ASK News

Four arrest warrants have been issued by the UN-backed tribunal investigating the 2005 murder of Lebanon’s former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, Lebanon’s state prosecutor said.

Hariri’s son, Saad, welcomed the indictments and described them as a “historic moment” for Lebanon.

Local reports say the warrants name senior members of the Shia militant and political group Hezbollah.

Hezbollah has repeatedly denounced the tribunal and vowed to retaliate.

Divisions over the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL), based in The Hague, have thrown the country into political turmoil and prompted fears of sectarian unrest.

Rafik Hariri and 22 others were killed in February 2005 in central Beirut when a huge bomb went off as his motorcade passed by.

On Thursday, Lebanon’s state prosecutor Saeed Mirza confirmed that he had received the indictments and four arrest warrants from an STL delegation in the Lebanese capital Beirut.

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati said his government would deal “responsibly and realistically” with the UN indictment, while “bearing in mind that these are accusations and not verdicts”.

“All suspects are innocent until proven guilty,” Mr Mikati told a news conference.

But the BBC’s Owen Bennett-Jones in Beirut says the new prime minister is in a difficult position.

With Hezbollah now a strong force in the new Lebanese government, it is difficult to see how any arrests could be made, our correspondent says.

Hezbollah has denied always any role in the assassination.

The group claims the tribunal is a plot involving the United States, Israel and France, and the group’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, has threatened to cut the hand of anyone who tries to arrest Hezbollah members.

Saad Hariri – himself a former prime minister – described the indictment as a milestone for the country.

Nokia’s software pact with Microsoft (MSFT.O) allows it to tweak user interface (UI) on its phones, but it has no such plans, Nokia’s technology chief Rich Green told a developer conference on Wednesday.

“We have a right to manipulate user experience, UI, but why would you?” Chief Technology Officer Green said at the event held on the sidelines of the Mobile World Congress trade show in Barcelona.

Green said consistent user experience was one of the key strengths of Windows Phone 7.

The partnership between the two giants was announced last week, and many analysts have said Nokia’s inability to differentiate on Windows Phone platform could hurt sales at the Finnish firm.

PESHAWAR: After a two-day trials the NWFP Hockey
Association Saturday named 41 probables for the camp setup at Lala Ayub Hockey Stadium.
A selection committee headed by Tariq Hayat Khan, President NWFP Hockey
Association with its members comprising Muhammad Saeed Khan, Olympian Lala Fazal-ur-Rehman, Syed Zahir Shah and Malik Wadan thoroughly monitored the trials.
A total of 103 probabales from all 14 districts affiliated with NWFP
Hockey Association took part in the trials among them the names of 41 announced for the camp.
NWFP Minister for Sports, Culture and tyourism Syed aqil Shah was the
chief guest on this occasion and looked the trials.
Speaking on this occasion, Syed Aqil Shah said that they have decided to
affiliate hockey which is a major game of the country. He also appreciated the President and Secretary of the association for holding the camp for longer duration.
He said the decision of changing artificial turf at Peshawar, Bunnu has
already been decided. The fund for the changing of the turf was received by the NWFP Sports Board and soon working on its changing would be started. He said with the election of Tariq Hayat as President it would help in promoting hockey in the province. He said Tariq Hayat is very keen as he known for because of his efforts in the promotion of sports in the province.
Aqil Shah also assured the association for all sort of help. he also
congratulated the probables selected for the camp.the minister also announced that Rs. 0.2 million, which would be given to the association for setting up hockey academies besides holding a talent hunt scheme to spot out new faces in the age of 10, 12, 13 and 14.
Tariq Hayat thanked the minister for taking keen interest in the
promotion of hockey in the province. He assured him that they would leave no stone unturned as far as promotion of hockey at grassroots level is concerned.
The names of the selected probables are:
Goal-keeper:
Afsar Ali, Raza Khan, Sheraz Ahmad.
Fullback:
Ihsanullah, Ijaz Ahmad, Ali Hussain, Ali Akbar, Amir Hamza, Hazrat Bilal.
Half-backs:
Qaiser Khan, Zahid, Yasir Islam, Kalim Khan, Rehan Khan, Kalimullah, Sajjad Hussain, Arshad Ali, Zahid Malik, Ahmad Ali, Zia Benori, Hussain, Inamur Rehman.
Forwards:
Nouman Pervez, Jamil Bostan, Saeed Shah, Sadiq Niaz, Taimur, Waqas, Zeeshan, Tariq Hussain, Abdul Samad, Absar, Kamal Khan, Naveed Iqbal, Rafiullah, Ibrar Ullah, Shujah-ur-Rehman, Anis, Haroon, Waqar Hussain.

Pakistan beat Spain in the world cup hockey tournament 2010.
After first match defeat Pakistan wins Second hockey match on 2nd march 2010 at Delhi.
Final Score: Pakistan 2 and Spain 1
This victory give confidence to Pakistan hockey team.

India defeats Pakistan in an outstanding play at Delhi. The important match between two historical hockey playing nation starts at capital of India in time.
India crash Pakistan with their home crowd advantage. Pakistan out classed by India. A lot of pressure is taken by Pakistan hockey team.
After completion of first half India was leading by 2-0 goal.
In second half Pakistan has scored only one goal but India scored 2 goals more. So Pakistan is defeated by 3 goals. India won the match by 4-1.

KABUL: A NATO air strike killed at
least 33 civilians, the Afghan government said on Monday, in the third such mistaken bombing raid in Afghanistan in a week and forcing another apology from a top US commander.
Four women and a child were among the civilians killed on Sunday when they were attacked after being mistaken for Taliban militants who are waging an eight-year insurgency to evict Western troops.
The top ground commander, US General Stanley McChrystal, apologised for the incident to President Hamid Karzai, who has repeatedly warned foreign and Afghan forces to take all measures possible to avoid harming civilians.
The air strike came days after NATO forces pressing a major offensive in the south killed at least nine Afghan civilians when a rocket slammed into a house — for which McChrystal also apologised.
A statement from the decision-making council of ministers, which is chaired by Karzai, condemned the latest incident as “unjustifiable”.
“Initial reports indicate that NATO fired Sunday on a convoy of three
vehicles in Gujran district of the province of Daykundi, killing at least 33
civilians including four women and one child and injuring 12 others while they were on their way to Kandahar,” the statement said.
Sunday’s incident was the third mistaken NATO air strike in Afghanistan reported by Afghan officials in a week.
Last Thursday, a NATO bombing raid in the northern province of Kunduz
killed seven Afghan policemen, according to hospital and government officials.
On February 15, NATO acknowledged that five civilians were killed
accidentally and two others wounded in an air strike in southern Afghanistan.
Karzai used Saturday’s opening session of parliament to repeat his call for civilians to be protected as 15,000 Afghan, US and NATO troops press Operation Mushtarak (Together) in the southern province of Helmand into a second week.
The assault on the Marjah and Nad Ali areas in the heartland of southern Afghanistan’s poppy growing region is the first step of a wider campaign that will last 12-18 months, McChrystal and his boss US General David Petraeus say.
The operation is a showcase test of their counter-insurgency strategy which marries military and civilian efforts to drive out militants and reassert government control with security and civil services.
The operation is now in its ninth day, and though police have moved into the target area, NATO commanders say it could be another month before it is cleared of fighters and their booby trap bombs.
NATO on Monday described resistance from Taliban fighters as “determined” in Marjah while “cautious optimism” was the order of the day in nearby Nad Ali,”as early signs indicate a return to normality”.
McChrystal was quoted as saying that Kandahar province, neighbouring
Helmand and the spiritual home of the Taliban, is the likely next target of
operations to eradicate the insurgent militia.

CAPE CANAVERAL: The space shuttle Endeavour has landed in Florida to end a two-week mission that brought the assembly of the International Space Station close to completion.
The shuttle’s high speed glide to Earth ended with a touchdown at NASA’s Kennedy Space in Florida at 10:20 pm EST (0320 GMT Monday).
Endeavour’s successful delivery of Tranquility, the final US habitable module, leaves NASA with just four more shuttle missions to finish the station’s outfitting.
The last of the flights, set for late September, will bring a 12-year
effort by the United States, Russia, Europe, Japan and Canada to a close.
“Congratulations on a great mission,” Mission Control radioed the six
astronauts as the shuttle rolled to a stop.
“It’s great to be home,” said Endeavour commander George Zamka. “It was a great adventure.”
The forecast for rain showers and low clouds at both Kennedy and the
shuttle’s backup runway at Edwards Air Force Base, California, had seemed to
offer little hope of a landing Sunday.
But Norm Knight, the NASA flight director who supervised Endeavour’s
landing from Mission Control, urged his team to put aside thoughts of the
gloomy forecast, recalling successful landings when the outlook was just as
bleak.
After installing Tranquility, the shuttle astronauts worked with the five astronauts on the station to equip the new module with critical life support systems, exercise equipment and a roomy observation deck.
They also revived the station’s water recycler. The system that recovers drinking water from urine and moisture in the breathing air is a crucial part of plans to keep the station staffed with a half-dozen astronauts when the shuttle is no longer available to deliver supplies.
The new observation dome surrounds a control post for a robot arm that will play a crucial role in the docking of the commercial capsules that NASA expects to take over the cargo deliveries.
The roomy dome also offers those living aboard the station unprecedented views of the Earth below.
“Arguably, mankind has been after this view for centuries, this
perspective, this view of the world,” said Zamka after his crew completed the Tranquility’s installation with three spacewalks.
“We finally have it, and we will take advantage and enjoy it.”
US President Barack Obama doted over the new Earthly panoramas from the observation deck when he spoke with Zamka and his shuttle colleagues, Terry Virts, Steve Robinson, Kay Hire, Bob Behnken and Nicolas Patrick.
The latest additions pushed the station’s mass beyond one million pounds, or 98 percent of the final weight, 90 percent of the anticipated volume at the end of assembly.
“It’s an amazing facility, and it’s very rewarding for all of us to be here at this stage, as we transition from assembly to full utilization,” said NASA astronaut Jeff Williams, the station’s current commander.
“We all look forward to reaping the benefit of the utilization over the next 10 years or so.”
Early Sunday, the station’s command and control computers experienceda series interruptions, leaving Williams’ crew temporarily unable to communicate with Mission Control. It was a timely reminder of the station’s isolation.
The problem seemed to have been resolved Sunday afternoon, but the cause of the difficulties had not been clearly identified.
The station’s life support systems were not affected.

SEOUL: South Korea’s navy will deploy
eight more advanced maritime patrol aircraft this year to guard against any military threats from North Korea or elsewhere, the navy said Monday.
The first of eight refurbished P-3CK aircraft from the United States will
be delivered to a naval unit on Tuesday, a navy statement said.
The countries’ disputed Yellow Sea border has been tense since a firefight
last November left a North Korean patrol boat in flames. In late January the
North fired some 370 shells into the sea near the borderline.
Last week it announced new naval firing zones off its shores, banning
shipping from them until Monday, although no firing has so far been reported.
South Korea, a close US ally, already has eight P-3C Orion aircraft built
by Lockheed Martin in service.
The navy said the more advanced P-3CKs would carry better surveillance
equipment and weaponry, such as Harpoon Block II air-to-ground missiles, to hit
“the enemy’s coastal artillery units or missile launchers.”
No cost figures were given. Yonhap news agency said the eight new planes
would cost a total of 550 million dollars.
The Yellow Sea border was the scene of deadly naval battles in 1999 and
2002.
Despite the tensions, North Korea on Monday proposed that military
officials from the two sides hold talks on March 2 on ways to ease access to
the Kaesong jointly-run industrial estate just north of the border.
The South had proposed holding the working-level talks on February 23 and
has not yet decided whether to accept the revised date.
But Pyongyang blasted Seoul’s “shameless” plan to hold ceremonies
commemorating the 60th anniversary of the start of their 1950-1953 war.
Rodong Sinmun, newspaper of the ruling communist party, accused the South
of igniting the war, which began with a North Korean invasion on June 25.
The commemorations are “a shameless distortion and mockery of history and
truth” and an challenge to reconciliation efforts, it said.

KATHMANDU: Supporters of Nepal’s
deposed royal family brought the capital Kathmandu to a standstill on Monday in protest against the abolition of the world’s last Hindu monarchy.
Shops remained shut and vehicles stayed off the roads after
the Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal (RPP-N), a minor political party
that wants Nepal to revert to a Hindu monarchy, declared a general strike.
Nepal’s 240-year-old royal dynasty was abolished in 2008 after
the Maoists came to power following a general election and forced the
unpopular ex-king Gyanendra off the throne.
The RPP-N says the public should have been consulted and is
demanding a retrospective referendum on the decision to abolish the monarchy
and transform the country into a secular republic.
“Our main objective is to ask for ascuffles so far.”
The RPP-N is one of the smallest parties in Nepal’s
601-member parliament with just four members.

NEW DELHI: Indian President Pratibha Patil said on
Monday that India was ready to explore a meaningful relationship with Pakistan to address threat and terrorism.
“India is ready to explore a meaningful relationship with Pakistan if
Pakistan seriously addresses the threat of terrorism and takes effective steps to prevent terrorist activities against India,” she said in her customary address to the joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament on the first day of budget session.
She claimed India had played its role in global affairs with
responsibility and in the pursuit of peace, stability and progress in its region and beyond.
Alleging that infiltration of terrorists from across the Line of
Control in Jammu and Kashmir has gone up, the president said, security situation has “significantly” improved in the state.
She claimed that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s reconstruction plan
for Jammu and Kashmir has been working well.
“Government remains vigilant against all forms of challenges posed by
terrorism. Zero tolerance of terrorist activities is our principal policy. We have to keep constant watch and innovate against global terrorist groups,” she said.
President Pratibha Patil said India’s relations with the major powers
have been further consolidated.
Referring to Afghanistan, she said “we will continue to partner
Afghanistan in its development efforts”.
“We will accord the highest priority to modernisation programmes to
equip our armed forces with the required weaponry, equipment and platforms. The successful launch of the Agni-III missile is a shining example of the capabilities of our scientists and engineers who deserve full praise,” she said.
“Left wing extremists continue to indulge in senseless violence, as seen
in their recent attacks in West Bengal where a large number of innocent lives have been lost. These cowardly acts strengthen our resolve to meet with added vigour the challenge posed by such violence,” Patil said.
Referring to the overall security scenario of the country, the President
said though the security situation has improved significantly in IHK as well as in the North East, Left wing extremism continues to be a significant cause of concern.
She admiited there was unhappy pressure on the prices of food grains and
products in India.

ISLAMABAD: Agricultural credit disbursement by
commercial and specialized banks rose 6.33 percent year-on-year to
Rs 124.168 billion in the first seven (July-Jan.) of the current
2009-10 fiscal year (FY10).
“In absolute terms, disbursement of credit to the agriculture
sector increased by over Rs 7.391 billion in July-January, 2010 when
compared with total disbursement of Rs 116.777 billion in the same
period last year” a statement of State Bank of Pakistan said.
It said that the verall credit disbursement by five major
commercial banks including Allied Bank Limited, Habib Bank Limited,
MCB Bank Limited, National Bank of Pakistan and United Bank Limited
stood at Rs 64.208 billion in July-Jan., 2010 compared with Rs
56.862 billion in July-Jan. 2009, depicting an increase of Rs 7.346
billion or 12.92 percent.
Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited, the largest specialized bank,
disbursed a total of Rs 36.151 billion in July-Jan., 2010, up 9.79
percent when compared with Rs 32.928 billion in the same period last
year, while disbursement by Punjab Provincial Co-operative Bank
Limited stood at Rs 2.389 billion in July-Jan., 2010 compared with
Rs 3.283 billion in the same period last year.
Besides, 14 domestic private banks also loaned a combined Rs
21.421 billion in July-Jan., 2010 compared with Rs 23.704 billion
disbursed in July-Jan., 2009, the statement added.
It recalled that the State Bank of Pakistan has set an
indicative agricultural credit disbursement target of Rs 260 billion
for FY10. Banks disbursed a total of Rs 233.01 billion to the
agricultural sector in FY09.

KARACHI: The State Bank of Pakistan has sanctioned
the scheme of amalgamation of Askari Leasing Ltd with and into Askari
Bank Ltd.
According to a communique sent to KSE here Monday, Askari Bank
said it has received the approval of the Central Bank in this regard.
It may be noted that board of directors of Askari Bank and Askari
Leasing Ltd had already approved the draft scheme of amalgamation last
year.
SBP in its sanction letter of February 18, 2010 has said that
Askari Bank will meet shortfall in minimum capital requirement (MCR),
if any as a consequence of amalgamation, from its own resources and
depositors’ fund should not be used for this purpose.

ISLAMABAD: The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI),
for the week ended on February for the lowest income group up to
Rs.3,000, has registered increase of 0.13 percent over the previous
week.
The SPI for the week under review in the above mentioned group
was recorded at 253.93 as against 253.60 registered in the previous
week, according to provisional figures of Federal Bureau of
Statistics (FBS).
The weekly SPI has been computed with base 2000-2001=100
covering 17 urban centers and 53 essential items for all income
groups and combined.
SPI for the combined group registered positive growth of 0.15
per cent as it went up from 241.99 in the previous week to 242.36 in
the week under review.
As compared to the corresponding week of last year, the SPI
for combined group in the week under review witnessed increase of
16.82 percent.
As compared to the last week, the SPI for the income groups
ranging from Rs.3001-5000, Rs.5001-12000 and above Rs. 12000,
increased by 0.12 percent, 0.13 and 0.15 percent respectively.
During the week under review average prices of 7 items
registered decrease, while that of 21 items increase with the
remaining 25 items’ prices unchanged.
The items which recorded decrease in their average prices
during the week under review included egg hen (farm), red chillies,
LPG( 11 kg cylender), sugar, masoor pulse (washed), gram pulse
(washed) and wheat (average quality).
The items which registered increase in their prices included,
tomatoes, chicken (farm), Garlic, bread plain (mid size), potatoes,
bananas, coarse latha, voil (printed), firewood, mustard oil,
mutton, rice (irri-6), beef, gur, cooked beef, vegetable ghee
(loose), rice basmati (broken), mash pulse (washed), onions, moong
pulse (washed), milk (fresh).
The items with no change in their average prices during the
week under review included, wheat flour (average quality), milk
(powdered), curd, vegetable ghee (tin), cooking oil (tin), salt
(powdered), tea (packet), tea (prepared), cooked dal, cigarettes,
lawn, shirting, sandal (gents), sandal (ladies), chappal, kerosene,
electricity bulb (60wats), match box, washing soap, bath soap, gas
charges (up to 3.3719 MMBTU), electricity charges (1-100 unit),
petrol, diesel ad telephone local call.

KARACHI: Reckless driving, over-speeding, signals’
violations and lack of adequate road safety standards resulted in more
than 840 fatal accidents claimed around 940 lives in Karachi during
2009.
Advisor to Sindh Chief Minister, Sharmila Farooqui disclosed this
while referring to a report on traffic accidents in the province
during a visit to the office of Sindh Research & Development
Organization (SRDO).
SRDO is a private organization focusing on road safety awareness
programme among the citizens.
According to the report, as many as 1225 persons were also
injured in 630 non fatal accidents during the period.
It is high time to launch various programmes for road awareness
including checkIng of speed violations particularly in crowded areas
and ban on under age driving, she said adding that education and
awareness about traffic rules not only help maintain traffic
discipline but also overcome road accidents.
Sharmila lauded the efforts of Sindh Education Department & Sindh
Education Foundation (SEF) for preparing an action plan to initiate
effective rood safety programme.
“The Road Safety Education Program (RSEP) is an attempt to
introduce road safety education in the conventional curriculum in a
very participatory and engaging manner for all stake holders – the
children, teachers, parents.
Even the school management bodies (SMB) and local government
officials are involved to ensure overall success of the programme.
She revealed that Sindh Education Foundation has developed road
safety school policy for 100 schools in first phase and undertook to
organIze community training and road safety melas in various districts
of the province.
She urged upon the Transport department and Traffic Police
Karachi to launch a combined comprehensive traffic awareness drive
with the help of students of different colleges/universities,
business community, members of NGO, and journalists for sensitizing
the citizens about the importance of the Issue.
“Road Safety is on issue that relates to everyone and needs
active participation from each individual”.
Sharmila appreciated the efforts of SRDO in this regard and
hoped that it would help enhance public awareness about road safety as
well as assist government in providing scientific data for bringing
improvement In road safety programme.

KARACHI: Fauji Cement has posted a lower profit
after tax of Rs 193.629 million for the half year ending December 31,
2009.
According to financial results of the company despatched to
Karachi Stock Exchange here Monday, the profit before tax has fallen
to Rs 256.224 million for the period under review as earning per share
also dropped to Rs 0.279.