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US drones regularly target terrorists in Pak: Obama
Washington, January 31
American drones regularly target terrorists in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) of Pakistan, President Barack Obama today said in a first such acknowledgment by the top US leadership on its highly successful but secretive programme.

US President Barack Obama participates in an interview via YouTube and Google from the White House in Washington DC. — AFP

Missile strikes unlawful: pak
Islamabad: Hours after President Barack Obama confirmed that US drones regularly target militants in its tribal belt, Pakistan said such attacks were unlawful and a violation of its sovereignty. 

8 Pak soldiers, 35 militants killed in Taliban attack on army post
Islamabad, January 31
At least eight soldiers and 35 militants were killed today in a skirmish that began after scores of Taliban fighters attacked a military post in the restive Kurram tribal region of northwest Pakistan, which has witnessed fierce clashes in recent days.

Volcanoes may have triggered ‘Little Ice Age’
Washington, January 31
A mysterious cool spell which lasted into the late 19th century and dubbed Little Ice Age appears to have been caused by a series of volcanic eruptions and sustained by sea ice, a new study has suggested.

UN resolution vows no forces in Syria
London, January 31
A draft United Nations resolution on Syria calls for President Bashar Assad to hand power to his deputy and insists there will be no use of foreign forces in the country.

US drones regularly target terrorists in Pak: Obama

Washington, January 31
American drones regularly target terrorists in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) of Pakistan, President Barack Obama today said in a first such acknowledgment by the top US leadership on its highly successful but secretive programme.

"A lot of these strikes have been in the FATA, and going after Al-Qaida suspects who are up in very tough terrain along the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan," Obama said in response to a question during his first Google+ and YouTube live web chat from the White House.

"For us to be able to get them in another way would involve probably a lot more intrusive military action than the ones we're already engaging in," Obama said.

More than 1,30,000 questions were received, the White House said.

Obama said these strikes by unmanned drones are regularly carried out and these are "targeted focused efforts at people who are on a list of active terrorists".

"For the most part, they've been very precise precision strikes against Al-Qaida and their affiliates, and we're very careful in terms of how it's been applied," he said, responding to the question.

This is for the first time that the US has publicly acknowledged the drone attacks inside Pakistan. The United States had, so far, refrained from publicly speaking on this issue.

According to the US media, 64 US missile strikes were reported in the area in 2011, down from 101 in 2010. The US drone attacks have been increased during Obama's presidency. — PTI

Missile strikes unlawful: pak

Islamabad: Hours after President Barack Obama confirmed that US drones regularly target militants in its tribal belt, Pakistan said such attacks were unlawful and a violation of its sovereignty. “Our position on drone strikes is clear and based on principles. Drone attacks are unlawful, counter-productive and hence unacceptable,” Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit said in a text message sent to PTI. “We cannot condone the violation of our sovereignty,” he said. — PTI

8 Pak soldiers, 35 militants killed in Taliban attack on army post

Islamabad, January 31
At least eight soldiers and 35 militants were killed today in a skirmish that began after scores of Taliban fighters attacked a military post in the restive Kurram tribal region of northwest Pakistan, which has witnessed fierce clashes in recent days.

The Inter-Services Public Relations confirmed the death of eight soldiers and 35 militants in the fighting in Jogi area of Kurram Agency. Another 15 troops were injured, ISPR said. Media reports said over 100 militants attacked the post around midnight.

The military said the post was recently established at Jogi to sever a route frequently used by militants to travel from Tirah Valley in Khyber Agency to Kurram Agency and North Waziristan.

The militants targeted soldiers who were trying to hold a strategic mountain in Jogi area and the fighting continued till this morning, officials said.

Troops had taken control of the mountain last week after fighting that killed six soldiers and 20 militants.

Militants in the region are loyal to Pakistani Taliban chief Hakimullah Mehsud. The militants use the Jogi area to gain access to North Waziristan, which the US has described as a safe haven for Taliban and Al-Qaida elements.

Besides the activities of the Taliban, Kurram Agency has also been affected by clashes between Shia and Sunni tribesmen over the past four years.

Hundreds of people have died in the fighting between the rival tribesmen. — PTI

10 killed in karachi

In a renewed wave of sectarian and ethnic killings in Pakistan, at least 10 people were killed in the last 24 hours in southern Sind's provincial capital, police said on Monday. Sindh home minister Manzoor Wassan said 10 people had been killed since Monday and admitted some of the target killings appeared to be because of sectarian disputes. — PTI

Birmingham murders: Accused found dead in jail

London, January 31
A Lithuanian national arrested in the UK for murders of Indian-origin Avtar Singh Kolar and his British wife in Birmingham earlier this month, was found hanging in jail, the police said today.

"HMP Woodhill prisoner Rimvydas Liorancas was found hanging in his cell at 8.52 am on Saturday, January 28," a Prison Service spokesman said.

He said the staff attempted resuscitation and paramedics attended but he was pronounced dead at 9.30 am. “As with all deaths in custody, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman will conduct an investigation,” he said.

A West Midlands Police spokesman said they were informed by the Ministry of Justice of the death of Liorancas on Saturday at Woodhill Prison in Thames Valley.

The murders of Kolar, 62, and Carole, 58, sparked off a major investigation called 'Operation Tiler' by the West Midlands Police.

Their bodies were found by their police detective son Jason Kolar in their house on January 10.

Liorancas, 37, was arrested on January 16, and charged with the murders.

The West Midlands Police said the investigation would continue into the murders. The couple's four children have been informed of the latest development.

"The investigation into the deaths of Avtar and Carole will continue and the completed findings will now be presented to the Coroner at the Inquest," the police spokesman said.

"The family of Carole and Avtar were informed of the news at the earliest possible stage and we are continuing to support them," he said. — PTI 

26/11: Tahawwur Rana’s re-trial plea rejected

Chicago, January 31
A US court today rejected Pakistan-born Canadian Tahawwur Rana’s plea for a new trial in cases related to the Mumbai and Denmark terror plots, saying there is no reason to believe the court erred 
in convicting David Headley's co-accused for aiding Lashkar-e-Taiba.

The District Court said the defendant had failed to demonstrate that the court erred and a new trial is warranted, and that the government has presented substantial evidence of defendant's knowledge and participation in the acts. In June last year, after 
a three-week trial, 50-year-old Rana was convicted of providing material support to the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba, and of conspiracy to provide material support to terrorism in connection with a foiled plot involving Danish newspaper Jyllands Posten.

He was, however, acquitted of charges that he aided the terrorists who carried out the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai.

Rana had appealed for a new trial in September last year, citing that the jury was confused and that he did not get a fair trial. According to documents released by the US District Court of the Northern District of Illinois, the court applied the correct legal standard, considering the totality of the evidence and properly denied the motion to quash. — PTI

Indian artist in lineup for top UK art prize

New Delhi, January 31
Artist Sheela Gowda, who uses ordinary material such as hair and cowdung among others to create artwork that refers to politics and society, figures among seven artists shortlisted for the £40,000 Artis Mundi contemporary art prize this year.

Bangalore-based Gowda, 55, whose sculptures and installations combine formal language of western sculptures with an exploration of how materials can make specific reference to social and cultural context of India, has been picked from 750 nominations from over 90 countries.

The National Museum of Art in Wales will, from October 6 onwards, showcase for 14 weeks, works by the seven artists shortlisted for the prize sponsored by Bank of America Merrill Lynch as part of its Arts and Culture Programme, and publicly funded by the Arts Council of Wales and Cardiff Council. — PTI 

Volcanoes may have triggered ‘Little Ice Age’

Washington, January 31
A mysterious cool spell which lasted into the late 19th century and dubbed Little Ice Age appears to have been caused by a series of volcanic eruptions and sustained by sea ice, a new study has suggested.

During that cool spell, advancing glaciers destroyed many northern European towns and froze the Thames River in London and canals in the Netherlands — the places that are now ice-free. There is also evidence it affected other continents.

The new study, which looked at chemical clues preserved in Arctic vegetation as well as other data, also pinpointed the start of the cool spell to the end of the 13th century.

During that period, advancing glaciers destroyed northern European towns and froze the Thames River in London and canals in the Netherlands, places that 
are now ice-free. There is also evidence it affected other continents.

"This is the first time anyone has clearly identified the specific onset of the cold times marking the start of the Little Ice Age," lead study author Prof Gifford Miller, of the University of Colorado, was quoted as saying by LiveScience.

"We also have provided an understandable climate feedback system that explains how this cold period could be sustained for a long period of time," Prof Miller said.

The cause, according to the researchers, appears to have been massive tropical volcanic eruptions, which spewed tiny particles called aerosols into the atmosphere. While suspended in the air, the aerosols reflect solar radiation back into space, cooling the planet below, they said. — PTI

UN resolution vows no forces in Syria

London, January 31
A draft United Nations resolution on Syria calls for President Bashar Assad to hand power to his deputy and insists there will be no use of foreign forces in the country.

The draft text, seen by The Associated Press, calls on Assad's regime to immediately put "an end to all human rights violations and attacks against those exercising their rights to freedom of expression." It calls on Assad to delegate his "full authority to his deputy" to allow a national unity government to lead transition to a democratic system.

The text, the drafting of which has been led by Morocco, insists it does not compel "states to resort to the use of force, or the threat of force". Russia has accused Western and Arab nations of putting Syria on the "path to civil war". — AP