The Irish Times - World

'Moderate' quake hits China

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 21:13:32 GMT

Chinese state media said a moderate earthquake rocked southwest China today, injuring at least 336 people and collapsing 10,000 homes.

Costa Rica holds Honduran talks

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 20:58:07 GMT

Costa Rica's president held mediation talks today with the rivals for power in Honduras as international pressure grew for the return of ousted President Manuel Zelaya after last month's coup.

Obama defends G8 on global warming pledge

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 19:56:04 GMT

US president Barack Obama said today there was still time to close the gap with developing powers on climate change, after the UN secretary general Ban Ki-Moon criticised the G8 for not going far enough.

Nigeria militant welcomes amnesty offer

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 19:40:05 GMT

Nigerian militant leader Henry Okah, who is on trial for gun-running and treason, welcomed a government amnesty offer and could soon be released, lawyers told Reuters today.

Madoff not to appeal - lawyer

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 19:40:05 GMT

Swindler Bernard Madoff will not appeal the 150-year prison sentence he received for masterminding a global multi-billion-dollar investment fraud, his main lawyer said today.

Change to swine flu strategy

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 17:05:16 GMT

The Department of Health has said that from next Thursday it will no longer try to contain the spread of influenza A (H1N1) in the Republic and will instead try to mitigate the affects of the illness.

More Yemeni jet bodies found

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:16:36 GMT

French marines and divers found aircraft parts and five more decomposing bodies off Tanzania's coast on Thursday, hundreds of miles from where a Yemeni jet crashed into the Indian Ocean, officials said.

'Tear gas fired' at Iran crowd

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:16:36 GMT

Iranian police used tear gas and fired into the air to disperse about 250 pro-reform protesters gathered near Tehran University today in defiance of a ban on gatherings for the anniversary of violent 1999 student unrest, a witness said.

Gaza rubble clearance 'to take year'

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 14:45:31 GMT

Palestinian workers will need one year to clear a half million tonnes of concrete rubble from Gaza Strip districts bombed and bulldozed by Israeli forces during their winter offensive, the United Nations said today.

Man claims onions threat in Irish jail

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 13:42:27 GMT

A man attempted to avoid extradition today because his human rights could be reached by being fed “potentially life threatening” red onions in an Irish jail.

EU leaders back Barroso

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 11:53:43 GMT

European Union leaders agreed today to nominate Jose Manuel Barroso officially for a second five-year term as European Commission president to help secure his quick approval by the European Parliament.

UK police to investigate phone taps

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 10:35:33 GMT

Britain's most senior policeman ordered an inquiry today into claims that private investigators allegedly working forNews of the Worldreporters intercepted mobile phone messages from the phones of hundreds of celebrities and politicians.

Heavy security in tense Chinese city

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 10:19:06 GMT

Chinese security forces kept a firm grip on the tense Xinjiang capital today after days of ethnic violence that left 156 dead.

41 killed in Iraq bomb attacks

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 09:47:37 GMT

Bombs in Baghdad and northern Iraq killed at least 41 people and wounded more than 80 today, just over a week after US troops handed security in city centres to local forces.

Jackson memorial cost LA $1.4m

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 08:45:45 GMT

Los Angeles spent $1.4 million to provide security, traffic control and other services for Michael Jackson's memorial service, city officials said as they looked for ways to have others help the financially troubled city pay the costs.

N Korea suspected over cyber attacks

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 07:59:12 GMT

The US believes North Korea was the origin of a widespread cyber attack that overwhelmed government websites in the United States and South Korea, although they warned it would be difficult to definitively identify the attackers quickly.

G8 agrees temperature limit

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 07:59:12 GMT

The G8 agreed last night to try to limit global warming to two degrees Celsius and cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 80 per cent, but it failed to persuade China and India to join a bid to halve world emissions.

Blast in central Afghanistan kills 25

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 07:43:38 GMT

A massive blast in central Afghanistan killed 25 people today.

Quick breakthrough 'unlikely' in Honduras

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 21:08:00 GMT

The two rivals in Honduras' political crisis prepared today to open talks on possible solutions to last month's coup, but a quick breakthrough looked unlikely.

Lockerbie appeal to be decided in 2010

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 19:04:11 GMT

The appeal by dying former Libyan agent Abdel Basset al-Megrahi against his life sentence for the 1988 Lockerbie aircraft bombing, will not be decided until next year, the Scottish Appeal Court said today.

Nine killed in Iraq blasts

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 18:17:12 GMT

Two car bombs exploded within minutes of one another in the Iraqi city of Mosul, killing nine people and wounding 29, police said.

Drone attacks 'kill 40 militants'

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 17:46:14 GMT

At least 40 militants were killed in a suspected US drone attack in Pakistan this afternoon, intelligence officials said.

Yemeni Airbus part recovered

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 15:11:08 GMT

Tanzanian police recovered a piece of aircraft wreckage from the Yemeni Airbus that plunged into the sea off the Indian Ocean island of Comoros last week, it was reported today.

UN panel seeks Iran visit

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 14:55:36 GMT

United Nations human rights experts today sought permission to visit Iran and assess conditions there following the country's election unrest.

South African builders go on strike

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 14:55:36 GMT

South African construction workers began an indefinite strike on Wednesday, halting work at stadiums for the 2010 World Cup in the biggest industrial action since new president Jacob Zuma took office in May.

Yudhoyono secures Indonesia poll

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 14:40:10 GMT

Indonesia's voters handed president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono a second five-year term today after placing their faith in his firm but unassuming hand on the economic tiller and his promises of further reform.

Nigeria group claims oil sabotage

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 14:09:02 GMT

Nigeria's most prominent militant group said on Wednesday it sabotaged oil pipelines operated by Shell and Agip, widening a six-week long offensive against Africa's biggest energy industry.

Economic risks remain, say G8

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 13:53:08 GMT

G8 leaders believe the world economy still faces "significant risks" and may need further help, according to summit draft documents that also reflect failure to agree climate change goals for 2050.

UN court rejects Karadzic motion

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 13:37:39 GMT

A UN court today denied Radovan Karadzic's motion to have war crimes charges against him dropped, arguing that an immunity deal promised to the former Bosnian Serb leader was irrelevant to his trial.

Paramilitary police patrol Urumqi

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 13:37:39 GMT

Banks of paramilitary police fanned out in the far-flung Chinese city of Urumqi today to try to stifle unrest days after 156 people were killed in the region's worst ethnic violence in decades.

Scientists claim sperm cell first

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 09:50:21 GMT

Controversy today surrounded claims that British scientists have made medical history by creating human sperm in the laboratory.

Iran president says poll 'clean and free'

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 09:18:09 GMT

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad last night sought to disperse the clouds of doubt surrounding his re-election in his first major television address.

Kim Jong Il in rare public appearance

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 08:30:22 GMT

A thin-looking Kim Jong Il made a rare public appearance today as North Korea commemorated his father, the country's late founder, on the 15th anniversary of his death.

'No green light for Israel' - Obama

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 07:11:40 GMT

President Barack Obama has said the United States has "absolutely not" given Israel a green light to attack Iran over its nuclear program.

Castlebar man in custody over death

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 05:37:33 GMT

A pathologist from the State Pathologist’s Office in Dublin has completed a postmortem on the body of a mother-of-seven who was found with stab wounds in Castlebar, Co Mayo, early yesterday.

Zelaya to hold Honduras talks

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 20:11:24 GMT

Honduran President Manuel Zelaya today announced he will hold talks with his country's interim government in Costa Rica on Thursday.

Jackson memorial service held

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 20:11:24 GMT

A memorial service to Michael Jackson was held in Los Angeles today after family and close friends earlier held a private service at a Los Angeles cemetery.

Iran vote 'freest in world' - Ahmadinejad

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 19:40:18 GMT

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said today the disputed presidential election was the world's "freest" vote, while opposition leaders criticised the "security state" imposed after the polls.

Obama urges better Russia ties

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 16:46:33 GMT

President Barack Obama today appealed to the Russian people to join the United States in overcoming past differences and building a prosperous democratic future free of corruption and the threat of nuclear war.

UK unveils 7/7 attacks memorial

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 15:26:18 GMT

Britain marked the fourth anniversary of bombings on London's transport system today by unveiling a monument to the 52 people killed.

Pope calls for new financial order

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 13:04:13 GMT

Pope Benedict XVI today called for a "world political authority" on the eve of the Group of Eight meeting in Italy to discuss the biggest economic recession since World War II.

G8 to agree on concluding Doha round

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 12:00:46 GMT

G8 leaders plus Brazil, India, China, Mexico and South Africa will agree at a summit this week to conclude the Doha round of world trade talks successfully in 2010, according to a draft communique released today.

Curfew declared in Chinese city

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 12:00:46 GMT

Chinese state media say that the government in the western region of Xinjiang has declared a curfew following the violence of recent days that has killed at least 156 people in city of Urumqi.

US 'kills 12' in Pakistan attack

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 09:04:54 GMT

At least 12 people are dead following an apparent US missile attack on a suspected militant training camp run by Pakistani Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud.

Suspected serial killer shot in US

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 06:12:24 GMT

A man matching the description of a suspected serial killer was shot dead by North Carolina police yesterday.

China riot deaths reach 156 - report

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 19:45:02 GMT

The death toll from ethnic violence in China's northwest Xinjiang region has risen to 156, and unrest spread to the city of Kashgar, where police dispersed a gathering of 200 people, state media reported.

Russia and United States agree nuclear cuts at summit

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 19:45:02 GMT

Visiting US President Barack Obama and Kremlin leader Dmitry Medvedev agreed a target for cuts in nuclear arms and a deal to let US troops fly across Russia at the start of a trip intended to mend strained ties.

Anti-German protest at Egypt funeral

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 19:13:02 GMT

Hundreds of mourners today protested at the funeral of an Egyptian woman who was murdered inside a German court in a crime that has incensed public opinion and media in the Arab world's most populous country.

Afghan attacks kill 7 US soldiers

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 19:13:02 GMT

Seven US soldiers were killed in attacks across Afghanistan today, including four in one bombing in the north, amid a rise in violence as the US military pushed ahead with a big new offensive, officials said.

US condemns Honduras violence

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 18:56:55 GMT

The United States today condemned violence against protesters in Honduras and called for President Manuel Zelaya's reinstatement as the Central American country faced growing isolation over last week's coup.

Jackson co-executors given control

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 18:25:24 GMT

A Los Angeles judge handed temporary control of Michael Jackson's multimillion dollar estate today to a lawyer and music industry executive named as co-executors in his 2002 will.

Progress in Mideast talks - Israel

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 16:49:53 GMT

Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak said today he and US Middle East envoy George Mitchell had made progress in their second session of talks within a week on encouraging regional peace.

EC head seeks climate action

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 16:34:09 GMT

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said today he will press the United States and other nations to limit global warming to no more than 2 degrees at this week's Group of Eight summit.

Architect of Vietnam war dies

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 15:31:21 GMT

Robert McNamara, the former US defence secretary who sent half a million troops to Vietnam and later called American involvement in the war a "major error," has died. He was 93.

Nigeria rebels attack oil facility

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 11:33:18 GMT

Nigeria's main militant group said today it had sabotaged a Chevron oil facility and seized a chemical tanker and six crew members, the latest in a string of attacks in Africa's biggest energy producer.

Israel 'has right to deal with nuclear Iran'

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 10:12:16 GMT

Israel has a sovereign right to decide what is in its best interest in dealing with Iran's nuclear ambitions whether the United States agrees or not, according to US Vice President Joe Biden.

Honduran president fails to return

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 08:21:20 GMT

President of Honduras Manuel Zelaya was blocked from his attempt to fly home to the country yesterday and at least one person was killed as soldiers clashed with his supporters at the airport in the capital city.

Centre-right party wins Bulgaria poll

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 08:21:20 GMT

Bulgaria's centre-right opposition Gerb party is expected to start coalition talks today, after winning a national election that increased the prospect of reforms in the EU member to combat corruption and recession.

129 reported killed in China riots

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 05:28:46 GMT

Zelaya on flight to Honduras

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 20:36:21 GMT

Ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya departed on a flight for his country tonight, but the interim government that has defied international pressure over last week's coup said it would not let his plane land.

Spy chief's wife 'shares' on Facebook

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 17:11:09 GMT

The new open and transparent nature of Britain's MI6 intelligence agency has reached new heights with the revelation today that the wife of it's new head had posted personal details on her unrestricted Facebook page.

Zelaya to return to Honduras

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 13:29:50 GMT

Ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya has said he planned to return to Honduras today after the Organization of American States (OAS) suspended his country for the interim government's refusal to reverse a coup and restore him to office.

Geldof grills Berlusconi on aid

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 13:29:50 GMT

Irish singer and anti-poverty campaigner Bob Geldof grilled Silvio Berlusconi in an interview published on Sunday, telling him Rome's failed pledges on aid put his credibility in doubt as he chairs a G8 summit this week.

Barak to meet Mitchell on peace plan

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 12:26:47 GMT

Israel's defence minister Ehud Barak is to meet US envoy George Mitchell tomorrow to discuss a compromise over a peace plan calling for an Israeli settlement freeze and to seek ways to promote regional peace.

2 UK troops killed in Afghanistan

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 11:39:28 GMT

Two British soldiers have been killed in separate incidents in southern Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence said today.

Pakistan planes bomb Taliban

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 11:07:48 GMT

Pakistani warplanes bombed Taliban positions in the northwest today, killing at least five insurgents, residents said, as militants distributed leaflets warning area tribesmen not to rise up against them.

Obama on Moscow visit

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 10:36:23 GMT

President Barack Obama heads to Moscow today promising a far-reaching effort to "reset" US-Russia relations that hit a post-Cold War low under the Bush administration.

UK watchdog favours pay freeze

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 10:20:17 GMT

A pay freeze for Britain's six million public sector workers would be one of the least painful ways of rebalancing the public finances, the head of the country's independent spending watchdog said today.

UK worker to be released in Iran

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 09:32:55 GMT

One of two British embassy employees still being detained by Iranian authorities is to be released today, foreign secretary David Miliband said.

Bomb kills five in Philippines

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 08:45:10 GMT

A bomb exploded outside a church in the southern Philippines during Sunday morning Mass, killing five people and wounding 45, an army spokesman said.

Inquiry continues into fatal fire

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 07:10:00 GMT

Inquiries into how a blaze which ripped through a tower block in London killing six people, including a three-week-old baby girl, was able to spread so quickly were continuing today.

US official in N Korea talks

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 06:54:32 GMT

The US pointman for sanctions on North Korea holds talks in Malaysia today, possibly on links banks have to the North's finances, while a report said Pyongyang may have shot mid-range missiles in a series fired on Saturday.

Slumdog gets new apartment

Sat, 04 Jul 2009 19:11:42 GMT

A child star of the Oscar-winning movie Slumdog Millionaire moved into his new home in an upmarket Mumbai suburb today, a far cry from his family's former dwelling - a shanty by the railway tracks.

Harry Potter star gets swine flu

Sat, 04 Jul 2009 18:56:06 GMT

Harry Potter actor Rupert Grint is recovering from a “mild bout” of swine flu, his publicist said today.

North Korea fires seven missiles

Sat, 04 Jul 2009 16:35:03 GMT

The United States urged North Korea today not to "aggravate tensions" but did not confirm whether Pyongyang had launched a series of missiles.