Fine Gael becomes biggest party in Irish parliament

Leader of Ireland's Fine Gael party Enda Kenny (L) gives a fist while meeting supporters in Dublin, Ireland, Feb. 26, 2011. Partial counting results showed on Saturday night that the opposition party Fine Gael has become the biggest party in parliament after Friday's crucial poll. (Xinhua/Zeng Yi)
DUBLIN, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- Partial counting results showed on Saturday night that Ireland's opposition party Fine Gael has become the biggest party in parliament after Friday's crucial poll.

85 of 166 TDs (members of parliament) have so far been elected to the 31st Dail (lower house of parliament) - 37 Fine Gael, 22 Labour, seven Sinn Fein, eight Fianna Fail, two Socialists and nine Independents.

Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny told the country's public broadcaster RTE that it looks like he will be elected Taoiseach (prime minister) when the 31st Dail, lower house of parliament, meets on March 9.

Describing Saturday's events as "a democratic revolution at the ballot box," Kenny said that he had not yet ruled out the possibility of a single party Fine Gael government.

He stressed it was still too early to say if his party would be in government with Labor Party, with the support of Independents or on its own.

Ireland is the first eurozone state to hold a general election following a financial bail-out.

UN Security Council imposes sanctions on Libya

The UN Security Council votes on a resolution at the UN headquarters in New York, on Feb. 26, 2011. The UN Security Council on Saturday unanimously adopted a resolution to impose sanctions on Libya, including an arms embargo against Libya and travel ban and asset freeze directed at Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi and his key family members. (Xinhua/Shen Hong)
UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution Saturday imposing sanctions on Libya, including an arms embargo against the country and a travel ban and asset freeze against Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi and his key family members.

The Security Council also expressed "grave concern" at the current situation in Libya, and called for "an immediate end to the violence and for steps to address the legitimate demands of the population" in the North African country.

The Security Council decides that "all member states shall immediately take the necessary measures to prevent the direct or indirect supply, sale or transfer to the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya ... of arms and related material of all types, including weapons and ammunition, military vehicles and equipment, paramilitary equipment, and spare parts," the resolution said.

The travel ban is to be imposed on Gaddafi, his key family members, including Gaddafi's son Saif al-Islam, and high-ranking officials of the Tripoli regime, the resolution said.

The Security Council "decides that all member states shall freeze without delay all funds, other financial assets and economic resources which are on their territories, which are owned or controlled, directly or indirectly," by the listed individuals or entities of Libya, the resolution said.

"Member states shall ensure that any funds, financial assets or economic resources are prevented from being made available by their nationals or by any individuals or entities within their territories," the resolution said.

The Security Council decided to set up a new sanctions committee to monitor the implementation of the new UN actions against Libya, the resolution said.

The resolution was adopted after the Security Council met early Saturday in an emergency session to consider actions against Libya before the vote late Saturday on a draft resolution, co-sponsored by Bosnia, Britain, Colombia, France, Gabon, Germany, Lebanon, Nigeria, Portugal, South Africa and the United States.

The adoption came one day after UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called for early "concrete action" by the 15-nation Security Council.

In the resolution, the council voiced "concern for the safety of foreign nationals in Libya," and called on the Libyan authorities to "ensure the safety of all foreign nationals and facilitate the departure of those wishing to leave the country."

It called on the Libyan authorities to "act with restraint, respect human rights and international humanitarian law, and allow immediate access for international human rights monitors."

The council also urged the Libyan authorities to "ensure the safe passage of humanitarian and medical supplies, and humanitarian agencies and workers, into the country," the resolution said.

The council took the move hours after Gaddafi's son Saif al-Islam warned of a possible civil war in his country and foreign intervention in the internal affairs of Libya.

"What the Libyan nation is going through has opened the door to all options, and now the signs of civil war and foreign interference have started," al-Salam told Al Arabiya TV in an interview.

Freezing weather returns

Freezing weather returns to central, east China
 (Beijing Time) Xinhua English
BEIJING, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- A new round of cold spell has hit China's central and eastern provinces and will continue in the coming week, bringing strong wind, sleets and temperature drops, the national meteorological authority said here Sunday.

Northeast, central and southeast China, and parts of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and Tibet Autonomous Region, are expected to experience sleets and snowfalls from Sunday to Wednesday, said the China Meteorological Administration (CMA).

There could be heavy snow, or even snowstorms in the southwestern part of Xinjiang, the CMA warned.

The late-winter freeze will lead to a temperature drop of 4 to 6 degrees Celsius and strong wind ranging from 20 kilometers to 49 kilometers per hour in these regions, it said. In some places, the temperature drop could hit 8 to 10 degrees Celsius.