56 arrested over riots in Myanmar
Yangon : Fifty six people suspected to be involved in a sectarian riot which broke out in Myanmar's second largest city Mandalay in early...
Ex-Dutch soldier tried to recruit jihadis: Report
Brussels: A former member of the Dutch armed forces has been attempting to recruit soldiers at the Volkel military airbase in the southwestern Netherlands...
India contributes $1 mn to tsunami trust fund
Bangkok: India Friday donated $1 million to the UN tsunami preparedness fund to strengthen early warning systems for natural disasters in Indian Ocean and...
Solana rejects calls for sending European troops to Afghanistan
By KUNA,
BERLIN : EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Javier Solana expressed on Friday his rejection of calls for sending additional European troops to Afghanistan.
In a statement to "Abendblatt" newspaper, he said that Europeans now accounted for more than 50 percent of the international troops in Afghanistan, serving to their best ability and training Afghan soldiers and policemen.
He said that Europe had contributed 10 billion euro for reconstruction there since 2002.
Security Council to discuss situation in Abkhazia
By RIA Novosti,
New York : The UN Security Council will hold consultations on Monday to discuss the situation in the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict zone.
The discussion will be held to discuss extending the mandate on the UN Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG), which expires on Tuesday. The Security Council members will also discuss a recent report by the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, delivered on April 4.
Religion gives people more self-control
By IANS,
London: People muster greater self-control when they are given unrelated tasks, especially after thinking about religion.
Three arrested for Corsican arson but new attacks reported
By KUNA
Paris : Three individuals have been arrested on the Mediterranean island of Corsica for their suspected role in torching part of the local assembly building in the town of Ajaccio on January 13, security and media sources reported Monday.
The arrests follow an intense enquiry into the fire, which caused massive damage to a wing of the building and met with widespread condemnation from the government and local political parties.
The fire followed the occupation of the building by Corsican, separatist militants.
About one million Americans living with HIV: Report
By Xinhua,
Los Angeles : Some one million Americans are living with HIV, with about 56,000 new infections reported annually, according to a government report.
Among those infected, 250,000 are unaware that they are carrying the infection, the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said in a report released Thursday.
Just over 40 percent of the adult US population has been screened at least once for HIV, said the report.
In September 2006, the CDC recommended that all Americans be offered HIV testing as part of their routine medical care.
Riots break out in US city over black man’s custodial death
Washington : Protests in Baltimore city of Maryland state over the death of an African American man due to injuries sustained while in police...
Chinese tense as men in khaki swamp Olympic torch relay route
By IANS,
New Delhi : A dramatic mock Olympic torch relay run by Tibetans here Tuesday afternoon stunned the authorities even as they promised a Chinese delegation that the real torch relay Thursday will be held under a tight security blanket and pass off peacefully.
Fearing a repeat of the disturbances that marred the torch relay in London and Paris, commandos from paramilitary forces and thousands of policemen swarmed the two-kilometre route from the presidential palace to the World War I India Gate monument in the heart of the capital.
Nearly 40 percent Europeans don’t use Internet: Study
By DPA,
Brussels : Some 80 percent of European Union (EU) web surfers now have fast-speed broadband connections, but nearly 40 percent of all EU citizens still do not use the Internet at all, a EU study published Friday found.
According to the European Commission's latest Information and Communication Technologies Progress Report, the use of the Internet is spreading rapidly across the continent, with some 250 million EU citizens - or more than half the total population - now regularly exploring the world wide web.
South’s troops pull-back idea ‘premature’: North Korea
By RIA Novosti
Moscow : North Korea has termed as "premature" a proposal by South Korea to withdraw troops from the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) running between the two states, South Korea's Yonhap news said Friday.
The DMZ, which divides the Korean peninsula roughly in half, is the world's most heavily armed border.
"The issue was off the table, as Chairman Kim Jong-il said it was still premature to have it discussed," Yonhap quoted South Korean Defence Minister Kim Jang-soo as saying following a three-day summit, which ended Thursday.
China patriotism soars in Hong Kong ahead of Olympics
By DPA,
Hong Kong : Pro-China sentiment in Hong Kong has risen sharply ahead of the Beijing Olympics, with 55 percent of people in the territory considering themselves Chinese compared to 28 percent who see themselves as Hong Kongers, according to a survey Monday.
The findings of the survey of more than 1,100 people showed a sharp upswing from the fewer than 22 percent of respondents who said they considered themselves Chinese in a similar poll conducted in November.
Myanmar ends political, religious media censorship
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Bangkok : The information ministry of Myanmar has cancelled censorship for the media publishing political and religious information, a Thai daily reported Monday.
US Senate passes $1-trillion federal spending bill
By DPA,
Washington : The US Senate Sunday passed a $1-trillion spending bill that will keep federal agencies and social programmes operational until the end of September 2010.
The measure, which already passed in the House of Representatives and combines six separate spending bills, was approved by a 57-35 vote largely along party lines with three Democrats voting against it and three Republicans supporting it. It has now to be signed by President Barack Obama.
Buddhist monks learn firefighting in China
By IANS,
Beijing : Buddhist monks in China are undergoing training to combat fires so that they can handle emergencies in their temples.
More than 60 monks from 11 temples and Buddhist institutes displayed their skills on how to operate fire extinguishers, hoses and other modern equipment at the first Hangzhou Buddhist Firefighting Competition held Friday at a temple in east China's Zhejiang province.
Hangzhou, the picturesque city near West Lake, is the home of Buddhist culture housing many temples and pagodas.
UN engineer kills himself after Nepal chopper crash
By IANS
Kathmandu : Five days after three of his associates died in a helicopter crash in eastern Nepal, a Russian engineer working for the UN Mission in Nepal (Unmin) killed himself, apparently due to depression.
Evegeny Alexandrov, a 50-year-old Russian engineer hired by Unmin for "air service support in Nepal", hanged himself in the Kapan area of Kathmandu valley Saturday, the police said.
UK award for anti-trafficking activist Ruchira Gupta
By IANS
London/Kolkata : Ruchira Gupta, founder-director of Apne Aap Women Worldwide, a Kolkata-based organisation working against sex trafficking, has bagged a British award for her efforts.
The maiden Abolitionist Award was presented to Gupta Tuesday at the British House of Lords to mark the bicentenary of the abolition of the Atlantic Slave Trade in the British empire.
Russian humanitarian aid arrives in Kosovo
By RIA Novosti,
Belgrade : The first trucks carrying Russian humanitarian aid to Serbs in Kosovo have been delivered to the north of the province by the Red Cross, local officials said on Tuesday.
"There were no problems in crossing the administrative border with Kosovo. The cargo has arrived at its destination," said Dragica Kljajic, a coordinator of the Red Cross social welfare department in Serbia.
Don’t insult us, Pashupatinath priest tells Nepal
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : Smarting under the continuing attacks on Indian priests and the allegation that they were siphoning off the offerings made by devotees at the altar of Pashupatinath, one of the holiest Hindu shrines, the chief priest at the temple said he and his ilk were ready to go back to India.
PACE voices alarm over rights violations in Chechnya
By RIA Novosti,
Strasbourg : Alleged human rights violations by security forces in Chechnya and other parts of Russia's North Caucasus, including torture and executions, have come under harsh criticism from the Council of Europe.
A committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) released an 'introductory memorandum' on Tuesday calling the situation in the region "by far the most alarming" in all 47 Council of Europe member states, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch said.
Myanmar democracy icon’s son seeks visa to visit mother
By DPA,
Bangkok : The second son of Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi Monday sought a visa to enter Myanmar to visit his mother, who is under house arrest but may be released Sunday.
Nepal has won world respect: Ban
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : Marking a major diplomatic victory for Nepal's Maoist government, United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Friday said the Himalayan republic has earned the admiration and respect of the entire international community.
Japan’s economy slides into recession
By DPA,
Tokyo : Japan's economy shrank at an annualized rate of 0.4 percent in real terms in the July-September period, the government said Monday.
The gross domestic product (GDP) fell 0.1 percent during the three months from the previous quarter, marking the second quarterly drop, the cabinet office said.
Looking at the GDP for the July-September quarter, Japanese Economic and Fiscal Policy Minister Kaoru Yosano said Monday that the nation's economy is in a recession, which means that it shrank two quarters in a row.
Thailand’s general election set for Dec 23
By DPA
Bangkok : The official decree setting Thailand's general election for Dec 23 was published in the Royal Gazette Wednesday, fulfilling the legal requirement for a return to civilian government.
A coup in Sep 2006 had ousted the government of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, when senior generals alleged corruption and plots to provoke violence between Thai citizens. The ruling junta pledged to hold new elections before the end of this year.
Japanese emperor makes first visit to quake-hit zone
By IANS,
Tokyo : Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko Thursday visited a quake-hit city on their first trip to areas that were hit by last month's devastating earthquake and tsunami.
Asia-Pacific Water Summit opens in Japan
By DPA
Tokyo : The first Asia-Pacific Water Summit opened Monday in the southern Japanese city of Beppu, with Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda expressing hopes that it will give new impetus to environmental discussions at the next Group of Eight (G8) summit in July 2008.
The two-day summit invited 300 government and industry leaders and environmental experts from 49 countries and territories in the Asia-Pacific region to discuss water-related problems and solutions amid global warming.
South Africa to Raise Electricity Charges
By Prensa Latina
Pretoria : The South African government announced on Saturday it will increase electricity charges to improve the situation for the 2010 World Soccer Championship.
According to Public Enterprises Minister Alec Erwin, the executive considers the continuous power cuts should be seen as a national necessity.
Erwin explained the adoption of rationalization measures, and sanctions against violators are being studied.
Kyrgyz pensioner uses Haj savings to rebuild World War II monument
By RIA Novosti,
Bishkek: A pensioner in Kyrgyzstan spent all the money he had saved for Haj pilgrimage to rebuild a dilapidated monument in memory of the victims of World War II, a media report said.
Suleiman Turdubayev has been saving money to go for Haj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia for a long time, Kyrgyz news website, called 24.kg, posted the report on its website last week.
He will spend 100,000 Kyrgyz som (about $2,500) to rebuild a dilapidated monument at his home village of Alga in the Kadamzhaisky district of Kyrgyzstan's Batken region.
Individualism, lack of love blighting children’s lives: survey
By Dipankar De Sarkar, IANS,
London : Increasing family break-ups, too much competition at school and "excessive individualism" are making children's lives harder than before, according to the findings of the largest-ever survey of childhood experiences in Britain published Monday.
The Good Childhood Inquiry, the result of three years of research carried out by a panel of independent experts, called for a sea-change in social attitudes and government policies to counter the damage done to children.
Myanmar court rejects Suu Kyi’s appeal
By DPA,
Yangon : A Myanmar court Friday rejected an appeal lodged by opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi against an 18-month detention sentence, government sources said.
Suu Kyi's lawyers had opened the appeal case at the Yangon Divisional Court in a bid to overturn a court verdict in August that found her guilty and placed her under house detention for another 18 months.
Nyan Win, one of Suu Kyi's lawyers, has promised to appeal the case up to the Supreme Court level.
Breakaway LTTE leader Karuna gets nine months’ jail in London
By P.K. Balachandran, IANS
Colombo : A British court Friday sentenced the controversial breakaway Tamil Tiger leader, 'Colonel' Karuna, to nine months in prison for travelling on a false Sri Lankan passport.
Confirming the sentence handed out by the Isleworth Crown Court in West London, a spokesman of Karuna's political party, Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Puligal (TMVP), said that the party was in consultation with lawyers to challenge the sentence.
Australian journalist gets 10 months’ jail in Singapore for drug offenses
By Xinhua,
Singapore : An Australian journalist was sentenced to 10 months' jail by a Singapore court on Tuesday for drug offenses.
42-year-old Peter Lloyd, New Delhi-based correspondent for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, pleaded guilty to three charges which were for the consumption and possession of ice, as well as for being in possession of drug utensils stained with ketamine.
The fourth change, which is for the possession of drug paraphernalia laced with ice was taken into consideration.
Five killed in Philippines mine tunnel collapse
By DPA
Manila : At least five people were killed when a gold and nickel mine tunnel collapsed Monday in the southern Philippines due to heavy rains, a regional relief official said.
Blance Gobenciong, regional director of the Office of Civil Defence, said rescuers had been dispatched to the accident site in Placer town in Surigao del Norte province, 765 km south of Manila.
She said that rescuers have recovered three bodies buried inside the tunnel.
Britain strips Mugabe of his knighthood
By DPA,
London : Britain has stripped Zimbabwean leader Robert Mugabe of a knighthood awarded by Queen Elizabeth II in 1994, the Foreign Office said Wednesday.
A spokesman said the action was taken as a "mark of revulsion" against the "abuse of human rights and abject disregard for democracy" in Zimbabwe under Mugabe's regime.
The withdrawal of the knighthood, a rare event, was recommended by Foreign Secretary David Miliband and approved by the queen.
U.S. Urges Serbia to Protect Diplomatic Facilities in Belgrade
By SPA
Washington : The U.S. State Department on Thursday urged Serbian authorities to protect diplomatic buildings in Belgrade, confirming video images of Serbian demonstrators breaking into the U.S. embassy compound in the capital of Serbia to protest Western support for the independence of Kosovo.
India, US to join hands for energy efficiency
By IANS,
Gurgaon: India and the US have agreed on "concrete partnerships" in the area of energy efficiency, Minister of State for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh said Sunday after visiting Secretary of State Hillary Clinton discussed climate change with Indian officials.
"I want to say that both sides have agreed on the need of partnerships, concrete partnerships, on projects in various fields like energy efficiency, solar energy, biomass, energy-efficient buildings of the type that you are seeing here today," said Ramesh, who was flanked by Clinton.
Emergency officials: Kyrgyzstan quake kills 65
By Xinhua,
Almaty : Sixty-five people were killed and 50 more injured in the strong earthquake that rocked southern Kyrgyzstan Sunday night, the Interfax news agency reported Monday citing emergency officials.
In the village of Nura, which lies about 50 km from the epicenter of the earthquake and has a population of nearly 1000, 120 buildings were destroyed, an Emergency Situations Ministry spokesman said.
The rescue operation was still going on in the region hit by the 6.3-magnitude quake.
Mozambique Evacuates 70,000 for Floods
By Prensa Latina
Maputo : Flooding has caused evacuation of 70,000 people in Mozambique, the National Institute of Catastrophe Procedures informed on Friday.
Most of the evacuees live near the Zambeze River in the central region of the country where the huge Cahora Bassa hydroelectric plant is located.
The river is dangerous for those along its banks as it has exceeded its critical level by six and a half feet.
Meanwhile, the large industry is pouring water at triple its capacity: 211,888 cubic feet per second.
210 killed in anti-terror operation, says Ukraine
Kiev : At least 210 people has been killed since the start of the "active phase" of the Ukrainian government's anti-terror operation in eastern...
Ex-Soviet leader Gorbachev blasts EU, NATO over Kosovo status
By RIA Novosti
Moscow : Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev sharply criticized on Saturday attempts by the EU and NATO to decide the future of Serbia's Albanian-dominated breakaway province of Kosovo.
The UN Security Council has failed so far to bridge divisions over the future of Kosovo. On December 19, the U.K.'s UN envoy, John Sawers, said there was no possibility of overcoming the difficulties in talks within the UN, and that the European Union would now assume responsibility for determining Kosovo's status.
Chinese scholar calls for East Asian security mechanism
By Xinhua
Beijing : A scholar with the China Foundation for International and Strategic Studies (CFISS) has called for the early establishment of a multilateral security mechanism featuring cooperation basis in East Asia.
Relations between regional powers still fluctuate, and it is imperative to promote the regional multilateral security mechanism, said Zhang Tuosheng, director of the Department of Research of CFISS.
He made this call during a dialogue among the defence scholars of China and the 10 member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Wednesday.
UN Security Council elects new non-permanent members
By Xinhua,
United Nations : Five countries have been elected as new non-permanent members of the UN Security Council.
Austria, Japan, Mexico, Uganda and Turkey were Friday elected to the UN Security Council as non-permanent members.
All 192 members of the UN General Assembly participated in the secret ballot, with Japan beating Iran 158-32 to get the seat for Asia Group.
Japan will replace Indonesia to serve a two-year term in the Council, while Austria and Turkey will replace Belgium and Italy.
DNA traps rapist of Hong Kong schoolgirl
By DPA,
Hong Kong : A rapist was Tuesday beginning a 10-year jail term in Hong Kong after being traced by his DNA nearly a decade after attacking a 13-year-old schoolgirl.
Truck driver Chung Chi-wing, 30, posed as a policeman to lure his young victim to a parked van and violently raped her as she walked home from school on an afternoon in November 1999.
He was only identified as the attacker when a police officer found a match between DNA in the semen found in the victim and a DNA sample taken from Chung when he was arrested for car theft in 2001.
Japan’s unemployment climbs to 5.2 percent
By DPA,
Tokyo : Japan's jobless rate climbed for the first time in four months in November, to 5.2 percent, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications said Friday.
The unemployment rate was 5.1 percent in October. The number of unemployed people rose to 3.31 million in November, up 750,000 from a year earlier, the ministry said.
The job-to-applicant ratio was almost flat at 0.45, which means there were only 45 job offers for every 100 job applicants, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare said.
Holocaust memorial train leaves Germany for Auschwitz
By DPA,
Goerlitz (Germany) : A Holocaust memorial train drawn by a steam locomotive crossed the German border into Poland Wednesday, bound for the memorial at the former Nazi death camp Auschwitz.
The engine and its two carriages carried 80 young people chosen from around Germany by activists who privately organised the train's tour of German cities and invited the public to view photos and records of Jewish children sent by train to the death camps.
An ugly dispute with German rail company Deutsche Bahn (DB) brought international attention to the commemoration.
Torrential rain kills 53 in China
By Xinhua,
Beijing : At least 53 people have been killed in accidents in the wake of torrential rain over the past week in China, officials said.
Around 4,000 people were stranded Wednesday by floods and 28 are missing. The south-western Guizhou province was the worst hit, where 36 people were killed in flash floods and 14 missing.
In Hunan province, seven people were killed, in Guangxi four and in Hubei and Jiangxi three each, according to reports.
19 killed in aircraft crash in Poland
By Xinhua
Warsaw : Nineteen people on board a Polish military transport aircraft have been killed after it crashed near the Miroslawiec airport in northwest Poland, an airport spokesman said Thursday.
"Nobody survived the accident," Bogdan Ziolkowski told reporters.
The Spanish-built CASA C-295M transporter was approaching the West Pomeranian town of Miroslawiec when it went down in the woods close to a Polish air force base runway late Wednesday, before going up on fire, Polish news agency PAP reported, quoting local fire services.
Bodies of helicopter crash victims found in Nepal
By Xinhua
Kathmandu : Bodies of 12 persons, killed in Monday's crash of a helicopter of the United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) in Ramechhap district in eastern Nepal, have been recovered, the home ministry said Tuesday.
Ten of the 12 bodies were mutilated beyond recognition, said the ministry in a press release.
Additional rescue team from Kathmandu has been sent to the site and identification of the bodies is underway, it said..
Bus crash kills 19 in South Africa
By IANS,
Johannesburg : At least 19 people were killed and more than 50 others injured Monday when a bus crashed from a bridge in South Africa, media reports said.
Heaton fears not waking up from operation table
By IANS,
Los Angeles: Singer Michelle Heaton who has been diagnosed with rare gene that causes cancer says her worst fear is not waking up after the operation is over.
Hilton didn’t give Nazi salute
By IANS,
London : Socialite Paris Hilton's publicist has denied reports that she was giving a Nazi salute while partying on a boat in St. Tropez, France.
Hilton's representative insisted the socialite was merely dancing while scratching under her nose.
The reality TV star has been living it up in Europe's exclusive hot spot, partying with pals on luxury yachts in St. Tropez's harbour, but she came under fire when party pictures of her were published, reports starpulse.com.
Mexican archaeologists begin search for Aztec king’s tomb
By IANS
Mexico City : A team of archaeologists has begun exploring a site in the heart of the Mexican capital that might lead to the first discovery of a tomb of an Aztec king, according to Spanish news agency EFE.
Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) said in a communiqué that a 12-tonne monolith dedicated to Tlaltecuhtli, the Aztec earth goddess, was removed from the site Tuesday.
Scientists hope to uncover the tomb of King Ahuizotl, who reigned from 1486-1502.
Food supplies to Russia’s Pacific islands delayed till Feb. 12
By RIA Novosti
Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky : Food supplies to residents of the Komandor Islands off Russia's Pacific Coast have been delayed at least until February 12, the regional emergencies center said on Sunday.
The Komandor Islands, a small group of islands located some 180 km (110 miles) east of Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula, are home to about 800 people, including 200 children. Food supplies to the islands have been interrupted since December 2007 due to continued storms. Severe weather makes it impossible to deliver food either by sea or air.
Petrobras expects to be world oil major by 2020: Official
By EFE,
Rio de Janeiro : The CEO of Brazil's Petrobras has said that the state-controlled firm will be one of the world's largest oil companies by 2020.
It intends to produce 5.7 million barrels per day (bpd), or more than double its current output of 2.5 million bpd.
"Brazil in 2020 will produce more than half of what Saudi Arabia or Russia produces today," Jose Sergio Gabrielli told the Senate's economic affairs committee.
UN says Nepal parties should fix president’s powers
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : Ignoring a rebuff by Nepal's ruling parties, who have asked the UN not to intervene in the republic's internal matters, a top UN official is suggesting that the parties fix the powers of President Ram Baran Yadav, whose action almost six months ago triggered a fresh crisis in the Himalayan nation.
Israel should allow media into Gaza to report on war, UN agency says
Tehran, Jan 13, IRNA -- The United Nations agency entrusted with defending the freedom of the press, condemning the fatal wounding of a journalist in Gaza, Monday called on Israel to allow local and international media professionals to report on events in the area, UNIC said.
UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Director General Koïchiro Matsuura cited UN resolutions forbidding attacks on journalists and media installations and calling on Member States to reaffirm their commitment to the principles of freedom of the press and freedom of information.
Italian parliament ratifies EU’s Treaty of Lisbon
By SPA,
Rome : Italian lawmakers on Thursday gave final approval for the European Union's reform Treaty of Lisbon, with members of the lower house Chamber of Deputies voting unanimously to ratify the treaty, according to DPA.
Last week the upper house Senate approved the treaty with a unanimous vote.
Thursday's vote was welcomed by Italian President Giorgio Napolitano who described it as an "honour" for the Italian parliament.
Nigerian parliament approves $1 bn loan to fight Boko Haram
Lagos : The Nigerian House of Representatives Wednesday approved President Goodluck Jonathan's request to borrow not more than one billion dollars to tackle the...
NATO on course for planned Afghan withdrawal: Merkel
By IANS,
Berlin: German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said she hopes that NATO would withdraw its forces from Afghanistan by 2014 as previously planned.
Nepal cabinet expanded amid confusion
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : Within 72 hours of Indian foreign secretary Shivshankar Menon's visit to Nepal to give a push to the stagnating peace process, Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal Wednesday expanded his cabinet for the third time, inducting the Terai parties that had remained deadlocked over the allocation of berths.
But though Nepal named eight new ministers - including two ministers of state - confusion dogged the swearing-in ceremony with one of them not turning up at the presidential palace for the ceremony.
China builds museum on Confucius
By IANS,
Beijing : China is building a museum to display over 100,000 cultural relics related to ancient philosopher Confucius.
ANC wins South Africa’s general election
Johannesburg: The African National Congress (ANC) has won a commanding victory in South Africa's general election with a majority of 249 seats in the...
Financial crisis ‘greatest threat to world security’
By IRNA,
London : Unless global responses are made to the current economic crisis, the most serious threat to international security will be the impoverishment of hundreds of millions of people, a British think-tank warned Thursday.
The Oxford Research Group (ORG) suggested it could lead to radical and violent social movements that will be met with force, resulting in still greater conflict.
Britain reassures Israel over Iran n-deal
Jerusalem : British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond on Thursday met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem, trying to reassure the latter that the...
DNA test confirms abandoned London boy is from Punjab
By IANS,
Hoshiarpur : The DNA tests of an 11-year-old Sikh boy found abandoned in London last year have established that he belongs to a family near Tanda town in Punjab's Hoshiarpur district and would be returning home soon, family members said Sunday.
Several families, including those from Punjab and Bihar, had laid claim to the boy after he was found abandoned in London's Asian-dominated Southall area.
American Center for Law and Justice cites lack of religious freedom to criticize Narendra...
By TwoCircles.net staff reporter
Washigton DC: American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), an organization of Evangelical Christian Advocates has urged the US House of...
US facing drastic shortage of doctors
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Washington: American medicine has long had the reputation of being the most advanced in the world.
Assocham, Japanese firm sign pact on energy parks
By IANS,
New Delhi : The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) Tuesday signed an agreement with a Japanese firm for transfer of technology to set up renewable energy parks in India.
The pact was signed with the Tokyo-based Eiwat that develops technologies in renewable energy, designs energy parks and promotes non-conventional energy worldwide.
According to Assocham secretary general D.S. Rawat, the company will now design such parks for India to encourage eco-friendly technologies.
Hu wants plantation drives to support scientific development
By IANS,
Beijing : President Hu Jintao has called for more efforts to promote voluntary tree-planting to provide ecological support to China's scientific development.
Islamic Social Finance Report 2015 released
By Mohammed Obaidullah
The 2015 issue of the Islamic Social Finance Report has just been launched at an International Workshop on Zakat Management organized by...
Call for equal pay for migrant workers in Australia
By Neena Bhandari, IANS,
Sydney : Trade unions in Australia are seeking guarantees for migrant workers on the 457 visa to get the same pay and benefits as local workers as some say the temporary skilled migration programme has become a source of getting cheap labour from India, China and the Philippines.
US marines arrive in Australia
By IANS,
Sydney : The first batch of about 200 US marines have arrived in Australia's Darwin city as part of a defence deal, Australian Defence Minister Stephen Smith announced Wednesday.
UN Prepares Withdrawal from Eritrea
By Tomas A. Granados, Prensa Latina
United Nations : The United Nations is preparing the withdrawal of its peacekeeping mission from Eritrea, as local authorities have not shown signs to resume fuel supplies to the international troops.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon had set Wednesday as a deadline for Eritrean authorities to resume fuel supplies to the mission that has monitored the ceasefire between that country and Ethiopia over the past eight years.
Indonesia seeks clarity over reports on Timor Leste President’s remarks
By Xinhua,
Jakarta : Indonesian diplomats in Dili have been asked to seek clarity over reports on Timor Leste President Jose Ramos-Horta's allegation that "elements" from Indonesia were involved in the February attack that almost claimed his life.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Kristiarto Soeryo Legowo was quoted Friday in a local newspaper as saying he had read the statement from the media, but quickly adding that Indonesia could not react based only on the news.
Solar-powered plane set for world tour
By IANS,
Beijing : The team that built the first solar-powered plane is planning a round-the-world flight within two years, with a stopover in China, a media report Thursday said.
Super Tuesday – McCain ahead, Obama and Clinton trade victories
MOSCOW, February 6 (RIA Novosti) - The Super Tuesday U.S. presidential primaries saw John McCain forge ahead in the race for the Republican Party's nomination while Democrats Barack Obama and Hilary Clinton continued their struggle.
With over 40% of delegates decided on Tuesday, Senator McCain, 71, took victories in nine states - New York, California, New Jersey, Connecticut, Missouri, Delaware, Illinois, Oklahoma and his home state of Arizona.
Record Abstention in S. Korean Elections
By Prensa Latina
Seoul : The Great National Party of South Korean President Lee Myung Bak won the legislative elections Wednesday, which registered the lowest participation index in the history of South Korea.
The Electoral Commission said 17.4 million people out of 37.8 million voted at the electoral colleges, representing 46 percent of the total participation.
With 90 percent of the votes counted GPN will get 152 of the 299 seats of the National Assembly and its rival, the United Democratic Party, will get 82 seats of 136 it had before.
First ‘Make in India’ event held in Germany
Frankfurt : A first 'Make in India' networking session was organised last week in the wake of Germany's Hanover Messe trade fair this year...
Bolivia links with Iran at UN assembly
By NNN-Prensa Latina
United Nations, New York : Bolivia President Evo Morales defended the sovereign character of his government in establishing relations with other countries, including Iran, in a working breakfast with foreign journalists at the United Nations in new York on Tuesday.
Morales made it clear that relations with Iran, including new cooperation agreements in the field of energy, are oriented towards more development rather than death.
He said these links will be consolidated in La Paz on Thursday at the visit of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadineyad.
Investigation cites pilot error for air crash near Everest
By DPA,
Kathmandu : An investigation into an air crash near Mount Everest in October 2007 blamed pilot error for it, a government report said Thursday.
The crash at Lukla airport, about 175 km north-east of the Nepalese capital Kathmandu, Oct 4, 2007, killed 18 people, including 12 Germans, two Australians and four Nepalese nationals.
The only survivor was the plane's captain.
A report submitted to the government said the primary cause of the accident of the Yeti Airlines Twin Otter aircraft was misjudgement by the pilots while landing at the airport.
Myanmar to release over 6,000 prisoners
By IANS,
Yangon : The Myanmar state-run radio and television Tuesday announced the release of 6,359 prisoners from Wednesday under an amnesty ordered by the country's president.
British police arrest five terror suspects
By IANS,
London : British police Tuesday arrested five men in the city of Birmingham, about 200 km north of here, on charges of terrorism.
The men, aged between 29 and 36, were held on suspicion of being involved in the “commission, preparation or instigation of an act of terrorism", a police spokesman said.
The arrests, made after dawn raids on five addresses in Birmingham, reportedly come after a long and complex investigation by the West Midlands Counter Terrorism Unit.
North Korea talks in Moscow next week
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Russia, the US and South Korea will continue talks on the denuclearisation of North Korea in Moscow next week, a Russian foreign ministry source said Thursday.
Kim Sook, Seoul's top negotiator at the six-nation talks, and US Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill are expected to arrive in Moscow next week.
They will hold negotiations with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexei Borodavkin, the new head of the Russian delegation to six-nation talks, which also involve North Korea, China and Japan.
Dalai Lama leads hundreds of Tibetans in special prayers
By Jaideep Sarin, IANS,
Dharamsala (Himachal Pradesh) : Hundreds of monks in red robes and with shaven heads converged alongwith scores of other Tibetans at the Tsuglagkhang main temple early Sunday to join the Dalai Lama at his abode-in-exile at Mcleodganj near here to offer prayers for the Tibetans killed in Chinese crackdowns, including the latest one a year ago.
The Dalai Lama led the prayers that were attended by the entire top brass of the Tibetan religious and political leadership apart from the monks and other Tibetans.
Poor sleep quality linked to increased risk of death
By IANS,
Washington: Do you stay awake till the wee hours of the night? Are you a poor sleeper? Then you may be at increased risk of death.
According to the latest research it is both quality and quantity that is important for maintaining health.
Results suggest that over the average follow-up of eight years, 854 of the 5,614 participants died. Two sleep-stage transition types were associated with higher mortality risk: wake-to-non-REM and non-REM-to-wake.
South Korean leader advises no fear, heavy hand with North
By DPA,
Seoul : South Korean President Lee Myung Bak urged national unity as he called for a tough stance against future provocations from North Korea.
Sri Lankan gov’t denies claims of unfair election in east
By Xinhua,
Colombo : The Sri Lankan government on Saturday denied claims by election watch dogs and the main opposition party that the Eastern Provincial Council election held for the first time in 20 years was not free and fair.
"Except for a few incidents, the election was free and fair," Anura Yapa, the government spokesman and the Minister of Media said.
Susil Premajayantha, the minister of Education said that a few incidents were not big enough to alter the final outcome of the election.
Pachauri, Gore say technology can’t prevent global warming
By Alfred de Tavares, IANS
Oslo : Former US vice president Al Gore and head of the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) R.K. Pachauri, who have been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, say the climate crisis cannot be resolved with the use of technology alone.
"Reliance on technology alone is not sufficient to contain the emissions of climate destroying substances," said Pachauri on the eve of the Nobel Peace Prize award ceremony here.
Nearly every sixth German child living on social welfare: press
By IRNA,
Berlin : Almost every sixth German child under the age of 15 is living on social welfare, the Saarbuecken-based daily Saarbuecker Zeitung cited government figures as saying Thursday.
Trial begins against leading Chinese dissident
By DPA,
Beijing : A trial against prominent Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo began Wednesday in Beijing under unusually tight security.
A contingent of police and security personnel blocked the Beijing First Intermediate People's Court, and several of Liu's supporters who planned to express their sympathies outside the court building were arrested, witnesses said.
Russia, U.S. to create new measures to boost economic ties
By RIA Novosti
Sochi : Russia and the United States have agreed to step up efforts to broaden economic interaction, a joint declaration released after the presidents' talks in southern Russia said on Sunday.
The declaration, adopted after President George W. Bush's farewell summit with outgoing Russian leader Vladimir Putin, says the parties will strengthen Russian-U.S. economic and business interaction, including the establishment of new inter-governmental and business dialogue in the next few months.
Over 10,000 civilians held hostage by LTTE rescued: Sri Lanka
By IANS,
Colombo : Sri Lankan troops have rescued more than 10,000 civilians held hostage by the Tamil Tigers in a small strip of land on the island's north, the defence ministry said Sunday.
"The hostages breached through the LTTE inner cordon leaving terrorists in total disarray," the ministry said on its website.
The rescue operation was carried out amid attacks by Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels at the Wadduvakal causeway in Sri Lanka's northeastern coast which the army claimed to have liberated from the rebels Saturday.
Japan to loose sanctions against DPRK
By Xinhua,
Tokyo : The Japanese government is to partially lift sanctions against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) as the DPRK has shown positive stance on resolving the issue of past abduction of Japanese nationals, Japanese official said Friday.
1,000-year-old coins unearthed in China
By IANS,
Beijing : More than 200 coins that were used 1,000-years ago were excavated in China, archaeologists said Tuesday.
Speculations rise about Minaj judging ‘American Idol’
By IANS,
Los Angeles: Singer Nicki Minaj will reportedly be judging the next season "American Idol" but whether she has signed the deal remains unclear.
Russia mourns metro blasts victims
By IANS,
Moscow : People in Moscow Thursday mourned the victims of twin bomb attacks on the metro two years ago.
British, French foreign ministers hold talks with Rajapaksa
BY IANS,
Colombo : The visiting foreign ministers of Britain and France Wednesday discussed with Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa the humanitarian situation in the island's north, where troops are battling the Tamil Tigers in a small strip of land.
After visiting the northern town of Vavuniya where nearly 180,000 war-displaced civilians are housed in refugee camps and welfare centres, British Foreign Minister David Miliband and French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner met Rajapaksa at the southern town of Embilipitiya, 200 km south of Colombo.
17 dead, 44 missing in China landslides
By IANS,
Beijing : Seventeen people were killed and 44 went missing Tuesday after rains triggered landslides in southwest China's Yunnan and Sichuan provinces, authorities said.
In Yunnan, four people were killed and 42 went missing early Tuesday after landslides and floods hit Xiaohe township in Zhaotong city; 53 people were injured.
The provincial government has sent a relief team to Zhaotong. The relief supplies include 200 tents, 1,000 quilts and 1,000 sets of clothing.
China to tap combustible ice
By Xinhua,
Xining (China) : China will drill holes in the frozen tundra region to extract combustible ice as an alternative energy source, officials said.
Combustible ice is a kind of natural gas hydrate found in the tundra region in northwest China.
"We do not need to drill very deep to get the flammable frozen compound from tundra here in Muli prefecture in Qinghai province," said Wen Huaijun, chief engineer of the project.
Citigroup to cut 11,000 jobs
By IANS,
New York : Citigroup has announced that it would slash 11,000 jobs, or roughly 4 percent of its current workforce, in an effort to cut costs.
Helicopter crashes in S Thailand, killing 3 soldiers
By Xinhua,
Bangkok : A helicopter of the Royal Thai Air Force on Wednesday crashed in Thailand's southern province of Yala, killing three soldiers.
Initial report of local police said the UH-1 Huey Helicopter crashed in Yala's Be Tong district. Three soldiers aboard were killed on spot.
Akhon Thiprooch, the spokesman of the Royal Thai Army, confirmed the report. He said the helicopter crashed on Wednesday morning while it was on its way to attend a meeting in the 4th Army Region.
20 killed in South Africa accident
By IANS,
Cape Town : At least 20 people, including two children, were killed Tuesday in an accident involving two minibuses and a truck in South Africa, police said.
US cities face high risk from bio-terrorism attacks
By IANS
New York : A US researcher has created a colour-coded map that dramatically illustrates how American cities are vulnerable to bio-terrorism.
As many as 132 major cities have been marked out on a colour-coded map that identifies their level of risk based on factors including critical industries, ports, railroads, population, natural environment and other factors.
North Korea confirms shutdown of nuclear facilities
By Xinhua
Pyongyang : North Korea confirmed Sunday that it had shut down its Yongbyon nuclear facilities after receiving the first shipment of heavy oil from South Korea.
"We have shut down the nuclear facilities at Yongbyon after we received the first shipment of heavy oil Friday," the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported, quoting a spokesman of the foreign ministry.
Australia announces scholarships for 2009
By NNN-BSS
Dhaka, Bangladesh : The government of Australia has announced scholarships for study at masters and doctorate levels for the year 2009 under the Australian Leadership Awards (ALA).
The ALA scholarships scheme is open to current and emerging leaders in the Asia-Pacific region, Australian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Douglas Foskett said adding that applications are now being invited for the scholarships, said a press release.
Man who killed two in China stabbing spree arrested
By IANS,
Beijing : A Chinese man who killed two women and injured seven children with a knife and an axe in Shaanxi province has been arrested, officials said Tuesday.
The attacker, identified as 35-year-old Song Lirong, a native of Songjiapo village in Shaanxi, had quarrelled with his wife, prompting her to leave for her parents' home, Xue Yawei, a county government official, was quoted as saying by Xinhua.
Tens of thousands feared dead in Haitian earthquake
By DPA,
Port-au- Prince : Tens of thousands of people are feared to have perished in an earthquake in Haiti as the international community rushed Thursday to help the impoverished Caribbean nation rescue victims whose cries could still be heard from under mountains of rubble.
President Rene Preval issued a worldwide appeal for assistance. He said tens of thousands might have been killed in the magnitude-7 earthquake that rocked the country Tuesday.
The damage was centred around the capital, Port-au-Prince, home to about 1.9 million people.
Indian physicist wins Lars Onsager prize
By IANS,
Bangalore : The American Physical Society (APS) has awarded the prestigious Lars Onsager prize for 2009 to physicist Sriram Shastry of India, who is currently a professor at the University of California at Santa Cruz (UCSC) in the US.
The Lars Onsager prize was established in 1993 to recognise outstanding work in statistical physics and is open to scientists of all nations regardless of geographical location. Shastry, who earned his first physics degree from Nagpur University, is the first Indian scientist to win this award.
China sends activist, daughter to labour camp
By DPA,
Beijing : China has sentenced a well-known environmental activist and his daughter to "reform through labour" after accusing them of "endangering state security" by disclosing details of radioactive pollution from a uranium mine, rights groups said Friday.
Sun Xiaodi, a former employee of the state-run Number 792 Uranium Mine in the northwestern province of Gansu, has campaigned for more than a decade to draw attention to pollution from the mine.
Bobby Jindal’s hurricane handling comes in for more praise
By Parveen Chopra, IANS,
New York : Louisiana's Indian-American Governor Bobby Jindal, who has been praised for his handling of the situation after Hurricane Gustav hit the state last week, has come in for more commendation from South Asian journalists who covered the disaster.
"Jindal is very methodical and planned out - the exact guy you want to be in charge during a situation like this," said Sanjay Gupta, CNN's medical correspondent who had to cut short his holiday to cover Gustav.
China to Build Solar Power Plants in 2009
By Prensa Latina,
Beijing : Two large solar power plants will be built in the Chinese provinces of Qinghai and Yunnan this year, as part of a nationwide project to boost renewable energy.
Qinghai's solar station will cost 146 million dollars and will be jointly built by China Technology Development Group and Qinghai New Energy Group.
In the beginning, the plant will generate 30 megawatts, but after completion, it will produce one gigawatt and will be the world's largest solar power plant, investors said.
U.S. takes DPRK off terror list after nuclear verification measures deal
By Xinhua,
Washington : The United States removed the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) from its terrorism blacklist on Saturday after the two sides reached a deal on verification measures over DPRK's nuclear program.
"The secretary of state has rescinded the designation of the DPRK as a state terror sponsor," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said at a briefing.
The announcement was made after the United States and the DPRK reached an agreement on a series of verification measures of DPRK's nuclear facilities.
Russia, US to hold regular talks on arms cuts
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Russia and the US will hold a regular round of talks on arms cuts in Geneva between late August and early September, the Russian foreign ministry said Saturday.
Russia and the US met July 22-24 in Geneva to continue talks on a new strategic arms reduction treaty to replace the old version known as START-I.
South Asian organisations in US accuse BJP of vendetta politics to persecute Muslims
By TCN News
The Alliance for Justice and Accountability (AJA) on Tuesday condemned the Indian Government for slapping criminal charges against Muslim activists, students, and...
Six die in Spain house fire
By IANS,
Madrid : At least six people died in Spain Saturday following a fire in a house in Burgos province, Xinhua reported.
The six victims,...
UK Dalits infuriated over PM Modi unveiling Ambedkar Memorial in London
By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
London : Two leading Dalit (the former untouchables) organisations have condemned the inauguration of Dr Ambedkar...
Sri Lanka bans overseas groups for terror links
Colombo: The Sri Lankan government Tuesday banned 16 groups operating overseas for their alleged terror links, the country's defence ministry said.
Defence ministry spokesman Ruwan...
Obama ensnared in ‘flygate’
By DPA,
Washington : It turns out US President Barack Obama's successful swat of a bothersome insect during a taped interview did not fly with animal rights groups.
Pressed by journalists, the animal advocates organization PETA decided to react - albeit with some humour - to Obama's quick handed killing of the fly, which was aired on television by CNBC.
"I guess it can't be said that President Obama wouldn't hurt a fly," PETA wrote on its blog. "The commander in chief was recently pestered by a fly during an interview. He swatted at the insect and killed the little guy instantly."
Russian woman arrested for assisting German spy
By IANS,
Ropar (Punjab): A Russian woman accused of assisting a suspected German spy and who has been living in India without legal documents has been arrested, police said Saturday.
Oliga Timoshik, in her early 30s, was arrested by Punjab Police from Jaipur and is currently in three days of police remand.
"She is a close aid of a suspected German spy Thomas Kuehn. He was arrested last month from Nangal town as he was living here without visa documents and a passport," H.S. Hundal, deputy superintendent of police, Nangal in Ropar district, told IANS Saturday.
Obama Keeps Narrow Lead on McCain
By Prensa Latina,
Washington : US Democratic Presidential candidate Barack Obama (Sen.-Ill.) still enjoys a narrow lead of 47 percent by 44 percent Republic rival John McCain (Sen.-Ariz.).
CNN Network average data, that relies on the latest four national polls ran by specialized institutions and the media, says Obama won one more point compared to last week’s 47-45 lead.
Obama emerged sole Democrat presidential candidate early this month in winning a five-month battle to Hillary Clinton (Sen.-NY.).
Australia may reduce immigration permits
By DPA,
Sydney : A slowing economy may compel Australia to tighten its borders, Immigration Minister Chris Evans said Sunday.
The nation's immigration will be reassessed by the government next month when the mid-year economic data is released.
The global financial crisis has resulted in an increased interest in migrating to Australia, especially from Britain and New Zealand.
36,000 Chinese graduates to be hired as village officials
By IANS,
Beijing : China plans to recruit 36,000 college graduates this year as village officials, authorities said.
A notice issued by the Organization Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee said that from 2008 to 2012 the country will employ 200,000 students-turned village officials, Xinhua news agency reported.
Currently, some 200,000 college graduates are working as grassroots officials. They plan their villages' development and work for local residents' betterment.
British government to monitor calls, email
By IANS,
London : Insisting that there are "significant gaps" in the British security, the government has defended its plans to allow the monitoring of phone calls, email and website visits.
Drainage of China’s Quake Lake Begins: State Media
By AFP,
Beijing : An operation to drain water from a dangerously swollen "quake lake" that threatened to flood the homes of 1.3 million people in southwest China began on Saturday morning, state media said.
Water poured through a hurriedly-dug drainage channel, releasing pressure from the lake which had built up behind a dam caused by the huge earthquake on May 12, Xinhua news agency reported.
Soldiers and police dug the channel to stop the lake from bursting its banks and emptying 220 million cubic metres of water downstream.
Britain expels five Libyan diplomats
By DPA,
London : Britain has expelled five Libyan diplomats to prevent them from posing a "threat" to British security, Foreign Secretary William Hague said Wednesday.
Pirates attack Japanese oil tanker in Gulf of Aden
By DPA,
Sana'a (Yemen) : Somali pirates opened fire at a Japanese oil tanker off Yemen's territorial waters in the Gulf of Aden Monday, but there were no reports of casualties among crew.
The vessel was hit by a rocket fired by the pirates sailing in a small boat at 04.40 a.m. (0140 GMT), Yemeni port and coast guard officials said.
Officials said the tanker was about 145 km off the south-eastern Yemeni port of Mukalla when it came under attack. The pirates had fired a rocket at the ship after they failed to seize it, the officials said.
China’s repression in Tibet worst for 30 years: Report
By DPA,
Beijing : China's repression of Tibetans' political, civil and religious rights in response to last year's unrest has reached levels last seen in the 1970s, the International Campaign for Tibet said in a report Monday.
"Since the protests began on March 10 last year, state repression of Tibetans' freedoms of expression, religion and association has intensified to a level not seen in Tibet since the paranoia and Maoist excesses of the Cultural Revolution (1966-76)," the London-based group said.
New polls give Obama economic edge
By AFP,
Saginaw, Michigan : A flurry of new polls in vital White House battlegrounds Tuesday showed Democrat Barack Obama getting a clear boost from the financial crisis as voters blame Republicans for the meltdown.
Russia rejects rampant terrorism in Arab region
Damascus: Russia has rejected the unabated terrorism existing the Arab region, as the country's visiting Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said here Saturday that...
Russia to resurrect titanium subs
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : The Russian Navy will refit, modernise and recommission two Sierra class (Project 945) titanium-hull nuclear-powered attack submarines by 2017.
Four government troops killed in clash in Philippines
By SPA,
Davao City, Philippines : Four government troops were killed and three wounded in a clash with communist rebels in a southern Philippine province, police said Sunday.
The clash occurred Saturday afternoon in the town of Monkayo in Compostela Valley province, 945 kilometers south of Manila, DPA reported.
Superintendent Ronald dela Rosa, provincial police chief, said that government soldiers and militia members were on combat patrol when they encountered a group of rebels.
"Two soldiers and two militiamen were killed in the 30-minute gun battle," he said.