China on Thursday accused the United States of human rights hypocrisy, as it branded the US invasion of Iraq the "greatest humanitarian disaster" of the modern world.
European Union leaders were poised on Thursday to agree a timetable for action on tackling climate change they hope will enable the bloc to set the pace in global talks next year.
A detailed Pentagon study confirms there was no direct link between Iraqi ex-leader Saddam Hussein and the al Qaeda network, debunking a claim President George W. Bush's administration used to justify invading Iraq.
Sterling rose against the dollar on Thursday on a wave of dollar selling that pushed it to historic lows against many currencies on the view the Federal Reserve's recent actions to ease market strains won't work. But the pound remained anchored near all-t
The dollar fell below the psychologically key 100 yen mark for the first time in over a decade on Thursday, as well as plumbing fresh record lows versus the euro, the Swiss francs and a basket of major currencies.
The rupee fell on Thursday as the stock market slid to a six-month closing low in tandem with global equities, but banks and exporters sold dollars limiting the Indian unit's drop. The partially convertible rupee ended at 40.425/435 per dollar, off an int
China's main stock index closed below 4,000 points for the first time in seven months on Thursday, sinking 2.43 percent on concern about inflation, slower export growth and a large supply of new shares. Steel makers, among the companies most vulnerable if
US stocks gained on Thursday as financial shares erased earlier steep losses after a major credit rating agency said the end to subprime-related write-downs is in sight.
Hong Kong stocks fell nearly 5 percent on Thursday, as weak US and mainland stock markets damped investor confidence, undoing gains from the last session when global equity markets cheered a credit bailout by central banks.
The investment-grade European credit index reached a new record wide on Thursday as worries about hedge fund failures and the economy overwhelmed the impact of a Federal Reserve effort to inject liquidity into the market.
The investment-grade European credit index reached a new record wide on Thursday as worries about hedge fund failures and the economy overwhelmed the impact of a Federal Reserve effort to inject liquidity into the market.
Asian bond spreads widened on Thursday towards record levels on fading optimism over the US Federal Reserve's measures to inject liquidity to improve strained credit market conditions.
Asian bond spreads widened on Thursday towards record levels on fading optimism over the US Federal Reserve's measures to inject liquidity to improve strained credit market conditions.
Britain's top share index slid 1.5 percent on Thursday on fears of more credit market ructions and as the euphoria of this week's central bank cash injection wore off, while record oil prices added to investor gloom.
A strike over pay by dock workers at ports in Ivory Coast has blocked exports of cocoa and coffee since late on Monday, exporters in the world's top cocoa producer said on Wednesday.
London cocoa futures climbed to a 5-1/2-year high on Thursday while coffee and sugar prices also advanced on a new wave of speculative and fund buying sparked partly by dollar weakness, dealers said.
Oil prices jumped to a record $111 a barrel on Thursday, extending a rally that has added nearly 30 percent to prices in just over a month, amid all-time weakness in the dollar. US crude for April delivery settled up 41 cents at $110.33 a barrel, after st
Mozambique will need to import at least 1.25 million tonnes of maize, wheat and rice by August to cover food shortages caused by floods, a government official said on Thursday. Fernando Songane, co-ordinator of Mozambique's National Agriculture Developmen
Cotton futures finished a tame session with modest losses on Thursday, but brokers said they thought the slow day and consolidating prices were welcome after nearly two weeks of exceptionally volatile price moves.
Analysts who follow the two largest US futures marts are braced for word within days that CME Group has finalised terms of a deal to swallow New York Mercantile Exchange parent NYMEX Holdings Inc. "Most people feel pretty comfortable that it will go throu
Tin extended recent gains to hit a record high above $20,000 per tonne on Thursday and copper was steady but seen vulnerable to a sell-off as investors focused on the possibility of recession in the United States. Three-months copper futures at the London
Spot gold prices hit an all-time peak in Europe on Thursday as a dollar slump and inflation fears prompted investors to look for safe-haven assets. Spot gold rose as high as $999.90 an ounce before easing slightly to trade at $992.80/993.70 at 1615 GMT, c
Cocoa futures trading on ICE Futures US surged nearly 5 percent to a 28-year high early Thursday on heavy support from the strong sterling and fund buying, traders said. Arabica coffee futures were also firm on the weak dollar.
ICE raw sugar futures gained ground early Thursday, buoyed by speculative short-covering tied to further weakness in the US dollar and stronger crude prices, brokers said. "With the dollar off and crude up, we're finding some support," said one floor deal
All three US wheat futures markets rallied early Thursday amid a broad-based rally in commodities, with Chicago and Kansas City bouncing back from weak opens, traders said. Minneapolis wheat was strong from the start, underpinned by a tight supply of high
CBOT corn futures were up over 2 percent early on Thursday following soaring crude oil and gold to record highs as the dollar tumbled to record lows, traders said. Fund buying boosted the corn market and at 10:20 am CDT (1520 GMT), CBOT corn was up 5 to 1
Chicago Board of Trade soyabean futures rallied early Thursday amid spillover buying from the strength in soyaoil and the New York crude oil market which was trading over $110 per barrel, traders said. May soyabeans were up 23 cents at $14.18 a bushel by
US copper futures drifted to a softer close on Thursday as concerns about the red metal's future demand prospects capped earlier dollar-inspired gains, traders said.
US gold futures surged above the historic $1,000 mark on Thursday, as a record-low dollar and inflation fears due to crude oil rising to all-time highs prompted investors to enter the bullion market.
Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid-e-Azam Secretary General Chaudhry Zaheeruddin Khan has praised his own party, saying it has served the public and promoted tolerance, honesty and brotherhood in politics.
The arrival of the body of Khalid Mehmood from India stimulated a shock wave among Pakistani nation. This really is injustice by the Indian government while Pakistan had taken first step towards peace between Indo-Pak relations and released the Indian spy
Certain residents in block-14 of Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Karachi have illegally fixed 'long iron stop barriers' on several streets in the surroundings of their bungalows and blocked thoroughfare of general public on each Government's street, illegally proclaim
A top figure in the Democratic Party who has played a key role in raising money for Hillary Clinton Wednesday stepped down from the presidential campaign amidst a fracas over alleged racist remarks.
Five years after the invasion of Iraq, the United States is finding it harder than ever to garner international support for military operations in the country, as even staunch allies such as Britain have pulled out much of their forces.
Text of speech of the Governor, State Bank of Pakistan, at the IBP Convocation on March 13, 2008 in Lahore. This morning I propose to share with you my thoughts on the topical issue of 'Corporate Governance for Banks.' Corporate governance revolves around
Those who thought that the anti-Musharraf electoral verdict followed by the Murree Declaration that commits his principal adversaries to a programme to de-fang him would have undermined the President's resolve to fight back may be sadly mistaken. After do
News from the external sector of the economy continue to be discouraging. According to the latest data released by the Federal Bureau of Statistics (FBS), Pakistan's trade deficit ballooned to $12.433 billion in the first eight months (July-February, 2008
Customs data exchange agreement has been signed between Pakistan and China to curb under invoicing, said Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Chairman Abdullah Yousuf here on Wednesday night.
The private sector air carrier, Airblue has now turned its focus to the corporate social responsibility of making Pakistan a cleaner and greener place to live for future generations. And to achieve this objective it has taken the initiative to start its '
A complete shutter down strike was observed in most areas of Balochistan on the call of Balochistan National Party (Mengal) against "non provision of medical facilities" to former chief minister Balochistan Sardar Akhtar Jan Mengal.
A peaceful and tolerant society can not be ensured without enlightened rural cultural values. Our rural culture is rich and deep-rooted with beauties of folk music, poetry, joint family-system and co-harvesting.
The major causes of common child disease, preventive measures and remedies were discussed at length by the specialists, NGO representatives at a workshop held at a hotel in Karachi under the auspices of National Commission for Human Development (NCHD).
With the view to develop proper infrastructure at all four industrial zones, Sindh government has decided to provide Rs 250 million each in this connection. This was stated by Arif Ali Khan Abbasi, Sindh Minister for Industries, Labour, Transport, and Com
While the Karachiites have not yet heaved a sigh of relief after long-awaited completion of road-reconstruction works in the city, the Karachi Electric Supply Corporation (KESC) is bent upon digging up newly constructed thoroughfares to lay electricity ca
The helpless sugarcane growers of NWFP are looking towards the upcoming governments at both federal and provincial levels for coming to their rescue and help reducing the woes.
Despite huge expenditure on child welfare projects by the National Commission on Child Welfare and Development (NCCWD) under Social Welfare Ministry, about 11 million child labourers are working under hazardous conditions and are subjected to severe explo
The Ministry of Environment informed the Senate Environmental Body meeting here on Thursday that a Rs 35.450 million annual development scheme for controlling vehicular emission has been approved.
With the beginning on a new parliamentary year in the Senate, a flurry of activities in the Standing Committees have been noticed. Two parliamentary committees met on Thursday; while two more a day earlier as well as on Monday.
The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has drafted a proposal to introduce subject of taxation at the school and college levels to educate the young generation on the basic concepts of taxes in Pakistan.
A Pakistani national, who died in an Indian jail last month, was arrested when he was travelling with sensitive documents, Indian High Commission here said on Thursday. The explanation came a day after Islamabad asked New Delhi to clarify circumstances un
The National Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP) passed a resolution condemning republication of sacrilegious cartoons in European newspapers and a film against Islam by Holland. Talking to newsmen, Director of the Commission Father Nisar Barkat said,
Students from the twin cities on Thursday rallied against the republication of blasphemous material and submitted their resolutions to the United Nations, the OIC and embassy of Denmark. The blasphemous cartoons were first published by Jyllands-Posten in
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the University of Engineering and Technology (UET), Peshawar and Khyber Medical University (KMU), Peshawar was signed in a ceremony held at the Conference Hall of the UET on Thursday.
Provincial Minister for Education and Minorities Affairs Dr Mira Phailbus on Thursday met caretaker Chief Minister Ejaz Nisar to discuss current reforms in the education sector and minority affairs in the province. While talking to the minister, the chief
Human Rights Commission of Pakistan Secretary General Iqbal Haider has aired concern over the situation of human rights. "The human rights situation in Pakistan has seriously deteriorated over the past years."
A meeting of the steering committee, convened to review progress on Provincial Reforms Programme launched under development policy credit-III (DPC-III) with the assistance of World Bank was held here on Thursday with NWFP Chief Secretary Sahibzada Riaz No
As many as 1,000 tribesmen chanting "Stop being stooges of the US army" rallied Thursday against the killing of eight civilians by security forces this week, witnesses said. The protest in Bajaur tribal region bordering Afghanistan came after an incident
Managing Director, Pakistan Electric Power Company (Pepco) Munawar Baseer Ahmad urged Discos (power distribution companies) to take all possible measures to improve efficiency. Addressing the participants of first Public Relations Conference, he said Disc
IGI Investment Bank, a part of the IGI Financial Services Group, launched the 'IGI Up Savings Plan', a Certificate of Deposit product providing investors with the opportunity to deposit cash for a time period of as little as one month, says a press releas
The country's ship-breaking industry is passing through a very critical situation as a fresh increase of $150 or 27.27 percent in prices of per late displacement tonnage (LDT) scrap ship has compelled Pak importers to avoid new buying.
MCB Asset Management Company (AMC) will get over one billion fund under the newly launched fund namely MCB Dynamic Allocation Fund. Addressing the journalists, Yasir Qadri chief executive officer of MCB Asset Management Company (ACM) here on Thursday info
MCB Asset Management Company (AMC) will get over one billion fund under the newly launched fund namely MCB Dynamic Allocation Fund. Addressing the journalists, Yasir Qadri chief executive officer of MCB Asset Management Company (ACM) here on Thursday info
Foton remains committed to introducing CNG buses on schedule in spite of the Lahore bombings and other distractions. Foton also condoled the death of Lahore bomb blasts. Joseph Verghese, Vice President of Foton America, said.
Small businessmen and unemployed youth have responded overwhelmingly to National Database Registration Authority's (Nadra's) e-Sahulat franchising project. According to details available here on Thursday, in the first week of its launch alone, 3,300 appli
The Parliament Cafeteria on the first floor was witness on Thursday to real hectic activity as new members floated in, made rounds of six different desks, some assembly officials making MNAs-elect pose for preparation of Polaroid cards, delivered to them
A motorcyclist was killed and three other injured when UTS bus hit some four bikes near cantonment board at Shahrea-e-Faisal on Thursday. Police said that Muhammad Umer 22 was killed when UTS (JB-0701) hit his bike KBL-1503 from back, killing him on the s
Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak AL-Nahayan, Minister for Higher Education and also Patron of Pakistan Human Development Fund (PHDF) announced donation of one million dollars to National Commission for Human Development (NCHD)/PHDF at the recently concluded strateg
Crackdown against the activists of banned outfits continued in Southern Punjab on Thursday. Police on Wednesday night arrested more than 50 suspects in raids over Tuesday's suicide attacks in Lahore. Police said the suspects, most of them from banned mili
The Government of Japan has granted financial support of US $79,281 under the GGP (Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects) programme to Dara Foundation, a non-governmental organisation for the project 'Improvement of Infrastructure of Pri
World Kidney Day was observed in Multan on Thursday with seminars and rallies organised by Doctors' society, PMA, and NGOs throughout the city. According to experts most kidney patients suffer from infections like stones in and out of kidneys, acute renal
Post-Graduate Medical Institute Principal Professor Sajjad Hussain has said his institute is spending huge funds on treating kidney disease and dialysis is becoming a burden even on the health budgets of developed countries.
Caretaker federal Health Minister Ejaz Rahim inaugurated a week-long international workshop on 'Nano Medicine' here at the Comstech's Palace of Science, on Thursday.
The caretaker Interior Minister General Hamid Nawaz (Retd) on Thursday reiterated the government's commitment for elimination of terrorism and extremism. He said that all possible measures would be utilised for curbing the menace of terrorism which is pos
Lawyers across the Southern Punjab on Thursday - the fourth day of the 'Black Flag Week' - held rallies, meetings and set up hunger strike camps demanding of the government to restore the deposed judges.
Lawyers leaving a rally on The Mall on Thursday urged the army chief to get the army house vacated from Pervez Musharraf as they believed that conspiracies were being hatched there for formation of new government. The LHCBA and Lahore Bar Association afte
Prominent leader of lawyers' movement and former Justice Wajihuddin Ahmed has said that the process to restore judges fired under the cover of the Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO) was not so complicated as being projected.
Three PML-Q MAPs elect - Pir Walayat Khaga, Chaudhry Muhammad Arshad Jatt and Malik Iqbal Langriyal - joined the forward bloc to support PML-N on Thursday. The MPAs stated that they took this step in the best interest of masses of their constituencies. Me
Sindh continues to face serious water shortage as there was no improvement in inflows of Indus River at Tarbela. According to a spokesman of Irrigation and Power Department, the Indus inflows at Tarbela on Thursday was only 19,700 cusecs as against 27,900
Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO) former Justice Munir A. Sheikh on Thursday directed Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to issue delayed certificate and refund the amount to an importer. He took the decision on the complaint of M/s G.A. Parekh and Sons, Karachi ag
There is a great potential in Pakistani women which needs to be properly recognised and used for overall development of the society. This was the unanimous view expressed by the speakers at the one-day seminar on 'Women's Role is Social Development', held
Indus Motor Company (IMC) organised the third annual After Sales Kaizen Marathon at a local hotel, awarding first prize for the best Kaizen initiative to Toyota Faisalabad Motors. The Marathon and accompanying Dealer Conference was attended by the Company
UBL Fund Managers and Pak-Qatar Family Takaful signed an agreement that will provide all investors of UBL Funds Islamic Investment Plans with Shariah Compliant Accidental and Medical Takaful Coverage. The agreement was signed by Mir Muhammad Ali, CEO UBL
UBL Fund Managers and Pak-Qatar Family Takaful signed an agreement that will provide all investors of UBL Funds Islamic Investment Plans with Shariah Compliant Accidental and Medical Takaful Coverage. The agreement was signed by Mir Muhammad Ali, CEO UBL
Pakistan People's Party Secretary General, Jahangir Badr has supported the Resolution passed by the Senate against the recent appointment of Khalid Saeed as Chairman Nepra.
Abdul Sattar Edhi has expressed concern over the twin suicide attacks in Lahore. Speaking at a press conference here at the Lahore Press Club, Edhi said, "after hearing the tragic incident, I have come here to meet the injured people."
The coalition partners in Punjab, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and the Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarian, have finalised their consultations, and evolved an equation ahead of the new coalition government in the province.
A formal meeting of parliamentary parties of the four major coalition partners-Pakistan Peoples Party, Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz), Awami National Party (ANP) and JUI-F will be held at Parliament House on March 17 to chalk out strategy for the new parl
The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) is launching its ACA Top-up Programme for the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan (ICAP) members in Pakistan, in terms of recently signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) betw
Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pepa) has finalised the documents pertaining to second phase of the industrial survey in the Islamabad industrial area, sources told Business Recorder here on Thursday.
The Chief of Army Staff, General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani installed Major General Ahmed Bilal as the Colonel Commandant of the Corps of Signals in an impressive but simple ceremony, at General Headquarters signals Battalion ground, Rawalpindi on Thursday.
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).
President Pakistan Muslim League-Q Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain has convened its parliamentary party meeting on March 17 at Parliament House to hammer out its future line of action in the House.
Presidential spokesman Major General Rashid Qureshi (Retd) on Thursday urged media to pinpoint rumour-mongers persistently issuing baseless and unfounded news stories without even confirming these from the presidency.