India's population increases by 181 million in ten years

India's 2011 census reports that its population has increased by 181 million in the space of one decade, a figure 17.6 percent greater than 2001. The census results, publicised today, show the population of India now stands at 1.21 billion. C. Chandramauli, the commissioner of the census, said India's population represents "over 17 percent of the world population, [while] India is 2.4 percent of the world’s surface area."

According to BBC News Online, the current population of the country is in excess of the populations of Pakistan, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Brazil and the United States put together. While India's population has increased by more than 17 percent since the 2001 census, this growth rate is the lowest since India achieved independence in 1947. Between 1991 and 2011, the population growth rate has steadily decreased. Approximately 25 percent of Indians over the age of seven were found to be illiterate in the 2011 census, a decrease of 10 percent from the census held ten years ago. The increase in literate females is greater than that of males, the new census reports.

The findings have suggest a preference of male over female children. For every one thousand boys below the age of seven, there were 914 girls, a decrease from the 2001 census, which reported 927 female for every one thousand male children. Chandramauli called this discovery "a matter of grave concern. This is the lowest ever in the demographic history of the country," he said, and noted "[t]he last census in 2001 had warned us about this, the tendency has worsened." This pattern continues although the Indian government has prohibited hospitals from disclosing the gender of an unborn child.

According to The Washington Post, parents in much of India abort female fetuses and murder young female children for financial reasons. Incidents like this occur more frequently in the better educated and the richer Indian states, including Punjab and Gujarat. G.K. Pillai, the home secretary, has claimed that "whatever policy measures we have been following in the last 40 years will need a complete review now. They have not been effective".

There are now 940 female adults for every one thousand men, in contrast to 2001, when there were 933 women per thousand males. However, in the capital, Delhi, only 866 females were counted for every one thousand males.

Throughout the states of India, the population growth rate varies significantly. This results in an inequality in the allocation of funds and is a problem, experts say. According to Management Institute of Population and Development consultant Devendra Kothari: "Our federal government sends funds to the states according to their population. This means that the states that have worked harder to reduce their population growth get less money from New Delhi". Kothari continued: "The states with lesser population send fewer members to the Indian parliament. Their financial and political clout will go down."

Over the course of the approaching year, concluding census figures will be publicised, according to officials.

Japanese nuclear officials race to avoid disaster as radiation levels in sea rocket

Radiation levels have rocketed in the sea near the Fukushima I nuclear plant in Fukushima, Japan, as government officials admitted on Wednesday they are fighting a constant battle to halt the growing nuclear crisis which began after the devastating earthquake and tsunami which struck the country earlier this month. The news comes after the chief executive of plant operator Tepco, Masataka Shimizu, was hospitalized with exhaustion on Tuesday.

Levels of Iodine-131 off the coast of the plant were recorded to be almost 3,400 times the legal limit, the Japanese nuclear safety authority, Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (Nisa), said. The levels of radiation are the highest recorded since the crisis began. Officials are now struggling to find how radiation is leaking from the plant, and have prohibited fishing in the area. A spokesperson for Nisa insisted there was no immediate threat to humans from the leakage into the sea. "We will find out how it happened and do our utmost to prevent [the levels of radiation] from rising," he said.

The situation at the nuclear plant is considered dire after the Japanese government accepted an offer of assistance from the United States and France. An experienced nuclear engineer has warned the reactor core at No. 2 reactor at the plant may have melted. Workers at the plant are battling to cool the reactors and stop further radiation leakage.

If the crisis continues to escalate, the Japanese economy could sustain serious damage as fisherman are banned from working in the area of contaminated water. "The worst-case scenario is that this drags on not one month or two months or six months, but for two years, or indefinitely," an analyst, based in Tokyo, said. "Japan will be bypassed. That is the real nightmare scenario." A spokesperson for the Japanese government warned officials "are not yet in a situation" to say when the race to avert the crisis from escalating will end.

Masataka Shimizu, the chief executive of Tepco, was transported to hospital with dizziness and hypertension as criticism of the company continues to build. Last week, three workers stepped into contaminated cooling water as they tried to replace cables at one of the reactors of the plant and two were hospitalized. The workers have now been released from the hospital.

Tepco has apologized to those affected by the nuclear emergency in a statement released March 18. "We sincerely apologize to all the people living in the surrounding area of the power station and people in Fukushima Prefecture, as well as to the people of society for causing such great concern and nuisance," the company said in the statement. The sale of numerous vegetables grown near the plant has been banned by authorities after they tested positive for radiation. Officials have also warned parents not to give tap water to infants after it emerged that it may have become contaminated. A large area around the plant has been evacuated.

First images received from orbit around Mercury

Image - NASA

The first images of Mercury taken from orbit around the planet have been received from NASA's MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry and Ranging (MESSENGER) probe. The images come after the spacecraft entered an orbit around the closest planet to the sun on March 17.

After various system examinations, the first images from the spacecraft were sent at 0520 EDT (0920UTC).

Before arriving in orbit around Mercury, the MESSENGER spacecraft was launched in 2004, passed by Mercury twice in 2008 and once more in 2009. MESSENGER is the first artificial satellite to be placed in orbit around Mercury. Because Mercury is the innermost planet in the Solar System, the sun's gravitational attraction altered the spacecraft's approach to the planet. Because of this, a series of several maneuvers over three years was required to put the probe in orbit.

Although MESSENGER is the first probe to enter orbit around Mercury, it is not the first to fly by. Mariner 10 was the first to do this when it made three passes during the 1970s.

NASA is continuing to release images taken by the spacecraft as they arrive at Earth. MESSENGER is scheduled to begin it's primary mission on April 4, consisting of various scientific and visual observations of the planet. Some of the scientific goals the probe is to accomplish are: determination of the geologic composition of Mercury, study of the planet's magnetic field and internal composition, and transmission of more than 75,000 images back to Earth.

US President Obama considering supplying arms to Libyan rebels

United States President Barack Obama revealed Tuesday that he is considering supplying arms to Libyan rebels, among other things. Obama was quoted as saying, "if we [USA] wanted to get weapons into Libya, we probably could."

During an interview with NBC News, Obama disclosed he is, "not ruling it out. But I'm also not ruling it in. We're still making an assessment partly about what Gaddafi's forces are going to be doing." Obama also informed that he would be willing to negotiate a deal with Gaddafi; however, one clause would involve Gadaffi resigning from the leadership post.

Obama does not believe it is time for formal negotiations yet as he does not think Gaddafi has reached the point where he needs a quick way out.

Also mentioned in the interview was the strategy being used in Libya. "What we've also done is put Gaddafi back on his heels — at this point. In addition to maintaining a no-fly zone, protecting civilian populations, we also have political tools, diplomatic tools, sanctions, freezing his assets, all of which continue to tighten the noose."

Obama reiterated that same view on ABC News saying in an interview, "I think what we're seeing is that the circle around Gaddafi understands that the noose is tightening, that their days are probably numbered, and they are going to have to think through what their next steps are."

Meanwhile, in an interview with CBS News, Obama said of the rebels leaders that U.S. officials have met with are "[F]ully vetted, so we have a clear sense of who they are, and so far they're saying the right things, and most of them are professionals, lawyers, doctors, people who appear to be credible."

This comes after the NATO supreme commander, Admiral James G. Stavridis said there were "flickers" of al-Qaeda and Hezbollah in Libya. In response, Obama said on CBS, "[T]hat doesn't mean that all the people, among all the people who opposed Qaddafi, there might not be elements that are unfriendly to the United States and our interests. That's why I think it's important for us not to jump in with both feet."

As for the rebels themselves, Mahmoud Shammam, a spokesman for the rebels told the New York Times, "We ask for political support more than arms, but if we have both, that would be good."

BP lose laptop containing sensitive claimant data

Oil company BP has reportedly lost a laptop containing the personal information of approximately 13,000 people who filed claims against the company following the last year.

Tom Mueller, a spokesperson for the company, confirmed they had written to "individuals impacted by this event to inform them about the loss of their personal data and to offer them free credit monitoring services to help protect their personal information." Mueller said the laptop was lost during "routine business travel," and was reported to have the ability to be deactivated remotely.

BP refused to comment about the employee who lost the laptop. The data on the laptop contained the names, addresses, Social Security numbers, phone numbers and the dates of birth of claimants, which was unencrypted even though the laptop itself is protected by a password.

The data on the laptop concerned claimants against the company after one of its oil platforms in the Gulf of Mexico exploded, sending up to 4.9 million barrels of oil into the ocean, which eventually reached the southern U.S. coastline.

One resident affected by the the oil disaster and the lost laptop expressed his outrage at BP when interviewed by NPR. "It's terrible, I kinda work hard for the things I have," they said. "I wouldn't want somebody with a computer to be able to take it from me. It's very disturbing. It's like another gallon of gas thrown on the fire."

Gaddafi loyalists go on offensive, rebels pushed back

Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi launched an offensive Tuesday and managed to push rebel forces out of the town of Bin Jawad. This comes as world powers met the same day to discuss the future of the country.

Rebels disclosed that their troops in Bin Jawad came under heavy artillery and rocket fire, after which they made a hasty retreat. Rebels who were still in the open desert sought cover and fired at Gaddafi troops as they appeared. One rebel warrior said that the shelling was too much for them to handle, A rebel fighter, Ashraf Mohammed, was quoted by Reuters as saying, "[t]he Gaddafi guys hit us with Grads [rockets] and they came round our flanks."

Rebel forces retreated to the city of Ras Lanuf, which they had captured days before on Sunday, where they recuperated. However, they were not completely safe there as they came under heavy gunfire at the western fringe of town and had to defend themselves with any weapons that they could find.

Civilians also retreated from the war zone. One man criticized rebel troops, telling them too "[g]et yourselves up there and stop posing for pictures."

Today's battle marked a shift of momentum in favour of government troops; earlier this week rebels held the advantage over pro-Gaddafi forces as they made their westward march with little to no resistance.

Forces loyal to Ouattara plan to seal Ivory Coast border

After a battle for the Ivory Coast town of Duekoue, armed forces loyal to president-elect Alassane Ouattara have announced an effort to seal the border between the Ivory Coast and Liberia.

On Monday, Ouattara forces, dubbed New Forces, and those loyal to Laurent Gbagbo, who claims to be the winner of a disputed election last fall, began fighting in Duekoue, a western town of strategic importance due to its position at a crossroads, with access to both Liberia and Guinea.

According to a spokesperson for Ouattara, Seydou Ouattara, the New Forces won the battle, the latest in a series of settlements they have taken control of in recent weeks, and have moved south towards the town of Guiglo.

The New Forces also announced they plan to seal the Ivory Coast—Liberia border, as Gbagbo is accused of importing Liberians to fight in his forces. Spokesperson Ouattara said that "[t]oday's operation will prevent Gbagbo from recruiting and training Liberians as he has been doing."

According to the United Nations, around 460 people have died in violence since the disputed elections, and another million have left the country.

British music royalties suffer first ever decrease

In the United Kingdom, PRS for Music has announced that the total royalties that artists in the music receive has decreased by 1%. This is the first time that such a decline has ever occurred.

The company has reported that the total was £611.2 million (US$977.8 million, €693.9 million) in 2010, a decrease of overall annual revenue of 1%, or £7 million (US$11.2 million, €7.9 million), from 2009. PRS for Music has claimed that these descents are due to a lack of sales of Compact Discs and DVDs, as well as digital copyright infringement.

The collection society, which is a representation of seventy-five thousand writers, composers and publishers of music, gathers royalties from music being used in excess of twenty-five billion times annually by various means, including television / radio, commercial businesses, musical venues, Compact Discs and DVDs.

Robert Ashcroft is the Chief Executive Officer of PRS for Music and is responsible for being the representative of such British music artists as Adele,Jessie J and Florence Welch. Speaking about this news, Ashcroft said: "The loss of high street outlets, the slowdown in physical music sales as well as the challenges capturing the full value of music usage online has meant that for the first time we have seen royalties collected dip. Previously, any reduction from falling physical sales had been offset by our strong performance in music licensing both in the UK and internationally. In 2010 slower growth at home and abroad failed to fully mitigate the decline."

In 2010, the sales of music physically and digitally by 7% to achieve 120 million units. Meanwhile, sales of compact discs fell by 12.4% to a total of 98.5 million. British global entertainment retail chain HMV has attempted to save money by closing down sixty of its shops in the UK. In 2010, royalties' growth reduced in speed to 4.3%.

Simon Neil, of Scottish rock group Biffy Clyro, explained that "[t]he thing about PRS is for a lot of bands it's the only way you make money. In our first six years of being in a band that was the only kind of income we had. It's the bread and butter for bands. It's almost your only guaranteed source of income."

PRS for Music has stated that its payout to its members was decreased by £800,000 (US$1,3 million, €900,000), due to improved society efficiency and a reduction in costs related to administration. According to Newsbeat, the small royalty drop may trigger a larger decline, causing new musical composers and writers to avoid joining the music industry. The company believes that further action needs to be taken to prevent the lack of CD sales and compete with outlawed piracy websites, including the development of legalised downloading websites.

New York City disputes 2010 Census

New York City officials plan to dispute the Census Bureau's data, after it was discovered that the 2010 Census reported only minimal growth in New York City and in the boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens.

On Sunday, NYC mayor Michael Bloomberg stated "that can't be possible," and announced that the city would formally challenge the bureau's findings. NY Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Charles Schumer also expressed interest in the alleged error.

"These are high growth areas w/large immigrant populations. It's crucial that #NYC get the federal funds & the representation it deserves." said Sen. Gillibrand on her Twitter page. Sen. Schumer, a resident from Brooklyn, also complained, "The Census Bureau has never known how to count urban populations and needs to go back to the drawing board," he said in a statement. "It strains credulity to believe that New York City has grown by only 167,000 people over the last decade. To claim that growth over the last decade in Brooklyn was 1.6% and growth in Queens was 0.1% flies in the face of reality."

In order for the city to challenge the count, city officials will contact Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, and will undergo a process known as the Count Question Resolution Program.

Former White House press secretary Robert Gibbs may work for Facebook

Robert Gibbs, the former press secretary for the White House, has been said to be in talks with Facebook about possible future employment as a manager for the communications aspect of the company.

According to an anonymous source close to the company, Gibbs is being pressed to quickly accept the job, in which Mr. Gibbs may receive millions of dollars in both salary and initial stock options for a planned public offering of Facebook Inc. in 2012.

Both Facebook and Gibbs have declined to comment.

Mr. Gibbs, who worked for the Obama administration for two years, left in February 2011, and was reportedly "relaxing" and had denied rumors that he was planning to campaign for chairman of the Democratic National Committee if Tim Kaine were to leave the committee to run for a position in the senate.

In recent months, Facebook has stepped up lobbying the US capital to communicate its public image to policy makers, and may use Gibbs for their public relations stratagem in the future.

Explosion at Yemen weapons factory kills dozens

An explosion at a weapons factory in Yemen killed dozens of people on Monday. According to estimates, over one hundred people may have died in the blast.

According to the BBC, at least 78 people were killed, while The Independent reported that over one hundred people had been killed. The explosion occurred in the southern town of Ja`ar, located in the province of Abyan.

Local media reported that forces loyal to Al-Qaeda had raided the factory on Sunday. They added that residents were forced to gather supplies from the factory, when a cigarette reportedly triggered the explosion.

State news agency Saba said that militants had "seized the factory on Sunday and pushed citizens to [loot] its contents, which led to inflaming of gunpowder and explosives in the factory."

A local doctor said that "[t]his accident is a true catastrophe, the first of its kind in Abyan. There are so many burned bodies. I can't even describe the situation."

An accurate death toll is reportedly difficult to ascertain due to the condition of bodies, many of which have severe burns.

Sheffield tram-train project back on the rails

An ambitious project to bring a unique tram-train service to Sheffield and Rotherham, in the United Kingdom, is back on track, following the announcement of a £150,000 Government grant on Thursday. The plans, which were originally to see tram-train operation on a trial basis over the Penistone line during 2010, have been on the cards since 2008, but were shelved during 2009 to allow alternative proposals to be drawn up. The current plans will now see the vehicles operating along a currently-freight-only line between Rotherham and Meadowhall, before linking up with the existing South Yorkshire Supertram network there and continuing onto the streets of Sheffield.

The plans to use tram-trains — which are already in widespread use throughout continental Europe, but not at all within the UK — have come about as an alternative to an original proposal to extend the Supertram network to Rotherham, which would be a much larger expense for the same or even fewer benefits.

Whilst the journey between Sheffield and Rotherham is already covered by mainline trains, project officials believe that the new service – running via Meadowhall South and Rotherham Central and terminating at Parkgate, with a twenty-minute headway throughout – will attract extra custom to the intermediate points between the two conurbations, as well as making travel easier for people who find it hard to walk to and from Sheffield's railway station; the tram-trains will serve the heart of the city-centre.

Now that the funding for further feasibility work has been approved, Network Rail, Northern Rail and the South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (SYPTE) can continue to look at the business and project case for the trial, which will look at a range of issues, including economic and environmental benefits of the tram-trains, and ensuring that the vehicles will be safe to run on both the Supertram network and heavy rail tracks.

Transport Minister Norman Baker announced the sum, and stressed the Government’s commitment to the scheme: “There is no doubt about finance being available to deliver the scheme. The Government is committed to a trial of tram-trains in the UK and the route between Sheffield and Rotherham is the best place to develop it. This is a unique scheme.

"Tram-trains offer passengers travelling from rural and suburban areas into city centres a viable, environmentally sound alternative to short and medium car commuting that can cut congestion and reduce overcrowding at railway stations.

“These sorts of rail fleets are already in use on the continent, but this is a first for the UK. The funding we are providing for this exciting project represents a real chance for us to test whether they can be adapted successfully for South Yorkshire and the rest of the UK."

David Brown, director of SYPTE, added: “We have done an awful lot of work on the plans so far and further efforts will look at ensuring the vehicles are compatible with both types of network, which are the same gauge.”

If further investigations are successful, the system could be up and running by 2014.

Battle for Trafalgar Square, London as violence breaks out between demonstrators and riot police

The morning after the night before, and the light of a Sunday morning showed Trafalgar Square in ruins. Bottles, cans and placards littered the concrete ground of one of the most iconic landmarks in London. Demonstrators livid at government cuts had sprayed graffiti on the four bronze lions. "No-one rules if no-one obeys," one message, next the the symbol of anarchy, read. On the steps leading up to the National Gallery lay placards, dropped by demonstrators the night before. As the cleanup began, it was hard to imagine only hours earlier the square was an arena for running battles between the anarchist protesters and riot police.

First, they targetted Oxford Street, arguably the most famous shopping row in the city. The protesters, many dressed in black, hurled smoke bombs and paint at Topshop, which they claimed has systematically abused the tax system. In Piccadilly, they ransacked The Ritz, a hotel popularly known for upmarket oppulence. As darkness fell over the capital, many went home. But in Trafalgar Square, protesters lit campfires and danced to music, smoking and eating into the night.

But then the police moved in. Clad in riot gear, the situation began to escalate and both they and the demonstrators began to panic. They raised their batons and shouted at the crowd, while the protesters grabbed metal barriers and hurled them over police lines, using them as battering rams. Some protesters yelled in defence, "Don't hit us!", while the more determined shouted, "Shame on you! Your job's next!" The riot officers pushed protesters into the centre of the square, towards Nelson's Column. The police started forward at least twice swinging their batons in the air, as protesters retaliated by throwing glass bottles and coins towards the police lines. One officer was taken away with blood pouring from under his visor.

"I have never seen such a fast escalation of violence in my life," one witness to the violence in the square said. "Everything just kicked off, glass everywhere, police hitting people, people being dragged across the floor. I just can't believe it." Other protesters on the front line later described the police retaliation as they began to kettle people in. "I find myself in front of the riot line," one protester wrote, "taking a blow to the head and a kick to the shin; I am dragged to my feet by a girl with blue hair who squeezes my arm and then raises a union flag defiantly at the cops."

As the street cleaners worked through the morning in London, more than 200 protesters, detained throughout the day, remained in custody. Although the organisers of the march were swift to dissasociate themselves with the violence, the protesters were defiant. "I'm not moving, I'm not moving," one young protester, hemmed in by the riot police, said. "I've been on every protest, I won't let this government destroy our future without a fight. I won't stand back, I'm not moving."Fireworks exploded overhead and, towards midnight, the number of protesters had diminished. As the kettling began, many of them slipped away into the night. In the early hours of the morning, the levels of violence began to fade. “Vandalism has been committed and officers have come under sustained attack," the Metropolitan Police said. "We are holding everyone here until the situation calms down and we determine who is responsible."

Thousands gather in London to protest against government cuts

Tens of thousands of people joined marches in London yesterday against public sector cuts by the British government. One union estimated up to half a million people travelled from across the country to demonstrate as the Conservative–Liberal Democrat coalition implements wide-ranging spending cuts.

Image - Mark Ramsay

According to reports, a small group of protesters dressed in black threw paint and smoke bombs at the Oxford Street branch of Topshop, and demonstrators in Piccadilly threw smoke bombs at the Ritz Hotel. The protests have targeted the government and a number of retail outlets, following on from the UK Uncut campaign which has demonstrated outside retailers including Vodafone and Topshop to raise awareness of alleged tax system abuses by the businesses.

The violence came to a head last night as police stormed Trafalgar Square and the protesters ran, throwing bricks and bottles at riot officers. "I have never seen such a fast escalation of violence in my life," one witness to the violence in the square said. "Everything just kicked off, glass everywhere, police hitting people, people being dragged across the floor. I just can't believe it." Clashes in the square finally ended in the early hours of this morning.

Senior members of the TUC, the federation of 88 of the country's unions, were quick to dissociate the disruptive actions of the "few hundred" with those of the earlier peaceful protest, claiming that the violence of a minority should not detract from the message behind the main march.

The Labour Party leader, Ed Miliband, addressed hundreds of thousands of peaceful marchers from Hyde Park, and attacked the planned spending cuts. "Our struggle is to fight to preserve, protect and defend the best of the services we cherish because they represent the best of the country we love," he said.

The Metropolitan Police said approximately 4,500 officers were policing the event, and 214 demonstrators were detained. On Twitter, the force reported two significant incidents of violence and that four police officers have been injured; one is being treated in hospital. They also said protesters had thrown light bulbs filled with ammonia at officers on Oxford Street.

Small protests have been ongoing in the U.K. since early this month, mainly in the northern city of Sheffield. In the biggest of these, 5,000 people attended a protest march on March 12 in Sheffield, with demonstrators marching from Devonshire Green, an open space in the city centre, to the venue of the Liberal Democrat spring conference. Barricades were set up after "violent incidents", though only one arrest was made.

MySpace loses over ten million users in one month

Social networking website MySpace lost over ten million users between January and February 2011, according to comScore. In February 2011, the Internet website had less than 63 million users, down from a previous total of approximately 73 million. In the same month, 2.3 individuals were on the site in the United Kingdom.

In the space of one year, MySpace has also suffered a number of user losses approaching fifty million. Earlier this year, MySpace announced their intentions to eliminate five hundred jobs around the world, which equates to half of its employee total.

MySpace has contributed to the success of British music artists, including Kate Nash, Lily Allen and the Arctic Monkeys. In 2005, News Corporation purchased the social networking site for £330 million (US$529 million, €376 million). Five years ago, the site was proving to be largely popular, according to Newsbeat. Recently, the website has been facing difficult competition from other Internet websites, such as Facebook and YouTube and is now been modified to be more significantly based on the music industry. Newsbeat has reported that the value of MySpace at present may be £50 million (US$80 million, €57 million).

MySpace's Chief Executive Officer Michael Jones has claimed that the website is "no longer a social network anymore" and that it is currently a "social entertainment destination". Zack Whittaker, of business technology news website ZDNet, has commented that he "would be surprised if MySpace survives the year".

Guatemalan president and first lady apply for divorce

According to judicial spokesman Edwin Escobar, Alvaro Colom, president of Guatemala, and Sandra Torres, the first lady, have applied for a divorce. It is said that the couple, who have been married for eight years, have done so so that Torres can apply for presidency.

The couple applied for divorce on March 11, Escobar said. He says the couple have given mutual consent, and did not reveal the names of their lawyers.

Presidential spokesman Giusseppe Calvinisti has denied having any information about the planned divorce.

Before Escobar made the announcement, opposition leader Roxanna Baldetti had warned that the couple were planning to split to let Torres run for presidency. Many political observers believe the couple filed their request so that Torres can stand to suceed her husband when his term ends in September, as the Guatemalan constitution does not allow close relatives of the president to do so.

Comments on the divorce have ranged from 'unthinkable' to 'a fraud', as which Patriotic Party candidate Otto Perez, described the incident. According to Perez, the divorce will not let the Torres run for presidency. "The law does not state a time frame of when a person ceases to be a relative of the President."

The Constitutional Court in Guatemala, the highest legal authority that determines the legitimacy of a presidential candidate, is to be taken over by new members in April. Legal experts doubt the impartiality of the new judges. They noticed 'ominous signs of political pressures' which would cause them to defend partisan interests rather than uphold justice.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson announces bidders for additional Tramlink vehicles

On Thursday, London's Mayor Boris Johnson announced the shortlist of bidders to supply up to ten further trams to Transport for London (TfL) for use on the city's Tramlink network in Croydon. The trams will be used to supply additional capacity on the network between Elmers End, central Croydon and Therapia Lane — one of the most congested parts of the route.

TfL, who purchased the Tramlink network from Tramtrack Croydon Ltd. in 2008, announced the plans late January, after submitting the tender to the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) on January 29. According to the notice, the additional trams will operate approximately 75,000km per year, will be needed for "at least 10, but not more than 20 years" and can be either new build or existing vehicles that can be modified — at a reasonable cost — to run on the Tramlink infrastructure.

The tram fleet is currently made up of 24 Bombardier CR4000 trams, which were constructed for the opening of the 28km network between 1998 and 2000. 22 of these trams are currently needed to operate the three tram routes each day, and the new service is expected to require at least an additional five trams daily, bringing about the need for a boost to the fleet levels.

The shortlist to supply the trams consists of City of Edinburgh/CAF, Stadler (Stadler Pankow GmBH) and Pesa (Pojazdy Szynowe PESA Bydgoszcz S.A.Holding, and the the three consortia will now be invited to submit proposals to supply the additional trams. The Invitation to Tender will run for four weeks.

It is not currently known whether the bids made by Stadler and Pesa will be for new-build or second-hand vehicles, however the bid from Edinburgh/CAF is to use a number of the currently-dormant trams that were constructed for that city's own tram network. The system has had several set backs since construction began, with the network now set to open in stages with a number of tram lines (but not the trams to operate them) being cancelled, leading to a large surplus of vehicles that could be hired out in the short term. The trams are amongst some of the longest and heaviest in Europe, though, and will require a large amount of modification to enable them to be able to operate on Croydon's network if the bid is successful.

The new vehicles could be modified spare trams from Edinburgh's still-to-be-completed tram system. The first member of that fleet is pictured on display in Princes Street.

Image: Ad Mesken, 

Shortly after the announcement, whilst inspecting one of the network's current trams at East Croydon tram stop, Boris Johnson said: "I have no greater responsibility as Mayor than to ensure people can move around this city with ease, comfort and reliability.

"Trams in Croydon have proved a major success and this is reflected in journey numbers which have soared by 45 per cent since the network opened in 2000.

"I look forward to the extra vehicles developing this vital, much-appreciated, and indeed attractive, form of transport further."

Funding for the new trams is expected to largely come from TfL, however the London Borough of Croydon has also confirmed a £3m contribution to the project. This will also include the refurbishment of tram stop surrounds.

Croydon Council Leader Mike Fisher said: "This is looking like a great deal for Croydon and shows the benefits of an ambitious local authority and committed Mayor working together, pooling resources and expertise.

"There is real support to get additional trams for Croydon to keep pace with growing demand for Tramlink services and also to secure major improvements for pedestrians and transport users around and between East and West Croydon stations."

TfL anticipates that, providing a successful bid is made, the new trams would be delivered to the network's depot at Therapia Lane in late 2011, with an entry into service from early 2012.

China plans to ban smoking in indoor public places

Yesterday the Health Ministry claimed that China issued a national ban on smoking in all indoor public spaces. The ban is included in the government's 12th Five-Year Plan. Also banned is smoking in outdoor public areas where pedestrians pass. The ban will begin May 1.

China, with a third of the world's smoking population at 300 million smokers, is the largest cigarette market in the world. Each week approximately 70 percent of non-smoking adults are exposed to second-hand smoke. According the theChinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, tobacco-related illnesses kill over one million people annually. The World Health Organisation says Chinese smoking-related deaths account for one fifth of deaths from smoking world-wide.

The number of deaths are predicted to rise to 3.5 million deaths a year by 2030 if no steps are taken, states a report co-authored by Zhao Ping, deputy director general of the Chinese Cancer Foundation. Further, there is a spike of new smokers in China as increasingly women, young people and the poor become smokers.

The posting of logos is being required to alert people not to smoke. Vending machines selling cigarettes in public places will be banned as will cigarette advertisements and sponsorships. The new regulations include educational measures to inform people about the dangers of tobacco.

Bomb on Jerusalem bus kills one, over 30 injured

A bomb explosion heard throughout Jerusalem wounded over 30 people at a crowded bus stop Wednesday, leaving one woman dead. Initial reports by local media indicated that the entrance to the city had been closed and the Associated Press said it appeared to be a militant attack, the first since attacks were halted in 2004. A day later, CNN called it a terror attack.

The blast blew out the windows of two buses and Israel's national rescue service have said that the explosion seriously wounded 15 people. The injured were carried away from the scene with stretchers.

A 59 year-old British tourist, identified as Mary Gardner, died in a hospital following the incident.

Micky Rosenfeld, a foreign press spokesman for the Israel Police, said that a device in a bag left in a phone booth near the bus station exploded when the bus passed.

The blast occured near the entrance to the city and next to the city's central bus station, and came at the same time when tensions are rising between Israel and the militant group Hamas.

Millions to turn off lights for Earth Hour tonight

The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), organizers of the fifth annual Earth Hour, is asking people all over the world to turn off lights from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. local time in support of energy conservation and awareness of climate change. In 2010, 128 countries, 4,000 cities and 1,000 landmarks worldwide participated in Earth Hour, including 13 million people in the UK.

In a statement on their website, the WWF said, "Every year Earth Hour asks individuals, businesses and communities worldwide to show their commitment to the environment. This Earth Hour, we hope you will turn off your lights. But when the lights go back on, we want you to go beyond the hour and think about what you can change in your daily life that will benefit the planet. Let’s work together to create a better future. Our actions can add up."

Promotion by world leaders such as United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is encouraging wide participation in Earth Hour 2011. This year about 130 countries are expected to take part. Such world landmarks as the Eiffel Tower, Christ the Redeemer statue in Brazil, Big Ben, the Las Vegas Strip, the Burj al Arab Hotel in Dubai, the Acropolis in Athens, the Sydney Opera House and Beijing's Forbidden City are expected to go black. The 15 100-foot-tall "iconic" towers at the Los Angeles International Airport will turn green and then go black for an hour, the airport announced in a press release.

	WWF's Earth Hour has a unique ability to unite and empower people around the world
—Richard Dixon, WWF Scotland

In 2011, Scotland became the first country in the world to obtain Earth Hour cooperation from all of its cities and local jurisdictions, reported Dr Richard Dixon, director of WWF Scotland, emphasizing that Scotland was going all out this year for Earth Hour. He said, "With record support from cities, local authorities, iconic landmarks, schools and other organisations people will be left in no doubt that Scotland cares about tackling climate change."

Dixon praised the efforts of the organizers of Earth Hour: "WWF's Earth Hour has a unique ability to unite and empower people around the world."

New Zealand enters semi-finals as South Africa fails again in Cricket World Cup

South Africa crashed out of the 2011 Cricket World Cup after being beat by New Zealand in the quarterfinals, played at Mirpur, in Bangladesh. Chasing a victory target of 222, South Africa were all out for 172 after some inspired bowling performance by Jacob Oram and Nathan McCullum.

Earlier South Africa restricted the kiwis for 221 for the loss of 8 wickets. Afterward, Jesse Ryder top scored for NZ with 83 runs while Ross Taylor scored 43. Morne Morkel took three wickets while fast bowler Steyn and Spinner Imran Tahir took two wickets each.

South Africa collapsed from 121 for three wickets and lost the final seven wickets for 51 runs. McCullum, who opened the bowling for NZ, took three wickets while Oram took another four wickets and triggered a collapse.

NZ will now play either Srilanka or England in the semi-finals. India will take on Pakistan in the other semi-final.

Qatar becomes first Arab country to fly fighter jets over Libya

Qatar participated in a combat mission to enforce a no-fly zone over Libya on Friday, one day after NATO agreed to take command. Qatar is the first Arab country to take part in the operation against Moammar Gadhafi's regime. The French Defence Ministry said two Qatai Mirage 2000 interceptor fighters flew Qatar's first sortie over Libya accompanied by a French jet.

Besides Qatar, the United Arab Emirates has agreed to send 12 warplanes to support the international no-fly alliance. No other countries from the Arab League has agreed to join so far. Qatar's combat deployment as the first by an Arab or Muslim-majority country thus is of critical impact.

Qatar's participation has great diplomatic importance. Major General Margaret Woodward, Commander of U.S. Air Forces Africa, stated: "Having our first Arab nation join and start flying with us emphasizes that the world wants the innocent Libyan people protected from the atrocities perpetrated by pro-regime forces".

The emir of Qatar has typically preferred subtle diplomacy rather than confrontation, as Qatar is vulnerable because of its tiny size and its position on the tip of the Arabian peninsula. Qatar's decision to send planes is related to its need to maintain its independence from its bigger neighbors like Iran and Saudi Arabia, according toThe Guardian.

France, the United Kingdom and the United States are among thirteen states which have so far joined the no-fly mission over Libya. The no-fly zone over Libya was established by the UN Security Council on March 17.

Situation at damaged nuclear power plant remains 'very grave', says Japanese Prime Minister

Two weeks after a disastrous earthquake and tsunami hit Japan, the situation at the severely damaged Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant has been described by the Prime Minister as "very grave and serious". In a nationally televised report to the nation on Friday, Naoto Kan said the Japanese government was "not in a position where we can be optimistic."

Radiation is reported to still be leaking from the plant, in Fukushima prefecture. "The source of the radiation seems to be the reactor core," said Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency official Hidehiko Nishiyama, adding that radiation was "more likely" coming from the core than from the reactor's spent fuel pool.

On Thursday three workers stepped into contaminated cooling water in the reactor's turbine room while trying to replace cables at reactor No. 3, Nishiyama said. The water seeped into the the boots of two of the workers, touching their skin and causing lesions; the third worker's clothing protected him from the water. The two workers with skin lesions were hospitalized for radiation exposure. The radiation level of the contaminated water measured 10,000 times the level of cooling water in an undamaged reactor.

The Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant pictured five days after the earthquake.

Work has been stopped on attempts to reattach a permanent power line to the cooling system in reactor No. 3, and the building has been evacuated. Nishiyama could give no predictions of when work would resume. The possibility that water is leaking from the core of reactor No. 3 increases the danger for workers who attempt to cool the crippled plant. The reactors must be cooled before more safety work can begin.

Japan had been using seawater for cooling since the disaster crippled the power plant's cooling systems, but U.S. officials were concerned that saltwater could harm the equipment, causing it to seize up and corrode, thereby worsening the situation.

NATO to take control of Libyan no-fly zone

NATO has agreed to take control of the no-fly zone in Libya as early as this weekend, after a unanimous vote to do so by all 28 member states.

Only the no-fly zone will be the responsibility of NATO forces; other military operations in Libya will remain under the control of the group of nations already involved. A two-level command system will be put in place, with political oversight being the responsibility of a new committee headed by NATO but also including other countries that are engaged in military operations in Libya. Deployment of military assets will fall under the purview of NATO alone.

An agreement was reached on Wednesday afternoon, after a conference call between US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, British foreign secretary William Hague, French foreign minister Alain Juppe, and the Turkish foreign minister. This was proposed to the North Atlantic Council, and NATO secretary-general Anders Fogh Rasmussen later confirmed that all NATO members had agreed to implement it.

Turkey and France had previously disagreed over the issue of NATO control, with France opposed and Turkey in favor of having NATO command of military forces.

Hague said of the agreement that "this is a new coalition, put together very quickly for obvious reasons last week, and so there are bound to be issues to sort out in its management. But we are getting through those pretty well."

Tamil Nadu Elections: DMK, AIADMK promise freebies

Both the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) parties have announce "freebies" as part of their election manifestos in the lead-up to the vote in the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Freebies have been a success from the 2006 Tamil Nadu elections when DMK lured voters by announcing free colour televisions to households. That triumph led the major opposition AIADMK to announce similar freebies in their manifesto published Thursday.

DMK has announced free laptops to college students, kitchen appliances and modern networks to rural regions. The AIADMK, publishing their manifesto later, expanded on each of the promises of the DMK, plus offering 4g gold mangalsutra for the poor, monetary help for rural households and fishermen, free rice, and more.

AIADMK manifesto addresses larger issues, such as taking on the near-monopoly of the cable industry television industry, starting new Power generation plants to address power shortages in recent years

UK police find body of missing woman and search for another; suspect in custody

Police investigating the disappearance of 22-year old Sian O'Callaghan in Swindon, England, say they have discovered her body and are searching for another. The news comes comes hours after the arrest of a 47-year-old individual for kidnap and multiple counts of murder. Police also seized a green taxi seen at the time of O'Callaghan's disappearance.

The detective leading the murder inquiry confirmed the individual taken into custody had told police where two bodies were located. Police said they had found one body and were searching for the second. Officials say O'Callaghan's family were "deeply distressed" by the developments. Police today began searching a house in Swindon, and the property was cordoned off.

"The location of two bodies has been identified to the senior investigating officer, only one body has currently been found and this is believed to be Sian O'Callaghan," Wiltshire Police said in a statement. "The second body has yet to be recovered."

O'Callaghan, an office worker, was last seen leaving a nightclub in Swindon at the weekend. Mobile phone records show she traveled in a car to a forest in the early hours of Sunday morning. Police have appealed for the public to search for her mobile phone, and have released CCTV images of her leaving the nightclub.

In a statement, her family described her as a "beautiful girl," and said they had been "so touched by the support shown by the community that we wanted to express our thanks."