latter are facing historic economic slowdown? Many – from huge investment in infrastructure to introduction of Islamic banking and finance. A two-day international conference on “Beyond the Meltdown: Search for Options” to be held on February 3-4 in New Delhi will discuss the issue.
Sir Partha joins Manchester University
By IANS,
London : Sir Partha Dasgupta, one of the world's leading economists, has joined the University of Manchester.
Dasgupta, an expert on international development and the environment, will teach environmental and development economics at the university's Sustainable Consumption Institute (SCI) and Brooks World Poverty Institute (BWPI).
The renowned academic will help conduct research in what he says is a neglected field of study: the link between poverty and localised environmental problems.
Brazil to hold three-day mourning over nightclub tragedy
IANS,
Buenos Aires: Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff Monday announced a three-day mourning following a night club tragedy in Santa Maria that killed over 230 people.
Major blow to Labour as key NRI donors revolt over tax proposal
By Dipankar De Sarkar, IANS,
London: Indian-born steel tycoon Lord Swraj Paul, a high-profile supporter of Labour, says he will stop bankrolling Britain's ruling party if he is forced to give up his non-domicile tax status under a proposed legislation.
Billionaire Paul, founder and chairman of the Caparo Group of industries, is a long-standing Labour backer, and had promised to bankroll the cash-starved party at the coming general elections due by June 3, 2010.
Obama sees no ‘factual argument’ against Iran n-deal
Addis Ababa: US President Barack Obama on Monday defended the agreement reached with Iran over its controversial nuclear programme, saying he has not heard...
Russia’s new radar station on combat duty by yearend
By RIA Novosti
Moscow : A new missile early warning radar station will go into service by the end of the current year, the Russian Space Forces commander has said.
Col. Gen. Vladimir Popovkin Friday said the construction of the Voronezh-type radar in Armavir in southwest Russia is going according to schedule.
"We intend to put the station on combat duty by the end of 2008," he said.
It was previously reported that the Armavir station would become operational in 2009.
UK new Justice Bill infringes human rights, MPs warn
By IRNA
London : Measures in the new Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill will infringe human rights in the UK and should be amended or dropped, an all-party parliamentary committee warned Friday.
The bill lays out proposals across policy areas as diverse as blasphemy laws, dealing with prostitution, youth offending and the proposed ban on prison workers striking.
It has been described by the government as an exercise in "rebalancing the criminal justice system in favour of the law abiding majority."
South African mining firm unveils black empowerment deal
By IANS
Kimberly (South Africa) : A South African-based manganese producing company has unveiled an empowerment deal which, it says, will allow black population in Northern Cape to participate in a significant way in the economic activity of the region.
China preparing to drain swelling quake lake
By Xinhua,
Mianyang : Rescuers are preparing to dynamite the barrier of a swelling quake lake, which has posed a new threat after a devastating 8.0-magnitude temblor ravaged southwest China's Sichuan Province.
Helicopters had airdropped professionals and materials for the operation by 7:49 a.m. Monday onto the dam of the barrier lake at Tangjiashan in Beichuan County, which was formed by landslides that blocked a local river known as Jianhe after the May 12 earthquake.
Europe determined to overcome crisis: Italian president
By IANS,
Rome : Europe is determined to overcome its current crisis, Italian President Giorgio Napolitano said after meeting his German and Polish counterparts in Italy.
Gordon Brown appoints Shriti Vadera to key ministerial post
By Prasun Sonwalkar, IANS
London : Britain's new Prime Minister Gordon Brown has appointed Shriti Vadera, an Indian-origin economist, as junior international development minister that will involve dealing with issues related to India.
Howard Berman meets PM, discusses AfPak crisis
By IANS,
New Delhi : A US Congressional delegation led by House Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Howard Berman met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Friday and discussed terrorism and the situation in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Berman is leading a seven-member delegation, including Congressmen Gary Ackerman, Ted Royce and Jim Costa to India.
The Congressional delegation also met National Security Advisor M.K. Narayanan and Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon.
US Senate approves $15-billion jobs package
By DPA,
Washington : The US Senate Wednesday approved a $15-billion package aimed at reviving the sluggish labour market in the US.
The Senate voted 70-28 in favour of the legislation, the bulk of which involves a tax incentive for businesses to start hiring again. It also extends some federal subsidies for infrastructure spending.
EU says China main source for dangerous goods
By EuAsiaNews,
Brussels : The number of dangerous products removed from the European Union market rose by 53% in 2007 compared to 2006, according to the European Commission's annual report on the Rapid Alert System (RAPEX) to spot risky goods .
This rise from 1.051 notifications in 2006 to 1.605 last year shows that EU member states' surveillance capacities are improving year on year, and that European consumers are better protected today than ever before, said the EU's executive body in a statement Thursday.
Obama to initiate peaceful dialogue on faith with world leaders
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : Noting that no religion, be it Christianity, Islam, Buddhism or Hinduism, teaches hatred, President Barack Obama Thursday said he will reach out to world leaders to foster a more productive and peaceful dialogue on faith.
"No matter what we choose to believe, let us remember that there is no religion whose central tenet is hate," he said during a speech at the National Prayer Breakfast. "There is no God who condones taking the life of an innocent human being. This much we know."
Debate on Preah Vihear to go ahead despite of Thai opposition
By Xinhua,
Phnom Penh : The discussion of Preah Vihear temple's possible listing as a UNESCO World Heritage Site will take place as planned, Cambodia's newspaper the Mekong Times Thursday quoted UNESCO officials as saying.
The paper neither named the sources nor elaborated on their remarks.
This week in Quebec, Canada, Thai Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama has personally opposed the Cambodian proposal to put the temple into the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Poland, U.S. agree on missile shield terms
By RIA Novosti,
Warsaw : Poland and the U.S. have reached a tentative agreement on the deployment of an American missile base in Poland, a leading Polish TV channel reported.
Poland and the United States have been engaged in protracted talks over a U.S. request to place 10 interceptor missiles in northern Poland as part of a U.S. missile shield for Europe and North America against possible attacks from "rogue states," including Iran.
Who killed Nepal’s king? Another theory surfaces
By IANS,
Kathmandu : Eight tumultuous years after the massacre of Nepal's king Birendra and his entire family in the tightly guarded royal palace, fresh theories are still surfacing in this country about who plotted the bloodbath.
Earlier this month, a mild-mannered bespectacled man called Tul Prasad Sherchan walked into Nepal's best known media club to announce that he had killed the king for defying his warning. The 65-year-old claimed he had warned Birendra and his family not to divert the foreign aid meant for the development of the country into family bank accounts abroad.
Russia wants India, Pakistan in SCO
By IANS,
Beijing: Russia wants the process of India and Pakistan's membership to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) speeded up, RIA Novosti reported.
11 die in military plane crash in Romania
By DPA,
Bucharest : Eleven soldiers were killed in Romania Monday when a military plane crashed shortly after take-off, the country's defence ministry said.
Another three people were taken to hospital with serious injuries. Officials corrected earlier media reports of 10 dead.
The Soviet-era Antonov AN-2 plane went down in flames with 13 people on board at the Tuzla airport near the city of Constanta on the Black Sea.
Cuba performs 5,100 kidney transplants in four decades
By IANS,
Havana : Cuba has successfully performed over 5,100 kidney transplants since Feb 24, 1970, an achievement on par with that of developed nations, an expert said Wednesday.
British PM returns to Italian cafe to tip waitress
By IANS,
London : British Prime Minister David Cameron who is on a holiday in Italy returned to an Italian cafe to make amends for failing to tip a waitress, BBC reported.
British MPs reject EU Treaty referendum proposal
By Xinhua
London : British parliamentarians have rejected a proposal by the Conservatives to hold a nationwide referendum on whether to ratify the European Union (EU) Reform Treaty signed in Lisbon last December.
The House of Commons rejected the Conservative Party's proposal by 311 votes to 248 votes Wednesday evening following a six-hour debate in the house.
The result means the British parliament itself will decide whether to ratify the treaty, signed by Prime Minister Gordon Brown and other EU leaders last December.
23 killed in Bangladesh stampede
Dhaka: At least 23 people -- all women and children -- were killed in a stampede in Bangladesh's Mymensingh district, about 120 km...
Transport resumes in frozen China, millions still in the dark
By Xinhua
Beijing : Rail, highway and air transport systems paralysed by the freezing weather condition in south China are recovering gradually ahead of the Lunar New Year, but millions of people are still in the dark fighting the chill.
After 11 days of chaos, service at two railway stations in the southern city of Guangzhou, Guangdong province, was back to normal Tuesday, the state-owned Guangzhou Railway Group Corp said.
Russia ready to use Gabala radar with U.S.
By Xinhua
Moscow : Russia is ready to use the Gabala radar station together with the United States or with both the United States and Azerbaijan, the Russian defense minister's adviser Ilshat Baichurin said on Wednesday.
"Defense Minister of Russia Anatoly Serdyukov said during today's meeting with Defense Minister of Azerbaijan Safar Abiyev that his country's defense ministry is ready to operate the Gabala radar station both in bilateral and trilateral formats," Baichurin was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying.
Death toll in Philippines typhoon rises to 12
By Xinhua
Manila : The death toll in Typhoon Mitag has risen to 12 as it is on its way to exit the Philippines, the national disaster relief agency said Tuesday.
The National Disaster Coordinating Council said in a report that at least four other people remain missing while one was injured by typhoon-triggered calamities.
Mitag affected at least 100,588 families or 443,109 people from 899 villages and 121 towns in 19 provinces in Luzon island in northern Philippines and central Visayas region.
Labour will challenge old thinking in Britain: Miliband
By DPA,
London: Ed Miliband, new leader of Britain's Labour Party, Tuesday pledged to introduce "different ways of doing politics" as a new generation took command of the main opposition party.
Australian PM arrives in East Timor
DILI (AFP) - Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd touched down in East Timor Friday for a lightning visit designed to show support for the tiny nation's government after the shooting of its president this week.
President Jose Ramos-Horta was shot in the chest and back on Monday, forcing his evacuation to Australia for life-saving medical treatment, while Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao came under fire separately but was not harmed.
Israel names new military chief of staff
Jerusalem: Israeli Defence Minister Moshe Ya'alon Saturday evening appointed Major General Gadi Eizenkot as the 21st chief of staff of the Israeli Defence Forces...
Ancient Shiva temple in ruins in Bangladesh
By IANS
Dhaka : A seventh century Shiva temple in Dinajpur district of Bangladesh is on the verge of ruin due to lack of maintenance and high salinity in the soil, a report said Tuesday.
The large brick-built temple called Baroshivaloy at Delmala has terracotta plaques and is surrounded by 11 other smaller similar temples, archaeology officials said.
The officials admitted they could not maintain the temple complex due to the lack of funds, The Daily Star reported Tuesday.
Wife of British hostage asks IS to free him
London: The wife of a British taxi driver kidnapped by the Islamic State (IS) Sunni extremist group last December Sunday asked the jihadis to...
Talks down to the wire at Copenhagen: Swedish minister
By DPA,
Copenhagen : Swedish Environment Minister Andreas Carlgren Monday predicted "tough talks down to the wire" at the UN climate change summit, saying China and the US need to offer more on emission cuts.
The talks in Copenhagen, scheduled to end Friday, aim at preventing global average temperatures from rising more than the potentially dangerous two-degree Centigrade limit.
"It is impossible to solve the climate problem unless China makes more emission reductions above the scope they have offered," Carlgren told Swedish radio.
Indian-born mathematician accepts Abel Prize
By DPA
Oslo : Indian-born Srinivasa S. R. Varadhan Tuesday accepted the Norwegian Abel Prize, known as the 'Nobel Prize for mathematics'.
Japanese stocks plunge, falling below 10,000 after quake
By DPA,
Tokyo : Japanese shares plummeted in Monday morning trading, falling below 10,000 after a magnitude-9 earthquake and tsunami hit northeastern Japan last week.
Fire in Russian drug centre kills eight
Moscow: At least eight people were killed when a fire broke out at a drug addiction rehabilitation centre in Russia.
The tragedy occurred in Altai...
Maoist-UML Talks On Govt Formation End Inconclusively
By Bernama,
Kathmandu : A crucial power- sharing meeting between Maoists and the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist Leninist) ended inconclusively here on Tuesday as the two parties failed to sort out differences over the key issue of the election of the president, deepening further the three-month-old political deadlock in Nepal.
US court sentences Chennai-born to 81 months in prison
By IANS,
Washington: A US court has sentenced Jaisankar Marimuthu, a 36-year-old native of Chennai, to 81 months in prison on charges of identity thefts, hacking and perpetrating an international fraud scheme.
The accused was hacking into online brokerage accounts in the US and used the accounts to manipulate stock prices, said Lanny A. Breuer, assistant attorney general with the criminal division.
EU says Arusha meet promotes peace in Darfur
By Xinhua
Brussels : The European Union (EU) Tuesday said the consensus reached at the international meeting in Arusha, north Tanzania, to resolve the Darfur conflict politically has moved the west Sudanese region closer to peace.
"The prospect of peace in Darfur has moved a significant step closer," said Javier Solana, EU's foreign policy chief.
Musharraf, Rice to discuss collaboration in war on terror
ISLAMABAD, Jan 22 (NNN-APP) -- The US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will meet President Pervez Musharraf soon after he arrives in Davos to attend World Economic Forum on Wednesay, and would discuss various aspects of Pak-US ties with particular reference to Pakistan’s role in the war on terror.
Singapore supports China’s handling of Tibet unrest
Singapore, March 25 (DPA) Singapore supports China's policy of handling the unrest in Tibet with "minimum use of force" and opposes the politicization of the Olympic Games, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Tuesday.
"We note the comment of premier Wen Jiabao that China is prepared to hold dialogue with the Dalai Lama based on 'One China' and the renunciation of violence, and we are relieved that the situation in Tibet is calming down," the ministry's statement said.
Bolivian province voted for more autonomy: Exit polls
By DPA,
La Paz : Residents of the Tarija province in southern Bolivia have favoured more autonomy by a large majority in a non-binding referendum that Bolivian President Evo Morales considers illegal.
According to an exit poll conducted after Sunday's voting by Captura Consulting for the PAT television network, 79 percent of respondents favoured more autonomy while 21 percent were against it.
A quick vote count made by Ipsos Apoyo for the ATB network said that 80.3 percent of the vote was in favour of the pro-autonomy proposal. Turnout was 65 percent.
UN to assist in preparing Human Rights national strategy
By IRNA-Saba
Sana'a : The UN resident representative Flavia Pansieri showed here on Monday the UN's readiness to support the Human Rights Ministry in preparing the National Strategy of Human Rights. During here meeting with the Minister of Human Rights Huda al-Ban, Pansieri said that the organization would cooperate in implementing the ministry's projects after studying them in addition to working with the ministry on repeating the project of building the ministry's cadres capacities.
Pope visits Turin to see shroud
By DPA,
Turin (Italy) : Pope Benedict XVI arrived Sunday in Turin to visit a controversial Catholic relic - a cloth some say is the one used to wrap Jesus' body for burial and others dismiss as a medieval forgery.
Some 25,000 people gathered in the northern Italian city's central San Carlo square to greet the pontiff who was later scheduled to celebrate mass.
Known as the Shroud of Turin, the 4.3-metre-long, 1 metre-wide cloth has gone on public display in Turin's cathedral for the first time in 10 years and after restoration work was completed in 2002.
Toll in Tunisian unrest rises to 23
By DPA,
Paris : At least 23 people have died so far in the street violence in Tunisia amid ongoing protests over joblessness, the French daily Le Monde reported.
Super Sherpa climbs Everest for incredible 20th time
By IANS,
Kathmandu : Legendary mountaineer Apa Sherpa, who became known as Super Sherpa after summiting Mt. Everest an incredible 19 times, broke his own enviable record Saturday and strode to the summit for the 20th ascent.
The 50-year-old, who had begun his climbing career in 1985 as a humble kitchen help, reached the 8,848m peak at 8.34 a.m. after starting out from the last camp at midnight, said Asian Trekking, the Kathmandu-based agency handling the logistics of the climb.
Take oath again or face dismissal, Nepal’s vice president told
By IANS,
Kathmandu : The flaming row over the use of the Hindi language for official work in Nepal, which split the republic afresh last year, is now headed for a climax with the apex court ordering the man in the eye of the storm, Vice President Paramananda Jha, to take his oath of office in Nepali within a week or face dismissal.
Ukraine violence toll now 35
By IANS,
Kiev : At least seven people were killed in clashes in Ukraine Thursday, bringing the toll of the three-day violence to 35, the...
Zimbabwe president says he is ‘open’ to talks
By DPA,
Harare : Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe has said he is "open" to negotiations, but only after Friday's presidential run-off election, according to state media in Zimbabwe.
The state-controlled daily Herald Wednesday quoted Mugabe as saying that he was "open to negotiations with anyone, but the logical process has to be followed to its logical conclusion."
Thai parliament votes Somchai as prime minister
By Xinhua,
Bangkok : Thailand's House of Representatives on Wednesday voted Somchai Wongsawat, acting prime minister and deputy leader of People Power Party, as the country's new prime minister.
House Speaker Chai Chidchob announced that Somchai's nomination was backed by 298 votes after a one-by-one role-call tally that lasted for about one hour.
The other candidate, Abhisit Vejjajiva, party leader of the sole opposition Democrat Party, got 163 votes. Five MPs abstained.
PM satisfied with India-Israel ties
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Thursday expressed satisfaction with the ongoing cooperation between India and Israel in various sectors, an official release reported.
During...
Amazon being deforested at faster rate than before
By IANS,
Washington : Brazil's Amazon forests are being axed at a faster rate than ever before, according to new annual figures recently released by the country's space agency INPE.
From August 2007 to July 2008, Brazil deforested 11,968 square kilometres of forests in the area designated as the Legal Amazon, a 3.8 per cent increase over the previous year and an unwelcome surprise following declines of 18 per cent over the previous period.
Chinese President Meets Foreign Counterparts Ahead Of Beijing Olympics
By Bernama,
Beijing : Chinese President Hu Jintao met here on Thursday morning with five of his foreign counterparts, all guests to the opening ceremony of the impending Beijing Olympic Games, Xinhua news agency reported.
The five included Laotian President Choummaly Saygnasone, Serbian President Boris Tadic, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko, Montenegro President Filip Vujanovic, and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
UN urges world to tackle human trafficking
Geneva : As it marked the first ever World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, the UN has called for an end to human trafficking,...
After poll victory, Japan PM to decide on cabinet lineup
Tokyo : Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe Monday said he will make a quick decision on the lineup of his new cabinet after Sunday's...
Kyocera founder agrees to lead JAL
By DPA,
Tokyo : Kazuo Inamori, founder of electronics maker Kyocera Corp, said Wednesday that he had accepted a government offer to take on the role of chief executive of the troubled Japan Airlines Corp (JAL).
Inamori met Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama after holding talks with officials of the state-backed Enterprise Turnaround Initiative Corp (ETIC), which is in charge of the airline's rescue.
"I told them (the ETIC officials) that JAL's restructuring is possible if the restructuring plan is implemented as (it) is," the 77-year-old honorary chairman of Kyocera said.
Taliban rejects ceasefire appeal for Ramadan
Kabul: The Taliban militant group has rejected a truce appeal made by Afghan clerics to halt terror activities during the holy month of Ramadan,...
North China expressway accident kills 35
By IANS,
Tianjin : An expressway accident in this north China port city has killed 35 and left 19 injured, police said.
Treaty to curb nuclear terrorism comes into force
By NNN-PTI
United Nations : The International Convention for Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism, which aims to protect nuclear power plants and nuclear reactors from terror attacks, came into force Saturday.
The Convention, apart from protecting a broad range of targets including nuclear power plants and reactors from the terror attacks, will also help bring perpetrators to justice and promote cooperation among member States to fight nuclear terrorism.
Nepal king, PM continue rivalry for religious role
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS
Kathmandu : Though the era of all-powerful kings has given way to an all-powerful prime minister's rule in Nepal, premier Girija Prasad Koirala still faces an uphill task vanquishing King Gyanendra's charisma among devout Hindus.
The monarch, whose dynasty was once revered as the incarnation of a Hindu god and who, till two years ago, had his feet bathed in public by former army generals and powerful politicians from neighbouring India, has seen an upsurge in popularity again, thanks to a long religious festival.
Cyber space needs rules: China
By IANS,
Beijing: Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi Saturday said that "cyber space needs rules and cooperation, not war" and stressed that China is vulnerable to cyber attacks.
Soaring prices fuel basmati rice crisis in Britain
By IANS
London : Low production of basmati rice in India has led to a sharp rise in its price in Britain, threatening the multi-billion pound Indian restaurant business, a British newspaper reported Monday.
The wholesale price of basmati has doubled in the past year following a weak harvest coupled with soaring demand for the prized aromatic long-grain that is grown only in north India and West Pakistan.
German peace group urges closure of US bases
By IRNA,
Berlin : A major German peace group on Saturday called for the closure of all US military bases in Germany and the removal of all American nuclear bombs.
Talking to IRNA, the spokesman of the Westpfalz Peace Initiative, Detlev Besier said, "It would be nice, if the bases close but we are aware that this won't happen so soon. The long-term goal is not to have any military here. The co-existence of people must be ensured without the military."
Two missiles fired from Gaza on Southern Israel
By KUNA,
GAZA : Southern Israel was attacked here early on Sunday by two missiles fired from northern Gaza, according to the Israeli Army.
A spokesman of the army stated to Radio Israel that the missiles attacked western Negev in Southern Israel, causing no casualties or damage. He added the missiles exploded in the areas of Sdot Hanegev and Eshkol, near the strip, and warning sirens were heard.
No Palestinian faction claimed the responsibility for this attack yet.(end) zt.lb KUNA 010932 Feb 09NNNN
Human rights condition improving in Myanmar: UN envoy
By IANS,
Yangon : The human rights situation was improving in Myanmar but serious challenges still remained and needed to be addressed, UN special envoy Tomas Ojea Quintana has said.
Civil servants accused of surfing porn sites instead of working
By DPA,
Hong Kong : Two highly paid senior civil servants could be disciplined after a probe found they surfed the internet for pornography rather than working, a media report said Tuesday.
In one case a department assistant director earning 120,000 Hong Kong dollars ($15,500) a month is accused of spending up to 75 percent of the working day on porn sites, the Standard newspaper said.
The official has told superiors that he has a doctor's certificate showing he was suffering from pressure at work and has been on leave since the probe started.
UN lashes out at governments for failing their citizens
By DPA,
New York : The UN General Assembly president Thursday criticised governments for failing their responsibility in building up a strong economy to protect their people's living conditions.
A one-day debate on the world economic crisis began at UN headquarters in New York with Miguel d'Escoto Brockmann, leader of the 192-nation organisation, saying that the complex economic crisis has exposed failure by the dominant markets.
Russia’s Medvedev wants greater energy ties through SCO
By RIA Novosti,
Beijing : New spheres of cooperation should be developed through the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), particularly the sphere of energy, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev told Chinese students on Saturday.
The president, on the second day of his official visit to Beijing, told students at Peking University: "Within the framework of this organization we are able to agree on new directions of cooperation, including on the energy issue."
Russia slams Bush’s statement on Georgia-Russia conflict
By Xinhua,
Moscow : Russia has slammed US President George W. Bush for his statement on the conflict between Russia and Georgia, saying it contained "facts" that are "untrue", Russian media reported.
"I listened to George Bush's statement and was surprised that the facts he cited are untrue," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Wednesday.
He denied the claims of the US president that Russian troops had blocked Georgia's Black Sea port of Poti.
UN names panel to finance climate change technology
By DPA,
New York : A United Nations 19-member, high-level advisory group tasked with raising funds to help developing countries counter climate change with modern technology, was announced Thursday.
The climate change financing group is co-chaired by British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, who will work with Guyana President Bharrat Jagden and Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg.
EU condemns “shameful acts of violence” in Chittagong Hill Tracts
By EuAsiaNews,
Brussels : European Union’s foreign and security policy chief Catherine Ashton has strongly condemned the acts of violence that took place in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) in Bangladesh on 19 and 20 February.
Somali prime minister calls on insurgents to join peace talks
By Xinhua,
Mogadishu : Somali Prime Minister Nur Hassan Hussein Thursday called on the insurgent groups which have not been part of the peace talks to join in the national reconciliation process and help restore peace in the country.
"It is never late for them to join because our doors are open for every one interested in peace and dialogue," Hussein told reporters at his residence in Mogadishu shortly after returning from Djibouti, where he led a government delegation to the talks with the opposition, the Alliance for the Reliberation of Somalia.
South Korea’s government debt reaches $435.7 bn
By IANS,
Seoul : South Korea's government debts reached 468.6 trillion won ($435.7 billion) in the 2011 fiscal year under new accounting rules, the finance ministry said Monday.
Nepal plans 12-fold increase in science budget
By IANS,
Kathmandu : The new Nepalese government is planning a $125 million science budget for the current year - a whopping 12-fold increase over that of last year.
The money will be allotted to the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology (MEST), with the budget likely to be approved next month.
Shortly before the country's April elections, the Maoist party - now with the largest number of seats in Nepal Assembly - released a manifesto declaring: "Without science a country cannot develop".
Last king attends prayers to restore Nepal as Hindu state
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : The last Hindu king of the country, Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah, made news Monday by turning up at a ritual prayer called by a self-styled Hindu godman to seek the restoration of Hinduism as the state religion.
Only 81 days are left for the promulgation of a new constitution that will consolidate Nepal as a secular republic.
Michelle Obama sends stocks, sweet potatoes soaring – in style
By Paloma Ganguly, IANS,
NATO to launch TV channel
By KUNA
Brussels : NATO will launch a TV channel on 2 April to coincide with the begin of a NATO summit in Bucharest, Romania.
"NATO has been in the stone age when it comes to video issues," spokesman James Appathurai told reporters in Brussels Wednesday.
"Thanks to a great contribution by the Danish government we will launch next week in Bucharest a NATO TV channel which will have two aspects, one for the public and one for journalists," he noted.
Pipeline blast kills 27 in Mexico
By DPA,
Mexico City : The explosion of an oil pipeline in the central Mexican town of San Martin Texmelucan killed 27 people Sunday and left 52 injured, including five in serious condition.
Unemployment rate hit record high in Greece
By IANS,
Athens : The jobless rate in Greece hit a record high of 21.9 percent in March, official data showed.
Obama’s Indian American info czar back at job
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : President Barack Obama's Indian-American info czar Vivek Kundra, who had taken leave after an FBI raid on his former office, has returned to work after being informed that he is not a "target of investigation."
"Mr. Kundra has been informed that he is neither a subject nor a target of the investigation, and has been reinstated," Assistant White House Press Secretary Nick Shapiro told CNN in an e-mail Tuesday.
Nepal issue exit permits to Bhutanese refugees for third country settlement
By NNN-NepalNews
Kathmandu : The Nepal government has issued exit permits to Bhutanese refugees who have opted for third country resettlement.
This allows refugees to leave the camps in eastern Nepal for third countries once their cases are accepted.
In a statement on Monday, the UNHCR welcomed the Nepal government’s decision to issue exit permits to the Bhutanese refugees and stated that third country settlement is an important step towards finding solution to the refugee stalemate.
Thai PM refuses to resign despite growing crisis
By DPA,
Bangkok : Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej Thursday refused to resign from his post despite growing pressure on him to step down after failing to evict thousands of protesters from Government House, the seat of power, for more than a week.
"I cannot leave because under a democratic system no one group can force me to resign," Samak said in a broadcast to the nation Thursday morning. "I will stay on to heal the country's democracy."
Kremlin wants harsher penalty for drunk driving
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow: Kremlin supports the idea of tightening criminal liability for impaired driving, according to presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov.
Flooding affects 700,000 in southern Mexico
By IANS
Villahermosa (Mexico) : Mexico's President Felipe Calderon has called on his countrymen to urgently come to the help flood devastated southern state of Tabasco where more than one million people have been affected by the country's worst flood in recent memory.
Spanish news agency EFE quoted Calderon as saying Thursday more than 80 percent of the state has been inundated and at least 300,000 people stranded on rooftops and trees.
Shock in Israel over attack on Mumbai Jewish centre
By DPA,
Jerusalem : There was still shock in Israel Sunday four days after the attack on Nariman House, a Jewish religious centre in the Indian city Mumbai.
According to Israel radio, three of the nine bodies found in the centre have not been positively identified. The Israeli foreign ministry confirmed that Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg, who led the ultra-Orthodox Chabad Lubavitch movement in the Indian commercial capital, and his wife Rivka were among the dead.
Seven die in China blast
By IANS,
Beijing : Seven people were killed and 31 injured Monday when a massive explosion rocked a fast food restaurant in northwest China, authorities said.
Nearly 100,000 child workers in Philippines
By Xinhua,
Manila : There are nearly 100,000 child labourers, aged between five and nine, in the Philippines, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) said Thursday.
"Despite all efforts, the fight against child labour in the country remains a challenge," Philippine TV network GMA News quoted Keiko Niimi, deputy director of ILO's Manila office, as saying.
Niimi Thursday urged the government on the occasion of the World Day Against Child Labour to improve access for children to quality education in order to effectively combat the problem.
Three held in Bangladesh for pasting anti-Modi posters
Dhaka: Police in Bangladesh have arrested three activists of the radical Islamist Hizb ut-Tahrir political party for pasting posters denouncing Indian Prime Minister Narendra...
Sri Lanka Steps up Security
By Prensa Latina
Colombo : The Sri Lankan government tightened security measures in the protection of all the Parliament members after evaluating a death threat against deputies
The President of the highest legislative body W.J.M. Lokubandara said in Colombo that each parliamentarian will have four policemen in charge of their protection instead of the two that were previously devoted to that service.
Lokubandara told the press that the new measure was adopted after analysis of security of those legislators, as earlier this year two parliamentarians were murdered.
New book in Italy recalls exploits of WW II hero
By IANS/AKI,
Verona (Italy) : Giorgio Perlasca was an Italian hero who saved the lives of thousands of Jews in Hungary during World War II. But few of his countrymen had ever heard of him when he died in 1992.
Now a new book to be published in Italy this week not only sheds light on Perlasca's wartime achievements, but raises questions about why he never gained much recognition at home, while being lauded in Israel, Spain, Hungary and the US.
UN voices support for legitimacy of Yemeni president
United Nations: The UN Security Council on Sunday adopted a presidential statement on Yemen, voicing support for Yemeni President Abdo Rabbo Mansour Hadi and...
Taiwanese boats enter Japanese waters to protest ship collision
By DPA,
Tokyo : Ten Taiwanese ships entered Japanese territorial waters in the East China Sea Monday near Diaoyu Islands to protest Japan's handling of a ship collision last week.
The Japanese coast guard warned the Taiwanese vessels with 12 activists and 30 journalists onboard to leave the area, while patrol boats were sent to monitor the ships.
A few hours after the warning, the ships left the waters, according to media reports.
The sea protest came after a Japanese coast guard vessel sank a Taiwanese boat near the Diaoyus Tuesday.
Ukraine minister resigns over drunken fight
By RIA Novosti,
Kiev : Ukraine's Interior Minister Yuriy Lutsenko has tendered his resignation over his detention in Germay last week following a drunken brawl at Frankfurt airport.
Lutsenko asked the parliament to approve his resignation and discuss the issue while he was not present in the house.
According to German media reports, Lutsenko and his 19-year-old son were not allowed at Frankfurt airport to board a flight to Seoul May 4, as they were both extremely drunk and behaving inappropriately.
More snow forecast as China readies for post-holiday rush
By Xinhua
Beijing : China's transport authorities are gearing up for the post-Lunar New Year holiday travel peak Tuesday as meteorological office forecast more snow.
Most of south China would see moderate snow and rain in the next three days, while sleet and snow were expected for the already hard-hit southwestern province of Guizhou, the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) said Monday.
It warned the icy weather could cause problems during the travel peak.
US stocks drop on FedEx loss, financial warnings
By DPA,
New York : US stocks suffered significant declines Wednesday, after the second-largest US package company FedEx reported a loss and a financial analyst warned of more credit crisis writedowns.
FedEx reported a fiscal fourth-quarter loss of $241 million. The company had posted a $610-million profit in the year-earlier period.
China formally arrests 83 people over riots
By Xinhua,
Urumqi (China): Chinese authorities Tuesday formally arrested 83 people in connection with the July 5 riots that left 197 people dead and more than 1,600 injured in the country's northwestern Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, officials said.
Prosecutor Utiku'er Abudrehman made the announcement at a press conference in Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
The accused will face different charges, including murder, injury, arson and robbery, he said.
Russian opposition holds Day of Wrath protest
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Russian opposition activists gathered in downtown Moscow Sunday to hold a sanctioned Day of Wrath rally.
Financial stability has improved but new challenges ahead: IMF
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : The global economy is at last emerging out of the crisis with financial markets rebounding after the collapse of Wall Street investment firm Lehman Brothers in 2008, but extraordinary challenges remain, says the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
119 journalists killed in 2012: Report
By IANS,
Vienna: A total of 119 journalists have been killed while on assignment so far this year, the Vienna-based International Press Institute (IPI) said.
Aid has reached more than 1 million Myanmar cyclone victims
By SPA,
Geneva : More than 1 million victims of the Myanmar cyclone have now received international aid as relief groups battle to reach hundreds of thousands more still stranded in remote areas, the United Nations said Tuesday.
About 42 percent of the 2.4 million people affected by the storm that hit the Southeast Asian country three weeks ago have received outside help, a spokeswoman for the U.N.'s emergency coordination body said.
Cyclone Nargis killed at least 78,000 people and left another 56,000 missing when it hit Myanmar on May 2-3.
As climate warms, birds are migrating earlier: study
By IANS,
New York : Many birds are arriving earlier each spring as temperatures warm along the US East Coast, says a new study that looked at global warming and bird migration.
The study, however, found that the farther those birds journey, the less likely they are to keep pace with the rapidly changing climate, according to ScienceDaily.
These are the conclusions of the study by scientists at Boston University who analysed changes in the timing of spring migrations of 32 species of birds along the coast of eastern Massachusetts since 1970.
Andhra delegation cancels US trip in view of flu scare
By IANS,
Hyderabad : A team of top bureaucrats from Andhra Pradesh cancelled their visit to the United States in view of the swine flu scare.
The five-member team headed by Chief Secretary P. Ramakanth Reddy was to visit Washington to hold talks with the World Bank to seek loans for various road projects in the state.
Interpol China opens email for information on suspects
By IANS,
Beijing : The Interpol bureau in China Thursday opened an email account to which people can report on Chinese criminals who have fled overseas.
Indonesian court rejects final appeal for two Bali bombers
Jakarta, Sep 25 (DPA) Indonesia's Supreme Court has rejected the final appeals of two militants sentenced to death for bombing two nightclubs on the resort island of Bali in 2002, killing 202 people, local media reports said Tuesday.
"The panel of judges have rejected their request for a judicial review," court spokesman Nurhadi said.
Two killed in China building collapse
By IANS,
Guiyang: At least two people were killed and three others injured in a building collapse in a Chinese brewery Saturday, Xinhua reported.
Moderate earthquake jolts Taiwan
By Xinhua,
Beijing : An earthquake measuring 5.2 on the Richter scale struck southwest Taiwan Tuesday morning, the earthquake network centre of China said.
The quake hit Kaohsiung county at around 8:04 a.m. with its epicentre lying 23.0 degrees north latitude and 120.6 degrees east longitude, according to the centre.
No casualties and damage have been reported so far.
Thai cabinet extends emergency decree in restive south
By Xinhua,
Bangkok : The Cabinet of Thailand on Tuesday agreed to extend an emergency decree in the three southernmost provinces plagued by violence for three more months.
Speaking to journalists after the Cabinet meeting, Nattawut Saikua, deputy government spokesman, said the cabinet decided to extend the decree in Narathiwat, Pattani and Yala provinces because of the ongoing unrest.
The emergency decree is due to expire on Sunday.
The emergency decree was first implemented in July 2005. It has been renewed every three months since then.
Anger escalates in Japan over alleged marine rape case
By KUNA
Tokyo : Residents of the southern Japanese prefecture of Okinawa on Wednesday continued to express their anger over the alleged rape of a 14-year-old schoolgirl by a US Marine, while the US ambassador to Japan traveled to the island to ease tension.
Earlier in the day, two city councils in Okinawa unanimously adopted a protest resolution and a statement against the US and Japanese governments, calling for measures to prevent a recurrence, an apology, and compensation for the victim.
"The incident is extremely heinous and unforgivable," their statement said.
Obama backs equal rights to gays, but not same sex marriage
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : President Barack Obama has promised to continue to "support measures to bring the full spectrum of equal rights to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" (LGBT) Americans", but stopped short of backing same-sex marriage.
Saying he's "proud to be the first President to appoint openly LGBT candidates to Senate-confirmed positions in the first 100 days of an Administration," Obama issued a presidential proclamation Monday in honour of LGBT Pride Month.
Nepal ignores UN call on Charles Sobhraj
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : Even as Nepal's Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal returned to Kathmandu Monday after assuring the UN General Assembly that his government was "fully committed to the protection and promotion of human rights", the lawyer of country's best known prisoner said it had ignored a UN call about Charles Sobhraj.
Thai premier ready to talk with protest leaders
By DPA,
Bangkok : Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat said Saturday that he was willing to talk with protest leaders holding Bangkok's two airports hostage in their bid to topple his government but would not resign or dissolve parliament.
Shortage of qualified teachers main obstacle to achieving education for all: UN
UNITED NATIONS, Oct 6 (APP): The goal of providing quality education for all children by 2015 will not be possible without an additional 18 million new teachers worldwide, the UN said Friday.
The growing shortage of qualified teachers is the main challenge to the realisation of international education targets, including the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the head of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) said in a message issued to mark World Teacher’s Day.
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आकिल हुसैन।Twocircles.net
दिल्ली स्थित जामिया मिल्लिया इस्लामिया विश्वविद्यालय के विभिन्न कोर्सेज में एडमिशन को लेकर प्रवेश परीक्षा चल रही है। इसी बीच जामिया मिल्लिया...
Future Cuban deputies meet the people
By NNN-Prensa Latina
Havana : The candidates for deputies to the national and provincial Assemblies of the Cuban People's Power are holding meetings Wednesday with the population to exchange opinions.
The second stage of the general elections will conclude January 20, when voters will vote for those who will form the top parliamentary bodies in the island.
Among activities are to visit to labor and student centers, and communities in their municipalities of birth, with the aim of learning people demands, as well as share experiences and possible solutions.
CIA no longer uses secret prisons, says spy chief
By Xinhua,
Washington : CIA Director Leon Panetta has said that the US spy agency no longer uses secret prisons to detain terrorism suspects and is working on a plan to close the existing facilities.
Panetta made the remarks in a letter Thursday to the employees of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
Panetta said in accordance with President Barack Obama's order to ban controversial detention and interrogation practices, CIA "no longer uses secret sites" and plans to close all remaining sites.
China sacks official over breach in dam
By IANS,
Beijing : A Chinese official has been sacked following a breach in a dam.
SMS not bad grammar but linguistic renaissance: study
By IANS,
Toronto : Parents need not worry - a new study contends that SMSes and online chats actually help teens hone their linguistic abilities, rather than degrade them.
Parental worry has stemmed from the lack of grammar and the extensive use of often unintelligible abbreviations like LOL, OMG and TTYL in SMSes - also known as instant messaging (IM).
But the study has concluded that IM represents "an expansive new linguistic renaissance" being evolved by GenNext kids.
$1.4 mn US aid to Mexico to fight drug trafficking
By IANS,
Mexico City : Mexico has signed an agreement with the US for a $1.4 million aid package to fight drug trafficking in the country, EFE reported Thursday.
The accord was signed Wednesday by US envoy to Mexico Tony Garza and Mexican deputy foreign secretary Carlos Rico.
The funds being provided under the so-called Merida Initiative will be used to buy equipment and technology and to train Mexican law enforcement agencies to strengthen their capacity to fight transnational organized crime.
DPRK wants to exclude Japan from nuclear talks
By Xinhua,
Pyongyang : The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) will not hold talks with Japan in the upcoming six-nation talks aimed at denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula, the official KCNA said Saturday.
"We will neither treat Japan as a party to the talks nor deal with it even if it impudently appears in the conference room," the KCNA news agency cited a spokesman for the DPRK foreign ministry as saying.
Cuban political prisoner dies after 85-day hunger strike
By IANS/EFE,
Havana : Cuban political prisoner Orlando Zapata Tamayo died Tuesday in a Havana hospital after an 85-day hunger strike to demand that authorities acknowledge his status as a Amnesty International (AI) designated prisoner of conscience, opposition sources said.
Citing confirmation from family members, the sources told EFE that Zapata died between 3.30 and 4 p.m. at Amejeiras Hospital, where he was taken Monday night from a prison hospital in the capital.
Brown hails troops’ ‘sacrifice’ as Afghan toll reaches 100
By DPA,
London : Prime Minister Gordon Brown Monday hailed the "sacrifice" made by British troops in Afghanistan as the toll in the conflict reached 100.
His tribute was echoed by both the main opposition parties, the Conservatives and the Liberals, who also stressed that British soldiers were dying to "bring democracy" to Afghanistan.
Defence Secretary Des Browne said he remained convinced that Britain's involvement in Afghanistan was for a "noble cause".
An illegal war is state-terrorism
By Yamin Zakari
“we were convinced that all the fissile material that could be used for any weapons purposes had been taken out of Iraq, and we knew that we had eliminated and destroyed the whole infrastructure that Iraq had built up for the enrichment of uranium.”
- Hans Blix, in a BBC Interview, Jan 2003
