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Monday, December 14, 2009 GAZA CITY: The Islamic militant group Hamas is marking the anniversary of its 1987 founding with celebrations in the Gaza Strip. The organization hopes to show it still has support despite four years of rule that have led Gaza into war, poverty and isolation. Gaza is decked out in Islamic green, with Hamas flags fluttering from roofs and lampposts. Hamas' radio and TV stations are exhorting Gazans to attend a mass rally after midday prayers.

Monday, December 14, 2009 SEOUL: The United States and North Korea agreed to discuss a peace treaty on the Korean peninsula at four-nation talks involving the two nations, China and South Korea, a news report said Sunday.The "common understanding" was reached when US envoy Stephen Bosworth visited Pyongyang from December 8 to 10, a news agency said, citing an unnamed Seoul official.A peace treaty would replace an armistice to formally end the 1950-1953 Korean War at which Communist North Korea, backed by Chinese troops, fought South Korea, supported by US-led UN troops.Bosworth's trip to Pyongyang was to persuade North Korea to return to six-party nuclear disarmament talks -- which also group South Korea, China, Japan and Russia. Pyongyang quit the talks in April.Though failing to set a date for the North's return to the six-party process, the US envoy said both sides agreed on the need to resume nuclear disarmament talks during what he termed "very useful"

Monday, December 14, 2009 SEOUL: The United States and North Korea agreed to discuss a peace treaty on the Korean peninsula at four-nation talks involving the two nations, China and South Korea, a news report said Sunday.The "common understanding" was reached when US envoy Stephen Bosworth visited Pyongyang from December 8 to 10, a news agency said, citing an unnamed Seoul official.A peace treaty would replace an armistice to formally end the 1950-1953 Korean War at which Communist North Korea, backed by Chinese troops, fought South Korea, supported by US-led UN troops.Bosworth's trip to Pyongyang was to persuade North Korea to return to six-party nuclear disarmament talks -- which also group South Korea, China, Japan and Russia. Pyongyang quit the talks in April.Though failing to set a date for the North's return to the six-party process, the US envoy said both sides agreed on the need to resume nuclear disarmament talks during what he termed "very useful"

Monday, December 14, 2009 NEW DELHI: Twenty people died and several others were injured in a high-speed collision between a bus and a truck in Uluberia in India's eastern West Bengal in the wee hours of Sunday.The accident took place when a truck collided head-on with a bus, with fifty passengers on the National Highway-6. Eight people died on the spot. The injured were rushed to Uluberia General Hospital, out of which 12 succumbed to their injuries.Federal Railway minister and Chief of regional Trinamool Congress Mamata Banerjee and her colleague, Minister of state for shipping Mukul Rai rushed to the spot immediately."In this region, there is no concern for the humans. In this hospital, doctors, nurses or medicinal facilities are not available. Many injured passengers died due to lack of proper treatment. In this situation, only thing that can be done is setting up of camps outside the hospital. We have informed the authorities to do the needful for injured. This is a crime

Monday, December 14, 2009 BEIJING: A detailed genome map of the giant panda completed by Chinese scientists has shown that the notoriously shy animal is genetically similar to the dog, state media reported Sunday.Scientists from the Beijing Genomics Institute finished sequencing the giant panda genome in October last year but a detailed genome map was only recently completed, a local news agency said."The research found there is a high genomic similarity between giant panda and dog," the report said, but added that the research also supported the view of most scientists that the giant panda may be a subspecies of the bear family.The detailed mapping showed that the giant panda has 21 pairs of chromosomes and more than 20,000 genes, the news agency said.The research is expected to provide scientific support for the conservation, disease prevention and artificial propagation of the endangered giant panda, researchers have said."We hope the genome map could help geneticall

Monday, December 14, 2009 WASHINGTON: Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Samuelson died Sunday at the age of 94, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology said.Samuelson became the first American to win the Nobel Prize for Economics in 1970, and is credited with creating the mathematical analysis on which modern economics is based."Paul Samuelson transformed everything he touched: the theoretical foundations of his field, the way economics was taught around the world, the ethos and stature of his department, the investment practices of MIT, and the lives of his colleagues and students," said MIT President Susan Hockfield.Samuelson's best-selling economics text, "Economics: An Introductory Analysis," has been translated into 40 languages and has sold nearly four million copies over a span of 60 years, MIT said.He is survived by his wife of 28 years, Risha Samuelson, six children from his first marriage and a stepdaughter, as well as 15 grandchildren.

Monday, December 14, 2009 WASHINGTON: The US House of Representatives has approved $1.459 billion in assistance for Pakistan for the fiscal year 2010 as it passed a massive American $1.1 trillion appropriations bill, Geo news reported on Monday The aid will be spent under the Kerry-Lugar legislation passed by the US Congress earlier this year and is part of the FY 2010 State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill. Under the measure, $1.035 billion will be allocated as economic support fund for Pakistan while other expenditure heads include health, law enforcement and security. The US Senate is expected to okay the bill this weekend.The US will also spend $268 million on foreign military financing for Pakistan next year. Washington has already endorsed $1.6 billion for Pakistan under the Coalition Support Fund (CSF) for the fiscal year 2010. The CSF provides for reimbursement of expenditure that Pakistan incurs in providing infrastructural facilities to the coalition.Besides, the U

Sunday, December 13, 2009 ROME: Italian news reports say a man punched Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi in the face at a rally in Milan and the leader was whisked away in a car after falling to the ground.State TV showed Berlusconi with blood on his lips as he was lifted to his feet by aides. A spokesman for Berlusconi says he didn't immediately have any information about the incident, which happened after the premier delivered a long, rousing speech to his conservative supporters Sunday evening.

Sunday, December 13, 2009 DUBAI: Rain and thunderstorms are expected to hit nation and the current unsettled weather pattern will continueThe UAE has received season’s heaviest rainfall today which was particularly higher in Al Ain, Abu Dhabi and Dubai.Rain and thunderstorms are expected to hit nation and the current unsettled weather pattern will continue.The weather bureau has recorded more than 60 millimetres of rain in Al Foa, a suburban town in Al Ain, 24.4 millimetres over Jebel Hafeat, and 20 millimetres at Al Ain International Airport. Abu Dhabi has received 33.1 millimetres of rain until this morning and Dubai has also received intermittent rain.Rain water has inundated different areas, including streets, roundabouts, and markets in Al Ain city, forcing people to stay in-door. Attendance in school and office was also affected as the city was receiving heavy down power at around 7am.According to National Centre of Meteorology (NCMS), conditions will continue to be cloudy in mos

WASHINGTON: The commander of US and Nato troops in Afghanistan General Mcchrystal has feared that the entire region including Afghanistan, Pakistan and adjoining areas could be sent in danger if Taliban succeeded to obtain stability, Geo news reported Monday.“Taliban will have to be eradicated at any cost”, adding, “Taliban may pose threat to the stability of the entire region if they become stable in Afghanistan again.” “Al-Qaeda wants imposition of its ideology over all across the world. We want better partnership with Afghan government”, he said, “But the world must come forward to further assistance to Afghanistan in its war against terrorism.”Afghan government should raise salaries of Afghan troops, general proposed.

Sunday, December 13, 2009 KARACHI: The biggest bank robbery of the country’s history of Rs520 million has been carried out in the metropolitan city of Karachi.The looted money comprises local and foreign currencies. A bag containing 40,000 British pounds has been recovered from a police official’s house. The family members of the police official had left the bag home which contained foreign currency. According to police, the bank guards are involved in the bank robbery while raids are being carried out to arrest the other robbers.Police has also taken into custody two bank guards.

Sunday, December 13, 2009 KARACHI/Pakistan: The biggest robbery of the country’s history of Rs520 million has been carried out in the metropolitan city of Karachi by breaking into the lockers of a private bank.The looted money comprises local and foreign currencies. A bag containing 40,000 British pounds has been recovered from a police official’s house. The family members of the police official had left the bag home which contained foreign currency. According to police, the bank guards are involved in the bank robbery while raids are being carried out to arrest the other robbers.Police has also taken into custody two bank guards and recovered Rs5 million.The police have claimed to have learned about the whereabouts of the guard mainly involved in the robbery. He has been identified as Shahid Mehmood son of Abdul Majeed, holding NIC issued in Faisalabad.Police have announced a reward of Rs2 million for information leading to the capture of the guard.

Monday, December 14, 2009 NAPIER: Pakistan were 347 for 4 in their second innings and had secured lead by 99 runs with 6 wickets still remaining at close on the fourth day of third cricket Test match against New Zealand here on Monday, Geo news reported.Pakistan lost two quick wickets as MJ Guptill, in his maiden Test cricket over, caught and bowled out two Pakistani left handed openers in first session of the match.Also, he succeeded to break 129-run opening stand from Pakistani openers.Subsequently, two Pakistani middle order batsmen, skipper Muhammad Yousuf and young Faisal Iqbal slowly paced the innings, forming 128 run solid partnership, which ultimately was broken when Iqbal was dismissed on 67.Imran Farhat and Salman Butt respectively accumulated 61 and 66 runs while young Umer Akmal was unbeaten at crease on quick 49 with Misbah-ul-Haq playing on 3. Captain Muhammad Yousuf, missed out his test hundred and was forced to go back to dressing room on 89 shortly after the play was