National World

India's PM blames wave of violence on extremists

The Indian prime minister warned Monday that a recent wave of bloodshed that has left scores dead across India threatens the "fundamental underpinnings" of the world's largest democracy.

China lawmaker quits beauty contest after outcry

An ambitious young Chinese politician has withdrawn from a Hong Kong beauty pageant following withering criticism from commentators online, state media reported Monday.

Germany, Italy push EU to resume talks with Russia

Germany and Italy want the European Union to resume talks on a political and economic pact with Russia that were frozen owing to Moscow's war with Georgia.

Italian police arrest 5 in anti-mob raids

Italian police say they have arrested five people, including the mayor of a small town, for suspected ties to the local mob.

Swiss find melamine in Thai, Sri Lankan biscuits

Swiss authorities say they have found high concentrations of melamine in biscuits from Thailand and Sri Lanka and have called on other European countries to withdraw the products.

EU meets Belarus' foreign minister to ease tension

The European Union held its first high-level talks in four years with internationally isolated Belarus on Monday, hoping to boost democratic progress in a nation still viewed by many as the continent's last dictatorship.

Iraq: Christian businessman killed in Mosul

A Christian music store owner was shot to death in Mosul, Iraqi police said Monday - the latest in a series of killings that has caused thousands of members of the religious minority to flee the northern city.

Military: Clashes in Sri Lanka kill 30 combatants

Sri Lankan soldiers attacked Tamil Tiger rebel bunkers along the northern front lines triggering gunbattles that killed 27 guerrillas and three soldiers, the military said Monday.

UK university holds artificial intelligence test

Computers argued, cracked jokes and parried trick questions Sunday, all part of an annual test of artificial intelligence carried out at the University of Reading.

Loebner Prize

University of Reading

Thai, Cambodian ministers fail to solve border row

Cambodian and Thai foreign ministers on Monday failed to solve a border dispute that recently erupted into a brief military clash.

Israel closes West Bank for Sukkot holiday

Israel has shut down entry from the West Bank during the weeklong Sukkot holiday.

SKorea considering expanding inter-Korean projects

South Korea is considering expanding cross-border projects with North Korea following major progress in an international standoff over the communist country's nuclear program, an official said Monday.

British banks to get cash infusion from government

Britain will inject around 37 billion pounds ($63 billion) of money into three of the country's largest banks, the government said Monday, in a bid to save the banking system from collapse amid the global financial crisis. The move will leave the British taxpayer as the largest shareholder in the banks.

Al-Maliki: British troops not necessary

Iraq's prime minister said the 4,100 British troops in southern Iraq are no longer necessary to provide security, a newspaper reported Monday.

Official: Gunmen shoot at US consulate in Mexico

Assailants opened fire on the U.S. consulate in the northern Mexican city of Monterrey, a Mexican official said.

Paul Krugman wins the Nobel economics prize

American Paul Krugman won the Nobel economics prize on Monday for his analysis of trade patterns and locations of economic activity.

http://www.nobelprize.org

15 reported killed in Pakistan fighting

Clashes between Taliban militants and pro-government forces killed 15 people overnight in a Pakistani region on the border with Afghanistan, an official and a tribal elder said Monday.

5 more Taliban killed in Afghanistan clash

The U.S. coalition says its troops have killed five Taliban militants in a raid in central Afghanistan.

Thabo Mbeki to Zimbabwe to mediate new crisis

With Zimbabwe's political power-sharing deal in jeopardy, South Africa's former president Thabo Mbeki planned crisis talks Monday with both sides in Harare.

China dairy sued over infant's toxic milk death

The family of a baby whose death has been blamed on toxic milk filed suit against one of China's largest dairies Monday, while another dairy ensnared in the scandal said it was a victim of unscrupulous subcontractors.

Philippine leader wants summit to tackle economy

The Philippine president is calling on Asian leaders meeting in Beijing next week to convene a special session to tackle the impact of the global economic crisis.