THE HUM - WORLD HEADLINES - JANUARY 5, 2012

Afghanistan 

UN Helps Uzbekistan to Equip Border with Afghanistan

Argentina 

(PHOTO: Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner. Mt Holyoke)Argentine president fine after thyroid cancer surgery

Saudia Arabia's buy 30,000 acres of prime land in Argentina

Australia 

The Melbourne filmmaker, the topless Ukrainian feminists and a brush with the KGB

Bahamas

Standing out from her peers

Bangladesh 

2 Bangladeshi workers die in UAE after falling from hotel  

Botswana 

Botswana nurses eye Namibian jobs

Bulgaria 

Bulgarian Nationalist Party Stops Newspaper, TV Station May Follow Suit

Cambodia 

Thailand, Cambodia agree to implement World Court border order

Chile

(PHOTO: Torres Del Paine, Patagonia. RANDOM FACT)Patagonian wilderness devastated as fire sweeps through Chile’s Torres del Paine

China 

In Chinese trading town, disputes and strains fuel mistrust of India

(PHOTO: China's Vertu `Year of the Dragon' edition phone. VERTU) Vertu's Year of the Dragon phone has roaring price

Christmas Island 

Detainees tell of Christmas Island punishment

Aussie PM Julia Gillard denies tough asylum seeker punishment move

Colombia 

Colombia receives $3.78B in remittances

Comoros

Comoros jails Muslim leader over booze bribe bid

Congo (DRC)

In DRC, Tshisekedi Asks for Protection, UN Tells Him Kabila Is In Change

In DRC, France’s RFI suspended over elections coverage

Congolese Plea for Conflict-Minerals-Free iPhone

Giving Congo's child soldiers a second chance

NBA Players Born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: Fan’s Look

Cook Islands 

Cook Islands fishing company fears Taiwan deal

(PHOTO: The Korgan Hotel in Yiwu in southern China, where two Indian traders were held in detention for two days. THE HINDU)Costa Rica 

100,000,000 Text Messages Sent During Holiday Season

British backpacker accused of murder in Costa Rica

Croatia 

Croatia prepares to join the world wine battle

Cuba

Cuban chess players well positioned in the global ranking

Nordic Brigade of Solidarity Visits Cuban Town

Cyprus

Turkey demands KKTC involvement in Cyprus talks

El Salvador

(PHOTO: Protestors arrest in El Salvador. PRENSA LATINA) Dozens of Demonstrators Arrested in El Salvador 

Ethiopia

The Film Oblivion: How Abduction for Marriage Ended in Ethiopia

New Ethiopian AIDS plan needs men (Perspective)

Falkland Islands

Argentina Ratifies Sovereignty Over Malvinas Islands

(PHOTO: Sappers Hill Corral, the large stone-walled corral, a Falklands’ landmark, remains behind minefield fences. MERCOPRESS)Falklands’ “land release” demining phase begins next week with 18 Zimbabweans

Fiji

UK calls for public dialogue on a new constitution for Fiji

France

French Foreign Minister to Visit Tunisia on January 5th

Gay Tunisian man fears being deported from France

Gaza and West Bank

Hamas Leader Ismail Haniyeh Visits Tunisia

Germany

IDB, Germany to continue to offer development aid to Yemen

Oxfam criticises production of bananas and German Supermarkets 

Guam

GTA TeleGuam Airs Top Asian Networks

Guatemala

Iran’s president adds Guatemala to his tour of four Latin American countries

Guyana

Rural Guyana should get top priority in the planning corridors of Georgetown (Perspective)

Haiti

(PHOTO: Haiti Ambassador Duly Brutus, today assumed the Chair of the OAS Permanent Council for the next 3 months (right), taking over from the Permanent Representative of Guyana, Ambassador Bayney Karran. OAS) Haiti Assumes Chair of OAS Permanent Council

Haiti: From Displacement Camps to Community (Perspective)

Honduras

Unusual heavy rains hit Honduras

Hungary

Hungary’s New Constitution Lacks Rights For Gays, Bans Gay Marriage

India

4-day meet in city to focus on Persian culture

India, Tunisia to take forward MSME co-operation

Hotels Beware of Mixed Olive Oil

Indian businessmen manual to be published in the UAE

“Security wise, we are dependent on Sri Lanka” – Indian External Affairs Minister

Indonesia

Indonesia enjoys relations with almost all UN member states: FM

Iran

Turkey's FM in Iran for talks on nukes, Syria

(PHOTO: A new report says all Italian olive oil, isn't. THE DAILY TELEGRAPH) Iran: Tractor exports up 154%

Ahmadinejad will travel to Tajikistan in Noruz (Persian New Year)

Iranian photographer wins top prize at Slovenian contest

Ireland

Fall in asylum seekers linked to recession and tougher controls

Italy

'Four out of five' bottles of Italian olive oil debased - report

Ivory Coast

Cote d'Ivoire president meets Chinese FM on bilateral ties

Jamaica

Jamaica's first female PM set for office

Japan

Japan and China still at odds over islands (Video)

Japan Fights Virus With Virus

Jordan

(PHOTO: In the UAE, Iran sanctions are impacting traders in marketplaces and souks. THE NATIONAL) Gov't to hold conference on online media regulation 

Kyrgyzstan

Ethnic Kyrgyz Have Trouble Gaining Citizenship In Kyrgyzstan

Laos

PTT increasing investment in green business

Lithuania

Lithuanian office suppliers shun crisis, spur eco-product sales

Macau

Home for Autistic want tertiary college

Malaysia

(PHOTO: Ukraine holidaymakers Sergei (right) extending his gratitude to a Fire & Rescue Services Department officer for the assistance provided as Tanya and Igor look on. THE BORNEO POST) Ukraine holidaymakers safe on shore after ‘little adventure’

Maldives

Government lifts week-long ban on resort spas, massage parlors

Malta

Malta signs bilateral agreement with Saudi Arabia

Mauritania

Man of the Year 2011 in Mauritania

Emir of Qatar expected Thursday in Nouakchott  

Morocco

PJD leads new Moroccan government

Mozambique

Argentine institute to work with Mozambique’s agricultural sector

Myanmar

Burma Celebrates Independence Amid Criticism

Myanmar celebrates 65th independence day

Billionaire George Soros visits Aung San Suu Kyi in Yangon

Namibia

Internet Fraud Cons the Country Out of N$3,5 Million

New Caledonia

New Caledonia government okays new air fares

(PHOTO: Ukraine asks for $9 bln gas discount from Russia to form joint transit consortium. RIA NOVOSTII)New Zealand

North Avocado growers face disaster (Perspective) 

Nicaragua

Nicaragua pursues loan with Venezuela to prevent higher electricity rates

Nigeria

Nigeria’s Archbishop of Abuja Dismisses Civil War Reports

Social Media Ginger Subsidy Protests

Norfolk Island

Air New Zealand to operate Norfolk Island flights

Norway

(PHOTO: The Black Sea © Flickr.com/Hans Dekker)Norway’s Statoil discovers one more oil field in North Sea

Pakistan

Pakistan-Tajikistan Discuss Electricity Exports

Papua New Guinea

Copper Drives Papua New Guinea Island’s Independence Movement

Paraguay

Paraguay Returns Land to Indigenous Peoples of Northern Chaco

Peru

Peru deemed better-positioned in LatAm to face global crisis

Barclays: Peru Needs Systematic Solution to Social Conflicts

(PHOTO: The Dakar Road Rally makes its way through South America.) Dakar Rally places Peru in the spotlight

Philippines

Philippines senator wants more disaster preparedness

Royal Dutch Shell donates $1M for Sendong relief, rehab operations

Poland

Poland orders more Kongsberg missiles from Norway

Qatar

Qatari PM, Ban Ki-Moon discuss US-Iran rhetoric about Gulf, Syria crisis 

Qatar- Drastic cut in carbon emission

Russia

Russian fuel tanker under way for ice-encrusted Nome, Alaska

Tons of scrap to be transported from Russian Arctic in 2012

Saint Kitts & Nevis

St. Kitts-Nevis Moves Closer to Green Energy Goals

(PHOTO: In Korea, robots are now being used to control prisons. YONHAP)Saudi Arabia

Renewed Protests Defy Ban

Saudi poets slam ‘plague’ of extremism and poverty in Million’s Poet show

Seychelles

Chinese Troops In Seychelles (Analysis)

Sierra Leone

Youth Ambassador, entreprenuer Anthony Navo elected as Chairman of AWOL in Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone: Communities Divided Over Mining in Rainforest (Perspective)

Singapore

Singapore Poly transforms classrooms into work spaces

Slovenia

Slovenian court: referendum challenging same-sex ‘marriage,’ adoption law can proceed

(PHOTO: In Singapore, Singapore Poly is using technology to turn classrooms into schools. Singapore POLY) Somalia

Parliamentarians elect new speaker after fist-fight session

Crisis in Somalia: PM Mohamed Ali & his wife speak out

How a Somali rapper became the 'Face of Africa' 

South Africa

SA assumes UN Security Council presidency for second time

Unclear if Mandela will be at ANC party

South Korea

S. Korea adds cyber-security to defense plan

Robots Patrol South Korean Prisons at Night

South Korea’s SK Energy to buy more Iran oil in 2012

Cities of the Future: Songdo, South Korea – Episode 1 (By Cisco)

South Sudan

South Sudan's President Pledges Commitment to Resolve Conflict in Jonglei State

WFP Concerned By Violence In South Sudan

One Year Anniversary of South Sudan Referendum (Perspective)

(PHOTO: Aerial view of Kalma refugee camp in Darfur, Western Sudan. RADIO DABANGA)Spain

How Spain’s version of SOPA is setting the web on fire

Spain Launches Some of the Strongest Anti-Piracy Laws

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka expresses concern over France’s postal service publishing 4 stamps featuring Tamil Tigers

Sri Lanka to conduct population census in March

Private company to develop the Sri Lanka's renewable energy industry

Sri Lanka 4th Best Economy in the World in 3^rd quarter 2011, says report

Sri Lankan Hospitals to Go Paperless

Sri Lankan bank connects its 500th ATM (Press Release)

Sudan

Sudan, South Sudan to Resume Talks on Abyei in Addis Ababa

UN Seeks Access to War-Torn Sudanese States

Kalma refugee camp: no food aid for three months, 15 days

(PHOTO: Sudan shuts a third newspaper, The CItizen. AFRICA REVIEW) Sudan shuts third newspaper in media crackdown

Svalbard and Jan Mayen

Website created for polar bear attack inquiry

Swaziland

Coca-Cola urged to abandon Swaziland’s King Mswati III

Government Makes Small Loans for Young Entrepreneurs to Help Fight Crisis

Poorly performing schools to be under scrutiny

Most nabbed drunk drivers unmarried

Sweden

(PHOTO: Troubled Swedish carmaker Saab may have suitors in India, Turkey)Investors from India, Turkey could still save Saab

Filesharing Now a Religious Practice in Sweden

Gun laws may be tightened: minister

Switzerland

Switzerland's central bank chief accused of insider trading

Madonna Takes Family And Brahim Zaibat Skiing In Switzerland [PHOTOS]

Syria

Syria accuses US of interfering in Arab affairs

Syria, Iran to boost Agricultural Cooperation

Syrian National Council launched its official website

Taiwan

(PHOTO: A mass cycling event, “One Bike One,” in honor of the Taiwanese Republic's anniversary took place on Dec. 31. CENTRAL NEWS AGENCY) Taiwanese Set New Guinness Record for Their Anniversary

Taipei city government to expand Wi-Fi network of free access to Internet

Taiwan sparks up electric bike promotion efforts

Taiwan media regulator wants less Korean content on TV

A First Look at Conde Nast’s WIRED Taiwan

Taiwan's IT wizards turn to the movies

Taiwanese Engineers Arrested For Selling Intel Chips On eBay

Taiwan Mobile expects higher smartphone purchases in 2012

Taiwan's machinery exports likely to hit record high in 2011, surpass Italy

(PHOTO: WIRED Magazine gets ready to launch in Taiwan) Freedom differentiates Taiwan, mainland China: says MAC head

Tajikistan

Uzbekistan cuts gas supply to Tajikistan without notification – Tajik Foreign Ministry

Tanzania

20 Somali Migrants Found Dead in Tanzania

Mobile broadband modernisation underway for Tanzanian operator

Vodacom Tanzania says firm injects $100bn for facelift

Communities empowered to probe extractive investors

Govt, donors urged to fund alternative energy

Aid Agenda:  We Need to go Back to the Basics (Perspective)

Thailand

New Year Road Mishaps Kill 314 in Thailand

Flood situation in southern Thailand still critical

Thailand Gets New Banking Policies

Wanted: About half a million more labourers

Transgender airline staff make inaugural flight in Thailand

(PHOTO: The Ravana Robot, an interactive 10-faced robot that can say greetings via QR Code technology in 4 languages - Thai, English, Chinese, Japanese - is an attraction at the Thailand Pavilion. TAWATCHAI KEMGUMNERD)Robots ready to take centre stage at BoI Fair 2011

'Greater Phuket' Chosen for First Jewish Pesach Festival in Thailand

The Arctic

Russian river water affecting the Arctic – AO shift blamed

The Netherlands

Dutch military on board ship with emergency aid for Somalia

Dutch to fund $36.4m Kilimanjaro Airport facelift

Dutch teen sailor nears end of round-the-world voyage

Togo

15 biofuel plants worth N414bn to come afloat

Tunisia

Tunisia Granted Membership to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

McDonald’s Announces to Set Up New Franchises Soon in Tunisia

(PHOTO: At Kilimanjaro, Tanzania Dutch investment will upgrade the airport. INSIGHT MAGAZINE) International Day of Internet Freedom – A Tunisian Initiative

Turkey

India’s Aditya Birla to invest US$500m in viscose plant in Turkey

Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan's 'Protector' Registers For Presidential Election

Ashgabat Residents Turn Up Noses At Smelly Artificial River

Tuvalu

Sun risk for albino Islanders

Uganda

Uganda launches investigation into "nodding disease"

Kumi Siamese Twins Pass Away

Hearts star David Obua causes fury in poverty-stricken Uganda by building £500k mansion

(PHOTO: In Turkmenistan residents are dealing with an old, smelly river. RFL) Cancer Institute seeks funds for upcountry units

Uganda fights phone fraudsters with registration of SIM cards

Ukraine

Ukraine starts pumping Azerbaijani oil

Ukraine asks for $9 bln gas discount from Russia to form joint transit consortium

Ukraine recognized one of leaders in global food market last year

Only 8% in Ukraine say foreign policy meets their interests

First power plant using gas from household waste launched in Ukraine

Ukraine's jailed opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko kept under 24-hour camera surveillance with lights permanently ON

Daughter Not Allowed To Meet Jailed Ukraine’s Ex-Premier

United Arab Emirates

UAE business  growth slips

Sanctions put squeeze on UAE's Iran traders

(PHOTO: Mariam Al Safar, the 1st Emirati woman train attendant, at work on the Dubai Metro. GULF NEWS) Relatives of Mangalore air crash victims in the UAE hit out against compensation delay

UAE residential market set for growth

Emirates Airlines to launch Vietnam services in June

UAE University to host international conference on Time

Big Solar and Big Wind to Meet in Abu Dhabi for World Future Energy Summit

Emirati woman train attendant breaks the traditional mould

Auschwitz in gym advertisement, removed

Groupama claims the UAE dash in the Volvo Ocean Race

Dh387,988 club bill goes viral

(PHOTO: The Cavalli Club in UAE. Megan Hirons Mahon XPRESS) Young energy leaders prepare for summit

In the UAE, Shopping Bag Doubles as Grocery List in Promo for Tide

Fossil fuel subsidies making biofuels uncompetitive in UAE (Perspective)

United Kingdom

Archbishops commit to ‘listen to England’ in research to launch twin projects

Microsoft sues U.K. retail chain for pirating Windows

UK consumers gave 1.3m e-readers this Christmas

Call for gun law crackdown after cabbie shoots dead girlfriend and two others

UK youths join gangs to escape abuse at home

£400 Million Later, and All UK Eggs are Free-Range or From "Enriched" Cages

(PHOTO: In the UAE where plastic bags are a concern, product giant Tide tries something new. ADAGE) Offshore Wind Spurs UK Renewables Growth

Apple Interested In Bidding For Premier League UK TV Rights, Says Report

Sex, blood and the status quo (Perspective)

United States

Oil Companies Big Winners as U.S. Becomes Net Exporter of Fuel

US State Department sets up counter-terrorism bureau

US Hispanic Consumers  Holiday Shopped on Their Mobil Devices to The Tune of $5.15 Billion

U.S. Taxpayers Cover Nearly Half the Cost of U.N.’s Global Warming Panel - Report

U.S. Education Spending Compared To The Rest Of The Developed World

NORTH KOREA: Kim Jong Eun transition called 'important opening' for religious liberty focus by The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF)

Twitter Founder Biz Stone Speaks about Technology and Empathy at Farm Sanctuary gathering

Sign of the Times – A Photo Shows Romney Backing Vietnam Draft

US cancer deaths continue to drop

Double bubble: U.S. twin birth rates soar since 1980

The President of the United States Joins the Instagram Phenomenon

Uruguay

Mark Zuckerberg’s Outrageous Week in Uruguay

Mark Zuckerberg eligió Punta del Este para continuar con sus vacaciones

Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan: Police Make Rare Admission of Prison Rapes

Web Use Spirals in Uzbekistan Despite Curbs

(PHOTO: Tajikistan says Uzbekistan will pocket $70M more with increase in transit rates. UZBEKISTAN NEWSWIRE)Uzbekistan spikes transit rates to Tajikistan, Tajik Railways says

Vanuatu

Vanuatu police name NZ businessman’s alleged killer

Fijians appear on rape charge

Venezuela

Inmates Keep 1,000 Family Members from Leaving Venezuela Jails

About 200 Venezuelan women to sue French breast implant company

Venezuela Calls on Senior Citizens to Enroll in Mission

Venezuela to Take Measures to Control Weapons  

Police: 1,150 kidnappings in Venezuela in 2011

Polluted water responsible for the Lake Valencia flooding

Telecoms agency closes 27 radio stations in 10 states in 2011

Vietnam

Vietnam urged to free anti-corruption journalist

Vietnam urged to call up private capital for airports and seaports

InternetQ wins Vietnam's mobile marketing contracts

First bird flu outbreak in Vietnam contained in Hau Giang

Vietnam wins first prize at Asia student film festival 

Vietnam chess ace Liem invited to join 2012 London Olympics Torch Relay

Vietnam’s Development Dilemma – Sustainability or exploitation? (Perspective)

Western Sahara

Pan-African Parliament plans to send delegation to occupied Western Sahara

Ahead of Arab Spring ‘Curve’ in Morocco – US takes ‘Giant Leap’ approving use of aid in Western Sahara (Perspective)

Yemen

The International Federation of Journalists urges Yemeni VP to end harassment against newspaper staff

US aid for Yemeni media institutions discussed

Report: Yemeni prime minister plans Gulf tour

Yemen president not US-bound

(PHOTO: In Yemen, Qat is coming under fire. BIKYA MASR)Yemen’s battle against Qat

Zubair volcano (Jemen, Red Sea): New dramatic video shows volcanic eruption forming new island (VIDEO)

Salmon Fishing in the Yemen author Paul Torday: 'The Yemenis said, what’s all this about fish?'

Zambia

India gives Zambia $50 m loan to build health centers

First Quantum suspends production at its copper/gold mine in Zambia due to strike

The Shield of Presidential Immunity

Prisoners suffer eye infections

47 year old Zambian says he has 95 children

Zambia’s C.R.I.$.I.$.rapper invited to attend US Grammy awards

Zambia: Cervical Cancer – ‘A Battle We Can Win’ (Perspective)

Zimbabwe

(PHOTO: Air Zimbabwe airliner. FILE) Again, Air Zimbabwe gets grounded

Serial Rapist Gets 40 Years in Jail

Mystery surrounds diamond ore theft in Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe: Constitution - Drafters Back At Work

Wage Disputes Tense As Firms Reopen

Jobless Nurses - 'Govt Flouting Labour Laws'

'Boeing' Set to Keep You Laughing

WORLD:

BRIC Economic Slowdown Boosts CIVETS Profile

Donors await improved accountability from `Least Developing Countries’ (LDC’s)

Revenue from MENA IPOs down sharply

China and 21 Other Countries to Get iPhone 4S

Asian Social Media Users Create; Western Users Consume [STUDY]

Cussing For Charity – New Twitter App Benefits UNICEF

Climate Change, Migration and Conflict