Assad's forces push to retake Damascus suburb

AMMAN (Reuters) - Heavy fighting raged on the outskirts of Damascus on Monday as elite troops backed by tanks tried to recapture a strategic suburb from rebels in one of the largest military operations in that district in months, opposition activists said. Five people, including one child, died from army rocket fire that hit Daraya, the activists said. Daraya is one of a series of interconnected...

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Taiwan upgrades dozens of fighter jets

TAIPEI: Taiwan plans to complete the first stage of an ambitious plan to upgrade its fighter jet force by the end of 2013, in an effort to maintain a credible deterrent against China into the 2030s.Some 60 of Taiwan's Indigenous Defence Fighters (IDFs) will be upgraded and ready for deployment within 12 months, according to a report submitted to parliament by the defence ministry.The aircraft...

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I know my limitations: Chidambaram on PM candidature

NEW DELHI: "I know my limitations. And I live and conduct myself according to my limitations." This was the response of finance minister P Chidambaram today when asked to comment on DMK chief M Karunanidhi's remarks that he was potential prime ministerial candidate. "I don't know whether I should take your question very seriously. But let me give you a very serious answer. I know my limitations....

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Deal or No Deal, 'Cliff' Debate Will Linger Into 2013

Dec 31, 2012 6:00am AP Photo/ Evan VucciAnalysisThe fiscal cliff is just the beginning.Regardless of whether Democrats and Republicans reach some kind of last-minute bargain to avoid the worst effects of tax hikes and spending cuts, the disaster that has been the fiscal cliff negotiations has broad implications for the Washington agenda in 2013 and beyond.The tone...

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Two hurt as protesters attack Iraq deputy PM

RAMADI, Iraq: Two people were wounded when security forces opened fire to disperse protesters who attacked Iraq's deputy premier on Sunday, forcing him to flee a rally he was addressing, an AFP reporter said.The demonstrators, who have blocked a key highway connecting Iraq to Syria and Jordan for the past week over the alleged targeting of their Sunni Arab minority by the Shiite-led government...

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Congress anti-rape draft bill proposes 30 years jail, chemical castration

NEW DELHI: Imprisonment of upto 30 years for rape convicts has been proposed by Congress in a draft bill for a tougher law to check crimes against women which could also include chemical castration in rare cases. The final draft of the Congress' bill, which is to be submitted to Justice J S Verma-led Committee set up by the Centre in the wake of the horrific gang rape of the 23-year-old girl, who...

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NYC Subway Pusher Held For Murder, Hate Crime

A woman who allegedly told New York City police she pushed a man onto the subway tracks because she hated Hindus and Muslims has been charged with murder as a hate crime.Erica Menendez, 31, allegedly told police that she "pushed a Muslim off the train tracks because I hate Hindus and Muslims ever since 2001 when they put down the twin towers I've been beating them up."Menendez...

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Indian gang rape victim dies; protesters defy lock-down

NEW DELHI/SINGAPORE (Reuters) - A woman whose gang rape sparked protests and a national debate about violence against women in India died of her injuries on Saturday, prompting a security lockdown in New Delhi and an acknowledgement from India's prime minister that social change is needed. The six suspects held in connection with the December 16 attack on the 23-year-old medical student...

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Work-life harmony in S'pore remains stable: study

SINGAPORE: A national study has shown that work-life harmony in Singapore has been stable over the past six years.The 2012 National Work-Life Harmony Study, conducted by the Social and Family Development Ministry, shows Singapore having an index of 63.This is a notch lower than the index of 64, achieved in the inaugural study in 2006.In the study, zero indicates "no harmony", while 100...

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Gang-rape victim's fight will not go in vain: Sonia Gandhi

NEW DELHI: Promising swift and fitting punishment for the Delhi gang-rape accused, Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Saturday said the nation's "beloved daughter" will get justice and her fight will not go in vain. "As a woman and mother, I understand how you feel. I appeal you to remain calm and help strengthen our collective resolve to fight the menace of violence against women," Gandhi, who...

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Kenya hospital imprisons new mothers with no money

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — The director of the Pumwani Maternity Hospital, located in a hardscrabble neighborhood of downtown Nairobi, freely acknowledges what he's accused of: detaining mothers who can't pay their bills. Lazarus Omondi says it's the only way he can keep his medical center running.Two mothers who live in a mud-wall and tin-roof slum a short walk from the maternity hospital, which is affiliated...

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Obama Still Hopeful in Final Days Before 'Cliff'

Dec 29, 2012 6:00am AP Photo/ Evan VucciThree days remain for Congress to pass a federal budget agreement that would avoid the so-called “fiscal cliff” and today President Obama said he believes the House and Senate leadership can squeak out a deal in time.In his weekly address, released this morning, the president said allowing the package of perilous tax increases...

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Putin signs ban on U.S. adoptions of Russian children

MOSCOW (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin signed a law on Friday that bans Americans from adopting Russian children and imposes other measures in retaliation for new U.S. legislation meant to punish Russian human rights abusers. The law, which has ignited outrage among Russian liberals and child rights' advocates, enters into force on January 1 and is likely to strain U.S.-Russia relations....

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FEOrchard appoints Koh Boon Hwee as non-exec director, non-exec chairman

SINGAPORE : Far East Orchard (FEOrchard), formerly known as Orchard Parade Holdings, has appointed Koh Boon Hwee as a non-executive director and non-executive chairman with effect from 1 January 2013.62-year-old Mr Koh will take over from Philip Ng who will be stepping down as a non-executive director and non-executive chairman from next year.In a statement issued on Friday, FEOrchard...

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Campaigns against gender-based violence have kids as primary target

NEW DELHI: The roots of gender-based violence go so deep-seated that organizations battling it have practically written the adults off. Nearly every campaign pushing for gender equality has kids and youths as their primary target. Breakthrough involved youths for community mobilization and training in schools and colleges; Must Bol, run by the Youth Collective, works mainly with college students....

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Kenya hospital imprisons new mothers with no money

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — The director of the Pumwani Maternity Hospital, located in a hardscrabble neighborhood of downtown Nairobi, freely acknowledges what he's accused of: detaining mothers who can't pay their bills. Lazarus Omondi says it's the only way he can keep his medical center running.Two mothers who live in a mud-wall and tin-roof slum a short walk from the maternity hospital, which is affiliated...

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White House Says It Has No New Fiscal Cliff Plan

The White House said today it has no plans to offer new proposals to avoid the fiscal cliff which looms over the country's economy just five days from now, but will meet Friday with Congressional leaders in a last ditch effort to forge a deal.Republicans and Democrats made no conciliatory gestures in public today, despite the urgency.The White House said President Obama would...

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Peace envoy Brahimi, Syria diplomats in Moscow talks

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia will host Syria peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi this week after Syrian officials held talks in Moscow on Thursday as part of a diplomatic drive to try to agree a plan to end the 21-month-old conflict, Russia's foreign ministry said. Talks have moved to Moscow, a long-time Syria ally, after a flurry of meetings Brahimi held in Damascus this week, but the international...

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Fewer small businesses confident of growth in 2013: survey

SINGAPORE: Fewer small companies in Singapore are confident that their businesses will grow in 2013 compared to the years before, found the CPA Australia Asia Pacific Small Business Survey.The survey, conducted by accounting body CPA Australia between 2 and 15 October, covered 250 businesses that have fewer than 21 employees. The businesses surveyed spanned the retail, information, media...

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Nation in grip of pessimism due to 'policy paralysis, lack of leadership', Narendra Modi says

NEW DELHI: Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi launched a fresh attack on the Centre on Thursday, saying the country was in the grip of pessimism because of "policy paralysis, intellectual bankruptcy and lack of leadership". He said the Centre's policies "lack urgency or seriousness" in tackling economic crises and thus the "sense of pessimism" in the 12th Plan. "There is a policy paralysis, intellectual...

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Predicting who's at risk for violence isn't easy

CHICAGO (AP) — It happened after Columbine, Virginia Tech, Aurora, Colo., and now Sandy Hook: People figure there surely were signs of impending violence. But experts say predicting who will be the next mass shooter is virtually impossible — partly because as commonplace as these calamities seem, they are relatively rare crimes.Still, a combination of risk factors in troubled kids or adults including...

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Newtown Shooter's DNA to Be Studied

Geneticists have been asked to study the DNA of Adam Lanza, the Connecticut man whose shooting rampage killed 27 people, including an entire first grade class.The study, which experts believe may be the first of its kind, is expected to be looking for abnormalities or mutations in Lanza's DNA.Connecticut Medical Examiner H. Wayne Carver has reached out to University of Connecticut's...

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Egypt's leader signs contentious constitution into law

CAIRO (Reuters) - Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi signed into law a new constitution shaped by his Islamist allies, which he says will help end political turmoil and allow him to focus on fixing the fragile economy. Anxiety about a deepening political and economic crisis has gripped Egypt in past weeks, with many people rushing to buy dollars and take out their savings from banks. The...

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Vivian Balakrishnan attends state funeral of former Gerakan president

SINGAPORE : Singapore's Environment and Water Resources Minister Vivian Balakrishnan was in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday to attend the state funeral of former Gerakan president, Lim Keng Yaik.Dr Balakrishnan conveyed condolences on behalf of the Singapore Government. He was accompanied by Singapore's High Commissioner in Kuala Lumpur Ong Keng Yong.Dr Lim, who served as Malaysia's Energy,...

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Punjab to set up separate force for night policing

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab government on Wednesday announced the setting up of a separate force for policing during the night hours amid the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal ( SAD) facing fire for its youth leaders being accused of assaulting a senior police officer. Deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal told media here that Punjab would be the first state in the country to have a dedicated force for...

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Storms Spawn 34 Tornado Reports Across South

Severe Christmas day weather tore across the deep South, spinning off 34 possible tornadoes and killing at least three people in its path, while extreme weather is forecast throughout today for parts of the East Coast.The storm first pounded Texas, then touched down in Louisiana and blasted through homes in Mississippi. In Mobile, Ala., a wide funnel cloud was barreled across...

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Israel says has no proof poison gas used in Syria

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel voiced doubt on Tuesday about the accuracy of Syrian activists' reports that chemical weapons had been used against rebels fighting to topple President Bashar al-Assad. "We have seen reports from the opposition. It is not the first time. The opposition has an interest in drawing in international military intervention," Vice Prime Minister Moshe Yaalon said...

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More parents sending children for ECA during school holidays

SINGAPORE: More parents are sending their children for extra-curricular activities during the school holidays.Parents say this allows the kids to spend time in a fun and meaningful way.Singing along to a "pizza song", these children pick up pizza-making skills from a restaurant chef. The lyrics have been modified to help them remember the steps.Some parents also joined in the sessions...

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HC allows transfer of Gayatri Devi's shares to grand children

NEW DELHI: The legal battle over transfer of late Maharani Gayatri Devi's shares in royal family's firms has been decided in favour of her grandchildren, Devraj and Lalitya Kumari with the Delhi high court ordering rectification of share registers of the companies. Jagat Singh, son of Gayatri Devi and Sawai Man Singh, held 99 per cent shares in firms including Jai Mahal Hotels Pvt Ltd and later...

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Predicting who's at risk for violence isn't easy

CHICAGO (AP) — It happened after Columbine, Virginia Tech, Aurora, Colo., and now Sandy Hook: People figure there surely were signs of impending violence. But experts say predicting who will be the next mass shooter is virtually impossible — partly because as commonplace as these calamities seem, they are relatively rare crimes.Still, a combination of risk factors in troubled kids or adults including...

Read More..