Seven children were killed when a fellow pupil opened fire at a school in southern Finland on Wednesday, hours after a video was posted on YouTube predicting a massacre there.
Myanmar's rejection of three-way talks with a UN special envoy and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi may reflect the junta's disdain for anything but its own widely derided "democracy roadmap", analysts and diplomats said.
Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili blamed Russia on Wednesday for orchestrating six days of mass protests against him, hours after riot police beat and fired tear gas at opposition demonstrators.
China, only the third country to put a man in space aboard its own rocket, expects to launch a space station by 2020, state media said on Wednesday, the day its first lunar probe reached the moon.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy hailed the friendship between France and the United States Wednesday, in a rare address to the US Congress in which he drew a veil on years of cross-Atlantic tensions.
Russia's parliament voted unanimously on Wednesday to suspend a key arms treaty limiting conventional forces in Europe, saying the United States and Nato were using the pact to undermine Russia's defences.
Sri Lanka's military said 52 Tamil Tigers and 11 soldiers were killed in fresh fighting in the island's far north on Wednesday as renewed civil war escalates, but the rebels disputed the numbers. The Tigers said 20 soldiers were killed and more than 100 w
Around 46,000 Iraqis who had fled abroad to escape brutal violence returned last month on the back of improving security in the war-ravaged country, a top military officer said on Wednesday. Brigadier General Qassim Ata, spokesman for the Baghdad security
Iran has built a landmark 3,000 centrifuges for uranium enrichment, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announced on Wednesday, despite international pressure to halt its atomic work. "We have now reached 3,000 machines," a defiant Ahmadinejad told a rally in t
Astronauts aboard space shuttle Discovery closed their ship's payload bay doors on Wednesday in preparation for landing in Florida following a successful 15-day mission to prepare the International Space Station for new laboratories.
Russian leftists poured through central Moscow on Wednesday to mark the 90th anniversary of the Bolshevik revolution, whose legacy lives on in post-Communist life though official commemorations have long been scrapped.
Sterling sailed through $2.10 to notch up another 26-year high on Wednesday, as market sentiment deteriorated sharply against the dollar and investors factored in the possibility of further US interest rate cuts.
The dollar fell on Wednesday to historic lows of $1.47 per euro and $2.10 to the pound on expectations of further US interest rate cuts to limit damage from an ailing housing market. The dollar slid further after comments from senior Chinese officials sti
The rupee retreated from a near decade high to end steady on Wednesday, driven off its peak by the central bank which absorbed strong capital flows, including large investments into an initial public offering, dealers said.
Singapore share prices closed 0.27 percent lower Wednesday on concerns local banks will be affected by the US subprime mortgage crisis, dealers said. The Straits Times Index dropped 10.09 points to 3,673.01 on volume of 2.17 billion shares worth 2.61 bill
US stocks dropped sharply on Wednesday, with the S&P index briefly falling more than 2 percent, as fear of more credit market turmoil heightened worry about prospects for the economy and profits. New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo announced his office
Most Chinese shares fell on Wednesday and turnover shrank to a 15-week low as supply and policy worries continued to weigh on the market, though a rebound by some blue chips boosted the main index. The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index ended up 1.18 perc
European credit spreads were wider on Wednesday as General Motors fuelled fears about earnings, but the primary market saw almost 2.5 billion euros ($3.7 billion) of new corporate issuance with Unilever and Eni starring.
European credit spreads were wider on Wednesday as General Motors fuelled fears about earnings, but the primary market saw almost 2.5 billion euros ($3.7 billion) of new corporate issuance with Unilever and Eni starring.
US Treasury prices fell on Tuesday as stocks overcame banking sector worries in a late-day rebound, quashing the safe-haven bid for government bonds. The turnaround in financials took off after Goldman Sachs denied rumours it faced large write-downs. But
US Treasury prices fell on Tuesday as stocks overcame banking sector worries in a late-day rebound, quashing the safe-haven bid for government bonds. The turnaround in financials took off after Goldman Sachs denied rumours it faced large write-downs. But
Philippines share prices closed 0.4 percent higher on Wednesday due to gains in index heavyweight Philippine Long Distance Telephone and mining shares, dealers said. They said the rise in PLDT came after international credit rating agencies affirmed the c
Britain's FTSE 100 share index was indicated 0.9 percent down on Wednesday, as investors fretted over the outlook for corporate earnings with oil prices staying strong and the dollar sliding across the board. The London Stock Exchange (LSE) experienced pr
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) early on Friday is expected to show the projected 2008 US corn supply up about 50 percent from the past season since farmers produced a record-large 13.0 billion bushel plus corn crop, analysts said.
London robusta coffee futures finished mostly lower on Wednesday on origin, trade and speculative selling as the market's recent strong advance finally stalled, dealers said.
Unfavourable weather, low stocks, tight supplies and strong demand are conspiring to keep global cereal prices high, the UN food agency said Wednesday.
Cotton futures settled softer on Wednesday on trade hedge and option-related sales as the market came off after the early strength in other commodity markets fizzled out late in the session, brokers said. ICE Futures open-outcry December cotton fell 0.10
Brazil's sugar exports are set to fall 1/2-1 million tonnes to about 20 million tonnes in the season to end-April, an executive of Cosan, Brazil's biggest sugar and ethanol producer, said on Tuesday.
Precious metals soared on Wednesday, supported by a tumbling dollar and record oil prices, with gold nearing its all-time peak, platinum setting a record and silver touching its highest level in 27 years.
US cocoa made gains in early trade on Wednesday on the back of the soaring pound, while arabica coffee futures continued to find buying support, traders said. "We're up on the pound and the CRB Index is very strong," one trader said.
Raw sugar futures rose in early dealings on Wednesday on speculative fund buying inspired by the continued strength of crude oil prices, brokers said. "We followed crude up and it was largely on fund buying in here. But once we got to the highs, it stalle
Wheat futures on the Chicago Board of Trade were mostly lower at midday on Wednesday on profit-taking and a setback in US crude oil futures, traders said.
Corn futures on the Chicago Board of Trade opened higher on Wednesday in line with surging crude oil, but turned mixed when crude fell from the day's highs, traders said. At 10:10 am CST (1610 GMT), CBOT corn was up 1/2 cent per bushel to down 3, with Dec
Soybean futures at the Chicago Board of Trade were lower early on Wednesday, with the market volatile as investors were a little nervous about the continued strength in commodities, traders said.
US copper futures lost some ground at the open on Wednesday, as a bearish backdrop of rising warehouse supplies and fears of slower economic growth prompted investors to take a defensive stance, traders said.
Gold futures in New York rose sharply for the second day in a row early on Wednesday, racing toward record highs on the back of a pummelled dollar, soaring crude oil prices and chart-based buying.
A delegation comprising elders of District Dir Lower Wednesday demanded the release of Maulana Sufi Mohammad, a leader of the defunct Tehrik-e-Nifaz Shariah Mohammadi (TNSM) for bringing improvement in the volatile situation in Swat.
Are bankers to an issue of capital justified in levying a charge on constituents for the latter's share application submitted through them. It is believe that the issuer of capital duly compensated the bankers to the issue for their services relating to c
According to the reports appearing in the print media, six working journalists have been booked by the Islamabad Police under terrorism charges for their alleged involvement in the violence in the federal capital on September 29.
Power outages, whether from load shedding or power breakdowns, is not a new phenomenon for Karachiites. While the power supply saga continues unabated adding to the woes of Karachiites, it is important to minimise electricity outages at least due to the c
Visitors to the poor south-east African country of Mozambique are often taken aback at the cost of getting around. "Is petrol is problem," taxi drivers in the capital Maputo retort when challenged over fares that begin at 100 meticais (close to 4 dollars)
Abu Mohammed has been a Baghdad taxi driver for almost half a century. At 64, the strongly built Shia is a veteran who had a brand new Dodge nearly 50 years ago but is now happy with a battered old Toyota. His has been one of the riskiest ways to earn a l
Prime Minister, Shaukat Aziz, on October 11th 2007, approved various insurance schemes to help farmers and low-income groups, presented to him by the Chairman of National Insurance Company Limited (NICL), in collaboration with financial institutions.
Nothing eats into the vitals of national unity and solidarity like uncertainty. We, the Pakistanis, are having firsthand experience of this truism - as forcefully demonstrated on Monday, 5th November, when the Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) index sharply tu
Although economic managers of the country are never tired of boasting of a number of achievements during the last few years, some of the basic factors which normally propel the economy continue to be in poor health.
Telenor Persona Post-paid, with the fastest growing and the widest EDGE/GPRS network in the country, has launched, 'SmartMail', a wireless push email service powered by Nokia. With this service customers can access their emails, data and attachments insta
The Chairman of National Commission for Government Reforms, Dr Ishrat Husain, has said that Islamic finance can be a powerful tool for growth of economy and amelioration of the condition of the poor in the Muslim countries.
Sindh Governor, Dr Ishrat-ul-Ibad has said that objective of the steps taken by the government are to benefit the people, eliminate extremism and terrorism and ensure security and stability of the country, economic flow and continuity of democratic proces
Pakistan is importing a total of 0.2 million tonnes of wheat from Russia, a reliable source in the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock (Minfal) told Business Recorder here on Wednesday.
Polish Consul-General Ireneusz Makles said here on Wednesday that he sees Pakistan has the potential to become economic leader in Asia because of its consistent trade and economic policies.
The convenor hastily adjourned the City Council session within five minutes of its resumption when the opposition tried to table a resolution condemning imposition of an "undeclared martial law" in the country.
Westminster Securities USA will take Pakistani companies public in New York (NY) Stock Exchange, said a press release issued by Investment Division on Wednesday. Jung Min Choi, Corporate Finance Representative and Imran Khan of Westminster Securities Corp
The government is making all out efforts to ensure nation-wide teledensity up to 85 percent by 2010, an official of Ministry of Telecommunications said on Wednesday. The official said under the first phase, the top priority is being given to rural areas t
Prominent businessman and President of Pak-Afghan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Senator Ilyas Ahmad Bilour has said that energy is crucial for sustainable development, poverty eradication and achieving the Millennium Development Goals.
The Jammu and Kashmir Awami Action Committee paid glowing tributes to its founding chairman, late Mirwaiz Moulvi Muhammad Farooq, and martyrs of Hawal, Srinagar, on their 18th death anniversary observed, according to Islamic calendar, on Wednesday, Shawal
The much celebrated Visit Pakistan Year 2007 and ambitious Tourism Marketing Strategy could not live up to the expectations owing to certain financial impediments, it was officially learnt on Wednesday.
Bikash Raj Pandey, Country Representative, Pakistan Asia Clean Energy Group visited investment division on Wednesday and made a presentation to the Investment Division on prospects of Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects and other carbon financing o
World town planning day will be celebrated throughout the globe including Pakistan on November 8. It is a special day to recognise and promote the role of planning in creating livable communities. World town planning day presents an excellent opportunity
Federal Minister for Inter Provincial Coordination Salim Saifullah Khan on Wednesday inaugurated gas distribution project in his native district Lakki Marwat. The project would cost Rs 40 million as nine kilometre gas pipeline, laid from village Kilan to
Ali S Awadh Assreri, the ambassador of Saudi Arabia called on Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, General Tariq Majid on Wednesday at Joint Staff Headquarters. Matters related to mutual interest were discussed during the meeting.
Authorities have stopped sales of satellite dishes in two cities to block access to private news channels, salesmen said on Wednesday. The channels were taken off air on Saturday after the government imposed emergency rule, leaving only state television t
The Iranian Ambassador to Pakistan, Masha'allah Shakeri, has said: "The Message of Iqbal was effective in organising the Islamic Revolution in Iran, and Iran put into effect the thoughts and ideas of Iqbal prior to other countries dominated by West."
The fourth international conference and exhibition (Conex) on compressed natural gas (CNG) industry, being organised by National Forum for Environment and Health, will be held on November 10 to 11 at Karachi Expo Centre.
An agreement signed on Wednesday between Tuwairqi Steel Mills Limited (TSML) of Al-Tuwairqi Group of Saudi Arabia and the Kawasaki Gas Turbines Asia (KGTA) (a subsidiary of Kawasaki Heavy Industries in Japan) for the supply and erection of a power generat
Sindh Governor Dr Ishrat-ul-Ibad Khan has advised the business community to increase their contacts with foreign importers and investors and convince them about the positive business environment in Pakistan.
Chairman of Islamic Capital Partners Khalid Rafi has said that the current tremendous growth of Islamic banking sector indicates it will achieve the 12 percent share of overall financial sector in Pakistan during next five years.
The Pakistan Publisher and Bookseller Association has signed MoU with Event and Conference Pvt Ltd (ECI) regarding third Karachi international book fair which is to be held on November 30 to-December 4 at Karachi Expo Centre.
Oxford University Press will launch its latest publication, The Gardener: Horticulture in Pakistan written by A. K. Khan, a prominent figure in the field of horticulture. This gardening manual, with beautiful colour illustrations, provides valuable inform
Principal Officer, US consulate Lahore, Bryan Hunt has stated that US government has allocated $6.9 million for promoting science and technology in Pakistan. Addressing the participants of international symposium on "Emerging trends in Food Science and Te
Punjab Education Minister Mian Imran Masood has said that without educating women folk, the country can never join the rank of developed nations. He told the inaugural ceremony of a new building for the Arfa Girls College here in Lal Pul on Wednesday that
The Sindh government would seek Rs 3 billion, around Rs 2,810 million more than allocated by the federal government, for rehabilitation of Sukkur Barrage. PC-I has been prepared and would be sent to Islamabad for approval sometime by the end of this month
Minister for Population Welfare, Chaudhry Shahbaz Hussain on Wednesday said the judicial activism was causing hurdles in the smooth transition to democracy. Speaking in a PTV programme, he said that judiciary being a pillar of state, was trying to dominat
The National Assembly (NA) on Wednesday passed a resolution endorsing proclamation of emergency in the country and issuance of Provisional Constitution Order (PCO). The Peoples Party members boycotted the assembly session.
Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Wednesday pointing out the security challenges facing the country asked the police to enhance their role in maintaining law and order and protecting lives of the citizens.
The Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) has stopped students from entering the university because they wanted to protest the emergency. The administration had disallowed students lacking LUMS identity cards, even the press and media persons we
Speaking at the commemorative function on Allama Iqbal's 130th birth anniversary, President Anwar Hussain Siddiqui of the Islamic University pained that while the national poet in his work had spread the message of the unity of the Muslim world, the peopl
Sindh Democratic Forum (SDF) has strongly condemned what it said imposition of martial law in the garb of emergency in the country by General Pervaz Musharraf.
Five members of a family were hanged on Wednesday in District Jail Faisalabad in the presence of a local magistrate, jail superintendent and a medical officer. Jail authorities said that session court had awarded them death sentence for killing two person
Judge Anti Terrorist Court (ATC) No 1 Chaudhry Habib-ur-Rehman put off hearing regarding bail application of Maulana Abdul Aziz former chief cleric of Lal Masjid in eight cases till November 16 here on Wednesday. The hearing could not be held due to non-p
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).
Corps Commander Gujranwala, Lieutenant General Waseem Ahmed Ashraf on Wednesday witnessed a bridging exercise near Sialkot and saw engineer troops engaged in laying various categories of bridges. The bridge laying exercise is a regular feature of annual t
Provincial government has initiated a well-knitted plan for setting up most modern social security hospitals in major industrial towns of the Punjab. Official sources told Business Recorder here on Wednesday that these hospitals are being construct
The Punjab government has passed the orders to construct veterinary hospitals in 21 Union Councils in Hafizabad to treat sick animals and the work is going on this project. The government has also provided Sui gas to 150 villages in the district.
The International Union against cancer has awarded UICC International Cancer Technology Transfer Fellowship to Cancer Registry Officer Shahid Mahmood, Cancer Registry and Clinical Data Management of the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research
Punjab Minister for Public Health Engineering Sardar Hassan Akhtar Mokal has said it is the duty of the government functionaries to extend the benefits of the reforms and policies of General Pervez Musharraf to the common man so that Pakistan could emerge
Country Director World Health Organisation (WHO) Dr Khalif Bile on Wednesday said health professionals should play due role in making their respective hospitals smoking free and avoid smoking openly.