GAZA: Fresh Israeli bombardments killed five people in Gaza Sunday, hiking the death toll from the assault to over 350. Israel pressed its air, sea and ground offensive against the besieged coastal territory. Hamas chief Khaled Meshaal was to meet Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas in Qatar to discuss an Egyptian-proposed truce on Sunday, and the movement said it had received an invitation to Cairo for ceasefire talks.
NY cabbie convicted of plotting ‘honor killings’ in Pakistan
NEW YORK: A New York cab driver was found guilty on Thursday of conspiring with relatives in Pakistan to commit ‘honor killings’ of family members of a relative he believed helped his daughter escape back to the United States. Mohammad Ajmal Choudhry, 61, was found guilty by a federal jury in Brooklyn on charges of conspiracy to commit murder in a foreign country, transmitting of threats to injure, and visa fraud.
Stocks manage modest gains amid low volume
KARACHI: Stock market remained dull throughout the day, which saw volume shrink 45pc to 73m shares on Thursday, representing 9-month low. Trading value fell to Rs4 billion which was at 14-month low. The KSE-100 index managed to claw up by 20.99 points to 29,697.79. While local institutions and individuals were on the sell side, the market received support from foreign investors who bought $4.81 million worth equity. Overseas inflow this week turns out at $16m.
Old foes Germany, France clash for semi-final berth
THE French are bullish. The Germans seem to be in a conundrum. European neighbours France and Germany collide in a heavyweight clash at the Maracana Stadium on Friday with the winners advancing to the semi-finals of the World Cup. Both teams advanced to the quarter-finals by ending African World Cup hopes on Monday with the French winning 2-0 against Nigeria and Germany scraping 2-1 past Algeria to send the last two remaining teams from the dark continent packing.
Serena Hotels, Centreline journal announce partnership
ISLAMABAD, JUNE 18 (DNA) – Serena Hotels and Centreline magazine, which is Pakistan’s largest circulated diplomatic journal, have joined hands for joint promotion and longer term partnership. The MoU in this regard was signed here. Aziz Boolani CEO of Serena Hotel South and East Asia and Ansar Mahmood Bhatti Editor / Publisher of Centreline signed the MoU. As per the MoU Centreline journal shall now be available in all Serena Hotels of Pakistan. Both parties also agreed to work for the promotion of each other’s products.
Dr. Nunn Sees Huge Germany, Pakistan Business Potential
DR CYRILL NUNN
Ansar Mahmood Bhatti
Dr. Cyrill Nunn is a career diplomat. He got his early school education in Lyon and Brussels while he studied economics sciences and history in his native town Dusseldorf. He joined German air force in 1984 and in 1985 he joined Foreign Service academy. He has served on a number of important diplomatic positions. Before arriving in Pakistan as an ambassador Dr. Nunn was serving as Director General Asian and Pacific Affairs at the Federal Foreign Office. He gave an exclusive interview to Centreline and DNA. Here are excerpts from his interview for the interest of readers.
Seminar on “Pakistan-India Cooperation: A way Forward”
Islamabad Institute of Conflict Resolution organized one-day seminar on May 29, 2014, in collaboration with Department of Political science, Lahore College for Women University, Lahore, titled as “Pakistan-India Cooperation: A Way Forward”. The key speakers were: Dr. Hassan Askari Rizvi, renowned Political Scientist and Defence Analyst and Dr. Shabbir Ahmed, Assistant Professor in Department of Political Science, Punjab University, Lahore. Prof. Dr. Sabiha Mansoor, Vice Chancellor Lahore College for Women University, Lahore welcomed the guests. Ms. Sabah Aslam, Executive Director, Islamabad Institute of Conflict Resolution (IICR) concluded the seminar.
Talibanism and Zarb e Azb
Zayane Bibi
Terrorism has become a handy catch-all word to disguise a multiplicity of deeds and motivations of individuals and groups. This is the time to identify the real enemy. Otherwise the loss will be more disastrous than our expectation. In reality we are losing our friends at home and abroad. Pakistan today is facing a new wave of terrorism only because of joining US led war on terrorism. The terrorism originated in Pakistan due to Soviet –Afghan war of 1979 and lasted for more than one decade. In 1979 it was the US sponsored proxy war against the communist that lasted more than one decade.
Modi has to put his own house in order first
F Z Khan
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s recent visit to New Delhi, to attend Narendra Modi’s oath-taking ceremony, has been seen by many as “a step in the right direction. It presented Mr Sharif an opportunity to establish early contact with the man who will rule India for the next five years.” However, in Dr Maleeha Lodhi’s assessment, no resumption of dialogue between the two countries was announced; no recommitment was made to the broad-based peace process; no effort was made to articulate and reflect Pakistan’s priorities and concerns in the PM’s only public pronouncement after his meeting with Modi; no mention of Kashmir was made in the prime ministerial statement; and no meeting was arranged with the APHC leaders as it happened to be a norm in the past.
