The full detail regarding the cost incurred on the visits are unavailable, but according to an estimate Zardari's nine foreign trips between September 2008 and March 2009 cost a whopping 157.257 million rupees to the national exchequer.
Holders Iraq and secretive North Korea could face sanctions from the AFC for failing to send a player to their media conferences on Monday ahead of their opening Asian Cup matches.
Sri Lanka Test captain Dinesh Chandimal was withdrawn on Monday from the 16-member squad for the Asia Cup because of an injury during a recent domestic tournament. The 28-year-old batsman injured a finger during a domestic Twenty20 match and needed more time to recover, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) said.
Too much time off over Christmas was probably to blame for England's cricketing failure against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates, former captain Paul Collingwood said on Monday.
The Indian football team will play against Qatar and Syria on December 19 and 26 respectively in what will be their last two international friendlies in the lead upto the Asian Cup in January next year.
Tiger Woods has declared he is the fittest he has been in around a decade ahead of his first tournament of the year.
The Netherlands suffered a loss of Dutch courage on the way to a nerve-racking, five-wicket win over Namibia at the T20 World Cup in Geelong on Tuesday that moved them a step closer to qualifying for the Super 12 phase.
England will be without all-rounder Tim Bresnan for Saturday's opening match of their tour of the United Arab Emirates.
India abstained on the resolution, along with France, Japan, Netherlands, and Romania among others. Those voting against the resolution included Argentina, Bulgaria, Germany and the US.
Interim Pakistan coach Mohsin Khan said his team were hoping for a 'fresh start' when they take on England for the first time since the spot-fixing scandal next month.
Former Pakistan leg spinner Mushtaq Ahmed, who is now employed in a coaching role with England, has predicted a battle of spin between the two countries when they meet in an upcoming series in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
In an interview with the local KTN station late on Saturday, Bhutto said, "We do not accept President Musharraf in uniform. Our stand is that, and I stick to my stand."
Four match officials have been suspended for poor performances during the Asian Cup.
"Three officials from the Mumbai crime branch had left for the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday night and brought the four accused to Mumbai this morning," a senior police official said. They are likely to be produced before a local court later in the day, he said
For thousands of expatriates lured to Dubai by the promise of year-round sunshine and a tax-free lifestyle, the party is over. Corporate restructurings have arrived hard on the heels of steep falls in property prices and plummeting consumer confidence; El Dorado is fading back into desert. As the cutbacks spread from finance and real estate to sectors such as tourism, media and retail, many are packing up and heading home.
International no-frills budget carriers making a beeline for India.
The year-wise number of Indians who renounced their citizenship was provided by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in response to a question in Rajya Sabha.
The Netherlands cricket board said former India and South Africa coach Gary Kirsten and Australia batter Dan Christian are joining the Dutch team's coaching staff for the Twenty20 World Cup as consultants.
India is estimated to have over 11 lakh (1.1 million) BlackBerry users.
The United States has also been in touch with RIM, the Canadian company that operates the BlackBerry network worldwide.
RIM's statement comes at a time when Indian security agencies have warned the company to provide the technology to monitor contents or face a ban on its operations.
Australian cricketers are on edge barely a month before their first tour of Pakistan in 24 years, amid an uptick in terror attacks in the Asian nation.
Local tennis fans would have boycotted the Dubai Open if Israeli player Shahar Peer was allowed to compete, organisers said. The UAE, which has no diplomatic links with Israel, denied Peer a visa for the WTA tournament. 'Public sentiment remains high in the Middle East and it is believed that Ms Peer's presence would have antagonised our fans who have watched live television coverage of recent attacks in Gaza,' said a statement by tournament director Salah Tahlak.
Director Rahul Dholakia's film, which is based on the troubles in the Kashmir valley, will not be screened in Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
India may have to lean more on West Asian nations for supplies of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), a cooking fuel, in the coming years after Indian state-run refiners drew up big plans to diversify into producing more profitable petrochemicals. This shift leads to reduced LPG output, Indian refining executives said. The mantra for state-run oil companies, from Indian Oil Corporation (IndianOil) to liquefied natural gas (LNG) importer Petronet LNG, which are looking to diversify their businesses from lower-margin fuels, has been value-added petrochemicals.
Kaushal Silva, the wicketkeeper-batsman, is the only uncapped player in the squad, while there was no place for Ajantha Mendis, who is nursing an injury. Three Tests will be played in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah.
Britain is "actively" exploring ways to set up a joint task-force with India during Prime Minister David Cameron's State Visit to New Delhi this month-end in an effort to forge "a partnership for the 21st century."
Former Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene has been appointed the national team's consultant for the first round of next month's Twenty20 World Cup, the country's cricket board said.
The world's first gold vending machine unveiled in a hotel in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates began attracting customers minutes after it was opened.
A dejected Indian football coach Colaco Colaco blamed his team's 0-3 defeat at the hands of United Arab Emirates in a World Cup qualifying match to the two red cards his side was handed, saying they were "not justified."
India suffered a 0-3 defeat at the hands of United Arab Emirates in a World Cup football second round qualifying match which was marred by two Indians being ejected early on at Al Ain near in Abu Dhabi.
Fresh from their historic 2-1 victory over Qatar in an international friendly, an inspired India will look to put up a spirited show when they take on UAE in the first leg of their 2014 World Cup qualifiers in Al Ain near Dubai on Saturday.
General Pervez Musharraf will meet members of Pakistan's senate and assemblies in the United Arab Emirates and the former president who was forced to quit office is weighing his options to float a political party, after the expiry of a two-year ban on him from taking part in active politics.
A 30-member Indian squad has been selected for the twin international friendlies against Maldives and Qatar on Julu 10 and 17 respectively ahead of their World Cup qualifier against United Arab Emirates scheduled on July 23.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has started preparations of its 'home' series against South Africa in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) after the Proteas refused to tour the trouble-torn country.
Six people, believed to be Indian workers, were killed and 44 others injured when a bus carrying them to a refinery crashed into a truck in the United Arab Emirates.
The Indian marksman finished fifth in the qualifying round.
Among the Gulf countries, only the UAE saw a slump in its millionaires' club, a decline attributed to the collapse of Dubai's real estate market, which eroded house prices by more than 60 per cent.
Mahesh Gawli was one of the few senior players who escaped coach Armando Colaco's axe but the veteran defender feels that infusing young blood is the right way to go in the current scenario of Indian football.
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