UK donates Euro 10.5 million for Pakistan flood relief

The British public has so far donated £10.5m to help the victims of the Pakistan floods, charities say.


The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) said more than 500,000 survivors had been provided with emergency care, clean water, food or shelter.


At least 1,600 people have died and many more are missing in Pakistan's worst floods for 80 years.


DEC agencies are warning that six million children could be at risk of malnutrition, diarrhoea and pneumonia.


Flood waters are rushing through the densely populated urban areas of Sindh province and southern Punjab.


Mohammed Qazilbash, Save the Children's spokesperson in Islamabad said: "Outbreaks of cholera and malaria are a big concern. In Southern Punjab and Sindh there are vast numbers of people living right along the water, some in makeshift houses with very poor hygiene and sanitation at the best of times.


"Children are drinking, washing in and going to the toilet in the same river water. If this sanitation crisis is not tackled now, in six months time, millions and millions of children will be suffering potentially deadly diarrhoea and other diseases."


There are also reports of measles outbreaks among children in camps set up for the estimated 14 million people displaced.


Meanwhile, Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari has visited a relief camp for flood victims in Sindh, in his first visit to areas hit by the deluge.


The trip follows criticism of his recent tour abroad and of the perceived slow government response to the country's worst humanitarian crisis.

UN appeals International communities to aid Pakistani flood victims

The United Nations planned to launch an appeal on Wednesday for international aid for victims of Pakistani floods that continue to spread.

The floods triggered by heavy monsoon rains have killed more than 1,600 people and devastated large areas of the country.

Maurizio Giuliano, a UN spokesman in Pakistan said 14 million people, including six million children, were affected by the crisis and that nearly half of them would need immediate help for survival.

The appeal for “few hundred million dollars” would be launched this evening at UN headquarters in New York Wednesday, he said.

3000 online bank accounts robbed in UK by Cyber attack

In one of the most sophisticated cyber attacks, hackers have robbed nearly 675,000 pounds from about 3,000 online bank accounts in Britain.

The scam was carried out by using a computer virus -- described by experts as the most dangerous malware programme ever created -- that emptied the bank accounts while showing customers fake statements, the Daily Mail reported.

Internet security firm M86 Security, which discovered the scam, said the hackers stole a total of 675,000 pounds from the unnamed British bank.

UN recalls envoy from Lanka

The United Nations on Thursday recalled its top envoy to Sri Lanka and closed down an office in Colombo following angry protests against a U.N. panel which was set up to probe allegations of war crime during the country’s civil war.

U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has slammed as “unacceptable” the failure of the Sri Lankan government to facilitate the normal working of the U.N. offices.

“The Secretary-General finds it unacceptable that the Sri Lankan authorities have failed to prevent the disruption of the normal functioning of the United Nations offices in Colombo as a result of unruly protests organised and led by a Cabinet Minister of the Government,” Farhan Haq, Associate Spokesperson, told journalists.

Indian authorities questioned Headly without any restraints

Indian investigators were given access to LeT operative David Headley aka Daood Gilani for seven days over the course of which they questioned him without any restrictions, the Obama administration disclosed on Thursday, pushing back at reports that Washington was being dodgy in cooperating with India on the Mumbai 26/11 terrorist attack.

However, "to protect the confidentiality of the investigations being conducted by both India and the United States, both countries have agreed not to disclose the contents of the interviews," the US Justice Department said in a statement. Various versions of what Headley told the investigators have appeared in the Indian media, none of which have been officially authenticated by authorities.

Chinese regulator approve ABC's plan for IPO

The Agriculture Bank of China on Wednesday earned regulatory approval for what might prove to be the world’s largest initial public offering. The world record is held by another Chinese bank, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, which garnered $21.6 billion in an IPO in 2006.

ABC faces two challenges in its efforts to raise a large quantum of funds: a depressed market and low ratings by Fitch, which has allotted the lender its second lowest rating of “E”. But bank officials have assured potential investors that the public offering will not be delayed due to weak market situation, which is at a 13-month low. The offering is expected to take place late June or early July simultaneously in Shanghai and Hong Kong.

Bhopal gas tragedy verdict under criticism

The Bhopal gas tragedy verdict has been hitting headlines across the world and angry reactions are coming in from everywhere.

Many see this as a case not just of justice delayed but also justice not delivered. And overwhelmingly, the international media holds the Indian government and judiciary responsible for the travesty.

On Monday, after over 25 years, eight people were convicted for the world's worst industrial disaster and sentenced to two years in prison. One of them died during the course of the trial. The other seven were granted bail. About 20,000 people were killed in the Bhopal gas tragedy of December 2-3, 1984.

Afghan's Opium is deadliest than their Bullets- UN

A top United Nations official says that the annual number of people killed by Afghan heroin in Western Europe exceeds the total death toll of NATO troops killed in Afghanistan since 2001.

Some 1,800 international coalition troops have been killed in Afghanistan, including 1,100 Americans.

Speaking at an anti-drug conference in Moscow, the head of the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime, Antonio Maria Costa, said that the world's largest consumer of Afghan drugs is Russia, where more than 70 metric tons of heroin are sold annually.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev told the conference that heroin is seen as a "serious threat'' to Russian youth.

India & Lanka signs 7 pacts

India and Sri Lanka on Wednesday inked seven pacts, ranging from security to development, and discussed steps being taken to rehabilitate displaced Tamils, a process which New Delhi wants to be expedited.

During wide-ranging talks here, Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa briefed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh about his government's efforts to resettle nearly three lakh Tamils displaced due to the war with LTTE.

Singh is understood to have emphasised on speeding up the process of resettlement and devolution of political powers to ethnic Tamils.

US govt slams BP over oil leak issue.

The US government simultaneously slammed BP on Monday and admitted it had no choice but to stick with the British energy giant's desperate bid to plug the gushing Gulf of Mexico oil leak.

BP's chief executive Tony Hayward meanwhile admitted he was "gutted" that oil was now starting to clog fragile Louisiana wetlands, as heartrending footage emerged of helpless sea birds slimed by thick, pernicious crude.

As the political fallout from the disaster mounted, BP engineers laid plans for their latest bid to stifle the leak, using a method known as a "top kill" which would see heavy drilling fluids, then cement, injected into the well.

British Airways Cabin crew union on a 5 day strike

Thousands of British Airways cabin crew began a five-day strike on Monday, though the airline claimed it will still be able to carry 70 percent of passengers who have booked flights.

The walkout in the increasingly bitter feud follows the failure of weekend talks between the Unite union and the airline. A key issue is the union's demand that the airline restore employee travel benefits which the airline suspended following an earlier strike.

The union's joint leader, Tony Woodley, says BA already has secured its aim of cutting 1,700 jobs. Woodley said the dispute has turned personal because he believes the airline dislikes the cabin crew's Unite union branch, the British Airlines Stewards and Stewardesses Association.

Japan to consider sanctions to DPRK

The Japanese government said Monday it was ready to take punitive action against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) over the sinking of a South Korean warship in March, Kyodo News reported.

The move would be taken in consultation with South Korea and the United States, the report said.

Earlier in the day, Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama instructed cabinet ministers to consider additional sanctions on the DPRK over the South Korean warship issue at a high-level national security meeting.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirofumi Hirano told reporters Japan would offer support if the South Korean government referred the incident to the UN Security Council for punitive measures against the DPRK.

Bangkok Stock trade opens Cautiously

The stock market dropped sharply despite the state planning agency's forecast as Bangkok cautiously reopened for business after the mayhem. Analysts blamed increased political risk and the delayed effect of the euro zone crisis.

"Investors may be temporarily relieved that a semblance of normalcy has returned but the political risk remains high and investors will likely be cautious," said Warut Siwasariyanon, head of research at Finansia Syrus Securities in Bangkok.

"The big underlying conflict is still there and the wound is deeper than ever even as the roads have been wiped clean."

2 sites & 800 URLs banned by Pakistan

Pakistani authorities have blocked 800 URLs that feature 'blasphemous' and 'sacrilegious' content in the wake of the ban on Facebook and YouTube, a representative of the country’s association of internet service providers said today.

Acting on an order of the Lahore high court, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority initially banned popular social networking website Facebook over a page featuring a contest for "blasphemous" cartoons of Prophet Mohammed.

The ban was later extended YouTube and other links.

The move also affected access to Wikipedia and Twitter, internet users said.

H-1B visa holders 8.9% more than Americans IT workers

H-1B visa has often received flak for fall in American salaries. In fact, anti-H-1B visa activists have often complained that say the programme depresses American IT workers' salaries and robs them of jobs.

However, a recent research from the University of Maryland claims that foreign IT professionals on H-1B visas earn more than their American counterparts.

The research which examined the IT salaries using data from online salary surveys conducted from 2000 to 2005, found that foreign IT professionals earned 8.9% more than American citizens.

Political-Ethnic killng in Karachi Rises to 37, Tense up in the city

Karachi remained tense on Friday as the toll in three days of political—ethnic killings rose to 37 and at least eight vehicles were set ablaze overnight in various parts of the metropolis.

Shops in major markets as well as petrol pumps were closed and traffic suspended in the Nazimabad, North Nazimabad, Qasba, Pirabad, Orangi Town, Korangi, Landhi, Liaquatabad, Gulshan—e—Iqbal, Gulistan—e—Jauhar and Jackson neighbourhoods, Geo TV reported.

Pak netizens on protest against ban on Social Networking sites

Pakistan’s cybercitizens have strongly protested against their government’s ban on Facebook, YouTube and about 450 individual web pages across various websites.

Under the umbrella of ‘Defenders of Internet Freedom’, a meeting of concerned professionals, activists and internet users in Karachi noted on Thursday: "This action will have a very negative impact on Pakistan, especially considering that countless small businesses, nonprofit organizations, restaurants, art galleries, magazines, and media outlets use Facebook to conduct day-to-day business and share information with their stakeholders."

Pak Bans sites with Islamic offensive contents

Pakistan acknowledged the "suffering" caused by its bans on Facebook and YouTube, but said it would only consider restoring the websites if they take down pages considered offensive to Islam, the information technology ministry said Friday.

The government has asked both sites to block the offending pages and was expecting a reply soon, Najibullah Malik, the secretary at the ministry said. Facebook has said that may be a solution, but did not specify if it — or the Pakistani government — should restrict the content.

Other sites have also been affected in the country as officials scramble to block content related to a Facebook page called "Everybody Draw Mohammed Day!" which encourages users to post images of Islam's Prophet Muhammad, purportedly in support of freedom of speech.

Faisal shahzad still under investigation; arrested on Times Square failed car bombing case

U.S. officials say a Pakistani-American charged with an attempted car bombing in New York City is cooperating with investigators as they try to determine a motive for the planned attack. Faisal Shahzad was arrested late Monday and charged with trying to blow up a sports utility vehicle in crowded Times Square on Saturday.  Meanwhile, authorities in Pakistan say they have made arrests in connection with the failed car bombing.

The man charged with numerous counts of terrorism was born in this tiny northwestern village known as Mohib Banda.  Faisal Shahzad's father is a retired air vice marshal in the Pakistani military. He comes from an upper-middle class family.  Neighbors in this town of 5,000 are saddened by the news.

Kasab sentenced to death by spl court

Ajmal Amir Kasab was convicted for his role in the 26/11 Mumbai carnage, India’s worst terror attack, on the basis of evidence gathered against him and not on the basis of his confession, Home Minister P.Chidmbaram said on Thursday.

“Kasab was convicted not on the basis of his confession but on the basis of the evidence gathered against him,” he said while replying to a discussion in the Rajya Sabha on the functioning of the Home Ministry.