24 Chinese crew free after Arabian Sea hijacking

BEIJING – Twenty-four Chinese sailors were rescued Friday after the Indian navy warned off pirates who hijacked the cargo ship a day earlier in the Arabian Sea, China and India said.

Japan wants 3 reactors closed while seawall built

TOKYO – Japan urged a power company Friday to suspend all three reactors at a coastal nuclear plant while a seawall and other structures are built to ensure a major earthquake or tsunami does not cause a second radiation crisis.

Incompetence to blame over Osama bin Laden: Pervez Musharraf

WASHINGTON  – Former Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf Friday blamed incompetence by his country's intelligence agencies for allowing Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden to live undetected in Pakistan for years.

30 killed in Syria protests, activist says

BEIRUT – A leading human rights activist says Syrian security forces have killed 30 people during widespread protests.

Scientists identify antibodies that help protect monkeys from HIV-like virus

A team of scientists has identified a vaccine-generated immune-system response that correlates with protection against infection by the monkey version of HIV, called simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV).

New tool to assess asthma-related anxiety effectively developed

It has been observed that when children or adolescents with asthma and their parents become overly anxious, it may weaken their ability to cope up with the disease effectively.

Surgeons completely rebuild pelvis of cancer patient

A multi-disciplinary team of surgeons has completely rebuilt the pelvis of cancer patient.

Scientists succeed in isolating happiness gene

London : Scientists have succeeded in isolating a 'happiness gene' which has a strong bearing on how contented people are with their lives.

Three killed in blast at gambling den in Karachi

Islamabad: Unidentified attackers lobbed a grenade at a gambling den in the southern Pakistani city of Karachi on Friday , killing at least three persons and injuring 27 others.

Al Qaeda says to release Osama bin Laden audio tape soon

DUBAI – Al Qaeda said it would soon release an audio tape from Osama bin Laden, made a week before he was killed by U.S. forces, the group said in a statement confirming his death released on Islamist forums Friday.

Japan PM Naoto Kan orders Hamaoka nuclear plant shutdown

TOKYO  -  Japan's Prime Minister Naoto Kan on Friday ordered the suspension of operations at an ageing nuclear power plant southwest of Tokyo because it is located close to a dangerous tectonic faultline.

Charter of Economy needed to steer nation out of economic straitjacket: President Zardari

Islamabad : President Asif Ali Zardari has said that the country needed a Charter of Economy on the lines of Charter of Democracy to steer the nation out of the economic straitjacket and called upon the business community,

No one should have any doubt about the defence capabilities of Pakistan: Ahmed Mukhtar

ISLAMABAD : Federal Minister for Defence Ch. Ahmad Mukhtar, has said that no one should have any doubt about the defence capabilities of the country and that any misadventure by the neighboring country, in future,

Cricket: WI gets unexpected returns from series against Pakistan: Zaheer Abbas

Karachi : In spite of not having the services of its top experienced players, West Indies by winning a T20 and two ODIs against World Cup semifinalists Pakistan till the end of ODI series, is a great achievement for the hosts.

Hockey: Pakistan records second win in Azlan Shah

Karachi : Asian Games gold-medalists Pakistan overpowered Korea recording a convincing 4-2win at the Azlan Shah Cup on Friday in Ipoh,

US drone strike kills 15 in Pakistan tribal area

PESHAWAR, Pakistan – The U.S. carried out its first drone attack in Pakistan since Osama bin Laden's death in an American raid this week, killing 15 people in a hail of missiles near the Afghan border Friday, Pakistani intelligence officials said.

Japan wants 3 reactors halted for quake measures

TOKYO – Japan urged a power company Friday to suspend all three reactors at a coastal nuclear plant while safety measures are taken to ensure damage from a major earthquake or tsunami does not cause a second nuclear accident.

Kurdish rebel chief threatens war with Turkey

ANKARA, Turkey – The imprisoned leader of Turkey's main Kurdish rebel group has warned his forces will unleash a "big war" after national elections if Turkey refuses to negotiate to end the decades-old conflict, a pro-Kurdish news agency reported Friday.

Six killed in Syria by security forces

BEIRUT – Syrian security forces opened fire on protesters Friday, killing at least six people as thousands joined demonstrations across the country calling for an end to President Bashar Assad's regime, witnesses and activists said.

Al-Qaida confirms Osama bin Laden's death

CAIRO – Al-Qaida on Friday confirmed the killing of Osama bin Laden and warned of retaliation, saying Americans' "happiness will turn to sadness."

Afghan official: 10 militants killed near border

KABUL, Afghanistan – Afghan police on Friday killed 10 militants in a firefight in eastern Paktika province, a provincial official said.

Pakistan : 8 killed in rocket attack in Quetta

At least eight people were killed early Friday morning as unknown militants fired rockets at the people doing exercises at a soccer ground in the Hazara town of Quetta,

Osama Bin Laden's wife spent 6 years in Pakistani house

ISLAMABAD AP) — One of three wives living with Osama bin Laden has told Pakistani interrogators she had been staying in the al-Qaida chief's hideout for six years without leaving its upper floors, a Pakistani intelligence official said Friday.

U.S. Drone strike kills 8 suspected militants in Pakistan

MIRANSHAH, Pakistan – U.S. drone aircraft fired missiles into a house in Pakistan's North Waziristan region on Friday, killing at least eight suspected militants, local intelligence officials said.

Education key but progress uneven for Pakistan: UNICEF

Islamabad : Since “Education for All” (EFA) goals were adopted and firm commitments made in 1990, progress in educating more children, especially girls, has been uneven globally and in Pakistan as well, UNICEF said Friday.

Karachi : 5 people killed in different firing incidents

KARACHI : Five people including activists of Sunni Tehreek and Ahle-Sunnat-Waljamat (ASJW) were killed and four others were injured in different firing and violence incidents in metropolis on Thursday.

Cricket: Mohsin Khan is a ‘blackmailer’: Sarfraz Nawaz

Karachi : By threatening to resign and calling a press briefing, then canceling it and finally went to Lahore to resolve the issue with Chairman Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Ijaz Butt

Cricket : Ijaz Butt says differences with Chief Selector resolved

Lahore : Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Ijaz Butt Thursday said that differences between the board and its chief selector Mohsin Hasan Khan have been resolved. Mohsin had reservations over 15-man squad announced for Test series against the West Indies and threatened to resign.

Pakistan and IMF due to meet on May 11 in Dubai - official

Pakistan and the International Monetary Fund are due to meet in Dubai from May 11-17 to discuss budget targets for fiscal year 2011/12 and the next tranche of an $11 billion bailout loan, a finance ministry official told Reuters on Thursday.

World should not forget Pakistan's sacrifices: Pervez Musharraf

Hours after the 9/11 aerial strikes, he was asked to make a choice. "You are with us or against us," the then US secretary of state Colin Powel told him. Pervez Musharraf ,

Cricket Pakistan : 'Differences with Mohsin Khan have been sorted'

Karachi: Pakistan's cricket board chief Ijaz Butt on Thursday said that differences between the board and its chief selector Mohsin Khan have been resolved.

Al-Qaeda considered train attack to mark Sept 11

WASHINGTON — Intelligence seized from Osama bin Laden's compound in Pakistan showed his Al-Qaeda network pondered strikes on US trains on the 10th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, US officials said Thursday.

Cricket : Pakistan lose by 10 wickets, win series

Pakistan's batting was undermined by West Indies' three frontline seamers and their bowling upstaged by another blistering innings from Lendl Simmons in a 10-wicket loss in the fifth one-day international on Thursday.

Prince Willam, Kate to to visit California

London : The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will visit California this summer after their tour of Canada, St. James' Palace has said.

President Barack Obama visits Ground Zero to mark Osama's death

New York : US President Barack Obama joined survivors of the 9/11 terror attack at a Manhattan firehouse Thursday, days after American commandos killed Osama bin Laden in Pakistan, CNN reported.

Pak-US anti-terror cooperation to continue, says PM Gilani

PARIS\ : Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has said that the Pak-US cooperation in the war against terrorism will be continued.

Court could not move forward without police record in ZA Bhutto case: CJ ftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry

ISLAMABAD : Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto’s (ZAB) presidential reference was filed to get a legal opinion of the Supreme Court on case not a fresh review, said Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry during Thursday hearing.

Osama bin Laden was living in Abbottabad from last five years, Yemeni wife of Osama tell investigators

ISLAMABAD :  High officials of Pakistan Army while briefing the senor journalists of the country over the Abbottabad incident, have said that the security forces have taken into custody three wives of Osama bin Laden from the compound of Abbottabd.

3 foreigners arrested from Abbottabd

ABBOTTABAD : After the US raid in Abbottabad compound in which Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden was killed, the secret agencies have arrested three foreign nationals in an operation, sources said.

Any misadventure or miscalculation in future to result in terrible catastrophe: warns Pakistan

ISLAMABAD : Pakistan has warned that no one should have any doubt about its defence capability and misadventure or miscalculation in future would result in terrible catastrophe.

All institutions, officers answerable to parliament: Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan

ISLAMABAD: Public Accounts Committee (PAC) while taking serious note of absence of FATA secretary in its meeting has warned stern action will be initiated against him in the event of breach of discipline in future.