From the News, Nation, Dawn, Pakistan Observer, Daily Times, Frontier Post, Nawa-i-Waqt (Urdu) and Jang (Urdu) newspapers                                                                                                                                                                             

4 March, 2009

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

POLITICAL

-          Misawa Air Base (Agencies) The US military is closely monitoring activities in North Korea from its bases in Japan ahead of the expected launch of a long range missile that could be capable of striking US territory, officials said Tuesday. (The Frontier Post, p-5)

-          Melbourne (by Mariana Baabar) With the increase in the number of special envoys for Pakistan and Afghanistan to four, Sweden and Japan are also contemplating sending their special envoys to join the regional envoy’s club as a “military surge” is expected inside Afghanistan this spring. (The News, p-11)

-          Tokyo (Agencies) Japan on Tuesday strongly condemned the assassination of Guinea-Bissau’s President Joao Bernardo Vieira, who was shot and killed as he fled his residence. (The Frontier Post, p-5)

MISC

-          Tokyo (Agencies) Japan’s Crown Princess Masako, who has suffered stress-induced illness while struggling to adjust to royal life. (The Frontier Post, p-5)