Karachi, Oct 10: Pakistan's permanent representative to the United Nations, Abdullah Hussain Haroon, has suggested the formation of a joint border force of Pakistani and NATO forces, under the command of Army Chief General Ashfaq Kiyani to increase co-ordination to curb terrorist activities along the Pak-Afghan border.

"General Kiyani should be given the supreme command of this border force. It will help end the misunderstanding and tension between the NATO and Pakistani forces, improve co-ordination between the two forces on action against terrorists and can save lives of many innocent people in the Tribal Areas of our country," he said.

Washington - Slower demand from developed nations and increasing turmoil in regional markets has decreased growth and productivity in emerging Asian economies, the International Monetary Fund said Wednesday.

A major policy challenge for this extremely diverse region is how to respond to the global financial turbulence and weakening growth outlook, without losing sight of increasing inflation.

Dhule, Maharashtra Oct 7: Communal violence in Dhule district of Maharashtra that has claimed five lives erupted again on Monday night forcing the administration to re-issue shoot-at-sight orders.

Guwahati, Oct 07: The situation in violence-hit areas of Assam remained calm on Tuesday with no overnight incidents reported.

Assam Government spokesman and Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the situation is fast returning to normal with security forces able to quell the clashes although curfew and shoot-at-sight orders are continuing.

An estimated 8,000 police, army and paramilitary troops were deployed in Udalguri, Darrang, Baska, and Chirang district of Assam after violence broke out on Friday between tribal Bodos and Muslim migrant settlers.

Muscat, Oct 7: The members of the Indian community in Oman have been urged upon by the Indian envoy here Anil Wadhwa to donate a day's salary to help the flood-stricken people of India, particularly in the states of Bihar, Orissa and Uttar Pradesh, reported the Gulf News.

The Indian envoy made the appeal while addressing members of the Indian community at an open house held at the mission’s premises to celebrate Eid al Fitr.

Meanwhile, the Indian Social Club (ISC), under the aegis of the Indian Embassy, has begun a charity drive to raise funds for the flood victims in Bihar and will hold a fund-raising dinner on the Embassy premises on October 11, added the paper.

Tokyo  - Asian stocks nosedived throughout the region Monday as investors feared the US bail-out would fall far short of resolving the financial crisis that has also spread to Europe.

Stocks in Tokyo plunged to their lowest levels in five years on worries about the deepening global crisis despite the US Congress' approval of a 700-billion-dollar Wall Street bail-out.