International News Updates

Kathmandu: Nepal`s Parliament will hold the crucial 17th round of election for a new Prime Minister on January 12, with Nepali Congress leader Ram Chandra Poudyal as the sole candidate. The Business Advisory Committee of the Parliament decided to hold the election on January 12 at 2 p.m. as the winter session of the Parliament […]

New York: Alarmed by the sudden Chinese arms buildup, Defence Secretary Robert Gates has said the US will counter it by stepping up investments in a range of weapons, jet fighters and technology even as he warned Beijing not to underestimate America`s resilience. The Chinese development of its first radar-evading fighter jet, as well as […]

Dhaka: Hindus in Bangladesh are in shock following the suspension of worship at the capital`s Dhakeshwari National Temple, the most important place of worship for the minority community in the country, after a theft on Sunday. Gold and silver ornaments and Taka 4.5 lakh have been stolen from the temple, said Tapan Bhattacharya, the in-charge […]

Kathmandu: Prime Minister Madhav Nepal has accused the Maoists of "preparing for a revolt" as the UN agency monitoring the peace process since 2007 prepares to exit from the country, amid a political deadlock over the formation of a new government. Prime Minister Nepal, who is leading a caretaker government, said that the main opposition […]

Islamabad: Pakistan is hopeful that India will respond positively to its "sincere" efforts for resumption of meaningful dialogue during the upcoming meeting of the Foreign Secretaries of the two countries, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said on Sunday. Gilani made the remarks during a meeting with visiting German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle. The two leaders […]

Kabul: In a clear pointer to Pakistan, India on Sunday said that any "external" interference in the transition process of Afghanistan will be detrimental to both its success and the future of the Afghan people. Echoing India`s views, Afghanistan said the peace process cannot succeed without being led by the Afghan people and noted that […]

New Delhi:The Karachi of the 1970s, of bars and cabarets, almost vanished with the introduction of prohibition but nightlife is still alive though somewhat constrained, says a Pakistani research scholar whose debut book is a fast-paced story of politics in that country and its power-brokers. "Invitation" by Shehryar Fazli is set in 1970s – one […]

Islamabad: The Foreign Secretaries of India and Pakistan will meet on the sidelines of SAARC Council of Ministers meeting in Bhutan early next month to explore ways to take forward the stalled peace process. Pakistan will decide on accepting India`s standing invitation for Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi to visit New Delhi after assessing the […]

Lahore: The ruling PML-N is set to part ways with the PPP in Pakistan`s Punjab province as the latter appears reluctant to implement a "reforms agenda" that includes acting against federal ministers accused of corruption and action on Supreme Court orders. Reacting to remarks by Pakistan Muslim League-N leaders that the Pakistan People`s Party would […]

London: Al-Qaeda may be plotting a terror attack on a major British airport or other aviation-related targets in a threat which has been described as "credible". British security agency are also monitoring all planes flying through the UK to destinations to the US and mainland Europe as part of the terrorist threat, media report said. […]

Washington: The Washington Post has reported that the Obama administration has decided to increase military, intelligence and financial support for Pakistan and intensify U.S. efforts to foster regional peace. Officials told the newspaper that the decision was made in last month`s White House Afghanistan war review and will be delivered by Vice President Joe Biden […]

Colombo: India had expressed concern to the Sri Lankan government on allowing the Tamil Tigers to import radio equipment amid fears that it would equip the LTTE "broadcasts to reach Tamil Nadu," a secret cable from the US embassy here has revealed. The diplomatic cable leaked by the whistleblower website WikiLeaks said the government, headed […]

New York: Incidents of female teachers having sex with teenage students seem to be on the rise in the US, with the latest being that of a 27-year-old woman who has been arrested for allegedly making love with a 16-year-old pupil in her car. Ashley Blumenshine was held behind a department store in Plainfield, Illinois, […]

London: WikiLeaks’ Twitter account details have been subpoenaed by U.S. officials, the secret-spilling site announced on Saturday, adding that it suspected other American Internet companies were also being asked to hand over information about its activities. In an e-mail statement, WikiLeaks said that U.S. investigators had gone to the San Francisco-based Twitter Inc. to demand […]

Islamabad: The trial of seven Pakistani suspects charged with involvement in the Mumbai terror attacks was on Saturday adjourned for a fortnight after the prosecution sought more time to withdraw a petition filed in a higher court to declare Ajmal Kasab and Fahim Ansari as fugitives. Prosecution lawyers informed Judge Rana Nisar Ahmed of the […]