British citizen faces imminent execution in China
By DPA,
Beijing : Family members of a British citizen due to be executed for drug smuggling have arrived in China to make a final plea for clemency to authorities, a rights group said.
Akmal Shaikh, 53, is due to be executed Tuesday morning in Beijing after he was convicted of trafficking 4 kg of heroin to Urumqi in China's western Xinjiang region.
Climate change to torch Australia’s farms, says report
By DPA
Sydney : Climate change will lop 10 percent off Australia's agricultural production within 25 years, a government report predicted Friday.
By 2050, output could be down by 19 percent, the survey by the Australian Bureau of Agricultural Statistics found.
Australia - currently a leading exporter of wheat, beef, sugar and dairy products - could see its economy slump as its farmland gets hotter and drier and production declines.
Sangay favours ‘middle-way’ policy on Tibet
By IANS,
Dharamsala : Tibetan political leader Lobsang Sangay Tuesday again favoured the 'middle-way' policy to resolve the issue of Tibet.
Nepal’s monument of massacres awaits makeover
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : As Nepal's last king Gyanendra makes his final exit from the Narayanhity royal palace Wednesday night to start life as a commoner, the historic edifice will also have a makeover from a monument to conspiracy and violent death to a national museum.
The pink pagoda-like palace that was the seat of power in Nepal for over two centuries was first the abode of the powerful and ruthless clan of Rana prime ministers who fought a long and bitter battle with the Shah kings for supremacy.
Obama vows no US troops on the ground in Pakistan
By ANTARA,
Washington : President Barack Obama said US forces would launch strikes on militant targets inside Pakistan if necessary, but said US troops on the ground would not go in hot pursuit over the Afghan border.
"I haven`t changed my approach," Obama said in an interview broadcast Sunday on CBS program "Face the Nation," referring to US missile strikes on militants.
"If we have a high-value target within our sights, after consulting with Pakistan, we`re going after them," the president said.
World’s longest captive snake on display in U.S.
By Xinhua
Beijing : Fluffy, a gigantic python thought to be the world's longest captive snake, will be on permanent display at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, U.S., media reported Monday.
The 7.3-meter reticulated python is about as long as a moving van and thick as a telephone pole.
The zoo bought Fluffy for 35,000 U.S. dollars from its breeder in Oklahoma, which raised the python from a hatchling.
Beijing : Fluffy, a gigantic python thought to be the world's longest captive snake, will be on permanent display at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, U.S., media reported Monday.
The 7.3-meter reticulated python is about as long as a moving van and thick as a telephone pole.
The zoo bought Fluffy for 35,000 U.S. dollars from its breeder in Oklahoma, which raised the python from a hatchling.
US nuclear envoy travels to North Korea for talks
By DPA,
Seoul : US President Barack Obama's special envoy for North Korea, Stephen Bosworth, travelled to the Stalinist state Tuesday to try to convince the country to return to international denuclearisation talks.
Bosworth also hopes to convince the regime in Pyongyang to honour a disarmament deal stuck in 2005 with the US, Russia, China, Japan and South Korea - the other participants in the six-party talks.
US firms will compete for India nuclear trade: Rice
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is confident that American companies will compete for their share of the nuclear business once the India-US civil nuclear deal is operationalised.
"We have a letter of intent from the Indians that we believe is a very firm set of commitments and a framework for making sure that our businesses can do business in India," Rice told reporters Friday on way to New Delhi following Congressional approval of the deal.
Intercultural dialogue a must in ever more connected world: Ban
By IRNA,
Tehran : United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Wednesday that the world is ever more interconnected and enhancing dialogue and understanding among peoples and faiths is more vital than ever.
According to a press release issued by the UN Information Center (UNIC) here on Thursday, Ban said with the implosion of financial markets on Wall Street and the explosion of a volcano in Iceland highlighting in just two ways how the world is ever more interconnected.
World Bank releases report on development, climate change
By IANS,
Abu Dhabi: The developing countries can shift to a low-carbon path while promoting development, but this depends on financial and technical aid from developed nations, the World Bank said in a report released here Sunday.
"High-income countries also need to act quickly to reduce their carbon footprints and boost development of alternative energy sources to help tackle the problem of climate change," said the World Development Report 2010: Development and Climate Change.
Dec 1 Paris meet to discuss new Iran sanctions
Washington, Nov 29 (RIA Novosti) Five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany will gather in Paris Saturday to discuss tougher new sanctions against Iran over its refusal to stop uranium enrichment, the US State Department said Thursday.
The report delivered earlier this month by chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency Mohamed ElBaradei said the country has provided additional documents on its nuclear programme, but noted that Tehran was continuing with uranium enrichment.
Pilot wrongly accused over 9/11 can claim damages
By IRNA
London : An Algerian pilot wrongly accused of training the 9/11 hijackers is entitled to claim damages, the Court of Appeal in London ruled Thursday.
Evidence suggested police and prosecutors were responsible for "serious defaults" in detaining 33-year old Lotfi Raissi in jail for nearly five months, the court said.
Raissi, who has been seeking an apology for his detention, says his claim may run into millions of pounds.
Britain's Home Office originally refused to pay him compensation for being deprived of his liberty because of a miscarriage of justice.
Six killed in Malaysian chopper crash
Kuala Lumpur: Six people were killed when a civilian helicopter crashed in the suburbs of Kuala Lumpur on Saturday, Xinhua reported.
At least two bodies...
Oil rises on positive data
By IANS,
New York : Crude prices rose Tuesday as retail data came in positive and the Federal Reserve described the US economy as "expanding moderately".
Rights watchdog fears India abetting impunity in Nepal
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : A leading human rights organisation in Nepal Thursday said India and other donors were fostering the culture of impunity in the country, preventing hundreds of atrocities committed during the Maoist insurgency, by both the state and the rebels, from being brought to justice.
Candlelight vigils for US journalists held in North Korea
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : Candlelight vigils are being held across US Wednesday for two Asian American journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee, who were arrested March 17 near the North Korean border while reporting on refugees living in China.
The two women, who work for San Francisco-based Current TV - a media venture founded by former vice president Al Gore, have been accused by North Korea of crossing into the country illegally from China and committing hostile acts.
Mexico to redouble austerity measures amid food crisis
By IANS,
Mexico City : Mexico will redouble austerity measures as part of an emergency plan to help families deal with the impact of global food crisis, EFE news agency reported Wednesday.
In a nationally broadcast address Tuesday, President Felipe Calderon announced a six-point strategy to guarantee sufficient supply of food products for consumers while promoting agricultural produces and measures to augment income of the poorest section of the population.
"This will also require a great budgetary effort and my government will be the first to set an example," Calderon said.
Myanmar sets up herbal park to promote traditional medicines
By Xinhua
Yangon : Myanmar has set up the first national herbal park in the new capital of Nay Pyi Taw to grow herbal and medicinal plants, the official newspaper New Light of Myanmar reported Sunday.
The herbal park is part of the government's efforts to protect and preserve the time-tested herbs from depletion and extinction and to keep alive the country's traditional system of medicines.
War decorated soldier woman in beauty battle
By IANS,
London : Tunbridge Wells regularly keeps a date with history-makers. It was Kapil the Devil in 1983. It is Barbie the Soldier this year.
The British town where Kapil Dev made history with the bat in the Prudential World Cup match against Zimbabwe by scoring 175 not out is now in the news for a local student-turned soldier, who may earn a distinction Friday night.
The way forward for the UN climate change process
By Yvo de Boer, IANS,
In December, the nations of the world and most of its leaders met in Copenhagen to agree on ambitious and immediate global action to combat climate change. That complete vision did not emerge. The task has therefore become more, not less, urgent. The window of opportunity to tackle the climate problem closes more rapidly the longer nations delay to act together.
Nearly 22,500 killed in violent cyclone in Myanmar
By NNN-Xinhua,
Yangon : A total of 22,464 people have been killed in two divisions of Yangon and Ayeyawaddy in a violent cyclone storm Nargis that swept Myanmar's five divisions and states on last Friday and Saturday, according to state radio Tuesday evening.
Of the victims, 21,793 are in Ayeyawaddy division, while 671 are in Yangon division.
A total of 41,054 were missing -- 40,695 in Ayeyawaddy division and 359 in Yangon division, the report said, adding that 670 were injured in the Yangon division alone.
Hillary Clinton urges Myanmar to let aid workers in
By DPA,
Washington : Senator Hillary Clinton called on the regime in Myanmar to allow international aid workers into the country to help the relief effort following a cyclone that killed thousands of people.
"Our hearts and prayers go out to the people," Clinton said at a campaign rally late Tuesday after polls closed in the presidential primary contests in Indiana and North Carolina.
"I call on the junta that has ruled Burma (Myanmar) for so many years to please, please, let the rest of the world in to help."
British Airways, Iberia agree merger
By DPA,
London : British Airways and Spain's largest airline Iberia agreed to a merger forming the world's third-biggest airline, the companies announced.
The merger, which was agreed after 16 months of negotiations, is to be completed by the end of 2010, keeping both brands in operation. British Airways (BA) would control 55 percent of the combined airline with Iberia holding 45 percent.
The link-up would be the biggest consolidation in the European airline industry since the 2004 merger of French carrier Air France and KLM, the Dutch airline, on which it is modelled.
China hosts World Buddhist Forum sans Dala Lama
By DPA,
Beijing : The Dalai Lama was a notable absentee Friday as religious leaders gathered in the eastern Chinese city of Wuxi for the second World Buddhist Forum.
More than 2,000 delegates from about 60 nations are scheduled to attend the opening of the event Saturday, under the theme "A harmonious world - a synergy of conditions", organisers said.
UN rights chief warns CAR fighting factions
By IANS,
United Nations : UN human rights chief Navi Pillay has warned that authorities in the Central African Republic (CAR) will be held personally...
Satellite-wreckage threat to others: Official
By RIA Novosti,
Korolyov (Russia) : The wreckage of the US and Russian satellites that collided Tuesday poses a serious threat to other satellites on the same orbit, a Russian Mission Control official told journalists Friday.
"The 800 km is a very popular orbit for remote Earth sensing and telecommunications satellites," said Vladimir Solovyov, head of the Russian segment of the International Space Station.
Three dead in US storms
By IANS,
Washington: Three people were killed in a storm that moved through Oklahoma state in the US Friday, media reports said Saturday.
12,000-year-old human skull found in Mexico
Mexico city: A 12,000-year-old female human's skull found in the Mexican Caribbean could be the oldest human remains ever unearthed in the Americas, a...
Report claims proof of secret CIA jails in Europe
By DPA
Paris : A Council of Europe report made public Friday said that investigators have proof that the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) ran clandestine prisons for terror suspects in Europe, with the full cooperation of government leaders.
California abuzz over Obama’s coming visit
By DPA,
Los Angeles : President or rock-star? Californians seemed unable to make up their mind Tuesday about US leader Barack Obama, who was due in the Golden State for a two-day visit for the first time since his inauguration in January.
News of the presidential visit sparked thousands into action in southern California, where Obama is set to hold two town hall meetings Wednesday and Thursday, visit an electric car testing facility and appear as a guest on comedian Jay Leno's top-rated "Tonight" show.
Dutch royals attacker dies of injuries
By DPA,
Amsterdam : The car driver who killed five people when he sped into a crowd watching the Dutch monarch, Queen Beatrix, in an apparent attack on the royal family has died of his injuries, the public prosecutor confirmed Friday.
Thursday's attack - which has stunned the Netherlands - was captured on film, which showed the small black car burst through a barrier at high speed, hitting 17 people, and killing three men and two women.
Obama marks end of Iraq war
By IANS,
Washington: US President Barack Obama Wednesday marked the end of the Iraq war with a visit to troops at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, Xinhua reported.
Tripartite core group releases preliminary cyclone impact assessment report
By Xinhua,
Yangon : A tripartite core group involving the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Myanmar and the United Nations (U.N.) has released a preliminary cyclone impact joint assessment report in Yangon and the report is to be submitted to the ASEAN Foreign Ministerial Meeting in Singapore scheduled for July 20-21, according to a local weekly Sunday.
Overflights question Russia’s Georgia role–NATO
By SPA,
Brussels : NATO said on Tuesday it was troubled by Russian military overflights of Georgian territory, saying they called into question Moscow's role as a peacekeeper
and facilitator of talks between Tbilisi and separatists, reported reuters.
NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer urged all parties, including Russia, to support Georgian territorial integrity as called for in U.N. Security Council resolutions, alliance spokesman James Appathurai said.
Strong earthquake rattles northeastern Greece
By DPA,
Athens : A strong earthquake measuring 6.6 on the Richter scale shook north-eastern Greece early Tuesday, but there were no reports of injuries or damage.
The underwater quake took place at 5:06 a.m. and had an epicentre northeast of Athens near Halkida and the island of Evia.
Two smaller earthquakes took place a few minutes later.
The earthquake startled people in Athens.
Family of 14 arrested for drug trafficking
By Xinhua,
Rio De Janeiro : Brazilian police have arrested 14 people from one family, including a 75-year-old woman and a 10-year-old boy, on suspicion of drug trafficking.
A two-month investigation showed the family operated in the north part of southeastern Minas Gerais state for at least four years, a police official said.
The leader of the gang was identified as Mauricio Marcos da Silva, whose parents, siblings, in-laws and nephews were also involved in the illegal trade, the police said.
UN official visits Sri Lanka amid human rights concern
By DPA,
Colombo : UN Under Secretary General for Political Affairs Lynn Pascoe met with Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa Wednesday, as concerns persisted over human rights in the final stages of the battle between government forces and Tamil rebels.
Pascoe had earlier visited former Tamil-held areas in the Mullatitivu district, 360 km north of the capital Colombo, where the government is making arrangements to resettle thousands displaced by the fighting.
Data ruling may shelter illegal file sharers
By Jean-Baptiste Piggin, DPA
Berlin : The agony of the recorded-music industry as it fights the "world of free" on the internet may have become a little more painful in Germany this month, with a court ruling that seems to restrict surveillance of web users.
Following the example set by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), the German music companies have been tracking down web users, mostly 15 to 30 year olds, who download music in breach of copyright. It reports them to the police.
EU urges giving negotiations a chance on Kosovo
By Xinhua
Brussels : The European Union's (EU) foreign policy chief Javier Solana has said the EU still hopes that negotiations could succeed in concluding the process of Kosovo's future status.
"We want to give negotiations a chance, and therefore we are going to see how to go about it, together with our friends from the US and Russia, to move forward the process," Solana said after the first day talks of the EU foreign ministers Monday.
At least 20 dead in Philippines floods, landslides
By DPA
Manila : At least 20 people have died and five were missing in flash floods and landslides that have hit large areas of the Philippines, the government said Friday.
The National Disaster Coordinating Council said half the victims were killed in the worst hit province of Eastern Samar, 630 km southeast of Manila.
Five more deaths were reported in the southern province of Lanao Del Norte, two in eastern Albay province, two in nearby Leyte province and one in Capiz province.
House marathon ends but Nepal impasse will continue
By Sudeshna Sarkar
Kathmandu, Nov 5 (IANS) Nepal's marathon special parliament session that lasted for almost 600 hours stretched over 25 days and finally ended in a face-saver for the warring sides but a stinging loss for the nation.
Serbia to have early elections next May
By KUNA
Sarajevo : Serbian President Boris Tadic announced Monday his agreement to the proposal of the country's Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica on dissolving the parliament and holding early elections next May.
The step aims to find a solution for the constitutional crisis Serbia suffers from since Kosovo announced its independence.
Tadic told Belgrade radio station that the Serbian government is no longer able to perform its constitutional duties due to the tension among the ministers on Serbia's response to Kosovo's announcement of independence.
China landslides kill 200 relief workers
By Xinhua,
Beijing : At least 200 relief workers have been killed in landslides caused by aftershocks in the past three days in China's quake-hit southwestern province of Sichuan, the country's transport ministry said Monday.
The workers were engaged in road repairing works in the province. Officials said two construction machines and six vehicles were also buried in landslides.
Meanwhile, China's Earthquake Networks Centre said another aftershock, measuring 5.4 on the Richter scale, was recorded at 2.06 p.m. Monday in Qingchuan county of Sichuan Province.
Queen ensures William and Kate’s girl the Princess title
By IANS,
London: Making a significant change in existing Royal rules, Queen Elizabeth II has ensured that a daughter for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will be given the title of Princess.
Fuel pollution in Kerch strait 50 times above normal
By RIA Novosti
Moscow : The concentration of petroleum products in the strait linking the Black Sea and Sea of Azov is 50 times above maximum acceptable levels after a tanker split open during Sunday's storm, Russian experts said Wednesday as authorities despatched special chemical absorbent to clean up the spill.
"Tests of water samples made by Russian weather service experts Nov 13 showed 2.5 milligrams per litre, which is 50 times above the acceptable concentration level," the service said in a statement.
Nepal King loses his biggest prop
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS
Kathmandu : With elections in 76 days when the people will for the first time decide if they should still have a monarch, Nepal's King Gyanendra's fortunes continue to plummet with his biggest support group - the Nepali Congress headed by Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala - deserting him.
Spanish artist Pablo Palazuelo dead
By IANS
Madrid : Spanish painter and sculptor Pablo Palazuelo died Wednesday in Madrid at the age of 90.
Immediately after the news of his death, Spanish Culture Minister Cesar Antonio Molina said Palazuelo was "one of the most important figures in abstract art of the second half of the 20th century" and that his death constitutes "a great loss for the world", Spanish news agency EFE reported.
Palazuelo, born Oct 6, 1916, studied architecture in Madrid and later at Oxford before deciding to fully devote himself to painting in 1939.
Monas Incident Created Rift Within Muslim Community: PB GPMI
By Bernama,
Jakarta : The executive board of the Indonesian Muslim Brotherhood Movement (PB GPMI) said the incident at the National Monument (Monas) square last Sunday, had created a rift within the Muslim community, the Antara news agency reported Monday.
Former Malaysian PM testifies in Lingam video case
By NNN-Bernama
Kuala Lumpur : Dr Mahathir Mohamad testified Thursday that only recently he came to know lawyer V. K. Lingam who is implicated in a video clip showing him allegedly brokering appointment of judges.
The former prime minister dismissed claims that prominent businessman Vincent Tan Chee Yioun had on several occasions brought Lingam to his house when he was the prime minister.
Norway follows EU in imposing sanctions on Russia
Oslo:Norway has decided to follow the European Union (EU) in imposing sanctions on Russia over the Ukraine crisis, the Norwegian foreign ministry said...
Judge shot dead in Moscow
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Russian federal judge Edward Chuvashov was shot dead here Monday, an official source said.
"An unidentified person shot Chuvashov at the entrance to an apartment block and fled," the source said.
Chuvashov heard the trial of the "White Wolves" skinhead group in Moscow City Court, sentencing nine gang members to up to 23 years in prison in February.
Russian troop withdrawal from Georgia starts
By DPA,
Moscow/Tbilisi(Georgia) : Russian forces have begun withdrawing from Georgia, with a first convoy of vehicles moving out of the South Ossetian capital Tskhinvali, reports said Monday.
There was no initial official confirmation by the Russian military to the report.
According to the reports, the withdrawal so far involves groups of between five and 10 armoured vehicles. They were seen heading toward the Roki tunnel which connects Russia and Georgia in the Caucasus mountain region.
China opens first sex education museum for women
By RIA Novosti,
Beijing : China's first museum of sex education for women, disseminating information on human reproduction and sexual psychology, has opened in the southern city of Guangzhou, the China Daily reported Friday.
The exhibition, which men are barred from, has eight halls with more than 500 exhibits, housed in the city's Ren'ai Hospital.
Women will be shown films and pictures imparting "knowledge on pregnancy, abortions and childbirth," the newspaper said.
The museum hopes for at least 200 visitors per day.
German Jewish peace group condemns Israeli massacres in Gaza
Berlin, Jan 16, IRNA -- Members of a German Jewish peace organization rallied outside the Israeli embassy in Berlin on Thursday to condemn Israeli atrocities in Gaza.
Calling themselves 'European Jews for a Just Peace Germany', the German
Jewish protesters urged western countries to step up pressure on Israel
to "stop immediately its military aggression" in Gaza.
The group called also for imposing international sanctions on Israel for
its war against the Palestinians.
This was the first anti-Israel demo by a group of German Jews since the start
of the Gaza war on December 27.
Electric cars can’t save climate: Experts
By IANS,
London : The hope that battery-operated cars can save the earth's climate by reducing carbon emission is just a "fantasy".
According to experts, the technology used for electric car batteries is so backward that they will die within two years.
The so-called energy efficient cars will be extremely expensive and cover far less distance on one battery charge than the manufacturers claim, they said.
The research carried out by the Institution of Engineering and Technology suggests that claims about the performance of electric vehicles are "pure fantasy".
Malaysia quake: Two climbers killed, 17 missing
Kuala Lumpur : Two climbers were killed and another 17 went missing after a 5.9-magnitude quake jolted Malaysia's Sabah state on Friday and left...
Thatcher taken to London hospital for tests: official
By AFP
London : Former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher has been admitted to a London hospital where she is in a "stable" condition, its spokeswoman said Saturday.
Thatcher, 82, is expected to spend the night at Saint Thomas' Hospital in central London, to which she was reportedly driven from her home in the capital late Friday for precautionary tests.
Brazil to build new airport in Sao Paulo after tragedy
By Xinhua
Rio De Janeiro : The Brazilian government has announced that another airport will be built in Sao Paulo, following Tuesdays' airplane accident that killed about 200 people at the Congonhas International Airport.
In a speech on national television Friday night, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said that despite the recent investment in the Congonhas airport, the main problem of the traffic overflow remained.
He then announced a series of measures to be taken to solve the problem, including building a new airport in Sao Paulo.
World Bank opens office in Myanmar
By IANS,
Yangon : The World Bank opened its first country office in Yangon's Inya Lake Hotel Wednesday while granting $85 million to support reforms in the country.
Socio-economic status important in heart disease risk
By IANS,
Washington : Doctors who ignore the education and income levels of patients when assessing their risk for heart disease may be missing an important factor that might result in inadequate treatment, according to latest research.
Most doctors use the Framingham Risk Scoring (FRS) model to evaluate the risk of heart disease. The study, conducted by the University of Rochester Medical Centre, found that the FRS method did not accurately predict whether a person of low income and/or less than a high school education would develop heart disease or die in the next ten years.
Clinton pledges strong support for Obama
By Xinhua,
Washington : U.S. senator Hillary Clinton told her supporters Thursday that she will "strongly support" senator Barack Obama, who beat her in this year's Democratic presidential nomination race.
In an email letter sent to her supporters, she confirmed news reports that she will end her presidential bid and endorse Obama on Saturday.
Myanmar’s detained opposition leader Suu Kyi meets lawyer
By DPA,
Yangon : Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been allowed to meet her lawyer for the first time after five years under house arrest, opposition sources have said.
Suu Kyi met with her lawyer Kyi Win Friday at her residence in Yangon, where she has been detained since May 2003, said National League for Democracy (NLD) spokesman Nyan Win Sunday.
"Authorities allowed her lawyer U Kyi Win to visit her house on Aug 8 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.," Nyan Win, NLD's spokesman said in a telephone interview.
Russia open to rebuilding ties with Britain: Medvedev
By RIA Novosti
Moscow : Rebuilding relations with Britain is in Russia's interests, the country's president-elect, Dmitry Medvedev, said in an interview with The Financial Times published Tuesday.
Ties between Russia and Britain have plunged to a post-Cold War low since the murder of the former Russian security officer and London-based Kremlin critic Alexander Litvinenko in 2006 and Russia's subsequent refusal to extradite the chief suspect in this case.
Italy orders DNA tests to identify WWII victims
By IANS/AKI,
Rome : Italy has ordered DNA tests on 12 unidentified victims killed by Nazi troops in one of the deadliest massacres during World War II.
The tests were ordered Wednesday by Defence Minister Ignazio La Russa to identify the 12 among 335 Italians killed in the infamous Ardeatine Caves massacre of March 24, 1944. Though the identity of the others were known, the names of the 12 have never been known.
La Russa gave the order during a ceremony to mark the 66th anniversary of the massacre.
LTTE ‘capital’ within our firing range: army chief
By IANS,
Colombo : Sri Lankan Army chief Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka Thursday said soldiers were steadily approaching Kilinochchi, the "political capital" of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), and that the troops would attack it next week.
"Kilinochchi is within the firing range of our troops and we will fire the first shot on (it) next week," Army Commander Fonseka said at a book launch ceremony here Thursday.
Eco-tourism still damaging wildlife irreversibly
By IANS,
Washington : Nature lovers and eco-tourists might be damaging wildlife irreversibly even if they restrict their activities to tiptoeing discreetly through the undergrowth, a study by experts has warned.
There has been a "dramatic, fivefold reductions in the native species" like bobcats and coyotes, said Adina Merenlender, University of California (Berkeley) who conducted the study with Sarah Reed of San Francisco-based Wilderness Society.
Human Rights closes its office in Angola
By KUNA,
Geneva : The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) announced Friday that it will cease its activities in Angola in the next few weeks.
The Angolan authorities had informed the Office of the High Commissioner that Angola will not sign a comprehensive agreement for human-rights promotion and protection activities in Angola.
Ten trendy gadgets from US tech shows
By DPA,
San Francisco/Las Vegas : Cash-strapped consumers may not be able to afford much in the way of new tech toys these days. But who says they can't look? For their ogling pleasure there are plenty of desirable new gadgets debuting at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas and at MacWorld in San Francisco.
1: Green phone - Motorola's mobile phone fortunes have fallen long and hard since the days when its Razr was the must-have device for the trendy. Motorola's latest attempt at trend setting is the Renew - the planet's first mobile phone made from recycled plastic bottles.
Many Sri Lankan women are harassed in public transport
By IANS,
Colombo : Many Sri Lankan women travelling in public transport face some form of "sexual harassment" mainly in the cosmopolitan areas, a media report quoting a research study said Sunday.
According to the report, a study conducted by the Legal Aid Commission has "found that two out of every five women experienced some form of sexual harassment on buses and trains".
Torrential rains flood South Africa’s national parks
By IANS
Nelspruit (South Africa) : Heavy rains over the weekend have flooded several wildlife sanctuaries here, including the Kruger National Park, displacing many animals.
The Kruger Park, which stretches 350 km from north to south, is one of the continent's major wildlife conservation areas. It has an area of two million hectares.
The floods have cut off the northern region of the park from the rest.
The Sirheni and Shingwedzi camps in the area are worst affected. Wild animals such as reedbuck, elephant, leopard, sable and antelope have been displaced.
China Mobile tests signal station on Mount Everest
By DPA
Beijing : China Mobile has successfully tested a mobile signal station built on Mount Everest at 6,500 metres ahead of next year's Olympic torch relay on the highest peak of the world.
The world's highest mobile telecommunications station was tested Tuesday on the 8,844-metre-high mountain, the official China Daily quoted the country's main mobile service provider, China Mobile, as saying.
Sarkozy in Afghanistan after deadly attack on French soldiers
By DPA,
Kabul : French President Nicolas Sarkozy arrived in Kabul Wednesday to visit his country's troops and meet his Afghan counterpart, a day after 10 French soldiers were killed and 21 were wounded in a Taliban attack.
Sarkozy visited French troops in Camp Warehouse on the eastern outskirts of Kabul Wednesday morning and paid his respects to the dead soldiers, a diplomatic source who declined to be named said.
Mum gets life for killing son over Koran
By IANS,
London : An Asian-origin woman who beat her son to death for failing to learn by heart parts of the Koran has been jailed for life and ordered to serve a minimum of 17 years.
Five killed in Paraguay small plane crash
By IANS
Asuncion : Five people were killed and one man seriously injured when a small plane trying to make an emergency landing crashed near the Asuncion airport, Spain's EFE news agency reported Wednesday.
"The plane crashed after running low on fuel, along a highway in Limpio, 20 km from the capital, near the Silvio Pettirossi airport," Hugo Aquino, a top airport official told the agency Tuesday after the crash.
Britain announces aid package to combat food price crisis
By DPA,
London : Britain Tuesday announced an aid package totalling 455 million pounds ($910 million) to help tackle the crisis over rising global food prices.
The Department for International Development (DFID) said 30 million pounds were in support of recent appeals by the World Food Programme (WFP) for countries most at risk from the crisis.
China launches Asia’s largest helicopter
By IANS,
Beijing : China's largest-ever civil helicopter Thursday got certification from the civil aviation administration, the country's civil aviation authority, People's Daily reported.
Russia’s upper house recognizes Georgia’s rebel regions
By DPA,
Moscow : Russia's upper house of parliament voted unanimously to recognize Georgia's rebel regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia Monday.
After an emergency meeting of the house, lawmakers issued a statement to President Dmitry Medvedev urging recognition of the two provinces that are ethnically separate from Georgia.
Bhutan MP recovers in Kolkata hospital
By IANS,
Kolkata: Bhutan MP Ugen Tenzing, admitted to a private hospital here after an arrow struck him on the head, has been operated upon and is recovering, the attending doctor said.
Tenzing was brought to Kolkata by a special flight from Bhutan Monday with the arrowhead still stuck in his head, and admitted to the Medical Institute of Neurological Diseases (MIND).
"He has been operated upon and right now his condition is better. He can talk but in a low voice. He got the injury while practising archery with some friends," said attending doctor L.N. Tripathi.
China: Security Council Should Rank African Nations High
By Prensa Latina,
Beijing : China said on Friday it supported a UN Security Council reform, and considered that it should prioritize the African countries, faced with its poor representation in that authority.
After China quake, insurance claims of $19 mn already
By Xinhua,
Beijing : China Life Insurance (Group) Co., the nation's largest life insurer, has received 150 policy claims from the quake-hit areas in southwestern China, officials said Thursday.
The company has estimated the combined compensation payments at 134 million yuan ($19.14 million) as of 4 p.m. Wednesday.
The insurer said it has already settled 26 claims.
Two Indian Americans among White House fellows
By IANS,
Washington : Two Indian Americans, Pat Basu of Naperville, Illinois, and Sunny Ramchandani of Rowland Heights, California, are among the 13 new White House Fellows.
All the 13 White House Fellows "come from diverse backgrounds, varied professions" and all of them "have shown a strong commitment to public service and leadership," the White House announced Tuesday.
India universities’ delegation experiences UK’s version of ‘Chai pe charcha’
Birmingham : A delegation from 13 Indian universities got an exposure to the United Kingdom's own version of what can be called "Chai pe...
Australian burns Quran and Bible
By IANS,
Melbourne : An Australian has posted a video of himself burning the Quran and the Bible on video sharing website YouTube, drawing widespread criticism, a media report said Monday.
Talks fail, will cut off gas to Ukraine: Gazprom
By DPA,
Moscow/Kiev : Russian export monopoly Gazprom has accused its Ukrainian counterpart of negotiating in bad faith as talks on preventing a gas embargo failed, setting the stage for a new energy crisis in Europe.
Ukrainian and Russian government representatives quit negotiations in Moscow some two hours ahead of a promised New Year's cut-off of gas deliveries by Russian energy giant Gazprom to Ukraine, as punishment for a $2-billion Ukrainian debt.
‘Baby-faced chief executives save face better for companies’
By IANS,
Washington : Pictures of baby-faced chief executives evoke a more favourable response than mature looking ones when companies face a minor crisis in public relations (PR), says a new study.
The study has found that the contours of the chief executive officer's (CEO's) face could be the key to damage control during such a crisis in a corporation.
Participants in the exercise equated baby-faced CEOs having large eyes, small nose, high forehead and small chin.
India ranks 123rd in pollution control; Iceland on top
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington: India and China rank 123rd and 121st in pollution control respectively, reflecting the strain rapid economic growth imposes on the environment, according to the 2010 Environmental Performance Index (EPI).
However, among the other newly industrialised nations Brazil and Russia rank 62nd and 69th, suggesting that the level of development is just one of many factors affecting pollution control.
IS urges Muslims in Turkey to revolt against Erdogan
Ankara: The Islamic State militant group posted a video in Turkish on Tuesday threatening Ankara and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan by calling on Muslim...
UN chief concerned about natural disaster in India, Pakistan
By Xinhua
United Nations : UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is deeply concerned on Tuesday by the loss of life and serious damage caused by severe storms and flooding in parts of India and Pakistan.
In a statement released by his spokesperson, Ban commended the prompt and effective response to this disaster in both countries, and reaffirmed the UN readiness to support national and local efforts to provide emergency assistance to the survivors.
Brazil crash victims’ identities used for fraud
By IANS
Sao Paulo : Documents from several of the 154 people who died a year ago in an airliner crash in Brazil have been used fraudulently to purchase cars, telephones and other goods, according to the Spanish news agency EFE.
Quoting a report published in the O Estado de Sao Paulo, EFE said the victims' families discovered the identity theft when bills and other documents related to the purchases started coming in after Sep 29, 2006, when a GOL airliner plunged into the Amazon jungle.
Tinsel town to protest alleged killings of Tamils in Sri Lanka
By IANS,
Chennai : The Tamil film industry has joined Tamil Nadu's political leadership in protesting against Sri Lanka for alleged killings of the minority Tamils in the island, and has announced a massive demonstration in Rameshwaram next week.
Ace film director Bharathi Raja, considered close to the ruling DMK, told IANS that all people in the industry including actors would shun work Oct 18-20 to be present in the port city to hold a massive demonstration Oct 19 expressing their angst at Sri Lanka's alleged attacks on the Tamil minority in the island across the Palk Strait.
China opens museum on sex slaves
By IANS,
Beijing : China has opened a museum to remember the women who were forced to serve as sex slaves for Japanese soldiers in World War II.
Obama pummels Clinton in White House clean sweep
SEATTLE, United States (AFP) - Senator Barack Obama swept the board Saturday, pummeling Hillary Clinton in three Democratic nominating contests, as Republican Mike Huckabee gave John McCain a run for his money.
Obama, who is locked in a battle with Clinton for the party's nomination, won big in Washington state, Nebraska, Louisiana, and the Virgin Islands, outscoring the former first lady by 2 to 1.
The Illinois senator, bidding to be the country's first black president, swept Washington and Nebraska with a staggering 68 percent of the vote.
11 killed, 134 injured during Myanmar water festival
Yangon : At least 11 people were killed and 134 injured during Myanmar's annual four-day Thingyan Water Festival which started earlier this week, sources...
13-year-old girl found in Russian brothel
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow: Investigators in Russia's western region of Tatarstan have opened a criminal case after a 13-year-old schoolgirl was found to be engaging in prostitution.
Nepal’s conflict legacy: teens kill over secondhand mobile
By Sudeshna Sarkar,IANS,
Kathmandu : Though the 10-year savage Maoist uprising that killed over 14,000 people and rendered tens of thousands homeless ended in 2006, its fallout is coming to the surface now with appalling changes in the psyche of the young people who find themselves changing inexorably under pressure.
On Wednesday, Kathmandu police presented a 17-year-old school student, Rajendra Pandit, in an apparent breakthrough in a twin murder that shocked the nation last month.
UN Security Council without India an anachronism: Tony Blair
By IANS,
New Delhi : A UN Security Council without India as a permanent member is an "anachronism" as are bodies like the IMF and the World Bank, former British prime minister Tony Blair said Saturday and then added a caveat: “with power comes responsibility”.
"A UNSC without India as a permanent member is an anachronism. An IMF or a World Bank without a proper role for India will no longer do," Blair said while addressing the HT Leadership Summit here on "Leadership in a Globalised World".
Labour wins two by-election seats, Sharma wins from Southall
By Prasun Sonwalkar, IANS
London : Voters gave Britain's new Prime Minister Gordon Brown cautious endorsement as the Labour party Friday retained the two seats of Sedgefield and Ealing Southall - better known as Little India - but with reduced majorities.
The by-elections were Brown's first electoral test after taking over as Britain's prime minister in June, but his delight at the victory was dampened by the fact that the winning margin in both constituencies had dwindled since the 2005 general elections.
I will do better: Brown
By DPA,
London : British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said in an interview Sunday that he has made mistakes in office but will do better in future.
Speaking to the BBC on the second day of the Labour Party's annual conference in Manchester, Brown said "you asked me had we made mistakes and I said yes ... Of course I always want to do better and I will do better."
Brown described his cabinet as "pretty united." He has been under pressure from poor poll ratings and an attempt by a handful of junior government ministers last week to seek a leadership contest.
UN, US and EU condemn extension of Suu Kyi’s arrest
By DPA,
New York : Worldwide condemnation followed Myanmar's six-month extension of the house arrest of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, with officials from the UN, EU and US expressing frustration and regret.
Suu Kyi has been under continual house arrest for the past five years. Since returning to the country in 1988, she has spent 12 years under house arrest.
Early Tuesday, police arrested 18 supporters of the Nobel peace laureate who were protesting her detention, opposition sources said.
Sri Lanka Fighting Kills 24
By Prensa Latina,
Colombo : At least 23 Tamil separatists and a governmental soldier died in combat over the last few hours in northern Sri Lanka, affirmed the Defense Ministry Wednesday.
According to a military release in Colombo clashes were registered in Jaffna, Vavuniya and Mannar.
The troops also destroyed three bunkers of the Tamil Eelam Liberation Tigers (TELT) and confiscated about 400 explosive mines and other armaments.
UN Security Council remains divided on Zimbabwe issue
By Xinhua,
United Nations : The UN Security Council remained divided on the issue of Zimbabwe on Tuesday as Western powers pressed for targeted sanctions against President Robert Mugabe and his top aides.
The United States circulated a draft resolution last week, urging the 15-member body to impose an arms embargo on Zimbabwe and freeze the asset of Mugabe and 11 other senior officials and restrict them from traveling abroad.
US judge orders release of young Guantanamo detainee
By Xinhua,
Washington: A federal judge in Washington DC Thursday ordered the Obama administration to release a young Afghan detained at the US military prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Judge Ellen Segal Huvelle ruled that Mohammed Jawad, who is in his early 20s, was being held illegally and therefore must be released.
Japan’s GDP plummets 12.7 percent amid record export drop
By DPA,
Tokyo : Japan's economy contracted at an annual pace of 12.7 percent in the October-to-December quarter, its worst drop since the oil crisis 35 years ago, amid a record decline in exports, the government said Monday.
The contraction in the world's second-largest economy was larger than economists had expected and came amid a 13.9 percent drop in exports, due to recessions in the US and Europe that cut demand for Japanese cars and electronics.
Quake hits Japan
By IANS,
Beijing : An earthquake measuring 5.9 on the Richter scale hit near Japan's east coast of Honshu island Friday, Xinhua reported.
French Laïcité and the onslaught of the Muslim Public Psyche
By Nizamuddin Ahmad Siddiqui
As I write this piece, the public discourse is filled with noise – both in support of and against the decry...
Death toll in China train crash rises to 71
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : The death toll from China's worst train crash increased to 71 on Wednesday, with more than 400 injured after two trains smashed into each other in eastern China earlier this week, national media said.
The passenger train bound from Beijing for the resort city of Qingdao derailed on a bend in Zibo in the Shandong province on Monday, sending at least 12 carriages into a ditch, before crashing into a second train, traveling from Shandong's Yantai city to Xuzhou.
Support for Haiti food production urgently needed: UN
By DPA,
Rome : A UN agency warned Thursday that urgent assistance must be given to food production on Haiti, given the high number of refugees from last week's earthquake.
Haitian farmers must be given immediate support before the spring planting season begins in March, according to the Rome-based Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).
Haiti's consumption of cereals is estimated at around one million tonnes, of which about 63 percent are imported, FAO said.
Israel bans Palestinians from buses, backs out after outcry
Jerusalem: A pilot programme launched by Israeli Defence Minister Mosehe Yaalon forbade Palestinians from riding the same bus as Israelis in the West Bank...
Indian man charged with groping woman on flight to US
Washington: An Indian origin man has been charged with simple assault for allegedly groping a sleeping fellow female passenger for about five minutes on...
Nepal government scraps passport deal with India
By IANS,
Kathmandu: Under growing pressure from all sides and with the opposition Maoist party having announced a general strike Monday in protest, Nepal's cornered government Sunday said it was scrapping a controversial deal with India to print "smart" Nepali passports.
Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal, who has been rapped by the Public Accounts Committee of parliament thrice and censured by his own party, called an emergency meeting of the cabinet that late Sunday agreed to jettison the deal.
US official alerted me ‘threat call’ from India was fake: Sacked NSA
By Muhammad Najeeb,IANS,
Islamabad : Former National Security Adviser Maj Gen (retired) Mehmood Ali Durrani has said that he was first in the Pakistani government to be alerted by a US official about the "threatening call" from Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee to President Asif Ali Zardari being a fake.
US teens charged with elderly woman’s rape
By IANS,
Washington : Three teenagers in the US city of Detroit have been charged with raping a 90-year-old woman, a media report said Sunday.
Maurice Randall, 17, and Anthony Hardy, 18, both of Detroit, were arraigned Saturday along with a 15-year-old Detroit boy whose name is not being released because he's a juvenile, myFOXdetroit.com reported.
The crime took place Aug 12 on Detroit's west side. The attack angered residents who started patrolling their neighbourhood with bullhorns urging witnesses to come forward.
UN chief to set up panel to probe Israel’s bombing in Gaza
By Xinhua,
UNITED NATIONS : UN Secretary-general Ban Ki-moon has informed the Security Council of his intention to establish a commission to look into Israel's bombing of UN facilities in Gaza, the Council's president said on Monday.
The UN chief made the announcement in a closed-door briefing to the Security Council about his recent overseas visit to Africa, Europe, the Middle East and Asia, Japanese UN Ambassador Yukio Takasu told reporters.
Italian police arrest over 30 Tamil Tiger suspects
By DPA,
Naples (Italy) : Italian police Wednesday arrested at least 30 people suspected of obtaining finance for Sri Lanka's Tamil Tigers rebel group.
The suspects, all Sri Lanka citizens, were picked up in raids in several cities including Naples, Rome, Genoa, Bologna and Palermo, the police said.
"The suspects extorted sums from fellow Sri Lankan nationals working as housekeepers or minders for the elderly in Italy," Naples' anti-terrorism police chief, Antonio Sbordone, said.
The money was then sent home to finance the rebel group, he explained in a television interview.
Windies begin final preparations for World T20
By IANS,
By CMC,
Bridgetown (Barbados): The West Indies will put the finishing touches on their preparations for the Twenty20 World Cup with the launch of a week-long camp here Saturday.
Greene joins campaign against domestic violence
By IANS,
London : "Twilight" star Ashley Greene has been roped in to lead a new campaign aimed at stopping domestic violence.
High-pitch campaign as NRIs battle it out for by-poll
By Prasun Sonwalkar, IANS
London : The cut and thrust of politics, Indian style, is being played out in the streets, offices, homes and gurdwaras for Thursday's election in Ealing Southall, a constituency with a large population of Asian and Sikh origin from Punjab.
The battle, caused by the death of the Labour MP Piara Singh Khabra June 19, is one of two by-elections to be held that day. The other one is scheduled in Sedgefield, from where Tony Blair stepped down as the MP.
Georgian tycoon Patarkatsishvili died of natural causes – police
By RIA Novosti
London : Georgian opposition leader and businessman Badri Patarkatsishvili died of natural causes, British police said in an autopsy report on Thursday.
Patarkatsishvili, Georgia's richest man, died late on Tuesday at the age of 52 at his home in Surrey, near London, prompting media to draw parallels with the radioactive poisoning of former Russian security officer Alexander Litvinenko in London in November 2006.
EU force for Darfur neighbors could be approved by end of January
By SPA
Brussels, Belgium : A European Union military force for two countries neighboring Sudan's troubled Darfur region could be approved by the end of the month thanks in part to pledges made Friday for more helicopters and troops for the operation, EU officials said, according to AP.
Crew members found alive aboard missing Russian ship
By IANS,
Moscow : All 11 crew members aboard a Russian ship that went missing in the White Sea were found alive and rescued, Xinhua reported.
Putin To Hold Security Council Meeting On Space Sector Issues
By Bernama
Moscow : Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday will hold a meeting of the country's Security Council. It will focus on prospects for the development of the national space sector up to 2020 in all its aspects - ranging from manned space flights to defence security, Russia's Itar-Tass news agency reported.
Russian First Vice Prime Minister who supervises this sector said last month that such a meeting was being prepared.
Violence mars second term opening of Kenyan president
By DPA
Nairobi : Violence marred the start of Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki's second term Monday, with opposition supporters set to gather in the capital Nairobi to inaugurate defeated presidential candidate Raila Odinga and a parallel government in protest against what they allege fraudulent polls.
Security officials have warned that if Odinga and members of his Orange Democratic Movement turn up at downtown Uhuru Park, they would be arrested. `Uhuru' in Swahili means freedom.
Britain-Malaysia ties stronger through LIMA 2007
By NNN-Bernama
Langkawi : The ninth edition of the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace (LIMA) Exhibition 2007 is a channel to foster closer relations between Britain and Malaysia, a British delegate said Monday.
Britain's Defence Export Services Organisation public affairs director, Adam Thomas, said this was reflected in the strong British presence at Lima which will be opened Monday night by Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
Gorbachev blasts EU, NATO over Kosovo
By RIA Novosti
Moscow : Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev has strongly criticized attempts by the European Union and NATO to decide the future of Serbia's Albanian-dominated breakaway province of Kosovo.
The UN Security Council has failed so far to bridge divisions over the future of Kosovo. Britain's envoy to UN John Sawers Dec 19 said there was no possibility of overcoming the difficulties in talks within the UN, and that the EU would now assume responsibility for determining Kosovo's status.
High-level meeting failed to reach agreement on formation of new gov’t
By Xinhua,
Kathmandu : A high-level meeting among Nepal's three major political parties held at official residence of Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala concluded without reaching a common agreement Sunday.
Three parties, Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) (CPN-M), Nepali Congress (NC) and Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) (CPN-UML), initiated the consultation at PM's residence from early Sunday morning to reach political consensus with only three days remaining to the historic first meeting of the Constituent Assembly.
Al Gore launches massive ad campaign on climate crisis
By DPA
San Francisco : Nobel Peace Prize laureate Al Gore has launched a $300-million advertising campaign aimed at raising awareness in the US about the dangers posed by global warming.
Gore's organization, The Alliance for Climate Protection, said the ad blitz was the largest ever for a public policy issue and was aimed at increasing pressure on political leaders to act urgently to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide, methane and other greenhouse gas pollutants.
Tiger attacks in Sundarbans send wake-up call
By Soudhriti Bhabani, IANS,
Kolkata : Man is not a natural prey for big cats, but tigers in the Sundarbans in West Bengal are increasingly sneaking out of the dense mangrove forests and attacking humans, prompting the government to finally wake up to the warning signals.
An expert committee will be set up to monitor the activities of maneaters, as such big cats are called. It will try to find out why the tigers are attacking villagers - officially, there have been at least six such cases in the past year, but many more are suspected to have gone unrecorded.
Sharmila Tagore’s candid calls in S Africa
By Fakir Hassen, IANS
Johannesburg : Candid comments on her co-stars of yesteryear and her role as a Unicef Goodwill Ambassador in fighting HIV-AIDS were the order of the day as actress Sharmila Tagore made a fleeting visit to South Africa.
Tagore, who first hit the headlines in the sixties for her bold screen performances at a time when women in bikinis were still frowned upon, participated in public interviews entitled "In Conversation With," part of the Shared Histories Festival celebrating India in South Africa, organised by the Indian missions here.
US will pay heavy price, warns Venezuelan president
Caracas : Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has said the US government will pay a heavy price for classifying Venezuela as a threat, Spanish news...
Obama’s remark on solving Kashmir dispute welcome: separatist body
By Lalit K. Jha, IANS,
New York : A separatist Kashmiri leader in the US has welcomed Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama's remarks emphasising the need to resolve the Kashmir dispute between India and Pakistan.
In an interview with Rachel Meadow on MSNBC news channel Friday, Obama said: "We should probably try to facilitate a better understanding between Pakistan and India and try to resolve the Kashmir crisis so that they can stay focused not on India, but on the situation with those militants."
UN urges stepped up efforts to keep WMD from terrorists
By IRNA,
New York : The UN Security Council unanimously approved a resolution Friday urging stepped up efforts to keep weapons of mass destruction out of the hands of terrorists and black marketeers.
It calls on all states to fully implement a council resolution adopted in April 2004 requiring all 192 UN member states to adopt laws to prevent non-state actors from acquiring nuclear, chemical or biological weapons.
It notes that some countries - which were not named - haven't filed a report on their efforts that was due in October 2004.
Philippine cemetery blast injures 5 kids
By Xinhua,
Manila : A grenade exploded Sunday morning in a cemetery of a central Philippine city, injuring five children who were playing on the ground, local news network ABS-CBN News reported Sunday.
An eight year-old girl lost her hand in the grenade explosion in Sagay City, Negros Occidental province, the report said. Four of their playmates were also hurt due to the grenade blast.
The victims were reportedly toying the grenade when it accidentally exploded.
Airlines sued for injuries caused by obese man
Sydney : An Australian man sued Etihad Airways on Thursday, claiming that he got a back injury after being forced to sit next to...
S Korean president vows fresh start to overcome crisis
By Xinhua,
Seoul : South Korean President Lee Myung-bak said Wednesday that he is determined to make a "fresh start" following collective resignation offers by his Cabinet ministers and senior secretaries over the past week.
Lee also said he felt relieved to see Tuesday night's massive street rallies in protest of the U.S. beef import deal end peacefully.
Egyptian tycoon wants to be president of Scotland
By IANS,
London : Mohamed al-Fayed, the Egyptian multimillionaire who owns the London superstore Harrods, says he wants to be president of Scotland if and when it becomes an independent country.
"When you Scots have your independence, I'm ready to be your president. I mean it," he told the Sunday Times in an interview, promising Scots all help to free them from their "terrible [English] politicians".
Suicides by pregnant women, new mothers under-reported
By IANS,
Sydney : Nearly twice as many women commit suicide during pregnancy or the time around childbirth than previously thought, according to University of New South Wales researchers.
The results highlighted the significance of perinatal (period shortly before and after birth) mental health, with suicide being the leading cause of indirect death, followed by cardiac disorders. Deaths from accidents and violence are also significant.
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