IS seizes weapons airdropped for Kurds in Syria

Damascus, Oct 21 (IANS) The Islamic State (IS) militants captured one of the weapons shipments airdropped by the US to the Kurdish fighters of the People Protection Units (YPG) in the city of Kobane in northern Syria, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said Tuesday. Two weapons shipments airdropped by the US fighters landed in […]

Colombia to launch world’s first floating gas liquefaction plant

Bogota, Oct 21 (IANS/EFE) The world’s first floating gas liquefaction plant is due to begin operating next year off the coast of northern Colombia under a pact between Canada-based Pacific Rubiales Energy and Belgian shipbuilder Exmar. Executives from the two firms signed the accord in Bogota in a ceremony that included Belgium’s Princess Astrid, leading a […]

Report reveals large-scale torture in China’s ‘Black Jails’

Beijing, Oct 21 (IANS/EFE) The use of hotels and factories as clandestine prisons where thousands of people — mostly women — are tortured to prevent their complaints against the government from coming to light has rapidly increased in China, an organisation Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) said Tuesday. In a report entitled, “We’ll Beat You to […]

Clinical trials of Ebola vaccine start Nov 1 in Switzerland

Geneva, Oct 21 (IANS/EFE) The World Health Organisation (WHO) announced Tuesday that it will begin clinical trials Nov 1 in Switzerland of one of the two anti-Ebola vaccines currently under development. WHO Assistant Director-General Marie Paule Kieny said the reason that the trials, set to be held at Lausanne, Switzerland, were important was that they include […]

UP CM to attend Pravasi Bharatiya conclave

Lucknow, Oct 21 (IANS) Led by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, Uttar Pradesh will participate in the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Jan 9, 2015 in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, Chief Secretary Alok Ranjan said here Tuesday. Presiding over the preparatory meeting for the state’s participation in the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, he said that the Uttar Pradesh government is “sensitive and […]

‘Court’, ‘Chauranga’, ‘Killa’ bag awards at Mumbai film fest

Mumbai, Oct 21 (IANS) The 16th Mumbai Film Festival came to a close Tuesday evening with films “Court”, “Chauranga” and “Killa” bagging the top honours. Actor Aamir Khan was the guest of honour at the closing ceremony, which was followed by the awards function. Celebrities such as Madhuri Dixit, Vaani Kapoor, Esha Gupta, Parineeti Chopra and […]

Two elephants found dead in Bengal

Siliguri, Oct 21 (IANS) Just days after two elephants were electrocuted, two more pachyderms were found dead in northern West Bengal Tuesday, forest officials said. According to the officials, a sub-adult elephant was found dead in a paddy field in Upper Kalarabari near Morahat village of Banarhat. The carcass of a female elephant was found lying […]

Air strikes kill 28 militants in Pakistan

Islamabad, Oct 21 (IANS) At least 28 militants were killed when the Pakistani army launched an air strike in the country’s northwest tribal town of Datta Khel Tuesday, military said. In a statement, Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), the mouthpiece of the Pakistani army, said that the operation was launched in Datta Khel area of North […]

Spanish nurse cured of Ebola

Madrid, Oct 21 (IANS) Spanish nursing auxiliary Teresa Romero was pronounced cured of the Ebola virus disease according to World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines after the results of a second test confirmed Tuesday that she no longer had the virus in her blood. The 44-year-old, who Oct 6 became the first person outside of Africa to […]