Moscow - Russian and US officials held talks Monday on missile defence, arms control and other issues amidst currently unraveling security ties between the two Cold War superpowers.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov and US Under-Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security John Rood led the closed-door meeting.

Russia's Foreign Ministry gave no details on the talks, which are to address a replacement for the 1991 START-1 nuclear arms pact set to expire next year.

Lahore, Dec. 15 : The crack down against the terror outfits in Pakistan may not have impressed India, but people in Pakistan are certainly facing the heat.

Religious preaching by the radical leaders of the country is being boycotted by the general public.

On a normal Friday afternoon, people used to throng the roads and streets near the Qadssiya mosque, where leader of the Jamaat-ud-dawa, Hafiz Muhammad Saeed preached. Typically eight thousand people used to visit the mosque.

Singapore - Singapore welcomed Monday the launch of direct air, sea and po

Dubai, Dec 15 (ANI): South Africa will overtake Australia at the top if it wins series 3-0; India will retake second place if it beats England in Mohali.

South Africa will go top of the Reliance Mobile ICC Test Championship table if it beats Australia 3-0 in the three-match series that gets underway in Perth on Wednesday.

Graeme Smith's team gets its tour underway in earnest with two fast bowlers - Makhaya Ntini and Dale Steyn - in the top five of the Reliance Mobile ICC Test Player Rankings on a WACA surface that traditionally favours the pace men.

New Delhi, Dec 15 : Director CBI Ashwini Kumar today exhorted media to maintain impartiality and integrity in reporting.

Speaking at the inaugural function of week long training module for press persons today, Kumar said that at times, news value is not given pre-eminence in the items reported in view of the marketing strategies of the media organisations.

He called upon the participants to take up this as a challenge and always stand by truth. Like CBI, impartiality and integrity must be maintained at every cost, he added.