Pak concerns over Indian role in Afghanistan not groundless: US

WASHINGTON: In an acknowledgement of Pakistan’s concerns over India’s presence in Afghanistan, US Special Representative James Dobbins has said Islamabad’s fears are “not groundless”.

The US diplomat, in an interview with the BBC Urdu Service in Washington, recognised the cross-border infiltration of hostile elements into Pakistan from the Afghan side.

Senior Frontier Reserve Police official injured in Peshawar attack

PESHAWAR: Unknown gunmen on motorbikes Thursday ambushed the Deputy Commandant (DC) of Frontier Reserve Police (FRP) Gul Wali in Peshawar's Gulbahar area, injuring him and killing his bodyguard and driver.

“The deputy commander of Frontier Reserve Police Gul Wali Khan was going to his office from home when four people on two motorbikes lay in wait on both sides of the road,” police official Imran Shahid said.

“They opened fire on his vehicle. His bodyguard and his driver have been killed,” Shahid told AFP.

Naxal attack in Jharkhand: Pakur SP, seven cops killed

In the latest Maoist attack, banned outfit attacked the cavalcade of Pakur SP at Kathikund in Dumka district of Jharkhand on Tuesday.

According to the report, Superintendent of Police, Pakur, Amarjit Balihar along with seven other policemen were reported to be killed in the naxal ambush.

Six dead in Philadelphia building collapse

Philadelphia: Philadelphia's mayor says the collapse of a downtown building that was being demolished has killed six people.

Mayor Michael Nutter discussed the accident and the search and rescue attempts on Wednesday night.

Fire officials earlier had reported one woman was killed and 13 people were injured in the accident. But body bags were removed from the rubble hours later.

Kamran, Wahab dash Irish hopes

In the feudal world of cricket, an Associate nation has never beaten a Full Member in an international series, but Ireland came desperately close to beating Pakistan before a breathtaking partnership took the game, and series, away.

Kamran Akmal and Wahab Riaz came together with just under 100 needed off 13 overs. Kamran is experienced in Irish conditions, having played with the Limavady club in 2002 and 2003, and with his young colleague he went about repairing the early damage wreaked by the Irish seamers. But Kamran is a wily performer and eased into destructive mode as the bowlers struggled to find their lengths.

Thousands rally against Malaysia vote result

Tens of thousands of Malaysians, dressed in black, have gathered to denounce the country's elections which they claim were marred by fraud by the coalition that has ruled for 56 years.Malaysia's opposition leader is leading demonstrations against alleged electoral fraud in Sunday's election.

Bangladesh building collapse toll hits 931

SAVAR, Bangladesh: The death toll in Bangladesh's worst industrial disaster on Thursday rose to 931 as rescuers overnight pulled out 97 more decomposed bodies from sandwiched floors of the ill-fated eight-storey building that collapsed last month."Ninety seven more bodies were retrieved since last night ... the figure now stands at 931," an official of the makeshift army control room told as the military-led salvage operation entered the 16th day on Thursday.He said 2,443 people were rescued alive so far but 13 of them succumbed to their wounds as they were being treated at different hospitals.Hundreds of bodies are still trapped under the debris of the illegally constructed Rana Plaza building as many have remained missing, local media reported.

Objections against Nisar dismissed

RAWALPIDNI: An election tribunal comprising Justice Rauf Ahmad Sheikh and Justice Mamoon Rashid Sheikh of the Lahore High Court’s Rawalpindi bench allowed Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, former leader of opposition in the National Assembly, and Tehreek-i-Insaf chief Imran Khan on Thursday to contest the elections and dismissed objections against their nomination papers.

Gunman kills 13 relatives and neighbours in Serb village

BELGRADE, Serbia : A 60-year-old man gunned down 13 people, including a baby, in a house-to-house rampage in a quiet village on Tuesday before trying to kill himself and his wife, police and hospital officials said.

Belgrade emergency hospital spokeswoman Nada Macura said the man, identified only as Ljubisa B., used a handgun in the shooting spree at five houses. The dead included six women.

S. Korea urges North to lift Kaesong access ban

SEOUL : South Korea on Monday issued another appeal for North Korea to lift an access ban on the Kaesong joint industrial park, which has already forced a dozen South Korean firms to halt operations.

"We urge the North again to immediately lift the ban... and to change its course to help resume normal operations in Kaesong," Unification Ministry spokesman Kim Hyung Suk told reporters.

Opposition leader Anwar may contest in Perak

PETALING JAYA: Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim says he intends to contest in Perak at the upcoming general election, but wants to get the blessings of his current constituents first.

"I've declared my intention to contest in Perak," he told reporters on Wednesday. "But my relations with my voters in Permatang Pauh is quite sentimental, so I think that I would need to engage with them and explain to them."

Seven killed for ‘honour’ in three districts

NAWABSHAH: Two women were among four persons killed on the pretext of Karo-Kari in the village of Gulzar Zardari on Tuesday.

The victims were identified as Kazbano, 18, daughter of Shah Mohammed Zardari; Shahzadi, 26, wife of Panah Zardari, Ismail, 20, son of Punhal Zardari, and Yousuf, 25, son of Faiz Mohammed Zardari.

Sources in police said that Shaukat Zardari, brother of Kazbano, and Moosa Zardari, brother of Shahzadi, who were behind the brutal act, had been arrested.

The bodies were taken to Peoples Medical College Hospital for an autopsy.

A heavy contingent of police was deployed around the village to avoid any untoward incident.

No FIR was lodged till the filing of this report.

Six boys electrocuted, 22 others injured

Jaipur: Six boys on Tuesday were electrocuted and 22 others received burn injuries when a bus in which they were travelling came in contact with a live wire in Churu district.

"The victims, members of a marriage party, were on their way to a village in Sardarshahar town for a marriage when the incident occurred near Lodsar village," SP Churu Omprakash said.

Myanmar unrest 'harms country's image': President

YANGON :Communal conflict in Myanmar "tarnished" the country's world image, President Thein Sein said on Sunday, in the wake of violence targeting Muslims that saw dozens killed and sparked international concern.

A wave of violence that began on March 20 saw mosques and homes burned in several towns in central Myanmar, leaving at least 43 dead and prompting the government to impose emergency rule and curfews in some areas.