Mamnoon Hussain wins Pakistan president election - Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Agra-born Mamnoon Hussain, the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz's nominee, won the country's presidential election with a huge margin on Tuesday securing 432 votes against his rival's 77. Hussain, 73, will take oath as the 12th president of Pakistan on August 9, a day after President Asif Ali Zardari's five-year term in office gets over.

Soon after the election commission announced the election results, Hussain resigned from the membership of PML-N, a move seen as symbolic on his part to establish himself as a neutral president.

Took a month to plan jail attack, spent Rs 1 crore: Pak Taliban - Pakistan

PESHAWAR: A day after the Taliban freed over 250 prisoners from a high-security Pakistani prison, a top commander of the terror outfit has said they took a month to plan the assault and spent Rs one crore to execute it with military-like precision.

The Taliban gunmen launched their attack on Central Prison in Dera Ismail Khan of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering the restive South Waziristan agency on Tuesday around midnight with a series of heavy explosions before firing rocket propelled grenades and machine guns.

WikiLeaks denounces 'dangerous' Manning verdict - USA

LONDON: WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange branded Bradley Manning's espionage conviction on Tuesday an episode of "national security extremism" while other supporters expressed relief that he was acquitted of the most serious charge.

Among Manning's critics, House of Representatives intelligence officials said justice was served.

Obama asks Republican Senators McCain, Graham to visit Egypt - USA

WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama has asked two senior Republican senators to travel to Egypt to meet with its military leaders and the opposition, as Cairo's allies struggle with how to address the turmoil convulsing the country.

Senator John McCain and Lindsey Graham, both members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, hope to travel to Egypt next week, Graham said on Tuesday.

US to declassify documents on spy programmes, surveillance court - USA

WASHINGTON: US spy agencies plan to release newly declassified documents as early as this week about the National Security Agency surveillance programmes revealed by former contractor Edward Snowden, and also material related to a secret intelligence court, a US intelligence official said on Tuesday.

The declassified documents were intended to provide the public more information about the programmes as part of a commitment by Director of National Intelligence James Clapper for greater transparency, the official told Reuters on condition of anonymity.

Barack Obama revives tax plan in bid for fiscal 'bargain' - USA

CHATTANOOGA, UNITED STATES: US President Barack Obama on Tuesday offered to lower corporate tax rates in exchange for simplifying a code "riddled with loopholes," in a renewed bid to strike a fiscal deal with rival Republicans.

The reheated tax reform plan, first proposed by Obama and rejected by Republicans in 2011, is part of an attempt by the president to create a "better bargain" for the middle class in a second term thus far marked by few accomplishments.

India, Pakistan fear 'surplus terrorism' after Afghan pullout: US - USA

WASHINGTON: India and Pakistan fear that any instability in the war-torn Afghanistan following the withdrawal of US troops could result in "surplus terrorism" in both the countries, a top US official has said.

At the same time he said that the US believes both India and Pakistan will play significant roles in Afghanistan in the coming years.

US economic growth likely weakened in Q2 - USA

WASHINGTON: A report on Wednesday is expected to show the US economy barely grew from April through June. But economists are hopeful that the weak second quarter is a temporary lull that gives way to stronger growth in the second half of the year.

Tax increases and steep government spending cuts probably did their worst damage to the economy in the second quarter. As their impact fades, solid job gains, more business spending and a steady recovery in housing should help accelerate growth.

Snowden's father says willing to fly to Moscow on FBI request - USA

MOSCOW: The father of former US spy agency contractor Edward Snowden said on Wednesday he was willing to agree to a request by the FBI to fly to Moscow to see his son, but first needed to know what the security services wanted.

Lonnie Snowden told state-owned Russian 24 television the FBI had suggested a "few weeks ago" that he should travel to Moscow to talk to his son, who faces espionage charges in the United States for exposing secret US surveillance programmes.

Edward Snowden's father thankful to Putin - USA

MOSCOW: The father of National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden says on Russian television that he is grateful to the Kremlin for protecting his son.

Speaking on state Rossiya 24 television in remarks broadcast Wednesday, Lon Snowden of Allentown, Pennsylvania, thanked President Vladimir Putin and his government for the "courage" they have shown in keeping his son safe.

US President Barack Obama calls for economic reforms, wary of India and China - USA

WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama has called for economic reforms in US saying that not doing so would mean waving the white flag to the rest of the world especially to emerging countries like India and China.

"If we don't make these investments and these reforms, then we might be waving the white flag to the rest of the world, because they're moving forward. They're not slowing down," Obama said.

Man abandoned in US jail for five days wins $4.1m - USA

LOS ANGELES: A man forgotten for five days in a US jail without food or water has won a $4.1 million (3.1 million euro) settlement from the US government, news reports said on Wednesday.

Daniel Chong, 25, survived by drinking his own urine, after his jailers from the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) forgot that he was being held in their facility.

Vandalism of California gurdwara attracts widespread condemnation - USA

AMRITSAR: The incident of the word 'terrist' being spray painted twice on the wall of Jurupa Valley Sikh gurdwara in US has attracted widespread condemnation. The Sikh leadership has not only urged the US administration to deal with such incidents — which they termed as hate crime — with an iron hand, but have also called for an awareness campaign about the distinct identity of Sikhs across the US.

American GurdwaraParbandhak Committee (AGPC) coordinator, Pritpal Singh, while talking to TOI over phone from the US, said that some unidentified vandals had spray painted the word 'terrist' on the wall that surrounds the gurdwara in Jurupa Valley. "It is a very unfortunate incident. We are in touch with the federal authorities through American Sikh Congressional Caucus and hope that the culprits would soon be put behind bars," he said.

Leaked documents give new insight into NSA's searches - USA

LONDON: Documents published by the Guardian are providing new insight into how the US National Security Agency scours the world's data, giving readers an over-the-shoulder look at the way in which American intelligence analysts exploit the hundreds of billions of records they gather each year.

Dozens of slides published by the newspaper divulge details about XKeyscore, one of a family of NSA programs of which leaker Edward Snowden says has given America the ability to spy on "the vast majority of human communications."

At least 10 dead as record heatwave hits Shanghai - China

SHANGHAI: More than 10 people have died in China's commercial hub Shanghai, a local health official said Wednesday as the city grapples with its highest temperatures in at least 140 years.

Much of China is in the grip of a summer heatwave, and the China Meteorological Association issued a high temperature warning for several eastern and central provinces, saying temperatures could reach 41 degrees Celsius (106 Fahrenheit) on Wednesday.

China launches urgent emergency response to heat waves - China

BEIJING: High temperatures running over 35 degrees Celsius brought in by summer heat waves sweeping the country has prompted China Meteorological Administration to issue a level-two emergency response for the first time.

The level-two emergency response covers provinces including east China's Anhui, Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Jiangxi, central China's Hunan and Hubei, south China's Fujian, and Shanghai and Chongqing municipalities.

German industrialist Berthold Beitz dies at 99 - Europe

BERLIN: Berthold Beitz, who was honored for saving hundreds of Jews in occupied Poland during World War II and became one of post-war West Germany's leading industrialists, has died at 99.

Steelmaker ThyssenKrupp AG, where he was the honorary chairman of the supervisory board, announced Beitz's death on Wednesday. It said in a statement that he died Tuesday and gave no further details.

Third British soldier dies in trying for elite unit - UK

LONDON, England: A third British soldier taken ill earlier this month during a gruelling training exercise for entry into the elite SAS unit has died, the ministry of defence (MoD) said on Tuesday.

The two other soldiers, Edward Maher, 31, and Craig Roberts, 24, died after temperatures reached 29.5C during the training exercise on July 13 in the Brecon Beacons mountain range in south Wales.

Stolen £1.2m Stradivarius found after three years - UK

LONDON: A three-year-long investigation has helped the British transport police recover a 300-year-old Stradivarius violin belonging to internationally acclaimed violinist Min Jin Kym.

The £1.2 million 1696 Stradivarius was stolen from its owner's side at London's Euston station in November 2010.

UK court rules against euthanasia - UK

LONDON: A British appeals court upheld a law against euthanasia in rejecting appeals from two severely disabled men who argued that doctors should be allowed to legally kill them.

The two men - one of whom died of pneumonia last year - claimed their right to "private and family life" as guaranteed by the European Convention on Human Rights was being violated since they were not allowed to choose how and when they wanted to die.

Rowling accepts apology and charitable donation for identity revelation - UK

LONDON: Author JK Rowling accepted an apology and a charitable donation on Wednesday from a law firm which revealed she wrote a crime novel under a pseudonym.

The " Harry Potter" author was exposed by a newspaper on July 14 as the author of "The Cuckoo's Calling," a thriller ostensibly written by former soldier and first-time novelist Robert Galbraith.

UK 'open' to better relations with Iran - UK

LONDON: Foreign secretary William Hague says Britain is open to better relations with Iran on a "step-by-step" basis and he is willing to meet with Tehran's foreign minister.

The Foreign Office says Hague stressed the need for "urgent progress" to resolve the West's concerns about Iran's nuclear program in a phone call with foreign minister Ali Akbar Salehi.

Pentagon: Afghanistan's military will need help beyond 2014 - South Asia

WASHINGTON: Afghanistan's military is growing stronger but will require "substantial" additional training and foreign financial aid after the American and NATO combat mission ends next year, the Pentagon told Congress on Tuesday.

The Pentagon's assertion comes amid debate about the White House's reluctance to announce how many — if any — US forces should remain in Afghanistan beyond 2014 to help Afghan forces hold off the Taliban.

Now, teeth grown from urine

WASHINGTON: Researchers from China have grown rudimentary teeth out of human urine.

The team at the Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health used urine as the starting point.

Militants launch major attack on prison in northwest Pakistan - Pakistan

DERA ISMAIL KHAN (Pakistan): Militants disguised as police and armed with bombs and guns attacked a prison in northwest Pakistan holding 40 "high profile" inmates on Monday night in an apparent attempt to free their colleagues, officials said.

The attack in the town of Dera Ismail Khan began around midnight with a huge explosion, said intelligence officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to reporters. The militants then detonated a series of smaller bombs to destroy the prison's boundary wall.

Drone raid kills 8, Pakistan sees red - Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: At least eight suspected militants were killed in a US drone attack in Pakistan's restive north-western tribal region, sparking a strong protest from the government on Monday, just two days ahead of Secretary of State John Kerry's visit.

The drones struck shortly after sunset on Sunday in Shawal area of North Waziristan Agency. Local residents said two missiles struck a three-room structure where several militants were having their Iftar meal after the Ramzan fast.

Taliban launch major attack on Pakistani prison, free 300 inmates - Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Taliban disguised as policemen attacked a prison in the country's northwestern town of Dera Ismail Khan, freeing more than 300 prisoners late on Monday.

The jail officials said that several of the prisoners, four security personnel and two assailants were killed in the attack. The prison was housing at least 5000 prisoners, 250 of them hardcore militants.

Pakistani lawmakers vote for new president - Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Polling started on Tuesday in Pakistan's National Assembly and four other provincial centres to elect a new president who will replace incumbent Asif Ali Zardari in September.

The polling started at 10am amidst strict security arrangements at the National Assembly, the four provincial assemblies and the Senate.

India-born Mamnoon Hussain elected as Pakistan's 12th president - Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: India-born Mamnoon Hussain, a close aide of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, was on Tuesday elected as the 12th President of Pakistan and will replace incumbent Asif Ali Zardari in September.

Hussain emerged as a clear winner in the one-sided contest with ex-judge Wajihuddin Ahmad of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf party, state media reported.

Woman arrested over paint attacks on Washington DC landmarks - USA

WASHINGTON, DC: US police arrested a female suspect on Monday after three iconic Washington landmarks, including the Lincoln Memorial, were vandalized with green paint.

A spokeswoman for the US capital's Metropolitan Police department confirmed the woman's arrest to AFP, but gave no other details.

US Senate approves James Comey as new FBI director - USA

WASHINGTON: The US Senate overwhelmingly confirmed James Comey on Monday to become FBI director, elevating the one-time justice department official who defied efforts by President George W Bush's White House to renew a program that allowed warrantless eavesdropping.

Comey was approved 93-1 after one of the Senate's leading conservatives abruptly ended delaying tactics that had blocked a vote on the nomination. Sen Rand Paul, mentioned as a possible 2016 Republican presidential candidate, had been thwarting the vote over his concerns about the FBI's domestic use of drones.

Explosions rock propane plant in central Florida - USA

ORLANDO: A series of explosions rocked a propane gas plant in central Florida, northwest of Orlando, on Monday night, an emergency dispatch official said, and local media reported that homeowners living within a mile of the facility were being evacuated.

There was no immediate word on whether anyone had been injured or killed in the blasts, which began at about 11pm EDT in the town of Tavares, Florida, the Lake County dispatcher told Reuters.

Explosions at US gas plant, all workers safe - USA

TAVARES, FLORIDA: All workers at a Florida gas plant rocked by a series of explosions have been accounted for after as many as 15 were initially feared killed, authorities say.

John Herrell of the Lake County Sheriff's Office said early on Tuesday that all the workers at the Blue Rhino propane plant had been accounted for and that no fatalities had been reported after explosions hit the plant late Monday night. Seven people were injured and transported to local hospitals.

US returns stolen Saddam Hussein sword to Iraq - USA

WASHINGTON: A gold-laden sword looted from ousted Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein's personal office in the aftermath of the US invasion of Iraq has been returned to Iraqi authorities.

The Homeland Security Department yesterday returned the 43-inch sword with an embellished blade and sheath with gold inlaid Arabic writing to the Iraqi ambassador.

Child prostitution a "persistent threat" in US, FBI says - USA

WASHINGTON: The FBI declared that child prostitution is a "persistent threat" in the US as the agency announced that authorities had rescued 105 young people and arrested 150 alleged pimps in a three-day sweep in 76 cities.

The agency said it had been monitoring Backpage.com and other websites as a prominent online marketplace for sex for sale. Backpage.com said that it was "very, very pleased" by the raids and that if the website were shut down to the advertisements, the ads would be pushed to sites that wouldn't cooperate with law enforcement.

Massive explosions rock central Florida gas plant - USA

TAVARES (Florida): A series of explosions rocked a central Florida propane gas plant and sent "boom after boom after boom" through the neighborhood around it. Eight people were injured, with at least three in critical condition.

John Herrell of the Lake County Sheriff's Office said early on Tuesday there were no fatalities despite massive blasts that ripped through the Blue Rhino propane plant late Monday night. Officials initially scrambled to find more than a dozen employees after the explosions.

John Kerry's mystery trip to Pakistan in offing - USA

WASHINGTON: US Secretary of State John Kerry may visit Pakistan this week -- or he may not. Or he may not visit but say he will. Or he may visit and wish he had not. Or wish he did, but may not. It's all a part of the comical/farcical engagement between Washington and Islamabad that has plumbed ludicrous levels.

High-level US visits to Pakistan are a high-wire act, involving not just diplomatic sensitivities between the two sides that are at war in all but formal declaration, but also deep security concerns for visiting VIPs. Between bomb blasts, prison breaks, natural disasters, the ritual killing of minorities, and Pakistan's own foreign engagement priorities (where China and Saudi Arabia rank at 1 and 2), it's tough to get a clear window in which the US can engage Pakistan.

US soldier awaits judge's verdict in WikiLeaks case - USA

FORT MEADE (MD): A military judge is due to announce her verdict on Tuesday in the case of US soldier Bradley Manning, who faces life in prison without parole if found guilty of aiding the enemy in releasing 700,000 classified documents, including battlefield reports, to the website WikiLeaks.

Army Private First Class Manning, 25, is accused of the largest leak of classified information in United States history. The US government has pushed for the maximum penalty for what it views as a serious breach of national security, while anti-secrecy activists have praised the action as shining a light on shadowy US operations abroad.

Bradley Manning guilty of espionage in Wikileaks case - USA

FORT MEADE: US Army Private Bradley Manning was acquitted of aiding the enemy — the most serious charge he faced — but was convicted of espionage, theft and other charges on Tuesday, more than three years after he spilled secrets to WikiLeaks.

The judge, Army Col. Denise Lind, deliberated for about 16 hours over three days before reaching her decision in a case that drew worldwide attention as supporters hailed Manning as a whistleblower. The US government called him an anarchist computer hacker and attention-seeking traitor.

China's PLA to add diplomacy to its repertoire - China

QINGDAO, China: The powerful PLA is stepping out to add diplomacy to its repertoire. Just this month, the PLA Navy's North Sea Fleet, based in Qingdao, Shandong province sent destroyers and frigates to sail around the Japanese archipelago in a show of strength. Almost at the same time, the same Navy was conducting the biggest ever joint exercises with Russia in the Sea of Japan as a response to US-Japan navy drills.

Last week, speaking to Indian journalists, the brass of the North Sea Fleet offered to cooperate with Indian navy to work on joint escort missions in the Gulf of Aden. "We have a good understanding of how the Indian navy works," said Rear Admiral Wang Ling. Wang stated the Chinese military presence in the South China Sea was "normal" but that the territorial disputes should be resolved through bilateral diplomacy. On Japan, there was no-holds-barred hostility, "the Diaoyu islands (Japan calls them Senkaku) belong to China and Japan is responsible for the tensions there," he said.

Apple in labour abuse row in China - China

BEIJING: Three Chinese factories making Apple products impose excessive overtime and employ minors, a US-based advocacy group said today, in the latest allegations of labour violations against the US tech giant's suppliers.

The iPhone and iPad maker has faced pressure to better oversee often-poor manufacturing conditions in China since 13 workers for one of its suppliers committed suicide in 2010.

Gas pipeline links China and Myanmar - China

BEIJING: The first phase of the Myanmar-China gas pipeline became operational on Monday with China expecting 12 billion cubic meters of natural gas from its neighbor every year.

This will pave the way for a more important oil pipeline project that will enabled China to move crude from West Asia from the Indian Ocean through Myanmar.

China's Communists warn cadres: No wine at lunch - China

BEIJING: Lavish weddings, fancy holidays and lunchtime wine on the public dime were among transgressions detailed on Tuesday that led China's ruling Communist Party to discipline 2,290 officials so far this year in a frugality campaign aimed at addressing public anger.

The party's disciplinary arm, quoted in official state media, provided eight examples of such breaches, including a party chief in a township in Hebei who was stripped of his post for holding an extravagant wedding for his daughter and receiving around 1 million yuan ($163,000) in cash and gifts.

Swiss train crash kills driver, injures 35: Police - Europe

GRANGES-PRES-MARNAND (SWITZERLAND): Two trains collided head-on in western Switzerland, killing one of the drivers and injuring 35 passengers, at least five of them seriously, police have said. 

The accident happened on Monday in Granges-pres-Marnand shortly before 7pm (2230 IST), according to regional police. 

Ireland president signs first Irish abortion bill into law - Europe

DUBLIN - Ireland's head of state has signed the country's first bill on abortion into law, legalizing the practice in exceptional cases where doctors deem a woman's life at risk.

President Michael D. Higgins surprised some analysts on Tuesday by signing the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill rather than referring it to Ireland's Supreme Court to determine its constitutionality.

Italy's top court begins crucial Berlusconi case hearing - Europe

ROME: Italy's supreme court heard on Tuesday Silvio Berlusconi's last appeal against a jail sentence and ban from public office for tax fraud in a case which could threaten the survival of the shaky coalition government.
If five top judges hand down the first definitive conviction to the four-times prime minister in dozens of court cases against him, it will mark the end of two decades in which he has dominated politics through his media power and political skill.

Spain train crash: Conductor was on phone when it derailed - Europe

MADRID: A Spanish court says "black box" data recorders show that a train conductor was on the phone and traveling at 95 mph (153 kph), almost twice the speed limit, when the vehicle derailed, killing 79 people.

Investigators say the train had been going as fast as 119 mph (192 kph) shortly before the derailment and that the conductor activated the brakes "seconds before the crash."

Train driver was on phone: Spain investigators - Europe

MADRID: Two "black box" data recorders show that a train driver was on the phone and traveling at 95 mph (153 kph), almost twice the speed limit, when the vehicle derailed last week, killing 79 people, a Spanish court investigating the crash said in preliminary findings Tuesday.

The train had been going as fast as 119 mph (192 kph) shortly before the derailment, and the driver activated the brakes "seconds before the crash," according to a written statement from the court in Santiago de Compostela, which is near where the disaster happened. The speed limit on the section of track was 80-kph (50-mph).

UK school bans skirts for girls as young as 9 - UK

LONDON: A UK school has banned skirts for girls as young as nine citing concerns over shrinking hemlines and the pupils appearing very "unladylike".

Girls from Walkwood Church of England Middle School in Redditch, Worcestershire, have been told to wear trousers from September amid concerns over shrinking hemlines.

Most testicular cancer cases can be cured - UK

LONDON: Successful treatment of testicular cancer has now become a reality with 96% men suffering from the disease getting completely cured. Survival for testicular cancer has risen by almost 30% in the last 40 years in UK, with nearly all men now beating the disease , according to the Cancer Research UK.

British police investigate Twitter threats to MP - UK

LONDON: British police said on Tuesday they were investigating violent and sexually explicit Twitter postings directed at a lawmaker in a growing row over threats to women on the social network.

Stella Creasy, an MP with the opposition Labour party, faced a stream of abuse after supporting a feminist activist who was targeted for campaigning for an image of novelist Jane Austen to appear on bank notes.

Fire brigade to handcuffs users: Don't get stuck

LONDON: London firefighters say they have freed hundreds of people with body parts trapped in household objects in the last three years, including 18 children with heads stuck in potties or toilet seats and 79 people trapped in handcuffs.

The London Fire Brigade speculated that the popularity of erotic novel " Fifty Shades of Grey" may account for a rise in handcuffs-related emergencies.

Accident saved me from assassination bid: Imran Khan - Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's former cricket captain and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf party leader Imran Khan has said the fall from a forklift during an election rally on May 7 saved him from a planned assassination attempt the next day.

"I had been told I was number one on the terrorist hit list, although who the terrorists would be was anybody's guess," Khan said in an article published in the British newspaper 'The Daily Mail' .

Seven killed in US drone strike in northwest Pakistan - Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Seven suspected militants were killed and three others wounded when a US drone fired two missiles at a compound in Pakistan's northwestern tribal region, triggering strong condemnation from Islamabad.

The attack took place just before sunset yesterday in a village in Shawal area, some 50 kilometres west of Miranshah, the main town of restive North Waziristan, a stronghold of Taliban militants along the Afghan border.

Five dead, including child, in US helicopter crash - USA

NOXEN (US): A helicopter crash in a rugged, wooded area of Pennsylvania claimed the lives of five people, including one child, officials have said.

The crash happened on Saturday night after the pilot told air traffic controllers he was losing altitude, according to the county coroner.

'Simpsons' co-creator Sam Simon donates fortune - USA

LOS ANGELES: Sam Simon, the terminally ill co-creator of iconic animated series 'The Simpsons', is giving away most of his fortune to various causes.

Simon, 58, is battling colon cancer and is currently undergoing chemotherapy.

Deliberations continue in WikiLeaks court-martial - USA

FORT MEADE, Maryland: A military judge continues deliberating in the court-martial of an Army private charged with aiding the enemy for giving U.S. secrets to WikiLeaks.

Col. Denise Lind is beginning her third day of deliberations in the trial of Pfc. Bradley Manning at Fort Meade. Manning faces a possible life sentence if convicted of the charge.

Obama urges 'good faith' in Israel-Palestinian talks - USA

WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama welcomed the imminent start of renewed peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians on Monday, but urged both sides to approach them with honesty.

Verdict in Bradley Manning Wikileaks case to be read on Tuesday - USA

FORT MEADE, Maryland: The judge in the court martial of Army Private First Class Manning Bradley, accused of spilling secrets to Wikileaks, said the verdict will be read on Tuesday.

IMF approves $2.29 billion payment for Greece - USA

WASHINGTON:The International Monetary Fund has approved a further $2.29 billion payment to Greece as the latest installment of a bailout programme.

The IMF said its executive board on completed on Monday its fourth review of Greece's performance under an economic program it must follow to qualify for the loans.

Chinese rock band singer arrested for threat post on microblog - China

BEIJING: A female singer of a rock band in China was arrested after she posted a message in her microblog website threatening to blow up government offices, apparently to vent her anger against authorities.

Wu Hongfei a lead singer of rock band "Happy Avenue", was taken into custody on suspicion of "fabricating fake terrorism information", a crime that carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, official media here reported.

China starts receiving gas from Myanmar through pipeline - China

BEIJING: Energy-hungry China has started receiving natural gas from Myanmar through an 870km-long strategic cross-border pipeline co-invested by four countries, including India.

The multi-billion dollar pipeline, which was inaugurated in northern Myanmar's Mandalay yesterday, will ship natural gas and petroleum all the way from the coastal port in Myanmar to China's southwest Yunnan Province.

At least 24 dead after coach plunges off viaduct in Italy - Europe

ROME: At least 24 people died on Sunday after a coach plunged more than 15 metres off a viaduct in southern Italy, a spokesman for the fire service said.

Eleven people have been pulled out alive from the stricken coach and taken to hospital, some with serious injuries, the spokesman said.

Jewel thief steals gems worth $53m in Cannes at gunpoint - Europe

PARIS: A staggering 40 million ($53 million) worth of diamonds and other jewels were stolen on Sunday from the Carlton Intercontinental Hotel in Cannes, in one of Europe's biggest jewellery heists in recent years, police said.

The hotel in the sweltering French Riviera was hosting a temporary jewellery exhibit over the summer from the prestigious Leviev diamond house, which is owned by Israeli billionaire Lev Leviev.

If convicted, Berlo wants jail, no leniency - Europe

ROME: Italy's Silvio Berlusconi will do time behind bars if found definitively guilty of tax fraud, rather than take advantage of lenient punishment for the over 70s, he said in an interview published on Sunday.

"I will not go into exile. Nor will I accept being entrusted to social services, like a criminal who has to be reeducated ," the former premier said in an interview in Libero daily, in reference to an upcoming ruling by a top court on his appeal against a guilty tax trial verdict.

Spanish train crash driver charged provisionally - Europe

SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA (Spain): The driver of a Spanish train that derailed at high speed killing 79 people was provisionally charged Sunday with multiple cases of negligent homicide.

A court statement said investigative magistrate Luis Alaez released Francisco Jose Garzon Amo without bail.

Italy coach crash kills at least 37, says photographer at scene - Europe

AVELLINO: Thirty seven people died after a coach came off a flyover and plunged 30 metres (98 feet) down a slope in southern Italy Sunday, a photographer at the scene said.

"Looking down from the overpass, the scene of the tragedy: some 37 bodies covered by white sheets, lined up along the roadside," said Cesare Abbate of Italy's ANSA news agency.

Bus crash in Italy kills 37 people - Europe

ROME: A tour bus filled with Italians plunged off a highway and fell into a ravine in southern Italy on Sunday night killing at least 37 people, police and rescuers said.

Reports said as many as 49 people had been aboard the bus when it ripped through a guardrail after slamming into cars slowed down by traffic, then plunged some 30 metres (100 feet) off the highway and into a ravine near a wooded area. In its plunge, the bus tore away whole sections of concrete barriers as well as guardrail. The concrete lay in large chunks in a clearing in a wooded area where the bus landed. State radio quoted Avellino police as saying the bus driver was among the dead.

Spanish train driver charged with 79 counts of homicide - Europe

SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA: The driver of a Spanish high-speed train that derailed was charged with 79 counts of homicide and released pending trial, after appearing before a judge on Sunday evening.

Francisco Garzon, 52, had been under arrest since Thursday, a day after the worst train crash in Spain in decades. He is suspected of driving the train too fast through a tight curve on the outskirts of the northwestern Spanish city of Santiago de Compostela.

Pope Francis says gays must not be judged or marginalized - Europe

ROME: Pope Francis, in some of the most compassionate words from any pontiff on gays, said they should not be judged or marginalised and should be integrated into society, but he reaffirmed Church teaching that homosexual acts are a sin.

In a broad-ranging 80-minute conversation with journalists on the plane bringing him back from a week-long visit to Brazil, Francis also said the Roman Catholic Church's ban on women priests was definitive, although he would like them to have more leadership roles in administration and pastoral activities.

Cannes jewellery heist 'worth about $136 million' - Europe

CANNES, France/Alpes-Maritimes: A spectacular diamond heist in the French resort of Cannes has been valued at $136 million (103 million euros), prosecutors said Monday, making it one of the world's biggest jewellery thefts.

Authorities had initially estimated the robbery - which took place in the luxury Carlton Hotel on Sunday in broad daylight - was worth around 40 million euros.

'Nothing new' for Russia in Snowden's leaks: Official - Europe

MOSCOW: US fugitive Edward Snowden's leaks regarding intelligence surveillance programmes in the world showed Russia "nothing new", but hastened its drive to ensure cyber-security, deputy prime minister Dmitry Rogozin said on Monday.

"Our technology experts didn't hear anything unexpected, it's just the naked truth that we already knew from other sources," Rogozin told journalists regarding the leaks made by the ex-National Security Agency contractor, who is awaiting the result of his Russian asylum application in a Moscow airport.

Death toll in France rail crash rises to seven - Europe

PARIS, France: A woman who was seriously injured in a train derailment in France over two weeks ago has died, bringing the death toll from the accident to seven, a source close to the case said on Monday.

The 67-year-old woman had been in critical condition since the accident on July 12 at the Bretigny-sur-Orge station, about 25 kilometres (15 miles) south of Paris.

UK man arrested after rape threats on Twitter - UK

LONDON: British police on Sunday arrested a man in connection with online threats made toward a feminist campaigner, a case which has ignited calls for social media platforms to institute stronger protections against verbal abuse.

Caroline Criado-Perez says she has been facing a deluge of abuse — including threats to rape and kill her — over Twitter during the past several days. She said the threats started after her campaign to get a woman's picture on a UK bank note succeeded and resulted in the Bank of England's announcement last week that author Jane Austen will feature on England's new 10-pound notes.

Briton survives for 2 years without heart - UK

LONDON: A British man has set a record after he lived without a heart for two years — surviving with the help of an external blood pump.

Matthew Green, 42, received a donor heart early last month having lived for two years with an external blood pump after the removal of his own fatally diseased organ. The heart transplant was carried out at Papworth Hospital. Green remains in hospital but doctors are hopeful he will be able to return home soon, 'The Sunday Times' reported.

Doctors offered to let me die, reveals Hawking - UK

LONDON: Stephen Hawking has revealed for the first time a near death experience where his wife was given the option of switching off his life-support machine. The world renowned physicist has told The Sunday times the experience in 1985 when he was writing 'A Brief History of Time'.

Hawking (71) said, "I contracted a chest infection in Switzerland that turned into pneumonia. It was very serious and I was put into a druginduced coma and then on a life-support machine. The doctors thought I was so far gone that they offered Jane (his first wife) the option to turn off the machine."

UK still working on visa bonds - UK

LONDON: Britain's controversial £3,000 visa bond scheme proposed for visitors from certain "highrisk" countries, including India, could take weeks to finalize after a high-level meeting here last week, officials said.

The UK home office has proposed a pilot scheme to tackle visa dodgers by issuing the hefty refundable financial bonds to "tightly targeted" tourists.

Britain confirms £3,000 cash bond for visas for visitors from India, 5 other countries - UK

LAGOS, NIGERIA: The British Home Office confirms it will demand a £3,000 ($4,350) refundable bond for visas for "high-risk" visitors from six former colonies in Africa and Asia.

A statement on Monday says Britain will go ahead with the pilot scheme which has caused outrage, charges of discrimination and warnings of retaliation and that the move will hurt trade.

Who will succeed Kayani? Sharif treads with caution - Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: The million-dollar question that Pakistan's corridors of power are buzzing with is who will succeed general Ashfaq Pervez Kayani once his six-year tenure as the army chief ends in November.

It might be a tough issue for Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to resolve. After all, the last time he was in harness, in 1998, and hand-picked Pervez Musharraf to head the army, the general first plotted the Kargil misadventure derailing the India-Pakistan peace dialogue and then engineered a coup against Sharif himself, whom he then had thrown behind the bars of the 16th century Attock Fort in October 1999.

Militants raid Gwadar port in Pakistan, 10 killed - Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: At least 10 security personnel were killed and seven injured in a pre-dawn attack on a check post of coast guards near the port city of Gwadar in Pakistan's south-western Balochistan province on Saturday.

Akbar Hussain Durrani, Balochistan's home secretary, said the incident happened at 3:00 am in Kuladan area of Gwadar district, 63 km from the Pak-Iran border.

Gunman in Florida stand-off lived in building: Police - USA

HIALEAH (Florida): A man set fire to his South Florida apartment, killed six people, and held another two hostage at gunpoint before a police commando team stormed the complex and fatally shot him on Saturday, according to police and witness accounts.

The ordeal lasted eight hours, with Pedro Alberto Vargas running through the building, firing at random and eluding officers for part of it, police said.

Next Fed head should consider average folks, Obama says - USA

WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama says his next Fed chairman should take ordinary people into account when setting monetary policy.

Obama tells New York Times in an interview on the paper's website on Saturday that he wants someone who won't just work abstractly to keep inflation in check and maintain stability in the markets. He says he wants the next Fed chairman to also promote policies that will help make ordinary people's lives better.

Beloved US ex-congresswoman Lindy Boggs dies - USA

WASHINGTON: Former Republican Lindy Boggs, a plantation-born Louisianan who used her soft-spoken grace to fight for civil rights during nearly 18 years in Congress after succeeding her late husband in the House, died on Saturday. She was 97.

Boggs, who later served three years as ambassador to the Vatican during the Clinton administration, died of natural causes at her home in Chevy Chase, Maryland, according to her daughter, ABC News journalist Cokie Roberts.

US at war with Islam: Fort Hood shooting suspect - USA

WASHINGTON, DC: A US army psychiatrist accused of killing 13 people in a shooting spree at a Texas base has claimed the United States is at war with Islam, a network reported on Saturday.

Fox News said Nidal Hasan made the claim in an exclusive six-page statement that did not directly address the 2009 massacre.

Seven shot dead in Florida hostage rampage - USA

MIAMI: A tenant went on a shooting rampage at a Florida apartment building, killing six people before a SWAT team killed him and rescued two neighbors he was holding hostage on Saturday, police said.

The hostages were unharmed, police in the Miami suburb of Hialeah said.

Musician JJ Cale dies; wrote Clapton, Skynyrd hits - USA

If musicians were measured not by the number of records they sold but by the number of peers they influenced, JJ Cale would have been a towering figure in 1970s rock 'n' roll.

His best songs like "After Midnight," "Cocaine" and "Call Me the Breeze" were towering hits for other artists. Eric Clapton took "After Midnight" and "Cocaine" and turned them into the kind of hard-party anthems that defined rock for a long period of time. And Lynyrd Skynyrd took the easy-shuffling "Breeze" and supercharged it with a three-guitar attack that made it a hit.

Anthony Weiner's campaign manager in NY mayoral race quits - USA

NEW YORK: Anthony Weiner's campaign manager has quit after the New York City mayoral candidate admitted to additional raunchy online correspondence with women.

Weiner spokeswoman Barbara Morgan confirmed a report on Saturday that campaign manager Danny Kedem has resigned. She had no further comment.

MPs anti-Modi letter to Obama genuine, forensic expert says - USA

WASHINGTON: A forensic examination commissioned by a US-based alliance seeking justice and accountability for the Gujarat 2002 riots has said the letter signed by 64 Indian MPs to President Obama against Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi is original and authentic, with no indication the signatures are forged.

The "Coalition Against Genocide," an alliance claiming support of 40 US- and Canada-based Indian groups, which is singularly agitated about Modi and his alleged role in the Gujarat riots, initiated the scrutiny after several Indian MPs denied having signed the letter and suggested it was forged. The letter asked Obama to continue the ban on Modi's travel to the US after his US visa was revoked in 2005.

Obama worried over fraying US social fabric: Report - USA

WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama expressed concern in an interview published on Sunday over widening income inequality and an erosion in upward mobility that he said is leading to a fraying of American society.

Obama told the New York Times that a growing gap between rich and poor and the lack of opportunities for average Americans to get ahead represents a sharp break with a long-held social compact which is central to the national identity.

China orders nationwide audit of all government debt - China

BEIJING: China's National Audit Office will conduct an audit of all government debt at the request of China's State Council or cabinet, it said in a statement on Sunday, underlining concern over rising debt levels in the world's second biggest economy.

The audit office, responsible for overseeing state finances, made the announcement in a one-sentence item on its website, but gave no details on the audit.

China's giant panda channel now available online - China

BEIJING: Panda lovers across the world will be able to enjoy live 24-hour HD Internet broadcasts of daily activities of the cuddly animals at China's premier panda breeding facility from next month.

The 'Giant panda channel' will begin round-the-clock broadcasts of giant pandas living in southwest China's Sichuan Province, the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding said.

Spanish judge to question driver of train in deadly crash - Europe

SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA: The driver of a train that hurtled off the rails killing 78 people in Spain is to appear before a judge for questioning on Sunday, facing possible charges of reckless homicide.

Francisco Jose GarzonAmo, 52, refused to answer police questions on Friday from his hospital bed, and the case was passed to the courts.

All 78 killed in Spain's train crash identified - Europe

SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA (Spain): Authorities say forensic experts have identified the last three bodies of 78 people who were killed when a Spanish train derailed at high speed.

They did not reveal the names of the dead, but said today that all of the families had been notified. They say survivors and relatives can pick up personal things left behind by victims.

Jewels worth $53 million stolen in Cannes: Investigators - Europe

NICE, France/Alpes-Maritimes: An armed man held up a jewellery exhibition in the French Riviera resort of Cannes on Sunday, making away with jewels estimated to be worth about 40 million euros ($53 million), according to investigators.

Authorities said the hold-up took place in broad daylight at the Carlton Hotel on the promenade in Cannes, famous for its annual film festival that attracts a glittering array of celebrities.

Spain train driver said he went fast: Witness - Europe

SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA, Spain: A local resident of the town where a train derailed, killing 78 people, says the driver said minutes after the crash that he had been going fast and couldn't brake.

In a television interview broadcast on Sunday afternoon by Antena 3, Evaristo Iglesias said he and another person accompanied Francisco Jose Garzon Amo to a stretch of flat ground where other injured people were being laid out, waiting for emergency services to arrive.

Spain train crash: Death toll rises to 79 - Europe

SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA, Spain: An official says the death toll from Spain's train derailment has risen to 79 after an injured passenger died in a hospital.

The spokeswoman from the regional government of Galicia told The Associated Press the death occurred Sunday.

Seven people drown off France's south coast - Europe

MONTPELLIER, France: Seven people drowned on Sunday off France's Mediterranean coast because of high winds and strong currents, police and rescue services said.

Since Friday a total of nine people have died in similar circumstances.

Judge questions train driver over crash in Spain - Europe

SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA, Spain: The driver of a Spanish train that derailed at high speed was being questioned by a judge on Sunday as officials tried to determine if he was responsible for the accident, which killed 79 people.

Francisco Jose Garzon Amo, 52, has been held by police on suspicion of negligent homicide. He has not been formally charged by a magistrate or made any official statements.

Doctors offered to let me die, Stephen Hawking reveals - UK

LONDON: Famed UK physicist Stephen Hawking had come so close to death while writing his bestseller 'A Brief History of Time' in 1985 that his doctors offered to switch off his life-support machine, it has emerged.

The 71-year-old genius scientist reveals in a new documentary film that he was so close to death that doctors had offered his wife the chance to turn off the life support, in order to end his agony, after he contracted a chest infection in Switzerland that turned into pneumonia.

Britain's newest royal heir stirs Scottish independence debate - UK

LONDON: The birth of Britain's Prince George has reopened a rift among those campaigning for Scotland to vote for independence next year, playing into the hands of those who want it to retain its 306-year union with England.

The "Yes Scotland" campaign says it wants to win a referendum on independence in 2014 and for the country to become fully independent by 2016, shaking off centuries of what it regards as oppressive rule from London.

Father of 22 kids from 14 wives may get own reality TV show

WASHINGTON: A man from Nashville, state of Tennessee, may be heading for a starring role in a reality show.

Orlando Shaw, who has 22 children with 14 different mothers hit the headlines last month after being sued for child support in Tennessee, the Huffington Post reported.

South African man too fat to live in New Zealand: Report

WELLINGTON: An obese South African man has been told he is too fat to live in New Zealand despite shedding 30 kilograms since he moved to the country six years ago, a report said on Saturday.

Albert Buitenhuis — who now weighs 130 kilograms (286 pounds) — and his wife, Marthie, said they face deportation after an application to renew their work visas was rejected because of his weight.

Twin blasts in Pakistan tribal region kills 40 - Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: At least 40 people were killed and nearly 200 injured when twin blasts rocked the headquarters of Pakistan's northwestern Kurram tribal region on Friday.

The bombings occurred in Parachinar town, the headquarters of Kurram Agency on the border with the Tora Bora region in Afghanistan's Khost province. "Two blasts happened in Turi Bazar of Parachinar near a school and mosque of Shia community. More than 40 people were killed and around 190 injured. The victims were mostly members of Shia community," said Sahahab Ali Shah, the agency's political agent.

PPP to boycott president poll, says no time to campaign - Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan People's Party (PPP) will boycott the upcoming presidential election over the supreme court's decision to direct the election commission to hold the vote on July 30 instead of August 6.

Pakistan's main opposition party informed the Election Commission in writing about its boycott decision on Friday. PPP senator and presidential candidate Raza Rabbani said his party was left with no option except to boycott the election. "The SC took a unilateral decision while announcing a new election date," Rabbani said. "It did not issue us any notices, nor did they hear us or provide us an opportunity to present our point of view. The apex court's decision seems to be a move to impose the Centre's rule again. Boycotting the presidential election is part of the struggle against the military and civilian dictatorship."

India connection of Pakistan president hopeful Mamnoon - Pakistan

AGRA: There were scenes of jubilation in the little known 'Nai Ki Mandi' area on Friday soon after news trickled in about Pakistan's ruling PML-N nominating Mamnoon Hussain as its presidential candidate. Hussain - a leading businessman from Karachi who is all set to become the next President in the July 30 elections - has his roots in the city of the Taj, having been born here in 1940 before his family migrated to Pakistan after partition.

On Friday, as journalists streamed into the narrow bylane, flanked by open drains and where sun light hardly reaches even during day time, occupants of his ancestral house basked in reflected glory.

Death toll from Pakistan bombing at 57 - Pakistan

PARACHINAR, Pakistan: Officials say the death toll from a pair of overnight bombings at a busy market in a Shia-dominated region of northern Pakistan has risen to 57.

Hospital official Shabir Hussain and Shiite leader Hamid Ali said Saturday that another 167 were wounded in Friday's bombings in the town of Parachinar, which sits in the Kurram tribal area that borders Afghanistan to the west. The market was full of minority Shia Muslims who were buying items for their evening meal that breaks the daytime fast during the holy month of Ramadan.

8 security personnel killed in attack on Pakistan checkpost - Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: At least eight security personnel were killed on Saturday when unknown assailants attacked their checkpost in Pakistan's southern-western province of Balochistan, officials said.

The attack was launched early this morning at Gulchali check-post in Sarsun area near Iranian border, 100 km from Gwadar city in southern part of province.

4.5-magnitude earthquake hits northwest China - China

BEIJING: A moderate 4.5-magnitude earthquake jolted Wenxian county in northwest China on Saturday.

The epicentre, with a depth of 6 km, was monitored at 33.0 degrees north latitude and 104.9 degrees east longitude, state-run Xinhua news agency reported..

18 more detained in GSK probe in China - China

BEIJING: At least 18 more people have been detained in China in connection with a corruption scandal involving British drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline, state media reported, giving more details on an investigation that has rocked the company.

China's state radio reported late on Friday on its website that police in the central city of Zhengzhou had "recently held, in accordance with the law, 18 GlaxoSmithKline (China) employees and some medical personnel".

China and Russia to conduct anti-terror exercise - China

BEIJING: Chinese military personnel on Saturday left for Russia to participate in a 20-day anti-terrorism drill, the second joint exercise by the two countries this month.

The exercise, dubbed " Peace Mission 2013" and scheduled to run from July 27 to August 15, will be carried out in Chelyabinsk in Russia's Ural Mountains region.

Spain train driver held for 'reckless homicide': Minister - Europe

SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA, Spain/Galicia: The driver of a speeding train that hurtled off the rails killing 78 people in Spain was detained for "reckless homicide", interior minister Jorge Fernandez Diaz said on Saturday.

"He has been detained since 7:40pm on Thursday for the alleged crimes of reckless homicide," the minister told reporters in the northwestern city of Santiago de Compostela where the accident happened.

Life 'intolerable' for majority of Bulgarians: Survey - Europe

SOFIA (Bulgaria): Almost three quarters of Bulgarians consider their country "intolerable", according to a new survey released on Saturday by the Open Society Institute, following weeks of protest against the government and a worsening economy.

The survey of 1,155 people by the public policy charity found that 72 per cent thought Bulgaria's political situation was "intolerable", with 22 per cent judging it was just "bearable".

Femen leader assaulted during Putin's visit to Ukraine - Europe

KIEV: The leader of feminist movement Femen known for their bare-breasted protests was attacked ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putin's arrival in Ukraine on Saturday, the group said, blaming the country's special services.

Anna Hutsol was entering her apartment building after walking her dog early today when an unidentified man socked her in the face, grabbed her dog and ran away.

EU deplores Egypt violence, calls for return to civilan rule - Europe

BRUSSELS: The European Union said Saturday it deplored the loss of life in Egypt and was following developments there with concern after deadly clashes in Cairo between protesters against the interim military-backed government and police.

EU foreign affairs head Catherine Ashton said the authorities should ensure a speedy transition to civilian rule and repeated demands that political detainees, including President Mohammed Morsi who was ousted by the army on July 3, should be released.

Spain train driver released from hospital - Europe

SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA, Spain : The injured driver of the Spanish train that derailed at high speed, killing 78 and injuring dozens more, was released from the hospital on Saturday, but he was still being held in a police station as authorities increasingly focused on his culpability.

Francisco Jose Garzon Amo was to appear before a judge by Sunday evening, a hotly awaited opportunity for him to give his explanation for Spain's deadliest train crash in decades.

Suicide car bomb targets Turkish diplomats in Mogadishu - Europe

MOGADISHU: A suicide car bomb attack struck a Turkish embassy building in Mogadishu on Saturday, killing one Somali civilian and wounding two Turkish policemen, a diplomat and a witness said.

A Somali witness told AFP that an explosives-laden vehicle rammed the gates of a compound housing embassy staff and exploded, killing a passer-by.

Rouhani 'halted nuclear weapon programme': Ex-ambassador - Europe

PARIS: Iranian President-elect Hassan Rouhani personally stopped the development of a clandestine nuclear weapon in 2003, a former ambassador to the country said on Saturday.

Writing in the International Herald Tribune newspaper, Francois Nicoullaud, France's ambassador to Iran from 2001 to 2005, said he believed Rouhani was the "main actor" in persuading the country's supreme leader Ali Khamenei to halt the secret programme.

Outrage in Italy over black minister banana attack - Europe

ROME, Latium: The latest racist attack against Italy's first black minister, in which a banana was hurled at her during a rally, sparked outrage across the political spectrum on Saturday.

Immigration minister Cecile Kyenge was speaking a Democratic Party (PD) rally on Friday when an unidentified spectator threw a banana at her, missing the stage but sparking reactions of disgust from across the country.

Britain's foreign secretary condemns use of force in Egypt - UK

LONDON: Britain's foreign secretary has condemned Egyptian authorities' violent response to protesters after overnight clashes between security forces and supporters of ousted President Mohammed Morsi left at least 38 protesters dead.

Hague said, "I call on the Egyptian authorities to respect the right of peaceful protest, to cease the use of violence against protesters, including live fire, and to hold to account those responsible."

UK police charge 12 anti-fracking protesters - UK

LONDON: British police say 12 people have been charged with a variety of offenses in relation to ongoing protests over shale gas extraction in southern England.

Surrey Police said Saturday that they have made two further arrests on top of the 16 a day earlier, of whom 12 are facing charges.

Has Nepal given up on measuring Everest? - South Asia

KATHMANDU: Nepal's attempt to independently measure the height of Mt Everest is floundering because of bureaucratic red tape and lack of budget, officials said. Two years ago, following Chinese claims that the height of Everest was 8,844.43 metres, Nepal government decided to measure the height of the world's tallest mountain.

The world's highest mount straddles Nepal and China. "But budget was not allocated for survey officials to go to the field," said a department of survey official. There is at present no new plan to measure the height of the mountain, director general of the department Nagendra Jha said.

India’s delay over border bill, Teesta water pact may impact Hasina govt’s poll prospects: Dipu Moni - South Asia

NEW DELHI: Bangladeshi foreign minister Dipu Moni on Friday warned India that not moving ahead on the land boundary issue and Teesta water agreement could influence the outcome of the upcoming polls in Bangladesh. India maintains that it has received unprecedented cooperation from the Sheikh Hasina government in the neighbouring country, especially on security-related issues.

"If this bill does not go through and if the Teesta water-sharing deal is not signed, they will surely become important issues in the run-up to parliament elections in my country," said Moni.

Bomb targeting Afghan police kills 7 - South Asia

KABUL: An Afghan official says a suicide bomber targeting a village police commander blew himself up in a bazaar in a lawless part of eastern Afghanistan, killing seven people.

Mohammad Ali Ahmadi, the deputy provincial governor of Ghazni province, said on Saturday that the attacker on a motorcycle killed local police commander Dawlat Khan, three of his men, and three civilians.

Bombing targeting Afghan local police kills seven - South Asia

KABUL, Afghanistan: A suicide bomber targeting a village police commander blew himself up in a bazaar in a lawless part of eastern Afghanistan, killing seven people, an official said on Saturday.

Clashes and bombings around Afghanistan in the past two days have claimed the lives of 15 people, including 11 Afghan policemen and four civilians.

With Pope in town, ribald Rio a land of outdoor confessionals

RIO DE JANEIRO: The sun. The sand. The absolution. Often, tourists and travelers leave this hedonist hotspot with a feeling of guilt. This week, however, thousands of young visitors are dropping to their knees and asking for forgiveness.

Never mind that they might still fall prey to the temptations of the famous nightclubs, bars and beaches of the coastal metropolis, let alone the allure of the many other young pilgrims gathered here for a week long visit by Pope Francis.

Pakistani superwoman ‘Burka Avenger’ to fight for girls - Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Wonder Woman and Supergirl now have a Pakistani counterpart in the pantheon of female superheroes, one who shows a lot less skin. Meet Burka Avenger: a mild-mannered teacher with secret martial arts skills who uses a flowing black burka to hide her identity as she fights local thugs seeking to shut down the girls' school where she works. Sadly, it's a battle Pakistanis are all too familiar with in the real world.

The Taliban have blown up hundreds of schools and attacked activists in Pakistan's northwest because they oppose girls' education. The militants sparked worldwide condemnation last fall when they shot 15-year-old schoolgirl activist Malala Yousafzai in the head in an unsuccessful attempt to kill her.

Pakistan Taliban claim responsibility for ISI office attack - Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: The Jundullah group of the Pakistani Taliban has claimed responsibility for Wednesday's attack on the headquarters of the Inter-Services Intelligence in Sukkar town of Sindh, the death toll in which has risen to nine. "We sent four suicide bombers and the target was the ISI office," a spokesman said from an undisclosed location. "It was in revenge of the killing of Taliban deputy chief Wali Ur Rehman. These intelligence officials are the friends of the US and as long as they provide them services, we will not refrain from targeting them."

Zardari's party to boycott presidential election in Pakistan - Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People's Party on Friday decided to boycott next week's presidential election to protest over advancing of the polling dates.

Senior PPP leader and presidential candidate Raza Rabbani said the rescheduling of the election date to July 30 from August 6 had drastically curtailed the time period needed for campaign.

Twin explosions kill 41 in Pakistan: Officials - Pakistan

PESHAWAR: Twin explosions rocked a busy marketplace in northwest Pakistan on Friday killing at least 41 people and injuring more than 150 others, officials said, in the deadliest attack to hit the country during the Islamic holy month of Ramzan.

The explosion at the bazaar in Parachinar, the main town of Kurram tribal district on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, sent handcarts flying as shoppers bought food to open their fasts at sunset.

China indicts Bo for corruption - China

BEIJING: Disgraced former communist party leader Bo Xilai, who last year triggered the worst public scandal in China in decades, has finally been charged with "bribery, embezzlement and abuse of power." There are signs that Bo (64) might escape death penalty with the court choosing between a life sentence and a suspended death penalty. Bo will go to trial within weeks.

By indicting Bo now, China's Communist Party leaders have also given themselves enough time to reach a verdict in his case before a major meeting late this year.

Microblogs praise Bo prosecution - China

BEIJING: The comments on Weibo about Bo Xilai's indictment were uniformly positive, a likely sign that censors had removed any that criticized the government or voiced support for Bo.

Comments that stood out for being over-the-top in their condemnations of Bo and praise for the ruling Communist Party included, "We have a grand display of the party Central Committee's determination to fight corruption by both 'swatting the flies and whacking the tigers.' General secretary Xi, you are truly mighty!''

Toddler attacked in China parking rage - China

BEIJING: A two-year-old Chinese girl was in critical condition on Thursday after being thrown to the ground by a man in a row with her mother over parking, a hospital and state media said.

The man, identified only by his surname Han, wanted to park by a bus stop in Beijing, the Beijing Times said, citing a witness.

Ten killed in China nursing home fire: Report - China

BEIJING: Ten elderly people were burned to death in a fire at their nursing home in China early on Friday, state media reported.

The blaze broke out at the facility in Hailun, in the northeastern province of Heilongjiang, in the early hours of the morning and firefighters took an hour to put out the fire, said the People's Daily website.

In line to the throne: Royal children worldwide - UK

LONDON: A list of children in line to thrones around the world, as Kate, wife of Britain's Prince William, gave birth to a baby boy.

Ex-BBC broadcaster jail term doubled - UK

LONDON: British appeals judges have doubled the jail time of former BBC broadcaster Stuart Hall for sex offenses after ruling that his 15-month sentence was inadequate.

After initially denying the charges, Hall pleaded guilty in May to 14 counts of indecent assault against girls as young as 9 between 1967 and 1986.

Sri Lanka to probe wartime disappearances - South Asia

COLOMBO (Sri Lanka): An official says Sri Lanka's president will appoint a commission to look into disappearances that occurred during the island nation's civil war.

The move comes as Sri Lanka faces rising international criticism for failing to investigate alleged war crimes during the final stage of the quarter century-long war, which ended in 2009, including civilian deaths and disappearances.

China executes killer of pregnant 'ghost bride'

BEIJING: A man who murdered a pregnant woman in China to sell her corpse as a " ghost bride" has been executed, state media reported on Thursday.

Wang Hairong was put to death earlier this week, the Legal Daily said citing a court in Yan'an in the northern province of Shaanxi.

Swedish lawmaker caught with his pants down

STOCKHOLM: A Swedish politician who wanted to show his new tattoo to followers on a social media site accidentally revealed far more than he intended.

Lars Ohly, former leader of Sweden's Left Party, posted a picture of the English soccer club Liverpool's liver bird tattooed on his leg. What he failed to notice was that his genitals were visible in the background.

Suicide attackers target ISI office, 2 killed - Pakistan

KARACHI: A group of suicide attackers stormed a compound in southern Pakistan housing an office of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), blowing themselves up and killing at least two people, including a senior intelligence official, while injuring over 40 others.

The attack was carried out shortly after 'iftar', the meal that ends the daily fast in the holy month of Ramzan. Geo News channel quoted intelligence sources as saying that five terrorists, wearing suicide vests and carrying automatic weapons, were involved in the attack.

Pak presidential poll date shifted to July 30 - Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's presidential elections will be held on July 30 instead of August 6 following the Supreme Court order directing the election commission on Wednesday to complete the scrutiny of nomination papers by Thursday. The court order came during the hearing of a petition filed by a member of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, seeking to hold the elections before the announced date of Aug 6.

PML-N senator Raja Zafarul Haq submitted the petition in the apex court after the election commission turned down government's request to change the date for the presidential polls. In the petition, Haq told the court that more than 100 lawmakers would not be available to votes during the last 10 days of the holy month of Ramadan.

Pak militants storm ISI office, 8 dead - Pakistan

KARACHI: A group of suicide attackers stormed a compound in southern Pakistan housing an office of the ISI, blowing themselves up and killing at least five persons and injuring 38 others.

The attack was carried out shortly after 'iftar', the meal that ends the daily fast in the holy month of Ramzan. Geo News channel quoted intelligence sources as saying that at least four terrorists, wearing suicide vests and carrying automatic weapons, were involved in the attack.

Pak-born daughter of Alla Rakha faces hard times - Pakistan

LAHORE: Pakistan-born daughter of Indian tabla maestro Alla Rakha has fallen on hard times, grappling with psychological problems and living in solitude since her only son was murdered eight years ago.

Roohi Bano, the half-sister of acclaimed musician Zakir Hussain, was back in the news recently after thieves stole Rs 1 million and some valuables from her house in Gulberg area of Lahore.

Pakistan's presidential hopeful is a madrassa graduate - Pakistan

KARACHI: Mamnoon Hussain, the PML-N candidate expected to win Pakistan's presidential election next week, graduated from a seminary, sources said.

Hussain joined Darul Uloom Naeemia in the port city of Karachi in 1953 and was enrolled for Daras-e-Nizami, the famous centuries-old curriculum steeped in Islamic theology and followed in Pakistani madrassas.

Myanmar President U Thein Sein calls relationship with China fraternal - China

BEIJING: Myanmar President U Thein Sein has described his country's relationship with China as "paukphaw" (fraternal) and called for "Myanmar-China comprehensive strategic cooperation" during a meeting with Fan Changlong, vice chairman of China's Central Military Commission, in the Myanmar capital of Nay Pyi Taw.

Sein's statements are significant because Myanmar is regarded by many as China's springboard to the Indian Ocean. China is wooing Myanmar and Sri Lanka to obtain this crucial access for strategic reasons as well as for establishing an alternative shipping route.

Bo Xilai indicted for corruption, abuse of power - China

BEIJING: Disgraced former Communist Party leader Bo Xilai was on Thursday charged with bribery, embezzlement and abuse of power by prosecutors in China's eastern Shandong Province.

Bo, the former Communist Party Chief of Chongqing Municipality, was charged with bribery, embezzlement and power abuse, according to Jinan City People's Procuratorate.

Work on world's tallest building stopped in China: Report - China

BEIJING: Work on a Chinese skyscraper aiming to be the world's tallest building has been ordered to stop just days after breaking ground, local media reported on Thursday.

"Relevant authorities" had ordered a halt to work on the Sky City tower in Changsha, in the central province of Hunan, "because it did not complete the required procedures for seeking approval to start construction", the Xiaoxiang Morning Post newspaper said.

Chinese gold demand could hit 1,000 tonnes this year, World Gold Council says - China

LONDON: China's gold demand could hit a record 1,000 tonnes this year, the World Gold Council said on Thursday, which means it would overtake India as the world's biggest bullion consumer.

Chinese gold demand is likely to be in the region of 950 to 1,000 tonnes in 2013, the WGC's managing director for investment, Marcus Grubb, said, but risks are skewed to the upside and could push demand past the upper end of that range.

Magsaysay for first Afghanistan's woman governor - South Asia

MANILA (PHILIPPINES): Afghanistan's first and only female governor and a humanitarian worker from Myanmar's Kachin minority are among this year's recipients of the Ramon Magsaysay Awards, regarded as Asia's version of the Nobel Prize.

Nepal's former king cannot distribute flood relief: EC - South Asia

KATHMANDU: Nepal's Election Commission on Wednesday said former king Gyanendra Shah and his family cannot distribute relief material to the victims of the recent floods in the western part of the country as it may influence voting in the November 19 general election.

Gyanendra has been distributing relief material through Himani Trust, an NGO named after his daughter-in-law, even after the election code of conduct came into effect on Monday. The former king, who lives as a common citizen since Nepal became a republic in 2008, is currently in western Nepal distributing cash and food to those who have been displaced by the floods.

Sri Lanka to reduce troops in ex-war zone in north - South Asia

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka's military said on Thursday that it would eliminate 13 army camps in the former northern civil war zone and give the land back to the original owners, a move that comes ahead of key elections in the region.

Sri Lanka has faced rising international criticism for failing to demilitarize the north since the quarter-century-long civil war ended in 2009 when government troops crushed the separatist Tamil rebels, who were fighting to create a separate state for minority ethnic Tamils.

Nepal's breakaway Maoists to boycott polls - South Asia

KATHAMNDU: Nepal's November 19 general elections have been cast to fresh doubts after the breakaway Maoist faction on Thursday announced that it will boycott election.

"The present government is illegal and the election conducted by the government is not legal," said chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal -Maoist Mohan Baidya at a press conference.

PML-N chooses Sindh ex-governor as presidential candidate - Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: The ruling PML-N of PM Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday named former Sindh governor MamnoonHussain as its candidate for Pakistan's presidential election on August 6.

Hussain emerged the strongest contender for the top office out of three candidates shortlisted by the PML-N after days of extensive consultations. The Pakistan Peoples' Party of Asif Ali Zardari, the current president, has named senator RazaRabbani as its candidate. He will be supported by ANP.

Nawaz Sharif's party nominates India-born Mamnoon Hussain for presidential polls - Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: The ruling PML-N today nominated India-born Mamnoon Hussain, a close aide of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, as its candidate for the presidential elections to be held on July 30.

Hussain, a leading businessman from the port city of Karachi, is an old party hand.

Pakistani girl burnt alive for resisting rape - Pakistan

LAHORE: A man allegedly burnt a teenage girl to death after failing to rape her in Pakistan's Punjab province, police officials said on Wednesday.

According to the FIR registered by police, the girl from Rahim Yar Khan district, 400 km from Lahore, had gone to the home of her friend on July 19 to learn how to stitch clothes. Muhammad Imtiaz, the brother of her friend, tried to rape her.

4 blasts rock southern Pakistani city, 1 killed - Pakistan

KARACHI: At least four bomb blasts ripped through a residential area near an intelligence agency's office in Sukkur city of southern Pakistan today, killing one person and injuring about 10 others.

The blasts rocked Barrage Colony in Sukkur, Pakistan's third largest city located 500 km from the financial hub of Karachi.

Attack on Pakistan government complex kills five: Pak TV - Pakistan

KARACHI: Gunmen attacked a complex housing Pakistani security agencies in the southern town of Sukkur late Wednesday, killing five people and wounding more than 30 others, an official and state TV said.

Four explosions were heard in the area, where "terrorists" seized control of one government building, another building was under fire and the wall of a third had collapsed, Pakistan's PTV reported.

Royal baby worth his weight in gold to the Firm -

LONDON: The Firm, as Britain's royal family calls itself, has a new asset.With the world media in a frenzy over the birth of Prince William and his wife Kate's son, companies from airlines to champagne-makers have jumped on the chance to cash in on the wave of popularity sweeping over the royal family.

From royal potties to blue-cream-filled doughnuts to china commemorative plates, the range of merchandise celebrating the birth of the prince ranges from the obvious to the bizarre.

Former Chinese president Jiang Zemin returns as growth dips - China

BEIJING: Former Chinese president JiangZemin emerged in public view months after he was believed to have retired from politics.

The 86-year old leader, whose tenure as president ended in 2002, demonstrated his control over the Communist Party's power lever during the elevation of Xi Jinping as the president and election of people to several powerful positions last March.

Ten killed in China mine fire accident - China

BEIJING: Ten miners were confirmed dead in a fire accident in a sulphur mine in a northwest China province, rescuers said on Wednesday.

Seven bodies of the trapped miners have been lifted from the pit while the remaining three also have been confirmed dead, state run Xinhua news agency reported.

China bans new govt buildings in frugality drive - China

BEIJING: China's leaders have banned the construction of government buildings for five years as another step in a frugality drive that aims to address public anger at corruption.

The general offices of the Communist Party's central committee and the State Council - China's Cabinet - jointly issued the directive on Tuesday, according to the official Xinhua News Agency. No directive was immediately available online.

Pakistan media watchdog bans 'immoral' condom commercial - Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's media regulator on Tuesday barred television channels from airing a racy condom commercial featuring actress Mathira, saying such "immoral" content should not be beamed during the holy month of Ramzan.

The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority banned the 50-second advertisement after receiving several complaints that it was "indecent", said its spokesman Fakhar Mughal.

US college football player jailed for barking at police dog!

LONDON: A University of Florida college football player has been charged with interfering with a police canine and resisting arrest, after he was spotted barking at a police dog.

According to Sky News, Antonio Morrison was arrested early Sunday on two misdemeanours and Alachua County Sherriff's Office said that the footballer walked up to an open window of a police car and barked at a dog called Bear.

China detains US citizen in growing pharma scandal - China

BEIJING: The first US citizen has been detained in China in connection with probes sparked by an unfolding corruption scandal in the drugs industry, as China widens the range of international firms and staff under the spotlight.

Police have also questioned two further Chinese employees from drug maker AstraZeneca in Shanghai, after a local sales representative was taken away for questioning earlier.

China bans construction of govt buildings for five years - China

BEIJING: As its economy slowed down, China clamped a five year ban on the construction of new government buildings in a frugality drive, ending the era of massive construction boom.

The ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Cabinet jointly issued a directive calling for an across-the-board halt to the construction of any new government buildings in the coming five years as part of an ongoing austerity campaign.

We'll take care of India's concerns: Bhutan PM-elect - South Asia

THIMPU: Bhutan's Prime Minister-elect Tshering Tobgay has said his country would not undermine Delhi's sensibilities and interests, which, many in India thought were not taken care of by his predecessor, Jigmi Y Thinley.

"I would like to reassure the people of India that Bhutan is fully cognizant of India's sensibilities and interests, and will not in any way undermine them," Tobgay said in response to a question on Delhi's reported reservations on last year's meeting between Thinley and then Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao in Rio.

Donkey bomber kills 3 Nato soldiers in Afghanistan - South Asia

GHAZNI (Afghanistan): A suicide bomber rode a donkey today into an Afghan and Nato military convoy, killing three Western soldiers and their Afghan interpreter, officials said.

Nato's International Security Assistance Force confirmed three casualties in a bombing in eastern Afghanistan but gave no details.

Meet the boy who was a girl who fell in love with a girl who was a boy

LONDON: Teenagers Arin Andrews and Katie Hill might look like any other young couple, but they were not always like that.

Just two years ago, Andrews was a girl named Emerald and Hill was a boy called Luke and they have both undergone surgical procedures to change their sex, Sun reported.

Afghan parliament sacks interior minister - South Asia

KABUL: Afghanistan's parliament on Monday sacked interior minister Mujtaba Patang, one of the country's most powerful security chiefs, less than a year after he took office.

LeT, IM busy opening terror front along Bangla-Myanmar border, intel inputs say - South Asia

NEW DELHI: Even as the security establishment counters the pan-Indian network of Laskher-e-Taiba (LeT) and its indigenous arm Indian Mujahideen, the Pakistan-based terror outfit is busy opening another front close to the northeast region, along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border.

Inputs with R&AW, India's external intelligence agency, confirm that LeT and its over ground avatar, Jamaat ud Dawah (JuD), are working to extend their footprint along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border by riding piggyback on the sectarian violence targeted against Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar's Rakhine state. While JuD strongman Hafiz Muhammad Saeed is leading the anti-Myanmar campaign, espousing the cause of Rohingyas from various public platforms in Pakistan, his terror subordinates have been planning and undertaking visits to the Bangladesh-Myanmar border region. Agencies here fear the Bangladesh-Myanmar border may emerge as a new theatre of jihad in the not-too-distant future.

Japan PM heads for election victory amid policy concerns - South Asia

TOKYO: Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's ruling bloc looks set for a handsome upper house election win on Sunday, cementing his grip on power and setting the stage for Japan's first stable government since the charismatic Junichiro Koizumi left office in 2006.

The victory would give the hawkish leader a stronger mandate for his recipe to revive the economy and spell his personal political redemption after he led his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) to a humiliating defeat in a 2007 upper house election.

Don't support Nepal government on polls: Opposition - South Asia

KATHMANDU: Nepal's 33 opposition parties led by the CPN-Maoist Sunday urged the international community not to support the Nov 19 government's bid to hold the second constituent assembly election.

Bangladesh to seek extradition of 1971 war crimes accused - South Asia

DHAKA: Bangladesh on Sunday said it would launch legal and diplomatic efforts to repatriate an alleged 1971 war crimes accused from the UK, who is now one of Britain's most prominent Muslim leaders.

The reaction came a day after Choudhury Muenuddin in an interview with the Al Jazeera declined to appear before the Bangladeshi war crimes tribunal saying "the tribunal in Bangladesh is a joke, its a sham trial."

Nepal parties allege foreign 'meddling', want polls deferred - South Asia

KATHMANDU: The alliance of 33 fringe parties in Nepal led by the CPN-Maoist today alleged that some foreign missions were interfering in the country's internal affairs and appealed to the world community not to support the forthcoming Constituent Assembly elections.

The parties have claimed that foreign 'meddling' in Nepal's internal matters such as the electoral process and drafting of constitution, was 'weakening Nepal's sovereignty and democracy' and want the polls to be deferred.

Obama was mistaken for a waiter at a book party in 2003

NEW YORK: A member of NYC's media elite reportedly mistook Barack Obama for a waiter at a 2003 event, when he was running for US Senate, it has been revealed.

With unprecedented candor, President Obama spoke about the prejudice he has faced as an African-American man — prompting Wall Street Journal reporter Katie Rosman to recall witnessing Obama being mistaken for a waiter at a Manhattan soiree 10 years ago, the New York Daily News reported.

Could snail slime be France's next miracle beauty cure?

CHAMPAGNOLLES (France): The French have long appreciated snails on a plate with butter and garlic. But one rural snail farmer believes the humble molluscs have more to offer alive than dead.

Louis-Marie Guedon says the mucus secreted by snails are full of collagen, glycolic acid, antibiotics and other compounds that regenerate skin cells and heal cuts.

Suu Kyi’s dad a hero again in Myanmar - South Asia

YANGON: Horns honked and sirens wailed on Friday as Myanmar revived a tribute that was silenced for decades to the country's slain independence hero, the father of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

Adding a modern twist, many people played sirenlike ringtones on their mobile phones to mark the moment at 10.37am when Gen Aung San was assassinated by gunmen at a Cabinet meeting on July 19, 1947.

Taliban-style edict for women spreads alarm in Afghan district - South Asia

KABUL/DEH SALAH, Afghanistan: One of Afghan President Hamid Karzai's main religious advisers will not overturn a decree issued by clerics in the north reimposing Taliban-style curbs on women, in another sign of returning conservatism as NATO forces leave the country.

Just days after the United States launched a $200 million programme to boost the role of women in Afghanistan, a senior member of the country's top religious leaders' panel said he would not intervene over a draconian edict issued by clerics in the Deh Salah region of Baghlan province.

Clerics bar women from markets in northwest Pakistan - South Asia

PESHAWAR: Islamic clerics on Friday barred women who are not accompanied by a close male relative from entering markets of Karak area in Pakistan's restive northwest.

A committee of "ulema" (clerics) in Karak district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province said only women accompanied by a "mehram" or close male relatives like a brother or son would be allowed into markets.

15 killed in southern Afghanistan bombings - South Asia

KABUL: Officials say a wave of bombings in southern Afghanistan has killed 15 people, including six members of the country's security services.

Sri Lanka asks EU to help stop LTTE funding - South Asia

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka on Saturday asked for sustained vigilance on the part of the European Union to stop funding of the LTTE by the outfit's front organisations.

Sri Lankan external affairs minister GL Peiris stressed on the issue during talks with a six-member EU parliamentarian team which is on a tour of the country, the ministry said.

Taliban-style edict for women spreads alarm in Afghanistan - South Asia

KABUL/DEH SALAH: One of Afghan President Hamid Karzai's main religious advisers will not overturn a decree issued by clerics in the north reimposing Taliban-style curbs on women, in another sign of returning conservatism as Nato forces leave the country.

Just days after the United States launched a $200 million programme to boost the role of women in Afghanistan, a senior member of the country's top religious leaders' panel said he would not intervene over a draconian edict issued by clerics in the Deh Salah region of Baghlan province.

Boys wear skirts at UK school to protest 'no shorts' rule

LONDON: In a bizarre incident, a group of boys at a UK school turned up for classes in skirts to protest a "no shorts" rule despite heatwave in the country.

The 17-strong group from Whitchurch High School in Cardiff raised eyebrows when they were seen in the morning striding around the school in borrowed skirts.

1 dead, 7 missing as boat overturns in Malaysia - South Asia

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia: Malaysian authorities say 27 Indonesians have been rescued after their boat overturned, but one person died and seven others are still missing.

Malaysia's Maritime Enforcement Agency official Mustapa Kamal Abas said Friday that the boat was heading to Indonesia's Batam island Thursday when its engine failed and it overturned after being hit by waves.

Bomb kills Afghan woman, five children at Taliban home - South Asia

KABUL: A bomb killed five young children and a woman when it exploded after being made at the home of a Taliban commander in eastern Afghanistan, a government official said on Friday.

The device detonated on Thursday while children were playing with it after the Taliban commander, identified only as Abdullah, left the house, a spokesman for the local government in Paktika province said.

Colorado town mulls issuing licences to shoot down drones

DENVER: The farming and ranching town of Deer Trail, Colorado, which boasts that it held the world's first rodeo in 1869, is now considering starting a 21st century tradition — paying bounties to anyone who shoots down an unmanned drone.

Next month, trustees of the town of 600 that lies on the high plains 55 miles east of Denver will debate an ordinance that would allow residents to purchase a $25 hunting licence to shoot down "unmanned aerial vehicles."

Taliban kill eight Afghan workers en route to US base - South Asia

PULI ALAM, Afghanistan: Taliban gunmen on Thursday shot dead eight Afghan civilians on their way to jobs at a US military base south of Kabul, officials said.

"Eight Afghan workers who were working in Camp Shank were killed this morning by Taliban," said the deputy police chief in Logar province, Rais Khan Sadeq.

Insurgents kill 8 laborers, Afghan officials say - South Asia

KABUL: Insurgents pulled over a minivan with eight young laborers on their way to work at a US base in eastern Afghanistan on Thursday, forced them out and then shot them dead, officials said.

The killings near Forward Operating Base Shank, a US base in Logar province, were the latest in a militant campaign of intimidation against Afghans working for the government or the international coalition.

PayPal accidentally credits man $92 quadrillion

NEW YORK: Oops! PayPal, the online money-transfer company, has accidentally credited a man in Delaware a whopping $92,233,720,368,547,800, making him by far the richest man in the world.

Chris Reynolds, 56, said he was shocked when he received his monthly statement via e-mail from PayPal last week, with an ending balance of $92 quadrillion, over a million times richer than the world's richest man, Carlos Slim.

Post-verdict, 4 die in Bangla violence - South Asia

Fresh violence over the conviction of Jamaate-Islami's 91-year-old supremo Ghulam Azad left at least four persons dead, even as machete-wielding protesters on Tuesday went on a rampage enforcing a nationwide strike.

Bangladesh Islamist leader sentenced to death for 1971 war crimes - South Asia

DHAKA: A special tribunal sentenced a senior leader of an Islamic political party to death on Wednesday for his role in the kidnapping and killing of people involving Bangladesh's independence war against Pakistan in 1971.

The verdict came in a packed courtroom in the capital, Dhaka, in the presence of defendant Ali Ahsan Mojaheed, the secretary-general of the Jamaat-e-Islami party. The tribunal found him guilty of kidnapping and killing a journalist, a music director and a number of other people.

Man saves dog's life with mouth-to-mouth resuscitation

MELBOURNE: Dog's best friend! An Australian man saved the life of a dog after he performed mouth-to-mouth on the canine that had been run over by a car.

Steve Hunter, from Ballarat, Australia, was making a plaster delivery when Salty, a Fox Terrier-Jack Russell cross, suddenly ran out of a driveway and was clipped by an oncoming car.

Bangladesh strike: 2 killed in police firing - South Asia

DHAKA: Two Islamist demonstrators, including a minor, were killed in police firing when machete-wielding protesters went on a rampage on Tuesday against the conviction of fundamentalist Jamaat-e-Islami's 91-year-old supremo Ghulam Azam.

Acting on a tip-off that protesters had blocked a road at Kaliganj in Satkhira during the countrywide daylong strike, a team of around 35 policemen rushed to the scene to remove the blockade, the Daily Star reported, quoting Tajul Islam, assistant superintendent of police of the area.

British PM Cameron links to spoof Twitter account

LONDON: British Prime Minister David Cameron fell victim to a Twitter spoof on Monday when he sent a message linked to a fake account that lampoons the government and portrays ministers as a privileged elite.

Cameron once said that the trouble with the social networking service was its "instant-ness" and the risk of people making themselves look foolish by sending too many Tweets.