Officials in Turkey have now officially ended the search for survivors in eastern Turkey's quake-stricken province of Van.

One week after the 7.2-magnitude earthquake hit the region, officials say they are now shifting their focus toward removing wreckage and helping the homeless.

The last person to be rescued from the rubble was a 13-year-old boy on Friday, bringing the total number of rescued to 188.

In the worst-hit town of Ercis, emergency crews are now also preparing to end rescue operations.

Meanwhile, thousands of displaced earthquake victims in Ercis have spent another freezing night in makeshift tents.

More than 43-thousand tents have so far been delivered to the province of Van.

So far just over 600 people are confirmed dead, while over 4-thousand others are listed as injured.

 

 

People outside Bangkok flood defense dismantle sandbags; Yingluck calls for confidence

In Bangkok, people have come head-to-head in at least three disputes along the flood defense wall that separates the capital from its neighboring provinces.

On the city's northeastern border, people living outside the protection wall have been tearing down sandbag piles and hacking down an earthen flood barrier.

So far, central Bangkok remains safe, despite a second day of high tides.

Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra is now urging people to remain confident in the government's ability to handle the crisis.

"Hopefully ... I can't say that because it depends on the levels of the sea and sometime it's about the stability of the way we put sandbags, hopefully sandbags are strong enough. if sandbags not flow over, it should be ok."

So far, Thailand's worst flooding in over half a century has killed more than 380 people and forced some 100-thousand others from their homes.

 

 

Rare snowstorm kills 5 in US East Coast

A rare October-snowstorm has killed at least 5 people and left 3 million in the US East Coast without power.

The storm has also disrupted traffic and grounded flights from the mid-Atlantic coast to New England.

The US National Weather Service says the early season storm is going to continue across New England before heading into Canada.

The first measurable snow in New England usually falls in early December.

New England received a record 7.5 inch of snow in October back in 1979.

 

 

Chinese president arrives in Vienna for state visit to Austria

Chinese President Hu Jintao has arrived in Vienna for a state visit to Austria.

During his stay, the Chinese President is expected to meet with his Austrian counterpart Heinz Fischer and other Austrian leaders.

The two sides are expected to sign seven intergovernmental agreements covering issues including the economy, trade, environmental protection, water conservancy, education and culture.

Following his Austria trip, Hu Jintao will travel to France for the next G20 meeting slated for Thursday and Friday in Cannes.

 

 

9 Thai army men charged with murdering 13 Chinese sailors on Mekong River

Thai police have now formally charged 9 Thai army officers with the murder of 13 Chinese sailors on the Mekong River earlier this month.

The group of army officers is facing charges of murder and tampering with evidence.

All of them are denying the charges against them.

Thailand's deputy Prime Minister is stressing that neither the Thai government nor the Thai Army is behind the murder.

 

 

China to maintain its family planning policy: official

China's family planning chief is now on record as saying that we shouldn't expect any changes to this country's family planning policy.

Li Bin, director of the State Population and Family Planning Commission, says maintaining the one-child policy will help keep the population figures in check.

He also contends the maintenance of the policy will also help with the gender imbalance in this country.

 

 

Atambayev wins presidential election in Kyrgyzstan -- CEC

Election officials in Kyrgyzstan say Prime Minister Almazbek Atambayev has easily won the country's presidential election.

Atambayev has garnered close to 63-percent of the vote.

Sunday's election is the country's first since former President Kurmanbek Bakiyev was ousted in April of last year.

 

 

Australian court ends Qantas strike

An Australian court has ended the strike and employee lockout that abruptly grounded Qantas, stranding tens of thousands of passengers worldwide.

The airline is expected to be flying again by this afternoon.

Qantas employees in Australia have either walked off the job or have refused to work overtime over concerns that some of Qantas' 35-thouand jobs are going to be moved overseas as part of restructuring.

 

 

Demonstrators, cathedral authorities agree to talks on ending St Paul's protest camp

Demonstrators and senior leaders of the Church of England met on Sunday to discuss the occupation of the grounds at St. Paul's Cathedral.

The protesters have been camped out in the grounds of the Cathedral for the last two weeks, demonstrating against corporate greed.

The occupation of the grounds by the roughly 200 protesters has forced the Church of England to shut down the iconic London landmark for a period of time.