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Hafiz Saeed lawyer says no secret screening after Pak bans 'Phantom'

Lahore, Aug 22 (ANI): The lawyer for Hafiz Saeed said that he would file a contempt application in case of any clandestine screening of the movie "Phantom" after Pakistan banned the film on Mumbai attacks. A Pakistani court on Thursday banned an Indian film about the 2008 Mumbai attacks in response to a petition filed by the man New Delhi accuses of masterminding the killing of 166 people over three days. Hafiz Saeed, the founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba, which the United Nations has listed as a terrorist organisation, petitioned the court to ban the Kabir Khan-directed feature film "Phantom" on the basis that it maligns Pakistan and vilifies Saeed and his current organisation, Jamaat-ud-Dawa. Saeed's lawyer AK Dogar said the government had been told that the film should not be presented for showing in Pakistan and to take necessary steps in this regard. In its reply to the petition in court, the Pakistani government "vehemently denied" that there were ever any plans to screen the Indian fil

Japanese companies take initiatives to protect environment

Hanoi/ Tokyo, August 21 (ANI): As part of corporate social responsibility, Japan's Aeon company has taken the initiative to plant trees and protect the environment. The tree planting ceremony was recently held at Aeon Mall Shopping Center construction site in Long Bien, Hanoi. The event attracted some 1,000 guests. Aeon Mall Long Bien is one of the shopping centers in Vietnam. The tree planting ceremony titled 'The Aeon hometown forest program' was organized by Aeon Environmental Foundation. Over 25 years, the organization held numerous activities to protect the environment, as well as supporting other organizations with the same orientation. Tree planting activities has been taken in Japan, China, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam and Cambodia. The "Aeon hometown forest" tree planting program was first initiated in 1991 at the Aeon shopping center in Malacca, Malaysia. It was first held in Japan in April 1992. Through "Aeon hometown forest" tree planting activities, the Aeon Environment Fou

Ranil Wickremesinghe sworn in as Sri Lankan Prime Minister

Colombo, Aug 21 (ANI): Ranil Wickremesinghe was sworn in as Sri Lanka's new prime minister on Friday and his alliance signed an agreement with President Maithripala Sirisena's party to work together in a national unity government to implement reform agenda. Clad in dark gray suit, Wickremesinghe, was sworn in as the 16th prime minister of the country in front of Sirisena following Buddhist religious ceremony. His centre-right United National Party (UNP) won the Monday's poll, defeating former leader Mahinda Rajapaksa's coalition, but fell seven seats short of an outright majority. The UNP along with Sirisena's centre-left Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) will form a national unity government to revive stalled reforms to ensure transparency and accountability.

Pak says meeting with Kashmiri leaders "common practice" ahead of talks

Islamabad, Aug 21 (ANI): Pakistan's foreign ministry said that meeting with Kashmiri leaders and inviting them on various occasions hosted by the High Commission was a "longstanding practice". Pakistan has invited separatists from Kashmir region for a meeting in a move that risks further straining efforts to restart a peace dialogue between the two nuclear-armed nations. The NSA-level talk is to be held on August 23-24 in New Delhi. Pakistan on Wednesday (August 19) invited separatist Hurriyat Conference leaders from disputed Kashmir region for a meeting ahead of National Security Advisor (NSA)-level talks with India. United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon on Tuesday (August 19) voiced alarm at the latest upsurge in violence along the disputed border of India and Pakistan in Kashmir and urged restraint on the part of both governments. Meeting with Kashmiri leaders is common practice before consultations and talks between the two countries whenever they take place.

Greek PM Tsipras quits, asks president to call early elections

Athens, Aug 21 (ANI): Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras announced his intent to resign to pave the way for early elections, saying it was up to Greeks to judge whether he adequately represented them in a battle with foreign lenders on austerity demands. Fresh from clinching a bailout deal, Tsipras opted for early elections to consolidate his position after nearly a third of lawmakers from his Syriza party refused to back the programme in parliament last week, robbing him of a guaranteed political majority. He said it was now up to voters to decide whether the bailout deal was a success or not. Tsipras's decision to return to the ballot box after seven bruising months in power deepens political uncertainty on the very day Greece began receiving funds under its third bailout programme with foreign creditors. Hugely popular among his supporters for trying to stand up to euro zone and IMF creditors and with the opposition in disarray, Tsipras is widely expected to return to power.

Sri Lanka poll results fuel hopes of economy gaining steam

Colombo, August 20 (ANI): Ranil Wickremesinghe-led government's poll victory raised hopes of speeding up reforms and fuelling faster economic growth in Sri Lanka, economists and market experts said on Thursday. Wickremesinghe's centre-right United National Party (UNP) is due to form a stable government along with President Maithripala Sirisena's centre-left Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) after coming up tops in the general elections. Niroshan Wijesundere, head of CSE market development, said the poll outcome was in line with the market expectations and helped clear uncertainty over key economic policies. Wijesundere said long pending decisions to improve liquidity and broaden the overall market, making it attractive for both foreign and domestic investors would be one of the key challenges for the new government. Nimal Parera, a Colombo-based entrepreneur, said uniformity and consistency in policy matters would really help the economy under Wickremesinghe's reign.

Blast near Cairo state security building wounds six

Cairo, Aug 20 (ANI): At least six people were wounded early on Thursday (August 20) in a car bombing near a state security building and courthouse in a Cairo suburb. The sources, who inspected the site of the blast in Shubra al-Khaima, said there was a burned-out vehicle and crater. Comments on Twitter indicated the blast was heard in several parts of the Egyptian capital. Driver and witness to the incident Ashraf said the explosion took place while cars were waiting at traffic lights. Resident Osama said that the attackers appeared to have fixed the timing of the blast on the traffic lights. Militants based in the Sinai, who support the Islamic State group that controls parts of Iraq and Syria and have a presence in Egypt's neighbour Libya, have previously claimed responsibility for attacks on security forces.

Pakistan's Discrimination with Kashmiris

Chinari, PoK, August, 18, 2015:- While Pakistan is pumping in billions on infrastructure projects in various parts of the country, the parts of Kashmir under its illegal occupation remains left out. This has forced the people here to come out against the governments. People of Chinari, some 30 miles away from PoK's capital Muzaffarabad are holding a protest to call the administration's attention to their long standing problem. Residents here say, despite being so close to the administrative center the region has been for long neglected, when it comes to infrastructure. The region lags behind when it comes to health care and educational facilities. Locals allege that the years of neglect have worsened the situation. The protesters said they have been trying to raise the issue with the authorities for years, but to no effect. Chinari is also the electoral constituency of former PoK Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider. Locals here say that the lack of basic infrastructure is also hurting th

Sri Lankan election chief hails parliamentary election

Colombo, Aug 18 (ANI): Sri Lankan Election Commissioner said that strict enforcement of law, especially among politicians and activists, ensured a violence free elections in a country that has a history if political feuding. Sri Lanka held a parliamentary election that will decide whether ex-president Mahinda Rajapaksa can stage a political comeback, as the leader who toppled him in January manoeuvred to block his path back to power. Sri Lankan Election Commissioner, Mahinda Deshapriya said there were no reports of any major violence over the past 48 hours - a significant development for his team. Final results are due on Tuesday. The election chief has often been credited for bringing sanity back into the Sri Lankan electoral practices with his no-nonsense approach and strict enforcement of the law.

Shocked Bangkok wakes up to bomb aftermath

Bangkok, Aug 18 (ANI): Thailand on Tuesday woke up to the aftermath of a bomb which killed 27, including eight foreigners, on the night before in the centre of Bangkok. The explosion at the popular Erawan shrine was from pipe bomb, police said, and did not match the tactics used by separatist rebels in Thailand. Thai Officials have yet to blame any group for the blast, which the government called a bid to destroy the economy. No one has claimed responsibility. Three Chinese were among the dead, the official Xinhua news agency said. Two Hong Kong residents, two people from Malaysia and one person from the Philippines had also been killed, officials said. Scores of people were wounded, including many from China and Taiwan. Thai police began cleaning up the scene of Monday's bombing and looking for clues at the shrine. The shrine, on a busy corner near top hotels, shopping centres, offices and a hospital, is a major attraction, especially for visitors from East Asia, including China. Many

Funeral prayers-in-absentia held for Pakistani minister killed in blast

Karachi/ Lahore, Aug 18 (ANI): Funeral prayers-in-absentia were offered for the Pakistani provincial minister and other sixteen people who were killed in suicide bomb attack in PM's political heartland a day earlier. Punjab Home Minister Shuja Khanzada was among at least 16 people killed at his political office near his hometown of Attock, about 80 kilometres (50 miles) west of the capital, Islamabad. Punjab government has announced to observe three-day mourning over the deadly attack that killed Home Minister Shuja Khanzada. About two hundred people offered funeral prayers-in-absentia for the slain minister and other victims in port city Karachi. Ismail Rahoo, politician and senior leader of Sindh chapter of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), who attended the prayers said the blood of innocent people will not go in vain. The Pakistani provincial minister killed in suicide bomb attack had been warned he was a target for retaliation by a militant after police killed the le

Excitement builds up at Dubai Cricket Stadium where PM Modi will address Indian diaspora

Dubai, Aug 17 (ANI): Excitement was building up at the Dubai Cricket Stadium where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to address the Indian diaspora later. The stadium looked jam packed with people even standing in queues outside. Cultural traditional performances began at the venue which was beautifully decorated with the theme of Indian tricolour. The people of Indian community will be addressed by PM Modi later after which he will depart for New Delhi. Prime Minister is in Dubai on the final day of his two-day UAE visit. This will be the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister in 34 years to a Gulf nation.

Blast in Thai capital Bangkok kills at least 12

Bangkok, Aug 17 (ANI): A bomb on a motorcycle exploded on Monday (August 17) just outside a Hindu shrine in the centre of the Thai capital, killing at least 12 people, according to police and a rescue worker. Reports suggest that at least 20 have been injured in the incident. The blast took place near the Erawan shrine at a major Bangkok intersection, police said. A witness at the scene said she saw pieces of human flesh near the blast site, and a soldier later told onlookers to move back, saying they were checking for a second bomb. There was no immediate claim of responsibility. Thai forces are fighting a low-level Muslim insurgency in the predominantly Buddhist country's south, although those rebels have rarely launched attacks outside their ethnic Malay heartland. The country has also been riven for a decade by intense and sometimes violent rivalry between political factions in Bangkok and elsewhere. The army has ruled Thailand since May 2014, when it ousted an elected government a

S Jaishankar briefs about India-UAE bilateral talks

Dubai, Aug 17 ANI): India's Foreign Secretary, S Jaishankar, on Monday briefed about India-UAE bilateral talks. Jaishankar said that India and UAE rejected extremism and denied any link between religion and terrorism. He further said that terrorism based on the grounds of religion is unacceptable. Jaishankar announced that the two countries also stand united on the defence front and conceded to strengthening of maritime security and along with intelligence sharing to counter terrorism. A special mention was given about the economic co-operation as the two nations decided to set up UAE-India infrastructure investment fund with a target of 75 billion dollars.

PM Modi attends reception hosted by Indian ambassador to UAE

Dubai, Aug 17 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday reached Dubai on the final day of his two day UAE visit. He attended the reception hosted by the Indian ambassador to UAE TP Sitharam. Modi interacted with the officials and delegates present there. The Prime Minister will next be addressing the Indian diaspora at a grand event organized by the community itself. This is the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister in 34 years to a Gulf nation. PM Modi concluded his engagements in Abu Dhabi today in the afternoon. He will be departing for India late in the night.

PM's visit will take India-Dubai relations to a higher level, says Consul General of India

Dubai, August 17 (ANI): The Consul General of India in Dubai Anurag Bhushan on Monday briefed about PM Narendra Modi's visit to Dubai. He said that the highlight of today's visit would be the address to Indian diaspora at a cricket stadium. Bhushan said that about 70,000 registrations have been confirmed and a lot of people are expected out of the stadium. He added that the primary takeaway from PM's visit will be a great deal of understanding of leadership between the two countries. Bhushan also stated that Modi's visit will take bilateral relations to a higher level.

Voting underway in Sri Lanka for parliamentary polls

Colombo, Aug 17 (ANI): Sri Lankans began voting to elect a new parliament on Monday in what amounts to a referendum on ex-president Mahinda Rajapaksa's comeback bid, with the reformist alliance that swept him from power in January seeking a stronger mandate for reforms. The nationalist strongman has set his sights on becoming premier of a government led by his Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP). But President Maithripala Sirisena, the former ally who beat him at the polls in January, now leads the party and rules that out. At the University College polling station, where Prime Minister Wickremesinghe is due to cast his vote, a stream of early voters came in to exercise their choice. Minority Tamils and Muslims have rallied behind the centre-right coalition led by Wickremesinghe's UNP, which pundits say has the best chance of forming the largest bloc in the 225-seat parliament.

Sri Lankan PM Wickremesinghe confident of victory in free-and-fair polls

Colombo, Aug 17 (ANI): Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said on Monday that he was confident of beating Mahinda Rajapaksa in a free-and-fair election. Sri Lankans went to the polls on Monday to elect a new parliament. Wickremesinghe said the island nation was witnessing impartial elections. Wickremesinghe credited the January revolution, in which Rajapaksa lost to Maithripala Sirisena in a stunning electoral reverse, for allowing neutral polls in a country with a history of election-related violence. Minority Tamils and Muslims have rallied behind the centre-right coalition led by Wickremesinghe's UNP, which pundits say has the best chance of forming the largest bloc in the 225-seat parliament. Rajapaksa, 69, is revered as a war hero by many of Sri Lanka's Sinhala speaking Buddhist majority for crushing a 26-year Tamil uprising in 2009. Opponents accuse him of running a corrupt, brutal and dynastic regime - charges he denies. Wickremesinghe said he was very confident of b

The Eyes of the World are on Asia, says PM Modi in Masdar

Masdar City, Aug 17 (ANI): On day two of his visit to the UAE, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday took part in an investors' meet in the smart, zero-carbon city of Masdar. Speaking at the meet PM Modi said that the eyes of the world are on Asia. PM Modi on Sunday arrived in the UAE in the first Prime Ministerial visit in over three decades, with boosting trade and investment on top of his agenda.

One trillion dollar investment possible in India, says PM Modi in Masdar

Masdar City, Aug 17 (ANI): On day two of his visit to the UAE, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday took part in an investors' meet in the smart, zero-carbon city of Masdar. Speaking at the meet PM Modi said that there is an immediate potential for US$ 1 trillion investment in India and country has got a decisive and stable government. He also said that said that India is a land of many opportunities. Stating that UAE's power and India's potential can make the dream of an Asian Century a reality, Modi added, "Infrastructure development and real estate offer tremendous opportunities for UAE businesses in India.