Iran N-talks quite promising: Russia
Moscow, October 17
International talks this week on Iran’s nuclear programme were “quite promising" and Tehran’s new proposals could produce progress towards ending the standoff between global powers and the Islamic state, Russia said on Thursday.

Syrian peace conference from Nov 23
Moscow, October 17
Syria’s Deputy Prime Minister said on Thursday that a long-delayed international conference aimed at ending his country’s civil war was scheduled for November 23-24 though Russia, one of the meeting's main organisers, quickly cast doubt on the date.


Syrian Deputy PM Qadri Jamil (R) at a press conference in Moscow on Thursday. — AFP

Lahore, October 17
The Pakistan Government will take "bold" decisions to tackle terrorism and restore law and order in cities like Karachi, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said.

Addressing PML-N parliamentarians and party workers after Eid-ul-Azha prayers at his ancestral home in Raiwind, Sharif said, "We are going to take bold decisions for the sake of restoring peace and maintaining law and order in Karachi and everywhere in the country."

He said that eradication of terrorism and other crimes were key to restoring peace in Karachi and other parts of the country in order to improve the investment climate and end economic dependency.

Sharif said that PML-N took charge at a very difficult time as the country is facing a number of critical challenges, which "no ruler during the past 13 years had evolved a national strategy to overcome".

He deplored that no ruler had evolved a national strategy to overcome terrorism, energy crisis, lawlessness, poverty and unemployment, state-run APP news agency reported.

Sharif claimed that his government has taken all the political parties on board for preparing a common agenda to eradicate the menace of terrorism from the country.

The PM said that the government has adopted the dialogue process to restore peace in country and hoped that the efforts would be successful.

Law enforcement agencies have been carrying targeted operations in Karachi since last month to get rid of militants and criminals in the metropolis. — PTI 

Terming the people and the government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as front-line targets after the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lost on Wednesday its third Member of the Provincial Assembly (MPA) in less than six months, party chairman Imran Khan insisted that the Federal Government must implement the political consensus arrived at in September’s All-Parties Conference (APC).

Talking to reporters in Rawalpindi constituency NA-56 from where he had won the election in May, Imran asked why has the government not acted on the decisions decided upon in the APC.

Imran has been pitching for talks with the Taliban who have stepped up their attacks in the region. He regretted Nawaz Sharif government's inaction in implementing the consensus resolution adopted in the APC to initiate the peace dialogue.

Israr Gandapur, Law Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, was assassinated on Wednesday by a suicide bomber who forced his way into an Eid gathering at the politician’s house and detonated his explosive-laden vest, killing seven others and injuring more than 20 persons including the minister's brother.

Moscow, October 17
International talks this week on Iran’s nuclear programme were “quite promising" and Tehran’s new proposals could produce progress towards ending the standoff between global powers and the Islamic state, Russia said on Thursday.

"I would not understate the importance of this round," Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said of Iran’s talks in Geneva on Tuesday and Wednesday with Russia, the US, China, Britain, France and Germany.

Iran's new proposals "could move the negotiating process forward, and are evidence of the Iranian side’s intention to resolve the issues that are of concern to the six powers," he said. He gave no details.

Russia, which built Iran's first nuclear power plant and sells Iran weapons, has been more positive than the West about Iran's attitude toward the negotiations and less suspicious that it could be seeking nuclear weapons capability. — Reuters

Moscow, October 17
Syria’s Deputy Prime Minister said on Thursday that a long-delayed international conference aimed at ending his country’s civil war was scheduled for November 23-24 though Russia, one of the meeting's main organisers, quickly cast doubt on the date.

Qadri Jamil said the timing of the "Geneva 2" conference, meant to bring Syria's government and opposition together, had been confirmed by the United Nations.

"This is what (UN Secretary General) Ban Ki-moon is saying, not me," he said.

But within hours of his statement, Russia's foreign ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich told reporters: "We shouldn't get ahead of ourselves."

"It is not a matter for Syrian officials but the responsibility of UN Secretary General to announce and set dates agreed with all sides," he added.

The deal reached last month for Syria to scrap its chemical weapons rekindled efforts to convene the conference, which Russia and the US have been trying to organise since May.

Jamil has made several visits to Russia during the conflict, which has killed more than 1,15,000 persons since it began in March 2011, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group.

He said the conference was needed because "everyone is at a dead-end - a military and political dead-end. "Geneva is a way out for everyone: the Americans, Russia, the Syrian regime and the opposition." — Reuters

Baghdad, October 17
A barrage of car bomb and suicide bomb blasts rocked Baghdad and two northern communities today, killing at least 51 persons during a major holiday period and extending a relentless wave of bloodshed gripping the country.

The bulk of the blasts struck the Iraqi capital shortly after nightfall. Authorities reported seven car bomb explosions across Baghdad, including one near a playground that killed two children.

Iraq is weathering its deadliest outburst of violence since 2008, raising fears the country is returning to the widespread sectarian killing that pushed it to the brink of civil war in the years after the 2003 US-led invasion.

The attacks struck as Muslims around the world this week mark the religious holiday of Eid al-Adha, or the Feast of Sacrifice. It is a time for family celebrations and outings. — AP

Jeddah, October 17
Over 2,000 Indians are providing selfless services to millions of Haj pilgrims from all over the world who have gathered in the holy city of Mecca, forming the largest expatriate volunteer group.

Wearing blue T-shirts and the saffron-coloured jackets, these volunteers from different Indian social, cultural and religious forums were seen in action at the holy sites of Mina and Arafat during the first four days of Haj.

"The credit for fielding the largest number of volunteers goes to India Fraternity Forum, which has been serving the pilgrims since eight years. Tipped as the most organised among the groups, IFF fielded a total of 1,200 volunteers, including 32 women and 24 students," the Saudi Gazette newspaper said. — PTI