Dhaka - Voting in Bangladesh's landmark elections began Monday in a festive mode to bring the country back to a democratic system after almost two years of emergency rule.
Enthusiastic people were seen waiting on long queue at polling stations from daybreak to cast their vote as balloting began at 8 am amid tight security.
The voting will continue until 5 pm, election officials said.
New Delhi, Dec 29: Congress President Sonia Gandhi will meet Jammu and Kashmir party leaders here today to decide on formation of the government in the state.
The core group of the Congress met here last evening at Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh''s residence to take stock of the results of Jammu and Kashmir State Assembly elections.
The National Conference secured 28 seats, the People''s Democratic Party (PDP) 21, Congress-17, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-11, and independent candidates 10 seats in the seven-phased polls.
Dhaka, Dec 29: Polling for parliamentary election in Bangladesh began this morning amid tight security.
The voting started at 8.00 a. m. and the counting will begin manually after the end of the polling in 35,263 polling stations across the country.
A total of 1,552 candidates are contesting the polls and more than 81 million people are eligible to cast their ballots.
It is widely expected that there will be a tough fight between the Awami League led 14-party Grand alliance and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) led 4-party alliance.
Colombo - Tamil rebels abducted 16 children from a Catholic orphanage in northern Sri Lanka to be enlisted in their movement as fighters, according to civilians who have escaped, the defence ministry said Monday.
The children were taken away from the Dharmapuram in Kilinochchi, 320 kilometres north of the capital, after holding two Roman Catholic priests at gunpoint Friday, the army said one civilian reported.
It said the Tamil rebels demanded the priest release all children above the age of 12 to be taken away.
New York - Creating hits like Hot Stuff, Bad Girls or She Works Hard for the Money, Donna Summer was the undisputed disco-queen of the 1970s and early 80s.
Summer's songs back then topped the charts and were played in clubs and discotheques all over the world, but her era has long since passed.
Yet, the striking black singer with the sexy voice, who turns 60 on December 31, is still every bit a pop queen.
Always self-confident, her latest album, titled Crayons, includes a track called The Queen is Back.
Bangkok - Thousands of anti-government demonstrators Monday delayed the launch of Thailand's new cabinet by surrounding Parliament Building in Bangkok, barring legislators from entering the premises in the morning.
Thailand's new Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva was forced to delay the delivery of his cabinet's policy statement, a necessary requirement for launching a new administration.
It was unclear whether the session could be opened later in the day, or if the protest would force postponement until after the new year.
Dhaka - Voting in Bangladesh's landmark elections began Monday in a festive mode to bring the country back to a democratic system after almost two years of emergency rule.
New Delhi, Dec 29: Congress President Sonia Gandhi will meet Jammu and Kashmir party leaders here today to decide on formation of the government in the state. 
Dhaka, Dec 29: Polling for parliamentary election in Bangladesh began this morning amid tight security. 
Colombo - Tamil rebels abducted 16 children from a Catholic orphanage in northern Sri Lanka to be enlisted in their movement as fighters, according to civilians who have escaped, the defence ministry said Monday.
New York - Creating hits like Hot Stuff, Bad Girls or She Works Hard for the Money, Donna Summer was the undisputed disco-queen of the 1970s and early 80s.
Bangkok - Thousands of anti-government demonstrators Monday delayed the launch of Thailand's new cabinet by surrounding Parliament Building in Bangkok, barring legislators from entering the premises in the morning.
