OBAMA CONGRATULATES IRAQ ON NEW GOVERNMENT

US President Barack Obama congratulated Iraq after parliament endorsed a new government, saying the move was a "significant" historic moment and represented a rejection of extremism.

"Today's vote in the Council of Representatives is a significant moment in Iraq's history and a major step forward in advancing national unity," Obama said in a written statement.

"I congratulate Iraq's political leaders, the members of the Council of Representatives, and the Iraqi people on the formation of a new government of national partnership."

Obama and Vice President Joe Biden both spoke to Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki personally by telephone to offer their congratulations, the White House said.

The president said that the Iraqi people and elected representatives had shown, with the long-delayed move after elections in March, that they were committed to democratic means to ease differences and shape Iraq's future.

थाई अधिराजकुमारीको लडेर खुट्टा भाँचियो

थाइल्यान्डकी अधिराजकुमारी चुलाबर्नको विश्वविद्यालयमा पढाउन जानेक्रममा आज एक्कासी लडेर खुट्टा भाँचिएको समाचार छ ।
थाई राजा भूमिबोलकी कान्छी छोरी चुलबर्न उनले पढाउने विश्वविद्यालायमा कक्षा लिनका लागि आज जाने क्रममा बाटोमै लडेर देब्रे खुट्टा भाँचिएको थाई राजदरबारले जनाएको छ ।
५३ वर्षीया अधिराजकुमारीले थाई सरकारद्वारा सञ्चालित विश्वविद्यालय कासेर्टार्समा लेक्चररका रूपमा काम गरिरहेकी छिन् ।
उनको बैंककको चुलान्कोर्न अस्पतालमा उपचार भइरहेको र हाल त्यस्तो कुनै पनि जटिल समस्या नदेखिएको सो दरबारद्वारा आज जारी वक्तव्यमा जनाइएको छ ।
समाचारमा थाइल्यान्डका राजा भूमीबोल अद्युल्यादेज पनि स्वासप्रस्वाससम्बन्धी समस्याका कारण विगत दुइ वर्षदेखि अस्पतालमै रहेर उपचार गराइरहेका छन् ।

RUSSIA INDIA DIPLOMACY

Russia and India agreed Tuesday on a series of defence and nuclear deals potentially worth billions of dollars and pledged to deepen cooperation on counter-terrorism and regional security.
The agreements surrounded talks in New Delhi between visiting Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Indian Premier Manmohan Singh, during which both sides set a target of doubling bilateral trade to 20 billion dollars by 2015.
They also signed a contract envisaging the joint design and development of fifth-generation fighter aircraft with stealth capabilities.
Although no figures were mentioned, experts say the final fighter deal could be worth close to 30 billion dollars, with India planning to induct up to 300 of the aircraft into its air force.
The two leaders also discussed plans for Russia to build two additional generating units at a nuclear power plant in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, where it is already setting up two reactors.
Energy-hungry India is one of the world's biggest markets for nuclear technology with plans to reach a nuclear power capacity of 63,000 megawatts by 2032, from the current level of 4,560 megawatts.
Hailing what he described as a "special and privileged" strategic partnership, Singh said Russia was a "time-tested friend ... that has stood by us in our times of need in the past."
Medvedev arrived in India on Tuesday, seeking to fend off growing international competition for lucrative Indian defence contracts that were once monopolised by Moscow.
His trip capped a flurry of top-level diplomatic activity that has seen the leaders of all five permanent members of the UN Security Council beat a trade-focused path to India's door over the past six months.

FACEBOOK'S ZUCKERBERG STARTS CHINA VISIT

Facebook co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg has started his visit to China with a tour of the offices of the country's top search engine, while his own social networking site remains blocked on the mainland.
Photos of Zuckerberg's visit to Baidu Inc. on Monday morning were posted online. Baidu's director of international communications said he wasn't going to deny what was in the photos. Kaiser Kuo said Zuckerberg was meeting with Baidu CEO Robin Li, but he didn't know what they were discussing.

CHRISTMAS ISLAND BOAT DEATH TOLL LIKELY RISES TO 48: AUSTRALIAN PM

The final death toll from the Christmas Island boat disaster is likely to rise to about 48, Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard said on Monday.

The latest estimates suggested that 90 people were on board the Indonesian fishing boat when it crashed last Wednesday. The suspected asylum seekers onboard includes Iraqis, Iranians and Kurds.

So far, 42 having been rescued. However, 30 people, including 13 men, nine women, four children and four babies, have been confirmed dead. It means there are about 18 people went missing. The Australian Maritime Safety Authority has formally acknowledged there is no hope of finding any further survivors, but the search will continue for the victims of the disaster.

Gillard told reporters in Canberra that it may not be possible to ascertain exactly how many lives were lost, and it was possible that some bodies may never be recovered.

"We are, of course, talking about very rough seas, very rocky and difficult coastline and so it may be that there are bodies of people who traveled on the boat that are never recovered," she told Australia Associated Press on Monday. "That is obviously very, very grim news." Gillard also said the government had no plans to lift Australia 's humanitarian intake in order to reduce the numbers resorting to people smugglers.

कुटेर श्रीमतीको हत्या

झापा शनिश्चरे-९ का एक व्यक्तिले कुटेर पत्नीको हत्या गरेका छन् । आइतबार अपरान्ह स्थानीय पूर्ण कुमार उराउले पत्नी लखीमनि उराउको हत्या गरेका हुन् ।
आइतबार बजार भर्न गएका उराउ दम्पतिबीच बजारदेखि नै विवाद शुरु भएको थियो । बजारदेखि नै कुटपिट गर्दै घरतर्फ ल्याएका पूर्णकुमारले पत्नीलाई घरमासमेत थप कुटपिट गर्दा उनको मृत्यु भएको हो ।

Bhutanese refugees: American dream tantalizes, deceives

Members of the Bhutanese Club at David Douglas High School discuss the Dashain Tika Festival held recently at the high school. Most of the students in the club grew up with refugee status in Nepal and now are learning to live in a new home here in Portland, where they learn English and try to adapt to American ways.

I am a refugee from Bhutan. In the early days after my arrival to Portland, I would call friends and family in the refugee camps in Nepal, telling them the United States is close to heaven and they should try to come as soon as possible.

Now, nearly two years later, I see those newly arrived struggling; they question me about my "heaven." Some say they would return, if it were possible, to their dark refugee camps rather than face their desperate situations in Oregon. I have come to feel that "the American dream" is dangerous, because people come here with great expectations. I have stopped calling the camps in Nepal.