Sunday, 08 Dec, 2024

International

Facebook sleuthing leads to arrest of killer in Philippines

MANILA: Philippine police on Wednesday said they used Facebook to track down a Filipino computer technician blamed for the gruesome murders of nine people, three of them foreigners.The suspect, Mark Dizon, 28, was captured by police Tuesday in San Fernando City north of Manila after his

France `at war` with Al-Qaeda in North Africa: PM

PARIS: France is "at war" with Al-Qaeda and will step up military involvement in North Africa after the regional branch of the jidahist group killed a French aid worker, the prime minister said Tuesday."We are at war with Al-Qaeda," Francois Fillion said in a radio interview."The fight

8.7 billion dollars in Iraq funds not accounted for

WASHINGTON: The Pentagon cannot properly account for nearly nine billion dollars in Iraqi oil revenues and other funds received for reconstruction programs after the 2003 US invasion, a US audit found Tuesday."The breakdown in controls left the funds vulnerable to inappropriate uses and

British PM launches charm offensive in India

BANGALORE: British Prime Minister David Cameron kicks off a much-touted visit to India Wednesday, aimed at winning over a key business partner seen as vital to boosting Britain`s post-recession recovery.Flanked by a bevy of top ministers and a small army of business luminaries, Cameron

US lawmakers challenge Obama after Afghan leak

WASHINGTON: US lawmakers opposed to the Afghan war, emboldened by a huge leak of military files on the conflict, pushed Tuesday for pulling US forces from Pakistan in a blunt challenge to President Barack Obama.The House of Representatives was expected to vote on both an emergency

Japan to delay defense report to avoid row with S.Korea

TOKYO: Japan will delay the release of an annual defense white paper to avoid angering South Korea over a territorial row, ahead of the centennial of Japan`s rule of Korea, reports said Wednesday.The rare decision reflects Tokyo`s eagerness to avoid any action that could provoke South

Russia says new EU sanctions on Iran "unacceptable"

MOSCOW - Russia said on Tuesday that new EU sanctions on Iran undermined international efforts to resolve concerns over its nuclear program, tempering hopes of closer cooperation between Moscow and the West on the issue.EU foreign ministers on Monday approved a range of extra restrictions

Missing U.S. sailor`s remains found in Afghanistan

KABUL - The remains of one of two U.S. sailors who went missing in Afghanistan last week have been found in the east of the country, the NATO-led force said on Tuesday, and troops were still searching for the second man.The two men, serving with the U.S. Navy, went missing on Friday after

British Citizens loosing faith on Liberal Democrats

LONDON - Four in 10 people who say they voted for the Liberal Democrats would not have done so if they had known the party would enter in to a coalition with the Conservatives, according to a survey Monday.The LibDems joined forces with the Conservatives after an inconclusive general

Australia`s election hits gender divide

CANBERRA - Australia`s campaign for the August 21 election has hit a gender divide. Opinion polls and a nationally televised debate have found women are throwing their support behind Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Australia`s first female prime minister, who took over from Kevin Rudd on

Slangy Italian teenagers become YouTube hit

ROME - Two teenagers from the suburbs of Rome have become Italy`s newest media heroines after their slang-filled account of a day at the beach shot from a minor item on the local news to become a YouTube sensation. Debora and Romina have featured in TV news bulletins

India plans $11 bln fund for power sector-paper

NEW DELHI - The Indian government is planning to create a $11-billion debt fund to bridge a funding shortfall and ease the financing of power sector projects, Mint newspaper reported on Tuesday citing a government official."The fund is in the process of being formulated," the paper quoted

Britain says it wants stronger business ties with Sudan

KHARTOUM - Britain wants to boost its trade links with Sudan despite US sanctions and the international arrest warrant for President Omar al-Bashir over the Darfur conflict, a British minister said on Monday."One of our top priorities is to increase trade with different countries around

White House warns BP on possible CEO change

WASHINGTON - The White House warned BP on Monday that any decision to replace under-fire CEO Tony Hayward would not change its obligation to clean up the Gulf of Mexico oil spill and compensate victims."The CEO of BP ... if he makes the decision for him to leave -- that is one thing,"

BP set to replace CEO as spill cleanup resumes

LONDON - BP Plc is expected to install an American known for diplomacy as chief executive, replacing Tony Hayward who has come under fire for his gaffe-prone handling of the worst oil spill in U.S. history.Bob Dudley, the U.S. executive managing BP`s response to the spill in the Gulf of

Chavez beefs up border troops in Colombia spat

SAN CRISTOBAL, Venezuela - Venezuela said it beefed up its troop presence along the border with Colombia as its neighbor`s incoming finance minister vowed on Monday to restore trade between the feuding Andean nations.Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez broke off diplomatic ties with Colombia

U.S. hunts for leaker of Afghan war documents

WASHINGTON - The Pentagon said on Monday it was launching a manhunt to find whoever leaked tens of thousands of classified documents on the war in Afghanistan, one of the largest security breaches in U.S. military history.U.S. defense officials said the person behind the release of some

S.Korea loans Jordan 70 million dollars for nuclear reactor

AMMAN - South Korea on Monday loaned energy-poor Jordan 70 million dollars to help build the kingdom`s first nuclear research reactor, a project worth 130 million dollars."Building the reactor is key to Jordan`s peaceful nuclear programme," planning minister Jaafar Hassan told reporters

Suicide bomber targets Al-Arabiya TV`s Baghdad office: interior ministry

At least five people were wounded in Baghdad on Monday when a suicide bomber blew up a vehicle by the offices of the Saudi-funded Al-Arabiya television channel, the interior ministry said.The bomber struck during the morning near the television`s bureau in the city centre, wounding five

Kings of Leon abandon US concert due to pigeon poop

LOS ANGELES - American rock band Kings of Leon said they were forced to abandon a concert in St. Louis at the weekend after three songs because pigeons kept pooping on them from the rafters. The band left the stage at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater on Friday after bass player Jared