China pledges help, nuke plants for Pakistan

China will invest $1 billion in Pakistan over the next year and will help build tow nuclear plants in the country, Islamabad announced Saturday.

China is already a major supplier of military goods to Pakistan. Bejing is helping the country with the F-22 P Frigate warship, Al Zarrar and Al Khalid main battle tanks, JF 17 multi-role aircraft, the National Electronic Complex of Pakistan (NECOP) and other defense related projects.

TVNZ

Pakistan trumpets intensified ties with China Reuters - 37 minutes ago By Augustine Anthony ISLAMABAD, Oct 18 (Reuters) - Pakistan announced on Saturday Chinese bankers would be visiting soon to assess Pakistan's needs, and companies had pledged to invest $1 billion by next June. Pakistan's Zardari wants trade for restive regions Reuters India China to help Pakistan build 2 more power plants Seattle Post Intelligencer

Cambodia's PM assures no escalation in Thailand dispute

Camboidan Prime Minister Hun Sen said on Friday that Wednesday's firefight near the Thai border area will not escalate into a major conflict.

"Large-scale war won't take place and people living at the border needn't worry," he told reporters.

Malaysia and Indonesia have offered help in solving the crisis, but Hun Sen it was not time yet for external assistance.

Times Online

Cambodian PM assures of no escalation of clash with Thailand Xinhua - 1 hour ago PHNOM PENH, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- Wednesday's weapon clash with Thailand at the border area has come to its end and will not escalate into more serious military confrontation, said Prime Minister Hun Sen here on Friday after concluding a regular cabinet ... Fears Thai-Cambodian border dispute to hit business ties AFP Indonesia should lead efforts to solve Thai-Cambodian dispute Antara Play Cambodia, Thailand agree joint border control AFP via Yahoo! News - Oct 16 9:43 AM Play Thailand, Cambodia military talks after deadly border clash AFP via Yahoo! News - Oct 16 4:59 AM A Thai farmer walks behind herd of buffalos near the Thai-Cambodia border, in the disputed border area with Cambodia, near the Preah Vihear temple, in Si Sa Ket province, northeast of Bangkok, October 17, 2008. (Chaiwat Subprasom/Reuters) Families evacuating the northern Cambodia border line the roadside, about 120 km (75 miles) northeast of Siem Reap, October 16, 2008. (Adrees Latif/Reuters)

Taliban carries out major attack

Taliban forces carried a bold second attack on the provincial capitial of Lashkar Gah displaying more offensive capability than in previous years.

Although the attacks were repulsed, the Taliban moves mark the first brazen attempts at open warfare against strong enemy positions, in this case even a provincial capital.

The Taliban have shown greater ability to mass groups in the hundreds for operations and the attack late Tuesday involved simultaneous attempts to breach Lashkar Gah's defenses from different points.

Recently, Afghan and allied Western officials have hinted at the possibility of negotiations with Taliban, who appear permanently entrenched in the region.

Times Online

Second Taliban Attack Strikes Major Afghan City New York Times - 14 hours ago By JOHN F. BURNS KABUL, Afghanistan - Afghan government troops repulsed a fresh attack late Tuesday by Taliban fighters massed outside the provincial capital of Lashkar Gah in southwestern Afghanistan and killed at least 18 of them, the provincial ... Arabs, Pakistanis Identified Among Afghan Insurgents Killed by Air ... Voice of America Amid Low Morale, Germany Set to Extend Afghanistan Mandate Deutsche Welle Play Vietnam echoes in Afghanistan Reuters via Yahoo! News - Oct 09 3:15 PM