republic term for the outlawed people mujahedeen which some have accused of
having had hand in the assassination despite its denials
some chanted that nuclear energy is our undeniable right in an allusion to
accusations by iranian officials that the killing was an attempt by western
powers to disrupt iran controversial nuclear programme
neither the police nor the intelligence services have yet reported any leads in
their investigation
on thursday the media advisor to president mahmoud ahmadinejad told afp that
the united states britain and israel were high on the list of suspects
our security and intelligence apparatus are pursuing those behind the blast to
bring them to justice as soon as possible said ali akbar javanfekr
america britain and israel have the most animosity towards our scientific
progress especially the nuclear programme so when our scientists are targeted
they become high on the list of suspects he said
similar allegations by other iranian officials of us involvement in the attack
have been dismissed out of hand by washington
parliament speaker ali larijani iran former chief nuclear negotiator on
wednesday accused us president barack obama of state terrorism over the killing
the political affiliation of the murdered scientist remains unclear
people close to him have stressed his close links with the elite revolutionary
guards where he seems to have worked for more than years until
official media and regime hardliners have referred to him as revolutionary
teacher who was martyred
but several opposition websites said ali mohammadi was among the academics whose
name appeared in june letter supporting mir hossein mousavi the defeated
presidential election candidate and current opposition leader
at distance from the funeral procession in tehran group of about people
tried to follow in silence but was dispersed by police without incident
moldova to remove barbed wire on romania border
chisinau jan afp
the former soviet republic of moldova will soon dismantle the last barbed wire
fences along its border with romania moldovan officials said on thursday
work on removing the barriers will begin shortly and will be completed by the
middle of march rosian vasiloi spokesman for moldova border guards
service told afp
the plan for removing barbed wire fences has been approved said igor
volnitchi spokesman for moldovan prime minister vlad filat adding that
trenches would also be removed
filat an advocate of closer ties with the european union who became prime
minister in september last month called the fences shameful and out of place
in st century europe
the first barbed wire fences separating moldova from romania were erected by
soviet authorities in along the river prut tributary of the danube that
marks the border between the two countries
moldova was part of romania until when it was forcibly integrated into the
soviet union as part of secret nazi soviet pact
much of the barbed wire was taken down after moldova won independence in
but the communist government which ruled the impoverished ex soviet country from
to opposed further dismantling of the barrier
the coalition of liberal parties that beat the communists in legislative polls
last july has sought closer ties with romania an eu member
the two countries have close cultural links and both use romanian as their
official language
yemen clerics urge jihad if foreign troops join qaeda chase
sanaa jan afp
yemen council of clerics called on thursday for jihad if foreign troops join
the war against al qaeda in the impoverished arabian peninsula country as the
government vowed to eradicate the extremists
if any party insists on aggression or invades the country then according to
islam jihad becomes obligatory said statement signed by clerics read at
news conference
the clerics strongly rejected any foreign intervention in yemeni affairs
whether political or military
the clerics include the radical sheikh abdulmajeed al zendani who is labelled
by the us administration as global terrorist
they also rejected any security or military agreement or cooperation between
yemen and any foreign party if it violates islamic sharia law and setting
up any military bases in yemen or in its territorial waters
on wednesday the chairman of the us senate armed services committee carl
levin urged washington to consider targeting al qaeda militants in yemen with
armed drones air strikes or covert operations but not invade the country
al qaeda franchise in yemen al qaeda in the arabian peninsula claimed
responsibility for botched christmas day attack on us airliner and
washington has accused the group of training the alleged assailant nigerian
umar farouk abdulmutallab
on monday zendani warned that any us military intervention in yemen to fight
al qaeda would be considered an occupation
the sanaa government has intensified its operations against al qaeda insisting
that it can tackle the militants on its own without the need for foreign
military intervention
yemen is not afghanistan nor pakistan where terrorists constantly launch
attacks while the authorities try to respond here we anticipate the threat
yemen is not hideout for the terrorists and will never be yemen head of
national security ali anisi said on wednesday
one of the members of the council of clerics sheikh saleh salabani was blunt
in predicting failure for the americans if they do get involved
us strikes he says would drive the populace into the arms of al qaeda
that was echoed by dominique thomas specialist in islamic networks at the
prestigious school of higher studies in social sciences in paris
american missiles hitting yemeni houses is just what al qaeda is waiting for
it takes very little to attract unemployed youth to jihadism or to persuade
certain traditionally rebellious tribes to rise up against the government if
the americans step in it will be like dropping present right in bin laden
lap
and salabani said we might not love al qaeda but it is for our government to
get rid of them and not anyone else
the country defence ministry vowed on thursday to do just that
it said it would clear yemen of al qaeda jihadists and warned that intensive
operations will continue against osama bin laden extremists
citizens have been warned not to hide any al qaeda members and have been urged
to cooperate with the security forces against the extremists the defence
ministry sep net website quoted security source as saying
so far us president barack obama has said he has no intention of sending
american troops to yemen or to somalia in the horn of africa just across the
bab al mandab strait
yemen the poorest country in the the arabian peninsula is under pressure to
rein in the extremists and the united states and britain have announced plans
to fund the country police counter terrorism unit
sanaa insists it is winning the war against the jihadists pointing to two
separate air raids in december that killed more than suspected al qaeda
militants
on wednesday yemeni officials announced the death in firefight of suspected
al qaeda kingpin in the eastern province of shabwa and the arrests of four
others
week ago officials announced the capture of key al qaeda leader mohammed al
hanq and two other militants believed to be behind threats against western
interests in sanaa that caused embassies to close for several days
afp graphics advisory
paris jan afp
thursday graphics
available now
haiti quake
text slug haiti quake
search and rescue methods graphic illustrating methods used by emergency
services to locate victims of earthquakes trapped in collapsed buildings
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un mission in haiti fact file on the un mission in haiti
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international aid graphic on international aid pledged after the haitian
quake
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quake map updated graphic showing the epicentre of the quake in haiti
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port au prince map detailed map of the haiti capital port au prince
locating key buildings damaged or destroyed by the earthquake
mm
tectonic plates caribbean map map of the caribbean showing the region
tectonic plates
mm
factfile factfile on haiti
mm
pakistan waziristan map
map of pakistan locating us drone attack on an extremist training camp in north
waziristan
text slug pakistan unrest us taliban
mm
afghanistan death toll
graphic on the civilian and foreign death toll in afghanistan in
text slug afghanistan unrest
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asia internet audiences
chart comparing internet audiences in asian countries
text slug us china it company internet
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google income world
graphic showing google revenue from various world markets
text slug us china it company internet
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asia pacific markets
closings for key asia pacific markets
text slug stocks
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moved earlier
afghanistan garmsir map mm
somalia map mm
ireland political chrono mm
ukraine factfile mm
solar eclipse asia mm and mm
india haridwar pishikesh festival map mm
philippines massacre factfile mm
japan us bases map mm
japan airlines mm
german gdp mm
tennis australia open
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previous female winners mm
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hawkeye factfile mm
paris hong kong
tel
europe offers space station as platform for climate science
paris jan afp
the european space agency is looking at proposals for using the international
space station as platform for climate science esa director general jean
jacques dordain said on thursday
seventeen proposals so far have been received from the climate change
community for using the iss as basis for study dordain told press
conference
the call for ideas issued by the nation agency last november expires on
monday he added
the iss is scheduled to be completed this year offering multi purpose
research facility in low orbit until at least and possibly beyond esa
says on its website
potentially the iss can be used as an observation platform for instruments and
experiments relevant to global change studies supplementing ongoing and planned
observations from dedicated platforms it says
conceived as manned outpost in orbit the us led iss has run into huge cost
overruns with some estimates putting the final bill at around billion
dollars and construction delays caused in part by the loss of two us space
shuttles
some space scientists are critical of the project describing it as cash
burner that provides negligible value for money compared with unmanned missions
dordain was speaking at new year meeting with reporters to sketch the
agency work programme in
highlights include the launch on february of two more iss modules including
cupola that will provide the station six crew members with panoramic view
of space
on february cryosat an esa satellite designed to measure the thickness of
ice is to be launched by russia from its base at baikonur under continuing
programme of earth observation
this year will also include the first launches of russia soyuz mid range
rocket from esa pad at kourou french guiana under commercial arrangement
with arianespace which markets the ariane heavy launcher
turning to budget matters dordain said the agency intended to stabilise its
spending after several years of annual increases of percent
total of billion euros billion dollars has been earmarked for
afp gmt economics news advisory
paris jan afp
duty editor nathaniel harrison
telephone
ecb eurozone bank rate forex money thlead
frankfurt
european central bank president jean claude trichet dismisses speculation that
greece could quit or be forced out of the eurozone as absurd but presses
athens and other eurozone capitals to get serious about addressing dire debt
problems
words gmt by william ickes picture
greece eu finance economy ndlead wrap
athens
greece unveils crisis plan to bring its recession hit economy within european
union rules by and to overcome debt and deficit woes that have shaken the
eurozone
words gmt by john hadoulis
us finance economy banks obama thlead
washington
president barack obama is to unveil billion dollar fee on top finance
firms to recoup taxpayer dollars used to bail out wall street which is blamed
for igniting the economic crisis
words gmt
us economy retail sales rdlead
washington
us retail sales fell unexpectedly in december capping the worst year on record
government data shows in disappointing report on crucial driver of economic
growth
words gmt by veronica smith file picture
forex europe lead wrap
london
the euro slips against the dollar following disappointing retail sales and
employment data and cautious comments from the ecb on eurozone growth prospects
words gmt
stocks europe lead wrap
london
europe main stock markets creep higher on renewed optimism over the global
economic outlook but gains could be pared as investors digest weak us retail
sales figures
words gmt
commodities energy oil price thlead
london
oil prices steady after earlier topping dollars as traders paused to assess
the state of energy inventories in key consumer nation the united states
words gmt
eu aerospace defence company airbus britain ndlead
london
the seven partner countries involved in the multi billion euro airbus
project meet in london amid doubts about the future of the delayed and over
budget programme
words gmt by frederic pouchot file picture
alert
obama unveils million dollars in immediate aid for haiti
not suture left in ovewhelmed haiti hospital
buenos aires jan afp
an argentine field hospital operating as the only big medical outpost in haiti
devastated capital doesn have suture left after being overwhelmed by
casualties its coordinator told afp on thursday
the makeshift facility set up next to the airport in the capital port au
prince has exhausted its supplies said gabriel fuks the head of the
military cascos blancos white helmets unit running the hospital
we can even calculate how many people we treated in the aftermath of
tuesday massive earthquake he said responding to an official statement which
had estimated the number of patients at
the hospital staffed by argentine military medics became the main facility
operating in the wake of the temblor which flattened at least three of port au
prince hospitals
it rapidly became overrun and handled mainly women and children as bloody and
broken survivors of the disaster straggled up looking for help
fresh medical supplies and staff and extra field hospitals from brazil
argentina the united states france and other countries were expected to arrive
in haiti on thursday
even those were likely to be overworked however given the scale of the
catastrophe in the absence of any firm figures estimates advanced by haitian
authorities range from to more than dead and many more injuries
afp gmt news advisory
paris jan afp
duty editor chris otton
tel
top stories
haiti awaits quake relief feared dead
pakistani taliban say leader escapes us strike
obama unveils bank fee to cover bailout losses
haiti quake rdlead wrap
port au prince
rescuers race against the clock to find earthquake survivors among thousands of
corpses in haiti as planeloads of international aid begin arriving in the ruined
nation
words gmt by clarens renois graphic picture video
pakistan unrest us taliban thlead wrap
peshawar pakistan
us drone missile strike targets pakistani taliban leader hakimullah mehsud
officials say but the militia deny reports he was among killed in the
lawless northwest
words gmt by lehaz ali graphic file picture
us finance economy banks obama thlead
washington
president barack obama is to unveil billion dollar fee on top finance
firms to recoup taxpayer dollars used to bail out wall street which is blamed
for igniting the economic crisis
words gmt
haiti quake
haiti quake rescues scene
port au prince
sniffer dogs search eagerly through the ruins as in flash of hope man is
pulled from the rubble of building two days after powerful quake struck
haiti amid mounting fears for survivors especially the children
words gmt picture graphic
haiti quake us aid lead focus
washington
sweeping us military and civilian operation to aid quake devastated haiti
kicks into high gear with washington sending ships helicopters planes rescue
teams floating hospital and more than troops
words gmt graphic picture
haiti quake un newseries
united nations
the united nations scrambles to coordinate massive relief effort for quake hit
haiti amid growing fears about the fate of more than its expatriate staffers
trapped under the rubble of their headquarters
words gmt
haiti quake world aid ndlead reax
washington
rescue teams doctors and soldiers rush by land sea and air to bring life
saving food and medicines to the survivors of haiti devastating earthquake
words gmt
europe
nireland britain ireland politics ndlead
london
british and irish leaders gordon brown and brian cowen voice confidence that
northern ireland can overcome political crisis which is threatening the power
sharing government in belfast
words gmt by katherine haddon picture
we will also move nireland britain politics scene
ecb eurozone bank rate forex money thlead
frankfurt
the european central bank president rejects market speculation that greece
could quit or be forced out of the eurozone as absurd but presses athens to
get serious about addressing dire debt problems
words gmt by william ickes picture
we will also move greece eu finance economy ndlead wrap
ukraine vote lead wrap
kiev
prime minister yulia tymoshenko pledges to bring ukraine into the eu within five
years if she wins this weekend presidential polls as she moves to play up the
differences with her main rival
words gmt by stuart williams picture
health britain drug lead
london
britain issues long awaited apology to victims of the thalidomide drug scandal
which left hundreds of babies deformed years ago and confirms multi
million dollar package to help them
words gmt
middle east
attacks yemen ndlead wrap
sanaa
yemen council of clerics calls for jihad if foreign troops join the war on al
qaeda in the impoverished arabian peninsula country as the government vows to
eradicate the extremists
words gmt by taieb mahjoub picture video
iran unrest nuclear lead wrap
tehran
iran president mahmoud ahmadinejad says zionist methods were used in the
bombing of top atomic scientist as angry mourners chanting anti us and anti
israeli slogans bury the slain professor
words gmt by siavosh ghazi picture video
africa
mozambique summit zimbabwe madagascar ndlead wrap
maputo
key southern african leaders open special summit in the mozambican capital to
discuss the year long political crisis in madagascar and the strained unity
government in zimbabwe
words gmt by joshua howat berger
nigeria politics president court focus
abuja
ailing nigerian president umaru yar adua is no stranger to legitimacy battles
since his assumption of office in but he now faces torrent of legal and
succession battles over his failing health
words gmt by jacques lhuillery
americas
us economy retail sales rdlead
washington
us retail sales fell unexpectedly in december capping the worst year on record
government data shows in disappointing report on crucial driver of economic
growth
words gmt by veronica smith file picture
asia
us china it internet google lead wrap
beijing
china declares its internet open but defends the censorship that prompted web
giant google to threaten to pull out of the country adding potential new
irritant in china us relations
words moved by dan martin picture graphic video
dutch to return year old clay tablet to iraq
the hague jan afp
the netherlands will thursday return to iraq year old clay tablet
discovered when it was put on sale on an online auction site the government in
the hague said
the police found the tablet last december on the marktplaats auction site the
culture ministry said in statement the owner voluntarily gave it up after
being informed that it was illegal to trade in iraqi cultural artefacts
the tablet centimetres by centimetres has been dated to bc and
comes from the ancient city of ur it is inscribed with an administrative list
with numbers names and payments for services rendered
the tablet would be presented to iraqi ambassador siamand banaa at ceremony in
leiden ministry spokesman said
it would then be transferred to the dutch national museum of antiquities in
leiden for special exhibition with another archaeological objects from
iraq
these objects including terracotta sculptures and clay tiles with inscriptions
in cuneiform writing had all been recovered by dutch customs authorities from
the illegal art circuit
alert
obama offers every element of us national power to help haiti
football liverpool torres out for six weeks
liverpool england jan afp
liverpool will be without striker fernando torres for six weeks the club
announced thursday as the fall out from their fa cup loss to reading hit home
the reds will also be without their other star player steven gerrard for at
least fortnight and yossi benayoun could be sidelined for up to month
all three players were injured during liverpool fa cup third round replay
defeat by seond tier championship club reading at anfield on wednesday
steven gerrard and fernando torres both underwent scans earlier today
thursday after coming off in the fa cup tie against reading liverpool
spokesman said
steven has hamstring strain and will be out for fortnight while fernando
has torn cartilage in his right knee the injury will require surgery and he
is expected to be sidelined for six weeks
yossi benayoun also suffered fractured rib in the game and will be
unavailable for between three and four weeks
eu aid ministers to hold emergency talks on haiti
brussels jan afp
european development ministers will hold an emergency meeting on monday to
discuss how best to help quake stricken haiti eu foreign policy chief catherine
ashton announced on thursday
ve asked the spanish development minister to convene meeting of eu
development ministers on monday to take it forward she told reporters at
specially organised press conference in brussels
amid mounting desperation over shortages of medicine and food haitian officials
warned on thursday that the death toll may top after many people who
escaped with their lives spent second night on the streets
church body asks government to act against attacks in malaysia
geneva jan afp
the world council of churches on thursday called on the malaysian government to
take immediate action to end attacks on churches sparked by row on the use of
the world allah
the wcc said in letter to malaysian churches we hope that immediate measures
will be taken to resolve the problem and that all perpetrators of these acts of
violence will be brought to justice
ten churches have been been fire bombed or vandalised in the past week after
the high court decided on december to lift government ban on non muslims
using allah as translation for god
pointing out that christians living in neighbouring indonesia the world
biggest muslim majority country has been using the word allah for
centuries the wcc said it was very disturbing to hear about this new
controversy generated by small sector of muslims
in fact this action will only challenge tolerance and restrict religious
freedom as well as negatively affecting the one malaysia policy commitment
made by the government said the church group
the malaysian government has strongly criticised the attacks but has been
accused of stoking malay nationalism so as to protect its voter base after the
opposition made unprecedented gains in elections
after the latest attacks prime minister najib razak said thursday that probes
were underway to bring the perpetrators to justice and that several suspects
had been identified
the wcc brings together protestant orthodox and anglican churches
representing more then million christians in about countries
strong quake hits western pacific geologists
hagatna guam jan afp
strong magnitude earthquake struck in the western pacific friday west of
the us territory of guam us geologists said although there was no immediate
indication of any tsunami
the epicentre of the quake which struck just after midnight local time
thursday gmt was kilometres deep and kilometres miles
southwest of guam capital hagatna the us geological survey usgs said
the pacific tsunami warning center did not issue an alert
us security envoy meets israeli palestinian leaders
ramallah west bank jan afp
us president barack obama national security adviser james jones held talks
with palestinian and israeli leaders on thursday aimed at furthering us led
peace efforts
jones confirmed obama determination to arrive at comprehensive peace in the
middle east despite the difficulties and said the key to peace in the region is
to resolve the palestinian issue chief palestinian negotiator saeb erakat told
afp after jones met president mahmud abbas
