Category: South Asia

NEW DELHI, September 13, 2008 (AFP) – Three people were killed as a series of blasts hit the Indian capital New Delhi on Saturday, television reports said. India’s Star News network said the three died in an explosion in the central Connaught Place district.Another Indian television network CNN-IBN also reported three people had died. Police […]

MIRANSHAH, September 12, 2008 (AFP) – A missile from a suspected US drone killed 12 people Friday in a Pakistani tribal area where US forces have been aggressively targeting Al-Qaeda militants — fuelling anger from its key “war on terror” ally. The missile hit a house on the outskirts of Miranshah, the main town in […]

KABUL, September 8, 2008 (AFP) – An Afghan archaeologist has discovered the remains of an ancient 19-metre-long (62-foot) “sleeping Buddha” in central Afghanistan’s Bamiyan a government official said Monday.Bamiyan, about 140 kilometres (90 miles) northwest of Kabul, is on the ancient Silk Route between Europe and Central Asia. A team led by Zameryalai Tarzi had […]

ISLAMABAD, September 9, 2008 (AFP) – Asif Ali Zardari became Pakistan’s president Tuesday and faced immediate pressure to combat the Islamic militant insurgency that has engulfed the nation in the past year, as well as a struggling economy.Zardari, the controversial 53-year-old widower of slain opposition leader Benazir Bhutto, was sworn in at a closely-guarded ceremony […]

ISLAMABAD, September 3, 2008 (AFP) – Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani escaped an assassination attempt after shots were fired at his vehicle Wednesday, his spokesman said. “By the grace of Allah the prime minister is safe,” Bashir said. “There was firing near the motorcade of the prime minister. Two bullets hit the window glass […]

Aug 28, 2008 (LBO) – South Asian nations should lower trade barriers to make a regional economic co-operation work and deliver the promised benefits to the region’s people, a Sri Lankan business leader said Thursday. To receive instant alerts from LBO on your Dialog mobile type ‘lbo’ and send to 678 Regional integration is the […]

ISLAMABAD, August 19, 2008 (AFP) – Leaders of Pakistan’s ruling coalition were to meet later Tuesday to discuss a replacement for President Pervez Musharraf and the fate of dozens of deposed judges, a party spokesman said. The meeting comes a day after key US ally Musharraf resigned in the face of impeachment charges, nine years […]

NEW DELHI, August 17, 2008 (AFP) – Until a few months ago, the most popular buzz phrase for India was “economic miracle”, with the nation appearing impervious to the financial turmoil engulfing the developed world. “No other issue is likely to dominate the political scene” as much in the coming months, he said. The government […]

ISLAMABAD, August 16, 2008 (AFP) – Saudi Arabia’s intelligence chief dashed to Pakistan for talks with the government over its plans to impeach President Pervez Musharraf, a senior official in Islamabad said Saturday.“If the president resigns, the coalition government will look into the (amnesty) subject,” he told AFP. The visit of Muqrin bin Abdul Aziz […]

DHAKA, August 9, 2008 (AFP) – Bangladesh’s military-backed government is close to freeing ex-prime minister Khaleda Zia, a minister said Saturday, as part of an apparent deal to secure her party’s participation in December general elections.Last year the government tried to force both Sheikh Hasina and Zia into exile as part of an effort to […]

Aug 8, 2008 (LBO) – Maldivian President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom ratified a new constitution that ushers in key reforms and allows multi-party elections in the Indian Ocean republic. “Today we have witnessed a special moment where (the) Maldives has embraced a constitution that will usher in a liberal and modern democracy into the country, and […]

August 07, 2008 (AFP) – India said there had been serious security lapses during a visit to Sri Lanka by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh despite the island nation’s promise of “ultimate security.” The Sri Lankan bodyguard assigned to protect Singh did not turn up during a regional summit last weekend, while the motorcade for India’s […]