Tokyo/Washington, Nov 27
Two unarmed US B-52 bombers flew over disputed islands on a training mission in the East China Sea without informing Beijing while Japan's main airlines ignored Chinese authorities when their planes passed through a new airspace defence zone on Wednesday.

The defiance from Japan and its ally, the United States, over China's new identification rules raises the stakes in a territorial standoff between Beijing and Tokyo over the islands and challenges China to make the next move.

China published coordinates for an East China Sea Air Defence Identification Zone over the weekend and warned it would take "defensive emergency measures" against aircraft that failed to identify themselves properly.

The zone is about two-thirds the size of Britain. "If the United States conducts two or three more flights like this, China will be forced to respond. If China can only respond verbally, it will be humiliating," said Sun Zhe, a professor at the Centre for US-China Relations at Tsinghua University in Beijing.

China's Defence Ministry said it had monitored the entire progress of the US bombers through the zone on Tuesday Asian time.

A Pentagon spokesman said the planes had neither been observed nor contacted by Chinese aircraft.

The dispute comes before a planned trip to the region by US Vice-President Joe Biden, who is scheduled to travel to Japan next week and also has stops in China and South Korea.— Reuters

Washington, November 27
After seeing off Indian PM Manmohan Singh after their summit meeting in September, President Barack Obama hurried back to his Oval office in the White House to make a historic phone call.

Obama's 15 minute call to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on September 27 as the latter headed in a car to the airport after attending the UN session in New York laid the foundation for the landmark nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers led by the US that was announced on Sunday.

"The two of us discussed our ongoing efforts to reach an agreement over Iran's nuclear programme," said Obama in a statement from the White House briefing room after the first conversation between the US and Iranian leaders since the 1979 Iranian revolution.

What part Manmohan Singh played, if any, in Obama's decision to make the ice-breaking call to Rouhani is not clear, though they did discuss Iran at their summit hours earlier.

But media reports suggest that Obama's historic conversation with Rouhani "was intricately choreographed" with an Indian-American official playing a key role.

"Obama had empowered top Iran specialist, Puneet Talwar, for some time to have direct meetings with Iranian Foreign Ministry officials," the Wall Street Journal reported. "Talwar, an Indian-American steeped in Iran policy, has at times conveyed a succinct message to his Iranian interlocutors: The US wants to peacefully resolve the dispute over Tehran's nuclear programme."

Talwar, special assistant to the President and National Security Council senior director for Iran, Iraq and the Gulf states, earlier served as a senior staffer on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. — IANS

Bangkok, November 27
Thousands of flag-waving Thai protesters stormed more ministries as they intensified their mass campaign to cripple the government of embattled Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra for a fourth day today, plunging the polarised nation deeper into chaos.

The whistle-blowing protesters forced the evacuation of besieged Department of Special Investigations and targeted another nine ministries, stepping up their defiance of the government and demanding Yingluck's resignation.

They laid siege to the Industry, Energy, Labour, Public Health, Foreign Affairs and Commerce Ministry. The protesters ordered officials at the Energy Ministry's offices to stop working, insisting that the current government is no longer legitimate.

Outside Bangkok, they surrounded nearly 25 provincial halls in the opposition's southern heartlands, posing the biggest challenge to Yingluck and her exiled brother, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a coup in 2006.

"We will not give up even if the Prime Minister resigns or dissolves parliament. We will stop only when power is in the hands of the people," protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban told supporters.

Prime Minister Yingluck called an urgent meeting of key government officials at Parliament and said she would resolve the situation peacefully and cautiously. She said all offices would have to prevent any damage to state property, leakage of confidential information and back up important records.

The beleaguered Prime Minister, who faced a no-confidence motion in Parliament, asked officials to prepare contingency plans and alternative workplaces.

The protests, triggered by an amnesty Bill that could have allowed the return of Thaksin from self-imposed exile, raised fears of fresh street violence since 2010 when over 90 persons were killed in a military crackdown on demonstrations by Thaksin's supporters. — PTI

Berlin, November 27
In a breakthrough, German Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic Union and its main rival — the centre-left Social Democratic Party — today reached a deal on a package of policies to form a new coalition government, winding up five weeks of tough negotiations.

After 17 hours long tense round of talks, the CDU, its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), and the SPD reached a compromise on issues which blocked an agreement on the formation of a new government. The new coalition between the two largest parties will be the third in Germany's post World War II history and the second under Chancellor Merkel's leadership. She headed a similar coalition during her first term between 2005 and 2009.

The parties agreed to SPD's demand for a minimum wage of 8.50 euros per hour for all sectors from January 1, 2014. This was one of the key term of the SPD to join a new coalition. The two sides reached a compromise on the CSU's demands to levy a highway toll on foreign-owned cars using the Autobahns across the country. They agreed that it will be similar to the highway toll already charged in Austria and in Switzerland and it will be introduced by passing a legislation next year. — PTI

Washington, November 27
After seeing off Indian PM Manmohan Singh after their summit meeting in September, President Barack Obama hurried back to his Oval office in the White House to make a historic phone call.

Obama's 15 minute call to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on September 27 as the latter headed in a car to the airport after attending the UN session in New York laid the foundation for the landmark nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers led by the US that was announced on Sunday.

"The two of us discussed our ongoing efforts to reach an agreement over Iran's nuclear programme," said Obama in a statement from the White House briefing room after the first conversation between the US and Iranian leaders since the 1979 Iranian revolution.

What part Manmohan Singh played, if any, in Obama's decision to make the ice-breaking call to Rouhani is not clear, though they did discuss Iran at their summit hours earlier.

But media reports suggest that Obama's historic conversation with Rouhani "was intricately choreographed" with an Indian-American official playing a key role.

"Obama had empowered top Iran specialist, Puneet Talwar, for some time to have direct meetings with Iranian Foreign Ministry officials," the Wall Street Journal reported. "Talwar, an Indian-American steeped in Iran policy, has at times conveyed a succinct message to his Iranian interlocutors: The US wants to peacefully resolve the dispute over Tehran's nuclear programme."

Talwar is special assistant to the President and National Security Council senior director for Iran, Iraq and the Gulf states. — IANS