Top Thai Security Body Agrees To Lift Martial Law
By Bernama,
Bangkok : Thailand's National Security Council agreed at its meeting on Thursday to abolish martial law in most areas except in the insurgency-torn southernmost border provinces, Thailand News Agency (TNA) quoted a government spokesman as saying here.
Sri Lankan president to visit China
By IANS,
Beijing : Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse will pay a state visit to China at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping between May 27 and 30, an official said Monday.
Two Taiwanese Detained At Soekarno-Hatta Airport For Carrying Drugs
By Bernama
Tangerang (Indonesia) : Customs officers at Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta international airport Friday detained two Taiwanese nationals for trying to smuggle in crystal methamphetamine, Indonesia's Antara news agency reported.
The two Taiwanese, identified by their initials as KTL (23) and HYL (26), arrived on a China Airlines flight from Hong Kong carrying 6.9 kilogrammes of crystal metamphitamine, Banten customs and excise office chief Bachtiar said.
They were arrested at 8pm Friday after disembarking from China Airlines flight CI-679.
‘Holy amulets’ land Indian in unholy row in Nepal
By IANS,
Kathmandu: An Indian has been arrested along with his Nepali partner for selling products described as amulets having supernatural powers in the Himalayan nation after complaints from some local astrological and religious organisations.
Madhav Vikram and his Nepali partner Hriday Jung Shah were arrested from Kathmandu on Christmas eve for illegally selling amulets known as 'Shivashakti kavach' manufactured by an organisation named Saptarishi Sansthan, which sold its products online and via the telephone.
Correa re-elected as Ecuador’s president: Exit poll
By DPA,
Quito : Ecuador's President Rafael Correa was re-elected Sunday with 54 percent of the first-round vote, according to results broadcast by television channel Ecuavis from an exit poll by the government-hired pollster Santiago Perez.
According to the exit survey, former Ecuadorian president Lucio Gutierrez (2003-05) got 31 percent.
In order to avoid a runoff, the socialist Correa, 46, needed to either capture a majority of the vote, or a plurality of more than 40 percent with a margin of at least 10 percentage points over the second-place candidate.
Brazil announces offshore oil discovery
By IANS/EFE,
Rio de Janeiro : Brazil has announced the discovery of about 4.5 billion barrels of oil in an offshore region, which could transform the country into a major oil exporter.
The oil was found near the Franco well, off the coast of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil's National Petroleum Agency (ANP) said Thursday.
The Franco well is the second-biggest oil well in the pre-salt region, where an estimated 80 billion barrels of oil are located below the ocean floor under a layer of salt.
Japanese stocks up on positive machinery orders, US gains
By DPA,
Tokyo : Japanese shares rose 1 percent in Wednesday morning trading as investor sentiment was boosted by better-than-expected machinery orders and an overnight rally on Wall Street.
UK port becoming ‘nuclear dumping ground’
By IRNA,
London : Europe’s largest single issue peace organisation is warning the British government against plans to use a naval dockyard base as a centre for dismantling radioactive submarines.
The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) has voiced concern about the safety record of Devonport dockyard in south-west England and its position in the middle of Plymouth city as being inappropriate site as a ‘nuclear dumping ground.’
"A city-centre location is no place to cut-up and store redundant nuclear submarines,” said CND chair Kate Hudson.
Sri Lanka all set to host Saarc summit
By P. Karunakharan, IANS,
Colombo : Sri Lanka has finalised all arrangements to host the 15th Saarc summit, which opens here Sunday, where the leaders, ministers and officials of the member countries would focus on issues relating to regional trade, investment and combating terrorism.
Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama said Saturday that the government had taken all possible steps to provide best security cover for the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) summit.
Faith in royalty drove DPT to victory in Bhutan
By Syed Zarir Hussain, IANS
Thimphu : 'Unwavering allegiance' to the institution of monarchy and total faith in the king could be among the main reasons for the landslide win of the Druk Phuensum Tshogpa (DPT) in the historic parliamentary elections in Bhutan.
A majority of the Bhutanese were in any case apprehensive of what democracy could bring to the tranquil Himalayan nation of 700,000 people, particularly considering that so-called people's power was not really enviable if the prevailing situation in the neighbourhood, mainly in Bangladesh and Nepal, were any indication.
I’d like to visit Spain, Obama tells King Juan Carlos
By IANS/EFE,
Washington : President Barack Obama has told Spain's King Juan Carlos that he would like to visit the Iberian nation, the Spanish foreign minister said after the monarch and the US chief executive shared a working lunch at the White House.
Obama recalled past journeys to Spain and expressed a desire to return, but there was no discussion of dates or an agenda, Miguel Angel Moratinos said at a press conference Wednesday following the meeting.
New York clones ancient trees in greening efforts
By DPA
New York : In an effort to change the image of a city of skyscrapers and concrete sidewalks, New York plans to clone one million trees from branches on a list of 25 "historical" trees - some of them more than 100 years old.
The city's Park Commissioner Adrian Benap York announced the project after sending high school students to work on hydraulic-powered buckets to begin taking the upper branches of some of the city's oldest trees for scientific study and cloning.
NASA launches 2.7 bn-km voyage to Jupiter
By IANS,
London : NASA has launched a 2.7-billion km voyage to Jupiter that will try to discover the secrets behind the largest planet in the solar system.
EU, US to seek financial squeeze on Iran
By DPA,
Brdo (Slovenia) : The European Union and the United States agreed to tighten the squeeze on Iran's financial links to disrupt its alleged support of terrorism and nuclear proliferation, according to a draft statement at an EU-US summit Tuesday.
US President George W. Bush and top EU officials renewed a demand for Iran to suspend uranium enrichment, warning that "we are ready to supplement (UN) sanctions with additional measures," the document said.
$20-mn project to protect environment
By IANS
Washington : The World Bank and the Conservation International (CI) have signed an agreement to spend around $20 million to protect some of the world's most unique and threatened flora and fauna, including island ecosystems and temperate forests.
The fund will be provided by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), which helps in funding projects and programmes in developing countries to protect global environment, BuaNews agency reported Monday.
Thousands pay homage to Polish plane crash victims
By DPA,
Warsaw: Thousands gathered at Warsaw's largest square Saturday for official ceremonies to honour the 96 victims of a plane crash that claimed the Polish president, politicians and most military brass.
A white cross stood at the centre of an altar set up on Pilsudski Square against a display of black and white photographs of the victims.
Solar-powered spy plane can remain aloft five years
By IANS,
London : Boeing is developing a solar-powered unmanned aircraft that will remain aloft for five years.
UK may pull out of Pnds 9 bn US fighter deal – report
By IRNA,
London : Britain is considering pulling out of a Pnds 9 billion (Dlrs 16 bn) project with America to produce the new controversial Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) aircraft, which has been under development for more than a decade.
Although the planes, which were set to replace the UK's harrier fleet, were intended to fly off the UK's forthcoming massive aircraft carriers, according to the Sunday Times, the government is under pressure to plug a Pnds 1.5 bn shortfall in its defence budget.
Toll in Nepal quakes reaches 8,502
Kathmandu : The toll has reached 8,502 in the devastating earthquake that struck Nepal on April 25 followed by several powerful aftershocks, the authorities...
Global food crisis could hit Caribbean’s millennium goals
By IANS,
Georgetown (Guyana) : Guyana's President Bharrat Jagdeo has said global food crisis spurred by rising demand for bio-fuels and food grain shortages could hinder the Caribbean nations' efforts to achieve the UN Millennium Development Goals.
"This has the danger of creating severe dislocations and reversing much of what we have gained as a region," Spain's EFE news agency quoted Jagdeo as saying Saturday.
He made these comments while briefing the media on the launch of the Regional Agriculture Investment Forum (RAIF) scheduled June 6-7 in Guyana.
Chinese shares surge to new high
By Xinhua
Beijing : China's benchmark Shanghai Composite Index closed at a new high of 5692.76 points Monday, the first trading day after the weeklong national holiday.
The bullish performance, a rise of 2.53 percent, or 140.45 points, from the previous close, came on the heels of the rises in neighbouring markets that occurred from Oct 1 to 7.
The index started higher at 5,683.31 points and at one point hit 5,724.36 points in the morning session.
China, Singapore agree on free trade accord
By DPA,
Singapore : China and Singapore concluded negotiations on a free trade agreement, China's first with another Asian country, news reports said Friday.
The agreement, finalised in talks this week between Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng and Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan in the northern coastal Chinese city of Tianjin, is likely to be signed at the Asia Europe Meeting Summit in Beijing Oct 24-25.
The accord includes the liberalisation of trade relations, the lowering of tariffs, economic cooperation and food safety, Singapore's Trade and Industry Ministry said.
Sri Lanka polls: Modi congratulates Sirisena
New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday congratulated opposition candidate Maithripala Sirisena on his victory in the Sri Lankan polls and reaffirmed India's...
Philippines rebel group to form political party
Manila : The heads of Philippines' largest Muslim rebel group, Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), will hold talks Monday to finalise the formation of...
Finland opens oil treatment centre for birds
By RIA Novosti,
Stockholm : The world's first mobile treatment unit for birds affected by oil spills opened in south Finland Tuesday, the country's environment ministry said.
The treatment unit, set up by local authorities jointly with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), comprises special containers that can be easily transported to an oil spill by sea or land to provide emergency medical assistance to birds.
The containers are kitted out with veterinary equipment, cleaning and drying facilities and are capable of housing up to 150 birds for a period of two weeks.
Iran has produced 17 kg of 20 percent enriched uranium: Official
By IANS,
Tehran : Iran has produced 17 kg of 20 percent enriched uranium and can produce as much as it needs, the head of Iran's atomic energy said Wednesday.
"We have made 17 kg of enriched uranium (at the level of 20 percent) so far, and we can produce up to five kg of the fuel in a month," Ali Akbar Salehi, head of Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran, told ISNA news agency.
He added that Iran was not going to turn its entire uranium stockpile into 20-percent enriched fuel, but it reserved the right to enrich uranium to any percent it needed.
Wall Street Journal not amused by spoof
By IANS,
New York : The redoubtable Wall Street Journal does not seem to have been tickled by a new paper spoofing it, so much so that advance copies of the tabloid are being whisked away from news stands.
"Bush abolishes death, taxes - Move will benefit McCain" is the lead headline on the front page of the inaugural issue of "My Wall Street Journal", which has a striking similarity to the 120-year-old original. The accompanying story tries to make a point about the age, 71, of John McCain, the likely Republican candidate for the presidential election in the US.
Nepal PM to travel to India, meet Modi over rehab plan
By Vishal Gulati,
Kathmandu : Nepalese Prime Minister Sushil Koirala is likely to visit India next month to meet his counterpart Narendra Modi to discuss...
English Premier League standings
London : Following are the English Premier League standings after Saturday's matches (tabulated under matches played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against,...
Death toll exceeds 6,300 in Nepal
Kathmandu : The death toll in last week's devastating earthquake in Nepal has exceeded 6,300 with over 14,000 people being injured in the Himalayan...
Venezuelan parliament to debate unlimited presidential term next week
By Prensa Latina,
Caracas : Venezuela's parliament next week will discuss a bill by the ruling United Socialist Party seeking to amend the constitution for an unlimited term for the president, sources have said.
The bill was tabled in the National Assembly Tuesday by President Hugo Chavez's United Socialist Party seeking to remove the two-term constitutional limit for the president and allow him to seek re-elections for any number of times.
Austrian anti-terror chief warns of IS threat
Vienna : Austria is under "a certain kind" of threat of terrorist attacks from the extremist group of Islamic State (IS), a senior security...
McLaren lock front row in Italy
By IANS,
Monza: McLaren locked out the front row with Lewis Hamilton taking pole here at the Italian Grand Prix Saturday.
Germany reaffirms ECB independence amid France’s euro plans
By IRNA
Berlin : The German government here Monday reiterated that the Frankfurt-based European Central Bank (ECB) should maintain its complete independence from interference by governments from euro zone member states.
"The position of the German government remains clear: the independence of the ECB is untouched and may not be touched," deputy government spokesman Thomas Steg said during a news briefing.
The German official was reacting to likely French plans for holding a summit on the euro during France's European Union presidency in the second half of the year.
‘Terrorists from Syria may cause sabotage in Russia’
By IANS,
Moscow: Terrorists currently fighting in Syria may sneak into Russia disguised as migrants to unfold sabotage, Russia's Federal Security Service (or FSB) said Thursday.
White House gate crashers in less festive mood in first interview
By DPA,
Washington : The would-be reality TV couple who allegedly crashed a White House state dinner got another round in the spotlight, wearing sombre outfits and faces to tell NBC how devastated they were over the ensuing notoriety.
It was the first interview given by Michaele and Tareq Salahi, whose uninvited presence last week at President Barack Obama's first state dinner to honour Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh set off a media furore.
Sarkozy son drops controversial candidacy for influential post
By DPA,
Paris : The 23-year-old son of French President Nicolas Sarkozy late Thursday dropped his controversial candidacy to head the public body that manages Europe's largest business district, La Defense.
"I don't want any suspicion. I don't want a victory with suspicions attached," Jean Sarkozy told France 2 television after declaring he would not be a candidate for chairman of the board of directors of EPAD.
Sarkozy said he was still a candidate to become a member of the board, the election for which takes place Friday, but he would not stand for the chairmanship Dec 4.
Russian firms to service Indian early-warning planes
By RIA Novosti,
Gelendzhik (Russia) : Russia's state-run arms exporter, Rosoboronexport, said Monday a number of Russian companies will provide India's A-50 airborne early warning (AEW) aircraft with after sale services.
"Rosoboronexport has signed contracts with the Beriev Aircraft Company, the Perm Motors Group and the Vega concern to provide after-sale maintenance to India's airborne early warning (AEW) aircraft," a Rosoboronexport official told reporters at an air show in the Krasnodar region of south Russia.
Ex-Minister Turns Himself In To Answer Anti-monarch Charges
By By D. Arul Rajoo, Bernama,
Bangkok : Jakrapob Penkair, a former Thai Cabinet minister and a strong ally of ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, Thursday surrendered to the police over charges of "lese majeste" (lack of respect for the monarch).
Accompanied by members of the ruling People's Power Party (PPP), the 41-year-old Jakrapob turned himself in at the Crime Suppression Division to meet police investigators.
Iran to develop missile defence system
By IANS,
Tehran : Iranian Defence Minister Brig. Gen. Ahmad Vahidi has said Iran plans to develop a missile defence system that is similar to Russia's S-300 system.
Asked if Iran has plans to produce an S-300 defence system, Vahidi said Wednesday: "We don't need to produce the S-300 system, but we have plans on the agenda to produce similar weapons."
He said Iran has already developed a medium-range air defence system. "All parts of the system have been domestically produced," he added.
Explosion in Colombo
By IANS,
Colombo : A bomb exploded in the heart of the Sri Lankan capital Friday evening, defence sources said.
The sources said the explosion occurred close to an Air Force camp in Colombo.
Further details are awaited.
6 partially burned bodies found in Mexico
By IANS,
Monterrey (Mexico) : Army troops found the partially burned bodies of six men on a highway outside Monterrey, the capital of the northern Mexican state of Nuevo Leon, police said.
Indonesia’s general election to be held either April 8 or 9, 2009
By Xinhua,
Jakarta : The General Election Commission (KPU) of Indonesia said here Wednesday that the KPU was planning to change the election date from April 5 to either April 8 or 9, 2009.
The government and the House of Representatives (DPR) have left the schedule of next year's general election to KPU to decide, KPU chairman Hafiz Anshari said.
Earlier, the KPU had decided at a plenary meeting to conduct the general election on Sunday, April 5, 2009, but several parties had raised objections to the date and asked for a change.
Sri Lankan opposition demands release of ex-army chief
By DPA,
Colombo : Sri Lanka's main opposition party Wednesday staged a protest in the capital demanding the release of former army commander General Sarath Fonseka.
White crosses placed on road in Brazil to remember murder victims
By Xinhua,
Brasilia : Some 2,000 white crosses were displayed on the streets of Rio de Janeiro Saturday to pay respect to the victims murdered in the northeastern Brazilian state.
The crosses, placed on one of the most crowded stretches of the Aterro de Flamengo road, drew attention of many drivers and passersby.
"We are in the middle of a social tragedy. The society needs to take action in order to avoid massacre," said Antonio Carlos Costa, president of the non-governmental Rio de Paz (Rio for Peace) organization, which planned the activity.
Obama unveils veteran Biden as VP pick
By AFP,
Springfield, Illinois : Barack Obama Saturday unveiled veteran Senate colleague Joseph Biden as his running mate for the White House, calling him an all-American leader as Biden lost no time in furiously baiting their Republican adversary John McCain.
On a sweltering day, Obama returned to the same spot in Abraham Lincoln's hometown where he launched his White House quest to present Biden as his vice presidential pick before a rapturous crowd of 35,000.
Silent Buddhists pray for peace as Nepal revels in blood
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS
Kathmandu : Though a ceasefire between the government and the Maoist guerrillas has held for over a year now, yet Nepal is passing through one of its goriest periods with thousands of animals being sacrificed daily on the occasion of Dashain, the biggest Hindu festival in the country.
On Friday, the eighth day of the nearly fortnight-long celebrations, animal killings reach a crescendo, with buffaloes, goats and chickens being slaughtered at the altars of various deities of power.
Rupee could be hit by Greek crisis: Government
New Delhi : The Indian government on Monday said it was closely monitoring the Greek situation and euro market movements after austerity proposals by...
UK Tory party criticises Indian company transfers
By IANS,
London: A senior spokesman of Britain's main opposition party has criticised government policies that have allowed Indian companies to send employees abroad on intra-company transfers.
"It seems extraordinary that when British workers can't find jobs we are bringing foreign workers from halfway round the world," said the Tory Party's Shadow Immigration Minister Damian Green.
New therapy against cancer
Santiago : An innovative immunological therapy that attacks carcinogenic cells in humans by increasing the body's anti-tumour response was presented in Santiago city in...
Bolivia orders US enforcement agency out of country
By Prensa Latina,
La Paz (Bolivia : Bolivia Wednesday asked the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to leave the country in three months, accusing it of subversion.
The leftist government of Evo Morales said it has asked the DEA to leave the country after conclusive proof that the US agency was interfering in the country's internal affairs.
The government accused DEA personnel of plotting and seizing of airports like that in Riberalta.
Georgia will block Russia from WTO over Abkhazia issue
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Georgia will continue to block Russia's entry to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) until Kremlin withdraws its support for the breakaway Georgian region of Abkhazia, the country's reintegration minister said
Tensions between Moscow and Tbilisi have worsened since the Russian leadership called for closer ties with Abkhazia and South Ossetia, another breakaway Georgian republic, in mid-April.
President Saakashvili sees no parallels between Georgia, Serbia
By RIA Novosti
Tbilisi : Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili said on Tuesday he could see no parallels between the situation in his country and Serbia, where Kosovo unilaterally declared independence from Serbia on Sunday.
The United States and some European countries have already recognized Kosovo's status, while the president of the breakaway Georgian Republic of Abkhazia said on Monday that his country was planning to ask Russia to recognize its independence. South Ossetia, another de facto independent Georgian republic, is likely to follow suit.
Break through the barriers of hostility: Pakistani daily
Islamabad: The challenge for Pakistani and Indian leaders is "how to break through the barriers of hostility", said a daily here on Monday after...
Ukrainians vote for president
By IANS,
Kiev: Ukrainians voted Sunday in the first presidential elections since the 2004 Orange Revolution in a ballot set to determine the ex-Soviet republic's relations with Russia and Europe.
Election campaigning for 18 candidates came to an end Saturday. Viktor Yanukovych, leader of the opposition Party of Regions, and Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko are seen as the main contenders for the top post.
Researchers uncover music’s secret structure
By IANS,
Washington : More than 200 years after Pythagoras discovered the orderliness of music, three professors have devised a way of analysing music that takes advantage of the deep, complex mathematics seemingly enmeshed in its very fabric.
Writing in the April 18 issue of Science, they have outlined a method called "geometrical music theory" that translates the language of musical theory into that of contemporary geometry.
Obama authorises US military for more troops to Iraq
Washington: President Barack Obama has authorised the military to send up to 1,500 additional personnel to Iraq for training and assistance of Iraqi forces...
British parliament approves military intervention against IS
London:Britain's House of Commons Friday voted in favour of a government motion on military action in Iraq against Sunni radical group Islamic State (IS)...
Nepali gov’t condemns attack on PM’s personal aid
By Xinhua,
KATHMANDU : Nepali government on Tuesday condemned the attack on Prime Minister Prachanda's personal secretary Shakti Bahadur Basnet, citing done by the regressive forces that disliked peace and change, Nepali national news agency RSS reported.
Twelve bombs found aboard Philippine ferry
By DPA,
Manila : Twelve homemade bombs were found aboard a passenger ferry in the Philippines just before it left port with more than 300 passengers, the coast guard said Sunday.
The explosives were found in a trash can on the second deck of the MV Blue Water Princess in the port of Lucena City, 120 km south-east of Manila, Saturday.
Coast guard station commander Gregorio Adel Jr said the bombs - 12 bottles attached to electrical wirings and packed with nails and scrap metal - were hidden in a jute sack placed in the trash can.
Thai premier holds special cabinet meeting to discuss crisis
By DPA,
Bangkok : Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva Sunday called a special cabinet meeting to address increasingly violent protests in the capital which have claimed 27 lives.
Abhisit acknowledged in his weekly broadcast that the public was impatient with his failure to clear thousands of demonstrators from the heart of Bangkok's main commercial district.
"The government has decided on a plan of action," Abhisit said. "It's in the process of being implemented but this plan needs to succeed and has to have the least negative impact," he said.
US suggests Russia can monitor missile defence elements
By RIA Novosti
Moscow : The United States has proposed an array of confidence building measures to Russia, allowing Moscow to monitor the missile defence elements in Central Europe.
"We will be able to track what the radar (in the Czech Republic) is doing and the real condition of the interceptor missile base (in Poland) -- involving both the human factor and technical means," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in an interview with Izvestia newspaper Thursday.
Diaspora students in US condemn assaults on women in India
By Jitendra Singh ,
New Delhi: In a show of solidarity with victims of sexual assaults in India, students of Indian origin graduating from Ivy...
Sri Lankan troops poised to capture Elephant Pass
By P. Karunakharan, IANS,
Colombo : Sri Lankan troops fighting their way into the remaining LTTE strongholds in the north along a highway are poised to retake the next major landmark - Elephant Pass garrison in the north, an official said here Friday.
Encouraged by their latest success of capturing the politico-administrative town of the LTTE after months of fierce fighting, the ground troops backed by armour, artillery and aerial bombardment are advancing from various directions towards Elephant Pass despite fierce LTTE resistance.
China releases documentary on Tibetan immolations
By IANS,
Beijing : National broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) has released a documentary that it said "discloses the truth" about self-immolations in areas inhabited by Tibetans.
Opposition prepares for Georgia-wide hunger strikes on Friday
By RIA Novosti
Tbilisi : The Georgian opposition has begun preparations for hunger strikes due to start simultaneously across the former Soviet republic, including the capital, Tbilisi, on Friday.
"We have started preparations for the hunger strikes scheduled for February 22," said the leader of People's Party, Koba Davitashvili.
The opposition is demanding electoral reforms, press freedom and the release of more than 40 'political prisoners' ahead of parliamentary polls in May.
Chinese bomber to be executed for deadly blast
By IANS,
Beijing : A court in central China's Hunan province Thursday ordered the execution of a man who set off explosives at a tax office last year, killing four people and injuring 17.
Iran releases British sailors
By DPA,
London : Iran has released five British yachtsmen detained a week ago after apparently straying into Iranian waters, the Foreign Office in London said Wednesday.
The men were arrested Nov 25 after their racing yacht was stopped by the Iranian navy en route from Bahrain to Dubai.
But the news of the capture was only released by the British government late Monday. It said the men might have strayed "inadvertently" into Iranian waters.
Nepali presidential election voting ends
By Xinhua,
Kathmandu : The Nepali presidential election voting ended Saturday afternoon at the Constituent Assembly (CA)venue, International Conference Center (ICC) in Kathmandu.
The CA members started voting to elect the first president and vice president of the youngest republic in the world at Saturday noon.
Nepal was declared a federal democratic republic at the first CA meeting on May 28, ending the 240-year Shah dynasty.
Three candidates have been registered for the post of president and four for the vice president till the fixed time on Thursday.
Former US congressman sentenced to 13 years in jail
By DPA,
Washington: A US judge has levied a 13-year jail sentence on former congressman William Jefferson for corruption that involved US companies and countries across a wide swathe of Africa.
Jefferson was found guilty in August of seeking and collecting bribes for his personal business interests after police found $90,000 stored in his home freezer.
Federal Judge TS Ellis III Friday made the ruling in US federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, across the Potomac River from where Jefferson served 18 years in the US House of Representatives.
Canada apologizes for abuse of aboriginal children inschools
By DPA,
Montreal : Two years after the Canadian government reached a $1.9-billion settlement over the abuse of aboriginal children in special schools, Canada's prime minister formally apologized Wednesday for the suffering.
I come before you today to offer an apology to former students of Indian Residential Schools," Prime Minister Stephen Harper said addressing a packed House of Commons. The treatment of children in Indian Residential Schools is a sad chapter in our history."
Nepal government cans film on king’s forefather
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS
Kathmandu : Since the fall of King Gyanendra's government in Nepal and the restoration of democracy, the Maoists are busy making films on their decade-old "People's War".
Even Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala's party men have announced a movie on the octogenarian politician.
However, the multi-party government has canned a film that was to have been made on the king's forefather, the founder of the kingdom of Nepal.
China to be world’s wind power leader in 2010
By IANS,
Beijing: China will surpass the US as the leader in cumulative wind power capacity by the end of this year, a media report said Wednesday.
Weather conditions baffle search efforts after bridge collapse
By XinhuaÂ
Guangzhou : Unfavorable weather and river conditions have impeded efforts to search for people who fell into a river in Guangdong Province after a bridge collapsed, a maritime official said on Saturday.
    The southern China province is in the flooding season and water level has risen greatly, said Mo Qi, deputy director with the Guangdong Maritime Bureau.
Iranian Navy saves Singaporean ship from pirates
By IANS,
Tehran: The Iranian Navy has saved a Singaporean merchant ship from pirates while it was crossing the Bab-el-Mandeb strait in the Red Sea, the IRNA news agency reported Saturday.
AirAsia flight plan dangerous: Aviation expert
Sydney : An Australian aviation expert said Tuesday that human error undoubtedly led to the disappearance of AirAsia flight QZ8501 after the pilots flew...
Texas executes Mexican, defies Bush, international court
By DPA,
Washington : Texas has carried out the execution of a Mexican-born rapist and killer, defying orders from US President George W. Bush and a ruling by an international court, newspaper reported Wednesday.
Jose Ernesto Medellin Rojas was executed Tuesday for the rape and murder of two Houston teenagers 15 years ago, after the US Supreme Court rejected his request for a reprieve in a split vote, the Houston Chronicle newspaper reported.
Sri Lanka arrests 53 Indian fishermen
By IANS,
Colombo: The Sri Lankan Navy Thursday said it had arrested 53 Indian fishermen who entered Sri Lankan waters illegally.
Germany urges Israel, Palestinians to ease tensions
Ramallah: German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier Saturday warned of turning the Israeli-Palestinian conflict from political into religious due to the growing tension in Jerusalem.
Steinmeier's...
Police begin probe of German festival stampede that killed 19
By IRNA,
Berlin : Police in the west German city of Duisburg have started on Sunday to look into what caused the stampede in a tunnel at a music festival that killed at least 19 people.
According to news reports, sixteen people had reportedly died on the scene when the crowd panicked, while three more victims died later in hospital.
Sixteen victims have been already identified of whom four were foreigners.
Authorities announced the number of injured rose to 342, many of them still in serious condition.
Italy’s president dissolves Parliament
By SPA
Rome : Italy's president dissolved parliament on Wednesday, clearing the way for early elections this spring, only two years after the last parliamentary vote.
The president made the decision after Premier Romano Prodi's center-left government fell late last month and subsequent efforts to form an interim government to change voting rules failed, the Associated Press reported.
Putin orders Russian troops to withdraw from Ukraine
Moscow : President Vladimir Putin Monday ordered troops along the Ukrainian border to withdraw and return to their permanent bases in Russia, the Kremlin...
Maldives president unharmed, wife injured in speedboat blast
Male: The president of the Maldives was unhurt but his wife and two others were injured in an explosion on board their speedboat...
China court upholds sentence of leading dissident
By IANS,
Beijing : A court in China Thursday rejected the appeal of Liu Xiaobo, a leading dissident, against an 11 year sentence by a lower court.
The Higher People's Court of Beijing Municipality Thursday rejected the appeal against the verdict by the First Intermediate People's Court of Beijing Municipality Dec 25.
A statement from the higher court said the final verdict was made after the court reviewed his case files, questioned Liu and heard opinions from his defence lawyers in a second trial, Xinhua reported.
Great white shark sets 3,000 km swim record
By DPA
Wellington : A great white shark, electronically tagged in March in New Zealand, has swum more than 3,000 km to Australia's Great Barrier Reef, it was reported Monday.
The journey of the 4.4-metre female shark, named Kerri by scientists, was the longest swim recorded in New Zealand, according to the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA).
It was the first evidence that great whites, which are protected in New Zealand waters, do travel to Australia, a NIWA statement said.
Explosives near Capitol Unseen for Weeks
By Prensa Latina
Washington : The District of Columbia police admitted on Wednesday that a truck with explosives parked near the US Congress went undetected for three weeks.
Authorities said a man carrying a loaded gunshot was arrested near the Capitol in January, but his truck was not thoroughly searched, according to CNN.
At the time, detainee Michael Gorbey, a 38-year-old Virginia resident, was accused of transporting illegal arms, and making bombs to be used against people or property.
Mexico City plans gardens at rooftops
By IANS,
Mexico City : The capital city of Mexico has launched a unique project of greening the rooftops of all big buildings as part of an urban reforestation plan to improve environment and quality of air, EFE news agency reported.
To beging with, city's municipal transit authority will have its building, covering an area of 1,190 square meters, covered with bushes and grass.
The rooftop garden, which was created at a cost of 1.3 million pesos (about $125,000), was inaugurated by Mexico City's environment secretary Martha Delgado.
S.Korea sure of early nuclear settlement
SEOUL, South Korea, October 08, SPA - The South Korean president said Monday the global standoff over North Korea's nuclear weapons programs will soon be resolved, as U.S. experts prepared to travel to Pyongyang to form a plan for disabling the country's reactors.
"I'm confident the North Korean nuclear issue will rapidly arrive at a complete resolution," South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun said, citing a detailed multilateral agreement aimed at the North's denuclearization that was approved by the leaders of the two Koreas.
Chavez, Merkel shake hands, appear to make up
By Sara Barderas, DPA,
Lima : Politics often mixes and matches the most varied and even antagonistic elements.
However, Friday, the "family photo" of heads of state and government at the European Union-Latin America and the Caribbean (EU-LAC) summit in Lima showed smiling unity of purpose, despite fireworks from earlier in the week.
Obama’s inauguration brings booming business to US capital
By Johannes Jolmes, DPA,
Washington : Ticket scalpers, hotels, airlines, bus services and some Washington residents are quickly cashing in on the unprecedented interest in Barack Obama's inauguration on Jan 20, 2009.
An overwhelming demand for tickets to the swearing-in ceremony of the 44th president of the United States - even 70 days before the event - has proved to be a boon for scalpers, with some trying to sell them for $20,000 and up on the internet.
Cop cleared of racially abusing Indian American
By IANS
New York : A police officer in the US has been cleared of charges of racially abusing an Indian American Sikh earlier this year.
Maoists shut down Kathmandu valley after cadre’s death
By IANS,
Kathmandu : Hopes that the political crisis gripping the three-week-old government of Nepal would be resolved Monday with the much-awaited expansion of the fledgling cabinet receded as the opposition Maoist party went on the warpath again, shutting down Kathmandu valley without prior intimation to protest the death of a cadre.
Rajendra Phuyal, an area in-charge of the former rebel group, had been missing for nearly a week and was declared dead Sunday.
France urges Europe to arm Kurds in Iraq
Paris: French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius Tuesday urged the European Union (EU) to arm Iraqi Kurds to fight Islamist militants who have overran country's...
Indian in US gets 15 years in jail for backing Hezbollah
New York: An Indian citizen residing illegally in the US has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for allegedly trying to provide material...
Climate summit: Spanish PM asks US, China to rise to occasion
By EFE,
Copenhagen : Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero has asked the US and China not to let other countries down "on this historic occasion" of the climate summit in Copenhagen and urged them to not avoid their "responsibility to the world".
Zapatero said the presence of almost 120 world leaders at the meeting means that "deep down we all want a sufficient agreement" to be able to fight against climate change.
Calling for an accord "here and now", he said that "if we fail in Copenhagen, we will all lose".
China quake death toll, now 15,000, continues to soar
By DPA,
Beijing : Military helicopters flew aid Wednesday to settlements cut off near the epicentre of a devastating earthquake in southwest China that killed some 15,000 people and left tens of thousands missing in toppled buildings.
Heavy rain had initially prevented the helicopters from flying emergency aid to Wenchuan county, Sichuan province, while troops were still trying to restore the badly damaged main road to the county.
The nearby city of Mianyang reported more than 7,000 dead and an estimated 18,000 buried in collapsed buildings.
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.
Eight LTTE rebels killed in Sri Lanka
By Xinhua,
Colombo : At least eight Tamil Tiger guerrillas have been killed and 19 injured in an offensive by government troops in northern Sri Lanka, the defence ministry said Thursday.
The troops mounted heavy mortar and artillery attacks against the rebel-bunkers at Palamoddai in Wanni area controlled by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) at around 6 p.m. Wednesday.
At least seven rebels were killed in the attack, while the troops seized control over eight bunkers.
Very few chances of agreeing with China: Tibetan leader
By Jaideep Sarin, IANS,
McLeodganj (Himachal Pradesh) : Just days ahead of the seventh round of talks between the exiled Tibetan leadership and China, a top Tibetan leader here says there is very little chance of an agreement with China on core issues.
"Unke saath ekmat hona bahut mushkil hai. (It will be very difficult to agree with them)," Samdhong Rinpoche, prime minister (Kalon Tripa) of the Tibetan government-in-exile based in the Indian town of Dharamsala, told IANS here in an exclusive interview.
Sacked British Indian minister blogs about disappointment
By IANS,
London : Parmjit Dhanda, an Indian-origin Labour MP who lost his ministerial post in the recent reshuffle of the british cabinet, has written about his disappointment in his personal blog.
The MP from Gloucester was a junior minister for communities and local government.
He blogged: "I received the call that no minister wants to receive. I was told by the Prime Minster that he wanted to move me on to a non-ministerial post."
He said it "was a disappointment, but ministerial jobs come and go".
Kim Jong-Il wants to build brewery in Russia
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il, who visited Russia earlier this week, is interested in opening a brewery in the country's Far East, a Russian official said.
Russia tightens school security on Beslan anniversary
By RIA Novosti,
Vladikavkaz (Russia) : Around 3,000 police officers are guarding schools in the south Russian republic of North Ossetia Tuesday, as locals mourn the victims of Beslan school massacre five years ago.
The interior ministry said police will remain at the schools for three days, guarding round the clock.
Terrorists attacked Beslan's school No.1 Sep 1, 2004, when parents, teachers and pupils were gathered for the first day of term.
The school was held in a three-day siege in which at least 334 people were killed, including 186 children.
Animal ’empathy’ to shed light on human feelings
By IANS,
Washington : The mechanism behind emotions in rats promises to shed light on the nature of human emotions like empathy and nurturing.
Michael Jackson to be buried in LA on July 7
By IANS,
London : The last rites of pop legend Michael Jackson, who died following cardiac arrest last week, would be conducted in Los Angeles next Tuesday, according to thesun.co.uk.
The funeral will be held at Los Angeles' Staples Center, which is owned by AEG Live, the event management company behind the singer's comeback tour at London's O2 arena.
Proceedings of Jackson's funeral will begin at 10 a.m.
According to sources, AEG will put up gigantic screens outside the facility for the thousands of fans who will not be able to get inside to see the funeral proceedings.
10,000 people evacuated after fire in Venezuela arms depot
By IANS,
Caracas : Around 10,000 people had to be evacuated after a fire broke out in an arms depot in Venezuela, killing at least one person, officials said.
Nuclear summit begins, Obama welcomes world leaders
By Manish Chand, IANS,
Washington : The two-day Nuclear Security Summit began Monday as US President Barack Obama welcomed leaders of 46 countries who have gathered in the American capital to ensure bomb-making materials do not fall into the hands of terrorists.
Obama welcomed world leaders, including Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Chinese President Hu Jintao, shaking their hands and posing for photograph as they entered the Walter E. Washington Convention Centre that has become a virtual security fortress.
Nepal government invites rebels groups to talks
By DPA,
Kathmandu : Nepal's Maoist-led government has called on dozens of armed groups operating across the country for talks to end hostilities, official reports said Saturday.
Most of the armed rebel groups are based in the southern plains known as Terai and are demanding a greater political voice and ethnic rights.
A few of the groups have also demanded a separate state with the right to self determination for ethnic Madhesi communities.
Tokyo: customs agents punished for planting drugs
By Xinhua,
Beijing : Three customs officers who secretly stashed drugs in travelers' luggage at Japan's main international airport to train drug-sniffing dogs have been punished, a Tokyo Customs official said Monday.
The three officers had been randomly planting drugs in bags at Narita International Airport in Tokyo since September last year, Tokyo Customs spokesman Kazutoshi Takahashi said.
"We are deeply sorry that such acts have happened," Takahashi said. "The three officers apologized and explained that they did it in an effort to boost the dogs' performance."
Rajapaksa invites UN chief to Sri Lanka to assess situation
By IANS,
Colombo : Amid mounting international concern over the plight of civilians caught in the war between the troops and Tamil Tigers, President Mahinda Rajapaksa has invited UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon "to see for himself the situation" in Sri Lanka's north.
Naples Trash Overflow Angers Island
By Prensa Latina
Rome : The crisis started at the beginning of January in the Italian southern region of Campania because of the accumulation of trash on the island of Sardinia, with severe confrontations between the police and demonstrators Saturday.
The local press said at least 10 people were arrested in protests by thousands of people against the sending of 500,000 tons of trash coming from the city of Naples to Sardinia, in the western Mediterranean.
German minister pessimistic on chances for banning neo-Nazi party
By IRNA,
Berlin : German Interior Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble here Thursday expressed skepticism on chances for outlawing the far- right National Democratic Party (NPD).
Presenting the annual report of Germany's domestic secret service (Verfassungsschutz) at a news conference in Berlin, Schaeuble stressed there are no "prospects for a success" in banning the NPD.
He was referring to mounting public calls to prohibit the neo-Nazi party.
Seven people killed in Beirut, national mourning declared
By IRNA
Beirut : Seven people have been killed in Beirut after a demonstration against power cuts turned into violence. National mourning was declared on Monday.
Shots were fired as the army intervened when protesters tried to block a road.
An opposition activist was killed, triggering violent protests in which six more people were killed.
Lebanese PM Fouad Siniora spoke of "most difficult and dangerous times" and declared Monday a day of mourning.
Sri Lanka army fights to finish off Tamil Tigers
By SOA,
Colombo : Sri Lankan troops fought toward the shrinking strongholds of the separatist Tamil Tiger rebels on Sunday, the military said, seeking a crushing battlefield
victory to end one of Asia's longest insurgent ground wars, reported reuters.
The military said it had killed at least 24 rebels after a series of confrontations on Saturday in the small northeastern wedge of jungle which is all that is left of the Tigers' self-proclaimed state.
Japanese professor: Breakthrough on climate change issue unlikely at G8 summit
By Xinhua,
Tokyo : The upcoming Group of Eight (G8) summit can hardly achieve a breakthrough on tackling climate change due to different national interests and thinking styles between developed and developing countries and among developed countries themselves.
This is the view held by Ryo Fujikura, a professor at Human Environment Department of Hosei University during an interview with Xinhua on the eve of G8 summit to be held on July 7 to 9 in northern Japan's Hokkaido Prefecture. Climate Change is believed one of the most important topics dominating the summit.
Nepal concludes historic poll, world hails
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS
Kathmandu : Nepal closed its crucial poll hurdle Thursday with over 60 percent voters turning up to cast their vote in the historic constituent assembly election - despite the fear of violence and an indefinite closure call by armed groups in the southern plains.
"Nepal has set an example in front of the world," Chief Election Commissioner Bhoj Raj Pokhrel said as polling ended in 239 constituencies without any major incident of violence.
Merkel secures victory with new coalition partner
By DPA,
Berlin : German Chancellor Angela Merkel secured victory at the head of a new centre-right coalition she said was needed "to move our country forward".
"We've achieved our goal of forming a new government," she said Sunday after her Christian Democrats (CDU) and their preferred allies won a safe parliamentary majority in federal elections.
After a low-key campaign focussed on a promise of moderate tax cuts, Merkel's CDU and its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), saw their vote share ease slightly.
NZ cities rank highly in quality of life
By Xinhua,
Wellington : The New Zealand major cities of Auckland and Wellington were ranked high in a worldwide survey on the quality of life on offer in cities, Radio New Zealand reported on Wednesday.
The New Zealand largest city of Auckland is 5th on the list of 215 cities and the capital of Wellington is 12th.
Zurich of Switzerland tops the list, which was created by the international company Mercer. It ranked cities on political and social environment, public services and transport.
US financial crisis Bush’s problem, not Brazil’s: Lula
By DPA,
Rio de Janeiro : Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva insisted Friday that his country would not be contaminated by the severe financial crisis affecting the US, adding that US President George W. Bush should deal with the problem.
"People ask me about the crisis, and I answer, go ask Bush. It is his crisis, not mine. I have to look after my country so that it is not affected," Lula said in the northeastern Brazilian town of Mossoro.
Military chopper crashes in Nigeria
By IANS,
Abuja : A military police helicopter with five people on board crashed in Nigeria Wednesday, Xinhua reported. The number of dead or injured was not known.
Three policemen killed by Tamil rebels in Sri Lanka
By DPA
Colombo : Three police officers were shot dead Monday evening by Tamil rebels in south-eastern Sri Lanka, days after the rebels killed at least 44 people in separate incidents.
The policemen were shot dead while on night-time checkpoint duty at Kithulkotte in the Thanamalwila area, 260 km southeast of the capital, officials said.
Tamil rebels last Wednesday set off a claymore mine killing 27 bus passengers and hours later killed six farmers. On the following day 11 more farmers were killed in the area.
Nepal king remains serene ahead of fateful polls
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS
Kathmandu : While pressure mounted on his opponents, King Gyanendra, the player who has the most at stake as his kingdom goes to the polls in three days' time, remained serene, carrying on with his normal routine, including wishing his loyal subjects a happy new year.
Rescued Tibetan spiritual leader reaches Delhi
By IANS,
Dharamsala : Tibetan spiritual leader Karmapa Ugyen Trinley Dorjee, who was rescued along with 30 of his followers from snowbound Himachal Pradesh's Lahaul and Spiti district, reached Delhi Wednesday from Leh in Jammu and Kashmir, his aide said.
The 17th Karmapa, who was trapped in snow-laden Manali-Leh highway near Bharatpur, the base camp of Baralacha Pass, was rescued Sunday and airlifted to Leh in an Indian Air Force helicopter.
Rich Not Helping Poor Fight Climatic Change
Bali, Indonesia, Dec 13 (Prensa Latina) Latin American countries demanded rich countries increase their financial support to help the world"s poorest nations adapt to the effects of climate change.
During the 13th UN Lecture on Climatic Change, Ministers of the environment of Latin America demanded industrialized countries to help them mitigate the consequences of global warming.
Court blast kills Taiwanese woman
By IANS,
Beijing : A Taiwanese woman died, while seeking divorce in a court, when her husband detonated an explosive device in the premises in China's Guangdong province Friday, authorities said.
Immunity does not apply to Modi, says American Justice Center in legal brief
US Court directs State Department to respond by December 10th to AJC's "Memorandum of Law" challenging assertions of immunity.
By TCN News,
Washington DC:...
Rescuers find 255 survivors in Indonesian ferry boat disaster
By NNN-Antara,
Tanjungpinang (Riau,Indonesia) : Rescuers have found a total of 255 survivors up to Monday after the "Dumai Express 10" ferry boat sank off Tokong Hiu, Karimun district, Riau Islands province, on Sunday morning.
Tanjung Balai Karimun Naval Base Commander Lt Col Edwin said here the number of survivors rose to 255 on Monday, from 254 on Sunday evening.
"Today we found another survivor at around 12.30 am WIB (Western Indonesian Standard Time)," Edwin, field coordinator of a joint search and rescue team, said.
Ban “strongly condemns” suicide car bombing in Yemen
By NNN-KUNA
United Nations : Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has strongly denounced Monday's suicide car bombing near an archaeological site in the province of Mareb in Yemen.
"He strongly condemns this terrorist attack and reiterates that no cause can justify such acts of indiscriminate violence against civilians," the secretary-general's office said in a statement, released late on Monday.
The attack, supposedly by al-Qaeda, killed seven Spanish tourists, two Yemeni nationals and wounded eight other people.
Sri Lanka says jets destroy rebel naval training base in north
By SPA
Colombo : Sri Lankan fighter jets bombed and destroyed a Tamil Tiger forward operating and sea training base in the island's rebel-held far north on Friday, the military said, according to Reuters.
However, there were no immediate details of any casualties from the raid in the northeastern district of Mullaittivu, a day after the air force said it had destroyed a rebel camp in the same area.
China to cut production of chopsticks in environment bid
By IANS,
Beijing: China will limit production of disposable chopsticks in a bid to protect the environment, the government said. Currently, some 45 billion pairs of chopsticks, equivalent to 25 million fully grown trees, are produced annually, adversely impacting the environment.
Companies making disposable chopsticks will face government restrictions aimed at reducing its use, Xinhua reported quoting a joint circular issued here Wednesday.
World Economic Forum on Africa opens in Cape Town
By DPA,
Cape Town : The World Economic Forum on Africa opened in Cape Town Wednesday against the backdrop of rising food prices that further aggravate food insecurity on the continent.
Around 800 political and business leaders from over 50 countries are attending the three-day summit, which will discuss, among other things, how Africa can confront the global food and energy crises.
The forum organisers Wednesday highlighted Africa's growing ties with emerging economies such as India and China as well as with Gulf states.
Spaniards Want Cuban 5 Free
By Prensa Latina,
Madrid : A manifesto in favor of the release of five Cuban anti-terrorist fighters unfairly imprisoned in United States was released Thursday in Spain to be signed by parliamentarians, deputies, civil service officials and companies.
Jose Luis Centella, member of the organizing commission to the Second Meeting of Solidarity with Havana City to be run in September in Malaga, presented the document.
Ban to visit Haiti, seeks $550 million for victims
By DPA,
New York: UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said Friday he plans to visit Haiti "very soon" for a first-hand assessment of the situation and will seek $550 million in emergency money to assist the quake-ravaged country.
Most of the money urgently needed will go to provide food, water and medical supplies to help the quake victims immediately.
Nepal PM congratulates Rajnath on BJP’s victory
Kathmandu: Nepal Prime Minister Sushil Koirala late Friday sent a congratulatory message to BJP president Rajnath Singh over the party's splendid victory during the...
Tibet problem is China’s internal issue: President Hu
By Xinhua
Sanya (China) : Chinese President Hu Jintao said here Saturday that the Tibet problem is entirely an internal issue of China.
"Our conflict with the Dalai clique is not an ethnic problem, not a religious problem, nor a human rights problem. It is a problem either to safeguard national unification or split the motherland," Hu said.
He made the remarks while meeting visiting Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd in Sanya city of Hainan Province in southern China.