VIENNA, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) — Iran has engaged in activities relevant to the development of nuclear weapons, according to an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report obtained by media Tuesday.

In the latest report on Iran’s nuclear program, the UN nuclear watchdog listed a series of “credible” evidence that Iran was carrying out projects and experiments suspected of linking with a nuclear warhead design at least until 2010. Continue Reading

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) — A Los Angeles Superior Court jury on Monday found pop superstar Michael Jackson’s personal physician Conrad Murray guilty in the singer’s Propofol-induced death, while the trial wrapped up on Monday afternoon.

Murray, who was little bit shocked by the decision, was handcuffed after the verdict was read and was immediately remanded to custody in county jail.

Murray has been ordered jailed without bail pending his sentencing on Nov. 29. Continue Reading

ATHENS, Nov. 6 (Xinhua) — Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou and main opposition leader Antonis Samaras reached an agreement on Sunday evening on a national unity government with a new prime minister, said a statement of the president’s office.

According to the statement issued after their meeting, which was hosted by President Karolos Papoulias, a new prime minister will be named on Monday, following further talks between Papandreou and Samaras.

“The new government shall lead the country to early general elections after the implementation of the October 26 EU agreement decisions,”said the statement.

BOGOTA, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) — The Colombian government said Friday its military has killed Guillermo Leon Saenz Vargas, alias Alfonso Cano, the top commander of the rebel Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).

Hailing the killing as an “very important news for Colombia and its people,” Defense Minister Juan Carlos Pinzon told a news conference that the rebel kingpin died in a clash with government troops Friday in jungles near Suarez city of the southwestern Cauca province. Continue Reading

KABUL, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) — The Afghan and NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) had captured multiple anti-Afghan government militants including a leader of Haqqani network on Thursday, a statement of the alliance released here Friday said.

“A combined Afghan and coalition security force captured a Haqqani network leader and detained one Continue Reading

ATHENS, Nov. 3 (Xinhua) — Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou was ready to drop his plan to hold a referendum over the European Union (EU) aid package for Greece, as long as there could be cross-party cooperation over a national unity government, he told a cabinet meeting here on Thursday.

He rejected scenarios that he intended to submit his resignation amid a revolt by senior ministers and ruling socialist party deputies. Continue Reading

CAIRO/AMMAN, Nov. 3 (Xinhua) — All the passengers aboard an Egyptian ferry which caught fire on Thursday morning near the Gulf of Aqaba in the Red Sea have been rescued, Egyptian Transport Minister Ali Zain el-Abdin said.

The ferry, carrying 1,230 passengers who are mostly Egyptian expatriate workers returning home for Muslim Eid al-Adha festival, caught fire about 15 nautical miles from the Jordanian Red Sea port of Aqaba and was headed for the Egyptian port of Nuweiba, according to the report. Continue Reading

TRIPOLI, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) — Abdel Rahman el-Keb, a professor of Tripoli University, was elected Monday as Libya’s new interim prime minister.

NEW DELHI, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) — India Monday welcomed the world’ s first symbolic “seven billionth” citizen, named Nargis, born to a family in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh.

The girl baby was born to 23-year-old Vinita and her husband Ajay at a community health centre about 7:20 a.m. near the state capital Lucknow, according to Bhagyeshwari, executive director of NGO Plan India, which is conducting the exercise. Continue Reading

by Abdul Haleem, Zhang Jianhua

KABUL, Oct. 29 (Xinhua) — The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) experienced a bloody day in Afghanistan as the military alliance lost 16 service members on Saturday.

A suicide bomber detonated his explosive-laden car next to a military convoy in western Kabul at around noon, killing 13 foreign troops and four Afghans, including three civilians and a policeman, according to ISAF and Afghan official statements. Continue Reading

BELGRADE, Oct. 28 (Xinhua) — A gunman was wounded and arrested after firing rounds at the U.S. embassy in Sarajevo with automatic weapon on Friday afternoon, police told Bosnian television.

“The man who fired with an automatic weapon was wounded and arrested during the police operation,” Bosnian national television quoted police spokesman Irfan Nefic as saying.

Earlier reports said that the gunman was shot dead by police sniper. Continue Reading

BRUSSELS, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) — European leaders agreed early Thursday that private creditors have to accept a 50 percent cut in the value of the Greek government debt they hold, and the bailout fund would be increased to 1 trillion euros (1.37 trillion U.S. dollars).

“We have reached a sustainable solution for Greece,” said Herman Van Rompuy, the European Council president, at a press conference held after a prolonged eurozone summit which dragged from Wednesday evening to Thursday morning. Continue Reading