VOA News - Obama to Push Free Trade at APEC Summit, Nov 13, 2011

"U.S. President Barack Obama formally opens a summit in Hawaii of Asia-Pacific leaders on Sunday, one day after securing agreement on the outlines of a deal to create a huge Pacific Rim free trade zone.
Obama will hold talks with the leaders of 20 other nations that make up the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum. A summit statement due late in the day is expected to praise the outline agreement and give voice to concerns that Europe's festering debt crisis could destabilize Asia-Pacific economies."

VOA News - Mario Monti to Lead Italy's New Government, Nov 13, 2011

"Italy's new premier-designate economist Mario Monti walks past a Cuirassier presidential guard at the Quirinale Presidential Palace in Rome after talks with Italian President Giorgio Napolitano, Sunday, Nov. 13, 2011.
Italy's new prime minister-designate, economist Mario Monti, says he will work quickly to form a new government.
Mr. Monti made the comments late Sunday after Italian President Giorgio Napolitano picked the former European Union competition commissioner to lead the country out of a debt crisis."

INDIA Today - Roebuck was questioned about an alleged sexual assault, Nov 13, 2011

"Renowned cricket writer Peter Roebuck took the extreme step of committing suicide after being questioned by police about an alleged sexual assault, media reports said on Sunday.
A report in the Sydney Morning Herald, a newspaper in which Roebuck's columns appeared regularly, said a Cape Town detective and a uniformed police officer from the sexual crimes unit began speaking with Roebuck in his hotel room about 9pm.
Roebuck then sought help from a fellow cricket journalist by saying, 'Can you come down to my room quickly? I've got a problem' and it is believed only the uniformed officer was in the room, according to the report."

INDIA Today - Taliban militants blow up girls school in Pakistan : Pakistan News, Nov 13, 2011

"Suspected Taliban militants blew up a government girls primary school at Swabi in northwest Pakistan, police said on Sunday.
The militants planted two bombs at the school in a village in Swabi district that went off late on Saturday.
Three rooms of the school were damaged though there were no casualties.
Taliban fighters have blown up scores of schools across Pakistan's restive northwest in the past three years.
The militants are opposed to the education of girls. Media reports say more than 40,000 girls have been deprived of education in the region."

INDIA Today - Can India's growth tackle its many ills, debates WEF panel : India News, Nov 13, 2011

"India is witnessing a growing gender imbalance, abysmally low investments in education, high tolerance to corruption and poverty. Can the path to high GDP growth address such social and cultural issues?
The answer actually lies in the neighbouring Chinese economy where the GDP growth touched nearly 10 per cent on an average in the last three decades. Imagine China, known as the factory to the world, importing brides from neighbouring Laos, Cambodia and South Korea! That is actually true.
So how will Indian values continue to shape and be shaped by the country's distinct growth story? That questions was deliberated on by the panelists and delegates from all over the world at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Mumbai on Sunday."

XINHUA NET- Millions of Syrians nationwide rally against the Arab League, Nov 13, 2011

"Tens of thousands of Syrians flocked Sabe Bahrat square in downtown Damascus, Nov. 13, 2011 to express anger over the Arab League (AL) decision taken a day earlier to suspend the activities of Syrian delegation in the pan-Arab body. Most Syrian cities witnessed similar protests. (Xinhua/Bassim)
DAMASCUS, Nov.13 (Xinhua) -- Millions of Syrians on Sunday thronged main squares and streets in various Syrian cities to lend support to their embattled President Bashar al-Assad and to express discontent with the Arab League (AL) decision to suspend Syria's membership."

BRUNEI TIMES - HM arrives in Hawaii for Apec summit, Nov 13, 2011

"HIS Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam yesterday morning touched down on the Pacific island of Oahu, where the United States is hosting this year's Apec summit meetings and hopes to propel trade pact negotiations involving the Sultanate.
Landing in succession along other leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) at the Hickam Air Force Base, His Majesty the Sultan's Flight (HMSF) arrived on schedule as ground crew, US secret service and army personnel secured the area."

MATANGI TONGA - NZ supports building of $12m Solar Farm for Tongatapu, Nov 13, 2011

"The construction of a $12 million Solar Farm on Tongatapu, began with an official groundbreaking ceremony at the Popua Power Station on Thursday, 10 November.
When the Popua Solar Farm is completed and comes into full operation by July 2012, Tonga Power Ltd. expects it to generate 1,880 megawatt hours of electricity per annum, or about 4% of Tongatapu's total electricity demand.
The Solar Farm is a step toward the Tonga government's target, set in its Energy Roadmap 2010-20 to produce 50% of its electricity from renewable sources."

SAMOA NEWS - College to host Miss ASCC Pageant this Saturday night (Nov 12, 2011), Nov 13, 2011

"The American Samoa Community College (ASCC) will hold the 2011-2012 Miss ASCC Pageant this Saturday, November 12, beginning at 7 p.m. in the Gymnasium. Eight exceptional young ladies, each nominated by one of the College's student clubs, will compete for the Miss ASCC title.
A tradition at the College since the 1970s, the Miss ASCC title holder represents the institution at public events and acts as a model of exemplary student conduct. This year's eight contestants come from a wide variety of backgrounds reflecting the diverse interests among today's ASCC students. Each contestant chooses a "platform" or agenda they wish to pursue should they win the competition."

INDIA Today - Iran and IAEA fight over nuclear bomb allegations, Nov 13, 2011

"The UN nuclear watchdog showed letters and satellite images on Friday as part of evidence pointing to military dimensions to Iran's atomic activities, diplomats said, but Tehran's envoy dismissed it as lousy intelligence work.
Herman Nackaerts, head of nuclear inspections worldwide at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), made an hour- long technical presentation of the agency's latest report on Iran's nuclear programme at a closed-door meeting for member states.
The hotly anticipated document, released last Tuesday, said Iran appeared to have worked on designing an atomic bomb and that secret research may continue."

XINHUA NET - EU foreign policy chief, Nov 13, 2011inaugurates office in Libyan capital

"TRIPOLI, Nov. 12 (Xinhua) -- Visiting European Union (EU) foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton on Saturday inaugurated the new headquarters of EU's delegation in the Libyan capital of Tripoli, and called for strengthened bilateral ties in the future.
"It's a great pleasure for me to be in Libya to open the new headquarters of EU delegation," EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Ashton said, after talks with Mustafa Abdul-Jalil, Chairman of Libya's now ruling National Transitional Council (NTC)." 

NZ HERALD - End of an era: Berlusconi resigns, Nov 13, 2011

"Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi has resigned after parliament's lower chamber passed European-demanded reforms, ending a 17-year political era and setting in motion a transition aimed at bringing the country back from the brink of economic crisis.
A chorus of Handel's Alleluia, performed by a few dozen singers and classical musicians, rang out in front of the president's palace as thousands of Italians poured into downtown Rome to rejoice at the end of Berlusconi's scandal-marred reign."

FIJI LIVE - Damudamu back in England 7s squad, No 13, 2011

"Fijian-born soldier in the British Army, Isoa Damudamu has been recalled in England Sevens 12-man experienced squad for the start of the HSBC Sevens World Series in Australia.
Damudamu who has been out of action since last February’s New Zealand’s 7s in Wellington joins eight of the 2010 Dubai title winners heading for the new opening venue of the expanded global event on the Gold Coast on November 25-26."

FIJI LIVE - Picture Gallery, Nov 13, 2011

 

" A model displays a creation by designer Lana Smith during the Fiji Fashion Week at TappooCity in Suva.Smith won the Emerging Designer and Designer of the Year award during the event. Photo Avikash Chand"