UK-World Summary
China families protest mine disaster, toll hits 104
HEGANG, China - Relatives of victims of a gas blast at a mine in north-eastern China scuffled with police and demanded answers from the owners Monday as state media put the toll from the country's latest mine disaster at 104. The explosion at the mine in Hegang in the frigid province of Heilongjiang erupted in the early hours of Saturday when more than 500 miners were underground, though most were rescued.
Healthcare reform faces challenges in U.S. Senate
WASHINGTON healthcare system in 40 years. It is the Obama administration's top domestic policy initiative.
Israeli president plays down settlement work
CAIRO - Israel's president said on Sunday expanding Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank was a "marginal" issue blocking resumption of peace talks with the Palestinians. But Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, speaking at a joint news conference with Shimon Peres, said Israeli construction work on land captured in a 1967 war should stop and that Israel should take "courageous decisions" to push forward peace.
Dalai Lama says Obama not soft on China
NEW DELHI - Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama said on Sunday U.S. President Barack Obama was not soft on China and said he hoped he would discuss Tibet with the Indian prime minister in Washington this week. "Obama is not soft on China, he just has a different style," the Dalai Lama told the NDTV news channel in an interview.
Iran launches war games to protect nuclear sites
TEHRAN - Iran's armed forces launched large-scale air defence war games on Sunday to show off the country's deterrence capabilities in the face of pressure from the West over its nuclear programme. The display of military muscle comes at a time of rising tension between Iran and six major powers, which fear Tehran's nuclear programme is aimed at producing nuclear weapons. Tehran denies this is the programme's purpose.
Iran's Mousavi tells government to end intimidation
TEHRAN - Iranian opposition leader Mirhossein Mousavi said Sunday the reform movement would not be cowed by the hardline government's harsh methods as riot police prevented a demonstration by moderates taking place. Mousavi's remarks preceded a scheduled gathering Sunday by moderates to commemorate the killing of Dariush Forouhar and his wife, who headed the illegal but tolerated Iran Nation Party. They were stabbed to death by "rogue" agents in 1998.
Indonesian ferry sinks; 29 dead, most survive
JAKARTA - An overloaded ferry sank in bad weather off Indonesia's Riau islands on Sunday, killing 29 people, while 245 passengers survived the accident, officials said. Rustam Pakaya, a Health Ministry official, said 17 people were still missing. A total of 291 people were on board, including 13 crew, he said.
China quake dissident jailed for 3 years - family
BEIJING - Chinese dissident Huang Qi was sentenced to three years' jail on Monday on charges of illegally possessing state secrets, his wife said, decrying the verdict as revenge for his activism after last year's huge earthquake. Huang was sentenced in a court in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province where the earthquake on May 12 last year killed at least 80,000 people, including children crushed in schools that collapsed.
Incumbent president tops 1st round of Romania vote
BUCHAREST - Incumbent Traian Basescu on Sunday won the first round of Romania's presidential election, exit polls showed, but the slim margin gave few clues as to who would form the next government to resolve the economic crisis. The president has little impact on day to day running of the country but nominates the next prime minister, who will have to form a coalition cabinet after the previous government's collapse in October, delaying much-needed IMF aid.
Sudan delays elections by six days
KHARTOUM - Sudan on Sunday announced a six-day delay to long-awaited elections to make up for hold-ups in registering millions of voters in the oil-producing country. Election officials have faced huge logistical challenges in rolling out the first multi-party polls in 24 years in Sudan, Africa's largest country.