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JAKARTA: A strong earthquake has hit the Indonesian province of West Papua, the latest in a series of tremors felt in the region since Sunday. The 6.1-magnitude quake struck just off the coast, some 75km (50 miles) west of the region''s main town of Manokwari, says the US Geological Survey (USGS). There were no immediate reports of any casualties or losses. Full story

RIYADH: Interior Minister, Rahman Malik met his Saudi counterpart, Prince Naif bin Abdul Aziz and discussed matters of mutual interests, regional and international issues. The meeting held at the capital city of the Saudi government here lasted for over an hour, which was attended by the Pakistan ambassador, Admiral (retd.) Shahid Karmullah. Both the leaders stressed evolving strategy for wiping out international terrorism Full story

DHAKA: Bangladesh''s newly sworn-in prime minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed has unveiled her cabinet team, appointing women for the first time to head the home and foreign ministries. The 31-member cabinet comprises five women in total, including the 61-year-old prime minister herself, who is taking power of the impoverished country for the second time. The Awami League party leader was premier for five years from 1996. ... Full story

KABUL: President Asif Ali Zardari and Afghan President, Hamid Karzai in a breakfast meeting held here agreed on blocking the way of the terrorists and increasing the contacts between the security forces of the two countries. Hamid Karzai in the meeting said that the Jirga system along with a comprehensive strategy for wiping out terrorism could prove to be helpful, sources said. On the other ... Full story

MUMBAI: The stock market here came crashing following the disclosure of a fraud in an Indian premier Computer Company, which saw the index sinking deep by 700 points to peg at 9650. According to details, the Computer Company Satyam chief executive had tendered his resignation on the revelation of Rs12.30 billion bungling in the company Full story

HYDERABAD/MUMBAI: Satyam Computer on Wednesday plunged into a deep crisis, as B Ramalinga Raju resigned as its chairman after admitting to major financial wrong-doings and saying his last-ditch efforts to fill the "fictitious assets with real ones" through Maytas acquisition failed. The beleaguered IT giant, already under scanner over the aborted acquisition of firms promoted by the chairman's family, received a rude shock days ahead of its ... Full story

UNITED NATIONS: Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas on Tuesday pressed the UN Security Council to call for an "immediate and full cessation of Israeli aggression" in the Gaza Strip and for the lifting of the "suffocating siege" of the territory. "I call on the Council to take the first necessary step to save my people in Gaza: a resolution calling for an immediate full cessation of ... Full story

GHALLANAI: Two militants were killed and four others injured when the security forces and militants clashed in Pandyalai tehsil and Bhai Dag area of Baizai Subdivision in troubled Mohmand Agency on Tuesday. Sources said that a group of militants attacked the security forces checkpoint in Targhakhi with rockets and mortars. Full story

HANGU: Hangu has been sealed off and all businesses, government and private educational institutions and shops have been closed for Muharram 9 and 10, locals and officials said on Tuesday. Curfew has also been announced for an indefinite period, locals said, adding that the majority of the population has left for safer places for fear of sectarian violence in the district. Meanwhile, security has been ... Full story

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Tuesday directed the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources to arrange the uninterrupted supply of oil and gas to the IPPs to ensure maximum power generation. The prime minister also directed the Ministry of Water and Power to ensure the elimination of load-shedding by the end of this year Full story