Hurricane Isaac bears down on New Orleans, Louisiana

Thousands of people have fled the US city of New Orleans as Hurricane Isaac makes its slow approach. The hurricane will hit the Louisiana city exactly seven years after it was devastated by Hurricane Katrina, but it is a much less powerful storm. The city has closed its new floodgates in a bid to protect it from the effects of high waters brought by sustained winds of up to 80mph (130km/h). Sea wa..

Nikki Haley takes a dig at Obama

WASHINGTON: Identifying herself as the proud daughter of Indian immigrants, South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley took a dig at US President Barack Obama for suggesting that business owners can't claim credit for their success. Delivering a prime time speech during the ongoing Republican national convention in Tampa, Florida, Haley recollected the success story of the business of her parents. "..

Ron Paul’s nomination run ends with six-hour bang

For some diehard supporters Republican Representative Ron Paul is the best president the US will never have. So, they figured, they can hit back by voting for no one else. Paul staged a shadow convention in Tampa, Florida, on Sunday, eve of the Isaac-stalked convention starting Monday-Tuesday, cheered on by thousands of supporters for six hours. A supporter wore a T-shirt that said: “My Pres..

A Q Khan floats own political party

ISLAMABAD: Disgraced Pakistani nuclear scientist A Q Khan has floated a political forum 'Tehrik-e-Tahaffuz Pakistan' and said he plans to launch a countrywide youth awakening programme ahead of the general election. Khan, in continous feud with the country's establishment , said he plans to motivate the youth "regarding who to vote for and who not to vote for" , The Express Tribune repor..

China's rail link to hit Indian exports

BEIJING: The $707 million Yuxi-Mengzi rail line, linking Kunming in southwest China to Singapore in southeast Asia, will become operational by the end of this year, posing a threat to Indian exporters competing for market space with China. The rail line, originating in China's Yunnan province, will traverse through Vietnam, Laos, Thailand and Singapore, completing a course of over 2,000km. The ann..

Pak PM faces SC, seeks time to write to Swiss authorities

Facing a show-cause notice for failing to implement a Supreme Court order, Pakistan Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf on Monday sought more time to write to Swiss authorities to reopen corruption cases against President Asif Ali Zardari. Ashraf requested the court to give him four to six weeks to write the letter to Swiss authorities, reported Dawn. “I need time to understand the matter&hell..

Mitt Romney lands in controversy with 'birther' joke

A 'birther' joke has landed presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney in a controversy with a not so amused Obama camp accusing him of embracing the party's fringe "birthers". It all started at a Friday campaign rally in Michigan, the state where Romney was born, where he said, "Ann (his wife) was born at Henry Ford hospital, I was born at  Harper hospital." ..

Key Pakistani Taliban figure killed in Afghanistan

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN: The US-led military force in Afghanistan says a senior leader of the Pakistani Taliban has been killed in a coalition air strike. A spokesman says the strike in Afghanistan's eastern Kunar province killed Mullah Dadullah, the self-proclaimed Taliban leader in Pakistan's Bajur tribal area. Bajur lies across the border from Kunar. Coalition spokesman Maj. Martyn Crighton on Satur..

13 militants killed in clashes with Pak forces in tribal areas

ISLAMABAD: At least 13 militants have been killed in clashes with Pakistani security forces in the country's restive Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province and the tribal belt, security officials said on Friday. Security forces killed eight militants and destroyed two hideouts in a clash in the lower part of Orakzai tribal region on Friday, officials told the media. Troops attacked militant compounds in Goak..

Pak needs to explain Osama's presence in Abbottabad: Haqqani

Osama bin Laden's presence in Abbottabad was definitely known to "somebody" in Pakistan, Islamabad's former top diplomat in the US, Husain Haqqani, has said, arguing that his country owes an explanation to the world about the slain al Qaeda leader's local benefactor. Haqqani, who was forced to resign as Ambassador to the US last year over the Memogate scandal, wondered why there has not ..