SC Allows Haj Subsidy for This Year
While allowing the Government to continue with its Haj plans for lakhs of Muslim pilgrims this year, the Supreme Court (SC) questioned the Government’s continued “largesse” to one community while denying others of similar facilities.<More>

SC Halts Genetic Foods
The Supreme Court (SC) asked the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) to halt approvals to genetically modified products till it can determine that these foods have been sufficiently tested and safe for human consumption. <More>

Torture, Censorship, and Repression in ‘Azad’ Kashmir
Human Rights groups say that in so-called ‘Azad’ (free) Kashmir , largely closed to international and independent scrutiny, the Pakistani Government represses democratic freedom, stymies the press and media, and uses torture as instrument of administration.<More>

Army Restarts War on ULFA
India called off its truce with the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) moving several Army columns to re-launch anti-militant operations in Tinsukia and Jorhat districts in upper Assam and in Nagaon, Barpeta, and Darrang districts in lower Assam.<More>

Iraq War “Spawned new Terror”
A classified report by US Intelligence found that the war in Iraq has “spawned new terror” activity and a new generation of Islamic radicalism and that the overall terror threat has grown significantly since September 11, 2001.<More>

Pak Delays F-16 Deal
Accusing the US of stripping down the F-16s to less than effective and imposing unacceptable conditions for usage, Pakistan has delayed signing the Letter of Acceptance (LoA) for the USD 3 billion deal till December 31, 2006.<More>

LTTE Agrees to Talks
Responding to calls from many parties and despite afterthought caveats introduced by the Sri Lankan Government (SLG), the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) said that his organization is ready to resume stalled talks on a peaceful future in the island.<More>

Maldives Opposition Wants India to Facilitate
Maldives opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) wants India to stop arming the island Government as the threat perceptions and rationale for spending 8% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on defense is unclear.<More>

China ’s Aging Population Plan
Thanks to its disastrous and draconian one-child policy, China is set to have an “irreversible” ageing society in the 21st Century but the country seems to have devised a broad-based plan to address economic and social pressures from the ageing population.<More>

Indian ‘No’ to TNA Team, ‘Yes’ to Others
Affirming its policy of separating the rights of the Sri Lankan Tamils from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), India refused to entertain members of the Sri Lankan Tamil National Alliance (TNA) but has invited other parties for consultations.<More>

Russia-US Relations Set to Worsen
A Russian Parliamentary report alerted policy makers that the US will continue to pursue a hostile policy towards Moscow regardless of political affiliations or incumbent in the White House as they struggle for influence over world energy, power, and politics.<More>

Hezbollah Refuses to Disarm
In his first public appearance Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah vowed before a massive 500,000-rally that his cadre will not disarm and claimed a “divine, historic and strategic victory” even as Israeli troops withdrew and UN peacekeepers deployment was on track.<More>