Monday, 25 Nov, 2024

International

Intimidation and fraud claims cast shadow over Afghan poll

KABUL: Concerns grew about intimidation and fraud in Afghanistan`s parliamentary election as the Tuesday deadline for complaints about the conduct of Afghanistan`s parliamentary elections approached.Millions of Afghans voted Saturday in their second parliamentary poll since the 2001

Bill Clinton philanthropy meeting eyes Haiti, Pakistan

NEW YORK: Former President Bill Clinton hopes that pledges to help quake-devastated Haiti at his philanthropic "summit" this week will push governments to fulfill promises of billions of dollars in reconstruction.Clinton, who is the U.N. special envoy for Haiti, will hold a special

India third most powerful nation: US report

Washington: The new global power lineup in the US for 2010 compiling the world`s most powerful countries/regions recognised India as the third most powerful country behind the US and China, and predicted that its clout as well as that of China and Brazil would further rise by 2025."Global

Third drill advances toward Chile miners, boosting hopes

COPIAPO, Chile:  A third drilling rig being used in the effort to reach 33 trapped Chilean miners made good progress in its first day of operation, offering hope for accelerating the rescue, officials said Monday.The oil-drilling RIG-421 had burrowed some 23 meters (75 feet) in less than

North Korea ruling party to hold leadership meeting

SEOUL:  North Korea`s ruling party will hold its biggest meeting in decades on September 28 to pick a new leadership, state media reported on Tuesday, and likely anoint an heir to the dynasty as Kim Jong-il`s health deteriorates.Kim, who is believed to have suffered a stroke in 2008, has

Iraq recovers 600 artefacts mistakenly stored in warehouse

BAGHDAD: Iraq has recovered more than 600 historical artefacts that had been stolen and then recovered but mistakenly stored in a warehouse in the country for around two years, a minister said on Monday.The 638 items include statues, spearheads and glass cups that were taken from Iraq and

Breaking the Kashmir deadlock: Reaching out to separatists

Srinagar: Thirty nine politicians of different ideologies, personalities and opinions touched down in Srinagar on Monday hoping to make a gentle landing in the volatile Kashmir valley. These politicians were seeking a united political consensus in a state that has seen 100 civilian deaths

22 dead in India train crash

BHOPAL: Twenty-two people were killed and dozens more injured when two trains collided in central India on Monday, officials said, in the latest fatal smash on the country`s vast rail network.The crash occurred in the Shivpuri district of Madhya Pradesh, some 350 kilometres (220 miles)

`The King`s Speech` wins Toronto film fest award

TORONTO: "The King`s Speech," a movie about a stammering British royal pressed to overcome a speech disorder to rally his empire at war, won the Toronto film festival`s People`s Choice Award on Sunday.The film stars Colin Firth as King George VI, who was plagued by a dreaded nervous

`The King`s Speech` wins Toronto film fest award

TORONTO: "The King`s Speech," a movie about a stammering British royal pressed to overcome a speech disorder to rally his empire at war, won the Toronto film festival`s People`s Choice Award on Sunday.The film stars Colin Firth as King George VI, who was plagued by a dreaded nervous

Swedes re-elect government, vote in far-right: early results

STOCKHOLM:  Sweden`s centre-right government looked headed for a second term in office, according to early results from Sunday`s vote, while a far-right party will enter parliament for the first time.Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt`s centre-right coalition won 48.8 percent of votes,

Pope departs Britain at the end of historic state visit

BIRMINGHAM: Pope Benedict XVI flew out of Britain Sunday after an historic four-day state visit, as Prime Minister David Cameron said he had made people "sit up and think."The pope departed from Birmingham, central England, at 6:45 pm (1745 GMT) on board an Alitalia plane and was due to

Mauritania attacks Al-Qaeda-linked fighters: military

NOUAKCHOTT: Mauritania warplanes attacked militants of Al-Qaeda`s north African wing in northern Mali, senior officers said Sunday, but several politicians in Mali said the strikes had killed civilians.A Mauritanian military official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told AFP the

Hurricane Igor blasts Bermuda

HAMILTON: Tiny, remote Bermuda found itself late Sunday at the mercy of giant Hurricane Igor, which whipped the territory with fierce winds and rain that authorities fear could spell disaster.The brunt of the unusually large storm, whose eye was bigger than the entire British overseas

Big forest blaze out of control near Brazil`s capital

BRASILIA: A forest fire was burning out of control Sunday across a big swath of national park very near Brazil`s capital Brasilia, management of the park told AFP.More than 140 firefighters were battling the blaze, which was suspected to have been deliberately started in the dry brushland

As freed American returns, Iran presses US to reciprocate

NEW YORK: Iran urged the United States on Sunday to free eight Iranians as a "humanitarian gesture," while freed American hiker Sarah Shourd made an emotional plea for the release of two compatriots."Iran was the country that released Sarah. We haven`t even received a note from the United

Four killed in German hospital shooting: police

BERLIN: A woman opened fire in a hospital in Germany`s southwestern town of Loerrach Sunday in a shooting in which she and three other people were killed, police told AFP."According to our information, there were four deaths," said a spokesman for police in the Freiburg region, speaking

ETA says ready to go further for peace

MADRID: Basque separatists ETA Sunday called for international mediation and vowed to go further to end a decades-old conflict, two weeks after Spain rejected its ceasefire for failing to renounce violence forever.ETA fighters, blamed for 829 deaths in a flagging campaign of bombings and

Top Mideast officials fly to US as peace talks crisis looms

JERUSALEM: Top Israeli and Palestinian officials headed Sunday for the United States where they are expected to seek ways to break a deadlock over settlements threatening to sabotage peace talks.Israeli President Shimon Peres left on a four-day visit coinciding with the UN General

18 leftist rebels killed in Colombia: defense minister

BOGOTA: The Colombian army killed at least 18 suspected leftist FARC guerrillas in a battle Sunday near the Ecuadoran border, Defense Minister Rodrigo Rivera said."The operation is underway and the toll that I can give you so far is 18 losses among the terrorists of the FARC," he said,