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Friday, August 28, 2009 ANKARA: NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen joined Turkish leaders at a Ramadan fast-breaking dinner Thursday in what he described as a manifestation of his respect for Islam. The former Danish foreign minister's bid for NATO's top post had met with harsh objections from predominately Muslim Turkey, partly due to his stance during the crisis over cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed published in Denmark in 2005. "Please see my presence here tonight as a clear manifestation of my respect for Islam as one of the world's great religions," Rasmussen said at the iftar, or the evening meal when Muslims break their dawn-to-sunset fast during the holy month of Ramadan."Fasting is meant to teach patience, modesty, self-restraint and giving and reaching out to the less fortunate. These are all universal human values that go beyond cultures and religions," he said. Rasmussen praised Turkey's role as "a bridge between Europe, th...

Friday, August 28, 2009 LONDON: Amnesty International said Thursday civilians were at a greater danger in Afghanistan than at any time since the Taliban extremists were ousted from power in 2001.The London-based human rights group cited Tuesday's bombing in Kandahar which killed 43 people and Thursday's clinic siege in the Sar Hawza district of Paktika province, which borders Pakistan and is a hotbed of Taliban violence. The Taliban-led insurgency hit record intensity in the build-up to and aftermath of the August presidential elections. "With the outcome of voting in Afghanistan unclear, the danger and insecurity facing millions of Afghans continues and in fact is higher now than ever," said Sam Zarifi, Amnesty's Asia-Pacific director. "Anti-government groups, including the Taliban, have demonstrated a systematic contempt for the safety of civilians by targeting Afghans who want to establish their future through ballots, not bullets. "The Afghan governm...

Thursday, August 27, 2009 MUMBAI: After storming the box office in the very first weekend of its release, UTV Motion Pictures Kaminey has now grossed Rs 63 crores within the first 10 days of its release worldwide. Mesmerizing audiences across the nation with its foot tapping music, ace direction and the flawless portrayal of characters by the talented cast, the film grossed over Rs 50 crores across 1200 screens at the Indian box office. Despite its Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai release being rescheduled, Kaminey continues to rake in the moolah with its stupendous success both in India and internationally. Spelling the Dhan te nan quotient all through, Kaminey received the second highest opening in India, US and UAE, the biggest Hindi film opening of the year in Pakistan and one of the highest openings of the year in Australia.

Thursday, August 27, 2009 NEW DELHI: India on Thursday scrambled a fighter jet to intercept a Bangkok-bound Air France passenger plane after the airliner failed to identify itself correctly, the air force said.A Russian-built MiG-29 took off to intercept Air France flight 164 from Paris after it transmitted incorrect identification codes upon entering Indian airspace, air force spokeswoman Flight Lieutenant Priya Joshi said. Joshi said the pilot of the Airbus-343 did not identify the airliner as a “friendly” aircraft, which prompted a military airbase in northern India to scramble the fighter. “It was only later that the aircraft started transmitting the correct secondary radar response code and was picked up and identified by air defence radar as a civil airliner of Air France,” Joshi said. The MiG-29 was then given instructions to “break off and return to base,” Joshi said, adding that the air force had filed a report with India’s civil aviation authorities

Thursday, August 27, 2009 URUMCHI: The Muslims in China are also observing the Holy month of Ramazan like other Muslims around the world. Security measures have been stepped up in Xinjiang following the last month's deadly ethnic riots. Urumchi city of Xinjiang province is home for a large number of Muslims who appear full of religious fervour with the onset of the Holy month of Ramazan. Special food items are prepared on the stalls set up for Iftar, where a large number of buyers swarm every day.

Thursday, August 27, 2009 BERLIN: The swine flu (A/H1N1) virus has spread throughout the ranks of the German army units operating within the International Security Assistance Force, Media Circle of the German government announced on Wednesday. The German Federal army (Bondsver) reduced flights to Afghanistan in fear of the spread of the A/H1N1 virus in the German army in the northern Afghan areas. German army Command spokesman for the German army in Afghanistan, based in Potsdam near Berlin said that 25 cases of A/H1N1 had been reported at the end of last week in the German military base area of Mazar-e Sharif.

Thursday, August 27, 2009 WASHINGTON: The United States has deplored the terrorist attack in Kandahar and expressed confidence that such acts would not deter Afghanistan's progress. "We deplore these acts of violence. We know that there was a great loss of life in the bombings, and our sympathies go out to the victims' families," the State Department spokesman Ian Kelly told reporters yesterday."We do not think that Afghanistan will be deterred from the path that it's on towards developing into a democratic society and a prosperous economy," Kelly said.Responding to a question, the spokesman said Afghanistan is a high priority for the Obama administration. Its aim is to help people of Afghanistan build its democratic process, and help it become an economically viable and prosperous society."We want to try and enable the Afghan Government to take responsibility not only for its reconstruction, but also for its own security," he said, adding ...

Thursday, August 27, 2009 PARIS: French President Nicolas Sarkozy said Wednesday that international financial system reform, new international order, climate change and energy would be high on agenda for the country's foreign policy. Speaking at an annual conference of French ambassadors and envoys, Sarkozy warned of flaws in the current world financial system and called for financial reforms. Sarkozy said his country had pushed leading banks to implement new rules restricting bonuses for their executives. He also promised to severely punish any breaches, calling on other countries to follow suit. The French president added he was planning to address this topic at next month's Group of 20 (G20) financial summit in the U.S. city of Pittsburgh. In his speech, Sarkozy said the Group of Eight (G8) should be extended to include emerging countries such as China, Brazil, India, South Africa, Mexico and Egypt, making it the Group of 14 (G14). "The Canadian presidency (of G8) in 20...

Thursday, August 27, 2009 NEW DELHI: The 1998 Pokhran II nuclear tests might have been far from the success they have been claimed to be. The yield of the thermonuclear explosions was actually much below expectations and the tests were perhaps more a fizzle rather than a big bang. The controversy over the yield of the tests, previously questioned by foreign agencies, has been given a fresh lease of life with K Santhanam, senior scientist and DRDO representative at Pokhran II, admitting for the first time that the only thermonuclear device tested was a "fizzle". In nuclear parlance, a test is described as a fizzle when it fails to meet the desired yield. Santhanam, who was director for 1998 test site preparations, said that the yield for the thermonuclear test, or hydrogen bomb in popular usage, was much lower than what was claimed. Santhanam, who was DRDO's chief advisor, could well have opened up the debate on whether or not India should sign CTBT as claims that India ha...

Thursday, August 27, 2009 NEW DELHI: The 1998 Pokhran II nuclear tests might have been far from the success they have been claimed to be. The yield of the thermonuclear explosions was actually much below expectations and the tests were perhaps more a fizzle rather than a big bang. The controversy over the yield of the tests, previously questioned by foreign agencies, has been given a fresh lease of life with K Santhanam, senior scientist and DRDO representative at Pokhran II, admitting for the first time that the only thermonuclear device tested was a "fizzle". In nuclear parlance, a test is described as a fizzle when it fails to meet the desired yield. Santhanam, who was director for 1998 test site preparations, said that the yield for the thermonuclear test, or hydrogen bomb in popular usage, was much lower than what was claimed. Santhanam, who was DRDO's chief advisor, could well have opened up the debate on whether or not India should sign CTBT as claims that India ha...

Thursday, August 27, 2009 MOSCOW: Russia will hand over the Akula-II class nuclear submarine&aposNerpa&apos to India after the completion of its sea trials, the country & aposs top general said, without specifying any time-frame for it."The trials are underway according to schedule, after which the submarine will be handed over to the Indian Navy," Chief of Russia&aposs General Staff, General Nikolai Makarov was quoted as saying by mediaAddressing a news conference in Ulan Bator, Gen. Makarov, accompanying President Medvedev on Mongolia tour, however, did not specify the time-frame for the delivery of the much- awaited submarine." There is no fixed schedule (of delivery), but there are no reasons for delay,"he said.Prime Minister Vladimir Putin had earlier ordered to hand over the&aposNerpa&aposto Indian Navy on 10-year lease by the end of this year.Built by the Amur Shipyard in the far-eastern Khabarovsk region bordering China, &aposNerp...