Is India's Mars mission the latest escalation in Asia's space race?
November 5, 2013 -- Updated 0434 GMT
Hong Kong (CNN) -- A successful launch of India's Mars orbiter would make the country the first Asian nation to reach the Red Planet -- and provide a symbolic coup as neighboring China steps up its ambitions in space.
The plan to send the Mangalyaan, or "Mars craft," on a 680 million kilometer journey into Mars' orbit has given further credence to claims of an intensifying -- although officially unacknowledged -- space race developing in Asia, with potentially dangerous ramifications.
"I believe India's leadership sees China's recent accomplishments in space science as a threat to its status in Asia, and feels the need to respond," says Dr James Clay Moltz, professor at the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School, who sees increasing competition for space-related power and prestige in Asia that echoes the Cold War space race of the mid-20th century.
Billion-euro Munich art haul reveals historical Nazi theft
The 1,500 art works include pieces by Picasso, Matisse and Renoir
Derek Scally
The beige apartment block in Munich’s upmarket Schwabing neighbour was an unremarkable 1960s structure. The apartment of Cornelius Gurlitt was squalid and stuffy, with all but one window shuttered to the outside world.
When the police came calling in 2011, they found the elderly, white-haired man living in darkened rooms, surrounded by rubbish, cartons of fruit juice, tins of sausages and packets of dried dumplings – many dating back to the 1980s.
Amid the chaos, leaning against the walls, stacked on the floor, poking from drawers, were hundreds and hundreds of old sketches, paintings and prints.
They are now believed to include the work of masters such as Picasso, Chagall, Matisse, Renoir and Munch.
UN: 40 percent of Syrians need humanitarian aid
The United Nations has reported that 9.3 million Syrians now need outside humanitarian assistance, a 36 percent increase since June. Neighboring nations have warned that they cannot handle the exodus of refugees.
UN human rights chief Valerie Amos told the Security Council in a closed door meeting on Monday that the humanitarian crisis in Syria is worsening rapidly, with 40 percent of the country's 23 million people now dependent on foreign assistance for their survival.
According to Amos, the number of Syrians dependent on foreign aid has risen to 9.3 million, up from 6.8 million in June. That includes 6.5 million people who are displaced inside the country, up from 4.25 million. Another 2.2 million have fled Syria altogether, with that number expected to rise to 3 million by the end of the year.
The UN human rights chief reportedly called on Security Council members to use their leverage with both the opposition and the regime to guarantee safe passage to doctors, medicine, and other humanitarian assistance.
Tunisia suspends talks on new PM
Talks on deciding on a new prime minister for Tunisia have been suspended as politicians fail to agree on someone to run the country.
Talks on choosing a new Tunisian prime minister have been suspended indefinitely after political leaders once again failed to agree on a leader to steer the country out of crisis.
"We have decided to suspend the national dialogue until there are favourable grounds for talks to succeed," said Houcine Abassi, head of the UGTT union federation mediating the crisis, late Monday.
"We didn't reach a consensus on the person who will lead the government. We tried to resolve the differences but there was not consensus," he added.
Tensions that gripped Tunisia since veteran strongman Zine El Abidine Ben Ali was toppled in a 2011 uprising were heightened by the murders of opposition politicians Chokri Belaid in February and Mohamed Brahmi in July.
New wrinkle in battle over mining in El Salvador?
El Salvador and Canadian mining firm Pacific Rim are in a high-profile arbitration over permitting. What does the company's sale to an Australian firm mean for the Salvadoran mining sector?
The Canadian gold mining company Pacific Rim announced on Oct. 8 that it had signed an agreement to be acquired by OceanaGold Corp., an Australian mining firm. The acquisition price reflects a premium of approximately 50 percent above where Pacific Rim shares had been trading.
Pacific Rim currently has a high profile international arbitration pending against the government of El Salvador relating to the government's refusal to issue a permit to allow the mining company to begin operations. Apparently OceanaGold feels that the arbitration case, or the possibility of a negotiated resolution, is strong enough to warrant the investment in Pacific Rim.
Pacific Rim currently has a high profile international arbitration pending against the government of El Salvador relating to the government's refusal to issue a permit to allow the mining company to begin operations. Apparently OceanaGold feels that the arbitration case, or the possibility of a negotiated resolution, is strong enough to warrant the investment in Pacific Rim.
5 November 2013 Last updated at 03:17 GMT
North Korea reveals warship sinking
North Korea has revealed that one of its warships sank last month, killing a number of sailors, in a rare admission of military failure.
State media reported a visit by leader Kim Jong-un to a naval cemetery for the crew of "submarine chaser No 233".
Photographs showed Mr Kim surrounded by more than a dozen gravestones inscribed with the date 13 October.
The report said the vessel had been performing combat duties but gave no more information about what happened.
"Submarine chaser No 233 fell while performing combat duties in mid-October," state news agency KCNA said.
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