Colombo, Jun 7 - Since a solution to Sri Lanka's ethnic Tamil issue "cannot be imported", all political parties must join hands to find an all-inclusive settlement, President Mahinda Rajapaksa told visiting BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad, here today. "We cannot import a solution and it cannot be a Rajapaksa-Sampanthan (main Tamil party leader) agreement," Rajapaksa was quoted as telling Prasad.

Washington, Jun 7 - The Obama Administration today defended its move to secretly gather online telephone records of millions of Americans, saying it was done as part of effort to protect the nation from terrorist threat. "The information acquired has been part of an overall strategy to protect the United States from terrorist threats," National Intelligence Director James R Clapper said today.

Washington, Jun 7 - Secretary of State John Kerry quietly acted last month to give Egypt $1.3 billion in US military aid, deciding that this was in the national interest despite Egypt’s failure to meet democracy standards. Kerry made the decision well before an Egyptian court this week convicted 43 democracy workers, including 16 Americans, in what the United States regards as a politically motivated case against pro-democracy non-governmental organizations.

Colombo, Jun 6 - Sri Lanka's cabinet today deferred its plan to introduce a controversial bill aimed at diluting powers of provincial councils including in the Tamil-dominated north, a move that has raised concerns in India. "Parties have been given a week's time to present their concerns", Keheliya Rambukwella, the minister of information and government spokesman said.

Islamabad, Jun 6 - Pakistan today refuted India's assertion that the ISI was trying to revive militancy in Punjab saying such statements could hit efforts to normalise bilateral relations. Reacting to Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde's statement blaming Pakistan's spy agency ISI for stoking militancy in Punjab Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry said such statements were uncalled for and counter-productive.

Islamabad, Jun 6 - Unveiling Pakistan's foreign policy roadmap, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today vowed to "progressively pursue" normalcy in ties with India while actively seeking solutions to outstanding issues, including Kashmir. Listing his government's foreign policy priorities a day after assuming office, Sharif in a message sent to the heads of all Pakistani missions, said neighbours will be the focus of "immediate attention".

Islamabad, Jun 6 - A Pakistani court today allowed the trial of former military ruler Pervez Musharraf for sacking and detaining dozens of judges in 2007 to be conducted at his farmhouse that has been declared a "sib-jail". The Islamabad High Court said anti-terrorism court Judge Kausar Abbas Zaidi could conduct 69-year-old Musharraf's trial at his farmhouse in the suburb of Chak Shahzad.

Dhaka, Jun 5 - A special Bangladeshi tribunal today wrapped up the high-profile trial of top fundamentalist Jamaat-e-Islami leader and former minister Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed, a key accused in the 1971 war crimes case. "The case is being kept as CAV (curia advisari vult)," said chairman of the second International Crimes Tribunal Justice Obaidul Haque citing a Latin term meaning the court now could pronounce the verdict any day as the proceedings of the case were wrapped up.

Colombo, Jun 5 - Notwithstanding the objections from India and Tamil minority parties, the Sri Lankan government plans to go ahead with amending several powers of the provincial administrations, including the northern region, sources said today. Accordingly, the police and land powers conferred on the provincial councils in the thirteenth amendment (13A) to the Sri Lankan Constitution on Indian instigation in 1987 are to be reviewed through a Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) process.

Islamabad, Jun 5 - Nawaz Sharif today made a triumphant return as Pakistan's Prime Minister, calling on all parties and stakeholders to be on the same page for tackling the country's massive political and economic challenges. Sharif, 63, was formally elected as premier for an unprecedented third stint by the National Assembly or lower house of Parliament this afternoon.

Islamabad, Jun 5 - After years in oblivion, Nawaz Sharif, known as the 'Lion of Punjab' who has promised to restart peace process with India, is back on the throne for the record third term as the Prime Minister. As Pakistan finds itself besieged by problems ranging from terrorism to severe power shortage, many see him as someone who can fix the country's bleeding economy but is considered soft on the Taliban.

Islamabad, Jun 4 - Pakistan's Foreign Office today called in the Indian Deputy High Commissioner to protest against the road-rage incident involving a Pakistani diplomat and his driver in New Delhi. The Foreign Office conveyed its "serious concerns" to Deputy High Commissioner Gopal Baglay over yesterday's incident in Delhi in which First Secretary Zirgham Raza and his driver Haider Zaman were allegedly "physically abused".

New Delhi, Jun 4 - In a move seen as retaliation of India backing a UN resolution against it, Sri Lanka has told New Delhi that it will renew Indian Oil Corp's contract to operate strategic oil tank farm only if a Lankan partner is included in the management. Also, Sri Lanka has withdrawn an offer to give Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) two oil blocks in Mannar and Cauvery basin on nomination basis and has instead put them up for bidding in an auction round, sources with direct knowledge of the development said.

Dhaka, June 45 - Former Bangladesh captain Mohammad Ashraful was today suspended by his Board till ICC's Anti-Corruption and Security Unit submits a full report into allegations of match-fixing and spot-fixing on him in this year's Bangladesh Premier League. Bangladesh Cricket Board president Nazmul Hassan told reporters that Ashraful has confessed his involvement in fixing matches to the ACSU team. Hassan said Ashraful would not be allowed to play cricket at any level.

New Delhi, Jun 4 - Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan Sharat Sabharwal will tomorrow attend the swearing-in ceremony of PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif as the new Prime Minister of that country. Terming the swearing-in ceremony as a "local event", External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid today maintained that there was no invitation from Pakistan. "As I understand, I think, it is a local event. Missions will all be represented. I am not sure if there are any invites for anybody to be coming. Certainly not to our knowledge and therefore there wasn't any need to take decision on this," Khurshid said when asked whether a decision has been taken on who will represent India at the ceremony tomorrow.