Saturday, February 15, 2025
Main Menu

Wednesday, December 9th, 2015

 

Ghani thunders, Swaraj diplomatic at ‘Heart of Asia’ conference in capital

ISLAMABAD: The opening of the ‘Heart of Asia’ conference in the capital today was marked by a warm welcome from Pakistani authorities to visiting dignitaries from India, Afghanistan, China among other Asian countries.The Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Naval Staff and Chief of Air Staff were present at the reception. ─screengrab The Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Naval Staff and Chief of Air Staff were present at the reception. ─ The theme of the conference, jointly hosted by Pakistan and Afghanistan, is ‘enhanced cooperation for countering security threats andRead More


Afghan Taliban attack on Kandahar ‘leaves 46 dead’

KANDAHAR: At least 46 security personnel, Taliban fighters and civilians have been killed in clashes in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar, officials say. Several people were also taken hostage in the Taliban assault on Kandahar airport, which began on Tuesday. The airport compound houses the joint Nato and Afghan military headquarters. Officials said the attackers had managed to breach the first gate of the complex. Gunfire can still be heard, and all flights have been cancelled. The Taliban said it carried out the attack at the heavily fortified site.Read More


Thaw in Indo-Pak relations as Nawaz, Swaraj hold meeting on sidelines of summit

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Indian Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj are conducting a meeting to discuss bilateral issues on the sidelines of the ‘Heart of Asia’ conference in the capital on Wednesday.The meeting is considered crucial as many long standing issues are expected to be discussed, including stalled cricket ties between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz and Prime Minister’s Special Assistant Tariq Fatemi are also in attendance. Swaraj confirmed that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Pakistan for theRead More


Third attacker at Paris’s Bataclan music hall identified

PARIS: A 23-year-old man from the eastern French city of Strasbourg has been identified as the third gunman involved in the attack at Paris’s Bataclan music hall, police sources said Wednesday. Foued Mohamed Aggad went to Syria with his brother and a group of friends at the end of 2013, according to a source close to the investigation. The two other attackers involved in the massacre of 90 concertgoers — Omar Ismail Mostefai, 29, and 28-year-old former Paris bus driver Samy Amimour — had also been in Syria. Two ofRead More


Kerry to visit Moscow for talks on Syria

PARIS: United States (US) Secretary of State John Kerry said Wednesday he would head to Moscow next week to meet Russian leaders and try to build momentum for a push to end Syria’s civil war. Washington and Moscow have worked together to bring a group of regional and world powers together to forge a framework for a Syrian ceasefire and political transition. But signs of tension have begun to rise again as the US seeks to host the next meeting of the “International Syrian Support Group” in New York onRead More


6.9 magnitude quake shakes Indonesia

JAKARTA: A 6.9 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Indonesia Wednesday, United States (US) seismologists said, although there was no immediate tsunami warning. The quake, which was relatively shallow, hit in the Banda Sea, 106 kilometres (65 miles) southeast of the coastal city of Amahai, according to the US Geological Survey. There were no immediate reports of destruction or casualties. A spokesman said there was no information so far on any casualties or damage from the quake. Indonesia is an earthquake prone area, where a devastating tsunami killed thousandsRead More