Category: South Asia

ISLAMABAD, September 20, 2008 (AFP) – Many people are trapped inside the hotel in the Pakistan capital Islamabad after a massive bombing at the site Saturday killed at least 27 people, police said.At least 20 bodies could be seen at the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad following the large bomb blast, an AFP photographer said. The […]

ISLAMABAD, September 20, 2008 (AFP) – At least 27 people were killed in a massive car bombing at the Marriott Hotel in the Pakistan capital Islamabad on Saturday and many people are trapped inside the burning building, police said. Flames were seen shooting out of the hotel, a key meeting place for foreigners and one […]

WASHINGTON, September 16, 2008 (AFP) – The US Food and Drug Administration Tuesday said it would block the import of more than 30 generic drugs made by Indian pharmaceutical company Ranbaxy, saying the company had failed to meet manufacturing standards. Due to extensive violations of US requirements, the FDA issued the import alert for drugs […]

Sept 13, 2008 (LBO) – The Maldives can maintain its dollar peg despite a steep rise in inflation if budgets improve and the island’s newly re-constituted monetary authority does not print money to finance fiscal deficits, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said.–break— Inflation was projected at 15 percent for 2008 up from 7.4 percent, […]

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 […]