More than 80,000 dead, missing after China quake
By ANTARA News/Kyodo,
Beijing : Nearly 56,000 people have died and about 25,000 are missing in last week`s massive earthquake in Sichuan Province in western China, government figures revealed Friday.
A government spokesman told reporters that 55,740 people are confirmed as having died in the disaster and 24,960 are missing.
On Thursday, Beijing put the total number killed in the disaster at just over 51,000.
Sichuan Province`s Vice Gov. Li Chengyun reiterated earlier Friday that the most pressing need in the disaster area is for tents.
Obama ‘fit for duty’, asked to cut down junk food
By IANS,
Washington: President Barack Obama's doctor has given him an excellent bill of health but has obliquely asked him to cut down on those cheese burgers he sneaks off to eat once in a while.
"The president is in excellent health and 'fit for duty,'" Dr. Jeff Kuhlman, a Navy captain and physician to the president wrote in his report after Obama's first check-up Sunday. "All clinical data indicate that he will remain so for the duration of his presidency."
Myanmar vows to uphold Asean ideals
By DPA,
Singapore : Myanmar ratified the charter of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (Asean) Monday and vowed to uphold its democratic ideals, but dashed hopes of releasing opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi within the next six months.
The country, vilified for its dictatorial government and human rights abuses, became the seventh of the 10-member regional grouping to ratify the document, which was signed by the leaders in November last year.
Church of Maradona celebrates idol’s birthday
By Mar Marin, EFE,
Buenos Aires : Few doubt that retired soccer superstar Diego Maradona enjoys god-like status in Argentina, but anyone who is still in doubt needs only to look at the Maradonian Church, which drew hundreds of fans to celebrate his 48th birthday and recent appointment as coach of the national team.
Founded in October 1998 in the northeastern Argentine city of Rosario, the Maradonian Church claims to have more than 40,000 "faithful" worldwide.
53 dead in Nigeria floods
By IANS,
Abuja (Nigeria) : At least 53 people have died and over 35,000 displaced as floods triggered by torrential rains submerged 23 villages in a southern state in Nigeria, an official said.
Canadian economy expands
By IANS,
Ottawa: Canada's real gross domestic product (GDP) grew just 0.1 percent in the third quarter this year, 0.6 percent at an annual pace, Statistics Canada announced.
‘China backed Jamat-ud-Dawah ban’
By IANS,
Islamabad : The UN Security Council's decision to ban the Jamat-ud-Dawah (JuD) as a global terrorist organisation had become possible only because China, which had blocked three similar attempts, finally gave its nod for the UN resolution, a media report Friday said.
Quoting diplomatic analysts, The News said this change apparently came as a result of the pressure created by the Mumbai terror attacks.
Spanish economy contracts for first time in 15 years
By DPA,
Madrid : The Spanish economy contracted for the first time in 15 years in the third quarter, leaving the country on the verge of recession.
The gross domestic product (GDP) shrank 0.2 percent in its first quarterly contraction since 1993, the National Statistics Institute said.
Between July and September, the economy grew only 0.9 percent year-on-year.
Analysts attribute the slowdown mainly to the collapse of the key construction sector and the international financial crisis.
EU may provide energy assistance package to Ukraine
Kiev : The European Union (EU) is considering an assistance package to Ukraine in a bid to reduce Russian influence on the country's energy...
Anti-depressants with shock therapy reduce severe depression
By IANS,
Washington : Combining anti-depressants with electro-convulsive therapy (ECT) does a better job in reducing severe depression and causes less memory loss than using ECT alone, according to a new study.
This finding could alleviate one of the primary concerns about ECT - that it causes memory loss, said W. Vaughn McCall, professor at Wake Forest University (WFU) and principal study investigator.
Hong Kong fishermen pay price as cold weather kills fish stocks
By SPA
Hong Kong : Hong Kong fishermen are paying the price for a cold spell which has sent sea temperatures plummeting, killing tons of fish, DPA quoted marine experts as saying Friday.
It is estimated that around 13.5 tons of fish have been reported dead at one of Hong Kong's main aquaculture zones off the island of Lantau.
Marine farmers say the cold spell - the longest since 1968 - has caused the water temperature to fall below that needed for certain species to survive.
China’s new n-reactor to be more fuel efficient
By IANS,
Beijing : The development of China's new nuclear reactor which could increase utilisation of fuel up to 70 percent succeeded in a critical test Wednesday.
The experimental fast reactors that run on mostly domestically-designed fourth-generation technology differ from others in that they are able to utilise uranium fuel in a more optimal way so as to reduce the overall energy costs significantly.
Radiation at reactor normal after blast: Japan government
By DPA,
Tokyo : Measurements at a Japanese nuclear reactor where an explosion occurred Monday showed no higher levels of radiation, the government's top spokesman said.
Found: A reef, 650 million years old
By IANS,
Sydney : Three scientists have located in the middle of a desert the remains of a giant underwater reef - with a plateau 10 times higher than the Great Barrier Reef - in the Northern Flinders Ranges in outback South Australia.
The 20-km wide reef is about 650 million years old and is the only known reef complex of this age. The next closest aged series of reefs found to-date are around 800 million years old and located in Arctic Canada.
Ethiopia completes Somalia pullout
By DPA,
Nairobi/Mogadishu : Ethiopian forces that have been propping up Somalia's government for the last two years have left Somalia completely, reports said Sunday.
Ethiopian forces invaded in late 2006 to help kick out the Islamic Courts' Union, a hardline Islamist regime that was in power for six months.
The invasion sparked a bloody insurgency that has killed an estimated 16,000 civilians and displaced around one million.
Euphoric Indian diaspora wait at Sydney venue to hear Modi
Sydney : Thousands of ecstatic supporters of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi gathered at Sydney's Allphones Arena, dancing and singing and chanting "Modi, Modi"...
Sri Lanka’s opposition concerned about Rajapaksa’s security
Colombo: Sri Lanka's main opposition party on Wednesday raised concerns regarding the security of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa and urged the government to address...
US Secretary of State Visits Libya
By Prensa Latina,
Tripoli : US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived in this capital on Friday for an official visit to Libya that she regarded as historical, since it is the first visit by a US top official in 50 years.
Rice has scheduled two days here to talk to Libyan President Muammar Al-Gaddafi, said a television station on Friday.
Shortly after her arrival, Rice met her Libyan peer Abderrahmane Mohamed Shalgam, and later she toured the buildings of the new US Embassy to Tripoli.
Oxford Dictionaries to add 1,000 new words
London : 'Mamil' (middle-aged man in Lycra), 'silvertail' (a person who is socially prominent or who displays social aspirations) and 'crony capitalism' are among...
Powerful quake jolts Solomon Islands
By IANS,
Hong Kong : An earthquake measuring 7.1 on the Richter scale jolted the Solomon Islands Sunday, Xinhua reported.
The quake occurred at 5.50 p.m.,...
Myanmar adopts new pro-military constitution
By DPA,
Yangon : Myanmar Thursday adopted a new constitution that guarantees military control over future elected governments after a heavily-criticised national referendum approved the charter with a more than 90 percent vote in its favour.
State television announced the new constitution, which took 14 years to draft, was approved by Senior General Than Shwe, who heads the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), as Myanmar's junta styled itself.
11 killed in plane crash in Poland
Warsaw: Eleven people died in a plane crash Saturday afternoon in Topolow, near Czestochowa, in southern Poland, authorities said.
Only one person survived the crash...
70 students suffer from food poisoning in China
By IANS,
Beijing : Seventy students fell ill after they had a meal at a primary school in south China, an official spokesman said.
The students suffered from fever, stomach aches and diarrhoea Wednesday after having food at Yingcai Primary School in Yulin City of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Xinhua quoted spokesman with the regional public security bureau Qin Yongjun as saying Thursday.
King’s man killed in Nepal
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : A supporter of embattled King Gyanendra who fought the crucial election rooting for monarchy was killed by unidentified assailants in Nepal's Terai plains Friday, raising fears of post-poll violence.
Rudra Bahadur Singh, who contested the constituent assembly election from Nawalparasi district in southwest Nepal, was gunned down in his own residence in Palasibazar Friday morning, police said.
Nepal’s Sherpas join monks to condemn Myanmar crackdown
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS
Kathmandu : They are famous for their climbing skills and have produced some of the world's best mountaineers. Now Nepal's Sherpas, who are largely apolitical, have come out of their shell to join the growing protests against the crackdown on Buddhist monks in Myanmar by the ruling junta.
"We did not take part in the street protests against King Gyanendra's absolute rule last year because it was political," said Kripa Sura Sherpa, president of the Nepal Sherpa Association.
Venezuela threatens to cut oil to US
Madrid, Feb 11, IRNA ,Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has threatened to cut off his country's oil shipments to the United States if a court ruling goes forward ordering Venezuelan assets be frozen in a case brought by Exxon Mobil.
The dispute centers on President Hugo Chavez's nationalization of heavy oil projects.
"One court orders that Venezuela be frozen," he said on his weekly television and radio program "Hello, President." "If you wind up freezing and hurt us, we will hurt you. Do you know how? We are not going to send oil to the United States."
Climate summit veers towards emerging economies
By Joydeep Gupta, IANS,
Copenhagen : After a day of turmoil and a night of fence-building, the majority of 192 countries attending the Dec 7-18 climate summit Wednesday started to discuss an agreement drafted by India and other emerging economies to save the world from the worst effects of climate change.
The so-called BASIC draft - because it was drafted by Brazil, South Africa, India and China - became the main topic of conversation among the 3,500-odd negotiators and over 12,000 NGOs after a draft penned by host country Denmark was pilloried by developing countries.
Chicken tikka flavour now for Britain’s favourite chips
By Venkata Vemuri, IANS,
London : Chicken tikka and Walkers' crisps. Britain's most popular ethnic food now has a chance of flavouring the country's equally popular brand of potato chips.
Walkers' launched a "Do us a flavour, win a packet" campaign last month to invite ideas for new flavours and among those favouring the chicken tikka flavour is British tabloid, The Sun.
The tabloid leads Tuesday's edition with the tikka campaign, even delving into what it calls the 500-year-old history of the famed dish from India.
Terror plot targeting 2014 Sochi Olympics foiled
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : A terror plot targeting the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics in Russia has been foiled, Russia's National Anti-Terrorism Committee said Thursday.
Sacrificing Justice under the veil of Nationalism
By Somnath Mukherji
Nationalism cannot be the last word. An evolving sense of justice can be. Justice cannot be sacrificed at the altar of nationalism....
Thai minister resigns over rotten fish scandal
By DPA,
Bangkok : Less that two months into its administration, Thailand's new government lost its first minister to a corruption scandal Tuesday with the resignation of Social Development and Human Security Minister Witoon Nambutr.
"I am resigning in a show of political spirit, although I admit it is painful," said Witoon, a member of the Democrat Party.
Witoon is under investigation for alleged irregularities in the ministry's purchase of canned fish to assist flood victims in Phattalung province last month.
Indian-American helps design energy-saving PCs
By IANS,
Washington : Personal computers may soon save large amounts of energy by "sleep talking".
Doctoral researcher Yuvraj Agarwal of the University of California San Diego (UCSD) in collaboration with computer scientists has created a plug-and-play hardware prototype for personal computers (PCs) that induces a new energy saving state known as "sleep talking".
Iran pledges support for Iraq in fight against terrorism
Tehran: Tehran will continue supporting Baghdad in its fight against terrorism as Iraq's security was intertwined with that of Iran, President Hassan Rouhani has...
Nepal Maoist chief asks cadres to be ready for ‘final revolution’
New Delhi, Feb 15, IRNA -- Nepalese Prime Minister and Maoist chief Prachanda has warned his political opponents against 'sabotaging' the peace process and asked party cadres to be prepared for the 'final revolution'.
As the 'reactionary forces' are trying to launch the final war, the revolutionaries should also be prepared for the final fight, Prachanda said while addressing the meeting of Maoist affiliated All Nepal Trade Union Federation (Revolutionary) in Kathmandu, Doordarshan news website reported.
"Another revolution is not very far away," he was quoted as saying.
Berlin mulls abandoning US-led anti-terror mission: report
Berlin, Feb 16, IRNA ,The German government is contemplating leaving the controversial US-led anti-terror mission in Afghanistan, code-named 'Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF)', the weekly Der Spiegel news magazine said in a report to hit the newsstands on Sunday.
Washington has reportedly linked a German pull-out from OEF to a stronger German military engagement in war-stricken southern Afghanistan following the first round of bilateral talks.
India, Pakistan talks must go on: Shabir Shah
Srinagar : India and Pakistan talks must go on, said Jammu and Kashmir separatist leader Shabir Shah on Saturday as he left for...
Celebrating Obama victory
By Niaz Hoda,
Although it has been few days after the historical US election outcome I'm still in awe and admiration for this great nation on earth. I have been religiously voting republican ever since I became naturalized citizen. I voted Republican because of their conservative agenda of family values. This is some what close to my personal beliefs.
Over 90 people killed as oil tanker catches fire
By Xinhua,
Nairobi : Over 90 people were burnt to death when a fuel tanker from which they were siphoning off petrol burst into flames near Molo town in northwest Kenya, the police said Sunday.
Kenyan police said that at least 117 others sustained life-threatening burns in the explosion Saturday near Jolly Farm on the Nakuru-Eldoret highway.
China allots $19 mn to fight floods
By IANS,
Beijing : A sum of 120 million yuan ($19 million) has been allocated to help the cities of Beijing and Tianjin and the neighbouring Hebei province to fight floods, said authorities.
Rich nations should pay for pollution from exports: China
By DPA,
Washington : The world's wealthiest nations should be responsible for China's pollution coming from exports, Chinese officials said amid talks with the US on how to combat global warming.
China, the world's largest polluter together with the US, has a plan in place to reduce greenhouse gas emissions blamed for global warming even as its economy grows rapidly, said Li Gao, director of China's department of climate change.
Former rebel among five killed in Colombia
By DPA,
Bogota : Five people including a former rebel have been shot dead in northwesten Colombia, local media reported Friday quoting police.
The people were killed on Christmas day as they were driving to their country house in Arauca province. The police suspect the killings to be the work of the National Liberation Army or ELN.
One of the victims was a former ELN member and had recently entered a government rehabilitation programme, said regional police chief Luis Antonio Ortiz.
Bomb explosion in Kathmandu
By IANS
Kathmandu : A bomb went off in an upmarket area of the capital Monday afternoon, but there was no injury or damage.
Kathmandu police told IANS a "socket" bomb went off on the road in the Panipokhari area near the Japanese embassy.
The explosion comes a month after three serial blasts ripped through Kathmandu, killing three women and injuring over two dozen people,
The bomb, that derives its name due to sockets being fused together, is one of the most commonly found explosives in Nepal, especially in the Terai plains in the south.
Two from Andhra including American missing in Nepal
Hyderabad : An American working for a Christian mission in Andhra Pradesh and a student were missing in earthquake-hit Nepal.
Tony B. Suckla and J....
Russia calls US missile shield ‘dead cat’
By RIA Novosti,
Brussels : Russia's envoy to NATO has compared the US missile defence system to "a dead cat", since its effectiveness can only be verified as a result of reciprocal thermonuclear missile strikes.
"The Europeans have received a 'dead cat' from the Americans," Dmitry Rogozin said, commenting on the US-Polish missile-defence deal signed Thursday.
"If the threat really comes from Iran, as the US says, it will be more logical to deploy missile defence elements on NATO's southern flanks - in Turkey, Bulgaria and Romania," he said.
Obama condemns violence against protesters in Syria
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Washington: US President Barack Obama has condemned the Syrian authorities for using force to quell nationwide protests against Bashar Assad's regime.
China mud flow toll rises to 254
By Xinhua,
Xiangfen (China) : The toll in last Monday's mud-rock flow in north China's Shanxi province has risen to 254, authorities have said.
The accident occurred Monday morning when the embankment of a mining reservoir containing tonnes of liquid iron-ore waste collapsed, submerging downstream villages and a crowded market.
The mine in Xinagfen county had no valid licence.
Rescuers have started de-silting operation along a 300-metre long ditch in search of bodies.
Militants take hostate 44 peacekeepers in Golan
United Nations: At least 44 peacekeepers have been taken hostage by the militnts in the Golan Heights, a UN spokesperson said Friday.
"The United Nations...
Nepal army chief’s Britain visit stirs fresh controversy
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS
Kathmandu : After a bitter row between Nepal's Maoists and Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala over soldiers deployed as ministerial guards, the chief of Nepal's army is at the centre of a fresh controversy with human rights defenders questioning his Britain visit.
Gunmen seize buildings in Ukraine’s eastern towns
Kiev: Pro-Russia militants took over a police headquarters in Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk, BBC reported Saturday citing local media and witnesses.
This followed a gun...
Kyrgyz parliament approves Zhoomart Otorbayev as PM
Bishkek : Kyrgyzstan's parliament Thursday approved Zhoomart Otorbayev as the new prime minister of the central Asian republic, Xinhua reported.
The deputies approved the government...
Australian Muslims jailed on terrorism charges
By DPA,
Sydney : An Australian cleric and six of his followers were jailed Tuesday for forming a terrorist cell that police allege plotted to bomb the 100,000 spectators at the 2005 rugby cup final in Melbourne.
The Islamists were rounded up in November 2005 and found guilty in September 2008.
Algerian-born Abdul Nacer Benbrika, 48, who told his followers it was "permissible to kill women, children and the aged" in the cause of jihad, was sentenced to 15 years for intentionally directing the activities of a terrorist organisation.
Democratic strategist suggests Clinton to concede to Obama
By IRNA,
New York : Democratic strategist Jim Duffy on Wednesday suggested that it's time for Hillary Clinton to concede to Barack Obama.
"I take her at her word that she's going to go forward. But the math simply doesn't change. You can't change the numbers. The question becomes at what point is she willing to decide to concede." North Carolina gave Obama a victory, ending a big-state losing streak going back more than a month.
In Indiana, Hillary Rodham Clinton led in early returns, but most news organizations did not immediately project a winner there.
S&P’s rating downgrade wrong decision: US official
By IANS,
Washington : Global rating agency Standard and Poor's (S&P) made a hasty and wrong decision of stripping the US of its top-notch credit rating, a senior US Treasury official said.
Link between seeing and processing visual information uncovered
By IANS,
Sydney : Researchers have isolated an important new link between how we see and the way our mind processes that visual stimulation.
Queensland (University) Brain Institute (QBI) scientists Jason Mattingley, Ross Cunnington and their colleagues have demonstrated the human brain does indeed have a mechanism to capture observed and executed actions.
"Data gathered from these experiments show that a particular part of the brain encodes specific actions, regardless of whether those actions are executed or passively observed," Mattingley said.
Explosion in Colombo’s Fort area
By IANS,
Colombo : A blast shook the busy Fort area in the Sri Lankan capital Monday. There were no details of human casualties.
The blast took place around 12 noon at Malwatte Road, a few hundred metres from the Colombo Fort railway station. The impact of the explosion damaged three vans and two cars, police said.
Obama, Clinton tout Democratic unity at joint rally
By DPA,
Washington : Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton put on a show of party unity Friday after a tense 16-month Democratic nomination process, promising to move forward as allies to elect Obama the next US president.
The two former rivals appeared at a rally together for the first time since the end of the primary race in the small town of Unity, New Hampshire, a site chosen for its obvious symbolism to bring the centre-left party together.
Int’l community stands firm against genocide, war crimes – Ban
By IRNA,
Tehran : UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in a message announced that the international community stands firm and in solidarity against genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and ethnic cleansing.
According to a press release issued by the UN Information Center (UNIC) here on Tuesday he made the remarks in his message issued on the occasion of Sixteenth Anniversary of the Genocide in Rwanda, April 7, 2010.
The full text of his message reads:
Floods, storms kill 12 in Indonesia’s Java
By SPA
Jakarta : Floods and storms have killed 12 people on Indonesia's main island of Java, Reuters quoted a health official as saying on Sunday.
Floods triggered by heavy rain killed eight people in two districts in East Java over the past two days, said Rustam Pakaya, head of the health ministry's crisis centre.
Four people died on Saturday when an electricity pole was toppled by storms, hitting a car in which they were travelling in Bekasi, east of the capital Jakarta, he said.
Declaration should come before delisting N Korea: Hill
By IRNA-Kyodo
Narita : Top U. S. nuclear negotiator Christopher Hill indicated Friday that North Korea's declaration of all its nuclear programs should come before Washington removes North Korea from the list of terrorism-sponsoring countries while hoping Pyongyang compiles a ''draft'' declaration within this month.
''We would certainly need to see how the declaration is,'' Hill, assistance secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, told reporters after meeting with his Japanese counterpart Kenichiro Sasae at Narita airport near Tokyo.
Thai PM: 40 Thai Medical Teams May Enter Myanmar
By Bernama,
Bangkok : Thailand's Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej said Wednesday Myanmar junta leaders would allow medical teams from Thailand into the country for humanitarian missions in a couple of days, but still insisted foreign aid workers are not needed, Thailand News Agency (TNA) reported.
LTTE attack on key military base thwarted: Sri Lanka
By P. Karunakharan, IANS,
Colombo : The Sri Lankan military Tuesday claimed that it had thwarted a pre-dawn assault by the Tamil Tigers on a army and air force joint base in the country's north in which at least 10 rebels and 10 soldiers were killed and one rebel aircraft destroyed.
In a statement, the defence ministry said the rebels had mounted a land attack backed by long-range artillery fire, targeting the joint headquarters of Sri Lanka's military and air force in Vavuniya town, about 254 km north of here.
American “Young Leaders” to visit UAE
By IRNA-WAM
Abu Dhabi : The Emirates Foundation, one of the leading philanthropic institutions in the UAE, will welcome a group of young Truman Scholars from the USA on an intensive, high-level UAE familiarization trip which begins tomorrow (December 10).
Truman Scholars are considered among the elite of United States' graduates, dedicated to careers in the country's public service. Only 65 are selected each year from thousands of applicants, in a program named after the 33rd US President, Harry S Truman.
Israel debates truce as Gaza assault completes third week
By DPA,
Gaza City/Tel Aviv : Top Israeli diplomats were heading for Washington and once again to Cairo to work out the details of a truce in Gaza, as fighting in the strip continued Friday and the Palestinian death toll topped 1,100.
As Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni left Thursday night for the US to sign an agreement on joint intelligence cooperation against weapons smuggling to Gaza, another senior official, Amos Gilad, was returning to Egypt where he had heard Hamas' position on an Egyptian ceasefire initiative Thursday.
Controversial composer brings grief to Sobhraj’s family
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : A highly controversial American composer has brought grief to Charles Sobhraj's new family in Nepal by making "jokes" about the alleged serial killer's life and lifestyle, which were aired as authentic expert information by a Nepali television channel Monday.
Suspect stable in hospital following restaurant blast
By KUNA,
London : An Islam convert suspected of carrying a bomb which partially exploded in a city centre restaurant and left him covered in blood is in a stable condition in hospital, police said Sunday.
The man, named by police as 22-year-old Nicky Reilly, suffered eye and facial injuries in the blast at the "Giraffe" restaurant in Exeter, Devon, south-west England, last Thursday lunchtime.
CSA refused to host Pakistan A team
By IANS,
Karachi : The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) suffered a setback Friday when Cricket South Africa (CSA) refused to host its A team's tour for this year.
The CSA has informed the PCB that it will not be able to host the six-week-long series against Pakistan A in August-September as it has to stage a series of high-profile cricket events this year.
"The South Africans have informed us that they will be unable to host our A team this year as they are hosting IPL (Indian Premier League) and the Champions Trophy," said Aamir Sohail, PCB's director of Game Development.
Strong quake hits Java, Indonesia
By Xinhua,
Jakarta : An earthquake with magnitude of 5.9 rocked Yogyakarta province of Java Island in Indonesia on Sunday, meteorology agency said here.
The shakes of the quake was felt in nearby provinces of Central Java and East Java, Jajat Sudjatmika, an official of the agency said.
The quake was struck at 13:05 Jakarta time (0605GMT) with epicentre located at 135 kilometres southeast Yogyakarta province and ten kilometers under sea bed, he said.
US military unveils initiatives targeting sexual assault
By IANS,
Washington: US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta announced four initiatives Wednesday designed to aid victims and strengthen prosecution of military sexual assault cases.
Four killed in combat chopper crash in Russia
By IANS,
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow: At least four people were killed when a Mi-35 combat helicopter crashed in a mountain in southwestern Russia's Dagestan region.
Let 2008 be the year of world’s poorest ‘bottom billion’ : Ban Ki-Moon
By TwoCircles.net news desk
New York: United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today stressed that 2008 should be the year of the "bottom billion," citing the need for renewed determination to address the needs of the poorest of the world's poor who have been left behind by global economic growth.
"We must address ourselves to the needs of the weak, the disadvantaged, those who have been excluded from the mainstream international community," Mr. Ban told reporters at a Headquarters press conference, his first for the new year.
Local elections result, setback for Sarkozy’s party
By IRNA
Paris : President Nicolas Sarkozy's ruling UMP conservative party is trailing in the first round of French local elections.
Early results, based on a count of 65.7 percent of votes, put the UMP at 45.5 percent with the opposition socialists at 47 percent.
The vote is seen as a test of Sarkozy's first year in office. His popularity has fallen in recent months.
However, the socialists' lead is smaller than some predicted, and the outcome in some large cities in particular remains finely balanced.
Over one in 10 Europeans see US as military threat: poll
By DPA
Paris : Well over one out of every 10 people in five major European nations see the US as a potential military threat to their country, according to a poll made public Friday.
According to the poll, which was carried out by Harris Interactive for France 24 television and the Paris-based daily The International Herald Tribune, 14 percent of respondents in Britain and Germany said the US could be a threat.
The figure was 13 percent in Spain, 11 percent in France and 10 percent in Italy.
Thailand to host ASEAN ministers meeting on energy in August
By Xinhua,
Bangkok : Thailand is host the 26th ASEAN Ministers on Energy Meeting (AMEM) early next Month, in which the ten ASEAN member countries and regional partners are expected to tune up cooperative strategies to alleviate impact of the global energy crisis due to surging oil price.
The Association of Southeast Asia (ASEAN) comprises 10 member countries -- Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Brunei, Indonesia, Myanmar, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam.
Gaga releasing charity stationery
By IANS,
Los Angeles: Pop star Lady Gaga is releasing a limited edition stationery line to raise money for her Born This Way Foundation.
BBC editor apologises for Muslim remark
By IANS,
London : Nick Robinson, the BBC's political editor, Friday apologised for directly quoting a Whitehall source who described the Woolwich killers as being "of Muslim appearance".
Thousands evacuated in China as Muifa threat looms large
By IANS,
Beijing : Thousands of people have been evacuated and over 200 flights were cancelled Saturday as typhoon Muifa surged towards China's eastern seaboard packing a wind speed of 162 kmph.
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.
IS video shows child extremist killing Israeli spy
Washington: A video released by the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group on Tuesday purportedly shows a child executing a man, whom the group claimed...
Russia rejects Iran’s claims it favours US on n-issue
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Russia's position on Tehran's nuclear programme is neither pro-American, nor pro-Iranian, presidential aide Sergei Prikhodko said Wednesday.
The statement comes after Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said in a televised interview earlier in the day that Russia's support for UN sanctions against Tehran was "not acceptable to the Iranian nation."
"I hope (Russia) will pay attention and take corrective action," the Ynetnews service quoted the Iranian leader as saying.
Russia warns Ukraine against missile technology proliferation
Moscow:Russia Monday drew Kiev's attention over media reports that a Ukrainian military-space enterprise had allegedly been negotiating with third countries on missile technology sale.
Referring...
Show face to police, burqa-clad Australians told
By IANS,
Sydney: Women wearing the burqa or full-face veils will now be forced to show their faces when stopped by police, a senior official said.
Russian expert: Europe using terrorism for political purposes
By IRNA,
Moscow : A Russian scholar said the European Union (EU) manipulated such issues as terrorism and human rights for its own political purposes.
Talking to IRNA here on Saturday, Ludmila Kulagina, as a top researcher in the Russian Institute of Oriental Studies, criticized the recent EU move in removing the terrorist Mojahedeen Khalq Organization (MKO) form its terrorism list.
She said the move was a clear example of the double-standard policy adopted by the west on the issue of terrorism and frankly undermined the EU claim of fighting terrorism.
Air New Zealand to try bio fuel in plane
Wellington, Sep 28 (DPA) Air New Zealand will make the world's first test flight in a commercial airliner using bio fuel under an agreement with Boeing and Rolls Royce, chief executive Rob Fyfe announced Friday.
He said the airline would use a bio fuel and kerosene mix in one Rolls Royce engine of a Boeing 747 jumbo jet on a yet-to-be decided long-haul route from its home base in Auckland late next year or in early 2009.
The other three engines on the flight, which will not carry passengers, will be powered by regular aviation fuel.
Two arrested for racially abusing Gurkha soldiers
By IANS,
London : Two British teenagers have been arrested after shouting racist abuses at Gurkha soldiers.
The incident took place in Folkestone, about 100 km here, last week when the two, aged 17 and 19, allegedly insulted the Gurkhas with taunts of "go home" near their barracks, and has caused outrage among local politicians.
The men are said to belong to the Royal Gurkha Rifles, the former battalion of Prince Harry, son of Prince Charles.
Prince Harry served with the Gurkhas in Afghanistan before his recall earlier this year following a security leak about his whereabouts.
Ukraine denies block, says Russian gas is flowing (Lead)
Kiev : Energy officials in Kiev Tuesday said Russian natural gas
was slowly moving into Ukraine's pipeline system, rejecting allegations from
Moscow that Ukraine was blocking the flow.
"Gas has started to come in (to Ukraine's pipeline system from Russia)," an
official from the Ukrainian natural gas monopoly Naftogaz Ukrainy said.
"Pressure in the system is rising."
The Naftogaz declaration contradicted claims by officials from the Russian
natural gas monopoly Gazprom that Ukraine was preventing Russian gas from
moving towards Europe.
11 killed in Nepal boat capsize
By IANS
Kathmandu : At least 11 people drowned and over 20 went missing after a boat packed with villagers going to watch Janmashtami celebrations capsized in midwestern Nepal.
Women and children formed the bulk of the passengers of the boat that met with disaster in the Rapti river, swollen with the recent rains, in Kanchanpur village in Banke district Wednesday.
While seven bodies were retrieved from the river Wednesday, search parties were informed by Indian authorities Thursday that four more bodies had been found on the Indian side of the river.
US, Bangladesh to hold security talks
By IANS,
Dhaka: The US and Bangladesh will hold a dialogue April 19 here on security challenges facing the two countries and the region at large, Xinhua reported.
Russia to build AK-47 ammunition factory in Cuba
By IANS/EFE,
Moscow : Russia plans to build a factory in Cuba to make ammunition for AK-47 assault rifles, an official said Thursday.
Work on North Korea declaration to continue, U.S. envoy says
By IRNA-Kyodo
Beijing : Work to have North Korea give a frank and full account of its nuclear programs will continue in the weeks ahead, the top U. S. nuclear negotiator said Friday, as he completed a stay in Beijing aimed at boosting the six-way process for Pyongyang's denuclearization.
Christopher Hill, assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, told reporters he believes a way to solve outstanding problems can be found, although that would also depend on North Korea.
Brown to lead EU summit amid crisis
By KUNA,
London : British Prime Minister Gordon Brown was using an EU summit Wednesday to continue the drive to restore business and consumer confidence in financial markets, officials said.
Australia is good place to live, says Haneef
By IANS,
Melbourne: Mohamed Haneef, an Indian doctor who was falsely accused by Australian police of aiding terrorists, has said he still thinks Australia is a good place to live and work.
Hillary Clinton battling to stay in White House race
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : Hillary Clinton was engaged in a do or die battle to keep her White House hopes alive as Democrats in Pennsylvania went to the polls Tuesday to choose their nominee in an increasingly bitter contest.
The former first lady is favoured to win, but needs a convincing victory over frontrunner Barack Obama to cut into his lead in the overall delegate count and the popular vote. Obama leads her by 1,648 to 1,504 delegates, who pick the party nominee.
Polls close at 8 p.m. (5.30 a.m. IST Wednesday) with results expected shortly thereafter.
Hillary Clinton could make difference in tight presidential race: Poll
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : As Hillary Clinton prepared to throw her weight behind presumptive Democratic nominee Barrack Obama, a new poll suggested that she could make the difference in a neck-and-neck presidential race with Republican John McCain.
A CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll, the first conducted entirely after Obama clinched the party nomination Tuesday, shows he leads McCain 49 percent to 46 percent among registered voters-a statistical tie, given the question's 3-point margin of error.
250,000 Russians dodged conscription in 2012
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : About 250,000 Russians dodged compulsory military service last year, a military official said.
Russia to take new measures against credit crunch
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : The Russian government is taking more steps following its initial market intervention to ease the credit crunch amid the ongoing global financial crisis, First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov said Sunday.
"We believe that measures which have been taken for the first stage are sufficient and we have an entire range of tools for action. We can respond effectively, flexibly and swiftly. For subsequent actions, we are drafting a special programme," Shuvalov said, adding that it would be adopted in the next few weeks.
Kazakhstan to flood mine where 30 people died in blast
By RIA Novosti
Astana : The Abaiskaya mine in central Kazakhstan where 30 people were killed in a methane blast three days ago is being flooded, the country's emergencies ministry said on Monday.
Of the 191 miners in the pit when the explosion went off at 9:30 a.m. local time (3:30 a.m. GMT) on Friday, 161 have been rescued. Seven bodies were recovered, and the search for the remaining 23 missing miners was broken off on Sunday.
Operations to pump water into the mine's conveyer and ventilation shafts were launched on Sunday to prevent the fire from spreading.
Tamil diaspora vows to bring Sri Lanka to its knees
By Gurmukh Singh, IANS,
Toronto : The end of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam (LTTE) simply marks the beginning of a new phase in their struggle for independence, the Canadian Tamil Congress announced here Monday.
Confirming the deaths of top LTTE leaders, the representative body of the largest Tamil diaspora group in the world said all Tamil representative bodies in Europe and Australia will announce their future course of action Tuesday.
Developed countries declarations on climate change ‘make no sense’: India
By Joydeep Gupta, IANS,
New Delhi : Industrialised countries should meet their own commitments in the fight against climate change rather than asking countries like India and China to cap greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, the prime minister's principal negotiator on climate change Shyam Saran said here.
Chinese envoy cuts short Taiwan trip after being assaulted
By DPA,
Taipei : A senior Chinese official cut short his Taiwan visit and returned to China Wednesday, after he was shoved to the ground by pro-independence activists during a visit to a temple the previous day.
"I feel bad that police have to deploy so much manpower to protect my safety and I don't think I should cause them so much trouble, but the public will tell right from wrong," said Zhang Mingqing, vice chairman of the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS), at the airport.
Sirisena officially declared Sri Lanka’s new president
Colombo : Election Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya Friday afternoon officially declared Maithripala Sirisena the new president of Sri Lanka.
Making the announcement, Deshapriya said the joint...
Sarah Palin to join Fox News
By DPA,
Washington : Former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin has reached a deal to join Fox News as an occasional contributor, the New York Times reported Monday.
The Republican former governor of Alaska will not have a regular programme, but will host a series that will air from time to time, the newspaper reported.
Palin ran on John McCain's ticket in the 2008 elections, losing to President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden.
Polish PM and Putin to Discuss Crucial Issues
By Prensa Latina
Warsaw : Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday to discuss crucial issues such as the US antimissile shield and regional energy security.
Tusk, who travels to Russia, at a time when bilateral relations are at their best, will have to clarify how his country plans to implement Washington's program to deploy the antimissile defense system in the region.
US housing construction surges unexpectedly in battered market
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : In a welcome sign for America's fractured housing market, construction of new homes has unexpectedly rebounded with a 22 percent jump in February after falling for eight months.
Housing starts rose to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 583,000 last month, up 22 percent from a revised 477,000 in January, according to the Commerce Department release Tuesday. It was the first time housing starts increased since June, when they rose 11 percent.
Death of Osama bin Laden was sad, says Dalai Lama
By IANS,
Dharamsala : Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama Wednesday said the death of Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden was sad if it was looked from a Buddhist point of view.
136 die in Pakistan heatwave
Islamabad: At least 136 people have died in a heatwave in Pakistan's largest city of Karachi and other districts of the Sindh province since...
60 injured in train derailment in Russia
By NNN-Xinhua,
Moscow : Sixty people were injured when a passenger train derailed in the Amur Region in Russia's Far East, the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry said Thursday.
"The condition of six of the injured is serious. We are continuing to evacuate people from the train. There are no reports of fatalities," a spokesperson for the ministry was quoted by the RIA Novosti news agency as saying.
Hurricane Paloma hits Cuba
By IANS,
Miami : Hurricane Paloma with wind speed of 195 km an hour hit the central Cuban province of Camaguey late Saturday, EFE news agency reported.
Cuban weather office said Paloma , the third powerful hurricane this season to lash the Caribbean island, would move Sunday morning toward the Bahamas.
A hurricane advisory was still in force for the Cuban provinces of Ciego de Avila, Camaguey, Las Tunas, Granma and Holguin.
The current Atlantic hurricane season that began June 1 and ends Nov 30 has seen 16 tropical storms and eight hurricanes including Paloma.
Oil prices close above $100 a barrel
NEW YORK, Feb. 27 (APP): Crude oil prices topped $100 a barrel Tuesday on the New York Mercantile Exchange as speculators moved to buy it, attracted by oil’s rapid gains.In the past two weeks, oil prices have gained over $8 per barrel and three times topped the $100 a barrel mark, including Tuesday.
The price of crude reached $100.90 Tuesday afternoon, a gain of 59 cents on the day.
Heating oil prices gained 0.1 cents in late trading to reach $2.8160 per gallon.
Over 50 illegal miners held in Colombia
Bogota : At least 59 people were arrested in Colombia in what the defence ministry called "the hardest, most crushing blow" against illegal mining...
Russian oil companies want consortium in Latin America
By RIA Novosti,
Caracas : Russia's five major oil companies have said they are interested in setting up a consortium to boost operations in Latin American countries.
The oil firms which have come up with the idea are Rosneft, LUKoil, Gazprom Neft, Surgutneftegaz and TNK-BP.
Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin, who chairs the board of state-controlled Rosneft, Russia's largest oil company, said: "It would be strange for Russia, which shares first place in global oil production with the Saudis, not to interact, say, with Venezuela, which holds fifth or sixth place."
G8, developing partners call for broad emission cuts
By DPA,
Toyako : The Group of Eight (G8) leaders and their counterparts from the world's eight major developing countries committed themselves Wednesday to "a long-term global goal for emission reductions".
But while recognising that "deep cuts" were needed in order to combat climate change, they failed to agree on setting specific targets, saying only the reduction in greenhouse gases should take place according to the means of each country.
Macedonia’s ruling coalition leads elections
By Xinhua,
Skopje : Macedonia's ruling alliance led the country's elections with ballots from 736 of the total of 2,976 polling stations counted, initial results showed on Sunday.
The coalition of For Better Macedonia led by Nikola Gruevksi's VMRO-DPMNE has won 56,507 votes, while the opposition coalition Sun-coalition for Europe led by the Social Democrats won 26,510 votes.
The main ethnic Albanian opposition party, the Democratic Union for Integration, got 16,925 votes, while the ruling Democratic Party of Albanians harvested 22,538 votes.
Victoria Beckham appointed UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador
New York : Victoria Beckham has been appointed UNAIDS International Goodwill Ambassador.
The announcement was made Thursday at a press conference during the 69th session...
Restaurant owned by Indo-Canadian blows off
By IANS
Vancouver : A fast food restaurant owned by an Indo-Canadian has been destroyed in a huge explosion on West Broadway here.
The powerful blast on Wednesday night, which could be heard dozens of blocks away, also ripped apart three shops next to the Taco Del Mar restaurant.
The fast food joint was located in an eight-storey building, just five minutes' drive from downtown.
The explosion was reportedly caused by a fire started inside the restaurant, destroying it as well as a Starbucks shop, a fashion garment shop and a travel agency office in the building.
Australian Parliament passes counter-terrorism bill
Canberra : The Australian Parliament Tuesday passed the Counter-Terrorism Legislation Amendment Bill that addresses "urgent operational needs identified by Australia's intelligence and law enforcement...
One killed in Russian gas station blast
By IANS,
Moscow: At least one man has been killed and six others were injured Sunday in an explosion that rocked a gasoline station in southwest Russia's Dagestan region, RIA Novosti reported.
ISS astronauts take first steps to move Italy’s Harmony
Washington(DPA) : Two astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) have completed the first of three planned space walks to start a new construction project vital to adding European elements to the orbiting laboratory.
Station commander Peggy Whitson of the US and her Russian colleague, Yuri Malenchenko, completed an almost seven-hour space walk Friday, the first of three to prepare for delivery of the long-awaited European science module Columbus in December.
ASEAN calls for release of South Korean hostages
Manila, July 31 (DPA) East Asian foreign ministers Tuesday called for the immediate release of the remaining 21 South Korean hostages in Afghanistan after the body of a second captive allegedly killed by the Taliban was found.
The ministers were meeting in Manila as part of the 40th Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Ministerial Meeting.
Philippine Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo, who is chairing the meetings, said the foreign ministers agreed to call for the "early and unconditional release of the remaining South Korean hostages in Afghanistan".
Rihanna, Jay-Z celebrate with Lady Gaga
By IANS,
London: Singers Rihanna and Jay-Z partied hard with Lady Gaga, post the London Paralympic closing ceremony performance.
Curfew to be imposed as 24 killed in Thailand protest
By DPA,
Bangkok : Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva announced Sunday that schools would be shut and a curfew imposed in Bangkok as the death toll from three days of urban warfare rose to 24.
The embattled prime minister said on nationwide broadcast that some 400 public schools scheduled to re-open for the new term Monday would remain closed until the following week.
He said a night-time curfew would be imposed in the city. Details of the curfew plan would be announced later Sunday after meetings with the Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation.
Tsunami signs to be placed in New Zealand
By Xinhua,
Wellington : Tsunami signs will soon be going up as the New Zealand government has released a national design standard, Civil Defence Minister Rick Barker said on Monday
Barker said on Monday that the signs would indicate tsunami evacuation zones, evacuation routes for vehicles and pedestrians, tsunami safe locations and information boards.
"The national standard will mean that wherever people travel in the country the signs will look the same and mean the same things," the New Zealand Press Association quoted him as saying.
Nigerian militants destroy major oil pipeline
By XINHUA,
Lagos : Nigerian militants in the oil-rich Niger Delta have claimed to have blown up a major oil pipeline.
A statement issued Thursday by the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) on the Internet said its fighters destroyed a pipeline belonging to Shell Development Co in Rivers state.
MEND Tuesday destroyed an important flow station operated by Shell and threatened to attack offshore oil facilities in other Niger Delta states.
Secular Nepal still awaits Christian leaders
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : Three years after it abolished Hinduism as the state religion to become a secular nation, Nepal is still awaiting its first Christian leaders.
"We need a Christian party to make our voices heard," says Rev Anthony Sharma, the first Catholic bishop appointed by Rome in Nepal in 2007.
"However, Christians are still lacking in education and opportunities. There is a dearth of leaders to take part in national politics."
International rights bodies urge the Indian govt to release G.N. Saibaba on humanitarian grounds
G.N. Saibaba, a wheelchair-bound academic, is an active campaigner for the rights of oppressed communities, including Dalit and Indigenous communities. He was arrested in...
Test for promotion can eliminate some of the best guys
By IANS,
Toronto : Organisations rely on standardised tests to pick out the best guy for the job. But new research shows that tests for promotion may discourage candidates from applying and create anxiety that could hurt one's performance.
"These data really speak to (sic) the fact that the process needs to be looked at from the perspective of the applicant," said study co-author Julie McCarthy, professor at the Rotman School of Management.
Argentine Central Bank accounts frozen in US
By DPA,
Buenos Aires : A US judge Tuesday froze accounts at the US Federal Reserve belonging to the Argentine Central Bank, officials in Buenos Aires said.
Argentine Finance Minister Amado Boudou told a press conference in Buenos Aires that New York federal judge Thomas Griesa was responding to the claims of holders of debt titles that Argentina defaulted on in 2002 who refused to reprogramme debt payments in 2005.
He said that $1.7 million were affected by the freeze, although the figure could eventually be "at most" as high as $15 million.
Canadian prime minister to apologise for rejecting Sikhs in 1914
Ottawa : Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Monday that he will offer a full apology for a government decision in 1914 to...
Brazilian president criticises proposed Iran sanctions
By IANS,
Rio De Janeiro : Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva Friday criticised additional sanctions against Iran that are currently being discussed by the UN Security Council.
The Security Council gathered in New York this week to discuss a draft resolution imposing a new set of sanctions on the Islamic republic, which is accused by Western powers of attempting to build nuclear weapons under the guise of a civilian energy programme.
India committed to Palestine cause, also to two-nation solution
United Nations : While supporting a two-nation solution to the burning Israeli-Palestinian conflict, India also maintained its strong commitment to the Palestinian cause,...
China’s economy likely to see slowdown
By IANS,
Beijing: China's central bank said Tuesday the country's economic growth may witness a slowdown.
Current economic development has revealed signs of a slowdown in the country's growth, though the economic fundamentals remain strong, the People's Bank of China (PBOC) said in a report.
However, the PBOC report said the chance for a "double dip" is seen as slim, Xinhua reported.
No Victorian era if new immigrant rule imposed back then?
By Venkata Vemuri, IANS,
London : Imagine what would have happened if the latest British immigration rule requiring the spouse of a British citizen to know English to enter the country was in vogue only a couple of centuries ago? There just might not have been a Victorian era!
Commenting on the rule announced by Home Secretary Theresa May earlier this week, The Telegraph pointed out that Queen Victoria's mother knew no English when she came to Britain as the bride of the Duke of Kent who apparently knew more French.
London should remain a diverse world city: Mayor
By Prasun Sonwalkar,
Indo-Asian News Service
London : In a major boost to the campaign to protest changes to immigration rules that have adversely affected highly skilled migrants from India and other non-European union countries, London mayor Ken Livingstone has come out in their support and has urged the government to reverse the changes.
The campaign to protest the interests of people who entered Britain under the Highly Skilled Migrants Programme (HSMP) has led to several demonstrations, petitions, meetings with ministers and litigation.