Eleven Congresspersons urge President Obama to discuss protection of religious minorities Modi
Increase in violence against Christians and Muslims cited as concern, while Congressional panel holds a briefing on 1984 anti-Sikh pogrom.
By TCN News,
Washington DC: Eleven Congresspersons have written a joint letter, urging US President Barack Obama to discuss protection of religious minorities with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his meeting with Prime Minister Modi on Monday, September 28.
France calls Greek proposal ‘serious and credible’
Paris : French President Francois Hollande voiced his optimism for the Eurogroup to reach an agreement over Greece's bailout based on the economic program...
Houston leads US list in number of burglaries
By IANS,
Washington: Houston, the fourth-largest city in the US, has topped a list of places that saw the maximum number of burglaries in the country, Xinhua reported.
Russia-Japan Strategic Dialogue To Focus On Asia Security
By Bernama
Tokyo : Issues related to ensuring security in the Asia-Pacific region will be discussed at a regular round of the Russian-Japanese dialogue, which will be held in Tokyo on April 7.
The Japanese Foreign Ministry said that Russian First Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Denisov will arrive to take part in the meeting, Itar-Tass news agency reported Wednesday.
He will hold consultations with his Japanese colleague Mitoji Yabunaka.
One in eight Australians live in poverty: report
By IANS,
Canberra: More than 2.2 million Australians, or one in eight people, are living below the internationally accepted poverty line, a report said Sunday.
Tajikistan facing blackout, UN warns of humanitarian crisis
By IRNA
Dushanbe : The lights have gone out in most of Tajikistan, the country is facing an energy crisis in the midst of the coldest winter in more than 25 years.
With millions of people left without electricity, heat or running water, aid organizations are warning of a growing humanitarian crisis.
IRNA reporter in Dushanbe said that for the past 15 days, there has been no heat, electricity or running water in the freezing maternity ward of a small country hospital in the Tajik capital, Dushanbe.
Terror plot ring leader in Canada goes on trial
By IANS,
Toronto : The ring leader of a terror plot, which could have been Canada's 9/11, has gone on trial here along with two accomplices.
The plot was unearthed in June 2006 with the arrest of 18 Muslim men from Toronto area.
The plotters had planned to storm and blow up Canada's parliament in Ottawa, take leaders hostage and behead the prime minister.
They had also planned to drive explosive-laden trucks into the offices of the Canadian spy agency, the Toronto Stock Exchange and a military base here.
China seeks equal treatment in Australia
By IANS,
Beijing : China has urged the Australian government "to remove blinkers" toward investors from China and stop foiling the ordinary business plans of Chinese enterprises.
Ukrainian gas firm uses Hitler’s image to warn non-payers
By RIA Novosti
Donetsk (Ukraine) : A utility company in Donetsk in eastern Ukraine is using the image of Adolf Hitler on billboards to remind defaulters of their gas bills.
The advertising slogan "Those who don't pay for their heating will be punished!" together with the wacky image of the Nazi leader impaled on the bayonet of a Soviet soldier is being used to encourage people to clear their debts.
17 Tamil rebels killed in Sri Lanka
By Xinhua
Colombo : 17 Tamil rebels were killed in a series of gun battles with government soldiers in Sri Lanka's north, the military said Saturday.
Fighting occurred along the front lines in northern Vavuniya district, throughout Friday, leaving 13 Tamil Tigers dead, said a defense ministry official.
Separate clashes in nearby Mannar district killed four insurgents and one soldier, the official said.
Tributes pour in for APJ Kalam
By TCN News,
Various organisations – Indian and of NRIs – have offered glorifying tributes to former Indian President APJ Abdul Kalam, who died at...
Myanmar parliament selects ex-general as president
By DPA,
Yangon : Myanmar's parliament Friday elected former army general Thein Sein as the country's president, giving him the power to select a cabinet and head a powerful new security council.
Bush discusses Georgia with new Russian president
By DPA,
Washington : US President George W. Bush spoke with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev Monday about Moscow's role in the tension over Georgia's separatist regions, the White House said.
"President Bush raised his concerns about the situation in Georgia and hoped that all sides were working to reduce tensions," spokeswoman Dana Perino said, without providing details of the telephone conversation.
Japan’s premier-designate wants constructive ties with US
By DPA,
Tokyo : The politician slated to be Japan's next prime minister vowed Thursday in a telephone call with US President Barack Obama to maintain his country's close ties with its US ally and pledged cooperation with Washington to improve the economy.
The state of US-Japanese ties has been a concern in the US capital with the landslide win of Yukio Hatoyama's Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) in Sunday's parliamentary elections. The vote ended more than 50 years of nearly uninterrupted rule by the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).
China factory blast toll rises to 19
By IANS,
Beijing : The toll in Wednesday's explosion at a factory in China's Hebei province has risen to 19, an official said Thursday.
Five bodies were retrieved Thursday morning from the debris caused by the explosion.
As many as 107 people were working in the No. 4 workshop of Qinghuangdao Lihua Starch Co. Ltd when the explosion took place Wednesday evening, Xinhua news agency reported.
The company is located in Funing, Qinhuangdao city.
Thai king endorses Samak as new prime minister
By Xinhua
Bangkok : Thai king Bhumibol Adulyadej endorsed Samak Sundaravej, leader of People Power Party (PPP), as the country's new prime minister, PPP spokesman Kudep Saikrachang said Tuesday.
The royal endorsement came after the House of Representatives (lower house of parliament) elected the former Bangkok governor by 310 to 163 votes Monday to lead the new government.
Kudep said that party members would congratulate Samak at his residence Tuesday afternoon.
Norway’s action against Russian trawler fair
By IRNA-Itar-Tass
Murmansk : The Norwegian police took fair action against the Russian fishing boat The Nemansky, arrested on January 5 for abusing international fishing rules, the chairman of Russia's state committee for fisheries Goskomrybolovstvo, Andrei Krainiy, said on Friday.
The fishing boat had no right to fish or to go out to the sea, because it was suspended back in April 2006, the fisheries committee chief said.
The ship is absent from the Russian and international registers.
General Assembly approves nearly $4.2 billion UN budget
UNITED NATIONS,(APP): Capping off days of intensive negotiations, the General Assembly has adopted a two-year budget of $4.17 billion for the United Nations, with the United States casting the lone negative vote.
Japan’s oldest person dies at age 113
By SPA
Tokyo : Kaku Yamanaka, Japan's oldest person, has died of old age in central Japan, officials said Saturday.
She was 113.
Yamanaka died at a hospital where she was taken early Saturday from her nursing home in Yatomi City in Aichi prefecture (state) after falling ill, an official at her nursing home said on condition of anonymity, citing policy.
Being African author comes with baggage: Nigeria’s Chimamanda Adichie
By Mohita Nagpal, IANS,
Personal artefacts of Sikh saint-soldier on display in Singapore
Singapore : A two-day exhibition was put up at a gurdwara in Singapore on Saturday to display the artefacts belonging to a Sikh...
Russian troops begin dismantling posts in Georgia
By Xinhua,
Moscow : Russian troops started dismantling posts in the buffer zone around South Ossetia and Abkhazia to meet the Friday deadline for withdrawal from Georgia's territory, Itar-Tass news agency reported Sunday.
"Indeed, we started withdrawing material property and dismantling defence barriers at peacekeeping observer posts, put up on the southern border in the security zone, adjoining South Ossetia," Igor Konashenkov, the assistant to the commander-in-chief of the land troops, was quoted as saying.
Mosques in Britain opt for ‘open days’ to explain faith
London: Over 90 mosques across Britain are opening their doors to visitors to allow Muslims to "explain their faith beyond the hostile headlines".
The...
German peace prize awarded to Israeli author
By DPA,
Frankfurt : Israeli author David Grossman was chosen for one of Europe's most prestigious annual culture prizes on Thursday, the German Book Trade Peace Prize.
The 56-year-old writer and journalist is to be awarded the 25,000-euro ($30,000) prize for his efforts at Israeli and Palestinian reconciliation, the award panel said.
"In his novels, essays and reports he tries to understand and describe not only his own position, but also that of those who think otherwise," the panel said of Grossman.
France’s sovereign wealth fund to boost economic security
By Xinhua,
Paris : France's plan to create a sovereign wealth fund is a part of the country's efforts to guarantee its economic security in the current world financial crisis.
The fund, announced by French President Nicolas Sarkozy last week, is designed to protect the strategically important French enterprises threatened by the global credit crunch and prevent those companies from foreign takeover, the latest manifestation of economic patriotism of the country.
Thai police order airport protesters to disperse
By SPA,
Bangkok : Thai police on Sunday again ordered anti-government protesters who have laid siege to the city's airports to disperse, banning gatherings of more than five people and warning offenders would be jailed or fined.
Hours after a grenade blast wounded more than 50 protesters, and ahead of a big rally in the Thai capital planned by government supporters, the five-point statement did not say how police intended to enforce the emergency rules, Reuters reported.
Obama’s day and Martin Luther King’s day
MOSCOW. (RIA Novosti political commentator Dmitry Kosyrev) - Such coincidences are not accidental. Nobody aligned Martin Luther King Jr. Day on January 19 with the first Black American President's inauguration on January 20. King symbolized the struggle for Black America's civil rights.
Cambodia sets sights on nuclear power
By Xinhua,
Phnom Penh : Government officials said that Cambodia may develop its first nuclear power plant as early as 2020, national media reported Monday.
With hydropower and coal capacity expected to peak in the next decade, the government says nuclear energy is the best option for the country, according to the Phnom Penh Post.
"Cambodia has a long way to go before meeting electricity demand. After 10 years, we will not have enough hydropower capacity," Sat Samy, a secretary of state for the Ministry of Industry, Mines and Energy, was quoted as saying.
After firing of rockets, Israeli war jets strike Gaza
Gaza: Israeli war jets early Thursday struck with air-to-ground missiles at military facilities in the Gaza Strip in response to earlier rockets fired from...
Hope dashed, kin of Philippine ferry victims look to decent burial
By Xu Lingui, Xinhua,
Manila : Sitting beside her husband in a park in the United States, with their new-born baby sleeping in her arms, Filipina Maria Risma beamed broadly at the camera.
But Jose Bina, Risma's 60-year-old mother, seems to have sensed that her daughter's smile might be frozen in that photo forever.
"I want to see them. I want to see my family, even if they are dead," said a tearful Bina, holding the family photo while sitting in a crowded waiting room at the Manila north harbor.
White stuff on Mars is ice: NASA
By DPA,
Washington : The white material on Mars uncovered by the robotic arm of the Phoenix probe is ice, scientists at the US space agency NASA have said.
"We have found proof that this hard bright material is really water ice and not some other substance," Peter Smith of the University of Arizona said in a transcript of a press briefing released late Friday.
China to create 400,000 jobs for ethnic minorities
By IANS,
Beijing : China will create 400,000 jobs this year for ethnic minorities in the country's western Xinjiang Uyghur region, the government said Thursday.
Moscow expects Tbilisi to pave way for better relations
By RIA Novosti
Tbilisi : Russia seeks to improve relations with Georgia, and wants similar signals from its former Soviet ally, Russian Ambassador to Georgia Vyacheslav Kovelenko said on Wednesday.
Mikheil Saakashvili, whose victory with 52.21% of the vote in Saturday's polls was confirmed by the country's Central Election Commission on Wednesday, said earlier he would attempt to improve relations with Russia if reelected.
Winter storm leaves thousands without electricity in France
By DPA,
Paris : Nearly 700,000 households remained without electricity in south-western France following the weekend's winter storm which killed at least nine people, French media reported Monday.
In addition, many of the stricken homes were also deprived of drinking water because the pumps were powered by electricity.
The head of the utility EDF, Pierre Gadonneix, said electric current would be restored to 90 percent of the households within a week.
EU hails Constituent Assembly extension in Nepal
By IANS,
Kathmandu : The European Union (EU), including a parliamentary delegation on a visit to Nepal, has welcomed the accord between major political parties of the country to extend the tenure of the Constituent Assembly for one more year.
EU member countries including Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Netherlands and Britain have emphasized "the urgent need for the parties to work together, in the interest of the people of this country, in a spirit of consensus and do whatever it takes to implement the Comprehensive Peace Accord", EuAsiaNews reported Sunday.
Cuba slashes purchases from US in 2009 by 37 percent
By EFE,
Havana : Cuban purchases from US companies will total some $580 million by the end of 2009, down 37 percent from last year, the head of the state corporation Alimport said.
"This will be the first year that they (purchases from the US) will decline both in volume and in value, and if current conditions continue, it will be very difficult to keep increasing the volume of business," Igor Montero said Monday at the inauguration of the 27th International Trade Fair in Havana.
Children ‘disappeared’ from hospitals in Haiti: UN
By DPA,
Geneva: Some 15 children have "disappeared" from hospitals in Haiti since a devastating earthquake struck the country last week, a United Nations spokesman said.
According to Jean Luc Legrand, with Unicef, the UN's Children Fund, approximately 15 children had been taken out of hospitals "and not with their families."
Speaking with reporters in Geneva, he said the information was based on "anecdotal evidence."
Contacted by DPA for further information, UNICEF's office in Geneva was unable to comment.
Australia to boost diplomatic presence in China
By IANS,
Canberra : Australia will boost its diplomatic presence in China, a senior official said Thursday.
Murdoch says he’s humbled by MPs’ probe
By IANS,
London: Media mogul Rupert Murdoch Tuesday said his appearance before MPs to answer questions over phone-hacking episode was the "most humble day of his life".
Second Icelandic bank taken over
By DPA,
Reykjavik/Stockholm : The shake-up of the Icelandic banking sector continued Wednesday as the Icelandic Financial Supervisory Authority (IFSA) took control of a second bank.
The take over of Glitnir came after the Icelandic government, backed by opposition parties, late Monday adopted an "emergency law" to reorganize its financial system which has been severely battered.
The agency said Glitnir's domestic deposits were "fully guaranteed" and operations were to remain open for business as usual.
US-Venezuela Links Worsening
By Prensa Latina,
Caracas : Relations between the US and Venezuela are going downhill Friday, after denunciations of Washington's interference to try to overthrow the constitutional governments of Bolivia and Venezuela.
After an anti-Venezuela plot was disclosed, President Hugo Chavez yesterday gave US ambassador Patrick Duddy 72 hours to leave the country.
Chavez also ordered the return of ambassador in the US Bernardo Alvarez, and accused that country of being behind the coup and assassination plots disclosed on September 10.
Beijing to launch new airport by 2018
By IANS,
Beijing : Construction of a new airport in the Chinese capital will start next year, and the facility is expected to be completed and put to use in 2018, officials said Wednesday.
German chancellor to meet with Lebanese PM in Berlin
By IRNA
Berlin : German Chancellor Angela Merkel will hold talks with Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora in Berlin on Friday, government spokesman Ulrich Wilhelm told the press here Wednesday.
The meeting will dwell on the present situation in Lebanon and the region, the Merkel spokesperson added.
Germany and several major western countries, among them the US France and Britain, are openly backing the Siniora government.
This is Siniora's third visit to Germany since Merkel became chancellor in November 2005.
Putin visions new development plans for Russia
By Xinhua
Moscow : Russian President Vladimir Putin outlined a series of new development strategies for the country at a State Council session here on Friday.
The president, who will step down after eight years in office following the March 2 presidential elections, said that Russia has so far failed to get rid of an 'inert' dependence on natural resources, the RIA news agency reported.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said here Friday that the world is facing a new arms race, RIA news agency reported.
Terrorists massacre 12 in Paris to avenge cartoon
Paris : Two masked gunmen suspected to be Islamists Wednesday massacred 12 people after storming a French satirical magazine's office here, killing among others...
Electric shocks soften up cancer cells for treatment
By IANS,
London: A device that 'softens up' tumours with electric shocks before chemotherapy could transform cancer treatment.
Two arrested for high-flying Bangkok airport protest
By DPA,
Bangkok : Thai police arrested two people living near Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi airport for allegedly releasing fire-lanterns into the night sky to protest against aircraft noise, media reports said Thursday.
After 10 "yipengs", or fire-powered traditional lanterns, were spotted floating in the sky south of the airport Tuesday night, the police were dispatched to the Bangkwang Lang Housing estate - one of the communities seeking compensation from the airport for noise pollution - to round up some suspects, reported the Bangkok Post.
UN Social Development Board in Session
By Prensa Latina
United Nations : UN Undersecretary General Asha-Rose Migiro inaugurated the 46th session of the UN Social Development Commission on Wednesday, devoted this time to discuss the world situation of employment and decent work.
Highlighting the responsibility of this body, Migiro, who is Tanzania's former foreign minister, said that if development is the cornerstone of the United Nations, "you are the foundations of this column."
United Nations : UN Undersecretary General Asha-Rose Migiro inaugurated the 46th session of the UN Social Development Commission on Wednesday, devoted this time to discuss the world situation of employment and decent work.
Highlighting the responsibility of this body, Migiro, who is Tanzania's former foreign minister, said that if development is the cornerstone of the United Nations, "you are the foundations of this column."
Raul Castro suggests liberalisation as Fidel hints at retirement
By DPA
Havana : Cuba's interim leader Raul Castro has suggested that economic changes - though within a socialist system - could be on the way, while his brother and long-time leader Fidel has again hinted that he may soon leave office for good.
In a final session Friday of Cuba's National Assembly before re-elections in January, Raul Castro said that "excessive" government intervention and prohibitions had led to some difficulties that would have to be overcome.
21 killed in LTTE suicide blast in Sri Lanka
By IANS,
Colombo : At least 21 people were killed in a suicide bomb blast by the Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka's north-central town of Anuradhapura, defence officials said.
Maj. Gen (Retired) Janaka Perera, who is a member of the main opposition United National Party (UNP), his wife and another opposition member were among those killed in the blast.
According to officials, the explosion was a suicide attack by the Liberation Tigers of Talim Eelam (LTTE) rebels.
Lifting missing fingerprints from human skin
By IANS,
Washington : In the battle against crime, forensic experts have enlisted a tool that would lift missing fingerprints from the human skin and help nab the killer!
The portable system, being developed by ChemImage and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), would enable investigators at crime scenes to detect latent prints on the human skin, ScienceDaily reported.
The system relies on surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS)-based agents to visualise latent prints. A team led by Linda Lewis of ORNL is working to identify fingerprint components that are SERS active.
German state legislator backs Sharia law introduction in Bavaria
By IRNA,
Berlin : A liberal lawmaker from the south German state of Bavaria has supported the introduction of the Sharia law in his conservative home state, the daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper reported Thursday.
Georg Barfuss of the Free Democratic Party (FDP) said the Sharia should be allowed if there areas which are "compatible with the constitution."
The MP, who is also the integration commissioner in Bavaria, added that key elements of Muslim life like prayers, fasting and the pilgrimage to Mecca should be officially recognized in Bavaria.
Bush Endorses McCain as Presidential Candidate
By SPA
Washington : U.S. President George W. Bush on Wednesday formally endorsed the now-Republican presidential candidate Senator John McCain (from Arizona).
McCain, who secured his party’s nomination last night after victory in all of the Tuesday 5 primaries, received the first endorsement from Bush during a press conference in the Rose Garden of the White House.
Though White House press secretary Dana Perino said that arguably “there are differences [in policy choices] between Bush and McCain, the two politicians have “many things… [they] agree on.”
Obama warns of ‘trillion-dollar deficits for years to come’
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : President-elect Barack Obama has warned Americans about the unparalleled prospect of "trillion-dollar deficits for years to come", saying the exploding budget gap underscores the need for long-term reform of US finances.
"We're already looking at a $1 trillion budget deficit or close to a $1 trillion budget deficit, and potentially we've got $1 trillion deficits for years to come," Obama told reporters Tuesday after a meeting with his economic and budget team.
Nepal parties agree over November elections
By IANS
Kathmandu : After being flayed for delaying the crucial election that is regarded as the key to peace and stability to Nepal, the ruling eight parties announced Thursday that the stalled polls would be held in end-November.
Kyrgyzstan parliament mulls U.S. base closure bill
By Xinhua,
ALMATY : The Kyrgyzstan parliamentary committees met Monday to discuss the bill of closing the U.S. air base at Manas, which the Kyrgyz government submitted on Feb. 4, Interfax news reported.
The discussion on the base closure bill was added to the committee's agenda on Monday, said the information department of the parliament, adding that it tops the agenda of the meeting of the parliamentary committees of defense, security, and reform on legal and judicial systems.
‘Chances of finding black boxes from Malaysian jet slim’
Sydney : Chances of finding the black boxes containing data that would presumably clear up the mystery of flight MH370 are dropping with every...
Thai PM says he accepts court ban on him, his party
By Xinhua,
Bangkok : Thailand's Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat said Tuesday he accepted the ruling by the constitutional court banning him from politics for five years and dissolving his party for electoral fraud.
Somchai reacted calmly to the verdict by saying: "I did my best to administer the country."
Thailand's Constitution Court Tuesday ruled the three constituents of the ruling coalition -- People Power Party (PPP), Chart Thai Party and Matchima Thipataya Party guilty of electoral fraud and ordered them to be dissolved.
Australian firefighter’s anguish at leaving town to its fate
By DPA,
Sydney : Australian firefighter John Munday told of his heartache at saving the lives of his crew but leaving others to their deaths in fire-ravaged Marysville.
"We had people banging on the sides of our tanker begging us to go back to houses where they knew people were trapped," Munday told The Australian newspaper Wednesday. "But we couldn't because if we had, we'd all be dead too."
Only a dozen buildings remain standing in Marysville, formerly a picture-perfect mountain resort 100 km north of Melbourne that was home to around 500.
Poland votes in close presidential run-off
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Warsaw : Poles will choose Sunday a new president with the twin brother of the late Polish president and the interim head of state facing each other in a tight vote.
A total of 25,774 polling stations, including 263 abroad and five on Polish-flagged ships, have opened Sunday. The turnout forecast is some 54 percent.
Russia sends 25 tonnes of aid for Syrian refugees
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Beirut: A Russian emergencies ministry plane carrying 26.7 tonnes of humanitarian aid for Syrian refugees in Lebanon has reached Beirut.
UN chief greets Obama
By IANS,
United Nations: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Wednesday congratulated US President Barack Obama on his re-election.
Kesha posts nude snap on Twitter
By IANS,
Los Angeles: Singer Kesha posted a nude photograph of herself on micro-blogging site Twitter, leaving her online fans stunned.
35-mn-year-old fossil raises questions on primates’ origin
By DPA,
Bangkok : A 35-million-year-old primate fossil found in southern Thailand has added to evidence that primates, which include humans, might have originated in Asia rather than Africa, Thai media reports said Thursday.
Adisak Thiongkhaimuk, the director general of Thailand's Mineral Resources Department, confirmed Wednesday that fossils of a primate's right jaw found in an abandoned coal mine in Krabi province belonged to a gibbon-like primate that roamed the earth about 35 million years ago, The Nation newspaper reported.
Armenia and Azerbaijan make conflicting casualty claims in Nagorno-Karabakh fighting
By SPA
Baku, Azerbaijan : Officials in Azerbaijan and Armenia made conflicting casualty claims Wednesday after clashes near the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, AP reported.
Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry accused the Armenian forces of starting the fighting Tuesday and said three of its servicemen had been killed and one wounded. Ministry spokesman Eldar Sabiroglu said 12 Armenian soldiers had been killed and another 15 were wounded during several hours of skirmishes.
Sabiroglu said that fighting ceased shortly after midnight.
Two killed in New York shooting
By IANS,
New York: Two people, including a gunman, were killed and many others wounded in a shooting near the Empire State Building in New...
Obama, Clinton linked genealogically?
By IANS
New York : The New England Historic Genealogical Society has actually linked US presidential hopefuls Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton through a common lineage.
Tmz.com reports that the society is the largest non-profit genealogical organisation in the US. They claim that Obama and actor Brad Pitt are actually ninth cousins and that Hillary Clinton is related to Pitt's partner Angelina Jolie. They are also reportedly ninth cousins.
Lankan war jets raid suspected LTTE targets
By IANS,
Colombo : Supersonic fighter jets of the Sri Lankan Air Force Friday bombed suspected Tamil Tiger targets in northern Wanni region, where advancing government troops are locked in fierce fighting with the rebels, defence officials here said.
Fighter jets conducted two air raids targeting a Sea Tiger training base and a mortar launching pad between 11.30 a.m. and 1 p.m. in the rebel-held Wanni region, said air force spokesperson Group Captain Janaka Nanayakkara.
Suspicious parcel found at US Embassy to the Vatican: Report
By DPA,
Rome : Italian police bomb experts were dispatched Wednesday to investigate a "suspicious package" found at the US Embassy to the Vatican in Rome, news reports said.
Clinton, Obama Back in the Ring
By Prensa Latina
Washington : Democrat pre-candidates to the White House Hillary Clinton and Barak Obama resumed their fight on Saturday in the primary elections that will be held in Louisiana, Washington and Nebraska.
National media is focused on this new battle between the two contenders, absent from the republican process, which shows a wide advantage of Senator John McCain, the party's possible candidate.
After Super Tuesday's elections tie, those of Saturday and Tuesday will be more relevant for the Dems.
South Korea, U.S. agree to maintain current U.S. troops
By Xinhua,
Seoul : South Korea's Defense Minister Lee Sang-hee and his U.S. counterpart Robert M. Gates agreed Tuesday to maintain the level of 28,500 American troops here, a senior defense official here said.
The meeting in Seoul followed a summit between South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and U.S. President George W. Bush in Aprilwhen the two heads of state agreed to freeze a drawdown of U.S. forces in Korea.
67 die in China earthquake
By IANS,
Beijing : At least 67 people were killed and many injured Wednesday after a 7.1-magnitude earthquake hit northwest China's Qinghai province, authorities said.
The quake struck the Yushu prefecture at 7.49 a.m. at a depth of about 33 km, the China Earthquake Networks Center reported.
At least three aftershocks have been reported.
More than 85 percent of the houses near the epicenter, Jiegu township, had collapsed, Zhuohuaxia, a publicity official with the Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Yushu, told Xinhua news agency.
US hopes BJP snooping row would not hurt India ties
By Arun Kumar ,
Washington: Amid a row over reports that the US National Security Agency was authorised to spy on Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)...
U.S. expert: short-term earthquake prediction “very difficult”
By Xinhua,
Washington : After last week's deadly earthquake in southwest China's Sichuan province, quake prediction has become an issue of intense public concern. However, accurate predictions in the short term are indeed "very difficult," said Lucile Jones, a seismologist at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS),in a recent interview with Xinhua.
When asked what factors affect the prediction of earthquakes, she said: "This depends on what you mean by predict."
36 dead in Vietnam bus accident
By IANS,
Hanoi : At least 36 people died in central Vietnam when their bus fell into a river after crashing through the banister of a bridge, Xinhua reported Friday.
US hands over Tareq Aziz, other Saddam regime members to Iraq
By IANS,
Baghdad: US forces handed over Iraq's former deputy premier Tareq Aziz and 54 other members of Saddam Hussein's inner circle to the Iraqi authorities, regional news network al-Arabiya reported Wednesday.
The report comes a day ahead of the scheduled transfer of Camp Cropper, the last US-run detention facility in the country where Aziz and the other prisoners were held, to the Iraqi authorities.
Aziz, the international face of the Saddam regime, had served as both foreign minister and deputy prime minister.
Honeymoon over as Brown retreats over election call
LONDON, Oct 7 (KUNA) -- The lengthy honeymoon period Gordon Brown enjoyed as UK Prime Minister has been well and truly terminated by his decision not to call a general election, commentators said Sunday.
The opposition parties were predictably quick to cry out that he had "bottled it" (retreated) but even his own MPs stuck in the knife once it was confirmed an election was definitely off the cards.
Many said they had never wanted a poll, but criticised the way that speculation had been allowed to build up in recent weeks and how the decision was ultimately announced.
Mainland, Taiwan organizations hold first talks in 9 years
By Xinhua,
Beijing : The chairmen of the Chinese mainland's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS) and the Taiwan-based Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) on Thursday convened their first talks in nine years.
ARATS chairman Chen Yunlin and SEF chairman Chiang Pin-kun started their talks at around 9 a.m. in Beijing. Established in early 1990s, both the ARATS and SEF are authorized non-governmental organizations engaged in talks on issues related to exchanges across the Taiwan Strait.
5.7 quake hits Timor sea region
By IANS,
Hong Kong : An earthquake of magnitude 5.7 on the Richter scale hit Indonesia's Timor sea region at around 0202 GMT Sunday, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said.
The epicentre of the quake was about 274 km southwest of Indonesia's Tanimbar Islands, at a depth of 56 km.
At least 27 dead as two car bombs explode in Algiers
By DPA
Paris/Algiers : At least 27 people were killed and 43 others injured when two car bombs exploded in the Algerian capital Algiers Tuesday, French television news channel BFM said, citing government sources.
One bomb was reported to have exploded near a bus carrying students in the vicinity of the Algerian Supreme Court, while the second explosion took place in a neighbouring residential district.
The bombs were detonated within 10 minutes of each other. Television pictures showed a large crater and a damaged high-rise building at one of the explosion sites.
Paris book fair opens in recess
By IRNA
Paris : Paris book fair opened on Friday amid extensive boycott by the Islamic states due to allocating the event to Israel.
The Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization urged nations to boycott Paris book fair, saying Israel should not be honored at a time of "siege" against the Palestinian people.
The Moroccan-based ISESCO said last month that it had urged the boycott to protest against Israel's actions against Palestinians.
Mistake during military show injures 16 in France
By DPA,
Paris : Sixteen people were injured when a soldier fired live ammunition instead of blanks during a demonstration of military techniques for use in hostage situations in France, the defence ministry said late Sunday.
The wounded included one soldier and 15 civilians in Paris in the incident at a military barracks in Carcassonne, France. Eleven of the injured had serious wounds, including a 3-year-old child and a second person in critical condition, local officials said.
Foreign policy expert stresses resolution of root causes behind world turmoil
WASHINGTON, Oct 8 (APP): Urging avoidance of confrontational policies, a foreign policy expert has underlined the need for a conciliatory approach to achieving durable world peace through resolution of root causes behind current turmoil affecting countries around the globe.
“The language of hate produces hateful consequences in an already inflamed global environment,” said Mowahid Hussain Shah, attorney-at-law, who also serves as Special Assistant to Chief Minister, Punjab, at a well-attended forum at American University.
One killed, over 40 injured as typhoon strikes Japan
By Xinhua
Tokyo : One person was killed and over 40 others injured as a powerful typhoon made landfall early Friday near Tokyo. Another man was reportedly missing.
A 76-year-old man hit by a tree died Thursday night, local rescue authority said. Another person went missing from Tokyo's suburb areas due to the Typhoon Fitow, which made landfall near Odawara, Kanagawa prefecture, around 2.00 a.m. Friday (17.00 GMT, Thursday).
Twitter’s Sewa International donation: Image rehabilitation for RSS-linked charity?
Beyond a financial boost, Twitter’s donation legitimizes a non-profit tainted by past exposés.
Pieter Friedrich | TwoCircles.net
As COVID plagues India, Indresh Kumar and Shyam Parande...
Bolivia to invest nearly $125 mn in power projects
By IANS/EFE,
La Paz : Bolivian President Evo Morales's administration plans to invest $124.7 million this year in projects that will expand electricity generation and supply the domestic market, a minister said.
The projects are included in the energy ministry's operating plan for 2010, said Energy Minister Luis Fernando Vincenti.
Thailand to charge crew of aircraft carrying weapons
By DPA,
Bangkok : Thailand will charge five Kazakhstan and Belarus crew members who landed a cargo plane with 35 tonnes of weapons at a Bangkok airport on the weekend, the prime minister said Sunday.
"We will strictly follow our own laws and UN resolutions," Thai Premier Abhisit Vejjajiva told reporters. "Charges will soon be set."
Council of Europe demands protection for terror suspects
By DPA
Strasbourg (France) : The Council of Europe demanded Wednesday that terrorist suspects on secret European Union (EU) and United Nations lists should have at least minimal protection under the law.
People on the lists should be informed of the allegations against them, the council decided by a large majority in a parliamentary assembly in the French city of Strasbourg.
The assembly stressed that there should be a time limit to any entry on terrorist-suspect lists.
New Hampshire heats up as presidential contenders swarm in
By Xinhua
Washington : As campaign volunteers disappear from the streets and candidates' posters come off the walls in Iowa, New Hampshire becomes the second heated battlefield in which the 2008 presidential contenders will further their leads or fight for survival in the Jan. 8 primary.
The first bout in the Iowa caucuses on Thursday has left the following primaries and caucuses more uncertain, with Illinois Senator Barack Obama leading the Democrats with 38 percent and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee topping the Republican list with 34 percent.
US sends envoy to Nepal
By IANS,
Kathmandu : The new Barack Obama government sent its first envoy to Nepal Friday with US Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs Robert O. Blake arriving here for consultations with the republic's key political players.
Blake arrived in Kathmandu as part of his three-nation tour, including India and Bangladesh.
During his two-day visit, he will meet Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal, President Ram Baran Yadav, Minister of Foreign Affairs Sujata Koirala and Maoist supremo Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda, whose Maoist party is now sitting in opposition.
Scholar decodes oldest Hebrew inscription
By IANS,
Washington : A breakthrough in decoding an ancient inscription has established that the text is in Hebrew and the earliest to be found.
Gershon Galil, professor in Biblical Studies, University of Haifa, has shown that the text is in Hebrew, dating from the 10th century BC, during King David's reign.
"It indicates that the kingdom of Israel already existed in the 10th century BC, and that at least some of the biblical texts were written hundreds of years before the dates presented in current research," says Galil.
Wikipedia top rated for mental health information
By IANS,
Sydney : Wikipedia is the most highly rated website for providing information on mental-health related topics, a study reveals.
Storm kills 4, injures 5 in western Ukraine
By SPA,
Kiev, Ukraine : A powerful storm has swept through western Ukraine, killing four people and injuring five others.
Local emergency officials say the storm hit the western Lviv region Monday afternoon.
Dozens of buildings were damaged by fallen trees, set on fire by lightning and several towns were left without power, the Associated Press reported.
EU discusses massive push to clean up developing world
By DPA,
Brussels : European Union (EU) leaders Thursday were debating a French proposal to encourage use of climate-friendly technology in developing countries as part of the fight against global warming.
The proposal from the French government, which currently holds the EU's rotating presidency, held out special hope for poor island nations that are at risk of being flooded by rising sea levels and which have not yet benefited as much as they had hoped from international sponsorship systems.
Obama urges China to free Nobel laureate Liu
By IANS,
London: US President Barack Obama has called on China to free Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo, a media report said Saturday.
‘All out war’ may start at any moment, says North Korea
By DPA,
Geneva : The Korean Peninsula could see a war break out at any time owing to the deteriorated situation there, a North Korean diplomat told a UN forum Thursday.
"The present situation on the Korean Peninsula is so grave that a war may break out at any moment," said Ri Jang Gon, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's envoy to the Conference on Disarmament.
The diplomat blamed South Korea and the US for aggravating the situation over the sinking of Seoul's warship.
Russia to suspend livestock import from EU
By IANS,
Moscow : Russia has decided to ban livestock import from the European Union starting March 20, the agricultural watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor said Friday.
China to build new space launch center in southernmost province
By Xinhua
Beijing : China plans to construct a new space launch center in Wenchang, China's southernmost Hainan Province, according to official sources.
The new launch center aims to serve the next-generation rocket carriers that do emit poisonous and pollutive gas and new-type spacecraft.
The new launch site will be mainly used for launching synchronous satellites, heavy satellites, large space stations, and deep space probe satellites, according to the plan which has been approved by the State Council and the Central Military Commission.
Bodies of 5 copter crew recovered from quake zone
By Xinhua,
Yingxiu, Sichuan : The bodies of five crew aboard the military helicopter that crashed on a mercy mission in southwest China's earthquake zone were recovered from the remote forest-covered mountains and arrived in Yingxiu Town on Friday morning.
Tang Qiliang, deputy director of the political department of the Sichuan Military Area Command, said rescuers were still trekking on foot, carrying the bodies of three policemen and 10 civilians.
Three killed in China shipyard blast
By IANS,
Beijing : At least three people were killed and 12 injured in a shipyard blast in east China's Jiangsu province Sunday, the authorities said.
Singapore deploys another aircraft to find missing AirAsia plane
Singapore : Singapore deployed Monday another Air Force (RSAF) C-130 aircraft to support the search operation of the missing AirAsia flight QZ8501 in Indonesia.
The...
Fire in London’s tower block kills six
By DPA,
London : Six people, including three children, have died in a fire in a block of flats in London, the fire brigade said late Friday.
Three children, one just three weeks old, were among the victims of the blaze in the 12-storey block on a housing estate in Camberwell, in south London.
The victims were among at least 18 people taken to hospitals in the area. At least 30 people were rescued from the building.
According to London Fire Brigade (LFB), the blaze was brought under control by about 100 firefighters.
Bargain-hunting BASF buys yet another firm
By DPA,
Berlin : BASF, the world's biggest chemicals company, unveiled yet another takeover Tuesday, prolonging a string of acquisitions in the midst of the current market slump.
A day after announcing a 581-million-euro ($726 million) bid for Revus Energy, a Norwegian company with 60 oil and gas concessions under the North Sea, BASF said it has agreed to acquire a polyurethane business belonging to Recticel of Belgium.
Analysts say they expect Ludwigshafen-based BASF to report a modest profit increase when it publishes third-quarter figures this Thursday.
Ex-Israeli PM convicted in graft case retrial
Tel Aviv: An Israeli court on Monday found former prime minister Ehud Olmert guilty of fraud and breach of trust, two years after he...
Steinmeier admits to “deep turmoil” in German-Chinese ties
By IRNA
Berlin : Relations between German and China are in "deep turmoil" as a result of last September's meeting between Chancellor Angela Merkel and Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier acknowledged in an interview with Monday's edition of the daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper .
Welcoming the Dalai Lama at the chancellery gained a "high degree of significance" in the news coverage, added Steinmeier who tried to downplay deep differences with Merkel over her controversial action.
World press body condemns re-jailing of Israeli whistle blower
By IRNA
Brussels : The world's biggest journalists' group condemned Tuesday as "senseless and inhumane" the decision by an Israeli court to send Mordechai Vanunu, the man who told the world that Israel has developed nuclear weapons back to jail - three years after he ended an 18 year sentence for the original offence.
"Mordechai Vanunu has served his sentence and now he is being victimised for the crime of speaking to journalists," said Aidan White, Secretary General of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ).
Britain to have unmanned stealth jet
By IANS,
London : Britain will soon have an unmanned stealth jet which can carry weapons and hit targets in another continent without being detected by enemy's radar.
British defence firm BAE Systems has unveiled the design of its 143-million-pound aircraft Taranis that can travel at the speed of a fighter jet and cover distances between continents.
Almost invisible to ground radar, the plane is built to carry out intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance on enemy territory using on board sensors.
Indian student in UK dies of unexplained causes
By IANS
London : An Indian student enrolled at Lancaster University died in July, but after months of investigation the coroner has ruled that it has not been possible to determine the exact cause of his death.
Harianand Loknath, 24, was studying for a Masters in Finance at the university in north-west England. He was found dead in his bedroom in the Graduate Hall on July 5. He was believed to have been dead for several days until his body was discovered.
Heathrow `naked’ image row: woman plans legal action
By IANS,
London : A 29-year-old airport security worker plans to take legal action after a colleague passed a lewd remark on her `nude' image when she mistakenly walked into an X-ray machine, a media report said Thursday.
Jo Margetson plans to sue the authorities concerned and spent Wednesday in talks with Heathrow owner BAA, The Sun reported.
She has spoken to lawyers at a civil rights group amid allegations that her privacy and human rights were violated.
US pledges more aid to Syrian Opposition
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Washington: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced Friday the US government will provide millions of additional dollars in assistance to the Syrian opposition.
Nepal PM defends leaked tape, says he has over 100,000 fighters
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : After a national outcry created by a leaked video tape, in which Nepal's caretaker Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda was heard saying he had inflated the strength of his guerrilla fighters almost five-fold during a UN verification, the Maoist supremo Wednesday defended himself, saying his People's Liberation Army (PLA) actually had over 100,000 fighters.
For the first time, Canada deports US war deserter
By IANS,
Toronto : Canada has for the first time deported an American war deserter to possibly face court-martial at his Fort Knox base in the US.
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) in Vancouver Tuesday deported 25-year-old Robin Long, who deserted his army unit and crossed into Canada three years ago to avoid participating in the Iraq war - which he called an "illegal war of aggression".
Sri Lankan teachers to learn English in Hyderabad
By IANS,
Colombo : The Indian government has offered scholarships to 41 Sri Lankan government schoolteachers to undergo a special English training course at the reputed English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU) in Hyderabad.
Under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme, the teachers will be fully sponsored for the three-month course and will be expected to return home to work as master trainers in the government education sector.
Slain journalist Danish Siddiqui’s parents file complaint against Taliban before International Criminal Court
Siddique's parents have demanded punishment against culprits for torturing and killing him while he was on an assignment in Afghanistan.
Snobar | TwoCircles.net
NEW DELHI —...
Czech radar base to be part of NATO system: US official
By Xinhua
Prague : The US radar base in the Czech Republic would be a part of NATO architecture, Deputy Director of the Missile Defence Agency (MDA) Patrick O'Reilly said here at a seminar on anti-missile defence.
NATO was developing a system protecting against short-range missiles, while the US shield was against long-range missiles, O'Reilly said Tuesday.
The systems would cooperate and share the information on danger, he pointed out. The radar in the Czech Republic would not serve as any early warning station and would not be constantly switched on, he said.
German chancellor to visit Georgia Sunday
By DPA,
Berlin : German Chancellor Angela Merkel will visit Georgia Sunday for talks with President Mikheil Saakashvili.
Merkel's one-day visit to Georgia would follow her trip Friday to Russia, when she is to meet with President Dimitry Medvedev.
The meeting, expected to focus on the Caucasus conflict, is to take place in the Black Sea resort city of Sochi.
The German chancellor's visit to Tbilisi would also follow that of US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who is due to travel to the Georgian capital Friday in the ongoing diplomatic efforts to resolve the regional conflict.
Over 1 mn Mexicans involved in drug trade
By EFE,
Mexico City : Over one million Mexican people are involved in the illegal drug trade including "about 200,000" women, according to Mexico police estimates.
The president of an umbrella organisation of peasants, Jose Jacobo Femat, said Friday that the situation is "an alarming phenomenon" and, in the case of women, is the result of "gender inequality and the lack of opportunities to find legal employment".
Kouchner ‘not optimistic’ about Betancourt release
By DPA,
Paris : French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said Friday he was not optimistic that Franco-Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt, kidnapped by Colombia's leftist insurgents, would be released soon.
Asked about the chances that the rebels holding the former Colombian presidential candidate would release her in the near future, Kouchner told RTL radio: "I am not very optimistic."
Injured Italy PM leaves hospital
By IANS/AKI,
Rome : Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi Thursday left the San Raffaele hospital in the northern city of Milan, four days after being attacked at a political rally.
Berlusconi smiled and waved at journalists as he was driven away. The premier's nose and cheek were bandaged.
The 73-year-old had been receiving treatment for a broken nose and two damaged teeth since he was attacked Sunday.
He was expected to spend at least two weeks recovering at his villa outside Milan.
Chavez, Medvedev pledge to boost ties amid tensions with US
By DPA,
Moscow : Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez met his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev on a two-day Russian tour Friday as the countries expand military ties and close ranks in opposition to the United States.
Going into talks with Medvedev, Chavez reiterated his "full and firm" support for Russia in its war with Georgia last month, which the US roundly condemned.
Medvedev and Chavez were meeting in the southern Russian city of Orenburg, near the border with Kazakhstan, where the Russian president is touring the regions.
Militant group accused of Mumbai attacks has Toronto link
By NNN-PTI,
Toronto : The Pakistani militant outfit that New Delhi blames for training the gunmen behind last week's Mumbai massacre has been linked to recent terrorist plots in several Western countries including Canada.
Lashkar-e-Taiba runs training camps near the Indo-Pak border and its followers have been accused of planning attacks in Toronto, Britain, Australia and the United States, National Post reported yesterday.
Obama says U.S. missile shield set to counter Iran, not Russia
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : U.S. President Barack Obama said in an interview with a prominent Russian newspaper that the planned deployment of a U.S. missile shield in Europe was intended to counter Iran, not Russia.
In an interview with Novaya Gazeta to be published on Monday, Obama said that the United States was seeking to create a missile shield in Europe to protect the U.S. and Europe from Iranian ballistic missiles with nuclear warheads.
Norwegian killer sentenced to 21 years in prison
By IANS,
Oslo : Norwegian mass killer Anders Behring Breivik has been sentenced to 21 years in prison for killing 77 people in bomb and shooting attacks last year.
WHO reports 1,658 confirmed cases of swine flu
By DPA,
Geneva : The World Health Organization (WHO) Wednesday confirmed 1,658 cases of the new influenza A(H1N1) virus in 23 countries.
Mexico reported 946 laboratory-confirmed cases, including 29 deaths, Gregory Hartl, a spokesman for the health agency, said.
The United States had 403 confirmed infections, including one death, and Canada reported 165 cases.
Marie-Paule Kieny, the WHO's director of the vaccine research department, said that most likely by next week a technical committee would recommend steps to be taken regarding the production and purchasing of vaccines.
India, Pakistan clash at UN over Kashmir
New York/New Delhi: India and Pakistan clashed at the UN General Assembly after Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif raked up Kashmir in his address,...
Riots in Paris suburbs has embarrassed French government
Paris, Nov 29, IRNA, New outbreak of riots in the Paris suburbs has embarrassed French government.
The spectre of the riots spreading from a suburb (banlieue) to another in a ghastly repeat of November 2005 looms ominously over the country.
Back then, Sarkozy was interior minister and won an unwelcome reputation in the poor high-immigration suburbs for his tough-talking on crime.
Since his election he has fought hard to pose as a unifier - promising to bring jobs and security back to troubled housing estates and appointing several ministers of immigrant background.
469 children killed in Gaza: UNICEF
United Nations: A senior official of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said here Thursday that a total of 469 children were killed in...
Indian Foreign Secretary avoids Hindi controversy in Nepal
By IANS,
Kathmandu : Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao, whose two-day visit to Nepal witnessed two attempts by unidentified people to bomb the residence of Hindi-speaking Vice-President Paramananda Jha, Tuesday adroitly avoided fanning the controversy, choosing to answer all questions asked by journalists in English.
During her brief press conference before she departed for New Delhi, Rao was asked by a resident of Bihar whether she was struck by the changes in Nepal, a country she has been visiting since 1980 when she was a junior diplomat.
Singapore, China to build model sustainable city
By DPA,
Singapore : Singapore and China have agreed to jointly build an eco-city near China's northern port city of Tianjin as a model of sustainable development, The Strait Times reported Thursday.
The model city will have an economy based on the sustainable use of resources the two countries agreed in Beijing during the first meeting of the China-Singapore Joint Steering Committee for the Tianjin Eco-city on Wednesday.
US stocks dive as treasury plans to prop consumer lending
By DPA,
New York : As the US Treasury Department said it will prop up consumer lending as part of the emergency financial bail-out, US stock indices plunged more than four percent Wednesday, with the Standard & Poor's 500 index dropping to a near five-year low.
The technology-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index also reached a five- year low.
US Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson's plans to shift some of the focus of the final half of the $700-billion rescue fund to credit card and loan companies reflected growing concern over drops in consumer spending, auto buying and student borrowing.
State honours for China’s spacewalk astronauts
By Xinhua,
Beijing : Chinese President Hu Jintao Friday presented medals and certificates to astronauts Jing Haipeng, Liu Boming and the country's first space walker Zhai Zhigang for their historic performance even as the government decided to decorate them with state honours.
The government said Zhai would be conferred with the title of Space Flight Hero while Liu and Jing would be decorated with the title of Heroic Astronaut.
Millionaire found living in garbage-strewn room
By RIA Novosti
Rome : An Italian pensioner who lived in an apartment littered with garbage and excrement, and was often seen eating in the company of the homeless, was apparently the owner of over 400 bars of pure gold, Italy's Ansa agency reported.
The man's neighbours said they had no idea of his wealth until they contacted social services to report a strange odour emanating from his room.