Taliban urge Malala to come back, join madrassa
Islamabad: Days after Malala Yousufzai made a passionate appeal at the UN for the education of children, the Taliban on Wednesday asked the teenage activist to return to Pakistan and join a madrassa in the restive northwest. Adnan Rashid, a Taliban fighter wanted for an attempt to assassinate former President Pervez Musharraf, wrote a letter to Malala, who was shot in the head in a militant attack last year.
China to crack down on ‘pro-Tibet propaganda'
Beijing: China on Wednesday said it will intensify a crack down against illegal publications and "reactionary" promotional products like pamphlets, text messages and books in Tibetan regions in an apparent bid to weed out pro-Dalai lama literature and publicity materials. The crackdown will target books, newspapers, magazines, promotional pamphlets, text messages, audio and visual products as well as electronic publications that are deemed to be illegal or reactionary, li Changjiang, a senior official from the National Anti-Pornography and Anti-Illegal Publications Office said.
Brother of Afghan security adviser shot dead
Herat (Afghanistan): Gunmen assassinated a brother of Afghanistan’s national security adviser Rangin Dadfar Spanta outside a public bathhouse in the family’s relatively peaceful home province on Wednesday, police said. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the killing of Wali Jaan, a public prosecutor in the small town of Karukh in the western province of Herat which borders Iran.
Mandela makes ‘dramatic' progress, says daughter
Johannesburg: Nelson Mandela has made "dramatic progress," and may be going home "anytime soon," said his daughter Zindzi on the eve of his 95th birthday. "I visited him yesterday and he was watching television with headphones," said Zindzi Mandela in an interview with Britain's Sky TV. "He gave us a huge smile and raised his hand ... He responds with his eyes and his hands."Mandela is gaining "energy and strength," said his daughter. "I should think he will be going home anytime soon."
Japan PM renews claim on disputed islands
Tokyo: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe renewed his claims on disputed East China Sea islands on Wednesday as he visited nearby islands. He urged border security officials to boost their guard against China’s increased activity in the region. Abe told Coast Guard officials based on the Ishigaki island that Japan’s border security environment is challenging because of China’s increased provocation in the area. T
British Indian actor goes missing in london
london: Scotland Yard has issued an appeal for British Indian actor Paul Bhattacharjee after he went missing in mysterious circumstances following a rehearsal for a stage production in london’s West End. The 53-year-old is best known for his turn in the James Bond film “Casino Royale”. He also uses the name Gautam Paul Bhattacharjee and is a popular stage and television actor in Britain.