Biden implores Israel, Palestinians to make peace

TEL AVIV: US Vice President Joe Biden on Thursday implored Israelis and Palestinians to move beyond a diplomatic spat that has marred his trip to the region, urging the sides to waste no time in resolving their decades-old conflict despite daunting obstacles.

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Aftershocks rattle Chile as Pinera assumes office

SANTIAGO: Conservative billionaire Sebastian Pinera took office as Chile's president on Thursday in turnover ceremonies punctuated by strong aftershocks, including the biggest since last month's 8.8-magnitude temblor.

Obama gives away $1.4M Nobel prize

WASHINGTON:President Barack Obama plans to donate the $1.4 milllion from his Nobel Peace Prize to helping students, veterans' families and survivors of Haiti's earthquake, among others, drawing attention to organizations he said “do extraordinary work.” Obama is giving a total of $750,000 to six groups that help kids go to college.

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Turkey recalls envoy to Sweden over Armenia vote

ANKARA: Turkey recalled its ambassador to Sweden on Thursday and canceled an upcoming summit between the countries after the Swedish parliament branded the World War One killing of Armenians by Ottoman forces genocide.

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Riyadh gets first woman envoy

RIYADH: A Georgian has become the first woman ambassador to Saudi Arabia.

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UN intervention sought in Rizana case

RIYADH: The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is to seek the United Nations High Commissioner’s intervention in resolving the case of a Sri Lankan maid who has been in prison since 2005 on allegations that she murdered a Saudi baby in her care. “The last hearing of Rizana Nafeek was held on Dec. 21 last year and was postponed until Jan. 19, but the case has still not come up for hearing,” said AHRC Executive Director Basil Fernando, speaking from Hong Kong.

Editorial: Ganic’s arrest

Former Bosnian President Ejup Ganic has at last been released from a British prison to which he was sent when the British arrested him, acting on an international warrant issued by a Serbian court.

Court upholds death sentence against sorcerer

JEDDAH: The General Court in Madinah upheld its verdict against 46-year-old accused Arab sorcerer Ali Hussein Subat (aka Shahrzad), saying he deserved death for publicly practicing black magic, thus spreading corruption on the earth.

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Spike in Makkah suicides raises many questions

MAKKAH: A spike in the number of suicides in Makkah has created a stir among locals with some viewing the problem as a passing one while others say it is a growing trend.

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Consumer protection society under fire

JEDDAH: “Know your rights as a consumer” was the theme of an event held by the Saudi Society for Consumer Protection (SSCP) on Monday evening in Jeddah. The occasion took place at the offices of the Saudi Standards, Specifications and Quality Organization.

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Passport Department ordered to vacate Riyadh building

JEDDAH: The anti-forgery division of the Passport Department has been ordered by a judge to vacate its offices in Riyadh because it refused to accept an increase in rent, court sources have said.

‘Set minimum age for marriage’

MADINAH: Participants of a debate Monday evening at Taibah University have called for a fatwa establishing a minimum age for marriage. Abu Bakr ibn Ahmad Bagadir, undersecretary for international relations at the Ministry of Culture and Information said child marriage “have serious social implications.” Bagadir said the fatwa should establish the framework for protecting underage girls.

Rs2.5-million fake currencies seized from Dubai passenger

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, India: The Directorate of Revenue intelligence sleuths Thursday seized fake currencies worth Rs2.42 million, allegedly printed in Pakistan, from an Emirates passenger.

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Canadian lawmakers eats seal to defy ‘ignorant’

EU OTTAWA: Canadian parliamentarians tucked into a meal of seal meat on Wednesday to defy both animal right activists and the European Union, which has banned imports of seal products.

Kidnapped boy is still missing in Pakistan

LONDON: A British boy kidnapped from his family's home in Pakistan has yet to be found, British and Pakistani officials said Thursday, following erroneous news of his release which one Pakistani diplomat here said was the result of mistaken identity.

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43 Somalis die in capital after 2 days of fighting

MOGADISHU: Heavy fighting between Somali insurgents and pro-government troops has killed at least 43 people over two days, as African Union peacekeepers used tanks to help the beleaguered government beat back an insurgent attack, officials said Thursday.

Israeli snub puts US in a quandary

WASHINGTON: The US Vice President Joe Biden is attempting to salvage Middle East peace talks after the Palestinians announced they were pulling out of a new round of indirect negotiations.

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Philippines' next leader will have to raise taxes, say analysts

MANILA: The Philippines' next president will have to turn his back on populist promises made during the campaign and raise taxes sooner rather than later to prevent a financial crisis soon after the May elections.

Indian govt refuses to budge on women bill

NEW DELHI: Despite days of parliamentary chaos and harsh condemnation from its allies, India's ruling party said Thursday it will push ahead with a constitutional amendment to reserve one-third of federal and state legislative seats for women.

Desert dangers force Niger tourism south

LAMANTIN ISLAND, Niger: Joel Sauze was just readying his new eco-lodge in southern Niger for its first visitors as soldiers in the capital blasted their way into the presidential palace and arrested the country's leader. Reinforcing a view of Niger's perils, the country's latest coup could not have come at a more unfortunate time for the campsite-owner from France, who is attempting to play his part in restoring confidence in the local tourist industry.

Carla Bruni says Sarkozy is faithful: Report

PARIS: Former supermodel Carla Bruni-Sarkozy has said her husband, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, would never cheat on her and has described their love story as a "real fairy tale."

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Picture of the day

A woman observes the art work '216 Plaster Surrogates' by US artist Allan McCollum in the exhibition 'Disqualified Objects' at the CaixaForum facilities in Barcelona, Spain, on Thursday. The exhibition runs until August 22, 2010. (EPA)

World's mega-rich adding wealth, Carlos Slim No. 1

NEW YORK: Mexican tycoon Carlos Slim is the world's richest person, knocking Microsoft founder Bill Gates into second spot, as the wealth of the world's billionaires grew by 50 percent over the last year, Forbes magazine said on Wednesday.

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Credit card users not so responsible after all?  

NEW YORK: With unemployment high and personal wealth diminished, how was it that strapped consumers were paying down their credit card debt last year? It turns out they probably weren't.

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