Behavioural identification could have halted Nigerian terrorist
By IANS,
Washington : The effective use of multiple layers of intelligence gathering, including existing behavioural identification programmes, could have helped pin down Nigerian terrorist Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab long before he boarded a US airliner on Christmas Day, according to an expert.
Mark G. Frank, behavioural scientist at University of Buffalo explains that although Mutallab got through some security levels, "behavioural science techniques could have detected him once he got to the airport".
Eight foreigners killed in terror attack, 22 injured: official
By IANS,
New Delhi : Eight foreigners have been killed and 22 injured in the terror attack in Mumbai, M.L. Kumawat, secretary-internal security, said Friday, adding that one more contingent of the crack National Security Guard (NSG) is being sent to the city to join in the gunbattle with the terrorists.
Kumawat also said that two NSG commandos were killed in the operations - one commando was killed in Nariman House and a major, Sandeep Unnikrishnan, killed in the Taj.
Among the eight foreigners killed were three Germans and one Japanese, Canadian and Australian each.
Healthcare reform in Hungary facing serious challenges
By Michael Logan, DPA
Budapest : Hungary's plans to overhaul its ailing healthcare system by allowing private capital into the health insurance market are on the rocks as political pressure mounts following a referendum in which voters have rejected other welfare-state cuts.
Voters turned out in droves Sunday to reject fees for medical treatment and higher education - a result seen as a stinging defeat for the government and its economic reforms.
US has will, flexibility for successful Doha Round: Bush
By Xinhua
Sydney : US President George W. Bush said here Friday that the US has both the will and the flexibility to help conclude a successful Doha Round.
"Doha represents a once-in-a-generation chance to open up markets and to help millions rise out of poverty," Bush said in a speech to business leaders gathered at the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum.
"The United States is committed to seizing this opportunity -- and we need partners in this region to help lead the effort," he said, noting that no single country can make Doha a success.
Colombia offers cash reward for FARC hostage release
By Xinhua
Bogota : Colombian President Alvaro Uribe has said he would pay cash to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) for release of hundreds of hostages from its captivity.
He said he would pay the amount from a fund of $100 million for the release of hostages, including former politician Ingrid Betancourt, many of whom were held by the group for several years.
Mass grave of World War II troops found
By DPA,
Zagreb : Croatian police confirmed that a mass grave from the Second World War was found on the outskirts of Zagreb, local media reported.
The grave is believed to contain remains of 17 men, possibly of Croatian and German soldiers executed by Yugoslav Communists at the end of the war, the Vecernji List online edition reported.
Police said forensic experts were investigating the site.
UN military observer group redundant: Congress
New Delhi: The Congress Sunday said the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) has become redundant and has no purpose...
UN Security Council condemns terrorist attacks in Somalia
By Xinhua,
United Nations : The United Nations Security Council on Thursday strongly condemned a series of suicide attacks that hit two towns in Somalia a day earlier that reportedly killed at least 21 people and wounded many others, some critically.
In a presidential statement, the Security Council expressed condemnation "in the strongest terms" of the terrorist attacks in Hargeisa and Bosasso Wednesday, stressing the need to "bring the perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism to justice."
Brown Britain’s third worst PM since WW II
By IANS,
London : Gordon Brown was Britain's third worst prime minister since World War II, a survey has shown.
A study carried out among 106 leading academics showed Brown was rated tenth of the 12 premiers in office since 1945.
The Sun reported Tuesday that only Sir Anthony Eden and Sir Alec Douglas-Home came behind Brown.
Brown, who was prime minister for less than three years, scored a dismal 3.9 out of 10.
Obama warns Uganda over anti-gay bill
By IANS,
Washington: US President Barack Obama Sunday voiced his "deep disappointment" at Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni's plan to enact a legislation that would criminalise...
Mexican city closes 2,000 streets
By IANS/EFE,
Ciudad Juarez : More than 2,000 streets have been closed in Mexico's Ciudad Juarez city, on the border with US' Texas state, to keep out gangs, an official said.
US House passes Pentagon budget
By IANS,
Washington : The US House of Representatives Thursday passed next year's massive $607-billion defence bill.
Kenyan Muslim cleric shot dead
Nairobi : A prominent Muslim Kenyan cleric, accused by the United States and UN Security Council of supporting the Somali rebel group Al-Shabab, has been killed on the Kenyan coast, a police officer at the scene and a witness said.
Serbia apologizes for massacre of Muslims in Srebrenica
By IRNA,
Vienna :The Serbian Parliament has officially condemned the 1995 massacre of thousands of Muslim men and boys in the Bosnian town of Srebrenica.
The resolution was approved by a narrow majority, with 127 out of 250 lawmakers voting in favor of issuing an apology to victims.
More than 7,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys were killed at Srebrenica when Bosnian Serb troops supported by Belgrade overran a United Nations "safe area" in July 1995. It was the worst European massacre since World War II.
Canada out to ‘sabotage’ Bali climate talks
By Gurmukh Singh, IANS
Toronto : Even as over 10,000 delegates from 187 countries are attending the UN Conference on Climate Change in Bali, Indonesia, to work out an agreement to succeed the Kyoto accord after it ends in 2012, it has come out that Canada might try to "sabotage" the talks.
Placed at 53 in a recent survey of 56 industrialized nations, which contribute 90 percent of greenhouse emissions, Canada is the fourth worst performer in 2007.
Tony Blair’s personal data hacked
By IANS,
London : Personal details about former British prime minister Tony Blair have been hacked and released on the internet, The Sun reported Sunday.
Myanmar extends Aung San Suu Kyi house arrest
By Xinhua,
Yangon : The Myanmar government extended on Tuesday the house arrest of Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of the National League for Democracy (NLD), well-informed sources said, without specifying the term period of her extension.
Aung San Suu Kyi has been put under detention and later house arrest for the third time since the Dabayin bloody incident in Sagaing division on May 30, 2003, in which clashes occurred between government supporters and NLD supporters.
US wants North Korea to act on commitment to talks
By DPA,
Washington: North Korea must act on its commitment to rejoin negotiations aimed at implementing an agreement to abandon its nuclear activities, the US State Department said Friday.
"As we've said all along, we'll be guided by North Korea's actions. There are things that North Korea has to do - not say - to meet their international obligations, cease provocative actions."
Japanese Police Arrest South Korean Terrorist
By Bernama,
Tokyo : Japanese police have reported Monday that a South Korean citizen who had threatened to destroy a Chinese plane was arrested in Japan, Itar-Tass reported.
As a result of the terrorist's threats one of the Chinese planes was returned to Japan on Friday when it was half way to Shanghai.
Four other flights were delayed for a long time following bomb threats.
HSBC ventures into China’s rural market
By Xinhua
Hubei (China) : The Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited (HSBC) Thursday set up its first venture in rural China, marking the first entry by an international bank in the rural sector of the country.
The wholly owned subsidiary of the HSBC in the Cengdu district of Suizhou city in central China's Hubei province offers its customers deposit service for local businesses and individuals and help businesses to raise funds.
The branch has started with 22 staff members and an initial capital of about $1.36 million (10 million yuan).
Manhunt launched for killers of 100 villagers in Nigeria
Abuja: Police authorities in Nigeria Sunday ordered a manhunt for suspected killers of local people in villages across the northwestern state of Kaduna, promising...
Recreating planetary sounds from Mars, Venus
By IANS,
London : Scientists have for the first time recreated the sound of lightning and whirlwinds from Mars and Venus and also how we would hear human voices on their surface.
1,300-year-old pots found in Argentina
By IANS/EFE,
Buenos Aires : A family in Argentina have found eight pots, believed to be around 1,300 years old, buried in the patio of their house.
The pots are believed to have belonged to indigenous people from the province of Jujuy, and were found by brothers Franco and Gonzalo Carrazana as they were digging up their patio to start building an addition to their home in Tilcara town.
"The first piece appeared when we had dug some 40 cm. Then another pot appeared that was next to a third," Roberto Carrazana, their uncle, said.
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.
Two killed, 21 missing in Nepal boat capsize
By DPA,
Kathmandu : At least two people were confirmed killed and more than 20 missing after a passenger boat capsized on a river in eastern Nepal, officials said Sunday.
The boat carrying more than 40 people was crossing the Koshi river when it capsized Sunday morning in Sunsari district, about 400 km southeast of the capital Kathmandu.
Police said rescue workers found bodies washed up near a village on the Indian side of the border, but were hampered by poor weather conditions.
Kerala School of Mathematics inaugurated
By IANS,
Kozhikode : The Kerala School of Mathematics, a joint venture between the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment (KSCSTE) and the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), was inaugurated here Tuesday.
Inaugurating the research institute, Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan said that studies have shown that the standard of mathematics education has gone down in the state. "The School of Mathematics has a great responsibility to improve the standards of research and studies in the subject in the state."
22 people infected after eye surgery in Vietnam
By DPA,
Hanoi : Twenty-two patients in Vietnam have contracted severe infections and some may suffer permanent sight loss due to contamination of a chemical used during surgery, officials said Thursday. The chemical was produced by an Indian pharmaceutical company.
Some of the affected patients at the Ho Chi Minh City Eye Hospital may need to have one or both eyes removed, said Ly Ngoc Kinh, an official at the ministry of health.
US jobless rate dips to 9.1 percent in July
By IANS,
Washington : The US unemployment rate edged down to 9.1 percent in July from 9.2 percent in June, the Labour Department said Friday.
Nepal minister with Indian passport, Tibetan ID, forced to quit
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Results announced in truffle-hunting competition in north Spain
By RIA Novosti
Madrid : An annual truffle-hunting competition has been held in Spain's northern province of Soria, the Diario de Leon newspaper said on Monday.
A total of 11 truffle hunters, also called 'trufflers,' representing eight Spanish provinces, took part in the competition, which was held in a mountainous area near the Barranco de Abejar neighborhood. They were accompanied by special 'truffle hounds.'
A local professional truffle hunter was announced the winner of the competition after finding four mushrooms.
Obama praises courage of Rosa Parks
By IANS/EFE,
Washington: President Barack Obama Wednesday praised the courage of Rosa Parks at a ceremony in the US Capitol where he dedicated the statue in honour of the civil rights activist.
New Silk route to change fate of poverty-hit region
By Tayyab Baloch, TwoCircles.net,
Gilgit-Baltistan/Islamabad: A 40-year old local trader Muhammad Ali Rocky was extremely tired but he still had to cover a long distance...
‘Bhagvad Gita’ faces ‘extremist’ branding, legal ban in Russia
By N.C. Bipindra, IANS,
Ireland voting “No” on EU Treaty
By KUNA,
Dublin : Unofficial vote tallies Friday showed that Irish voters have rejected the European Union reform treaty, according to a government minister.
"We're in uncharted waters," Irish Justice Minister Dermot Ahern told Dublin radio.
In Irish polls, rally counters in each constituency watch votes being sorted and make their own count, giving early indications of how a vote is going.
Official verdicts from the first of Ireland's 43 constituencies were expected soon, with a final result due by early evening.
France against Ukraine, Georgia joining NATO
By KUNA
Paris : France announced here Tuesday that it would not support the candidacies of Ukraine and Georgia to join NATO as this move would affect the balance of the power relationship in Europe.
Speaking to France Inter radio, French Prime Minister Francois Fillon said that France will not give the green light to the entry of Ukraine and Georgia to the NATO.
He stressed, "We are opposed to this because we think this is not a good response to the balance of the power relationship in Europe and between Europe and Russia.
60 killed in DR Congo train accident
Kinshasa:At least 60 people were killed and some 60 others wounded when a train derailed in the southeast region of the Democratic Republic of...
Four siblings killed in Ukraine fire
By IANS,
Kiev : Four minor children -- three sisters and their brother -- died after a fire broke out at their home in Ukraine, the emergencies ministry said.
Small plane crashes in Argentina
By IANS/EFE,
Buenos Aires : A man sleeping at his home in northeastern Argentina was jolted awake when a small plane crashed into the roof, media said.
Bush’s assurances only verbal, say Left parties
By IANS,
New Delhi : The Left parties Thursday termed US President George W. Bush's assertion that Washington would ensure fuel supply for India's civil nuclear reactors as just verbal assurances from a man whose days as president were numbered.
"We are not at all enthusiastic about what Bush says. We can't believe anybody's words. What is written is important. The things what Bush said have not been mentioned in the document signed by him," T.J. Chandrachoodan, general secretary of the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP), told IANS.
Voting begins in Australia’s general election
By IANS,
Canberra : Voting in Australia's general election began Saturday amidst poll surveys that Prime Minister Julia Gillard led Labor Party is running neck-and-neck with Tony Abbott led Coalition, media reports said.
More than 14 million people are enrolled to vote to choose from 1,198 candidates for 150 seats in the House of Representatives and 40 of the 76-member Senate, Xinhua reported.
Polling stations opened at 8 a.m. About 43 million ballot papers were stockpiled at the stations in 7,700 locations and will be supervised by some 70,000 electoral staff.
Scottish first minister demands further devolution of powers
London : British Prime Minister David Cameron has to consider devolving more powers to Scotland on a priority basis, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon...
Hindu temple vandalised in US
New York : A temple was vandalised in the US, "horrifying" both Hindus and non-Hindus who have offered to help the temple clean the...
Nepal PM tenders resignation
By IANS,
Kathmandu : Nepal Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal Sunday evening tendered his resignation to President Ram Baran Yadav, after six months and 11 days in the top post.
Farmers’ protest turns violent in Peru
By IANS
Lima : Fresh clashes broke out between the protesting farmers and the police in the southern Peruvian city of Ayacucho despite suspension of a nationwide strike by the farmers, EFE news agency reported Thursday.
The farmers organised a rally Monday to push their demand for compensation of the losses caused by the free trade agreement with the US, better water supply and debt relief.
Wall Street plunges on dim economic outlook
By Xinhua,
New York : Wall Street plunged Monday with the Dow Jones average and the S&P 500 index dropping to a 12 year low on concerns about dim economic outlook.
Big technology companies like IBM, Hewlett-Packard and Apple declined sharply Monday on worries about a drop in business and consumer spending on technology hurt the tech sector.
Bank stocks rallied Monday as reports said that Citigroup Inc. is in talks with federal officials that may increase the government's ownership of the bank.
Woman had sex with five schoolboys in view of passing trains
By IANS,
London : A 21-year-old woman in Britain, arrested for having sex with five schoolboys in full view of passing trains, had approached them and asked: "Do you want to have sex with me?"
Germany detains Russian couple on spying charge
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : German Special Forces have detained a Russian husband-wife duo on charges of spying, reported Deutsche Welle, the country's international broadcaster, Saturday.
Two missing, 21 hurt in building collapse
By Xinhua,
Washington : At least 21 people were injured and two others missing after the roof of a food plant collapsed in the US state of North Carolina, media reports said Tuesday.
According to TV reports, the roof of a food plant that belongs to ConAgra Foods Company partially collapsed Tuesday morning following an explosion inside the plant.
The cause of the blast was not immediately known.
South Korea announces trade restrictions on North Korea
By DPA,
Seoul : South Korea warned Monday that it was ready to use military force in case of further "provocations" and announced far-reaching trade restrictions after finding that North Korea sunk one of its warships in March.
"From now on, the Republic of Korea will not tolerate any provocative act by the North and will maintain the principle of proactive deterrence," President Lee Mung Bak said in a televised address. "If our territorial waters, airspace or territory are violated, we will immediately exercise our right of self-defence."
S. Korea’s imported car sales grow in November
By IANS,
Seoul : Imported car sales in South Korea continued to grow last month due to strong demand for German brands, a trade association said Monday.
Nobel Laureate calls for new global reserve currency system
By Xinhua,
United Nations : Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz has called for a new global system to replace the US dollar as the world's reserve currency.
"There is a growing consensus that there are problems with the dollar reserve system," Stiglitz told a press conference in the UN headquarters Thursday, adding that economists have been discussing the weaknesses of single-currency reserve systems for decades.
Thailand protesters reject call to end demonstrations
By DPA,
Bangkok: Anti-government protesters Monday rejected Thai authorities' demands to end their demonstration at a key shopping and tourism district in the heart of Bangkok.
The protesters, known as the red shirts for their favoured hue of clothing, tore up copies of an order to disperse, delivered by officers of the government's Peacekeeping Operations Command.
The red shirts were gathered at the city's Ratchaprasong intersection, home to some of the city's most luxurious shopping malls and hotels.
U.S. Senate panel issues subpoena to top Bush advisor
By Xinhua
Washington : U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy said on Thursday he would issue a subpoena for President George W. Bush's top political adviser Karl Rove to testify before Congress over the firings of nine federal prosecutors last year.
"We have now reached a point where the accumulated evidence shows that political considerations factored into the unprecedented firing of at least nine United States Attorneys last year," Leahy said.
Anti-war dockworkers shut down US west coast ports
By DPA,
Los Angeles : Dockworkers protesting the US war in Iraq shut down all the ports on the US west coast Thursday.
The action by thousands of dockworkers on May Day shut down all 29 ports on the US West Coast from Seattle to San Diego and was scheduled to last for the entire day shift from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The action came two months before the contract expires between the dockworkers, represented by the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, and the Pacific Maritime Association, which represents port operators and large shippers.
US denies patents on yoga postures
By IANS
New Delhi : Amid a raging row in India over reported attempts to patent the ancient Indian practice of yoga overseas, the US Thursday denied granting patents on yoga positions.
Safina stranded again as Kuznetsova wins French Open
By DPA,
Paris: Svetlana Kuznetsova Saturday defeated Dinara Safina 6-4, 6-2 to win the French Open tennis, leaving the world number one still without a Grand Slam title.
Kusnetsova, seeded seventh, added the Roland Garros honour to her US Open crown from 2004. She also lost Grand Slam title matches to now-retired Justine Henin in Paris in 2006 and New York a year later.
"It's been so many years since I won my first major," said Kuznetsova, who was presented the trophy by former tennis great Steffi Graf. "I didn't think I could do it again but today it happened.
Don’t insult us, Pashupatinath priest tells Nepal
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : Smarting under the continuing attacks on Indian priests and the allegation that they were siphoning off the offerings made by devotees at the altar of Pashupatinath, one of the holiest Hindu shrines, the chief priest at the temple said he and his ilk were ready to go back to India.
Over 50 killed in Iraq bombing
Baghdad: At least 52 people were killed and over 200 injured on Thursday when a booby-trapped truck exploded at a marketplace in the Iraqi...
Tibetans storm China’s Sydney consulate
By DPA
Sydney : Tibetans showing solidarity with protesters in their homeland Saturday stormed the Chinese consulate in Sydney.
There were seven arrests as demonstrators clashed with police after scaling the three-metre wall that surrounds the diplomatic compound.
The protest came after reports that 10 people had been killed in the Tibetan capital of Lhasa.
The 50 protesters outnumbered police, who used batons and capsicum spray to keep them at bay.
Indian restaurant owner arrested in US
Washington: An Indian national has been arrested in the US for threatening to kill his employee’s infant daughter, a media report said Saturday.
According to...
Central banks will not be able to avert next global crash
By Vatsal Srivastava,
Last week marked the inflection point many market pundits have been waiting for. The stage is set for the deepest global stock market correction since the rally began in March, 2009.
Over 300 criminals repatriated to China in 2012
By IANS,
Beijing : A total of 331 Chinese criminal suspects were repatriated from other countries in 2012 under joint efforts with foreign police, Xinhua reported.
UNICEF Says Child Abuse Rising
By Prensa Latina,
United Nations : The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) alerted Saturday of increasing violence against children in several countries, including Haiti, the Central African Republic, Democratic Congo and Iraq.
UN spokespersons expressed concern over growing cases of abducted children in Haiti, about 50 so far this year and related impunity.
The reported cases, most of them girls, include rapes, tortures, and even assassinations, with the Port au Prince authorities believing those responsible are criminal bands looking for easy money.
Iceland’s volcanic ash cloud disrupts flights across Europe
By DPA,
Oslo/London : Air traffic across northern Europe was severely affected Thursday by ash from an erupting volcano in Iceland that forced airports including London's Heathrow airport - Europe's largest hub - to shut down.
The drifting ash from the volcano near the Eyjafjallajoekull glacier, about 120 km east of the Icelandic capital of Reykjavik, poses a serious threat to jet engines, and also reduces visibility.
The duration of the closures was uncertain due to both changeable wind and weather conditions, and the actual seismic activity at the volcano.
China to step up overseas uranium mining
By IANS,
Beijing : The China National Nuclear Corp (CNNC) will speed up overseas uranium mining exploration, focusing on Australia, Africa and Central Asia, to meet the company's growing demand.
Russia completes troop pullout from Abkhazia buffer zone
By RIA Novosti,
Sukhumi : Russia have completed the withdrawal of its peacekeepers from a buffer zone on the border between Georgia and Abkhazia, two days ahead of the agreed deadline, a deputy commander of the CIS peacekeeping contingent in the region said Thursday.
"The withdrawal has been conducted in line with previous agreements," Lt. Col. Alexander Novitsky said, adding that the checkpoints were handed over to Georgia in the presence of observers from UN and the European Union.
Russia completed the same procedure in a buffer zone on the Georgia-S. Ossetia border on Wednesday.
South Africa decries Kenya’s rejection of its peace mediator
By IANS
Pretoria : South Africa has decried Kenya's refusal to accept African trade union leader Cyril Ramaphosa on the team of mediators trying to resolve the civil strife in the east African country following the allegedly flawed presidential election, BuaNews reported Wednesday.
"South African government has rejected with contempt the reasons given by members of the Kenyan government for not accepting Ramaphosa as a mediator," Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Aziz Pahad told media Tuessday.
Paris attacks spur Syria talks in Austria
Vienna: The deadly terrorist attacks in Paris have failed to stymie the talks in Vienna between senior officials from 19 countries that aim to...
Three suspected Al Qaeda men held in Spain
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Madrid : Police in Spain have arrested three suspected Al Qaeda members and seized explosives and poison from them, the interior ministry said Thursday.
Spectator killed in Dakar Rally accident
By IANS,
Buenos Aires : A female spectator was killed after a vehicle taking part in the Dakar Rally rushed off course and crashed into a group of spectators Saturday, medical sources said.
The accident happened in the opening stage of the gruelling event between Buenos Aires and Cordoba in Argentina, Xinhua reported.
The accident was caused by a 4x4 vehicle driven by German-Swiss pair Mirco Schultis and Ulrich Leardi.
Weak leadership makes it difficult to reach Israeli-Palestinian agreement
By TwoCircles.net news desk
With the Annapolis meeting having turned into a kick-off event, new approaches will be needed to give the subsequent Israeli-Palestinian negotiations a chance to succeed and minimize costs of failure, said a report by the Intenrational Crisis Group. Report points the weak Israeli and Palestenian leadership makes it difficult to reach an agreement and see it through.
Dissident creates forum to spur democratic change in Cuba
By IANS
Havana : A prominent dissident in the communist-ruled state has launched a citizens' forum to campaign for free elections and democratic change in Cuba, Spanish news agency EFE reported Friday.
Oswaldo Paya, a recipient of the European Parliament's Sakharov Prize for human rights in 2002, has announced the creation of Citizens' Committee for Reconciliation and Dialogue here Thursday that will work for democratic change in the country.
Cambodia still searching for missing Malaysian jet
Phnom Penh: Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen Friday said that the country is still conducting search operations for the missing Malaysia Airlines jet within...
UN Secretary General wishes IAEA success on its 150th anniversary
By NNN-KUNA
United Nations : As the 50th anniversary of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) coincides this Sunday, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon expressed his appreciation to the Agency for its "dedication and commitment" to the promotion of "atoms for peace" through its activities.
"Throughout the past 50 years, the IAEA has strived to expand and enlarge its contributions to nuclear safety and security, nuclear non-proliferation, and development," his press office said in a statement late Friday.
United Nations : As the 50th anniversary of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) coincides this Sunday, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon expressed his appreciation to the Agency for its "dedication and commitment" to the promotion of "atoms for peace" through its activities.
"Throughout the past 50 years, the IAEA has strived to expand and enlarge its contributions to nuclear safety and security, nuclear non-proliferation, and development," his press office said in a statement late Friday.
Pollock, Jayasuriya star in Mumbai Indians win
By IANS,
Mumbai : Two old war horses of Mumbai Indians, Shaun Pollock and Sanath Jayasuriya, joined forces to give a mesmerising performance that blew away Kolkata Knight Riders by eight wickets in an Indian Premier League contest here Friday night.
Pollock (3-12) produced one of the best spells of the tournament to plot the spectacular collapse of Knight Riders, who crashed to 67, the lowest score of the tournament. Sri Lankan veteran Jayasuriya (48 off 17 balls) then tore the bowling apart to gatecrash at the victory doorstep in just 5.3 overs.
Mobs burned 48 police buildings in Indonesia in 2011
By IANS/AKI,
Jakarta : At least 48 police buildings and posts were set ablaze by mobs in 2011, more than double the previous year's statistics, the Indonesian Police Watch (IPW) has announced.
Powerful quake jolts Timor Leste
By Xinhua,
Jakarta : An earthquake measuring 6.4 on the Richter scale struck Timor Leste Friday evening, the Indonesian meteorology agency said.
There were no immediate reports of death or damage.
The quake at 1342 GMT jolted Dili, the capital of Timor Leste, and had its epicentre 278 km northeast of the city, an official of the meteorological office said.
"We did not issue a tsunami warning," he told Xinhua.
Indian American Sikhs sue employers for exploitation
By IANS
New York : Angry over non-payment of wages and exploitation at workplace, a group of Indian American Sikh construction workers have filed a lawsuit against their employers in a city court.
European Parliament honours Chinese dissident
By DPA,
Strasbourg (France)/Beijing : The European Union (EU) Parliament defied Chinese warnings Thursday and awarded its prestigious Sakharov Prize to Hu Jia, an imprisoned Chinese civil rights activist and dissident.
The decision was a rebuke to Beijing, which had said that honouring Hu Jia could "seriously damage" China's relations with the European Union.
Hu Jia was picked from a shortlist of candidates that also included Aleksandr Kozulin, a former presidential candidate in Belarus, and Apollinaire Malu Malu, who chairs the Independent Electoral Commission of Congo.
Anna Faris to star in ‘Mom’
By IANS,
London: Actress Anna Faris has signed up to star in new TV show "Mom".
Google, T-mobile to unveil iPhone competitor next week
By DPA,
San Francisco : Google will next week launch the first mobile phone running its Android software in a joint initiative with T-mobile, the companies have announced.
The open-source Android system is seen as Google's answer to Apple's successful iPhone and as a key initiative in the internet giant's quest to extend its dominance to the mobile web.
Google has worked closely with US carrier T-mobile and Taiwan electronics maker HTC to develop the new phone, which is to be called Dream.
The world waits for Obama era
By DPA,
Washington : The Jan 20 inauguration of Democrat Barack Obama as 44th president of the US promises to open a new era for the country and the world.
For Americans, it represents the fall of a final racial barrier - fittingly just weeks before the US celebrates the 200th birth anniversary of Abraham Lincoln, the man who ended slavery. Obama's presidency also represents hope for a country mired in two wars and financial catastrophe and disillusioned with eight years of governance under outgoing President George W. Bush.
Shadow of emergency dulls Buddha birth anniversary in Nepal
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : The shadow of emergency and President’s rule only a day away dulled Buddha Purnima festivities in Nepal, the birthplace of the Buddha, even as the world celebrated the 2,554th birth anniversary of the apostle of peace and non-violence Thursday.
Lumbini, the town in southern Nepal along the Indian border where the founder of Buddhism was born in a princely family, observed the event amidst uncertainty as an unprecedented constitutional crisis lurked from Friday midnight.
Malaysian,Singapore leaders to hold talks May 15
By NNN-BERNAMA,
Kota Tinggi, Malaysia : Issues on bilateral ties may be discussed in talks between Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and his Singapore counterpart, Lee Hsien Loong, when they meet in mid-May, Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar said Tuesday.
"It's up to the prime minister to decide on the issues to be raised in his meeting with Lee," he told reporters in this town in southern Johor state.
Asked whether the two prime ministers would dwell on the outstanding issues between the two neighbouring countries, Syed Hamid said it was up to the two leaders.
Criticism on Leniency Against Police Abuse
By Prensa Latina,
Washington : Civic and judicial organizations of the US regarded sanctions imposed to US police officers who took part in a beating to three African-American young people in the city of Philadelphia as insignificant Tuesday.
"Firing them or taking them out of the streets is not enough. We want the accused to be processed with all the weight of the law," said National Action Net official Paula Peebles Tuesday.
Israeli security officials alarmed by Iranian satellite launch
By DPA,
Tel Aviv : Israeli officials voiced mixed reactions Monday to the launch of Iran's first domestically produced carrier rocket.
Tehran successfully test-fired the new rocket Safir Omid (Hope Envoy) before dawn Sunday, according to an Iranian Army statement.
The statement said that it was the second test-launch and successfully prepared the ground for the launch of the main satellite in the future.
Mexican migrants unhappy with Obama’s immigration reform
By IANS/EFE,
Los Angeles : The immigration reforms announced by President Barack Obama was "not the real solution" of the problems of migrant workers, Mexican immigrants have said.
The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA) has expressed disappointment with the brief mention of immigration reform in Obama's first State of the Union address Wednesday.
Ana Rivas, a member of Wise Up, a CHIRLA-affiliated student group, said that Obama in his speech "is not proposing real solutions to the desperate situation of immigrants".
Human rights key to review of Cuba ties: EU
By DPA,
Prague: Cuba's attitude to human rights will play the key role in the upcoming European Union's review of the bloc's position on relations with the communist island state, an EU official said Thursday.
The evaluation "will depend on the manner with which Cuba approaches human rights", said Czech Foreign Minister Jan Kohout, whose country chairs the EU until June 30.
On Monday in Brussels, Cuba asked the EU to normalise relations but was rejected over human rights concerns.
In region known for music, focus turns to burials
By Gonzalo Ruiz Tovar, DPA
Lima : Since a massive earthquake struck this week, the people of Chincha in Peru have abandoned their traditional pursuits, such as the wooden cajon or box, the percussion instrument that is the city's contribution to the world.
Instead, the only wood that is on their minds is that of the coffins they need to bury some 80 neighbours who died in Wednesday's 8.0 magnitude earthquake, which took more than 400 lives across Peru.
Leading editor shot at in Sri Lanka
By IANS,
Colombo : The chief editor of a leading Sri Lankan weekly, Sunday Leader, was shot and wounded by gunmen Thursday on the outskirts of Colombo, military sources said.
The sources said Lasatha Wickramatunga had been admitted to the Kalubowila National Hospital here with gunshot injuries.
Honduran president’s ouster illegal, says Obama
By EFE,
Washington : US President Barack Obama has said the expulsion of the Honduran president by the country's armed forces was illegal and reminiscent of Central America's "dark past".
Speaking to reporters alongside visiting Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, Obama repeated his condemnation of Sunday's events in Honduras, where the army ousted President Mel Zelaya and forced him into exile in Costa Rica.
Up to 87 percent migrants could stay in US: Study
Washington: Up to 87 percent of undocumented immigrants would be able to remain in the US if the executive action measures on immigration taken...
Obama, McCain hold first meeting since election
By DPA,
Washington : US president-elect Barack Obama and his former opponent, Senator John McCain, met Monday for the first time since the election, pledging to work together to meet the country's challenges.
Obama hosted McCain at his transition team headquarters in Chicago to have a "good conversation about how we can work together to fix up the country", the president-elect said.
Obama soundly defeated McCain Nov 4. McCain telephoned Obama to concede that night, but the two had not met since. McCain will continue to represent his home state of Arizona in the Senate.
US wants India to be full NSG partner: official
By IANS,
New Delhi : The US wants to make India a "full partner" in the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) after helping it secure a waiver from the nuclear cartel, according to a senior US official.
The US will continue to strive to "make India a full partner in this group (NSG) which we think is crucial... from a strategic, political, economic and energy standpoint", David Bohigian, assistant secretary (market access and compliance) of the Department of Commerce, told reporters here Monday.
Chinese president hopes for Pakistan’s stability, development
Beijing:China sincerely hopes that Pakistan will achieve stability and development, President Xi Jinping said Wednesday as he met with Pakistan's Senate Chairman Syed Nayyar...
Two teenagers killed in Colombian `military error’
By EFE,
Bogota : Two Colombian teenagers died after soldiers opened fire at them in the northwestern province of Antioquia, in what the soldiers' commanding officer called a "military error".
The commander of the army's 5th Brigade, Gen. Jairo Aponte, told reporters that the incident occurred Saturday night in the town of Yondo.
Aponte said that the teenagers, aged 13 and 15, who were riding a motorcycle, were hit by rifle shots fired by the soldiers, but denied that the latter were under the influence of alcohol.
Indian Navy warship reaches US for RIMPAC exercise
New Delhi: INS Sahyadri, an indigenously-built guided missile stealth frigate, Tuesday reached the Pearl Harbour naval base in US for Indian Navy's first participation...
Two killed in Nepal bombing
By DPA,
Kathmandu : At least two people were killed and more than a dozen injured when a powerful explosion ripped through a bus stop in Nepal's restive southern plains, media reports said Sunday.
The blast happened as people were waiting for a bus in the town of Nijgarh in Rautahat district, about 120 km south-east of capital Kathmandu late Saturday evening, Kantipur daily newspaper said.
"Two people died of their wounds while being rushed to a hospital while at least 13 people including four children were wounded by the blast," the newspaper said.
Chandrayaan in final lunar orbit
By IANS,
Bangalore : India's first unmanned lunar mission Chandrayaan-1 was placed in its final orbit of 100 km from the lunar surface, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) announced here Wednesday evening.
EU targets worldwide emissions limits on ships, airlines
By DPA,
Luxembourg : World shipping companies and airlines should be forced to cut their greenhouse-gas emissions by between 10 and 20 percent by 2020, European Union environment ministers agreed Wednesday.
United Nations talks in Copenhagen in December should demand that airlines cut emissions to 10 percent below 2005 levels by 2020 and that shipping companies cut by 20 percent, ministers agreed at a meeting in Luxembourg, according to EU diplomats.
Lessons to learn from Sino-Indian border management: Chinese daily
Beijing : The lessons learnt from China-India land border dispute management can help settle the maritime dispute between China and Japan and the disputes...
More people now want to be astronauts: NASA
By IANS/EFE,
Washington : NASA has received 6,372 applications for its 2013 class of astronauts, double the usual number, the US space agency said.
Tornado kills nine in China
Wenzhou (China), Aug 19 (Xinhua) Nine people were killed and 62 injured as a tornado hit east China's Zhejiang province, reports said Sunday.
A gale belt of 800-meter broad and eight-km-long swept through the Longgang township, Cangnan county of Wenzhou city at about 11.30 p.m. Saturday from the sea, the meteorological bureau said.
The victims, three men and six women, aged between 30 to 75, were killed in house collapses. The tornado toppled down 156 houses.
Eight of the injured were described as "in serious condition".
Tension at Pashupatinath, Nepal Maoists deny role in attack
By IANS,
Kathmandu : As an outcry rose in both Nepal and India over the attack on two Indian priests at the Pashupatinath temple here, the opposition Maoist party that was being blamed for the violence, Saturday distanced itself from the issue, saying interference in religious matters was against its policy.
US House seeks larger US-India-Israel national security cooperation
By Arun Kumar
Washington: The US House of Representatives has passed a bipartisan amendment to the FY2016 Intelligence Authorization Act calling for expansion of US-India-Israel...
Ghana’s President briefed by NEPAD CEO
By NNN-GNA,
Accra : Ghanaian President John Agyekum Kufuor met with the Chief Executive Officer of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), Professor Firmino Mucavele, here Monday.
The meeting was to update Kufour, who is also the current African Union (AU) Chairman, on concrete activities planned to attract investment for growth of the region in the areas of agricultural infrastructure, health, education and gender at the upcoming meeting of the African Partnership Forum and the Group of Eight Industrialized Nations (G-8) to be held in Berlin, Germany.
US economy better than expected: Biden
By IANS,
Berlin: The current economic situation in the US "was in good shape", Vice President Joe Biden said here Friday.
Journalist among two killed in Thailand
By DPA,
Pattani (Thailand) : A bomb killed two people, including a journalist, and injured 30 in a Thai-Malaysian border town in the latest act of violence in Thailand's Muslim majority deep south, police said Friday.
The bomb was detonated about 9 p.m. Thursday in Sungai Kolok, 850 km south of Bangkok, after Thai journalists and police had gathered at the scene of an earlier, smaller roadside explosion.
Australian found guilty of killing three Indian siblings
By IANS,
Melbourne: A 42-year-old Australian faces up to 45 years in jail after a jury Tuesday found him guilty of murdering three siblings of an Indian-origin family in Brisbane in 2003.
Pro-Tibet speech called off after Beijing complains
By DPA,
Hong Kong : A speech in Hong Kong by a campaigner for Tibetan self-determination was postponed after Beijing officials complained about the event, organisers said Wednesday.
Kate Saunders, communications director of the Washington-based International Campaign for Tibet, was scheduled to speak at Hong Kong's Foreign Correspondents Club Tuesday.
Officials from China's Foreign Ministry in Hong Kong contacted the club to let them know they were "unhappy" about the speech, the South China Morning Post reported.
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.
57 mn more men than women worldwide: Report
By IANS,
United Nations : There are 57 million more men than women globally, the UN said in a report to mark the World Statistics Day.
Nigerian president visits blast scene, condemns attack
Abuja : Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan Friday visited scene of the June 25 shopping mall explosion that claimed at least 21 lives here and...
Large fire breaks out in east London
By Xinhua
London : A huge plume of black smoke was seen rising over east London Monday noon and reports said a large fire broke out in the Stratford area.
The fire scene is close to a bus depot at Waterden Road, near the 2012 Olympic site, the Sky Television reported.
The fire brigade said that eight fire engines and 40 fire fighters had been sent to the scene. The fire brigade reported no casualties.
The Scotland Yard said that it did not believe the incident was terror-related.
Fresh attack in Thai South injures soldier after cease-fire claimed
By Xinhua,
Bangkok : Insurgents in Thailand's southernmost province of Yala launched a fresh attack against soldiers on Thursday afternoon, just hours after some so-called insurgency leaders issued a cease-fire announcement through Thai army-controlled TV 5.
One soldier of an army patrol team was severely injured during the gun attack in Yala province, a military source told Xinhua.
‘BBC controlled by white cultural elite’
By Dipankar De Sarkar, IANS,
London : A senior Indian-origin director at the BBC has accused the corporation of packing the television screen with black and Asian faces while reserving positions of “real power” for a white cultural elite.`
Street violence erupts in Nepal amid public anger over strike
By IRNA,
New Delhi : Street violence erupted in the Nepalese capital and outlying districts Thursday as public anger grew over an indefinite strike by the Maoists that has shut down the country for the past five days, with residents clashing with the former rebels.
Two people were reported killed as locals defying the Maoists cadres attempted to open their commercial establishments, attend offices and send their children to schools, triggering clashes with the former rebels in which cars were torched and building damaged.
Latest round of Iran n-talks ends in Switzerland
Geneva: Iran and the US have wrapped up the latest round of marathon talks in Switzerland to ink a comprehensive nuclear deal before the...
Caribbean swept by hurricane Ike, Florida on alert
By DPA,
Washington : Residents of the Caribbean Turks and Caicos islands began surveying damage Sunday following the devastating impact of Hurricane Ike, as the "extremely dangerous" category 4 storm continued on its path toward the Bahamas and Florida Keys.
At 8 a.m. (1300 GMT) Ike had winds of over 215 km per hour, just east of Grand Inagua in the Bahamas.
Residents of Turks and Caicos islands said Sunday that the worst there had passed, but the damage looked "pretty huge".
70 percent Indians are Pakistanis, says sarcastic Kapil Mishra
New Delhi: Seventy percent Indians who had not voted for the BJP are Pakistanis, Delhi Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra on Thursday said in a...
287,000 commit suicide in China each year
By IANS,
Beijing : Around 287,000 people commit suicide each year in China, official statistics show.
Russia destroys 20 ballistic missiles in 2008 under START treaty
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Russia has destroyed and sent for scrap about 20 intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) and 12 mobile missile launchers since the start of 2008, the Strategic Missile Forces (SMF) said on Monday.
"Since January 2008, the SMF have destroyed and sent for scrap about 20 ICBMs whose service life has expired," the SMF said in a statement, adding the missiles were scrapped as part of the START-1 treaty, set to expire on December 6, 2009.
‘US-China cooperation needed to fight recession’
By DPA,
Washington : Strong cooperation and growth in the United States and China is crucial to the global economy as it hopes to remain out of recession, US Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson has said ahead of a cabinet-level meeting of the two countries.
Paulson will lead a high-level US delegation to Beijing this week to discuss a range of economic issues, including the ongoing financial crisis that has plunged the United States into recession and brought China down from the double-digit growth rates of past years.
Cleanup drive launched in Bangkok, curfew extended
By DPA,
Bangkok : Bangkok authorities Sunday launched a massive cleanup of the central district, left smoldering and filthy after the departing rampage of protesters who occupied it for five weeks.
The Bangkok Metropolitan Authority (BMA) mobilised about 3,000 city workers and volunteers to sweep clean streets most affected. Soldiers dispersed the protesters Wednesday.
The crackdown incensed hardcore protesters, who went on a looting and arson rampage in the heart of the city, torching 36 buildings. Some of the fires were still smoldering Saturday.
Doctor who killed 8 kids executed in China
By IANS,
Beijing : A mentally-unstable doctor who stabbed eight schoolchildren to death was executed Wednesday in China's Fujian province, a media report said.
Zheng Minsheng, 41, who murdered the eight children March 23 at the gate of the Nanping Experimental Elementary School, had admitted in court that he "intentionally" killed them.
He was put in front of the firing squad Wednesday, Xinhua reported.
Zheng had asked the court April 8 to pay more attention to what prompted him to commit the crime, rather than to the crime itself.
Driver arrested for molesting French tourist
By IANS,
Jaipur: A 30-year-old taxi driver was arrested Tuesday for allegedly molesting a French tourist in Rajasthan's Jhunjhunu district, police said.
Nepal foreign minister to visit India Thursday
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : Even as Nepal's first Maoist Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal "Prachanda" sparked a controversy by making China his first international destination, a fresh ripple is expected with Foreign Affairs Minister Upendra Yadav heading for India Thursday.
Yadav, chief of the debutant Terai party Madhesi Janadhikar Forum, will go to New Delhi on a four-day visit.
However, his trip is not at the invitation of the Indian government. Yadav will attend the gathering of peers from regional bloc BIMSTEC to be held in New Delhi.
Thousands leave refugee camps in Sri Lanka
By DPA,
Colombo : Thousands of refugees from the civil war in Sri Lanka Tuesday began leaving refugee camps six months after the government opened the camps, an official overseeing the refugees said.
Major General G.A. Chandrasiri said as many as 9,300 people left the camps the first day.
About 300,000 people were displaced in the final phase of the military offensive against the Tamil rebels in the northern part of the country. Since the war ended May 18, they have been living in camps guarded by the military.
French foreign minister to visit Georgia
By DPA,
Paris : French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner will travel to Georgia Sunday in a bid to halt the fighting in South Ossetia as part of his country's role heading the European Union (EU) presidency.
Kouchner will be accompanied by Finnish Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb, who head the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the EU presidency said in a statement Saturday.
Delegations from the US, EU and OSCE were on the way to Tiblisi to discuss the fighting between Georgia and Russia.
Thousands evacuated after storm Halong hits Philippines
By Xinhua,
Manila : Thousands of people were evacuated in the Philippines after tropical storm Halong hit the country's northern province of Pangasinan, ABS-CBN News channel reported Sunday.
At least one person was killed in the storm Saturday. Many houses were destroyed as heavy downpour and strong winds continued to wreak havoc in the province, the report said.
The storm changed its path Saturday and hit the Pangasinan province instead of the Ilocos Sur, as previously forecast.
Nepal minister, three MPs resign over Terai turmoil
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS
Kathmandu : While Nepal's government is arguing with the Maoists over the fate of King Gyanendra and the election, a new crisis has developed with a minister and three parliamentarians resigning Monday to protest the state's apathy towards the turbulence in the Terai region.
Science, Environment and Technology Minister Mahanta Thakur, who belonged to Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala's ruling Nepali Congress, announced his resignation both from his post and the party.
Post-quake rebuilding will take three years: China
By Xinhua,
Beijing : Reconstruction work after the devastating May 12 earthquake in southwestern China will take three years, a Chinese official said Friday.
Li Chengyun, vice governor of quake-hit Sichuan province, told reporters here that the provincial government planned to build new villages, townships and cities in the quake-ravaged province in three years.
Australia launches campaign to ensure arrival of Indian students
By Paritosh Parasher, IANS,
Melbourne : With global recession biting hard, Australia has launched a multi-million-dollar campaign to ensure that Indian students continue to come here for higher studies, as they have been doing in large numbers in recent years.
An estimated 95,000 Indian students joined Australian institutions of higher education in the first 11 months of 2008. Indians form the second highest population of overseas students in Australia, after the Chinese.
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