World News

Washington, May 17 (ANI): Nearly 30 per cent of the US' aid for Afghanistan and Pakistan is siphoned off as "overhead expenses", in the form of consulting fee and other costs, before it reaches the region, said US Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher during a recent hearing of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia.

Lahore, May 17 (ANI): Gulab Singh, the only Sikh warden in traffic police in Lahore who had even put in his papers last month alleging misbehaviour by his colleagues, has once again complained of humiliation in public by his seniors.

Islamabad, May 17 (ANI): PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari is impeding the reinstatement of the deposed judges by joining hands with President Musharraf, said Riasat Ali Azad, General Secretary of the Islamabad Bar Association.

Islamabad, May 17 (ANI): Though Pakistan acknowledges the US as a superpower, but it was wrong to believe it was influencing the political changes in Pakistan, said ambassador designate to the US Hussain Haqqani.

Islamabad, May 17 (ANI): The Pakistan Army has lodged a formal protest to "allied forces" in Afghanistan over a suspected US missile strike this week that killed 14 people in Bajaur Agency.

Beijing, May 17 (ANI): China's Ministry for Housing and Urban and Rural Construction has reportedly decided to probe the construction quality of the schools which collapsed in Monday's earthquake, of 7.8 magnitude, killing a large number of school kids.

Sydney, May 17 (ANI): A new weekly TV comedy show "Salam Cafe," in Australia, depicting the "human side" of the Muslims and providing viewers an insight into the inaccurate perceptions of Islam, has been a hit, even more than "Newstopia" which previously occupied the Wednesday night timeslot.

Hundreds of Shi'ite Muslims took out anti-Israel and anti-U.S rallies across Pakistan on Friday, May 16 to express solidarity with Palestinian people on the 60th anniversary of Israel's founding. Palestinians refer to the day as 'Nakba' or 'Catastrophe'.

Chine earthquake survivors are struggling hard to deal with the loss of their homes, family and friends after the 7.9 magnitude earthquake hit China's Sichuan province on Monday, May 12.

India and Bhutan on Friday, May 16 agreed to double the target of hydroelectricity generation to 10,000 megawatts from 5,000 megawatts by 2020.

New Delhi, May 17 (ANI): China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region has launched the most extensive preservation project for the Great Wall of China, with a survey and repair already in progress.

Islamabad, May 17 (ANI): After the PML-N walked out of the ruling coalition government, political circles in Islamabad are abuzz with possibility of a new alignment between the PPP and the erstwhile ruling party the PML-Q, to cobble up 2/3 majority for the PPP-led government in the National Assembly.

London, May 17 (ANI): He was dubbed as the "world's worst poet", but now Scottish Bard William McGonagall has had the last laugh, for his odes have raked in more money than the very famous Harry Potter books at an auction.

Ankara (Turkey), May 17 (ANI): If reports are to be believed, the ancient city of Aizanoi in Turkey might have housed the world's first stock exchange.

Thimphu, May 17 (ANI): Friendly ties between India and Bhutan took another step forward with Prime Ministers Dr. Manmohan Singh and Jigmi Y. Thinley dedicating the 1020 megawatt Tala Hydroelectric Project in Bhutan's Chukha Valley to the two countries.

London, May 17 (ANI): A majority of kids in Britain believe that playing violent computer games, such as the recently launched Grand Theft Auto IV, are responsible for aggressive behaviour, according to a new survey.

Beijing, May 17 (ANI): A 46-year-old survivor of the Monday's earthquake of 7.8 magnitude ate cigarettes, paper napkins and drunk his urine to keep himself alive before being rescued after 100 hours of ordeal.

Tehran, May 17 (ANI): A team of archaeologists from the Yazd Cultural Heritage Center (YCHC) in Iran has discovered the Achaemenid era predecessor of the city of Yazd.

Beijing, May 17 (ANI): Teenagers trapped under the debris of their school building after the earthquake of 7.8 magnitude hit southwest China on Monday afternoon, sang pop song "Let's write our ending together", which gave them strength enough to help getting though the ordeal.

London, May 17 (ANI): Beauty may have nothing to do with politics, but former showgirl and now, an Italian cabinet minister Mara Carfagna, begs to differ.