Abstracts of reports, editorials and opinion articles published in the press (English and Urdu) from India and Pakistan including Hindu, Indian Express, Hindustan Times, Times of India, Pioneer, Tribune, Daily Excelsior, Greater Kashmir, Kashmir Times, Dawn, News, Nation, Daily Times, Statesman and The Frontier Post. UPDATED DAILY http://www.ipcs.org The United States intends to build a big new prison at its main military base in Afghanistan, a shift from earlier aims to transfer most detainees to Afghan custody, The New York Times reported.U.S. o SouthAsia_news.jsp?action=showView&keyWords=AFGHANISTAN 17 May 2008 Foreign intelligence agents are leading secret, deadly raids on suspected insurgents in Afghanistan and shirking responsibility when innocent civilians are killed, a U.N. official alleged Thursday.Phi SouthAsia_news.jsp?action=showView&keyWords=AFGHANISTAN 16 May 2008 At least 150 militants have been killed by Afghan and foreign troops in southern Afghanistan.A provincial governor has revealed the operations took place in Garmser district of Helmand province, a kno SouthAsia_news.jsp?action=showView&keyWords=AFGHANISTAN 13 May 2008 Up to 6,000 people have fled their homes in a southern Afghanistan district fearing NATO strikes amid a large-scale operation against Taliban militants, an official said.Around 900 families, counting SouthAsia_news.jsp?action=showView&keyWords=AFGHANISTAN 13 May 2008 Pro-Taleban fighters in Pakistan have brought back the bodies of at least nine comrades killed in Afghanistan, officials and witnesses say.Officials in South Waziristan tribal district quote militants SouthAsia_news.jsp?action=showView&keyWords=AFGHANISTAN 12 May 2008 Bangladesh requested Burmese government to receive international aid for the cyclone victims and allow unimpeded entry of aid workers to that country.Bangladesh Foreign Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhur SouthAsia_news.jsp?action=showView&keyWords=BANGLADESH 16 May 2008 A Bangladesh court has issued arrest warrants for six former Cabinet ministers, including the chief of the country's largest Islamist party, on charges of corruption.Jamaat-e-Islami leader Moulana Mat SouthAsia_news.jsp?action=showView&keyWords=BANGLADESH 16 May 2008 Journalists in Bangladesh have called on the country's interim government to withdraw a state of emergency order to ensure greater press freedom.In a statement this week, representatives from several SouthAsia_news.jsp?action=showView&keyWords=BANGLADESH 15 May 2008 Bangladesh Foreign Affairs Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury strongly condemned the bomb explosions in India's Jaipur.He said that it was a mindless and shameful act that deserves condemnation in the s SouthAsia_news.jsp?action=showView&keyWords=BANGLADESH 15 May 2008 A ferry boat in Bangladesh capsized during stormy weather late Monday, leaving at least 41 people dead and dozens missing.The boat overturned in the Ghorautra River in the Kishoreganj district about 1 SouthAsia_news.jsp?action=showView&keyWords=BANGLADESH 14 May 2008 Addressing the joint session of the newly elected Bhutanese parliament today in Thimphu the prime minister of India, Dr Manmohan Singh, committed Nu 100 billion for Bhutan's 10th Five Year Plan.Our bi SouthAsia_news.jsp?action=showView&keyWords=BHUTAN 17 May 2008 Since the foreign direct investment (FDI) policy became operational on July 1, 2005, eleven projects worth US$ 57.595 million (Nu 2,298.41 million), mostly in the manufacturing sector, have been appro SouthAsia_news.jsp?action=showView&keyWords=BHUTAN 5 May 2008 The government of India has lifted the March 17 ban on the import of rice by Bhutan with immediate effect.This special gesture is being considered only to Bhutan, in view of the cordial relations betw SouthAsia_news.jsp?action=showView&keyWords=BHUTAN 22 April 2008 The government of India has lifted the ban on import of popular rice brands like BN20, Basmati, and Boiled rice to Bhutan with immediate effect. This special gesture is being considered only to Bhutan SouthAsia_news.jsp?action=showView&keyWords=BHUTAN 18 April 2008 The government of India has lifted the ban on import of popular rice brands like BN20, Basmati, and Boiled rice to Bhutan with immediate effect.This special gesture is being considered only to Bhutan SouthAsia_news.jsp?action=showView&keyWords=BHUTAN 17 April 2008 The first full convictions for terrorism were handed down on Thursday over October's mosque siege on Alif Alif Himandhoo, with five men �?? including Abdullah Ali Manik, believed to be a key member of SouthAsia_news.jsp?action=showView&keyWords=MALDIVES 15 May 2008 The leader of the religious Adhaalath party scholars'council has said he advocates the death penalty for those who convert from Islam to another religion, as well as amputation of hands for certain ty SouthAsia_news.jsp?action=showView&keyWords=MALDIVES 13 May 2008 An officer in the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) who is on trial for child sex abuse allegedly threatened a Minivan Daily journalist on Tuesday with a '25-year jail sentence'should he publish SouthAsia_news.jsp?action=showView&keyWords=MALDIVES 7 May 2008 A hunger strike in Maafushi, the country's largest jail, reached its third full day on Monday, with little information emerging from the high security Unit 2 where the strike is in progress.But inmate SouthAsia_news.jsp?action=showView&keyWords=MALDIVES 5 May 2008 As the Civil Service Act comes into effect on May 1, 27,089 civil servants will become independent from government.Responsibility for their employment will be transferred from the public service divis SouthAsia_news.jsp?action=showView&keyWords=MALDIVES 1 May 2008 Maoist chairman Prachanda today said there is a possibility of counter-revolution in the country because of growing differences among the parties.Alluding to the recent reactions of Nepali Congress an SouthAsia_news.jsp?action=showView&keyWords=NEPAL 17 May 2008 Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has said the government will not tolerate any kind of forceful activity against the media sector.He said the press people have been facing difficulties because of SouthAsia_news.jsp?action=showView&keyWords=NEPAL 17 May 2008 Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has said the government will not tolerate any kind of forceful activity against the media sector.He said the press people have been facing difficulties because of SouthAsia_news.jsp?action=showView&keyWords=NEPAL 17 May 2008 Following what they call as successful conclusion of talks with the government, the agitating transport entrepreneurs have withdrawn their indefinite strike, which has affected transport movement in f SouthAsia_news.jsp?action=showView&keyWords=NEPAL 16 May 2008 The leadership dispute in the CPN-UML has finally ended with the ongoing meeting of the central committee appointing Jhal Nath Khanal as the new general secretary.The central committee, Thursday, appr SouthAsia_news.jsp?action=showView&keyWords=NEPAL 15 May 2008 Ten people including seven police personnel were killed and over 95 others injured as a LTTE suicide bomber on a motorcycle laden with explosives rammed into a bus carrying Police officers around 12.0 SouthAsia_news.jsp?action=showView&keyWords=SRILANKA 17 May 2008 Eight Police personnel were killed and over 90 casualties reported, following the LTTE suicide bomb attack near Lake House at around 12noon, today (May 16). Many civilians are also said to be among t SouthAsia_news.jsp?action=showView&keyWords=SRILANKA 16 May 2008 The LTTE will be banned for another two years until May 14, 2010, the Indian government announced.An array of Tamil Nadu politicians, some who are partners of India's ruling coalition has been bringin SouthAsia_news.jsp?action=showView&keyWords=SRILANKA 16 May 2008 If Sri Lanka failed in the war against the LTTE, the world will fail in its fight against terrorism and democracy will be the victim, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said on Tuesday.Calling the LTTE the m SouthAsia_news.jsp?action=showView&keyWords=SRILANKA 15 May 2008 The LTTE has once again intensified its forcible recruitment drive this time depriving the education rights of those who sat for the Ordinary Level exam, Military Spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara SouthAsia_news.jsp?action=showView&keyWords=SRILANKA 15 May 2008