PAKISTAN

Wheat advanced following reports that Pakistan will produce less grain than forecasted due to high fertilizer costs that prompted farmers to reduce planting.

By Binu Alex Use of nuclear fuel to generate extra 50,000 MW of electricity, is the available option in near term

The weak dollar is bringing western art abroad

A senior Israeli defense official said on Friday that Palestinians firing rockets from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip would bring upon themselves what he termed a shoah, the Hebrew word for holocaust or disaster.

Pakistan lifted a ban on the YouTube video-sharing Web site on Tuesday saying that the video that was offensive to Islam had been removed.

Pakistani army chief General Pervez Kayani is appointing a new head of military intelligence, a newspaper reported on Tuesday, the first major reshuffle in the military since President Pervez Musharraf quit the army. Musharraf, who seized power as a general in 1999, stepped down as army chief in November to become a civilian president of the country, which has been ruled by the military for more than half of the 60 years since its independence

YouTube, the Google-owned site, said Pakistan is to blame after access to its site on Sunday was left disrupted for two hours.

Wheat rose for the second this week as investors speculated that bad weather may reduce the global crop supply.

The leaders of the two top parties in Pakistan's recent election meet on Thursday to discuss forming a coalition government that could force President Pervez Musharraf out of power. Musharraf, who took power in a 1999 military coup in the nuclear-armed country and has been one of Washington's top Muslim allies against al Qaeda, is vulnerable to a hostile parliament after his supporters were heavily defeated in Monday's election.

Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf's opponents won a big election victory on Tuesday after voters rejected his former ruling party, raising questions about the future of the U.S. ally who has ruled since 1999. Counting was continuing with results still awaited in less than 20 seats, but no party was expected to win a majority in the 342-seat National Assembly.

Pakistan will be holding parliamentary elections on Monday amid escalating unrest and after eight years of military rule.

Indian workers in Gulf countries appear to be the most disgruntled employees in the Middle-East among all expatriates, a survey conducted by the Arabian Business website has revealed.

India has put 26 people in isolation with bird flu symptoms and hundreds more people are being monitored, officials said on Friday as Pakistan and Thailand reported outbreaks of bird flu in poultry.

A suspected U.S. missile strike that killed up to 13 foreign militants in Pakistan's North Waziristan region this week had targeted second or third tier al Qaeda leaders, according to residents in the tribal area.

U.S. President George W. Bush insisted on Monday he had plenty of unfinished business for his last year in office but he will leave some serious challenges for his successor in January, 2009. In his State of the Union address, Bush focused on passing an economic stimulus plan and cutting wasteful spending.

Cotton futures on Friday declined after China cut imports as U.S. shares and agricultural products dropped.

U.S. President George W. Bush's visit to the Middle East this week will evoke widespread hostility in a region where many view him as a war-monger pursuing U.S.-Israeli hegemony, not peace and democracy. In the Arab street, Bush is seen as the man whose invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq to wage war on terrorism brought chaos to the region and more recruits to al Qaeda.

Pakistan will not allow any country to conduct military operations on its territory, officials said on Monday, rejecting a report that said the United States was considering authorizing its forces to act in Pakistan. The New York Times said on Sunday the U.S. government was considering expanding the authority of the CIA and the military to conduct far more aggressive covert operations in Pakistan....

It has been called the 800-pound gorilla but it's getting scant attention in the U.S. election

Gold futures escalated to a new 28-year high on Thursday, increasing their gains after rallying more than $20 in the previous session as investors snapped up the precious metal on record breaking oil prices and amidst concerns of further tension in Pakistan, analyst said.

Pakistan plans to postpone next week's election after Benazir Bhutto's killing sparked turmoil in the nuclear-armed country, but officials put off a final announcement until Wednesday to consult parties.