World News

Retired General Sarath Fonseka?s candidature for presidency as a consensus Opposition contender from the newly United National Front (UNF) was subject to his accepting a 10-point policy statement of the Front, Opposition leader and former PM, Ranil Wickremesinghe has said.

When US President Barack Obama beamed in Beijing, the Chinese managed tight-lipped smiles. When he spoke haltingly with none of his usual confidence, about Tibet, Iran or the Chinese currency, they ignored him, served chicken soup with bean curd and sent him to climb the Great Wall.

The United States-China joint statement that has rankled India by its mention of relations between India and Pakistan has underscored the major issue that American President Barack Obama will face when he meets with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Washington next week ? renewing the sense of trust that had been developed when George W Bush was in office.

General Sarath Fonseka?s candidature for presidency as a consensus opposition contender from the newly United National Front (UNF) was subject to his accepting a 10-point policy statement of the Front, opposition leader and former prime minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe has said.

Leaders of the three major political parties in Nepal met on Wednesday to find a way out of the ongoing political deadlock in the Himalayan nation.

Ever since they came here for the event, they have been seriously handicapped. But North Korea, despite being a player short, defeated India 3-1 in the First Division team championship final of the 19th Asian Table Tennis Championship here on Tuesday.

It may sound exaggerated but it?s true ? one feels a little more ?complete? after a visit to the place where Virgin Mary is thought to have spent her last days. No wonder, then, that the small stone house (now restored and converted into a chapel) located on Mt. Koressos, nine kilometres off Ephesus in Turkey, attracts many pilgrims every year.

When Prime Minister Manmohan Singh arrives in Washington on Sunday, he may well be pleasantly surprised to find that Indians figure not just in his delegation but also across the aisle. American President Barack Obama?s Administration has a record number of Indian-Americans.

US President Barack Obama ended his state visit to China with a call for fresh talks between Beijing and the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama.

Colombo, Nov. 17 -- Two generals occupied the headlines in Colombo last week. General Sarath Fonseka's resignation and political ambitions naturally made it to the top of discussions everywhere from kitchens to 'kottu' corners. The visit of shadowy and reclusive Myanmar junta leader general Than Shwe was one of its kind too. A Myanmar leader was visiting Sri Lanka in 43 years.

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has approved grants worth US$2.4 billion over two years. With this grant, the Global Fund has approved US$18.4 billion for 144 countries since it was created in 2002 to fight infectious diseases in developing countries.

With less than four days remaining for the deadline given by Maoists to the Nepal government to end, political parties in the Himalayan nation have stepped up efforts to end the ongoing political impasse.

General Sarath Fonseka, Sri Lanka?s first chief of defence staff, vacated his office on Monday after taking farewell salute from the three forces in absence of their commanders.

Politely but firmly pressing for greater freedoms on China?s own turf, President Barack Obama spoke against censorship on Monday, saying tough criticisms of political leaders should be allowed and the free flow of information on the Internet ?should be encouraged.?

US President Barack?s Obama first visit to China will undoubtedly be marked by difficult talks on trade and climate change, but another thorny issue has emerged: how to write ?Obama? in Mandarin.

A post-conflict Sri Lanka has the opportunity to usher in permanent peace and stability for all its communities by ensuring that minorities enjoy the same rights and privileges as enjoyed by the majority community, union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee said in Colombo on Friday.

As a girl who raised her voice to demand India?s independence from the British, Shreela Flather never imagined that one day she would be a part of British politics and become the first woman from the Asian ethnic minority community to enter Britain?s parliament.

A post-conflict Sri Lanka has the opportunity to usher in permanent peace and stability for all its communities by ensuring that minorities enjoy the same rights and privileges as enjoyed by the majority community, union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee said in Colombo on Friday.

Prague, Nov. 15 -- Former Czech president Vaclav Havel opened festivities in Prague celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution, which toppled the communist regime in 1989. On Nov 17, 1989, a crack down by riot police on a peaceful student protest in Prague, kicked off the Velvet Revolution.

US President Barack Obama used a meeting on Sunday with the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) to urge pariah state Myanmar to free pro-democracy leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi.