A higher court in Mumbai Monday reserved till the first week of next month its judgment on an appeal by Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab, the only Pakistani militant caught alive in the Mumbai terror attacks, against his death sentence, sources said.

“A division bench of Bombay High Court reserved its judgment till Feb. 7 on Kasab’s plea against his death sentence given to him by a special court for his role in the Mumbai terror attacks, in which over 170 people were killed in November 2008,” the sources said.

The Indian special court on May 3, 2010, had convicted Kasab of murder, waging war on India, possessing explosives, and other charges, and three days later sentenced him to death on four counts and to a life sentence on five other counts.

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The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) expressed Monday its anger over South Korea’s recent military exercises, repeating calls for Seoul to resume dialogue with Pyongyang.

In an editorial, DPRK’s official newspaper Rodong Sinmun said South Korea’s military exercises since the beginning of the new year had dampened confidence to resume dialogue, calling them “a very dangerous act”.

The article said South Korea not only conducted military exercises on its own but also collaborated with the United States to launch joint exercises, threatening and pressuring DPRK through military means.

It is an act that “cannot be passed over without taking action,” the article said, adding that such move not only posed challenge to the domestic and international hope for dialogue and peace, but also would exacerbate the already straining relations on the Korean Peninsula.

The article said that tension on the Korean Peninsula served no interest to either side, as it threatened the survival and future of the Korean nationality, as well as peace and stability of Northeast Asia.

The editorial called for dialogue and consultation on both sides to ease tension and get back on the track of reconciliation and cooperation. It urged South Korean authorities to stop provocative behaviors and words that advocate confrontation, calling for positive response to DPRK’s dialogue proposal.

DPRK’s government, party and social institutions issued a combined statement on Jan. 5, proposing unconditional dialogue with South Korea as soon as possible on the way to demolish misunderstanding and distrust as well as achieve peace and prosperity.

But South Korea has flatly turned down DPRK’s dialogue proposals, saying that on the issue of warship sinking and island shelling last year, Pyongyang should take appropriate measures, and that it should show a sincere attitude to denuclearization. South Korea suggested both sides discuss these issues first.

Related:

China urges dialogue on Korean Peninsula situation

BEIJING, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Hu Jintao Monday called on concerned parties to work to resume the process of dialogue on the Korean Peninsula situation, taking the opportunity that there have been signs of relaxation on the peninsula.

“We hope that the relevant parties will seize the opportunity to engage in active interactions, resume the process of dialogue and consultation as soon as possible, and ensure that the situation on the peninsula will move forward in a positive direction,” said Hu in a written interview with U.S. Wall Street Journal and Washington Post.    Full story

S Korean president vows to bring DPRK’s uranium enrichment issue to UN

SEOUL, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) — South Korean President Lee Myung-bak said Saturday that the issue of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK)’s uranium enrichment program should be brought to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

The remark came as Lee met with visiting Japanese Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara late Saturday, according to Seoul’s presidential office Cheong Wa Dae.

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Visiting British Foreign Secretary William Hague said Monday that his country will shift its diplomacy emphasis towards emerging economies as they now embody not only higher economic weight and but also political clout.

Speaking at the fourth Asian Financial Forum which draws over 1,600 political dignitaries and business leaders to Hong Kong, Hague said the UK faces “double imperative” to make the change as the world economic gravity center is moving from the West to Asia and Latin America.

“Many of these countries are also the same ones that we need to work with in multilateral organizations and in matters of security,” he said.

The British foreign secretary believed the importance of Asian market is now impossible to overlook and Britain has to foster closer ties with the region so as to prosper well into the future.

He noticed that Japan and China represent the two largest world markets for luxury goods, a vital industry for the UK and Asia as a whole is expected to lead the global recovery by growing 6.7 percent this year.

He cited more statistics, saying that Asia now plays host to over 84 billion pounds of the stock of outward foreign investment from the UK in 2009, and the 10-billion-pound increase from that of 2008 represents 8 percent of all British overseas investment, and Britain’s exports of good to Asia also witnessed a significant rise.

He pointed out that a particular focus of his office will be on China, which has maintained a high growth rate unrivaled by any other country for years.

He said the UK foreign service will work hard to support British businesses as they look East to the opportunities in Asia, and at the same time urge companies and governments in Asia to continue to look West to Britain as a natural home for trade and investment and for access into European markets.

With many business leaders in the audience, Hague also made an earnest effort to woo these big money-makers to make investment in Britain, describing the country as one of the world’s most open economies and the launch pad into Europe.

He added that the country will soon have a new business court, the biggest court dedicated to international business law cases in the world.

After his stay in Hong Kong, Hague said he will visit Australia and New Zealand, the first visit by a British foreign secretary to the two countries in 20 years.

Related:

Chinese vice premier’s visit to Britain hailed a business success

LONDON, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) — The British business sector was pleased at the successful visit this week of Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang which concluded on Wednesday.

During the four-day visit, Li signed business agreements with an estimated value of more than 4 billion U.S. dollars with the British government.

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