PNA calls on Israel to end occupation of Palestinian territories
By Xinhua
Ramallah : Palestinian National Authority (PNA) on Wednesday called on Israel to respect international resolutions and end its occupation of the Palestinian territories.
"Ending the occupation of the Palestinian territories, which dates back to 1967, is the core of the peace process," Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said during an interview with Voice of Palestine radio.
Erekat said that "the era of guardianship and the Palestinian dependency has completely gone and there are no options but the creation of a Palestinian statehood."
Top rebel leader, 12 insurgents captured in Afghanistan
By Xinhua,
Kabul : Afghan troops have arrested 12 Taliban insurgents, while a top rebel was captured in Uruzgan province in the southern part of the country.
Troops with support from the US-led coalition forces have arrested a dozen Taliban insurgents in operations in Khost province in the east and Nimroz province in the southwest, a statement from the US-led coalition forces said Thursday.
The military operations were carried out Wednesday.
British peer calls for widening dialogue with Iran
By IRNA,
London : There will never be a constructive dialogue with Iran unless the framework is widened to more than the current approach to the country's nuclear programme, according to the deputy Liberal Democrat leader in the House of Lords.
"Is there not a case for a wider framework for discussions within which we can then make progress on the nuclear issue?" Lord Wallace asked.
The UK will not get constructive dialogue with the Iranian government "unless we broaden it out to a wider framework," Wallace told Foreign Office Minister Lord Malloch-Brown.
Iran Defends N-Energy Peaceful Use
By Prensa Latina,
Tehran : Iran reaffirmed its right to develop nuclear technology for peaceful end after meeting several requests to halt its uranium enrichment program.
The Foreign Ministry confirmed rejection by the government of President Mahmoud Admadinejad of US and European Union claims that Iran plans to develop weapons of mass destruction.
After Friday’s prayers, local church leaders backed official rejection of a package of grants from the US, China, France, Russia and the UK (Security Council members) plus the EU.
Afghan President condemns suicide attack
By NNN-Xinhua
Kabul : Afghan President Hamid Karzai Thursday condemned the suicide car bomb attack that left six civilians dead and 35 others injured in Afghan capital Kabul.
"The enemies of the people of Afghanistan are behind carrying out such coward terrorist attacks to harm the innocent civilians," the Afghan leader said in a message released by his office.
Israel, Palestinians to start writing pact
By SPA,
Al-Quds (Jerusalem) : Israeli and Palestinian negotiators agreed to start drafting elements of a proposed peace accord, the chief Palestinian negotiator said.
We agreed with the Israelis to begin writing the positions, Ahmed Qureia told reporters late Friday.
Qureia did not say what issue the two sides would start with. If they reach agreement on any issue, then they will draft a single provision, he said. If not, they will lay out on paper their divergent views, he was quoted as saying by the Associated Press.
Musharraf advised to convene parliament session
By Xinhua
Islamabad : Pakistan's caretaker Prime Minister Mohammedmian Soomro Monday sent a communication to President Pervez Musharraf, advising him to convene the new parliament's session.
According to the constitution, Musharraf has to convene the National Assembly session on the advice of the prime minister.
Earlier, caretaker Law Minister Syed Afzal Haider wrote to Soomro for the convening of the session.
"The president will either set a date for the assembly session Wednesday or Thursday," Haider told the private GEO television.
60 Taliban killed in South Waziristan
By IANS,
Rawalpindi : Sixty Taliban have been killed while five soldiers died and 11 others were injured in the 24 hours to Sunday afternoon in the security operations in the restive South Waziristan area along the border with Afghanistan, the military said.
Detailing the 'Rah-e-Nijat' (Path to Deliverance) operations, an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) statement said on the Jandola-Kotkai-Sararogha axis, the area up to Mandana, Kund and Tarakai has been secured by the military.
Egyptian man sets himself ablaze in front of parliament
By IANS,
Cairo : A man set himself on fire in front of the Egyptian parliament protesting "terrible living conditions", a media report said.
Iran to cooperate with Russia’s Philosophy Institute
By IRNA
Moscow : Head and professors of Russian Academy of Sciences' Philosophy Institute in a meeting here Friday with Iran's Cultural Attache surveyed ways to cooperate with Iranian
philosophers.
The meeting between the Iranian Cultural Attache,
Abuzar brahimi and the Russian philosophers took place at the Russian Philosophy institute.
Malaysian magazine regrets hurting Christians
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur : Malaysian magazine Al-Islam has apologised for "unintentionally hurting the feelings of Christians, particularly Catholics" in a special report last year.
A three-paragraph apology posted on its website said the report was to investigate allegations of apostasy. It said the actions of its reporters who attended a Catholic congregation posing as Christians "were never intended to deride the Christian faith, let alone desecrate their house of worship".
Burns’ visit to Iran – a first step
By Anthony Zeitouni, CGNews,
US Undersecretary for Political Affairs, William Burns, attended a recent meeting in Geneva between EU Secretary-General Javier Solana and Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, Saeed Jalili. This decision was the first direct and official contact between the US and Iran after nearly three decades of troubled relations. The decision to send Burns to the talks was a wise and courageous one despite his nominal role as an observer.
Afghan security forces launch offensive against Taliban
By DPA,
Kabul : The Afghan defence ministry said Wednesday its forces have begun a military offensive alongside international troops against the Taliban insurgency.
11 dead in Dhaka slum fire
By IANS,
Dhaka : At least 11 people, including four children and five women, were burnt to death here after fire engulfed a slum early Sunday, according to fire officials.
13 Israeli soldiers wounded in attack on Gaza gateway — Israeli Army
By KUNA,
Gaza : One Palestinian lost his life in an Israeli air strike on Gaza on Saturday and up to 13 Israeli troops were wounded in a ground bombing attack that targetted an Israeli-manned pssageway in the southernmost region of the strip.
Witnesses said Israeli aircraft fired a lone missile in the direction of a group of Palestinians in Al-Shuja'iah district east of Gaza city, killing one and wounding two others. Body of 21-year-old Ihab Al-Mughni was badly disfigured in the air strike.
Pro-Gaza rally in Berlin honors victims of Israeli massacres
Berlin, Jan 16, IRNA - Berlin-based Arabs and Palestinians on Friday held a candle light vigil in the heart of the German capital to honor the thousands of Palestinian victims of the Israeli war in Gaza in December 2008-January 2009, IRNA reported.
Braving an arctic freeze, teary-eyed Palestinians and Arabs held up pictures of women
and children killed in the Israeli massacres in Gaza.
The demonstrators, waving Palestinians flags, voiced their support and solidarity for
the Palestinians in Gaza who are still subjected to the ongoing inhuman Israeli siege.
Provinces to be given autonomy soon, says Pakistani PM Gilani
By NNN-APP,
Lahore : Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has said that provinces would be given autonomy at the earliest to enable them to decide about utilization of their resources.
He said this in a meeting with PPP MNAs and MPAs including women and other party office-bearers at the State Guest House here on Sunday.
The Prime Minister said federal cabinet would be expanded and working of standing committees would be improved further to grasp the real problems of the common man.
Two policemen killed in Karachi blast
By IANS,
Islamabad : At least two policemen were killed and eight people injured Wednesday in a blast that rocked a restaurant in Pakistan's port city of Karachi, media reports said.
Pope appeals for peace in Iraq
By IRNA
Vatican : Pope Benedict XVI on Sunday denounced the US-led 5-year Iraqi war appealing for peace in the country.
"Enough with the slaughters. Enough with the violence. Enough with the hatred in Iraq," Benedict said to applause at the end of Palm Sunday Mass in St. Peter's Square.
On Thursday, the body of Archbishop Paulos Faraj Rahho was found near the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, from where he had been abducted on February 29. No one has claimed responsibility.
Benedict has called Rahho's death an "inhuman act of violence" that offended human dignity.
Hasina calls for unity to bargain better with India over Tipaimukh dam
By IANS,
Dhaka: Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has called for political unity to be able to "bargain better with India" over the contentious Tipaimukh dam issue between the South Asian neighbours.
"Tipaimukh issue is a national problem. The nation should not be divided for political reasons," Hasina told her Awami League (AL) colleagues.
"We will be unable to protect our national interests if we are divided. Unity will strengthen our bargaining capacity," AL spokesperson Syed Ashraful Islam quoted Hasina as saying.
EU’s Solana hopes for Tehran’s positive response to six-nation nuclear incentives package
By Xinhua,
Tehran : EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said on Saturday that he hoped for a positive response from Iran soon to the nuclear incentives package offered by the six major world powers.
"I hope that the answer will be soon and positive," Solana told a press conference after talks with Iranian officials on Saturday.
"It is an offer that is going to be considered (by Iran) and we are waiting for the answer that they hope will be soon," he said, adding the offer is "full of opportunities for Iran" and may become the "starting point for real negotiations."
Middle East diplomatic quartet to meet at UN
By DPA,
New York : The diplomatic group on the Middle East peace process, or quartet, will meet Monday at UN headquarters, a few weeks before the change of administration in Washington.
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and high-ranking European Union (EU) officials will attend the meeting under the leadership of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.
Ban said he has invited several Arab governments to take part in the quartet discussions along with the four principals: the UN, the EU, the US and Russia.
NGO worker among four Indians killed in Kabul
New Delhi : Fifty-six-year-old Martha Farrell was to return to India from Afghanistan on Saturday but she died in an attack on a Kabul...
Swat Taliban move closer to Islamabad
By IANS,
Islamabad : After consolidating their hold in Swat and other areas of Pakistan's restive northwest, the Taliban have now moved south and taken control of Buner district just 100 km from this federal capital.
The Taliban have extended their control to almost all tehsils of the district and law-enforcement personnel remain confined to police stations and camps, Dawn reported Wednesday.
NATO chief wants Russia’s role in alliance’s operation in Afghanistan
By RIA Novosti,
Munich : U.S. military contingent in Afghanistan NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said on Sunday he did not rule out the possibility for Russia to join the alliance's operation in Afghanistan.
Speaking at the 46th security conference in Germany, Rasmussen said he believed Russia shared NATO's concerns over the current situation in Afghanistan. He said it would be uneasy for Russia to fight the spread of drugs produced in Afghanistan, if the southwestern country turned into a refuge for terrorists again.
UN Human Rights Council to discuss Syria Tuesday
By IANS,
Geneva : The United Nations' Human Rights Council (UNHRC) will hold an urgent debate on Syria Tuesday.
Iraqi PM denies backing Obama’s withdrawal plan
By Xinhua,
Baghdad : Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki denied that he has released statements backing a plan of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama which sets a timeframe for possible U.S. troops withdrawal from Iraq, the government's spokesman said on Sunday.
Ali al-Dabbagh said in a statement that Maliki's statements to German magazine Der Spiegel "have been misunderstood and mistranslated and were not conveyed accurately regarding the vision of Senator Barack Obama on the timeframe for U.S. forces withdrawal from Iraq."
Syrian truck flipped in Beirut, killing 2
By Xinhua
Beirut : Two people were killed and three wounded when a Syrian truck ran into a house in east of Beirut late Thursday, local Naharnet news website reported on Friday.
A police report was quoted as saying that the truck with a Syrian license plate ran into a house belonging to the Semaha family near the Sayyad roundabout in Hazmiyeh, east of Beirut, after colliding with a car that was driven by Antoine Shartouni, aLebanese.
Pakistan: ‘Media and information literacy empower people to build collective consciousness of society’
AGAHI in collaboration with UNESCO Pakistan organised a town-hall dialogue on ‘Media and Information Literacy and Education Journalism in Pakistan’
By Aslam Chandio for TwoCircles.net,
Islamabad: Media literacy and freedom of information continuously sways the practices of the industry in Pakistan, which in turn, raises many questions about media’s influence on the cognitive behavioral response of the public, it was debated and discussed at a town hall dialogue organised by AGAHI and UNESCO, Pakistan here.
29 killed, 81 injured in Iraq attacks
By DPA,
Baghdad : At least 29 people were killed and 81 injured in attacks that shook different parts of Iraq Thursday, security sources said.
In northern Iraq, 25 people died 43 were injured in a truck bombing in eastern Mosul. The vehicle blew up early morning in Kurdish-dominated Wardak village, security sources said.
Security forces defused a nearby second truck bomb before it could be detonated, the source added. The explosion damaged more than 12 houses.
Abbas to approach UNSC for settling Palestinian issue
Ramallah : Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Monday said he will soon head to the UN Security Council to debate a solution to the Palestinian...
Pakistan: Veteran, new faces studded 13th national assembly; all smiles
By NNN-APP
Islamabad : The 13th National Assembly of Pakistan started its formal proceedings with inaugural session, was glittered with the presence of many veterans and the new entrants from the leading political parties.
Pleasantries were exchanged by the old rivals and new allied parties leaders.
Independent members were the first to enter the assembly hall which were followed by PML-Q and MQM MNAs, among them were Khush Bakht Shujaat, Amir Muqam, Chudhry Pervez Elahi, Farooq Ahmed Khan Leghari, Jehangir Tareen, Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao and members from Fata.
NATO fire kills 2 children, wounds the other in S Afghanistan
By Xinhua,
Kabul : Soldiers with the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) on Sunday opened fire at a vehicle being driven in a "threatening manner" and "ignoring warnings", killing two children and wounding one adult in southern Afghan province of Kandahar, said an ISAF statement released here on Monday.
ISAF was conducting a security patrol in Kandahar province when they were approached by a vehicle which was directed to keep its distance but it did not comply, the statement said.
Reformists under fire again before Iran elections
By DPA
Tehran : Just 24 hours before the parliamentary elections in Iran, the country's reformists came under fire again from their conservative opponents over alleged secret links to European Union (EU) diplomats, Fars news agency reported Thursday.
The pro-Ahmadinejad conservative faction has started a new campaign against the reformists, charging them with seeking EU support to put pressure on the government.
South Asian anti-terror meet in Islamabad in June
By P. Vijian, NNN-Bernama,
Thimphu : South Asian governments plan to design a new anti-terror template to suppress terrorism and terror financing later this June, in the highly volatile region often subjected to terror risks.
Top officials of the eight-member South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) will meet in Islamabad, Pakistan, later this year to discuss the burning issue, said SAARC secretary-general Sheel Kant Sharma.
Lebanon has genuine chance to elect President – Hariri
By NNN-KUNA,
Beirut : Renewing support for Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri's overtures to end the long-standing presidential crisis, leader of the Lebanese ruling Future Movement Saad Al-Hariri said that Lebanon has a genuine chance to elect its president on May 13.
"We always support dialogue and have never rebuffed it," Al-Hariri said in statements to the press here Monday.
"We had gone to each dialogue mediated by Chairman Berri," he said.
Give Pakistan space to act against terrorism, says Pakistani media
By IANS,
Islamabad : A day after Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said the Mumbai attack had the support of Pakistani "official agencies", several leading newspapers Wednesday responded with anger. India should give Pakistan "space" to act against terrorism, one editorial said while another contended that New Delhi seemed interested more in "maligning Pakistan internationally".
Rice to discuss with German officials Iran, Afghanistan
By KUNA
Washington : US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice is set to travel next week to Germany to discuss Afghanistan and Iran, said the State Department on Wednesday.
"The secretary will participate in bilateral meetings with senior German officials, during which she will discuss the wide range of issues the US and Germany cooperate on, including the NATO effort in Afghanistan", said State Department spokesperson Sean McCormack in a statement.
Malaysian police seize 20 kilograms of opium in drug bust
By SPA,
Kuala Lumpur : Malaysian police seized 20 kilograms of opium slabs worth some 70,000 ringgit (20,588 dollars) from a suspected dealer in the northern Penang state, a news report said Saturday.
Police surrounded the car of the suspect, aged in his 30s, and discovered 20 slabs of opium after searching the vehicle, said state police chief Salleh Mat Rasid.
"We planned for four days before deciding to act against the suspect," Salleh was quoted as saying by the Star daily.
Muslims will not leave India, come what may: Owaisi
Hyderabad : All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Tuesday said that the Muslims would not leave the country, come what may,...
‘Jaswant’s book not the only reason for expulsion’
By IANS,
Shimla : Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) veteran Jaswant Singh's expulsion from the party has to do with more than just his controversial book on the subcontinent's partition, a senior BJP national leader said Wednesday night.
"The writing of the book was not the only, but one of the several reasons, for his expulsion by the party," the party leader told IANS here on condition of anonymity.
The BJP earlier in the day expelled Singh from the primary membership of the party. The move came two days after the release of his book, "Jinnah: India, Partition, Independence".
U.S. Embassy in Beirut warns citizens against being targeted
By Xinhua
Beijing : American embassy in Beirut sent a warning to its citizens in Lebanon to take "responsible security measures," stay away from public places, and avoid any appearance that show they are Americans, local Elnashra website reported Thursday.
The U.S. embassy, explained in a statement that the "unstable situation and explosions in recent months" have urged its staff to take maximum precautious measures, said the report.
Iraq: next few days crucial for security deal with U.S.
By Xinhua,
Baghdad : Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said Saturday that Iraqi leaders will make a decision in the coming few days on an agreement concerning the continued presence of U.S. troops in Iraq.
"The next few days will be crucial for the Iraqi leaders to make political decision and a judgment on this agreement," Zebari said during a joint news conference with his visiting Bahraini counterpart.
Drones will strike as long as US wants: Pakistani daily
By IANS,
Islamabad : Despite Pakistan's objections, US drone strikes are going to continue as long as America thinks they are useful, said a Pakistani daily.
Shoe-thrower reporter flooded with offers from defence lawyers
By DPA,
Baghdad : Montazer al-Zaidi, the Iraqi TV reporter who threw his shoes at US President George W. Bush, is flooded with offers by lawyers who want to defend him.
Tuesday, al-Zaidi rejected an offer by Khalil al-Dulaimi, who defended the late Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein before his execution. He also turned down offers by various lawyers from across the Arab world.
PNA: Gaza offensive to destroy peace efforts
By Xinhua,
Ramallah : Palestinian National Authority (PNA) on Wednesday warned that any Israeli military operation in the Gaza Strip could wipe out months of peace negotiations.
"The escalation (of military operation) could destroy all peace efforts that the Israeli and the Palestinian sides have exerted to spread stability in the region," said Palestinian peace negotiator Saeb Erekat.
UAE, Maldives hold bilateral talks
By IANS/WAM,
Colombo : The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Maldives have discussed bilateral relations in various fields and ways to enhance them.
Bangladesh government orders release of ex-PM Sheikh Hasina
By SPA,
Dhaka, Bangladesh : A domestic news agency says Bangladesh's government has ordered the release of ailing former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
United News of Bangladesh said the order was signed by interim government chief Fakhruddin Ahmed on Wednesday.
Hasina has been in jail since July last year on several corruption charges. A special court recently exempted her from attending the trials in person after her lawyers petitioned for her release for medical treatment abroad.
The lawyers said she has been suffering from ear and eye problems.
Gaza Strip will lose power within hours due to fuel shortage — official
GAZA, Nov 9 (KUNA) -- Palestinian lawmaker and head of the Popular Committee to Counter the Siege Jamal Al-Khudari Sunday said that Gaza Strip will sink in darkness within hours as power plants will stop operating due to lack of fuel.
Al-Khudari underscored that power outage will affect all Gaza Strip areas, which would cause a humanitarian and environmental catastrophe.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian parliament accused the Israeli forces of prohibiting entry of fuel into Gaza Strip.
Over 250 people to get new houses in UAE
By IANS/WAM,
Dubai : A total of 277 people in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will get new houses built by the government.
UAE: World oil demand to reach 118 mln bpd by 2030
By Xinhua
Abu Dhabi : A senior energy official of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) said on Monday that the world's oil demand will reach 118 million barrels per day (bpd) by 2030, the official Emirates News Agency reported.
The forecast was made by the UAE Energy Minister Mohammed bin Dhaen Al Hamli in his keynote speech at the World Future Energy Summit 2008, which was held from Monday to Wednesday.
Hamli assured the audience that the world's oil resources are sufficient to meet the heavy forecast increases in demand for decades to come.
Maldives seeks respect for ruling on ex-president
Male : Maldives President Yameen Abdul Gayoom on Sunday sought respect for a decision taken by a court to sentence former president Mohamed Nasheed...
Pakistani officials meet UAE envoy
By IANS/WAM,
Islamabad : Top officials from Pakistan's Punjab province met the UAE's ambassador to the country and discussed ways to boost bilateral relations.
New Arabic media content creation zone in Abu Dhabi
By IANS,
Abu Dhabi : A new Arabic media content creation zone, twofour54, has been unveiled here.
Representing the geographical coordinates of Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), twofour54 will be a centre of excellence for Arabic content creation that is internationally renowned, the official Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported.
Crown prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan attended the launch of the initiative here Sunday.
Families of French soldiers killed in Afghanistan to sue officers
By DPA,
Paris : The families of two of nine French soldiers killed last year in an ambush in Afghanistan are suing their commanding officers for reckless endangerment, the daily Le Parisien reported Thursday.
The lawyer for the two families, Gilbert Collard, told France Info radio that the suit was not directed at the army itself, but at specific senior officers.
Several insurgents killed in Afghanistan — coalition
By KUNA,
Kabul : The US-led coalition said it killed nine militants in two separate operations executed in southern and southeastern Afghanistan.
A military statement said Thursday that an insurgent associated with the Haqqani foreign fighter facilitator network and one of his associates were killed in Khost province this morning.
In Zazai Maidan district, coalition forces targeted an extremist known to assist the Haqqani terrorist network with the movement of insurgents into Afghanistan.
Red Cross says at least 4 killed in Beirut explosion
By Xinhua
Beirut : Lebanese Red Cross Committee announced that at least four people were killed and 20 others injured in a powerful explosion in a Christian neighborhood in Beirut on Friday, the official National News Agency reported.
The blast, which occurred at around 10 a.m. (0800 GMT), targeted a military vehicle in the Chevrolet neighborhood northeast of Beirut.
Blair calls for ending Israeli occupation, removing checkpoints in W. Bank
By KUNA
Ramallah : Quartet special envoy Tony Blair stressed Thursday the importance of ending the Israeli occupation and removing all military barriers and checkpoints in the West Bank, in order to achieve true peace.
In a press conference held in Nablus, which Blair was visiting for the first time, the former British premier said he clearly understood the tragedy that the Palestinians lived in in this city, brought about by occupation and checkpoints.
Baitullah Mehsud alive, in hiding: Pakistan Taliban
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud, said to be responsible for the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, was not killed in a US drone attack but is in hiding as part of a "strategy", a spokesman for the group said Saturday.
Speaking to an Arabic TV channel, Tahreek-e-Taliban spokesman Hakeemullah Mehsud, a close relative of the militant leader, said a videotape would soon be released to prove that Mehsud was alive.
Wounded Israeli soldier dies — spokesman
By KUNA
Gaza : An Israeli soldier passed away on Sunday in South Israel Hospital after succumbing to wounds he sustained in a bomb blast on the Palestinian-Israeli border last Thursday, the Israeli Army said.
The army spokesman told a local radio that the soldier was seriously injured as Palestinian militants detonated an Improvised explosive Device (IED) near an Israeli military vehicle in a nearby area to Deir Al-Balah town, central Gaza Strip.
‘If Iran raises nuclear issue India will discuss’
By IANS,
New Delhi : India will not initiate a discussion on Iran's nuclear programme during talks with President Mahmoud AhmadinejadTuesday. Officials pointed out the controversial issue could only be discussed if the Iranian leader raised it.
"We will not raise the nuclear issue with Iran," an official of the external affairs ministry, who declined to be named, said Monday. "But we will not shy away from discussing it if the Iranian president decides to raise it during talks with our leaders," he added.
Pakistan a potential place for long-term investments: PM
Islamabad : Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif Monday said that there were opportunities for investors in Pakistan and termed the country a potential place...
US missile attack kills four in Pakistan
By KUNA,
Islamabad : At least four people were killed and several others were wounded Thursday in a US missile attack on a Pakistani tribal agency bordering Afghanistan.
At least two guide-missiles hit a vehicle and a house in Karri Kot area of South Waziristan tribal agency, security sources told KUNA.
They said the attack killed at least four people and wounded several others.
Lebanon’s parliament elects army chief as president
By DPA,
Beirut : Lebanon's parliament Sunday elected army chief General Michel Suleiman as the country's 12th president, filling a post left vacant for six months by a political crisis that had threatened a new civil war.
"Suleilman garnered 118 votes and I declare him president of Lebanon," Speaker Nabih Berri announced after the voting.
A Qatari-brokered deal last week between rival Lebanese leaders defused 18 months of political stalemate that erupted into fighting this month. Iranian-backed Hezbollah fighters briefly seized parts of Beirut, routing government loyalists.
Lessons from the Haj tragedy
By Dr Kouser Fathima,
The Haj pilgrimage is the dream of all Muslims, but sadly this year the pilgrimage is marred by accidents resulting in...
Pakistani Gilani, Boucher discuss cooperation between South Asia and other regions
By NNN-APP,
Colombo : Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani and US Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs Richard Boucher had a meeting here on the sidelines of the 15th SAARC Summit.
During the meeting on Saturday the views were exchanged on the cooperation between South Asia and other regions.
Owing to the importance of South Asia the representatives of United States, China, Japan and EU are participating in the 15th summit meeting of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation as observers.
Rocket attack during Bulgarian minister’s Afghan visit
By DPA,
Sofia : A rocket was fired Sunday on a military base in Kandahar, Afghanistan, while Bulgarian Defence Minister Nikolay Mladenov was visiting his country's troops there.
Four Bulgarian soldiers were injured in the attack, the Defence Ministry in Sofia said late Sunday.
The rocket exploded just 200 metres from the minister's party, but he was unharmed.
Some 270 Bulgarians are part of the international military force in Kandahar. The country has a total of 500 troops in Afghanistan.
Mladenov is to remain in Afghanistan until Thursday.
UAE mourns death of Saudi crown prince
By IANS/WAM,
Abu Dhabi : The United Arab Emirates Saturday expressed its sorrow over the death of Saudi Arabian crown prince Naif bin Abdulaziz Al Saud at the age of 73, following an illness.
Pakistan stocks plunge eight-month low on weak forecasts
By DPA,
Karachi : Pakistan stocks plunged by 4.5 percent to an eight-month low Monday, dropping 578 points by mid-day trading on mounting political uncertainties and weak economic outlook, analysts said.
The benchmark KSE-100 Index plunged for the second straight trading day, after declining by 4.5 percent Friday, when it shed 615 points.
"There is an immense selling pressure in the market," said Zafar Moti, chief executive of Zafar Moti Securities.
Pakistan deports US scribe for Taliban story
By Parveen Chopra, IANS
New York : A freelance US journalist has been deported from Pakistan, most likely for reporting on Taliban activities in parts of the country.
Nicholas Schmidle, whose latest piece "Next-Gen Taliban" appeared in the Jan 6 issue of The New York Times Magazine, has been forced to leave Friday from Pakistan, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).
Atomic Agency Director in Teheran
By Prensa Latina,
Teheran : The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Deputy Director General Olli Heinonen arrived Monday in the Iranian capital, where he will hold talks with local authorities on the nuclear program, IRNA news agency reported.
The official is accompanied by a group of experts from the international organization headquartered in Vienna, Austria, and was welcomed by the Iranian ambassador to the agency, Ali Asghar Soltanieh.
Islamic State release another beheading video
London : The Islamic State (IS) has released a video showing the beheading of a Kurdish man as a warning to the forces fighting...
Probe into Mumbai attacks will define India-Pakistan ties: SAFMA
By IANS,
Lahore : The future of Pakistan-India relations depends on the investigation into the Mumbai attacks, a senior official of the South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA) said here Friday.
Imtiaz Alam, secretary general of SAFMA, said the objective of a Peace Mission’s visit to India was aimed at restoring the broken ties between the two neighbors.
Addressing a news conference, he said all organizations will have to work together to maintain peace in South Asian, Geo TV reported.
NATO urges calm following terror attack in Kabul
By EuAsiaNews,
Brussels : The Secretary-General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organsiation (NATO), Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, "wholeheartedly condemned" the bombing at the Indian embassy in Kabul Monday.
"The loss of life and injuries to so many is a tragedy, and a clear attempt to undermine regional relations. I call on all parties to remain calm in the face of this provocation,'' said the head of the 26-member Alliance.
Scheffer stressed that NATO remains determined to continue its mission to help bring security and stability to Afghanistan, including against the scourge of terrorism.
8 British embassy staff members arrested in Iran: Report
By DPA,
Tehran : Iran has arrested eight local staff members of the British embassy in Tehran for alleged involvement in demonstrations over the June 12 presidential election, Fars news agency reported Sunday.
Iran accuses Western agents of inciting unrest and interfering in internal political matters.
The agency report about the arrest of the eight Iranian staff members has not yet been officially confirmed.
Zardari promises ‘good news’ on Kashmir before Indian elections
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan's new President Asif Ali Zardari Tuesday said he would have "some good news" on the Kashmir issue before India holds its next Lok Sabha elections.
The 55-year-old Zardari, once known as "Mr 10 Percent", was administered the oath of office by Chief Justice Abdul Hamid Dogar at a ceremony at the presidential palace here.
Quran leaf sells for world record of Dlrs 5 million
B IRNA
London : A 7th-century leaf from a Holy Quran has set a new world auction record for any Islamic manuscript, after fetching Pnds 2.48 million pounds (Dlrs 4.92 m) in London.
Christie's International on Tuesday reported its biggest-grossing sale of Islamic art, with a 282-lot raising a total Pnds 11.8 m, more than double upper estimate.
The 36-centimeter vellum leaf, thought to be from Madina, is one of the earliest Quran fragments. The price paid by a private anonymous collector was nearly 25 times the presale lower estimate of Pnds 100,000.
Dissolved NA abused constitutional tools — Candidate Al-Mulla
By KUNA,
Kuwait : National Assembly candidate in the third constituency, Saleh Al-Mulla said MPs of the former dissolved parliament abused the constitutional tools in their grillings of ministers in ways that did not serve the interests of the homeland.
In a seminar at the opening of his campaign headquarters Saturday night, entitled "A new vision for a more beautiful Kuwait", he said that using constitutional tools to achieve tribal, sectarian, and personal gains compromised the true meaning and spirit of the process.
Islamic Jihad delegation head for Sinai apparently for ceasefire talks
By Xinhua
Gaza : A delegation from the Islamic Jihad movement on Thursday headed for Sinai for talks with Egyptian officials about the situation in Gaza, sources from the movement said.
The delegation is headed by the Gaza-based leader Mohammed al-Hendi upon an invitation from the Egyptian security mission which was based in the Gaza Strip before Hamas took over the territory in June, added the sources that are on condition of anonymity.
Pakistan takes ‘every possible step’ for peaceful polls
By Muhammad Najeeb, IANS
Islamabad : The Pakistan government has deployed about 81,000 troops of the army throughout the country, with focus on areas that have been identified as sensitive, to counter threats of violence and terrorism on the polling day Monday, says the caretaker interior minister.
"Every possible step has been taken to ensure peaceful elections," caretaker Interior Minister Hamid Nawaz Khan told mediapersons Saturday after briefing European Union observers on the country's 10th general elections to the national and four provincial parliaments.
Iran to start final test run of Bushehr nuclear power plant
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : The final test run of Iran's first nuclear power plant will begin within the next several days, Iran's vice president said on Monday.
Ali Akbar Salehi, who heads the country's Atomic Energy Organization, earlier said the plant was 96% complete, almost all of the equipment had been installed, and that after testing the plant would go into full operation.
Moderate earthquake rattles northwestern Pakistan
By DPA,
Islamabad : A moderate earthquake measuring 5.8 on the Richter scale struck northwestern Pakistan Monday morning, but there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage, meteorological authorities said.
The earthquake, at a depth of 140 km, hit at 8:37 a.m., the US Geological Survey said. It was centred 106 km northwest of the town of Chitral.
Pakistan Meteorological Department measured the jolts at 5.7 on the Richter scale, while local authorities did not immediately report any casualties or structural damages.
Abdullah pulls out of Afghan presidential runoff poll
By DPA,
Kabul : Afghan presidential challenger Abdullah Abdullah Sunday announced he would not participate in a planned runoff election, saying that political conditions could not guarantee a fair process.
The former foreign minister's decision to withdraw leaves President Hamid Karzai as the only candidate, and casts doubt over the legitimacy of his administration, particularly as regards his key ally the US.
Arab states losing patience with Hamas, Fatah movements
By DPA,
Cairo : Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal chaired the opening of the Arab League Council in Cairo Monday evening amid signs that the 22-state body was becoming impatient with the continued political impasse between Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah.
The meeting, which continues Tuesday, is expected to discuss the situation in the Palestinian Territories as well as ongoing violence in Darfur.
"It's about time that the Arab countries take a solid and decisive stance against those who shed Palestinian blood and deepen the Palestinian division," Faisal said.
Pakistan arrests 250 for Peshwar plane attack
Islamabad: Pakistani police have held 250 people suspected to be involved in a gun attack on a plane Tuesday that killed one passenger and...
UAE confirms terror attack on Japanese tanker
By IANS,
Abu Dhabi : The United Arab Emirates Coast Guard Friday confirmed the terror attack on a Japanese tanker in the Strait of Hormuz last week, saying a boat loaded with explosives had hit the vessel.
The attack on the tanker caused no human injuries or spills of oil.
The tanker M. Star left the port of Fujairah Friday after repairing damage to its starboard side incurred when it was attacked July 28.
Thai railway services almost paralysed
By KUNA,
Kuala Lumpur : Senior railways executives are negotiating with representatives of Thailand's striking railway workers Saturday, in an attempt settle problems that caused the kingdom's passenger and cargo services to virtually halt.
Losses in daily revenue have been reported to be in the region of Bt20 million (about USD 584,795).
Afghanistan tops UN list on food insecurity
By IANS,
United Nations : Afghanistan has topped a list of countries with the highest food insecurity, a British agency working with the UN has said.
Afghanistan is followed by the Democratic Republic of Congo and Burundi, the report by Britain's Maplecroft research agency said.
The agency carried out the study on 163 countries with criteria designed by the World Food Programme (WFP), Xinhua reported.
Countries like Eritrea, Sudan, Ethiopia, Angola, Liberia, Chad and Zimbabwe make the top 10 of the list.
Hillary Clinton holds discussions with Egyptian military chief
By IANS,
Cairo : US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Sunday held talks with the head of Egypt's Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi.
Pakistani Taliaban says government has increased attacks in tribal areas
Islamabad: Pakistan's outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has accused the government of increasing attacks on militant hideouts and raids on houses of its members in...
Journalist shot dead in Pakistan’s restive Swat valley
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : Pakistani security forces have shot dead a journalist "mistakenly" in the country's restive Swat valley in curfew timings, officials said Sunday.
Muhammad Shoaib was going somewhere late Saturday night when the forces started firing on him at the Nishat square, in Mingora, a major city in Swat valley in northwestern Pakistan.
Shoaib, working for a local newspaper "Khabar Kaar", died at the scene.
Officials claimed that the journalist was killed mistakenly as he was going in the city as curfew was imposed.
Afghan opium production declines 10 percent in 2009: UN report
By DPA,
Kabul : Opium production is down by 10 percent while the area under poppy cultivation in Afghanistan fell 22 percent in 2009, a new UN report said Wednesday.
However, the war-shattered Afghanistan still remains the world's largest supplier of the drug, producing 6,900 tonnes of opium, from which heroin is derived.
"World demand for opium remains stable (at around 5,000 tonnes per year), which is several thousand tonnes lower than what Afghanistan produces every year," a report from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), released in Kabul Wednesday said.
Anwar Ibrahim to face another trial on sodomy charge
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur : Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim will be tried by a high court bench on charge of sodomy - the same accusation he faced a decade back when he was sacked as the deputy prime minister.
His lawyers Thursday said a high court ruling dismissing his plea in the matter was "very disappointing".
Ibrahim had won a favourable ruling last November. But Justice Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah Thursday said the Sessions Court judge "had erred".
The case has been set for mention next Tuesday, The Star newspaper said.
Pakistan arrests 74 Indian fishermen
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : Seventy four Indian fishermen were arrested after they strayed into Pakistani territory, authorities said Wednesday.
Pakistan's Maritime Security Agency arrested 74 Indian fishermen in the southern port city of Karachi and confiscated 13 boats for violating sea territorial limits, Dawn TV channel quoted a MSA spokesman as saying.
Pakistan and India, which have fought three wars since 1947, share the waters in the Arabian Sea, and there has been controversy over the maritime boundary between the two countries.
Islamabad blasts a warning from militants: Police
Islamabad : The twin bombings in the Pakistani capital were a warning by militants against a military operation in North Waziristan that killed more...
NATO soldier killed in Afghan explosion
By SPA,
Kabul, Afghanistan : An explosion in southern Afghanistan killed a NATO soldier on Saturday, CNN reported.
The soldier died during a patrol with an Afghan National Army unit in Lashkar Gah, the capital city of Helmand province, the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said in a statement Sunday.
Afghan women demand safe release of female aid worker
By DPA
Kandahar (Afghanistan) : Hundreds of Afghan women Thursday demonstrated in southern Kandahar province to condemn the abduction of female US aid worker and demand her immediate release.
They described the abduction as a violation of Islamic and Afghan values, and urged the government to step up efforts to secure the release of Cyd Mizell, 49, who worked with the Asian Rural Life Development Foundation.
The women also called on Afghani tribal elders to use their influence to gain the victim's freedom.
Pakistan elects senators
By IANS,
Islamabad : The polling for 45 Senate seats, including four newly-added seats in the upper house for minorities, was held in Pakistan Friday.
Dozens militants killed in Afghanistan
By Xinhua,
Kabul : The US-led coalition forces have killed dozens of militants in the eastern Afghan province of Ghazni, a coalition statement issued here said Sunday.
A coalition patrol in Qara Bagh district confronted armed militants firing on the troops from fortified fighting position, the statement said.
"Coalition forces defended themselves by engaging the militants with small-arms fire and close air support with precision munitions until insurgent threat was eliminated," it said.
"It is estimated multiple militants were killed during the fighting," the statement said.
Indian arrested in Kuwait for money laundering
Kuwait City: An expatriate Indian has been arrested on arrival at the Kuwait International Airport on charges of money laundering, media reported.
The unidentified Indian,...
Int’l press organisation condemns killings of reuters cameraman in Gaza
By NNN-KUNA,
Paris : An international press freedom organisation has condemned here the killing of a Palestinian cameraman in Gaza, considering the Strip one of the dangerous places for journalists.
Fadel Shanaa, a cameraman working for Reuters, was killed Wednesday by a rocket fired during an Israeli military incursion into the Gaza Strip, while his assistant, Wafa Barbakh, was seriously injured.
Voice attributed to Bin Laden chides EU for prophet cartoons
By Xinhua
Beijing : A statement attributed to Osama bin Laden condemned the European Union for allowing the publication of cartoons considered insulting Islam's prophet Muhammad Wednesday.
In the five-minute audio message entitled "The Response Is What You See, Not What You Hear," the voice accused the Europeans of violating "the etiquettes of dispute and fighting."
Opposition leader: Golan Heights must remain in Israel’s hands
By Xinhua,
Jerusalem : Israel must control the Golan Heights even at times of peace, Israeli opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday, while blasting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert for purportedly being ready to cede the plateau even before negotiations with Syria.
Indian, Bangladeshis held in Malaysia
By IANS,
Dhaka : Eighty-one illegal migrants, including an Indian, two Pakistanis and 33 Bangladeshis, have been detained in Malaysia.
‘Clusters of Light’ delivers tolerant, moderate message of Islam: Sharjah ruler
Sharjah: "Clusters of Light", an epic operetta which presents the story of Islam since the birth of Prophet Mohammed and his efforts to spread...
Indonesia: President says film “Fitna” can destroy inter-human relations
By NNN-ANTARA
Bogor (Indonesia) : President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said he had forbidden the entry of the anti-Islamic film `Fitna` into Indonesia because the film would destroy the harmonious relations among humans in the world.
UAE to help developing nations in poverty eradication
By IANS,
Abu Dhabi: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) will support projects in the developing countries to eradicate poverty, WAM news agency reported Tuesday.
The Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) is committed to global poverty eradication by pledging support for projects that will improve lives of millions of people, it said.
The issue was highlighted at a special event organised here to mark the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.
Professor Muhammad Yunus, Nobel Peace Prize winner and founder of Grameen Bank of bangladesh, was the chief guest.
Saudi Arabia closes down embassy in N”djamena
By KUNA
Riyadh : The Foreign Ministry of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia announced Tuesday evening the closedown of the Saudi Embassy in the Chadian capital city of N'djamena and evacuation of all staffers of the embassy.
The move is in line with the instructions of the Saudi leaders to ensure the safety of all staffers and the other Saudi nationals in Chad, the Saudi Press Agency quoted a statement issued by the ministry as saying.
The staffers have flown by a private plane to the Kingdom, the ministry disclosed.
French Defence Minister pays surprise visit to Afghanistan
By Xinhua,
Kabul : French Defence Minister Herve Morin arrived in Afghan capital Kabul Saturday for a surprise visit to meet high ranking officials and French troops based near the capital.
It is the third visit to the post-Taliban country for Herve Morin who plans to visit around 700 French troops based in the relatively peaceful Kapisa province adjoining Kabul, officials said.
Iranian FM visits Iraq
By Xinhua,
BAGHDAD : Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki arrived late on Tuesday in Baghdad, where he is expected to meet with senior Iraqi leaders on bilateral economic ties, an Iraqi foreign ministry source said on Wednesday.
Mottaki is heading a large Iranian delegation and will meet with Iraqi officials to discuss promotion of bilateral relations in all aspects, including energy, tourism and trade, the source told Xinhua.
Pakistan’s central bank chief quits ahead of budget
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan's central bank governor has resigned citing "personal reasons", two days ahead of the announcement of the country's annual budget.
Syed Salim Raza, Governor of State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), had submitted his resignation effective from May 6, which was accepted by President Asif Ali Zardari as per the advice of Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani, said a government statement Wednesday night.
The acceptance came just three days before the government is scheduled to present its budget for the year 2010-11.
Iran calls incident with U.S. naval ships “normal”
By Xinhua
Tehran : Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad-Ali Hosseini on Monday played down an incident between Iranian boats and U.S. naval ships in the strategic Strait of Hormuz over the weekend, saying it was "something normal", the official IRNA news agency reported.
"It's something normal and takes place every now and then for each party, it has been resolved when the two parties identified each other," Hosseini was quoted as saying.
Jordan condemns Israeli settlers’ breaking into Al-Aqsa mosque
By IANS,
Amman : Jordan Sunday condemned breaking into Al-Aqsa mosque by Israeli settlers, calling on Arabs and Muslims to intervene to halt such violations, media reports said.
Israel halts Lebanese ship carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza
By RIA Novosti,
TEL AVIV : Israel's navy has seized a Lebanese ship carrying humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, a spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces said on Thursday.
The Israeli navy had initially "prevented the ship from entering Gaza waters" and ordered the vessel to head for Egypt, but the crew failed to obey, the Haaretz newspaper quoted Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak as saying.
Bangladesh calls for LDC representation at economic summit
By Xinhua,
Dhaka : Bangladesh Sunday called for representation of the world's least developed countries (LDCs) at global economic summit in future.
Speaking to journalists here, the caretaker government's foreign adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury welcomed the inclusion of developing countries like Brazil, China and India in the G-20 summit held in Washington of the United States to address the current global economic crisis.
Meet Kaif Ali, who is housing the homeless with his ‘architecture for poor’ idea
Born and brought up in New Delhi, twenty-year-old Kaif Ali is an architecture student at Faculty of Architecture & Ekistics, Jamia Millia Islamia, New...
Mass wedding for people with special needs to be held in Dubai
By IANS,
Dubai : A national mass wedding involving 100 couples in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will be held here for people with special needs.
For this, Abdulrahman Al Saleh, executive director of financial and administrative affairs division of Dubai Customs, has signed a sponsorship contract with Iman Faris, head of the marketing committee of the wedding.
Under the contract, Dubai Customs will contribute 500,000 dirhams ($136,135) to the event. The wedding will be organised by Dubai Special Sports Club and Arab Family Organisation.
France, UAE to sign nuclear energy agreement
By NNN-KUNA
Paris, France : France and the UAE are expected to sign a four-billion-euro agreement to provide the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with the potential to develop civil nuclear energy, French diplomatic sources said Friday.
The agreement should be signed during a visit to the UAE by French President Nicolas Sarkozy on January 15, the sources, speaking on condition of anomymity, told reporters in a briefing.
France will provide the know-how and expertise to develop the civil nuclear energy project in the UAE, said the sources.
Berlin says no decision on sending combat troops to Afghanistan
By IRNA
Berlin : A German Defense Ministry spokesman stressed that no decision has yet been taken on sending a 240-men Quick Reaction Force to Afghanistan to replace a Norwegian unit in July.
"We have to await NATO's decision whether such a request (for such a force) is made," Thomas Raabe said in remarks to journalists in Berlin on Wednesday.
"It makes little sense to speculate what the decision will be made," he added.
Israel allows limited fuel supplies to Gaza strip
By NNN-KUNA,
Gaza : Israel has decided to resume supplying the Gaza Strip with a limited quantity of diesel oil and natural gas but to maintain a ban on petrol supplies.
Tankers carrying diesel oil for the Gaza power station crossed into the Gaza Strip through the eastern Nahal Oz crossing point, deputy chief of the Palestinian power authority Kan'an Obeid told reporters Sunday.
"Two natural gas tankers have also entered the Strip to supply households with the fuel they are in bad need for," he noted.
Pakistan important in ensuring world peace: PM Gilani
By NNN-APP,
Islamabad : Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani said that international community is willing to extend every help and cooperation to make Pakistan strong, stable and secure as it is in the interest of the world.
Addressing a press conference on Saturday after his return from Turkey where he met various world leaders and addressed the World Economic Forum, Gilani said the world is fully cognizant of the problems Pakistan was facing in the wake of global financial crisis.
India has no plans to attack Pakistan: Defence Minister Antony
By NNN-PTI,
New Delhi : India today said it is not planning any military action against Pakistan but made it clear that Islamabad will have to take action against terrorists there for the bilateral relations to improve.
"We are not planning any military action... But at the same time unless Pakistan takes actions against those terrorists who are operating from their soil against India and also against all those who are behind the Mumbai terrorist attack, things will not be normal," Defence Minister A K Antony said.
Dhaka wants time-frame to resolve Teesta, land issues
Dhaka : Bangladesh will seek “specific time-frame” from India to settle the Teesta water sharing and implement the land boundary agreement at the upcoming...
Asif Zardari meets US Senators
By APP
Islamabad : Pakistan People’s Party co-chairman Senator Asif Ali Zardari met three US Senators and the US ambassador in Islamabad on Wednesday.
The meeting, held jointly with Senator Joseph Biden (Democrat), Senator John Kerry (Democrat) and Senator Jachuck Hagel (Republican), was also attended by the US ambassador in Islamabad and political secretary Ms Putnam of the US embassy.
Asif Ali Zardari was assisted by his party aides including central Information Secretary Sherry Rehman, Brig ® Aman and Tariq Malik.
Work on Saudi rail project to start by 2008-end
By IANS
Dubai : Work on the 20 billion Saudi riyals railway project connecting the holy city of Makkah with Jeddah and Madinah is set to start by the end of this year, Saudi Arabia's Transport Minister Jabara Al-Seraisry has said.
"Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah is greatly interested in the project, which aims at easing the heavy traffic between the two holy cities of Makkah and Madinah, particularly during the Haj and Ramadan seasons," Al-Seraisry told Arab News on the sidelines of a maritime transport forum in Jeddah.
Briton joins Iranian Press TV as presenter
By IANS
Thiruvananthapuram : Britain born journalist Yvonne Ridley, who was taken into custody by the Taliban in Afghanistan in 2000, is now working as a TV presenter for Iranian Press TV after converting to Islam to honour her promise to captors.
Ridley told reporters here Sunday she has been based in West Asia since 2000 and has also worked with Al Jazeera as a TV presenter.
She is here - her first visit to India - on the invitation of the student's wing of Jamath-e-Islami, a Muslim social organization.
Caretaker minister says we did our job of holding fair polls
By APP
Lahore : Caretaker Punjab Minister for Law & Parliamentary Affairs, Mahmood Sheikh, felicitated the nation and leaders of all political parties on holding of national elections, and observed that the caretaker set-up had fulfilled its promise of holding free and fair elections.
In a statement issued here Tuesday, he said that the results will definitely pave the way for strengthening of democratic norms in the country.
Iran’s supreme leader grants amnesty to 950 prisoners
By IANS,
Tehran : Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has granted amnesty to 950 prisoners earlier convicted by various courts in the country, IRNA reported Tuesday.
The decision was made on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Prophet of Islam March 15.
The pardon was made at the request of Judiciary Chief Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi.
The Islamic Republic of Iran usually grants pardon or commutes the punishment of those convicted by the country's tribunals during the Iranian national or religious events.
Protesting Dhaka judges forcibly retired, reinstated
By IANS,
Dhaka : Two judges who led a hundred others in a demonstration against a government decision were forced into retirement, but have been reinstated after they apologised.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina told her cabinet colleagues Monday that the conduct of the two judges was "unseemly".
The public which approaches the court for redressal of its problems, does not expect "such indecorous behaviour from judges", she was quoted as saying by New Age newspaper.