Pakistani TV reporter shot dead

Islamabad:  Unidentified gunmen shot dead a reporter of a Pakistani TV channel in southwestern Balochistan province Saturday evening, police said.

Abdul Haq Baloch, who was associated with private ARY TV channel, came under attack in Khuzdar city near the local press club, reported Xinhua.

ARY TV also confirmed the incident and said that Baloch was heading home when he came under attack. The TV channel said that the slain reporter had not received any threat.

Police and witnesses said that two gunmen, riding a motorcycle, opened fire at Baloch around 7.30 p.m. local time, as he came out of the press club after finishing his routine work. He died on the spot.

The gunmen fled after the incident. No group claimed responsibility for the attack.

Slain Baloch was also the secretary-general of the Khuzdar Press Club.

Pakistani TV reporter shot dead

Islamabad:  Unidentified gunmen shot dead a reporter of a Pakistani TV channel in southwestern Balochistan province Saturday evening, police said.

Abdul Haq Baloch, who was associated with private ARY TV channel, came under attack in Khuzdar city near the local press club, reported Xinhua.

ARY TV also confirmed the incident and said that Baloch was heading home when he came under attack. The TV channel said that the slain reporter had not received any threat.

Police and witnesses said that two gunmen, riding a motorcycle, opened fire at Baloch around 7.30 p.m. local time, as he came out of the press club after finishing his routine work. He died on the spot.

The gunmen fled after the incident. No group claimed responsibility for the attack.

Slain Baloch was also the secretary-general of the Khuzdar Press Club.

16 Taliban killed in Afghanistan

Kabul:  At least 16 Taliban militants have been killed in "clean-up" operations in Afghanistan, the interior ministry said Sunday.

Afghan police, army and personnel from the NATO-led coalition forces launched joint operations in Sar-e-Pul, Kandahar, Uruzgan, Wardak, Logar, Herat, Farah, Ghor and Helmand provinces, Xinhua reported.

A total of 22 Taliban militants were arrested.

The ministry did not say if there were any casualties among the security forces.

The Taliban did not make any comment.

16 Taliban killed in Afghanistan

Kabul:  At least 16 Taliban militants have been killed in "clean-up" operations in Afghanistan, the interior ministry said Sunday.

Afghan police, army and personnel from the NATO-led coalition forces launched joint operations in Sar-e-Pul, Kandahar, Uruzgan, Wardak, Logar, Herat, Farah, Ghor and Helmand provinces, Xinhua reported.

A total of 22 Taliban militants were arrested.

The ministry did not say if there were any casualties among the security forces.

The Taliban did not make any comment.

Muslim League for toddy ban, Congress says impractical

Thiruvananthapuram: Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) Kerala chapter Saturday sought a ban on the toddy business in the State while KPCC president termed the demand impractical.

Muslim League leader E T Muhammad Basheer said that the government should take the observation of the high court in regard of toddy-ban seriously. In the party workers’ meeting held her, Basheer asserted that the party’s aim was a complete ban on the toddy business.

Basheer also sought steps to rehabilitate the workers in the field.

However, Ramesh Chennithalal said that the demand was impractical considering the unique social and commercial scenario of the state.      

The high court had asked the government to think of discontinuing toddy business in the State to save the poor from the evils of alcohol and to prevent camouflaged sale of arrack and spurious liquor in the name of toddy.

A Division Bench, comprising Justice C.N. Ramachandran Nair and Justice Bhabani Prasad Ray, said that as prohibition was a matter of government policy, the State government should take note of the views of the court and take a decision to be implemented at least from the next financial year.

Muslim League for toddy ban, Congress says impractical

Thiruvananthapuram: Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) Kerala chapter Saturday sought a ban on the toddy business in the State while KPCC president termed the demand impractical.

Muslim League leader E T Muhammad Basheer said that the government should take the observation of the high court in regard of toddy-ban seriously. In the party workers’ meeting held her, Basheer asserted that the party’s aim was a complete ban on the toddy business.

Basheer also sought steps to rehabilitate the workers in the field.

However, Ramesh Chennithalal said that the demand was impractical considering the unique social and commercial scenario of the state.      

The high court had asked the government to think of discontinuing toddy business in the State to save the poor from the evils of alcohol and to prevent camouflaged sale of arrack and spurious liquor in the name of toddy.

A Division Bench, comprising Justice C.N. Ramachandran Nair and Justice Bhabani Prasad Ray, said that as prohibition was a matter of government policy, the State government should take note of the views of the court and take a decision to be implemented at least from the next financial year.

Ban on toddy business not practical: Minister

Thiruvananthapuram:  Excise Minister K. Babu said here on Sunday that it was not practical to impose a ban on toddy business.

Talking to reporters here, he also said that a complete ban on toddy business was the opinion of the Muslim League and not of the Congress.

A court has no right to decide what a person should drink.  The government’s policy is to protect the toddy business, he said.  

At a high level meeting of the IUML held here Saturday the party concluded that toddy should be banned and the state should in a phased manner go for a total prohibition.

The Kerala High Court recently had asked the state government to take steps to end the sale of toddy.

Ban on toddy business not practical: Minister

Thiruvananthapuram:  Excise Minister K. Babu said here on Sunday that it was not practical to impose a ban on toddy business.

Talking to reporters here, he also said that a complete ban on toddy business was the opinion of the Muslim League and not of the Congress.

A court has no right to decide what a person should drink.  The government’s policy is to protect the toddy business, he said.  

At a high level meeting of the IUML held here Saturday the party concluded that toddy should be banned and the state should in a phased manner go for a total prohibition.

The Kerala High Court recently had asked the state government to take steps to end the sale of toddy.

Krishna to meet Clinton tomorrow, Visa fee on agenda

New Delhi:  The issue of US visa fee hike, which has hurt several Indian IT firms, is expected to come up for discussion when External Affairs Minister S M Krishna meets US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton here tomorrow on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session.

India has "consistently" taken up the issue of the visa fee hike with the US and the issue will figure in talks between Krishna and Clinton, official sources told PTI here.

The US had raised visa fee in 2010 to fund its enhanced costs on securing border with Mexico under the Border Security Act.

Some of the top Indian companies- TCS, Infosys, Wipro and Mahindra Satyam- were affected by the US action and India is expected to soon seek consultations with the US at the World Trade Organization (WTO) on the issue.

The sources said that young Indian professionals working in the US have been the "cornerstone" of India-US relations and are a pillar in the improved bilateral relations that has brought the two countries closer.

Hiking visa fees or limiting the number of work visas available to Indian companies is tantamount to "undermining that pillar and growth in India-US relations," they added.

"Raising visa fees and putting other barriers is not in consonance with the forward thinking of growing bilateral ties," the sources said.

This will be the third bilateral meeting between Krishna and Clinton this year. They had previously met in India in April and again in June in Washington.

The sources said that the two countries have a fairly elaborate agenda and the visa issue is one of the issues in a broader relationship. Krishna will also address the 67th session of the UN General Assembly tomorrow.

He would also participate in a meeting to commemorate 15 years of the convention against chemical weapons and the informal meeting of the SAARC Foreign Ministers on October 2.

PTI

Krishna to meet Clinton tomorrow, Visa fee on agenda

New Delhi:  The issue of US visa fee hike, which has hurt several Indian IT firms, is expected to come up for discussion when External Affairs Minister S M Krishna meets US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton here tomorrow on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session.

India has "consistently" taken up the issue of the visa fee hike with the US and the issue will figure in talks between Krishna and Clinton, official sources told PTI here.

The US had raised visa fee in 2010 to fund its enhanced costs on securing border with Mexico under the Border Security Act.

Some of the top Indian companies- TCS, Infosys, Wipro and Mahindra Satyam- were affected by the US action and India is expected to soon seek consultations with the US at the World Trade Organization (WTO) on the issue.

The sources said that young Indian professionals working in the US have been the "cornerstone" of India-US relations and are a pillar in the improved bilateral relations that has brought the two countries closer.

Hiking visa fees or limiting the number of work visas available to Indian companies is tantamount to "undermining that pillar and growth in India-US relations," they added.

"Raising visa fees and putting other barriers is not in consonance with the forward thinking of growing bilateral ties," the sources said.

This will be the third bilateral meeting between Krishna and Clinton this year. They had previously met in India in April and again in June in Washington.

The sources said that the two countries have a fairly elaborate agenda and the visa issue is one of the issues in a broader relationship. Krishna will also address the 67th session of the UN General Assembly tomorrow.

He would also participate in a meeting to commemorate 15 years of the convention against chemical weapons and the informal meeting of the SAARC Foreign Ministers on October 2.

PTI