Six killed in Karnataka bus fire

Six killed in Karnataka bus fire

Bangalore, April 16 (IANS) At least six passengers were burnt to death and a dozen injured early Wednesday when the private-run bus in which they were travelling caught fire in Karnataka, an official said. The accident took place in Hiriyur (town) in Chitradurga district, about 160 km from here. “The tragedy occurred around 3 a.m. when […]

Spanish regions have highest unemployment rates in EU

Spanish regions have highest unemployment rates in EU

Madrid, April 16 (IANS) The Spanish regions of Andalusia, Ceuta, Melilla, the Canary Islands and Extremadura had the highest unemployment rates of the entire European Union (EU) in 2013, the EU’s official statistics agency Eurostat said Tuesday. Not only did Spain have the “top five” places in the ranking, but two others regions, Castilla-La Mancha and […]

Lebanon to limit influx of Syrian refugees

Lebanon to limit influx of Syrian refugees

Beirut, April 16 (IANS) Lebanon cannot bear the burden of more Syrian refugees coming into the country and would work on limiting their number, the interior minister said Tuesday. “Limiting the immigration of Syrian refugees will be coordinated with the concerned organisations and will depend on two factors — defining who the refugees are and limiting […]

Ship carrying 350 passengers sinking off South Korean coast

Ship carrying 350 passengers sinking off South Korean coast

Seoul, April 16 (IANS) A ship carrying 350 passengers is sinking off the coast of Jindo, southwest of South Korea, and sent distress signals to the coast guard, media reported Wednesday. The ship “SEWOL”, which departed from South Korea’s Incheon for Jeju, was flooded with sea water and inclined over 20 degrees. Passengers on the leaning […]

US Treasury declines to name China as currency manipulator

US Treasury declines to name China as currency manipulator

Washington, April 16 (IANS) The US Treasury Department said Tuesday that China cannot be ruled as a currency manipulator, but said the pace of China’s currency appreciation has been insufficient. “China’s currency (RMB) appreciated on a trade-weighted basis in 2013 but not as fast or by as much as is needed,” Xinhua quoted the US Treasury […]

Police in Colombia seize three tonnes of cocaine

Police in Colombia seize three tonnes of cocaine

Bogota, April 16 (IANS/EFE) The police in Colombian Tuesday seized 2,877 kgs of liquid cocaine discovered in the Caribbean port of Cartagena, where seven tonnes of the drug in solid form were confiscated a week ago. The liquefied cocaine was mixed with dielectric oil – an insulator – and concealed inside an electric transformer set to […]

New urban development planned for Valparaiso after fire

New urban development planned for Valparaiso after fire

Santiago, April 16 (IANS/EFE) Chilean President Michelle Bachelet said Tuesday that she will order a master plan prepared to reorganise Valparaiso’s urban design after the port city was devastated by a fire that left at least 15 people dead and 2,500 homes destroyed. “What we’ll do now is create a master plan to imagine the city […]

Colombian rebels blow up stretch of key highway

Colombian rebels blow up stretch of key highway

Bogota, April 16 (IANS/EFE) Colombia’s leftist FARC guerrillas blew up a portion of the main road linking their country with neighbouring Ecuador, authorities said Tuesday. The explosives were apparently hidden in a sewer pipe, Temistocles Ortega, governor of the southwestern province of Cauca, told Blu Radio, as was the case in an April 1 FARC attack […]

Saudi king replaces intelligence chief

Saudi king replaces intelligence chief

Riyadh, April 16 (IANS) Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al-Saud Tuesday relieved Prince Bandar bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz of his post as chief of general intelligence, according to the Saudi Press Agency. After the prince reportedly requested to leave the position, the king replaced him with a member of the general staff, Yousef al-Idrissi, who is […]

West will be responsible for Ukraine escalation: Russia

West will be responsible for Ukraine escalation: Russia

Moscow, April 14 (IANS) Russia has said Western countries will bear the responsibility if the crisis in eastern Ukraine escalates. “I believe that our Western partners will be responsible for this by 99 percent,” ITAR-TASS quoted Russia’s Permanent Representative at the UN Vitaly Churkin as saying at a Security Council meeting on Sunday. Churkin urged the […]