Jorhat (Assam), Jan. 3 : The Sri Sri Dakhimpat Satra a religious institution of India''s North Eastern Assam, recently hosted a five-day long Vedic Sammelan (conference) at Notun Dakhimpat Satra in Sotai with the aim of restoring peace and harmony in the entire country.

The conference was held between December 25 and 29, and was reportedly the first of its kind to be held here.

Islamabad, Jan. 3 : Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has appealed to both Iran and China to join the global war on terror.

Talking to special envoy of Iran Gholam Hossein Nozari who called on him at the Aiwan-e-Sadr on Saturday, Zardari said he was concerned about the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the Gaza Strip, and that there was a need for the international community to step in and halt the violence that has claimed over 430 lives so far.

New Delhi, Jan. 3 : Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram met US Ambassador David C Mulford here today and reportedly discussed the Mumbai terror attack investigations.

The meeting took place after Washington assured India of all help in the attack probe.

The meeting is being considered important as India is said to have compiled sufficient evidence on the role of Pakistan-based terror elements in the November 2008 attack.

Though Pakistan continues to deny the use of its territory in the carnage, India says it is ready to share the evidence gathered with the world.

Narabet (Gujarat), Jan. 3 :Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi has said that his state, which shares its border with Pakistan, needs a strategic airbase for security reasons.

After meeting Border Security personnel at the Narabet check post along the India-Pakistan border and reviewing security arrangements, Modi said he would urge the UPA Government at the Center to focus on developing more strategic airbases in the state.

Poonch, Jan 3 : A Special Police Officer (SPO) was killed in an encounter between militants and security forces in Bhati Dhar forest area of Mendhar in Jammu and Kashmir''s Poonch District on Saturday.

According to official sources, SPO Naresh Kumar was killed in an encounter, which was resumed around midnight.

An encounter has been going on for the last two days in the area.

JCO Rakesh Kumar and Naik P K Singh, and four militants were killed in a gunbattle, which started on Thursday evening.

Islamabad, Jan. 3 : Pakistan has arrested a former Taliban spokesman, who was released by Afghanistan in 2007 in exchange for a kidnapped Italian journalist.

The Dawn quoted security officials as saying that Ustad Mohammed Yasir was detained in Peshawar, near the Afghan border.

Yasir was Taliban leader Mullah Omar''s spokesman after the regime''s fall in Afghanistan in 2001, an official said Saturday.

He said Pakistan first arrested Yasir in 2005 and sent him to Afghanistan, where he was released along with four other Taliban figures for journalist Daniele Mastrogiacomo.