Iran appears to advance in construction of Arak nuclear plant

VIENNA (Reuters) - Iran appears to be advancing in its construction of a research reactor Western experts say could offer the Islamic state a second way of producing material for a nuclear bomb, if it decided to embark on such a course, a U.N. report showed. Iran has almost completed installation of cooling and moderator circuit piping in the heavy water plant near the town of Arak, the...

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Gossip scandal erupts in Vatican ahead of Pope's exit

VATICAN CITY: With just days to go before Pope Benedict XVI's resignation, the Vatican is battling persistent rumours that his decision was triggered by an explosive report on intrigue in its corridors of power.The secret report compiled by a committee of three cardinals for the Pope's eyes only was the result of a wide-ranging investigation into leaks of confidential papers from the Vatican...

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Afzal's family hasn't approached us: Tihar DG

NEW DELHI: The family of Afzal Guru, who was hanged two weeks ago at Tihar jail, has not yet approached the prison authorities to pray at his grave though the government has made the offer for his close relatives. "We have not received any letter from Guru's family in this regard," Director General of Tihar Prisons Vimla Mehra told reporters. The government has already said it will allow Guru's close...

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Flu shot doing poor job of protecting older people

ATLANTA (AP) — It turns out this year's flu shot is doing a startlingly dismal job of protecting older people, the most vulnerable age group.The vaccine is proving only 9 percent effective in those 65 and older against the harsh strain of the flu that is predominant this season, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday.Health officials are baffled as to why this is so. But the...

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Oscar Pistorius Sobs as Bail Ruling Is Expected

The fourth and likely final day of the bail hearing for Oscar Pistorius, the Olympian accused of murdering his girlfriend Feb. 14, opened with arguments from the prosecution that the runner's version of events is improbable and the defense countering that Pistorius had no intent to kill the woman.Pistorius, who gained global acclaim for racing at the 2012 London Olympics, shot...

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Genting Singapore's Q4 net profit drops 38%

SINGAPORE: Casino operator Genting Singapore's fourth quarter net profit fell 38 per cent to S$162.2 million, due mainly to one-time property write-offs. Its adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization slipped 6 per cent to S$369.3 million. The group reported a revenue of S$792 million in the October to December period, up from S$786 million from a year ago. ...

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Trade unions warn of bigger agitation

NEW DELHI: Major trade unions on Thursday warned the central government of bigger agitation in the country, describing the two-day national strike as "the beginning of the chapter"."The two-day countrywide agitation has been successful but we will launch a bigger agitation and this is only a beginning of the chapter," All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) general secretary Gurudas Dasgupta told...

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Adults get 11 percent of calories from fast food

ATLANTA (AP) — On an average day, U.S. adults get roughly 11 percent of their calories from fast food, a government study shows.That's down slightly from the 13 percent reported the last time the government tried to pin down how much of the American diet is coming from fast food. Eating fast food too frequently has been seen as a driver of America's obesity problem.For the research, about 11,000 adults...

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Lead Pistorius Cop Facing Attempted Murder Charge

Hilton Botha, the detective at the center of the Oscar Pistorius murder case, is facing his own attempted murder charges in connection with a 2011 shooting in which he and other police officers allegedly fired a gun at passengers in a vehicle.Botha is scheduled to appear in court in May on seven counts of attempted murder in connection to the October 2011 incident in which he...

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Bulgarian government resigns amid growing protests

SOFIA (Reuters) - Bulgaria's government resigned on Wednesday after violent nationwide protests against high power prices, joining a long list of European administrations felled by austerity during Europe's debt crisis. Prime Minister Boiko Borisov, a former bodyguard who swept to power in 2009 on pledges to root out corruption and raise living standards in the European Union's poorest...

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