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Saturday, August 01, 2009 WASHINGTON: The main terminal of New York's La Guardia Airport was briefly evacuated Saturday after a man was detained carrying a suspicious package, US media reported.Televised images showed bag-laden travelers leaving the terminal and huddled outside while authorities cleared the building. They were later being allowed back in, the reports said.A US news channel reported that authorities detained a man behaving erratically and carrying a suspicious package. Spokesmen for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates the airport, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

NEW DELHI: India has handed over its response to the Pakistani dossier to Pakistan authorities.According to sources, India’s new foreign secretary Nirupama Rao handed over the information to Pakistani High Commissioner.Meanwhile, Indian Home Minister P Chidambaram talking to Indian media said Pakistan had sought more information regarding Mumbai attacks which has been provided to Pakistan.

Saturday, August 01, 2009 NEW DELHI: Nirupama Rao took charge as India's foreign secretary on Saturday morning, the second woman to head India's foreign service. Rao succeeded Shivshankar Menon at a brief ceremony in South Block. Chokila Iyer was the first woman to serve as India's foreign secretary in 2001. A topper of the 1973 Indian Foreign Service batch, Rao also became the first woman spokesperson of the external affairs ministry in 2001. She then went on become the Indian envoy to Sri Lanka and then China before returning to New Delhi. In her 36-year-long career, she has served also as ambassador in Peru and deputy chief of mission in Moscow.

Saturday, August 01, 2009 KABUL: The month of July had the highest death toll for U.S. troops in Afghanistan since the war began nearly eight years ago, and the lowest death toll in Iraq since that war began six years ago. In Afghanistan, at least 43 Americans were killed, among 75 coalition troops. In Iraq, the U.S. death toll was seven. The statistics reflect the changing role of U.S. troops in both war zones. In Iraq, American combat forces left the populated areas at the end of June. Only U.S. trainers operate with Iraqi units in the cities, while combat troops work in the countryside or wait on their bases in case Iraqi units need help.In Afghanistan, by contrast, thousands of U.S. troops have been pouring in, part of the near doubling of the American military presence ordered by President Barack Obama. About 4,000 of those troops, along with British and Afghan forces, launched an offensive in southern Helmand Province, a Taliban stronghold, and took heavy casualties.Former State...

Saturday, August 01, 2009 WASHINGTON: Fifty-one more swine flu-related US deaths were reported in the United States Friday over the previous week, bringing the toll to 353 in the country worst affected by the global pandemic.The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported the new figures in its weekly surveillance update, which also said that 5,514 people have required hospitalization for the A(H1N1) virus.The CDC also announced in its Friday report that it was no longer publishing the individual confirmed and probable cases, or its aggregate total of cases from the 5O US states, its territories and the capital Washington. "CDC will report the total number of hospitalizations and deaths weekly, and continue to use its traditional surveillance systems to track the progress of the novel H1N1 flu outbreak," the center said on its website.As of Monday, some 816 people infected with swine flu had died, according to the World Health Organization. With the new US f...

Saturday, August 01, 2009 MANILA: Former Philippines president Corazon Aquino, whose "People Power" revolution toppled dictator Ferdinand Marcos and restored democracy to the nation, died Saturday after a battle with colon cancer. "Cory" Aquino was propelled into the political spotlight in 1986, leading millions of Filipinos in protests against the corrupt regime of Marcos, who jailed thousands of dissidents during his brutal 20-year regime. President Gloria Arroyo declared a 10-day period of mourning and ordered a state funeral for Aquino, whom she praised as a "national treasure." Aquino's family announced her death early Saturday. "Our mother peacefully passed away at 3:18 am, August 1, 2009 of cardio-respiratory arrest," Senator Benigno Aquino Jr, said in a statement outside the Makati Medical Centre in Manila, where his mother had been hospitalised. "She would have wanted us to thank each and every one of you for all the prayers an...

Saturday, August 01, 2009 MAIDUGURI: Nigeria's national police claimed victory Friday over a radical Islamist sect after its leader was killed by security forces but experts warned revenge attacks could occur and a leading human rights group demanded a probe into the killing.Nigerian officials said Mohammed Yusuf, the leader of the sect some call the Nigerian Taliban, was killed after being captured Thursday night at the end of a four-day manhunt."This group operates under a charismatic leader. They will no more have any inspiration," national police spokesman Emmanuel Ojukwu told The Associated Press on Friday. "The leader who they thought was invincible and immortal has now been proved otherwise."Ojukwu said there are still some isolated cases of violence in northern Nigeria, but otherwise "life is back to normal."New York-based Human Rights Watch called for an investigation."The Nigerian authorities must act immediately to investigate and hold...

Saturday, August 01, 2009 KABUL: Civilian deaths in the escalating Afghan war soared by 24 percent during the first half of 2009 compared with the same period last year, the United Nations said Friday, blaming most of the casualties on Taliban attacks launched with little regard for civilian lives.The U.N. Assistance Mission to Afghanistan also pointed to stepped-up military operations by the United States and its allies, especially airstrikes, for the steady increase in Afghan civilian casualties over the past two years.However, the report also said the number of civilians killed by the Taliban and other "anti-government forces" during the first half of the year was double those attributed to the U.S.-led coalition and Afghan government forces. The U.N. termed that a "significant shift" from 2007, when the coalition was responsible for 41 percent of civilian deaths.Both the U.S. and some elements of the Taliban appear sensitive to the issue of civilian casualties,...

Saturday, August 01, 2009 WASHINGTON: Saudi Arabia on Friday bluntly rejected U.S. appeals for improved relations with Israel as a way to help restart Middle East peace talks, saying the Jewish state is not interested in a deal.After talks with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal said his country will not consider steps suggested by U.S. Mideast peace envoy George Mitchell until Israel accepts Arab demands to withdraw from all occupied Palestinian territories."Incrementalism and a step-by-step approach, has not and, we believe, will not lead to peace," Saud said as Clinton looked on at a joint State Department news conference. "Temporary security and confidence building measures will also not bring peace.""What is required is a comprehensive approach that defines the final outcome at the outset and launches into negotiations over final status issues," the prince said, referring to the borders of a future...

Saturday, August 01, 2009 RIYADH: The Ministry of Health, for the second consecutive day, announced on Friday two more swine flu deaths among Saudis in the Kingdom, bringing the total number of fatalities to four.The first victim was identified only as Abdullah, a 32-year-old Saudi nurse, who died at the Al-Nafi government hospital, located 100 km from Al-Ras in Qassim province. Abdullah was working in a hospital in Taif and was transferred to the region on his request three weeks ago. He developed high fever and was admitted to the hospital on Wednesday following complaints of breathing difficulties.The second victim was a 25-year-old Saudi youth, who died at the Al-Namas government hospital, 30 km from Abha, the capital of Asir province. He was admitted Tuesday to the hospital for a severe sore throat and a chest infection. He was reportedly a chain smoker with bronchitis, which doctors say could have played a role in his death.The other two patients who succumbed to swine flu includ...

Saturday, August 01, 2009 CAPE CANAVERAL: Space shuttle Endeavour and its seven astronauts are back on Earth.Endeavour landed at Florida's Kennedy Space Center late Friday morning after a 16-day mission that saw them complete all their major construction goals at the international space station.Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata is back after four-and-a-half months in space. He says he can't wait to eat some sushi and see his wife and son.Japan's space station lab got a porch for experiments during Endeavour's visit. The crew also installed fresh batteries and stockpiled big spare parts.It was eventful in other ways. The astronauts celebrated the 40th anniversary of the first moon landing with their own spacewalk. They also coped with a flooded toilet and an overheated air-purifier.

Saturday, August 01, 2009 ROME: Seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher was back testing a racing car just 48 hours after announcing his shock return to Formula One racing.Schumacher, who retired in 2006, tested the Ferrari F2007 at the famous Mugello track near Florence.The 40-year-old German is due to take part in the European Grand Prix in Valencia on August 23 as a replacement for Brazilian Felipe Massa, who was seriously injured in a freak accident during qualifying for last weekend's Hungarian Grand prix in Budapest.F1 testing rules do not allow a driver to practise in the car that will race at a Grand Prix before the beginning of practice at that GP.It means Schumacher can not yet get behind the wheel of Ferrari's F60 and has instead been testing the car with which team-mate Kimi Raikonnen became world champion two years ago.

Saturday, August 01, 2009 ::DAMBULLA: Pakistan’s poor batting performance against Sri Lanka continued in the second One-day International when they were beaten again, by six wickets this time, here at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium on Saturday. Sri Lanka is now leading the five-match series 2-0 as they had won Thursday's opening match at the same venue by 36 runs.. Chasing an easy target of 169 runs, Sri Lanka completed their second successive victory in 43.4 overs after they lost their four wickets on 74. Chamara Kapugedera and Thilan Samaraweera with a 95-run fifth wicket unbeaten stand took their team to victory with 338 balls left. Kapugedera made an unbeaten 67 with eight fours and a six while Samaraweera was 38 not out. Veteran batsman Sanath Jajyasuriya scored 30 from 33 balls with five fours. For Pakistan, seamers Abdul Razzaq and Mohammad Aamer and leg-spinner Shahid Afridi took one wicket each. Earlier, Pakistan, sent in to bat by Sri Lankan captain Kumar San...