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UK's Supreme Court quashes British sanctions on Iranian bank

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:29:07 +0545

LONDON: The UK's highest court has ruled that the British government was wrong to have imposed sanctions on an Iranian bank in 2009 over alleged links to Iran's nuclear program.
The Supreme Court decision on Wednesday mirrored a January ruling by the European Union's General Court, which overturned sanctions imposed in 2010, and could ...Read More

Fishtail chopper "meets with an incident" in Humla

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:20:26 +0545

KATHMANDU: A Fishtail Air helicopter, which was on rescue operation in the flood and landslide affected areas, has met with an incident in Humla district.
CEO of the Fishtail Air Suman Pandey said that they have received information about the incident but the detail is yet to be received.

Afghan government irked over U.S. talks with Taliban

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:20:06 +0545

KABUL: Afghan President Hamid Karzai distanced himself from U.S. peace talks with Taliban insurgents that are likely to begin on Thursday, and, as a mark of displeasure, said the government was suspending negotiations with Washington over a troop agreement.
A senior Afghan official told Reuters on Wednesday that the government was unhappy...Read More

Singer Premdhoj off to Australia for Paleti concert

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:15:44 +0545

KATHMANDU: Veteran singer Premdhoj and the Paleti team have left Kathmandu for Australia on Wednesday to perform at a concert in Sydney on June 22.
The entourage includes 11 members, according to nepa~laya, which manages the event.
Organised on last Fridays of the month, Paleti has been presenting noted artists of Nepali adhunik ...Read More

Disrupted Balkhu-Hetauda transport resumes

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:05:26 +0545

KIRTIPUR: Transportation along Balkhu-Hetauda road that was disrupted for the last three days due to landslide has resumed from today morning.
The traffic along the road was disrupted following the landslide at the bank of Sisnerikhola and was resumed after three days long effort, said Navaraj Malla, Police Inspector of the Area Police Of...Read More

Suicide bomber‚ gunmen attack U.N. office in Somalia

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:04:21 +0545

MOGADISHU: A suicide bomber and several gunmen attacked a United Nations compound in the Somali capital Mogadishu on Wednesday, police and witnesses said, in a strike that bore the hallmarks of al Qaeda-linked militants.
The bomber set off his explosives outside the gate of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) base before attac...Read More

Regmi wants scouts to help create poll environment

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:00:56 +0545

KATHMANDU: Chairman of the Interim Election Council Khil Raj Regmi on Wednesday reminded all to create an election-friendly environment.
Saying the interim government has already finished most of the tasks related to the Constituent Assembly election, including issuance of election ordinance and formation of Constituency Delimitation Comm...Read More

Rihanna to get heartbreak therapy?

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:58:56 +0545

R&B star Rihanna is reportedly considering a 12-step heartbreak therapy to get over with rapper Chris Brown.
The 25-year-old Umbrella hitmaker is likely to begin the program, which follows the same format as alcohol and drug rehabilitation, during her upcoming six-week break from her Diamonds World Tour ...Read More

Nadal seeded No. 5 for Wimbledon

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:48:51 +0545

LONDON: Rafael Nadal will be seeded No. 5 at Wimbledon, setting up the possibility of a quarterfinal match against Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic or Andy Murray.
The All England Club released the seedings Wednesday for this year's championships, with the top five in the ATP rankings remaining in their positi...Read More

18-party forum thanks Regmi for CA poll date

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:42:37 +0545

KATHMANDU: A delegation of the National Left Democratic Forum -- amalgam of 18 smaller political parties -- called on Chairman of the Interim Election Council Khil Raj Regmi at the latter’s official residence, Baluwatar on Wednesday.
During the meeting, the delegation thanked Chairman Regmi for the ann...Read More

Armed gang kills 48 in raid in Nigeria

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:38:47 +0545

NIGERIA: An armed gang has raided a northern Nigerian village and killed 48 people in an apparent reprisal attack targeting a local vigilante group, a state official said Wednesday.
The attack saw gunmen move house to house as well as take positions atop a hill and open fire, the official said. Houses were a...Read More

WHO urges tougher food marketing rules to curb childhood obesity

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 15:41:19 +0545

LONDON: The marketing of unhealthy foods to children has proven "disastrously effective", driving obesity by using cheap social media channels to promote fat-, salt- and sugar-laden foods, the World Health Organisation's Europe office said on Tuesday.
The United Nations health agency called for tighter controls on such marketin...Read More

Experts discuss RTI

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 15:31:48 +0545

KATHMANDU: National Information Commission Secretary Shree Ram Pant has stressed on the need for setting up a separate section at the Office of the Prime Minister to oversee the enforcement of Right to Information (RTI) Act.
Speaking at a programme ‘Right to Information and Good Governance’ organ...Read More

2 teens kill self in Saptari

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 15:20:08 +0545

SAPTARI: Two persons committed suicide in separate places in Saptari district.
Gajendra Thakur (18) of Shambhunath VDC-1 committed suicide at the upper floor of his uncle Mahabir Thakur's house. Cause behind the suicide has not been ascertained yet, said police.
Similarly, Sunita Kumari Yadav (15) of Pakari VDC-1 also committed su...Read More

After court rules‚ California gay marriage fight may go on

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 14:55:37 +0545

SAN FRANCISCO: The fight over legalizing gay marriage in the most populous U.S. state may go back to the ballot box in 2014 with California voters asked once again to settle the matter even after the Supreme Court's expected ruling this month on the issue.
Experts believe the top court is unlikely to proclaim a national right to same-sex...Read More

Risk-taker Balan boosts Bollywood's girl power

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 14:34:41 +0545

MUMBAI: It's a good time to be Vidya Balan. Indian cinema turned 100 this year and the versatile actress has emerged as the face of Bollywood, earning a spot in an elite nine-member Cannes festival jury headed by filmmaker Steven Spielberg.
The 35-year-old actress has picked her way through a minefield of movie roles in recent years, zo...Read More

National Special Sports Competition from tomorrow

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 14:22:42 +0545

KATHMANDU: The School-Level National Special Sports Competition is going to be organised here from tomorrowby the National Sports Council (NSC).
Min Kumar Sharma, Member of the Organising Committee, today told media persons that those who are disabled by birth as well as those who became disabled in different accidents would participate i...Read More

Rainfall stops‚ Mahakali continues its terror

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:46:56 +0545

MAHENDRANAGAR: People in the far-west have sighed with a relief for the time being as torrential rain stopped after three days on Tuesday evening.
The sky is clear and it was a sunny morning on Wednesday. The level of water has decreased in Mahakali River today. However, it has continued eroding its bank, p...Read More

At least 50 plots foiled by US spy programs: NSA chief

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:34:55 +0545

Secret US surveillance has foiled more than 50 terror plots since 2001, including a planned bomb attack on the New York Stock Exchange, a US spy chief said, defending leaked programs.
Google, meanwhile, asked a federal surveillance court to grant it permission to release the number of national security requests and secret court orders it ...Read More

22 child workers rescued in Mahottari

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:30:07 +0545

BARDIBAS: The Women and Child Welfare Office, Mahottari has handed over the 22 child workers who were rescued from an embroidery outlet in the capital on June 13 back to their families.
These children were employed at an embroidery outlet at Thankot in the capital. They were earlier rescued by different soci...Read More

Asia Markets mostly down as investors eye Fed

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:01:41 +0545

SEOUL, South Korea: Asian markets were mostly lower Wednesday as investors waited for an update on the U.S. economy from the U.S. Federal Reserve.
The results of a two-day Fed policy meeting will likely ripple through stock markets once investors learn whether there will be changes in the U.S. central bank'...Read More

Afghan Taliban claim they killed 4 US troops

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 11:52:03 +0545

KABUL, Afghanistan: The Taliban have claimed responsibility for an attack in Afghanistan that killed four U.S. troops just hours after the insurgent group announced it would hold talks with the Americans on finding a political solution to ending the nearly 12-year war.
Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid sai...Read More

Huawei launches world's slimmest smartphone

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 11:22:35 +0545

LONDON: China's Huawei unveiled its flagship smartphone, the Ascend P6, at its first standalone launch event on Tuesday, underlining its ambitions to compete with Apple (AAPL.O) and Samsung (005930.KS) in the top tier of mobile technology.
The company says the device, at 6.18 mm thick, is the world's slimmest. It has a 5 megapixel fron...Read More

Kanye wins over critics with 'daring' new album 'Yeezus'

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 11:16:12 +0545

LOS ANGELES: Rapper Kanye West pushes the boundaries of hip hop with his latest album "Yeezus," using aggressive electro-dance music beats to channel his anger and win over critics, who have called the record "daring" and "ambitious."
"Yeezus," the 36-year-old rapper's seventh solo studio album, ha...Read More

US‚ Taliban to start talks on ending Afghan war

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 09:22:14 +0545

KABUL: The Taliban and the U.S. said Tuesday they will hold talks on finding a political solution to ending nearly 12 years of war in Afghanistan, as the international coalition formally handed over control of the country's security to the Afghan army and police.
The Taliban met a key U.S. demand by pledging not to use Afghanistan as a b...Read More

NSA head‚ lawmakers defend surveillance programs

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 09:18:13 +0545

WASHINGTON: The head of the National Security Agency said U.S. surveillance programs had helped disrupt more than 50 possible attacks since September 11, 2001, as sympathetic members of Congress also defended the use of the top-secret spying operations.
In the first public hearing dedicated to the programs since former NSA contractor Edw...Read More

G8 urges Syria peace talks as fighting flares in north

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 09:12:45 +0545

ENNISKILLEN: Differences between Russia and the West mean an international peace conference on Syria is now unlikely before August, a source at a meeting of Group of Eight leaders said on Tuesday as surging government forces brought heavy fighting to Aleppo.
World leaders called for peace talks to be held as soon as possible to end the w...Read More

Senate Immigration bill would help economy

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 09:09:40 +0545

WASHINGTON: Sweeping immigration legislation moving toward a vote in the Senate would boost the economy and reduce federal deficits, the Congressional Budget Office said Tuesday, at the same time it would bestow legal status on an estimated 8 million immigrants living in the United States unlawfully.
In an assessment that drew cheers fro...Read More

10 Things to Know for Wednesday

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 09:04:47 +0545

Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about Wednesday:
1. TALIBAN, US AGREE TO PEACE TALKS
Obama cautions, though, that the process won't be quick or easy.
2. WHO'S TAKING A SWIPE AT ROE V. WADE
The House passes a bill restricting almost all abortions to the first...Read More

Australia‚ Iran and South Korea head for Brazil

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 08:46:23 +0545

LONDON: Australia and Iran booked their fourth World Cup finals appearances with nervous 1-0 victories in a dramatic finale to Asian qualifying on Tuesday.
South Korea joined them and Japan in qualifying for the finals after sneaking through on goal difference and Uzbekistan and Jordan retained hope of making it five Asian sides in Brazil...Read More

Suicide bomber kills 30 at funeral in Pakistan

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 08:36:20 +0545

PESHAWAR: A suicide bomber killed 30 people, including a provincial legislator, gathered for the funeral of a businessman in northern Pakistan on Tuesday, police said.
Legislator Imran Mohmand, formerly associated with an anti-Taliban party, was elected as an independent in May but joined the party of former cricketer-turned politician I...Read More

United States to meet Taliban to seek Afghan peace

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 23:31:21 +0545

WASHINGTON/KABUL: The United States will meet the Taliban in Doha in the coming days for talks aimed at achieving peace in Afghanistan, where the United States has battled the insurgents for 12 years, U.S. officials said on Tuesday.

The Taliban said it wanted a political sol...Read More

Gandak unleashes terror in Nawalparasi

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 23:15:44 +0545

PARASI: The Gandak River, swollen due to incessant rainfall for the last three days, has started eroding number 12 spur in Nawalparasi.
Erosion by the rain-fed river has unleashed terror among locals. They fear that if the spur is breached their settlements will be inundated.
The rising water level has obstructed maintenance work...Read More

EC invites three agitating parties for talks regarding elections

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 23:14:35 +0545

KATHMANDU: The Election Commission has invited three agitating forces, the CPN-Maoist, the Federal Socialist Party and Madhesi Janadhikar Forum-Nepal for talks tomorrow.
Election Commissioner Ayodhi Prasad Yadav said the EC will urge the agitating forces to forge consensus with other stakeholders and help the election body conduct Constit...Read More

HSEB Code of Conduct on cards

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 23:12:43 +0545

BUTWAL: Stakeholders have expressed commitment to early implementation of the Higher Secondary School Code of Conduct.
The 63-point code of conduct issued by the Higher Secondary Education Board includes role of school administration, student-teacher relationship, role of parents and students, uniform rules, and students’ manners, a...Read More