Canadian ambassador to remain in Syria

OTTAWA - Canada will not shut its embassy in Syria, officials say, after the United States evacuated all diplomatic staff and closed its embassy in the country on Monday. A spokesman for Foreign Minister John Baird said that Canada is not considering following the U.S. lead. ``The U.S. as a sovereign nation makes decisions based on its situation,'' wrote Rick Roth in an email. ``We make decisions based on ours.'' Roth said Canada's ambassador to Syria - retired vice-admiral Glenn Davidson - will remain in Damascus to voice Canada's displeasure at the ongoing government crackdown in the country. ``Canada has extremely strong views about the abhorrent actions of the current regime,'' he wrote. ``And our ambassador continues to deliver those messages at the highest levels.'' ``We have...

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Sharapova sets sights on London Olympics

PARIS: Maria Sharapova is making the London Olympics one of her top priorities this year after missing the Beijing Games with an injury. The third-ranked Russian has already won three Grand Slams but has never competed at the Olympics. Sharapova said on Monday that "representing my country will be a huge honor," and is something she has wanted to do "since I was a young kid." Sharapova missed the 2008 Beijing Olympics because of a shoulder injury. Sharapova reached the final of the Australian Open last month and said she hopes that will be a springboard for winning another Grand Slam title this year. She is competing in the Open GDF Suez for the first time this week....

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No Israel decision on attacking Iran: Obama - Pakistan Times

US President Barack Obama has said that Israel has not made a decision yet on attacking Iran's nuclear installations, noting that he still prefers to use diplomacy. "I do not think Israel has taken a decision on what they need to do," Obama told the NBC news. Obama said he believes that the tough international sanctions are hurting the Iranian regime. "We have mobilised the international community in an unprecedented way. They are feeling the pinch. They are feeling the pressure," he said. Until Iran commit itself to peaceful use of nuclear energy and leaves its nuclear weapon programme, both the US are Israel are going to be very concerned about it. "We have closure military and intelligence consultations than we ever had. My first priority continues to be the security of the...

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69 dead as US closes Damascus embassy

SyriaThe Syrian army on Monday launched a new assault on Homs, killing 42 people and wounding dozens, according to activists . This new offensive, again denied by the regime, comes on the eve of a visit to Damascus by Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov, whose country has vetoed Saturday with China a UN resolution condemning repression in Syria. In total, the violence has killed at least 69 people Monday, including 66 civilians according to the Syrian Observatory of Human Rights. On its part, the Syrian National Council, the main opposition coalition, urged the international community to "act quickly" to "prevent another massacre" in Homs, where shelling killed more than 330 dead on Saturday. After...

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Pakistan Supreme Court suspends 28 lawmakers

Islamabad: Pakistan's Supreme Court on Monday suspended membership of 28 parliamentarians elected in by-elections held on the basis of what were said to be flawed voters' lists. Their membership will remain suspended until an amendment to the constitution is passed by the parliament to endorse their election, the court ruled. Among the suspended are nine members of the National Assembly, the lower house of the parliament, and three members of the Senate, the upper house. The senators include Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Shaikh and Petroleum Minister Asim Hussain. The affected members of provincial assemblies include eight from Punjab, four from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, three from Sindh...

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England needs to learn from humiliation: Strauss

"We are disappointed that we have not coped better to the challenges that came our way," Strauss said. (Reuters Photo) DUBAI: England captain Andrew Strauss has called on his underperforming batsmen to learn from its struggles on the spin-friendly pitches in the humiliating series loss to Pakistan with Test tours to Sri Lanka and India looming. Pakistan clinched its first whitewash against England with a clinical 71-run win in the third and final Test on Monday, having won the first match by 10 wickets and the second by 72 runs in a series in which a fifth day's play was never required. "We are disappointed that we have not coped better to the challenges that came our way," Strauss said. "This is a good eye-opener for us and...

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