80 killed in latest Syrian violence: Activists

At least 80 people were killed Thursday in the latest government blitz on the besieged Syrian city of Homs, activists said, adding that some of the victims were burned beyond recognition. "Twenty three people have died in the shelling that began at dawn on the Baba Amr neighbourhood and one died in Khaldiyeh," said Rami Abdel Rahman of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. "The bodies of several of the victims in Baba Amr were completely charred," said the head of the Britain-based group. Abdel Rahman said the government assault on the central city, which began on Saturday, has left more than 400 people dead. Ali Hazuri, a doctor in Baba Amr reached by telephone from Beirut, said the shelling had eased overnight but resumed at daybreak on Thursday. "The shells are raining down on us and regime forces are using heavy artillery," he said. Omar Shaker, an activist in Baba Amr also reached by phone, added that residents of the neighbourhood were hiding on the ground floor of buildings as there were no underground shelters. "When you venture outside, you can see craters every 10 meters (yards)," he said.

Taliban Rejects USA’s Request For Ceasefire In Afghanistan

Recently the Taliban have established their office in Qatar in order to negotiate on Afghanistan Issue. Perhaps, the office came into existence after USA’s request to Taliban leaders as America is worried due to his fiasco on Afghan’s soil and it is seeking a secured way in order to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan. It is said that America is a Super Power country but on the other hand, the Afghan Taliban have crushed all its power and now US-led forces are in a hurry to exit from Afghanistan as soon as possible. It is amazing that US government that previously was threatening the Taliban that USA and its allies would obliterate them from Afghanistan, is now requesting the Taliban for ceasefire. On the other hand, the Taliban have always been enthusiastic to fight against US-led forces and they have rejected USA’s request of ceasefire which is shameful for USA. It is said that think twice before you speak but America perhaps has no mind to think and it always wants to show itself off as if it is the only country that has rights to rule over all other countries and surely its ego will push USA into darkness once and then there would be no way to return!

40 foot-long whale shark (zaviews MEDIA GALLERY)

40-feet long dead shark found at Karachi, Pakistan sea shore

According to media source, a 40-feet long dead shark have found at Karachi beach. A fisherman brought this shark to Arabian Sea in Karachi, Pakistan. The length of the fish is approximately 40 feet long and its weight is 50 ton. Two cranes failed to pull out the shark and were sent back as at least three more cranes were required to carry out the task. Thousands of people came to see this big shark. The female fish weighs around 7,000 kilos, according to experts. The whale shark was taken out of the channel with the help of two cranes amid rapturous applause by hundreds of onlookers. “I have bought the fish, which usually has no significant commercial value, with the help of my friends just to appreciate the efforts of the fishermen who deserve some reward after spending an entire day in the open sea,” said Haji Qasim, who said he bought the fish for Rs200,000. The largest specimen so far recorded in the world was caught, off Baba Island, on Nov 11, 1947. It was 12.65 metres (41.50ft) long, weighed more than 21.5 tonnes and had a girth of seven metres, according to experts. 

'Grossman met Taliban leaders in Qatar'

Marc Grossman met the Taliban as part of US efforts to bring the group to the negotiating table, the senior Afghan official said on Wednesday. The talks between the Taliban and Marc Grossman came in late January, after he met Afghan President Hamid Karzai in Kabul, the official said, asking to remain anonymous because of the sensitivity of the issue. Grossman, President Barack Obama s chief envoy for war-torn Afghanistan and neighbouring Pakistan, later briefed Karzai about his talks with Taliban representatives during a visit by the Afghan leader to Italy. "I can confirm that Mr Grossman met with the Taliban representatives in Qatar. When the president (Karzai) was in Rome, he came over to his residence and briefed him about his meetings with the Taliban," the official said. The US, which heads a 130,000-strong force fighting a Taliban insurgency against Karzai s government, has made tentative moves towards talks with the hardline Islamists in Qatar, where they plan to open an office. Karzai, rejected by the Taliban as a "puppet", has said publicly that he supports the plan, but was widely reported to be concerned that he would be sidelined in the Taliban s talks with the US. Washington dispatched Grossman to Kabul last month to assure the Afghan president of a leading role once the talks get under way. The official told AFP that during his visit to Kabul Grossman met Karzai twice and "a number of agreements were made over a number of issues concerning Taliban talks". He refused to give details but said: "Our stance is unchanged: the president wants the talks to be Afghan-led and Afghan owned."-

Ex-leader's supporters seize some Maldives posts

The violence occurred Wednesday after the new president appealed for an end to the political turmoil roiling this Indian Ocean nation. Residents told local reporters that as many as 10 police stations on small islands may have been seized. The Maldives is made up of nearly 1,200 scattered islands, some of which have just a few hundred residents. Former leader Mohamed Nasheed resigned Tuesday and later said he was forced out in a coup at gunpoint.