Pakistani breaks world record of tree plantation in 24 hours

ISLAMABAD, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- A soldier of the Pakistani Army set up a Guinness world record on Wednesday by planting maximum plants in a time period of 24 hours by an individual, local media reported.

Venezuela holds parliamentary election

Venezuela has held an election to form a new legislature. A total of 165 seats in the National Assembly were up for grabs in Sunday's poll.

About 17 million voters were registered to cast ballots at some 12,500 polling stations across the country.

India marks Mahatma Gandhi birth anniversary

NEW DELHI, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- India Saturday marked the 141st birth anniversary of its Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, with political leaders from across the spectrum paying homage to the man who led the country to independence.

At least 14 killed in Nigeria's twin car bombing

Security personnel check the car bomb blast site in Abuja, capital of Nigeria, Oct. 1, 2010. At least 14 people were killed as Nigeria's main militant group, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), claimed responsibility for the twin car bomb blasts which occurred near the National Day parade in Abuja on Friday. (Xinhua/Joshua)

World largest airline "United Airlines" born

Passengers check in at the Continental Airlines counter in O'Hare International airport in Chicago, the United States on Oct. 1, 2010. UAL Corp and Continental Airlines Inc. closed their merger on Friday to form the world's largest carrier, called United Airlines. (Xinhua/Jiang Xintong)

Nigeria celebrates 50th independence anniversary despite deadly bomb attack

ABUJA, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Nigeria celebrated on Friday the 50th anniversary of independence as the pageant was overshadowed by a deadly twin bomb blasts near the National Day parade.

Pakistani PM warns against NATO intrusions

ISLAMABAD, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani told the parliament on Friday that Pakistan will consider other options if NATO continued intrusion into its sovereignty in future.

Obama apologizes for infecting Guatemalans with sexual diseases

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Barack Obama on Friday extended his apology for purposely infecting Guatemalans with sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in a research study in the 1940s.

Obama says White House chief of staff quits

U.S. President Barack Obama (R) applauds outgoing White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel (L), while Obama's new interim chief of staff Pete Rouse looks on, in the East Room of the White House in Washington D.C., capital of the United States, Oct. 1, 2010. (Xinhua/Zhang Jun)

Calm returns to Ecuador on Friday after police unrest

An Ecuadorian military soldier stands guard outside the Palacio de Carondelet in Quito, capital of Ecuador, Oct. 1, 2010. Order had apparently returned to Ecuador Friday morning after President Rafael Correa returned safely late Thursday to the presidential palace from a police hospital where he was stranded. Security forces on Thursday staged a protest in Quito against a law passed earlier by the National Assembly that cut benefits