W O R L D

US bolsters missile defence to counter threat from N Korea
Washington, March 16
US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel announced to deploy new 14 interceptors in Alaska to bolster country's missile defence system against the increasing threat from North Korea.

US Secretary of Defence Chuck Hagel speaks at his news conference at the Pentagon in Washington on Friday. REUTERS

Pope Francis says wants a poor Church for the poor
Vatican City, March 16
Pope Francis today called for "a poor Church for the poor", saying he chose his papal name because St Francis of Assisi was "a man of poverty and a man of peace". "How I would like a poor Church for the poor!" he said at a meeting with hundreds of journalists from around the world in the Vatican.


Pope Francis addresses members of the media on Saturday at the Vatican. AFP

US bolsters missile defence to counter threat from N Korea

Washington, March 16
US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel announced to deploy new 14 interceptors in Alaska to bolster country's missile defence system against the increasing threat from North Korea.

"We will strengthen homeland missile defence by deploying 14 additional ground-based interceptors, GBIs, at Fort Greely, Alaska. That will increase the number of deployed ground-based interceptors from 30 to 44, including the four GBIs at the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California," Hagel told reporters yesterday.

These additional GBIs will provide a nearly 50 per cent increase in our missile defence capability, he added.

Secondly, with the support of the Japanese government, the US is planning to deploy an additional radar in Japan, he said, adding that this will provide improved early warning and tracking of any missile launched from North Korea at the US or Japan.

The Pentagon, he said, is also conducting environmental impact studies for a potential additional GBI site in the US.

While the administration has not made any decision on whether to proceed with an additional site, conducting environmental impact studies will shorten the timeline for construction should that decision be made, he added.

Hagel said the series of steps announced by him keep the US ahead of the challenge posed by Iran and North Korea's development of longer-range ballistic missile capabilities.

The US has missile defence systems in place to protect us from limited ICBM attacks, but North Korea, in particular, has recently made advances in its capabilities and is engaged in a series of irresponsible and reckless provocations, Hagel said.

"Specifically, North Korea announced last month that it conducted its third nuclear test and last April displayed what appears to be a road-mobile ICBM. It also used its Taepo Dong II missile to put a satellite into orbit, thus demonstrating progress in its development of long-range missile technology," the Defence Secretary said.

With the new announcements in place, Hagel said he is confident that the fresh deployment of interceptors gives the US the security it needs and the people need to be reassured that that security is there. — PTI

N Korea ‘test-fires’ 2 short-range missiles
Seoul: A South Korean official says North Korea test-fired a pair of short-range missiles into its eastern waters this week in a likely response to ongoing routine US-South Korean military drills. A military official in Seoul said today the North launched what appeared to be KN-02 missiles during its own drills. North Korea routinely launches short-range missiles in an effort to improve its arsenal. — AP

Pope Francis says wants a poor Church for the poor

Vatican City, March 16
Pope Francis today called for "a poor Church for the poor", saying he chose his papal name because St Francis of Assisi was "a man of poverty and a man of peace". "How I would like a poor Church for the poor!" he said at a meeting with hundreds of journalists from around the world in the Vatican.

Francis described the emotional moments immediately after his election in a secret conclave in the Sistine Chapel on Wednesday.

The Argentinian, formerly Jorge Mario Bergoglio, said he had been sitting next to Brazilian Cardinal Claudio Hummes, the archbishop emeritus of Sao Paulo.

"He hugged me and kissed me and told me not to forget the poor. And that word went in here," he said, pointing to his head.

"I immediately thought of Francis of Assisi," he said.

"Francis of Assisi for me is a man of poverty, a man of peace, a man who loved and protected creation. Right now our relations with Creation are not going very well," he added. — AFP

Pak national, provincial assemblies agree to hold election on same day
Afzal Khan in Islamabad

While the National Assembly will complete its 5-year term on Saturday midnight, the ministers agreed to dissolve the provincial assemblies on the same date next week, though their term ends on different dates.

Making history
The National Assembly will complete its 5-year term on Saturday midnight, marking the first time in country's history to reach that milestone
The ministers agreed to dissolve the provincial assemblies on the same date next week, though their term ends on different dates

24 Pak armymen killed as bus falls into Indus
Afzal Khan in Islamabad

The bodies were initially shifted to the Shitial Civil Hospital, Badshah said.

Sikh man killed in Pak over his decision to marry again

Lahore, March 16
A Sikh man was murdered in this eastern Pakistani city over his decision to marry a second time, police officials said today.

An eyewitness told the police that some persons entered 28-year-old Amarjeet Singh's store at Shalimar Town in Lahore yesterday and assaulted him.

They then bundled Singh into a car and sped away.

Later, Singh's body was found near Sheikhupura district, 40 km from Lahore. The body bore marks of torture, the police said.

Singh was a 'hakeem' and dealt in natural medicines.

When police contacted Singh's family in the northwestern city of Peshawar, they learnt that he had recently decided to marry for a second time despite opposition from the woman's fiance. — PTI

34 Indian fishermen on way back from Lanka

Colombo, March 16
The 34 Indian fishermen, released by Sri Lanka, today left for India after spending a night in Jaffna. "Five boats with 34 Indian fishermen have started sailing off towards the International Maritime Border Line (IMBL)," an Indian official here said.

The official said the fishermen were under the care of the Indian consulate in a private accommodation in Jaffna after their release by the Kayts Magistrate yesterday. On reaching Jaffna from Kayts, which is an hour-drive away, two sick fishermen were immediately taken to a private hospital in Jaffna by officials of the Consulate and given medical care. "When the two left in the morning for Delft to sail off, they were in a better condition," the official said. — PTI

BRIEFLY

A combination picture shows the new bridge named Pont Jacques Chaban Delmas built over the Garonne river moving upwards (top) and downwards in Bordeaux, France, on Saturday. Reuters

Caracas
Chavez laid to rest
Late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has been laid to rest at a military museum after an emotional final journey through the streets of Caracas watched by thousands. — AFP

Beijing
New Cabinet appointed
China's long standing Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi was on Saturday appointed as country's chief negotiator of India-China boundary dispute while Wang Yi, a veteran diplomat, replaced him in the new Cabinet unveiled by Premier Li Keqiang. — PTI

Florida
3 die in plane crash
A small plane crashed into a parking lot near a South Florida airport, killing all three persons onboard and burning about a dozen vehicles. No one on the ground was hurt. —AP

Nairobi
Odinga challenges defeat
Kenya's defeated presidential contender Raila Odinga filed a legal challenge to his election loss on Saturday in a major test of the country's democratic system . — Reuters