Johannesburg - A breakaway group of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) said Saturday evening that it aims to launch a new political party in Bloemfontein in December.

Former Gauteng premier Mbhazima Shilowa made the announcement at the conclusion of the ANC breakaway congress in Johannesburg, during which speakers accused the former liberation movement of reviving the "terrible legacy" of apartheid.

Soon after banning smoking in public places, liquor advertisements are next on the Health Ministry's radar, with Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramados pushing the Civil Aviation Ministry to remove the 'grandiose' display of advertisements of alcoholic drinks in airports, including the duty free shops.

The creation of a new Telangana state, on Friday received the backing of film actor-turned-politician Chiranjeevi's fledgling Praja Rajyam, thus mounting pressure on ruling Congress, the only major stakeholder in Andhra Pradesh resisting the popular demand.

Addressing a gathering at Jagityal in Karimnagar, a seat represented in the Lok Sabha by TRS Chief K Chandrasekhara Rao, Chiranjeevi said his party would not stand in the way of a long-standing demand. He is the latest politician to become a Telangana proponent, just days after TDP chief and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu also did a U-turn on the issue.

Washington, November 1 : A new American study has shown that people’s personalities actually govern their voting choices.

John Mayer, professor of psychology at the University of New Hampshire, says that people’s preferences like social stability or social change divide them into liberals and conservatives.

Washington, Nov 1: Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama has said that his Republican rival John McCain is taking the low road to the White House, as the Democrat puts up ads in reliably Republican states.

Obama ratcheted up his rhetoric against McCain on Friday, accusing him of taking the “low road” to the White House, as the Obama campaign attempts to defend its lead in critical battlegrounds across the country.

Cairo - The ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) begins its fifth annual conference on Saturday morning with a total of 2,700 delegates participating.

On the first day, NDP chairman President Hosny Mubarak is expected to address the 3-day gathering convened under the banner "A New Style of Thinking for the Future of Our Country," focusing on the challenges facing Egypt.

Mubarak's speech is to outline the party's vision and strategy in dealing with the global food and financial crisis.

A day would be devoted to the impact of global financial meltdown on Egypt, Gamal Essam el-Din, an Egyptian journalist specialized in parliamentary affairs told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.