UAE, Turkmenistan sign bilateral agreements
Abu Dhabi, Feb 9 : The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Turkmenistan have signed bilateral agreements for cooperation in various fields, WAM news agency reported Tuesday.

Senior Al Qaeda man killed in Somalia
Nairobi/Mogadishu, Feb 9 : A Somali minister Tuesday said government forces had killed a senior Al Qaeda fighter who was also a member of Somali insurgent group al-Shabaab.

Iran starts 20-percent uranium enrichment process
Tehran/Vienna, Feb 9: Iran Tuesday started the 20-percent uranium enrichment process, the head of the country's Atomic Energy Organization said.

UAE, Poland strengthen economic ties
Abu Dhabi, Feb 9: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Poland have increased bilateral economic cooperation following the visit of a UAE delegation to Poland, WAM news agency reported Tuesday.

Sri Lankan parliament dissolved
Colombo, Feb 9 : Parliament in Sri Lanka has been dissolved with effect from midnight Tuesday ahead of new elections, officials said.

'Ghosts' in Punjab posing big threat to Canadian immigration
By Gurmukh Singh, Toronto, Feb 9 : Ghost immigration consultants have become a big threat to the immigration process in Canada which lets in more than 250,000 newcomers each year, a large number of them from Punjab.

Pakistani court orders A.Q. Khan's medical examination
Lahore, Feb 9 : The Lahore High Court Tuesday ordered the government to allow disgraced nuclear scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan, whose movements have been restricted, to meet his relatives and friends and to get him medically examined.

No good or bad Taliban, says Iran
New Delhi, Feb 9 : Airing its unease over the proposed reintegration of Taliban in Afghanistan, Iran Tuesday rejected any distinction between good Taliban and bad Taliban, and sought closer cooperation with India in stabilising the violence-torn country.

Hakimullah Mehsud dead, say Taliban sources
Islamabad, Feb 9 : The Pakistani Taliban confirmed Tuesday that its chief Hakimullah Mehsud had died of injuries sustained in drone strike last month, ending weeks of speculation over his fate. Noor Jamal has been named the new acting leader of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.

Pakistan to set its agenda Wednesday for talks with India
Islamabad, Feb 9: Pakistan will set its agenda for the proposed foreign secretary-level talks with India at a high-level meeting Wednesday chaired by Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, a media report Tuesday said.

China says ties with India friendly
Beijing, Feb 9 : A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Tuesday dismissed reports that a missile test by India poses a threat to China. and said China and India have friendly and cooperative relations.

Pakistani actress Meera challenges marriage certificate in court
Lahore, Feb 9 : Pakistani actress Meera has challenged a marriage certificate filed in a court here by a man claiming to be her husband, saying it was a fake.

Iraq seeks joint venture projects with India
New Delhi, Feb 9 : Iraq is looking at increasing its crude oil and fertiliser exports to India, and will explore setting up joint ventures worth USD 2 billion (RS.10,000 crore) by 2010-end, its industry and minerals minister said Tuesday.

India, Turkey discuss bilateral, regional and global issues
New Delhi, Feb.9 : India and Turkey on Tuesday held delegation level talks in the capital in which the two sides discussed bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest.

Indian-American Intel executive pleads guilty in insider trading scam
New York, Feb 9 : Rajiv Goel, an Indian-American former Intel executive has pleaded guilty to providing insider information to Galleon Group's founder, Raj Rajaratnam in the largest insider trading fraud in US history.

Pakistan to take all stakeholders on board on talks with India
Islamabad, Feb 9 : Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has decided to take parliament and the national political leadership on board on the proposed foreign secretary-level talks with India, a media report Tuesday said.

India and Turkey jointly denounce terrorism
New Delhi, Feb.9 : India and Turkey on Tuesday denounced terrorism and mutually agreed to the need to recognize the threat being posed to global peace and security by terrorism besides approving that terrorism should not be associated with any religion, nationality, civilization or ethnic group.

India, Turkey to develop and enhance cooperation in science and technology
New Delhi, Feb.9 : India and Turkey on Tuesday desired to develop and expand cooperation in science and technology and in other areas of common interest and launched an Advanced Science and Technology Dialogue, besides offering to actively study the possibilities of working together in mutually identified projects in areas such as telecommunications, computerization, non-technology space research, bio-technology and environmental technology and convene a joint workshop in 2010.

Zia's son did not meet Indian militant, says BNP
Dhaka, Feb 9: Main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Tuesday denied reports that its key official and party chief's son Tarique Rahman had met Indian fugitive militant Paresh Barua.

US prosecutors seek to narrow down issues for Rana's trial
Chicago, Feb 9: US prosecutors have asked a Chicago court to set a March date for a pre-trial conference to narrow the issues for the trial of Pakistan born terror suspect Tahawwur Hussain Rana, accused of involvement in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

Al Qaeda core leadership living in Pakistan: US report
By Arun Kumar, Washington, Feb 9: Al Qaeda has evolved into a "diffused global network" with its core leadership living in northwest Pakistan, where it continues to train operatives, recruit, and disseminate propaganda, according to a new US Congressional report.

Confusion over Mehsud death
Islamabad, Feb 9: The Taliban based in Orakzai Agency on Tuesday confirmed that Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Hakeemullah Mehsud is dead, Dawn News reported.

Heavy snow kills 28 in Afghanistan
Kabul, Feb 9 : Twenty-eight people were killed in avalanches in northern Afghanistan as rescuers pulled out 1,500 passengers stranded at a snow-blocked mountain pass, officials said Tuesday.

Launch of NASA's Endeavour sparks sunrise
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., Feb 9 : Space shuttle Endeavour lit up the predawn sky above Florida's Space Coast on Monday with a 4:14 a.m. EST launch from NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The shuttle's last scheduled night launch began a 13-day flight to the International Space Station and the final year of shuttle operations.

Fonseka arrested; Ban appeals for post-election restraint in Sri Lanka
New York, Feb 9 : UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is reiterating his appeal to all parties in Sri Lanka and their supporters to show restraint and refrain from violence after the reported arrest of the defeated opposition presidential candidate.

General Assembly calls for Olympic truce
New York, Feb 9 : The United Nations is calling for the traditional age-old truce during the XXI Winter Olympics which open in Vancouver, Canada, this Friday, urging warring parties to lay down their arms as the Games' ancient Greek founders did some 2,700 years ago.

UN political chief to visit DPR Korea Tuesday
New York, Feb 9 : The top United Nations political official will arrive in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Tuesday for talks with senior Government officials after wrapping up meetings in Beijing and Seoul.

Iran steps up uranium enrichment; UN worried
New York, Feb 9: The head of the United Nations atomic watchdog expressed concern at Iran's announcement that it will step up its enrichment of uranium, with the country having still not signed an international agreement on fuel for its civilian nuclear research site in the capital, Tehran.

Three 'RAW' agents arrested in Pakistan
Islamabad, Feb 9 : Pakistani security forces have arrested three men said to be agents of Indian intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), a media report said Tuesday.

Sudan to press ahead in 2010 on critical issues?
New York, Feb 9 : The outgoing United Nations envoy in Sudan has lauded recent developments in the country's electoral process, and urged the parties to the north-south peace agreement to press ahead during what will be a crucial year for the nation.

Socio-economic gains eroded in Africa: Ban
New York, Feb 9 : The global food and energy crises and climate change, and coupled with the financial and economic crises, have eroded economic and social gains made in Africa over the past decade, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warns in a new report, calling for a stronger partnership for Africa's development.

Sri Lanka: Fonseka in military custody
Colombo, Feb 9: Defeated Sri Lankan Presidential candidate Sarath Fonseka has been taken into military custody, the state run media in Sri Lanka said on Tuesday.

Racist attacks: Victoria Opposition leader slams govt
Melbourne, Feb 9: Victoria Opposition leader Ted Baillieu on Monday slammed Premier John Brumby and said that he has failed to handle the problem of racist attacks on Indians. He also hit out at police Chief Commissioner Simon Overland for advising Indians to "look poor", media reports said on Tuesday.

South African orphanage blaze kills 15
Johannesburg, Feb 9: Fifteen people, including at least eight children, were burnt to death when a fire broke out at an orphanage in South Africa Tuesday, officials said.

Iran's first Olympic woman skier to carry the flag
Vancouver, Feb 9 : Iranian alpine skier Marjan Kalhor will carry her country's flag at the opening ceremony of the winter Games in Vancouver, organising officials said.

Outrage as Amnesty sacks Indian rights campaigner
By Dipankar De Sarkar, London, Feb 9 : Human rights activists across the world have leapt to the defence of Indian gender campaigner Gita Sahgal after Amnesty International sacked her for criticising it publicly over its involvement with a former Guantanamo Bay inmate.

About 160 women raped per week in Congo: UN
Nairobi/Goma, Feb 9: An estimated 160 women are being raped each week in the Democratic Republic of Congo's unstable North and South Kivu provinces, the UN said Tuesday.

Clinton aide's presence not connected to Bt Brinjal: US embassy
New Delhi, Feb 9: US diplomat Nina Fedoroff, science and technology adviser to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, arrived in the capital late Monday on an invitation from Indian scientists.

Use approved channels to send money to India: UK government
London, Feb 9 : The British government warned Tuesday that people sending money abroad from Britain should only use the services that have been authorised or registered with the Financial Services Authorities (FSA).

North Korea committed to denuclearisation, Kim tells China
Beijing, Feb 9 : North Korean leader Kim Jong Il has told visiting Chinese officials that his country remains committed to denuclearisation through six-nation talks.

Action against terrorists should begin in Pakistan: US experts
By Arun Kumar, Washington, Feb 9 : With the US intelligence community warning of a new terrorist attack in the next six months, two leading security experts suggest that preventive action should begin in Pakistan that remains the locus of terrorism.

Australia admits some attacks on Indians 'racist'
Canberra, Feb 9 : Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith admitted Tuesday that some of the attacks on Indians in his country were indeed racist in nature and pressed the need to build strong ties with New Delhi.

Moral psychology study sheds light on the origin of religion
Washington, Feb 9 : A new moral psychology research has offered more insight into the origins of religion.

German toy seller sparks controversy by selling Hitler dolls
London, Feb 9 : A German toy seller sparked off a controversy after he was spotted selling dolls of Adolf Hitler.