World News

Washington, Aug 26 (IANS) As president, Barrack Obama will seek to build a still closer partnership with India, seen as a 'natural strategic ally' of the US, according to the Democratic party platform set to be approved Tuesday.

Hamburg, Aug 26 (DPA) The mournful howling of wolves is echoing these days through the forested woodlands of eastern Germany for the first time in centuries, according to conservationists, who say that wolves are spreading into Western Europe now that all their natural enemies have disappeared.

Wellington, Aug 26 (Xinhua) A strong earthquake measuring 5.9 on the Richter scale Monday jolted the North Island in eastern New Zealand, the country's Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences said Tuesday.

Nairobi/Khartoum, Aug 26 (DPA) Forces loyal to the Sudanese government have massacred dozens of people in a refugee camp in South Darfur, a rebel group claimed Monday.

Washington, Aug 26 (Xinhua) US President George W. Bush Monday urged Russia not to recognise Georgia's breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent countries.

Baghdad, Aug 25 (Xinhua) Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said Monday that US and Iraqi negotiators have reached an agreement that says that foreign troops would withdraw from Iraq by 2011.

Jerusalem, Aug 25 (Xinhua) US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived in Israel Monday to give another push for the sluggish peace process between the Jewish state and the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), Ha'aretz daily reported on its website.

Moscow, Aug 25 (RIA Novosti) President Dmitry Medvedev warned Monday that Russia could sever all ties with NATO amid a standoff over Russia's response to Georgia's offensive in breakaway South Ossetia.

Washington, Aug 25 (DPA) US Vice President Dick Cheney is to travel to Georgia and three other countries next week, highlighted by talks with Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, Washington said Monday.

Harare, Aug 25 (DPA) In a landmark victory for Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, the candidate of his Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) won the vote for speaker of parliament Monday giving the party control of the key post for the first time.

Harare, Aug 25 (Xinhua) Zimbabwean opposition party Monday won the vote for speaker of the first parliament since the disputed election in March, according to agencies.

Moscow, Aug 25 (RIA Novosti) Russia's parliament Monday called on President Dmitry Medvedev to recognise and establish formal ties with Georgia's breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

Harare, Aug 25 (DPA) Zimbabwe's parliament was sworn in Monday five months after it was elected, in a ceremony marred by a police crackdown on the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).

Ramallah (Palestine), Aug 25 (Xinhua) Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Monday received 198 Palestinian prisoners freed by Israel early in the day as a goodwill gesture.

Paris, Aug 25 (DPA) France ruled out Monday the possibility of the European Union (EU) imposing sanctions against Russia over its military conflict with Georgia.

New York, Aug 25 (IANS) A dog protected a newborn after its teenaged mother abandoned the baby soon after giving birth in a field in rural Argentina.

Baghdad, Aug 25 (DPA) A female suicide bomber still wearing an explosives-laden vest turned herself over to police Sunday, the same day that 25 people were killed in a further suicide bombing, the US military said Monday.

Sydney, Aug 25 (DPA) Australian couples risk having to give up adopted children whom Indian authorities fear were stolen from their biological parents, Canberra officials said Monday.

Paris, Aug 25 (Xinhua) French President Nicolas Sarkozy has called for an emergency European Union (EU) meeting Sep 1 to discuss the crisis in Georgia.

Riyadh, Aug 25 (IANS) An eight-year-old girl, who has been married to a man in his 50s, has filed for divorce at a Saudi court here, media reports said.