China, Iran sign oil deal
By Xinhua,
Tehran : Iran and China have signed a $1.76 billion deal here for the development of an oil field in Iran, media reports said.
The deal was signed between China National Petroleum Corporation(CNPC) and the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) in the presence of Iranian oil minister Gholam Hossein Nozari and Chinese ambassador Xie Xiaoyan, Iran's official news agency IRNA reported..
11 dead, 25 hurt in Russia blast
By RIA Novosti,
Rostov-On-Don (Russia) : At least eleven people died and about 25 were wounded Monday when a powerful bomb blast took place in Nazran, the largest city in the Russian North Caucasus republic, police said.
According to police, the blast occurred near the city's police headquarters, and may have been caused by a car bomb set off by a suicide bomber.
"At about 9.08 a.m. (05.08 GMT) a yellow GAZelle truck broke through a gate at a check point near the building. A powerful explosion followed shortly after that," an investigator told RIA Novosti.
US drivers feel the pinch with high gasoline prices
By Xinhua
Washington : "Too much, it's killing us," small-business owner Victor Battle complained while reading a report predicting gasoline prices are widely believed to rise because of soaring oil prices.
Battle, who operates a cleaning service with two vehicles, said he's cut down on his non-business driving to absorb the higher costs for his business.
"I stay home more and don't drive as much," he said.
With crude oil prices hitting $100 a barrel for the first time last Wednesday, analysts predicted higher gasoline prices are probably inevitable.
EADS ropes in six firms to develop aircraft systems
By D. Balaji, IANS,
Berlin : European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company NV (EADS) has signed licensing contracts with six
aerospace firms to develop military aircraft systems using its technologies, a company official said Thursday.
"As a global leader in aerospace and defence, we have technologies that can help our licensing partners maintain their competitive edge in a challenging business world," EADS (defence and systems) Chief Technical Officer Jean Botti told reporters at the Berlin air show (ILA 2010) here.
Tibetans celebrate their Democracy Day
Dharamsala : Tibetans Tuesday celebrated their 54th 'Democracy Day' and reiterated their commitment towards the "middle-way approach" for resolving the Tibet issue with China.
Asserting...
Media body calls for release of jailed Sri Lankan journalist
By EuAsiaNews,
Brussels : The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the world’s
biggest journalists' organisation, slammed here Monday a 20-year jail term against senior Sri Lankan journalist J.S. Tissainayagam as "brutal and inhumane" and accused Sri Lankan authorities of abusing
anti-terror laws to silence peaceful critics.
The High Court of Colombo convicted Tissainayagam, a prominent Tamil journalist, of "causing communal disharmony" and "receiving money from Tamil Tiger rebels to pay for his website".
Now a helicopter with spinning disc instead of blades
By IANS,
Washington : The US defence department is funding a radical helicopter design called the DiscRotor that would have a spinning disc instead of conventional spinning rotor blades at high speeds.
The DiscRotor, which is being funded by the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), would have a large circular saucer-like hub on top with retractable rotor blades extending from the saucer's edge.
Nepal’s child soldiers to be freed finally
By IANS,
Kathmandu : Some of them took up arms when they were as young as 12. Some did it because their parents were dead and some to avenge a dead relative.
Now nearly three years after the end of a guerrilla war that killed over 13,000 and brought untold misery to a nation already racked by poverty, Nepal's child soldiers, who fought the 'People's War' as part of the Maoist People's Liberation Army (PLA), finally have a future to look forward to.
Blast outside imperilled Nepal parliament as crisis looms
By IANS,
Kathmandu : A blast took place outside Nepal's endangered parliament late Friday, just hours before the term of the house ends and a constitutional crisis threatens the nascent Himalayan republic. There were no casualties.
Police said they were investigating the explosion near the main gate of the International Convention Centre where most of Nepal's 601 MPs, including ministers, have gathered for a late-night parliamentary session that will either bail out the house or see it dissolved at midnight.
US to postpone removal of North Korea from blacklist
By DPA,
Tokyo : US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Monday Washington would postpone removal of North Korea from a list of state sponsors of terrorism, Japanese media reports said Monday.
Rice apparently confirmed with Japanese Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura on the phone that North Korea remains on the list as of Monday.
India protests China-assisted dam in Pakistani Kashmir
By IANS,
New Delhi : India Friday protested against the proposed 7,000 MW Bunji hydroelectric project being built in the Pakistan-administered Kashmir with Chinese assistance.
"The government of India lodged a protest against the construction of (the) project located in a part of Jammu and Kashmir under the illegal occupation of Pakistan," external affairs ministry spokesperson Vishnu Prakash told reporters here.
DM Jayaratne sworn-in as Sri Lanka’s 20th Prime Minister
By IRNA,
New Delhi : Veteran politician and Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) stalwart D.M. Jayaratne was sworn-in as Sri Lanka’s 20th Prime Minister.
He was sworn-in before President Mahinda Rajapaksa at a simple ceremony held at Temple Trees Wednesday, All India Radio (AIR) reported.
Meanwhile, with the official announcement of all the results for the general election 2010 declared today, the ruling combine led by Mr. Rajapaksa has bagged 144 seats, six short of two-thirds majority in the 225 member house.
Massive deforestation leading to climate change, species loss
By Joydeep Gupta, IANS,
Poznan (Poland) : Deforestation is leading to close to 20 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, which in turn are leading to climate change and possible extinction of 20-30 percent of all species on earth.
Negotiators at the Dec 1-12 summit of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in this western Poland city are struggling to find money for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) in a post-2012 climate deal.
Free Ukrainian reporter: Kremlin body to Syrian rebels
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow: The Russian presidential human rights council has demanded that Syrian militants immediately release Ukrainian journalist Ankhar Kochneva.
Anti-missile system not to make Europe buffer zone: US
By Xinhua
Budapest : The implementation of the US missile-defence project will not make Central and Eastern Europe a buffer zone, Assistant Secretary of State for International Security John C. Rood has said.
Following talks on the issue in Budapest with Russia's representative Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Kislyak, Rood said the anti-missile system is designed to protect the US against possible attacks from the Middle East and not to threaten Russia, MTI news agency reported Thursday.
How the brain stores memories for specific fears
By IANS,
Washington: Neuroscientists are clueing into how the brain is capable of holding and retrieving memories for specific fears, revealing a more sophisticated storage and recall capacity than previously thought.
The study may have implications for treating post-traumatic stress syndrome - as scientists begin to understand how different fears are stored in the brain, they can move toward addressing specific fear memories.
Sri Lanka’s economic downturn hits realty market
By P. Karunakharan, IANS,
Colombo : Although the real estate market is up and vibrant in Sri Lanka, property developers have complained that the industry has been badly hit due to "the downturn in the economy", a media report said Tuesday.
According to the state-run Daily News, the developers have said that "there has been a drop in condominium (apartment) sales" with the banks reluctant to fund the projects.
Departing UN official calls Ban’s leadership ‘deplorable’
By IANS,
United Nations : In a stinging rebuke of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, an outgoing official charged with combating corruption in the world body has accused him of having failed to maintain accountability, a media report said Tuesday.
Inga-Britt Ahlenius, a Swedish auditor who stepped down Friday as undersecretary general of the Office of Internal Oversight Services, has launched an extraordinary personal attack on the UN chief, The Washington Post reported.
The 50-page memo marks a challenge to Ban's studiously cultivated image as a champion of accountability.
Nepal Maoists not to form new government after poll fiasco
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : Nepal's historic first presidential election has opened a pandora's box with the defeated Maoist party Tuesday announcing they would not form the new government but sit in opposition.
In yet another twist to the intense political drama, the debutant party from the Terai plains that emerged as a kingmaker, the Madhesi Janadhikar Forum (MJF), said they would stake claim to forming a coalition government backed by Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala's Nepali Congress (NC) and the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (UML).
China faces toughest reconstruction task since 1976 quake
By Xinhua,
Beijing : After the May 12 killer quake wreaked havoc in the southwestern province of Sichuan, killing over 40,000 people, China is faced with the formidable task of reconstruction.
According to authorities, the toll in the quake may go well beyond 50,000 as rescue workers stretch to clear the rubble to find possible survivors and prevent outbreak of diseases. Some 250,000 people were injured in the devastating quake.
Europe reports over 300 new swine flu cases
By Xinhua,
Stockholm : European health officials Saturday reported 311 new swine flu cases in the region.
Of the new cases, 279 were confirmed in Italy, 26 in Switzerland, five in Slovakia and one in Slovenia, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said in its latest report.
China executes housing department official for corruption
By IANS,
Beijing : China has executed a housing department official for embezzling public fund amounting to 120 million yuan ($18 million), a report said Friday.
The official, 46-year-old Li Shubiao, was executed Thursday in China's Hunan province, China Daily reported.
Li was the former director of the department of government subsidy for housing in Chenzhou city. He was found to have embezzled public funds amounting to 120 million yuan during his tenure, most of which had been squandered in gambling.
Kenya says it’s determined to improve soccer standards
By IANS,
Nairobi : Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga assured the football fraternity in the country of his government's commitment to promote the sport.
South Korea complaints against North at UN
By DPA,
New York : South Korea Friday formally filed a complaint to the UN Security Council accusing North Korea of sinking one of its vessels, which claimed the lives of 46 sailors.
South Korea asked the council to consider measures "appropriate to the gravity of the situation", following the sinking of its naval ship Cheonan in March.
South Korean Ambassador Park In-kook handed a letter to the council president, Mexican Ambassador Claude Heller, calling on the 15-nation council to begin discussions.
Southern Israel hit by Gazan rocket
By Xinhua,
JERUSALEM : Southern Israel was hit by a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip on Tuesday night, just minutes before the Israeli general election ends, local daily Ha'aretz reported.
The rocket landed in an open field near the southern city of Sderot, a target of frequent rocket fire during the past years, causing no damage or casualties, said the report.
If confirmed, the rocket is the first on Israel's election day when millions of Israelis went to vote to determine the next parliament and premiership.
China created over 12 mn new jobs in 2012
By IANS,
Beijing : Over 12 million new jobs were created in China last year, said authorities.
Explosion shook Sri Lanka capital Colombo
By SPA,
Colombo : A loud explosion shook a commercial quarter of the Sri Lankan capital Colombo on Friday, a military spokesman said, according to Reuters.
"There is an explosion near the Hilton Hotel," said military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara, adding there were no details of any injuries or damage.
Moderate earthquake jolts western Indonesia
By Xinhua,
Jakarta : A moderate earthquake measuring 5.2 on the Richter scale jolted western Indonesia Friday morning, the national Antara news agency said, quoting the Meteorology and Geophysics Office (BMG).
The quake struck Mentawai islands in Sumatra province at around 8.27 a.m. with its epicentre located some 59 km northwest of Sipora island at a depth of 30 km under the sea level.
According to BMG, the quake did not have the potential to cause a tsunami.
There was no immediate report of casualty or material damage.
Every Chinese village now has a reading room
By IANS,
Beijing: China has completed a cultural project aimed at building at least one reading room for people in every village in the country.
US climate proposal no competition to UN talks: Bush
By DPA
Washington : US President George W. Bush's call for global warming talks with a small group of key nations is not meant to sideline broader UN talks on cutting greenhouse-gas emissions, said a senior US official.
Over 1.5 mn people affected in China floods
By IANS,
Beijing : Floods and landslides triggered by torrential rains in south China have affected 1.57 million people, officials said Friday.
US stocks drop on Fed forecast, record oil prices
By DPA,
New York : US stocks fell sharply Wednesday after the Federal Reserve cut its 2008 growth forecast but suggested it had finished slashing interest rates for the time being, while another record crude oil price drove down retail and transport shares.
The US central bank predicted growth of between 0.3 percent and 1.2 percent for the year, down from a January projection of 1.3 per cent to 2 percent.
Australian PM Elect Presents Cabinet
Canberra, Nov 29 (Prensa Latina) Australian Prime Minister Elect Kevin Rudd presented his cabinet on Thursday.
Speaking at a news conference, Rudd said that he wants Australia to have a good educational system and the best way to achieve that goal is to appoint Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard as education minister.
Gillard is the second in command in the Labor Party and is the first Australian woman to be appointed deputy prime minister.
Blast in Colombo, two wounded
By IANS,
Colombo : Two people were wounded in a minor bomb explosion near the Red Mosque in Colombo Saturday evening, defence sources said.
Two vehicles were also damaged in the blast around 4.55 p.m. The wounded were rushed to the Colombo National Hospital.
"According to available evidence, the blast occurred inside a van," the defence ministry said.
The motive behind the blast was not immediately known.
Colombian president’s cousin seeks asylum
By DPA
Bogota : Former Colombian senator Mario Uribe, cousin of President Alvaro Uribe, have requested political asylum at the Costa Rican embassy here, hours after the public prosecutor's office ordered his arrest.
The former senator's arrest was ordered Tuesday in the framework of an investigation over alleged ties with extreme right paramilitaries.
Jose Ortega - one of the former senator's lawyers - confirmed that Mario Uribe entered the embassy to make the formal request. He added that the central American country was chosen given its prior record on asylum cases.
Senior Hamas leader killed in Israeli airstrike
By DPA,
Gaza City : An Israeli air strike Thursday afternoon killed Said Siam, minister of the interior in the Hamas administration in the Gaza Strip, the al-Quds radio station of the radical Islamic Jihad movement announced.
Siam's brother was also killed in the strike, as was the head of Hamas' security apparatus, Salah Abu Shreh.
Siam, one of the top Hamas leaders in the Gaza Strip, is the most senior figure in the Islamist movement to be killed since Israel launched Operation Cast Lead against Hamas on Dec 27.
Singapore ready to send rescue teams, doctors to Myanmar
By Xinhua,
Singapore : Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said Tuesday that his country is ready to dispatch Disaster Assistance Rescue Teams and medical doctors to Myanmar if necessary.
Lee made the offer in a letter to his Myanmar counterpart General Thein Sein.
Lee said Singapore will also contribute a humanitarian assistance package of 200,000 U.S. dollars to help the people of Myanmar tide over this difficult period.
Myanmar to build first storm-resistant model village
By Xinhua,
Yangon : Taking a cue from last month's Cylone Nargis that left a trail of devastation across the country, Myanmar has roped in international experts to build a first-ever storm-resistant model village, local daily Yangon Times reported Thursday, quoting Myanmar Engineers'
Association.
According to the report, the model village will be set up with the assistance of experts from Japan's Tokyo University and with the use of technical know-how being applied in cyclone-hit countries like Bangladesh, Pakistan and India.
Seven kiilled in El Salvador bus crash
By IANS
San Salvador : Seven people have been killed and 82 others injured when a bus overturned on a highway in western El Salvador, authorities said.
Fire chief Abner Hurtado told YSKL radio Wednesday that the vehicle flipped over on a highway over bridge while transporting some 90 workers to an assembly plant, Spanish news agency EFE reported Thursday.
One person was killed on the spot while six others died at hospitals in Santa Ana, where 82 injured passengers were being treated.
Russia’s PM to talk economics in Slovakia
By RIA Novosti
Moscow : Russian Premier Viktor Zubkov is set to arrive in Bratislava on Thursday on a two-day official visit for talks on economic cooperation with his Slovakian counterpart Robert Fico and other top-ranking officials.
Trade between Russia and Slovakia reached a record high of $6.5 billion last year, up 20% against 2006.
However, Russian exports, at $5.1 billion, constituted the bulk of bilateral turnover, and both countries are unsatisfied with the imbalance.
Italian cruise ship adrift off Seychelles after fire
By IANS,
Rome : An Italian cruise ship was adrift off the Indian Ocean island country of Seychelles following a fire on board. All passengers and crew were however safe, reports said Monday.
Invest in philanthropy, says Indian-American philanthropy leader
By Arun Kumar
Washington : Citing the example of American India Foundation (AIF), dedicated to catalysing social and economic change in India, an...
Ageless Watson stays in contention, Jaidee best Asian challenger
By V. Krishnaswamy, IANS,
Turnberry (Scotland): The golfing world woke up to a strange Saturday at a Major - it was one without Tiger Woods on the weekend and it was one where a 59-year-old American, Tom Watson, was looking to further his reputation as the world's best Links player.
As the 138th edition of the British Open moved towards it climax, five-time Open champion and eight-time Major winner Watson, still had a share of the lead. Watson was three-under through 14 holes in the third round and he shared the lead with little known Australian Matthew Goggin (69).
Five held in US for plotting to blow up bridge
By IANS,
Washington: Five suspects have been arrested by the FBI for allegedly plotting to blow up a bridge in Ohio state, media reports said Tuesday.
China plans to set up rocket company
By Xinhua
Beijing : China will set up an umbrella company to integrate the technical and marketing aspects of rocket building, an official with the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology said Monday.
The planned share-holding company is expected to integrate a number of institutions involved in rocket research, development, manufacturing and testing, and would be listed in the share market, said Liang Xiaohong, the academy's vice-president.
Ambedkar King Study Circle Hosts Anti-Corruption Activist in California
By TCN Staff
Nov 2, 2019, 2019 Fremont, California. Last week Mr. Jayaram Venkatesan, convenor of Arappor Iyakkam ( non-violent war movement), Tamil Nadu shared...
NC, CPN-UML reach understanding on appointment of Nepali president
By Xinhua,
Kathmandu : Nepali Congress and the Communist Party Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML) Saturday reached an understanding regarding the formation of new government and election of the first president, local media reported.
According to a leading website, nepalnews.com report, in a discussion between the two parties held at Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala's residence in Kathmandu Saturday, they agreed for two-third majority to unseat the president. However, the two parties agreed that a simple majority can change the prime minister.
Cuba calls for end to EU sanctions
By IANS
Havana : Cuba has called for an end to sanctions imposed on it by the European Union (EU) to pave the way for improving bilateral relations, Spanish news agency EFE said Thursday.
Deputy Foreign Minister Eumelio Caballero told a gathering here Wednesday that Havana appreciated the willingness expressed by the EU Council of Ministers to hold a comprehensive and open dialogue with Cuba, but denounced the political sanctions imposed by the bloc and called the so-called "common position" adopted in 1996 "interference".
Magnitude 6.5 quake jolts central Indonesia
By DPA,
Jakarta : An undersea earthquake registering 6.5 on the Richter scale struck off Indonesia's central Sulawesi province Monday, but there were no immediate reports of injury or damage, the Indonesian seismologist agency said.
The quake struck at 12.54 p.m. and its epicentre was about 196 km south-west of Tolitoli, Indonesia's National Meteorology and Geophysics Agency said, adding that the quake occurred at about 33 km below sea level.
Stand up for freedom of information: Ban
By IRNA,
Tehran : UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in his message on World Press Freedom Day, May 3, 2010, called on governments, civil society and people around the world to recognize the important work of the media, and to stand up for freedom of information.
According to a press release issued by the UN Information Center (UNIC) here on Sunday, the full text of his message reads:
Belgian trade delegation to visit India
By IANS,
Brussels : A Belgian delegation is scheduled to begin a six-day visit to India Sunday to explore ways to boost bilateral trade and economic ties, EU News reported Friday.
The delegation, headed by Jean-Claude Marcourt, the economy and foreign trade minister of the Wallonia regional government, will visit New Delhi, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Bangalore and meet captains of Indian industry to discuss commerce and investment.
Belgium is linguistically divided into the French-speaking Wallonia region in the south and the Dutch-speaking Flanders region in the north.
36,000 Chinese officials probed for duty crimes
By IANS,
Beijing : More than 36,000 civil service officials in China are investigated annually for allegedly committing crimes while on duty, a report said.
Russia protests Kosovo steering group establishment
By RIA Novosti
Moscow : Russia's Foreign Ministry protested Monday the establishment of a 15-member steering committee on Kosovo comprising countries backing Kosovo's independence.
"We believe the creation of the International Steering Committee for Kosovo is out of line with resolution 1244 of the UN Security Council and Kosovo settlement principles coordinated by the international community," spokesman Mikhail Kamynin said.
Resolution 1244 affirms Serbia's and Kosovo's territorial integrity.
UK grants less 5 percent of Iraqi asylum cases
London : Britain granted asylum to less than 5 percent of Iraqi applicants last year, according to new figures on case heard from Immigration Research and Statistics.
Provisional figured showed that out of 730 decisions made on Iraqi applications in 2006, some 640 were refused and only 30 were granted.
Around 60 were also given discretionary leave to remain in the UK.
Over three million Somalis need emergency food aid: report
By Xinhua,
Nairobi : A humanitarian crisis is unfolding in Somalia with the number of people needing food aid in the lawless nation rising to more than 3.2 million this year, a UN funded report said Wednesday.
"The scale, magnitude and speed at which the crisis is deteriorating are alarming and profound," the Food Security Analysis Unit (FSAU) said.
The FSAU called the situation in the Horn of Africa nation one of the worst in the world in recent days.
After Chetia extradition, India to deport Bangladeshi murder accused on Friday
Kolkata: With Bangladesh handing over outlawed ULFA's leader Anup Chetia, India on Thursday returned the favour by releasing from its prison Bangladeshi national Nur...
Kazakh border chief resigns over massacre
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : The head of Kazakhstan's Border Service has resigned following a border post massacre May 30 in which 15 people were killed.
Five detained in Philippines for plotting against Arroyo
By DPA
Manila : Five people, including three discharged army scout rangers, were arrested in the Philippines on charges of involving in a fresh plot to oust scandal-tainted President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, a lawyer said Wednesday.
Trixie Angeles, who represented the three discharged soldiers in a previous rebellion case, said the five were arrested separately from their homes late Tuesday by military intelligence agents.
North Korea brings up sea border dispute at military talks
By DPA
Seoul : North Korea put the sensitive issue of the western sea border of the divided Korean peninsula on the agenda at high-profile military talks Tuesday to open a rail line between the two Koreas, local media reported.
U.S. secretary of state to visit China on February 20-22
By RIA Novosti,
BEIJING : U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will pay an official visit to China on February 20-22, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said on Tuesday.
"The sides will discuss a number of global and regional issues of mutual interest, as well as cooperation in tackling the global financial crisis," Jiang Yu said.
During her first overseas tour as secretary of state, Clinton is also due to visit Japan (on February 16-18), Indonesia (on February 18-19) and South Korea (on February 19-20).
Religious upbringing can make kids less generous
New York: Belying common perception, a new study has found that children from religious families are less likely to share their possessions with others...
US rejects China’s call for a global currency
By DPA,
Washington : US officials Tuesday rejected calls from China and Russia for the international community to shift towards a global reserve currency that could replace the dollar.
At a congressional hearing in Washington, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said they opposed the idea that was floated by the head of China's central bank earlier Tuesday.
Taiwan protests its exports labelled ‘Made in Taiwan, China’
By DPA,
Taipei : Taiwan was to persuade China to drop its demand that all Taiwanese goods exported to China must be marked "Made in Taiwan Province of China," it was reported Sunday.
"We will not accept China's demand, and will hold talks with China to find a solution," the Liberty Times quoted Vice Economics Minister Lin Sheng-chung as saying.
"Both Taiwan and China are WTO (World Trade Organization) members, and Taiwan is a separate tariffs territory recognized by WTO," he said. "Therefore, China's demand violates WTO rules and hurts Taiwan exporters' interests."
Rights body sees rise in Zimbabwe abductions
By Jan Raath, DPA,
Johannesburg/Harare : One of Zimbabwe's leading human rights organisations has pointed out that cases of abduction and killings of opposition activists are increasing ahead of the controversial run-off in presidential elections next month.
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) said it was "greatly disturbed by the escalating phenomenon of enforced disappearance of political party members," adding the victims had been "abducted, severely tortured and in a growing number of cases, extra-judicially executed," with the corpses dumped usually in remote areas.
Confidence is greatest casualty of market crisis
By Oleg Mityaev, RIA Novosti,
Moscow : In its desperate attempt to rescue Russia's crisis-ridden financial market, the government adopted a massive rescue package Oct 7, but the measure has done little to shore up business confidence.
Apart from the trillions of rubles allocated for short-term and mid-term financing of the banking system, Russia's largest banks will receive another 950 billion rubles ($36.42 billion) for five years and beyond.
Pilots blamed for worst accident in Brazil’s aviation history
By Xinhua
Rio De Janeiro : Human error is to blame for the worst accident in Brazil's aviation history on July 17, the weekly magazine Veja claimed Monday.
Veja based its report on sources that allegedly have had access to the contents of the black box flight data recorder and the cockpit voice recorder. The contents of recorders currently remain under wraps by the Brazilian Air Force.
Ex-CIA agent: German officials told of abductions in 2001
By IRNA
Berlin : The former chief of CIA's European unit Taylor Drumheller contradicted claims by German officials who have repeatedly stated that they were not informed of CIA kidnappings of terror suspects until 2004, the weekly stern news magazine said in a report to be published on Thursday.
Drumheller said that talks between top representatives of German security officials and CIA took place, focusing on US plans to kidnap terror suspects as early as fall 2001.
Kremlin aide says surprise successor to Putin possible
By RIA Novosti
Washington : A senior Kremlin official said Friday that a successor to President Vladimir Putin, whose tenure expires next year, could be someone not widely considered as a potential candidate.
Ukraine warns Russia against military drills
Kiev : Ukrainian Parliament Speaker Alexandr Turchynov, who is also the acting head of the state, urged Russia Thursday to refrain from allowing its...
Sikh woman killed her babies before dying: Canadian police
By IANS,
Toronto : A young Sikh woman found dead along with her three small children in Calgary in October killed the babies herself, according to investigations by Canadian police.
Harsimrat Kahlon, 27, and the babies were found dead in their apartment Oct 5 when the woman’s partner called the police.
The Chandigarh-born woman died due to childbirth complications. But before her death, she killed her children.
Their bodies were found inside suitcases hidden in the basement of the couple’s apartment in northeast Calgary.
China to release list of terrorist groups
By IANS,
Beijing : China Saturday passed a resolution that defines terrorist groups for the first time and will soon release its first formal list of terrorists and groups, a legal expert said.
UN humanitarian aid arrives in cyclone-hit Myanmar
By RIA Novosti,
New York : More than 27,000 people in Myanmar affected by the Nargis tropical cyclone, which hit the Southeast Asian country, have received UN humanitarian aid, the UN's press service said.
Cyclone Nargis, the worst natural disaster to hit the region since the 2004 tsunami, battered Myanmar on May 3 devastating large parts of the country and leaving 28,458 dead while a further 33,416 are missing, according to Myanmese official figures.
Is US part of Pakistan’s anti-India terror, BJP asks
By IANS,
New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Thursday took exception to US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton saying that "Pakistan's struggles are my struggles", asking if America was a party to anti-India terror activities emanating from Islamabad.
"Clinton's statement at a meeting with Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi that 'Pakistan's struggles are my struggles' amazingly belies an utter disregard for facts and history," BJP spokesman Tarun Vijay said.
"Pakistan is also sponsoring a terror war against India. Is that also a part of Hillary Clinton's war?"
Complete speech of Nawaz Shareef at UN General Assembly and India’s strong rebuttal
By TCN News,
Full text of Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif Speech at the 71st Session of the UN General Assembly on September 21, 2016
Mr...
Prachanda sweeps Nepal PM poll
By IANS,
Kathmandu: Twelve years after they waged an armed war to capture power, Nepal's former Maoist guerrillas Friday finally fulfilled their desire lawfully with their chief Pushpa Kamal Dahal winning the prime minister's election with a sweeping majority to become the Nepal republic's first premier.
Dahal, better known by his nom de guerre Prachanda, vanquished his sole rival former prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba by garnering 464 votes, a more than two-thirds majority, while he needed only a simple majority to win.
Philippine rescuers locate another 24 survivors from ferry wreck
By RIA Novosti,
Jakarta : Philippine rescue workers have located another 24 people listed as missing three days after their ferry capsized during a typhoon, national media reported on Tuesday.
The Princess of the Stars ferry, carrying more than 860 people, sank in central Philippines as Typhoon Fengshen roared through the Southeast Asian country late on Saturday, causing landslides and severe flooding.
Eighteen of the 24 survivors were found on the island of Burias, while another six were located at sea by a plane.
Joe Biden urges Russia to respect global order
Washington: US Vice President Joe Biden Wednesday warned that Russia must respect international order and abide by the rules, or it will face growing...
Russia, China veto draft UN resolution on Syria
United Nations : Russia and China, two permanent members of the UN Security Council, Thursday used their veto power over a draft resolution intended...
Rare pigeons worth $19,000 stolen in Siberia
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Forty rare Uzbek pigeons worth 600,000 rubles (over $19,000) have been stolen in the Siberian city of Omsk, police said on its website.
Can Myanmar be Asia’s rice granary?
By IANS,
New Delhi : A new collaborative effort aims to realise the full potential of Myanmar as Asia's rice granary.
Indian swimmers set for World Aquatic Championships challenge
Kazan (Russia) : Indian swimmers Sandeep Sejwal, Aaron D'Souza, Virdhawal Khade, Saurav Sangvekar, Sajan Prakash and others are geared up to distinguish themselves...
Desperate attempt to rescue climate summit
By Joydeep Gupta, IANS,
Copenhagen : The bleak morning matched the mood Monday as the Dec 7-18 climate summit started its final week with developed and developing countries as divided on major issues as before. Host nation Denmark started "informal consultations" with all governments in a desperate attempt to reach a meaningful "political declaration" of intent.
Chabahar, boosting oil import on agenda during Zarif’s India visit
New Delhi: Speedy implementation of the Chabahar port, boosting oil import and terrorism were on the agenda of talks during the meeting between Prime...
Weather conditions baffle search efforts after bridge collapse
By XinhuaÂ
Guangzhou : Unfavorable weather and river conditions have impeded efforts to search for people who fell into a river in Guangdong Province after a bridge collapsed, a maritime official said on Saturday.
    The southern China province is in the flooding season and water level has risen greatly, said Mo Qi, deputy director with the Guangdong Maritime Bureau.
Myanmar draws up strategic plan for 2015 poll
Yangon : Myanmar's Union Election Commission (UEC) has drawn a strategic plan for holding the 2015 general elections in a free and fair manner,...
Experts Ask Protection for Human Rights Defenders
By Prensa Latina,
United Nations : Experts of the UN requested urgent measures for the protection of human rights defenders in Colombia Wednesday, after recent violent actions against activists, union leaders and lawyers.
In a report presented before the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, published here, the group expresses concern for recent events in Colombia indicating a deterioration of the situation of human rights defenders.
According to these UN independent specialists, this year at least 21 murders of union and civil society leaders have occurred.
German president to visit India February 2010
By DPA,
Berlin: German President Horst Koehler is to make an official visit to India and South Korea in February 2010, his office in Berlin announced Tuesday.
Koehler and his wife Eva Luise will visit India at the invitation of President Pratibha Devisingh Patil Feb 1-7, 2010.
On the invitation of President Lee Myung-bak, Koehler will visit South Korea Feb 7-10.
The president's office has not released any further details. Germany's presidency is largely a ceremonial office, with the government being headed by the chancellor, currently Angela Merkel.
Israeli military armored vehicles penetrate into Khan Younis
By KUNA,
GAZA : Israeli military armored vehicles penetrated east Khan Younis in southern Gaza Strip on Saturday.
Radio stations here said that six armored vehicles and four bulldozers penetrated hundered of meters into Al-Fakhari area east Khan Younis in southern Gaza Strip and stationed in the farmlands of Palestinians.
In addition the Israeli bulldozers initiated the process of destruction of large farmlands that are owned by many families of that area. (end) zt.mao KUNA 071238 Feb 09NNNN
Russian held selling World War II tank
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : A rare World War II-era tank was spared from disappearing into a private collection in Russia's Rostov region.
Security Council Silent on Kosovo
By Prensa Latina
United Nations : The UN Security Council held a closed-door session at the request of the Serbian government, which regretted the negative response from a group of its members to Belgrade's demand.
Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jerremic said he felt encouraged by general opinions from member countries about the possibility of achieving a settlement on this situation, caused by threats of a unilateral declaration of independence.
However, he admitted that a minority by predominant group thinks the issue cannot be solved at the UN Security Council.
Indonesia issues tsunami alert after 7.6 quake
By IANS,
Jakarta : Indonesia early Wednesday issued a tsunami warning after an undersea quake measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale rocked the country's northern Aceh province.
Aaghaz-e-Dosti Aman Chaupal between Indian peace activists and Pak students via video conference
By TCN News,
The 15th Aman Chaupal of Aaghaz-e-Dosti was conducted via video conferencing for interaction between youth activists from India and Pakistani students...
North Korea derailed world’s nuclear disarmament efforts: Ban
By DPA,
New York : UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon Thursday criticised North Korea for pursuing its nuclear ambitions and hampering the global campaign for nuclear disarmament.
Ban, a former South Korean foreign minister, said the nuclear test conducted by North Korea in May and subsequent launches of ballistic missiles ran counter to disarmament.
"It hampers the efforts of the international community, the US and Russia, which have started their nuclear disarmament," Ban said.
Obama promotes equality for gays in Africa
Nairobi : US President Barack Obama spoke on behalf of equality for gays in Africa, the continent with the most countries which criminalise same-sex...
Russia hopes for new strategic arms deal with U.S. by yearend
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Russia expects to reach a new nuclear arms reduction treaty with the United States by the end of the year, an aide to the president of Russia said on Sunday.
The effective Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START-1) was signed by the United States and the Soviet Union on July 31, 1991, five months before the U.S.S.R. collapsed. The treaty is set to expire on December 5, 2009.
Tens of thousands mark 63rd anniversary of Hiroshima A-bombing
By Xinhua,
Hiroshima, Japan : Thousands of Japanese people and foreign guests and activists gathered Wednesday in Hiroshima to mark the 63rd anniversary of the 1945 U.S. atomic bombing of the southwestern Japanese city.
At a memorial ceremony held in the morning at the city's peace park, attendees observed one minute of silence at 8:15 a.m. (2315 GMT), the time the atomic bomb detonated over Hiroshima 63 years ago, killing nearly 100,000 people in a blink.
Saakashvili wins Georgian election with 52.5% – exit polls
By RIA Novosti
Tbilisi : Mikheil Saakashvili has won Georgia's presidential election in the first round with 52.5% of the vote, according to early exit polls organized by Georgian TV companies.
The polls were commissioned by Georgia's state-controlled Public Television, Rustavi-2 TV company, Mze TV Channel, and Adzharia Television.
According to another pollster, Saakashvili may be headed for a second-round runoff in Georgia's presidential election.
Berlusconi slammed for ‘suntanned Obama’ remark
By IANS,
London : Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has been criticised after he praised American President-elect Barack Obama - for his “suntan".
The 72-year-old media tycoon Berlusconi, on a visit to Moscow, Thursday described Obama as “young, handsome and even tanned".
Berlusconi said the relative youth of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, 43, and Obama, 47, should make it easier for Moscow and Washington to work together.
Strong quake rocks China
By Xinhua,
Beijing : An earthquake measuring 6.1 on the Richter scale hit Qingchuan area of southwest China's Sichuan province Tuesday, according to the China Earthquake Network Center.
There was no immediate report of casualty or damage.
A devastating earthquake measuring eight on the Richter scale had hit Sichuan May 12 killing some 70,000 people and affecting nearly 42 million.
Rice to visit Turkey, Middle East early November
By Xinhua
Washington : U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will visit Turkey and the Middle East from Nov. 1 to 6, the State Department announced Wednesday.
Rice is to attend an international meeting on Iraq in Istanbul, Turkey on Nov. 2-3, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said.
But before the Istanbul meeting, Rice will have talks with Turkish leaders in Ankara in a bid to ease tensions soaring after deadly clashes on the Iraqi border between Turkish forces and Kurdish rebels.
Missing journalist’s ‘remains’ found in Nepal
By IANS,
Kathmandu : A month after a Nepali journalist working for a Maoist daily went missing, what could be the remains of his body were found Friday in a remote forest.
Jagat Prasad Joshi, himself a Maoist activist, had spent eight years underground during the 10-year People's War launched by the Maoists from 1996 when the party was banned, its publications shut down and its leaders hunted down by security forces.
Guatemalan mogul dies in chopper crash
By IANS/EFE,
Guatemala City: Wealthy businessman Jose Habie was killed Friday when the helicopter he was piloting crashed in the Guatemalan capital, authorities said.
Singapore continues manhunt for escaped terrorist
By DPA
Singapore : The high-tempo manhunt for terrorist suspect Mas Selamat Kastari will go on until the fugitive who escaped from a high-security detention centre is caught, Singapore police said Monday.
"We're prepared to sustain this for the long haul," said Assistant Commissioner Wong Hong Kuan on the sixth day of the manhunt. "If a person is determined to hide, he can hide for weeks."
Italian teacher held for giving passing grades for sex
By IANS/AKI,
Rome : A teacher in northern Italy has been arrested for giving students passing grades in exchange for sex.
Sexual assault probe against Wikileaks’ founder begins
By DPA,
Stockholm : A Swedish prosecutor opened a formal investigation into a complaint of harassment against controversial Wikileaks' founder Julian Assange Wednesday.
A probe into sexual harassment was dropped, and allegations by a second woman of rape by Assange are not being pursued, judicial affairs spokeswoman Eva Finne said.
Nepal government ends Everest meet with summit pledge
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : Nepal's coalition government Friday basked in global limelight and applause with Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal leading a historic meeting of his cabinet in the shadow of Mt Everest, the highest peak in the world, to draw the attention of nations to the perils of climate change and the havoc they could wreak in Himalayan countries.
Gas explosion in southwest China coal mine kills 14
By SPA
Beijing : A Chinese state news agency is reporting that a gas explosion at a southwestern coal mine has killed 14 miners and injured four, AP reported.
Xinhua News Agency said Saturday that investigators are looking into the cause of the Friday night blast in Yunnan province.
Five killed in China road crash
By IANS,
Beijing: At least five people were killed and three injured when a minivan fell off a cliff in China's Guizhou province.
US will match Germany’s climate change commitment: Obama
By DPA,
Washington : US President Barack Obama said Friday that he hopes Washington will soon be able to match Germany's commitment to tackling climate change and boosting clean energy.
After a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the White House, Obama said he was "impressed" with Germany's "foresight and commitment to clean energy".
"It is my hope that the United States will match that commitment today," Obama said as the US House of Representatives prepared to vote later in the afternoon on a landmark climate bill.
Spanish man jailed five days in mistaken identity case
By IANS,
Madrid : A Spanish man spent five days in prison after being mistaken for a criminal suspect with a similar surname, the daily El Pais reported Friday.
Juan Enrique T. was spending his Easter holidays in the southern city of Granada when police showed up at the door of his hotel room early one morning.
The 30-year-old was ordered to get dressed, was handcuffed, arrested on charges of money-laundering, taken to a police station, and then to a cold prison cell measuring 10 square metres, where he tried in vain to protest his innocence.
Five more fights await U.S. Democratic presidential candidates
By Wang Wei, Xinhua,
Washington : Ahead of the final three primaries in June, Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama are facing a high stakes contest Saturday as a Democratic party panel decides whether to reseat the Florida and Michigan delegates.
The Democratic National Committee (DNC)'s rules and bylaws panel is set to begin a day-long meeting in Washington Hotel at 9:30 a.m.
It was dubbed "Decision Day" as it was seen as pivotal not only to the two states, but to the party's presidential nomination race that has lasted for almost five months.
Philippines form new task force against political violence
By NNN-PNA
Manila : The Philippine government has formed a new task force that will give top priority in the formulation and implementation of measures to prevent political violence, once and for all.
Justice Undersecretary Ricardo R. Blancaflor, task force chairman, invited civil society, religious, and political organizations to participate in the undertaking of the task force "in the light of the propensity of certain organizations to spread lies and propaganda about the human rights record in the country."
Liverpool’s oldest Indian restaurant up for sale
By IANS
London : Liverpool's oldest Indian restaurant in the city centre is closing and has been put up for sale for the price of nearly 1.3 million pounds.
The restaurant, known as Asha, first brought curry to Bold Street in 1964. Kolkata-born Dipak Choudhury, who owns the restaurant, and his wife Chandana live above the premises, but their children are pursuing careers as barristers and accountants, leaving him with no choice but to offer his beloved restaurant for sale.
White House gate crashers keep mum on the Hill
By Arun Kumar, ians,
Washington: A celebrity hounding couple accused of crashing the White House state dinner for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh appeared before a Congressional panel Wednesday but as expected refused to answer questions.
Invoking their Fifth Amendment right not to incriminate themselves, Tareq and Michaele Salahi refused to answer questions during an appearance before the House Homeland Security Committee amid a criminal investigation of the Nov 24 incident.
Key blood component produced from GM rice
By IANS,
London : Blood donation may be a thing of the past as scientists have successfully engineered a rice plant to produce a key blood component.
Europe’s first gay nursing home opens
By DPA
Berlin : Europe's first gay nursing home has opened in Berlin, with out-and-proud gay Mayor Klaus Wowereit publicly supporting the groundbreaking project which culminates years of planning and fundraising.
"The idea was first proposed at the Gay and Grey Forum in Cologne in 1995 and we began drafting plans in 2001, and it is truly amazing that it has taken all these years to become a reality," says Christian Hamm, a Berlin-based architect and nursing home board member.
Spain overwhelm Russia to set up final date with Germany
By DPA,
Vienna : A stunning second-half performance that netted three goals saw Spain power past Russia in a Euro 2008 semi-final clash in Vienna Thursday to reach their first major final for 24 years.
Second-half goals from Xavi Hernandez, Daniel Guiza and David Silva sealed a 3-0 victory for Luis Aragones' side, who will now play Germany in Sunday's final.
"We came here to win the tournament," Cesc Fabregas, one of the stars of the night, said.
"We go to the final, it's the most difficult thing. In a final anything can happen, but right now we have to enjoy the moment."
Britain polls: Cleggmania fails to convert into votes
By IANS,
London : The charismatic Nick Clegg, leader of the Liberal Democrats, witnessed a huge surge in popularity during campaigning, but that doesn't seem to have translated into votes in the British general election.
The Liberal Democrats now admit that Cleggmania had not translated into a significant number of votes for the party, The Guardian reported Friday.
There had been "premature election speculation", said Nick Clegg's chief of staff Danny Alexander, who accused the Conservatives of thinking "that they should somehow inherit power".
Egypt hardsells itself as leisure, business tourism destination
By IANS,
New Delhi : The land of pharaohs and pyramids, Egypt, is hard selling itself in India as a destination for leisure as well as meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions.
The northern African country is cheaper and more attractive than destinations in Europe and Africa, director of Egyptian tourism in India Magdi Selim said.
"India is the focus market of Egypt this year. We will promote Egyptian culture in cities like Bangalore, Kolkata, Chennai, Pune and Ahmedabad. Egypt is an ideal leisure and business destination," Selim told IANS in the capital.
Australia offers help to find missing AirAsia flight
Adelaide : Australia's Foreign Minister Julie Bishop offered to help Indonesia in the search and rescue mission for the Malaysian plane missing since early...
Tibetan spiritual leader rescued in Himachal Pradesh
By IANS,
Dharamsala : Tibetan spiritual leader Karmapa Ugyen Trinley Dorjee and his 13 followers, who were stranded in Himachal Pradesh's Lahaul and Spiti district for 48 hours due to heavy snowfall, were rescued Sunday, an official said.
"The 17th Karmapa and his 13 followers were rescued this (Sunday) afternoon from Baralacha pass in Lahaul and Spiti district," Mandi's Divisional Commissioner Ashwani Kumar told IANS.
The Baralacha pass is located at a height of 4,883 metres on the 475-km-long Manali-Leh highway.
China calls for dialogue over Zimbabwe issue
By Xinhua,
Beijing : China Thursday renewed its call for diplomatic dialogue and negotiations with Zimbabwe to solve the political and economic crisis in the south African country.
"China insists political dialogue and negotiations are the only correct path to solve the Zimbabwe crisis," foreign ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao told a press conference here Thursday.
Jianchao made the remarks when asked to comment on the US' dissatisfaction on China's veto against a proposed sanction on the Zimbabwean government of President Robert Mugabe.
Speeding train kills three tuskers
By IANS
Coimbatore : In a pre-dawn accident, a speeding train knocked down two tuskers and a pregnant elephant, killing all the three on the spot at Kurumbupalayam, a few kilometres away from here.
The train with three coaches that came out of a workshop after periodical cleaning hit the elephants, which were taking a nocturnal jaunt around 1 a.m. Monday.
"It was a gruesome scene. One of the elephants was pregnant, and on the impact of the collision, the mammal fell down dead," Southern Railway Public Relations Officer Om Prakash told IANS.
Nepal Army in fresh row
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : Nepal's controversial army, which tarnished its image by siding with deposed king Gyanendra during his bloodless coup four years ago, finds itself in a fresh row with three torture victims filing a case against a general, accusing him of gross human rights violations.
17 die in China coal mine blast
By IANS,
Beijing : Seventeen miners were killed and one was injured in an explosion at a coal mine in central China's Hunan Province, an official said Sunday.
Dynamite stored at the Shuguang Coal Mine in Rucheng county exploded at about 4 p.m. Saturday, generating huge amounts of toxic gas that killed the miners, said a spokesman with the provincial administration of coal mine safety.
Xinhua news agency said the mine began operations in 1971 and expanded its capacity in 2008.
Myanmar’s PM to visit Thailand to promote bilateral cooperation
By Xinhua,
Yangon : Myanmar's Prime Minister General Thein Sein is due to leave the new capital of Nay Pyi Taw for Bangkok later Tuesday to pay an official visit to Thailand, aimed at promoting ties and cooperation between the two countries.
Thein Sein's three-day trip is to be made in return to that by his Thai counterpart Samak Sundaravej last month.
During Samak's Nay Pyi Taw visit, Myanmar and Thailand signed an agreement on promotion and protection of investments between the two countries
A ‘fortress Europe’ in the offing?
By IANS
Brussels : Human rights bodies accused the justice commissioner of the European Union of trying to create a "fortress Europe" after he called for a register of fingerprints and pictures of all visitors in order to keep out illegal immigrants.
Justice Commissioner Franco Frattini urged the adoption of a hi-tech satellite surveillance system, saying member-states had to use "the most advanced technology to reach the highest level of security".
British Tamil protesters should apologise to India: MPs
By Dipankar De Sarkar,IANS,
London : Two of Britain's most senior Indian-origin MPs Wednesday denounced Sri Lankan Tamil protesters who turned violent during a demonstration outside the Indian High Commission this week, saying they must now apologise.
Keith Vaz and Virendra Sharma, who belong to the ruling Labour party, said in a joint statement they were "deeply concerned" to hear that protesters had damaged the Indian High Commission building and forcibly entered it during a large demonstration Monday.
Historic n-deal is done; Rice, Pranab ink 123
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : The historic India-US civil nuclear deal is finally done with the signing of a pact envisioned by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President George W. Bush to end three decades of India's nuclear isolation.
India's External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice sealed the deal with the bilateral 123 agreement at a ceremony in the Benjamin Franklin Room of the State Department at 4:16 p.m. Friday (1:46 a.m. Saturday).
Ethnic violence surges in South Ossetia
By Alissa de Carbonnel, DPA,
Tskhinvali/Gori (Georgia) : Behind the lines of the Russian troops controlling the Georgian separatist region of South Ossetia, ethnic enclaves have been torn apart by revenge killings and looting.
Along the road from the South Ossetian capital Tskhinvali most of the houses are charred and gates and doors left open by looters. Returning residents said houses were still burning.
Russian soldiers are camped on freshly painted basketball courts - the only things not burnt in what had been one of the most wealthy parts of the region of 70,000 inhabitants.
Over 90 hospitalized after measles vaccination in east Ukraine
By RIA Novosti,
Kiev : A total of 92 people, including 87 children, were hospitalized in eastern Ukraine as of early Sunday after measles vaccination, Ukraine's emergencies ministry said.
On May 13, a 17-year-old boy died after measles inoculation in the Donetsk Region. Two days later, over 60 people in eastern Ukraine were hospitalized after vaccination. A total of over 20,000 people in the region received the same vaccine.
Dalai Lama becomes honorary citizenship of Warsaw
By IANS,
Dharamsala : Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, was Wednesday made an honorary citizenship of Polish capital Warsaw, his aides said here.
"His Holiness (the Dalai Lama) was named an honorary citizen of Warsaw in a ceremony at the Royal Castle there Wednesday. He got the recognition for his campaign for Tibet's autonomy," Tenzin Taklha, joint secretary at the Dalai Lama's office, told IANS.
In Poland, the Nobel laureate is already an honorary citizen of Wroclaw and has an honorary doctorate from the Jagiellonian University, he added.
Australian PM wants to see Asia Pacific Community in 2020
By Xinhua,
Canberra : Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd called for a debate on the need for a more structured Asia Pacific Community -- possibly similar to the European Union -- to be in place by 2020.
In a written copy of a speech to the Asia Society Austral Asia Centre on Wednesday, Rudd said, "I believe it is time that we started to think about where we want to be with our regional architecture in 2020."
"We believe that we need to anticipate the historic changes in our region and seek to shape them, rather than simply reacting to them."
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