US landowners sue government over border fence
By IANS
Tucson (US) : The US landowners at the border with Mexico have sued the government to prevent their property from being confiscated for construction of a border fence, EFE news agency reported Saturday.
Peter Schey of the Los Angeles-based Center for Human Rights and Constitutional Reform, representing the landowners of South Texas, has filed a lawsuit against the Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff.
Nepali PM to offer resignation: spokesperson
By Xinhua,
Kathmandu : Nepali Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala will submit his resignation at the Constituent Assembly (CA) meeting Wednesday with condition that it would be approved only after the appointment of the president.
Nepali Congress spokesperson Arjun Narsingh K.C. told Wednesday's The Rising Nepal daily that "the prime minister will hand over his resignation to the chairman of the CA on Wednesday. But the resignation will be approved only after the appointment of the president."
EU to give $27 mn for Russian nuclear plant safety
By IANS
Moscow : The European Commission plans to allocate 20 million euros (over $27 million) for nuclear safety projects in Russia, the country's nuclear power plant operator said Thursday.
Rosenergoatom, which runs all 10 Russian nuclear power plants with a total capacity of over 23 gigawatts, said the funds offered by the European Union's (EU) executive branch aimed at optimising their preventive maintenance.
Bus crashes into tree in southern Zimbabwe
By SPA
Harare : A bus veered off a highway and crashed into a tree in southern Zimbabwe, killing 14 people and injuring 55, Associated Press quoted state radio as saying.
Nine of the victims died at the scene of the accident near the southern town of Masvingo, 400 kilometers (250 miles) south of Harare, the radio said. Five died on the way to a nearby mission hospital and the main Masvingo hospital.
The bus was carrying 75 people.
Chinese tourists in Kyrgyzstan buy nuclear waste as souvenir
By RIA Novosti,
Beijing : Three Chinese tourists have bought a 274-kg (604-lb) piece of depleted uranium and brought it home from Kyrgyzstan as a souvenir, the China Daily newspaper reported Monday.
The three tourists from the city of Aksu in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region bought "the glittering treasure" for $2,000 at a flea market in Kyrgyzstan, hoping to make money by reselling it in China.
Dutch royals attacker dies of injuries
By DPA,
Amsterdam : The car driver who killed five people when he sped into a crowd watching the Dutch monarch, Queen Beatrix, in an apparent attack on the royal family has died of his injuries, the public prosecutor confirmed Friday.
Thursday's attack - which has stunned the Netherlands - was captured on film, which showed the small black car burst through a barrier at high speed, hitting 17 people, and killing three men and two women.
UNSC renews mandate of mission in Afghanistan
By IANS,
United Nations: The UN Security Council (UNSC) Tuesday unanimously adopted a resolution to renew the mandate of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) for another year.
US excited to partner with Modi: Official
New Delhi: US Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs Nisha Desai Biswal Monday said America was excited to partner with Prime Minister...
Chavez comes of age with electoral defeat
By DPA
Buenos Aires/Caracas : Critics have accused Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez of ruling in a "dictatorial" fashion, and few dared to imagine what could happen if he lost one of his frequent dates at the polls.
But precisely that happened Sunday as a constitutional reform proposed by Chavez - who had in recent days talked of it as a plebiscite on his own mandate - was rejected by a narrow margin, with nearly 51 percent of the votes against.
Venezuela’s president reshuffles cabinet
By Xinhua
Caracas : Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has reshuffled his cabinet and named a new vice president of the country.
Ramon Carrizales, the housing minister, will replace Jorge Rodriguez as new vice president, Chavez said in a telephonic interview aired Thursday on state television VTV.
He said there have been 12 changes in his new cabinet, but did not give details about this cabinet reshuffle.
US Senate passes biggest-ever defence spending bill
By DPA,
Washington : The US Senate Saturday approved the Obama administration's record $626 billion defence spending bill for the current fiscal.
The vote was 88 to 10. With the House of Representatives having already approved the bill, all that remains is President Barack Obama's signature for it to take effect for the fiscal year that began Oct 1.
The bill foresees spending of $128.3 billion for the operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Signs that US may be headed slowly toward recovery
By DPA,
Washington : More than a year into one of the longest and deepest US recessions in living memory, there are signs that the world's largest economy may finally be coming around.
US President Barack Obama spotted "glimmers of hope" in his latest progress report Tuesday on the US economy. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke spoke of "tentative signs that the sharp decline in economic activity may be slowing".
Grenade blast during Colombia football celebration kills 1
By EFE,
Bogota : One person was killed and 29 others wounded when a man accidentally set off a grenade in downtown Medellin, the capital of the northwestern province of Antioquia, as people were celebrating Colombia's World Cup qualifying win over Ecuador.
Initial reports said the blast occurred at 7.40 p.m. Saturday at San Antonio Park, where the man pulled the pin on the grenade as fans celebrated the Colombian squad's 2-0 win over Ecuador at Medellin's Atanasio Girardot Stadium and watched the game between Argentina and Brazil.
Cambodian company offers crocodiles by mail
By DPA,
Phnom Penh : As the price of crocodiles for commercial use plummets locally, a Cambodian company has sought out an alternative market niche - mail-order pet crocs.
The hybrid saltwater Siamese crocodiles might not make loving pets, but they do possess lovable qualities, Crocodiles Cambodia insisted on its website.
For $2,355, the company mails 18 eggs and an incubator wrapped in brown paper and said more than 90 percent of its shipments make it through customs around the world.
Stern action against employers hiring foreigners as frontliners
By IRNA-Bernama
Kuala Lumpur : Stern action awaits employers in the services sector, including airports and hotels, should they fail to abide by the government's decision that only locals should serve as frontliners.
Tourism Minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said the action to be taken against them included disallowing them to bid for new government projects and to renew their licences, blacklisting them, and with regards to hotels, the ministry would cease grading them.
Sri Lankan immigrant damages church statue in Italy
By IANS/AKI,
Milan : A 51-year-old Sri Lankan immigrant allegedly vandalised a stautue of the Madonna and child, causing damages worth over 20,000 euro ($25,140), at a church here.
The immigrant, who was not named, was drunk and allegedly seized a candlestick and repeatedly smashed the statue, a priest at the Santisssima Trinita' church in Milan, said.
Police was called, who detained the man in the city's San Vittore jail.
The immigrant has no permit of stay in Italy, police said.
Bangladeshi Dipal Barua receives ‘Alternate Nobel’
By Alfred de Tavares, IANS
Stockholm : Dipal Barua from Bangladesh and Christopher Weeramantry from Sri Lanka were among the peace and environment activists from four countries honoured with the annual "Alternate Nobel prize".
The Right Livelihood awards were given to the activists Friday for their contribution in the fields of renewable energy, peace and fare market practices.
Ban Ki-moon calls for greater help to landmine survivors
By APP
United Nations : UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon appealed on Friday for greater support for the nearly half a million survivors of landmines and explosive remnants of war around the world.
Without such support, survivors may face “a lifetime of poverty and discrimination, lacking adequate health care or rehabilitation services,” Ban stated in a message marking the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action, observed annually on April 4.
US housing complex in racial row against Indians
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington: The US Justice Department has filed a lawsuit against an apartment complex in Washington state for racial discrimination against Indians who were even told to "go back" to their country.
The lawsuit against Summerhill Place Apartments, a 268-unit apartment complex in Renton, accuses them of violating the Fair Housing Act by discriminating on the basis of race, colour, national origin and familial status in the rental of apartments.
Ship crew fights off Somali pirates with fire hoses
By RIA Novosti,
Vladivostok : The Russian crew of a tanker in the Gulf of Aden prevented Somali pirates from boarding their vessel by using onboard fire hoses, a sailors' union spokesman in Russia's Far East said Wednesday.
The Russian crew was delivering a brand new tanker, the Handytankers Magic, from China to Europe when Somali pirates approached it in the Gulf of Aden Sunday, firing a mortar shell that landed on the deck but failed to detonate. The Russian sailors reacted quickly, using powerful fire hoses to deter the pirates.
Kamala Harris wins nomination in California attorney general race
By Arun Kumar,IANS,
Washington : Daughter of an Indian mother and an African American father, San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris has won the Democratic primary for attorney general of California.
Harris easily outdistanced her main rival, Facebook executive Chris Kelly, and five other candidates in Tuesday's primary. Kelly had sunk more than $12 million into the campaign.
LTTE intensifies forcible child recruitment: UNICEF
By IANS,
Colombo : The UN Tuesday expressed its "gravest concern" for Sri Lankan children, saying a growing number of them were being recruited by the Tamil Tigers while scores were being killed or injured in fighting.
The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said it has "clear indications" that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) had stepped up forcible recruitment of children and "as young as 14".
US imposes visa restrictions, property ban over Ukraine
Washington: The US is putting in place visa restrictions and moving to freeze US assets of those involved in Russia's move on Ukraine, the...
Colombian politician sentenced to 40 years for massacre
By IANS/EFE,
Bogota : Colombia's Supreme Court has imposed a 40-year prison term on former senator Alvaro Garcia Romero for his role in a massacre carried out by right-wing militias.
The sentence, imposed Tuesday, is the harshest handed down so far in what is known here as the "parapolitica" scandal.
Garcia was "instigator and accomplice" of the Oct 16, 2000, massacre in the northern province of Bolivar, the court found.
Sri Lanka steps up air raid after fierce clashes
By IANS,
Colombo : Sri Lankan jets carried out several air raids targeting Tamil Tiger bastions Wednesday, a day after fierce clashes left scores of combatants killed in the north, military officials said.
The officials said that the jets hit defences and ditch-cum-bund fortifications of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) on the outskirts of Kilinochchi since morning.
Chinese military plane crashes during drill
By IANS,
Beijing : A military plane Thursday crashed into the sea off China's eastern Shandong province, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy said.
Kosovo plans to open 20 embassies abroad this year
By RIA Novosti
Belgrade : Kosovo authorities plan to open 20 embassies abroad, the deputy prime minister of the self-proclaimed state, Hajredin Kuci, said.
Kosovo unilaterally declared its independence Feb 17, adopting a new national flag and national emblem.
The province's sovereignty has so far been formally recognised by 36 countries, including the US and most European Union (EU) members. Russia and China have consistently backed Belgrade's position that Kosovo must remain a part of Serbia.
Muslims always welcome on Facebook: Mark Zuckerberg
New York : In what could be seen as a reply to the US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's call to ban Muslims from...
An Indian-style Buddhist temple gifted to ‘sister civilisation’ China
By Kavita Bajeli-Datt, IANS,
Luoyang : Wearing yellow robes and chanting mantras, dozens of Buddhist monks received President Pratibha Patil who dedicated a grand Indian-style temple to China as a "gift from the people of India to a sister civilisation".
As rows of monks in brown and yellow gathered at the courtyard of the temple, which adjoins the famous White Horse Temple (Baima Si), Patil could not but feel proud on the historic occasion, saying it will be "perceived by generations to come as a testimony of our friendship."
Boko Haram kill 29 college students in Nigeria
By IANS,
Lagos : Police in the northeastern Nigerian state of Yobe Tuesday confirmed that gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram insurgents killed at least...
Half a million in Britain strike for more pay
By IRNA,
London : Over half-a-million local council staff were expected Wednesday to join in the biggest bout of industrial action in Britain for years, forcing schools to close and affecting a host of other services.
The 48-hour strike action, which began at midnight Tuesday, was being led by three trade unions, Unison, Unite and PCS, whose members also include driving test examiners and coast guards.
Council workers were planning to stage rallies in towns and cities across the country during the strike, after rejecting a 2.45 per cent pay rise.
China punishes 16 officials for school bus accident
By IANS,
Beijing : Sixteen officials in a northwest China city have been punished for a school bus crash that killed 19 kindergarten students last year, authorities announced Thursday.
British High Commission issues warning; CGE allays fears
By IANS,
London : The British High Commission in India has issued a warning to the Commonwealth Games England (CGE) that they should not be surprised if there are bomb attacks elsewhere in India in the weeks leading up to the Oct 3-14 Games in New Delhi.
The Daily Telegraph, however, reported that CGE has written to the country's 17 Commonwealth sports associations to allay any fears about the danger of travelling to New Delhi in October as they have received positive feedback about the Indian security plan from the Metropolitan Police Specialist Protection Group.
UK lecturers barred from boycotting Israel
By IRNA
London : British lecturers are told not to implement an academic boycott of Israel after the leadership of the University and College Union (UCU) said it had received legal advice that it would be unlawful.
"It would be beyond the union's powers and unlawful for the union, directly or indirectly, to call for, or to implement, a boycott by the union and its members of any kind of Israeli universities and other academic institutions," the advice said.
EU conservatives propose second mandate for Barroso
By DPA,
Brussels : The European Union's conservatives Wednesday proposed renewing Jose Manuel Barroso's mandate as president of the European Commission for a second term, German government officials said.
The proposal was agreed by conservative government leaders meeting in Brussels ahead of an EU summit.
"Barroso stands for continuity and the cohesion of Europe. And this is what the EU needs in the coming years," Peter Hintze, a secretary of state in the German finance ministry, said.
Joint raid in US, Europe shuts down 400 illegal websites
London : A raid involving 16 European countries and the US led to the shutting down of more than 400 websites selling illegal items...
Sri Lanka must end hostilities, LTTE should give up: CPI-M
By IANS,
New Delhi : The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) Friday urged Sri Lanka to end its military offensive in order to save civilian lives and called upon the Tamil Tigers to give up "its futile resistance".
The CPI-M politburo expressed "deep concern" over the plight of thousands of Tamil civilians trapped in the war zone in northern Sri Lanka. More than 100,000 ailing and wounded Tamils have already escaped to government held areas.
Around 60,000 new HIV/AIDS cases in China
By IANS,
Beijing, Nov 1 (IANS) China has recorded about 429,000 registered AIDS patients and HIV carriers by the end of September, Xinhua reported.
New fodder for cows to combat climate change
By Venkata Vemuri, IANS,
London : The burping of cows is to go green in Britain as part of the environmental exercise to reduce carbon emissions.
The cow releases more carbon gases from its mouth than from its rear, animal scientists have concluded. Animal nutritionists have in turn come up with a changed diet as an answer to the problem.
Worldwide there are 1.5 billion cattle and their collective belching is thought to account for five percent of all greenhouse gas emissions.
Europe’s central bank unlikely to change interest rates
By DPA,
Frankfurt : The European Central Bank (ECB) is expected to leave interest rates on hold at an historic low of 1 percent Thursday as it faces up to a string of new challenges.
The question for the 22 members of the ECB's rate-setting council will be how to balance out concerns about deflation, tighter credit and rising unemployment against signs that the 16-member eurozone has started to emerge from the world's steepest economic slump in over 60 years.
China reopens Tibet to foreign tourists
By RIA Novosti,
Beijing : China has allowed foreign tourists to visit Tibet for the first time since violent anti-government rallies in March in the restless autonomous region, the China Daily newspaper reported on Thursday.
The unrest in early March in Tibet, which started when Buddhist monks took to the streets to mark the 49th anniversary of a failed uprising against Chinese rule, left 19 people dead and 623 injured, according to official Chinese reports.
The situation in the region has stabilized since then and the first foreign reporters were allowed in the region on June 20.
Nepal ready with guided tour of royal palace
By Sudeshna Sarkar,IANS,
Kathmandu : As Nepal's last king Gyanendra heads for India to begin his first visit abroad after being stripped of his crown and throne, the ancestral palace he quit last year readies to throw its gates wide open to the public Friday, when it is metamorphosed into a national museum.
US warns of attack in Indonesia’s Bali
By DPA,
Jakarta : The US embassy in Jakarta Thursday warned of a possible attack on New Year's Eve on Indonesia's resort island of Bali.
The embassy said in a circular posted on its website that the information was received from Bali Governor Made Mangku Pastika.
"There is an indication of an attack to Bali tonight," the warning said, quoting the governor's message.
"Please don't panic, but put your security system to full alert," the warning said.
Australian officials said Thursday, however, that the warning of a possible attack was just that.
Germany urges clarification of UNICEF’s mismanagement charges
By IRNA
Berlin : The German government here Tuesday called for speedy clarification of all financial mismanagement accusations against the German section of the UN children's agency UNICEF.
Talking at a routine news conference, deputy government spokesman Thomas Steg stressed all accusations had "to be clarified as quickly as possible" so that UNICEF's reputation in Germany is "not damaged." He added that Chancellor Angela Merkel has been "very closely" following the case.
New Zealand quake toll reaches 160
By IANS,
Christchurch : The toll from New Zealand's Christchurch earthquake has risen to 160, a media report said Wednesday.
New York Times Slams US Vote Buying
By Prensa Latina,
Washington : The power of money in US policy has never been stronger and more troublesome than in the current presidential campaign, the most expensive in the country's history, The New York Times daily denounced on Tuesday.
Republican candidate John McCain, who defended in the past limiting the funds for elections, had to dismiss five of his assistants, because they were linked to lobbying firms, said an editorial published by the newspaper.
Democratic candidate Barack Obama is also receiving hefty donations from private sectors, the article said.
Georgia accuses Russia of trying to annex breakaway regions
By RIA Novosti,
Tbilisi : Georgian Foreign Minister David Bakradze has accused Russia of trying to annex the country's unrecognised republics.
On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin instructed the government to develop measures to aid Georgia's breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
Moscow is expected to cooperate with both the de-facto authorities in the two republics. The Russian foreign ministry said that in developing relations with Georgia's breakaway republics, Russia did not want a confrontation with Tbilisi.
Japan halts Bullet trains
By IANS,
Tokyo : Bullet trains, which can run at speeds up to 300 km per hour, have been halted following a massive earthquake and waves of tsunamis that hit Japan.
Mexico tourism revenues drop 10.5 percent
By EFE,
Mexico City: Mexico's revenues from tourism will drop this year by some $1.4 billion, or 10.5 percent, from the 2008 total of $13.29 billion, the country's tourism secretary said.
Rodolfo Elizondo told a press conference Monday that 2009 has been "without a doubt the worst year" in the history of Mexican tourism, due to the global recession and fears sparked by this year's swine flu epidemic.
He said, however, that the latest data available show that the country has "widely overcome the crisis".
14 dead in Guatemala accident
By IANS/EFE,
Guatemala City : At least 14 people were killed and over 25 seriously injured when the bus they were travelling in plunged into a ravine in western Guatemala, officials said.
China to spend $158 bn in agriculture, rural development
By IANS,
Beijing : China's spending on agriculture and rural development projects will exceed more than one trillion yuan (about $158 billion) in the current fiscal year, a minister said.
Imam from Gujarat to attend World Religion Parliament in US
Twocircles Staff Reporter
Ahmedabad: Maulana Luqman Tarapuri, National President, Global Imam Council and Shahi Imam, Jama Masjid Anand, Gujarat, will try highlighting the role...
Russia to ‘reconsider’ ties with NATO: Report
By DPA,
Moscow : Moscow is "reconsidering" its cooperation with NATO, a high-ranking Russian diplomat told Interfax news agency Thursday.
Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko was quoted by the agency as saying any review of relations would "of course affect the military cooperation program."
The comments came in retaliation against NATO ministers' sharply critical evaluation of Russia's push and continued occupation of Georgian territory after fighting in its breakaway region of South Ossetia.
Yudhoyono wins Indonesian presidential poll
By DPA,
Jakarta : Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono won the country's July 8 presidential election with 60.8 percent of the votes, the General Elections Commission said.
Yudhoyono collected nearly 74 million votes to win a second five-year term, the commission said on its website while reporting its final tally of the ballots.
His rivals, former president Megawati Sukarnoputri and Vice President Jusuf Kalla, had 26.8 percent and 12.4 percent of the votes respectively, the commission said.
Tatas setting up two hotels in South Africa
By Fakir Hassen,IANS,
Durban : The $62.5 billion Tata group is setting up two hotels in South Africa and will start assembling an array of automobiles in Johannesburg as part of the plans to invest 10 million rands ($1.2 billion) in the country, a top official has said.
"We are now constructing two hotels. The first one has started in Cape Town and the second one will be in Johannesburg,” Raman Dhawan, managing director of Tata Africa, said.
Russia to build anti-NATO missile shield
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Russia will build a reliable aerospace defence system to effectively counter NATO missile threats, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said Sunday.
IOC, Brazil to draw up plan of action for Rio 2016
By DPA,
Rio de Janeiro : Less than a month after Rio de Janeiro was chosen to host the 2016 Olympics, International Olympic Committee (IOC) representatives are meeting with Brazilian authorities to draw up a plan of action to prepare the Games.
The two-day meeting started Friday at the traditional Copacabana Palace hotel here.
Before getting started, those in attendance watched a video message from IOC president Jacques Rogge, who congratulated Brazilians for having been chosen as Olympic hosts and reminded them of future challenges.
China sacks official over breach in dam
By IANS,
Beijing : A Chinese official has been sacked following a breach in a dam.
Former Argentine army general sentenced for killing civilians
By IANS
Buenos Aires : A former commander of the Argentine Army and two of his deputies have been sentenced to 25 years in prison for killing of civilians and rights abuses during the 1976-1983 military government's repression of the leftist opposition.
Wednesday's verdict was the first against armed forces personnel involved in the state-sponsored violence carried out by Jorge Rafael Videla's military government, Spain's EFE news agency reported Thursday.
About 30,000 people were believed killed in the military repression popularly known as "Dirty War".
South African minister criticises government for snub to Dalai Lama
By DPA,
Johannesburg : Health Minister Barbara Hogan called on the South African government to apologise for refusing the Dalai Lama a visa to attend a peace conference, local news reported.
"Just the very fact that this government has refused entry to the Dalai Lama is an example of a government that is dismissive of human rights," SAPA news agency quoted Hogan as saying.
"I believe (the government) needs to apologise to the citizens of this country, because it is in your name that this great man who has struggled for the rights of his country has been denied access."
7.2 quake hits Chile, no tsunami threat
By IANS,
New York/Santiago : An undersea quake measuring 7.2 on the Richter scale Sunday struck off the coast of Chile but there was no risk of a tsunami, officials said.
Rescuers race in search for victims of Hurricane Ike
By DPA,
Houston : Post-hurricane rescue efforts focused Sunday on Galveston on the Texas coast after Hurricane Ike roared inland from the Gulf of Mexico.
Residents of the hard-hit coast and Houston, where four million people live 60 km inland, were surveying the damage from the storm. Ike made landfall with winds topping 170 km an hour and a huge storm surge that pushed water up to two metres deep into the streets of Galveston and parts of Houston.
Sexuality among older adults vary with age, gender
By IANS,
Washington: Sexuality among older adults - between 57 to 85 years - tended to vary with age and gender, says a new study.
Men were more likely than women to have a partner, more likely to be sexually active with that partner, and tend to have more positive and permissive attitudes toward sex.
Similarly, men were more likely than women to report alcohol use, potential problem drinking. Alcohol use and smoking were also lower among older age groups.
Society faces much larger threat from climate change than perceived
Honolulu, (IANS) Society faces a much larger threat from climate change than previous studies have suggested. By 2100 the number of hazards occurring concurrently...
S African Sports Minister to mediate Wanderers row
By Fakir Hassen, IANS,
Johannesburg: Amid growing anger among fans, Cricket South Africa (CSA) has asked the Minister of Sport and Recreation to appoint a mediator to resolve its dispute with the provincial Gauteng Cricket Board (GCB) which may see no international games at the Wanderers stadium here.
The spat began when GCB, owners of the historic Wanderers, asked questions around the Indian Premier League (IPL) contract with CSA, which the latter refused to provide.
Higher metabolism does not imply early death
By IANS,
London : A higher metabolism was earlier thought to lead to a shorter lifespan, but that may not be true, according to a new study.
The study led by Lobke Vaanholt of University of Groningen, The Netherlands, found that mice with an increased metabolism live just as long as those with slower metabolic rates.
Australians stunned by forest fire mayhem – 128 dead
By DPA,
Sydney : The death toll in Australia's worst-ever forest fires was set to soar Monday as burnt out cars and smouldering logs were shunted aside and rescuers broke through to villages cut off by the inferno.
Authorities in the south coast city of Melbourne say 128 are confirmed dead but hold grave fears for many others.
Among the more than 4,000 homeless are people like Ronny Macpherson, left with only the clothes he was wearing and his Jack Russell dog Missy.
Obama’s ‘Punjab jab’ on Time’s list of top 10 gaffes
By Arun Kumar, IANS
Washington : US democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama's "Punjab jab" against his rival contender Hillary Clinton has made it to Time magazine's list of Top 10 Campaign Gaffes.
Listed No. 9 on Time's list of presidential campaign trail faux pas is "The campaign of Democratic Senator Barack Obama referring to Clinton as 'Hillary Clinton, D-Punjab,' in a jab at her work on behalf of Indian-Americans."
Lankan troops consolidate position in Mullaitivu
By IANS,
Mullaitivu (Sri Lanka) : Sri Lankan troops are busy building fresh bunkers and consolidating their newly established positions in Mullaitivu town, which they captured from the Tamil Tiger rebels Sunday after 12 years.
After capturing Mullaitivu, the military nerve centre of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) the troops have begun laying what they called "the final siege" on the rebels. The guerrillas were offering desperate resistance to the advancing troops despite shrinking territories.
Climate summit adjourns as India-prepared accord comes under fire
By Joydeep Gupta, IANS,
Copenhagen: The Copenhagen climate summit was adjourned on its scheduled final night as a host of countries attacked the accord that India had prepared with four other nations.
In the early hours of Saturday, Tuvalu, Venezuela, Bolivia, Cuba and Nicaragua led the attack on the accord, calling it undemocratic because it had been prepared by India in consultation with the US, China, Brazil and South Africa.
Prabhakaran should be tried in Sri Lanka, say parties
By IANS,
Colombo : Sri Lankan political parties are insisting that Tamil Tigers chief Velupillai Prabhakaran should be tried in this country if he is caught and not sent to India where too he is a wanted man.
A media report said Tuesday that the political parties wanted Prabhakaran to be tried in Sri Lanka "for the crimes he has committed including the assassination of several political leaders".
Syria urges global community to stop Israeli aggression
Damascus: Syrian government Tuesday urged the international community to stop the "Israeli aggression that is threatening the peace and security in the region".
Israel has...
Canada happy at Games village progress, athletes to reach Sunday
By Gurmukh Singh, IANS,
Moscow mayor Luzhkov barred from Ukraine
By RIA Novosti,
Kiev : Ukraine's Security Service barred Moscow Mayor Yury Luzhkov on Monday from entering the former Soviet republic over his 'provocative' statements regarding the ownership of the Black Sea city of Sevastopol.
Moscow's mayor made strong calls for the disputed ownership of a Russian naval base on Ukraine's Crimean peninsula to be transferred back to Russia.
IAEA inspectors in North Korea to discuss reactor shutdown
Pyongyang, June 26 (Xinhua) A delegation from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) arrived here Tuesday to discuss the shutdown of North Korea's nuclear facilities at Yongbyon.
It is the UN watchdog's first visit to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) since late 2002. This visit came after US nuclear envoy Christopher Hill paid a productive visit to the country last Friday.
Olli Heinonen, head of the delegation and IAEA deputy director general, said he was optimistic about the talks with his North Korean counterpart.
World Bank pledges aid boost for poor nations
Washington, Sep 28 (DPA) World Bank member countries have pledged to more than double the bank's aid to the poorest countries and agreed to make loans for developing nations cheaper.
The lender's governing board approved plans to offer $3.5 billion in 2008-2010 for grants and loans to help the 81 poorest nations, especially in Africa, up from $1.5 billion in the current three-year effort, bank president Robert Zoellick said.
Academics from Australia extend support to JNU, HCU
By TCN News
Over 100 academics, students, writers, artists and activists from Australia joined the international community in extending support to the struggles of the...
Stolen 18th century painting found in Moscow
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Moscow police have nabbed an art dealer trying to sell an 18th century painting stolen in 2004 from Slovenia, the city's organized crime and terrorism department said on Friday.
Police, acting on a tip-off, detained the Moscow based art dealer in the process of selling the 18th century painting by Italian artist Francesco Guardi.
A criminal case has been opened on charges of receiving and selling stolen property.
The man, whose identity has not been disclosed, could face up to two years in prison if convicted.
30 aftershocks cause panic in Mexico, toll reaches two
By DPA,
Mexico City : About 30 aftershocks were felt in the northern Mexican state of Baja California after Sunday's 7.2-magnitude quake.
The authorities said Monday that the quake left two dead and around 100 injured in a border area between Mexico and the US.
Many opted to sleep outdoors to avoid danger from aftershocks measuring 3.5-4.9 on the Richter scale, according to Mexico's seismological service.
Missing jet: Search may last several days
Canberra/Beijing: Australian maritime authorities said Friday that the search in the southern Indian Ocean for a missing Malaysian airliner may last several days due...
Human Rights Watch blames LTTE, Colombo over war
By IANS,
New York : The Sri Lankan government and the Tamil Tigers should take immediate steps to allow thousands of civilians trapped in the war zone to move to safety, Human Rights Watch has said.
The rights group urged both parties to provide the civilians safe passage and to ensure that they receive desperately needed humanitarian aid.
An estimated 250,000 civilians have been caught in deadly crossfire between the Sri Lankan military and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
Taliban capture second district in Afghan province
Kabul: A second district in Afghanistan’s northern province of Kunduz on Monday fell to the Taliban militants amid their recent advances in the area.
The...
Now, a pesticide-free way of killing weeds
By IANS,
London: It could be what gardners have long wished for -- a gadget that kills weeds in a jiffy without requiring noxious pesticides.
Nepal scribes call off stir, opposition calls shutdown
By IANS,
Kathmandu : After a weeklong protest over growing attacks on the media under the new Maoist government, Nepal's journalists Monday called off their stir following a pact with the state. But the main opposition party went on the warpath, calling a shutdown to avenge an attack on its cadres.
Journalists nationwide began a united protest movement last week after a private media house was attacked by a group of people led by Maoist trade union leaders and the rally by journalists in the capital in condemnation was baton-charged by security forces.
Google cleared of spying in New Zealand
By IANS,
Auckland : Internet giant Google has been cleared of gathering personal wireless internet data during its street view operation in New Zealand.
New Zealand police Thursday said they have found no evidence that Google committed a criminal offence, the New Zealand Herald reported.
Police have, however, referred the matter back to the Privacy Commission, which in June had asked police to investigate after concerns were raised that Google had collected unencrypted Wi-Fi data while photographing streets with 3D cameras for its street view mapping service.
South Africa sees record trade deficit
By IANS,
Johannesburg: South Africa has registered a record trade deficit of 21.2 billion rand ($2.4 billion) in October, authorities said.
Developing countries block IAEA plans for n-fuel banks
By DPA,
Vienna : Developing countries Thursday effectively blocked plans by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for nuclear fuel banks that aim to keep countries from acquiring sensitive nuclear technology by offering them alternatives.
The Vienna-based IAEA had asked member countries of its governing board to give the green light for fleshing out proposals to sway countries to buy nuclear fuel from abroad, by providing them with an insurance in case their supply is cut off for political reasons.
Victoria Beckham to be permanent judge on ‘American Idol’?
By IANS,
London: Former Spice Girl Victoria Beckham is set to be offered three million pounds to become a permanent judge on reality show "American Idol" if she can prove herself to the US public.
The singer-turned-designer has impressed bosses with her two guest appearances on the judging panel for the US talent show and they think she has the right credentials to take over from ex-judge Paula Abdul, contactmusic.com reports.
Beijing Games set new record of TV viewing
By DPA,
Beijing : The 2008 Olympics drew an estimated television audience of 4.4 billion in the first 10 days, setting a new viewing record for an Olympic Games, market research firm Nielsen said Sunday.
The estimated audience from Aug 8-17 surpassed the 3.9 billion viewers for the whole of the Athens games in 2004 and the 3.6 billion who watched the 2000 event in Sydney, the company said in a press release.
In an earlier report, Nielsen estimated that almost one third of the world's population - a little over two billion - watched the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics.
Bomb explosion damages US courthouse
By ANTARA News/Xinhua,
Los Angeles : A pipe bomb exploded at a federal courthouse in downtown San Diego, about 80 miles (128 kilometers) south of Los Angeles on Sunday.
The explosion damaged a door and blown out a window but there was no immediate report of injuries, authorities said.
The blast occurred early Sunday at the Edward J. Schwartz Federal Courthouse and caused damage at the building`s front entrance and lobby area, FBI spokeswoman April Langwell said.
No one has been arrested in connection with the blast and it remained unknown whether it was a terrorist attack.
Iran-Turkey deal not enough to stop UN sanctions: EU
By DPA,
Brussels/Madrid : Iran's commitment to hand over some of its uranium for enrichment to Turkey is not enough to stop work on tougher UN sanctions, a spokeswoman for the European Union's foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton, said Monday.
Iran has signed an agreement to swap its uranium in Turkey for enrichment, in a deal brokered by Turkey and Brazil.
Spokeswoman Maja Kocijancic said the deal appeared to be "a variant" of what was unsuccessfully proposed as a goodwill gesture last October by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Heavy snowfall hits search operations on Mt. Everest
Kathmandu: Heavy snowfall has been impeding search operations on Mt. Everest after at least 13 people were killed in the deadliest single-day loss of...
Beijing condemns attempts to sabotage torch relay in London
By Xinhua
Beijing : A Beijing Olympic official Sunday strongly criticised the attempt by some "pro-Tibet independence" activists to sabotage the torch relay event in London, describing it as an obvious act of defying the Olympic spirit.
A spokesman from the torch relay centre of the Beijing Olympic Organising Committee said as the highest symbol of the Olympic spirit, the Olympic flame represents peace, friendship and progress.
Polish defense minister to discuss U.S. missile plans in Washington
By RIA Novosti
Warsaw : Polish Defense Minister Bogdan Klich is to discuss Washington's plans for a missile defense base in Poland during his current visit to the U.S., a Polish Defense Ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday.
Barbara Bartkowska said Klich would meet with U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, and negotiations would focus on the deployment of a U.S. missile defense base in Poland and the International Security Assistance Force mission in Afghanistan.
US covertly funds global Tibet movement: German daily
By IRNA,
Berlin : The United Sates is massively funding the International Tibet Support Network as part of its policy of containing China's global political influence, the Munich-based daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung reported in its Saturday edition.
The private American organization 'National Endowment for Democracy' (NED) which is being subsidized by the US government, paid 45,000 US dollars to the International Tibet Support Network for highly publicized protests ahead of this summer's Olympic Games in China.
अमेरिका की ब्राण्डेयस यूनिवर्सिटी लाइब्रेरी में बाबा साहब अम्बेडकर की प्रतिमा स्थापित
TwoCircles.net News Desk
बॉस्टन : बाबा साहब भीमराव अम्बेडकर की 126वीं जयंती के अवसर पर उनकी प्रतिमा की स्थापना व अनावरण अमेरिका के बॉस्टन नगर...
IAEA forms seismic safety centre
By Xinhua,
Vienna : The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) headquarters Friday formally set up a seismic alert centre to help nucler plants minimise effects of earthquakes.
The International Seismic Safety Centre (ISSC) will help IAEA members ensure the safety of their nuclear power plants in the case of earthquakes and minimize damage to the plants, an IAEA release said here.
Call for probe against Indian Canadian MP over nanny abuse
By IANS,
Toronto : Indian-origin Canadian MP Ruby Dhalla, rated the world's "third hottest" politician, is battling calls for a probe against her for having allegedly illtreated two nannies at her family home -- just two months after she was embroiled in a controversy over her reported steamy scenes in a Bollywood movie.
Magdalene Gordo, 31, and Richelyn Tongson, 37, who were hired to take care of Dhalla's mother, have publicly alleged that they were mistreated by the MP and her family.
India privileged to be Mongolia’s spiritual neighbour: Modi
Ulan Bator : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday told his Mongolian counterpart Chimed Saikhanbileg that India is privileged to be considered as Mongolia's...
China manufacturing activities may contract
By IANS,
Beijing : China's manufacturing activities may contract in February as export orders fell sharply, experts said Wednesday.
Berlusconi as Superman is his Christmas gift to grandchildren
By DPA,
Rome : Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi gave his grandchildren an early Christmas present: a Superman-like doll with facial features resembling his own.
"My grandchildren now really feel like the descendants of a super- hero," Berlusconi was quoted as saying Thursday by the online site, Tgcom.
The 72-year-old Berlusconi, a twice married father of five and grandfather of four, made the revelation during a Christmas party held for employees of Palazzo Chigi, the Rome-based office of Italian prime ministers.
Indian origin MPs conspicuous by their absence at Kashmir debate
London : Out of the 10 odd MPs of Indian-origin in Britain's House of Commons, eight were missing from action in India's hour of...
Farewell to finger food as cutlery reappears at private parties
By DPA,
Hamburg : Finger food is still served at company parties and private gatherings. But no trend can go on without some backlash, especially from party-goers who have difficulty guiding shrimp cocktail and potato skins into their mouths solely with the help of a napkin or toothpick.
Thus, cutlery is coming out of the shadows gradually - knives, forks and spoons currently are being given a new position of honour on beautifully set tables.
Hong Kong researchers claim breakthrough in bird flu treatment
By DPA,
Hong Kong : Hong Kong researchers are claiming a breakthrough in bird flu treatment with a combination of drugs they say may be effective in treating the deadly virus in humans.
The findings, published Wednesday in a US science journal, claim the combination of drugs increased survival rates by fourfold when tested on mice infected with H5N1.
The combination includes an antiviral called zanamivir, or Relenza, and two anti-inflammatory agents celecoxib and mesalazine.
Mother of 14 courts controversy, cash
By Andy Goldberg, IANS,
Los Angeles : What kind of woman with six children under the age of eight has eight frozen embryos implanted and gives birth to octuplets?
To her detractors, Nadya Suleman is dangerously child-obsessed lunatic more in need of psychiatric help than fertility treatment. For these people, Suleman and the doctors who performed her in-vitro fertilisation were guilty of a profound breach of ethics.
China’s Three Gorges dam withstands peak flood test
By IANS,
Beijing : The Three Gorges Dam, China's main reservoir built on Yangtze river last year, Tuesday passed its biggest flood control test by sustaining a massive water flow, greater than the 1998 floodings which claimed over 4,000 lives.
According to Xinhua, the flow on the river's upper reaches topped 70,000 cubic metres a second Tuesday -- 20,000 cubic metres more than the flow during the 1998 floods that killed 4,150 people and the highest level since the dam was completed last year.
Greenpeace halts whalers from refuelling in Antarctic
By DPA
Wellington : Eleven days after stopping Japanese ships catching whales in the Antarctic by chasing them in a protest boat, Greenpeace Tuesday claimed that it had prevented the factory ship from taking on fuel.
Activists on the Greenpeace ship Esperanza manoeuvred an inflatable boat between the Nisshin Maru and the Panamanian-registered tanker Oriental Bluebird, preventing them from getting alongside to refuel, according to a statement released in New Zealand.
Will not send US troops back to Iraq: Obama
Washington: US President Barack Obama said Friday he will not send US troops back to Iraq to help fight Islamist militants.
"We will not be...
With hugs, pecks, South African teenagers defy no-touch law
By Fakir Hassen, IANS
Johannesburg : Thousands of South African teenagers gave each other hugs, pecks on the cheek or light kisses on the lips as part of weekend protests against a new law that prohibits under 16s from kissing or showing affection in public.
"This new law is absolute rubbish," said one of the protestors at a shopping centre here as she joined thousands of others at similar venues across the country Sunday in the first of such protests.
China files WTO complaint against EU
By IANS,
Geneva: China has filed a complaint with the World Trade Organization (WTO) against the European Union over its subsidies to the solar power sector.
10 killed in Sri Lanka suicide blast
By DPA,
Colombo : At least 10 people were killed and more than 20 others, including three government ministers, were injured in a suicide bombing Tuesday near a mosque in southern Sri Lanka, police said.
The attack took place in the Godapitiya area in the town of Akurassa in Matara district, 160 km south of Colombo.
Most of the victims were Muslim devotees attending celebrations at the mosque for the Milad-un-Nabi festival, marking the anniversary of the birth of the Prophet Mohammed.
Belgian terror trial resumes
Brussels : Belgium's biggest terrorism trial Monday resumed with the prosecution pushing for maximum sentences for the 47 men accused of plotting to overthrow...
IAEA works out arrangement of verification for DPRK’s nuclear shut down
By Xinhua
Vienna : Mohamed ElBaradei, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), on Tuesday referred the 35-nation governing board a report about the arrangement of IAEA for the verification to shut down and seal the nuclear establishments in Yongbyon, Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).
Corus faces thousands’ SOS in poor English region
By Dipankar De Sarkar, IANS,
London: Thousands of British steelworkers and their families are holding a protest march Saturday in a town in northeast England where the looming closure of a Corus steel plant threatens to throw families into poverty.
Corus, which is owned by Tata Steel, has warned it may have to close down its plant in Redcar because a consortium of clients has pulled out of a 10-year contract to buy its steel, prompting the Save Our Steel march.
Greece declares emergency as forest fire burns out of control
By DPA,
Athens : The Greek government declared a state of emergency Saturday as a large forest fire burned out of control on the northeastern outskirts of Athens, sending thick black smoke over the city and damaging dozens of homes.
The fire broke out early Saturday and quickly spread, fanned by strong, gale-force winds in the area of Grammatiko, about 40 km northeast of the Greek capital.
Within hours, the fire had spread to within 12 km, from the residential area of Grammatiko to Varnava and Kaltetzi, damaging homes and forcing the evacuation of residents.
Russian President Medvedev in Berlin on first European trip
By DPA,
Berlin : Russian President Dmitry Medvedev paid a one-day visit to Berlin Thursday, choosing the German capital for his first trip to Europe since being sworn in last month.
Medvedev, 42, is to make a keenly awaited foreign policy speech at the German-Russian Forum at a Berlin hotel, addressing major international themes.
Apart from talks with Chancellor Angela Merkel and Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the Russian leader was also to meet Germany's largely ceremonial president, Horst Koehler.
Indian Canadian mother sentenced for drowning son
By IANS,
Vancouver : After denying any role in her infant son's death by drowning in their family pool for six long years, an Indian Canadian woman here has pleaded guilty to infanticide.
Jasvinder Kaur Kang, 43, was Thursday given a two-year conditional sentence for placing her four-month-old son Jasvir in their backyard pool in Surrey city near here. She will also be kept under probation for three years.
Biden administration taking a dangerous path with Modi regime
Communal violence escalates in India as the US embraces its source.
Pieter Friedrich | TwoCircles.net
Two months ago, Atul Keshap — who was then temporarily serving...
25 survive passenger plane crash in Kyrgyzstan
By Xinhua,
Almaty : At least 25 passengers survived the crash of a Boeing-737 passenger jet near Bishkek, capital of Central Asia's Kyrgyzstan on Sunday, Kyrgyz Emergency Minister Kamchibek Tashiyev said.
"There were 90 people on board, 25 of them survived," Tashiyev was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying, adding that the plane has burnt down completely.
The Kyrgyz Civil Aviation Department said earlier that there are 25 survivors in the air crash.
Russian troop withdrawal from Georgia starts
By DPA,
Moscow/Tbilisi(Georgia) : Russian forces have begun withdrawing from Georgia, with a first convoy of vehicles moving out of the South Ossetian capital Tskhinvali, reports said Monday.
There was no initial official confirmation by the Russian military to the report.
According to the reports, the withdrawal so far involves groups of between five and 10 armoured vehicles. They were seen heading toward the Roki tunnel which connects Russia and Georgia in the Caucasus mountain region.
China launches satellites to monitor environment
By Xinhua,
Taiyuan (China) : China Saturday launched two satellites into orbit for monitoring the environment and forecasting natural disasters.
The two satellites, launched from the Taiyuan satellite launch centre in the northern province of Shanxi and carried by a Long March 2C rocket, were expected to enhance the country's ability to forecast natural disasters, according to Bai Zhaoguang, designer of the satellites.
The satellites, called "Environment-1", are China's first ecology monitors in space.
Obama names Hillary Clinton secretary of state
By Xinhua,
Washington : US President-elect Barack Obama Monday nominated Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, wife of former president Bill Clinton, as secretary of state.
window.onload =...
5,000 couples divorce each day in China
By IANS,
Beijing : Over 5,000 couples divorce each day in China, according to latest statistics from the ministry of civil affairs.
Iceland’s Volcano emitting 150-300,000 tonnes of CO2 daily: Report
By IRNA,
New Delhi : Iceland's Eyjafjoell volcano is emitting between 150,000 and 300,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) per day, a figure placing it in the same emissions league as a small-to-medium European economy.
Assuming the composition of gas to be the same as in an earlier eruption on an adjacent volcano, "the CO2 flux of Eyjafjoell would be 150,000 tonnes per day," Colin Macpherson, an Earth scientist at Britain's University of Durham, said in an email.
Sarkozy’s popularity in free fall to ‘disgrace’
By Siegfried Mortkowitz, IANS
Paris : You know things are going badly for French President Nicolas Sarkozy when friends from abroad try to give him a helping hand.
His good friend Tony Blair, the former prime minister of Britain, has said that in a crisis of popularity the best approach was to keep a stiff upper lip.
"One must not let your eyes be ruled by polls, or you will go crazy," Blair told Europe 1 radio Friday. "When you carry out reforms, you are not necessarily popular. But later, if they work, you will gain recognition."
Kalmadi agrees to bury hatchet, fine by Hooper too
By Dipankar De Sarkar, IANS,
London : The chairman of the organising committee for the 2010 Commonwealth Games formally agreed Friday to focus his energies on the "successful celebration" of the sporting event after a series of meetings in London to iron out a dispute with the international body responsible for it.
Suresh Kalmadi, MP, gave the formal undertaking after several meetings with Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) President Michael Fennell, Sports Minister M.S. Gill and key members of the Indian Olympic Committee.
US had enough info to stop Christmas Day attack
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : In a shocking revelation, a White House review has found that the government had sufficient information to disrupt an Al Qaeda plot to blow up a US airliner but failed to identify the suspect as a potential bomber.
In the end, it was an inability of the intelligence community to "connect the dots" in putting all the pieces of information and analysis together, said the six-page report on events leading up to the Dec 25 botched terror attack by 23-year-old Nigerian national Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab.
African envoys reject rivalry between India and China
By IANS,
New Delhi : Six weeks after India held its summit with Africa, envoys from African countries Friday said they were happy about the "progress" on key decisions taken at the summit and stressed they see no competition between India and China in the African continent.
"In Africa, we don't see any competition between India and Africa," Carlos Agostino Do Rosario, Mozambique's high commissioner to India and Dean of the African Diplomatic Corps, told reporters here at a function held ahead of Africa Day celebrations May 25.
Russia FM Criticizes EU Security
By Prensa Latina,
Moscow : The European security system in force after World War II is now inefficient, said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday.
"The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) is not up to the challenges and threats of the 21st century, in fact it continues collapsing", said the head of Russian diplomacy.
Lavrov said that the recent conflict between Georgia and South Ossetia confirmed the need to update the current system.
War graves in Hong Kong left riddled with spelling errors
By DPA
Hong Kong : Colonial-era war graves in Hong Kong have been left riddled with schoolboy spelling errors, including China spelt Cihna and Hong Kong spelt Honc Honc, after a renovation project, a news report said.
The tombstones in the Hong Kong Cemetery for 40 British sailors killed during the 19th century opium wars have been renovated to counter the effects of 150 years of weathering, the South China Morning Post reported.
Snooki put on make-up before giving birth
By IANS,
London: Reality TV star Snooki put on bronzer and false eyelashes before she gave birth to her son Lorenzo because she wanted to look "pretty" for her baby.
Italian police seize 53 illegally-built villas
By IANS/AKI,
Salerno: Police in Italy have sealed off 53 villas near the southern coastal city of Salerno that were constructed without necessary permits.
Toll in Uganda boat accident touches 251
Kinshasa : The bodies of 251 Congolese refugees returning to their country from a refugee camp in Uganda, who died Saturday in a boat...
Naoto Kan chosen Japan’s new PM
By DPA,
Tokyo : Naoto Kan was chosen as Japan's next prime minister by parliament Friday after he won an overwhelming victory in the ruling Democratic Party of Japan's presidential election.
Emperor Akihito is to appoint Kan Japan's 94th premier later Friday.
Kan served as finance minister and deputy prime minister in outgoing Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama's cabinet.
The Diet's vote came soon after Hatoyama and his cabinet stepped down Friday morning.
In Ukraine, police write notes to prostitutes’ parents
By DPA,
Kiev : In an attempt to dampen growing prostitution, Ukrainian law enforcers have adopted a new method of writing unpleasant notes to the parents of those arrested in connection with the sex trade, the Sehodnia newspaper reported Tuesday.
The letter-writing campaign is aimed at reducing sex-for-hire in the former Soviet republic by bringing parental pressure to bear on prostitutes, said Aleksey Lazarenko, an internal ministry spokesman.
"We inform the parents their daughter was arrested at the moment she was selling her body," Lazarenko said.
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