Lahore: Pakistan has denied permission to a diplomat from the Indian high commission to travel to Lahore to set up the mission's stall at the ongoing SAARC Trade Fair. Over 50 Indian traders are participating in the fair held in Lahore, from December 4 to 6. However, the Indian mission was not given permission to travel from Islamabad to Lahore.
Death for Lanka top cop, five others
Colombo: A Sri Lankan court has sentenced top police officer, his son and four other policemen to death, for the abduction and murder of a businessman in 2013. Deputy Inspector General Vaas Gunawardena was found guilty of killing Mohamed Shiyam in exchange for 10 million rupees from a business rival. His son's role was discovered when CCTV footage showed Shiyam being taken away by Gunawardena's son Ravindu. The country's security forces regularly kidnapped and killed troublesome opponents during its civil war, a practice that continued even after the war ended in 2009. It is so open and well-known that people started referring it to as being “white-vanned”, a reference to the vehicles often used to abduct victims.
38 Taliban militants killed in Afghanistan
Kabul: An interior ministry statement said the Afghan police and units of the national army have killed 38 Taliban militants in a series of operations in the conflict-ridden country recently. The operations were conducted in parts of Nangarhar, Kunduz, Helmand, Samangan, Faryab and Saribul, during which many militants were injured and the police have seized a number of arms and ammunitions. Taliban militants have not yet made comments on the government claims.
Indian student in UAE gets perfect SAT score
Dubai: A 15 year old student of Indian origin has scored a perfect 2400 out of 2400 in the coveted Scholastic Aptitude Test exams held recently. Sanchit Kapoor, who has represented the UAE in the World Youth Scrabble Championships for the last four years is among the top 0.5 per cent out of the 1.8 million students who appeared for the college board exam. He said, “I knew I had done well, but never expected this score. It was a surprise.” Dubai-based independent educational consultant for US universities, Peter Davos said, “Annually, only 400 students worldwide from 1.8 million who appear for SAT achieve a perfect score.” A perfect SAT score has brought Kapoor closer to his objective of enrolling into a top US university.
Pak files petition seeking Kohinoor
Islamabad: A petition has been filed in a Pakistani court to bring back the world famous Kohinoor diamond which India has been trying to get from the UK. Barrister Javed Iqbal Jaffry has alleged in his petition to the Lahore high court that the UK snatched the diamond from Daleep Singh, grandson of Maharaja Ranjeet Singh, and took it to Britain. He said, “The diamond became part of the crown of incumbent Queen Elizabeth-II at the time of her crowning in 1953. Queen Elizabeth has no right on the Kohinoor diamond, which weighs 105 carats and is worth billions of rupees.” The Kohinoor was mined in medieval times in the Kollur mine in Andhra Pradesh's Guntur district. At one time it was considered the largest diamond in the world.
Pakistan hangs 4 men convicted of Peshwar school massacre
Peshawar: Pakistan has carried out the execution of four men for their involvement in the massacre of 134 children at an army-run school in Peshawar. The hangings are the first executions of civilians convicted by Pakistan's military courts, which were set up after the massacre through a constitutional amendment. Hazrat Ali, Mujeebur Rehman, Sabeel and Abdus Salam were convicted on August 13, and all of them were identified as members of the Toheedwal Jihad Group, a previously unheard faction of the Pakistani Taliban. Three others were also sentenced to death for involvement in the attack, but their death warrants have not yet been issued.
Russia offers to build pipeline for gas exports to Pakistan
Islamabad: Russia has offered to lay a pipeline for gas exports to energy-starved Pakistan that will run parallel to the TAPI pipeline. The proposal has provoked fears that Moscow may lose the European Union market due to political tensions. The second largest producer of natural gas, Russia is looking for alternatives and has already signed a multi-billion-dollar energy deal with China. An official said, “A Russian delegation during a visit to Pakistan last month discussed plans for building a gas pipeline in a meeting of the Pakistan-Russia Inter-governmental Commission.” They expressed keen interest in laying the pipeline for gas exports to Pakistan, which would snake through Turkmenistan and Afghanistan, he said. According to officials, the Russian pipeline will run parallel to another regional pipeline called TAPI, which will be built by Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India.
Six injured in bomb attack on a Hindu gathering in Bangladesh
Dhaka: A series of bomb blasts at a Hindu religious gathering in northern Bangladesh has injured at least six people. The attack followed the shooting and wounding of an Italian doctor working in the same region last month. The blasts occurred in Dinajpur district, 415 km north of the capital Dhaka when a series of bombs explode as hundreds of devotees attended a religious ceremony called “Rushmela”, said officer in-charge of Kahalpur police station, Abdul Mazid. Mazid said the attack followed recent threats to the temple's priest urging him not to organise any religious gatherings. Five people have been detained for interrogation, he said.
Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour succumbs to injuries
Kabul: Taliban supremo Mullah Akhtar Mansour has died of injuries, confirmed Afghanistan officials. Mansour was critically injured in a gunfight in an argument with commanders in the militant group. The event came as the group has been divided into two factions after Mansour succeeded former Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar as the hardliner group's leader after Omar was confirmed dead in late July.
Maldives' president turns on deputy
Malé: Vice President Ahmed Adeeb in all probabilities could face a death penalty after being accused of masterminding an alleged conspiracy to blow up President Abdulla Yameen on his official speedboat. There are concerns regarding his fate after the parliament set aside £170,000 to build a room in which people could be put to death by lethal injection. There has been speculation that his incarceration is also linked with Yameen’s increasing obsession with black magic. “The president is so paranoid that he believes in black magic,” the adviser said. “He believes that if the vice-president sets foot in Male the government will fall.” Adeeb’s situation has been worsened by the hounding of his lawyer, who has been suspended and threatened with arrest.
Socialite dies after refusing treatment over fears of old age
London: A socialite who chose death over age succumbed to severe kidney and liver damage when she tried to kill herself by washing down 60 tablets with a bottle of Veuve Clicquot on a beach in Southern England after the failure of her most recent relationship. Judge Alistair MacDonald at the Court of Protection ruled that her decision to refuse treatment might be unwise or immoral but was not beyond her capacity, despite doctors’ warnings to the contrary. His report states that “Dr Stevens diagnosed a narcissistic personality disorder which constituted an impairment or disturbance in the functioning of her mind.” Only known as C, the court hear her complain that she might seem “past her sell-by date” when she found she was to become a grandmother, had breast cancer diagnosed last year but declined treatment for fear its affect on her weight would prevent her wearing a bikini. She also said that she did not want to “live in a council flat”, be poor or be ugly.
US deploys spy plane in Singapore
Washington: The US has agreed on a first deployment of the U.S. P8 Poseidon spy plane in Singapore in response to China over its pursuit of territorial claims in the South China Sea. In a joint statement after a meeting in Washington on Monday, U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter and Singapore Defense Minister Ng Eng Hen welcomed the inaugural deployment of the aircraft in Singapore from Dec. 7 to 14. Taking the development with a pinch of salt, China said the move aims to militarise the region. “I think this kind of increase in military deployment by the United States and pushing regional militarization does not accord with the joint long-term interests of the countries in this region,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told reporters. The United States and Singapore have long-standing defense ties and the announcement of the P8 deployment was part of an enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement signed by Carter and Ng.
Too much TV could damage long-term intelligence
San Fransisco: Researchers from the Northern California Institute for Research and Education say that not getting enough exercise in early adulthood could be damaging to one's long-term intelligence. The study group followed more than 3200 aged between 18 and 32, for 25 years monitoring their exercise and television habits. They found that those who watched three or more hours of television more than four days a week and rarely exercised, were twice as likely to score poorly in intelligence and cognition tests.
