US, Pakistan ties fully repaired: Khar

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the United States have restored full military and intelligence ties after relations hit a low point last year, and Islamabad will take further steps to support a nascent Afghan peace process, Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar said on Wednesday.

Full cooperation between Islamabad and Washington is critical to US efforts to stabilise Afghanistan before most NATO combat troops withdraw by 2014. “There was a fairly difficult patch and I think we’ve moved away from that into a positive trajectory,” Khar told Reuters in an interview, referring to Pakistani-US relations. “We are coming closer to developing what could be common positions. We wish to see a responsible transition in Afghanistan.”

PDP criticises government for corruption, misgovernance

The ruling coalition parties, the National Conference and the Congress, and the opposition PDP have virtually entered into a war of words over political and other issues as the election campaign for the four seats of the Legislative Council from the panchayat quota intensifies.

The elections will be held on December 3.

The issues range from corruption, misgovernance to holding of the panchayat elections and their empowerment.

While Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has been counting on the achievements of his government during the last four years, the PDP has been criticising the government for its failure to come up to the expectations of the people.

Militants gun down CRPF constable

A CRPF constable was killed in a militant attack in Bemina locality on the outskirts of Srinagar last night.

Praveen Singh Rajput of 73 battalion was on sentry duty when he noticed some suspicious movement outside the camp at 2 am. The jawan challenged the persons who fired 5-6 rounds towards the camp prompting retaliation,” said CRPF spokesman Sudhir Kumar.

Rajput, who hailed from Madhya Pradesh, was hit in the chest and he succumbed to injuries on way to hospital, he said. The suspected militants fled the spot taking advantage of darkness, said the spokesman.

Soon after the shootout, CRPF launched a manhunt in the area to trace the culprits. This is the second killing of a security force personnel in the Valley in less than 10 days. On November 20, militants had gunned down a Special Police Officer in north Kashmir’s Baramulla town.

Militant outfit, Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen, has claimed responsibility for the attack on the CRPF camp. A caller introducing himself as spokesman of the outfit said the members of the outfit attacked the CRPF camp in Bemina on Thursday morning.

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No objection to unity govt under NC chief, says Gachhadar

Deputy Prime Minister Bijay Kumar Gachhadar on Tuesday, said he has no objection to Nepali Congress President Shushil Koirala leading the government of national consensus.After the meeting with NC chief Koirala, the Madhesi leader said, “We have discussed about the consensus government.”"Shusil ji has made a lot of sacrifices for the country. I would be glad if he becomes Prime Minister."

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Govt decides to terminate GMR Concession Agreement

The Government of Maldives has yesterday decided to terminate the Concession Agreement, signed on 28th June 2010 between GMR-MAHB Consortium, Maldives Airports Company Ltd, and the Government of Maldives, to lease Male’ International Airport to GMR. Government has also decided to advise the Maldives Airports Company Ltd, a 100% state-owned company, of the Government decision to terminate the agreement.

The government’s decision was based on a paper presented by the Attorney General’s Office at yesterday’s cabinet meeting. The paper was based on findings of a thorough research done for the past 9 months by a cabinet committee.

Axing GMR contract will send negative signals, India tells Maldives

Malaysia to look into HR abuse in SL

WEDNESDAY, 28 NOVEMBER 2012 07:55A Parliamentary Caucus on the Abuse of Human Rights in Sri Lanka has been set up, announced Malaysian Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz.Nazri said members from both sides of the divide agreed to the caucus as they viewed with great concern the alleged human rights violation in Sri Lanka, including against the ethnic Tamil minority group there. The caucus will continue to monitor the progress of the United Nation’s resolution on the matter

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Kachin Chief Minister’s critics arrested

Five senior members of the People Democracy Party (PDP) were arrested last month after the party publicly accused Kachin State Chief Minister Lajawn Ngan Seng (La John Ngan Hsai) of corruption. The arrested party leaders of the small opposition group were reportedly charged with incitement and defamation after printing party literature accusing Ngan Hsai and his deputies of soliciting bribes from motorbike salesmen and organizers of the annual Manau festival in the Myitkyina area.

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Navy chiefs' meeting highlights China's openness

China's navy chief on Tuesday briefed the Secretary of the test trials of the first aircraft carrier and the successful aircraft landing tests, which Beijing recently confirmed. Ray Mabus' visit to China is the first by a US of the navy in 28 years.

The visit shows sincerity to improve military ties with the US and Beijing's growing transparency and confidence, experts said. Defense Minister Liang Guanglie (right) shakes hands with United States Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus during a meeting at the Bayi Building in Beijing on Tuesday.

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Audit Says Kabul Bank Began as ‘Ponzi Scheme’

KABUL, Afghanistan — Kabul Bank became Afghanistan’s largest financial institution by offering the promise of modern banking to people who had never had a saving or checking account.


What it really dealt in was modern theft: “From its very beginning,” according to a confidential forensic audit of Kabul Bank, “the bank was a well-concealed Ponzi scheme.”

Afghan and American officials had for years promoted Kabul Bank as a prime example of how Western-style banking was transforming a war-ravaged economy. But the audit, prepared this year for Afghanistan’s central bank by the Kroll investigative firm, gives new details of how the bank instead was institutionalizing fraud that reached into the hundreds of millions of dollars and obliterated Afghans’ trust after regulators finally seized the bank in August 2010 and the theft was revealed.

Karzai hints at flexibility in Afghan-US troop talks

KABUL: Afghan President Hamid Karzai hinted on Tuesday that his government would be flexible in negotiating ‘sensitive’ issues in a new security pact with the United States.

Follow up:

Karzai did not spell out what issues he was referring to, but one of the most sensitive questions involves immunity from local prosecution for US troops remaining in Afghanistan after NATO forces withdraw in 2014.

Washington recalled all its troops from Iraq after Baghdad refused to grant US soldiers immunity, and Karzai has in the past warned there could be similar problems in Afghanistan.

Militants blow up another school in KP

HANGU: Government schools in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa continue to face destruction as another public school was blown up by unidentified assailants in the Chapri area of Hangu, officials said on Tuesday.

According to local police, the amount of explosives used in the attack is yet to be ascertained. The building of the Government Girls Middle School was completely destroyed in the incident. Meanwhile, the police and rescue officials reached the crime scene and cordoned off the area.

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Pakistani judges muzzling critics in media: HRW

NEW YORK: Pakistani judges should cease using their contempt of court powers to prevent the media from airing programmes critical of the judiciary, the Human Rights Watch said on Tuesday.

Brad Adams, Asia director at the Human Rights Watch, said, “Since Pakistan’s independent judiciary was restored to office in 2009, Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Chaudhry and provincial high courts have repeatedly sought to prevent media criticism of the judiciary through threats of contempt of court proceedings, which can bring prison terms.”

He also said since October 2012, the high courts in Islamabad and Lahore have issued orders to stop the broadcast of television programs critical of the judiciary.

Four ‘militants’ killed in Bara clash

The security forces brought the bullet-riddled bodies of four young suspected militants to Levies Centre in Shahkas area in Jamrud tehsil.

Two of them were identified as Mohammad Asim, a resident of Charsadda, and Shah Faisal, who hailed from Darra Adamkhel.

The two bodies were handed over to their relatives after identification while the remaining two were still lying in the Levies Centre, security officials said.

They said that that the militants were killed during a clash in Zawa area of Bara. However, the claim could not be verified through independent sources.

Kejriwal ready for ‘Mission Kashmir’

Just two days after he announced the launch of his Aam Aadmi Party, the Kashmir valley is abuzz with rumours of Arvind Kejriwal starting an anti-corruption campaign “Mission Kashmir” in the state next month.

The crusade will be launched to expose corrupt politicians, bureaucrats and small-rung officers.

Kejriwal, according to his local aides, will seek cooperation from civil society activists, lawyers and religious groups to launch a massive anti-corruption crusade in the state.

Kejriwal has reportedly said launching a crusade against corruption in the state is the need of the hour as corrupt practices are becoming the order of the day. He has drawn parallels between Bihar and Jammu and Kashmir which are the two leading corrupt states in the country.

Pakistan again targets posts in Poonch sector

The Pakistan army again opened heavy fire targeting nine Indian posts last night in the Krishna Ghati (KG) sector along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district. “Around 8 pm, the Pakistan army again opened heavy fire, firing over 2,300 rounds of HMG (heavy machine gun) and MMG (medium machine gun) on nine Indian posts in the KG sector,” said the officiating Defence PRO, SN Acharaya.

Pakistan opened fire from five of their posts but we exercised restraint and didn’t retaliate, he added.

Though there was no casualty or injury on our side, the situation is tense in the KG sector, he said.

The official claimed that Pakistani troops continued firing at the Indian posts till 8.40 pm. No flag meeting has taken place as yet, he said. However, an Intelligence source said heavy exchange of fire between the two sides started around 7 pm and lasted till 11 pm.

Panchayat Conference withdraws call to boycott elections

While withdrawing its call to boycott the upcoming elections to four seats of the Legislative Council (LC) from the panchayat quota, the All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference (AJKPC) today made it clear that it would not support any particular group or individual.

It also said that nothing short of incorporation of the 73rd Amendment to the Indian Constitution in the state Panchayati Raj Act in letter and spirit would be acceptable to them.

“We have decided to withdraw our boycott call for the upcoming LC election but we want to clarify that the AJKPC will not support any particular group or individual. The panches and sarpanches can vote as per their own conscience,” AJKPC chairman Shafiq Mir said while addressing a daylong convention of Panchayat members here.

Census puts country's population at 26.5 million

Nepal's population stands at 26494504 (26.494 million) according to the report of the census taken last year.

Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai made public the Census Report 2011 prepared by the Department of Statistics on Monday. The census report has put the population growth at 1.35 percent. The report shows female population rising to 51.5 percent while the male population is 48.5 percent.

Drafting constitution from CA a real challenge: Indian envoy

Indian ambassador to Nepal Jayant Prasad has said that India wants Nepal’s new constitution to be drafted from the Constituent Assembly, but this has become a real challenge for Nepal.

Speaking to reporters in Baglung on Monday, Prasad said the political parties should be able to reach new consensus and form a unity government to end the transition at the earliest.

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Shan Chief Wants More Autonomy

A minority politician says a federalist political system would address ethnic conflict in Burma.

Kachin Independence Army soldiers pray before taking their positions at a camp in Kachin state, Sept. 19, 2012.

The leader of a Shan political group on Monday called for greater political power for Burma’s ethnic states, saying a federal political system would address tensions that have sustained decades of conflict between the central government and the country’s armed ethnic groups.

Khun Tun Oo, leader of the Shan Nationalities Democratic Party (SNDP), called on representatives of several ethnic political parties and their armed wings as well as civil society groups to draw up a plan to present to President Thein Sein’s government.

Maldives’ current situation may have an impact on the country’s development- UN

The United Nations office in Maldives has expressed concern regarding the current situation in the country which the UN says may have an impact on the country’s development.

In a press release of issued yesterday UN Maldives stated that the UN has spoken repeatedly in public and in private over the course of several years and three governments on democracy, development, and human rights.

Majlis call to hang Nasheed Envoy Zaki
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 27TH, 2012

MPs of the People’s Majlis have called to hang Ibrahim Hussain Zaki, former SAARC Secretary General and Special Envoy of former President Mohamed Nasheed in a sudden motion proposed to the meeting held yesterday by PPM’s Thimarafushee MP Ahmed Shareef.

China's military to promote key congress tenets

BEIJING - China is to launch a campaign for the study, promotion and implementation of the spirit of the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) among its entire military.

Army personnel should be educated to hold high the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics and strengthen their support and faith to the Party, Xu Qiliang, vice chairman of the CPC Central Military Commission (CMC), said at a meeting on the campaign on Monday.

The campaign should also consolidate the army's adherence to the principle of the Party's absolute leadership over the armed forces, and ensure the army's resolute obedience to the command of the CPC Central Committee, the CMC and the CMC Chairman Xi Jinping, Xu said.

At least 30 killed, 110 wounded in Iraq serial blasts

In Iraq, 30 people were killed and 110 others were wounded in serial blasts by Islamist militants in southern cities of Hillah and Karbala. Shiite neighborhoods and security personnel were the main targets The deadliest attack was in the southern city of Hillah where road side bomb blast was followed by a car bomb explosion when people rushed to the site on hearing the loude explosions. 24 people were killed on the spot while 90 others were injured.

Many of the injured are in critical condition and the toll may go up .The other explosion took place at the gate of th holy city of Karbala in which six people were killed and 20 others were wounded. No one has claimed responsibility for the attacks but the security agencies said that the timing and the manner in which these attacks were carried, bore the stamp of Al Qaeda militants.
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Ricky Ponting announces retirement from Test cricket

PERTH: Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting on Thursday called time on his 17-year Test career, announcing this week's clash against South Africa in Perth will be his last.


"This Test will be my last," he said at a hastily-called press conference, adding that he will continue to play for Tasmania in the domestic competition this summer.

Ponting, who turns 38 next month, has failed in three innings against the Proteas during draws in Brisbane and Adelaide and pressure has been building on the veteran ahead of Friday's series decider in Perth.
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Four MQM-H activists among 6 gunned down Karachi

Karachi: At least six people including four members of the Mohajir Qaumi Movement-Haqiqi (MQM-H) were gunned down in Karachi, the financial hub of Pakistan.

Police said that unidentified armed men opened fire on a taxi in Mansehra colony located in Landhi area, killing three people on the spot and injuring three others.

The police said that the victims had been identified as Zafar Qaim Khani, Aleem-ur-Reheman, Abdul Qadir and Ali Ahmed. They added that the victims were members of the MQM-H.

Earlier, a man was shot dead by unknown men in Hub River area while another person identified as Allah Ditta was gunned down upon resistance during robbery..
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Six killed in N Waziristan suicide attack, Mullah Nazir injured

North Waziristan: Six people have been killed while 14 injured including Taliban commander, Mullah Nazir in a deadly suicide attack in the Wana Bazaar of North Waziristan.

According to reports, the blast targeted car of Mullah Nazir, damaging it seriously. The incident also caused destruction of 10 shops there.

It is said that there were serious differences between the commander and Tehreek-e-Talban Pakistan.

Nazir is the main warlord affiliated to the Pakistani Taliban in South Waziristan, one of seven districts that make up the semi-autonomous tribal belt.

Samajwadi Party to vote against FDI in Rajya Sabha

NEW DELHI: In a discomforting news to the government, Samajwadi Party on Thursday said it will vote against FDI in Rajya Sabha where UPA does not have majority on its own.

"We will vote against FDI in Rajya Sabha if the government brings it there," SP leader in the Upper House Ramgopal Yadav told reporters here.

SP has nine members in the 244-member House.

Asked if the party will vote against FDI in Lok Sabha, he retorted, "Ask our leaders from Lok Sabha."

When queried whether the party could have different positions in the two Houses, he said, "This happens many times. This has happened in the past also."

With regard to Lok Sabha, SP leaders have been saying that the party will oppose FDI but have remained ambiguous on voting.

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Govt agrees to FDI debate with voting in Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha

NEW DELHI: The four-day logjam in Parliament ended on Thursday with the government accepting opposition's demand for a debate over the issue of allowing FDI in retail under a rule that entails voting.

Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar allowed a discussion on the subject under a rule that entails voting.

"I have received 30 notices for discussion on FDI in multi-brand retail under Rule 184. I have admitted the motion to allow the discussion. The date and the time will be decided later," the Speaker announced in the House.

Tehran welcomes British court ruling in favor of former Iranian diplomat

TEHRAN – The Iranian Foreign Ministry on Wednesday welcomed a British High Court ruling in favor of former Iranian diplomat Nosratollah Tajik who has been under house arrest in Britain since six years ago under a U.S. allegation that he had tried to ship nigh vision cameras to Iran.

“Despite a delay of six years the Islamic Republic of Iran welcomes the ruling issued by the court and considers it a move in the right direction,” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said.

Mehmanparast expressed hope that Tajik would return to Iran soon to be reunited with his family.
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Two killed in Karachi violence; police arrest 15

KARACHI: Two people were killed in incidents of firing in Karachi, DawnNews reported on Thursday.

One person was killed when unknown gunmen opened fire on the Hub River Road in Karachi’s Baldia Town area.

Another man was shot dead in the Baldia Town’s Abidabad area.

Separately, the police claimed arresting 15 people, including two suspected bank robbers.

The city’s East Zone police conducted different operations and arrested 13 suspects, including three proclaimed offenders. The police also recovered weapons from the arrested individuals.

Moreover, Gulistan-i-Jauhar police arrested two suspects allegedly involved in a bank robbery. According to police sources, the suspects looted a private bank on Karachi’s University Road and managed to flee with Rs 36 million.
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Notices issued to IB officials over conspiracy against Punjab govt

Islamabad: The Supreme Court of Pakistan issued notices to the officials of Intelligence Bureau (IB) on Wednesday for allegedly trying to topple the Punjab government by utilising its ‘secret fund’.

A three-member bench of the SC, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, was hearing a suo motu case over Rs 270 million allegedly drawn by the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) federal governments in the past from the ‘secret fund’ of IB to topple the Punjab governments.

Iranian Majlis speaker to visit India

TEHRAN - Iranian Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani is scheduled to visit India on December 3 and 4 to discuss bilateral ties, according to the Iranian ambassador to New Delhi.

Iran shows new submarines and warships, touts self-sufficiency in defense

Iran’s state television has posted a short video that shows what the Iranians say are “indigenously built” warship and submarines. The two Ghadir class submarines, which can fire missiles and torpedoes at the same time, and the Sina-7 warship were launched at Bandar Abbas, near the Strait of Hormuz.In the video, Iranian navy commander Habibollah Sayyari also boasted of the country’s ability to build its own destroyers and submarines.

Saudi diplomat shot dead in Yemeni capital

SANAA, Yemen : Gunmen killed a Saudi diplomat and his Yemeni bodyguard on a busy street in the capital here Wednesday, the latest in a string of assassinations of government figures in this impoverished Middle Eastern country.

The diplomat, a military attache in the Saudi Arabian Embassy here, was inside his four-wheel-drive vehicle about noon when another vehicle blocked the road, according to a Yemeni security official. The gunmen stepped out of their vehicle and began firing into the diplomat’s car.

Rifts between Pakistan, US healed: FM Khar

Islamabad: Pakistan Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar has said on Wednesday that the military and intelligence ties between the US and Pakistan have been fully repaired.

She said that Pakistan will take further cooperate with the United States to stabilise Afghanistan before most Nato combat troops withdraw by 2014.

“There was a fairly difficult patch and I think we’ve moved away from that into a positive trajectory,” the minister told Reuters in an interview, referring to Pakistani-US relations.

Gunmen kill seven members of Iraqi family

TARMIYAH: Gunmen armed with silenced weapons attacked a house in a town north of Baghdad on Wednesday, killing seven members of a family, including three young children, security officials and a medic said.

Two members of the family, including one of the dead, belonged to the anti-Qaeda Sahwa militia force, made up of Sunni tribesmen who resisted the militant group and helped turn the tide of the war in Iraq.

The attack in the town of Tarmiyah took place about 4:00 am (local time).

Marc Grossman resigns as US Special Envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan

Washington: US Special Envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan Marc Grossman has resigned from his post, a report said.

The resignation will be effective from December 14.

He will be replaced in an acting capacity by his current deputy, David D. Pearce

Special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan (SRAP) is one of the important positions the administration of US President Barack Obama created “to coordinate particularly vexing diplomatic challenges that spanned several countries,” it said.

Abducted Dr. Saeed Ahmed recovered from Quetta

Quetta: An eye specialist Dr Saeed Khan who was under abduction for over a month has lastly been recovered from Quetta, family sources said on Wednesday.

Talking to media, Dr. Saeed expressed concern over the target killing and kidnapping of doctors in Balochistan saying that it must be ended. “I have no idea whether ransom money was paid or who paid it.”

Meanwhile, PMA Balochistan President said there is no role of government behind the recovery of Dr. Saeed Ahmed and he got released after paying ransom money.

The doctors who went on strike following the abduction of an eye specialist will continue their strike until the local police seek apology from them for offensive behavior, he added.

At least 34 killed in Damascus car bombs: activists

At least 34 people have been killed in explosions which struck the eastern Damascus district of Jaramana, state television said.

At least 83 people were wounded in the blast.

Addounia television broadcast footage of firemen hosing down the blackened and charred hulks of two vehicles after what it described as "terrorist explosions".

It said there had been deaths and injuries, without giving numbers.

Morsy would not back down

Egypt's Cabinet chief, Mohamed Refa'a al-Tahtawi, said there will be no retreat from the constitutional decree, state-run EGYNews reported. He reportedly stressed the president would not back down because his move was motivated by democratic aims.

Ahmed al-Aguizi, a spokesman for the Freedom and Justice Party -- the Brotherhood's political arm -- said the anti-Morsy protesters carried knives, swords, clubs and guns and battled Brotherhood supporters for four hours.

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IPL franchises begin search for Pakistan players

MUMBAI/LAHORE :Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises have reportedly begun search for signings from Pakistan ahead of the players auction of the tournament that is due in January.

Sources close to some of the national team players told media that inquiries had already started coming in from interested franchises in the IPL.

No chance of alliance with Musharraf in upcoming elections: Imran Khan

Lahore: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chief Imran Khan ruling out any chance of alliance with former President Pakistan Pervez Musharraf has said that no alliance will be made with Musharraf before or after the upcoming elections.

Expressing the post-election policies of his party in an interview show ‘Geo Shaan se’ aired on Wednesday, cricketer turned politician said that PTI is not the party of families like other in Pakistan.

He expressed gratitude over positive statements by Pervez Musharraf about him but denied any likelihood of having a coalition with APML in future.

Earlier, former Chief of Army Staff (COAS) gave a hint on the possibility of building an alliance with PTI after the elections.

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BCCI unaware of talks between Tendulkar, selectors

The Indian Cricket Board on Wednesday claimed it was unaware of any talks between senior batsman Sachin Tendulkar and national selectors on his future in the wake of a prolonged form slump.

“I am not aware of it,” said BCCI secretary and senior selection panel convener Sanjay Jagdale when contacted in Indore for his reaction to media reports that Tendulkar spoke to chief selector Sandeep Patil before yesterday’s selection meeting at the Board headquarters here.

Taliban threaten to kill kidnapped dam workers

ISLAMABAD : The Pakistani Taliban on Tuesday threatened to kill eight kidnapped employees of a dam project by December 3 if the government failed to meet the terror outfit’s demands.

The kidnapped people worked at the Gomal Zam Dam hydro-electric power and irrigation project in South Waziristan region. They are two engineers, four security personnel and two staffers. A 46-minute video, recorded on November 23 and released on Tuesday, showed the kidnapped men seeking the government’s help and relaying the militants’ message. It gave the government six days to react.

Bangladesh arrest three factory managers over blaze

DHAKA: Bangladesh police have arrested three managers of a factory where a blaze killed 110 people, following claims they stopped workers from leaving the plant saying an alarm was just a routine fire drill.

Dhaka police chief Habibur Rahman told AFP Wednesday the managers were arrested overnight after charges that they told panicked workers of Tazreen Fashion they had nothing to worry about when the fire started on Saturday night.

“All three are mid-level managers of Tazreen. Survivors told us that they did not allow the workers to escape the fire, saying that it was a routine fire drill. There are also allegations that they even padlocked doors,” he said.

Hamid Mir attack: Pak Taliban claims responsibility

Peshawar: The Pakistani Taliban has claimed responsibility for the assassination attempt on senior a senior Geo TV journalist and anchor Hamid Mir a day earlier and has warned of more attacks on anyone pursuing the secular agenda.

Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan said that Mir was following a secular agenda and was helping those who were working against the principles of Islam adding that their organisation would continue to target all those who were becoming party to propagation against ''jihad'', reports The Dawn.

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5 killed, over 80 injured in DI Khan blast on Ashura procession

PESHAWAR: A senior police official was suspended hours after a bomb exploded inside a closed shop, leaving five Shias dead and scores injured in Dera Ismail Khan on the occasion of Ashura,
a provincial minister confirmed.

“Five people were killed and 83 injured in the bomb blast,” Shafeerullah Khan, a senior government official in Peshawar told AFP.

It was the second such attack on Ashura processions in the city in as many days. In a previous blast on Saturday, eight persons, including six children, were killed.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain told the media his government did everything humanely possible to see off the last day of Ashura peacefully.

Three cops injured in blast

PESHAWAR: Three policemen received minor injuries on Monday after a roadside bomb hit the vehicle they were travelling in.

The bomb was planted on a small bridge and detonated when the police vehicle was crossing it. The blast took place in Sarband area, close to border with Khyber tribal region where Taliban-linked militancy is keeping Peshawar disturbed. The three injured cops were shifted to hospital, said a Rescue 1122 worker. Attacks on police in suburbs have been on the rise in recent weeks and scores of policemen have been killed and injured.

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Nawaz ready to work as PM with Zardari

LAHORE: Nawaz Sharif, president of his own faction of the Pakistan Muslim League, has said that Asif Zardari is an elected president and he would have no problem in working with President Zardari if elected as the country’s premier.

Talking to a private TV channel, the PML-N president said, “We have good relations with Baloch nationalist parties. There will be no problem for us to make alliance with any party or group for national cause, however, we are not interested in making alliance with those plundering the national wealth.”

He said he sees no justification of postponing elections, therefore, creating doubts and uncertainty in this regard is not proper. He said that it is the job of an independent and autonomous election commission to decide where the army was needed to hold peaceful elections.

Militants threaten peace committees’ supporters

LANDI KOTAL: Proscribed militant organisation Lashkar-i-Islam have asked residents of Bara to dissociate themselves from pro-government peace committees and threatened attacks against those ignoring the warning.

The LI men distributed threatening leaflets among people and pasted posters in the area over the past two days.

Most of the areas where the pamphlets were distributed are under curfew for quite some time.

The pamphlets have been distributed at a time when the local administration has announced reinstatement of 600 khasadars who had resigned after they received similar warnings a week after the start of a military operation in the area in September 2009.

In some places, the posters were hanged in trees, apparently to attract maximum attention.

Govt committed to giving powers to panchayats: Omar

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today reiterated that the establishment of powerful Panchayati Raj in the state was the commitment of the coalition government and said no effort would be spared in this direction.

The Chief Minister was addressing panches and sarpanches during a rally in Rajouri district today.

Omar said holding of the panchayat elections after a gap of 30 years in the state vindicated the keenness of the National Conference and the Congress to strengthen grass-roots level institutions across the state.

Omar told the panchayat members that his government was in touch with the Central government and Panchayati Raj Minister Jai Ram Ramesh to sort out issues which had become a hurdle in empowering them, giving them salaries and insurance benefits.

Major truce violation by Pak along LoC

Ahead of the ninth anniversary of mutually brokered Indo-Pak ceasefire agreement, Pakistan troops opened heavy fire on 10 Indian posts for over four hours in Krishna Ghati (KG) sector along the LoC in Poonch district late last night.

The truce deal between the two countries had come into force on November 26, 2003. The Army has described it as a major truce violation this year.

“Around 7.40 pm last night, Pakistan army opened heavy machine gun and medium machine gun fire, firing over 6,000 rounds on 10 Indian posts in KG sector,” said officiating Defence PRO SN Acharaya. He said the firing lasted till 11.45 pm.

PM Bhattarai asks President Yadav not to bypass constitution

Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai has asked President Ram Baran Yadav to fulfill his duties by remaining within the ambit of the constitution and never blatantly disregard it.

PM Bhattarai said this to the president during their meeting at Shital Niwas Sunday night that was held immediately after the Cabinet meeting formally rejected the President’s call to the political parties to form a consensus government within seven days. During the meeting, PM Bhattarai apprised the President on the decision taken by the Cabinet and submitted the government’s letter of protest which described the president’s move as being “against the tenet and spirit of the Interim constitution”.

Opposition parties put off demonstrations

Sixteen political parties in the opposition have decided to postpone their pre-scheduled demonstrations in Biratnagar and Janakpur later this week to focus on building political consensus.

A meeting of the parties, including Nepali Congress and UML, in Balkh meet decided to call off the protest programmes to build a favourable environment for consensus, leaders said in a statement.

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Sino-Indian dialogue conveys mutual confidence

New Delhi plays host to one of the largest official delegations from China this week. About 200 representatives of various government agencies, commercial enterprises, financial institutions and think tanks are in India for the Second China-India Strategic Economic Dialogue, which began on Monday.

Co-chaired by Zhang Ping, the head of China's National Development and Reform Commissi on and Montek Singh Ahluwalia, deputy chairman of India's Planning Commission, the two sides will exchange notes on developing common strategies for broader economic cooperation and promote coordination in their macroeconomic policies on mutual investments, infrastructure development, high-technology, energy conservation and environment protection sectors.

This high-visibility of China in India was triggered by the meeting of prime ministers Wen Jiabao and Manmohan Singh on the sidelines of the Seventh East Asian summit in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, last week, which was their 14th meeting in the last seven years.

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