Syrian vice president says neither side can win war

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syrian Vice President Farouq al-Sharaa said that neither the forces of President Bashar al-Assad nor rebels seeking to overthrow him can win the war which is now being fought on the outskirts of Assad's powerbase in Damascus. Sharaa, a Sunni Muslim in a power structure dominated by Assad's Alawite minority, has rarely been seen since the Syrian revolt erupted in March...

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India cuts growth rate forecast

NEW DELHI: India on Monday cut its growth forecast for the current fiscal year to just below six percent, putting Asia's third-largest economy on track for its worst annual performance in a decade.The finance ministry said "supportive" moves from the central bank would be needed even for the economy to expand at the revised level of 5.7-to-5.9 percent, down from 7.85 percent estimated...

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Exit polls predict massive win for BJP in Gujarat

AHMEDABAD: Voting has ended for the Gujarat assembly elections 2012 on Sunday with millions casting their ballot at 23, 318 polling booths at Kutch, north and central Gujarat in the second and final phase of the elections.Elections in the second phase were held in 95 of the 182 constituencies.According to the initial exit poll results coming from C-Voter and Chanakya, incumbant chief minister Narendra...

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Experts: No link between Asperger's, violence

NEW YORK (AP) — While an official has said that the 20-year-old gunman in the Connecticut school shooting had Asperger's syndrome, experts say there is no connection between the disorder and violence.Asperger's is a mild form of autism often characterized by social awkwardness."There really is no clear association between Asperger's and violent behavior," said psychologist Elizabeth Laugeson, an assistant...

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'We Can't Tolerate This Anymore,' Obama Says

President Barack Obama said at an interfaith prayer service in this mourning community this evening that the country is "left with some hard questions" if it is to curb a rising trend in gun violence, such as the shooting spree Friday at Newtown's Sandy Hook Elementary School.After consoling victims' families in classrooms at Newtown High School, the president said he would...

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Egyptians narrowly back constitution, say rival camps

CAIRO (Reuters) - Egyptians voted narrowly in favor of a constitution shaped by Islamists but opposed by other groups who fear it will deepen divisions, officials in rival camps said on Sunday after the first round of a two-stage referendum. Next week's second round is likely to give another "yes" vote as it includes districts seen as more sympathetic towards Islamists, analysts say,...

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EC supply rate can afford to slow: housing experts

SINGAPORE: Housing experts say the supply rate of executive condominiums (EC) into the housing market can afford to slow down, as some 20 per cent of units launched as part of seven EC projects this year remain unsold. "I think EC units would have probably hit the ceiling in terms of amount, so I probably think this year we will hit close to about 4,000 being supplied to the market," said...

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Punjab Congress delegation to meet PM to request for assessing law and order situation: Charak

JALANDHAR: Congress Working Committee (CWC) member and Punjab Congress affairs incharge Gulchain Singh Charak has said that a delegation of Punjab congress would meet the Prime Minister and Home Minister to request them to send their team in Punjab to assess law and order situation in the state. Addressing a press conference here Charak said that they would also urge the PM and HM to take a decision...

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Experts: No link between Asperger's, violence

NEW YORK (AP) — While an official has said that the 20-year-old gunman in the Connecticut school shooting had Asperger's syndrome, experts say there is no connection between the disorder and violence.Asperger's is a mild form of autism often characterized by social awkwardness."There really is no clear association between Asperger's and violent behavior," said psychologist Elizabeth Laugeson, an assistant...

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School Safety Questioned After Conn. Shooting

Along with fire drills, schools have been conducting lockdown drills -- often known as active shooter drills -- since the Columbine massacre in 1999.But safety officials do not agree yet on what teachers and students should do when a homicidal gunman invades their school.At Sandy Hook Elementary School, teachers, staff and students had been drilled on how to handle such a situation."We...

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