ISLAMABAD  PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif held a meeting with President Asif Ali Zardari in Islamabad on Wednesday and discussed national issues with him.The President said it is first time in our national history that a smooth transition of power is taking place through democratic process which will certainly further strengthen democracy and state institutions. President Asif Ali Zardari said that Nawaz Sharif will enjoy full cooperation from Aiwan-e-Sadr as Prime Minister. The President said that it is the time

BRUSSELS  EU leaders agreed Wednesday to send a civilian border assistance mission to Libya which should begin operations next month.The mission, dubbed EUBAM Libya, will help the country re-establish effective controls at its land, sea and air borders.EUBAM Libya is an important mission for Libya and the entire region but also for the security of EU borders," EU foreign affairs head Catherine Ashton said.The mission responds to a direct request from our Libyan partners," Ashton said in a statement.The

TEHRAN  Iran s moderate ex-president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani has been barred from standing in next month s presidential election, along with a controversial aide of incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the interior ministry said on Tuesday.Rafsanjani, who served as president from 1989 to 1997, was omitted from the list of eight candidates approved by the Guardians Council, a conservative-dominated vetting body, along with Ahmadinejad confidant and ex-chief of

PARIS  A far-right writer and activist shot himself dead in front of the altar of Paris s famed Notre Dame Cathedral on Tuesday, leaving statements denouncing gay marriage and immigration. Police confirmed the man s identity as Dominique Venner, 78, an essayist and activist linked with France s far-right and nationalist group. They said he had shot himself with a pistol shortly after 4:00 pm (1400 GMT) and that the cathedral, which at the time contained about 1,500 people, was then evacuated

VICENZA, Italy  Rumours of Clarence Seedorf's future appointment as coach of AC Milan intensified Wednesday as incumbent Massimiliano Allegri held an inconclusive meeting with the club's hierarchy.Milan finished third in Italy's Serie A on Sunday, meaning the seven-time European champions will have to successfully negotiate a preliminary round if they are to qualify for next season's Champions League.Allegri won the Scudetto in 2011 in his first season in charge of Milan and finished runner-up last

KASHIWA, Japan  Jorge Wagner scored one goal and set up another as Kashiwa Reysol beat South Korean side Jeonbuk Motors 3-2 on Wednesday to advance to the quarterfinals of the Asian Champions League.The former J-League champions won 5-2 on aggregate to earn a spot in the quarterfinals, with the draw to be held in Kuala Lumpur on June 20.Chinese side Guangzhou Evergrande beat Australian club Central Coast Mariners 3-0 to join Kashiwa in the last eight.Jeonbuk dominated long

HULL  World number one Nicol David s bid to win the British Open for a fifth time made a fast and impressive start on Tuesday which belied the fact that she has yet to win a title this year.The record-breaking Malaysian needed only half an hour to win her first round by 11-4, 11-5, 11-4 against Joshana Chinappa, the five-time Indian champion who had come through the qualifying competition.This may have been an advantage as Chinappa was comfortable with the warm, fast