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Sunday, February 07, 2010 SAO PAULO: Hundreds of Brazilians and Chinese immigrants gathered in a plaza in Sao Paulo on Saturday to celebrate the lunar New Year with Samba and dragons. Although the year of the tiger only begins on February 14, Brazil's Chinese community decided to move up their celebrations because most people travel during Carnival. A legitimate dragon and lion dance - a symbol of good luck and prosperity - marked the festivity held in the heart of Sao Paulo's Asian downtown neighborhood of Liberdade. Samba dancers and singers added a Brazilian touch to the traditional Chinese party that welcomes the year of the Tiger. The Chinese embassy estimates there are 200,000 Chinese living in the country, of which 90 percent live in Sao Paulo. Brazilian school teacher Dina Correia said the event helps people learn more about Chinese culture. "It is was very beautiful. It's the first time I see it and I'm loving it. It's great because we lea

Sunday, February 07, 2010 TEHRAN: President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Sunday told Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation to start work on producing nuclear fuel for a Tehran research reactor, casting renewed doubt on the prospects for an international swap deal. Ahmadinejad's announcement is likely to irritate Western powers who want Iran to send most of its stockpile of low-enriched uranium (LEU) abroad in return for higher-refined fuel for the Tehran reactor. Iranian officials have repeatedly said the Islamic Republic can make fuel enriched to 20 percent itself if there is no agreement on obtaining the material from abroad. "We had told them (the West) to come and have a swap, although we could produce the 20 percent enriched fuel ourselves," Ahmadinejad said in a televised speech. "We gave them two-to-three months' time for such a deal. They started a new game and now I (ask) Dr Salehi to start work on the production of 20 percent fuel using centrifuges,

Sunday, February 07, 2010 LAGOS: Zambia's Lukando Nalungwe on Saturday emerged the winner of this year's Face of Africa competition held in Nigeria's commercial port city of Lagos. The event was hosted by African television entertainment company M-net, and was attended by Nigerian politicians and a number of African celebrities. "I don't we don't believe this is a beauty pageant, I guess this is competition, so it is very different from a beauty pageant so, there was not controversy, there was no conflict," said Biola Adekanbi, Director M-net Africa. Eight years ago the country's bid to host the Miss World contest was mired in controversy. Islamic groups were angered by the event being hosted in a country where Muslims make up around half the population, while contestants from several countries pulled out in protest over a Nigerian Sharia court's decision to sentence a woman who gave birth to a child outside wedlock to death by stoning. T

SYDNEY: Australian researchers said they had debunked the myth that a women's ability to think was impaired by pregnancy and mothering a newborn -- a condition commonly referred to as "baby brain". An Australian National University team conducting a 20-year population study on health and ageing analysed the mental function of a group of women before and during pregnancy and in the early stages of motherhood. "We didn't find any difference between the women before and after pregnancy, or before and after motherhood, and there were no differences between the non-mothers and the mothers, and the pregnant women," lead researcher Helen Christensen said. The women were given memory and cognitive speed tests three times over eight years as part of the "Path Through Life" study, which is tracking the mental health of a random sample of 7,500 Australians over 20 years. Christensen said the findings were unique because the women were not told they we

Sunday, February 07, 2010 TOKYO: Japan's Meteorological Agency has issued a tsunami warning for several small islands after a strong earthquake shook an area off the country's southern coast. The agency says the earthquake hit at 3:10 p.m. (0610 GMT) and registered magnitude 6.6. The U.S. Geological Survey measured the quake at 6.4. The Japanese agency says the tsunami is expected to be about 1.6 feet (50 centimeters) high. There were no immediate reports of damage. Japan is one of the world's most earthquake-prone countries. In1995, a magnitude-7.2 quake in the western port city of Kobe killed 6,400 people.

Sunday, February 07, 2010 SINGAPORE: A 6.6 magnitude earthquake struck on Sunday east of Taiwan, about 73 miles south southwest of Ishigaki-jima in Japan's Ryukyu islands, the U.S. Geographic Survey said. It struck at a relatively shallow depth of 6.6 miles. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said there was no danger of a tsunami. Earthquakes occur frequently in the region, which lies on a seismically active stretch of the Pacific basin.

February 07, 2010 SAN JOSE: Costa Ricans vote for a successor to President Oscar Arias in general elections on Sunday, with a woman poised to become the Central American nation's first female head of state. Pre-election surveys showed a strong lead for ruling National Liberation Party's Laura Chinchilla, a former vice president, over right-wing opposition candidate Otto Guevara and Otton Solis, from the center-left. They have both accused her of being a puppet of Arias, and many see the elections as referendum on the legacy of the internationally-recognized former Nobel Peace Prize winner. The leading candidate needs 40 percent of the vote to avoid a second round, which, if necessary, would take place on April 4. Six others are also running in a race that will again test the popularity of the National Liberation Party (PLN), which has dominated politics in Costa Rica for the past six decades. Rising insecurity is a key concern for voters in a country which prides its

Sunday, February 07, 2010 BEIJING: Archaeologists in China have uncovered more than 3,000 dinosaur footprints, state media reported, in an area said to be the world's largest grouping of fossilized bones belonging to the ancient animals. The footprints, believed to be more than 100 million years old, were discovered after a three-month excavation at a gully in Zhucheng in the eastern province of Shandong, the official news agency reported. The prints range from 10 to 80 centimetres (four to 32 inches) in length, and belonged to at least six different kinds of dinosaurs, including tyrannosaurs, the report said Saturday. Wang Haijun, a senior engineer at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said the prints faced the same direction, agency said. This indicated a possible migration or a panic escape by plant-eating dinosaurs after an attack by predators, Wang added. Archeologists have found dinosaur fossils at some 30 sites in Zhucheng, known as "dinosaur city." The regi

Sunday, February 07, 2010 BHUBHANESWAR: India successfully tested a nuclear-capable missile on Sunday, a defence source said, days after proposing a resumption of talks with arch-rival Pakistan. The surface-to-surface Agni-III missile with a range of more than 3,000 kilometres (2,000 miles) was tested from Wheeler Island, off the coast of the eastern state of Orissa. "All the parameters have been met, the test was successful," the source said, adding the missile was fired from a railway mobile launcher. It was the fourth test of the weapon, which can carry conventional or nuclear payloads of 1.5 tonnes and uses solid fuel. India on Wednesday said it was open to foreign secretary-level talks with Pakistan, signalling a major breakthrough in relations frozen since the 2008 attacks in Mumbai. New Delhi had steadfastly refused to restart talks despite repeated Islamabad peace overtures.

Sunday, February 07, 2010 CACERES: A 16-year-old Spanish matador killed 6 bulls in one afternoon Saturday, pulling off a feat normally attempted only by seasoned veterans and winning trophies for his bravery - ears from animals he had just slain. Jairo Miguel Sanchez Alonso, who nearly died from a horrific goring in Mexico in 2007, smiled broadly and waved to a friendly hometown crowd after the series of fights which took about two and a half hours. The tall, slender boy showed his stuff in an arena called Plaza Era de los Martires, or Time of the Martyrs. The bullfighter, who goes by the stage name of Jairo Miguel, turned in his best performance with bull No. 5, a hulking black specimen that weighed 435 kilograms (959 pounds). After skilful cape-work he finished off the bull with a single deathblow from his sword, sliding it into a spot where it severed the beast's spinal chord. With the rest of the bulls he needed around three tries. For that effort he was awarded the

Sunday, February 07, 2010 BAGHDAD: The U.S. military on Saturday searched for an Army civilian employee who went missing in Baghdad, Iraq, last month, and his family said they are "anxiously awaiting" his freedom. Issa T. Salomi, 60, of El Cajon, California, worked for U.S. Forces-Iraq and has been unaccounted for since January 23, the Pentagon said. "This is a traumatic time for the Salomi family," read a family statement released by the FBI office in San Diego, California. "We appreciate all the support everyone has shown towards us from all over the country, and we all share their heartfelt compassion." The family asked reporters "to allow the proper channels and protocols be maintained without any static interference, for the safety of Issa." "We are confident that everything is being done by the most capable people here and abroad to bring Issa home safely, and we all are anxiously awaiting his safe return." A video pos

Sunday, February 07, 2010 VALLE DE BRAVO: A mudslide in central Mexico has killed at least 11 people after days of heavy rain that had already caused flooding and fatalities elsewhere in the country. The mudslide crushed several cars on a road near the small town of Temascaltepec on the route from the capital, Mexico City, to the popular weekend town of Valle de Bravo. Rescue workers at the scene said on Saturday they had dug out 11 bodies. Police said it was likely several more people were still buried in their vehicles. Torrential rain have been pounding much of Mexico for days, triggering mudslides in the western state of Michoacan that killed at least a dozen people, causing rivers to break their banks and setting off flooding in the capital and nearby states. Valle de Bravo is a hilly cobblestone town set around a picturesque boating lake that is used by many Mexico City residents as a weekend getaway.

Sunday, February 07, 2010 LONDON: British jazz star John Dankworth, who worked with legends like Ella Fitzgerald and was married to singer Cleo Laine, has died at the age of 82, the media reported Sunday, quoting his agent. Dankworth, a saxophonist and clarinettist, and Laine were one of the best known couples in jazz and had been married for over 50 years. Earlier in his career, Dankworth had worked as musical director for the likes of Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole and Oscar Peterson. Laine announced Dankworth's death at a concert marking the 40th anniversary of a theatre they had set up together, the media reported. "The all-star concert, featuring numerous British stars of stage, screen and recordings, became a tribute to John," the BBC quoted his agent as saying. Dankworth died Saturday at a London hospital after being unwell for several months, the broadcaster added, without providing further details. He was born in 1927 and went to study at the Royal Academ

Sunday, February 07, 2010 LONDON: Britain is to cut the number of visas it hands out to foreign students in a bid to stop people breaking the rules by working illegally, officials said Saturday. About 280,000 people came into Britain on student visas last year, according to an estimate based on official figures, and a Home Office spokesman said the change will have a "significant impact" on the number. He could, however, not confirm reports it would cut the figure by tens of thousands. Under the new rules, applicants will have to speak English to a better standard before being let in and those studying on courses below degree level will only be allowed to work for 10 hours a week, rather than 20. They will also not be able to bring dependants with them if they are enrolling on courses lasting less than six months. Dependants of students on courses below degree level will not be allowed to work. Home Secretary Alan Johnson said in a statement: "We remain open t

Saturday, February 06, 2010 DHAKA: Pakistan grabbed five more gold medals in the 11th South Asian Games here on Saturday. Thus, its gold tally reached 11. Basharat Ali of Pakistan won gold medal in discus throw in the athletics event at the Bangabandhu National Stadium. Pakistan defeated India, scoring 37 goals against 31, in the final of handball event while Maaz Khan and Maratab Ali Shah of Pakistan won gold medals in visho. Aamer Atlas and Mansoor Zaman got Pakistan gold medal, defeating India in the final of squash team event. Pakistani runner Haq Nawaz clocked 52.52 seconds to win the 400 metres hurdles while compatriot Liaquat Ali seized the bronze medal in 200 metres dash by clocking 1.27 seconds behind India's Abdul Najeeb Qureaisi. Shehan Saearuwan of Sri Lanka took the silver medal. Nadir Baloch, Naimatullah, Mohammad Waseem and Aamer Khan reached semi-finals in various categories of boxing.

Sunday, February 07, 2010 KARACHI: The ill-fated Pakistan cricket team has arrived here in Karachi after the worst Australian tour on Saturday night, Geo news reported. It may be mentioned that Pakistan team lost to World Champions Australia all types of international matches played on the tour including 3 Tests, 5 ODIs and a lone T20. No player or official talked to media at Quaid-e-Azam International Airport after their arrival besides, coach Intikhab Alam, who refused to resign like Iqbal Qasim, vowing to continue fighting for the glory of Pakistan cricket. He held responsible sub-standard fielding for the debacle performance of team however, he claimed responsibility for worst show from team on the tour. PIA tried its best to keep arrival of Pakistan cricket team secret as much as possible as they were sneaked out of airport through Hajj Terminal instead of Jinnah Terminal but Geo camera team caught them red-handed. Players seemed worried over facing newsmen therefore a