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LTTE attacks Sri Lankan Navy detachment in Jaffna

By IANS, Colombo : The Sri Lankan Army Thursday said that a pre-dawn attack by the Tamil Tiger rebels on a naval detachment in an islet in the northern Jaffna peninsula was repulsed by a joint army-navy counter operation. According to military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara, the Tamil Tigers came in a flotilla of eight small boats and mounted an attack on navy and army troops deployed at Chiraththivu islet, located between Kurunagar and Mandaitivu, close to the northern town of Jaffna.

Brain areas responsible for spirituality revealed

By IANS, London: The areas of brain responsible for the many aspects of spiritual experiences have been revealed by US researchers.

Six die in Colombia’s landslides

By SPA, Bogota : At least six people died and 20 were missing Saturday after landslides in Colombia followed violent rainfalls in Medellin, Colombia's second largest city. Some 20 people were buried under the rubble of their homes, said Medellin mayor Alonso Salazar. The destroyed homes were in a poor neighbourhood on a hillside where 16 people were injured, DPA reported.

Venenzuela local elections in 2008

By NNN-Prensa Latina Caracas : Venezuelan opposition and authorities are preparing for the 2008 elections for governors and mayors announced for the month of Oct 2008. The elections are to check how the narrow advantage of the opposition in the Dec 2 referendum would work to its advantage and for the government to study the mobilization capacity of the supportive masses that abstained.

Taiwan park fire leaves 516

Taipei: The number of injured in a recreational water park blaze, caused by large amount of flammable powder explosion in Taiwan on Saturday, swelled...

Bangladesh enhance chances of featuring in 2017 Champions Trophy

Mirpur (Bangladesh): Bangladesh have enhanced their chances of securing a Champions Trophy berth after their brilliant win over India in the first One-Day International...

Washington, Tokyo at odds on military base closure

By RIA Novosti, Tokyo: US President Barack Obama and Japan Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama are at odds on a US military base in the southern Japanese island of Okinawa. Obama arrived here Friday to kick off his Asian tour. Newly appointed Hatoyama said in his election campaign earlier that he would close the US military base in the island, where some 37,000 American soldiers are based. "It is a fact that we did campaign on this issue, and the Okinawans do have high expectations," Hatoyama said at a joint press conference with Obama after their meeting.

‘Heart disease linked to job stress’

By IANS, Barcelona : Scientists have shed light on how stress at work affects the heart, says a study.

Nepal’s biggest hydropower project under attack again

By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS, Kathmandu : Nepal's biggest hydropower project, in which an Indian company holds 15 percent stake and which has been described by an Indian minister as a "test case" for foreign investors, is under fresh attack again despite the government's assurances of security.

Sobhraj spends bleak Christmas in Nepal

By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS, Kathmandu : For the last two years, Charles Sobhraj, yesteryear's sensational crime maestro, had looked forward to Christmas, hoping to be released from Nepal's biggest prison, where he is doing time for murder, and be reunited with the apple of his eye, his little daughter in Paris. But this Christmas, there's no such joyful anticipation for the 65-year-old with a protracted legal battle having just begun.

Heavy fighting in Sri Lanka, 36 killed

By DPA Colombo : Heavy fighting erupted between government troops and Tamil rebels in northern Sri Lanka Wednesday, leaving at least 30 rebels and six government soldiers dead, military officials said. Fierce fighting broke out in Muhamalai, 390 km north of the capital, after Tamil rebels made an attempt to breach the army's forward defence lines, a military spokesman in Colombo said.

Top Irish surgeon who worked in India for 20 years is dead

By IANS London : William Rutherford, a leading surgeon in Northern Ireland who spent the first 20 years of his medical career in India, has died at the age of 86. Rutherford treated victims of some of the worst atrocities of the disturbances in Northern Ireland over the years. He worked at a mission hospital in India for 20 years at the beginning of his career. He returned to Ireland from India when his children needed to finish their education.

Storm piles up more than 20 inches of snow in US Midwest; at least...

By SPA Columbus, Ohio : A heavy winter storm walloped the Midwestern state of Ohio with more than 20 inches (51 centimeters) of snow. Four people died after shoveling the heavy snow, AP quoted authorities as saying. High winds whipped the snow into 3-foot (1-meter)-tall drifts in some places and cut visibility to less than a quarter mile (half kilometer), the National Weather Service said.

UN Extends Experts’ Term in Office

By Prensa Latina United Nations : The UN Human Rights Council extended for another three-years the terms of three international experts. According to the release one studies the effects of the foreign debt and international financial duties on human rights. The other must watch for fundamental liberties and solidarity. A team is drafting a statement on the rights of the peoples and private citizens to international solidarity.

Five jailed for separatism in China

Beijing: Five people have been jailed in China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region for inciting separatism and endangering national security. They have been given sentences between...

US stocks surge on Fed forecast, Intel, American Express results

By DPA, New York : US stock indices surged Wednesday as the Federal Reserve said the country's long recession was ending and upbeat outlooks from Intel and American Express. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed more than three percent and recorded its biggest point gain since March. Financial and technology shares led the Wall Street gains. The US central bank said its outlook had "improved modestly" since April and the economy "would expand sluggishly over the remainder of the year." It warned that unemployment could still top 10 percent before the end of 2009.

Republicans, Democrats, prepare to tackle immigration

By DPA

Washington : As the US Senate prepares to take up the immigration debate next week, US President George W Bush Saturday pushed for his comprehensive reform programme that would include a temporary worker programme to take pressure of the borders.

NRI elected mayor of London borough

By IANS

London : Harshadbhai B Patel, who was elected as a councillor in Brent during three successive local council elections since 1996, has now been elected mayor of the London borough that has a large minority of Indian origin.

Russia offers Brazil new uranium production technologies

By RIA Novosti, Brasilia : Russia has offered Brazil new advanced technologies to produce uranium and build new nuclear power plants, a top official of Russia's nuclear corporation said Friday. "The first direction of cooperation is the prospecting (the process of physically searching minerals or fossils) and production of natural uranium," said Rosatom's head Sergei Kiriyenko, who is in Brazil to lead the Russia Days events.

French, Colombian Presidents to discuss hostage issue

By KUNA Paris : French President Nicolas Sarkozy is to receive later Monday Colombian President Alvaro Uribe to discuss, in particular, the ongoing issue of the Franco-Colombian hostage, Ingrid Betancourt, held since 2002 by leftist Colombian guerrillas. Official sources at Sarkozys office announced the two men will meet late Monday morning to discuss the difficult issue.

Obama due to address nation on Libyan conflict

By DPA, Washington: US President Barack Obama is to address the US on the conflict in Libya in a speech Monday at a military university in Washington, the White House said.

DPRK announces appointment of new Culture Minister

By NNN-KUNA, Pyongyang : Kang Nung Su has been relieved of the post of Minister of Culture of the Democratic People's Republioc of Korea (DPRK) and An Tong Chun has been appointed to replace him, it was announced here. Kang has been transferred to another post, according to decrees promulgated by the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK on Jan 13.

Nepal law betrays victims, says rights body

By IANS, Kathmandu : The inclusion of an amnesty provision in law will make it impossible for thousands of victims of human rights abuses in Nepal to obtain justice, rights activists said.

Policies required to prevent biofuel output from causing ecological disaster

By IANS, Washington : Early preventive policies regarding biofuels' output would go a long way in minimising its unintentional side effects like fertiliser and pesticide pollution, soil erosion, fouling of waterways and species loss, according to an international group of researchers.

Suicides in Japan surpass 30,000 for 13th year

By DPA, Tokyo : The number of people who killed themselves in Japan totalled 31,560 in 2010, exceeding 30,000 for the 13th straight year, police said Friday.

Modi’s Jeet Bahadur a celebrity at home

By Anil Giri, Kathmandu : His popularity has reached new heights, and now people are lining up outside his family's small house in a Nepal...

Global warming to imperil tropical species

By IANS, Washington : Global warming is likely to imperil tropical species much more than fauna in the Arctic regions, even with a slight rise in temperature. "Many tropical species can only tolerate a narrow range of temperatures, as the climate they experience is pretty constant throughout the year," said Curtis Deutsch of the University of California and co-author of a new study.

Colombian troops kill five leftist rebels

By IANS, Bogota : Colombian security forces have killed five leftist insurgents in an operation in southern areas, Spanish news agency EFE reported Tuesday. Troops from a mobile brigade engaged the guerrillas of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) at a jungle hamlet in Meta province over the weekend and killed five of them. Among the wounded was a 14-year-old female guerrilla who was transferred to a hospital for treatment, the military said.

UN General Assembly condemns US embargo of Cuba

By DPA, New York : The UN General Assembly voted overwhelmingly Wednesday to condemn the US embargo on Cuba, and for the 18th consecutive year urged the US to lift the sanctions that have been in place against the communist island since the 1960s. The 192-nation assembly voted 187-3, with two abstentions, to adopt yet another resolution calling for the US embargo to be struck down.

US no longer a dominant superpower: Ex-Clinton advisor

By IRNA, Berlin : A top advisor to former US president Bill Clinton acknowledged that his country was "no longer a dominant superpower" in the world amid mounting political and security challenges. Speaking at Berlin's prestigious American Academy Wednesday evening, the vice president and director for foreign policy at the Brookings Institution in

Tsvangirai skips Mbeki-Mugabe meeting with MDC faction

By DPA, Johannesburg : Zimbabwe's opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai appeared marginalized Saturday after South African President Thabo Mbeki held talks in Harare with President Robert Mugabe and members of a smaller faction of Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). The meeting was confirmed by Mbeki's spokesman Mukoni Ratshitanga. "President Mbeki did meet with President Mugabe," he said, adding that Arthur Mutambara, leader of a breakaway MDC faction, had also been in attendance.

Thai PM says he accepts court ban on him, his party

By Xinhua, Bangkok : Thailand's Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat said Tuesday he accepted the ruling by the constitutional court banning him from politics for five years and dissolving his party for electoral fraud. Somchai reacted calmly to the verdict by saying: "I did my best to administer the country." Thailand's Constitution Court Tuesday ruled the three constituents of the ruling coalition -- People Power Party (PPP), Chart Thai Party and Matchima Thipataya Party guilty of electoral fraud and ordered them to be dissolved.

Fire damages Gurdwara in Melbourne

By IANS, Melbourne : A fire broke out in a partially-built Gurdwara in this Australian city, causing damage to the shrine, an official said. Police were investigating the fire that damaged the partially-built Gurdwara in Melbourne's south-east, ABC Online reported Wednesday. Officials suspect a bonfire on the site may have started the blaze that broke out on Evans Road at Lynbrook around 12.30 a.m. They don't believe the temple was targeted by arsonists.

More like Che needed to fight injustice: Aleida Guevara

By EFE, Algiers : Aleida Guevara, the eldest daughter of legendary Cuban-Argentine guerrilla Ernesto "Che" Guevara, said that the world needs "many (like) Che" to fight the injustices against which her father fought and from which human beings still suffer "to an even greater extent". Aleida, who is on a visit to Algeria, said that if her father "is (still) alive in the hearts and spirits of many people" it is because the problems against which he fought continue to exist and "the differences between rich and poor are even more marked".

Sex conquests destroy another US politician

By IANS, Los Angeles : Sex destroyed yet another American politician Wednesday. California assemblyman Mike Duvall, who was caught on videotape boasting about his sexual romps to a colleague on the floor of the California state assembly, quit after a local television network aired the videotape Tuesday night. Fifty-four-year-old Duvall, who is married and staunch advocate of family values, was caught with his pants down when a microphone of the assembly TV picked up his conversation with a fellow assemblyman in July.

6.0 degrees quake hits northeastern Taiwan

By KUNA, Tokyo : An earthquake of a 6.0 degrees magnitude jolted northern Taiwan Monday, the Tapei-based Central News Agency reported. There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage from the quake that occurred at 0:59 a.m. (16:59 GMT Sunday). The quake shook the northeastern county of Yilan, about 70 kilometers east of Taipei. Earthquakes are frequent in Taiwan, which lies at the intersection of the Philippine and Eurasian plates. The most destructive was a 7.6-magnitude quake in 1999. It killed more than 2,300 people.

Saudi Arabia appoints first Minister for Gulf Affairs

Riyadh : Saudi Arabia on Sunday announced the appointment of Thamer Al-Sabhan as the first Minister of State for Arabian Gulf Affairs at the...

Russia pledges to keep promises to Georgia – Lavrov

By RIA Novosti, Moscow : Russia has fulfilled all the promises it has made to Georgia, and expects the ex-Soviet republic to respond accordingly, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in the lower house of parliament Tuesday. "We are fulfilling all the promises made at a meeting between [the two countries'] presidents in February. We expect a mutual, appropriate response from Georgia, but have so far seen nothing," Lavrov said when addressing State Duma hearings on conflict settlements in the CIS.

Harvard India Conference sees protests against Rohith Vemula’s suicide

By TCN News, Cambridge (USA): The 13th annual edition of the Harvard India conference saw protests against the death of Rohith Vemula, a Dalit research...

Russia calls U.S. missile shield proposals ‘vague, unacceptable’

By RIA Novosti, Moscow : A top Russian general said on Tuesday that U.S. proposals intended to soothe Russian concerns over a proposed U.S. missile shield in Central Europe are vague and contain too many unacceptable conditions. "These initiatives are formulated in a manner that allows the Americans to back down on their promises at any time," Lt. Gen. Yevgeny Buzhinsky, head of Russia's Defense Ministry international cooperation department, told the Rossiiskaya Gazeta daily.

OPEC warns of consequences of oil price drop

By DPA, Vienna : The decline in prices of crude oil during the worldwide recession will have medium- and long-term consequences for the international oil industry, the president of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) said Sunday. Speaking at the start of the 152nd conference of OPEC oil ministers in Vienna, Jose Maria Botelho de Vasconcelos warned that the organisation already had to stop long-term investment due to low oil prices. Botelho, who is Angola's oil minister, also spoke of job losses worldwide in the industry.

US has first right to try Headley, says former diplomat

By IANS, Pana: Former foreign secretary Lalit Mansingh Monday said here that the US had the first right over US-based terror suspect David Coleman Headley, one of the main accused in the 26/11 terror strike in Mumbai. Mansingh also said the media was very "impatient" over the issue by repeatedly questioning the delay in Headley being handed over to India by the US authorities.

Mexican police seize weapons, drugs near US border

By IANS Monterrey (Mexico) : The Mexican police have seized a huge cache of arms, ammunitions and drugs on a highway leading to the US border, EFE news agency reported Sunday. Hundreds of boxes of ammunition, 41 firearms, 12 grenades and 29 packets of cocaine were seized near the border Saturday, the police said. This was the second incident since Friday in the Tamaulipas state, bordering the US state of Texas, where security forces confiscated a huge cache of weapons.

Nepal quake toll surges to 7,365

By Anil Giri, Kathmandu : The toll across Nepal from the devastating April 25 earthquake has surged to 7,365, according to the latest update by...

Indonesian Warships Off To Location Of Military Exercise

By Bernama, Surabaya : A total of 34 Indonesian warships with more than 13,000 Eastern Fleet personnel on Wednesday started moving toward the location of the joint military exercise in Sangata, East Kalimantan, Antara news agency reported. Eastern Fleet commander Vice Admiral Lili Supramono is leading the taskforce moving the location of the joint military exercise which has its headquarters on the Indonesian warship KRI Surabaya-591.

Russian president scraps bill restricting press freedom

By RIA Novosti, Moscow : Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has recommended scrapping of a bill which seeks to restrict media freedom, the Kremlin press service has said. The bill was approved by parliament in its first reading April 25. The 'libel bill' proposes penalizing for spreading "false information," including discrediting an individual or his reputation. The bill had been criticized by members of the Public Chamber as an "attempt to limit the constitutional right of citizens to the freedom of the mass media."

British, French foreign ministers hold talks with Rajapaksa

BY IANS, Colombo : The visiting foreign ministers of Britain and France Wednesday discussed with Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa the humanitarian situation in the island's north, where troops are battling the Tamil Tigers in a small strip of land. After visiting the northern town of Vavuniya where nearly 180,000 war-displaced civilians are housed in refugee camps and welfare centres, British Foreign Minister David Miliband and French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner met Rajapaksa at the southern town of Embilipitiya, 200 km south of Colombo.

Brown to spell out Labour vision of ’10 years in power’

By DPA London : Britain's Prime Minister Gordon Brown Monday appeared to dampen speculation that he could call a snap election next month, three months after he took power. Speaking in a television interview Monday, Brown said he would first focus on the "concerns of the country," including the fight against crime and better health care. Later Monday, Brown will address his first annual conference as leader of the Labour Party in Bournemouth, southern Britain.

LTTE planes bomb military positions in Sri Lanka

By P. Karunakharan, IANS, Colombo : Two light aircraft of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) carried out a surprise air raid early Sunday on the government military positions in Weli-Oya, 280 km northeast of Colombo, military sources here said. "At 1.43 a.m. on Sunday, two LTTE planes dropped three bombs in the Weli-Oya forward defence line (FDL) areas. No injuries or damages were caused due to the LTTE air raid," military spokesman, Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara told IANS Sunday early morning.

UN Sec Gen urged restraint as Cambodia-Thai border row turns deadly

By NNN-UNNS, United Nations : UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed deep concern about the exchange of gunfire Wednesday along the Cambodian-Thai border near a disputed ancient temple that has reportedly led to the deaths of at least two people. “He calls on both parties to exercise utmost restraint and urges them to expedite bilateral talks so that their differences can be resolved peacefully,” Mr. Ban’s spokesperson said in a statement.

US slips in world life expectancy ranking

By Xinhua Washington : The US is continuously slipping in world life expectancy ranking, lagging behind most of the other industrialised nations. According to latest figures compiled by the Census Bureau, the average life expectancy of Americans now stands at 77.9 years, ranking 42nd in the world, down from 11th two decades ago. Japan, Singapore, most of Europe and even Jordan have longer life expectancy than the US.

Virat Kohli bags ICC Cricketer of the Year award

By IANS, Dubai: Indian batsman Virat Kohli was named ODI Cricketer of the Year at the International Cricket Council Awards here Saturday.

US stocks drop on Fed forecast, record oil prices

By DPA, New York : US stocks fell sharply Wednesday after the Federal Reserve cut its 2008 growth forecast but suggested it had finished slashing interest rates for the time being, while another record crude oil price drove down retail and transport shares. The US central bank predicted growth of between 0.3 percent and 1.2 percent for the year, down from a January projection of 1.3 per cent to 2 percent.

New technique can lift fingerprints from bombs fragments

By IANS, Washington : The state-of-the-art forensic method that can identify fingerprints on bullets could now be used to lift them from bomb fragments even after they have been wiped off. John Bond, scientist at the University of Leicester, who developed the technique with the University chemistry team, said " we have developed a method that enables us to 'visualise fingerprints' even after the print itself has been removed.

Strong earthquake rattles eastern Indonesia

By DPA, Jakarta : A powerful undersea earthquake measuring 6.6 on the Richter scale shook parts of eastern Indonesia Thursday morning, but there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties. The quake struck at about 5:41 a.m. with its epicentre about 51 km northeast of Sumbawa Island, according to an official report from the Jakarta meteorology and geophysics agency. The quake was 10 km beneath the seabed, but there were no immediate reports of tsunami or structural damage from the latest in a series of earthquakes to strike Indonesia in recent days, the report said.

U.S. asks Thailand to extradite Russia’s ‘Merchant of Death’

By RIA Novosti Moscow : The Thai Foreign Ministry has received an official request from the United States for the extradition of a suspected Russian arms dealer in jail in Thailand, the suspect's lawyer said on Friday. Viktor Bout, 41, was arrested in a luxury hotel in Bangkok last week in a joint police operation led by the U.S. Washington is seeking Bout's extradition on charges of illegal weapons deals with militant groups, including the Taliban and al-Qaeda, in Middle East and African countries.

For Her Majesty, a private piano recital from Condoleezza

By IANS, London : What happens when the most powerful American woman meets the most powerful British woman? Music flows. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice stopped over in London on her last political tour before she leaves office in January and met Queen Elizabeth in Buckingham Palace Monday ahead of her talks with the British government on terrorism issues, including the Mumbai strikes. Rice told the queen of a long-standing wish: to play the piano for Her Majesty in a private recital.

12 policemen arrested in Brazil for killing five people

By EFE, Sao Paulo : Twelve Military Police officers have been arrested in connection with the killings of five young men in Curitiba, the capital of Brazil's Parana state, the official AEN state news agency said. The Military Police arrested the officers, who allegedly committed the murders Sep 10 in Curitiba's Alto da Gloria neighbourhood, AEN said. Thirteen officers pursued a stolen vehicle and decided to execute the five young men when they surrendered, AEN reported, citing the Military Police Command.

UNSC resolution includes policing in UN peacekeeping operations

United Nations: The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has unanimously adopted a resolution to include policing in UN peacekeeping operations and special political missions. The...

US charges four in China espionage case

By DPA Washington : The US has charged four people in two separate cases of espionage involving the passing of military secrets to the Chinese government, the authorities said. The suspects include an analyst in the Pentagon's office overseeing foreign military sales, Greg Bergersen, 51, and Dongfan "Greg" Chung, a 72-year old former Boeing engineer.

Bolivia links with Iran at UN assembly

By NNN-Prensa Latina United Nations, New York : Bolivia President Evo Morales defended the sovereign character of his government in establishing relations with other countries, including Iran, in a working breakfast with foreign journalists at the United Nations in new York on Tuesday. Morales made it clear that relations with Iran, including new cooperation agreements in the field of energy, are oriented towards more development rather than death. He said these links will be consolidated in La Paz on Thursday at the visit of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadineyad.

Western countries cracking down on LTTE operatives

By M.R. Narayan Swamy, IANS

New Delhi : The arrest of its senior most operative in Britain is the latest of crippling setbacks Sri Lanka's Tamil Tigers have suffered in the West, which was seen until recently as a safe haven for the deadly insurgent group.

Planet earth facing catastrophe, time running out: report

DUBAI, May 15 (NNN-WAM)--- The Middle East will be at the forefront of weather-change consequences as water and other resources become ever more scarce, reported the Gulf News. Citing a report by Christian Aid, who have been monitoring the impact of environmental change across the planet, the Dubai-based daily said that the planet is facing a catastrophe." If no cohesive global action is taken to combat climate change, then about one in seven of the global population will be forced to leave their homes by 2050. "That is the stunning conclusion that cannot be easily dismissed.

Scientists at Alps turn detective to unravel climate change

By Maitreyee Boruah,IANS, Jungfraujoch (Switzerland) : Agatha Christie fans may remember Hercule Poirot solving a murder at the highest station of a Swiss funicular railway as heavy snowfall isolated it from the rest of the world. Atop a funicular here, similarly isolated scientists are probing another mystery -- why the earth's climate is changing -- and they would welcome collaboration with India.

Chavez returns to Cuba for medical treatment

By IANS/EFE, Havana: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is once again in Cuba, where he arrived with substantially more security precautions than normal to undergo treatment.

Indian climbs on top of British parliament to protest

BY IANS, London: An Indian was among some 60 environmental campaigners who climbed on to the roof of the British parliament Sunday evening to urge rich nations to take the lead on climate change action. "We are here on the roof because we want to tell British MPs that it is the rich countries who must lead by example and announce binding cuts on their carbon emissions," Brikesh Singh of Greenpeace India told IANS on mobile telephone.

French budget deficit jumped by 44 percent in 2008

By DPA, Paris : The French budget deficit rose to 56.2 billion euros ($72.5 billion) in 2008, an increase of 44 percent over the previous year, the budget ministry announced Friday. Budget Minister Eric Woerth immediately tried to reassure the French that there would be no tax increase in 2009 to make up for the revenue shortfall that helped create the large deficit. "If we increase taxes, the (economic) crisis will deepen," Woerth told LCI television. The deficits, Woerth said, are the inevitable results of the economic crisis, and will grow even larger this year.

New Mexico senate to open with Hindu prayers

By IANS New York : The senate of New Mexico, a southern US state, will open with the chanting of Hindu prayers Jan 28. Rajan Zed, a Hindu chaplain who made news by reading Hindu prayers in the US senate in July, will read Sanskrit mantras from ancient Hindu scriptures before the senate in Santa Fe. Zed, a resident of Reno, Nevada, is also scheduled to recite Vedic prayers in the Colorado senate in Denver Jan 29.

Obama authorises elite interrogation team: Report

By DPA, Washington : US President Barack Obama has authorised the formation of an elite interrogation team to handle top terrorism suspects, the Washington Post reported on its website Monday, citing senior administration officials speaking on condition of anonymity. The group would be based at the FBI, the chief domestic law enforcement agency. However, the Post reported, the interrogation team would operate under the oversight of the White House-based National Security Council, which reports directly to the president.

North Korea began uranium n-weapons programme in ’90s: South Korea

By DPA, Seoul: North Korea used international negotiations to buy time for its nuclear weapons programme, having started a uranium-based programme shortly after a 1994 deal to abandon nuclear weapons, South Korea's foreign minister said Wednesday. Yu Myung Hwan told the official Yonhap News Agency that it was likely Pyongyang started uranium work soon after concluding the Agreed Framework with Washington in Geneva. In that agreement, it promised to freeze its nuclear activities in exchange for energy aid and the construction of two light-water reactors.

1100 South Africans killed in December road crashes

By IANS, Pretoria : Around 300,000 motorists were penalised for violating traffic rules in South Africa last month, where 1100 people fell victims to road accidents during the period, according to a government data. A preliminary reports by the department of transport said, 1100 deaths were recorded on the country's roads in December. And, 103 persons died in the first week of January 2010. The department, however, said the official toll during the festive season would be released later this month.

I am not working on Kashmir: Holbrooke

By IANS, Washington: Richard Holbrooke, US Special representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan, says he is not working on the Kashmir issue even as he keeps India closely informed of his effort in the region where "India is hugely important factor." "Let me be very clear. I am not working on that problem," he said at an event hosted by the Council on Foreign Relations, a Washington think tank, when asked by a Pakistani journalist if the Obama administration was serious about appointing an adviser to resolve the Kashmir issue.

Fire breaks out at Berlin airport

By IRNA, Berlin : A massive fire swept through a quarantine area at Berlin's Tegel Airport Thursday morning, leading to numerous flight disruptions, media reports said. The animal quarantine station was empty at the time of the fire breakout. There were no immediate reports of any injuries. The exact cause of the fire was not known yet. Initial reports said the fire engulfed the military section of Tegel airport. Berlin has two airports, Tegel and Schoenefeld.

Google to ‘review’ continuing business in China after email attacks

By DPA, San Francisco : Internet giant Google said Tuesday that it was evaluating whether to continue doing business in China, after discovering attacks on email accounts belonging to human-rights activists. Servers from Google and other Western companies were targeted last month in an attempt to hack into email accounts of Chinese human-rights activists, among others, Google's chief legal officer David Drummond wrote in a company blog.

Guyana postpones release of official election results

Georgetown : The release of official results from Guyana's May 11 general elections has been delayed for at least another 48 hours to allow...

India urges Lanka to evacuate civilians, offers help

By IANS, New Delhi : India Tuesday urged Sri Lanka to work out "appropriate and credible procedures" to evacuate civilians from the war zone through land and sea routes and said it was ready to provide medical help to the wounded. "We have requested the Sri Lankan government to facilitate the evacuation of civilians to safe zones through sea and land routes in the presence of international observers," External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee told the Lok Sabha.

Top samba schools strut their stuff at Rio carnival

By EFE, Rio de Janeiro : Six top samba schools at the Carnival of Rio de Janeiro have got members of the public moving to the beat with shows that last until dawn. The audience Monday included Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. The first night of parades of the Special Group schools kicked off with the parade of the Imperio Serrano school entitled The legend of sirens and the mysteries of the sea and closed with the presentation of Unidos da Tijuca and its vision of the fascination that space exercises on the human mind, with the first rays of sunlight.

Call for action at key UN climate change summit

By DPA, Copenhagen : The mammoth UN conference in Copenhagen was preceded by a joint leader article, published by 56 newspapers in 45 countries, calling on world leaders to place "decisive action" ahead of mutual recrimination. Without action, "climate change will ravage our planet, and, with it, our prosperity and security", the article said, citing record warm years, the melting Arctic ice cap "and last year's inflamed oil and food prices".

Nawaz-Modi meeting to have far-reaching impact on peace’

Islamabad : The meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistan Premier Nawaz Sharif will definitely augur well for the foreign secretaries' level talks...

Much remains unresolved as Iran nuclear talks enter third day

By DPA, Vienna : Many aspects of a proposed multilateral deal to process Iran's nuclear fuel abroad remained unresolved as delegations began a third day of talks at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna Wednesday. The previous day's round was overshadowed by official comments from Tehran that it did not want to negotiate with France, but only with Russia and the US, the two other parties at the Vienna talks.

Indian American physicians to focus on giving back to society

Washington: An influential body of Indian American physicians will hold its annual convention in San Antonio, Texas, in June focusing on how to enhance...

Gorbachev alarmed by growing militarization of U.S. policy

By RIA Novosti, Moscow : Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev voiced alarm over the United States' increasing tendency to seek military solutions to political problems, in an appeal to presidential candidates published on Tuesday. "I am deeply concerned over increasingly visible signs of the militarization of politics and thinking in the modern world... even though the military route again and again leads to a dead-end," Gorbachev wrote in an article printed in the Russian government daily Rossiiskaya Gazeta.

20 killed in US flash floods

By DPA, Washington : Heavy rains overnight triggered flash floods in the US state of Arkansas, killing at least 20 people at a popular camping area, state officials said Friday. "There are some children among the deceased," said Tommy Jackson of the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management, but he couldn't provide an exact number. Scores of others are believed to be injured, trapped or remain missing near the Albert Pike camp ground near the rain-swollen Little Missouri river in western Arkansas, local TV station KARK reported.

Powerful quake jolts Panama-Costa Rica border

By IANS, Panama City : A powerful earthquake measuring 6.3 on the Richter scale struck the Panama-Costa Rica border region Wednesday, but there were no reports of casulties or serious damages, EFE news agency reported. According to the Geoscience Institute at Panama University, the quake took place 10 km below ground at around 1:10 a.m., and its epicentre was traced to 220 southeast of San Jose, Costa Rica and 55km southwest of Panama's third largest city David.

Indian-American computer scientist’s fatal beater gets 12 years’ jail

New Jersey: A New Jersey court has sentenced last of five men charged with the 2010 fatal beating of an Indian-American computer scientist Divyendu...

China to Build Solar Power Plants in 2009

By Prensa Latina, Beijing : Two large solar power plants will be built in the Chinese provinces of Qinghai and Yunnan this year, as part of a nationwide project to boost renewable energy. Qinghai's solar station will cost 146 million dollars and will be jointly built by China Technology Development Group and Qinghai New Energy Group. In the beginning, the plant will generate 30 megawatts, but after completion, it will produce one gigawatt and will be the world's largest solar power plant, investors said.

Japanese PM makes offering at Yasukuni shrine

Tokyo : Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe made an offering to the notorious war-linked Yasukuni Shrine Monday during its three-day spring festival. The sacrifice came...

Younger US bombing suspect born in Kyrgyzstan: Minister

By IANS/RIA Novosti, Bishkek: Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, the surviving suspect in the deadly bombing of the Boston marathon, was born in Kyrgyzstan but left the country in 2001, a minister said.

North Korea test-fires three short-range missiles

By DPA, Seoul : North Korea Saturday test fired three short-range missiles, South Korean news agency Yonhap reported. Two of the firings were apparently not successful. The missiles, with a reach of 45 km, were aimed toward North Korea and were not interpreted as a provocation against South Korea. South Korean officials said it apparently involved a routine test of rockets from the outmoded North Korean arsenal.

Hinduism effectively state religion in ‘secular’ Nepal

By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS Kathmandu : A year after Nepal's parliament officially declared the country -- once the world's only Hindu kingdom -- secular, Hinduism effectively remains the state religion with the declaration being mere lip service to appease protesters. Despite being one of the poorest countries in the world where villages still don't have roads, electricity and running water, Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala's government spent more than Nepali Rs.10 million during the 10-day Dashain festival alone, considered the kingdom's biggest Hindu ceremony.

After China visit, Modi leaves for Mongolia

Shanghai : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday left here for Mongolia, on the second leg of his three-nation tour. It is the first...

Russia may be hit by recession, says minister

By IANS/RIA Novosti, Moscow: The Russian economy could slip into recession this coming fall unless measures to stimulate growth are urgently implemented, Economy Minister Andrei Belousov said.

US stocks rise on retail, oil and interest rates

By DPA, New York : US stocks posted gains Thursday amid a drop in long-term borrowing costs, a rise in oil prices and improving US retail sales. The stock gains sent the Standard & Poor's 500 Index to its highest level of 2009. The Dow Jones Industrial Average remains slightly down on the year. The price of crude oil climbed above $73 per barrel for the first time in seven months after the International Energy Agency raised its forecasts for global demand. The oil price eventually settled at $71.50, up nearly one percent on the day, spurring a rally in energy shares.

Venezuela, Russia likely to sign energy deal Wednesday

By RIA Novosti, Caracas : Venezuela's state-owned oil company, Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA), will sign a "strategic" cooperation agreement with Russian oil and gas companies to create a join energy consortium, the Venezuelan energy minister said Monday. The bilateral cooperation agreement is expected to be signed during a two-day visit to Venezuela by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev Wednesday, said Rafael Ramirez, who also heads state-owned PDVSA.

South Korea welcomes North Korea-US denuclearisation accord

By Xinhua Seoul : South Korea Monday welcomed the agreement reached between North Korea and the US under which Pyongyang is to close down its nuclear weapons programme by the end of 2007. "The denuclearisation agreement between North Korea and the US is a part of the ongoing Korean peninsula peace process that would extend to the South Korea-US summit, the six-party talks and the inter-Korean summit," South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun's spokesman Cheon Ho-seon told reporters Monday.

US not to build new military bases in Africa: Bush

By Xinhua Lagos : US President George W. Bush has said that the purpose of the new Africa Command (Africom) was not to build new military bases, the News Agency of Nigeria reported. "We do not contemplate adding new bases, in other words the purpose of this is not to add military bases," Bush was quoted as saying Wednesday at a news conference in Accra, the capital of Ghana, during his fourth leg of five-nation African tour.

US to resume food aid to North Korea

By DPA, Washington : The US plans to ship 500,000 tonnes of food to North Korea within the next year after Pyongyang asked for help to address food shortage crisis, the US government said Friday. The US agreed to resume shipments for the first time in about three years after North Korea agreed to allow more stringent monitoring to ensure the food reaches the the right people, the US Agency for International Development said. The US government will begin the yearlong shipments in June after North Korea "explained to the United States that it faces a major shortfall in food supplies."

University degrees not worth paying for, feel Britons

By IANS, London : University degrees no longer offer advantage in the workplace and are now may not be worth paying for, many middle class parents in Britain say.

UN survey finds ‘major drug abuse’ in Afghanistan

By DPA, Kabul: The number of opium and heroin users in Afghanistan has risen 75 percent in the past five years, as total users of illegal drugs reached one million, a UN survey released Monday found. There are at least 350,000 heroin and opium addicts in the country, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said in its 2010 Drug Use Survey, last published in 2005.

26 killed in Pakistan attack

Islamabad: At least 19 terrorists and seven soldiers were killed on Monday in suicide attack and the ensuing gun battle between security forces and...

Obama’s bank reforms are not right for us: EU ministers

By DPA, Brussels : The medicine recommended by US President Barack Obama to cut Wall Street down to size is not suitable for the European Union EU), the bloc's finance ministers are expected to say in a report set for approval Tuesday. The White House has endorsed Jan 21 former Federal Reserve chairman Paul Volcker's proposals to limit the size of banks, ban them from investing in hedge funds and exclude them from proprietary trading, or trading on their own accounts.

Tibetans want normalcy before talks on Tibet

By IANS, Dharamsala/Washington : China's offer to talk to the Dalai Lama's representative has been accepted by the Tibetan government-in-exile with the condition that there has to be "normalcy" in Tibet before meetings take place. The US has welcomed Beijing's initiative to end the crisis. Tibet's spiritual leader the Dalai Lama has made it clear that he welcomes China's offer to meet his representatives in the wake of international pressure that followed anti-Beijing riots in Tibet capital Lhasa.

Eight dead in Colombia road accident

By RIA Novosti, Buenos Aires : At least eight people were killed and 12 injured in Colombia when a bus carrying 20 passengers skidded off a mountainous road into a ravine, the Caracol TV channel said Tuesday. The accident happened when the bus driver lost control of his vehicle on a slippery road near the town of Guayabetal, some 80 km east of the capital Bogota. According to official statistics, over 5,000 people die in traffic accidents in the South American country each year.

Beyonce’s gifts expensive watch to Jay-Z

By IANS, Los Angeles: Singer Beyonce has reportedly splashed three million pounds on a watch, which she presented to husband Jay-Z as a birthday gift.

UN Chief plans to hold world summit on food crisis

By NNN-APP, United Nations : U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is planning to convene a summit meeting of world leaders to discuss how to deal with the growing food crisis around the globe, his spokesperson said. “Yes, that is exactly what he is considering,” spokesperson Michele Montas said when asked whether the UN chief plans to hold a top-level global gathering to find ways to respond to the severe problems of food availability and high prices that have spawned protests and tensions in many countries.

World’s oldest blood found in 5,300-year-old body

By IANS, Rome: Scientists have discovered the world's oldest blood cells in the remains of a 5,300-year-old iceman found in Italy.

Five killed in Ukraine plane crash

By IANS/RIA Novosti, Kiev : At least five people were killed and 13 injured after a plane carrying parachute-jumpers crashlanded outside the Ukrainian capital Sunday, officials said.

Argentines stage huge anti-government protests

By IANS/EFE, Buenos Aires: Hundreds of thousands of Argentines took to the streets in different parts of the country to protest President Cristina Fernandez's policies.

Over 100 Greek youth detained after clashes with riot police

By DPA, Athens: More than 100 youth were detained after clashes with riot police and five Italians and four Greeks were arrested, reports said Saturday. The clashes come a day before the first anniversary of a police shooting of a teenager, which sparked the country's worst riots in decades. The arrests and detentions took place after police were attacked with petrol bombs in central Athens and dozens of cars were set ablaze following a rally near the site where the teenager was shot Dec 6, 2008.

Google agrees to carry anti-abortion ads by religious bodies

By IANS, London : Religious organizations can now place anti-abortion advertisements on Google after a lawsuit by a British pro-life charity forced it to lift the ban. Google settled out of court Wednesday with The Christian Institute, a UK-based charity, and will now allow religious groups to place factual and campaigning ads about abortion. The new policy will apply world-wide with immediate effect. The Institute lost no time in placing its first advertisement on the website.

Slimming pills no substitute for healthy lifestyle

By IANS Toronto : Anti obesity drugs are no substitute for a healthy diet and lifestyle for those who want to lose weight, scientists in Canada have found. Researchers at the University of Alberta reviewed the evidence from thirty trials involving nearly 20,000 people who took one of three anti-obesity drugs -- orlistat, sibutramine or rimonabant -- for a year or longer. They found that in many cases the pills achieved little in terms of weight loss, reported the online edition of BBC News.

Independence Day court defeat for Zimbabwe opposition

By DPA, Harare/Johannesburg : A court in Zimbabwe has cleared the way for a controversial recount of votes cast in last month's presidential elections as embattled President Robert Mugabe lashed out at what he called Britain's attempt to "steal" back the country. The high court in Harare Friday rejected an application by the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) to halt the partial recount of votes from the March 29 vote Saturday, in the second legal setback for the MDC in less than a week.

Canadian terror plot ringleader pleads guilty

By IANS, Toronto : The ringleader of an Al Qaeda linked group that plotted attacks on Canada has pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy. Zakaria Amara, 24, who had planned to flee to Pakistan after carrying out the bombings, is the fourth member of the so-called Toronto-18 group to plead guilty to the plot. The plot was unearthed in June 2006 with the arrest of 18 Canadian Muslims linked to the Al Qaeda.

Russia aims big, can build 10 more n-reactors in India

By IANS, New Delhi : A day after India and Russia inked a civil nuclear accord that envisages Russia building four additional reactors in Tamil Nadu, Russian ambassador to India Vyacheslav Trubnikov Saturday raised the stakes saying that his country was capable of supplying 10 more reactors to India. "We are capable of supplying 10 more nuclear plants," the envoy replied when asked whether Russia had discussed new sites for the construction of Russian-design nuclear power plants with India. "It's for the Indian government to decide," he said.

Absentee Voting For Parliamentary Elections Begins

By Bernama Seoul : Absentee voting for next week's parliamentary elections has begun across South Korea with some 825,000 registered voters poised to cast ballots, Yonhap news agency quoted election officials as saying here on Thursday. Of the 37.8 million eligible voters for the April 9 elections, 825,658, or 2.2 percent, have registered to cast absentee ballots from 10 a.m. Thursday through 4 p.m. Friday, the National Election Commission said. "The voting is proceeding smoothly thus far," an election official said.

Cambodia, Thailand to solve problem of Thai troops stationed in disputed area

By Xinhua, Phnom Penh : The Cambodian and Thai governments will have a top meeting to solve the matter of nearly 200 Thai troops stationed inside a Cambodian pagoda 200 meters away from the Preah Vihear Temple, a Cambodian official said here on Wednesday. The border committees of both countries will have a top meeting as soon as possible to solve the problem of Thai troops who went into a pagoda on Cambodian territory without moving back, Khieu Kanharith, Cambodian Minister of Information and government spokesman, told reporters in a press conference.

Trying to lose hair? Measure the loss with new software

By IANS, Sydney : Researchers have developed maths-based imaging technology to measure hair on different parts of the human body. Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation's (CSIRO) Biotech Imaging team, which specialises in developing software to analyse images automatically, worked with a British company to find a way to test how well their hair removal products work.

20 dead in Honduras prison fight

By IANS, Tegucigalpa : Twenty inmates of a jail in northern Honduras died Thursday when fights broke out over control of the prison cells.

US House endorses new defence bill after Bush veto

By Xinhua Washington : The US House of Representatives passed a revised defence authorisation bill after President George W. Bush vetoed the original one that drew complaints from the Iraqi government. Those complaints prompted Bush to veto the original defence bill last month. He said a provision in the bill, which would allow victims of terrorism to be awarded compensation from frozen foreign assets of "state sponsors of terror", could have crippled the fledgling Iraqi government with billions of US dollars in liability.

Volvo gives dozing drivers a wake-up call

Gothenburg, Sep 13(DPA) Swedish carmaker Volvo has announced what it claims is the world's first on-board system designed to alert tired and distracted drivers. Volvo says the system uses sensors to assess the impact that fatigue or loss of driving control has on a car's movements rather than monitoring driver behaviour, which can vary from one person to another.

Indian-origin businessman to be extradited to South Africa

London: An Indian-origin businessman in Britain, accused of arranging the murder of his wife during a honeymoon trip to Cape Town, will be extradited...

‘Internal, external forces’ creating political unrest in Sri Lanka: Rajapaksa

By IANS, Colombo : Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has alleged that many "internal and external elements" were bent on halting the ongoing military action against the Tamil Tiger rebels and "have already begun to create political unrest" in the island nation. He, however, stopped short of naming those elements.

US to create new military command for cyber warfare: WSJ

By IANS, Washington : The United States will create a new military command to coordinate the defence of Pentagon computer networks and improve offensive capabilities in cyberwarfare, the Wall Street Journal has reported. The initiative will reshape the military's efforts to protect its networks from attacks by hackers, especially those from countries such as China and Russia, the influential daily said citing unnamed "current and former officials familiar with the plans."

Canadian lawmaker to be deported from Sri Lanka

By DPA, Colombo : A Canadian parliamentarian is to be deported from Sri Lanka on the grounds that he was a sympathiser of the Tamil rebel movement, senior government officials said Wednesday. Bob Rae, who arrived from the Indian city of Chennai, was detained at Sri Lanka's Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo, before the government decided the Ontario politician should be sent back to Chennai.

Mexican Senate passes money-laundering measure

By IANS/EFE, Mexico City: Mexico's Senate passed a long-awaited bill to address money laundering, which is estimated to be a $12 billion a year business.

Putin praises NAM for improving global security

By IANS, Moscow : Russian President Vladimir Putin Thursday praised the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) for strengthening global security.

Prabhakaran still in Sri Lanka, vows to fight on

By P. Karunakharan, IANS, Kilinochchi : Sri Lanka's feared Tamil Tigers leader Velupillai Prabhakaran is still holed up in a coastal strip in the north and has told his cadres that he will fight on, an army commander said Friday. Quoting the confession of a Tiger leader who surrendered two days ago, Brigadier Shavendra Silva told reporters that the cream of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) was also with the elusive Prabhakaran in Mullaitivu district.

France, Saudi Arabia vow stronger defence ties

Paris: France and Saudi Arabia vowed stronger defence ties to fight terrorism and to tackle the threat posed by the militants of Islamic State...

Sanyo Electric lowers operating profit, sales projections for 2008

By DPA, Tokyo : Sanyo Electric Co lowered its projections for operating profit and sales for the fiscal year 2008 that ends in March owing to the yen's advance and declining sales of electronics parts and semiconductors, the company said Thursday. The Japanese home electronics maker revised downward its operating profit to 30 billion yen ($335.78 million) from an earlier projection of 50 billion yen. Sanyo revised sales down to 1.9 trillion yen from 2.02 trillion yen.

Spanish brand wins at Serbia beer fest

By IANS/AKI, Belgrade: Over 700,000 people attended the Belgrade beer fest last week, and Spanish brand Corona was voted the best beer, organisers said.

Developing Asia Needs To Invest More In Education: ADB

By Bernama Manila : Developing Asian economies may fail to reap the "demographic dividend" if they do not invest enough in their education and training systems, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) said on Wednesday. In its flagship publication, Asian Development Outlook 2008, the Manila-based development bank said developing Asia is passing through a demographic phase that has a high share of young adults in the total population. This "youth bulge" has the potential to stimulate economic growth through productive employment, asset creation, and investment.

Brazil, Germany to develop night-vision radar satellite

By Xinhua Rio De Janeiro : Brazil and Germany have signed an agreement to develop a night-vision radar satellite to monitor the Amazon region, the National Space Research Institute (INPE) has said. According to the terms of the agreement signed last Monday, the satellite will be launched by 2013, the INPE said Sunday after signing the agreement. The INPE plans to build the Multiple Application Synthetic Aperture Radar with the help of the German space centre over 18 months. This is the second satellite project undertaken by the two nations.

Wal-Mart helps rally US stocks

By DPA, Washington : US stocks rose Friday following a dip in commodity prices that boosted retailers like Wal-Mart Stores. The Standard & Poor 500 rose 5.27 points, or 0.4 percent, to 1,298.2. The Dow Jones Industrial Average increased 43.97 points, or 0.4 percent, to 11,659.9. The Nasdaq Composite Index fell by 1.15 points to 2,452.52. The US currency reached a five-and-a-half-month high against the euro, rising to 68.08 euro cents from 67.55 Thursday. The dollar gained against the Japanese currency to 110.53 yen from 109.78 yen on Thursday.

G8 sends strong message on North Korea, Zimbabwe

By DPA, Kyoto (Japan) : Strong criticism of Zimbabwe's "sham" elections and hopes for progress on North Korea's denuclearization set the tone Friday at the final day of the Kyoto meeting of the foreign ministers of the world's seven leading economies and Russia. Heated debates among the Group of Eight (G8) foreign ministers preceded an unplanned statement on the Zimbabwe presidential election run-off, diplomats said.

New Democracy party leads in Greek polls

By IANS/RIA Novosti, Athens : The conservative New Democracy party is leading at the pivotal parliamentary elections in Greece, the interior ministry said Sunday.

Huge blast in Colombo, suicide bomber suspected

By IANS, Colombo : A powerful bomb, apparently triggered by a suicide bomber, exploded in the heart of Colombo during rush hour Friday morning, killing and wounding an unspecified number of people. Military officials and witnesses said the deafening blast took place near Hotel Hilton, in the commercial district of the Sri Lankan capital. The attack was apparently targeted at a police bus that was passing by. Ambulances quickly evacuated the wounded to hospitals.

UK grants less 5 percent of Iraqi asylum cases

By IRNA


London : Britain granted asylum to less than 5 percent of Iraqi applicants last year, according to new figures on case heard from Immigration Research and Statistics.

Provisional figured showed that out of 730 decisions made on Iraqi applications in 2006, some 640 were refused and only 30 were granted.

Around 60 were also given discretionary leave to remain in the UK.

An apple a day keeps Taiwan couple’s 50-year marriage sweet

By DPA, Taipei : A Taiwan couple has been living happily together for half a century because the husband has been giving his wife an apple a day to keep their marriage sweet, a newspaper said Monday. Lee Ta-pin, 77, and Sung Chin-yu, 74, revealed their secret for maintaining a happy marriage while celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary Sunday in Kaohsiung in southern Taiwan, the Merit Times reported. A photograph printed with the story showed Lee, wearing a dark suit and tie, and Sung, wearing a wedding gown, renewing their wedding vows while each held a red apple.
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