After fiscal crisis, Washington must change: Obama
Washington, October 19
President Barack Obama says the way business is done in Washington must change. In his weekly radio and Internet address, Obama is telling Americans their frustration with politics is understandable. He's referring to the fiscal crisis that shut down the government and brought US close to default.

Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif left for Washington on a three-day official trip that will culminate in a meeting with US President Barack Obama on November 23.

This will be Sharif's first trip to Washington since being elected prime minister of his country after the May 11 general elections.

Diplomatic observers here say that the Pakistani premier would not be carrying any great expectations for the challenging trip — first in five years by a Pakistani premier.

Sharif’s reception at the White House would be less opulent, partly because of the post-government shutdown effects, but largely a reflection of difficulties in bilateral relations over the past few years and continued worries in Washington about the PML-N government’s position on fighting terrorist groups operating from Pakistani soil.

Foreign office spokesman Aizaz Chaudhry listed priorities for the trip as highlighting government’s economic development agenda, discussing measures to strengthen bilateral cooperation, seeking to enhance trade and investment and sharing vision for peace and stability in the region.

The priorities for Washington suggest that the prime minister would be seeking to address the Obama administration’s concerns that would shape US policy towards Pakistan as the two countries move towards restoring their ministerial level Strategic Dialogue.

Obama, a source said, would be interested in knowing Sharif’s plans for the region — Afghanistan, India, cross-border terrorism, promoting regional trade and energy linkages. However, Pakistan’s hopes of having a relationship with the United States independent of other happenings in the region may not be fulfilled in the near future.

Nawaz Sharif wanted to visit Washington during his recent trip to New York to attend the UN General Assembly session last month. But the administration suggested another date keeping in mind an already scheduled high-profile visit by Indian premier Manmohan Singh. India has always been averse to be tagged with Pakistan in VVIP visits.

Significantly, the government has already taken a number of steps for addressing the US concerns about its commitment to fighting terrorism — The recently promulgated ordinance is one such move in this direction. Sharif would, therefore, base his government’s case around the new security laws enacted to deny operational space to terrorists.

The prime minister, speaking about the new anti-terror laws, at a meeting on Friday, said: “We have promulgated laws which would deal with the enemies of the state within the framework of our Constitution and based on principles laid down by our founding fathers. Terrorists, target killers and extortionists will be dealt with under the law and they will be punished after due process. If terrorists and killers have any understanding of the word of liberty, they will realise its meaning when they will be denied of that under the new law.”

Sharif would at the same time explain the rationale behind pursuing dialogue with Taliban militants in the country.

Progress in ties would depend greatly on the direction various regional issues — normalisation with India, reconciliation in Afghanistan and drawdown of coalition forces from Afghanistan — take, daily Dawn reported on Sunday.

Unlike some of the high-profile visits from Islamabad to Washington over the past few years, Sharif may not be carrying an elaborate wish list with him except for hopes of getting economic assistance and increased trade. He last visited Washington on July 4, 1999, for a meeting with then President Clinton in an emergency to seek his intervention in halting India-Pakistan fighting in Kargil.

Sharif agreed to Clinton's condition for immediate withdrawal of Pakistani troops, who were earlier described by the government of Pakistan as Kashmiri Mujahideen. Though the visit had taken place at the behest of the then army chief Gen Pervez Musharraf, the latter used it to reinforce sentiments in the army that he had turned victory into defeat. Musharraf toppled the Sharif government three months later and dispatched him to Saudi Arabia for a 10-year exile.

Beirut, October 19
Syrian rebels blew up an army checkpoint outside Damascus on Saturday and more than 30 combatants from both sides died in the blast and ensuing clashes, a monitoring group said.

The pro-opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 15 rebels and at least 16 soldiers were killed. Elsewhere near the capital, Syrian forces tried to storm the suburb of Mouadamiya, which the army has blockaded for months, leading to a rising death toll from hunger and malnutrition.

The British-based Observatory said the checkpoint explosion, near the suburbs of Mleiha and Jaramana, was detonated by a suicide bomber from the al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front. Nusra supporters on Twitter, however, said the bomber had intended to blow himself up in the car, but instead got out before setting off the explosives inside.

They said rebel forces had captured the checkpoint hit by the car bomb and were battling to take a second one nearby. Syrian state television reported the blast but gave no death toll, saying only that several people had been killed or wounded in a "terrorist bombing". The Observatory, which has a network of activists across Syria, said Syrian fighter jets retaliated by striking nearby opposition-held areas such as Mleiha. Video uploaded by activists showed a huge column of smoke billowing up from the scene and the sound of fighter jets streaking overhead could be heard. — Reuters

New Delhi, October 19
Political uncertainty hung over the Maldives following the postponement of the presidential elections that were scheduled for today, adding to New Delhi’s woes in the Indian Ocean archipelago.

Police forced the postponement of presidential polls, declaring the vote illegal and blocking documents from leaving offices of the independent election commission, reports received here from Male said. The commission just hours earlier announced the vote would go ahead today as planned despite 11th-hour court challenges by two candidates. “We continued with preparations for voting, but Maldives Police Service said no documents connected to the election can leave commission’s offices,” election commission chairman Fuwad Thowfeek said in a statement. A new date for the polls would be announced later, but political observers said the tiny nation was headed for a prolonged period of political tensions.

Expressing disappointment over the development, India called upon Maldives Government and all parties concerned to fulfil their responsibility towards people of the country by playing a constructive role in the election process.

Washington, October 19
President Barack Obama says the way business is done in Washington must change.

In his weekly radio and Internet address, Obama is telling Americans their frustration with politics is understandable. He's referring to the fiscal crisis that shut down the government and brought US close to default.

Obama says even with the crisis over, Republicans and Democrats won't agree on everything. But he says they should find areas of agreement. He's pushing Congress to act this year on a budget, a farm bill and an immigration overhaul.

In the Republican address, Virginia attorney general Ken Cuccinelli says Obama's health care law is an affront to freedoms. — AP

Workers sift through wreckage of a passenger bus after getting involved in a seven-vehicle pile-up south-east of Manila, Philippines, on Saturday. — AP

Suicide attack kills 12
magadishu: A suicide bomber detonated explosives inside a small but crowded restaurant in a city north of the capital Saturday, killing himself and at least 12 others, police said. Mohamed Abdi, a senior Somali police official, said the attack in the city of Beledweyne, about 339 kilometres (210.65 miles) north of Mogadishu, also wounded at least 10 others. — AP

Italian court ban on Berlusconi
milan: A Milan court ruled on Saturday that former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi should be barred from holding public office for two years following a conviction for tax fraud. Since Berlusconi is a senator, the court's decision will have no immediate effect and his expulsion from the Senate will depend on a separate vote. — Reuters

Probe against Pervez on
islamabad: The Federal Investigation Agency said it would complete a probe into 2007 emergency imposed by former President Pervez Musharraf in six weeks. FIA Director General Saud Mirza said statements of some bureaucrats had been recorded. — PTI

11 die in Belgian plane crash
brussels: All 11 passengers aboard a small plane were killed Saturday after it crashed near Fernelmont town in southeast Belgium, media reported. The plane was carrying parachutists. Firefighters from nearby city Namur have rushed to the spot, 
Xinhua reported. — IANS