KIEV: Ukrainian security forces on Monday moved in on pro-EU demonstrators to end a week-long blockade of the government headquarters, prompting Washington to urge Kiev to “immediately de-escalate the situation”. With the authorities apparently keen to regain control of the city centre, the party of jailed opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko said that armed police had raided their offices although this was denied by police. Upping the stakes after more than two weeks of protests over the government’s rejection of a pact with the European Union, the protesters a day earlier symbolically toppled the statue of the Soviet Union’s founder Vladimir Lenin in Kiev.
Sui Northern suspends supplies for industrial, CNG sectors
LAHORE, Dec 9: The Sui Northern Gas Pipelines (SNGPL) decided on Monday to suspend, for an indefinite period, supplies to the industrial and compressed natural gas (CNG) sectors from 6am on Tuesday. The reason given is that its deficit has risen to more than 50 per cent of the demand. By Monday, the gas requirement in the region covered by the company rose to 2.5 billion cubic feet with supply being 1.2 billion cubic feet, leaving a gap of 1.3 billion cubic feet. According to SNGPL General Manager (sales) Mohammad Ashraf, the industries drew around 700 million cubic feet per day and the CNG sector 300 million cfd.
Efforts under way for talks with insurgents: Dr Malik
QUETTA, Dec 9: Balochistan Chief Minister Dr Abdul Malik Baloch has said that insurgency in the province can be ended through dialogue. Speaking to officers attending a senior management course here on Monday, he pointed out that all the pervious insurgencies had been controlled through talks. Mr Malik said his government was trying to initiate talks with disgruntled Baloch leaders to find a solution to the Balochistan issue. The chief minister said the Balochistan government had appointed Senator Raza Rabbani as legal consultant to guide it in implementing the 18th Amendment. He said the provincial government had ensured transparent distribution of relief goods among survivors of the recent earthquake in Awaran and Kech, maintained peace during Muharram and successfully held local bodies’ elections.
SC wants defective vehicles off road
ISLAMABAD, Dec 9: The Supreme Court ordered on Monday that all public vehicles, including buses, vans, trucks, taxis and rickshaws, plying across the country without fitness certificates and route permits or violating provisions of the Motor Vehicle Ordinance, 1965, be kept off the road. The court issued the directive in a suo motu case relating to the May 25 incident in which 16 children and a teacher were killed when a school van caught fire near Gujrat. The notice was taken on an editorial that appeared in an English daily on May 26. It described tragedy as nothing short of murder or at least manslaughter. The editorial also blamed the van driver and said the convenient, standard identification of short-circuiting as the cause of fire were dire signs of guilty seeking to take the old escape route.
US, Britain ‘spying on virtual world’: report
WASHINGTON: Freshly leaked documents by former US intelligence contractor Edward Snowden on Monday revealed spies disguised as fantasy characters prowled online games hunting terrorists. Elves, orcs or other fictional characters happened upon by players in the popular realm of World of Warcraft may have been US and British spies, according to documents released through ProPublica, the Guardian, and the New York Times.There were also indications that intelligence agents went undercover in online multi-player shooter games, particularly on Microsoft’s Xbox Live Internet community for players.
PM Nawaz launches ‘Youth Business Loans’ programme
Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif has launched ‘Youth Business Loans’ to help young entrepreneurs to initiate their own businesses. It is designed to provide subsidized financing at eight percent mark-up per annum for one hundred thousand beneficiaries through National Bank of Pakistan and First Women Bank. The total mark up rate would be fifteen percent but the Government would pay the remaining seven percent on behalf of applicants.
Those falling in the age group of 21 and 45 years are eligible to apply for loans from one hundred thousand to two million rupees.
Judiciary played key role for rule of law in country: Chief Justice
Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chauhdry has said Saturday the judiciary has played a key role for rule of law in the country and the Supreme Court staff played an important role for honor of the judiciary. The Chief Justice appreciated performance of the Supreme Court staff in his address to the workers of the top court of the country in Islamabad this day. “I have worked with the Supreme Court staff for 14 years; from an assistant messenger to the Registrar, all played an important role for maintaining honor of the judiciary during this whole period,” said the Chief Justice.
EMILIAN ION Romania, Pakistan Trade Volumne Touches $ 200 Million Mark
Ambassador of Romania Talks to DNA and Centreline
Ansar Mahmood Bhatti
Emilian ION is Ambassador of Romania to Pakistan since 2009. He started off as Economist in Ministry of Chemical Industry in 1971-1974. In 1974-79 he served as Attaché Middle East Department in Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA). His other assignments include 3rd Secretary Embassy of Romania to Bangui 1979-80, Charge de Affaires to Nouakchott 1988-1990, First Secretary, Counselor to Rabat 1994-97, Minister Counselor Rabat, Charge de Affaires Rabat 1997-99, Deputy Director Africa MFA 1999-2000, Charge de Affaires Baghdad 2000-2002, Charge de Affaires Nairobi 2002-2006, Head of Africa Section, Middle East MFA 2006-2008, Deputy Director Middle East and Africa MFA 2008-2009. He gave an exclusive interview to Centreline and Diplomatic News Agency (DNA) on the occasion of National Day of Romania which was celebrated on November 29, 2013. Here are excerpts from his interview.
US urges swift talks to end Bangladesh unrest
WASHINGTON: Bangladeshi political parties must come together immediately to halt a spate of violence and ensure free and fair elections next month, a top US official said Friday. At least 67 people have died in clashes since October when an 18-party opposition movement launched a wave of protests calling on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to resign before the January 5 polls. The opposition, led by Hasina’s bitter rival, Khaleda Zia, fears the premier will try to rig the vote in a country which for decades has been plagued by coups and political upheaval.
World mourns South Africa peace icon Mandela
JOHANNESBURG: South Africa began preparations Saturday to welcome US President Barack Obama and fellow world leaders eager to pay their respects to Nelson Mandela during 10 days of mourning for the anti-apartheid icon.On Friday President Jacob Zuma announced the mourning period for Mandela, the founding father of modern South Africa and its first black leader, after he died late Thursday aged 95, surrounded by friends and family.Obama, America’s first black president, will travel to South Africa next week, the White House said, joining a raft of world leaders for a huge December 10 memorial service.Mandela’s body will lie in state in Pretoria for three days before he receives a state burial on December 15 in his boyhood home of Qunu.
