Digest of international news for week Feb 2 - Feb 8, 2013

Saturday Lahore: Forensic experts exhume the body of a Pakistani anti-graft investigator who died in mysterious circumstances last month while probing corruption charges against Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf and other politicians. Washington: Veteran Senator John Kerry, who favours strong ties with India, is sworn in as the US Secretary of State, replacing Hillary Clinton as America's top diplomat. Sunday Munich: Iran responds positively to US Vice President Joe Biden's offer to hold direct negotiations with the authorities in Teheran over the country's contested nuclear programme, but demanded the West to stop building up pressure on the country. Islamabad: Former military ruler Pervez Musharraf keeps such a tight lid on intrusions by Pakistani troops into Indian territory in Kargil in 1999 that the ISI learnt of the development when it intercepted Indian Army communications, a retired general says in his new book. Monday London: Afghan and Pakistani Presidents Hamid Karzai and Asif Ali Zardari sets a six-month time-frame to achieve a peace settlement for Afghanistan following trilateral talks with UK Prime Minister David Cameron. Beijing: Maintaining that its move to build three more dams on Brahmaputra river in Tibet will not affect the flows to down stream areas, China says, it is in "communication and cooperation" with India over cross-border river issues. Islamabad: The Jamaat-e-Islami rejects Pakistani Taliban's call to act as a guarantor for any talks between the banned militant group and the government, with a top leader questioning the administration's stance on such issues. (MORE)