Barry O’Farrell & Anthony Roberts med rel: Delivering lower electricity prices for NSW households

Barry O’Farrell & Anthony Roberts med rel: Delivering lower electricity prices for NSW households

NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell and Minister for Resources and Energy Anthony Roberts today announced the removal of retail price regulation from the electricity market, which will deliver greater competition and deliver lower electricity prices for many NSW households and businesses from 1 July 2014. Mr O’Farrell said more than a million customers currently on a […]

Pro-Russian protesters seize government building in Ukraine

Pro-Russian protesters seize government building in Ukraine

Kiev, April 7 (ITAR-TASS/IANS) Protesters in the Ukrainian city of Donetsk have seized the building of the regional state administration, chanting slogans and waving flags of pro-Russian public organisations in their hands. About 2,000 people gathered in Donetsk’s central Lenin Square Sunday to voice their support for the officers of the Berkut riot police who […]

Indian man found dead in Bahrain

Indian man found dead in Bahrain

Manama, April 6 (IANS) An Indian man was found dead in an under-construction building in Bahrain’s capital Manama. Police found the body of Jam Rajeesh, 40, hanging at the site Saturday in Adliya after local residents complained of a foul smell, the Gulf-Daily News reported Sunday. Police suspect that Rajeesh allegedly committed suicide last week. Investigation […]

Iran, West soon to begin drafting nuclear accord

Iran, West soon to begin drafting nuclear accord

Tehran, April 6 (IANS) Iran and the six world powers may start drafting the final agreement over Tehran’s nuclear programme from April 21, a senior Iranian nuclear negotiator said Sunday. “We hope that in the upcoming talks we would be able to bring the views closer and narrow the differences regarding major issues, so we could […]

UN chief seeks end to CAR violence

UN chief seeks end to CAR violence

Bangui, April 6 (IANS/WAM) UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon visited the Central African Republic (CAR) over the weekend to bring to focus the world’s attention on a crisis that has been marked by widespread atrocities and suffering, and to call on the country’s citizens to heed the lessons of neighbouring Rwanda and stop the violence. “There is […]

Dalai Lama to meet Japan quake survivors

Dalai Lama to meet Japan quake survivors

Dharamsala, April 6 (IANS) Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama Sunday began his 12-day visit to Japan, where he will offer prayers and provide solace to the survivors of the devastating earthquake March 11, 2011, an official said here. “His Holiness will attend a special prayer service Monday for those affected by the disaster in Sendai […]

Where are the peers?

Where are the peers?

About a decade ago, 2004 or thereabouts, I found myself at the media launch of a British certifying institute that was offering a staggering 250 courses ranging from Pitman’s Shorthand to oil exploration. The two Brits on stage waxed eloquent on how in a changing world, conventional degrees were not worth the paper they were […]

Israel strikes targets in Gaza

Israel strikes targets in Gaza

Jerusalem, April 6 (IANS) The Israeli military conducted airstrike on five targets in the Gaza Strip Sunday in retaliation to continued rocket fire towards Israel. Among the targets were five “terror sites” in Gaza, the army said in a statement, adding that pilots reported direct hits, reported Xinhua. The retaliatory airstrike, the second in three days, […]

Nicaraguan reveals ‘secret of life’ at age 110

Nicaraguan reveals ‘secret of life’ at age 110

Managua, April 6 (IANS/EFE) A 110-year-old Nicaraguan who knew Augusto C. Sandino, saw the rise and fall of the Somoza dictatorship, and lives in a deserted old station of his country’s defunct railway, revealed his secret of longevity: “knowing how to live.” Hector Gaitan, a former telegraph operator, miner, guerrilla, artist and railroad employee, said he […]