Strict action ordered against Pakistani chief justice’s son, realtor
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan's Supreme Court has ordered strict action in a bribery case involving Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudry's son and a real estate tycoon.
Musharraf highlights Pakistan’s incessant anti-terror efforts
By SPA
Islamabad : President Pervez Musharraf, citing Pakistan's sustained anti-terror efforts over the years, has said it has done more than any other country in combating terrorism.
In an interview with CBS channel, Musharraf vigorously defended Pakistan's efforts against terrorists on the Afghan border. "Pakistan is confronting the challenges of extremism and terrorism."
Pakistan has deployed more than 100,000 troops along its Afghan border to check movement of militants and curb terrorism.
Blast damages 100-year-old Pakistani mosque
By IANS,
Peshawar : A powerful blast damaged a 100-year-old mosque in Pakistan's Khyber Agency. There were no casualties, a media report said Thursday.
The explosion took place late Wednesday night in tehsil Landi Kotal of Khyber Agency, causing extensive damage to a part of the mosque and some shrines, Geo TV reported quoting police sources.
No casualty or injury was reported due to the blast.
Pakistan: no plan to censor private TV, FM channels, says Minister Sherry
By NNN-APP,
Islamabad : Minister for Information and Broadcasting Sherry Rehman told the National Assembly on Wednesday that PPP government has no plans to censor private television and FM channels programmes.
Replying to a question by Surriya Asghar, MNA during Question Hour she said that the PPP believes in freedom of expression and it abolished black laws of the former dictatorial regime.
Hezbollah ready for dialogue as normality returns to Beirut
By DPA,
Beirut : The pro-Iranian Shia movement Hezbollah said Thursday it was ready for dialogue with the Western-backed ruling majority to safeguard the unity of the government.
"We should solve the issue inside the Lebanese arena and are ready for dialogue to end the Lebanese crisis," Hezbollah's deputy secretary General Sheikh Naeem Kassem said.
"We want dialogue to save Lebanon's independence, integrity and institutions," he said.
He praised the Lebanese army and vowed that Hezbollah arms would not be used internally.
Iran begins installing 6,000 new centrifuges
By SPA
Tehran, Iran : State television is quoting Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad saying that Iran has begun installing 6,000 centrifuges at its uranium enrichment plant in Natanz.
Iran already has about 3,000 centrifuges operating in Natanz, according to a report of the Associated Press.
Malaysian girls’ uniform encourages rape comment sparks debate
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur : A Malaysian student body's statement that the uniform worn by girls in government-run schools encourages "rape and pre-marital sex" has triggered a nationwide debate on social mores.
Many students, teachers and social activists are angry at the observation made by National Islamic Students Association of Malaysia's vice-president Munirah Bahari.
Bahari Wednesday said: "The white blouse is too transparent for girls and it becomes a source of attraction." She even said that girls deliberately wore the dresses "to lure men".
Israeli foreign minister warns Syrian regime
By DPA,
Tel Aviv : Israeli Foreign minister has warned Syrian president saying that it will topple his regime if Syria attacked Israel.
The minister said Syrian President Bashar al-Assad should know that if he attacked Israel, the Israelis would not only defeat him, but also topple his regime.
"This is the message that should go out to the ruler of Syria from Israel," Avigdor Lieberman said Thursday in remarks at Bar Ilan University, near Tel Aviv, broadcast on Israel Radio.
Beirut shooting kills 2 during funeral
By SPA,
Beirut, Lebanon : Unknown gunmen opened fire on a funeral procession Saturday in a neighborhood of Beirut earlier, killing two and wounding two, police said.
The shooting took place at Tarik Jadideh.
An Associated Press photographer who witnessed the shooting said the attack came as a procession of 200 people headed toward a nearby cemetery to bury a 24-year-old killed in this week's fighting.
Bombs hurled at Bangladesh Secretariat
By IANS,
Dhaka : Unidentified attackers Sunday hurled two bombs at the Bangladesh Secretariat in Dhaka, one in front of the home ministry, but no one was injured in the incident, officials said.
Israel approves 2,200 homes for Palestinians in East Jerusalem
Jerusalem : Israel has approved a plan to construct 2,200 housing units for Palestinians in East Jerusalem, an official said on Wednesday.
The move was...
Gulf remembers the Mahatma on International Non-Violence Day
Dubai, Oct 3 (IANS) The 139th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi was observed as International Non-Violence Day across the Gulf.
A number of functions were organised Thursday by Indian missions and expatriate Indian organisations in the region in which tributes were paid to the Mahatma.
In Abu Dhabi, India's Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Talmiz Ahmad, at a function late Thursday, called upon people to follow the Gandhian path.
President Zardari discusses expanding economic ties with Brazilian, South Korean leaders
By NNN-APP,
New York : President Asif Ali Zardari discussed expanding Pakistan’s trade and economic relations with Brazil and South Korea as he met separately with leaders of the two countries on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session.
The newly elected Pakistani leader’s meetings with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lulla De Silva and South Korean Prime Minister Han Seung’Soo focused mainly on augmenting economic cooperation, officials said.
In the meetings President Zardari spelled out his government’s economic priorities and trade and investment policies.
Pakistani foreign minister Qureshi to visit India from Friday
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi begins a four-day visit to India on Friday for discussions on taking the sub-continental peace process forward and for deepening the bilateral engagement between the two countries.
The visit, Qureshi's first after the installation of a civilian government in Islamabad, "acquires special significance as it would set the tone for the next round of the Pakistan-India composite dialogue and the future course of (their) bilateral engagement", The News said Sunday.
Air Arabia posts $15 mn first quarter profit
By IANS,
Sharjah : Air Arabia (PJSC) has posted a net profit of 50 million UAE dirhams (about $15 million) in the first three months of this year.
However, the figure represented a 51-percent decline in profit compared to 103 million dirhams in the corresponding period in 2009.
Air Arabia is the largest low-cost carrier in the Middle East and North Africa.
The airline has posted a turnover of 482 million dirhams, an increase of four percent, in the first quarter of this year, compared to 463 million dirhams in the corresponding period in 2009.
Iran to open embassy in Myanmar
By IANS,
Tehran : Iran is working towards opening an embassy in Myanmar, an official said.
New Pakistan government moves to abolish media checks
By DPA
Islamabad : Pakistan's new government Friday set the ball rolling to abolish media curbs imposed by President Pervez Musharraf when he declared emergency rule in the country in November.
Hours after suspending the constitution, Musharraf, who was also then the army chief, amended the laws governing both print and electronic media, banning content that defamed or brought ridicule on him, the military and state agencies.
A day before becoming PM, Hasina acquitted in graft case
By IANS,
Dhaka : A day before being sworn in Bangladesh's prime minister,
Sheikh Hasina was acquitted by a Dhaka court in a graft case instituted
against her by the outgoing caretaker government.
The businessman who had filed the complaint indicated that he had been
pressurised and that the "incident was undesired and unexpected for me".
This is the second such case. Azam Chowdhury, another businessman, had also
lodged a complaint of extortion, but insisted that he had not mentioned
Hasina's name. It was added to the charge sheet later.
Analyst: Turkey’s cross-border ground incursion against PKK comes earlier than planned
By Xinhua
Ankara : The Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) launched cross-border ground operations against the banned Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) targets in northern Iraq late on Thursday, earlier than the original plan in March to stifle the weakened group, local analysts said on Saturday.
The Turkish military General Staff announced in a statement on Friday that the TSK launched a cross-border ground operation into north of Iraq as of 7 p.m. (1700 GMT) on Thursday following successful artillery bombardment, which was backed by air forces jets.
Pakistan govt not to alow anyone to sabotage electoral process: Minister
By NNN-APP
Islamabad : Minister for Information and Broadcasting Nisar A. Memon said the government would not allow anyone to sabotage the electoral process, ensuring all the people use their right to vote in a congenial environment.
“If any political party does not want to participate in the general election, it can do it. But no party can be allowed to forcibly prevent people from casting their vote on the Election Day,” he said here while talking to a delegation of young people from different fields of life Friday.
2 out of 4 missing Kalyan youths have not taken up arms in the...
By A.Mirsab,TwoCircles.net,
Mumbai: National Investigation Agency (NIA) sources have told Times of India that the agency have confirmed that two out of four missing youths from Kalyan who were earlier suspected of joining Islamic State, an armed Islamic group in Iraq, have actually not taken up arms with Islamic State but are working there in Oil refinery and hospital.
Palestinian president seeks early resumption of peace talks
Cairo: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Saturday called for a quick resumption of Egypt-mediated talks between Israel and the Palestinians that failed last week in...
Muslim graveyard vandalized in Ukraine
By IINA,
Kiev : Vandals have desecrated a Muslim cemetery on Ukraine's Black Sea Crimea peninsula, highlighting persistent ethnic tensions in the region, officials said on Friday. The regional police said someone overturned about 40 gravestones at the cemetery outside the province's main city of Simferopol late Thursday. The attack likely reflected tensions between Muslim Tatars — a Turkic ethnic group — and ethnic Ukrainians and Russians in the Crimea, Herald Tribune reported.
Afghan war affecting Pakistan: Zardari
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari has criticised US politicians, saying they fail to understand that the war on terror in Afghanistan affects the entire region.
Eight killed by Taliban militants in Afghanistan
Kabul : At least eight people, including six policemen, were killed Monday by Taliban militants in Afghanistan, an official said.
"Taliban militants raided a security...
4.2 pc of Iranian population are disabled – official
By IRNA
Ilam : Some 4.2 percent of Iranian population are afflicted with a sort of disability, said an official here on Monday.
Deputy Head of the Rehabilitation Department at Iran's Welfare Organization Abolqassem Najafi told IRNA here that the percentage accounts for about three million out of the country's 70 million population.
Najafi said so far, one million such people have been identified by the IWO.
Terrorism a threat to Pakistan’s tourism sector
By IANS,
Islamabad : The detonating security situation in Pakistan has seen its world tourism ranking dropping from 111 last year to 113 in 2009, a new report says.
According to a report of the World Economic Forum, Pakistan ranked 113 out of 130 countries in 2009 also because of the lack of a tourism regulatory framework.
Online news agency quoted sources in the tourism ministry as saying that the minister, Atta-ur-Rehman, does not take interest in his portfolio as he has no experience in the field and that his current policy was to "kill time".
Bush renews support to Musharraf
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : President George Bush has offered renewed backing to Pakistan Pervez Musharraf saying he looked forward to continuing to work with him along with leaders of the new elected government who are seeking his ouster.
In a telephone call to Musharraf Friday amid rumours that he plans to leave office, Bush "reiterated the United States' strong support for Pakistan and he indicated he looked forward to President Musharraf's continuing role in further strengthening US-Pakistani relations," White House spokesperson Dana Perino told reporters.
Olmert: Israel to step up operation against rocket attacks
By Xinhua
Jerusalem : Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Sunday that Israeli army was ordered to step up its operation to halt the ongoing firing of rockets from the Gaza Strip.
"We will continue to respond, to initiate and to harm anyone who carries out launches from Gaza," Olmert told ministers at the weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem.
"We will continue to invest in reinforcing the towns in the Gaza envelope to help them deal with these terror threats," he added.
No synthetic for me: Bangladeshi designer Bibi Russell
By Aparajita Gupta, IANS,
Kolkata : She was a catwalk queen abroad, but returned to her native land, Bangladesh, to help the handwoven textile industry. Today Bibi Russell says nothing in the world can make her design synthetic garments.
"I studied and worked abroad and then came back to Bangladesh because that is what I wanted to do (work on natural fibres). The whole world is turning towards organic products," said Bibi, who is known for designing 'gamchas' or traditional towels.
Isabel Peron Vs Extradition to Argentina
By Prensa Latina,
Madrid : Argentinean ex President Maria Estela Martinez went to court where a Spanish Judge is to rule on a petition to extradite her to Argentina.
At Monday's hearing, the attorney reminded his client's Spanish nationality and deteriorated health to avoid extradition.
Isabel Peron, 77, is currently charged for the disappearance of several people by the Triple-A (Argentinean Anti-Communist Alliance) when she replaced her late husband Juan Domingo Peron in 1974. She was toppled by a military coup on March 1976.
Hindu Yuva Vahini assaults Muslim boy in Meerut, accuses him of Love-Jihad
TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter
Meerut:It seems that radical organisation Hindu Yuva Vahini, founded by Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath, is hell-bent on running a...
Dhaka-London to work closely to promote international peace, security: Bangladesh President
By NNN-BSS,
Dhaka : Newly appointed British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Stephen Nicholas Evans presented his credentials to President Prof Dr Iajuddin Ahmed at Bangabhaban here.
Welcoming the new envoy on Sunday, the President said Bangladesh attaches great importance to her relations with the United Kingdom (UK) and considers it to be a dependable trade, development and strategic partners.
He expressed his satisfaction at the existing bilateral relations between the two countries.
Syria stresses its support to agreement of the Lebanese parties in Doha
By NNN-SANA,
Al-Manama : Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem has underlined during his participation in the 3rd session of the Arab-Chinese Cooperation Forum in Manama Syria's support to the agreement among Lebanese parties in Doha which would put an end to the political crisis in Lebanon.
Al-Moallem pointed out Wednesday to the efforts of the Arab Committee , asserting the importance of the agreement reached by our brothers in Lebanon through dialogue and crowned by the announcement of a comprehensive agreement in Doha.
Iran: UN should play greater role in settling regional problems
By NNN-IRNA,
Tehran : President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said here Wednesday that the UN should strive more to settle regional and international conflicts.
In a meeting with the UN chief's new special envoy for Iraq affairs Stephen de Mistura, President Ahmadinejad expressed hope that the UN envoy's efforts will lead to restoration of peace, stability, security and integrity to Iraq.
He said the occupiers' presence in Iraq has been cause of many plights in the country.
"The solution to the problem is the occupiers' leaving Iraq on a timetable," he added.
Five die in clashes in Bangladesh’s Chittagong Hill Tracts
By IANS,
Dhaka : Buddhist tribals Sunday prevented a minister and senior administration officials from visiting Bangladesh's Chittagong Hill Tracts where five people were killed in clashes.
The army was called in after houses in several villages besides a church, a pagoda and an office of a UN-funded project were set on fire. A statue of Lord Buddha installed at the Banani Buddhist Monastery was damaged and another statue was looted, New Age newspaper said Sunday.
Hosseini confirms Iraqi delegation’s visit to Iran
By IRNA,
Tehran : Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad-Ali Hosseini late Thursday confirmed visit of an Iraqi delegation to Iran and said the Iraqis will discuss with Iranians latest Iraq developments.
"Iranian officials will talk with the delegation in pursuit of the policy for settlement of the ongoing differences and clashes in Iraq," Hosseini told IRNA.
Hosseini said Iran has received the delegation in line with the policy to restore stability and security in Iraq.
He said occupiers' presence and terrorism are main problems facing Iraq.
Hillary, Obama: No More War in Iraq
By Prensa Latina
Washington : Democratic Senators running for US Presidency Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama criticized the Iraq war on Tuesday, and demanded the return of US military troops deployed in that country.
I believe it is time to begin an orderly process of troop withdrawal and focus on the main problems US people face, the legislator expressed during a hearing at Upper House to analyze the situation in the nation of the Persian Gulf.
In conversations with ABC TV station, the congresswoman considered that the reinforcement sent to Iraq did not result as expected.
Hamas official warns of health disaster in Gaza under Israeli siege
By Xinhua
Gaza : Palestinian health ministry under Hamas administration in Gaza warned on Wednesday of a humanitarian disaster that will multiply in the coastal enclave if Israeli siege remains in place.
"Gaza is dying today and its residents are bleeding and the death is approaching the patients and hospitals while the Israeli occupation kills the women and children," said Bassem Na'iem, Hamas' health minister.
Al Qaeda militants kill tribal sheikh, his family in Iraq
By DPA,
Baghdad : Al Qaeda militants in Iraq Wednesday shot and killed a tribal sheikh, his wife and their son near their home in the northern city of Tikrit, a police official said.
The official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told DPA that the militants apparently wanted to take revenge on Sheikh Ziab Ahmed Ziara.
The sheikh was leader of al-Ahbab tribe in Balad district and had a strong connection with the Awakening Councils, a tribal group who collaborated with the US forces to fight Al Qaeda in Iraq. Al Qaeda militants had killed three members of the sheikh's family.
India condemns terror attack on children in Pakistan
New Delhi : India Tuesday condemned the attack on innocent school children in Peshawar, terming it horrific.
"We condemn horrific attack on innocent school children...
UAE distribues iftar meals in Mauritania
By IANS,
Nouakchott (Mauritania): The UAE has distributed iftar meals to hundreds of people in the west African nation of Mauritania.
Military says probe into NATO airstrike will take ‘several weeks’
By DPA,
Kabul : The NATO military command said Tuesday its probe into a deadly airstrike in the northern Afghan province of Kunduz would take "several weeks" and an initial assessment showed "civilians had been killed or injured in the strike".
Friday's airstrike conducted by US planes was ordered by a German military commander when a large crowd of people was observed through satellite images gathering around two trucks stuck in a riverbed in Chardarah district in Kunduz province.
August deadliest month in Syria; 5,000 killed
By IANS,
By AKI,
Damascus: Around 5,000 people died in Syria's civil war in August, making it the deadliest month since violence started 18 months ago, according to opposition activist groups.
US missile attack kills eight in Pakistan
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : Al least eight people were killed and many others injured Friday when missiles fired from a pilotless US aircraft hit a house in Pakistan's tribal region of North Waziristan, Geo TV reported.
The aircraft fired three missiles at the house of Khalil (a militant) in North Waziristan bordering Afghanistan, the report said, quoting a security official.
Pakistan's tribal regions have witnessed a string of cross-border missile attacks launched by the pilot-less US aircraft.
The Pakistani government has repeatedly protested against such attacks.
Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan pledge to eliminate terrorism
By IANS,
Tehran : Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan at a trilateral summit here Sunday reaffirmed their commitment to eliminate terrorism from the region and agreed to hold regular consultations on important matters between the three countries.
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad and Afghan President Hamid Karzai attended the one-day summit hosted by Tehran.
Fatah, Hamas choose PM of Palestine unity government
Gaza : Officials from the Islamic Hamas movement and the Fatah Party have tapped the premier of the Palestinian National Authority, Rami Hamdallah, for...
Kuwait in Crisis after Government Resignation
By Prensa Latina,
Kuwait : Kuwait was plunged into a political crisis with the full resignation of the cabinet after the boycott to a parliamentarian session that could bring about early elections.
Government sources stated that the government ministers in this Persian-Arabic Gulf emirate left the audience, in which Prime Minister Sheik Nasser Mohammed al Ahmas al Sabad should have answered the legislator's questions.
Two killed in Pakistan court firing
Islamabad: At least two people were killed and several injured Friday after armed attackers opened an indiscriminate fire at a local district court in...
Suicide bomber kills 45 in attack on Iraqi mourners
By IINA,
Baghdad : At least 45 people were killed today when a suicide bomber blew himself up among a crowd of mourners in northern Iraq. The bomber set off his device at about 11 a.m. local time in the Sunni Muslim village of Bu Mohammed, dominated by the American-backed awakening movement, 120 kilometers south of the oil hub of Kirkuk. The attack took place when mourners attended the funeral of Sheikh Ibrahim Aref Al Azzawi, a tribal leader in the predominantly Sunni village, CNN reported quoting police in the Diyala town of Khalis.
Around 30 bodies found in Iraq mass grave
By SPA,
Baghdad : US soldiers have discovered around 30 bodies in a mass grave north of Baghdad of people buried nearly eight months ago, the American military said Monday.
The grave was found on Sunday south of the town of Muqdadiyah in the restive Diyala province, north of Baghdad, according to a report of AFP.
"The coalition force was unable to determine whether or not the bodies had been tortured at the time of death, " the military said in a statement.
US condemns Beirut blast, says no evidence for Syrias role
By NNN-KUNA
Washington : The United States condemned the blast in Beirut that killed a top anti-terrorism security official.
"This certainly is not the first instance of an attack on someone who is an important figure either in the security services or in the political establishment", said State Department Deputy spokesperson Tom Casey in his daily press briefing Friday.
"There are forces out there that are trying to undermine Lebanon's legitimate institutions", he added.
21 Iraqi policemen found dead after Mosul clashes
Baghdad : The bodies of 21 policemen who were executed by militants have been found in Iraq's northern city of Mosul, capital of Nineveh...
Pakistani journalist shot dead
Islamabad: A senior journalist was shot dead on Tuesday by unidentified gunmen in Pakistan's northwestern tribal region, police said.
Zaman Mehsud, who was associated with...
Bahrain king praises Indian expatriates
Manama : Bahrain's King Hamad has lauded the Indian expatriate community for its contribution in pushing forward the island nation's development.
King Hamad bin Isa...
UAE, Armenia sign agreement
By IANS/WAM,
Abu Dhabi: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has signed an Air Services Agreement (ASA) with Armenia.
Livni to ask for two more weeks to form Israel coalition
By RIA Novosti,
Tel Aviv : Tzipi Livni, the new leader of Israel's Kadima party, is expected to ask on Monday for two more weeks from President Shimon Peres to attempt to form a coalition government.
Livni, 50, who is also the country's foreign minister, has been attempting to reach political agreements with other parties since being elected leader of the Kadima last month. She took over from Ehud Olmert, who resigned amid accusations of corruption.
Zardari dismisses need for Sharif’s resignation: Government
Lahore/Islamabad: The Pakistani government said Saturday former president Asif Ali Zardari has denied any need for Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to resign over the...
Jordan, Iraq agree to renew oil deal for three years
By Xinhua,
Amman : Jordan and Iraq have decided to renew an oil agreement signed in 2006 for three years with the same terms, under which Jordan can import Iraqi oil in preferential prices, local daily Jordan Times reported Friday.
The announcement was made by Jordanian Prime Minister Nader Dahabi at a press conference following Thursday's talks with his visiting Iraqi counterpart Nouri Al Maliki.
‘Islam vs West’- a false divide’: UN chief
By NNN-APP
United Nations : UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called for action to correct the prevailing misperception that the West is engaged in a confrontation with the Muslim world.
“People should really try to understand more the cultures and traditions of others,” Ban told an informal meeting with members of the Chicago Tribune editorial board in Chicago, where he was on a visit.
“There is a perception that the West is on one side and the Muslim world is on the other. We must try to cut off this misperceived linkage.”
Indian-Americans condemn action against JNU students
By TCN News
New York (USA): Leading Indian American advocacy organisations have condemned the recent suppression of student protests...
Russia defends arms supplies to Syria
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Russia's arms supplies to Syria will not affect the balance of power in the Middle East, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.
Ten wounded in Israeli strikes on Gaza
By DPA,
Jerusalem: At least 10 Palestinians were injured in three successive Israeli airstrikes overnight and early Sunday on the southern, central and northern Gaza Strip, medical officials and the Israeli military said.
They said the aircraft fired two air-to-ground missiles at the borderline area between southern Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsula, completely destroying three tunnels used for smuggling.
Blame yourself for suicide attacks, Canadian troops told
By IANS
Toronto : The governor of Kandahar in Afghanistan, where two suicide attacks aimed at Canadian troops killed more than a 100 people on two consecutive days, has blamed foreign soldiers for inviting the deadly bombings.
Governor Asadullah Kahlid said Monday he had warned the Canadians five times about a possible attack, but they ignored him. The deadly attacks will mount pressure on the Canadian government to bring troops back home.
Dubai to set up hydrogen based power plant
By IANS
Dubai : The emirate of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) plans to set up a hydrogen based power generation plant, WAM news agency reported Monday.
As the first step towards building the plant, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) signed Sunday a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a consortium of three global firms from US, Canada and China to conduct a study for setting up the plant.
Al Qaeda affiliate claims hand in Yemen attack
Aden: An Al Qaeda affiliate claimed responsibility Thursday for the attack on the army headquarters in Yemen's southern port city of Aden.
The Al Qaeda...
Disappearances rise in Bangladesh: Amnesty
Dhaka : Bangladeshi authorities must immediately tackle a disturbing rise in enforced disappearances over the past two years, stop the use of torture, and...
Zardari hopeful of resolving Kashmir dispute
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari is hopeful about resolving the six decade old Kashmir dispute with India, a media report Friday said.
"All the possible solutions on Kashmir will be discussed first in a parliamentary committee on Kashmir and then the final solution will be approved by parliament," The News quoted him as saying.
Partial lunar eclipse to be observed in Saudi Saturday night
By NNN-KUNA,
Riyadh : Saudi Arabians will observe later tonight a partial eclipse of the moon, which will be the second and last one this year, according to a professor at King Fahad University on Saturday.
In a statement to the local "Al-Watan" newspaper, physics professor Dr. Ali Al-Shukri explained that a lunar eclipse occurred when the moon passed through the earth's shadow.
Thus, the sun, earth, and moon must be aligned with the earth between them, he said.
Pre-arranged meeting kept me away, PCB chief tells Zardari
By IANS,
Karachi: Under fire, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ijaz Butt has told President Asif Ali Zardari he could not attend a parliamentary panel meeting on the participation of Pakistani players in the Indian Premier League (IPL) due to a pre-arranged appointment "of a highly sensitive nature".
According to a report in The News daily Saturday, Butt explained why he and other top PCB officials skipped a meeting of the National Assembly's Standing Committee on Sports held in Islamabad Thursday.
Biden apologises to Turkey, UAE
Washington : US Vice President Joe Biden has apologised to Turkey and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for comments made at a conference wherein...
Muslims rally for peace in southern Philippines
By IRNA,
Kuala Lumpur : Thousands of Muslims yesterday held rallies in key cities in the southern Philippines to urge President Gloria Arroyo to resume peace talks with Muslim rebels.
"This is a show of unity among Muslims who are for peace," said Amirah Lidasan, of the human rights group Suara Bangsamoro, one of several organizations under the Mindanao Alliance for Peace, which organized the rallies.
Lidasan said the rallies were held in the cities of Marawi, Iligan, Cotabato, and General Santos and in the provinces of Basilan and North Cotabato.
Pak govt not to claim Jinnah House in Mumbai
By NNN-PTI
Islamabad : Pakistan government has "abandoned" the idea of claiming the Jinnah House in Mumbai to open a consulate in India's financial hub as it feels the building is a "personal" property.
Though Pakistan had previously expressed an interest in claiming the Jinnah House, Foreign Office spokesman Mohammad Sadiq told 'The News' daily that the "government has abandoned the idea".
He avoided further comment on the issue as it is a matter of "emotional attachment for Pakistanis and Indian Muslims".
Indian foreign secretary meets Karzai, presidential candidates in Kabul
Kabul/New Delhi : A day after visiting the Indian consulate in Herat that faced a terror attack last week, Indian Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh...
Iran expects upcoming OIC Summit to counter anti-Islam propaganda
By IRNA
Tehran : Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said here on Saturday that the upcoming OIC Summit will shoulder heavy responsibility to counter anti-Islam propaganda campaign.
In a meeting with his visiting Bruneian counterpart, Lim Jock Seng, he said Muslim states will seriously defend their sanctities during the upcoming Summit of leaders of the Organization of Islamic Conference member states to be held in Senegal.
Senegal is expected to take over OIC presidency from Malaysia.
Ahmadinejad highlights capability of Iranian experts in oil industry
By IRNA,
Tehran : President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Friday highlighted capability of Iranian experts in oil industry to thwart the international pressures on Iran.
The president made the remarks on the sidelines of his visit to the 13th International Oil, Gas and Petrochemicals Exhibition where he has closely become familiar with latest achievements of the industry.
Khalifa issues law about Abu Dhabi logo
By IANS/WAM,
Abu Dhabi: Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) president and ruler of Abu Dhabi, has amended a law regarding the emblem of the Abu Dhabi emirate.
Rabat Conference: Strong IINA needed to defend Muslim causes
By IINA,
Rabat : The Moroccan Capital of Rabat hosted the Eighth Islamic Conference of Information Ministers (ICIM) on January 27-28. The Conference, held under the patronage King Mohammed VI of Morocco, was organized by the Moroccan Ministry of Communication. It was preceded by a two-day preparatory meeting of senior officials from the 57 member states of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC).
US sanctions on Taliban, Haqqani Network leaders
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : The United States has imposed sanctions on three prominent members of the Taliban and its affiliated Pakistan-based Haqqani Network "for supporting acts of terrorism".
Those targeted for sanctions by the US Treasury Department Thursday are Gul Agha Ishakzai, the head of the Taliban's financial commission; Amir Abdullah, former treasurer to senior Taliban leader Mullah Baradar; and Nasiruddin Haqqani.
Yemeni navy officer survives assassination attempt
Sanaa: A high-ranking officer of the Yemeni navy forces escaped an assassination attempt in the southeastern province of Shabwa Tuesday evening, a security official...
Saudi economic city gears up to attract investors
By IANS,
Dubai : The Knowledge Economic City (KEC) in Madinah, one of the six economic cities being built in Saudi Arabia, is gearing up to attract investors and joint ventures to the many facilities it will be offering.
Prominent legal professor explains obstacles facing disabled in Kuwaiti polls
By Muntaha Al-Fadhli, KUNA,
Kuwait : A leading professor in public law Dr. Mohammad Abdulmehsen Al-Mugatae said Monday the Kuwaiti election law did not set specific regulations for citizens with special needs to help them vote with means that accommodate with their physical or mental disability.
Japan to allocate $2.5 bn to Middle East countries
Cairo : Japan would allocate $2.5 billion to Middle East countries to help them in their fight against terrorism and also develop of their...
Abu Dhabi to host cooking festival
By IANS/WAM,
Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi will host a festival of cooking art next month to showcase its tradition of hospitality and promote tourism in the emirate.
Documentary on Imam Ghazali by British producer
By NNN-Bernama
Kuala Lumpur : Former Malaysian Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the `Al-Ghazali The Alchemist of Happiness Documentary', directed by a British film producer, can become a small step for people to understand the teaching of Islam.
"I do hope by watching this documentary it would bring us greater understanding and happiness in our life.
"This is a different approach in explaining the teaching of Imam Ghazali," he said after witnessing of the launching of the documentary directed by British film producer Abdul Latif Ovidio Salazar, here Saturday.
Indian nurses freed in Iraq reach Home
Kochi: As many as 183 Indians stranded in strife-torn Iraq, including the 46 nurses from Kerala who were freed by Iraqi insurgents, arrived here...
At Least 2 civilians killed, 5 others injured in Pakistan
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : At least two civilians were killed and five others were injured as a mortar shell hit a house during exchange of fire between local Taliban and security forces in Pakistan's northwest on Tuesday, according to local media reports.
The reports quoted Taliban spokesman Muslim Khan as saying that Taliban had also kidnapped 25 policemen from a police station and demanded the release of their people to free the policemen in the Swat valley of Pakistan's North West Frontier Province (NWFP).
Army deployed across Bangladesh to help ensure peaceful general elections
By Xinhua,
Dhaka : Bangladeshi troops are deployed across the country on Saturday to help ensure peaceful parliamentary elections scheduled on Dec. 29 this year.
SM Asaduzzaman, a senior spokesman of Bangladesh Election Commission (BEC), told Xinhua on Saturday that "troops will work in aid of the civil administration."
He said the troops will get ready as 'strike force' to maintain law and order situation in accordance with the decision of the BEC.
Troops started rolling out on Thursday from barracks, two days earlier than the schedule, the BEC spokesman said.
Palestinian policemen wounded in bomb blast in Gaza
By KUNA
Gaza : Several policemen of the dismissed Palestinian government were wounded in a bomb blast in the center of Gaza Strip on Saturday.
Medical sources said the explosion targeted a patrol of the police east of Al-Nusairat refugee camp.
Security sources said the bomb was set off with a remote-control device.
U.S. says fight against extremism ‘shared goal’ with Pakistan
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : The United States trusts the government of Pakistan as both countries have a shared goal of fighting extremism, a spokesman for the U.S. Department of State said.
Pakistani soldiers killed 60 militants since last week, when a large-scale ground operation started against the Taliban in South Waziristan.
No military operation under way in FATA: Pakistani minister
Islamabad : Pakistan's Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan Friday said no military operation was going on in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA)...
Bush to Deliver Iraq Speech Thursday
By SPA
Washington : President George W. Bush will delivery a speech on the U.S. military mission in Iraq on Thursday after his top commander and ambassador testify to Congress.
White House Spokeswoman Dana Perino said Bush would make a 15-to-20 minute speech.
Bush will invite the leaders of Congress later today to listen to their views of the two-day testimony of General David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker, Perino said.
Iraqi PM extends deadline for arms handover to April 8
By Xinhua
Baghdad : Iraqi government extended a deadline for Shiite militiamen in southern Basra to hand over their weapons from Saturday to April 8, the Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said in a statement Friday.
The militia would receive a financial reward if they surrender." All those who have heavy and intermediate weapons are to deliver them to security sites and they will be rewarded financially. This will start from March 28 to April 8," said Maliki.
India outraged over bail to Mumbai terror mastermind
New Delhi : India was outraged Friday over a Pakistani court's decision to give bail to the Mumbai terror attack mastermind Zakiur Rahman Lakhvi,...
UAE to set up a council to improve investment climate
By Aroonim Bhuyan, IANS
Dubai : The United Arab Emirates will soon establish an Emirates National Competitiveness Council which will recommend policies to boost competitiveness in economic and social areas of the country.
"We are soon going to establish the Emirates Business National Competitiveness Council which will be a public-private sector initiative with government representation from both federal and local levels," UAE's Minister for Cabinet Affairs Mohammed Al Gergawi said at an advisory workshop for Doing Business 2008 here Wednesday.
Saudi Arabia arrests 11 Al Qaeda-linked militants
By ANTARA,
Riyadh : Saudi Arabia said on Tuesday it had arrested 11 al Qaeda-linked militants, seizing arms and breaking up a cell that planned to carry out attacks and kidnappings.
Police arrested members of the group in several areas, including in a region near the border with Yemen, seizing arms and ammunition, Saudi media quoted the interior ministry as saying.
State television showed footage of security forces digging out bags containing assault rifles and other weapons hidden in a mountainous area.
Kurdish PKK maintains peace process with Turkey
Istanbul : The Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) has backtracked on its threat to end the peace process with the Turkish government if Ankara did...
Cartoonist opposes his work being ‘hijacked’, rejects offer
By DPA
Copenhagen : Danish newspaper cartoonist Kurt Westergaard said Tuesday he opposed efforts by an anti-Muslim group to use his controversial cartoon of the Prophet Mohammed in a planned protest.
A group called Stop the Islamisation of Denmark (SIOE) planned a protest this weekend in the city of Aalborg and has urged supporters to download the cartoon that shows the prophet with a bomb in his turban, and print it on placards and T-shirts.
"I don't want to be politically hijacked," Westergaard told radio station P4 Nordjylland.
Bush endorses pause in troop withdrawals
By DPA
Washington : US President George W. Bush Thursday endorsed the recommendation of his top commander in Iraq to halt troop withdrawals once the surge ends in July, leaving open the possibility that 140,000 soldiers will still be in Iraq when he leaves office.
Bush offered his strong support to General David Petraeus, who called for a 45-day pause in troop reductions after the build-up ends to assess the effect of the increased US presence ordered last year by the president to quell violence and sectarian killings.
‘Middle East has lost 144 cubic km of water’
By IANS,
Washington : The Middle East has lost 144 cubic km of water between 2003 and 2010, nearly equal to the staggering volume of the Dead Sea, show data provided by the NASA satellites.
Judge bans burqa in Australian court
By IANS,
Sydney : An Australian judge Thursday refused to allow a Muslim woman to wear a full-face veil in court during her testimony as a witness in a fraud trial.
Perth's District Court Judge Shauna Deane said that in the interest of a fair trial the witness should not be allowed to wear a niqab or burqa. But she said she would speak to counsel about ways to accommodate the witness, The Age reported.
Lebanese opposition announces removing armed presence from Beirut
By Xinhua,
Beirut : The Lebanese Hezbollah-led opposition announced Saturday that it will remove all armed presence in Beirut, and turn the city to the army, but it maintained that it will peruse civil disobedience until its demands are achieved.
A Lebanese opposition statement said it will end all armed presence in Beirut so that "the capital will be in the hands of the army."
Pakistan throws spanner in the works blocking three Saarc pacts
By Anil Giri,
Kathmandu : In what was seen as a setback to regional cooperation and the ongoing Saarc summit here, Pakistan Wednesday blocked three...
US trying to win Pak confidence over new Afghan strategy: Analyst
By IRNA,
Islamabad : A senior Pakistani analyst believes visit of US Defense Secretary Robert Gates of Pakistan is aimed to take Pakistan government into confidence over new Obama administration's Afghan Policy.
Talking to IRNA on Friday former foreign secretary Shamshad Ahmed Khan said that concerns of Pakistan should be addressed before the implementation of the new Afghan strategy.
Pakistan has expressed concerns over the new military surge in the neighboring Afghanistan fearing that it could increase cross-border infiltration.
Kingdom provides loan to Afghanistan
By SPA,
Paris : The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia provided last night a loan of SR 112,500,000 to Republic of Afghanistan, in the framework of the International Conference for Reconstruction of Afghanistan currently in progress in Paris.
On the Saudi side, the agreement was signed by Vice President and Managing Director of Saudi Fund for Development, Eng. Yousuf Ibrahim Al-Bassam and on the Afghan side by Finance Minister, Anwar Al-Haq Ahadi.
This loan comes as a participation of the Kingdom in financing a vital project in the transportation sector in Afghanistan.
UN security council mission arrives in Kabul
By KUNA,
Kabul : A UN Security Council delegation arrived in Kabul on Monday to assess Afghanistan's progress in peace and rebuilding, and to underscore the importance of regional cooperation for governance, security, and development.
The delegation is led by Ambassador Giulio Terzi of Italy. Other members included UN ambassadors and representatives from fourteen other countries.
Over the next three days, the delegation will meet President Karzai and government officials as well as civil society and other representatives, UN officials here said.
Iran calls on West to pursue talks in nuclear row
By DPA,
Tehran:Iran called on the West Tuesday to pursue talks in the row over the Islamic state's nuclear programmes.
"The logical option would be holding negotiations, and if there is any criticism, raising this within the framework of talks," parliament Speaker Ali Larijani said at a press conference in Tehran.
The speaker said making threats, issuing ultimatums and raising issues like sanctions would not lead to any constructive results.
Iran confirms supertanker for 90-day crude storage
By NNN-FNA,
Tehran : Iran has leased a supertanker to store up to 270,000 tons of crude oil for up to 90 days, adding to the more than 28 million barrels of oil floating outside its main export terminal, shipbrokers said.
Shipping sources said that National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC), had booked the Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) Universal Prime for delivery into the Middle East during June 3-6.
Iran to hold military drill
By IANS,
Tehran: The Iranian Army will hold a major drill later this month, the official media reported Thursday.
UAE-funded cyclone shelter opened in Australia
By IANS/WAM,
Sydney: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has opened the first cyclone shelter and mixed-purpose facilities in the Australian state of Queensland at a total cost of $60 million.
Police chief killed in bomb attack in southern Iraq
By Xinhua,
Baghdad : A local Iraqi police chief was killed on Monday in a bomb explosion in the police headquarters ina town in Dhi Qar province, a local police source said."Major Farhan Qassim Kattafi, chief of police unit in Souq al-Shiyoukh town near the provincial capital city of Nasseriyah, was killed early in the morning when a omb hidden in his office detonated," the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity. Two of Kattafi's bodyguards were wounded by the blast, the source said.
Teenager married off to 75-year-old Bangladesh moneylender
By IANS,
Dhaka : Unable to repay a loan taken after cyclone Aila hit his village, a man has been 'coerced' into marrying off his 13-year-old daughter to a 75-year-old moneylender in Barisal, southern Bangladesh.
The marriage between Akhinur, 13, and 75-year-old moneylender Lokman Sikder was solemnised Sep 4, as the teenager's father Azhar Bepari could not return Tk 4,000 ($ 58) he had borrowed in May this year.
Bomb blast kills six in northwest Pakistan
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : At least six people were killed and 13 others injured Tuesday in a bomb blast in Pakistan's northwestern city of Peshawar, a TV report said.
The bomb was placed in a vehicle outside the house of a local official, the report said.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani strongly condemned the bomb blast in Peshawar.
In their messages, Zardari and Gilani said the government would not bow down to the militants.
Pakistani budget may freeze flour, gas prices
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan's budget for fiscal 2008-09 beginning July 1 could freeze the prices of flour, electricity and gas and offer special medical discounts for the elderly.
Special measures to prevent tax evasion, relief for low-income groups, scholarships for poor students, smooth supply of flour to millers and retailers, besides diversion of resources from "certain sacred cows" to power-generation projects are also on the cards, The News reported Monday.
Israel carries eight air raids on Gaza early Monday
By IRNA
Gaza City : Israel carried at least eight different air raids on Gaza early on Monday, killing five Palestinians.
The dead are said to be either members of the Hamas government police force or the Popular Resistance Committees group.
Most of the aerial attacks targeted metal workshops across the territory and there are reports that the Israeli navy was involved in the bombardment.
More than 25 rockets were fired into southern Israel on Sunday, several reaching Ashkelon, a city of nearly 120,000 people, Tel Aviv radio said.
Comprehensive solution to Palestinian problem achievable: India
By NNN-PTI,
Tehran : Voicing optimism over a "just and comprehensive solution" to the vexed west-Asia crisis, India said it extends full support to the Palestinian people in realising their aspirations for a "sovereign, independent" state.
External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, on a visit here, articulated India's "abiding concern" over the fact that the rights of the Palestinian people remain to be achieved and said "this situation requires to be resolved at the earliest".
US poised to bomb Pakistan: reports
By IANS,
London/Islamabad : US troops in Afghanistan are massing close to the border with Pakistan, poised to launch bombing raids on suspected terrorist bases in the North Waziristan region, British and Pakistani newspapers reported Wednesday.
Nine American soldiers were killed and 15 wounded Sunday in an attack by militants on a US base in Kunar province, close to the Pakistani border.
Some 11 PKK rebels killed in eastern Turkey
By Xinhua
Ankara : Turkish troops killed 11 rebels of the outlawed Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) in a clash in eastern Turkey, the private Dogan news agency reported on Thursday.
The clash occurred near the city of Tunceli, said the report, adding that Turkish army has been hunting PKK rebels around Tunceli since a roadside bomb attack targeted a military convoy in the area on Wednesday.
Nearly 3,000 Turkish soldiers participated in the ongoing operation on Thursday, with attack helicopters bombing suspected PKK positions in rural areas of Tunceli.
Pakistan to give equal response if India strikes: Kayani
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan's armed forces would give an equal response within a few minutes if India carried out any surgical strike inside the country, army chief General Parvez Kayani said here.
In a meeting here Monday with President Asif Ali Zardari, Kayani told him of operational preparedness of the armed forces. The meeting was held in the backdrop of the growing tension between India and Pakistan following the Mumbai terror attacks.
Nawaz Sharif pulls of Pakistan’s ruling coalition
By IANS,
Islamabad : Former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif Monday pulled his party out of the country's ruling coalition in protest against the government's failure to reinstate senior judges sacked by then president Pervez Musharraf in November last year.
Addressing a crowded press conference, Sharif said his Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had been forced to take this decision. He also announced the party's decision to field a candidate for president.
Obama condoles families of Pakistan air crash victims
By DPA,
Washington : US President Barack Obama offered his "deepest condolences" to the families of the 152 people who were killed in a Pakistani airline crash Wednesday.
An Air Blue flight went down in poor weather about 20 km from Islamabad, killing everyone on board - including two Americans.
"I extend my deepest condolences to the families and friends of all who died in today's tragic crash of Air Blue flight ED202 near Islamabad," Obama said in a statement.
Blasts across Iraq as troops gear up for offensive against Shia militia
By DPA,
Baghdad : A fresh outbreak of violence across Iraq Monday caused at least five fatalities while Iraq's army said it would not go ahead with a crackdown on Shia militias in the country's southern regions until a government deadline for militiamen to surrender their arms expires.
The deadliest attack occurred when a bomb went off near a checkpoint manned by members of a tribal police force known as the Awakening Council in the village of Abu-Fayyad near Baquba, 57 km northeast of Baghdad.
Three members of the council were killed and two injured, a local police official said.
Haqqani network growing in Pakistan despite drone strikes
By IANS,
Islamabad : The Haqqani terror network is flourishing in Pakistan despite a surge in US drone strikes and there are "no signs of it getting weak", an official said.
Close terror cells in India: Pakistan parliament
By IANS,
Islamabad/New Delhi/Washington : Pakistan's parliament Wednesday asked the world community to press India for the closure of "terror cells and to stop anti-Pakistan propaganda", even as the president and the prime minister said that the armed forces were ready to defend any aggression against the country.
A strongly-worded resolution passed unanimously by the National Assembly urged the global community to press India to "close terror hubs and stop anti-Pakistan propaganda" through the media and at international forums.
Kashmir core issue, says Zardari ahead of meeting Manmohan
By Manish Chand, IANS,
New York : Hours before his meeting with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari Wednesday sought to revive Kashmir as the "core issue" and described the unrest in Jammu and Kashmir as "an indigenous uprising".
"Kashmir remains the core issue in India-Pakistan relations. The ongoing uprising in Kashmir is an indigenous one," Zardari told Pakistani media persons at a briefing at Barclays Intercontinental here.
"Pakistan will continue moral support to Kashmiris," he said.
UAE-based Indian businessman offers jobs to freed nurses
Thiruvananthapuram: UAE-based Indian businessman B.R. Shetty has offered the 46 nurses freed by insurgents in Iraq jobs in hospitals he owns across the Gulf...
Lebanese PM slams Hezbollah over missing diplomats issue
By Xinhua,
Beirut : Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Seniora has hit back at Hezbollah chief Hasan Nasrallah for holding his government responsible for the four Iranian diplomats who went missing in 1982, a media report said Friday.
In a statement Thursday, Seniora said his government had sent a letter to UN chief Ban Ki-moon in September last year, urging him to help resolve the issue of Iranian diplomats who were kidnapped during the Israeli invasion in 1982, the NBN TV reported.
Britain mulls steps to combat extremism
London: To discourage extremist elements originating from Britain, Home Secretary Theresa May has plans to bring in new laws that may strip Britons fighting...
Obama talks to Israeli, Palestinian officials
By DPA,
Jerusalem : US Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama was in Jerusalem Wednesday for talks with Israeli and Palestinian leaders.
His visit is an important step in his election campaign and is intended to reaffirm strong ties between the US and Israel, drive home his own position and signal his support for the peace process.
Holbrooke praises Pakistan for anti-Taliban operations
By Xinhua,
Islamabad: US special envoy to Pakistan and Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke has lauded Pakistan for its successful military operations against the Taliban in the country.
Holbrooke said the US has close contacts with the Pakistani leadership and is providing technical assistance to combat terrorism.
The strength of the Taliban has been weakened and the militants are on the defensive, he said at a joint news conference with Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi here Sunday.
Earlier, both officials discussed the situation in Pakistan.
Three killed in clashes in Yemen
By DPA,
Sana'a : May 3 (DPA) Three civilians were killed and seven people were wounded in clashes Saturday between anti-government protesters and security forces in restive southern Yemen, witnesses and local officials said.
Witnesses told the DPA that a street vendor was killed in crossfire near the Habileen city of the Lahj province. They said that five other people were wounded in the clashes.
Pakistan not to allow any intrusion into its territory: Foreign Minister
By IRNA
Islamabad : Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said that Pakistan would not allow any country to take action inside its territory.
The American CIA chief said this week that the U.S can strike Pakistani territory if it receives information about the presence of al-Qaeda leaders there.
"We cannot allow any other country to take action within our territory. This is the matter of our sovereignty and we cannot compromise on it," Qureshi said in a private television interview.
He said the features of new government's policy vis a vis counter terrorism are very clear.
UAE real estate company wins environment award
By IANS,
Dubai : The United Arab Emirates-based real estate developer Nakheel has won the Sustainable Initiative award at the Facilities Management Middle East Awards 2008, WAM news agency reported Tuesday.
The award recognises Nakheel's achievements in implementing recycling technology and sustainable building practices at its Palm Canal Towers project in Dubai and its involvement with corporate and social responsibility initiatives.
Palm Canal Towers is one of the first high-rise developments in the beach fronted Madinat Al Arab district.
US urges Palestinians, Israelis to end violence
By IANS,
Washington : The US government Monday urged the Palestinians and the Israelis to end violence as the ongoing conflicts between Israel and militants in Gaza entered its fourth day.
Kuwait-Saudi summit will address Arab disputes : Ambassador
By NNN-KUNA
Riyadh : The Saudi-Kuwaiti summit due on Saturday will address various issues on the Gulf and Arab and international arenas of mutual concern for the two Gulf States, the Kuwaiti ambassador to the kingdom said.
Sheikh Jaber Al-Ali Al-Sabah, in a statement to Kuwait News Agency (KUNA), said the scheduled talks between the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud would deal with coordination between the two Gulf countries at the regional, Arab and international levels, in addition to reinforcing solidarity among the Arabs.