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N.Korea to run out of food in June: aid group

WASHINGTON (AFP) – Parts of North Korea are expected to run out of food in less than two months due to a poor harvest even if foreign donors agree to provide assistance, a US relief group said Wednesday.
Samaritan’s Purse, one of five US groups that visited the impoverished communist state in February, [...]

Read More » No commentApril 28, 2011

India scraps Gripen from its jet shortlist

STOCKHOLM (AFP) – India has scrapped Saab’s Gripen from its fighter jet shortlist in its drive to modernise its armed forces, the Swedish aircraft builder said Wednesday.
“Today defence and security company Saab AB has received information from the Indian ministry of defence that Gripen has not been shortlisted for the Indian [...]

Read More » No commentApril 28, 2011

Pacquiao seeks impressive win over Mosley

LAS VEGAS (AFP) – Filipino pugilist Manny Pacquiao, hungrier than ever to fight after serving as a congressman, wants a more impressive victory over American veteran Shane Mosley next week than unbeaten rival Floyd Mayweather managed a year ago.
Pacquiao, 52-3 with two drawn and 38 knockouts, will defend his World Boxing [...]

Read More » No commentApril 28, 2011

Badrinath shines for Chennai, Sharma wrecks Kochi

MUMBAI (AFP) – Subramaniam Badrinath hit an unbeaten 63 as Chennai Super Kings outclassed Pune Warriors by eight wickets Wednesday for their second win over the Indian Premier League debutants in two days.
In the other match of the day, fast bowler Ishant Sharma grabbed five wickets for 12 runs off three overs [...]

Read More » No commentApril 28, 2011

Tearful devotees gather for Hindu guru’s funeral

PUTTAPARTI, India – Throngs of tearful devotees gathered Wednesday for the funeral of Sathya Sai Baba, one of India’s best-known Hindu ascetics who was revered by millions as a divine incarnation with miraculous healing powers.
The 84-year-old was buried in an auditorium in his spiritual center in southern India where his body [...]

Read More » No commentApril 28, 2011

Anger over corruption gets public notice in India

MUMBAI, India – For the last 12 years, a businessman in the northern Indian city of Kanpur has been paying a 5,000 rupee ($113) bribe to government officials to get his income tax refund.
The difference now is that he’s talking about it on ipaidabribe.com, a website that serves as an outlet for [...]

Read More » No commentApril 28, 2011

ASEAN Markets to Extend Rally‏

ASEAN Markets will post gains today and investors should be looking to buy insurance companies.
US stocks extended gains, as the leading NAS hit a 10 yr high Wednesday following comments by US Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, which reinforced the view the Fed is likely to maintain its support for the US [...]

Read More » No commentApril 28, 2011

Pilot strike forces Air India cancellations

MUMBAI (AFP) – Air India said more than 10 percent of its flights were cancelled on Wednesday morning, including one on an international route, after pilots staged a lightning strike over pay.
A Mumbai to Singapore flight was grounded as well as at least 12 others on domestic routes after members of the [...]

Read More » No commentApril 27, 2011

US, China in human rights talks amid clampdown

BEIJING (AFP) – US and Chinese officials met in Beijing on Wednesday for sensitive human rights talks, with the American side expected to press China to ease a major government crackdown on dissent.
Rights groups have urged the US delegation to “give teeth” to the two-day recurring dialogue but activists expected no [...]

Read More » No commentApril 27, 2011

S’pore opposition to contest most parliament seats

SINGAPORE – Singapore opposition parties will contest the most parliamentary seats since independence in 1965 in general elections next week, officials said Wednesday.
Candidates from six opposition parties will take on the ruling People’s Action Party for 82 of 87 seats in 26 of 27 districts, the Singapore Elections Department said. The [...]

Read More » No commentApril 27, 2011