World News

Click and discover how you can help tsunami victims.

	Tsunami News   2/27/2009 Thousands displaced in Indonesia as quake toll hits six (AFP). AFP - Six people were killed and some 10,000 displaced by the powerful 7.5-magnitude earthquake which struck Indonesia's Sulawesi island this week, officials said Tuesday. Indonesia quake toll rises to six, more than 150 injured (AFP). AFP - The death toll from a 7.5 magnitude earthquake that struck off the Indonesian island of Sulawesi has risen to six with more than 150 people injured, officials said Tuesday. Indonesia quake kills 4, buildings collapse (AP). AP - A powerful earthquake jolted eastern Indonesia on Monday, killing at least four people, damaging hundreds of homes and briefly triggering a region-wide tsunami warning, officials said as they surveyed the damage. Indonesia quake kills at least 4, tears down houses (Reuters). Reuters - A powerful earthquake struck an area off Indonesia's northern Sulawesi early on Monday, killing at least four people and injuring nearly 60 after hundreds of houses collapsed, a disaster official said. Local tsunami warning issued following Indonesia quake: US (AFP). AFP - On the heels of a major 7.5-strength earthquake in Indonesia, US officials issued a tsunami warning Sunday for the area within 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) of the earthquake's center. Major earthquake jolts Indonesia: USGS (AFP). AFP - A major 7.5-strength earthquake jolted the region of Sulawesi, Indonesia, the US Geological Survey reported Sunday.

---

ESPN.com, 6:16:06 PM.

Los Angeles Dodgers slugger Manny Ramirez apologizes, but won't talk about steroids. Manny Ramirez has apologized to fans and his teammates. He's not talking about steroids, though.
#

India News, Latest News in India, Live News India, India Breaking News - Times of India, 6:16:04 PM.

UGC to introduce ╢Indian credit transfer systemâ•˙. In a move that promises to have a far-reaching effect on the movement of students from varsities in India and abroad, UGC has started the process of evolving an ╢Indian equivalence assessment and credit transfer systemâ•˙.
#

Close shave for Kerala CM as jet snag forces emergency landing. Over 136 passengers, including Kerala CM V S Achuthanandan, when an Indian Airlines flight from Thiruvananthapuram to New Delhi made an emergency landing at Nagpur airport after one of its engines failed.
#

Mount Abu declared eco-sensitive zone. Boating in Nakki Lake or enjoying the sunset point at Mount Abu is set to become more fun with the environment ministry declaring the hill station an eco-sensitive zone.
#

Roll back hiked school fee, rules Andhra panel. The Fee Regulatory Committee appointed by the Andhra govt has said that private urban schools can't charge more than Rs 24,000 per annum as tuition fee for Classes I-V and not more than Rs 30,000 for Classes VI-XII.
#

Suspecting evil spirits, in-laws brand woman. In yet another incident of crime against women, a married woman was tortured with hot iron and molten polythene by her in-laws, who accused her of being possessed by evil spirits.
#

Karnataka govt told to comply with HC on language issue. After a 15-year legal battle against English as medium of instruction in primary schools, Karnataka government on Friday was told in no uncertain terms to comply with the high court order.
#

Social sector, infrastructure may get major hike in general budget. The UPA government in its second innings is expected to enhance social sector and infrastructure spending in its budget for 2009-10, in line with its strategy to beat the impact of global economic downturn.
#

Coal linkages to 25 captive power plans spiked. The government on Friday spiked coal supply assurances ╉ called linkages in industry parlance ╉ of 25 captive power projects with a view to weeding out non-serious players and freeing up fuel for plants running short.
#

NYT > World, 6:16:03 PM.

Russia Opens Route for U.S. to Fly Arms to Afghanistan. The opening of the corridor is one of the most concrete achievements in the effort to rebuild strained U.S.-Russian relations.
#

Iran Cleric Says British Embassy Staff to Stand Trial. Iran's plan to put some British embassy staff members on trial could provoke a tightening of European sanctions.
#

Biden Warns Iraq About Reverting to Sectarian Violence. Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. said that the United States would not remain engaged in Iraq if the country reverts to sectarian violence.
#

Envoy for Honduran Crisis Arrives. As José Miguel Insulza of the Organization of American States, arrived in Tegucigalpa, thousands rallied for and against the president’s ouster.
#

The Saturday Profile: A Pentagon Trailblazer, Rethinking U.S. Defense. Michèle A. Flournoy, the Undersecretary of Defense for Policy, is considered the “brains” of the Pentagon building.
#

Neighbor’s Shadow Still Large in Slovakia. Slovakia still exudes uncertainty 16 years after its “velvet divorce” from the Czech Republic.
#

Israel and U.S. to Hold Second Meeting. The Israeli defense minister and the Obama administration’s Middle East envoy will confer for the second time in a week to pursue regional peace efforts, a senior Israeli official said.
#

U.N. Chief Meets With Myanmar Junta. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon arrived in Myanmar to lobby for the release of many political prisoners including the pro-democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.
#

Suspect Fit for Trial in Nazi Case, German Doctors Say. Doctors in Germany have determined that John Demjanjuk, a retired autoworker accused of being an Nazi extermination camp guard, is fit to stand trial.
#

U.S. Faces Resentment in Afghan Region. A new American military operation in southern Afghanistan may ignite further tensions among a weary population, officials warn.
#

In Tactical Shift, Troops Will Stay and Hold Ground in Afghanistan. Almost 4,000 Marines moved to clear Taliban fighters from the volatile Helmand River valley.
#

Russia’s Neighbors Resist Wooing and Bullying. Using carrots and sticks, Russia has tried to win over its ex-Soviet neighbors, but they often have other ideas.
#

Preparing for Trip to Russia, Obama Praises Putin’s Protégé, at Putin’s Expense. The president said that Vladimir V. Putin had “one foot” in the cold war, but that Dmitri A. Medvedev was ready to move on.
#

Yemenia Crash Stirs Calls for Stronger Watchdogs. Bahia Bakari arrived in Paris on Thursday for an emotional reunion with her father, just as the French media raised new concerns about air safety.
#

French Jet Hit Ocean Intact, Officials Say. The Air France jet that crashed into the Atlantic, killing all 228 people aboard, did not break up in the air but rather hit the water intact, investigators said.
#

In Iraq, Biden to Press Officials to Forge Progress. Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. began a two-day mission that he said was intended to “re-establish contact” with Iraqi leaders.
#

Documents Show Iraqi Dictator’s Fears. Newly released summaries of interrogations of the captured dictator show how much he miscalculated the risks he faced before the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
#

Envoy Prepares to Visit Honduras, Warning of Obstacles. The head of the Organization of American States said he was prepared to call for sanctions if he failed during a visit to the country.
#

Suspected Nazi Said Fit to Stand Trial. Doctors have determined that John Demjanjuk, suspected of having been a guard in a Nazi death camp, is fit to stand trial as an accessory to murder.
#

Pakistani Army Helicopter Crash Kills 26. ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — An Army helicopter crashed in a northwestern tribal area that is a Taliban stronghold, killing at least 26 Pakistani soldiers and paramilitary fighters.
#

Japanese Diplomat Elected U.N. Nuclear Chief. Depicted by experts as the candidate favored by the United States and other wealthy nations, Yukiya Amano favors a strict approach toward Iran.
#

Amnesty International Accuses Israel and Hamas of War Crimes in Gaza. Amnesty International accused both Israel and the militant Hamas movement that controls Gaza of war crimes during the three weeks of fighting earlier this year.
#

Activists Held by Israel for Trying to Break Gaza Blockade. Nineteen foreign activists of the pro-Palestinian Free Gaza Movement were being held in Israel awaiting deportation on Thursday, two days after the Israeli Navy seized control of their boat off Gaza.
#

Green Power Takes Root in the Chinese Desert. Beijing is steering a push toward wind and solar power, while the U.S. is just starting.
#

U.S. Soldier May Be Held by Taliban, Military Fears. A young American soldier who walked off his remote combat outpost in eastern Afghanistan is believed to be in the hands of the Taliban network headed by Sirajuddin Haqqani.
#

Bomber Strikes Government Bus in Pakistan. A suicide bomber riding a motorbike rammed into a government bus in Rawalpindi, police officials said, killing at least one person and injuring 28 others.
#

U.S. Shifts Strategy on Illicit Work by Immigrants. The White House is replacing workplace raids and roundups of workers by immigration authorities with a less confrontational approach to employers such as American Apparel.
#

North Korea Test-Fires 4 Short-Range Missiles. The launchings had been expected, as North Korea declared a no-sail zone last month in waters off its east coast through July 10.
#

Mexican Official Seeks Arrest of Day Care Center’s Owners. A month after a fire in a day-care center killed 48 children, Mexico’s attorney general is seeking the arrest of the nursery’s politically connected owners.
#

U.S. Says It Will Preserve Secret Jails for Terror Case. The government will agree to preserve the secret overseas sites where Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani, a defendant in a terror case involving the deaths of 224 people, was once held.
#

Europe Releases $1.7 Billion to Ailing Latvia. The European Commission said that it would unblock the funds to help the Baltic nation head off a collapse of its economy and maintain its currency link to the euro.
#

Indian Court Overturns Gay Sex Ban. In a ruling that could usher in an era of greater freedom for gays and lesbians in India, New Delhi’s highest court decriminalized homosexuality.
#

World Briefing | Africa: Congo: Rights Group Reports Attacks on Civilians. Human Rights Watch said Thursday that recent military operations in the Congo “have been a disaster for civilians, who are now being attacked from all sides.”
#

World Briefing | The Americas: U.S. to Donate Drug to Combat Swine Flu. The United States will donate 420,000 packets of the antiviral drug Tamiflu to the Pan-American Health Organization to help fight the swine flu pandemic in Latin America and the Caribbean.
#

In Naples, Ex-Convicts Keep a Close Eye on Tourists. After less than a month, a project that enlists ex-convicts to escort tourists through Neapolitan streets with seedy reputations has caused considerable problems for its supporters.
#

Head Scarf Emerges as Indonesia Political Symbol. The jilbab, the Islamic style of dress in which a woman covers her head and neck, has become an issue in Indonesia’s presidential campaign.
#

Lens: Dateline: Iraq. Moises Saman does not need a timetable to know that things have changed in Iraq since his last rotation there a year ago as a photographer for The New York Times.
#

Letter from India: Journey to India Is Inside the Mind. As Anand Giridharada prepares to depart India, his mind goes back to his earliest pictures of the country.
#

India News, Latest News in India, Live News India, India Breaking News - Times of India, 5:15:41 PM.

Message in fineprint: Rail mantri is not anti-industry. Mamata Banerjee has tried for an image makeover through the budget. Apart from showering bounties on West Bengal, she has packed her budget speech with new infrastructure and industry proposals.
#

Rail ministry: A milch cow that feeds votebank. Railway ministers, through the decades, have used the ministry to favour their states and people of their constituencies. A glance at the railway budgets.
#

Mamata effects major changes in Tatkal. Former railway minister Lalu Prasad's Tatkal scheme was sent for a toss in the railway budget as his successor announced major changes in the scheme on popular demand.
#

Congress gives a thumbs-up while Left strains to find fault. Congress on Friday sung praises of Mamata Banerjee's railway budget terming it as a major step to extend the benefits of development to the underprivileged while the CPM struggled to find fault.
#

Cong takes rail route for its Bihar plan. Congress on Friday rode on Mamata Banerjee's Railway Budget to convey that the split with Lalu Prasad was for good, triggering anticipation among the partymen that it was a strategic move in its Project Bihar.
#

I have catered to every state, not just Bengal: Mamata. The media rush to snatch an exclusive pose or a byte seemed to grow more by the hour, once Mamata Banerjee had finished her budget speech and stepped out of the House.
#

Non-stop Didigiri in House. She walked into the LS nervously clutching a blue bag and walked out an hour later to thumping desks, appreciation from the PM and an affectionate pat on the back from finance minister Pranab Mukherjee.
#

Like Lalu, Mamata too favours home state. While Mamata too has followed the principle of political exigency, just like Lalu, in framing the budget, it's what they have done in their respective home state which probably deserves special attention.
#

Mamata continues tradition of populism. If her predecessor Lalu Prasad produced populist rail budgets, Mamata Banerjee has fared only marginally better.
#

ESPN.com, 5:15:38 PM.

NASCAR questions point of Jeremy Mayfield injunction. NASCAR officials on Thursday questioned the motive behind Jeremy Mayfield seeking a temporary injunction so he could compete this weekend at Daytona International Speedway.
#

India News, Latest News in India, Live News India, India Breaking News - Times of India, 4:15:25 PM.

In virtual fair, download 2.5M books for free. Over 2.5 million books will be available for free at a virtual book fair ╉ the fourth eBook Fair sponsored by a number of e-libraries including Project Gutenberg, The World Public Library and Internet Archive.
#

Gays could make a vote bank. Going by estimates in other parts of the world, gays in the country could be anywhere between 2% and 13% of the total population, which works out 20 million to 130 million.
#

Homosexuality immoral, but not criminal: Religious leaders. While most conservative scholars and clerics remain opposed to homosexuality as an article of faith, many say that they arenâ•˙t advocating making it a criminal act as Section 377 of IPC did.
#

Has H1N1 virus mutated? Man on Tamiflu tests +ve. The case of a 29-year-old, who continued to remain H1N1 +ve even after 2 week of treatment, has doctors and health department officials in a tizzy.
#

Didiâ•˙s Big Bong Budget. Mamata Banerjee spent the first couple of minutes of her first Budget speech as rail mantri in the UPA government vehemently arguing that railway projects should be judged on social rather than economic viability.
#

Govt plans green tribunal to hear environment cases. In a move to reduce the burden on judiciary as well as address the increasing number of environment-related litigation, the govt has proposed to set up a National Green Tribunal along with benches in different regions.
#

Army inducts DRDO-developed NBC recce vehicle. The Army has inducted a nuclear-biological-chemical reconnaissance vehicle, developed by DRDO, in keeping with its aim to be prepared to counter the threats posed by hostile armies or terrorists.
#

PC, Moily, Azad seek legal view on gay verdict. A day after the Delhi High Court decriminalized homosexuality, the government sought legal opinion on the landmark verdict.
#

ESPN.com, 4:15:17 PM.

Solid Burnett guides Yankees to eighth win in 9. A.J. Burnett scattered six hits over seven innings, Robinson Cano and Alex Rodriguez homered, and the Yankees opened the long holiday weekend with a 4-2 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday.
#

British soccer star Owen signs with Man United.
#

The Daily Star > Local News, 3:15:56 PM.

Purse-snatchers prey on women in tourist districts. "I was shouting, screaming and extremely struggling with this stranger's arms squeezing my head, and his hands covering my mouth while he was trying to snatch my bag." Though this statement may sound like the climax of a movie script, it was made by an expatriate who was violently mugged in Gemmayzeh. By Cagil Kasapoglu.
#

Lebanon illiteracy report shows alarming urban-rural divide. If by naming Beirut as the 2009 World Book Capital the United Nations wishes to encourage the Lebanese to study more, its latest report should be a must-read. Lebanon's fourth National Human Development Report (NHDR), "Towards a Citizen's State," highlights a worrying discrepancy in adult reading rates between urban and rural regions. By Patrick Galey.
#