Britain considers letting prisoners vote
LONDON: Britain is considering ending a 140-year-old ban on prisoners voting, to comply with European law, a spokesman for Prime Minister David Cameron said on Tuesday.
Britain has been forced to look at ways to give about 70,000 prisoners voting rights since the ban was declared unlawful in 2004 by the European Court of Human Rights, but the process stalled at the general election in May this year.
The Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition, which came to power after the
Britain has been forced to look at ways to give about 70,000 prisoners voting rights since the ban was declared unlawful in 2004 by the European Court of Human Rights, but the process stalled at the general election in May this year.
The Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition, which came to power after the
Clinton calls for fair trial for Malaysia’s Anwar
KUALA LUMPUR: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called on Tuesday for Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim to get a fair trial but carefully sought to avoid offending the Malaysian government.
Anwar, on trial for sodomy in what Washington views as a politically motivated case, has denied the charge and says it is a repeat of a government conspiracy that saw him dismissed as deputy prime minister in 1998.
Clinton is in Malaysia for meetings with top officials of a
Anwar, on trial for sodomy in what Washington views as a politically motivated case, has denied the charge and says it is a repeat of a government conspiracy that saw him dismissed as deputy prime minister in 1998.
Clinton is in Malaysia for meetings with top officials of a
Britain’s Cameron, France’s Sarkozy sign defence treaties
LONDON: British Prime Minister David Cameron and French President Nicolas Sarkozy signed two landmark defence treaties at a summit in London on Tuesday.
"Today we open a new chapter in a long history of cooperation on defence and security between Brirtain and France," Cameron told a joint press conference with the French leader at a Foreign Office mansion in central London.
Cameron also said that the recent foiled parcel bomb plot which originated in Yemen had highlighted
"Today we open a new chapter in a long history of cooperation on defence and security between Brirtain and France," Cameron told a joint press conference with the French leader at a Foreign Office mansion in central London.
Cameron also said that the recent foiled parcel bomb plot which originated in Yemen had highlighted
Embassies targeted in Greek bombing campaign
ATHENS: A parcel bomb burst into flames at the Swiss embassy in Athens Tuesday and controlled explosions were carried out on packages at the Russian and Bulgarian embassies, Greek police said, a day after intercepting several similar packages.
Police said a total of five parcel bombs had been discovered in the capital on Tuesday, just days before local elections, following similar packages addressed to three other embassies and President Nicolas Sarkozy on Monday.
An
Police said a total of five parcel bombs had been discovered in the capital on Tuesday, just days before local elections, following similar packages addressed to three other embassies and President Nicolas Sarkozy on Monday.
An
Pope condemns ‘ferocious’ anti-Christian violence in Iraq
VATICAN CITY: Pope Benedict XVI condemned the "absurd violence" against Christians in Iraq on Monday after two priests and 35 worshippers were killed in a hostage drama at a cathedral in Baghdad.
"I pray for the victims of this absurd violence, all the more ferocious in that it struck defenceless people united in the house of God, which is a place of love and reconciliation," Benedict told pilgrims in St Peter's Square during an address to mark All Saints' Day.
The pontiff
"I pray for the victims of this absurd violence, all the more ferocious in that it struck defenceless people united in the house of God, which is a place of love and reconciliation," Benedict told pilgrims in St Peter's Square during an address to mark All Saints' Day.
The pontiff
Germany bans passenger flights from Yemen
BERLIN: Germany has extended a ban on air freight from Yemen to passenger flights, a transport ministry spokesman said Monday after parcel bombs posted in that country were found in US-bound cargo.
The spokesman told a regular government briefing that Germany had stepped up its emergency measures when it emerged that one of the parcel bombs had been routed via the western German city of Cologne. Germany is the first country to announce a ban on all flights from Yemen.
"All
The spokesman told a regular government briefing that Germany had stepped up its emergency measures when it emerged that one of the parcel bombs had been routed via the western German city of Cologne. Germany is the first country to announce a ban on all flights from Yemen.
"All
Clinton says K Rouge court vital for peace in Cambodia
PHNOM PENH: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Monday hailed the work of a Khmer Rouge war crimes tribunal as "painful but necessary", despite Cambodian opposition to pursuing more regime leaders.
Clinton praised the nation for confronting its dark past after an emotional visit to Phnom Penh's genocide museum, where she saw photos of gaunt-faced prisoners, dozens of skulls of victims and paintings of people being tortured. The court "is bringing some of the people who
Clinton praised the nation for confronting its dark past after an emotional visit to Phnom Penh's genocide museum, where she saw photos of gaunt-faced prisoners, dozens of skulls of victims and paintings of people being tortured. The court "is bringing some of the people who
Militants seize district in volatile Afghan province
GHAZNI: A large number of insurgents attacked and seized a district in an Afghan province on Sunday night, officials said, the latest in a string of assaults on foreign and government targets.
Mohammad Yaseen, police commander for Khogyani district in Ghazni province, southwest of Kabul, told Reuters the militants had set fire to the district headquarters and police had suffered casualties defending the area.
Yaseen, who fled to the provincial capital, Ghazni city, did not
Mohammad Yaseen, police commander for Khogyani district in Ghazni province, southwest of Kabul, told Reuters the militants had set fire to the district headquarters and police had suffered casualties defending the area.
Yaseen, who fled to the provincial capital, Ghazni city, did not
52 killed in Iraq church raid
BAGHDAD: At least 52 hostages and police officers were killed when security forces raided a Baghdad church to free more than 100 Iraqi Catholics held by al Qaeda-linked gunmen, Iraq's Deputy Interior Minister Lieutenant General Hussein Kamal said on Monday.
Kamal said that 67 people were also injured in the raid on the church, which was seized by guerrillas during Sunday mass in the bloodiest attack in Iraq since August. The death toll was many times higher than that given
Kamal said that 67 people were also injured in the raid on the church, which was seized by guerrillas during Sunday mass in the bloodiest attack in Iraq since August. The death toll was many times higher than that given
Democrats brace for mid-term elections rout
WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama's Democratic Party braced on Monday for an elections rout, as a wave of 11th-hour polls showed the Republican Party on course for big gains in Congress amid deep voter anger at the sour economy.
Obama, fearing a ballot-box repudiation just two years into his campaign for change, planned a wave of radio interviews and telephone calls to Democratic volunteers key to boosting party turnout on Tuesday, the White House said.
Feeding
Obama, fearing a ballot-box repudiation just two years into his campaign for change, planned a wave of radio interviews and telephone calls to Democratic volunteers key to boosting party turnout on Tuesday, the White House said.
Feeding
Netanyahu to fly to US for peace talks
JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday he will fly to the United States next weekend for talks on Middle East peace efforts and to speak of the need to combat international terrorism.
"Next Sunday, I shall leave for the annual assembly of Jewish communities in the United States," Netanyahu told reporters at the start of the weekly cabinet meeting, referring to a congress to be held in New Orleans on November 7-9.
"I shall meet there with Vice
"Next Sunday, I shall leave for the annual assembly of Jewish communities in the United States," Netanyahu told reporters at the start of the weekly cabinet meeting, referring to a congress to be held in New Orleans on November 7-9.
"I shall meet there with Vice
Better monitoring urged for ailing oceans by 2015
OSLO: Ocean scientists urged governments on Sunday to invest billions of dollars by 2015 in a new system to monitor the seas and give alerts of everything from tsunamis to acidification linked to climate change.
They said better oversight would have huge economic benefits, helping to understand the impact of over-fishing or shifts in monsoons that can bring extreme weather such as the 2010 floods in Pakistan. A scientific alliance, Oceans United, would present the plea to
They said better oversight would have huge economic benefits, helping to understand the impact of over-fishing or shifts in monsoons that can bring extreme weather such as the 2010 floods in Pakistan. A scientific alliance, Oceans United, would present the plea to
Yemen hunts suspects behind air parcel bombs
SANAA: Yemeni security forces were on Sunday searching for suspects who posted bombs on two US-bound flights after arresting a woman over an alleged Al-Qaeda plot that sparked a global air cargo alert.
The woman was detained on Saturday after being tracked down through a mobile number written on the explosives-filled packages, which were found on freighter jets in Britain and Dubai the day before, Yemeni officials said.
In the US, counter-terrorism chief John Brennan said on
The woman was detained on Saturday after being tracked down through a mobile number written on the explosives-filled packages, which were found on freighter jets in Britain and Dubai the day before, Yemeni officials said.
In the US, counter-terrorism chief John Brennan said on
Suicide bomber wounds 22 at Istanbul’s main square
ISTANBUL: A suspected suicide bomber targeting Turkish police wounded 22 people in the centre of Istanbul on Sunday. No organisation has claimed responsibility for the attack, officials said, though the city has been targeted by Kurdish separatist militants, al Qaeda and other groups in the past.
"It was a suicide bomb and it appears as if the bomber blew himself up. It appears to be a male body," Istanbul police chief Huseyin Capkin told reporters. Twelve civilians and 10
"It was a suicide bomb and it appears as if the bomber blew himself up. It appears to be a male body," Istanbul police chief Huseyin Capkin told reporters. Twelve civilians and 10
Karzai condemns US-Russia drugs operation
KABUL: Afghan President Hamid Karzai reacted with fury Sunday to the first joint US-Russian anti-drugs operation in the war-torn country, saying it happened without permission and violated Afghan sovereignty.
"No organisation or institution has the right to carry out such military operations inside the territory of our country without permission and agreement from the Islamic Government of Afghanistan," a statement from his office said. "Afghanistan condemns this act by NATO and
"No organisation or institution has the right to carry out such military operations inside the territory of our country without permission and agreement from the Islamic Government of Afghanistan," a statement from his office said. "Afghanistan condemns this act by NATO and
Two Koreas start family reunions
SEOUL: Hundreds of South Koreans on Saturday held tearful reunions with their relatives living in the North as the two Koreas resumed the humanitarian project despite tensions after an exchange of fire.
The reunions, which give divided families their first chance to see one another in six decades, started mid-afternoon at the Mount Kumgang resort on the North's southeastern coast, near the border, Yonhap news agency said.
"How are you, you... I could only see you in dreams,"
The reunions, which give divided families their first chance to see one another in six decades, started mid-afternoon at the Mount Kumgang resort on the North's southeastern coast, near the border, Yonhap news agency said.
"How are you, you... I could only see you in dreams,"
US urges China to press North Korea to return to nuclear talks
HANOI: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Saturday urged Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi to use his government's clout to get North Korea to return to nuclear disarmament talks.
During discussions on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit in Hanoi, Clinton also urged Yang to have China pressure North Korea to smooth the way for the Group of 20 summit in South Korea and improve ties with Seoul, a senior US State Department official told reporters.
"We conveyed today
During discussions on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit in Hanoi, Clinton also urged Yang to have China pressure North Korea to smooth the way for the Group of 20 summit in South Korea and improve ties with Seoul, a senior US State Department official told reporters.
"We conveyed today
