Briefly World

Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardaris key power to appoint the three service chiefs are to be taken away from him and vested with the Prime Minister...

Zardaris power to appoint Army Chief curtailed: Report

Islamabad: Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardaris key power to appoint the three service chiefs are to be taken away from him and vested with the Prime Minister,a Dawn News report has stated. The Constitutional Reform Committee has transferred the authority to appoint service chiefs from the President to the Prime Minister in a move to clip the powers of the President,it said. The report said the decision was unanimously agreed upon by all the major political parties.

Hakimullah injured in US drone attack

Islamabad: Pakistani Taliban chief Hakimullah Mehsud received splinter injuries to his head and back in the US missile strike in Pakistans Waziristan that killed at least 15 militants,according to intelligence officials. Hakimullah was injured in Thursdays US missile strike at Basalkot in Shaktoi area,which straddles North and South Waziristan,Dawn News reported,citing intelligence and other security officials.

Ring of fire eclipse millenniums longest

SINGAPORE: The longest,ring-like solar eclipse of the millennium started on Friday,with astronomers saying the Maldives was the best place to view the phenomenon that will not happen again for over 1,000 years. US space agency NASA said on its website the eclipse was annular,meaning the moon will block most of the suns middle,but not its edges,causing it to look like a ring. This blockage lasted for 11 minutes,8 seconds,a duration NASA said would not be exceeded until December 23,3043.

Six Qaeda militants killed in Yemen

SANAA: Six al-Qaeda militants were killed in an air strike in northern Yemen on Friday in a stepped-up campaign by the Yemeni government against the Islamist militant group. Two cars carrying eight dangerous al Qaeda members were hit in an area between Saada and al-Jouf, a Yemeni security official said. Two may have survived and escaped. The group included Qassem al-Remi,Ayed al-Shabwani,Ammar al-Waeli,and Saleh al-Teys, he said.

Moscow highway billboard airs porn

Moscow: Drivers in downtown Moscow were squinting in disbelief as an electronic highway billboard blazed a two-minute pornographic video in place of the regular advertising clips. Late-night traffic on one of the Russian capitals busiest roads slowed on Thursday as a couples explicit escapades appeared across the 9-by-6-metre display. The screens owner,3 Stars advertising agency,has said that a hacker attack is likely to blame.