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Nitish, Left leaders meet to give shape to 'Third Force' Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and the Left leadership on Monday had a breakfast meeting with other leaders to discuss the formation of a non-Congress, non-BJP formation for the next Lok Sabha polls. The informal meeting took place at the residence of JD (S) chief and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda in New Delhi on Monday in which it was decided that leaders of 11 non-Congress non-BJP parties, who recently came together in Parliament, will hold a formal meeting after the extended winter session is over to give concrete shape to the "Third Force". The breakfast meeting was attended by CPI-M General Secretary Prakash Karat, CPI veteran A B Bardhan and Forward Bloc general secretary Debabrata Biswas. Sources said that one or two common public rallies to give the message of unity of a non-Congress, non-BJP force in the next general elections may be held but the plans will concretise only after the meeting of leaders of the 11 parties after the session. "It was an informal meeting. Since the Bihar Chief Minister was in the national capital, the leaders decided to meet over breakfast. It was decided to evolve a strategy to forge a non-Congress, non-BJP formation ahead of the next Lok Sabha polls. "It was agreed that leaders of 11 such parties, who had come together on February 5 to forge a common strategy in Parliament, will hold a meeting in Delhi and decide the future course of action," JD (S) Secretary General Danish Ali, who attended the meeting, said on Monday. In indications of emergence of a Third Front in view of the Lok Sabha elections, 11 non-Congress, non-BJP parties had on 5th February formally joined hands as a block in Parliament to pitch for pro-people, anti-communal and federal agenda. The announcement was made at a joint press conference of leaders of these parties including the four Left parties, Samajwadi Party, JD(U), AIADMK, AGP, Jharkhand Vikas Morcha, JD(S) and BJD, which was then described as the first step after the parties came together on 30th October last year for a convention against communalism attended by 17 parties. JD (U), which walked out of NDA snapping its 17-year-old ties with BJP, hopes to play significant role in the formation of such a front, given the fact that the erstwhile Janta Dal had always been an axis force, whenever such a Third Force was formed in the country. There have been indications from the party that SP, JD (U) and JD (S) will be inching closer as the polls come closer. The breakfast meeting, according to the leaders, was informal and a formal meeting to formulate programmes would be convened after the Parliament session. "It was an informal meeting of non-BJP and non-Congress parties," JD(U) leader and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar told reporters after the meeting. Karat said, the leaders discussed the ways to take the Front forward. "We have just discussed about how to take this forward. Since Nitish Kumar is in Delhi we got the opportunity to discuss directly with him. We are working out about how to take it forward," he said. Asked any rally has been planned by them in Bangalore, Karat said, "It would be discussed." Deve Gowda said, all the 11 parties would meet after the Parliament session in Delhi to formulate other programmes. Chandrababu Naidu meets Mamata to disucuss federal front Telegu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu met Trinamool Congress supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata on Monday to discuss the formation of a federal front ahead of the Lok Sabha poll. "Discussions are on with different political parties on the formation of the federal front," Naidu told reporters after the meeting. The TDP chief who met Banerjee at the new state secretariat 'Nabanna', described the meeting as 'positive' and expressed optimism about the federal front securing required number to form the government after the general election. Naidu, however, did not clarify who would be the constituents of the federal front. Asked to comment on Telangana, he said TDP was opposed to it. Banerjee had given a call to all non-Congress and non-BJP regional parties to come together and form a federal front before the Lok Sabha polls. Naidu's meeting with her took place on a day when Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar and the Left leadership had a breakfast meeting with other leaders in Delhi to discuss the formation of a non-Congress, non-BJP formation for the next Lok Sabha polls. The informal meeting took place at the residence of JD(S) chief H D Deve Gowda in which it was decided that leaders of 11 non-Congress and non-BJP parties, who recently came together in Parliament, will hold a formal meeting after the extended winter session was over to give concrete shape to the 'third force'.

Rahul interacts with railway porters Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday held interactions with railway porters as part of Congress' outreach programme to seek their feedback for the party's manifesto for 2014 Lok Sabha polls. During the nearly two-hour interaction, Gandhi talked about the need to create a concrete support base with "basic minimum rights" for 70 crore people of the strata between BPL and middle class, a theme he has of late been repeatedly talking about. "In India, there are 70 crore people who do different odd jobs, they want to go forward. They want a little help. We take everyone's voice to the government for the betterment of their life. "We want to strengthen the ground beneath this 70 crore people. I promise you that I will do whatever I can to help you," Gandhi said. During interactions, Gandhi also said coolies should have a right of health and when they are injured in course of their job and they should be treated by authorities. On January 30, Gandhi had held interactions with labour representatives from organised and unorganised sectors including street vendors. The interaction with coolies, organised on a platform at New Delhi Railway station today, is part of the on-going process of Congress this time to seek feedback from cross-sections of society and will be followed by another such elaborate exercise with farmers. Gandhi has so far held consultations with representatives of minorities, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, youth, women and elected representatives of panchayats. The interaction today saw a number of railway gangmen and porters complaining odd working hours and lack of facilities. Congress had opened up its manifesto-making exercise and launched a website for this. The party held five consultations with different sections in the national capital so far, one each in Bangalore, Bhopal and Nagpur interacting with different stakeholders.

Spectrum auction completes 53 rounds of bidding on 8th day The ongoing telecom spectrum auction has completed 53 rounds so far on the eight day of the bidding on Tuesday that has already generated bids worth around 86 per cent of what the government got for 3G radiowaves in 2010. The government had received bids worth Rs 58,332 crore from telecom firms as of yesterday's close in the auction for 900 Mhz and 1800 Mhz bands. The amount is about 86 per cent of what 3G radiowaves auction fetched in 2010, although the current round has far more spectrum for the two bands on the block. The 3G auction in 2010 had fetched the government Rs 67,718.95 crore. "The auction of spectrum in the 1800 MHz and 900 MHz bands that began on February 3, 2014 has completed 53 rounds as per the latest information available on the 8th day on Tuesday. Auction re-commenced with the 50th round today at 9 AM. Bidding is ongoing," an official statement said. Bids worth Rs 34,743.2 crore have been received for 1800 MHz and Rs 23,589.62 crore for the 900 MHz band. The government will now get at least Rs 17,362.66 crore in the current fiscal from the auction in case companies opt for instalment mode. The bidders can pay part of the money upfront and the remaining over a maximum of 10 yearly instalments.

India, China discuss additional CBMs Committing to build trust and understanding, India and China discussed early implementation of Border Defence Cooperation Agreement as part of possible additional confidence-building measures at the two-day meeting of their Special Representatives which concluded in New Delhi on Tuesday. At the 17th round of the Special Representative talks, the two sides held elaborate discussions on ways to ensure peace and tranquility on the border besides overall bilateral relations and international and regional issues. "The Special Representatives elaborated on possible additional confidence-building measures, including the early implementation of the Border Defence Cooperation Agreement (BDCA)," External Affairs Ministry spokesman Syed Akbaruddin told reporters. The Indian side was led by National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon while the Chinese delegation was headed by Yang Jiechi. The BDCA, signed late last year, spells out a series of measures to enhance coordination between the armies of the two countries along the disputed 4,057 km long Line of Actual Control. The SRs, who have been engaged addressing the boundary issue for over eight years, are in the second of the three-phased process. The first phase- Political Parameters and Guiding Principles -- has already been completed and the current step of building the framework for a settlement is considered the most difficult part. The third and final step will be demarcation and delineation of the boundary. Asked how long it will take to reach the settlement, the MEA spokesman refused to hazard a guess, arguing that the issue is "complex". However, he added that both sides are seriously working to reach a settlement. Describing it as a "constructive" round, the MEA spokesman said the talks were held in a "candid and frank" manner. The two sides agreed "a strong and expanding" India-China partnership bodes well for peace and stability in the region and the world. On the outcome, the spokesman quipped, "nothing is agreed till it is agreed." He said the two sides welcomed the decision to have an early meeting in 2014 of the Annual Defence Dialogue. "These measures augur well for building the habit of regular discussions between the two sides which will enhance trust and understanding," Akbaruddin said. He said the BDCA brings new synergy in the relationship between the two countries. The Special Representatives made a positive evaluation of India-China relations in the aftermath of the visit to India by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and the return visit to China by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh last year. Undertaking a holistic review of bilateral relations, the Special Representatives expressed satisfaction that 2014 would be marked as the Year of Friendly Exchanges with a series of economic, cultural and social events in both countries. They stressed the need for continuing the momentum of high-level exchanges and enhancing people-to-people ties. They encouraged the holding of regular dialogue between the two governments on all bilateral issues, including on counter-terrorism, disarmament & international security and maritime affairs on schedule. The discussions also focused on regional and international issues of mutual interest including cooperation in the East Asia Summit process as well as developments in West Asia and Afghanistan. They agreed to expand India-China consultations on such subjects.

 

 Third chemical weapons shipment leaves Syria

A third shipment of Syrian chemical weapons material has left the country aboard a Norwegian ship accompanied by a naval escort from China, Denmark, Norway, and Russia, according to the UN. The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) said in a statement that some chemical materials were also destroyed inside Syria. Under a UN resolution, Syria vowed to surrender and destroy its 1,300 tons of declared chemical weapons by mid-2014.

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​Four ICRC workers missing in Mali

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) says four workers are missing in Mali, raising speculations of a possible kidnapping. "We can confirm that the ICRC lost contact with one of its vehicles, with five people on board," ICRC spokesman Alexis Heeb told AFP. The four members and an employee of another aid organization, as well as their vehicle, went missing on Saturday en route between the towns of Kidal and Gao. "We don't know the reason for the vehicle going missing. It could be anything," Heeb said, pointing out that all individuals are Malian citizens. "It's important not to speculate about what might have happened, although no possibility has been ruled out," he added.

Syria parties agree to 3-day extension of Homs humanitarian pause

UN humanitarian affairs chief Valerie Amos has said that the Syrian government and the opposition will extend the ‘humanitarian pause’ in hostilities after aid workers fell under fire in the besieged, rebel-held city of Homs. “I welcome the news that the parties to the conflict have agreed to extend the humanitarian pause in Old Homs City, for a further three days,” Amos said in a statement released Monday. “UN and Syrian Arab Red Crescent aid workers were deliberately targeted” as they were attempting to help people, she added. The agreement to facilitate the evacuation of civilians was reached on Feb. 7.

Yemen grants south autonomy, rather than independence

Yemen’s president approved the conversion of the country into a federal state on Monday, granting the south autonomy amid its planned transition to democracy. Yemen will be split into six regions under the move. However, a large proportion of more radical southerners have been pushing for a separate state, fuelling fears that the country could descend further into instability and violence, as separatists continue to press for a restoration of the state that merged with North Yemen in 1990.

EU ministers approve launch of C. African Republic military mission

EU foreign ministers on Monday approved the launch of a military mission in the Central African Republic, Itar-Tass reported. The decision will be a judicial basis for the EUFOR RCA mission and is the next step for its quick deployment, according to a document signed in Brussels. The mission is the bloc's first full military land operation in six years. About 1,600 French troops deployed in the country in December have been trying to stem violence between Christian militias and largely Muslim Seleka rebels, who ousted President Francois Bozize last March.

Iraq speaker escapes militants’ attack in Mosul

Iraq's parliament speaker, Osama al-Nujaifi, narrowly escaped an attack in his hometown on Monday, AFP reported. A convoy carrying the speaker, Iraq's most senior Sunni Arab politician, was hit by a roadside bomb in the main northern city of Mosul, according to his office. Nujaifi escaped unharmed, but one of bodyguards was wounded, sources say. Mosul and surrounding Nineveh province, where Nujaifi's brother Atheel is governor, is one of Iraq's most violent areas.

2 NATO contractors killed by car bomb in Kabul

A suicide attacker rammed a car bomb into a NATO convoy in the Afghan capital on Monday, killing two foreign civilian contractors, AP reported, citing authorities. The Islamic militant group, Hizb-i-Islami, claimed responsibility for the attack in eastern Kabul. The attacker struck the convoy near the capital's Pul-i-Charkhi prison, and at least seven Afghan civilians were wounded, including a child.

Germany to contribute troops to EU training mission in Somali capital

Germany will send troops to an EU training mission in Mogadishu, Reuters reported. The move comes less than a year after security concerns led Berlin to abandon a similar training operation, when it relocated from Uganda to the Somali capital. The decision to pull out had been taken by the previous government, a foreign office spokesman said on Monday, adding that the situation in Somalia had since improved. The new German government, which took office last December, has promised a more robust foreign and security policy.

HRW calls on Spain, Morocco to end abuse of sub-Saharan immigrants

Human Rights Watch on Monday called on Morocco and Spain to end the abusive treatment of sub-Saharan immigrants. The call came after nine migrants drowned trying to reach the Spanish territory of Ceuta, AFP reported. The security forces “commonly beat, otherwise abuse and sometimes steal” from sub-Saharan migrants, HRW said. Rabat launched an operation in January to regularize the migrants’ situation. The rights group also criticized Spanish security forces for using “excessive force when they summarily expel migrants” from their north African territories of Ceuta and Melilla.

At least 21 militants killed by own car bomb in Iraq

A car bomb mistakenly went off in a militant compound in the Jilam area south of Samarra, north of Baghdad Monday, killing at least 21 insurgents, AFP said. The group were allegedly filming a propaganda video of the would-be suicide attacker when a technical glitch set the car bomb off, said Majeed Ali, the head of the Sahwa militia force in the city. Jilam, just south of the mostly-Sunni city of Samarra, has long been an insurgent stronghold.

Magnitude 5.8 quake hits Azerbaijan

A magnitude 5.8 earthquake hit 130km from Azerbaijan’s capital, Baku, at 16:06 local time (12:06 GMT), Itar-Tass reported. The country’s seismology service said the epicenter was in the Gadzhigabulsky District. The depth of the quake, felt in Baku and other regions, was 30km. No damage has been reported.

At least 51 people perished in flooding, landslides in Burundi capital

A night of torrential rain in the Burundi capital killed at least 51 people, swept away hundreds of homes and cut off roads and power, officials said Monday. The toll was the highest in living memory from a disaster caused by freak weather, with more than 100 people also injured, AFP reported. “The rain that fell in torrents overnight on the capital caused a disaster,” Security Minister Gabriel Nizigama said. Several hundred homes were destroyed and more than 100 people injured in Bujumbura, on the northeastern shore of Lake Tanganyika.

Russian police kill 4 suspected militants in Dagestan

Russian police killed four suspected militants in a shootout at a house in the North Caucasus Republic of Dagestan, Reuters reported, citing law enforcement agencies. The gun fight broke out on Saturday after police surrounded a private house used by militants in the region some 600km from Sochi, at the other end of the Caucasus Mountain chain. Sochi is hosting the 2014 Winter Olympic Games. The clash was reportedly not connected with the Games.

Brahimi to hold separate meetings with Syria sides

International mediator Lakhdar Brahimi will keep meeting the two sides of the Syrian conflict separately for the next few days as negotiations resumed in Geneva on Monday. The talks will tackle the issues of stopping violence, setting up a transitional governing body, and plans for national institutions and reconciliation, Brahimi told the two sides in a document obtained by Reuters. The second session is expected to last a week.

China condemns Japan's UN bid for kamikaze pilot letters

China condemned on Monday plans by a Japanese city to ask the UN world heritage organization to register letters by World War Two kamikaze suicide pilots, Reuters reported. The southern Japanese city of Minami Kyushu asked UNESCO last week to register the wills and farewell letters of the pilots who had carried out attacks on allied ships, alongside documents that include the diaries of Anne Frank and the Magna Carta, to highlight the importance of world peace. “The design… is very clear, which is to try and beautify the Japanese militarist history of invasion,” China’s foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said.

Syria govt delegation arrives in Geneva for new round of peace talks

Syria's government delegation has arrived in Geneva for a second round of peace talks with opposition representatives, state television announced. The delegation, which arrived on Sunday, is headed by Foreign Minister Walid Muallem. The talks with the opposition delegation start on Monday. The previous round ended 10 days ago, with no concrete agreement reached on conflict in Syria.

Russia's major satellite provider drops independent Dozhd TV channel

Tricolor TV, Russia’s biggest satellite television provider, stopped broadcasting independent Dozhd TV channel on Monday, RIA Novosti reported. The provider said earlier its board of directors had decided to exclude the Dozhd channel from all its packages because of its editorial policy. The move followed a scandal over a WWII poll published on Dozhd’s website. The society for the defense of customers’ rights on Monday filed suits against several TV providers over the cancelation of Dozhd’s broadcasts.

Asylum seekers towed on boat to Indonesia accuse Australia Navy of abuse

Forty-five asylum seekers who slid ashore on a small island off the Australian city of Darwin on New Year's day were forced by Australian military personnel back onto their wooden boat and towed out to sea, Reuters said. Five asylum seekers from Africa and the Middle East said in interviews the journey to Indonesia was marked by physical and verbal abuse, and the passengers were reportedly denied proper access to food, water and medical treatment. Australian Immigration and Border Protection Minister Scott Morrison said he did not give “credibility to malicious and unfounded slurs.” The Navy and Customs and Border Protection Service “act in accordance with their training and lawful orders and would only use force where necessary,” the minister said.

Russia to support Beijing bid for 2022 Winter Olympics

China has a good chance of winning a bid for 2022 Winter Olympics, Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko has said. He added that Moscow is ready to support Beijing’s bid. If selected, the Chinese capital will be the first city to organize both summer and winter versions of the Games. The bid was formally announced by Chinese officials at Sochi in Russia, where the Winter Games are currently being held. Four other cities will compete to host the 2022 Olympics, including Almaty in Kazakhstan, Poland's Krakow, Ukraine’s Lviv and Norway’s Oslo.

New Zealand blasts Japan for whaling ship entering economic waters

New Zealand has sharply criticized Japan for allowing a whaling ship to enter its economic waters. Tokyo ignored requests that the Shonan Maru 2 steer clear of New Zealand's 200-nautical-mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), New Zealand said Monday. The ship pursued an anti-whaling vessel operated by protest group Sea Shepherd, AP reported. Last week, a different Japanese whaling ship and a second Sea Shepherd boat collided in the icy seas off Antarctica. New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully described Japan's latest actions as “unhelpful and disrespectful.”

Republicans plan to raise NC public school teachers' minimum salaries to $35,000

North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory and other Republicans will propose Monday to raise base salaries for the least experienced teachers, AP reported. The move is intended to make those teachers more competitive with Southern neighbors and the nation. The document says the legislature will consider a bill to ensure all public school teachers make at least $33,000 during the 2014-15 school year and at least $35,000 the following year. Teachers have reportedly had only one raise since 2008, leading to low morale.

Indonesia releases Australian woman convicted of smuggling marijuana

An Australian woman convicted of smuggling marijuana into Indonesia walked free from jail on Monday after being given parole. Schapelle Corby, 35, said nothing as she left Bali's Kerobokan prison Monday, AP reported. Her release from prison was carried live on TV networks across Australia. Corby was convicted of smuggling 4.2kg of marijuana onto Bali in a boogie board bag in 2004 and sentenced to 20 years in prison. In 2010, she asked for clemency, citing her poor mental state. Corby will have to stay in Bali and cannot return to Australia until 2017.

Iran steps up to cooperate with UN nuclear bomb probe

The UN’s nuclear agency revealed Sunday that Iran moved towards cooperation in terms of allegations that it is designing atomic weapons. The development could significantly impact upcoming negotiations in Vienna - due to start February 18 - between Iran and the six world powers. Iran had earlier promised to clear up “any ambiguities” regarding its uranium enrichment program. On Saturday, Iran resumed talks with the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). In line with the framework, Iran is expected to take six practical measures by this Tuesday – including an additional IAEA visit to an unfinished heavy-water reactor at Arak and another inspection of Gachin Mine in Bandar Abbas Port in southern Iran.

US, S. Korea to hold war games despite Pyongyang's opposition

Despite protests from North Korea, the US and its ally South Korea will hold annual joint military drills from February 24 to April 18. "The United Nations Command has informed the Korean People's Army in North Korea through their Panmunjom mission about both Key Resolve and Foal Eagle exercise dates and the non-provocative nature of this training," the combined US-South Korean forces command said in a statement. Pyongyang urged to cancel the war games, calling them a prelude to war and warning that the move may prevent a reunion event of families separated during the Korean War.

 

Syria mediator to meet US and Russian ministers on Friday – UN

International mediator for Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, will meet with both Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov and US Under Secretary Wendy Sherman on Friday in Geneva, according to a UN statement released Monday. The news came shortly after Brahimi met separately with both the Syrian government and opposition delegates, as the second round of peace talks began.

 

Syria parties agree to 3-day extension of Homs humanitarian pause

UN humanitarian affairs chief Valerie Amos has said that the Syrian government and the opposition will extend the ‘humanitarian pause’ in hostilities after aid workers fell under fire in the besieged, rebel-held city of Homs. “I welcome the news that the parties to the conflict have agreed to extend the humanitarian pause in Old Homs City, for a further three days,” Amos said in a statement released Monday. “UN and Syrian Arab Red Crescent aid workers were deliberately targeted” as they were attempting to help people, she added. The agreement to facilitate the evacuation of civilians was reached on Feb. 7.

Third chemical weapons shipment leaves Syria

A third shipment of Syrian chemical weapons material has left the country aboard a Norwegian ship accompanied by a naval escort from China, Denmark, Norway, and Russia, according to the UN. The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) said in a statement that some chemical materials were also destroyed inside Syria. Under a UN resolution, Syria vowed to surrender and destroy its 1,300 tons of declared chemical weapons by mid-2014.

Arab Israeli jailed for 15 months for Syria training

An Arab Israeli has been sentenced to 15 months in prison after being convicted of traveling to Syria and receiving training with the Al-Qaeda-affiliated Al-Nusra Front, AFP said. Abdel Kader al-Taleh, 27, from the Arab village of Taibe in northern Israel, was convicted of “entering an enemy territory” and “illegal training for combat.” Charges of "contact with a foreign agent" were dropped as part of a plea bargain. Israel's Shin Bet internal security service arrested him when he returned from Syria in July 2013.

Syria talks ‘not making much progress,’ but hopes for breakthrough

International mediator Lakhdar Brahimi said Tuesday that peace talks between the Syrian government and opposition are not making much progress, Reuters said. “We are not making much progress,” he said. “Of course for it to really take off we need cooperation from both sides here and a lot of support from the outside.”

New farm law to help feed 800,000 more people abroad - USAID

Changes to the way the US distributes food aid could help feed 800,000 more people abroad, many of them Syrian refugees, US Agency for International Development administrator Rajiv Shah said. The changes come in a farm law signed by President Barack Obama last week, AP reported. The legislation will allow Washington to make a small increase in the amount of food aid that is given out as cash or vouchers. The Obama administration said the current approach when most food aid is grown in the US and shipped to developing countries is inefficient.

UK union calls off Tube strike after deal reached

The TSSA labor union has suspended its 48-hour Tube strike action after reaching a deal with London Underground (LU) over ticket office closures, the BBC reported. Union members will now no longer take the industrial action, which was due to start at 21:00 GMT. The RMT drivers’ union has also called off its strike, unconfirmed reports say. Talks were held at the ACAS conciliation service following major disruption during a 48-hour strike last week.

First case of polio diagnosed in Afghan capital since 2001

A three-year-old girl has been diagnosed with the first case of polio since 2001 in the Afghan capital, Kabul, the Health Ministry said Tuesday. The child was a member of the Kuchi nomadic tribe that moves freely across most provinces in Afghanistan, and her family was living in the Kasaba district in eastern Kabul, media said. The ministry has launched a three-day campaign to vaccinate all children under five in the area.

UN draft on Syria aid ‘detached from reality’ – Russian FM

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Tuesday a draft UN resolution on aid access in Syria was “detached from reality.” The ideas proposed by Australia, Luxembourg and Jordan last week “were absolutely one-sided and detached from reality,” Interfax quoted Lavrov as saying. Moscow would be ready to consider a draft only if it was “not about one-sided accusations aimed at the regime,” he said. Lavrov also called upon the Security Council to agree a resolution condemning “terrorist activity” in Syria.

10 killed in grenade attack at Pakistan cinema

At least 10 people were killed and 16 others wounded in a grenade attack at a cinema in Pakistan's northwest city of Peshawar on Tuesday, AFP reported. The incident happened at the Shama cinema, known for showing pornographic films in one of its auditoriums. The attack came 11 days after a similar assault in another movie theater in the same city. “Two blasts inside one of the halls of Shama cinema were caused by hand grenades,” senior police official Najib-ur-Rehman said.

Hundreds rally against plan to relocate Okinawa base

Several hundred people rallied Tuesday against a plan to relocate a US military base to another site on Okinawa. The protests came ahead of US Ambassador Caroline Kennedy's visit to the southern Japanese island, AP said. Okinawa is home to more than half the 47,000 American troops and their families. The ambassador will reportedly see the base relocation site during her three-day visit. Many Okinawans feel unfairly burdened by hosting many US military facilities on the island.

Hollywood star Shirley Temple dies aged 85

Hollywood star Shirley Temple Black has died at the age of 85, the BBC reported. Her family said she died on Monday at home in Woodside, California, from natural causes. The actress found fame as a child star in the 1930s in films like Bright Eyes, Stand Up and Cheer and Curly Top. She went on to become US ambassador to Ghana and Czechoslovakia. There is also a non-alcoholic cocktail named after her.

Nuke program ‘forever’ for Iran – Rouhani

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani pledged on Tuesday that Tehran would press on “forever” with what he called peaceful atomic research, Reuters said. In a speech marking the 35th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Rouhani hit out at Western assertions that a military solution to a nuclear dispute remained an option. He also described economic sanctions imposed by the West as “brutal, illegal and wrong.” Countries in the region have nothing to fear from Iran, Rouhani said.

15 Iraq soldiers killed in pre-dawn attack – officials

A pre-dawn assault Tuesday on an army camp guarding an oil pipeline in northern Iraq left 15 soldiers dead, AFP reported, citing officials. The attack came near Hamam al-Alil, in the northern province of Nineveh. The style of the assault mirrored that of a similar attack in the northern town of Tuz Khurmatu on Sunday, in which six policemen were killed.

Egypt militants blow up gas pipeline in Sinai

Suspected Al-Qaeda-linked militants have blown up a natural gas pipeline in the restive Sinai Peninsula, Egyptian security officials said. The explosion took place early Tuesday in a desert area south of el-Arish, the provincial capital of North Sinai, AP reported. The pipeline carries natural gas to Jordan and feeds factories in central Sinai. Technicians were forced to shut off the flow of gas. A Sinai-based militant group, Ansar Beit al-Maqdis, has claimed responsibility for several similar bombings at pipelines.

Pyongyang, Seoul to hold meeting of high-ranking officials

North and South Korea will hold a rare meeting of high-ranking officials on Wednesday, Reuters reported. They are expected to discuss issues including planned reunions of separated families, South Korea's Unification Ministry announced Tuesday. A group of defense and security officials will be led by South Korean President Park Geun-hye's deputy national security advisor. The meeting will take place at the truce village of Panmunjom, in the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea.

Israel hits Gaza after rocket attack

The Israeli military has struck two targets in the Gaza Strip in response to rocket fire coming from the territory, AP said. Aircraft hit an underground rocket launcher and a "terror site" in separate parts of the coastal area early on Tuesday, according to the military. No injuries were reported. More than 30 rockets have been launched toward Israel since the beginning of the year.

China, Taiwan hold highest-level talks since 1949 split

Representatives of China and Taiwan met Tuesday in Nanjing for their highest-level talks since their split in 1949, AP reported. The meeting is seen as a landmark step despite Beijing's refusal to recognize the self-governing island's sovereignty. Nanjing was the capital of Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalist government during the war against Mao Zedong's communists. The agenda is likely to be heavily focused on trade as Beijing wants Taiwan to ratify a trade services agreement. This would allow the sides to open a wide range of businesses in each other's territory.

16 killed as truck, 2 jeeps collide in India

All 16 occupants of two jeeps returning from a wedding were killed in a head-on collision with a speeding truck on a highway in eastern India, AP reported. The victims in the jeeps were returning home early Tuesday after attending a wedding at Sahapur, a village nearly 400km north of Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal state. Police arrested the truck driver.

​Former US Navy cryptologist gets 30 years in prison for attempted espionage

Former US Navy sailor Robert Hoffman, 40, was sentenced Monday to 30 years in prison for attempted espionage. A federal court in Virginia said Hoffman, a former cryptologist technician on US submarines, passed secret information to undercover FBI agents he thought were Russian spies. Hoffman believed he was passing along secret files about tracking ships, prosecutors said. “Hoffman attempted to spy on behalf of the Russian Federation and betrayed the trust this country placed in him. He was willing to place American lives at risk for personal gain,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Dana J. Boente. Hoffman was arrested in December 2012 and found guilty in August 2013.Media agencies