Clashes in Cairo after Mursi seizes new powers

CAIRO (Reuters) - Angry youths hurled rocks at security forces and burned a police truck as thousands gathered in central Cairo to protest at Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi's decision to grab sweeping new powers. Police fired tear gas near Tahrir Square, heart of the 2011 uprising that toppled Hosni Mubarak at the height of the Arab Spring. Thousands demanded that Mursi should quit...

Read More..

More support on the way for local social enterprises

SINGAPORE: A small local coffee academy and a giant beer brand may be seen to be unlikely partners but such a partnership is brewing ways to help disadvantaged women here in Singapore.Nineteen-year-old Shirley Ng is training to be a professional barista at Bettr Barista Coffee Academy.The teenage mother of two did not finish her secondary education. Besides learning how to make a great...

Read More..

Ram Jethmalani criticizes BJP position on CBI director

NEW DELHI: In a fresh salvo, BJP MP Ram Jetrhmalani on Saturday criticized party position on appointment of new CBI director Ranjit Sinha. In a letter to BJP president Nitin Gadkari, Jethmalani said: "BJP is wrong in questioning the appointment of CBI director." Earlier, leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj and leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley had on Friday written...

Read More..

AP PHOTOS: Simple surgery heals blind Indonesians

PADANG SIDEMPUAN, Indonesia (AP) — They came from the remotest parts of Indonesia, taking crowded overnight ferries and riding for hours in cars or buses — all in the hope that a simple, and free, surgical procedure would restore their eyesight.Many patients were elderly and needed help to reach two hospitals in Sumatra where mass eye camps were held earlier this month by Nepalese surgeon Dr. Sanduk...

Read More..

Gas Explosion Levels Buildings Like 'Missile Strike'

A natural gas explosion in one of New England's biggest cities on Friday leveled a strip club with a boom heard for miles and heavily damaged a dozen other buildings but didn't kill anyone, authorities said.Firefighters, police officers and gas company workers in the area because of an earlier gas leak and odor report were among the 18 people injured in the blast, authorities said."This...

Read More..

Gaza ceasefire holds but mistrust runs deep

GAZA/JERUSALEM (Reuters) - A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas held firm on Thursday with scenes of joy among the ruins in Gaza over what Palestinians hailed as a victory, and both sides saying their fingers were still on the trigger. In the sudden calm, Palestinians who had been under Israeli bombs for eight days poured into Gaza streets for a celebratory rally, walking past wrecked...

Read More..

Reforms needed for China's growth: Li Keqiang

BEIJING : China's economic growth can only continue if the country reforms, said its expected next premier and newly-promoted Communist Party number two Li Keqiang, according to state media on Friday.The ruling party's new leaders - who were installed after a key congress last week and will also assume top government posts in March - took charge in the face of slowing growth, rising popular...

Read More..

Murli Manohar Joshi, CAG must clear air on 2G allocation loss figure: Govt

NEW DELHI: A controversy has broken out after former Comptroller and Auditor General official R P Singh questioned CAG's estimates of presumptive loss of Rs 1.76 lakh cror mentioned in the 2G spectrum audit report.Former director general CAG's post and telecommunications, Singh, said that he was made to sign the 2G spectrum audit report by his seniors in CAG, despite disagreeing with it. Singh retired...

Read More..

Stores Work to Keep Black Friday Safe

With earlier-than-ever deals and 147 million people expected to hit the stores this holiday weekend, retailers such as Best Buy are taking extra steps to avoid the Black Friday shopper chaos -- and inevitable news stories -- of the past.Best Buy officials said they've been prepping for the madness for days.The retailer has created color-coded maps, moved merchandise around to...

Read More..

Hamas-Israel ceasefire takes hold but mistrust runs deep

GAZA/JERUSALEM (Reuters) - A ceasefire between Israel and Gaza's Hamas rulers took hold on Thursday after eight days of conflict, although deep mistrust on both sides cast doubt on how long the Egyptian-sponsored deal can last. Even after the ceasefire came into force late on Wednesday, a dozen rockets from the Gaza Strip landed in Israel, all in open areas, a police spokesman said. In...

Read More..

China-India ties will benefit Southeast Asia, says ESM Goh

SINGAPORE: Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong said the region which stands to benefit most from a collaborative relationship between China and India is arguably Southeast Asia.At the same time, Southeast Asia offers a prime location and multi-sectoral opportunities for China and India to work together, and with others.Mr Goh was speaking at the International conference on South Asia...

Read More..

BJP, CPI-M want vote on FDI in retail

NEW DELHI: Opposition parties, including the BJP and the CPI-M, pressed Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar to allow their notices for a debate on foreign direct investment ( FDI) in retail on Thursday, the first day of Parliament's winter session. The Speaker said their notices for a debate under Rule 184, which entails voting, were under consideration. Leader of Opposition and Bharatiya Janata Party...

Read More..

Study finds mammograms lead to unneeded treatment

Mammograms have done surprisingly little to catch deadly breast cancers before they spread, a big U.S. study finds. At the same time, more than a million women have been treated for cancers that never would have threatened their lives, researchers estimate.Up to one-third of breast cancers, or 50,000 to 70,000 cases a year, don't need treatment, the study suggests.It's the most detailed look yet at...

Read More..

Egypt's Morsi Wins US, Israeli Gratitude

Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi is being credited with brokering the cease-fire today between Israel and Hamas, but the international gratitude and praise he is gettting could come with a political price at home.Both Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and President Obama heaped praise on the Egyptian president. Obama called his Egyptian counterpart today to thank him for...

Read More..

Gaza shakes, Israelis killed as Clinton seeks truce

GAZA/JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli air strikes shook the Gaza Strip and Palestinian rockets struck across the border as U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton held talks in Jerusalem in the early hours of Wednesday, seeking a truce that can hold back Israel's ground troops. Egypt's new Islamist government is mediating talks and had floated hopes for a ceasefire by late Tuesday between...

Read More..

Football: Chelsea sack manager Roberto Di Matteo

LONDON: Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo has been sacked after the European champions were left facing elimination at the group stage of the Champions League, the club said on Wednesday."Chelsea Football Club has parted company this morning with Manager Roberto Di Matteo," a statement said, following Tuesday's 3-0 defeat by Juventus.Chelsea said the team's "recent performances and results...

Read More..

Bal Thackeray's ashes to be immersed in Godavari on Friday

NASHIK: The urn containing ashes of Shiv Sena chief late Bal Thackeray was brought here and will be kept at the party office for 'darshan' till tomorrow, official sources said today. On Friday, the ashes would be immersed in Godavari river, they said. The urn was kept for darshan at Ghoti, Igatpuri yesterday and today it will keep at Nashik Road, Sinnar, Trimbakeshwar, Dindori, Niphad, Yeola,...

Read More..

OB/GYNs back over-the-counter birth control pills

WASHINGTON (AP) — No prescription or doctor's exam needed: The nation's largest group of obstetricians and gynecologists says birth control pills should be sold over the counter, like condoms.Tuesday's surprise opinion from these gatekeepers of contraception could boost longtime efforts by women's advocates to make the pill more accessible.But no one expects the pill to be sold without a prescription...

Read More..

Ceasefire or 'De-Escalation'? Words Chosen Carefully

Nov 20, 2012 7:27pm AP Photo/Hatem MoussaAs news reports emerged Tuesday of a cease-fire or truce to end the crisis in Gaza, American officials made it a point not to use either of those terms.Instead, U.S. officials were  talking about “de-escalating” the violence in Gaza as a step toward a long-term resolution.Briefing White House reporters in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, ...

Read More..

World pressure for Gaza truce intensifies

GAZA/JERUSALEM (Reuters) - The U.N. chief called for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton headed to the region with a message that escalation of the week-long conflict was in nobody's interest. Nevertheless, Palestinian rocket fire and Israeli air strikes continued for a seventh day. Hamas militants said they fired...

Read More..

Dutch multinational firm Philips eyes Asia for future growth

JAKARTA: Philips - one of Europe's oldest multi-national companies - is depending on Asia for future growth, as the economies of Europe and the United States falter.The region already accounts for a third of its revenue and Philips CEO Frans van Houten said it will continue its investment strategy to put the company in a stronger position when the global economy rebounds.Mr Van Houten...

Read More..

Mamata's no-trust vote: BJP not inclined to back motion

NEW DELHI: Realising that the numbers are stacked in favour of the government, BJP on Tuesday appeared not inclined towards supporting the no-confidence motion that TMC has threatened to move against UPA but is gearing up to corner it on the FDI issue by seeking a vote on it. BJP Parliamentary Party Executive Committee today held a meeting here to discuss the strategy for the forthcoming Winter...

Read More..

New push for most in US to get at least 1 HIV test

WASHINGTON (AP) — There's a new push to make testing for the AIDS virus as common as cholesterol checks.Americans ages 15 to 64 should get an HIV test at least once — not just people considered at high risk for the virus, an independent panel that sets screening guidelines proposed Monday.The draft guidelines from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force are the latest recommendations that aim to make...

Read More..

Clinton Heading to Middle East to Meet With Leaders

President Obama urgently dispatched Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to the Middle East with the hope that she can bring an end to the escalating violence that has gripped the region for the last week.Clinton is scheduled to arrive in Jerusalem later tonight to meet with Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes. Clinton...

Read More..