Toyota has announced the recall of about 436,000 hybrid vehicles worldwide, including its latest Prius model, to fix brake problems.The total includes more than 200,000 Prius cars sold in Japan and 8,500 cars in the UK. "We have decided to recall as we regard safety for our customers as our foremost priority," the firm said. The company has already recalled eight million vehicles because of accelerator and floormat problems.
Toyota has announced the recall of about 436,000 hybrid vehicles worldwide, including its latest Prius model, to fix brake problems.
The total includes more than 200,000 Prius cars sold in Japan and 8,500 cars in the UK.
"We have decided to recall as we regard safety for our customers as our foremost priority," the firm said.
The company has already recalled eight million vehicles because of accelerator and floormat problems.
Improvised explosive devices are stopping Afghan civilians leaving an area where UK troops will launch a huge operation, the defence secretary says.Bob Ainsworth spoke as troops prepared for Operation Moshtarak, which aims to force out Taliban militants from around the town of Marjah in Helmand province. Thousands of coalition troops are involved in the offensive. Gordon Brown said the aim was to root out "the hard line Taliban" while minimising civilian casualties.
Improvised explosive devices are stopping Afghan civilians leaving an area where UK troops will launch a huge operation, the defence secretary says.
Bob Ainsworth spoke as troops prepared for Operation Moshtarak, which aims to force out Taliban militants from around the town of Marjah in Helmand province.
Thousands of coalition troops are involved in the offensive.
Gordon Brown said the aim was to root out "the hard line Taliban" while minimising civilian casualties.
KABUL, Afghanistan -- As U.S.-led coalition troops prepare for a long-awaited offensive against the Taliban in southern Afghanistan, few civilians have managed to escape the town at the center of the operation, raising the risk of civilian casualties that could undermine the Obama administration's military strategy for the country. The U.S.-led force said Tuesday that fewer than 200 families -- around 1,200 people -- had left the town of Marjah and the surrounding area, which have a population of about 80,000."Commanders in the area are reporting no significant increase in persons moving out of Nad-e Ali district in the last month," the U.S.-led International Security Assistance Force said in a statement. "Despite reports of large numbers of civilians fleeing the area, the facts on the ground do not support these assertions." Thousands of U.S., British and Afghan soldiers are poised to push into the area, with preliminary operations reported to have begun late Tuesday. Afghan police will accompany the soldiers in an effort to establish law and order quickly.The presence of a large number of civilians could make the operation much trickier and provide a test of the new coalition military doctrine of protecting the population. A large media contingent from around the world will accompany the troops, recording their progress.An estimated 2,000 Taliban fighters are dug in and are believed to have planted roadside bombs and booby-trapped buildings. Residents said the insurgents had dug trenches in a traffic circle and mined the roads out of town. It may be too late for those who haven't escaped by now.
KABUL, Afghanistan -- As U.S.-led coalition troops prepare for a long-awaited offensive against the Taliban in southern Afghanistan, few civilians have managed to escape the town at the center of the operation, raising the risk of civilian casualties that could undermine the Obama administration's military strategy for the country.
The U.S.-led force said Tuesday that fewer than 200 families -- around 1,200 people -- had left the town of Marjah and the surrounding area, which have a population of about 80,000.
"Commanders in the area are reporting no significant increase in persons moving out of Nad-e Ali district in the last month," the U.S.-led International Security Assistance Force said in a statement. "Despite reports of large numbers of civilians fleeing the area, the facts on the ground do not support these assertions."
Thousands of U.S., British and Afghan soldiers are poised to push into the area, with preliminary operations reported to have begun late Tuesday. Afghan police will accompany the soldiers in an effort to establish law and order quickly.
The presence of a large number of civilians could make the operation much trickier and provide a test of the new coalition military doctrine of protecting the population. A large media contingent from around the world will accompany the troops, recording their progress.
An estimated 2,000 Taliban fighters are dug in and are believed to have planted roadside bombs and booby-trapped buildings. Residents said the insurgents had dug trenches in a traffic circle and mined the roads out of town. It may be too late for those who haven't escaped by now.
Sri Lanka's recently re-elected President Mahinda Rajapaksa is dissolving parliament and calling early elections, officials say."The president dissolves the parliament with effect from midnight today," a senior official was quoted as saying. Mr Rajapaksa won a second term in office by a large margin last month, but the outcome was rejected by his main rival, Gen Sarath Fonseka.
Sri Lanka's recently re-elected President Mahinda Rajapaksa is dissolving parliament and calling early elections, officials say.
"The president dissolves the parliament with effect from midnight today," a senior official was quoted as saying.
Mr Rajapaksa won a second term in office by a large margin last month, but the outcome was rejected by his main rival, Gen Sarath Fonseka.
The Philippines has charged 196 more people with murder over a pre-election massacre in Maguindanao province in November which left 57 dead.Those charged include Andal Ampatuan Snr, formerly a provincial governor and ally of President Gloria Arroyo. Mr Ampatuan's son of the same name has already been charged with murder over the attack on a rival political family and journalists travelling with them. The charges come as campaigning opened for the presidential elections.
The Philippines has charged 196 more people with murder over a pre-election massacre in Maguindanao province in November which left 57 dead.
Those charged include Andal Ampatuan Snr, formerly a provincial governor and ally of President Gloria Arroyo.
Mr Ampatuan's son of the same name has already been charged with murder over the attack on a rival political family and journalists travelling with them.
The charges come as campaigning opened for the presidential elections.
Dozens of people including pro-government militia have tried to attack Italy's embassy in Iran, Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini says.Basij militia dressed as civilians hurled stones and shouted "Death to Italy" and "Death to Berlusconi", he told a senate hearing. Iranian media said a protest took place but made no mention of violence. Tensions have been high in Tehran since President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's disputed poll win last year.
Dozens of people including pro-government militia have tried to attack Italy's embassy in Iran, Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini says.
Basij militia dressed as civilians hurled stones and shouted "Death to Italy" and "Death to Berlusconi", he told a senate hearing.
Iranian media said a protest took place but made no mention of violence.
Tensions have been high in Tehran since President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's disputed poll win last year.
The missing editor of an opposition website in Yemen has appeared in court charged with involvement in a rebellion in the north of the country.This is the first time the government in Sanaa has acknowledged it is holding Muhammad al-Maqalih, who was detained in September. The Yemeni government accuses Mr Maqalih of complicity with Houthi rebels and of planning "criminal acts". His lawyers deny the charges and say he has been tortured in custody.
The missing editor of an opposition website in Yemen has appeared in court charged with involvement in a rebellion in the north of the country.
This is the first time the government in Sanaa has acknowledged it is holding Muhammad al-Maqalih, who was detained in September.
The Yemeni government accuses Mr Maqalih of complicity with Houthi rebels and of planning "criminal acts".
His lawyers deny the charges and say he has been tortured in custody.
Nigerian police and military units carried out extrajudicial killings last year in the aftermath of clashes with members of a Muslim group in the north of the country, footage obtained by Al Jazeera appears to confirm. An estimated 1,000 people were killed as Nigerian government forces fought Boko Haram in Borno, Yobe, Kano and Bauchi states in July and August 2009. But the footage obtained by Al Jazeera shows that many of the deaths occurred once the fighting was over. Elements of the police and army staged a follow-up operation in which house-to-house searches were conducted and individuals were apparently selected at random and taken to a police station.
Nigerian police and military units carried out extrajudicial killings last year in the aftermath of clashes with members of a Muslim group in the north of the country, footage obtained by Al Jazeera appears to confirm.
An estimated 1,000 people were killed as Nigerian government forces fought Boko Haram in Borno, Yobe, Kano and Bauchi states in July and August 2009.
But the footage obtained by Al Jazeera shows that many of the deaths occurred once the fighting was over.
Elements of the police and army staged a follow-up operation in which house-to-house searches were conducted and individuals were apparently selected at random and taken to a police station.
At least 40 people have died and hundreds more were trapped through the night in freezing cold after avalanches closed a mountain highway tunnel in Afghanistan. Passengers stuck in the Salang pass - the main route across the Hindu Kush mountains - said via telephone that they were freezing to death and being suffocated by car fumes.At least 70 people have been injured, according to a defence ministry official. A force of 600 soldiers plus police units and other emergency workers had managed to evacuate 1,500 trapped people, including at least 70 who were injured, the defence ministry said in a statement that gave a death toll of 28 people.
At least 40 people have died and hundreds more were trapped through the night in freezing cold after avalanches closed a mountain highway tunnel in Afghanistan.
Passengers stuck in the Salang pass - the main route across the Hindu Kush mountains - said via telephone that they were freezing to death and being suffocated by car fumes.At least 70 people have been injured, according to a defence ministry official.
A force of 600 soldiers plus police units and other emergency workers had managed to evacuate 1,500 trapped people, including at least 70 who were injured, the defence ministry said in a statement that gave a death toll of 28 people.
Iran has begun enriching uranium to a purity level of 20 per cent to produce a higher grade of nuclear fuel, state-owned television has reported."Today we started to make 20 per cent enriched nuclear fuel ... in the presence of IAEA [International Atomic Energy Agency] inspectors at Natanz," an unnamed official told Iran's Arabic-language Al Alam channel on Tuesday. Ali-Asghar Soltanieh, Iran's envoy to the IAEA, had said on Monday that Tehran had informed the UN atomic agency that it would begin enriching the fuel for its Tehran research reactor which produces medical isotopes.That announcement was met with calls from the United States and its allies for Iran to face "strong sanctions" over its nuclear programme
Iran has begun enriching uranium to a purity level of 20 per cent to produce a higher grade of nuclear fuel, state-owned television has reported."Today we started to make 20 per cent enriched nuclear fuel ... in the presence of IAEA [International Atomic Energy Agency] inspectors at Natanz," an unnamed official told Iran's Arabic-language Al Alam channel on Tuesday.
Ali-Asghar Soltanieh, Iran's envoy to the IAEA, had said on Monday that Tehran had informed the UN atomic agency that it would begin enriching the fuel for its Tehran research reactor which produces medical isotopes.That announcement was met with calls from the United States and its allies for Iran to face "strong sanctions" over its nuclear programme
If you can go from 4% to 20% you can go from 20% to 60%. And if you can go from 20% to 60% you can go from 60% to 90%. En un viejo país ineficiente, algo así como España entre dos guerras civiles, poseer una casa y poca hacienda y memoria ninguna. -- Gil de Biedma
If you can go from 1 to 5 centrifugues, what prevents you from going to 25 centrifugues (say)?
Now I wait for Pierre or Francois a Paris to correct my ignorant guess... En un viejo país ineficiente, algo así como España entre dos guerras civiles, poseer una casa y poca hacienda y memoria ninguna. -- Gil de Biedma
To give the green light for a military strike against Iranian nuclear facilities, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu requires evidence of a clear and present danger; the assurance of the Israel Defense Forces that it can do the job; domestic support; and also the consent of President Obama, who learned from his predecessors in the Bush family that you should only go to war in the Persian Gulf three years into your presidential term, after congressional elections. Tehran is in the crosshairs, but not before 2011.
KABUL--The fledgling Afghan National Army has been created from scratch by the U.S. and its allies. But, at least in its senior ranks, it increasingly resembles an Afghan army of old--one the U.S. helped rout two decades ago. The Afghan government is dominated by former mujahedeen guerrillas; both the minister of defense and the army chief of staff are former anti-Soviet insurgents. Most ANA generals and colonels appointed to serve just below them, however, are veterans of the Soviet-built Afghan military that hunted these insurgents through the 1980s.
KABUL--The fledgling Afghan National Army has been created from scratch by the U.S. and its allies. But, at least in its senior ranks, it increasingly resembles an Afghan army of old--one the U.S. helped rout two decades ago.
The Afghan government is dominated by former mujahedeen guerrillas; both the minister of defense and the army chief of staff are former anti-Soviet insurgents. Most ANA generals and colonels appointed to serve just below them, however, are veterans of the Soviet-built Afghan military that hunted these insurgents through the 1980s.
The United Nations has warned that it will cut off shipments of free medicine beginning immediately to any Haitian hospitals that it finds are charging patients. When the catastrophic earthquake struck Jan. 12, authorities immediately decided to make all medical care free. More than 200 international medical relief groups have sent in teams to help, and millions of dollars of donated medicine has been flown in. U.N. officials told The Associated Press that about a dozen hospitals -- both public and private -- have begun charging patients for medicine. The officials said they could not immediately provide the names of the hospitals but said they were in several parts of the country, including Port-au-Prince.
When the catastrophic earthquake struck Jan. 12, authorities immediately decided to make all medical care free. More than 200 international medical relief groups have sent in teams to help, and millions of dollars of donated medicine has been flown in.
U.N. officials told The Associated Press that about a dozen hospitals -- both public and private -- have begun charging patients for medicine. The officials said they could not immediately provide the names of the hospitals but said they were in several parts of the country, including Port-au-Prince.
Goodluck Jonathan, Nigeria's vice-president, has taken over as the acting president after being empowered by the country's parliament to act as head of state in the absence of the nation's ailing president. Both houses of the national assembly on Tuesday voted to install Jonathan as acting leader, until Umaru Yar-Adua declares he is fit enough to return. "The vice-president ... shall henceforth discharge the functions of the office of the president, commander-in-chief of the armed forces of the federation, as acting president," the Senate motion said. But it was not immediately clear if the parliamentary vote had legal sanction, with no provisions in the constitution for the national assembly to take such a step.
Goodluck Jonathan, Nigeria's vice-president, has taken over as the acting president after being empowered by the country's parliament to act as head of state in the absence of the nation's ailing president.
Both houses of the national assembly on Tuesday voted to install Jonathan as acting leader, until Umaru Yar-Adua declares he is fit enough to return.
"The vice-president ... shall henceforth discharge the functions of the office of the president, commander-in-chief of the armed forces of the federation, as acting president," the Senate motion said.
But it was not immediately clear if the parliamentary vote had legal sanction, with no provisions in the constitution for the national assembly to take such a step.
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (BTA) -- Barbados will soon have a direct non-stop flight from South America. Starting Summer 2010, GOL, the second largest airline in Brazil, will operate a Boeing 737 from Sao Paulo to Bridgetown once a week on Saturdays, with same-plane connections to Buenos Aires, Argentina and connections to Rio de Janeiro at no additional cost.
This should have probably gone on the open thread because it is likely of concern to nobody but myself. You can't imagine how happy I am to have an alternate route to flying north to Miami to fly south to Sao Paulo! Jeeezz! Now if GOL could only just add another Barbados - Salvador or Barbados - Recife flight, I would truly be jumping for joy!!! "Beware of the man who does not talk, and the dog that does not bark." Cheyenne
Chile's president-elect Sebastian Pinera has named his cabinet, leaving out any figures linked with the former military ruler, Augusto Pinochet.Instead, he has drawn on business leaders and academics from across the political spectrum. Mr Pinera, a wealthy businessman, is the first conservative elected president since the country's return to democracy 20 years ago. There had been concerns faces from the Pinochet era would return to office. But Mr Pinera has opted for a cabinet packed with independents and technocrats, with no party political affiliation, says the BBC's Gideon Long in Santiago.
Chile's president-elect Sebastian Pinera has named his cabinet, leaving out any figures linked with the former military ruler, Augusto Pinochet.
Instead, he has drawn on business leaders and academics from across the political spectrum.
Mr Pinera, a wealthy businessman, is the first conservative elected president since the country's return to democracy 20 years ago.
There had been concerns faces from the Pinochet era would return to office.
But Mr Pinera has opted for a cabinet packed with independents and technocrats, with no party political affiliation, says the BBC's Gideon Long in Santiago.
