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Sunday, July 26, 2009 TAIPEI: Two moderate earthquakes, one measuring 5.5 on the Richter scale, rocked Taiwan Sunday, the Seismology Centre said, but there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.Both quakes could be felt around the island, according to the centre.The latest one hit at 2:10 pm (0610 GMT), with an epicentre 15 kilometres (9.0 miles) north of eastern Yuli town at a depth of 3.0 kilometres.The first struck at 9:00 am (0100 GMT), with an epicentre 37 kilometres (22 miles) southeast of the central Mingchien township at a depth of 13 kilometres, the centre said.Taiwan is regularly hit by earthquakes as the island lies near the junction of two tectonic plates. A 7.6-magnitude quake killed around 2,400 people in September 1999.

Sunday, July 26, 2009 CARACAS: Honduras deposed president Manuel Zelaya has arrived at the border of the neighbouring country Nicaragua for return to the homeland, when hundreds of supporters of Manuel Zelaya gave him a rousing reception.Mr. Zelaya has vowed to keep up pressure on the interim government. Exiled Honduran President Manuel Zelaya has returned to the country's border with Nicaragua for the second day running, demanding to be allowed home.He says he will set up camp on the Nicaraguan side to keep up pressure on the interim Honduran government. Speaking into a megaphone, he demanded to be allowed to see his family, from whom he has been separated for a month. On Friday, he made a symbolic crossing into Honduras but withdrew minutes later after being confronted by troops. The US, which opposed Mr Zelaya's dismissal and expulsion last month, has described his current attempts to return home as "reckless". The interim Honduran President, Roberto Micheletti, d...

Sunday, July 26, 2009 WASHINGTON: U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates heads to Israel on Sunday for talks covering missile defense, Israel's plan to acquire the multinational F-35 fighter jet and efforts to curb Iran's nuclear ambitions.During a visit that will last about six hours on Monday, Gates is to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak to discuss those and other bilateral defense issues, a senior U.S. defense official said."We're talking about the threats and challenges that we see in the region," the official told a small group of reporters on Friday. He said the Israelis were "antsy" about Iran but were not leaning on the Obama administration to halt its effort at expanded direct diplomatic engagement with Tehran.After Israel, Gates will visit Jordan for talks with King Abdullah and his defense chief that will focus on coordinating efforts to leave a stable Iraq after U.S. forces complete their scheduled pullout ...

Sunday, July 26, 2009 TEHRAN: Iran has the capability to strike Israel's nuclear sites firmly and will do so if it comes under attack, the head of the elite Revolutionary Guards said yesterday."If the Zionist regime attacks Iran, we will surely strike its nuclear facilities with our missile capabilities," Mohammad Ali Jafari told an Iranian television."We are not responsible for this regime and other enemies' foolishness ... If they strike Iran, our answer will be firm and precise," he said.Jafari said Israel was entirely within the reach of Iran."Our missile capability puts the Zionist regime within reach to attack," he said."The regime is too small to threaten Iran."Israel believes that a multi-level missile shield underwritten by the US would protect the country against possible missile attacks.But Jafari said such a shield could only protect Israel in a limited way. "They will have no answer when Iran bombards them (and) sends a...