Life moves fast. News moves faster. The Pakistani Taliban has issued death threats against the doctor who helped track down OBL, Pakistan aims to eradicate polio following India’s lead and Bangladesh makes way for its first nuclear reactor.
In The Crosshairs. Shakeel Afridi, the Pakistani doctor accused of aiding the CIA’s search for Osama bin Laden who was sentenced to 33 years in prison, now has another thing to worry about. The Pakistani Taliban have vowed to “cut him into pieces when we find him,” a spokesman told CNN. (CNN)
W-I-N-N-E-R. A 14-year-old Indian-American from San Diego won the Scripps National Spelling Bee Thursday night in Maryland. Snigdha Nandipati correctly spelled the French word “guetapens,” which means ambush or trap, to become the newest spelling Queen Bee. (TIME NewsFeed)
Punching Out Polio. Pakistan has a new goal: to eradicate polio within two years. Natural disasters and militant activity have stalled progress in this realm, but Pakistan aims to emulate neighboring India’s success in diminishing the disease. Pashtun tribes in the FATA region along the Afghan border play host to the majority of cases. (Zee News)
Growing Pains. With India’s rupee recently hitting its lowest value against the dollar, analysts seem pessimistic about the country’s economic growth. First quarter GDP growth was 5.3 percent, the lowest it’s been in a decade, prompting economic downgrades from investment banks. Stagflation at this level will make rapid improvements difficult. (Times of India)
Going for the Green. With plans to build its first atomic energy plant next year, Bangladesh’s parliament has passed a nuclear energy bill that will regulate the plant’s activity. Bangladesh inked a deal with Russian agency Rosatam to build two 1,000-megawatt reactors costing $2 billion each. (Khaleej Times)
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Amina Elahi is Divanee.com’s Managing Editor.