INSI welcomes Daniel Pearl Act passed by US House

September 12th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - The United States will double the number of its diplomatic staff in the Islamabad Embassy after the planned expansion of its diplomatic mission is completed. The US is also planning to triple the number of its total staff.

September 8th, 2009 EU welcomes Japan climate planBRUSSELS — The European Union is welcoming plans by Japan's incoming prime minister to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 25 percent by 2020. EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas said Tuesday the proposal is "really very encouraging" for those trying to negotiate a new global climate change pact.

August 4th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Lok Sabha Tuesday passed what Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal termed "historic" legislation providing for free and compulsory education for all children in the 6-14 age-group. This is the first time an effort had been made to universalise education in the country.

June 25th, 2009 Australian welcomes IMF policy endorsementCANBERRA, Australia — The government, criticized for sinking Australia too deep into debt with spending to boost the economy, on Thursday welcomed an International Monetary Fund endorsement of its quick response to the global economic slump. The IMF said Wednesday the downturn in Australia "has been milder than in most advanced countries." "This is because of strong commodity exports, a flexible exchange rate, a healthy banking sector and a timely and significant macro policy response," the IMF said.

June 25th, 2009 WASHINGTON - The US House of Representatives passed a $680-billion defence spending bill Thursday despite President Barack Obama's threat to veto the measure. The bill for the fiscal 2010 year, which begins Oct 1, contains $369 million to continue production of the F-22 fighter jet the Obama and Defence Secretary Robert Gates say is not needed.

June 13th, 2009 PESHAWAR - The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has claimed responsibility for Friday's serial suicide attacks on two mosques in Nowshera and Lahore. It had also took responsibility for the Pearl Continental Hotel bombing in Peshawar, saying more such attacks would be carried out in future against all those who oppose their decree.

June 12th, 2009 PESHAWAR - The North West Frontier Province (NWFP) Information Minister, Iftikhar Hussain, has held the Waziristan Taliban responsible for Tuesday's suicide bomb attack on the Pearl Continental Hotel here. "Whatever happens in Peshawar comes from Waziristan.

June 11th, 2009 PESHAWAR - The North West Frontier Province (NWFP) Government has admitted that there were security lapses which led to the Pearl Continental Hotel blast. The NWFP Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain said there were 'security lapses' leading up to the blast which took place on Tuesday evening.

June 10th, 2009 PESHAWAR - Tuesday's blast at the Pearl Continental Hotel situated in Peshawar's most secure area once again exposes the security lapses, and raises doubts about when this landmark becomes functional again. Earlier, the mausoleum of the great Pashto poet Rahman Baba located on the outskirts of Peshawar was damaged.

June 9th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - At least five people were killed and 35 injured Tuesday evening in a bomb blast at a five-star hotel in the northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar, according to local TV reports. The blast occurred at the Pearl Continental Hotel, a heavily guarded five-star hotel in Peshawar, capital of the North West Frontier Province (NWFP), the Express TV quoted police sources as saying.

June 8th, 2009 Dad: Man accused of Obama threat is mentally illLAS VEGAS — The father of a man facing a federal charge of threatening President Barack Obama said Monday that his son is mentally ill and needs treatment. "I'm not sugarcoating it, because you don't threaten the president of the United States," Michael Murray told The Associated Press by telephone from Clifton Park, N.Y., where he lives.

June 4th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Condemning the "senseless" Mumbai attacks in the world's largest democracy, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives has urged the American people to stand by the people of India. The third US state legislature to condemn the November 2008 attacks, the Pennsylvania House passed a resolution honoring the memory of the victims by a 192-0 vote Wednesday in the presence of Indian ambassador Meera Shankar.

May 6th, 2009 LONDON - California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has said it is time to talk about legalising the sale of cannabis to generate much-needed tax revenue for the state to help bridge its burgeoning 60 billion dollar debt, despite President Barack Obama dismissal about the possibility of legalizing marijuana. Governor Schwarzenegger, who has admitted smoking marijuana in his youth, insisted that any decision would not be based on extra income for California, in spite of it having the dubious honour of the largest budget deficit of any state in the US.

May 1st, 2009 Obama meets Friday with CabinetWASHINGTON — The month of May begins for President Barack Obama with a White House Cabinet meeting. He'll also undoubtedly be asked about the nomination of a successor to Justice David Souter, who's retiring after nearly two decades on the Supreme Court.

March 12th, 2009 NEW YORK - America's billionaire investor Warren Buffett has likened the current global meltdown to "an economic Pearl Harbor", and doesn't expect the US economy to recover anytime soon. The CEO of Berkshire Hathaway said the US economy has "fallen off a cliff" and the current financial situation is "close to the worst case" that he had predicted six months ago.