Afghan parliament opens, paves way for bigger battle
KABUL - Afghan President Hamid Karzai will open parliament on Wednesday, ending a standoff with lawmakers, but setting the stage for a longer battle against an assembly he has long ignored.
Afghanistan's government was plunged into political crisis last week after Karzai decided to delay the opening of the new parliament by a month to allow a special poll court he established, more time to probe fraud in the Sept. 18 election.
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Pakistan decries help for India nuclear arms plans
GENEVA - Pakistan warned major powers on Tuesday against granting rival India membership of four key multilateral export control regimes that allow trade in nuclear and other materials, as proposed by the United States.
The plan, announced during U.S. President Barack Obama's visit to India last November, would further destabilise the volatile nuclear-armed South Asian region, said Zamir Akram, Pakistan's ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva.
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Trial set for US soldier accused of killing Afghans
TACOMA, Wash. - A court-martial date of April 4 was set on Tuesday for the alleged ringleader of a U.S. infantry platoon accused of murdering and assaulting unarmed Afghan civilians last year.
Army Staff Sergeant Calvin Gibbs is charged with three counts of premeditated murder, as well as with cutting off fingers from corpses and beating a fellow soldier who had alerted superiors about widespread hashish use in his unit.
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India reshuffle boosts focus on urban growth
NEW DELHI - A ministerial reshuffle has signalled India may give sorely-needed focus to the development of its burgeoning cities, whose erratic expansion is seen as a major brake on economic growth.
With 590 million people -- nearly double the population of the United States -- seen living in its cities by 2030, a McKinsey Global Institute report said India needed to spend ${esc.dollar}1.2 trillion by then the meet projected urban demand.
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Inflation-hit poor feel short-changed in rising India
LIBBAR HARI, India - Bhola Nath doesn't care much for India's growth story.
Not when the 65-year-old migrant brick kiln worker has stopped buying onions and garlic, key food staples for Indian families, and manages to save just 1,000 rupees (${esc.dollar}22) per month to send his family of five back home due to the ever-increasing prices of food and other basic commodities. (Compiled by World Desk Asia, +65 6870-3815)
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