Sweden allows same-sex marriage

Sweden will allow gay couples to be legally married from next month.

Parliament voted overwhelmingly on Wednesday to recognise same-sex marriage, becoming the fifth country in Europe to do so.
Sweden was one of the first countries to give gay couples legal "partnership" rights, in the mid-1990s, and allowed them to adopt children from 2002.
The new law lets homosexuals wed in either a civil or religious ceremony, though individual churches can opt out.
The law was passed by 226 votes to 22 and will come into force on 1 May.
COUNTRIES WITH LEGAL GAY MARRIAGE
Netherlands, 2000
Belgium, 2003
Spain, 2005
Canada, 2005
South Africa, 2006
Norway, 2008
Sweden, 2009
These are the years that legislation was passed by parliament
"The decision means that gender no longer has an impact on the ability to marry and that the law on registered partnership is repealed," the government said on its website.
Six of the seven parties in parliament backed the bill, while the Christian Democrats, one of four parties in the governing coalition, refused.
The Lutheran Church, the largest church in Sweden, has offered to bless gay partnerships since January 2007, but has still not given formal backing to the term "marriage", and will allow individual pastors to refuse to carry out gay weddings.
Sweden has become the fifth European country, after the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain and Norway, to recognise same-sex marriage.
Elsewhere, Canada and South Africa have also passed such legislation, as have some US states and local authorities in other countries.

Franco-German alliance growls

It's stuttered and it's stalled over the last few years, but in London the European engine roared back into life. I am talking about the Franco-German motor, which is said to be the engine of the European Union.
The president of France and chancellor of Germany gave an extraordinarily hard-headed joint news conference, delivering the message that the G20 must enforce a profound change to the world's economic system and do it now. Even the often diffident Mrs Merkel sounded passionate, as well as very firm. Given the pair don't like each other, and have often differed on policy, what is this all about?
Both have headaches at home and want to be seen back at home as central players in this grand meeting. Mr Sarkozy is deeply unpopular: a recent opinion poll indicated 59% of the French think he has mishandled the crisis. Mrs Merkel has an election this year, and must make herself stand out from her Social Democrat partners in government.
So they are delivering a message to London and Washington that will be popular in France and Germany. There is a widespread feeling that this crisis was created by a financial system that gave priority to vast profits and the acceptance of immense borrowing of money as a way of life. And that it was clearly marked "made in the USA". But this intercontinental financial missile has devastated their towns and cities and they want economic arms talks right now.
It is just a fact that the Germans and French do not rely on credit in the way we Anglo-Saxons do. Time and time again in Germany I have met bosses of middle-sized businesses who tell me they invest most of their profit, rather than go to the banks. Many people in both countries are in no doubt that in America and the UK fecklessness was not just for the filthy rich, but had become a way of life for all of us.
Depending on your level of cynicism Sarkozy and Merkel are either playing to the gallery or faithfully reflecting a public mood in their nations. They also believe that to do business with even a spanking new America you have to be tough. As one French politician said to me recently (I paraphrase): "Why perform the same role as you British? You say you want to be close to them to influence their policy, and we know that doesn't work".
But I imagine Mrs Merkel will be reflecting long and hard on one part of President Obama's meaty news conference. He said that the world could no longer rely on voracious consumption from America. So countries that lived by exports alone had to think again. The German chancellor has already made it clear that she couldn't transfigure Germany's export-led economy, even if she wanted to do so. Even if there was a successful attempt to stimulate the cautious German consumer into buying more it couldn't take up even a small part of the slack anyhow. I guess that means Germans will have to get used to being that much poorer in the future, or hope new markets blossom.
Merkel and Sarkozy won the argument in Europe against a grand new plan to pump money into the world economy at the last EU summit, when Gordon Brown didn't stand up to them. It seems, and I could yet be proved wrong, that the Americans accept that victory days ago. Whether the newly dynamic duo will win the battle for new rules and regulations we will know by tonight. It will probably take years to know whether their argument is bang on the nail or hopelessly out of touch with economic reality.

Inmates at Afghan prison can challenge detention

WASHINGTON: A federal judge on Thursday ruled that some inmates held at a US military base in Afghanistan have the legal right to challenge their detention in US courts, just as detainees do at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Although the Supreme Court has ruled that detainees at the US naval base in Cuba have the right to challenge their detention, the government had argued that inmates held at the US air base in Bagram, Afghanistan did not have such a constitutional right.Judge John Bates, however, ruled the Bagram detainees faced essentially the same situation as the Guantanamo detainees, being held indefinitely without due process."Bagram detainees who are not Afghan citizens, who were not captured in Afghanistan, and who have been held for an unreasonable amount of time" may invoke the right to habeas corpus, Bates wrote, referring to the legal right dating back centuries. If it stands, the ruling could have far-reaching implications for how the US government handles terror suspects and for its operations at Bagram, where about 600 detainees are held. Barbara Olshansky, a Stanford University professor who represents about 20 detainees at Bagram, told media she felt certain that the ruling would extend to all the detainees at the US base in Afghanistan.

12 SHOs reshuffled in Karachi

KARACHI: Twelve Station House Officers (SHOs) have been reshuffled in the provincial capital on Thursday.Karachi Police chief Wasim Ahmed told Geo News that it was a routine reshuffle.He said inspector Muhammad Nadeem has been positioned as SHO Liaqatabad, Inspector Ashraf Shah as SHO Federal B. Industrial Area; Inspector Nasir Lodhi has been re-designated as SHO Minghopir, Inspector Agha Asad Allah as SHO Steel Town, Inspector Nasir-ul-Hassan as Sohrab Goth, Inspector Khalid Javed as SHO Shahrah-e-Faisal, Inspector Zafar Iqbal as SHO Kokalri and others.Orders of reshuffle through official notification have been issued to concerned police stations.

Jobless man kills spouse, hangs himself in Hyderabad

HYDERABAD: A 30-year-old man, sick of unemployment, committed suicide by hanging himself after killing his spouse in Latifabad area here on Thursday, police sources said.According to police sources, Imtiaz was a resident of Latifabad unit number 11 who rented a house in Dastagir Colony two months ago and would deal in scrap business.The man was leading hand to mouth life for several months and was unable to meet his wife’s needs, police sources said.Police found a letter from his house whereby he admitted that he had killed his wife and committed suicide due to joblessness, sources added.

One killed, 7 injured in Karachi violence

KARACHI: One man was killed and seven injured as two rival groups clashed in Gulistan-e-Johar, an area of metropolis on Thursday. Meanwhile, heavy troops of rangers and police have been deployed here after the incident, police sources said.According to police sources, two rival groups exchanged fire over a row of claiming extortion money in Phelwan Goth area. As a result, Syed Kamal (24) was killed and his death sparked violence as people gathered and set tires on fire on the streets. Later in a meanwhile, unknown gunmen opened fire at people protecting over the death of Kamal leaving seven more people injured.Injured were rushed to hospital for medical attainment and police, rangers troops were deployed following the incident, however, no arrest was made, sources claimed.

NA produces 48pc results in maiden parliamentary year: report

Updated at: 0727 PST, Friday, April 03, 2009 ISLAMABAD: Inter-Parliamentary Union has said in its report following the international rules and regulations that the Pakistan’s National Assembly has managed to produce 48 percent results in its maiden parliamentary year.Many people including parliamentarians contributed in research as respondents. The report has recommended more authorities for parliament to make it rather result-oriented. The recommendations included the authority of appointment and dismissal of Chief Justice, Chairman NAB, Chairman Public Service Commission and other high ranked positions.It said that independent research service should be setup and experts and analysts should be in committees for proposal in legislative matters.Formation of foreign policy got NA 37 numbers, self-accountability got NA 42 number, and the ability of legislation bagged NA 53 numbers, report concluded.

Zulfiqar’s security squad meets accident, 1 guard killed

DADU: One police guard, deployed in security squad of Sindh Home Minister Dr. Zulfiqar Mirza, was killed and five others critically injured as a police mobile van overturned due to over speed here on Thursday.According to sources, Minister was heading to Garhi Khuda Buksh from Dadu district for attending death anniversary of ZAB to be held on April 4. When his caravan reached near Mehar, his security squad’s police mobile vehicle overturned due to rash driving.As a result, police guard Saleem Pathan died on the spot while five police personnel were injured whom police shifted to hospital

Miandad, Intikhab to be removed from PCB Governing Board

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Javed Miandad and Coach Intikhab Alam will be removed from governing body of PCB, board sources said.According to PCB sources, a member of PCB’s governing board has written a letter to Chairman PCB Ejaz Butt asserting that Javed Miandad and Intikhab Alam are salaried employees of PCB therefore two separate persons must be appointed in PCB replacing Coach and DG.There is room for appointment of 15 members in PCB’s governing board while currently only 10 members holding positions including Chairman himself, sources added.The Patron PCB President Asif Ali Zardari has not appointed members on for five removed members PCB governing board namely Ali Raza, Aslam Sinjrani, Muneer Hafees, Farooq Rehmatullah and Justice Ejaz Yousuf, sources

Bull run gains momentum; KSE up 259 points

KARACHI: Bull-run gained momentum at Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) on Thursday, contributing 259 points to the benchmark KSE-100 which closed at 7,191.The market began upbeat where investors remained active throughout the session, taking fresh positions across the board. Energy and banking sectors particularly attracted the investors.At the end the major Index closed just below the level of 7200 points for the first time since December 2008 with market turnover recorded at 290 million shares.TRG Pakistan drew maximum activity which was stronger by paisas 25 to close at Rs1.60.KSE-30 Index surged by 342 points to finish at 7803

Manika says enjoy support of 51pc members PML-Q in PA

LAHORE: Ata Muhammad Manika, the chief of forward block of Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q) in Punjab Assembly, has said on Thursday that we have successfully gained all out support of 51 members of Q-league in Punjab Assembly and revealed, “We are the actual PML-Q”.He was talking to media after he held meeting with Chief Minister Punjab Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif here.He said we have no demands and we have yet to decide our Parliamentary leader.“We will support N-league”, he asserted saying, “45 members provincial assembly have spoken their majority during meeting CM Punjab today”.He predicted we will file plea to get ourselves declared as Parliamentary party of Q-league.

Pranab rules out becoming PM

NEW DELHI: Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said on Thursday that he could not become the Prime Minister of India since he neither possessed good command over the Hindi language nor hailed from northern states of world’s largest democracy.Pranab said in a TV interview that he hailed from a state where leftists enjoyed majority. He praised Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for his intelligence and grasp of the issues and said Singh had full support of Sonia Gandhi and the party.

No possibility of international cricket’s immediate return to Pakistan: ICC

DUBAI: High officials of the ICC said that the international cricket is not likely to be restored in Pakistan at the moment and Pakistan have to improve their security arrangements.Talking with media in Wellington, ICC President David Morgan ruled out the possibility of international cricket's immediate return to Pakistan but insisted that the trouble-torn country should not be isolated.In the wake of the March 3 attack on the Sri Lankan cricketers in Lahore, Morgan dismissed the possibility of any international assignments in Pakistan."The events in Lahore were absolutely dreadful for the people and cricketers of Pakistan. Quite clearly Pakistan is not a country where we can send cricket teams and officials in the immediate future," Morgan said."There needs to be a significant change there in the level of safety and security before we consider it," he added.At the same time, Morgan urged all other countries to host Pakistan or play in neutral venue to ensure the strife-torn nation is not isolated in international cricket."But Pakistan is an extremely important member of the ICC. It has produced some of the world’s greatest cricketers and still has a very strong cricket team. The ICC policy is that Pakistan must not be isolated.ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat said that he is hopeful that international cricket would be restored but we have to wait for this and focus on security related matters.

Dialogue continues with nationalists to resolve issues: Raisani

QUETTA: The Chief Minister of Balochistan, Nawab Muhammad Aslam Raisani said on Thursday that the provincial government was committed to engaging nationalists so as to address their problems through a dialogue process.Talking to journalists in his chamber after Balochistan Assembly session, the chief minister said the reinstatement of Shahbaz Sharif government in Punjab helped resolve the political imbroglio and remove atmosphere of uncertainty.He directed the concerned officials of all law enforcement agencies to put the security on high alert and ensure protection to life and property of the people across the province. Raisani said that a delegation of the United Nations met him today and discussed steps the provincial government had taken for safe recovery of abducted UNHCR official, John Solecki.Balochistan CM said that Pakistan Steel Mills has not been procuring Balochistan’s raw iron and coal since long and he intends to talk to President Asif Ali Zardari in this regard soon. Raisani said relief package worth Rs. 2.3 billion has so far been distributed among Balochistan earthquake affectees.

G-20 aims to raise $1.1 trillion for WB, IMF

LONDON: World leaders are looking to raise up to 1.1 trillion dollars in new financing for the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, diplomats said Thursday.Group of 20 leaders want the extra cash to boost liquidity and help embattled countries -- particularly in crisis-hit eastern Europe -- through the global recession.The British government's Secretary to the Treasury Stephen Timms said the G20 would ramp up IMF funds to about 750 billion dollars.Questioned by reporters about whether resources would be trebled from the current 250 billion dollars, he replied that he would "certainly expect it to be in that area.""The crucial thing... is to help the emerging economies get the benefit of growth because they have been responsible for such a large share of growth in the world economy over the last decade," Timms added.By late Wednesday, around 260 billion dollars had been pledged by G20 countries for the IMF to help countries stricken by the economic crisis, according to the source.Canada (10 billion dollars), the European Union (100 billion dollars), Japan (100 billion dollars) and Norway have signalled that they would pledge extra cash through bilateral agreements that could boost the IMF's current lending capacity of 250 billion dollars, the official said.The G20 also aims to boost World Bank funding, partly by asking members to fund a total 100 billion dollars a year over three years.Earlier this month, the United States suggested that IMF lending should be trebled to 750 billion dollars.Britain's International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander said the global financial crisis was forcing more cash-strapped countries to ask for emergency IMF funds."Traditionally, IMF resources have often been required in circumstances where national economies have got into classic balance of payments difficulties," Alexander said at a press briefing."What we are now experiencing are countries who are obliged to consider approaching the IMF not because of decisions that have been reached domestically, but because of the impact of the global crisis."Alexander added that G20 leaders would consider reform of the IMF in terms of conditions attached to getting funds, as well as the level of cash available.Romania, Hungary, Iceland, Latvia, Serbia and Ukraine in Europe and Pakistan, Mexico and others elsewhere have sought emergency IMF cash in recent weeks."With the expected calls on IMF resources in eastern Europe, the present level of resourcing for the IMF -- about 250 billion dollars -- is broadly judged not to be adequate," British minister Timms said.That was why G20 finance ministers had last month anticipated that IMF funding would double to some 500 billion dollars, Alexander added.

Special committee will be formed for textile sector: Tareen

ISLAMABAD: A special committee would be established to review problems of textile sector and to enhance its performance.Finance advisor Shaukat Tareen stated this in a high level meeting about textile sector. He said exploring new markets for textile products is necessary and more textile cities are needed across the country.The meeting reviewed problems facing by textile sector, impact of power crisis and profit margin.

G20 summit begins amid protests

LONDON: The G20 summit has opened to discuss the global economy amid protests.Police were out in force as leaders of theG20 financial powers met to discuss the global economy, after sometimes violent clashes a day earlier during which one man collapsed and died and police made 86 arrests. Security was tight at the summit venue, the ExCel Center in east London's Docklands area. Police manned barriers and checkpoints around the security perimeter, and were turning away anyone without accreditation within a half-mile (800 meter) radius. There were no signs of protests as delegates arrived Thursday morning. About a hundred police officers guarded the London Stock Exchange near St. Paul's Cathedral in the financial district, watching a smaller group of protesters who entertained journalists and photographers by playing a giant Monopoly game.Some 4,000 anarchists, anti-capitalists, environmentalists andothers clogged London's financial center near the Bank of England on Wednesday for what demonstrators had branded ``Financial Fool's Day.'' Metropolitan police said arrests up to 3 a.m. Thursday included16 for violent disorder, 11 for possessing police uniforms, and 13for public order offenses. One man in the crowd of demonstrators collapsed and later died at a hospital. He was not immediately identified.

Suicide attack thwarted in Malakand

MALAKAND: Locals in Dargai area of Malakand Agency have thwarted a suicide attack during funeral prayers of SHO shot dead in Sharengal area of upper Dir on Wednesday. According to sources, namaz-i-janaza of slain SHO Qadir Fateh Rehman was underway in Dargai when locals pointed out two suspects and tried to nab them. One of them shot himself while another managed to escape. A hand grenade and a bag were found near the body of the suspect bomber. Levies Force have cordoned off the area and called bomb disposal squad for checking of bag.

Govt to issue 100 licenses for oil, gas exploration

ISLAMABAD: The government on Thursday announced new petroleum policy for the year 2009.Addressing a press conference here, Advisor to Prime Minister for Petroleum & Natural Resources, Dr. Asim Husain said that over 100 licennses would be issued for oil and gas exploration in the country. He said the new liberal policy will attract local and foreign investors and the government will provide them with all facilities in this regard.Dr. Asim said the policy aims at enhancing Pakistan’s energy security and meeting country’s requirements for a period of three to four years. He said the country is producing 67000 barrels of oil per day. The advisor further said that 40 percent income tax would be levied on oil and gas sector.