MENU Stock Tips Stock Buy Stock Sell Technicals Earnings Bigest Gainers Bigest Losers Most Actives World Stock Markets Futures & Options IPO New Issues IPO New Listings IPO Listings Performance Clearing & Settlement Equities Derivatives Retail Debt Risk Management Research Papers Publications Stock Market information Best Common Stock Prices Stock Options Stock analysis Bear and Bull Market Choosing Growth Stock Stock Market Forecasts Dividend Stocks Best Penny Stocks Small Cap Stocks Stock Quotes Margin Trading Stock Ticker Stock Charts Online Stock Brokers Stock Market Stock Market Quote Fortune Make Market Stock Stock Market News investing Stock Market Stock Market Trading Stock Market Crash Stock Market Report indian Stock Market Stock Market investing Advice Stock Market investing Basics China Stock Market Stock Market History Stock Market Holidays Stock Market Software Stock Market Wizard Stock Market Today Bombay Stock Market Stock Market Basics Stock Market Course London Stock Market Asian Stock Market Stock Market Sector New york Stock Market Stock Market Watch Stock Block Message Boards     Why Do Stock Split:     Senegalese leader congratulates newly elected Ghanaian president Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade on Monday expressed "the warmest congratulations" to Ghana's president-elect John Atta-Mills on winning "magnificent victory in legislative and presidential polls." Wade also expressed hope that Ghana will soon form a new government, saying he is ready to work with the new Ghanaian president to strengthen friendly ties and cooperation between the two countries. Prof. Atta-Mills of Ghana's National Democratic Congress was declared the winner of ... Thai gov't worries about 2,600 Thai workers in Gaza Strip Thailand's Labour Ministry is worried about the well-being of about 2,600 Thai workers now employed in the Gaza Strip as fierce fighting between Israeli troops and the militant group Hamas continues without any sign of ending soon, Deputy Permanent Secretary for Labour Pornchai Yooprayong said Tuesday. Pornchai said there are about 2,600 Thai workers employed at 27 sites in the area. The Ministry's Employment Department has been instructed not to dispatch new batches of Thai work ... Israeli offensive kills 13 civilians in Gaza The ongoing Israeli offensive against the Gaza Strip killed 13 Palestinian civilians on Tuesday afternoon, adding the fatalities increased to 35. According to witness and medical sources in Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, Israeli air strikes hit a four-floor building in northern Gaza City, killing 12 members from a family, including a mother and her children. Also on Tuesday afternoon, a woman was killed by Israeli shelling in Jabaria in northern Gaza Strip. Meanwhile, the P ... Tony Blair to receive U.S. award Britain's former Prime Minister Tony Blair is to receive the United States' highest civilian award next week, Sky news reported Tuesday. Blair will be presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom at a White House ceremony on Jan. 13, during President George W. Bush's last week in office, the report said. He will receive the award along with former Australian Prime Minister John Howard and Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, "for their efforts to promote democracy, human rights ... Consumer confidence in Britain plunges to record low Consumer confidence in Britain has plunged to a record low following massive job losses amid the economic downturn, latest research shows. The Nationwide Building Society's consumer confidence index for December fell four points from November to 47, down by nearly half from 84 in December 2007, Sky news reported Tuesday. Over 70 percent of the 1,000 people polled believe the current economic situation is bad while 57 percent think job losses have driven the index down. So ... PM: 30% of Cambodians live under poverty line Some 30 percent of Cambodians now live under the poverty line, said Prime Minister Hun Sen here on Tuesday while addressing a bridge inauguration ceremony. "We are making efforts to reduce poverty step by step and I couldn't achieve giant leap in this regard," he said. Cambodia realized 1 percent reduction of poverty on annual basis in the past years, thanks to the government policy and the economic growth, he said. Cambodia is one among the 49 least developed countries i ... Thai gov't worries about 2,600 Thai workers in Gaza Strip Thailand's Labour Ministry is worried about the well-being of about 2,600 Thai workers now employed in the Gaza Strip as fierce fighting between Israeli troops and the militant group Hamas continues without any sign of ending soon, Deputy Permanent Secretary for Labour Pornchai Yooprayong said Tuesday. Pornchai said there are about 2,600 Thai workers employed at 27 sites in the area. The Ministry's Employment Department has been instructed not to dispatch new batches of Thai work ... Pakistani President visits Afghanistan Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari arrived in Afghanistan capital Kabul Tuesday after a two-week postponement in the trip, an official in foreign ministry said on the condition of anonymity. The road leading from Kabul international airport to Afghan Presidential palace in the capital city has been decorated with the portraits of Zardari, Pakistan national flags, billboards and banners inscribed with slogans "Long live Pakistan-Afghanistan friendship". Zardari was due to visit ... Profile: Bangladesh's new PM Sheikh Hasina Bangladesh's new cabinet headed by Sheikh Hasina as Prime Minister was sworn in in the President House here Tuesday evening. Hasina will rule the country as prime minister for a second time after her party Awami League won a landslide victory in the country's ninth parliamentary election held on Dec. 29, 2008, bagging 230 seats out of all 300 parliament seats. Here is the profile of Sheikh Hasina. Hasina, 61, was in power from 1996 to 2001 and served as leader of the oppo ... Urgent: Bangladesh's new cabinet sworn in Bangladesh's new Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and new cabinet were sworn in in the President House here Tuesday evening. Bangladesh's President Iajuddin Ahmed administered the oath to Hasina first and then that to the 23 ministers of Hasina's new cabinet. "I will be obedient to Bangladesh. I will do everything as per the constitution," Hasina said. She later signed on the oath letter. Hasina, 61, who ruled the country as prime minister in 1996 to 2001, will be also in cha ... Bangladesh's new Prime Minister and cabinet sworn in Bangladesh's new Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her cabinet sworn in Bangabhaban (President House) here Tuesday evening. Hasina, 61, the president of majority party Awami League, was sworn in as Prime Minister along with 31 members of her cabinet, completing the country's transition to democracy after two-year ruling of caretaker government. Bangladesh's President Iajuddin Ahmed administered the oath to the Prime Minister Hasina first, who ruled the country as prime minister on ... Tunisia's tourism income up 6% in 2008 Income of Tunisia's key tourism rose by 6 percent during Jan. 1 to Dec. 20 in 2008 over the same period of the previous year, reaching 2.9 billion dinars (2.15 billion U.S. dollars), local daily Le Temps reported Tuesday. The increase came from holidaymakers coming from Maghreb countries, including Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, and Morocco, the report said. Libyan and Algerian tourists drove the total number of foreign visitors to 6.8 million during the period of Jan. 1 to Dec. 20 ... Angola closes NE border with DR Congo due to Ebola The Angolan government has ordered the suspension of migratory movements at its northeastern border with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) due to the recent outbreak of Ebola in the neighboring country, Angola's official news agency ANGOP reported on Tuesday. Angolan Health Minister Jose Van-Dunem was quoted as saying that the closing of the border is aimed at preventing the spread of the disease into the Angolan territory through migratory movements and illegal prospecting of ... Uganda speeds up oil production to tackle fuel shortage Uganda is speeding up oil exploration and production in order to tackle the fuel shortage, said Energy Minister Daudi Migereko. "The decision, which the government has taken to fast-track oil production through the Early Production System is the sustainable solution to the disruption in supply," Migereko was quoted by the state-owned New Vision daily on Tuesday as saying. Migereko said as long as Uganda depends on Kenya for imports, the fuel shortages will continue, noting that t ... Zimbabwean gov't launches cholera education program The Zimbabwean government has launched a national cholera education awareness program and spelt out modalities for the distribution of drugs, equipment and funds received from donors as measures to thwart the deadly disease intensify, The Herald reported on Tuesday. The resources were acquired following the national request for assistance on cholera launched last month and since the receipt of the drugs, equipment and experts, the disease is being tamed, the report said. Various ... More prisoners escape in Madagascar In a serious of escapes from prisons in the Indian Ocean island country of Madagascar, seven prisoners run away from prison Monday afternoon in Toamasina, a coastal port city 370 km northeast of the capital, while 11 others escaped from that of Betroka, a town 720 km south of the capital city. Security of the Toamasina prison was declared broken around 17:00 p.m. (1400 GMT) on Monday while the prisoners in Betroka run away at midnight on the same day, media here reported on Tuesday. ... Sarkozy asks Syria to pressure Hamas in solving Gaza escalation Visiting French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Tuesday asked Syria to pressure Hamas to return to a ceasefire and help achieve a solution to the escalation in Gaza Strip. "Syria can offer a solution in Gaza, Syria indicated that it was working for peace and I have no doubt that Assad would make all efforts to reach a solution," Sarkozy told a press conference after meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. He added that Assad could play a role in persuading Hamas to halt rocke ... Sarkozy visits Syria over Gaza situation Syrian President Bashar al-Assad held talks on the situation in Gaza Strip with his French counterpart Nicolas Sarkozy who arrived here on Tuesday morning. Assad and Sarkozy reviewed "the serious situation of the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip due to the ongoing Israeli aggression," the official SANA news agency said. EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana and EU envoy on the Middle East peace process Marc Otte also arrived here with Sarkozy and attended the meeting. ... Israeli PM rejects EU request for temporary ceasefire Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Tuesday rejected an European Union (EU) request for a 48-hour ceasefire in Gaza Strip, vowing to push ahead the offensive till security is restored to the south. In new defiance of the international pressure, Olmert told visiting EU foreign ministers that any ceasefire agreement must force Hamas to end its incessant rocket attacks on Israel. Local news service quoted him as saying that "we demand action that will bring security to the residents of Is ... At least 22 Palestinians killed on early Tuesday At least 22 Palestinians were killed in separate Israeli air strikes and tank shelling Tuesday, a Palestinian health official said. The death toll since the beginning of the Israeli Operation Cast Lead on Dec. 27 rose to 573 with some 2,600 other wounded, said Mo'aweya Hassanein, chief of emergency and ambulance services in Palestinian Health Ministry. Local witnesses said that after midnight Israeli warplanes fired eight missiles and bombed the largest security center, which was ... Suicide car bomber wounds 10 in northern Iraq A suicide car bomb Tuesday hit a police patrol in the city of Mosul, the capital city of Nineveh province, wounding five policemen and five civilians, a provincial police source said. The suicide bomber struck the patrol at the Mosul al-Jadida neighborhood, or New Mosul, in southern part of the city before midday, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity. The suicide bombing also destroyed a police vehicle and three nearby civilian cars, the source said. The attac ... Urgent: Another Israeli soldier killed in Gaza An Israel Defense Forces (IDF) officer was killed overnight possibly by friendly fire in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, adding to another three deaths in a similar incident, said the IDF on Tuesday. "Details of the event are still being investigated. However, it is suspected that a tank shell was mistakenly fired at the force," said the IDF on the incident in northern Gaza, where Israeli troops are engaged in fierce fighting with Gazan militants. Another three soldiers from Israel's ... Police seize 1.4 tons of marijuana in Colombia Police on Monday seized 1.4 tons of marijuana in Colombia's western city of Cali and arrested two suspected drug dealers. Police confiscated the drugs at a residence in Cali on a tip, Cali police chief Gustavo Ricaurte said. Initial investigation showed that the site was a small storehouse mainly providing marijuana to distributors in the city,he said. Ricaurte called on residents to provide more useful information to authorities to fight drug trafficking and reduce the h ... Niger, French Areva sign biggest uranium mining deal Niger and French nuclear giant Areva have signed their biggest uranium mining deal in the mineral rich West African country, according to information reaching here. Nigerian Minister of Mines and Energy Mohamed Abdoulahi signed the agreement on Monday with Areva representative Anne Levergeon in Niamey, the capital of Niger. The deal gives Areva a mining permit in Imouraren in the uranium rich northern region of Aagadez, with the French company owning 66 percent of the project and ... Romanian PM: Gas supply stable despite Russia's stoppage of Ukraine line Gas supply in Romania remains stable despite Russia's cutting off of the supply line to Ukraine, Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc told reporters Tuesday. The government has the situation under control, Boc said at a press conference, adding that the authorities will reduce gas consumption at heat-power stations or choose alternative fuel. On Tuesday morning, Russia's gas giant Gazprom completely cut off natural gas supplies through the Isaccea station, one of the two main gas imp ... Two thirds of Russian gas supplies to Romania suspended More than two thirds of Russian gas supplies to Romania have been suspended and the flow through one of the two gas import stations has been cut totally, the Economic Ministry of Romania said Tuesday. Russia's state-run energy giant Gazprom cut off natural gas supplies through the Isaccea station at 3:00 a.m. (0100 GMT) Tuesday, according to the ministry. Romanian consumers are not affected yet by the move, as the existing stocks can cover consumption needs, said Ioan Rusu, gener ... Energy minister: Russian western gas line to Turkey completely cut Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Hilmi Guler confirmed on Tuesday that the flow of natural gas from the western line of Russia to Turkey completely stopped, the semi-official Anatolia news agency reported. ; "The amount of natural gas, which flows from western line of Russia, dropped first to 32 million cubic meters and then to 17 million cubic meters. Currently, the natural gas inflow through Ukraine has completely stopped," the report quoted Guler, adding that the ministry ... Ukrainian company: Russia slashes gas exports to Europe Russian energy giant Gazprom has cut gas supplies to Europe via Ukraine to around two-thirds of its normal flow, which will disrupt supplies to Europe, Ukrainian state gas company Naftogaz spokesman Valentin Zemlyanski said on Tuesday. &$<center><img src='/mediafile/200901/06/P200901062103321623757251.jpg'> <font color='#0000ff'>&$Russian gas export monopoly Gazprom's headquarters is seen in Moscow, Jan. 3, 2009. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)&$</font></center>&$ "They have reduced deliverie ... Russian natural gas supplies to Balkans halted Bulgaria's Ministry of Energy and Economy said on Tuesday that Russian gas supplies to the Balkans halted early in the day. The ministry said that as of 3:30 a.m. local time (0130 GMT), Russian gas supplies to Bulgaria as well as the transit to Greece, Turkey and Macedonia had been suspended. &$<center><img src='/mediafile/200901/06/P200901062102212710513621.jpg'> <font color='#0000ff'>&$Bulgarian Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev (C) speaks during a news conference beside Bulgaria' ... Pakistan-controlled Kashmir's leader replaced The Legislative Assembly in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir approved a no-confidence motion on Tuesday against its leader Sardar Atiq Muhammad Khan, the News Network International (NNI) news agency reported. A total of 31 members in the 49-member house favored the no-confidence motion while 15 opposed it and two members abstained, said the report. People favored the no-trust motion accused the Prime Minister of Pakistan-controlled Kashmir Sardar Atiq of corruption and incompetence t ... Japanese literature translation contest to be held in Myanmar A Japanese Literature translation contest will be held in two major cities of Myanmar, Yangon and Mandalay, next month, sources with the Embassy of Japan here said Tuesday. The 4th Japanese contest, scheduled to take place simultaneously on Feb. 28 in the two cities, covers that at three levels, the sources said. Sponsored by the Embassy of Japan, the Japanese Language Proficiency Test was held every year. Last July, the Japanese government offered human resources develop ... TV: Pakistan to carry out probe on Mumbai evidence Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani Tuesday agreed to carry out a credible investigation of the evidence provided by India on Mumbai attacks. Gilani called on Zardari here at the Aiwan-e-Sadr on Tuesday and they discussed tension between India and Pakistan and steps taken by Pakistan to de-escalate the situation, private TV channel Geo reported. The two leaders said that strict action would be taken against any group found involved in M ... At least 7 injured when car hit pedestrians in S Australia Australian police said on Tuesday a car swerved off the road into pedestrians in a busy Victorian coastal town of Lorne, injuring at least seven people. Police said a 62-year-old man veered off the road in the commercial center of the town, about 140 km southwest of Melbournein Victoria state, and on to the footpath. A woman in her 20s and two four-year-old girls will be flown to a Melbourne hospital for treatment, Australian Associated Press quoted Ambulance Victoria spokeswoman ... S Korean government to provide scholarship to Myanmar students The South Korean government will provide scholarship to Myanmar pre-graduate students to help nurture them and promote bilateral ties between the two countries, the local weekly journal Pyi-Myanmar reported Tuesday. The 2009 Korean Government Scholarship Program (KGSP) will effect 150 pre-graduate students from 72 countries, including five from Myanmar, the report said, adding that the application will close on Jan. 30. The scholarship-winning students are set to major scientific ... Thai PM to host regular TV program to report govt's performance Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva plans to host a television program every Saturday from 9:00 a.m. (0200 GMT) to 10.0 a.m. (0300 GMT) which is expected to kick off from this mid-January, said Phachern Khampho, Director-General of Thailand's government Public Relations Department, on Tuesday. The program, called "Prime Minister Abhisit meets with the people", will be broadcast by the state-run National Broadcasting Services of Thailand (NBT) as Satit Wonghnongtaey, Prime Minister's Of ... Militants kill cleric, 3 police in S Afghanistan Three policemen and one cleric were killed by militants in two separate clashes in Taliban former stronghold Kandahar, officials said Tuesday. In the first attack occurred in Dand district on Monday, militants raided a police checkpoint killing three police constables and injuring another, police chief in southern region Ghulam Ali Wahdat told Xinhua. The militants in a similar incident of same day gunned down a prayer leader of a mosque in Kandahar city. "It was Monday e ... Minister: ASEAN charter's implementation is one of Indonesia's priorities Indonesia will put its efforts to prepare the basic arrangements and infrastructure of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) based on the grouping's recently adopted Charter as one of the priorities of the country's diplomacy in the region, Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda said. "The arrangements cover among other things the finalization of the blueprints for the formation of an ASEAN Political and Security Community and an ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community with a clear specificati ... 4 children killed in Auckland house fire A fire in a south Auckland house, which claimed the lives of four children and left three other people seriously injured, was started by an unattended chip pan on a stove, New Zealand fire safety officers said on Tuesday. The bodies of the children, aged 15, 11, nine and two, were found in the house after the fire just before 01:00 a.m. local time Tuesday. Two adults from the same family were in hospital with severe burns. The fire service officers said there was no evide ... Indian PM blames Pakistan for Mumbai attacks Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Tuesday squarely blamed Pakistan for the Nov. 26 terrorist attack in Mumbai, the Indo-Asian News Service reported. "The terrorist attack in Mumbai in November last year was carried out by a Pakistan-based outfit, the Lashkar-e-Taiba," Singh said while addressing a meeting of all the state chief ministers on the issue of internal security. "On the basis of the investigations carried out, there is enough evidence to show that, given the sophisti ... Thailand blocks 2,300 websites in charge of insulting monarchy Thai authorities have blocked 2,300 websites for allegedly insulting monarchy and are waiting for court approval to take action on another 400 websites, Thailand's Information and Communication Minister Ranongruk Suwanchawee said on Tuesday. Apart from the 2,300 websites, Ranongruk said his ministry is preparing to ask for court approval to close another 400 ones, according to a report by The Nation news website. She said at a press release posted on the ministry's website that t ... Thailand not to change ASEAN summit venue The Thai government does not plan to change the venue for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations(ASEAN) leaders' summit meeting despite anti-government protesters announcing that they will attempt to block the summit site wherever the event is held, Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban said Tuesday. Thailand's anti-government protesters of the Democratic Alliance Against Dictatorship (DAAD) promise blockade any venue at which the regional ASEAN summit might be held in the kingdom ... The 29th ASEAN Tourism Forum opens amid global economic woes The 29th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Tourism Forum opened in Hanoi on Tuesday, with participants seeking solutions to boost tourism that was heavily hit by global economic downturn. Tran Chien Thang, Vice Minister of Vietnamese Culture, Sports and Tourism Ministry, said at the forum that global economic turmoil has reduced demand for traveling. Thang called policy markers in ASEAN countries to map out favorable policies for tourism sectors to grow. He also sugg ... Thai PM asserts confidence in Thai hosting of ASEAN summit Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said Tuesday he is optimistic that Thailand could host the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit next month despite threats by anti-government protesters to block the meeting. Abhisit said the upcoming ASEAN summit is a joint effort held by and representing all Thais, and everyone, including opposition political parties, should support the effort as Thailand will be the host. The summit is scheduled to be held in Bangkok from ... BTC pipes 70 mln tons of Caspian oil to world markets Nearly 70 million tons of crude oil have been transported via Baku-Tblisi-Ceyhan (BTC) Pipeline from June 2006 to the end of 2008, the semi-official Anatolia news agency reported on Tuesday. The BTC Pipeline project, which is described as the "energy project of the century", has carried about 70 million tons of Caspian oil to world markets through Turkey, said the report, quoting officials from Turkish Pipeline Corporation International Limited. According to the report, the crude ... Minister: ASEAN charter's implementation is one of Indonesia's priorities Indonesia will put its efforts to prepare the basic arrangements and infrastructure of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) based on the grouping's recently adopted Charter as one of the priorities of the country's diplomacy in the region, Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda said. "The arrangements cover among other things the finalization of the blueprints for the formation of an ASEAN Political and Security Community and an ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community with a clear specificati ... UNICEF, Asia-Pacific countries convene to address impact of economic crisis on children The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and countries from East Asia and Pacific regions convened here Tuesday to discuss policies and measures to address impact of the current economic crisis on children. The UNICEF said at a press conference Tuesday morning that the global financial crisis is amplifying the effects of the food and fuel prices crisis. Reduced food consumption, particularly among poor families, can lead to stunted physical growth and decreased intellectual capacity ... Guinea-Bissau's former president allowed to leave for medical treatment Guinea-Bissau's former president Koumba Yalla who was linked to the No. 23 coup attempt, is allowed to go abroad for medical treatment after a ban on his departure from the tiny West African country was lifted. Information from Bissau, the capital of Guinea-Bissau, said that Prosecutor General Luis Manel Cabral lifted the ban on Monday, authorizing his trip abroad for medical care. Cabral said Yalla, who is ill, could stay abroad as long as he needs a cure. Yalla had been ... U.S. Muslims criticize LA mayor for supporting Israeli attacks U.S. Muslim groups on Monday criticized Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa for publicly supporting Israeli military actions in Gaza. "Why is the mayor of Los Angeles dragging himself and his constituents into international conflicts in the Middle East?" Salam Al-Marayati, executive director of the Muslim Public Affairs Council, said at a press conference here. Earlier in the day, Villaraigosa reiterated his support for Israel's military attacks on the Palestinian militant gro ... Tough economic challenges ahead for Bangladesh's new government Bangladesh's new cabinet headed by Sheikh Hasina as Prime Minister is set to be sworn in Tuesday evening, after Hasina-led Awami League (AL) won a landslide victory in the parliamentary elections last week. It is widely believed that a majority of voters, who were disappointed with the performance of the last elected government led by another major party Bangladesh Nationalist Party, are highly expecting AL could bring changes for the country. However, observers said it is not ea ... Left-wing rebels release Filipino soldier after two months' detention The leftist New People's Army (NPA) on Tuesday released an Army junior officer, who was abducted by the rebels about two months ago following a fierce firefight in the southern province of Compostela Valley, the Philippine military said. Lt. Vicente Cammayo was released by the rebels to Davao City vice mayor Sarah Duterte Tuesday morning in the Agusan del Sur province, said Ernesto Torres, spokesman of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Cammayo was later brought to the headquar ... UNICEF to continue polio vaccination program in Myanmar this year The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) will continue its program of vaccination against polio in Myanmar in 2009, the local Weekly Eleven journal reported Tuesday. The polio vaccination campaign for this year will be launched for two rounds -- the first from Jan. 10 to 12, and the second from Feb. 7 to 9, the report said. The UNICEF polio vaccination campaign will also be launched in areas hit by the last May storm, the report added. The UNICEF has carried out the po ... South African storm death toll rises to 18 At least 18 people have been confirmed dead in a "monstrous" storm that lashed South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal province at the weekend, the South African social development department said on Tuesday. The department spokesman Lennox Mabaso said five people were struck by lightning, four were washed away in a car in Durban's Kwa-Mashu area, one was washed away in Inchanga. Another three were killed in Umzimkhulu, three in Richmond, one in Pietermaritzburg and another was found dead in Dalton ... Road collision kills 11 in north Tanzania Eleven people, all members of the same clan, have been killed by a collision between a mini-bus and a truck in northern Tanzania and the tragedy has also left 14 other people seriously injured. The mini-bus taking people out of a religious ceremony rammed into the truck before rolling over off the road near Moshi, according to police sources. Acting Kilimanjaro Regional Police Commander Ramadhan Baruti said that the mini-bus was speeding when the accident occurred and the driver ... Three Israeli soldiers killed in friendly fire in Gaza Three Israeli soldiers were killed overnight by friendly fire in the ongoing battle in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, said the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Tuesday. The biggest single death toll of the Israeli army since its Operation Cast Lead began 11 days ago came when an IDF tank shelled in error a structure where a unit of Israel's elite GolaniBrigade were located, said the IDF in a statement. "Three IDF soldiers were killed, one was critically wounded, three were severely wo ... Palestinians offered convenience to continue stay in UAE The immigration authority of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has offered Palestinian nationals in the Gulf country convenience to continue their stay, local newspaper Khaleej Times reported on Tuesday. The decision came from the UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan, said Brigadier Nassir al-Awadi al-Menhali, Acting Director General of the Naturalization and Residency Department in the Ministry of Interior. According to President Sheikh Khalifa's decision, Palestinians ... Foreign journalists still not allowed into Gaza Dozens of journalists waited at Israeli-Gaza border, watching the military operation in Gaza, as Israel refuses to let any media cross into the strip. Since the Israel Defense Forces "Cast Lead" operation in Gaza Strip began 11 days ago, the Israeli Supreme Court has agreed to allow a limited number of journalists into Gaza, but Israeli army has not fulfilled its promise yet. During a court session, a compromise was made and the parties agreed that a limited team of eight journal ... Polanski's lawyers seek to have sex case dismissed Lawyers for fugitive film director Roman Polanski on Monday sought to have a 1970s rape case against him dismissed, accusing the Los Angeles County Superior Court of bias and prejudice against the director. Polanski fled to his native France in 1978 after being convicted of having sex with a 13-year-old girl. He has never returned to the United States since then. Attorneys Chad Hummel and Bart Dalton, who filed court papers last month seeking the dismissal of Polanski's case, joi ... Kim Jong Il calls for hydropower stations Kim Jong Il, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), has visited a newly built power station located in an eastern province and called for the building of more hydropower stations, the official Korean Central News Agency reported on Tuesday. The quickest way to solve the power shortage is to build hydropower stations on a large scale in the DPRK where water resources are abundant, Kim said while visiting the newly built Wonsan Youth Power Station in eastern Kangwo ... Ten rebels killed in air strikes in S Philippines At least ten suspected Muslim separatist rebels were killed on Tuesday in air strikes carried out by government security forces in the restive southern Philippines, a military official said. The latest hostilities in the region occurred just after the government said they expect to resume the stalled peace talks anytime this month with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the country's largest rebel organization active in the south. An OV-10 aircraft dropped bombs on the ene ... South Africa's IFP Youth leader killed The leader of South African Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP)'s Youth Brigade, Shadrack Dube, has been shot dead in KwaZulu-Natal province, the party said on Tuesday. "Dube was shot with eight bullets by unknown assailants as he came back from buying airtime not far from his house at Phumlani township, in Hluhluwe," said party chairman Alfred Mpontshane in a statement. The murder took place on Sunday. The party described the killing as a systematic campaign to eliminate its leaders, de ... Four die in South Africa train collision Four people were killed in South Africa's Stellenbosch when their car collided with a train along Vlaeberg road in Western Cape province, the South African police said on Tuesday. Superintendent Andre Traut said two women and two men, aged 52,54, 55 and another whose age still had to be confirmed, were travelling in a white hired VW Polo when a train hit their vehicle on Monday afternoon. The SABC earlier quoted emergency services staff as saying that the accident was the result ... Eight people killed in South Africa truck accident Eight people were killed and three others seriously injured when two trucks collided on the N2 road in Eastern Cape province, the South African police said on Tuesday. Spokesman Captain Jackson Manatha said a truck carrying car parts was trying to overtake another truck with eleven occupants inside when it lost control on Monday at 10:15 p.m. local time (2015 GMT) "The overtaking truck crashed into another truck in front. The truck in front, with eleven occupants inside, therefor ... Former Australian PM to receive top U.S. honor Australia's former prime minister John Howard said on Tuesday that he will receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom by U.S. President Jeorge W. Bush during a White House ceremony next week. Howard has been awarded the medal, the highest civilian honor a U.S. president can give, along with former British prime minister Tony Blair and Columbia's president Alvaro Uribe. U.S. President George W Bush will confer the prestigious award on his staunch international supporters in an East ... Population surpasses 2.2 mln in Paris Paris has in recent years seen a population boom that as of Jan. 1 exceeded 2.2 million people, French authorities said Monday. The capital of France now has registered a population of nearly 2.2016 million, back to its level of almost 16 years ago, according to data released by the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Study (INSEE). Officers said despite a drain in population during 1975 to 1999, Paris has welcomed about 77,000 new residents since 1999 thanks both to th ... Interview: Henry Kissinger foresees brighter future for U.S.-China relations The U.S.-China relations will enjoy steady and continuous progress in a long period to come, as many problems in the world today require the two countries to cooperate in many ways, former U.S. secretary of state Henry Kissinger said here on Monday. "Our ties in the next 30 years could make the same progress as they had made in the last 30 years, that could be good for the world, be good for our countries," Kissinger told Xinhua in an exclusive interview, as China and the United States a ... New Zealanders protest against Israeli attacks on Gaza Nearly 1,000 Palestinian supporters in New Zealand marched in central Wellington on Tuesday, protesting against Israel's air and ground offensive in Gaza and called on the New Zealand government to end its neutral stance. The Wellington Palestine Group delivered a letter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, attacking the government's position of "taking no side" on the crisis. While the government is supporting calls for an end to the conflict between Israel and Hamas, t ... Serbian president calls for UN, EU intervention to protect Kosovo Serbs Serbian President Boris Tadic on Monday sent a letter to the United Nations and the current European Union's rotating presidency holder, the Czech Republic, asking for their intervention to protect Kosovo Serbs following increasing incidents. Tadic said that the NATO-led peacekeeping force (KFOR), the UN mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) and the EU rule of law mission (EULEX) had failed to stop attacks on ethnic Serbs in the northern Kosovo town of Mitrovica, according to a statement released by ... 4-year-old boy shoots babysitter for stepping on foot A 4-year-old boy shot his babysitter because the sitter accidentally stepped on his foot in Jackson, Ohio, media reported on Tuesday. Nathan Beavers, 18 years old, and several other teenagers were babysitting several young children in a mobile home on Sunday when the shooting occurred. Police said the 4-year-old child was angry because Beavers accidentally stepped on his foot. Witnesses told police the child retrieved the shotgun from a bedroom closet and shot Beavers. Be ... 76 killed in Colombia's raining season A total of 76 people were killed in Colombia's winter raining season, which lasted from mid-September to the end of 2008, the country's Department of Disasters Prevention and Attention (DPAD) said Monday. "From Sept. 15 to Dec. 31, 2008, there were 635 emergencies" caused by natural disasters -- 11 by avalanches, 109 by landslides, one by land erosion, 469 flooding, one by electric storm and 44 storms, said DPAD in a news release. "As many as 76 people were killed, 100 injured an ... Landslide death toll rises to 33 in Guatemala The death toll from a massive landslide in northern Guatemala rose to 33 on Monday, the National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction (Conred) in Guatemala said. According to information from Guatemala City, 11 more bodies were uncovered by rescue teams, raising the death toll from the previously reported 22 to 33 from the landslide that occurred Sunday near the village of Alta Verapaz. More than 100 rescuers were working at the site, a stretch of rural road under construction betw ... OAS chief withdraws from running Chilean presidency Jose Miguel Insulza, the general secretary of the Organization of American States (OAS), said Monday he would not run for president in the next Chilean election. At a press conference in Santiago, Insulza announced that he would withdraw as a candidate in Chile's December presidential election. He said he would stay on as general secretary of the OAS, a five-year post he began to serve on May 26, 2005. "My name can not inspire more unity among the four parties of the socialist al ... Mexican Army detains 189 illegal immigrants The Mexican Army on Monday detained 189 illegal immigrants who allegedly tried to reach the United States from northeast Mexico, said a military resource. The detainees, including seven Brazilians and some from different Central American countries, were found in a house in the city of Reynosa, in the northeastern state of Tamaulipas which borders the United States. About 14 people, who were allegedly guarding those immigrants, were also arrested in the raid. According to ... China presents traditional shows in Chile's int'l theater festival The Chinese Wu Opera Troupe performed Monday in the traditional international theater festival "Santiago a Mil (Santiago to One Thousand) 2009." "Opera Wu" lasted 70 minutes and emphasized the different elements of millennium China, especially mythological creatures, martial arts and dances. The Wu Opera Troupe, from eastern China's Zhejiang province, will also give a parade with dragon and lion dances while wearing masks and traditional costumes. The parade, led by Chine ... Bush to offer highest civilian award to his foreign allies President George W. Bush will offer the highest civilian award to three foreign leaders for their steady support in the U.S.-led war against terrorism, the White House said on Monday. The Presidential Medal of Freedom will be awarded to Colombian President Alvaro Uribe and former Prime Ministers Tony Blair of the United Kingdom and John Howard of Australia on Jan. 13, said Bush's spokeswoman Dana Perino. The Medal of Freedom, established by Harry S. Truman in 1945 to honor servic ... Accident on Petrobras' oil platform kills one, injures two Brazil's state-run oil company said on Monday that an accident on an offshore platform killed one, injured two and suspended production. The mishap was caused by a flaw in a valve of Platform FPSO-34 in the Jubarte field off the coast of Espirito Santo state in southeast Brazil. The dead was 28-year-old boiler operator William Robson Vasconcelos who worked for UTC Engineering, a company hired by Petrobras. Two other UTC workers, identified as Mario Alves de Souza and Mari ... Cambodia creates new body to regulate foreign marriage A new organization to regulate foreign marriage has been created following the lifting of a six-month suspension of such unions in 2008, English-language daily newspaper the Phnom Penh Post said on Tuesday. The Association for People Protection (APP) was licensed by the Ministry of Interior on Dec. 12 to provide "free consultations on marriages to foreigners," the paper quoted an APP statement as saying. The APP aims at protecting Cambodian overseas migrants, especially women mar ... UN continues assisting displaced people in DR Congo The United Nations is continuing to rush assistance to people affected by clashes in the war-torn far east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and victims of violence at the hands of the Ugandan rebel group known as the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), a UN commission said on Monday. Since December 28, more than 300 people have been killed during LRA attacks in north-eastern DRC, according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the National Refugee Commission. ... UN chief: UN, Arab ministers agree to work closely on Gaza UN Secretary-general Ban Ki-moon said here on Monday that he and visiting Arab foreign ministers agreed to work closely so that the current Gaza conflict can end quickly. "We have had a very good exchange of views on the very serious matters of security situation in Gaza and southern Israel," he said. "This meeting has provided an excellent opportunity (for) us to discuss how we can bring this violence to an immediate end, and to restore peace and stability in the region." Speaki ... UN refugee chief calls for open borders for Gaza civilians Related countries should keep their borders open for civilians who may be compelled to flee the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip, the United Nations' top refugee official said on Monday. "Those who are compelled to flee the Gaza Strip should be able to do so and to find safety and security in other countries according to international law," said Antonio Guterres, the UN high commissioner for refugees (UNHCR). "I thus urge that all borders and access routes concerned should be k ... UN chief assures help to people in Gaza UN Secretary-general Ban Ki-moon said here on Monday that "the United Nations is doing everything it can" to feed and help the people of Gaza, which is currently under Israeli military strikes. He made the statement while meeting with visiting Arab foreign ministers at the UN Headquarters in New York. &$<i>&$Source:Xinhua&$</i>&$ ... Ambulances face growing difficulty in reaching Gaza wounded, UN warns Ambulances and medical workers in Gaza are facing increasing difficulty in reaching the wounded, some are being killed in doing so, and a "humanitarian breathing space" is vital to ensure that food and medical supplies reach those in need as Israel's offensive entered its 10th day, the top United Nations relief official in the area said on Monday. "Large numbers of people including many children are hungry, they are cold, they are without ready access to medical facilities, they are wit ... ECOWAS to sanction Guinea Guinea stands to be sanctioned on Friday when an extra-ordinary session of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is to convene in Abuja to discuss the recent military putsch in the country. The sanction, which may be in the form of suspension, is in protest against the coup and in line with the current stand of the AU against military takeover of government on the continent. Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ojo Maduekwe told State House correspondents at the ... Mugabe to form new gov't by February: Report Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe is pressing ahead with the formation of a new government following invitations extended to the opposition to join the structures agreed upon in the broad-based agreement signed last year, The Herald reported on Monday. Sources were quoted by the newspaper as saying that a new government is most likely to be in place by the end of February by which time it is expected that the three parliamentary political parties will have passed Constitutional Amendment ... UN says fresh fighting displaced 50,000 in Somalia The UN top relief official for Somalia said on Monday that fresh fighting in Somalia has uprooted another 50,000 Somalis, further worsening the already severe humanitarian crisis. UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia Mark Bowden also voiced grave concern over the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the strife-torn nation, where fresh clashes last week have reportedly killed more than 40 people and displaced over 50,000. According to a UN news release on Monday ... Egypt maintains Suez Canal transit fees Egypt has decided to remain the transit fees of ships and tankers crossing the Suez Canal unchanged, the state MENA news agency reported on Monday. Admiral Ahmed Ali Fadel, chief of the Suez Canal Authority (SCA), made the announcement during a press conference on Monday at the Suez Canal city of Ismailia, said the report, saying the transit fees will remain unchanged as imposed in 2008. Egypt's Suez Canal tolls for ships transiting the international waterway rose as of April 1, ... Lebanon not to drag into war in Gaza: minister Lebanese Information Minister Tareq Mitri told foreign press Monday that all factions in the Lebanese cabinet insist on not dragging the country into a war with Israel. "There is a united stand in the government which insists on stability in the country," Mitri said. He added that there was no "sign that Hezbollah would jeopardize to drag Lebanon into this conflict." He said the Lebanese cabinet which includes Hezbollah ministers clearly announced that it does not want an ... Hezbollah Chief hails Gaza resistance as "miracle and legend" Chief of Lebanese Shiite armed group Hezbollah Hasan Nasrallah said Monday night that the resistance steadiness in Gaza until Monday is a "miracle and a legend," al-Manar TV reported. Addressing a huge Ashoura gathering in the southern suburbs of Beirut, Nasrallah said that it is a "divine gift from God that the people in Gaza are still resisting." "With little possibilities and a lot of faith, people are resisting, and will make the greatest victory at the end," Nasrallah said. ... Egypt engaged in intensive efforts on ending Gaza crisis Egypt, an important regional power and active mediator of the Palestinian-Israeli conflicts, has been engaged in intensive diplomatic and relieving efforts to find a solution to the ongoing Israeli attacks on the Palestinian territory of Gaza Strip. On Monday, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak held talks with his visiting French counterpart Nicolas Sarkozy on means of ending the current Israeli attacks against Gaza. During the meeting at the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-She ... Turkish PM phones European leaders on Israeli offensive in Gaza Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan Monday talked on phone with some of his European counterparts as part of his efforts to bring an end to the Israeli assault on Gaza, the semi-official Anatolia news agency reported. Erdogan phoned Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi, the report said. The leaders discussed the issues of delivering humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip and the immediate call for a c ... Syria to launch public donation campaign to support Gaza The Syrian cabinet decided on Monday to launch a public donation campaign to support the people of Gaza, the official SANA news agency reported. In a weekly cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Mohammad Naji Ottri, the ministers vowed to bolster their country's support campaigns and aid convoys to Gaza, which already amounted to 280 tons of aid in various kind. They also underlined the efforts led by President Bashar al-Assad to end the Israeli aggression on Gaza, break the ... Sarkozy urges end to Gaza warfare Visiting French President Nicolas Sarkozy urged here Monday evening an end to the warfare in Gaza. In his statement at a press conference in the West Bank city of Ramallah after meeting with the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, Sarkozy said that while the Palestinian national reconciliation is necessary, the priority now is to put an end to the warfare in Gaza. He said time is now working against peace, and there must be a stop of violence in Gaza, and ... Hamas delegation arrives in Egypt for talks on Gaza A delegation of the Palestinian Islamic Hamas movement arrived in Egypt on Monday for talks with Egyptian officials on the current conflicts between the Palestinian group and Israeli troops in the Gaza Strip. The Hamas delegation, grouping Hamas senior members Emad al-Alami and Mohamed Nasr, came as the Israeli attacks on Gaza entered its 10th day, according to the Egyptian MENA news agency. It's the first Hamas delegation arriving in Egypt for talks on Gaza ceasefire since Israe ... UAE condemns Israeli military offensive against Gaza The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Monday condemned the ongoing Israeli military offensive against the Gaza Strip, which has killed more than 500 Palestinians, the official Emirates News Agency reported. The Israeli offensive "constituted an unequivocal violation of the international laws that protect civilians and safeguard their rights during war times," a statement by the UAE Cabinet said. The Cabinet expressed in the statement its solidarity with the Palestinian people and sym ... Israel no comment on report of Mauritania's recalling of ambassador Israeli Foreign Ministry Monday made no comment on a report that Mauritania has recalled its ambassador to Israel over the country's military operation in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip. "We have no comment, because we have not received any official notification from Mauritania about the recalling of ambassador," a spokesman of Israeli Foreign Ministry told Xinhua on the phone. Earlier Monday, news agencies reported that Mauritanian Foreign Ministry spokesman Babah Ould Sidi Abd ... Witnesses: Heavy clashes erupt in northern and eastern Gaza Heavy and fierce gun battles took place on Monday night between Israeli soldiers and Palestinian militants in eastern and northern Gaza City, witnesses in Gaza said. The witnesses said that they can hear heavy and intensive tanks shelling on the area known as Tufah neighborhood in eastern Gaza City, adding that Israeli soldiers and militants were exchanging heavy gunfire in the area. Resident of Gaza Mohamed el-Aklouk said dozens of shells were fired at eastern and northern Gaza ... Saudi Arabia calls for more int'l efforts to stop Israeli offensive against Gaza Saudi Arabia on Monday called on the international community to do more to stop Israeli military offensive against the Gaza Strip. A cabinet statement described the Israeli offensive as "barbarity" while urging for an international position which "is feeble in dealing with unprecedented Israeli violations in dealing with international crises," the state SPA news agency reported. The statement disagreed with the remarks that the Israeli offensive is "self-defence," saying that it ... Lebanese Interior Ministry sets June 7 for Parliamentary elections Lebanese Interior Ministry issued a decree calling for the upcoming Parliamentary elections to take place on June 7, local Elnashra website reported Monday. The decree said the elections in all Lebanese provinces and constituencies will be held in the same day, however, the 2005 elections were held separately in each province on Sunday for four consecutive weeks. The election law states that the decree announcing the election date should be issued 90 day prior to the date of the ... Demonstrators again approach U.S. embassy in Beirut Protesters approached the U.S. embassy premises in Awkar East of Beirut for the second time Monday but riot police and security forces forced them away from it, local New TV reported. According to the report, around 500 university students held the demonstration in protest against Israeli's ground offensive on Gaza. They carried sticks and tried to break through the bared wire fences surrounding the U.S. embassy. Earlier on Sunday, over a hundred members of the Lebanese Communist ... Iran says over 70,000 students sign up for martyrdom operations The director of the Public Relations of Iran's Students' Basij (Volunteer) Organization Esmaeel Ahmadi said here on Monday that over 70,000 students had signed up for martyrdom operations, the official IRNA news agency reported. "More than 70,000 students from universities throughout Iran have signed up on the list to conduct Esteshhadi (martyrdom seeking) operations (against Israeli troops in Gaza)," Ahmadi said. "The students will act as part of Esteshhadi battalions," he added ... Fresh Israeli strike on Gaza kills mother, four children A mother and four children were killed on Monday night in an Israeli airstrike by missiles carried out on a house in Sheja'eya neighborhood in eastern Gaza City, witnesses and medics said. Mo'aweya Hassanein, chief of emergency and ambulance services in the Palestinian health ministry said that a mother and four of her children were killed in an Israeli airstrike on their house in eastern Gaza. He added that the deaths of the five is rising the number of Palestinians killed durin ... Palestine to have draft resolution presented to Security Council as soon as possible, says FM Palestine will have a draft resolution presented to the UN Security Council "as soon as possible," Riyad al-Malki, foreign minister of the Palestinian Authority, said here on Monday. The minister said that he is at the UN Headquarters in New Yorkupon the request of Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas to "prepare a draft resolution that will be presented to the Security Council as soon as possible," he said. The move was taken upon the decision made at a meeting of Arab foreign min ... Mubarak, Sarkozy meet on Gaza ceasefire Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Monday met with his visiting French counterpart Nicolas Sarkozy on talks of ending the current Israeli attacks on the Palestinian territory of Gaza Strip. The two leaders held their meeting at the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh and discussed the ongoing Egyptian efforts to help reach an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, according to the official MENA news agency. They also tackled means of restoring calmness between the Palestinians and ... Hamas vows to kidnap more Israeli soldiers Islamic Hamas movement's armed wing al-Qassam Brigades vowed on Monday to kidnap more Israeli soldiers during the ongoing Israeli air and ground large-scale military operation carried out against Gaza. Abu Obeida, the group's spokesman, during a news conference broadcasted by the pro-Hamas Television of al-Aqsa, addressed the Israeli soldiers that "Your colleague Gilad Shalit is missing you and wants to see you and we promised him to get him some of his friends." Hamas captured S ... Abbas: stopping offensive on Gaza "priority" Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Monday that ending the ongoing Israeli military offensive on the Gaza Strip "is now a priority for the Palestinian National Authority." Abbas told reporters after he met with the Quartet Envoy Toni Blair that "the priority now is to stop all types and kinds of Israeli aggression immediately and without any preconditions." He also warned of a real humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Meanwhile, Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said in ... Iran says OPEC to hold emergency meeting in February Iran's representative to the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) Mohammad Ali Khatibi said here on Monday that the organization would hold an emergency meeting in Kuwait in February, Iran's state TV (IRIB) website reported. "In the last meeting in Algeria, it was set to be held in March, however, the trend with the oil price has convinced the organization to hold the meeting one month earlier," he said, adding that "The exact date has not been fixed yet and no invitation ... FM: Egypt to meet Hamas delegation on Gaza crisis Egyptian officials will have talks with a visiting delegation of the Palestinian Islamic Hamas movement on means of reaching a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit said Monday. The Hamas delegation is due to arrive in Egypt later on Monday upon the request of Egypt, the state MENA news agency quoted Abul Gheit as saying. Egypt has contacted with Hamas on the talks aiming at reaching a ceasefire in Gaza, which has been under intensive Israeli attacks in t ... Livni:Israel not to show restraint any more when attacked Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said on Monday that Israel will no longer show restraint when the Jewish state is under attack, local daily Ha'aretz reported on its website. Speaking to reporters alongside her counterparts from the Czech Republic, France and Sweden, Livni said the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Cast Lead Operation in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip was intended to "change the equation" in the region, whereby Hamas fires at Israel and Israel responds with restraint. ... Turkey says int'l monitoring group should be formed for solution to Gaza Turkey's Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said on Monday that an international monitoring group should be formed for a viable solution in Gaza, the semi-official Anatolia news agency reported. "Implementation of a sustainable solution under the international guarantee is only possible with the formation of an international monitoring group, and Turkey would not hesitate to takeover such mission if it is asked or demanded," Babacan was quoted as saying at the joint press conference held with ... Int'l community calls for immediate ceasefire in Gaza The international community has over the past two days continued to condemn Israel's ground invasion of the Gaza Strip following days of intensive airstrikes, calling for an immediate ceasefire in the volatile region. South Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman Moon Tae-young said Monday his country would offer 300,000-U.S. dollars worth of humanitarian aid to people in the Gaza Strip. "The South Korean government expresses deep concern that the armed conflict in the Gaza Strip and n ... Hamas armed wing: more surprises wait for Israeli army Al-Qassam Brigades, Islamic Hamas movement's armed wing, vowed on Monday to continue confronting the Israeli army forces that has been carrying out a ground operation on Gaza since Dec. 27. The group said in a statement that it still has more new military tactics, adding that "the Palestinian resistance hasn't yet used all what it has against the enemy," adding "there will be lots of surprises." "We have lots of surprises, but we still use certain military tactics according to th ... Palestinian, Israeli diplomats in China blame each other for Gaza conflicts The escalating Palestine-Israel conflicts are triggered by Israel and the international community should put more pressure on Israel to settle the longtime conflicts, said a Palestinian envoy Monday in Beijing, while an Israeli diplomat accused the Hamas of causing the on-going Gaza conflicts. In an exclusive interview with the Xinhuanet, the online news service of the Xinhua News Agency, Ahmad K. Mussa, Minister Counsellor of the Palestinian Embassy in Beijing said the fact that Israel fai ... Bosnia-Herzegovina decides to send peacekeepers to Afghanistan Bosnia-Herzegovina's three-member presidency on Monday decided to send a small number of peacekeepers to Afghanistan later this year. The 10 Bosnian army officers will perform operative, administrative and other tasks with the German and Danish contingent as members of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan, a presidency statement said. The decision, which has to be approved by the Bosnian parliament, is "one more step on the road towards (the ... French ship attacked by pirates in Nigeria with nine taken hostage A French ship was seized by pirates off the coast of Nigeria during the weekend, with nine crew members taken hostage, the French media reported on Monday. According to the report, the ship, Bourbon Leda, which belongs to the French maritime services company Bourbon, was attacked off Bonny, a major oil and gas terminal in southern Nigeria in the night of Jan. 3 to Jan. 4. The nine crew members included five Nigerians, two Ghanaians, one Cameroonian and one Indonesian. The company ... Serbian president calls for UN, EU intervention to protect Kosovo Serbs Serbian President Boris Tadic on Monday sent a letter to the United Nations and the current EU presidency the Czech Republic, asking for their intervention to better protect Kosovo Serbs amid a growing number of violent incidents. In his letter to UN Security Council member states and Secretary-general Ban Ki-Moon, as well as to the Czech Republic, Tadic said that the NATO-led peacekeeping force (KFOR), the UN Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) and the European Union Rule of Law Mission (EULEX) h ... Pro-Palestinian rally held in Serbian capital Several hundred people on Monday rallied in the Serbian capital Belgrade to protest the Israeli military strikes on the Gaza Strip. The rally, organized by an association named the Palestinian Diaspora in Serbia, was joined by Serbian parliament members, supporters of the Serbian Radical Party, and representatives of the Serbian labor, anarchist and nationalist associations. The protesters voiced their support for Palestinians, carried anti-Israeli posters and chanted anti-Israel ... France hit by cold wave A cold wave has swept France with snowstorms causing disruptions and a record high electricity consumption in the country on Monday, French sources said. According to the sources, up to 10 centimeters of snow hit parts of France, including Paris. The Eiffel Tower was forced to be closed. The French authorities issued traffic alerts in 30 regions because of icy roads. The bad weather also led to flights cancellations. Air France said 120 of its 400 scheduled flights were canceled ... EU says euro adoption runs smoothly in Slovakia The European Commission said on Monday that the changeover to the euro in Slovakia is taking place smoothly. By the end of Saturday some 27 percent of payments in shops were made in euro and virtually all customers were getting their change in the single currency, according to the European Union (EU)'s executive arm. The changeover is progressing steadily with nearly half of citizens polled saying they had mostly euro in their wallets at the close of business on Saturday. ... Serbia to apply for EU candidacy in April Serbia should apply for a candidate status in the European Union in April this year, one year after it signed a pre-membership agreement with the 27-memberbloc, Serbian Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic said on Monday. In an interview with television channel Avala, Cvetkovic said that Serbia would also ask for its inclusion in the White Schengen List, which means visa regime liberalization for Serbian citizens to travel to Schengen nations. He said that preparations for these two ap ... Britain's largest nuclear operator formally purchased by France's EDF British Energy, the largest electricity generator and nuclear operator in Britain, was formally purchased by France's EDF on Monday, with a cost of 12.5 billion pounds. The purchase is a significant step in EDF's plans to build four new nuclear reactors in Britain. Completion of the purchase on Monday, following regulatory clearance with conditions by European competition authorities in December, marks the culmination of the restructuring of British Energy. "Completion of this ta ... Medvedev, Abbas urge for ceasefire in Gaza: Kremlin Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and his Palestinian counterpart Mahmoud Abbas have called for immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, the Kremlin said on Monday. The leaders, during their phone talks, discussed the worsening situation in the Gaza Strip which has caused massive civilian casualties and deteriorated humanitarian situation there, Itar-Tass news agency cited a Kremlin statement. Medvedev to offer more humanitarian aid to the Palestinians and Abbas appreciated Moscow' ... Russian mafia launders one billion euro through Bulgarian firm: report The Sofia-headquartered firm "Optima Ka Single Member Ltd." was used to channel over one billion euro money by the Russian mafia in less than a year, the local "24 Hours" Daily reported Monday. The money was channeled through the company, and was deposited into Bulgarian banks. About 500 million euro were transferred to a financial company in Estonia, where the cash was withdrawn. Most of the money belonged to organized crime groups from St. Petersburg, which used the channel to ... Russia to cut gas export via Ukraine: Putin Russia will reduce its gas export that was pumped through pipelines stretching over Ukraine to Western Europe countries, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said here on Monday amid gas disputes with the neighbor. Russian gas monopoly Gazprom's Chief Executive Officer Alexei Miller raised the proposal to cut 65.3 million cubic meters of gas export that was allegedly stolen by Ukraine during a meeting with Putin who nodded, Itar-Tass and Interfax reported. Miller also suggested the gas ... Sweden to send emergency aid to Palestinians in Gaza The Swedish government announced Monday it would send ten million kronor (about 1.3 million U.S. dollars) in emergency aid through United Nation (UN) to Palestinians in Gaza. "The situation for the Gaza population is becoming more difficult. The extra emergency aid is going to help deal with the humanitarian impact of Israel's massive offensive there," said Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency Sida in a statement. "The ten million kronor (about 1.3 million U.S. do ... EU adopts single certificate for navigation on inland waterways As of 2009, the European Union (EU)begins to adopt a single safety certificate for all vessels navigating on all rivers in the EU, including the stretches of th eRhine and the Danube outside EU territory. The new certificate, delivered in compliance with common requirements under a 2006 directive, is aimed at increasing the safety of passengers and freight transport by inland waterway in the EU. The new directive replaces 25-year-old technical rules. The previous certificate was ... Investigation on attack against police in Athens Greek Police (ELAS) chief Vassilis Tsiatouras said at a press conference here on Monday that the Kalashnikov assault rifles used in the attack on a police squad guarding a Ministry of Culture building early Monday morning was the same used in the attack against a riot police van two weeks ago. He specified that one of the two Kalashnikov assault rifles used in the attack against a MAT riot police van in the Zographos district of Athens on December 23 was also used in Monday's early morni ... Romania: Gas flows from Russia still abnormal Romania's imports of Russian natural gas continue to be lower, though Ukraine announced Sunday it resumed transit to Romania at the contractual level, said Monday Ioan Rusu, general manager of Romania's gas firm Transgaz. "Gas imports continue to be 30 percent lower," the head of Romania's state-run gas pipeline operator told local media. Ukraine's state-owned energy company Naftogaz announced Sunday it resumed transit of natural gas to Romania at the normal capacity. Ukr ... Turkey says no reduction in gas flows from Russia despite Moscow-Kiev gas row Turkey said on Monday that it faces no reduction in the amount of gas flowing from Russia despite a Moscow-Kiev gas row, the Anatolian news agency reported. Officials from the Turkish Pipeline Corporation (BOTAS) was quoted as saying the current natural gas pipelines with Russia continue to operate normally. The officials' remarks came after an earlier report said that Turkey has claimed to raise supplies of Russian gas via the Blue Stream pipeline under the Black Sea to compensa ... Rival Cypriot leaders make progress on reunification talks Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders have made significant progress on their talks over the future federal government, the United Nations' top envoy in Cyprus said Monday. Greek Cypriot leader Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat met for the first time in 2009 in the U.N.-controlled buffer zone in Nicosia, with the presence of Taye-Brook Zerihoun, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's special representative in Cyprus. "They have reached full agreement on t ... Greek police officer seriously injured in attack in Athens Unknown gunmen shot and seriously wounded a 21-year-old police officer in Athens with a Kalashnikov assault rifle early Monday morning, police said. The policeman was in critical but stable conditions after a surgery in the nearby Red Cross hospital for injures in the chest and thigh, according to the Health Minister Dimitris Avramopoulos. The police squad on guard near a culture ministry building in the Exarhia district of Athens was attacked early Monday morning by unknown gunm ... Greek leaders condemn attack against police Greek President Karolos Papoulias and Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis on Monday condemned the attack in the early morning against three police officers in the Exarchia district and stressed that the attack targeted the country's democracy. A three-member police squad guarding a culture ministry building in the Exarhia district of Athens was attacked at 3:05 a.m (0105GMT) Monday by three assailants with a Kalashnikov assault rifle and at least one more firearm, resulting in the serious i ... Cyprus calls for diplomatic solution, humanitarian aid for Gaza The Cypriot government Monday expressed its deep concern over the tragic humanitarian situation in Gaza and urged the European Union (EU) and the United Nations to push for a ceasefire under international observation. "The Republic of Cyprus is following the latest developments in the Gaza Strip with great concern," said Cypriot Foreign Minister Marcos Kyprianou. He told local media that the launch of ground operations by Israel "aggravates the already tragic humanitarian situati ... Hundreds of Canadians mourn hockey player who hit head on ice Hundreds of Canadians on Monday are mourning an Ontario hockey player who died after hitting his head on the ice during a fight. Don Sanderson, 21, died Friday after he went into a coma following a tussle during an Ontario Hockey Association game at the Brantford Civic Center on Dec. 12. in southwestern Ontario. The defenseman's helmet fell off and he struck the back of his head when both players tumbled to the ice. Some 500 people, including his teammates wearing hockey ... Gunman who robs Starbucks near LA remains at large A man who robbed a Starbucks store at gunpoint near Los Angeles was still at large, police said on Monday. The robbery occurred late Sunday night at a Starbucks in Torrance, a South Los Angeles suburb, when the man brandished a handgun and took an unknown amount of cash from the register, according to police. Meanwhile, despite rising numbers of robberies and gun-related criminal activities reported in recent months, authorities said on Monday that violent crime dropped slightly ... U.S. Federal judge allows layers to get secrete recordings in Blagojevich probe A U.S. federal judge on Monday set a short timetable for lawyers to review four secret recordings made in the federal investigation of Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, who was charged with corruption, a local newspaper reported. Lawyers for Blagojevich and three others captured on four calls will be given access to the material on Tuesday. Chief Judge James Holderman asked them to respond by the end of the day on Wednesday, the Chicago Tribune reported. Federal prosecutors char ... Steve Jobs to remain Apple CEO despite nutritional problem In a move to dissipate latest rumors about his health, Apple Inc. Chief Executive Steve Jobs said on Monday that his weight loss is caused by a treatable hormone imbalance and he will continue to run the company. "As many of you know, I have been losing weight throughout 2008.The reason has been a mystery to me and my doctors," Jobs wrote in a letter published on Apple's website. Blood tests confirmed that the weight loss was caused by a hormone imbalance that has been "robbing" ... Obama to pick chief intelligence officials U.S. President-elect Barack Obama will name former White House Chief of Staff Leon Panetta to head the Central Investigation Agency (CIA), said media reports on Monday. According to reports from CNN, MSNBC and the New York Times, the 70-year-old White House veteran is to be named as the CIA director, a key player in the country's anti-terrorism and intelligence efforts. Citing Democratic officials, the media reported that Obama is also to pick retired Adm. Dennis Blair for Nation ... Los Angeles mayor joins Jewish community leaders to support Gaza strikes Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa on Monday joined leaders of the local Jewish community to express his support for Israel on its ongoing strikesin the Gaza Strip. Villaraigosa, in a statement issued earlier in the day, said that "every country has a right to defend itself against attacks from a foreign enemy...and Israel cannot sit silently while innocent civilians are attacked." The mayor, who had a trip to Israel last year, is expected to join Jacob Dayan, the consul-gene ... Obama to pick former White House veteran as new CIA director U.S. President-elect Barack Obama will name former White House Chief of Staff Leon Panetta to head the Central Investigation Agency, said media reports on Monday. According to reports from CNN, MSNBC, and the New York Times, the 70-year-old White House veteran is to be named as the CIA director, a key player in the country's anti-terrorism and intelligence efforts. He served as the chief of staff to former President Bill Clinton from January, 1994, to April, 1997. Prior to that, ... U.S. federal prosecutors granted more time to indict Illinois governor U.S. federal prosecutors have been granted more time to get an indictment of Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, local media reported Monday. Federal prosecutors charged Blagojevich in early December on a criminal complaint. Federal law gives them 30 days to get an indictment from a grand jury. But what they'll argue is that the case is too complex to meet that deadline, plus the holidays interfered. Blagojevich was accused of selling senator seat vacated by President-elected Bara ... Israeli invasion of Gaza raises stakes for Washington: paper Israel's ground invasion of the Gaza Strip has abruptly increased the stakes for Washington at a delicate time, the Los Angeles Times said on Monday. The invasion came "at an awkward moment when President Bush's power is ebbing and his successor is choosing to remain on the sidelines," the paper noted. Possible high casualties on both sides "would heighten international pressure on the United States to intervene in an attempt to end the conflict," said the paper. "World ... Canada natural gas pipelines targeted by new blast Another natural gas pipeline has been targeted with explosives in Canada's British Columbia province, after three similar incidents occurred three months ago, police said Monday. Workers found Sunday that a metering shed on an EnCanada pipeline near the community of Tomslake was partly destroyed in the "deliberate explosion," but there were no injuries or gas leakage as a result of the blast, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) said in a statement. It is the latest in a stri ... Bush says any Gaza ceasefire must stop Hamas rocket fire U.S. President George W. Bush said Monday that any ceasefire to end the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip must ensure militants of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) cannot continue firing rockets at Israel. "I understand Israel's desire to protect itself and that the situation now taking place in Gaza was caused by Hamas," Bush told reporters Monday morning in the white House. "The United States is concerned about the humanitarian crisis. ..I know people are saying, 'Le ... Bush OKs assistance for int'l mission in Darfur U.S. President George W. Bush has approved an assistance for the international peace mission in Sudan's Darfur, said the White House on Monday. The president announced his approval of the airlift of necessaries, including equipment and vehicles, for the United Nations/African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID), according to a statement available on Monday. The provision is aimed at helping the UNAMID to directly protect civilian lives and improve the safe and effective delivery of ... U.S. official:Mumbai attackers have links in Pakistan U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Richard Boucher claimed Monday that the Mumbai attackers had links in Pakistan. "This is clear they (attackers) had links in Pakistan. The attackers had links that leads to Pakistan," Boucher told a group of reporters at the U.S. embassy after talks with Pakistan's president and prime minister. He welcomed the Indian decision to share information with Pakistan and said, "People in Pakistan have determination to ... Idle CPN-M combatants in cantonments hope to work The Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) (CPN-M) combatants who fought tough against "feudalism" during ten years armed conflict live sluggish life inside temporary cantonments and wished to work. Many of the CPN-M combatants of People's Liberation Army (PLA) fifth division cantonment in Rolpa district of mid-western region, some 270 km northwest of Nepali capital Kathmandu, can no longer bear the lazy life inside tent camp. "Lazy army can not serve nation," said Nepbahadur Kunwar " ... Thailand's anti-gov't protesters threaten to blockade ASEAN summit Thailand's Puea Thai Party MP Chatuporn Prompan said Monday the anti-government Democratic Alliance Against Dictatorship (DAAD) protesters have planned to besiege any place where the Association of Southeast Asian Nations(ASEAN) summit might be held in Thailand next month. During an "off-parliament" debate focusing on the Abhisit administration, Chatuporn said the DAAD protesters have called on Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to immediately dissolve the House of Representatives and call ... Sri Lanka troops take another rebel stronghold Sri Lanka's government troops took southern causeway of Elephant Pass, another stronghold of the rebels, Defense officials said here Monday. Elephant Pass, which lies between the northern Jaffna peninsula and the former rebel headquarters of Kilinochchi, has been under the control of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels since April 2000. The government troops said with the fall of Kilinochchi they are poised to completely crush the rebel outfit ending their over thr ... Spanish FM: Kidnapped journalists released from Somalia Spanish photographer Jose Cendon and British writer Colin Freeman, kidnapped on Nov. 26, were released Sunday in the northern Somali region of Puntland, the Spanish Foreign Ministry confirmed. Spanish public radio RNE reported that Cendon was in good health and spoke by telephone with Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos. Cendon's mother, Maria Carmen Docampo, said his sister Julia was on her way to Kenya to meet the photographer and would accompany him to Spain. Cendo ... French warship foils two new attacks by Somali pirates A French warship foiled two attacks Sunday by Somali pirates, rescuing two commercial vessels in the Gulf of Aden, the French president's office said. Patrolling off the Somali coast, the French warship "Jean de Vienne" captured 19 Somali pirates when they tried to seize a Croatian freighter and a Panamanian cargo ship. They will be transferred to Somali authorities, said the French president's office in a statement. Just three days ago, an operation conducted by another French wa ...