China arrests 89 for armed trafficking of drugs

 Police have busted an armed trafficking ring in the northeastern Chinese province of Jilin, arresting 89 suspects as part of a campaign to clamp down on illegal drugs.

Police nabbed the ring's leader, whose pseudonym is Liang Si, and his subordinates after they traced the ring's activities across the country from northern Heilongjiang Province to Sichuan Province in southwestern China.

Nearly 2 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, commonly known as "ice," were seized during the police raid, said officials with the provincial public security department. Two handguns, eight vehicles and 400,000 yuan (about 61,538 U.S. dollars) were also confiscated.

Officials declined to disclose the details of the case, saying the investigation is still underway.

Jilin started a three-month campaign to crack down on drug-related crimes on May 1. Police have arrested 329 suspects, some of whom were allegedly involved in smuggling illegal drugs across China's border. More than 126 kilograms of illegal drugs have been seized so far.

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Australian scientists find new species of frog in Cape York Peninsula

Australian scientists on Friday said they have discovered a new species of frog in Cape York Peninsula in far north Queensland.

The researchers also located a colony of rare rock wallabies in the region that until now had never been photographed.

The expedition, which has took scientists two years time to complete, aimed to survey 200,000 hectares of extensive intact ecosystems in Cape York Peninsula not yet studied by scientists.

Pew Environment Group spokesman Barry Traill, who is part of the team, said it is the first time researchers have documented the wide range of species in the region, with 263 native species recorded.

Forty-six of the species are mammals, 140 species are birds, 25 types are amphibians and 52 are reptiles.

Some of the species are considered threatened, while the researchers also identified a new species of frog.

According to Simon Kennedy, the lead biologist on the survey, discovering the new species was "incredibly exciting".

"It's something of a scientist's dream to be able to go into an area and come face to face with a species that's not in your field guide, that's not even in your books, that's not even in the scientific literature - amazing, almost indescribable," he told ABC News on Friday.

As well as the frog, scientists came face to face with a population of the little-known Cape York rock wallaby, a threatened species of global significance.

"I believe it is the last kangaroo species in Australia never to have been photographed. All we had was until now, even in 2011, was paintings of the species," Kennedy said.

The region is a protected area under the national reserve system, and the only way the survey was recorded is thanks to the partnership between researchers and the local Indigenous group, the Northern Kaanju people.

Traditional owner and chairman of the Chuulangun Aboriginal Corporation David Claudie said the Indigenous people in the area helped the scientist make new discoveries, and the working relationship has helped scientists to deliver results of global significance.

Cape York Peninsula is a large remote peninsula located in Far North Queensland at the tip of the state of Queensland, Australia, the largest unspoilt wilderness in eastern Australia and one of the last remaining wilderness areas on Earth.

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4 killed in U.S. drone strike in NW Pakistan

 At least four people were killed as U.S. drones fired two missiles at a vehicle in the Miranshah area of North Waziristan in northwest Pakistan Friday evening, reported local Urdu TV channel Duniya.

Earlier reports by Duniya said the target was a house, but it was later confirmed that the target was a vehicle suspected of carrying militants. The missiles fired by U.S. drones also completely destroyed a nearby house, said the report.

Friday's U.S. drone strike is the 31st of its kind in Pakistan since 2011. Since this year, at least 225 people have reportedly been killed in such strikes, most of which were launched in North Waziristan, a place believed to be a stronghold of militants along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border area.

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Russia calls on UN, AU to use peacekeeping potential to resolve Libya crisis

The Russian Foreign Ministry said Friday that it is important to activate political and diplomatic efforts to resolve the Libya crisis by using the peacekeeping potential of the U.N. and African Union (AU).

Moscow's concern was growing over coalition forces' actions in Libya that go beyond the mandate of the U.N. Security Council's Resolution 1973, Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich told a press briefing here.

Therefore, Russia thinks that "it is important to intensify political and diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving the crisis with the help of the peacekeeping potential of the U.N. and AU as much as possible," he said.

Meanwhile, Lukashevich said Russia has urged not to substitute the U.N. Security Council's mandate on Libya by the other alliances' actions, be it NATO or the contact group on Libya.

"NATO's arguments, which claimed that the use of force is legitimate because it has been approved by the block's 28 countries, look unconvincing," Lukashevich said.

The Russian ministry insists that all decisions concerning a settlement in Libya could only be controlled by the Security Council, because that body has made the decisions.

Russia also believed that the actions of the International Criminal Court against Muamar Gaddafi must correspond with international laws, including immunity of top state officials, Lukashevich said.

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Russia calls on UN, AU to use peacekeeping potential to resolve Libya crisis

The Russian Foreign Ministry said Friday that it is important to activate political and diplomatic efforts to resolve the Libya crisis by using the peacekeeping potential of the U.N. and African Union (AU).

Moscow's concern was growing over coalition forces' actions in Libya that go beyond the mandate of the U.N. Security Council's Resolution 1973, Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich told a press briefing here.

Therefore, Russia thinks that "it is important to intensify political and diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving the crisis with the help of the peacekeeping potential of the U.N. and AU as much as possible," he said.

Meanwhile, Lukashevich said Russia has urged not to substitute the U.N. Security Council's mandate on Libya by the other alliances' actions, be it NATO or the contact group on Libya.

"NATO's arguments, which claimed that the use of force is legitimate because it has been approved by the block's 28 countries, look unconvincing," Lukashevich said.

The Russian ministry insists that all decisions concerning a settlement in Libya could only be controlled by the Security Council, because that body has made the decisions.

Russia also believed that the actions of the International Criminal Court against Muamar Gaddafi must correspond with international laws, including immunity of top state officials, Lukashevich said.

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NATO planes attack eight Libyan warships

A boat is seen on fire at the port of Tripoli after NATO air strikes targeted the port of the Libyan capital on May 20, 2011. 

BRUSSELS, May 20 (Xinhua) -- NATO fighter jets attacked eight warships of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's forces, NATO said on Friday.

NATO continued its airstrikes against the Libyan government troops with a coordinated strike against Gaddafi's forces in the ports of Tripoli, Al Khums and Sirte, NATO said in a statement.

"Overnight, NATO aircraft hit pro-Gaddafi warships, striking eight vessels," said Rear Admiral Russell Harding, deputy commander of NATO's Libya operations.

NATO said Gaddafi's forces have been laying mines at ports and trying to disrupt humanitarian aid.

Meanwhile, the building of Libya's intelligence agency in Tripoli was bombed early Friday.

Four loud explosions were heard and a Xinhua reporter saw the building of the External Security agency was on fire in the eastern Tajoura district.

Casualties from the latest bombing were not immediately known.

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There is no eurozone debt crisis: OECD chief

The secretary-general of the Orgnization for Economic Cooperation and Development on Friday voiced confidence in the euro's bright future, saying the current debt problem should not be called a "eurozone debt crisis."

"There is no eurozone debt crisis except in the larger sense of being an OECD debt -- not crisis -- but debt problem, debt challenge," Angel Gurria said at OECD headquarters in Paris.

"The OECD has 100 percent debt to GDP ratio today and that's obviously unsustainable," he said, "Problem, it's still growing!"

However, European countries have respective problems not linking to the others, Gurria said.

To explain the current situation, the OECD chief laid out five main challenges for Spain: deficit, the flexibility of labor market, pensions and retirements, financial system, and the collective bargaining. He said most of Spain's problems are being addressed.

Spain is among some other European countries apart from Greece, Ireland and Portugal, which also have risks to weigh down the euro zone debt burden.

According to the OECD chief, the current problem is tricky to solve in a short time as each country has its own reason for its present situation. Meanwhile, new problematic issues continue to come in, therefore "rounds of efforts" are needed, which should take time, Gurria said.

"There is general problem of fiscal consolidation of bringing down the debt levels of all the countries," Gurria said. "But there are only three countries (Greece, Ireland and Portugal) that have problems of public finance for different reasons."

"From my point of view, the Europeans now, they are building a very strong safety net, but they are also working on making sure that nobody has to use the safety net," he said, referring to around 1trillion euros approved last week by Euroepan leaders as a huge rescue package to regain credibility with investors.

While admitting the debt-related problems are detrimental to the euro, the OECD chief insisted it is "not in the sense of saying that the euro is in danger ... the euro is going to continue to grow, the euro is going to have more members joining the zone, the euro is going to continue to be more and more a reserve currency in the world ... and they are going to be addressing these issues."

"The problem is that, Frankly, they don't have a lot of experience in dealing with that crisis in Europe," he said. "But now they changed the rules and they are addressing it."

Debt problems have troubled the euro zone and even the European Union for months since Greece's sovereign debt risks default. Government leaders and the International Monetary Fund are seeking ways to prevent a Greek default, which has the market widely concerned.

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Russia has no information on Iran-DPRK military cooperation

Russia has no information on military cooperation, including the development of missile technology, between Iran and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the Foreign Ministry said Friday.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said there is no verifiable information that Iran and DPRK cooperate or exchange missile technologies in violation of U.N. sanctions.

"Such suggestions have been made by various experts judging from visual characteristics of the missiles these countries possess," the diplomat said. "This is not a convincing evidence."

The diplomat called it "absolutely intolerable" that classified reports prepared by U.N. experts have been made public. He said the reports were deliberately made confidential to not allow any incorrect interpretation of the sensitive facts they contained.

Earlier this month, a leaked report suggested that Iran and DPRK have been trading ballistic missile technology on regular flights. The report was submitted to the U.N. Security Council by an expert panel that has been monitoring the DPRK's compliance with U.N. sanctions since 2006.

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Gaza group rejects U.S. terror classification decision

A Gaza-based extremist group on Friday rejected a recent U.S. decision that labeled it a foreign terrorist group.

"We completely reject this decision and consider it unfair," said a spokesman for the Army of Islam, calling himself Abu Al- Abbas. "This American decision only aims at harming Islam," he said.

The U.S. State Department said the group was responsible for kidnapping Americans, Britons, New Zealanders over the past few years in the Gaza Strip. It noted the group, comprising former members of various Palestinian groups, threatened the security of Israel and Egypt.

The al-Qaida-inspired group appeared in 2006, when it joined the Islamic Hamas movement in capturing an Israeli soldier in a cross-border raid near Gaza. A year later, Hamas took over the Gaza Strip by force. The State Department did not mention anything about the kidnapping of soldier Gilad Shalit.

Abu Al-Abbas said his people did not use Arab lands near Gaza in their attacks on Israel. Earlier this year, Egypt, then in the final days of former President Hosni Mubarak's rule, accused the Army of Islam of being responsible for a deadly attack at an Alexandria church on the eve of the New Year.

A Brussels-based conflict and politics research organization, the International Crisis Group, said recently that ties between Hamas and Jihadist groups in Gaza have shifted from cooperation to confrontation.

The first confrontation was in 2009 when one of these pro-Qaida groups defied Hamas' rule and declared an Islamic emirate in the southern Gaza Strip town of Rafah. Hamas crushed the group after hours of deadly clashes.

In April, Hamas also killed two members of a similar group after they captured and killed a pro-Palestinian Italian activist, Vittorio Arrigoni, also in Gaza.

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Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau -- wild animal paradise

  File photo taken on May 27, 2010 shows patrol members are on duty to protect wild animals in Nyima County of Ngari Prefecture, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. As the place closest to heaven, the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, also known as the roof of the world, is a paradise to such wild animals as Tibetan antelopes, wild yaks and wild Tibetan donkeys. In 1988, the Tibet Autonomous Region government drew up a series of implementation methods to protect its wild animals, following the suit of the central government's issuing of Wild Animal Protection Law. Ever since, governments at all levels in Tibet have worked hard to protect wildlife, by means of making laws and regulations, establishing nature reserves, prohibiting hunting in certain areas or in a certain period of the year, while launching publicity campaigns to popularize knowledge on wildlife protection among the general public. Related authorities also organize scientific expedition once a year for wildlife protection. Both the number of Tibetan antelopes and black-necked cranes more than doubled by 2007 to 150,000 and 6,000 respectively as compared to that in the 1990s. In 2010, the number of large and medium size animals living in Tibet topped the other Chinese provinces with the number of wild animals ranking the third in China.

File photo taken on May 10, 2011 shows a patrol troop is on duty to protect wild animals in Ngari Prefecture of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. As the place closest to heaven, the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, also known as the roof of the world, is a paradise to such wild animals as Tibetan antelopes, wild yaks and wild Tibetan donkeys.

 File photo taken on May 18, 2006 shows a Tibetan antelope feeds near the Qinghai-Tibet railway in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. In order to reduce the negative impact of the railway construction on the lives of wild animals, special passageways were built for wild animals to cross the railway. The Tibetan antelopes, a first class national level protected animal, live on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau at an average altitude of 4,600 to 6,000 meters. China once had millions of Tibetan antelopes, but excessive hunting and human encroachment on their habitat caused their population to plummet in past decades. As the place closest to heaven, the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, also known as the roof of the world, is a paradise to such wild animals as Tibetan antelopes, wild yaks and wild Tibetan donkeys.

File photo taken on May 3, 2011 shows galloping Tibetan antelopes in Qiangtang national nature reserve in Ngari Prefecture, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. As the place closest to heaven, the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, also known as the roof of the world, is a paradise to such wild animals as Tibetan antelopes, wild yaks and wild Tibetan donkeys.

 File photo taken on May 20, 2010 shows armed police launches a campaign to protect wild animals in Rutog County of Ngari Prefecture, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. 

File photo taken on May 10, 2011 shows a patrol troop is on duty to protect wild animals in Ngari Prefecture of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. As the place closest to heaven, the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, also known as the roof of the world, is a paradise to such wild animals as Tibetan antelopes, wild yaks and wild Tibetan donkeys.

  File photo taken on Oct. 11, 1999 shows wild yaks running on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. As the place closest to heaven, the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, also known as the roof of the world, is a paradise to such wild animals as Tibetan antelopes, wild yaks and wild Tibetan donkeys.

File photo taken on July 30, 2009 shows galloping Tibetan wild donkeys in Qiangtang national nature reserve in Ngari Prefecture, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. As the place closest to heaven, the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, also known as the roof of the world, is a paradise to such wild animals as Tibetan antelopes, wild yaks and wild Tibetan donkeys.

File photo taken on Jan. 17, 2009 shows a bird view of snow-capped mountains in Lhokha Prefecture, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. As the place closest to heaven, the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, also known as the roof of the world, is a paradise to such wild animals as Tibetan antelopes, wild yaks and wild Tibetan donkeys

File photo taken on Sept. 20, 2007 shows a tourist walks on a glacier in Bome of Nyingchi Prefecture, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. As the place closest to heaven, the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, also known as the roof of the world, is a paradise to such wild animals as Tibetan antelopes, wild yaks and wild Tibetan donkeys.

 File photo taken on June 10, 2006 shows a train runs on the Qinghai-Tibet railway near Tsonag Lake in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. As the place closest to heaven, the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, also known as the roof of the world, is a paradise to such wild animals as Tibetan antelopes, wild yaks and wild Tibetan donkeys

File photo taken on June 11, 2010 shows a tourist takes photos of flying birds at the riverside of Pangong Lake in Ngari Prefecture, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region.

File photo taken on Aug. 16, 2009 shows a black-necked crane spreads its wings at the lakefront of Yamzbog Yumco lake in Nagarze County, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. The black-necked crane is the only one of the world's 15 crane species that inhabits high altitude wetlands, with the species mainly limited to the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and adjacent areas.The number of the endangered birds has kept rising annually in the past years thanks to a series of protection measures taken in Tibet Autonomous Region. As the place closest to heaven, the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, also known as the roof of the world, is a paradise to such wild animals as Tibetan antelopes, wild yaks and wild Tibetan donkeys.

 File photo taken on Dec. 11, 2008 shows a bevy of black-necked cranes perch in Lhasa river valley near Lhasa, capital of Tibet Autonomous Region. The black-necked crane is the only one of the world's 15 crane species that inhabits high altitude wetlands, with the species mainly limited to the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and adjacent areas. The number of the endangered birds has kept rising annually in the past years thanks to a series of protection measures taken in Tibet Autonomous Region. As the place closest to heaven, the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, also known as the roof of the world, is a paradise to such wild animals as Tibetan antelopes, wild yaks and wild Tibetan donkeys

 File photo taken on Jan. 19, 2007 shows a black-necked crane named Chongchong rests in Tibetan A Zhu's courtyard in Doilungdeqen County of Lhasa City, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. A Zhu found the injured black-necked crane in a barley field. She brought it home and named it Chongchong. When Chongchong recovered, it becomes a member of A Zhu's family without any desire to leave. The black-necked crane is the only one of the world's 15 crane species that inhabits high altitude wetlands, with the species mainly limited to the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and adjacent areas. The number of the endangered birds has kept rising annually in the past years thanks to a series of protection measures taken in Tibet Autonomous Region.

File photo taken on Sept. 29, 2010 shows a staff member of local Forestry Administration releases a saker in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region.

 File photo taken on Dec. 5, 2005 shows a herd of goats feed near the Qinghai-Tibet railway in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region.

File photo taken on April 1, 2010 shows a northern plains gray langur grimaces in Yadong County of Xigaze Prefecture, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. As the place closest to heaven, the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, also known as the roof of the world, is a paradise to such wild animals as Tibetan antelopes, wild yaks and wild Tibetan donkeys.

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Israeli fire wound two Palestinians in Gaza

Israeli fire wounded two Palestinians in the Gaza Strip Friday as hundreds of people rallied trying to reach Israel's borders, witnesses said.

The demonstration was an attempt to revive Sunday's incidents, during which Palestinians headed to Israel's borders from the Palestinian territories, Syria and Lebanon to mark the 63rd anniversary of Israel's creation. The Palestinians describe the birth of the Jewish state and their consequent evictions as Nakba (catastrophe).

A major rally was planned to take place at the Erez crossing point in northern Gaza Strip, but forces from Hamas, which controls Gaza, prevented the demonstrators from reaching Erez.

But in the southern Gaza Strip town of Khan Younis, dozens of people could march towards the borders, but the rally was soon scattered following Israeli fire. Two people were lightly wounded, according to witnesses.

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AU condemns shelling of civilians in Mogadishu's main market

The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) on Friday condemned Wednesday's indiscriminate shelling of civilians in Somali capital Mogadishu's Bakara market which killed about 14 people and wounded several others.

In a statement issued in Nairobi, the AU peacekeepers said the deaths in Bakara were purely the responsibility of the extremists.

"AMISOM has designated Bakara market a 'no fire zone' and does not fire artillery or mortars into the market. We know that the extremists, who extort money from the businesses, have established a stronghold in the market and deliberately shield their reign of terror behind the civilians and business community who make their living there," AMISOM Force Spokesman, Major Paddy Ankunda said.

Ankunda said the AU peacekeeping mission will conduct operations in support of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG), to free Mogadishu from the stranglehold and tyranny of the insurgents and these operations are aimed at stopping such attacks on civilians, not just in Bakara market, but also in the surrounding districts of Hodan, Hawlwadag, Wardigley, Bondere and Medina.

"We reassure all civilians and the business community that plans to flush extremists out of the market will be conducted with the greatest care to ensure minimal harm and damage," he said.

According to Ankunda, AMISOM understands the importance of markets to the city and to the people and has proved constantly that it is business friendly.

He said the AU peacekeeping mission was working hard to reopen access routes to assist the mayor in creating new markets around the city, adding that they have also protected the port and the airport to ensure that commercial supplies reach the city. "It cannot be us to destroy what we strive to protect everyday. There will undoubtedly be difficult days ahead and we urge people to take precautions and minimize unnecessary movement into areas of the city outside government control," he said. "However, very soon, the TFG forces, supported by AMISOM, will prevail and peace and normality will return to Bakara, as it has in other parts of the city."

Somalia has not had a functioning central government for the past two decades. The internationally recognized transitional government, backed by AMISOM, is facing nearly daily attacks from the militia group of Al Shabaab. The horn of Africa country is in severe humanitarian crisis.

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Eight officials punished for E China lead poisoning that sickens 300

Eight government officials in east China's Zhejiang Province have been punished over a lead poisoning case in which 332 people, including 99 children, were found to have excessive lead levels in their blood, local authorities said on Friday.

Zhejiang Haijiu Battery Co. improperly disposed of metal in the county of Deqing, which sickened local residents, a spokesman with the county government said on Monday.

Chen Zuoping, deputy head of the county government, received a demerit. Wang Fadi, deputy chief of the county's health bureau, was given an administrative warning, according to officials from the the supervision bureau of Huzhou city, which administrates Deqing.

Six other officials from the local government, the environmental protection bureau and the health bureau also received administrative punishments for lax supervision, the officials said.

So far, 69 people, including 35 children, have been hospitalized, while the others received outpatient treatment, the officials said.

Most of the sick are recovering after treatment, but due to the side effects of the medicine, some children become nauseated and throw up.

Two-year-old Shen Senjie's lead level has dropped to 118 micrograms of lead per liter of blood, but that still exceeds the normal level of 100 micrograms of lead per liter of blood.

"My son still requires treatment for two more months," said Shen Guoquan, the boy's father. "He is quite weak and the medicine often makes him throw up."

Excessive amounts of lead in the blood can damage the digestive, nervous, and reproductive systems and cause stomachaches, anemia and convulsions.

The legal representative of the battery plant was detained Monday.

Authorities have ordered a thorough safety check for all 273 battery factories in Zhejiang.

Haijiu Battery Co., Ltd., founded in May 2003, mainly produces lead-acid batteries for motorcycles. It has about 1,000 employees and an annual output of 9 million batteries.

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Grottoes of Donggar and Piyang in Zanda County of Ali in China's Tibet

The grottoes of Piyang are seen in Ali, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, May 7, 2011. The grottoes of Donggar and Piyang locate in Zanda County of Ali in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. The grottoes of Piyang consists of temples, fortresses, pagodas and so on. There are some 1000 grottoes on the hill of Piyang, covering an area of 10000 square meters. One of the temples in Piyang was built in 10th century and it had been the cultural center of the ancient Guge Kingdom. 

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Libya's defected oil minister seeks interim refuge in Algeria: report

Libyan Oil Minister Shukri Ghanem, who has defected his country and crossed the border with Tunisia, is seeking an interim refuge in neighboring Algeria, Algerian An- Nahar newspaper reported on Friday, citing well-informed sources.

The Arabic-language paper said Ghanem, also head of the National Oil Company, will head from Algeria to Qatar, the first Arab state to recognize the Libyan rebels as the official Libyan government and to join NATO-led air strikes.

Media reports have said Ghanem crossed the border by car last Saturday and since he has stayed in a hotel in the Tunisian island of Djerba, near the border with Libya.

But the Libyan government denied he had defected, saying he was on "a mission in Tunisia".

Ghanem has been in charge of the oil ministry since 2006 and was previously prime minister. His oil ministry is the biggest income generator for the country.

If his defection was confirmed, Ghanem would be among the most senior officials to abandon embattled Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi since the start of the revolt aiming to end his 42-year- old rule.

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5 Syrians killed in protests across the country

 Five protesters were killed on Friday in the restive cities of Homs and Daraa by security forces, pan-Arab al-Jazeera TV reported.

According to al-Jazeera, security forces used live bullets to disperse peaceful demonstrations that took to the streets after Friday prayers in various cities across the country.

Thousands of anti-government protesters rallied in cities of Damascus, Homs, Daraa, Banias, al-Boukamal in what activists had dubbed as "Friday of freedom", witnessed said.

Syrian rights groups say that security forces have killed at least 900 Syrians, while over 9,000 people have been jailed or gone missing since the pro-democracy protests erupted across the country two months ago.

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Turkey plans second Gaza-bound flotilla despite Israeli warning

Turkish non-governmental organization IHH said here on Friday that it plans the second Gaza- bound flotilla at the end of June despite Israeli warning.

Bulent Yildirim, chairman of the Foundation for Human Rights and Freedom and Humanitarian Relief (IHH), said at a press conference that the new attempt was an international organization by 22 activist groups from around the world.

The organization again attempts to break the Israeli naval blockade of the Gaza Strip, the chairman added.

The flotilla is composed of 15 ships and about 1,500 activists from more than 100 countries.

IHH's first aid flotilla was raided by Israeli commandoes on May 31, 2010. Eight Turks and a Turkish-American were killed in the Israeli raid.

The chairman said: "We would like to remind Israel to come to its senses. You must allow this flotilla."

"If you raid again, we stay in the sea for days and become the current issue in the world," Yildirim urged Israeli officials.

Yildirim also called on Israel, which he said became isolated after the May 31 raid, to completely lift the Gaza blockade.

Turkish-Israeli relations have been at rock bottom since Israeli commandos shot eight Turkish citizens and a Turkish- American onboard the Mavi Marmara, one of six ships in the flotilla, in international waters.

Turkey recalled its ambassador to Israel and demanded an official apology and compensation from Israel in response to the attack, which was condemned by many countries.

Israel has refused to make an apology or consider compensation, saying it acted in self-defense.

The United States has warned Turkey that sending another flotilla to the Gaza Strip would not be helpful.

Yildirim criticized the U.S. government's support for Israel, which he said was isolating itself internationally due to its treatment of the Palestinians.

"This is just one step in the path towards freedom," he said. " If you don't stop this unjustness, the entire Arab Spring will fail," Yildirim said.

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Researchers find "lonely planets"

Scientists have discovered a Jupiter-sized exoplanet that is completely unbound from a host star, according the scientific journal "Nature" published Thursday.

The research was conducted by astrophysicists from Osaka University in Japan.

Using the technique called "gravitational microlensing", scientists turned their telescopes towards the centre of the Milky Way and detected this "lonely planet" moving in a extremely large orbit, which suggested it does not connect to any solar system.

Then they estimated the total number of such wondering planets could be as many as 400 billion, based on the detection efficiency. This number far outnumbers the main-sequence stars such as our Sun.

"This is an amazing result, and if it is right, the implications for planet formation are profound," says astronomer Debra Fischer at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut.

And scientist began to consider the possibility that liquid water could exist on this kind of unbound planets. "That might be an attractive possibility for life," said David Stevenson, a planetary scientist at the California Institute of Technology.

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Yemeni president calls for holding early presidential elections

Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh on Friday called for holding early presidential elections to end domestic political crisis.

Saleh made the proposal in a speech to tens of thousands of his supporters gathered near presidential palace in Sanaa.

"We call for holding an early presidential election in a democratic way and for peaceful power transition to avoid bloodshed," Saleh said.

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Egypt provides supplies to retreated Gaza-bound aid ship: Malaysian Activists

 The Egyptian gave fresh rations and water on Friday to crew and activists on board of a Malaysian ship carrying aid to Gaza.

Aid ship, 'Spirit of Rachel Corrie Mission' was stranded off the El Arish port in Egypt, waiting for permission from the Egyptian government to berth after the vessel was shot at by Israeli forces on Monday and barred from approaching the war-torn territory.

The activist group, Perdana Global Peace Foundation from Malaysia had on Monday claimed that Israeli forces fired shots at their vessel when it was approaching the Gazan shores, forcing it to withdraw into Egyptian waters.

Spokesperson of the group, Shamsul Azhar told local daily The Star the supplies provided by Egypt were sufficient, and the Malaysian Embassy in Cairo was in talks with the Egyptian authorities to speed up the process.

Anti-war activists and journalists, including 7 seven Malaysians, two Irish and two Indians were on board of the aid ship.

The ship was carrying 7.5 kilometres of UPVC plastic sewage pipes materials to be used to restore the devastated sewerage system in Gaza.

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YODEX opens in China's Taipei

A visitor takes a photo of a sounder in a unique shape in the 30th Young Designers' Exhibition, or YODEX 2011, in Taipei, southeast China's Taiwan, May 20, 2011. The four-day exhibition, displaying more than 1,000 design works of students, opened here on Friday

 A staff shows the design work of dried fruit packings in the 30th Young Designers' Exhibition, or YODEX 2011, in Taipei, southeast China's Taiwan, May 20, 2011. The four-day exhibition, displaying more than 1,000 design works of students, opened here on Friday. 

A university student shows her design work of a calligraphy desk in the 30th Young Designers' Exhibition, or YODEX 2011, in Taipei, southeast China's Taiwan, May 20, 2011. The four-day exhibition, displaying more than 1,000 design works of students, opened here on Friday.

A model shows a necklace designed by university students in the 30th Young Designers' Exhibition, or YODEX 2011, in Taipei, southeast China's Taiwan, May 20, 2011. The four-day exhibition, displaying more than 1,000 design works of students, opened here on Friday.

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Posted in: YODEX opens in China's Taipei