Egyptian opposition to shun Mursi's national dialogue

CAIRO (Reuters) - President Mohamed Mursi was expected to press ahead on Saturday with talks on ways to end Egypt's worst crisis since he took office even though the country's main opposition leaders have vowed to stay away. Cairo and other cities have been rocked by violent protests since November 22, when Mursi promulgated a decree awarding himself sweeping powers that put him above...

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Dual-key EC units becoming more popular

SINGAPORE: Dual-key units in executive condominiums (ECs) are rising in demand among home-seekers.Developer MCC Land said its executive condominium project One Canberra sold out its 95 dual-key apartments within a month, from when the project was launched in April.The developer is now confident that its new project, the EC Forestville, will also do well.The number of dual-key apartments...

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India misguided, paranoid over China: Guha

MUMBAI: A good half-hour into the discussion on 'India, China and the World', historian Ramachandra Guha issued a disclaimer—all the three members on the panel had been to China only once. "We should learn their language, promote quality research, and have a panel on China driven by Chinese scholars," he said. And that was the general tenor of the debate—that the Indian attitude to China was influenced...

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Smokers celebrate as Wash. legalizes marijuana

SEATTLE (AP) — The crowds of happy people lighting joints under Seattle's Space Needle early Thursday morning with nary a police officer in sight bespoke the new reality: Marijuana is legal under Washington state law.Hundreds gathered at Seattle Center for a New Year's Eve-style countdown to 12 a.m., when the legalization measure passed by voters last month took effect. When the clock struck, they...

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Federal Agencies Brace for Deep Cuts Post-'Cliff'

Dec 7, 2012 4:22pm Toby Jorrin/AFP/Getty ImagesWith the “fiscal cliff” quickly approaching, federal agencies are stepping up preparations for deep automatic budget cuts that will kick in Jan. 2 unless the White House and Congress can reach a deal.The Office of Management and Budget told ABC News that a memo went out to federal agencies earlier this week seeking “additional...

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Egypt struggle seen costing Mursi, even if he wins

CAIRO (Reuters) - The crisis unleashed by President Mohamed Mursi's bid to wrap up Egypt's transition on his own terms has eroded his nation's faith in their nascent democracy and will complicate the already unenviable task of government. His effort to drive through a constitution against the wishes of major sections of society, including a Christian minority, has damaged prospects for...

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Two China workers charged with criminal trespass

SINGAPORE: Two workers from China who sat on top of two construction cranes for hours on Thursday have been charged in court with criminal trespass. Zhu Guilei, 24, and Wu Xiaolin, 47, were offered bail of $10,000 each. They said in court that they intend to claim trial but won't be engaging counsel. Both men will be back in court on December 12 for a pre-trial conference. The two are...

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FDI win is rejection of politics of BJP, Kamal Nath says

NEW DELHI: The government on Friday termed its winning of the FDI vote in the Rajya Sabha as a "rejection of the politics of the BJP". "It is a rejection of the politics of the BJP ( Bharatiya Janata Party), I wish they were better losers," Parliamentary affairs minister Kamal Nath told reporters outside Parliament House minutes after the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government won the vote...

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Celebrations planned as Wash. legalizes marijuana

SEATTLE (AP) — Legal marijuana possession becomes a reality under Washington state law on Thursday, and some people planned to celebrate the new law by breaking it.Voters in Washington and Colorado last month made those the first states to decriminalize and regulate the recreational use of marijuana. Washington's law takes effect Thursday and allows adults to have up to an ounce of pot — but it bans...

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Tsunami Warning Lifted in Japan After Quake

A tsunami warning has been lifted for the northeastern region of Japan following a strong 7.3-magnitiude earthquake that struck off the coast of Miyagi prefecture.The earthquake rattled the coast of Japan just after 5 p.m. local time. Tsunami waves were recorded in at least five different locations – the largest in Ishinomaki was measured at 3 feet, according to the Japan Meteorological...

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Rivals clash despite tanks at Egypt presidential palace

CAIRO (Reuters) - Islamists and their rivals clashed in an outbreak of stone-throwing near the presidential palace in Cairo on Thursday, even though Egyptian army tanks had moved in to try to halt violence that has killed seven people. The military played a crucial role in ending Hosni Mubarak's 30-year rule by taking over from him to manage a transitional period, but it has stayed out...

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Golf: Japan star Ishikawa eyes emulating 'hero' McIlroy

CHONBURI, Thailand: Japanese golf star Ryo Ishikawa said he has two years to catch up with his "hero" Rory McIlroy and hopes to end his barren run overseas with a win at the Thailand Golf Championship.Ishikawa, 21, is two years younger than world number one McIlroy, whose four US PGA Tour victories in 2012 including the PGA Championship saw him named Tuesday as the US tour's Player of...

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BSP puts its weight behind govt on FDI issue in Rajya Sabha

NEW DELHI: BSP on promised to vote in favour of FDI in Rajya Sabha, giving much relief to the government which is bracing for a crucial vote on Friday, even as BJP and AIADMK attacked parties which sided with UPA despite having reservations over the measure.A day after the opposition motion seeking rollback of the decision was rejected convincingly in Lok Sabha, the Upper House took up the debate...

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Celebrations planned as Wash. legalizes marijuana

SEATTLE (AP) — Legal marijuana possession becomes a reality under Washington state law on Thursday, and some people planned to celebrate the new law by breaking it.Voters in Washington and Colorado last month made those the first states to decriminalize and regulate the recreational use of marijuana. Washington's law takes effect Thursday and allows adults to have up to an ounce of pot — but it bans...

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Kate Middleton Leaves London Hospital

Kate Middleton left King Edward VII Hospital in London this morning after being admitted four days ago following the palace's announcement she is pregnant and being treated for hyperemesis gravidarum."The Duchess of Cambridge has been discharged from the King Edward VII Hospital and will now head to Kensington Palace for a period of rest," Nick Loughran, the Assistant Press...

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Egypt's Mursi back at palace after night of protests

CAIRO (Reuters) - Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi returned to work on Wednesday a day after slipping out of his palace when it came under siege from protesters furious at his drive to push through a new constitution after temporarily expanding his own powers. The Health Ministry said 35 protesters were wounded and the Interior Ministry said 40 policemen were hurt in clashes around the...

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Horse Racing: Dettori banned for six months

PARIS: Legendary jockey Frankie Dettori was suspended from riding worldwide for six months by French racing's governing body France Galop on Wednesday for failing a doping test.The 41-year-old Italian-born England based rider -- probably racing's most high profile personality -- tested positive for a non-performance enhancing banned substance at the September 16 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe...

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Release 10,000 cusecs of Cauvery river water to Tamil Nadu, SC tells Karnataka

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court today directed Karnataka to release 10,000 cusecs of water from Cauvery River to Tamil Nadu. The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the Cauvery monitoring committee to meet on Thursday to decide the water requirement of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. The court had earlier on Friday told Tamil Nadu to submit its requirement of water on Saturday, after the talks failed between...

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Study: Drug coverage to vary under health law

WASHINGTON (AP) — A new study says basic prescription drug coverage could vary dramatically from state to state under President Barack Obama's health care overhaul.That's because states get to set benefits for private health plans that will be offered starting in 2014 through new insurance exchanges.The study out Tuesday from the market analysis firm Avalere Health found that some states will require...

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Subway Push Murder Suspect Implicated Self: Police

A suspect believed to be responsible for throwing a man into the path of an oncoming New York City subway train who was taken into custody today has made statements implicating himself, police said.According to Deputy Commissioner for Public Information Paul Browne, the suspect has been questioned by police since at least early afternoon and while the suspect is in police custody,...

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Syrian army pounds Damascus rebel districts

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syrian government forces bombarded rebel districts near Damascus on Tuesday in a sustained counter-attack to stem rebel gains around President Bashar al-Assad's power base. The fighting around Damascus has led foreign airlines to suspend flights and prompted the United Nations and European Union to reduce their presence in the capital, adding to a sense that the fight...

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Horse Racing: Jockey Dettori to learn fate on Wednesday

PARIS: Legendary jockey Frankie Dettori will learn the length of his suspension for failing a doping test on Wednesday, his lawyer said on Tuesday.The Italian rider was represented during a 40-minute disciplinary hearing at French racing's governing body France Galop by his lawyer, Christopher Stewart-Moore."We had a very sympathetic hearing but they are not going to make a decision till...

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Insiders Reveal 2012 Election Secrets

Pete Souza/White HouseThe 2012 election cycle came full circle last week when representatives from the Obama and Romney campaigns, as well as top advisers to many of the GOP primary candidates and several influential outside groups, gathered at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government for a 2012 debrief — finally answering some of the lingering questions about the race.On neutral ground in Cambridge,...

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Netanyahu brushes off world condemnation of settlement plans

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday brushed off world condemnation of Israel's plans to expand Jewish settlements after the Palestinians won de facto U.N. recognition of statehood. "We will carry on building in Jerusalem and in all the places that are on the map of Israel's strategic interests," a defiant Netanyahu said at the weekly cabinet meeting. ...

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