Protests and disruption by Thailand's People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) entered their third day with an invasion and forced shutdown of Bangkok's main international airport. The yellow-shirted demonstrators are reportedly in full control of Suvarnabhumi Airport, leaving between 3,000 and 4,000 travellers stranded and incoming flights diverted. The PAD have vowed to remain in the airport disrupting flights until the Prime Minister, Somchai Wongsawat, stands down.
Originally blocking the six-lane motorway approach to the airport, the protest
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Scores of people have been killed, and many more wounded, in what appear to have been coordinated attacks by gunmen wielding automatic weapons and hand grenades. The attacks began around 10:30 p.m. IST in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
Police reports indicate at least 80 deaths and a further 900 injured. More conservative estimates place the death toll at 78 with over 200 injured. Among the dead is believed to be Anti Terrorist Squad chief Hemant Karkare.
According to television reports, a little-known group calling itself the Deccan
Billing their campaign of disruption as the 'King Taksin operation', the Thai anti-government People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) succeeded yesterday in having the day's parliamentary session cancelled. In moving into the second day of blockades and protests, they have expanded their operations to disrupt government business.
Taksin (not to be confused with the fugitive ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra) was an 18th century Siamese monarch noted for his prowess in warfare, the unification of Thailand, and expelling Burmese influence. One tale of his
The Rudd Labor government introduced its "fair work" bill into the House of Representatives today, effectively dismantling the former government's WorkChoices industrial relations platform. The Australian Labor party campaigned heavily on abolishing WorkChoices at the 2007 election.
The bill was presented to parliament by deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Industrial Relations, Julia Gillard. Introducing her government's bill, Ms Gillard said "Over a century ago at Federation, Australians decided that we would be different to other nations
In the southern Brazilian state of Santa Catarina, floods have left 84 people dead and another 54,000 homeless. Heavy rainfall in recent days caused landslides that have blocked roads and destroyed homes in the region. Eight towns have been cut off by flood waters, and some 160,000 people were left without electricity.
Emergency workers have been using boats and helicopters to try and reach those that have been stranded. Heavy rains have affected a large portion of southern Brazil, but Santa Catarina has seen the worst of the bad weather.
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A man has come forward to say he is the owner of a Thai ship that was being hijacked by pirates then sunk by the Indian navy. The incident took place in the Gulf of Aden, off the coast of the African nation of Somalia on November 18. The owner, Wicharn Sirichaiekawat, says that the boat was a fishing trawler, but the pirates had just got on board the vessel when it was fired upon.
The Indian Navy had claimed that the INS Tabar attacked the vessel because they believed it to be a "pirate mother ship". They also said that the ship was preparing
The UK Government has announced that it is cutting the rate of Value Added Tax (VAT) by 2.5 percentage points, to 15%, in a move to get consumers spending again.
This move, along other tax cuts, is going to require the government to increase borrowing to record levels, according to experts cited by BBC News.
Gordon Brown, the UK Prime Minister, has stated, "I don't see this as a gamble, I see this as necessary, responsible action, that any sensible government would want to take."
"Those people who say do nothing now, would leave people, as i
The Calgary Stampeders have won the 96th Grey Cup in Montreal, Canada on Sunday after defeating the Montreal Alouettes by a 22-14 score. Five field goals from placekicker Sandro DeAngelis were instrumental in Calgary's victory as was the game's Most Valuable Player, Henry Burris who scored a second-quarter touchdown. The Stampeders last won the Cup in 2001 against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in Montreal, the last time Calgary appeared in a Grey Cup championship.
The Canadian Football League (CFL) championship game was held at Montreal's Olympic
Polls have closed across Venezuela Sunday. The polls will elect mayors, governors and legislators across the country, and are considered by Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez's opponents and supporters as a potentially important political gain or loss since Chavez's failed constitutional referendums last year.
One of the year-old referenda would have allowed the President of Venezuela to be re-elected indefinitely, which was narrowly defeated in late 2007. So it comes as no surprise that Chávez's supporters and opponents alike regard the new pol
Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez's party won a majority of states during this Sunday's election, although his opposition has made important headway. The election has been regarded as a test of Chávez's influence after his failed constitutional overhaul last year.
The president and many of his supporters declared this election a victory, although the opposition has laid equal claim to political progress. Pro-Chávez candidates held on to 17 gubernatorial posts, a majority of the 22 up for election, but the opposition has won five states, includi
At 10:30pm on November 23, 2008, near the airport in McGregor, Texas, Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX) tested their new Falcon 9 rocket at full thrust for nearly 3 minutes (160 seconds). The engineers then shut down two of the nine engines — in order to limit potential damage to the launch pad — and continued the test for 18 more seconds before finally shutting the rocket down. "We ran the engines just like they would run during flight, but instead of being up in the air, they were held down. They weren’t moving," said Lauren
Although Israel briefly lifted its blockade of crossings in the Gaza Strip today, United Nations (UN) officials warn that a further blockade could lead to dire consequences for some 750,000 Gazans who rely on UN food aid. Israel blockaded the Gaza Strip in early November, preventing access for UN aid workers and journalists.
The border crossing was opened to allow some food aid and medical supplies through, however, United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) spokesman Christopher Gunness warned that "it is just not enough."
The UNRWA also
