| Terrorists attacked PS in DI Khan, ASI martyred Posted: <p> </p><p>As per details, terrorists attacked Daraban police station with rockets. An Assistant Sub Inspector was killed and four others including Station House Officer (SHO) injured in the clash that erupted between police and terrorists.</p><p> </p><p>Terrorists managed to flee from the scene. Police have cordoned off the area and started search operation. <br /> </p> 
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| Pakistan assures IMF to cut budget deficit, introduce reforms Posted: <p> </p><p>An IMF mission, led by chief of mission Adnan Mazarei, met with the Pakistani authorities, led by Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, in Dubai and Islamabad from November 9-19 to conduct the 2011 Article-IV consultations and an IMF spokesman issued the following statement about the consultations on return to the US.</p><p> </p><p>“The Pakistani authorities and an IMF staff team held constructive discussions on Pakistan’s recent economic performance and the challenges ahead, in light of uncertainties in the global economic environment. The Pakistani authorities expressed their resolve to strengthen macroeconomic policies and continue to pursue reforms to enhance</p><p> </p><p>Pakistan’s medium-term growth prospects", the IMF spokesman said.</p><p> </p><p>While issuing a warning that the economic outlook for Pakistan’s financial year 2011-12 is challenging, the mission concluded that "although real GDP growth is projected at about 3½ percent and inflation is projected to decline, the external current account balance is projected to return to a deficit, and global risk aversion and security concerns may limit capital inflows”.</p><p> </p><p>Against this background, discussions centered on short-term steps to address vulnerabilities. Specifically, the Pakistani authorities and the mission agreed that containing the budget deficit in 2011/12, a cautious monetary policy, and a responsive exchange rate would reduce vulnerabilities, contain inflation and protect Pakistan’s international reserves, the spokesman stated.</p><p> </p><p>The Pakistani authorities and the mission also discussed a set of reforms for the medium term that would lift economic growth to reduce poverty, and raise living standards and employment, while assuring continued macroeconomic and financial sector stability.</p><p> </p><p>These reforms include structural reforms to remove constraints to growth, especially in the energy sector, and strengthen public finances, including tax reform, improving the quality of expenditure by raising the share of spending in priority areas such as health, education, and infrastructure, manage fiscal decentralization, and improving debt management.</p><p> </p><p>Additionally, reforms to improve the effectiveness of financial sector intermediation, broaden access to finance, and reinforce financial sector stability should also continue.</p><p> </p><p>“The IMF remains committed to continued close engagement with Pakistan. The IMF mission staff will prepare a report for the IMF Executive Board on the 2011 Article IV consultation that is scheduled for consideration in late January 2012", the spokesman said.</p><p> </p><p>Under Article-IV of the IMF s Articles of Agreement, the IMF holds bilateral discussions with members, usually every year. A staff team visits the country, collects economic and financial information, and discusses with officials the country s economic developments and policies. On return to headquarters, the staff prepares a report, which forms the basis for discussion by the Executive Board. At the conclusion of the discussion, the Managing Director, as Chairman of the Board, summarizes the views of Executive Directors, and this summary is transmitted to the country s authorities.</p><p> </p><p>The IMF mission also attended a seminar titled “Revival of Economic Growth in Pakistan” that was organized jointly with the Ministry of Finance in Islamabad. The spokesman said that “the seminar provided an opportunity for stakeholders in Pakistan from academia, civil society, the private sector, and development partners to discuss components of a pro-growth reform strategy”.</p><p> </p><p>Contributed by Awais Saleem, correspondent Dunya News in Washington, DC<br /> </p> 
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| Helicopter crashes while putting up Christmas tree Posted: <p> </p><p>A helicopter crashed in Auckland while installing a Christmas tree on Wednesday.</p><p> </p><p>The helicopter, using a cable to erect a ladder, was hovering just above the ground when the accident happened.</p><p> </p><p>Although the incident took place in a heavily populated area, they were no serious injuries reported on the ground. The pilot escaped without serious injuries.</p><p> </p><p>The helicopter remains tangled in a tower.</p><p> </p><p>The Christmas tree, sponsored by Telecom , was scheduled to have its lights lit on December 2.<br /> </p> 
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| New US bank stress tests Posted: <p> </p><p>The tests will check to see how banks will hold up under the possibility the European debt crisis gets worse. The banks under review are Bank of America, Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan Chase, Morgan Stanley and Wells Fargo. The results will be released next year.</p><p> </p><p>The benchmark S&P 500 index fell for the fifth day in row as European debt worries continued to dent investor sentiment.</p><p> </p><p>This time there were concerns about Spain as the country had to dig deep as borrowing costs for new debt hit a record high. Not even minutes from the Federal Reserve s last meeting, showing some policy makers were ready to spring to action and offer more support for the US economy, was enough to soothe concerns.</p><p> </p><p>A downgrade of US economic growth did not help either. The US economy grew at an annual rate of 2 percent in the third quarter, slower than the 2-1/2 percent rate previously announced by the Commerce Department, thanks to slower business activity.<br /> </p> 
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| Guatemala identifies two victims of civil war Posted: <p> </p><p>Guatemala authorities said they have identified the first two victims of decades-old civil war crimes through DNA testing.</p><p> </p><p>In 2009 Guatemala s Forensic Anthropology Foundation opened the $1.5 million laboratory funded by international donations to identify victims excavated from hundreds of mass graves from the 1960-1996 civil war.</p><p> </p><p>The remains of Amancio Samuel Villatoro and Sergio Saul Linares Morales, who disappeared in 1984, were found buried on the military base of Chimaltenango in 2003. DNA samples were taken last year but it was only possible to identify their remains until now.</p><p> </p><p>Villatorio disappeared on January 30, 1984, when armed men broke into his home in Guatemala City. He was the general secretary of the Adams company syndicate. Meanwhile, Linares Morales disappeared on March 24 that same year when he left work at the Municipal Promotion Institute.</p><p> </p><p>The names of the victims were found on a list of 183 people published in a document known as "the military diary" which includes the names of those who disappeared at the hands of military personnel between August 1983 and March 1985 during the times in office of former presidents Efrain Rios Montt and Oscar Mejia Victores.</p><p> </p><p>It is 53 pages-long and was published in 1999. It is considered unique, showing systematic abuses by military dictatorships.<br /> </p> 
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| Costa Rica seizes 1.2 tonnes of cocaine Posted: <p> </p><p>Police think the cargo had originally been transported by sea. Costa Rica s police seized 1.2 tonnes of cocaine stowed on a truck, the Public Security Ministry said during a news conference.</p><p> </p><p>Police said the seizure was carried out at dawn on Tuesday in the Tibas neighbourhood in the country s capital city San Jose after authorities received an anonymous tip. Authorities arrested three Colombians in their 30s. Two vehicles escorting the truck were also seized.</p><p> </p><p>Public Security Minister, Mario Zamora, told a news conference in San Jose prosecutors were still inspecting the contents.<br />"We assume there is more than a tonne. Prosecutors on the case are checking this. The vehicle was taken to central anti-drugs police offices where the contents are being inspected," he said. Zamora added he believes the cocaine had originally been transported by sea.</p><p> </p><p>Mexican drug gangs are increasingly using Costa Rica as a pick-up point for South American cocaine headed north.</p><p> </p><p>Costa Rican police seized close to 93 tonnes of cocaine between 2006 and 2009, nearly twice the amount the Central American country captured in the previous decade, according to Interior Ministry data.</p><p> </p><p>Costa Rica sits halfway between the cocaine-producing Andes and Mexico, whose powerful cartels earn some $40 billion a year smuggling the drug to the United States and other developed countries.</p><p> </p><p>Traffickers traditionally moved cocaine through Central America by plane or boat. They now are well implanted in Guatemala and also are using storage bases in Costa Rica, a nation long known as a haven of stability in a region blighted by street gangs and poverty.</p><p> </p><p>Mexico is in the grip of a brutal drug war that has killed more than 40,000 people since President Felipe Calderon launched an army-led drug war at the end of 2006.</p><p> </p><p>The crackdown is one of the reasons driving traffickers into Central America as they haul in cocaine from Colombia and rival producers such as Peru and Bolivia.<br /> </p> 
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| Blast at PAF scrap depot killed 3 Posted: <p><br /><br />According to sources, a blank cartridge exploded when three contract labourers were collecting scrap from the Pakistan Air Force Firing Range.</p><p> </p><p><br />Police official said that blast occurred in the scrap depot when labourers and employees were cleaning it, adding that the cause of the blast was not clear.</p><p> </p><p>Police have cordoned off the area while the fire brigade and rescue teams had arrived at the spot.</p><p> </p><p>Three amongst the five injured were referred to Allied Hospital Faisalabad due to their serious condition, police officials said.<br /> </p> 
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| Pakistan to face S Lanka in 5th ODI today Posted: <p> </p><p>Pakistan wrapped up the series in emphatic style at Sharjah on Sunday and will look to inflict further pain on a dismal Sri Lankan side. Pakistan recently won the test series between this pair and they can finish 4-1 winners of the ODI series with another dominant performance.</p><p> </p><p>Pakistan cricket team Capt. Misbah Ulhaq said that the team would try its best to win the series. <br /><br /> </p> 
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| Asif, Salman to file appeal against conviction, sentence Posted: <p> </p><p>Cricketer Muhammad Asif and Salman Butt are going to file an appeal against their conviction and sentence in spot fixing case. </p><p> </p><p>Both Pakistani cricketers imprisoned in London jail in spot fixing case have instructed their lawyers to file their appeals.</p><p> </p><p>After proving guilty in spot fixing case, a London court awarded 30 months’ imprisonment to Salman Butt and 12 months to Muhammad Asif.<br /><br /> </p> 
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| Rumpus during Mirzas address, 7 injured Posted: <p> </p><p>At least seven people were injured in a clash between supporters of former Sindh home minister Zulfiqar Mirza and the MQM during the address of Mirza.</p><p> </p><p>Heavy contingent of police arrived at the community hall where Mirza was addressing and restored peace.</p><p> </p><p>Talking to the media, Mirza said that he would not be afraid of such attacks but would continue his mission. <br /> </p> 
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| Lahore: Honour Killing takes two lives Posted: <p> </p><p>Abid, 27, was suspicious about the character of his mother Irshad BB, 50, and sister Ayesha, 22. On Tuesday, Abid opened fire, killing Irshad BB and injuring Ayesha. Later, Ayesha lost battle of life on way to the hospital.</p><p> </p><p>The accused managed to flee from the scene.</p><p> </p><p>The police have registered the case.<br /> </p> 
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| Hussain Haqqanis resignation is Pakistans internal issue: US Posted: <p> </p><p>The White House said Tuesday that the resignation of Pakistan’s ambassador to the United States, Hussain Haqqani, was an “internal issue” for Pakistan but praised him as “a very close partner.”</p><p> </p><p>“We, as we have said, see this very much as an internal issue relative to Pakistan,” Deputy National Security Adviser for Strategic Communications Ben Rhodes told reporters.</p><p> </p><p>“He’s been a very close partner, of course, with the United States and we’ve appreciated the work we’ve done with him. But at the same time we’re certain that we’ll be able to work with whomever the next Pakistani ambassador is.”</p><p> </p><p>Pakistan’s government said earlier that it had asked Haqqani to resign and ordered a probe into claims that he sought American help against the country s powerful military.</p><p> </p><p>Haqqani, a close aide of President Asif Ali Zardari, has played a key role in helping Pakistan’s civilian government navigate turbulent relations with Washington which nosedived over the US raid that killed Osama bin Laden.</p><p> </p><p>US Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry, who has played a key role in often rocky relations between the two uneasy allies, said in a statement he was "sorry to learn" of Haqqani s resignation.</p><p> </p><p>“He was a strong advocate for his country and the Pakistani people. I respect the Pakistani government?s decision, but Ambassador Haqqani?s wisdom and insights will be missed here in Washington as we continue to work through the ups and downs of our relationship,’ said the Democratic lawmaker.<br /><br /> </p> 
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| US policy has weakened Iran: White House Posted: <p> </p><p>National Security Adviser Tom Donilon said that Iran has been weakened under the Obama administration, rebutting Republicans and other critics who have called the White House policy on Iran ineffective.</p><p> </p><p>Donilon’s remarks at the Brookings Institution came just hours before a scheduled foreign policy debate by GOP presidential candidates, several of whom have called for a tougher line against Iran. The White House said that the timing was coincidental.</p><p> </p><p>Donilon told experts at the Brookings Institution that when President Barack Obama took office in January 2009, Iran seemed to many in the region to be "ascendant," its regime faced no significant challenge at home and the international community was divided over how to deal with Tehran s nuclear program.</p><p> </p><p>He said that after Iran rejected US overtures for dialogue, the administration ramped up sanctions, sought to isolate Tehran diplomatically, thwarted Iran s efforts to "meddle" in its neighbors affairs and strengthened military cooperation with Persian Gulf states. "We have steadily increased the pressure on the Iranian regime and raised the cost of their intransigence," he said.</p><p> </p><p>Donilon said the administration s international sanctions, internal divisions and the revolts of the Arab Spring have reduced Iran s influence in the Middle East and beyond.</p><p> </p><p>Michael Singh, the director for Iran for the Bush administration s National Security Council, said the only real measure of progress is whether the US is any closer to forcing Iran to abandon its prohibited nuclear programs.</p><p> </p><p>"The fact is, we re not," Singh said. He said that so far no US administration "has really come up with a formula to stop Iran in its tracks."</p><p> </p><p>When Donilon was asked if the White House strategy is succeeding, he said that with persistence and international support, "over time the goal would be to raise the price and force the choice" between Tehran s nuclear ambitions and an important role in the international community.</p><p> </p><p>Donilon s comments came two weeks after the UN s nuclear watchdog found that Iran had engaged in nuclear weapons research and one day after the US expanded sanctions to include Iran s petrochemical industry and central bank.<br /><br /> </p> 
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| Hussain Haqqanis resignation accepted Posted: <p> </p><p>Pakistan’s ambassador to United States tendered his resignation over a memo issue.</p><p> </p><p>According to Presidential spokesman, Farhatullah Babar, the Prime Minister asked Hussain Haqqani to resign with a view to ensure a transparent inquiry into the controversial memo. He further said that all the persons linked with the memo issue would be given a fair chance to explain their position.<br /> </p> 
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| Iffat Gardezi appointed as acting ambassador to US Posted: <p> </p><p>Iffat Imran Gardezi has been appointed as acting ambassador to the United States after Pakistan’s ambassador to US Hussain Haqqani’s resignation over memo issue.</p><p> </p><p>Iffat Gardezi has been serving as Deputy Chief of Pakistani Mission in Washington and has been assistant to the Ambassador in the overall functioning of the Embassy. She had been dealing with both political and administrative issues.</p><p> </p><p>According to sources, new ambassador to the US will be appointed after consultations.<br /> </p> 
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