Immigration figures up as Britons stay at home
By IANS,
London : Net immigration to Britain has hit 237,000 because fewer people are leaving the country, according to figures published Wednesday.
The Office of National Statistics (ONS) said the number was an increase of 46,000 on 2006.
The estimated number of people arriving to live in Britain for 12 months or more was 577,000 in 2007, compared with 591,000 in 2006.
But the number of people leaving the country fell from 400,000 to 340,000 over the same period.
World powers betrayed Gaza, say UK aid agencies
London,IRNA – The international community was castigated Tuesday by more than a dozen British aid agencies and human rights group for failing to end Israel’s three-year old siege of Gaza.
A report published just ahead of the first anniversary of the start of Israel's latest slaughter of more than 1,400 Palestinians condemns not only the Zionist regime for denying humanitarian aid but also the world community for not helping the people of Gaza.
London protest against Israeli Gaza aid massacre
By IRNA,
London : An emergency protest is being held Monday outside Prime Minister David Cameron’s Office following Israel’s latest massacre of at least 10 passengers on board the Gaza Freedom Fotilla.
The London demonstration, which is being supported by Britain’s largest peace movement, Stop the War Coalition (STWC), is demanding that the UK government protests against Israel’s violation of international law.
Two jailed for blackmailing British royal over gay sex
By DPA,
London : Two British men involved in a gay sex blackmail plot against an unnamed member of the royal family were each sentenced to five years in jail by a court in London.
Ian Strachan, 31, and Sean McGuigan, 41, were found guilty of "demanding money with menaces" in their attempt to expose the royal by threatening to sell tape recordings in their possession to the press.
The sum involved was 50,000 pounds ($100,000).
Climber restores dignity to Everest’s dead
By IANS
Kathmandu : Nine years after he gave up his attempt to summit Mt. Everest to save a dying climber, British mountaineer Ian Woodall returned to the world's highest mountain again this year with a new mission - to restore dignity to the woman he couldn't save and other victims.
World’s oldest post office celebrates 300th anniversary
By IANS,
London : The world's oldest post office in Britain is celebrating its 300th anniversary this year.
Four siblings killed in Ukraine fire
By IANS,
Kiev : Four minor children -- three sisters and their brother -- died after a fire broke out at their home in Ukraine, the emergencies ministry said.
One killed, several injured in Nepal pre-poll violence
By DPA
Kathmandu : One person was killed and several hurt in escalating pre-election violence in Nepal between rival political parties, media reports said Wednesday.
A Maoist cadre was killed after clashing with Nepali Congress party activists in Solukhumbhu district, 200 km northeast of the Nepalese capital Kathmandu.
The clash erupted after the two rival parties gathered at the same venue to hold election campaign rallies, the independent Kantipur Television reported.
At least 25 people, including a senior Nepali Congress leader and Maoist supporters, were injured in the clash.
Clearer rules could improve contributors’ rights
By IANS,
Toronto : Publishers profit from the creative works of their freelance contributors not only in the traditional print format, but increasingly digitally through websites, databases, and multimedia output and through syndication and sales to third-party publishers.
More enlightened publishers make provision for this in the contract with their freelancers and pay royalties on such secondary and tertiary practices, but this is not common practice.
21 vehicles collide in China
By IANS,
Beijing : At least 21 vehicles collided Saturday on a fog-engulfed expressway in China, killing two people and injuring six others, police said.
Beijing medical workers to undergo anti-terror training
By Xinhua,
Beijing : About 130,000 people working in medical facilities in Beijing will start a month-long training course this week on coping with possible terrorist attacks during the Aug 8-24 Olympics, a newspaper here reported.
Punishment for Chinese who hack foreign computers
By IANS,
Beijing : China has passed a new law that would punish Chinese hackers who steal information from foreign computers, officials said.
Nigerian drug-peddler arrested in Goa
By IANS,
Panaji: A Nigerian national was arrested here Monday with almost three kg of charas (hashish), worth approximately half a million rupees in the international market, police said.
Nearly 150 kids die of dengue in Cambodia
By IANS,
Phnom Penh : At least 146 children have died of dengue fever in Cambodia this year, a government report said Wednesday.
Household robots can be security risk
By IANS,
Washington: People are increasingly using household robots for chores, communication, entertainment and companionship but safety and privacy risks of the information-gathering objects that move around our homes are not yet adequately addressed, according to a new study.
It's not a question of evil robots, but of robots that can be misused, said the University of Washington (UW) study.
"A lot of attention has been paid to robots becoming more intelligent and turning evil," said co-author Tadayoshi Kohno, a UW assistant professor of computer science and engineering.
Fujimori awaits trial under tight security
Lima, Sep 24 (IANS) Former President Alberto Fujimori, who was extradited to Peru for trial on human rights and corruption charges, is being held under tight security at a National Police facility in this capital, the Spanish news agency EFE said.
The 69-year-old Fujimori arrived in his homeland Saturday, a day after the Chilean Supreme Court confirmed his extradition.
US envoy pelted with eggs in Syria
By IANS,
Damascus : US ambassador to Syria Robert Ford was hit with eggs and tomatoes Friday while he was going to a mosque in the central al-Midan neighbourhood here, Xinhua reported.
US stocks decline, dollar soars
By DPA,
New York : Concerns about the impact of worldwide government indebtedness on the global recovery outweighed positive US economic news as major Wall Street indices fell Wednesday.
Portugal saw its long-term bond rating downgraded by the Fitch agency, while a UBS Investment Bank economist predicted that Greek would eventually default on its debt.
The US Commerce Department reported that orders for durable goods rose last month in the US for the third month in a row.
US may put North Korea back on terror list
By Xinhua,
Washington : The US is not rulling out possibilities of putting back North Korea on the list of states sponsoring terrorism, a senior official has said.
"I suppose these things are always possible," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said Wednesday here at a media briefing, when asked whether North Korea would be added to the list of states sponsoring terrorism if the communisty country backtracks from its commitment to denuclearisation.
Counter terrorism cuts in UK ‘not dangerous’, MPs told
By IRNA,
London : The outgoing Permanent Secretary at the Home Office has defended the British government plans to cut the police’s counter terrorism budget, insisting that it was not dangerous.
Basic facts about Venezuela’s referendum on constitutional change
By IRNA-Xinhua
Caracas : Venezuela is scheduled to hold a referendum on Sunday to decide whether to change 69 of the constitution's 350 articles. The following are some basic facts about the referendum.
Over 16.1 million registered voters will go to 11,132 polling stations in the referendum.
A total of 10,213 biometrics identification machines have been positioned together with indelible inking to prevent the possibility of double vote.
Observers from about 40 countries will be able to travel throughout the country to monitor the electoral process.
Gambling makes Macau richest place in Asia
By DPA
Hong Kong : Surging gambling revenue and investments in luxury hotels and the entertainment industry has made the former Portuguese enclave of Macau Asia's richest territory, a media report said Saturday.
Macau has overtaken other locations such as Singapore, Brunei and Japan to take the top spot after gross domestic product (GDP) per capita surged 27 percent to $36,357 last year, according to Macau government figures.
Ban urges G8 summit to act on climate change
By DPA
United Nations : UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has urged the G8 summit of the world's top industrialised nations to take measures to combat climate change, warning that inaction would be costly.
Al Gore’s son faces drug charges
By DPA
Washington : Al Gore III, the 24-year-old son of former US vice president Al Gore, faces drug and traffic charges in California after being stopped for speeding.
Sri Lanka braces for crucial eastern provincial poll
By Anthony David, DPA,
Colombo : The government has set the stage for a crucial provincial election in eastern Sri Lanka Saturday, a year after wresting control of the area from Tamil Tiger guerrillas.
The election is the first poll to be held in 20 years for the eastern provincial council. Voters will choose from hundreds of candidates from 18 political parties to fill 35 seats.
Nearly one million eligible voters from three districts - Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Ampara - will be under heavy security as they head to polling stations manned by 15,000 election officers Saturday.
Jackson’s family wants second autopsy
By Xinhua,
Los Angeles : Michael Jackson's family Saturday asked for a second autopsy on the body of the superstar who died Thursday at a Los Angeles hospital, the coroner's office said.
Jackson's body was shifted to a mortuary Friday night after a three-hour autopsy. Investigators said the revelation of the exact cause of death has been delayed pending toxicological tests, which take four to six weeks.
According to Brian Elias of the Los Angeles County coroner's office, Jackson's family has told the office that they wanted a second autopsy carried out.
Greece requests more time to repay IMF
Athens: The Greek government has requested more time from International Monetary Fund (IMF) to repay 1.5 billion euro loan installment that was due on...
New constitution a ‘licence to kill’ for Myanmar regime
By Christiane Oelrich, DPA,
Mae Sot (Thailand) : The military junta ruling Myanmar (Burma) has imposed a vacation ban for all officials, but not for the reason that every last person can be available to assist survivors of the recent cyclone that devastated the country.
Instead, the officials have to remain available to organise this Saturday's referendum on the new constitution with which the generals intend to cement their power.
UAE, Britain sign pact on peaceful use of n-energy
By IANS,
Abu Dhabi : The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Britain have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to expand their bilateral cooperation, including in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, WAM news agency reported Friday.
UAE's Minister of Foreign Trade Sheikha Lubna bint Khalid Al Qasimi, and Britain's Minister of State for Trade and Investment Digby Jones signed the MoU on behalf of their countries at a ceremony here Thursday.
China condemns US Gold Medal award to Dalai Lama
By DPA
Beijing : China Thursday criticised the US for its planned award to the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama of a Gold Medal at a ceremony that US President George W. Bush is scheduled to attend next week.
"China has made solemn representations to the US and clearly stated our position that we oppose the award of the Gold Medal to the Dalai Lama," foreign ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said.
"We are against any country and any people using this issue to interfere with China's internal affairs," Liu told reporters.
Britain to formally recognize Kosovo
By IANS
London : Britain has said it will formally recognise Kosovo as a sovereign state following its declaration of independence from Serbia.
"I have written to President (Fatmir) Sejdiu to tell him that Britain will now formally recognise Kosovo as an independent sovereign state," Prime Minister Gordon Brown told journalists at Downing Street Monday.
The British decision followed a meeting of the European Union (EU) foreign ministers in Brussels during which Britain and several other EU members pledged support to Kosovo's independence.
British government ‘working urgently’ to free Iraqi captives
By DPA
London:British Prime Minister Tony Blair has said his government will do "everything we possibly can" to secure the release of five British men kidnapped from a ministry building in Baghdad.
While Blair was speaking during a trip to Libya late Tuesday, British embassy officials in the Iraqi capital were "urgently working" to find out where the men had been taken and who was holding them, officials said Wednesday.
Obama’s Spy Support May Cost Votes
By Prensa Latina,
Washington : Thousands of US citizens supporting democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama criticized his decision to support a law to strengthen domestic espionage, noted The New York Times newspaper.
According to the source, many individuals are joining a protest against the African American candidate's position, through the same ways they used to back him a few days ago.
Canada, India bilateral trade to almost treble in five years
By IANS,
Kolkata : Bilateral trade between India and Canada is expected to grow threefold in five years, according to Gerald Keddy, the parliamentary secretary to the North American country's international trade minister.
"We are looking at a bilateral trade of $14 billion in the next five years," Keddy said at a press meet here Wednesday after inaugurating the Canada Trade Office.
This is Canada's third trade office in India after Delhi and Mumbai, with Hyderabad and Ahmedabad slated to follow.
Britain’s Labour Party suffers losses in local polls
By DPA
London : Britain's ruling Labour Party suffered marked losses in local and regional elections, the last of the Blair era, but results Friday showed that the party steered clear of an "electoral disaster" that had been widely predicted.
Hysteria against Archbishop ‘malicious’, says human rights group
London, Feb 12, IRNA A Muslim human rights group has condemned the mass hysteria provoked against the Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams following his call for Britain to accommodate some aspects of Sharia law for the country's two million Muslim population.
The Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC) said it was 'shocked by what seems to be a systematic and malicious misunderstanding of what the Archbishop of Canterbury said in his speech about accommodating religious minorities in Britain'.
Dutch trains to have security cameras
By Xinhua,
Brussels : In a bid to tackle rising crimes in running trains, the Dutch railway company NS has panned to equip all trains with surveillance cameras, Dutch news agency ANP reported Wednesday.
New trains will be fitted with automatic cameras while older ones will be renovated to have cameras fitted, according to ANP.
The first batch of trains to have security cameras will be the 99 new local service Sprinters, due for delivery at the end of the year.
Indonesia dan New Zealand to resume FTA talks in March
By ANTARA News,
Jakarta : The negotiation on Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Indonesia and New Zealand is expected to be resumed in March 2009 after the signing of the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand FTA agreement in February, 2009.
"We hope that the negotiation could be resumed soon after the signing of ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand FTAB. Hopefully it could be done in March," Director General for International Trade Cooperations of the Trade Ministry Gusmardi Bustami here on Saturday.
Obama not to attend G20 summit
By NNN-PTI,
Washington : US President-elect Barack Obama will not attend the G20 Summit scheduled for this weekend as he believes that there is "only one president at a time", his aides have said.
It was widely speculated that Obama will join the G20 Summit on November 15 in which leaders from various countries, including India, will participate to discuss ways to overcome the financial crisis across the world.
Although invited to the global financial summit, Obama has opted to stay in Chicago and will not meet any of the leaders separately, the 'New York Times' reported today.
Strong quake rocks China, Russia, North Korea
By IANS,
Washington : A magnitude 6.7 earthquake Thursday struck the border region of China, Russia and North Korea, Xinhua reported.
The quake struck at around 0113 GMT. The epicentre was located 110 km northeast of North Korea's Chongjin region, the US Geological Survey said.
Lavish funerals in vogue in SE Asian societies
By IANS,
Beijing : More and more people in Southeast Asian countries now want to give their dead relatives a "lavish" funeral, the best that money can buy.
Identities of 72 dead in east China train collision confirmed
By Xinhua,
Zhoucun, Shandong : A total of 72 people were confirmed dead in the fatal train wreck in east China's Shandong Province, officials said on Friday, citing forensic reports and DNA tests.
All the identities of those killed had been confirmed by 6 p.m. on Friday. The results conformed with the identification by families of the 72 victims, officials said, without giving details.
UN special envoy Gambari meets Suu Kyi in Myanmar
By Xinhua
Yangon : Visiting United Nations Special Envoy Ibrahim Gambari met Aung San Suu Kyi, detained leader of the National League for Democracy (NLD), here Thursday, the sixth day of the envoy's visit to Myanmar, according to diplomatic sources.
Gambari, who is UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Special Adviser on Myanmar, met the NLD general secretary after travelling back from the new capital of Naypyidaw.
No details about their meeting were immediately available.
UNAIDS launches plan to empower women, girls to prevent HIV
By IRNA,
Tehran : The lead United Nations agency tackling the AIDS epidemic, along with rock and roll icon Annie Lennox, Tuesday launched an action plan to empower women and girls to protect themselves against HIV.
Known as the Agenda for Accelerated Country Action for Women, Girls, Gender Equality and HIV (2010-2014), the five-year plan partners the UN with governments, civil society and development partners to address gender inequalities and human rights violations that put women and girls at risk for HIV infection.
Bill Clinton lands in US with two freed journalists
By DPA,
Los Angeles: Former US President Bill Clinton arrived early Wednesday morning at Burbank Airport near Los Angeles, California, after his mission gaining the release of two pardoned American journalists who had been detained since March in North Korea.
Clinton, Laura Ling and Euna Lee had flown from Pyongyjang after the ex-president's previously unannounced 20-hour visit during which he met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, who pardoned the two journalists.
UN rights expert urges Myanmar to end discrimination against ethnic minorities
New York : The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Myanmar Yanghee Lee on Wednesday called on the country's authorities...
US suspends deportation of Haitians after quake
By IANS/EFE,
Washington : The US Wednesday suspended deportation of undocumented Haitian immigrants in the wake of the devastating earthquake in the impoverished Caribbean nation.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano and US Immigration and Customs Enforcement Assistant Secretary John Morton Wednesday halted all removals to Haiti for the time being in response to the devastation," DHS said in a statement.
Japan to boost bilateral currency swap deal with China
By DPA,
Tokyo : Japan, China and South Korea agreed at the Group of 20 summit to enhance bilateral currency swap between Tokyo and Beijing to help Seoul stay afloat in the global financial crisis, Japanese media said Saturday.
A joint statement said the three nations agreed to "explore an increase in the size of bilateral currency swap arrangements" among them.
The deal was mainly aimed at helping South Korea fend off the financial crisis since the won has faced selling pressure as foreign investors withdrew capital.
Japanese PM starts China visit
By SPA
Beijing : Japan's prime minister Yasuo Fukuda, will start later today an official visit to China.
He will hold talks with Chinese President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao on Friday as part of a four-day trip that comes amid steadily growing economic ties.
Fukuda will also tour Tianjin, Jinan and Qufu in east China before returning home Sunday.
I will do everything in my power to build good relations, Fukuda told reporters before departing for Beijing. I plan to hold candid discussions, he said.
UN okays $10 mn for new Nepal government
By IANS,
Kathmandu : United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has approved $10 million in assistance to Nepal from the UN Peacebuilding Fund.
The assistance announced Tuesday is likely for support to Nepal's Constituent Assembly, promotion of human rights and reintegration of Maoist guerrillas of the People's Liberation Army with the Nepal Army.
A UN spokesperson said the fund, established two years ago, was meant to help countries emerging from conflict consolidate their gains and avoid slipping back into bloodshed.
Former NASA head in crashed plane; five killed
By DPA,
Washington : Sean O'Keefe, the head of EADS' North American unit and a former NASA administrator, was on board a small private plane that crashed in Alaska, aerospace firm EADS confirmed Tuesday.
Five people died, one person was seriously injured and three others were unaccounted for as the plane went down Monday night in a secluded south-western part of the state, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said.
Russian, Italian firms agree to speed up gas pipeline project
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine gas dispute, the heads of Gazprom and Italy's Eni have agreed to speed up the construction of the South Stream gas pipeline, the Russian energy giant has said.
The South Stream project is a new pipeline under the Black Sea which will serve as another route to transit Russian gas to Europe.
"Gazprom and Eni agreed to speed up the work of the joint working group with preparations for the South Stream project," Gazprom said in a statement late Thursday.
New York airports to install full-body scanners
By DPA,
New York: New York region's three major airports will next month install full-body scanners, which critics said would violate constitutional rights of American people, news reports said Friday.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which manages Newark Liberty in New Jersey and the John F. Kennedy and LaGuardia international airports, said the scanners will be put to use in September.
LTTE vows to carry on the ‘liberation struggle’
By DPA
Colombo : Tamil rebel leader Velupillai Prabhakaran has vowed to carry on with the fight after one of his senior members was killed recently in an air strike by Sri Lankan forces.
Suffering one of the biggest losses at the hands of the Sri Lankan forces in its 25-year armed struggle, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has vowed to keep up the fight.
LTTE chief Velupillai Prabhakaran was speaking to mark the death of his political wing leader S.P. Thamilselvan, who was killed Friday in an air raid in Kilinochchi, 370 km north of the capital Colombo.
Explosion kills 17, injures 39 in Colombo
By Xinhua
Colombo : At least 17 people were killed and 39 more were injured as a huge explosion hit Sri Lankan capital Colombo late Wednesday afternoon, defense officials said.
Military Spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said the explosion occurred in a business district in Colombo's southeastern suburb of Nugegoda around 5:50 p.m. (1220 GMT), and the explosion also caused fire in the area.
Gyanendra picks up mightier sword – writes his autobiography
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : Ousted Nepal king Gyanendra has reportedly exchanged his snake throne for a humble computer chair on which he sits everyday to hammer out his autobiography.
Even as Maoist chief Prachanda, the revolutionary responsible for his fall from power, has laid down his gun, the last king of Nepal has metaphorically at least picked up the mightiest sword in the world for a last battle -- though he may not be using a pen. His autobiography will present his experiments with truth, or what is perceived by him to be the truth.
Two Americans, one Japanese share 2008 chemistry Nobel
By IANS,
Stockholm : Two US and a Japanese scientist shared the 2008 Nobel Prize for chemistry, the prize committee announced Wednesday.
Japan-born Osamu Shimomura and US researchers Martin Chalfie and Roger Y. Tsien will equally share the $1.4 million prestigious award in recognition "for the discovery and development of the green fluorescent protein" that has become a key tool in contemporary bioscience, said a press statement from the Nobel Committee at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.
13 people killed in car accident in Bolivia
By Xinhua,
Lima : Thirteen tourists were killed when the vehicles they were traveling in collided and burst into flames in southern Bolivia, according to reports reaching here Friday from Bolivia's administrative capital La Paz.
The accident occurred Thursday in Uyuni, one of the most-visited tourist sites in the South American country.
The 13 victims are five Japanese, five Israelis and three Bolivians.
According to a report from Bolivia's Erbol network, a yet-unidentified person survived the accident.
Woodward eyes single Pattinson
By IANS,
Los Angeles: Actress Shannon Woodward reportedly likes actor Robert Pattinson and is willing to be more than just friends with him.
US journalist admits faking story about Iraq attack
Washington: Veteran journalist Brian Williams, the popular host of NBC's nightly prime time newscast, has apologised after admitting that he made up the story...
The world mourns Paul the octopus, Maradona doesn’t
By DPA,
Berlin: The international football community Wednesday mourned the death of Paul the Psychic Octopus while Diego Maradona was apparently pleased.
Indonesia: Golkar asks govt to put aside Soeharto’s lagal case
By NNN-Bernama
Jakarta : The Golkar Party has officially called on the government to decide legal certainty on former president Soeharto by putting aside the criminal aspect of his legal case.
"Based on article 35 point C of Law on Prosecution, the attorney general has the authority to do that," Indonesia's Antara news agency quoted Deputy Chairman of the Golkar Party, Agung Laksono, as saying here on Sunday.
Hitler had bad breath, says dentist
By DPA,
Hamburg : Adolf Hitler probably had bad breath and unhealthy teeth, according to a German dentist who has studied the Nazi dictator's medical record, a media report said Sunday.
"It is likely that Adolf Hitler had very bad breath. He ate very badly and suffered from tooth decay," Menevse Deprem-Hennen told the Sunday edition of Bild newspaper.
The dentist reportedly studied Hitler's dental records in the course of her doctorate, which she entitled Dentist of the Devil.
She said the research indicated that the Nazi dictator feared dentist.
Bush requests for 70-bln-USD bill to fund wars in fiscal year 2009
By Xinhua,
Washington : U.S. President George W. Bush sent a bill of 70 billion U.S. dollars to Congress on Friday to fund the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan in the first several months of the fiscal year 2009.
The request fills in the details of the budget the White House sent to Congress in February for the fiscal year starting Oct. 1.
Among the requested fund, 45 billion dollars will be used to combat operations, 3 billions dollars to deal with roadside bombs and 2 billion dollars to handle rising fuel costs.
Bhupinder Kaur crowned Maaza Miss India New York
By IANS,
New York : Bhupinder Kaur, 23, has been crowned as Maaza Miss India New York 2008.
A student of political science and psychology at Hunter College, Bhupinder was declared winner of the 26th edition of the pageant held over the weekend in Queens borough.
Mansi Shah, 18, from Long Island was declared first runner up, while Ruby Kaur, 20, of Sunnyside as second runner up, according to a media release issued by India Festival Committee (IFC), the pageant organizer.
Microsoft’s billions count for little in post-PC world
By Andy Goldberg, DPA,
San Francisco : Microsoft reported record first-quarter sales Thursday of more than $16 billion and notched up a not-too-shabby $5.4 billion in net profit.
Eurasian Fund against Crisis
By Prensa Latina,
Moscow : A joint $10 billion anti-crisis fund is atop the agenda of the leaders of the Euro-Asian Economic Community in Russia.
Russian Presidential Advisor Serguei Prijodko says the EAEC project will help soothe the effects of the global economic and financial crisis started in the US.
The fund will grant sovereign loans and stabilization credits, fund commercial operations with the EAEC and help effect inter-state investments, says the official.
Two Koreas resume rail service after five decades
By RIA Novosti
Seoul : South and North Korea Tuesday resumed the regular train service after a gap of more than half a century, in a move considered as a major breakthrough in rebuilding economic ties between the two.
The first 12-carriage cargo train carrying raw materials left South Korea's Munsan station early in the morning for the Kaesong industrial park in North Korea. The freight-only service will run daily on weekdays.
Sri Lanka says plea for truce looks ‘LTTE orchestrated’
By M.R. Narayanswamy, IANS,
New Delhi : Sri lanka said Thursday that the demand from political parties in Tamil Nadu for a ceasefire in the island nation appeared to be orchestrated by the Tamil Tigers.
In the most high profile reaction after MPs from Tamil Nadu's ruling DMK and its allies threatened to quit parliament if New Delhi did not put pressure on Colombo to go for a truce by Oct 29, Sri Lanka Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa refused to halt the military campaign against the Tigers.
EU to give $27 mn for Russian nuclear plant safety
By IANS
Moscow : The European Commission plans to allocate 20 million euros (over $27 million) for nuclear safety projects in Russia, the country's nuclear power plant operator said Thursday.
Rosenergoatom, which runs all 10 Russian nuclear power plants with a total capacity of over 23 gigawatts, said the funds offered by the European Union's (EU) executive branch aimed at optimising their preventive maintenance.
A stroke victim must immediately head for hospital
By IANS
New York : Almost 70 percent of stroke victims in the US fail to reach hospital within three hours of the first symptoms, a delay that greatly endangers their lives, a new study says.
The delay keeps many patients from receiving tPA, the only approved treatment for stroke caused by blood clots in the brain, says the study by University of Michigan researchers and published in the journal Stroke.
North Korea threatens military action
By DPA,
Seoul : North Korea Friday threatened to respond decisively if South Korean forces carry out live-fire drills near the disputed maritime border as planned.
Nepal Maoists begin power race against time
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : After their victory in a 10-year war against the royal dynasty, time has begun to run out for Nepal's former Maoist guerrillas with just 48 hours left for the expiry of the time given to them to form a new government.
Last Tuesday, President Ram Baran Yadav called on the Maoists, who had emerged as the largest party after the April election, to prove their majority in the caretaker parliament and form the new government within a week.
British airways tries saving merger deal with Iberia
By Venkata Vemuri, IANS,
London : British Airways (BA) has inched closer to a merger with Spanish national carrier Iberia after striking a deal with its pension trustees to neutralise its pensions deficit of £3.7 billion.
The deficit was said to be the last stumbling block holding up the merger talks. BA's two final-salary pension schemes have a combined deficit of £3.7bn, which it needs to cut. Last month, the airline agreed plans with unions to increase pension contributions to close the deficit.
Rebel commander captured in Philippines
By Xinhua,
Cotabato (Philippines) : A rebel commander, who carried a $25-million bounty, was captured by the security forces in southern Philippines, the military said Wednesday.
Camarudin Hadji Ali, commander of the banned Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), was captured during a raid Tuesday in Cotabato city. The group was responsible for a deadly attack last year in which 60 people were killed, military spokesman Major Randolph Cabangbang said.
Cabangbang said Camarudin did not resist arrest when he saw the troops cordoned off his hideout.
Romanian man advertises wife for sale on used car website
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : A Romanian man has put his 25-year-old wife up for sale on a used car website, saying he was fed up with her, the Ananova news portal reported on Wednesday.
Alex Cretu, 20, of Bucharest, placed the advert on a used car website hoping to fetch 4 million pounds ($6.4 million), but later lowered the price to 3,000 pounds ($4,800) for a "quick sale," the news portal said.
His advert reads: "Wife for sale. Model 1983, good condition. Full option, nice suspensions, spacious boot, second owner."
Ethnic police officers still disadvantaged, says new UK equality report
By IANS,
London : Asian and black officers in British police forces continue to feel disadvantaged by "old-fashioned working practices", according to the latest report by the Equalities and Human Rights Commission.
The just-released report says ethnic officers feel entry into top squads of the force - robbery, anti-terrorist and firearms units -- are "closed shops" for them. It also finds that more ethnic officers than their white counterparts quit the force or are sacked from service.
Russian Deputy for Alliance to Face West
By Prensa Latina
Moscow : Russia must strengthen links with the Organization of Cooperation of Shanghai and the Collective Security Agreement Organization to face threatening from western countries in Europe and the Arctic, assured a parliamentary leader Friday.
Igor Barinov, vice president of the Russian Duma (Lower Chamber) Defense Committee, warned that threatening is being consolidated, and is beginning to determine the policy of such countries.
Obama condemns IS beheading of British hostage
Washington : US President Barack Obama Saturday strongly condemned the beheading of a British hostage by the Islamic State (IS) militant group, vowing to...
World Cup to generate one million jobs in Brazil
Rio de Janeiro: The FIFA World Cup which is taking place in 12 Brazilian cities will generate one million jobs in the country.
The tournament...
Taiwan’s court denies bail request by ex-president
By DPA,
Taipei : Taiwan's High Court Thursday maintained a previous ruling to refuse bail for ex-president Chen Shui-bian, dashing hopes of release for the graft-tainted former leader.
Chen was given a fresh chance for freedom after the Supreme Court Thursday ordered the high court to hold another hearing on his bail request.
The Supreme Court said in a statement earlier Thursday the reasons given by the high court to continue to hold Chen were insufficient to prove that the ex-president had hidden huge funds abroad, and that he would flee and threaten witnesses if freed.
Areva to start talks with French firms to sell distribution firm
By IANS,
Mumbai : Paris-based nuclear power major Areva Tuesday said it will hold talks with a consortium of French firms Alstom and Schneider for selling its transmission and distribution business for 2.29 billion euros ($3.45 billion).
The Indian operations of the nuclear power giant, Areva India T&D, is part of its transmission and distribution business that is put up for sale.
"The supervisory board of Areva had received three binding offers from Alstom/Schneider, General Electric and Toshiba," Areva India T&D said in a regulatory statement.
Ties with India Islamabad’s priority: Pakistan president
Islamabad : Friendly relations with India on the basis of mutual confidence and cooperation is Islamabad's priority but it wants India to resolve the...
Treasure hunters chased from Spanish waters
By IANS/EFE,
Madrid: The Spanish navy expelled from the Alboran Sea a US-owned, Panamanian-flagged vessel that was trying to find sunken ships, authorities said Friday.
Serbia announces final results of May 11 parliamentary polls
By RIA Novosti,
Belgrade : Serbia's election commission announced early on Wednesday the final results of the country's May 11 parliamentary elections.
The official results were expected to be announced by May 15, but were held up until a re-vote could take place at three polling stations following breaches in voting procedures.
UAE, UNESCO sign educational agreement
By IANS,
By WAM,
Paris: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the UNESCO have signed an agreement on the operation of the the Sharjah-based Regional Centre for Educational Planning (RCEP).
Indian-American pilot’s selfies caused plane crash
Washington : An Indian-American pilot and/or his passenger in Colorado were likely taking selfies when the pilot lost control of the plane, causing it...
Official: EU may send troops to DRC
By Xinhua,
Marseille, France : The European Union would not rule out the possiblity to send troops to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to help the UN to head off the worsened conflict between rebels and government forces, EU officials said here on Monday.
Sri Lanka arrests five Russians over credit card scam
By IANS,
Colombo : Five Russians were arrested in Sri Lanka Sunday in connection with a credit card scam, Xinhua reported.
China brings together US, Myanmar meeting
By Xinhua
Beijing : Representatives of the US and Myanmar had met recently in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry said Thursday.
Drew Barrymore becomes advocate for UN World Food Programme
TwoCircles.net newsdesk
The American actress Drew Barrymore was named today as an Ambassador Against Hunger for the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and charged with the task of using her celebrity status as a film star to advocate for school feeding projects in some of the world’s poorest countries.
Ms. Barrymore, 32, becomes the latest Ambassador for the WFP, joining Kenyan world marathon record-holder Paul Tergat, himself a former recipient of school feeding programmes, among others. Last year WFP fed 19.4 million children across 71 countries through such projects.
Self-immolations in Tibet politically motivated: Lawmaker
By IANS,
Brussels : Self-immolations by monks were part of the scheme of Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama's clique to internationalize the Tibet issue, a Tibetan legislator has said.
US economic policy is the ‘road to hell’: Czech PM
By DPA,
Strasbourg (France) : The US decision to pump ever-larger sums into its economy is "road to hell", Czech republic's Prime Minister and holder of the European Union's rotating presidency Mirek Topolanek said Wednesday.
The US is repeating the mistakes of the 1930s and has chosen the "road to hell" in the process, said the Czech prime minister, the morning after his government lost a vote of confidence by a narrow margin.
Bomb victims compensated in Sri Lanka
By Xinhua,
Colombo : The Sri Lankan government has begun paying compensation to the victims of Friday evening's bomb attack, which was blamed on Tamil Tiger rebels, officials said on Sunday..
"We have already paid compensation to 11 victims," A. C. N. Razak, secretary to the Ministry of Rehabilitation and Resettlement said.
The bomb which went off on a crowded bus in the Colombo's populated suburb of Piliyandala on Friday night killed 26 and injured 72 passengers.
Cambodian PM dismisses rumor of senior officials reshuffle
By Xinhua,
Phnom Penh : The Cambodian government had noplan to reshuffle police commanders, provincial and city governors as well as their deputies, said Prime Minister Hun Sen in a statement received here Saturday.
"As prime minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, I confirm that the government has no plan to reshuffle your positions as some gossip had alleged," he said.
"I also request you all to keep on working as normal for the benefits of the people and the nation," he said.
9 killed in Philippine bank robbery, mostly bank employees shot in head
By SPA,
Manila : At least eight bank employees and a security guard were lined up and shot dead in the head Friday in one of the bloodiest bank robberies in the Philippines, AP quoted police as saying. One employee was in critical condition in a hospital.
The victims were found sprawled on the floor of a branch of the Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. in Cabuyao town in Laguna province, south of Manila, after the bank failed to open as scheduled at 9 a.m. and suspicious customers alerted authorities, Chief Superintendent Ricardo Padilla said.
EU-US summit opens in Slovenia with packed agenda
By DPA,
Brdo (Slovenia) : Top European Union (EU) officials were holding talks with US President George W Bush Tuesday at the start of his final European tour, designed to affirm trans-Atlantic ties before he leaves office in January.
Iran, Afghanistan, climate change and rising global food prices were on the agenda for the EU-US summit, held this year at a secluded resort in the shadow of the Slovenian Alps.
"We've got a lot to talk about," Bush said as he left Washington Monday.
Big gains for Canadian markets
By IANS,
Toronto : US Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's assessment Tuesday that the recession may be over by the end of the year had a positive impact even on Canadian markets.
The Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX), which had sunk to a five-year low Monday, made a big recovery on the positive assessment from Washington, with the composite index jumping 211.66 points.
Testifying before the Senate Banking Committee in Washington, Bernanke had said that the US economic slide may stop after six months, paving the way for recovery later this year.
50 injured as car rams into public in US
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow: As many as 50 people were injured after a car ploughed into a crowd of people participating in a parade in the US state of Virginia.
There was no fatality.
Five gunmen killed in Russia operation
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow: Five gunmen and two special forces officers were killed and six other officers were injured in Russia's volatile Dagestan region, officials said.
Ebola toll hits 1,229: WHO
Geneva : The outbreak of the Ebola virus disease in West Africa has caused 1,229 deaths and has affected 2,240 people so far this...
Europe for inclusion of animal welfare in WTO agenda
By IANS,
New Delhi : Animal rights activists across the world have a reason to smile as the European Union (EU) is pushing for the inclusion of animal welfare standards in the World Trade Organisation's (WTO) multilateral trade negotiations.
"Inclusion of animal welfare standards in the WTO agenda is urgently needed to effectively enforce animal standards worldwide, and to improve the appalling condition of slaughter houses in many countries including India," Citizens for Animal Rights (CAR), a city-based organisation, said in a release here.
Sri Lankan gets 35 years jail for aiding attack on army chief
By IANS,
Colombo : A Sri Lankan court Tuesday sentenced a man to 35 years of rigorous imprisonment for aiding in the attempt to assassinate then army commander Sarath Fonseka, reported Xinhua.
Nepal king loses palace, property
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS
Kathmandu : With 90 days left for a critical election that would seal King Gyanendra's fate, the monarch received a fresh blow Thursday with the government announcing it was taking over the royal palace in the capital, the official residence of the king as well as six more palaces in the kingdom.
Maoists block election of new Nepal premier
By DPA,
Kathmandu : The Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) Monday obstructed parliament's regular session which was to have elected a new prime minister.
Maoist lawmakers chanted slogans and prevented attempts by the assembly chairman to present a proposal on the election as soon as parliament went into session.
Monday's session was to elect a successor to Pushpa Kamal Dahal, the Maoist leader who resigned as premier after a power struggle with the president two weeks ago.
Everest superstar eyes 20th summit
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : Fifty-year-old Apa Sherpa, who has become almost as legendary as the mountain that has been his permanent pursuit, is aiming to break his own incredible record by summiting Mt Everest, the highest peak in the world, for the 20th time this summer.
The soft-spoken modest "Super Sherpa" who comes from Thame village in northern Nepal, the home of another legendary Everest climber Tenzing Norgay, will seek to conquer Mt Everest as part of the Eco Everest 2010 expedition that targets to clean the mountain of garbage left behind by earlier climbers.
Police crack down on Muslim rebels in Sri Lanka
By DPA,
Colombo : Police launched a crackdown on Muslim militants in eastern Sri Lanka when a deadline to surrender illegal weapons ended, a police spokesman said Sunday.
The grace period to surrender weapons ended Saturday with a poor response, producing less than 25 weapons out of an estimated cache of more than 10 times that much, deputy police inspector general Edison Gunatillake said.
Security forces were pursuing militants identified as "jihadist groups" operating in the Kattankudy area, 303 km east of Colombo.
271,000 Mexicans slip into poverty in US
By IANS/EFE,
Mexico City : About 271,000 Mexican immigrants have slipped into poverty in the US, Spanish banking giant BBVA said in a report.
It said between the fourth quarter of 2008 and the same period last year, "the number of workers of Mexican origin with jobs decreased by approximately 560,000".
For that reason, the number of workers of Mexican origin who are currently unemployed increased to about 1.8 million, "of whom around 51 percent are immigrants", according to the report Saturday.
China unconvinced about Iran’s nuclear capability: study
By DPA,
New York : China, one of the veto-wielding UN Security Council permanent members, does not believe Iran has short-term capability to make nuclear weapons, the International Crisis Group said in a study released Wednesday.
China is also opposed to imposing additional sanctions against Iran, which some Western governments believe are necessary to counter Iran's advanced programme to produce weapon-grade uranium.
Aniston gets 40,000-pound haircut
By IANS,
London : Former "Friends" star Jennifer Aniston has spent close to 40,000 pounds for a new haircut.
Aniston wanted her hairdresser Chris McMillan to go with her on a week-long trip to Europe. He flew with her from Los Angeles to London in first class at a cost of 14,400 pounds each, reports dailymail.co.uk.
McMillan was also treated to a all-expenses-paid stay at numerous hotels and the cost for his seven-day visit was 10,000 pounds. He also reportedly charged up to 1,500 pounds a day for his tress-teasing expertise, pushing up the bill by another 10,500 pounds.
Arms seized from Mexican gangs come from US: Report
By IANS/EFE,
San Diego : A vast majority of firearms seized from criminal organisations in Mexico come from the US, a study has claimed.
Over 300 residents left freezing in northeast Russia
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Over 300 residents were left freezing in their apartments in the Republic of Yakutia in northeast Russia after a boiler house accident, the country's emergencies ministry said on Sunday.
The accident occurred on Saturday, leaving 75 residential building and nine social infrastructure facilities without heat, the emergencies ministry said.
Repair works are complicated by freezing temperatures, currently at minus 45 degrees Centigrade (-49 degrees Fahrenheit). An emergency situation has been introduced in the area, the ministry said.
Zimbabwe opposition leader stopped from attending SADC summit
By Xinhua,
Harare : Zimbabwe's opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai was Thursday prevented from travelling to South Africa for a summit on Zimbabwe's political crisis after his travel documents were confiscated and he was detained at Harare airport, media reports said.
The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) said Tsvangirai could not go to South Africa to attend the Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit, as airport immigration officials seized his passport.
US project to map role of bacteria in human health
By IANS,
Washington : Some patients fail to respond to treatment for intestinal infections perhaps because they are lacking certain protective bacteria, found in the human gut.
Our gastrointestinal tracts are teeming with trillions of bacteria, where they make essential amino acids and vitamins, help regulate our immune systems and break down starches and proteins.
Unfortunately, the interaction of man and bacteria is a grey area for scientists, who have surprisingly little idea about this symbiotic relationship, reports the Telegraph.
Shootout in Ottawa: Indian-Canadian MP’s first person account
By Nina Grewal,
When Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper was speaking at about 9.30 a.m. Wednesday in a caucus room of parliament, we heard a couple of shots. We were not alarmed as we thought some construction work was going on. Then, more shots were heard and we were alarmed, more so as the Prime Minister was in the room, standing and speaking.
Chinese missiles can hit US bases in Asia
By IANS,
Washington: China can hit five out of six US bases in Asia with a wave of missiles in the event of a military confrontation, a US Congressional report says.
Putin wants New Year holidays shifted to May
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has proposed to reduce the nearly two-week-long Christmas and New Year holidays and shifting them to May.
Ghana’s President briefed by NEPAD CEO
By NNN-GNA,
Accra : Ghanaian President John Agyekum Kufuor met with the Chief Executive Officer of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), Professor Firmino Mucavele, here Monday.
The meeting was to update Kufour, who is also the current African Union (AU) Chairman, on concrete activities planned to attract investment for growth of the region in the areas of agricultural infrastructure, health, education and gender at the upcoming meeting of the African Partnership Forum and the Group of Eight Industrialized Nations (G-8) to be held in Berlin, Germany.
Nepal’s biggest hydropower project to take off finally
By IANS
Kathmandu : Nepal's biggest energy scheme, a 750 MW hydropower project that has a 25-year power purchase pact with India's Power Trading Corp (PTC), is finally ready to take off after being held up for a decade due to the Maoist insurgency and political instability.
Putin says Europe, OSCE cannot dictate terms to Russia
By RIA Novosti
Moscow : Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that his country will not allow anyone to dictate terms to it, but that it will honor its international commitments in full.
Putin, who is to step down as Russian president after the March 2 presidential elections, was referring to a recent row with the OSCE over monitors for the polls. He is currently holding his last annual news conference as head of state in the Kremlin.
Obama catches up with McCain in rural US
By Arun Kumar,IANS,
Washington : As the US presidential election inches closer Democratic nominee Barack Obama not only continues to hold a significant lead over John McCain, in national polls but has caught up with his Republican rival in rural areas too.
While CNN's average of four recent national polls puts Obama 8-point ahead, 50 percent to 42 percent, over McCain, another poll shows the Democrat neck-and-neck among rural voters in 13 swing states, a potentially key group for winning the White House.
Maldivian airlines chooses IBS software
By IANS,
Thiruvananthapuram : Maldivian, the national airline of the Maldives, has gone live with IBS' new-generation passenger service system.
The IBS Group said in a release Tuesday that the product, 'aiRES', will help the airline manage its passenger reservations, inventory control, fares, ticketing and departure control functions.
"We have chosen IBS' solution for its cost-effectiveness, optimum fit, short implementation time and flexible features," said Ahmed Zuhair, director (commercial) at Maldivian.
Premier Li details challenges, problems facing China
Beijing: China faces great challenges and complex problems in pushing forward economic and social development, Premier Li Keqiang said Wednesday at the opening of...
Brazil sells $750 mn government bonds
By IANS,
Rio de Janeiro : Brazil said that it sold $750 million worth of dollar-denominated government bonds due January 2023 in European and US markets.
World well prepared against bird flu pandemic: UN
By DPA,
New York : The world is well prepared to beat back any major bird flu pandemic with 148 countries having made contingency plans to deal with the disease, the United Nations and the World Bank said Tuesday.
"Considering that pandemic preparedness was largely unaddressed by the world's nations three years ago, the widespread awareness and action seen today is a major achievement," said David Nabarro, the UN system influenza coordinator.
Canadian Sikh woman’s death still a mystery
By IANS,
Toronto : Canadian police are still in the dark about the death of a young Sikh woman and three newborns in the city of Calgary more than a week ago.
Twenty-seven-year-old Harsimrat Kahlon and three newborn babies were dead in their apartment Oct 5 when the woman's partner called police.
As police await autoposy reports, it is still not clear whether the kids belonged to the woman and her partner (also called common-law husband in the West) Harnek Mahal.
The bodies of the kids were found inside suitcases in highly decomposed state.
‘Battle for Bangkok’ leaves 19 dead, 807 injured
By DPA,
Bangkok : The Thai government Sunday vowed to return the situation in Bangkok to normalcy, after fierce clashes on the weekend between troops and protesters claimed at least 19 lives and injured 807.
"We are committed to restore the situation to normalcy as soon as possible," government spokesman Panitan Wattanayakorn said.
Among the dead were 15 civilians, mostly protesters but also a Japanese photographer working for the Thomson Reuters news agency, reports from the government's Narenthorn Medical Centre said.
UN: Use of Force Govt, Not Private
By Prensa Latina
United Nations : The UN Working Group on the Use of Mercenaries noted with concern Monday that private security companies are taking over functions, such as legitimate use of force, which are considered exclusively governmental.
In a report presented before the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Spanish attorney and chair of the working group Jose Gomez del Prado said it has been verified that this kind of enterprise is flourishing and starting to absorb mercenaries on global scale for different security and protection tasks.
Eight killed after boat capsizes in China
By Xinhua,
Guiyang (China) : Eight people were drowned late Monday when their boat capsized on a lake in China's southwestern province of Guizhou, officials said.
According to officials the accident occurred at about 9 p.m. when they were returning to their homes after attending a wedding party.
The boat capsized on the Yelang Lake in Benjie village of Puding county.
All eight bodies were brought to the shore by rescue officials.
The 21-sq-km artificial Lake is a popular place for local tourists.
Informal CIS summit could take place in St. Petersburg in June
By RIA Novosti
Moscow : An informal summit of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), an alliance of ex-Soviet republics, could take place in St. Petersburg in June, a Russian deputy foreign minister said on Friday.
"We hope a meeting of CIS heads of state will take place on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg Economic Forum in early June, when the leaders arrive in the city, and we will coordinate our visions of the plan for the development of the CIS," Andrei Denisov said.
Obama announces new team to tackle economic crisis
By IANS,
Chicago : US President-elect Barack Obama Monday named his team of economic advisers who would infuse "fresh thinking" to tackle the economic downturn.
Timothy Geithner, the president of the New York Federal Reserve, is to be the next US treasury secretary. Lawrence Summers, a former treasury secretary, will be the new head of the White House's national economic council.
Italy to develop nuclear plants after 24 years
By IANS/AKI,
Paris: After 24 years of moratorium, Italy will develop nuclear power plants with the help of France to meet its energy needs.
Nuclear energy production is "an absolute necessity" in Italy, Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said Friday after meeting French president Nicolas Sarkozy in Paris.
Italy had closed down its all nuclear programmes following the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster in Ukraine.
But "now you need to convince the people where the plants will be built", he said.
Sri Lanka to boost presidential powers
By DPA,
Colombo : Sri Lanka's cabinet Monday passed constitutional amendments that boost the powers of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, officials said.
The amendments enable a president to run for a third consecutive term, allowing two-term president Rajapaksa to contest the next elections.
A second amendment moves the power to make key government appointments from a 10-member council to the president's office.
Rajapaksa's ruling United People's Freedom Alliance, which holds 144 seats in the 225-seat parliament, needs a total of 150 votes to pass the amendments.