Nearly 85,000 South Sudanese people flee to Sudan: UN
United Nations : The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says the aid groups have reported that nearly 85,000 people have...
Half of Greeks seek jobs abroad, says survey
By IANS,
Athens : Every second Greek of working age seeks job abroad due to the prevailing debt crisis which has hit Greece hard over the past three years, a survey has found.
Hostages released by Colombian rebels arrive in Venezuela
By DPA
Caracas/Bogota : Four former Colombian legislators have been freed by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and handed over to representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
A mission sponsored by the Venezuelan government was successful in retrieving Wednesday former legislators Jorge Gechem, Gloria Polanco, Luis Eladio Perez and Orlando Beltran - all kidnapped in 2001-02 - from the jungle in southern Colombia. The released hostages later travelled to Venezuela.
Brazil’s Embraer to sell 40 jets to US airline
By IANS/EFE,
Rio de Janeiro : Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer said Tuesday it reached a deal to sell 40 E175 passenger jets to US airline SkyWest for nearly $1.7 billion.
New Thai PM Has To Wait, Parliament Postponed
By D. Arul Rajoo, Bernama,
Bangkok : A crucial parliament session to pick Thailand's new prime minister was postponed to next Wednesday after about two thirds of the MPs, including those from the ruling People Power Party (PPP), staged a boycott due to dissatisfaction over the renomination of Samak Sundaravej who was sacked three days ago by the Constitution Court.
Armed groups attack police posts, loot arms in Nepal
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS
Kathmandu : Unidentified armed groups have attacked several police posts and looted arms and ammunition Monday night, raising anti-election slogans in eastern Nepal, a media report said.
The armed groups comprising 50-60 people each attacked three police posts in Khotang district, private radio station Gorkha FM reported Tuesday.
The attacks began late Monday night and continued till early Tuesday, it said.
At the Suknajol post, the attackers overpowered the 10 policemen deployed there and locked them up.
UN to observe Nelson Mandela Day July 18
By IANS,
New York : The UN will mark the first "Nelson Mandela Day" July 18 in honour of the Nobel laureate regarded as the father of the new South Africa, a UN spokesman said here Thursday.
"This week, the UN will commemorate the first Nelson Mandela International Day, designated as the 18th of July," Farhan Haq, the UN associate spokesman, was quoted as saying by Xinhua.
Japan appoints new ambassador to China
By IANS,
Tokyo : Japan Thursday appointed Masato Kitera its new ambassador to China.
Russia urges partners to continue fuel aid to North Korea
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Russia has called on its partner countries to continue delivering fuel to North Korea as part of the six-party denuclearisation deal.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister and chief negotiator to North Korea nuclear talks Alexei Borodavkin said Saturday that his country would continue to adher its committments to Pyongyang and expressed shock over the US statement that the six countires had agreed to stop fuel shipments to the communist country until progress was made to its denuclearisation talks.
Eight Injured In Southern Thai Explosion
By D.Arul Rajoo, Bernama,
Bangkok : Three soldiers and five civilians were injured when a bomb planted by suspected insurgents exploded near a market in the restive southern province of Yala early today.
A police spokesman said that in the 7.20am incident, 12 soldiers who had just finished their patrol had gone to buy food at the market.
"While walking back to their vehicle, a bomb exploded near the fence of the sub-district office. The explosion was triggered using a mobile phone and was intended to kill the soldiers," he said when contacted.
Russian parliament to raise issue of Ukraine’s ‘unfriendly’ policies
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Russia's lower house of parliament is to bring to the attention of the country's leadership Ukraine's 'unfriendly' policies in a statement on Wednesday.
In the statement, the State Duma lawmakers will raise the issue of the two countries' stormy relations and the fulfillment of the bilateral Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership signed in 1997.
Empower Indian Muslims with education: Indian-American philanthropist
By Arun Kumar
Washington: Expressing sadness at the educational plight of Indian Muslims, an Indian-American entrepreneur and philanthropist has called for the community's active...
Hong Kong court rejects appeal of ‘milkshake murder’ convict
BY DPA,
Hong Kong : The wife of a wealthy American investment banker Monday lost her appeal against her life sentence in Hong Kong for killing her husband in the so-called "milkshake murder" case.
Nancy Kissel, 44, drugged her husband Robert, a senior Merrill Lynch banker, with a strawberry milkshake then smashed him over the head with a statuette in their luxury Hong Kong apartment in 2003.
Her sensational 2005 trial had all the elements of a Hollywood thriller. It was the highest-profile expatriate criminal case in Hong Kong for years and generated headlines worldwide.
Tymoshenko bloc halts lawsuit against Ukrainian election decree
By RIA Novosti,
Kiev : Ukraine's Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc has withdrawn its lawsuit against a presidential decree dissolving parliament and calling early parliamentary elections, a spokesman for the bloc said on Tuesday.
Last week, Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko suspended his October 9 decree, citing the need to "stabilize the political situation in the country and minimize the negative effects of the global financial crisis on Ukraine's economy."
Al Qaeda calls Obama treacherous, bloodthirsty in new video
By IANS,
Washington: Al Qaeda has posted a new video on Islamist websites where a spokesman of the militant outfit calls US President Barack Obama "snakelike" and a "treacherous, bloodthirsty and narrow-minded American war president".
In the video posted Sunday, American-origin Al Qaeda spokesman Adam Gadahn criticises the US' "aggression and interference" in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia, the CNN reported.
Gadahn speaks in English and the video features Arabic subtitles.
Couple together for 74 years, die within 3 days of each other
By IANS,
London : A British couple, inseparable for 74 years, died within three days of each other after the woman wrote a love letter to her 90-year-old husband to come and see her from his hospital to hers. She died just three hours after he was moved to her hospital.
The elderly couple - Ted and Mary Williams - were transferred to the same hospital so that they could hold hands during their last moments together, Daily Express reported Thursday.
They fell in love as teenagers and were inseparable for the next 74 years.
France’s Ségolène Royal meets PM, discusses Tibet
By IANS
New Delhi : France's Socialist Party leader Ségolène Royal Friday discussed the situation in Tibet with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and underlined a "disconnect" between the Olympic ethos and alleged Chinese repression in Lhasa.
Manmohan Singh stated India's position on resolving the Tibetan issue through dialogue and the Tibetans' right to hold peaceful protests in India, official sources said. Singh also underlined India's growing relations with China and reiterated that the Tibet Autonomous Region is part of China.
US, Colombia sign pact on energy development
By DPA,
Washington : The US and Colombia have signed an agreement to cooperate and share technology on the development of alternative and renewable energy.
The two governments Thursday agreed to promote exchanges and work together on research and development, including on using sustainable biofuels, generating more private sector investment in the technology and increasing the role of business.
300,000 self-employed Russians quit over tax hikes
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Almost 300,000 self-employed Russians have quit business in Russia in the past three months due to social tax hikes, an Economics Ministry official said Monday.
China steps up security at popular tourist parks
By DPA,
Beijing : Security at several popular tourists parks in Beijing have been stepped up, with tourists banned from taking lighters and most knives inside, media reported Wednesday.
Guards posted at park entrances are also using hand-held metal scanners to scan visitors as well as check their bags, The Beijing News said.
The parks include the Summer Palace, the Temple of Heaven, Beijing Zoo, Yuanmingyuan, Beihai Park, and Jingshan Park.
Asians, Latinos could change course of US election: Report
By DPA,
Washington : A large and growing, but underestimated, voter bloc of Asian and Latino immigrants could play a pivotal role in the presidential elections, which are often decided by very small voting margins, according to a report.
This increasingly influential group, who were 8.6 percent of all registered voters in 2006, are described in the report as New Americans, comprising naturalized Americans or those immigrants who have become US citizens, as well as immigrants' children born in the US after 1965.
Scientists create wonder alloys for aerospace industry
By IANS,
Washington : Scientists have created titanium based metallic-glass composites - wonder alloys that are not only lighter, tougher and cheaper than existing compounds, but can be bent into any shape and are ideal for use in aerospace applications.
Earlier this year, the work by the same Caltch (California Institute of Technology) group had resulted in "alloys with unrivaled strength and toughness," noted Douglas Hofmann, visiting scientist and co-author of the current study.
Saakashvili officially announced as election winner in Georgia
By RIA Novosti
Tbilisi : Mikheil Saakashvili has been officially announced as the winner of Georgia's January 5 presidential elections, following the results finally confirmed by the central election commission on Sunday.
According to the commission's results, Saakashvili received 53.47% of the vote while his nearest rival, united opposition candidate Levan Gachechiladze won 25.69% of votes.
According to the commission's results, Saakashvili received 53.47% of the vote while his nearest rival, united opposition candidate Levan Gachechiladze won 25.69% of votes.
London faces series of Tube strikes
By IRNA,
London : London commuters face a series of travel disruptions following a second announcement of strike actions to begin next month.
The Rail Maritime and Transport union said Thursday that around 200 maintenance workers on two lines will stage four 24-hour walkouts from the evening of September 5 in a row over pay and conditions.
Further action scheduled on October 2, November 1, and November 27, while an indefinite overtime ban is also being imposed following a vote in favour of industrial action by union members.
US warship docks in Georgia port
By IRNA,
Moscow : A US warship has arrived in the Georgian port of Batumi carrying the first delivery of aid supplies by sea.
The USS McFaul is the first of three ships to arrive in Georgia.
Russian forces are still in control of the military port of Poti, to the north of Batumi, after withdrawing most of its combat troops from the country.
Russia's four-day war with Georgia erupted after Tbilisi tried to retake its province of South Ossetia - which broke away in 1992 and was supported by Moscow - in a surprise offensive on 7 August.
Nazi camp atrocities on display in Shanghai
By IANS,
Beijing : An exhibition on the infamous Auschwitz concentration camp of the Nazis opened in China's Shanghai city Thursday.
Aussie PM says he admired Benazir Bhutto’s courage
By NNN-Bernama
Melbourne : Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has condemned the assassination of Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto, 54, who was shot by an assassin who also blew himself up, killing about 20 others, at an election rally in Rawalpindi.
Rudd said Bhutto was campaigning "resolutely" for democracy in the lead up to the country's Jan 8 polls.
Plunging US home sales spark fears of slower recovery
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : US home sales plunged to their lowest level in 15 years, leading economists to warn that a likely double-dip in housing prices could further slow America's recovery from its worst downturn in decades.
Existing home sales sank 27.2 percent in July, twice as much as analysts expected, to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 3.83 million units, the National Association of Realtors said Tuesday, the lowest level since the industry group started its tally in 1999.
Spain to push for Turkey’s EU membership during its presidency
By DPA,
Madrid: Spain will do its best to encourage Turkey's entry into the European Union during its EU-presidency in the first half of 2010, government sources said Monday.
King Juan Carlos discussed Turkey's relations with the EU with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, who was visiting Madrid Monday.
On Sunday, Davutoglu met his Spanish counterpart Miguel Angel Moratinos, who told him Spain would encourage negotiations on Turkey's eventual EU membership.
Nepali new PM delivers 1st live TV speech
By Xinhua,
Kathmandu : Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda, the first elected prime minister of Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal and chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) (CPN-M), delivered his first live TV speech as prime minister on Saturday morning.
In his message to the countrymen, Prachanda laid heavy emphasis on promotion and consolidation of nationalism, republic and socio-economic change.
Commercial fishing killed millions of sea turtles
By IANS,
Washington : The number of sea turtles inadvertently snared by commercial fishing gear over the past 20 years may run into millions, according to a latest finding.
It is first peer-reviewed study to compile sea turtle bycatch data from gillnet, trawl and longline fisheries worldwide.
The study analysed data compiled from peer-reviewed papers, government reports, technical reports and symposia proceedings published between 1990 and 2008.
At least 11 missing in boat mishaps off Chinese coast
By Xinhua
Hangzhou (China): Chinese maritime rescue service officials are searching for at least 11 seamen who have been missing off the east coast after two separate accidents over the weekend, sources with local maritime authorities said.
Five crewmembers of a ship carrying sandstone from east China's Fujian province to Rui'an city, in southeast Zhejiang, are missing off Zhejiang's Wenzhou city, said Li Hua, deputy director of the Wenzhou Maritime Bureau.
Li said Rui'an Xinglong Boats Co Ltd, the owner of the vessel, reported its disappearance at 3:30 p.m. Sunday.
‘Empires of the Indus’ tops non-fiction bestseller list’
By IANS,
New Delhi : "Empires of the Indus" is the new bestseller in the on-fiction group this week, while "Brisingr" by Christopher Paolini is on the top of the charts in the fiction category.
The top 10 in the non-fiction and fiction lists are:
Non-Fiction
1. Title: "Empires Of Indus"
Author: Alice Albinia
Publisher: John Murray
Price: Rs.550.00
2. Title: "Descent Into Chaos"
Author: Ahmed Rashid
Publisher: Allen Lane
Price: Rs.495.00
3. Title: "The Way of The World : A Story of Truth and Hope in an Age of
Extremism"
Author: Ron Suskind
Britain must reinvent itself as a global hub – Miliband
By IRNA
London : The UK foreign policy was framed in the 18th century for a global British Empire, but for the future, the country must reinvent itself as a "global hub," according to Foreign Secretary David Miliband.
Miliband also proposed that Britain should aspire to play a leading role in the EU, while keeping the US as its most single bilateral relationship, saying it needed the "power of an internationalist and engaged United States on our side."
US disappointed by Swiss freeing of Polanksi
By DPA,
Washington : The US government expressed disappointment over Switzerland's decision Monday to free film director Roman Polanksi and refusal to extradite him to the United States for his 1977 rape conviction.
US State Department spokesman PJ Crowley said the government will review its options in light of the decision and remained committed to pursuing justice against Polanski, who fled to Europe in 1978 following his conviction of having unlawful sex with a 13-year-old girl.
Satellite shows magnitude of quake damage in China
By IANS,
Sydney : Australian researchers are providing the Chinese government with detailed assessment of the area devastated by the May 12 quake that claimed more than 60,000 lives.
The high-resolution map generated from analysis of satellite images shows the ground lifting by up to five metres in areas affected by the quake.
Radar satellite survey of the devastated area by researchers at the University of New South Wales is giving China information about the level of damage from the magnitude 8.0 temblor.
New York nears completion of anti-terror shield of tunnels, bridges
By DPA,
New York : Construction of a $250-million shield intended to protect New York's tunnels and bridges against terrorist attacks was nearing completion, media reports said Wednesday.
Toronto to host G20 summit in June
By IANS,
Toronto : Toronto will play host to the next G20 summit in June, a statement by the Canadian prime minister's office has said.
World leaders will gather in Canada's biggest city June 26 and 27 to hold talks on economic recovery, the statement said Monday.
The announcement of Toronto as the summit venue was made by Prime Minister Stephen Harper in Seoul after his talks with South Korean leaders.
Six killed in cargo plane crash in Mexico
By DPA,
Mexico City: Six people died when a cargo plane crashed near the airport of the northern Mexican city of Monterrey, the authorities said Wednesday.
Civil Aeronautics director Hector Gonzalez Week told Milenio Television that conditions were right for landing despite "heavy rain and some fog". The authorities were investigating the possible causes of the crash.
The accident happened late Tuesday, in the boundary between the airport and the avenue that gives access to it. Several vehicles were hit, and there was an explosion and a large fire, eyewitnesses told reporters.
Merkel seeks UN Security Council action on Myanmar aid crisis
By IRNA,
Berlin : German Chancellor Angela Merkel here Friday urged the intervention of the UN Security Council to force the Myanmar military junta to allow international aid for hundreds of thousands of victims of Cyclone Nargis.
"From the point of view of the federal (German) government the UN Security Council has to deal with the issue," Merkel's deputy spokesperson Thomas Steg said at a weekly news conference in Berlin.
Merkel was scheduled to phone with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon later in the day to discuss the situation in disaster-stricken Myanmar.
Thai hit men attack leader of last year’s street protests
By DPA,
Bangkok : Gunmen early Friday attacked Sondhi Limthongkul, one of the core leaders of last year's mass protests that shut down Bangkok's two main airports, riddling his car with more than 100 bullets but failed to kill him, police said.
Unidentified gunmen in a Toyota pickup truck sprayed Sondhi's car with M-16 and AK-47 semi-automatic fire at 5.45 a.m. as the media tycoon was being driven to his ASTV television station, Police Colonel Khing Kwaengwhisetchaichang said.
"Sondhi was only slightly injured in his shoulder and by a bullet that grazed his forehead," Khing said.
Myanmar foreign trade to grow by 30 percent
By IANS,
Yangon : Myanmar's foreign trade will grow by more than 30 percent to $16.1 billion in the 2011-12 fiscal year, the commerce ministry said. It was $12 billion in the previous fiscal.
Obama: ‘Let The Games Begin’
By AFP,
Chicago : An exuberant Barack Obama Friday offered a cheeky prediction he would be president until 2016, as he tried to lend his winning streak to his home city of Chicago's Olympics bid.
Fresh from a giant-slaying win over rival Hillary Clinton in the Democratic White House nominating race, Obama joked he could put his house up for rent, to make a financial killing if Chicago wins the 2016 Summer Games.
Canadian stock markets, dollar in free fall
By IANS,
Toronto : Falling oil and commodity prices continued to hammer the Toronto Stock Exchange and the Canadian dollar Wednesday, with both falling steeply since Tuesday.
While the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) composite index saw a steep fall of 558.92 points as commodity stocks saw a massive sell-off, the Canadian dollar plunged below 80 cents US for the first time since June 2005.
At the close of the day, the composite index stood at 9,236.88, dropping almost six percent since Tuesday.
Gurkha soldiers protest outside British parliament
By IANS
London : Gurkhas, praised the world over as the 'bravest of the brave', are gathering outside the British parliament Wednesday to demand the right to stay in Britain and be paid army pensions at par with other British soldiers.
Thousands of retired Gurkhas, who have fought for Britain in Afghanistan, Iraq and the Falklands, as well as guarding the protectorate of Hong Kong before its independence, began their protest in central London to highlight what they call their unfair treatment by the British Army.
Argentina swine flu toll rises to 465
By EFE,
Buenos Aires : The number of people to die of swine flu in Argentina has risen to 465, the health ministry said in a report.
Till date, 8,240 people have been infected with the influenza A (H1N1) virus, also called swine flu, in the country, the report said Friday.
Earlier in July, the health authorities had put restrictions on business and public activities in the country due to the swine flu outbreak.
The fatalities from the disease have decreased since June 26 and the most recent death was reported Aug 20, the report said.
NATO spends $1.7 bn on surveillance system
By IANS,
Chicago : NATO and Northrop Grumman Corporation, a European defence technology provider, Sunday signed a $1.7-billion contract here to set up a ground surveillance system.
Myanmar government promises education reforms
Yangon : Authorities in Myanmar have assured protesting students of carrying out education reforms step by step, asking them to stay tolerant, official sources...
Russian warship given holy water blessing
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Mosocow : Russia's newest Baltic Fleet warship, presently undergoing sea trials, was sprinkled with holy water during a blessing over the weekend, a Navy spokesperson said.
UN chief urges Nepal to begin army merger soon
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon winded up his two-day trip to Nepal Saturday, asking the government, the major political parties and the interim parliament to begin the integration of the Maoists' People's Liberation Army (PLA) with the state army and discharge child soldiers as soon as possible.
"The most immediate challenge ahead is to integrate and rehabilitate Maoist combatants," the UN chief said while addressing a special session of the newly elected constituent assembly and also during a press conference later.
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.
Mother of Sobhraj’s fiancée defending him against bigamy charges
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
Kathmandu : In the latest twist to the drama that started in Nepal and abroad after it became public that criminal mastermind Charles Sobhraj had become engaged to a Nepali woman 44 years his junior, the mother of his fiancée Nihita Biswas entered the fray in a bid to protect her daughter's rights.
Shakuntala Thapa, Nihita's mother and a senior Nepali lawyer, Monday began consulting the top legal experts of the country, including former attorney-generals, to discuss the legal remedies to fight the recurring bigamy allegation against her would-be son-in-law.
Romanian soldier killed in Afghanistan
By KUNA,
KABUL : An International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) service member was killed and three others were wounded after an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) hit their vehicle in southern Afghanistan on Tuesday.
Australia to pay farmers $2.9 bln for water
By Xinhua,
Beijing : Australia's government plans to spend about 2.9 billion U.S. dollars to buy river water from farmers in a bid to address the country's worst drought in a century.
The spending is the most expensive component of a 12.1 billion dollar, 10-year plan to reduce water waste and improve water efficiency on Australian farms and in cities.
Five missing in mine accident in Kazakhstan
By RIA Novosti,
Astana : Five miners are missing following a cave-in and methane leak at a coal mine in central Kazakhstan, the region's governor said.
Of the 100 people working in the mine at the time of the incident, 95 have been evacuated so far.
"The rescue operation is being hampered by a 70-80-meter high mountain of coal," Nurlan Nigmatilin said.
He added that there had been no fires in the mine and all the evacuated miners were "almost unharmed."
Indonesian businessman charged in deadly stampede
By DPA,
Jakarta : Indonesian police Tuesday charged a businessman with negligence after his free cash handouts caused a stampede that left at least 21 people dead and dozens injured.
National police spokesman Abubakar Nataprawira said that Haji Farouk will be charged with negligence resulting in death, an offence punishable with up to five years in jail.
Farouk, a member of a well-to-do Indonesian Muslim family, was involved in distributing cash handouts in the East Java district of Pasuruan, about 800 km east of Jakarta Monday.
Britain to probe identity leak of Indian visa seekers
By Prasun Sonwalkar
IANS
London : A Channel 4 report that personal data of Indian citizens applying for British visa in India may have been compromised due to flaws in the online application system there has prompted an investigation here.
S Korea to build modern history museum to mark 60th founding anniversary
By Xinhua,
Seoul : South Korean Presidential Office said Monday that a modern history museum is to be built in central Seoul to mark the 60th founding anniversary of the country.
According to the Presidential Office, the decision was announced by South Korean President Lee Myung-bak at a government meeting.
"I have great respect for the South Korean people's brilliant and unprecedented achievement in economic modernization and democratization in the relatively short period of 60 years," Lee was quoted by the Presidential Office as saying.
Man seeks to extort ex-Nepal king’s daughter
By IANS,
Kathmandu : Nepal Police Wednesday said they have begun investigating the backgrounds of a pair of lovers who tried to extort former Nepal king Gyanendra's daughter Prerana Singh.
"We have handed over the couple to the crime investigations department," said Deputy Superintendent Pradyumna Karki. "They will remain in police custody for 25 days while investigations are completed."
Sri Lankan troops advance despite rain as casualties mount
By DPA,
Colombo : Sri Lankan troops advanced Monday into Tamil Tiger rebels-held areas in northern Sri Lanka despite heavy rain after losing at least 33 soldiers in weekend fighting, the defence ministry said.
The troops were trying to consolidate their positions and advance in the Akkarayankulam and Maniyankulam areas in Kilinochchi district, 370 km north of Colombo.
The defence ministry said 33 soldiers were killed and three more were missing, while 48 more were injured in the fighting over the weekend in the same areas.
Nepali housewife, salesgirl, journo…off to conquer Everest
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS
Kathmandu : Ten Nepali women are trying to create history this summer with an expedition to Mt. Everest that, like never before, brings together people from different walks of life.
The First Inclusive Women's Sagarmatha Expedition - Sagarmatha being the Nepali name for Mt Everest - also attempts to put the largest number of women atop the world's highest peak.
Bank of Japan to further ease monetary policy
By IANS,
Tokyo : The Bank of Japan (BOJ) Wednesday decided to further ease its monetary policy.
Nepal relief collection on despite Bengal shutdown
Kolkata : A truck carrying around 18 tonnes of relief material collected from donors in Kolkata for Nepal quake-victims will be dispatched from here...
Russia Exposes G-7 in Caucasus
By Prensa Latina,
Moscow : Russia accused the Group of Seven (G-7) of justifying Georgia's aggressions in the Caucasus by rejecting Russia's recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia's sovereignty.
Quoting a statement issued by the foreign ministers of G-7, the Russian foreign ministry described the decision as tendentious.
Russian head of government Vladimir Putin accused the United States of inciting the invasion of the South Ossetian capital Tskhinvali by Georgian troops on August 7, which resulted in more than 1,600 dead.
Break through the barriers of hostility: Pakistani daily
Islamabad: The challenge for Pakistani and Indian leaders is "how to break through the barriers of hostility", said a daily here on Monday after...
Over 5,000 pirates operate off Somali coast: Russian Navy
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow: At least five large groups of pirates totalling over 5,000 people are operating in the Gulf of Aden, the first deputy chief of the Russian Navy General Staff has said.
"Pirates have become more daring and aggressive recently - there were instances when they seized vessels right in front of the ships that were responsible for the security of commercial shipping," Vice Admiral Oleg Burtsev said in an interview on Ekho Moskvy radio station Saturday.
North Korea to try US journalists
By Xinhua,
Pyongyang : A North Korean court will try two detained US journalists June 4, the state-run news agency reported Thursday.
Euna Lee, a Korean-American, and Laura Ling, a Chinese-American, were detained March 17 near the Tumen River, which marks the border with China.
Pyongyang accused the journalists, who work for Current TV in California, of illegally entering the country by crossing the North Korea-China border.
The US, which has no diplomatic relations with North Korea, has called for the release of the two journalists.
Poll: More Americans believe Obama’s ability to handle economic issue
By Xinhua,
Washington : More Americans believed that presumptive Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama can better handle economic issue, the current top concern to American voters, according to a poll released on Thursday.
The poll conducted by CNN and the Opinion Research Corporation found that 50 percent of registered voters believe Obama, the Illinois Senator, would better handle the economy, while 44 percent prefer McCain in this regard.
Russia recognizes independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia
By Xinhua,
Moscow : Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Tuesday signed decrees recognizing the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, the two breakaway regions of neighboring Georgia.
The move is in keeping with fundamental international laws and shows Russian support to the expression of "free will" by the Ossetian and Abkhazian peoples, Medvedev said in a televised address, according to Itar-Tass news agency.
Internet addiction is like drugs: Study
By IANS,
London: Addiction to the internet could cause damage to the brain similar to that by use of alcohol and drugs, a Chinese study has said.
Five year olds expelled for sexual bullying in British schools
By IANS,
London : Children as young as five are being excluded from British schools for sexually bullying fellow-pupils, according to a report Monday.
In schools across Britain, children are being subjected by fellow-pupils to many forms of sexual bullying - from explicit graffiti, sexualised name-calling and spreading rumours about someone's sexual behaviour, to assault and even rape.
Nepal border towns rejoice at Indian ganglord’s death
By Sudeshna Sarkar, Indo-Asian News Service
Kathmandu: Indian ganglord Chhote Lal Sahani's dramatic death in an Indian court is being greeted with joy in neigbouring Nepal's border towns, with businessmen distributing sweets to celebrate the end of one of their prime foes.
Hours after Sahani, who was behind bars in Bihar's Motihari jail, was gunned down in court Wednesday morning, the news spread like wildfire in Nepal's border town Birgunj that had borne the brunt of Sahani's attacks.
Floods in west Europe, heat wave in east
By IANS
London : Parts of Britain, Germany and Switzerland were left flooded Sunday, Denmark and Sweden braced for very heavy rainfall, while a tornado hit Poland and the heat wave continued in eastern and southwest Europe.
Parts of the English Midlands and areas to the west were left paralysed by floods Sunday, as helicopters were called in to rescue the stranded, and drinking water threatened to run out in one area.
Russia, Serbia to discuss Kosovo status in New York
By RIA Novosti
New York : Russia's envoy to the United Nations, Viltaly Churkin, will meet on Thursday with Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic to discuss Kosovo's independence, the Russian mission to the UN said.
The mission's the press secretary Maria Zakharova said Jeremic, who traveled on Wednesday to New York to urge the UN to convene a special meeting on the continuation of talks on Kosovo's status, personally requested a meeting with the Russian diplomat, counting on Russia's support on the issue.
Aid flights turned away from Haiti
By IANS/EFE,
Port-au-Prince : Some aid-laden aircraft have been turned away from earthquake-hit Haiti due to limited space at the international airport in the country's capital, an official said.
Haiti's government has put a hold on further flights from the US, Federal Aviation Administration spokesperson Laura Brown said Thursday in Washington.
The force of the temblor that rocked the Western Hemisphere country Tuesday was 35 times greater than that of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima in 1945, British geophysicist Roger Searle said Thursday.
Sri Lanka slams Norway over LTTE-UN meeting
By IANS,
Colombo : Sri Lanka has summoned Norway's envoy and expressed its displeasure after Oslo arranged a meeting between a Tamil Tigers representative and a UN official, it was reported Wednesday.
According to Daily Mirror, the foreign ministry summoned ambassador Tore Hattrem Tuesday to know "why (the) meeting was arranged without consulting the Sri Lankan government".
Norway facilitated talks between UN Humanitarian chief John Holmes and Kumaran Pathmanathan alias KP, the new international representative of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
Former soldier puts up his Military Cross on eBay
By IANS,
London: A former British soldier is selling his Military Cross, awarded for his heroics in Afghanistan, on the auction website eBay.
Canadian dollar, markets keep rising
By IANS,
Toronto : Though prices of two main Canadian resources of oil and commodities continue to slip, the Canadian dollar has risen appreciably against the US dollar in the new year.
Thanks to the weakening US dollar, the loonie - as the Canadian dollar is called - rose as high as 84.85 cents US, gaining 1.31 cents against the greenback Thursday.
Reversing Wednesday's dip, Canadian markets resumed their upward trend Thursday, with the Toronto stock exchange (TSX) composite index gaining 100.26 points to close at 9,221.58 on rising energy and financial stocks.
UN peacekeepers face probe for sexual abuse in Congo
By IANS,
United Nations : The United Nations is investigating the alleged involvement of its two peacekeepers in a sexual abuse case in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a UN spokesman said.
"The Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) has received an allegation of sexual exploitation against two military personnel serving with the United Nations Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo," Farhan Haq, the UN associate spokesman, told reporters Wednesday.
Suspect stable in hospital following restaurant blast
By KUNA,
London : An Islam convert suspected of carrying a bomb which partially exploded in a city centre restaurant and left him covered in blood is in a stable condition in hospital, police said Sunday.
The man, named by police as 22-year-old Nicky Reilly, suffered eye and facial injuries in the blast at the "Giraffe" restaurant in Exeter, Devon, south-west England, last Thursday lunchtime.
Lockheed Martin’s F-35 fighter spotlights international partners
By IANS,
Paris : International participants in the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II programme have begun purchasing aircraft and making long-range commitments to integrate the fighter into their fleets, a company executive said Wednesday at the Paris Air Show.
Seven dead as Philippine hostage crisis ends
By DPA,
Manila : Seven people were killed Monday in the Philippines when a sacked police officer seized a tourist bus and opened fire at his hostages before he was killed by police.
Six of the dead were Chinese passengers held for more than 10 hours inside the air-conditioned bus in a seaside park in Manila city, according to doctors at two hospitals where they were brought.
The hostage-taker, dismissed police officer Rolando Del Rosario Mendoza, was also killed in an exchange of gunfire with the police assault team, authorities said.
5.6-magnitude quake jolts Pakistan, Afghanistan
Islamabad : An earthquake measuring 5.6 on the Richter scale jolted parts of Pakistan and Afghanistan on Tuesday, media reported.
The epicentre of the...
British economy continues to shrink
By IANS,
London : The British economy shrank by 0.8 percent between April and June, more than double the rate predicted, the Office of National Statistics said Friday.
The contraction was less than the 2.4 percent seen in the first quarter of 2009 but was well above analysts' 0.3 percent prediction.
The latest figures take the annual rate of decline to 5.6 percent, the biggest fall since modern economic records began to be kept in 1955.
Spanish investment in Latin America is secure: Madrid
By IANS/EFE,
Santo Domingo : Spanish investment in Latin America "is secure" and is producing good results, a top official said here Wednesday.
Sarkozy and the embarrassment quotient
By IRNA,
Paris : Nearly a year into his term, President Nicolas Sarkozy of France has hardly mentioned the arts or culture. In late February, he said that French cuisine should be added to the UNESCO World Heritage list.
14 bail conditions on freed Air India bomber
By IANS,
Vancouver : Releasing convicted Air India bomber Inderjit Singh Reyat on a $500,000 bail Thursday, the British Columbia court of appeal here has imposed as many as 14 conditions on him.
Till he is back in court for his perjury trial in January, 55-year-old Reyat will be virtually under house arrest in his Surrey home, with his wife and four children.
Laying down the stringent bail conditions, Judge Anne Rowles said Reyat will be allowed out only when he wants to see his bail supervisor, seek medical help and visit the gurdwara.
Russia blacklists 12 Americans to counter US sanctions
Moscow : The Russian Foreign Ministry Saturday published a list of 12 Americans barred from entering the country after the United States expanded sanctions...
Ban rejects Taiwan’s UN admission
By DPA
New York : UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon dismissed Taiwan's most recent requests to gain admission to the world organisation, saying that the Taiwanese had no legal basis to join.
"This matter was carefully considered by the secretariat (of the UN) and in light of Resolution 2758, it was not legally possible to receive the purported applications for membership," Ban said in answer to a question of whether he had received the requests.
Report: Russian-donated MIG-29 to Lebanon “unsafe”
By Xinhua,
BEIRUT : A well-informed source Saturday advised the Lebanese government to "wait" before accepting the Russian-donated MIG-29 jet fighters that are possibly "unsafe", Lebanese daily Al-Nahar report.
A report in Russian Kommersant business daily quoted military sources as saying that "one third of the MIG-29 should be written off as obsolete because they are too rusty to take off without crashing."
A pilot was killed during a MIG-29 fighter crash in southern Siberia on Dec. 5 and another MIG-29 crashed in October last year, the report added.
Strong quake hits Sumatra, Indonesia
By Xinhua,
Jakarta : An earthquake with magnitude of 6.0rocked Bengkulu province in Sumatra island of Indonesia Sunday afternoon, meteorology...
Let’s raise the bar in relations, India tells ASEAN
Nai Pyi Taw:External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj Saturday said India's relations with the 10 ASEAN countries have reached a critical stage, which could be...
One in seven people think US staged 9/11 attack
By IANS,
London : One in seven people in the US and in Britain think America was itself involved in staging the 9/11 terror attack that left around 3,000 people dead, according to a poll.
Boys less likely to go to university
By IANS,
Sydney : Teenage boys are less likely to gain university entrance than their female classmates and are more likely to leave school before 17, according to a new report.
The report, "Boys' achievement: A Synthesis of the Data", gives a number of examples of this discrepancy between the sexes including that as many as 72 percent of all suspensions and stand downs in 2006 were boys, and that 10 percent more girls will gain university entrance than boys.
Man punches nurse for removing wife’s burqa
By IANS,
London : A muslim in France has been jailed after he punched a nurse who tried to remove his wife's veil during childbirth.
EU calls on Sri Lanka to protect Tamil war refugees
By DPA,
Luxembourg: Sri Lanka must grant proper treatment to people who fled the fighting between government and Tamil Tiger forces if it is to have any chance of a peaceful settlement, European Union foreign ministers said Tuesday.
"They won the war, now they must win the peace, and we stand ready to help them," Sweden's Foreign Minister Carl Bildt said after talks with EU counterparts in Luxembourg.
Flu deaths rise to 42 in Mexico
By EFE,
Mexico City : The number of people died from the swine flu has climbed to 42 in Mexico, authorities have said as the country began resuming its normal activities.
The number of infections has also climbed to 1,070, Health Secretary Jose Angel Cordova said Wednesday, adding that three latest deaths from the AH1N1 virus occurred over the preceding three days.
He said that the majority of the deaths occurred before April 29, and so the authorities feel that the epidemic is tending to abate, a conclusion also suggested by the number of serious cases among the infected people.
UK nuclear programme to remain in doubt for months – Greenpeace
London, Jan 5, IRNA ,The British government's controversial plans to build 20 new nuclear reactors is likely to remain in doubt for months with a fresh legal challenge having over the decision, which is expected to be announced next week.
Greenpeace said it could take several months to decide whether to return to the High Court after winning a legal challenge last February that ordered the government to carry out a second round of consultations about its review to fill the UK's growing energy gap.
Thai protestors storm Government House
By DPA,
Bangkok : Thousands of anti-government protestors surrounded the Thai cabinet's headquarters Friday, demanding the immediate resignation of Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej and his ministers.
The demonstrators of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), which led similar mass protests against former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra in 2006, broke through police blockades to force their way into Government House which they had surrounded Friday afternoon.
Calls to legalise polygamy in Australia rejected
By Neena Bhandari, IANS,
Sydney : Calls from two Islamic leaders to legalise polygamous marriages in Australia have been rejected by the government.
Citing polygamy as against the law, Attorney-General Robert McLelland told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC): "There is absolutely no way that the government will recognise polygamist relationships. They are unlawful and they will remain as such."
Islamic Friendship Association of Australia's Keysar Trad had said that polygamy exist in Australia and the government should legalise it to protect the rights of women.
UK defence department probes virus security breach
LONDON, Jan 20 (KUNA) -- A computer virus is continuing to affect the UK Ministry of Defence's (MoD) systems, but it insisted Tuesday no classified or personal data is under threat.
Up to 70 sites, including several Royal Navy ships and Royal Air Force bases have been affected by the bug, which has shut down computers and knocked out e-mails.
The virus first hit systems a fortnight ago but the MoD said operations have not been affected.
It is still trying to discover how the virus breached its security software.
Heathrow starts screening for Ebola, Sudanese patient dies
London/Berlin/Monrovia : London's Heathrow airport Tuesday began applying new precautionary measures to detect possible cases of Ebola virus disease in passengers arriving from West...
China’s farm census shows massive shift of labour
By Xinhua
Beijing : The number of rural Chinese engaged in agriculture shrank by more than 80 million between 1996 and 2006, according to the figures of a national agriculture census released Thursday.
At the end of 2006, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said, 70.8 percent of working rural people were engaged in some type of agriculture - farming, forestry, livestock breeding, fishing and related services. That was nearly five percentage points down from that of 1996, the NBS said.
The rest were in the secondary and tertiary industries.
Hindu idols desecrated in Trinidad and Tobago
By Paras Ramoutar, IANS,
Port-of-Spain : The idols of Hindu gods Shiva and Ganesh were desecrated in a temple in Trinidad.
Vandals damaged the idols at the Kolahal Shiva Temple, Chaguanas in Central Trinidad Monday.
The incident took place a year after a gang of young men went to the temple by the sea in Waterloo Aug 4, 2007 and destroyed idols including those of gods Shiva and Krishna and goddess Durga. No one has been charged so far for the incident.
The desecration angered members of the Hindu community.
Britain can pull out of EU, says Cameron
By IANS,
London : Prime Minister David Cameron has admitted for the first time that he can imagine Britain quitting the European Union (EU), The Sun reported.
BlackBerry sells about 50,000 tablets on launch day
By Gurmukh Singh, IANS,
Toronto : Considering all the negative reviews its received before its launch, the BlackBerry tablet PlayBook sold more than expected Tuesday, according to figures.
Mexican gunman accused of over 100 killings arrested
By EFE,
Mexico City : A drug cartel gunman who allegedly killed at least 109 people in the southern state of Guerrero and the central state of Morelos has been arrested, authorities said.
Jesus Basilio Araujo was arrested Friday in Jiutepec, a city in Morelos, along with an unidentified woman, Public Safety Secretariat said Sunday.
Araujo, 36, worked for the Beltran Leyva brothers in Guerrero and Morelos.
Russia’s ban on wheat exports an economic measure – minister
By RIA Novosti
Moscow : Russia has imposed temporary restrictions on wheat exports to Belarus and Kazakhstan due to attempts to re-export its grain produce through these countries, the agriculture minister said on Tuesday.
In late January, the Russian government imposed a 40% export duty on grain exports to stabilize retail bread and flour prices. However, the duty did not apply to the member states of the Customs Union, prompting the Russian government to impose a direct ban on exports to the two ex-Soviet republics.
British nuclear-powered submarine runs aground
By DPA,
London : A British nuclear-powered submarine has run aground near an island off the west coast of Scotland, the ministry of defence (MoD) said Friday.
Arab gambler loses money, wins case against London casino
By Venkata Vemuri, IANS,
London : An Arab billionaire, known just as 'Fat man', has won a legal battle against London's top casino after losing over 2 million pounds in a night of gambling.
In a judgment of the high court in London, Aspinall's Club in Mayfair was found to have given illegal credit to Syrian businessman and gambler Fouad al-Zayat in the hope that he would carry on gambling while trying to pay off his debt.
Certain types of thinking suit problem solving
By IANS,
Washington : Certain types of thinking are best suited to solving certain types of problems. Specifically, geometry problems are best solved by a combination of verbal and spatial strategies, but not shape-based imagery strategies.
Researchers investigated whether middle school students solved geometry problems more successfully than their peers when they were provided with clues consistent with their own style of thinking.
The cognitive styles that were identified and the related clues were verbal, spatial, and shape-based.
Nepal government seeks more time to complete new constitution
By Sudeshna Sarkar, IANS,
US author Michael Crichton dies at 66
By DPA,
Los Angeles : US author Michael Crichton - writer of bestselling books such as Jurassic Park and originator of the television series ER - died of cancer, US media reported Wednesday.
Crichton died Tuesday at the age of 66, broadcaster CNN reported citing the author's spokesman.
After Obama’s celebrity welcome in Prague, reality sets in
By Andrew Yurkovsky, DPA,
Vienna : In Eastern and Central Europe, US President Barack Obama may not have the same level of rock star appeal he enjoys in certain parts of the world. But after one year in office, he and his policies have gotten a generally positive, if sometimes sceptical, hearing from the region's people and opinion-makers.
Obama rushes to ailing grandmother at height of election
By DPA,
San Francisco : Democratic candidate Barack Obama was rushing to the bedside of his ailing grandmother in Hawaii Thursday, taking a break from intense campaigning to make sure he saw her before she died.
Madelyn Dunham, 85, was a formative figure in the life of the White House frontrunner, helping Obama's single mother raise him during his teenage years when his own mother was working abroad.
Space exploration gains pace in China
By Andrei Kislyakov, RIA Novosti,
Moscow : China is going to play a major role in the global space exploration programme. Soon, a new centre for space research may emerge in the eastern hemisphere and push the current players aside.
China's achievements in science and technology, as well as its consolidation of space programmes in the countries of the Asia-Pacific region, which have a tremendous economic potential, will contribute to its development.
Seven killed in Indonesia cafe fire
By IANS,
Jakarta : Seven people, including a pregnant woman, were killed in a fire in a cafe in Indonesia Friday, police said.
The fire gutted the cafe in Surabaya, capital of East Java province, and one of the victims was a pregnant woman, a police officer named Ngadiran was quoted as saying by Xinhua.
Opposition senator flees double murder charges in Philippines
By DPA,
Manila : An opposition senator accused of masterminding the killings of a publicist and his driver almost a decade ago admitted Wednesday that he had fled the Philippines.
Senator Panfilo Lacson said he left the Philippines last month to escape what he called harassment by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and her supporters to prevent him from exposing corruption in the government.
"I am not guilty, but I cannot risk putting my life and security at the mercy of that evil conspiracy," he said in a statement.
100 countries at World Human Rights Forum in Marrakech
Marrakech : The 2nd World Forum on Human Rights has begun here with the participation of more than 6,000 people from a hundred countries.
The...
Seoul dismisses rumours of North Korean leader’s death
By DPA,
Seoul : South Korean government dismissed Thursday rumours of the death of North Korea's leader Kim Jong-Il as untrue, as speculation swept across Asia.
"We understand this rumor is untrue," unification ministry spokesman Kim Ho-Nyoun said. "We have heard nothing officially from the North to support the rumor."
Despite reports by the North's state media that Kim is on a regular military tour, rumours about his death have spread.
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.
Cyclone death toll nears 15,000 as Myanmar seeks aid
By DPA,
Yangon : The toll in Cyclone Nargis, which smashed into central Myanmar over the weekend, has risen to almost 15,000 with about 3,000 still listed as missing, a senior minister said Tuesday.
Information minister Kyaw Hsan said at a press conference in Yangon that the toll in Bogalay township in the Irrawaddy region was close to 10,000 while the toll on Haing Kyi Island was 975, on Mawlamyaing Island 1,835 and in Laputta township about 1,000.
In Yangon, Myanmar's largest city and its chief commercial hub, the cyclone killed 59 people, the brigadier general said.
Obama hopes to heal wounds as Clinton turns cheerleader
By DPA,
Washington : Barack Obama faces a tough challenge in uniting Democrats after a bruising, five-month battle for the party's presidential nomination.
Time will tell whether the enthusiastic endorsement of former rival Hillary Clinton will be enough to convince her passionate supporters.
There was a mix of boos and cheers every time Clinton mentioned Obama's name during a final rally Saturday in Washington, where she suspended her campaign, thanked those who voted for her and pledged to "join forces" with Obama in returning a Democrat to the White House.
Putin seeks immediate dialogue within Ukraine
Moscow : Russian President Vladimir Putin has called for an immediate "extensive national dialogue" in Ukraine, amid rising tension in the country's east and...
US stocks retreat from two-day rally on new recession warnings
By DPA
New York : After a two-day rally, US stocks retreated again on Wednesday with the first public remarks by the US central bank head that a recession was possible.
The remarks by Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke followed months of comment by economists who believe the US is already in a recession.
Bernanke told Congress that it appeared "likely that real gross domestic product will not grow much, if at all, over the first half of 2008 and could even contract slightly".
"A recession is possible," he said.
Business, defence deals top British PM’s ‘special’ visit to India
By IANS,
London/New Delhi: India and Britain are set to infuse new energy in their relationship when British Prime Minister David Cameron comes to the country on his maiden visit Tuesday which could have a 500 million pounds deal for 60 Hawk jets and expanded business ties as its highlights.
In a visit aimed at forging a "special relationship" with India, which Britain sees as a rising global power, Cameron touches down in Bangalore Tuesday night with the biggest ever delegation of ministers and business honchos before holding official talks in the Indian capital Thursday.
China’s phone users top 1.1 bn
By IANS,
Beijing : The number of Chinese phone users continued to grow rapidly in the first five months of the year, surpassing 1.1 billion by the end of May, authorities said Tuesday.
Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) figures showed that China added 40.8 million phone users during the January-May period, bringing the nationwide total to more than 1.1 billion in a country with a 1.3 billion population.
World leaders address fraught climate summit
By DPA,
Copenhagen : Persistently deep divisions threatened to scupper a climate change deal in Copenhagen Wednesday, but Africa offered a glimmer of hope by asking for less money from rich nations.
"I know my proposal today will disappoint those Africans who, from the point of justice, have asked for full compensation of the damage done to our development prospects," said Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi on behalf of African nations present in Copenhagen.
US sends warship towards Lebanon
By DPA
Washington : The US has sent a warship towards waters off the Lebanese coast in a show of support for stability in the region, US officials have said.
The USS Cole, a destroyer armed with Tomahawk cruise missiles, was dispatched to the area from Malta amid the political crisis in Lebanon that Washington has blamed on Syrian interference, White House National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe said Thursday.
Dutch police foils terror plot in Rotterdam
By Xinhua
Brussels : The police in the Netherlands have foiled a possible terror attack on New Year's Eve in Rotterdam, Dutch paper De Telegraaf reported Thursday.
The paper said that special police forces arrested three suspected terrorists, who they believe were planning an attack on the crowds attending the New Year celebrations around the city's Erasmus Bridge.
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Myanmar Denies Tax-cut On Forex Donations For Cyclone Victims
By Bernama,
Yangon: Myanmar has denied making deduction from foreign exchange currency donation for cyclone victims, saying that such donations were fully spent for the relief and rehabilitation efforts, a local daily reported Wednesday.
Some foreign broadcasting stations have accused the Myanmar government of making a tax-cut of 10 percent on foreign donations in foreign exchange currencies to the storm-affected areas, China's Xinhua news agency quoted the local media as saying.
Georgia accuses Russia of trying to annex breakaway regions
By RIA Novosti,
Tbilisi : Georgian Foreign Minister David Bakradze has accused Russia of trying to annex the country's unrecognised republics.
On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin instructed the government to develop measures to aid Georgia's breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
Moscow is expected to cooperate with both the de-facto authorities in the two republics. The Russian foreign ministry said that in developing relations with Georgia's breakaway republics, Russia did not want a confrontation with Tbilisi.
Clinton exits White House race, endorses Obama
By DPA,
Washington : Hillary Clinton exited the US presidential race Saturday and endorsed presumptive Democratic nominee Barack Obama, who clinched his party's nod for the general election earlier this week.
"This isn't exactly the party I planned, but I like the company," she told thousands of supporters gathered for one final rally in Washington.
"I ask all of you to join me in working as hard for Barack Obama as you have for me," she said, drawing cheers and spattered boos from the crowd after a bitter five-month battle that saw a series of state primaries held across the US.