NATO chief to visit Turkey amidst Iraq crisis
Ankara: NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen will visit Turkey for talks over dozens of Turkish nationals taken as hostages in Iraq, said the foreign...
Eurozone ministers agree to expand rescue fund
By IANS,
Brussels : Eurozone finance ministers agreed Tuesday to expand a rescue fund and to turn to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for help to contain the spreading debt crisis.
Douglas to play former US president?
By IANS,
Los Angeles: Veteran actor Michael Douglas is likely to play former US Republican president Ronald Reagan in a new movie.
One in three youths without work in Italy
By IANS,
Rome : One out of three young Italians were jobless in May as the country's unemployment hit its highest level in six years, official figures said Friday.
The country's younger generation were particularly hard hit by employers' reluctance to hire new workers after the deepest recession in more than six decades.
Of people between the ages of 15 and 24 years old, 29.2 percent were without work in May, 4.7 percent higher than the same month in 2009, said national statistics agency Istat.
China reassures foreign visitors after murder of American
By DPA,
Beijing, Aug 10 (DPA) Chinese officials Sunday sought to reassure foreign visitors that they were safe in Beijing and said the stabbing to death of the father-in-law of a US Olympic volleyball coach was an isolated incident.
The attack in Beijing Saturday, in which the man's wife and a Chinese tour guide were injured, was an "isolated criminal act" and not linked to the Olympics, said Wang Wei, the executive vice-president of the Beijing Olympic organizers (BOCOG).
Bank of China’s chairman resigns
By IANS,
Beijing : Xiao Gang, chairman of Bank of China, has resigned, said a statement on the lender's website.
Flash flood kills seven in Brazil
By Xinhua
Rio De Janeiro : At least seven people have been killed in a flash flood in Rio de Janeiro's metropolitan region, the fire brigade said.
The flood Monday was caused by heavy rainfall near the source of a river and it swept away people sunbathing near one of the river's waterfalls in the municipality of Guapimirim.
Local authorities estimated that approximately 50 people were bathing by the waterfall at the time of the flood and rescue workers were searching for other victims.
Nepal earthquake: Death toll climbs to 7,912
Kathmandu : The death toll following the devastating earthquake that hit Nepal on April 25 has reached 7,912, according to the latest update made...
First supersonic flight by US short-takeoff stealth fighter
By IANS,
Washington : A fifth generation stealth fighter with short-takeoff-vertical-landing capabilities has for the first time flown at supersonic speeds, providing military commanders a potent edge as the aircraft can operate from ships and from bases close to areas of conflict.
The Lockheed Martin F-35B achieved the feat when US Marine Corps pilot Lt. Col. Matt Kelly climbed to 30,000 feet and accelerated to Mach 1.07 at the offshore supersonic test track near Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland, a company statement said.
11 trapped in Sydney Tower lift for three hours
By Neena Bhandari, IANS,
Sydney : For some overseas tourists, going up the iconic Sydney Tower for a glimpse of the harbour city's breathtaking views actually took their breath away as they found themselves trapped in a lift about 200 metres above the street level for three long hours.
In what could have been a scene from Bollywood, 11 people were trapped in a lift in Sydney's tallest building Wednesday night as gales battered the city and contributed to the mechanical breakdown of the double-decker lift.
Brazilian economy growing at eight percent
By EFE,
Rio de Janeiro : Brazil's economy grew at an annualised rate of eight percent in the third quarter and the result for the final three months of the year will be roughly equivalent, Finance Minister Guido Mantega has said.
After growing 1.9 percent in the second quarter, real gross domestic product growth in the third quarter relative to the previous three months came in at two percent, or eight percent in annualised terms, he said Wednesday at a meeting of the Council for Economic and Social Development.
South has role to play in changing world order: Anand Sharma
By Fakir Hassen, IANS,
Johannesburg : One of the major challenges for India and South Africa as the world moves to a multipolar society is for them to play a role in changing the order for a quality transformation of the global regime so that the countries of the South take their rightful place, Indian Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma said here Tuesday.
New Political Party in France?
Paris, Jan 24 (Prensa Latina) A new anti-capitalist political party might become a reality in France next week during the 17th Congress of the Communist Revolutionary League in Paris.
This objective, proposed by Olivier Besancenot, leader of the organization, would become the hope of all those who want a well-defined leftwing, and are disappointed with the current contradictions of the most radical organizations.
Much is unknown about this project except that it counts on significant support from young people.
Indian-American Maya Harris leads Hillary Clinton’s agenda team
By Arun Kumar,
Washington : Making her second presidential run, Hillary Clinton has set up a three person team of senior policy advisers headed by...
Clinton back in race; McCain clinches Republican nomination
By Arun Kumar, IANS
Washington : Hillary Clinton shot back into the US presidential race with crucial victories in Ohio and Rhode Island, snapping Democratic rival Barack Obama's streak of 11 victories as Republican John McCain clinched his party's nomination.
Going into Super Tuesday II after 11 straight losses to Obama and trailing by over a 100 pledged delegates, Hillary Clinton was fighting a do or die battle to keep alive her campaign to be America's first woman president.
Bush to discuss Ukraine’s NATO bid in Kiev
By RIA Novosti
Kiev : U.S. President George Bush is due to arrive in Kiev late on Monday evening for a two-day state visit which is expected to see him discuss Ukraine's bid for NATO membership with President Viktor Yushchenko.
Bush will meet with his Ukrainian counterpart for closed-door talks on Tuesday morning, after which extended talks will be held, a Ukrainian presidential spokesman said.
Russia conducts first robot-assisted surgery
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Russia has conducted its first ever surgery with the help of a robot, which doctors said has expanded surgical capabilities to "space technology" levels.
The robot's thin manipulator arms, which can rotate at 360-degree angles, assisted in a high-precision liver surgery. Instead of incisions, the robot makes tiny punctures on the abdominal wall, which would ensure faster post-surgery recovery, doctors said.
More than 2.5 mn displaced in Colombian civil strife: Report
By IANS,
Bogota : More than 2.5 million people have been displaced in Colombia's decade-old civil war involving the government forces, right-wing militias and the leftist guerrillas, the National Planning Department (DNP) has said.
"In 2002, displacement reached its peak in the number of persons forced to leave their homes," EFE news agency quoted DNP chief Carolina Renteria as telling a convention Saturday.
Why close kin keep their distance in animal kingdom
By IANS,
London : Mammals cannot share their habitat with closely-related species because the need for the same kind of food and shelter would lead them to compete to the death, a new study has said.
The finding - the best evidence so far for an old Darwinian prediction - is important because habitat destruction and climate change could inadvertently force closely-related species to live closer together than before.
Sri Lankan aircraft pound rebel bases for third day
By SPA,
Colombo : Sri Lanka's air force assaulted Tamil Tiger rebels for a third straight day on Friday, hitting a supply base in the separatist group's de facto capital and
bunkers elsewhere, the military said, according to Reuters.
It said ground troops also killed 24 rebels and wounded 40, part of a campaign this year to force a military solution to the 25-year insurgency carried out by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
Four soldiers died and 14 were wounded in the ground battles, the military said.
South-East Asia to get `toothless’ human rights commission
By DPA,
Cha-am (Thailand) : The Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) was scheduled to inaugurate later Friday the region's first intergovernmental human rights commission, which critics have already dismissed as a "toothless" body.
The 15th ASEAN Summit plus associated summits being held Friday to Sunday in Cha-am, 130 km south-west of Bangkok, are due to see leaders signing 43 documents including the declaration on the inauguration of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights.
Deported hate preacher gives speeches on web
By IANS,
London : A Muslim hate preacher who was deported from Britain to Jamaica has been found to be broadcasting his extremist views live over the internet.
Russia, US naval anti-terror exercises begin
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Vladivostok : The Russian and the US navies began joint anti-terrorism exercises near the Mariana Islands Thursday, a Russian Pacific Fleet spokesman said.
Grapes can stave off age-related blindness
By IANS,
Washington: Eating grapes seem to slow or help prevent the onset of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a condition affecting millions of elderly people worldwide.
Speculations rise about Minaj judging ‘American Idol’
By IANS,
Los Angeles: Singer Nicki Minaj will reportedly be judging the next season "American Idol" but whether she has signed the deal remains unclear.
Turkey allows US to use airbase to strike IS targets
Ankara: Turkey will let the US carry out airstrikes against the Islamic State terror group from a key military base near the Syrian border,...
Japanese child numbers fall for 27th year to new low
By ANTARA News,
Tokyo : The number of children in Japan has fallen for the 27th straight year to hit a new low, the government said Monday in a sign of the country's rapidly ageing population.
Children aged 14 or younger numbered 17,250,000 as of April 1, down by 130,000 from a year earlier, the internal affairs ministry was quoted by AFP as saying in an annual survey released to coincide with the May 5 Children's Day national holiday.
The figure is the lowest since 1950 when comparable data started.
France’s Dominique Strauss-Kahn elected IMF head
By DPA
Washington : Former French finance minister Dominique Strauss-Kahn was elected Friday to head the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the IMF's governing board said.
Strauss-Kahn, 58, will take over on Nov 1 from Spain's Rodrigo de Rato, the board said in a statement.
Serbs go to polls in crucial parliamentary elections
By RIA Novosti,
Belgrade : Serbs are voting on Sunday in a key parliamentary election expected to decide the country's future.
A pro-Western alliance led by President Boris Tadic is running against the ultranationalist Serbian Radical Party in a closely contested early parliamentary vote.
The Radicals want to put Serbia's EU membership on hold and continue to lay claim to Serbia's former province of Kosovo that unilaterally declared independence in February while the Democrats push for the country's integration with Europe.
Cuba frees seven political prisoners
By IANS
Havana : Cuba has announced the release of seven political prisoners, four of whom are among a group of 75 arrested during a government crackdown in 2003, officials at the Spanish embassy in Havana have said.
According to the officials, four of the freed dissidents, identified as Alejandro Gonzalez Raga, Omar Pernet, Jose Gabriel Ramon Castillo and Pedro Pablo Alvarez, will be given asylum along with their family members in Spain, EFE news agency reported Saturday.
The officials, however, didn't provide the names of the other three prisoners set for release.
29 killed in police crackdown on Peru protesters
By DPA,
Lima : At least 29 people, including 22 civilians and seven police officers, were killed Friday in the northern Peruvian region of Amazonas in a police crackdown on indigenous people demanding land rights.
Leaders of indigenous communities confirmed the deaths of 22 Indios, which they blamed on the government of Peruvian President Alan Garcia. There were some reports of 25 deaths. The government did not provide any figures.
Ukraine’s PM says Naftogaz to buy natural gas on Russian soil
By RIA Novosti,
Kiev : Under a new scheme for Russia-Ukraine natural gas trade, Ukraine's state-owned oil and gas company will buy gas on Russian territory from trader RosUkrEnergo, the Ukrainian prime minister said Monday.
Swiss-registered RosUkrEnergo, half owned by Russian gas giant Gazprom, is bound by a contract on 2008 natural gas supplies to Ukraine.
Stalin’s granddaughter dies at 69
By Xinhua
Moscow : Galina Dzhugashvili, granddaughter of the erstwhile Soviet Union leader Josef Stalin, has died at the age of 69, Itar-Tass news agency reported Tuesday.
A spokesperson at the Burdenko Military Hospital, where Galina was admitted, confirmed her death Monday.
Galina was the only daughter of Yakov Dzhugashvili, Stalin's elder son and a Soviet pilot who was reportedly killed by the Nazis at the Sachsenhausen camp in 1943 after Stalin declined to exchange him for a captured German general.
Zimbabwe’s deputy minister appointee arrested
By DPA,
Harare : Roy Bennett, a former white farmer appointed deputy agriculture minister in Zimbabwe's power-sharing government, was arrested Friday, a spokesman for the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party said.
He was picked up at a small airport outside Harare as he was about to fly to Johannesburg in South Africa to see his wife, the Ian Makoni told reporters. It was not clear why he was arrested.
China’s couples throng to marry on day of three eights
By Xinhua,
Beijing : The joy was written all over the faces of Sun Zhengbiao and Xue Jiaojiao after they tied the knot Friday morning, the day of the auspicious three eights.
"We decided to get married on Aug 8 last year," said Xue, a secondary school teacher. "It is such a lucky number and it's only once in a lifetime."
Five French tourists die in Peru plane crash
By IANS
Lima : Five French tourists died when their small plane crashed in southern Peru, EFE news agency reported.
The plane had taken off from Maria Reiche airport in Nazca province Wednesday afternoon. A few minutes later it returned and crashed while trying to land.
The pilot of the plane was injured and taken to a local hospital, Canal N television reported.
The tourists had planned to fly over the Nazca lines near Ica on Peru's southern coast.
The Nazca Lines are geoglyphs that can only be fully made out from the air because of their large size.
20 killed in Somali violence
By IANS,
Mogadishu : At least 20 people were killed and more than 40 wounded when African Union peacekeeping forces and Islamist insurgents exchanged heavy fire here Thursday, officials said.
Most of the victims were civilians, Xinhua reported citing emergency officials.
The fighting started in the northern part of the Somali capital after militants detonated a bomb targeting the Somali Army chief. He survived the attack.
The Somali government and Islamist insurgents are locked in a bitter battle over the control of Mogadishu.
Hong Kong frees 28 people who travelled with flu patient
By DPA,
Hong Kong : A group of 28 people, most of whom travelled on the same flight as a Mexican tourist who became Hong Kong's only confirmed swine flu case, were released from quarantine Thursday, after health officials declared them infection-free.
The group, which also included two taxi drivers who drove the Mexican around the city, were given health checks before being allowed to leave a remote holiday village where they have been kept since last Friday.
Thomas Tsang of the Centre for Health Protection, said all of those released had been given thorough medical examinations.
Stop anti-Russia ‘pinpricks’, says Georgian speaker
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Tbilisi: Georgia should stop criticising Russia and creating new problems in bilateral relations, Georgian parliament speaker David Usupashvili has said.
Personal details of every child in Britain go missing
By Dipankar De Sarkar, IANS
London : The personal details of almost every child in Britain - and in some cases their parents - have been lost by the customs and revenue department, the country's finance minister told parliament Tuesday to gasps of shock.
Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling said the names, addresses and dates of birth of the children, as well the national insurance numbers and, in some cases, the bank details of parents claiming child benefits had been lost.
Restive Philippine volcano ejects ash
By DPA,
Manila : A volcano in the eastern Philippines Monday ejected more ash in a growing sign of restiveness, government volcanologists said.
Judge gunned down in Colombia
By IANS/EFE,
Bogota : A criminal court judge was killed Thursday in the northwestern Colombian city of Medellin while waiting for a taxi, police said.
The suspected shooter of Judge Diego Fernando Escobar Munera fled the scene on a city bus, but was captured minutes later by police, Col. Adan Leon said.
Escobar, 45, spent 19 years in the judiciary and authorities are investigating the possibility that his murder was connected with one of the numerous cases he handled.
Indian-origin scientist, two others win Nobel Prize for Chemistry
By IANS,
London : Indian-origin scientist Venkatraman Ramakrishnan shares the Nobel Prize in Chemistry this year with Thomas A. Steitz and Ada E. Yonath, it was announced in Stockholm Wednesday.
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for 2009 awards studies of one of life's core processes: the ribosome's translation of DNA information into life.
Ribosomes produce proteins, which in turn control the chemistry in all living organisms. As ribosomes are crucial to life, they are also a major target for new antibiotics, it said in a statement.
I will build peace through Palestinian prosperity: Netanyahu DPA
Paris, Dec 19 (DPA) The best strategy to make peace in the Mideast is to encourage the rapid economic development of the Palestinian people, former Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in an interview published Friday in the French daily Le Figaro.
Asked if he agreed with the withdrawal of Israel from most of the West Bank, the leader of the hardline Likud party said: "The method that consists in withdrawing from territories without concessions has only led to bringing Islamist movements linked to Iran, the Lebanese Hezbollah and Hamas into Gaza."
Air Canada to provide in-flight internet service
By IANS,
Toronto : Air Canada may soon follow American Airlines in providing in-flight internet service for its passengers.
WestJet, Canada's biggest private airline, is also likely to follow suit.
American Airlines, which is the world's largest airline, offers in-flight internet service on its long-haul flights - New York to Los Angeles, New York to San Francisco and New York to Miami - within the country.
The service, which was introduced Aug 20, costs a passenger about $13 for the duration of the flight.
Is Bush an asset or liability for McCain?
By Chris Cermak, IANS,
Washington : One of John McCain's biggest challenges between now and November's general election will be exactly how to use his Republican compatriot George W. Bush - an unpopular two-term president who still appeals to the party's conservative base.
President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney are scheduled to speak Monday night at the Republican Party's nominating convention in St Paul, Minnesota.
Dalai Lama wants to visit quake-hit in China
By IANS,
Dharamsala: The Dalai Lama Saturday expressed his desire to visit earthquake-hit areas in China to provide solace to the victims and expressed satisfaction over the relief work carried out there.
"I am deeply concerned about the families of quake victims in Yushu region of Tibet. I am eager to go there myself to offer comfort to the injured and the families of victims," an official statement, quoting the Nobel laureate, said here.
Argentina bans Japanese rape video game
By IANS/EFE,
Buenos Aires : Argentina has banned a Japanese video game that rewards players for raping three women, the justice ministry has said.
"Rapelay", which can be downloaded from the internet, is a "clear apology for the crimes of sexual abuse, rape, torture, discrimination against women and paedophilia," the ministry said Monday.
Freedom of movement within EU not negotiable: Germany
Berlin: The freedom of movement within the European Union (EU) is not negotiable for Germany, said German Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesperson Monday, following a...
Chinese President to attend nuclear security summit in US
By IANS,
Beijing: Chinese President Hu Jintao will attend the Nuclear Security Summit to be held April 12-13 in Washington, the foreign ministry said Thursday.
"China attaches importance to nuclear security, opposes nuclear proliferation and nuclear terrorism, and supports the relevant international cooperation," foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang told reporters here.
Leaders and representatives from over 40 countries and some regional and international organisations such as the European Union and the International Atomic Energy Agency will take part in the conference.
Suicide attack kills five, rockets hit Kabul
By DPA,
Kabul: An Afghan intelligence agent and four civilians were killed in a suicide attack in southern Afghanistan, while the Taliban fired eight rockets into Kabul early Tuesday, wounding two people, officials said.
In Shah Joy district in the southern province of Zabul, a bomber, who had strapped explosives around his body, detonated himself close to an intelligence vehicle, killing himself and five others, Gholan Jailani, the deputy provincial police chief, said.
Obama reaffirms support to Syrian refugees in Lebanon
Washington: The US will continue to provide support to Syrian refugees and host communities in Lebanon, US President Barack Obama told Lebanese Prime Minister...
Uruguay signs offshore oil deals
By IANS/EFE,
Montevideo: The Uruguayan government Friday signed a series of offshore exploration and production deals with British oil firms BG Group, BP plc and Tullow Oil and France's Total.
Nigerian man with 86 wives agrees to divorce 82
By DPA,
Abuja (Nigeria) : An 84-year-old Nigerian man with 86 wives and 170 children has accepted a decree issued by Islamic authorities that he must divorce 82 of them, reports said Monday.
The BBC, quoting a local emir, reported that Mohammadu Bello Abubakar Saturday agreed to the mass divorce.
Abubakar, a former teacher and preacher, faced the death penalty under Sharia law, which was reintroduced to the Muslim-majority Niger State, North-West Nigeria, in 2000.
While the death sentence was lifted, Abubakar still faced eviction from his home.
UK intelligence suffering from terrorism focus, report warns
By IRNA
London : The high focus on counter-terrorism is jeopardizing the capabilities of the UK's intelligences service, parliament's watchdog committee has warned.
Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC), which reports direct to the prime minister, said it was 'concerned that aspects of key intelligence and security work are suffering as a consequence of the focus on counter-terrorism priorities'.
Nepal PM race ends in fiasco, Maoists get thumbs-down
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu: Nepal's third prime ministerial election in two years ended in a fiasco Wednesday night with the Maoists receiving a humiliating snub as lawmakers flayed the contenders and refused to give any of them a leg-up to the top job.
It was an especially humiliating moment for Maoist chief Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda, the revolutionary who had fathered a 10-year insurrection and won a thumping victory in 2008, leading the first Maoist government of Nepal.
Brain scans to detect Alzheimer’s decades ahead
By IANS,
London: Experts hope to develop brain scans to detect early symptoms of dementia that may surface 25 years before patients and their families notice any outward development.
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.
77 new polio cases found in Nigeria
By IANS,
Abuja: At least 77 new cases of poliomyelitis have been detected in 10 states in Nigeria, Xinhua reported.
Los Angeles bids to become first US solar city
By DPA,
Los Angeles : Los Angeles plans to become the first solar city in the US by generating 10 percent of its electricity through solar power, the Los Angeles Times reported Tuesday.
The ambitious plan would create the largest solar base of any city in the world, according to solar energy experts.
California fires leave thousands without power, communications
By Xinhua
Los Angeles : Thousands people in Southern California lost power and communications services Monday as over a dozen wildfires driven by powerful winds were raging across the region for the second day.
More than 300,000 customers had been affected by power outages caused by the fires, with thousands of them remaining without electricity as of mid-day, according to the region's major utility Southern California Edison.
Indian set ablaze in Melbourne, Australia denies racist angle
By IANS,
Melbourne/New Delhi:Days after India asked Australia to take urgent action against those behind the murder of an Indian student a week ago, a 29-year-old Indian was set ablaze Saturday by four unidentified attackers in Melbourne, putting bilateral ties under strain. The victim was admitted to hospital, where his condition was described as "not critical".
The Australian government condemned the incident but insisted that it was not racially motivated.
Indian worker dies in shipyard explosion in Singapore
By DPA,
Singapore : An Indian national who was severely burned in a shipyard explosion died in a Singapore hospital, officials said Tuesday.
Karuppan Arjunan, 42, had suffered burns to 90 percent of his body when the explosion and blaze rocked a Belize-registered ship being painted Sunday.
He was one of 15 foreign shipyard workers and crewmen who were injured, but died Monday at Singapore General Hospital.
The Tamil Nadu native, who had been working in Singapore for three years, was thinking about returning to India, a relative told The Straits Times.
Lula travels to India with ambitious economic plans
By DPA
Brasilia : Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is scheduled to travel to India later this week, with the ambitious objectives of quadrupling bilateral trade and boosting the strategic association that both nations agreed on three years ago.
Sri Lankan jets pound LTTE training base
By IANS,
Colombo : Eight Sri Lankan jets Tuesday bombed a Tamil Tiger training base in the northern Wanni region, the defence ministry said.
A defence ministry statement said the target at Ampakaman, eight kilometres northeast of Mankulam junction, "was a training base for LTTE members of specialized bands such as 'air tigers' and others". It was bombed around 6.15 a.m.
"The target was engaged using eight fighter jets and the raid was successful," the ministry said.
There was no immediate reaction from the rebels.
Islamic group calls for forest fire jihad in Australia
By NNN-Bernama,
Melbourne : A group of Islamic extremists is urging Muslims to deliberately light bushfires in Australia..
US intelligence channels earlier this year identified a website calling on Muslims in Australia, the US, Europe and Russia to "start forest fires", claiming "scholars have justified chopping down and burning the infidels' forests when they do the same to our lands", ``The Age’’ newspaper reports.
Pipe from India angers US steel workers: NYT
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : Angry over import of Indian pipes for a Canada-US oil pipeline, the steel workers union is trying to galvanise a national outrage over steel imports and raising suggestions of protectionism.
Hundreds of sections of imported steel pipe have been moving into Granite City, Illinois for use in a 1,600-mile oil pipeline from Alberta to Oklahoma being built by Canadian energy giant TransCanada to carry oil to American refineries from Canada's tar sand fields.
Anti-government rally in Bangkok targets royal advisors
By DPA,
Bangkok : More than 50,000 red-shirted anti-government protestors swarmed Bangkok's government quarter Wednesday in a demonstration of support for former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
At midday the masses of people were calm, enjoying a break from recent rains, but many protestors were moving towards the home of chief royal advisor Prem Tinsulanda who they blame for hatching the military coup that toppled Thaksin in September 2006.
A key orator for the pro-Thaksin Red Shirt movement, Jatuporn Promphan, said the country did not need royal advisors like Prem any more.
23 killed, 80 injured in Sri Lanka carnage
By IANS,
Colombo : At least 23 people were killed and about 80 injured Friday as suspected Tamil Tigers bombed two buses in strife-torn Sri Lanka, triggering a furious response from President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
A deafening blast triggered by remote control early in the morning killed 21 people and injured 60 near a university in Moratuwa town, south of Colombo. And just before 4 p.m., another bomb went off inside a bus in Kandy district, killing two people and wounding over 20.
Singaporeans are fastest walkers in the world
By Parveen Chopra
IANS
New York : The speed at which city folk walk has increased by 10 percent in the last decade, with Singaporeans rated the most brisk walkers, says a new study.
Efforts will avert cross-Strait conflict: Taiwan party chief
By Xinhua,
Beijing : Taiwan's Kuomintang (KMT) or the Nationalist Party of China chairman Wu Poh-hsiung Wednesday called for bolstering relations between Taiwan and mainland China.
The visiting Taiwan leader, who met Hu in the highest-level talks between leaders of the mainland and Taiwan in the 60 years since the civil war, said natural disasters were unavoidable for both the mainland and Taiwan, but steps could be taken to ensure war between the two side never happens.
Israeli air strikes kill three more Palestinians in Gaza, toll reaches 111
Geneva: The UN refugee agency Friday called for European countries to grant asylum to a growing number of Syrian refugees, many of whom are...
Earthquake reported near Japanese mainland
By DPA,
Washington : An earthquake with magnitude of 6.0 struck about 170 km northeast of Tokyo, the US Geological Survey reported Saturday.
The temblor was registered at 2151 GMT, or nearly 7 a.m. in Japan, the report said.
It was not known if there was any damage. The exact location of the quake was at a depth of 35 km, about 44 km south-southeast of Iwaki, on the mainland island of Honshu.
Clinton, Obama clash in debate as vote showdown looms
By AFP,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania : Hillary Clinton clashed with Democratic foe Barack Obama in a pivotal debate Wednesday as daunting poll data clouded her comeback hopes, six days ahead of their next White House nominating showdown.
Obama immediately attempted to defuse a controversy over his comment last week that some small-town Americans were "bitter" and so turned to God and guns, which prompted Clinton to brand his rhetoric "elitist."
Rain, flooding leave 54 dead in Nicaragua
By DPA,
Managua : Rain from tropical storm Matthew caused flooding that left 54 people dead and 5,000 homeless with infrastructure damage including roads and bridges, Nicaraguan authorities said.
Colombians abducted 10 years back may be alive: Official
By EFE,
Bogota : The Colombian army has found proof that several hostages held by the FARC guerrilla group, including some kidnapped in 1998, are alive. A man who was carrying the information in a USB computer memory stick has been arrested, an official has said.
The proofs seized by the army are photos of 10 of the 23 soldiers and police that the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrilla group is holding captive, acting Attorney General Guillermo Mendoza said.
Russia’s upper house approves presidential, parliamentary terms
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Russia's upper house of parliament, the Federation Council, has approved amendments to the constitution extending the presidential term from four to six years and the lower house term from four to five years.
The amendments were voted 144-1 with 126 votes needed for approval.
UK urged to ban all cluster bombs
By IRNA,
London : Some of the most senior British former generals and NATO commanders are urging the government to agree to a total ban on cluster bombs, describing them as "inaccurate and unreliable".
Their call comes as negotiations began in Dublin on Monday for an international treaty outlawing cluster munitions, which scatter large numbers of bomblets over a wide area, including many that fail to explode and lead to many civilians being later killed and maimed.
Patel, most common Indian surname in US
By Parveen Chopra, IANS
New York : Patel is the most common Indian surname in the US, a new US Census Bureau study has found.
According to the Bureau, Patel ranked 172nd as the most common surname in America (Smith takes the top slot), way up from its 591 ranking in 1990. The total number of Patels in the US stood at 145,000.
The study was based on returns from the 2000 census, which takes place every 10 years in the US.
LTTE rebels, govt. troopers killed in northern Sri Lanka clashes
By KUNA,
New Delhi : At least 15 rebels of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and two government soldiers have been killed in ongoing clashes in northern Sri Lanka.
Meanwhile, seven LTTE militants were killed in Vavuniya and eight were killed in north-western Mannar and north-eastern Weli-Oya regions yesterday, Sri Lanka's Media Centre for National Security (MCNS) said Monday in Colombo.
In addition, one government soldier was killed at Muhamalai in Jaffna peninsula, and another soldier was killed at Puthukamam in Mannar yesterday, the MCNS said.
Russia, India, China outline development of nuclear sectors
By RIA Novosti,
Beijing : Officials from Russia, India and China at a nuclear energy conference here confirmed Monday their countries' interest in developing nuclear technology including, a fast neutron reactor.
Alexander Agapov of Russia's nuclear power corporation Rosatom, said Russia was planning "a gradual transition from 2020 to a new technological platform on the basis of fast neutron reactors with a closed fuel cycle".
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.
UK”s democracy call after Castro retires
By KUNA
London : Downing Street said Tuesday the retirement of Cuban leader Fidel Castro is "an opportunity" for the country to make progress towards democracy. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown's official spokesman said he hoped it would lead "to more respect for human rights and the release of political prisoners".
"This is now an opportunity to make progress towards a peaceful transition to a pluralist democracy", the spokesman added.
Castro said he will not return to the presidency because of ill health.
Bailed-out bank won’t cut champagne hospitality
By IANS,
London : The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), bailed out by billions in British taxpayer money just keeps on spending, with an estimated $500,000 hospitality bill being run up at the Wimbledon tennis championships.
It's business as usual for a company which last year reported the biggest loss in England's corporate history, with valued clients partying like it's 2007.
Lucky VIP guests are being feted with fine dining and champagne. Should they somehow tear themselves away from the trough, there's also tennis on offer.
U.S. presidential race tightens as candidates focus on key states
By Xinhua,
Washington : In the final days before the election, the U.S. presidential race appears to be tightening again.
RACE TIGHTENS
Latest national polls continue to show Democrat Barack Obama leading Republican John McCain in the race for the White House.
However, the size of Obama's lead is shrinking a bit.
The Gallup daily presidential tracking poll of 2,789 registered voters taken Oct. 26-28 has two likely voter models.
Georgia offers Russia help in WTO bid on certain terms
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Georgia is ready to support Russia's bid to join the World Trade Organisation (WTO), if both countries resolve issues inhibiting bilateral relations, Georgia's ambassador to Russia said Tuesday.
Russia has been seeking membership of the global trade body since 1993. So far, Moscow has concluded bilateral talks with over 60 states, but still needs to complete discussions with two WTO members, Saudi Arabia and Georgia.
Danes would give Obama landslide win, shows Gallup poll
By DPA,
Copenhagen : Were it up to Danish voters, US presidential candidate Barack Obama would win a landslide victory, a Danish newspaper reported Friday.
The Gallup poll commissioned by the Berlingske Tidende newspaper indicated that Democrat Barack Obama was supported by 80 percent of Danish voters, while Republican John McCain was backed by 5.8 percent. Almost seven percent said it did not matter who wins or not, while the rest were undecided.
Don’t have sex before marriage: Australian politician
By IANS,
Melbourne : Women should stay virgin till marriage, says an Australian politician who for 25 years believed he fathered a son with his university girlfriend.
Tony Abbott, a liberal leader, suggested in an interview to be published in Australian Women's Weekly that men and women should try and adhere to "the rules" when it comes to sex before marriage and when they can't - he conceded - they should use contraception, The Australian reported Monday.
Russian ship loses timber during storm in English Channel
By RIA Novosti,
London : A Russian-registered cargo ship has lost 1,500 metric tons of timber during a storm off the south coast of England, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said on Monday.
The agency said the Sinegorsk, traveling to the Egyptian port of Alexandria, was caught in rough waters some 14 miles (22 kilometers) off Newhaven on Monday morning and the timber was knocked off its deck.
None of the 25-member crew was injured. After the accident the vessel headed for the English port city of Portsmouth, the agency said.
A homecoming for Durga… in London
By IANS,
London : Thousands of Bengalis are thronging a town hall in a leafy suburb this week as Durga Puja celebrations return to their traditional London venue after a gap of 18 years.
The town hall in Belsize Park, a north London neighbourhood that is home to many Bengali settlers from India, has been visited by more than 700 people every day, organiser say.
The town hall, rubbing shoulders with the upmarket Hampstead neighbourhood, was where it all happened every year for London's Bengalis - the venue that hosted the puja every year from 1966 to 1990.
100 Boko Haram fighters killed in Nigeria
Abuja: At least 100 Boko Haram fighters were killed in an operation by military troops in northeastern Nigeria's state of Borno Friday, a senior...
Japanese FM: Normalization of ties depends on DPRK
By Xinhua,
Tokyo : Japanese Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura said Tuesday the normalization of relations between Japan and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) depends on the DPRK side.
"If the issue of past abduction of Japanese nationals and the nuclear and missile issues could be properly resolved, Japan could normalize relations with the DPRK even tomorrow," Komura said at a press conference held at the Foreign Correspondents Club Japan.
Tibetan spiritual leader asks Tibetans to show restraint
By IRNA
New Delhi : Asking Tibetans to show restraint, the spiritual leader of Tibet, Dalai Lama Tuesday said he will resign as leader of Tibet's government-in-exile if the situation in Lhasa and its neighbouring provinces got out of control.
"If Tibetans choose violence in their agitation, I shall resign from the leadership," the 73-year-old monk told reporters in Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh, PTI reported here.
Mazda to recall about 290,000 cars in Europe, Australia
By DPA,
Tokyo : Japanese carmaker Mazda Motor Corp is to recall some 288,000 vehicles over possible loss of power steering in major overseas markets including Europe and Australia, increasing the number of overseas recalls to 513,000, a company spokesman said Thursday.
The recall applies to 2007-09 model year versions of Mazda3 and Mazda5 vehicles manufactured from April 2007 through November 2008. The vehicles were produced in Japan and sold abroad.
Ice Age lesson foretells faster rise in sea level
By IANS,
Washington : A rise in sea level from greenhouse-induced warming of the Greenland ice sheet could be double or triple of current estimates over the next century, warned a team of researchers.
"We could see a much bigger response in terms of sea level from the Greenland ice sheet over the next 100 years than what is currently predicted," said Anders Carlson, University of Wisconsin (UW) Madison professor of geology and geophysics, who led the research team.
South Asian organisations in US accuse BJP of vendetta politics to persecute Muslims
By TCN News
The Alliance for Justice and Accountability (AJA) on Tuesday condemned the Indian Government for slapping criminal charges against Muslim activists, students, and...
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."
Freed Colombian hostage reunited with three-year-old son
By DPA
Bogota : After being held captive for six years by Colombian rebels, Clara Rojas, who was released last week, has reunited with her three-year-old son Emmanuel in Bogota, reported Colombian media.
After learning that her son, who was born in captivity and taken from her when he was eight months old, was alive and living in foster care, the 44-year-old attorney flew from Venezuela on a military plane to Bogota.
Brazil to invest $25 bn for ethanol production
By IANS,
Rio de Janeiro : Brazil plans to invest $25 billion to build new ethanol plants in the country to meet the demand for alternative fuel that is expected to grow 150 percent in the next decade, Spain's EFE reported.
The state-owned Energy Research Corporation (EPE) has prepared a report that shows ethanol produced from sugarcane will overtake gasoline and become Brazil's main fuel for powering automobiles.
The EPE is part of the country's energy and mines ministry.
Wall Street plunges as US Congress rejects bailout plan
By Xinhua,
New York : Wall Street plunged Monday after US House of representatives unexpectedly rejected the financial bailout plan.
The Dow Jones average and S&P 500 posted its biggest daily percentage decline since the October 1987 stock market crash while the Nasdaq had its worst day since April 2000.
The Dow Jones industrial average sank 777.68 points, or 6.98 percent, to 10,365.45. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index was down 106.59 points, or 8.79 percent, at 1,106.42. The Nasdaq Composite Index was down 199.61 points, or 9.14 percent, at 1,983.73.
26 injured in China quake
By IANS,
Beijing : At least 26 people were injured after a magnitude 5.8 earthquake hit China's Xinjiang Uygur region Thursday, a statement said.
Two US varsities evacuated after bomb threats
By IANS,
Washington : Two US universities Friday asked all employees and students to leave their campuses after the institutes received separate bomb threats, Xinhua reported.
Australian terrorism suspect praised Allah for fires, court told
By DPA,
Sydney : An Australian Muslim ordered to stand trial over an alleged plan to shoot at a Sydney army base said forest fires that claimed over 170 lives in February were punishment for "filthy people", a court in Melbourne was told Monday.
Saney Edow Aweys, 26, is one of four men committed to stand trial over the alleged plot.
According to secretly recorded telephone conversations, Aweys told a friend that the "fires broke out in the whole country and all were happy".
Bank of Baroda to expand in Trinidad
By Paras Ramoutar, IANS
Port of Spain : After a "good response" at the newly opened branch here on Bankers' Row, Bank of Baroda (BOB) managing director Kishore Kharat said the bank wants to open branches in San Fernando and Chaguanas by mid 2008.
Describing BOB as a "full-fledged bank catering to small and middle enterprises", Kharat told the media that the bank has employed 15 local people, who are being trained by its experts from India.
"We have expertise in catering to middle-income and corporate clients, and in facilitating import and export," he pointed out.
US readies welcome mat, visa for India’s new leader
By Arun Kumar (17:34)
Washington: The US is getting the welcome mat out for whoever may be India's new prime minister, including the Bharatiya...
Sri Lankan troops advance despite rain as casualties mount
By DPA,
Colombo : Sri Lankan troops advanced Monday into Tamil Tiger rebels-held areas in northern Sri Lanka despite heavy rain after losing at least 33 soldiers in weekend fighting, the defence ministry said.
The troops were trying to consolidate their positions and advance in the Akkarayankulam and Maniyankulam areas in Kilinochchi district, 370 km north of Colombo.
The defence ministry said 33 soldiers were killed and three more were missing, while 48 more were injured in the fighting over the weekend in the same areas.
Nepal Government unveils its annual policies, programmes
By NNN-Nepal News
Kathmandu : The government Wednesday unveiled its annual ‘policies and programmes’ laying emphasis on the upcoming constituent assembly polls, improvement in the security situation and reconstruction of infrastructure destroyed during the armed conflict.
Addressing the parliament session, Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala urged all sides to work together in holding the CA election in a peaceful manner. He further said the political change in the country would not be consolidated unless there is economic and social reform.
Yahoo! reports loss but beats expectations
By DPA
San Francisco : Troubled Internet pioneer Yahoo! swung to a quarterly loss Tuesday because of severance pay and write downs on its European properties.
Despite recording a $303 million loss in the fourth quarter, the company's results beat expectations as its revenues and operating profit held up well in the dire economic climate.
Maoists announce blockade of Kathmandu valley, international airport
By IANS,
Kathmandu : Nepal's former Maoist guerrillas, whose ultimatum to the coalition government ends Nov 1, have warned they would launch a blockade of Kathmandu valley and the Himalayan nation's only international airport if their demands are not met within the deadline.
"We will not allow any aircraft to take off (from the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu) or any aircraft to land," Maoist daily Janadisha said Wednesday.
Top Ingush judge killed in North Caucasus
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : A top judge in the North Caucasus Republic of Ingushetia has been killed in an attack by unidentified assailants, the republic's investigative committee said on Sunday.
Khasan Yandiyev was chairman of Ingushetia's Supreme Court and was killed at a filling station in the city of Karabulak at around 12:45 p.m. Moscow time (8:45 a.m. GMT) on Sunday, the committee said.
Local police earlier reported that Yandiyev was deputy chairman of the Ingush Supreme Court.
Measures are under way to find the attackers.
Dozens feared dead in Nigeria tanker explosion
By DPA
Port Harcourt (Nigeria) : Several dozen people were feared dead after a tanker exploded on a main road near this city in the oil-rich Niger Delta region, BBC reported.
It was not immediately clear if the explosion was as a result of an accident or an attack.
The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, one of the largest rebel groups in the region, has committed numerous attacks in recent weeks.
As recently as Friday, the movement claimed responsibility for the explosion of an oil tanker.
BP’s oil cap holding amid tense wait for test results
By DPA,
Washington: BP's first successful effort to cap the ruptured oil well in the Gulf of Mexico held fast through Friday, but engineers will continue watching tensely for signs of more leaks in the coming hours and day.
While pressure readings were slightly below levels that authorities had hoped for, they remained "consistent" with a well that had not sprung any extra leaks, said Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen, who is managing the government's response to the disaster.
Thai troops block opposition convoy, shoot rubber bullets
By DPA,
Bangkok : Thai troops Wednesday stopped a caravan of protesters heading from Bangkok to a neighbouring province by erecting road barriers and shooting rubber bullets. About a dozen people were injured, including one soldier.
Hundreds of troops and police blocked the protest convoy in Anusornsathan district, near Bangkok's old Don Mueang Airport.
Soldiers shot rubber bullets, injuring between 10 and 20 people, according to television reports. One soldier was also shot in the head but his condition was not immediately known, media reports said.
Poorer nations bear brunt of climate change
By Mauricio Weibel,DPA,
Santiago (Chile) : Extreme rainfall and spreading drought are signalling rapid climate change in Latin America, prompting concern that wrenching changes like migration will worsen social equality.
A greater concentration of land ownership, changes in water supplies and an expansion of deserts are the likely consequences as temperatures rise, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) says.
Ugandan FM elected UN General Assembly president
United Nations: Ugandan Foreign Minister Sam Kutesa was elected president of the 69th session of the UN General Assembly, media reported Thursday.
Kutesa was chosen...
Nepal says 123 missing in landslide are dead; toll 156
Kathmandu : Nepal Wednesday said that 123 people who went missing following a deadly landslide are dead, pushing up the toll to 156.
The landslide...
Indian doctors face higher lay-off threat in Britain
London: Medical practitioners trained in India and working in Britain are four times more likely to be laid off than the ones trained locally,...
British troops arrive in Kosovo
By SPA,
Pristina, Kosovo : NATO says some 200 British peacekeepers have arrived in Kosovo to help improve security as the government prepares to take control of the country.
The troops are the first of 600 soldiers from the 2nd Battalion The Rifles that will be sent to Kosovo's ethnically tense north, the Associated Press reported.
Kosovo's authorities will take over from the United Nations on June 15, almost four months after declaring independence from Serbia.
Military plane shot down in Ukraine, 49 dead
London: At least 49 people were killed Saturday when a Ukrainian military plane was shot down by pro-Russian separatists in the eastern city of...
Australian PM announces new global nuclear disarmament body
By SPA,
Sydney, Australia : Australia has set up a new body for nuclear disarmament, hoping to recruit like-minded countries to strengthen the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, the prime minister said Monday.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announced the Nuclear Nonproliferations and Disarmament Commission during a visit to Japan, after laying a wreath in Hiroshima, site of the world's first nuclear bombing.
China’s trains carried 910 mn passengers this year
By IANS,
Beijing : China's railways carried nearly 910 million passengers during the first half of the year, up 12.2 percent from the like period in 2010, authorities said.
Pope Benedict celebrates mass at Yankee Stadium
By DPA,
New York : After offering prayers for the victims of the Sep 11 terror attacks at Ground Zero, Pope Benedict XVI celebrated Mass for a crowd of about 57,000 people at Yankee Stadium Sunday.
The Mass at the stadium was his last official public appearance in of a six-day visit to the US on what he described as a pilgrimage of peace and justice.
A special throne with the papal seal was erected for Benedict above second base of the packed baseball stadium while nearly 600 priests and deacons occupied rows of seats along the sides of the diamond-shaped field.
Russia’s Lavrov to discuss European security treaty in Portugal
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will take to Portugal next week Russia's proposal to sign a pan-European security treaty, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Thursday.
Lavrov will meet with his Portuguese counterpart, Luis Amado, and Prime Minister Jose Socrates during a working visit on November 17-18.
Police: 8 killed in Armenian protests over election results
By SPA
Yerevan, Armenia : Armenian police says eight people were killed and 33 officers injured in clashes between police and protesters angry over alleged election fraud.
According to AP, Police spokesman Sayat Shirinian announced the deaths in a statement Sunday. He did not say whether the eight killed were protesters or police, or give other details.
The president declared a 20-day state of emergency late Saturday following a day of violence between police and some 15,000 demonstrators.
Yemen on brink of economic collapse: UN
United Nations: Yemen, reeling from political instability and insecurity from jihadist attacks, is "on the brink of an economic collapse," a UN humanitarian official...
3 bombs rock southern Thailand
By Xinhua
Bangkok : At least three bombs were triggered by suspected local insurgents in Thailand's southernmost province of Narathiwat on Monday, damaging local power supply and mobile phone signal transmission.
All the three bombs were planted in Narathiwat's Jo Ai Rong district, local police said, adding that two of them were installed near two power relay lines and the other one were planted near a mobile phone pole.
According to the report of The Nation news network, power supply and mobile phone usage for the areas were immediately crippled after the blast.
Fresh Nepal poll date not in a hurry: Koirala
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS
Kathmandu : Nepal's embattled Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has ruled out announcing fresh dates for the twice-delayed constituent assembly election "in a hurry", even as pressure mounted on him from both opposition parties and the international community for an early election.
Gandhi was a ‘bad man’ to Churchill, secret notes reveal
By Venkata Vemuri, IANS,
London : Winston Churchill once called Mahatma Gandhi "a bad man and an enemy of the Empire" who should have been done away with.
The war-time prime minister of Britain told Field Marshal Jan Christian Smuts of South Africa at a meeting of the war cabinet in London in the 1940s: "You are responsible for all our troubles in India - you had Gandhi for years and did not do away with him."
To which, Smuts replied: "When I put him in prison - three times - all Gandhi did was to make me a pair of bedroom slippers."
Israel agrees to Egypt’s Gaza ceasefire proposal
London: The Israeli cabinet Tuesday agreed on an Egyptian initiative for Gaza truce, even as the Islamic Hamas movement rejected the proposal, saying that...
UN calls for aid for Georgian conflict victims
By Xinhua,
New York : The United Nations has called on international donors to provide $58.6 million in aid to help victims affected by the recent conflict in Georgia.
The funding will be used to meet the needs of almost 130,000 people in the region of conflict for the next six months, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in a statement Monday
UN chief urges global ban on n-tests
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
United Nations : UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called on all UN members, including India, to ratify a resolution banning the testing of nuclear weapons.
236 candidates file nominations for Maldives parliamentary polls
By IANS,
Male : A total of 236 candidates have so far filed nominations for the March 22 elections to Maldives' 85-seat parliament, media reported...
UN announces environment education programme for students
By IANS,
New Delhi: In order to spread awareness about the environment and develop young leaders in the field, the United Nations Thursday announced a global environment educational programme for students.
The Bayer Young Environmental Envoy Programme (BYEEP) organised by healthcare company Bayer and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) will help young people learn about trends and perspectives in the field of environmental protection and sustainability, said a statement from Bayer.
China wants cyber security communication with US
By IANS,
Beijing: China has appealed for communication with the US on cyber security, Xinhua reported Tuesday.
Global nuclear energy capacity to increase
By DPA,
Vienna : The UN nuclear agency has raised its long-term projections for nuclear power growth, as countries are seeking stable energy prices and energy security. Global nuclear electricity production capacity will rise to between 473 and 748 gigawatts in 2030, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has noted in its latest annual outlook on nuclear power.
In 2007, 439 nuclear reactors operated worldwide, with a capacity of 372 gigawatts.
British newspaper apologises to green panel
By IANS,
London: A British newspaper which accused a UN environmental panel of bad science over its report on effect of climate change on Amazon rainforests has apologized for casting aspersions on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
In January this year, The Sunday Times had run an article which described IPCC's claim that Amazon rainforest would be sensitive to future changes to rainfall as "unsubstantiated claim".
China spurns call for dialogue with Dalai Lama
By DPA
Beijing : Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao has spurned international calls for his government to hold talks with the exiled Dalai Lama over recent unrest in Tibetan areas, blaming the Buddhist leader for violent protests and accusing him of insincerity.
Wen said that supporters of the Dalai Lama had encouraged the "appalling incident in Lhasa", the capital of Tibet, and "similar incidents in other parts of China".