Leaders of the former Soviet Union were behind the assassination attempt against Pope John Paul II in 1981, an Italian parliamentary investigative commission said in a report.
China urged India to abandon nuclear weapons and strengthen atomic safeguards as President George W. Bush and the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh sealed a controversial nuclear pact on Thursday.
Roman Catholic and Jewish leaders on Thursday agreed that both religions should widen their two-way dialogue to involve Muslims in the wake of tensions over blasphemous cartoons of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW).
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Thursday his country would continue its nuclear activities under the supervision of the UN's nuclear watchdog.
EU powers said on Thursday they had agreed to last-minute talks with Iran on Friday before a UN nuclear watchdog meeting that could spawn UN Security Council steps against Tehran over concerns it seeks atom bombs.
The rupee edged higher against the dollar on Thursday, with the market largely ignoring an overnight rally in the US currency and focusing instead on strong foreign buying in the local equity market.
Sterling fell to a nearly two-week low against the euro on Thursday after the European Central Bank raised interest rates as widely expected and left the door open for more hikes later this year.
The euro was steady against the dollar on Thursday after the European Central Bank raised rates to 2.5 percent as expected, and investors looked to comments from the bank's president for clues on future tightening.
The cost of insuring KPN's bonds against default rose on Thursday, as investors sold the company's debt in anticipation of new bonds that will provide them with extra protection against take-overs.
The cost of insuring KPN's bonds against default rose on Thursday, as investors sold the company's debt in anticipation of new bonds that will provide them with extra protection against take-overs.
Chinese shares fell on Thursday on profit-taking following strong gains this week, with steel counters hit by a Chinese official's grim assessment of the industry's prospects for the year.
US stocks slipped on Thursday as concerns that interest rates may rise further sent bond yields higher, pressuring bank stocks like Citigroup Inc, while same-store retail sales disappointed the market.
Seoul shares slipped on Thursday, led by a 7 percent slump in Korea Exchange Bank after Commerzbank sold a partial stake, while exporters fell on worries about valuations amid risks from high oil prices and a strong won currency.
Britain's leading shares closed lower on Thursday, turning tail from a higher start after the European Central Bank hiked rates, although strong results buoyed financials such as Standard Chartered and Aviva.
African cotton producers on Thursday kept up pressure for swingeing subsidy cuts as part of a global trade deal and said a date should be set for their total elimination.
European Union sugar experts approved a one-off cut of 2.5 million tonnes to national 2006/07 production quotas on Thursday to help erode a huge surplus piled up in intervention stores, officials said.
Oil prices rose more than $1 on Thursday, extending the previous session's gains as chronic global supply threats offset high inventory levels in the United States, the world's largest energy consumer.
The European Union on Thursday again rejected all bids to export free-market wheat but granted a large volume from intervention stores at higher prices than last week, reflecting good demand from exporters.
Cotton futures ended easier Thursday on moderate speculative sales as the market stayed in a band and the weekly government export report did not figure in trading, brokers said.
London white sugar futures closed slightly higher after a seesaw session in low volumes in which the market digested an EU sugar tender award in line with expectations, traders said.
Copper closed strongly on the London Metal Exchange (LME) on Thursday in technically-inspired buying which traders said could test the all-time high of $5,100 a tonne in coming sessions.
Gold steadied below last month's 25-year highs in Europe on Thursday and dealers said it could try to break clear in the coming days. Silver advanced to its highest for one month and approached last month's 22-year peak helped by gains in industrial metal
US benchmark coffee futures slid 1.8 percent on Thursday, weighed down by light speculative and fund selling from the benchmark contract's two-week peak hit the previous session, traders said.
US benchmark cocoa futures settled down 0.6 percent on Thursday, pressured by funds and speculators taking profits after the benchmark contract hit a one-week peak earlier in the session, traders said.
Raw sugar futures settled near session highs Thursday on trade and speculative buying as traders waited for news to provide the market with direction on its next move, brokers said.
Chicago Board of Trade corn futures turned firm early on Thursday on spillover support from gains in soy, recovering from the declines posted on Wednesday, traders said.
Wheat futures at the Chicago Board of Trade were narrowly mixed early on Thursday amid forecasts for rain in the Plains and bearish export news, traders said.
US copper futures added to sharp gains of a day earlier on Thursday as overnight fund buying prompted by a widespread strike at Mexico's mines and refineries spilled over to New York, traders said. They added that business had slowed once the initial flur
Soyabean futures at the Chicago Board of Trade rallied on Thursday morning following the rebound in soyameal, traders said. Soyabeans turned around amid a wave of technical buying by commodity funds as the May contract surpassed its 100-day moving average
US precious metals futures prices were trading firmer in early business on Thursday, with gold inching toward record highs hit at the beginning of February, amid a continuing bullish fundamental backdrop, sources said.
Pakistan is doing its utmost to work towards zero tolerance on violence against women, and to promote gender equality, a UN panel was told on Thursday.
Senate Foreign Relations Committee has been working and discussing important matters to promote and strengthen the democratic process in the country by establishing strong working of the parliamentary committees.
Condemning the Karachi blast Minister for Information and Broadcasting Sheikh Rashid Ahmad on Thursday said the culprits would be arrested and brought to justice. Talking to private TV channel he pointed out that the people involved in such acts in the pa
Nuclear Institute for Agriculture and Biology (Niab), being pioneer in the use of radiation in agriculture and biology, has played an instrumental role in providing a safe environment against radiation-linked risks, said Professor Dr Bashir Ahmad, Vice Ch
Delegation representative FPCCI denies to visit Israel I drew the attention of the higher authorities, the Commerce Minister, the Foreign Minister when I read a news regarding a group of Pakistani businessmen going to Israel for promoting business which s
The publication of derogatory cartoons of the Holy Prophet of Islam (SAW) is an abuse of so-called freedom of the press, and depicts the total lack of respect for sensitivities of over 1.5 billion Muslims.
We are perhaps the only country on the face of this earth, which officially preaches " Enlightened Moderation", but whose establishment refuses to tolerate the right of dissent or believes in equal rights for the women.
Maamun Sami Rashid, governor of the insurgency-riven city of Ramadi, has one of the most unenviable jobs in Iraq. A man who has survived 27 assassination attempts and the kidnapping of his son, Rashid is tasked with governing a city that became a hub of t
The long and checkered Pakistan-US relationship has its roots in the Cold War and South Asia regional politics of the 1950s. US concerns about Soviet expansionism and Pakistan's desire for security assistance against a perceived threat from India prompted
Poverty and unemployment have all along been major problems of Pakistan's economy. They are not only endemic but unfortunately have been growing over the years.
As many as 40 people, including foreign militants and their Chechen commander holed up in a North Waziristan residential compound, have been killed in a dawn assault by Pakistani security forces.
Chairman, Frontier Customs Agents Group NWFP and SCCI Standing Committee on Railway & Dryport Zia-ul-Haq Sarhadi has welcome the successful holding of talks during Afghan President Hamid Karzai visit to Pakistan and called for earliest launching of Peshaw
Professor Dr Atta-ur-Rahman, Federal Minister, Chairman Higher Education Commission (HEC) and Advisor to Prime Minister for Science and Technology has informed all public sector universities and degree awarding institutions that the quality criteria laid
British Foreign and Commonwealth Minister, Kim Howells has condemned the bomb attack in Karachi on Thursday and said it was another senseless act of terrorism, which has caused more loss of innocent lives, says a press release issued here.
The Federal Government has allowed the screening of Indian movie Mughal-e-Azam in Pakistan awarding the distribution of the film to Nadeem H Mandviwalla - Mandviwalla Entertainment Karachi.
Minister for Information Technology Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari on Thursday called for strengthening linkages between industry and academia to pave way for the production of top quality human resource that formed the core of a knowledge-based economy.
General Manager (Planning) Wapda Lahore Saleem Arif has said that electricity bills outstandings against consumers in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) has climbed to an alarming figure of Rs 53 billion urging the power company officials to make
NWFP people anxiously awaiting the results of tests sent to National Reference Laboratory (NRL) Weybridge, England amid excluding chicks from their food menus resulting in unprecedented plummet in the prices of poultry products.
Lucky Cement Limited has claimed that it has emerged as the largest exporter of cement from Pakistan. Talking to Business Recorder on Wednesday, Executive Director A R Thaplawala said that during the period from July 1, 2005 to February 28, 2006, L
Lucky Cement Limited has claimed that it has emerged as the largest exporter of cement from Pakistan. Talking to Business Recorder on Wednesday, Executive Director A R Thaplawala said that during the period from July 1, 2005 to February 28, 2006, L
A number of non-governmental organisations will hold a torch-bearing rally here on Wednesday (March 8) to demand repeal of all discriminatory laws against women, including Hudood Ordinance.
National Assembly Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat on Thursday recommended to the federal government to return control of the Printing Corporation of Pakistan (PCP) in all the four provinces to their respective provincial governments in case of p
The government has decided to hold weeklong annual Shandur festival instead of two-day polo tournament at the world highest polo ground in July. The most exciting polo tournament of the entire Northern Pakistan is played on the top of Shandur Pass - 3,734
The Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL) has introduced basic banking account (BBA) scheme to provide banking facilities to the low-income individuals. The account holders could initially deposit minimum Rs 1000 and the account will be non-remunerative wit
The Technology Up-gradation and Skill Development Company (Tusdec) is holding a daylong workshop on 'Digital Manufacturing in Pakistan' at its auditorium here on Saturday (March 11).
The establishment of Margalla Dry port has greatly boosted the trade activities here fulfilling the longstanding demand of the business community, said Abdul Rauf, president, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) on Thursday.
Economic and trade relations have attained the central place in world politics and countries have diverted all their efforts to enhance trade with other nations, said Lieutenant General Khateer Hassan Khan (Retd), ambassador-designate to Thailand here on
The Central Board of Revenue (CBR) may not be able to adopt Turkish indirect taxes model as Pakistani businessmen/traders enjoy flurry of sales tax exemption as compared to Turkey where there is no tradition of giving large General Sales Tax exemptions on
Vice-chairman, Punjab Bar Council, Muhammad Azhar Chaudhry, while condemning the murder of Malik Khalid Mehmood advocate and his son Sohail Khalid, has called upon the government to immediately arrest the culprits.
A 28-member delegation of the District Management probationers from Civil Services Academy visited the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Authority (Smeda) head office here on Thursday to have an organisational and functional view of the body.
Punjab University Vice-chancellor Arshad Mahmood here on Thursday chaired a meeting of Semester Implementation Committee to review semester rules of BA/BSc (Hons) MA/MSc (Hons) and MA/MSc.
Pace of construction work on developmental projects is very slow and Pak PWD should take strict measures for speedy construction work of approved schemes.
Vice-Chairman National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Major General Muhammad Siddique has disclosed that NAB has taken necessary steps to probe sugar scam and oil pricing mechanism which are important for the public welfare and in this regard meetings were
The Ambassador of Mali, Amadou Mody Diall, has said that lacking information about available trade opportunities is major bottleneck in the way of promotion of bilateral trade between Pakistan and Mali.
There is no clash of civilisations between the western and the Islamic civilisations, while the clash is going on only between the American imperialistic and expansionist policy makers and those Islamists who either oppose or resist these designs.
The online access to international journals is restricted to a few people while 85 percent university teachers have no access to the international journals.
Punjab Governor Lieutenant General Khalid Maqbool (Retd) inaugurating the Second International 'Book Fair' here on Thursday said that contemporary scholars must stand up to the changes and challenges of modern time.
Punjab cabinet, which met here on Thursday, was informed that no case of bird flu has been reported anywhere in the province. Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi presided over the meeting and all the provincial cabinet ministers were present on t
Dr Shahid Waheed, Associate Professor of Radiology Lahore General Hospital has been given additional charge of the Head of Radiology Department LGH till further orders, says a press release issued here on Thursday.
Sialkot district government has prepared a strategy for tracking agriculture sector on scientific lines and will introduce new agricultural technologies to increase per acre yield of crops in the district, said District Nazim Muhammad Akmal Cheema.
Early rise in temperature this year has prompted Fisheries Department in South Punjab to persuade farmers to shift fish seeds from nurseries to the production ponds, as the fish growth season has begun a month earlier.
City District Nazim Rana Zahid Tauseef has said no negligence, incompetence or lethargy in the disposal of wastewater from Nishatabad area would be tolerated.
Security has been tightened in Multan, Bahawalpur and Dera Ghazi Khan divisions after a suspected suicide car bomb blast in Karachi near the Marriot hotel building on Thursday.
Textile exporters have appealed to President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz to urgently take cognisance of sharply declining exports of fabrics, in failing which they feared millions of skilled workforce could become jobless in near futu
Punjab Chief Minister, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi has said that it is highly unethical and lamentable to try to achieve political ends in the garb of religion and the nefarious designs of elements as are engaged in such activities would be foiled.
All Parties Hurriyat Conference Chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, JKLF chief Yasin Malik and Democratic Freedom Party President Shabbir Ahmad Shah have welcomed statement of US President George Bush on Kashmir.
Pakistan on Thursday, commenting on the statement of US Under-secretary of State Nicholas Burns, said that his remarks do not have a bearing on Pakistan's right to have international co-operation in civilian nuclear power generation under IAEA safeguards.
President General Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Thursday strongly condemned the Karachi terrorist attack and sent messages of condolence to the US President over the death of an American official in the incident.
Business Solutions - a training organisation for executives, in association with the PAF-KIET organised two-day workshop on "Compliance Management" at the State Bank of Pakistan Learning Resource Centre, a press release said here on Thursday.
Leading economist Dr Shahid Hasan Siddiqui said that government estimate of attaining 6.5-7 percent growth is optimistic though he added growth slightly higher then 6 percent is possible.
The latest close of key indices on major world stock exchanges and the London closing values of the euro, the Japanese yen, the British pound and gold bullion (previous day's closes in brackets).
On the instructions of Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan all educational institutions in Sindh will remain closed on Friday. In view of this announcement all ongoing examinations in schools and colleges will be rescheduled after the institutions reopen
After recent identification of bird flu in certain parts of the country, the Aga Khan University (AKU) in an effort to alert and educate the people, is working with the government to address threat of bird flu.
United Workers Front (UMF) of Pakistan Steel on Thursday contradicted rumours that it has signed any agreement or proposal of any package in connection with the privatisation of Pakistan Steel, with its management.