China local government debt surges by 70%

Chinese banks rapidly expanded credit in the market after the global financial crisis to boost growth

Canadian firm Bombardier sells 10 jets for $259m

Canadian aerospace manufacturer Bombardier has announced it has sold 10 Challenger jets for $259m (£157m) to an anonymous buyer.

Helicopter rescue for ice-bound ship Akademik Shokalskiy

Passengers and some crew on a ship stuck in thick ice in Antarctica are to be taken off by helicopter once the weather permits, Russian officials say.

One Direction album Midnight Memories tops 2013 sales

Midnight Memories, the latest album from One Direction, has overtaken Emeli Sande's Our Version of Events to become 2013's top-selling album.

New Year's Honours: Lansbury and Keith lead women-dominated list

Actresses Angela Lansbury and Penelope Keith become dames in the New Year's Honours list, which features more women than men for the first time.

Huge fire after US oil train derails in North Dakota

Wagons from a mile-long train carrying crude oil have burst into flames as they derailed after a collision in the US state of North Dakota.

South Sudan rebels attack key town

Anti-government rebels in South Sudan have attacked the key town of Bor.

US announces six drone test sites

The US aviation regulator has announced the six states that will host sites for testing commercial use of drones.

Volgograd blasts: IOC 'confident' Games will be safe

The International Olympic Committee president says he has confidence that Russian authorities will deliver a "safe and secure" Games in Sochi.

Petrol prices likely to increase from Jan 1

ISLAMABAD: Prices of petroleum products are expected to increase by up to Rs5 per litre across the country starting from January 1, 2014, DawnNews reported.

China slams Japan defence spending plan

BEIJING: China has denounced Japan's plans to boost military purchases, accusing it of playing up regional tensions as an “excuse” to ramp up defence spending.

CJ takes notice of rape of 12-year-old girl in Karachi

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani took notice of a media report on Saturday regarding rape of a 12-year-old girl allegedly by her neighbours in Karachi.

Gul called in to boost Pakistan bowling in UAE

KARACHI: Experienced pace bowler Umar Gul could make his international comeback on Sunday following a nine-month injury break after being drafted into the Pakistan squad for the ongoing one-day series against Sri Lanka in the United Arab Emirates.

Pakistan's new army chief defies terrorist attacks

PESHAWAR: Despite reiterating full support to the ongoing government-led peace process with the Taliban militants, Pakistan’s new army chief General Raheel Sharif Saturday vowed to not tolerate any more terrorist attacks.

Doomed To Repeat: When The Death Of Stars Like Paul

Universal Pictures faces that dilemma now with the tragic death of its Fast and Furious 7 star Paul Walker, indelibly linked to its most lucrative ...

PM visits Kamra base, lays emphasis on Sino-Pak friendship

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday visited the Kamra Aeronautical Complex to attend the induction ceremony of the 50th JF-17 Thunder fighter plane in Pakistan Air Force (PAF) fleet and said Pakistan’s friendship with China was on a strategic basis, DawnNews reported.

Shia cleric Allama Nasir Abbas shot dead in Lahore

LAHORE: Shia cleric Allama Nasir Abbas of Multan was shot dead by unidentified armed men on Sunday night.

Imran Khan assails ‘those who attack polio workers’

PESHAWAR: Avoiding an open condemnation of Taliban militants yet again, Pakistani cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan on Wednesday assailed “those who are attacking polio workers” and demanded an immediate end to the attacks.

India vows to 'restore dignity' of diplomat stripped in US

NEW DELHI: India vowed Wednesday to bring one of its diplomats home at any price after her arrest in New York, as she told how she broke down in tears after being stripped and cavity-searched.

Pakistani flag hoisted on South American peak

ISLAMABAD: Samina Baig gave her fellow countrymen another reason to celebrate when she and her brother held the Pakistan flag high on top of the highest peak of South America.

Bangladesh grills Pakistan envoy over Molla resolution

KARACHI: Bangladesh on Tuesday sought an explanation from Pakistan’s envoy in Dhaka regarding a resolution adopted by the Pakistani parliament condemning execution of Jamaat leader Abdul Quader Molla for his involvement in war crimes of 1971.

Baloch warns against Islamabad’s interference in devolved depts

QUETTA: Chief Minister Balochistan Dr Abdul Malik Baloch has warned that his government would be the first to resist if Islamabad encroached into the departments devolved under 18th amendment to the provinces.

Teacher ‘thrashes’ girl after argument on veil

PESHAWAR: A girl student of Khyber Medical College, Peshawar on Tuesday accused a male teacher of roughing her up after a heated argument over veiling herself in classroom.

Snowden revelations may lead to spying curbs: experts

WASHINGTON: Intelligence leaker Edward Snowden's revelations about the scale of American eavesdropping have succeeded in triggering a fierce debate which could ultimately lead to limits on National Security Agency spying, experts say.

No reimbursements if US supplies disrupted

WASHINGTON: A proposed new law that has the White House’s approval seeks to fiscally squeeze Pakistan if interruptions to the US/Nato ground supply route through Pakistan continue.

Bombs in Iraq livestock market kill eight people

KIRKUK: Two bombings in a livestock market in northern Iraq on Friday killed eight people, police and a doctor said.

ECP refuses to take control of Nadra

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has rejected the interior ministry’s proposal for placing the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) under its administrative control for three months to the extent of verification of voters’ thumb impression.

South Africa v India: Virat Kohli century helps tourists recover

Virat Kohli struck 119 to help India to reach 255-5 on the opening day of the first Test with South Africa.

Manila Philippines airport shooting: Gunmen kill four

Gunmen have shot dead four people, including a mayor, at Manila airport in the Philippines, officials have said.

Hagel: China warship action 'irresponsible'

China was "irresponsible" and "unhelpful" during the near-collision of a US warship and a Chinese naval vessel, the US Defence Secretary said.

German town to strip Hitler of honorary citizenship

Dietramszell in southern Germany has become the latest town to strip Adolf Hitler of his citizenship following a public outcry.

EU leaders to approve eurozone banking reform deal

EU leaders are meeting in Brussels to approve a common set of rules for managing the closure of failing eurozone banks in an orderly way.

Putin 'to pardon' jailed former oil tycoon Khodorkovsky

Russian President Vladimir Putin says he will soon pardon jailed former tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky.

Yanukovych tells West to keep out of Ukraine crisis

Ukraine's Russian-backed President, Viktor Yanukovych, has said he strongly opposes Western politicians intervening in the crisis in Ukraine.

Huge rally in Kiev in support of closer ties with EU

Some 200,000 people have rallied in the Ukrainian capital Kiev to protest against President Viktor Yanukovych's refusal to sign a landmark EU deal.

China's Jade Rabbit rover rolls on to Moon's surface

China's Jade Rabbit robot rover has driven off its landing module and on to the Moon's surface.

Brazil World Cup 2014: Worker dies in stadium fall

A worker has been killed in Brazil after falling from the roof of a stadium being built in the Amazon region for the 2014 football World Cup.

Paul Walker dies in car crash

SANTA CLARITA: Paul Walker, the star of the ''Fast & Furious'' movie series, died Saturday in a car crash that killed one other person outside of Los Angeles. He was 40.

MPs to be given compulsory ‘honesty training’ as public distrust grows

MPs are to be given compulsory ‘honesty training’ by the standards watchdog to teach them how to behave in public life.

EU halts work on Ukraine trade deal

The European Union has suspended work on a trade and association agreement with Ukraine after failing to get a "clear commitment" from President Viktor Yanukovych to sign it.

Iran cancels Pakistan gas pipeline loan

TEHRAN: Iran says it has canceled a planned $500 million loan to Pakistan to build part of a pipeline to bring natural gas from Iran.

Deputy Oil Minister Ali Majedi says Iran has no obligation to finance the Pakistani side of the project and also doesn't have the money. Majedi’s comments were posted on the oil ministry's website, shana.ir, Saturday.

"Pakistani officials were told in recent talks that, given the sanctions, Iran is not able to finance construction of the pipeline (in Pakistan) and has no obligation to do so," he said.

He said Tehran will demand compensation if Islamabad fails to take Iranian gas by end of next year.

Under a valid contract, Pakistan is required to finish construction of the pipeline on its territory by the end of 2014.

"If a contractor is chosen today and pipeline construction begins today, it will take four years to complete it. Should Pakistan fail to take gas by the end of next year, Iran will demand compensation under the terms of the contract," he said.

Pakistan has welcomed an Iranian offer to approach third parties, including European companies, to finance the project.

Six killed in Bangladesh clashes after Jamaat leader hanging

DHAKA: Six people were killed in Bangladesh including three protesters who were shot dead by police on Saturday as demonstrators vented their fury at the execution of one of their leaders for war crimes.

The deadly clashes erupted two days after the government hanged senior leader of the Jamaat-e-Islami party, Abdul Quader Molla, for war crimes – the first person to be executed for his role in the country’s bloody 1971 war of independence from Pakistan.

Police said they opened fire during clashes with thousands of rampaging Jamaat protesters in the southern town of Companyganj, leaving three people dead and dozens injured.

“We fired rifles in self defence after at least 8,000 Jamaat supporters attacked us with guns and torched four government offices with gunpowder,” local police chief Shafiqul Islam told AFP.

He added that the bullet-ridden bodies of three Jamaat activists had been recovered.

China's first lunar rover lands on moon

BEIJING: China on Saturday carried out the first soft landing on the moon since 1976, joining the United States and former Soviet Union in accomplishing the feat in a major step for Beijing's ambitious space programme.