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Egypt's Morsi signs disputed constitution into law 26 Dec 2012 - 05:46 pm

CAIRO: Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi has signed into law a new constitution voted in despite weeks of opposition protests, but on Wednesday he...

India announces gang-rape inquiry 26 Dec 2012 - 05:44 pm

NEW DELHI: India's government ordered a special inquiry Wednesday into the gang-rape of a student which sparked mass protests, as police announced the...

30 hurt as blast, fire rip through dense Lagos neighbourhood 26 Dec 2012 - 05:39 pm

LAGOS: Fire ripped through a crowded neighbourhood in Nigeria's largest city on Wednesday and wounded at least 30 people after a huge explosion...

Football: PSG's Nene in talks with Besiktas - reports 26 Dec 2012 - 05:38 pm

ISTANBUL: Paris Saint Germain's wantaway Brazilian forward Nene is close to reaching agreement to join Turkish side Besiktas, local press reported here on...

Grounded Kingfisher lacks funding plan - India minister 26 Dec 2012 - 02:52 pm

NEW DELHI: Grounded Indian carrier Kingfisher Airlines has failed to present regulators with a clear funding plan under a proposal to get it...

Arabplast expo opens January 7 in Dubai 26 Dec 2012 - 02:23 pm

DUBAI: Trade show Arabplast 2013 gains importance with the GCC poised to become the world's top producer of petrochemicals and plastic products. The...

Shelling in Syria's Raqqa kills 20, at least 8 children 26 Dec 2012 - 02:10 pm

BEIRUT: Government shelling in the northern Syrian province of Raqqa killed about 20 people, at least 8 of them children, a video posted...

Qatar Exchange down 0.64% 26 Dec 2012 - 02:00 pm

DOHA: The Qatar Exchange down on Wednesday 53.77 points or 0.64% to 8,327.38 points from the previous closing of 8,390.32. The volume of...

Iran bans flights during call to Islamic prayer - report 26 Dec 2012 - 01:18 pm

DUBAI: Iran's parliament has banned on airplanes from flying in the country during the Azan call to Islamic prayer, the semi-official Mehr news...

Strong currency hurts Philippine call centres 26 Dec 2012 - 12:27 pm

MANILA: The peso's rise is hitting call centres in the Philippines, handicapping the global leader in the lucrative business as it combats a...

Kuwait to host international donors' conference for Syria 26 Dec 2012 - 12:15 pm

KUWAIT: Kuwait will host the first international donors' conference for Syria in January 30, 2013. Hosting the conference in Kuwait reflects the Gulf...

Toyota says to sell 9.7 mn vehicles this year, up 22% 26 Dec 2012 - 12:02 pm

TOKYO: Toyota said Wednesday that it expects to sell 9.7 million vehicles globally this year, up 22 percent from 2011 as Japan's biggest...

Iran rejects interference accusation by Gulf Arabs 26 Dec 2012 - 12:01 pm

DUBAI: Iran rejected accusations from Gulf Arab states that it was meddling in their affairs, saying those countries were "running away from reality",...

UAE supports 'non-sectarian' change in Syria: FM 26 Dec 2012 - 11:59 am

ABU DHABI: The UAE supports a "non-sectarian" change in power in war-hit Syria, the WAM official news agency quoted the Gulf state's foreign...

Egypt's communications minister resigns 26 Dec 2012 - 11:06 am

CAIRO: Egypt's Minister of Communications and Information Technology Hani Mahmoud announced his resignation on Wednesday. He noted that Prime Minister Dr. Hisham Qandil...

Bangladesh slaughters 150,000 birds over avian flu 26 Dec 2012 - 10:01 am

DHAKA: Bangladesh's livestock authorities are slaughtering around 150,000 chickens at a giant poultry farm near Dhaka after the worst outbreak of avian flu...

Tokyo stocks close 1.49% higher 26 Dec 2012 - 09:26 am

TOKYO: Tokyo stocks closed 1.49 percent higher Wednesday, as the yen tumbled on speculation that Japan's new premier Shinzo Abe would keep up...

World's longest bullet train service launched in China 26 Dec 2012 - 09:18 am

BEIJING: China launched service Wednesday on the world's longest high-speed rail route, the latest milestone in the country's rapid and -- sometimes troubled...