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Dozens killed as tornado hits Oklahoma

Tue, 21 May 2013 16:11:18 -0400

WASHINGTON - A massive tornado ripped through parts of Oklahoma city and its suburbs in the United States killing at least 24 people, including nine children, besides leaving scores homeless. As winds at over 320 kilometers per hour (kmph) flattened homes and businesses and severely damaged a hospital and two elementary school, the death toll was earlier said to be more than 90 but it was ...

US president lauds Thein Sein for Myanmar reforms but urges end to violence against Muslims

Tue, 21 May 2013 16:16:52 -0400

WASHINGTON - US President Barack Obama praised the reforms of Myanmar leader Thein Sein but urged him to end violence against Muslims. Sein is the country's first president to visit the White House in almost half a century. Speaking from the US capital Monday Obama said he recognized Sein's work to guide Myanmar down "a long and sometimes difficult, but ultimately correct, path to follow." ...

Six Afghan policemen killed in Herat bombing

Tue, 21 May 2013 16:21:19 -0400

KABUL, Afghanistan - At least six Afghan policemen guarding a strategically important dam were killed in a roadside bombing Tuesday in the war-torn country's western province of Herat, officials said. They said that suspected Taliban insurgents triggered the explosion when a police patrol vehicle heading to Herat city was travelling in the Chashti Shareef district of the province. "There ...

Genocide conviction of former Guatemala dictator overturned

Tue, 21 May 2013 16:16:15 -0400

GUATEMALA CITY - The constitutional court of Guatemala has ordered that the genocide trial of former dictator Efrain Rios Montt should be taken back to the middle of proceedings, thus overturning his conviction and sentencing to 80 years in prison. The ruling on Monday doesn't annul the entire trial of the case but the top court has ordered that whatever happened after April 19 should be ...

Chinese boat with 16 fishermen freed by North Korea

Tue, 21 May 2013 16:21:12 -0400

PYONGYANG - A Chinese boat and 16 fishermen held by armed North Koreans for more than two weeks have been released, easing the latest tension in relations between the neighbouring allies. Owner Yu Xuejun, who was not on board the boat when it was seized on 5 May, wrote on his microblog that his captain called him at 3.50am to say the crew and boat were set free and that they were on their way ...

British Open squash Pallikal wins gruelling battle

Wed, 22 May 2013 12:30:01 -0400

Dipika Pallikal reached the pre-quarterfinals at the Allam British Open Squash Championships after edging out Denmark's Line Hansen in the longest match of the tournament so far. However, Indian challenge in the men's competition ended with Saurav Ghosal losing his pre-quarterfinal to fourth seed Gregory Gaultier 8-11, 13-11, 7-11, 0-11 at the KC Stadium here Wednesday. "Lost 1-3 to Gregory. ...

5 killed in Afghan suicide bombing

Wed, 22 May 2013 11:00:01 -0400

Five people were killed and 20 others wounded Wednesday evening by a suicide bomber in Muqur district in eastern Afghanistan's province of Ghazni, Xinhua said, quoting a provincial police ...

World motorsport chief to visit Botswana

Wed, 22 May 2013 09:50:01 -0400

The president of the world motorsport governing body, Federation Internationale de I' Automobile (FIA), Jean Todt is scheduled to visit Botswana in August, Botswana Motorsport Association (BMSA) has confirmed. BMSA secretary general Joseph Khengere said Tuesday they had been in consultations with the FIA since affiliating to them earlier this year and the president will pay a visit to Botswana, ...

Real Sociedad coach to leave at end of season

Wed, 22 May 2013 09:50:01 -0400

Spanish Primera Liga football club, Real Sociedad have confirmed that coach Philippe Montanier will leave the club at the end of the current season. The side from the Basque city of San Sebastian issued a communique Tuesday in which they admit Montainier has turned down the club's offer of a new contract, reports Xinhua. According to the club, Montanier has "communicated to Real Sociedad the ...

Uganda signs new national football coach

Wed, 22 May 2013 09:50:01 -0400

Serbia-born Sredojevic Milutin has been confirmed as the new coach of Uganda's national football team. He signed a two-year contract Tuesday and will start his work with an away friendly game to Libya June 1, reports Xinhua. The Federation of Uganda Football Association, the country's football governing body, unveiled the coach at its headquarters in the capital here. The appointment follows ...

Gunmen kill 12 Iraqis in attack on brothel

Wed, 22 May 2013 09:30:01 -0400

At least 12 people, including seven women and five men, were killed Wednesday in an attack by unidentified gunmen on a brothel in Baghdad, an interior ministry source told Xinhua. The armed men broke into the brothel in Zayouna district and opened fire, leaving 12 people dead and two injured, the source said on condition of anonymity. The attackers managed to flee, the source ...

India seeks access to Headley Rana

Wed, 22 May 2013 08:30:02 -0400

India has sought from the US access to Pakistani-American 26/11 Mumbai terror attack convict David Headley and his accomplice Pakistani-Canadian Tahawwur Hussain Rana, both found guilty of supporting Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). Indian Home Minsiter Sushilkumar Shinde during a meeting with US Attorney General Eric Holder here Tuesday is reported to have raised the issue of ...

Do-or-die for India women against Chinese Taipei

Wed, 22 May 2013 08:30:01 -0400

It will be a do-or-die match for Indian women's football team when they face Chinese Taipei in their next group D match of the AFC Women's Asian Cup (qualifiers) here Wednesday. The Indian team despite giving a good account of themselves against Myanmar in their opening game of the have their backs to wall after a 0-2 reversal. Against Chinese Taipei, who pumped in six goals against hosts ...

David Warner fined $5750 for twitter rant

Wed, 22 May 2013 08:20:01 -0400

Australia's opening batsman David Warner was Wednesday found guilty of breaching the Cricket Australia (CA) Code of Behaviour and was fined $5,750 for his twitter rant. Warner, who pleaded guilty, received the maximum financial penalty for a first offence under rule 6 of CA's Code of Behaviour, CA said in a statement. "In hindsight, clearly I let my frustrations get the better of me and posted ...

China welcomes sensible advice on Tibet

Wed, 22 May 2013 07:50:01 -0400

China welcomes "constructive and sensible advice" and suggestions on Tibet's development, Chinese Tibetologists said here. "There are many scholars studying Tibetan history and culture. We hope the scholars and political leaders from other countries, and all those who care about Tibet would participate in its development, and offer constructive, sensible, feasible advice," said Zhaluo, a scholar ...

Iranian drone spotted in Bahrains airspace

Wed, 22 May 2013 07:20:02 -0400

Bahrain's Interior Minister Wednesday said an Iranian drone was spotted in Bahrain's airspace in the northern part of the country near Saudi Arabia. Lt Gen Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa said Iran was increasingly meddling in the internal affairs of both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, reports Xinhua. He added that Bahrain had uncovered a terror cell linked to Iran. "Iran's continual spying ...

Sri Lanka denies scuttling power devolution

Wed, 22 May 2013 07:20:01 -0400

Sri Lanka denied Wednesday plans to roll back power sharing mechanisms with the Tamil minority despite attempts to stop long overdue elections in the former war-torn north. Technology and Research Minister Champika Ranawaka announced Tuesday plans to present an act in parliament next week to abolish provincial councils and the India-backed 13th constitutional amendment, reports Xinhua. The main ...

Indian passport problem in Saudi Arabia resolved

Wed, 22 May 2013 07:10:01 -0400

The problem of Saudi Arabian immigration authorities not accepting newly designed Indian passports has been resolved, according to the Indian embassy in Riyadh. India's Ambassador Hamid Ali Rao raised the issue during a meeting with Saudi Deputy Minister of Interior Ahmed Bin Mohammed Al-Salem Tuesday and the matter was clarified, local media reported Wednesday "Some cases were reported in ...

China defeats Kazakhstan in mens volleyball tourney

Wed, 22 May 2013 06:50:02 -0400

Chinese national men's volleyball team defeated Kazakhstan 3-0 at the China International Men's Volleyball Tournament here. China beat Kazakhstan 25-20, 25-23, 25-16 with little difficulty Tuesday, reports Xinhua. "My team consists of young players who didn't completely obey my order, so I'm very angry," said Gilyazutdinov Rafael, the assistant coach of Kazakhstan. "Although we won the game, I ...

Indian vice president visit to Ethiopia

Wed, 22 May 2013 06:50:02 -0400

Indian Vice President Hamid Ansari will visit Ethiopia to attend the 50th anniversary celebrations of the Organisation of African Unity/African Union (AU) on May 25. The visit is indicative of the systemic improvement of trade and political relations between India and Africa, an official of the Ethiopian foreign ministry said. "India has been a great support in Africa's development and it would ...

China to consolidate Pakistan ties Li

Wed, 22 May 2013 06:50:01 -0400

China would firmly consolidate and develop ties with Pakistan "no matter how the international and regional situation changes", said Chinese Premier Li Keqiang who arrived here Wednesday on an official visit to Pakistan. Li said that as he began his visit, he brought with him the Chinese people's friendship to the Pakistani people. Pakistan, a key South Asian country, has made important ...

Ukrainian clubs target Brazil winger Osvaldo