Pakistani establishment had hand in father’s, uncle’s killing: Fatima Bhutto
By IANS,
New Delhi : Fatima Bhutto, the niece of slain former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto, firmly believes the country's establishment had a hand in the killing of her father Murtaza and uncle Shahnawaz.
She also blames Benazir for creating a rift in the Bhutto family by opening negotiations with then military dictator Gen. Zia-ul Haq for sharing political power.
Dhaka always stands against all kinds of terrorism, President tells Kazakh envoy
By NNN-BSS,
Dhaka, Bangladesh : President Zillur Rahman today said Bangladesh is a peace-loving country and always stands against any form of terrorism.
He made the remark when Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Bangladesh Bakhitbek Shabarbayev paid a courtesy call on him at Bangabhaban in the capital.
During the meeting, the President welcomed the envoy and mentioned that both the countries are committed to promote international peace and security.
Militants destroy NATO trucks in Pakistan
By DPA,
Islamabad : Suspected Islamist militants torched an oil tanker and six lorries carrying US and NATO supplies in Pakistan's restive north-west early Friday, police said.
The pre-dawn assault took place at a petrol station and a truckers' inn on the outskirts of Peshawar city, a key transit point for supplies meant for the Western forces battling the Taliban insurgency in neighbouring Afghanistan.
Pakistani security panel draws up anti-terror roadmap
By IANS,
Islamabad : A parliamentary panel on security is drawing up an anti-terror roadmap, particularly for Pakistan's restive northwest, but has cautioned against expecting quick-fix solutions.
"The committee does not have the magical Aladdin's Lamp that recommendations will be completed within a minute," sources quoted Raza Rabbani, chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security (PCNS), as saying during Monday's in-camera meeting.
No compromise on sovereignty: Pakistan PM
By IANS,
Islamabad: Pakistan will not compromise on sovereignty and national honour, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has said.
19 tourists kidnapped in Egypt
By DPA,
Cairo : Nineteen tourists, including 11 foreign nationals, were kidnapped in Upper Egypt Monday and authorities were in touch with kidnappers for negotiating their release, media reports said.
The latest reports said the 19 included five Germans, five Italians, and one Romanian national. The remaining were Egyptians. Initial reports had given a figure of 15 victims, including four Egyptians.
The kidnapped were on a safari trip when they were seized by four masked men.
Bangladesh faces high earthquake risk, warn experts
By IANS,
Dhaka : The latest threat of earthquake-triggered tsunami has abated, but disaster-prone Bangladesh faces a high risk of moderate to strong quakes, experts have warned.
Bangladesh also faces the risk of tsunami as four active sources of earthquake in the Bay of Bengal can generate tremors with a magnitude of over 7 on the Richter scale, affecting the country seriously.
Sharif demands Musharraf’s trial over Kargil
By Muhammad Najeeb, IANS,
Islamabad : Former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif said Tuesday that President Pervez Musharraf should be tried for treason for his "misadventure" in the Kargil war against India.
Talking to journalists in Lahore before leaving for London, Sharif said time had proved that the 1999 Kargil conflict was a misadventure that cost Pakistan heavily.
Sharif was the prime minister when Musharraf, as the army chief, quietly initiated the Kargil war by sending Pakistani soldiers dressed as Islamist fighters to capture the strategic hills in Jammu and Kashmir.
Police suspects extremists behind Avijit Roy’s killing
Dhaka:Police said on Sunday they suspect extremists were behind the killing of Avijit Roy and were planning to arrest 10 more people who had...
Israel to expand operation against Hamas if necessary
Jerusalem:Israel will expand its operation against Hamas "if necessary", Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday evening, as a massive manhunt for the killers of...
India, Malaysia sign labour agreement
By IANS,
New Delhi : After nearly two years in negotiation, India and Malaysia finally signed an agreement Saturday for the "orderly" recruitment and deployment of workers and the procedures for monitoring recruiting agents and employers.
The memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed by Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi and Malaysian Human Resources Minister S. Subramaniam.
Afghan held with 65 kg drugs in Tajikistan
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Dushanbe (Tajikistan) : An Afghan national has been held in Tajikistan carrying over 65 kg of drugs in four bags, according to the Tajikistan government.
Iran willing to work with Russia on more power plants
By IANS,
Tehran : Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) head Fereidoon Abbasi said his country is willing to work with Russia on more nuclear power plants, reports said Sunday.
RS to pass Bangladesh land boundary accord bill again
New Delhi : The Rajya Sabha will once again have to pass the land boundary agreement bill, for exchange of enclaves with Bangladesh, for...
Russia to hold WTO talks in Saudi Arabia
By RIA Novosti,
Riyadh : A regular two-day round of talks on Russia's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) will begin on Monday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Russia, the only major economy outside the WTO, has been seeking membership in the organization since 1993. So far, Moscow has concluded bilateral talks with over 60 states, but still needs to complete discussions with two WTO members - Saudi Arabia and Georgia.
"Our aim is to push the negotiations forward and to bring them to an end if possible," Russia's chief WTO negotiator Maxim Medvedkov said.
Zardari assures Sri Lanka team attackers will be punished
By DPA,
Islamabad : Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari Wednesday assured Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Rohita Bogollagama that the perpetrators of the assault on his country's cricket team would be punished for their crimes.
Bogollagama arrived in Islamabad to discuss Tuesday's brazen attack in the eastern city of Lahore where more than a dozen gunmen ambushed the Sri Lankan team's convoy, killing six Pakistani policemen and wounding seven visiting sportsmen and their coach.
Italy wishes NATO-led military operation in Libya
By IANS,
Brussels : Italy wants NATO to take over the command of the multinational operation against Libya, Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said Monday.
19 killed, 30 injured in Afghan bombing
By Xinhua,
Kabul : A roadside bomb went off Thursday morning in Afghanistan's Logar Province, killing 19 and leaving 30 injured, a spokesman said.
"A large quantity of explosive material planted by militants in a truck went off this morning while a group of teenage students were passing by in Mohammad Agha district," said Din Mohammad Darwish, the spokesman of the provincial administration.
Mohammad Agha district in Logar Province is some 50 km south of Afghan capital Kabul.
Clashes between Sudanese tribe, rebel forces kill 16
By Xinhua
Khartoum : Fresh clashes between a nomadic tribe and former rebel group have claimed 16 more lives with the toll reaching 25 in the past three days in southern Sudan, official SUNA news agency reported Sunday.
Mukhtar Babunimer, the emir of the Masirria tribe, was quoted as saying that 16 people were killed and nine wounded in the clashes, which took place Friday at al-Jarf area.
He said that the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) was gathering forces north of the borders between northern and southern Sudan, known as the Jan 1, 1956 boundaries.
Al-Qaeda’s video and Media
By Pramod Kumar for TwoCircles.net,
The NDTV, on 7th September 2014, in its weekly programme, We The People, held a discussion on the “Global Jihad Comes to India” and the participants included a “secular fundamentalist”, two “ultra cultural nationalists”, two Muslims, three representatives from intelligence and law enforcing agencies and an outsider who happened to be a Muslim. The trigger was the release of a video on 3rd September, 2014, by al-Qaeda announcing the formation of a new Branch of “al-Qaeda in the South Asian Continent”. The release of video revealed al-Qaeda`s own concern about having ceded space to its splinter group ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria).
Indonesia to host meeting on tiger conservation
By IANS,
New Delhi: Indonesia will host a crucial meeting on tiger conservation July 12-14 to be attended by 13 tiger range countries, including India, China, Thailand and Russia.
World tiger experts and representatives from NGOs, the Global Tiger Initiative, World Bank and donor agencies such as USAID and AUSAID will participate, according to a World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) statement issued here.
To be held in Bali, the Pre-Tiger Summit Partners' Dialogue Meeting is a prelude to the Heads of Government Tiger Summit, scheduled to be held in St. Petersburg, Russia, Sep 15-18.
Nawaz’s party wants Musharraf to go
By Muhammad Najeeb, IANS
Islamabad : With less than a month remaining for Pakistan's general elections, the party led by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif is insisting that President Pervez Musharraf must quit.
The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has also called for the formation of a national government and rescheduling of the entire election process.
Pakistani legislator calls for early completion of IP gas project
By IRNA,
Islamabad : A Pakistani parliamentarian on Thursday called for early completion of multi-billion-dollar gas pipeline project between Iran and Pakistan.
Egypt to coordinate renewed Hamas-Fatah talks: Abbas
By DPA,
Cairo : Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Sunday that Egypt would immediately begin coordinating talks between his Fatah party and the rival Hamas movement, for the first time since they severed all contacts a year ago following the Islamic movement's Gaza takeover.
Abbas condemned a fresh outbreak of violence in Gaza over the week-end and called for an independent inquiry into a mysterious Friday bomb blast that had sparked the new tensions between the two Palestinian groups.
Most Pakistani leaders under threat: interior ministry
By IANS
Islamabad : Most of Pakistan's political leaders face a looming threat of attack, the interior ministry says, advising them to comply with its security instructions to avoid unnecessary exposure.
"We have issued a security advisory to politicians across the board," interior ministry spokesman Brig. (retired) Javed Iqbal Cheema said at his weekly press briefing Tuesday.
"However, the spokesman changed his previous stance about threats to some particular politicians," the Dawn reported Wednesday.
US gives $40 mn for Bangladesh health sector
By IANS,
Dhaka : The US Agency for International Development (USAID) Monday announced a grant of $40 million for the development of Bangladesh's health sector.
15 killed in Afghan car bombing
By IANS,
Kabul : At least 15 people were killed and 45 injured in a suicide car bombing in Afghanistan Saturday, officials said.
Programme for Pakistani unemployed postgradutes
By NNN-APP
Islamabad : The government has asked the unemployed postgraduates from across the country to submit their applications for National Internship Programme (NIP) for the ongoing year.
All those who have completed sixteen years of education from a recognized university or degree awarding institution can apply for the programme, an official told APP here Friday.
He said that the scheme besides keeping the fresh graduates engaged in creative work is aimed at providing financial help to them.
Afghan Taliban supported Pakistani counterparts for terror attacks
By IANS,
Islamabad : The Pakistani Taliban based in South Waziristan committed a series of attacks in this country in the past few weeks with the help of its Afghan counterparts, a media report Sunday said.
"Leaders of various militant groups active in Pakistan under the banner of the banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) have succeeded in winning support of the Afghan Taliban for committing terror acts in Pakistan," The News quoted a source in the security forces as saying.
Most NorthAms Reject Iraq War
By Prensa Latina,
Ottawa : A survey revealed today that the US invasion to Iraq, ordered by President George W. Bush, is rejected by 82 percent of Canadians and 54 percent of Americans.
A poll by Globe and Mail journal and CTV channel states 59 percent of Americans approve the neighboring country"s decision of not joining the conflict.
Over 4,100 Pentagon soldiers have been killed in Iraq since war began in March 2003.
To most people polled in both countries, Washington is losing influence in the international arena on account of the wars started by the Union.
60 NATO vehicles set on fire by militants in Peshawar: report
By NNN-PTI,
Islamabad : Pro-Taliban militants struck at a terminal in the northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar, used by trucks ferrying supplying to US and NATO forces in Afghanistan, setting on fire up to 60 vehicles and container trucks today.
The heavily armed militants stormed Bilal Terminal in the early hours after opening fire at watchmen. They then lobbed grenades and torched container trucks and other cars, including Humvee armoured vehicles, TV channels reported.
Death toll rises to 35 in Iraq wedding suicide attacks
By Xinhua,
Baghdad : The death toll rose to 35 in double suicide blast which struck a wedding convoy Thursday evening in northeast of Baghdad, and 76 others were wounded, police said.
The two suicide bombers, one of them a female, blew themselves off as a wedding convoy passed by a main street in the town of Balad Ruz, 30 km east of Baquba, the capital city of the restive Diyala province.
Police said the first female bomber blew herself up in front of the wedding convoy, and the second bomber went off as people nearby gathered to help the wounded.
Dubai ruler donates 600 houses to Palestinians in Gaza
By IINA,
Dubai : Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has pledged to build 600 houses for Palestinians who lost their dwellings during the attack on Gaza. Sheikh Mohammad's gesture is a show of support for resistance of the Palestinian people in Gaza, WAM reported.
Pres Ahmadinejad visit to boost Iran-Sri Lanka ties
By NNN-FNA,
Tehran : Tehran-Colombo relations are expected to get a big boost with the arrival in Sri Lanka Tuesday of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
The two-day state visit will be the first ever tour of the country by the Iranian President, who will be visiting Sri Lanka on a special invitation from President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
On Tuesday, President Ahmadinejad and President Rajapaksa will lay the foundation stone for the Iranian-financed Uma Oya mega-hydropower project, in Wellawaya, in the Moneragala district.
Palestinian negotiator rules out statehood in 2008
By DPA
Ramallah (Palestine) : Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat Saturday ruled out announcing Palestinian statehood in 2008.
"In 2008, we expect a peace deal specifying the core final-status issues and how to begin dealing with them," he told reporters.
The Palestinian Authority, which renewed peace talks with Israel last month, is counting on a US role in pushing the slow negotiations.
Top Taliban leader arrested in Afghanistan
By IANS,
Kabul : The Taliban's self-styled "financial in-charge" has been arrested in a major anti-terrorism operation in Afghanistan, officials said.
Ban condemns Sudanese force attacks in West Darfur
By KUNA
United Nations : Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon late Saturday condemned in the strongest terms Friday's attacks on the towns of Abu Suruj, Sirba, and Seleia in West Darfur, reportedly by Janjaweed militia supported by the Sudanese armed forces, his press office said in a statement.
League faction blamed for volatility in Pakistan’s Hazara
By IANS,
Islamabad: With seven people losing their lives in violent protests in the Hazara area over renaming the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) as Khyber-Pakhtoonkhwa, two political parties Monday accused a faction of the Pakistan Muslim League of fishing in troubled waters for political ends.
The Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) was misleading the people of Hazara and indulging in scoring political points, Online news agency quoted Iqbal Zafar Jhagra of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) as telling a private TV channel.
Iran detains seven US troops
By IANS,
Tehran : Iran has detained seven US troops for illegally trying to enter the country from Pakistan, a media report said Sunday.
Indian cop-turned-terror suspect who fought in Iraq held
By IANS,
Hyderabad : An Indian policeman-turned-terror suspect who allegedly participated in fighting in Iraq and Chechnya has been arrested by police here.
Mohammed Nisar, an alleged agent of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), was Saturday produced before a city court, which sent him to judicial custody for two weeks.
The sleuths of counter-intelligence cell are believed to have picked up Nisar in Zaheerabad town in Medak district, about 100 km from here.
US working to stop Hamas attacks to defuse Mideast tension
Washington : The US has said it is working to end rocket fire from Hamas in an effort to defuse the current crisis in...
Palestinian PM to visit Gaza Strip on Wednesday
Ramallah : Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdala plans to visit the Gaza Strip on Wednesday in his second visit to the coastal enclave since...
Why can’t Hasina, Zia talk, asks Bangladesh court
By IANS,
Dhaka : A Bangladesh court Wednesday asked why Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her predecessor Khaleda Zia can't be asked to sit for talks to end the ongoing political impasse.
Pakistan Eager To Import 250,000 Tonnes Of Wheat
By Bernama,
Islamabad : Pakistani Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani has ordered the department concern to import 250,000 tonnes of wheat immediately, XINHUA quoted a local daily as saying on Wednesday.
Chairing a meeting of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the cabinet here on Tuesday, Gilani said that price in the world market was showing a downward trend and 250,000 tonnes of wheat should be imported to meet the shortfall in the country.
Sharif brothers ineligible for elections, Punjab government falls
By Muhammad Sajjad,IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan teetered on the brink of political crisis Wednesday after the Supreme Court barred former prime minister Nawaz Sharif from contesting the polls and also declared null and void the election of his brother, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif. The verdict led to the fall of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government in the country's most politically consequential province.
Over 100 mn Pakistan mobile subscribers may lose connections
Islamabad : A huge number of pre-paid mobile phone users in Pakistan may lose their connections since telecom operators have expressed their "inability" to...
Seize Israeli soldiers to swap for Palestinian prisoners: Hamas
By IANS,
Gaza : A senior official of the Islamic Hamas movement in Gaza Friday called on Palestinian militants to seize Israeli soldiers and exchange them with Palestinians held in Israeli jails.
Iraq’s key Sunni bloc suspends gov’t talks on ending boycott
By Xinhua,
Baghdad : Iraqi Sunni politician said Wednesday that Iraq's major Sunni bloc has suspended its talks on ending boycotting the cabinet with the Shiite-led government.
Adnan al-Dulaimi, head of the Iraqi Accordance Front, the largest Sunni bloc in the Iraqi parliament, said that his front's decision came after dispute with the government over which position the bloc members would get and the names of candidates.
New Delhi reaches out to Bangladesh opposition leader
By IANS,
Dhaka : India and Bangladesh have agreed to hold "discussions at all levels" to consolidate bilateral ties, the Indian envoy said here after a meeting with opposition leader and former prime minister Khaleda Zia.
Indian High Commissioner Pinak Ranjan Chakravarty's two-hour meeting with Zia Thursday was an apparent bid to set records straight in bilateral ties after recent criticism from a section of the media and political circles.
King Abdullah orders SR100 million more in medical aid to Gaza
Jeddah : Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah on Friday ordered SR100 million ($26.6 million) in medical aid to Gaza, the...
UAE, Romania discuss cooperation
By IANS/WAM,
Abu Dhabi : The UAE and Romania have held discussions on boosting cooperation in the education sector.
Sharif to meet government committee on peace talks
Islamabad : Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will Tuesday evening meet the government committee negotiating with the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) on restoring peace.
The meeting...
Protest grows about Israeli participation in Book Fair
By KUNA
Paris : Protest is growing here over an invitation by President Nicolas Sarkozy for Israel to take a prominent role in the forthcoming Paris Book Fair in March, several sources indicated.
The French President issued the invitation to Israel to attend the prestigious event as he was addressing the annual dinner of the Jewish representative body CRIF here on Wednesday night.
Israeli security chief warns of assassination
By Xinhua,
Jerusalem : Israel's internal security chief Yuval Dis kin on Sunday said he is "extremely concerned" that extreme right-wing activists might launch attacks against national leaders, local news service Ynet reported.
The warning from the Shin Bet agency came on the eve of the 13th anniversary of the assassination of former Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994 before he was shot dead by a right-wing radical who opposed to his signing of the Oslo Accords.
Car Bomb Kills Four in Pakistan
By Prensa Latina,
Islamabad : At least four people were killed and another 30 wounded Friday in a bomb attack near a police station in a northeastern Pakistani province, official sources reported.
The explosion took place in the city of Mardan and destroyed the precinct, wounding 14 policemen and 18 civilians. About 10 stores of a close market were also damaged or destroyed.
According to the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) news agency, the bomb was within a car parked between the precinct and a hotel. Two policemen and two civilians died in the attack.
Four policemen killed in Pakistan bombing
By IANS,
Islamabad : At least four policemen were killed Tuesday when a bomb hit their convoy in Pakistan's southwestern province of Balochistan, Xinhua reported.
Pakistan appoints new navy chief
Islamabad : Admiral Zakaullah has been named the next chief of the Pakistan Navy, Geo TV reported Thursday.
President Mamnoon Hussain has made the appointment...
Foreign intelligence hindering peace talks: Afghan minister
By IANS,
Ankara : Afghan Foreign Minister Ahmed Osmani has said that foreign intelligence agencies are disrupting peace negotiations between the Afghan government and the...
Pakistan’s election process formally kicks off
By IANS,
Islamabad : The Election Commission Sunday formally kicked off the process for the May 11 parliamentary polls by issuing nomination papers across the country, local media reported.
Obama calls on Iran to release three Americans
By DPA,
Washington: US President Barack Obama called on Iran Friday to release three Americans hikers who have been held for a year, saying their continued detention is "unjust".
Saturday marks one year since Iranian authorities arrested Shane Bauer, Sarah Shourd and Josh Fattal, who were hiking in Iraq's Kurdistan region when they allegedly crossed an unmarked border into Iran.
Four security men killed in Al Qaeda attack in Yemen
Sanaa: At least four army men were killed Saturday when suspected Al Qaeda militants attacked a military patrol in Yemen, a security official said.
"Masked...
Pakistan says US aid ‘signal of long term commitment’
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : Even as Pakistan's military questioned the anti-terror strings attached to the proposed $7.5 billion US aid package, its foreign minister said it was crucial to fight terrorists and the US assured that it would not impinge on Islamabad's sovereignty.
The US lawmakers responsible for the bill to provide Pakistan with $1.5 billion a year over the next five years had also assured him that the economic aid has no conditions attached, Shah Mahmood Qureshi said Wednesday at the Council on Foreign Relations.
23 killed in Egypt road accident
By Xinhua
Cairo : At least 23 people were killed and more than a dozen injured in a major road accident in northern Egypt Sunday evening, police sources said.
The accident occurred when a police transport vehicle collided with a truck on the highway linking the capital city of Cairo with the Mediterranean coastal city of Alexandria, the sources said on condition of anonymity.
Earlier reports said at least 15, most of whom were policemen, were killed while 20 others were wounded in the accident.
Indian political parties welcome Zardari comment
By IANS,
New Delhi : Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari's description of militants in Jammu and Kashmir as "terrorists" has been welcomed in India by both the ruling Congress party and the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
“We welcome this statement of the Pakistan president. People of Pakistan in general and politicians in particular now realise that both our nations need to move in the direction of development rather than weaponisation,” said Minister of State for Home Shakeel Ahmad.
Bin Laden’s missing family found in Iran
By IANS,
London : Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden's closest family members have been found living in a secret compound in Iran, a newspaper reported Wednesday.
They include a wife and six children who disappeared from his Afghan camp at the time of the 9/11 attacks, The Times reported, quoting other relatives.
Also in the group are 11 grandchildren. All the relatives have been kept in a high-security compound outside Tehran and prevented from contacting the outside world.
BSF kills two Pakistanis: Pakistan media
Islamabad : Two Pakistani villagers were killed Monday in firing by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) in Punjab province, the media reported.
Three others...
Bangladesh gets $1.2bn World Bank loan for bridge
By IANS,
Dhaka : Bangladesh Thursday signed a $1.2 billion loan deal with the World Bank for the construction of a bridge over river Padma.
Hasina’s son arrives from US, Zia’s sons face arrest
By IANS,
Dhaka: Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, who formally joined the ruling Awami League (AL) four days ago, Monday arrived home from the US with his American wife.
Joy, who stays in the US, had his education up to graduation in India during the years the family lived in exile in India after his maternal grandfather and president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and most of the family members were slain in a coup in August 1975.
Saudi Arabia does not allow dual nationality
Riyadh : The Kingdom does not allow dual nationality, said Mohammad Jasser Al-Jasser, spokesman for Civil Status. However, the citizenship of a Saudi female will not be revoked if her husband alone obtains a foreign nationality.
India cautious on Iran sanctions, pitches for dialogue
By IANS,
New Delhi : With the UN Security Council (UNSC) Wednesday imposing fourth round of sanctions against Tehran, India has no choice but to implement new measures but New Delhi has let it be known that there is no alternative to dialogue to resolve the Iranian nuclear issue.
"Being a UN member, India will have to abide by the UNSC resolution. But we continue to advocate, as we have always done, dialogue and diplomacy to resolve issues relating to the Iranian nuclear programme," official sources said.
Legislation to increase aid to Pakistan to come up in US Senate
By NNN-PTI,
Washington : Two top law makers in the US Senate will introduce a landmark legislation today that aims to triple non-military assistance to Pakistan over the next five years.
The Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Joseph Biden and Ranking Republican Richard Lugar will unveil the legislation designed to enhance bilateral relations with Pakistan.
The bill triples non-military aid to Pakistan and sustains it over five years.
21 killed in Afghanistan flash floods
By DPA,
Kabul : Flash floods triggered by torrential rains have killed at least 21 people in Afghanistan, officials said Thursday.
The worst affected area was the eastern province of Nangarhar, where the flooding, which began Wednesday night, killing 19 people, said Ahmad Zia Abdulzai, the provincial governor's spokesman.
Eight people were injured in the flooding while a dozen others were missing, he said.
The floods have destroyed thousands of hectares of crops, he added.
Report: Iran denies purchase of Russian S-300 system
By Xinhua,
Tehran : Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hassan Qashqavi on Monday denied reports that Tehran has purchased the S-300 system, an advanced Russian-made anti-aircraft missile, the English-language Press TV satellite channel reported.
"No such thing is correct," Qashqavi told reporters in his weekly press conference.
Iran's missile and technical capabilities are the outcome of a homegrown technology developed by Iranian scientists, Qashqavi said, adding that "this technology was recently demonstrated."
Philippine’s Muslim south to build its own security force
By Xinhua,
Manila : The Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), which rules the Muslim majority Mindanao region in the southern Philippines, is raising its own security force to "protect peace" in the autonomous region, the group's chief said Monday.
Nur Misuari said the 120,000-strong National Security Command would be responsible for maintaining law and order, the Philippine Daily Inquirer reported on its website.
The MNLF, which fought for self-rule for Mindanao for more than three decades from the early 1970s, was given autonomy in 1996 by the Philippine government.
Pakistan seeks DNA reports of Kasab, other Mumbai attackers
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan has sought from India the DNA reports of Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone gunman captured during the Mumbai mayhem and the nine other terrorists killed during the assault to enable it to further its probe into the carnage, Interior Minister Rehman Malik said Thursday.
"We have requested the DNA of Kasab and the nine others (involved in the attacks)," he said at a press conference here detailing the progress in Pakistan's probe into the Nov 26-29 Mumbai attacks that claimed the lives of more than 170 people, including 26 foreigners, and injured more than 300.
Hunger-striking Palestinian prisoners plan to donate organs
Gaza City : Palestinian prisoners taking part in a hunger strike in Israeli jails in protest against their indefinite detention without charge have said...
Copenhagen double attack perpetrator identified
Copenhagen: The alleged perpetrator of the double terrorist attack in the Danish capital Copenhagen was identified as a 22-year-old man born in Denmark, who...
Iran warns of imposing new limits on cooperation with IAEA
By SPA,
Tehran, Iran : Iran's new parliament speaker says Tehran could impose new limits on its cooperation with the U.N. nuclear watchdog.
Iran's former nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani, was elected as parliament speaker Wednesday, the Associated Press reported.
Moments later, he told parliament that a new report by the International Atomic Energy Agency was deplorable.
Son-in-law says he did not cause Badawi’s exit
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur : Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's son-in-law says he is not to blame for the premature exit of his father-in-law. Badawai is slated to leave office next March.
Instead, Khairy Jamaluddin, 32, blames the "constant and concerted demonisation" by those who accused him of interfering with the working of the government.
killed in Iran bus crash
By IINA,
Tehran : Twenty-one people were killed and 11 injured when a bus collided with an oncoming truck in western Iran. The accident took place around midday (0730 GMT) yesterday between the towns of Hamedan and Malayer, the Iranian Etemad newspaper reported. It said the bus had been speeding at the time of the collision and that the truck had been overtaking illegally.
At least 100,000 people have been killed in road traffic accidents over the past five years in a country of some 70 million people.
Israel destroys Hamas interior office in Gaza
By Xinhua
Gaza : Israeli Apache attack helicopter gunship destroyed by three air-to-ground missiles the building of the interior ministry in the deposed Hamas government in Gaza City, witnesses said.
Three consecutive explosions were heard in the northeastern part of the city, said the witnesses, adding that the building of Hamas interior offices was targeted with three missiles fired by Israeli helicopters.
Medics said that four civilians were lightly to moderately injured, who were treated at Shifa Hospital in the city.
Pattinson in Saddam Hussein movie
By IANS,
London: Actor Robert Pattinson has been roped in to star in "Mission: Blacklist", a thriller about Iraqi ruler Saddam Hussein.
Agreement to improve Oman-India cooperation on terror
Muscat : A legal and judicial assistance agreement signed recently between Oman and India will improve cooperation in the field of investigation, prosecution and...
‘Taliban is now a threat to region’
By DPA,
New York : The Afghan government has told the UN Security Council that the former Taliban rulers have become a threat to the country seven years after they were toppled from power.
Taliban and Al Qaeda forces have intensified the fighting at Afghan borders with Pakistan, timing their campaign to presidential elections in the United States this year and presumably in Afghanistan in 2009 "to force a change in international commitment" in Afghanistan, the country's UN ambassador Zahir Tanin said Tuesday.
Shalit’s captors says not to scale down release demands
By Xinhua,
Gaza : Captors of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit who has been held hostage for two years said on Tuesday they will never give up or scale down their demands over freeing the captive.
"There are no choices before Israel but to accept the swap according to the conditions set by the factions that hold the soldier," Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoom told reporters in Gaza.
UAE launches information exchange system for seizures
By IANS/WAM,
Abu Dhabi : The United Arab Emirates' federal customs authority (FCA) has launched a new system to exchange information about seizures at all customs outlets across the state.
Pakistan denies border firing
By IANS,
Lahore/Amritsar : Tension prevailed at the Pakistan-India border after loud explosions were heard on the Indian side near the Attari-Wagah check post. However, Pakistan denied Saturday that its forces were responsible for the blasts.
The denial came at a flag meeting in the wee hours Saturday with the paramilitary Pakistan Rangers saying they were not responsible for the explosions that were heard on the Indian side around 10.30 p.m. Friday.
The Indian Border Security Force (BSF) had opened retaliatory fire after the explosions were heard.
Pakistan, U.S. to hold 3rd strategic dialogue in June
By NNN-Xinhua
Islamabad : Pakistan and the United States will hold their third round of strategic dialogue in June in Washington, a Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman said .
The third round of talks will held in June in Washington as the U.S. side was interested in early holding of the talks, Muhammad Sadiq told a regular news briefing on Wednesday.
The previous two rounds of the strategic dialogue had taken place since 2006.
31 killed in Iraq violence
Baghdad : At least 31 people were killed and 20 others wounded in the latest violent attacks and conflicts in Iraq, police source said...
Pakistan faces direct threat from extremism, not India: Clinton
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : Warning Pakistan that the direct threat from violent extremism it faces could destabilise the entire region, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has voiced the hope that the India and Pakistan will resume their stalled dialogue.
"But what we see as the direct threat to Pakistan right now comes from the violent extremism," she said.
Turkish officer accuses Iraqi Kurds of aiding PKK rebels
By Xinhua,
Ankara : A senior official of the Turkish military on Sunday criticized the Iraqi Kurds for aiding the outlawed Kurdish Worker's Party (PKK) militants against Ankara.
General Staff deputy chief Gen. Hasan Igsiz made the criticism in a speech at the military headquarters in Ankara, following a PKK Friday attack that killed some 15 Turkish soldiers in southeastern province of Hakkarion from northern Iraq.
Blast targets NATO convoy, kills Afghan civilians
By KUNA
Kabul : A bungled suicide attack on a NATO convoy in southern Afghanistan left eight civilians dead and another 22 injured, witnesses and officials said on Thursday.
The attacker detonated his explosive-packed car as the NATO convoy passed through the area, police chief of the southern Kandahar province Sayed Aqa Saqib told journalists.
He said all those killed and injured were civilians as the NATO convoy had already passed the centre of the city, where the suicide car bomb attack was carried out.
Iraqi president condemns killing of Shia leader
By Xinhua,
Baghdad : Iraq's President Jalal Talabani Friday condemned the killing of Shia lawmaker Saleh al-Ugaily by militants Thursday and called on all Iraqis to join forces against terrorism.
"We have received with deep sadness the news of the martyrdom of Saleh al-Ugaily, a lawmaker from Sadr political movement," Talabani said in a statement Friday.
Ugaily died Thursday after his motorcade was hit by a roadside bomb in Habibiyah neighbourhood in eastern part of the Iraqi capital.
Two of his bodyguards were also killed in the attack.
Gov’t completely ready for next parliamentary election
By IRNA
Tehran : Government is completely ready to hold the upcoming parliamentary elections, government spokesman, Gholam-Hossein Elham, said on Saturday.
Speaking to reporters at his weekly press conference, Elham said the government was making all efforts to conduct a "legal and impressive" election.
The next parliamentary election is expected to be held on March 14.
More EU aid for cyclone victims in Bangladesh
By EuAsiaNews,
Brussels : The European Commission announced here Friday that it will provide 13 million euro to support the sustainable recovery in coastal areas severely affected by cyclone SIDR which struck Bangladesh last November.
The EU's aid office ECHO has already provided 20.4 million euro for the longer term reconstruction and development of the affected areas.
Majority perceive Pakistan’s economy as No. one problem: survey
By IRNA,
Islamabad : Two thirds of all Pakistanis believe Economic problems are their number one problems, specifically, inflation (43%) and unemployment (20%), according to a survey.
Terrorism or law and order issues have erupted as key issues as well: 32% for instance, mention law and order as the number one problem faced by Pakistan today, according to a recent Gilani Research Foundation survey carried out by Gallup Pakistan.
All other problems are mentioned by only 5% as the number one in the ladder.
Kuwaiti academics say voters should abide by certain standards
By Wafa Ramadhan, KUNA,
Kuwait : Kuwaiti academics set standards according to which citizens should vote for candidates for election of the National Assembly 2008, urging them to judge whether their favored nominee would be able to serve the national development process.
Professor of Political Sciences at Kuwait University, Abdulridha Asiri, told KUNA that the voters should abide by certain standards to choose the candidate who will represent him/her in the National Assembly.
Pakistan against hasty pullout from Afghanistan
By DPA,
Islamabad : Pakistan said Thursday that the US-led international forces should not leave war-torn Afghanistan until the country was strong enough to take care of itself.
"As a matter of fact what we say is that a hasty withdrawal would not be desirable," the country's foreign ministry spokesman Abdul Basit told a press briefing in Islamabad.
"Afghanistan should be able to look after itself effectively before the coalition forces leave," he said.
Yemeni, Chinese official talks held in Sana’a
By NNN-SABA,
Sana'a : The Yemeni-Chinese official talks were held at the Republican Palace here between Yemen and China co-chaired by Vice President Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi and the Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping.
Hadi welcomed the Chinese guest Tuesday, reviewing a number of issues related to joint cooperation and historical relations between the two countries.
He also expressed his appreciation for the Chinese continuous support for Yemen for boosting development process, intending to attract more Chinese investments in the country.
Dubai to host information technology expo
By IANS/WAM,
Dubai: Dubai will host the GITEX information technology expo 2010 from Oct 17-21.
Suicide bomber targets Italian troops in Afghanistan
By DPA,
Kabul : A suicide bomber rammed his explosives-laden vehicle into a convoy of NATO-led forces in western Afghanistan Saturday, wounding four soldiers, officials said Saturday.
The bomber attacked Italian troops near an airport on the outskirts of the capital of Herat province, regional police spokesman Abdul Raouf Ahmadi said.
"The bomber died in the attack, and one of the Italian military tanks was thrown out of the main road, because the blast was very powerful," Ahmadi said.
Fourty missiles launched injure 20 Israelis – spokesperson
By KUNA
Gaza : Israeli Army on Sunday announced that more than 40 missiles were launched from northern Gaza, targeting the Israeli cities of Sderot and Ashkelon.
Despite the wide-scale military operation, Palestinian resistance factions managed to launch the missiles, which injured 20 Israelis, an Army spokesperson said.
He added that three (Jarad) missiles had hit houses that were damaged by the home-made rockets.
UAE donates 700 tonnes of aid to Gaza
By IANS/WAM,
Cairo/Rafah : About 700 tonnes of food and emergency medical aid from the UAE have been sent to the Gaza Strip to help mitigate the deteriorating humanitarian condition of the Palestinians.
The Red Crescent Authority (RCA) is carrying out the operation in coordination with the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), Palestinian Presidential Committee, the UAE Embassy in Cairo, Egyptian Red Crescent Society and Palestinian Red Crescent.
U.S. soldier dies in non-combat related incident in Iraq
By Xinhua
Bagndad : An American soldier died in a non-combat related incident in Iraq, the U.S. military said on Saturday.
A soldier assigned to Multi-National Division - Center (MND-C) died on Friday, a brief military statement said, without specifying the location of the incident.
The incident is under investigation, it said.
MND-C, also known as Task Force Marne, is responsible for security in areas located along the southern edge of Baghdad and stretch to the border of Saudi Arabia in the west and to the Iranian border in the east.
Jihad backs Egypt’s mediation efforts on inter-Palestinian dialogue
By Xinhua,
Cairo : A leader of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement said Tuesday his faction supports the Egyptian mediation efforts to reach a Palestinian consensus for the resumption of the inter-Palestinian dialogue.
In an interview with the Egyptian MENA news agency, Nafez Azzam stressed the importance of Egypt's role and its heavyweight influence at the regional and international levels.
Gilani not planning Turkey visit yet
By IRNA,
Islamabad : A spokesman of the government has said that Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has not as yet planned any visit to Turkey and therefore there is no question of dropping it due to the current political situation in the country as has been described by a section of the media.
The spokesman said that the situation in the country is normal as borne out by the fact that the Prime Minister is proceeding to Saudi Arabia tonight on a three-day visit.
Saudi preachers blame sinners for lack of rain
Riyadh (ANTARA News) - Saudi preachers on Saturday conducted prayers for rain in their desert kingdom and blamed the empty skies on sinfulness, the official Spa news agency reported.
"Misfortune does not befall (a country) unless sins have been committed there," the imam of the Grand Mosque in Mecca, Sheikh Abderrahman bin Abdel Aziz al-Sudeiss, was quoted by AFP as saying.
Pakistan says IAEA ElBaradei’s misquoted
By IRNA
Islamabad : Pakistan said on Friday that the IAEA has informed the country's Mission in Vienna that the Director General's remarks about nuclear program safety had been quoted out of context.
Director General ElBaradei was quoted by 'Al-Hayat' newspaper that he is concerned that Pakistan's nuclear weapons could fall in the hands of extremists.
The Pakistani Foreign Office Spokesman said in a statement "Pakistan enjoys good cooperation with Director General ElBaradei and that is why we were both surprised and disappointed with the news story".
President Musharraf rejects resignation rumors
By IRNA,
Islamabad : Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf Saturday dismissed as baseless rumours of his resignation and said that the rumours had created panic among the people.
Local media was recently full with reports that President Musharraf has decided to resign and some reports even suggested that he will leave the country.
"I have not decided to resign. I will remain in Pakistan. I do not have any house outside Pakistan. Rumors of resignations about my resignations are rubbish," President Musharraf told senior reporters.
55 killed, 300 wounded in Iraq bombings
By DPA,
Baghdad: A series of bombings across Iraq Monday killed at least 55 people and injured more than 300, police and witnesses said.
In the deadliest of the early morning attacks, 30 people were killed and at least 155 wounded when two trucks packed with explosives detonated in a village in the district of Hamdania, near the northern city of Mosul, witnesses told DPA.
The blasts destroyed dozens of homes in the village inhabited mostly by members of Iraq's predominantly Shia Shabback minority.
Kidnapped French worker released in Afghanistan
By DPA,
Kabul : A French man abducted along with his two Afghan colleagues in southern Afghanistan was released after three weeks in captivity, sources said Friday.
A group of suspected Taliban militants abducted the French national, who owned a private construction company in Afghanistan, on the Kabul-Kandahar highway in Gilan district of southern Ghazni province May 29.
Mullah Farouq, a purported Taliban spokesman in the area, had claimed responsibility for the abduction, but no Afghan government officials or French embassy sources in Kabul confirmed the incident.
Security Council reform must result in profound changes
By IRNA,
Tehran : Security Council reform must be about more than just changing the composition of its membership, General Assembly President Srgjan Kerim says, calling on the body to be "based on an equilibrium of interests rather than a balance of power."
UN Information Center said citing an opinion column for the London-based pan-Arab Al-Hayat newspaper, written by Mr. Kerim, that reform of the Council must lead to "a new culture of international relations" based on full respects for human rights, human security, responsibility to protect and sustainable development.
Abbas to push Olmert on state of peace talks-aide
By SPA
Ramallah, West Bank : Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will assess the state of peace talks
with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert at their next planned meeting in Jerusalem on Monday, a senior Abbas aide said.
Monday's meeting will be the first between the two leaders since Abbas briefly broke off talks last month following Israel's killing of over 120 Palestinians, many of them civilians, in an offensive in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, Reuters reported.
BSF killed 2 Bangladeshi cattle traders, says Dhaka
By IANS,
Dhaka : Troops from India's Border Security Force (BSF) shot dead two Bangladeshi cattle traders near Shingnagar along the country's northwestern border Monday night, authorities here claimed Tuesday.
Those killed near the border in Chapainawabganj district were identified as Fatik, 30, and Ismail Hossain, 25.
Pakistan must punish perpetrators of Mumbai terror: US experts
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : Pakistan must punish those involved in the Mumbai massacre while undercutting extremist propaganda that lays the groundwork for such incidents, say two US experts, even while advising India to address the shortfalls in its homeland security.
They have also suggested that India and the US should pursue a robust dialogue to share counter-terrorism strategies in the wake of Mumbai terror attack blamed on Pakistan based terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
Rallies banned, security tightened in Bangladesh
Dhaka : Security has been tightened in Gazipur on the outskirts of Bangladesh capital Dhaka since Friday morning to prevent any untoward incident following...
Pakistani coalition partners meet to discuss clipping Musharraf powers
By KUNA,
Islamabad : The coalition government leaders Tuesday met here to exchange views on the constitutional package aimed at clipping the Presidents powers and transferring them to the Prime Minister.
Asif Ali Zardari, the co-chairman of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), and Nawaz Sharif, the leader of Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N), met for more than two hours here.
Official sources told KUNA that Asif Ali Zardari shared details of the proposed constitutional package with Nawaz Sharif and also held discussions on the Judges reinstatement issue.
Italy ready to intervene militarily in Syria
By IANS,
Rome: Italy would be ready to send military forces to Syria if President Bashar al-Assad is toppled, Italian Defence Minister Giampaolo Di Paola has said.
Hamas denies reports of handing letter to Kerry
By DPA,
Gaza City : The Palestinian Islamist group Hamas denied Friday handing a letter of US senator John Kerry when he went to the Gaza Strip the day before.
Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum denied the group delivered "any letter to US Congress member John Kerry for him to transfer it to any party".
However, Barhoum said his group is "ready to communicate with the international community to support the rights of the Palestinian people".
Kerry, who narrowly lost the 2004 presidential election, entered the Palestinian territory Thursday in a rare visit by a US elected official.
Zia more powerful as son again accommodated in party
By IANS,
Dhaka : The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has created the post of a senior vice president for former prime minister Khaleda Zia's London-based son Tarique Rahman, making her even more powerful in the party, media reports said.
Tarique's appointment was "pushed through" at "a closed-door session" by middle-level leaders in the party's national council meeting. It was barely 11 hours after he spoke of his health condition and left the decision to the party delegates in a pre-recorded message, The Daily Star said Thursday.
Objectivity need of the hour, say Indian, Pakistani scribes
By IANS,
New Delhi : Nearly five months after 26/11, candour and introspection marked a seminar of Pakistani and Indian journalists and writers here Wednesday, as they admitted they sometimes tended to speak in the "language of the secret services".
The conference at the India International Centre took a broad, overarching view of how the media in both India and Pakistan reported events following the Nov 26, 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai and analysed whether their reporting whipped up jingoism and created war hysteria.
Hamas:Inter-Palestinian dialogue postponed due to pressure on Fatah
By Xinhua,
Gaza : Talks between Hamas and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah movement were postponed due to American and Israeli pressures on Fatah, a Hamas leader said on Tuesday.
"The dialogue was postponed because these sides want to prevent a national reconciliation," Mahmoud Zahar, a Gaza-based leader, said.
As the dialogue is ruled out, Zahar said that Hamas' priorities became the opening of Rafah crossing point between Gaza and Egypt "since it is the main artery of the Gaza Strip residents."
Pakistan suicide blast kills six
By IANS,
Islamabad : Six people were killed and several injured Thursday in a suicide blast in Pakistan's North West Frontier Province (NWFP).
The suicide attack took place at Rasooldar hotel in Tank district's Jandola area, Geo News reported.
Israel continues with indiscriminate bombardment of Gaza Strip
By IRNA
Gaza City : As the Security Council was assembling reports came in that Israel continues with air strike on Gaza Strip residential areas killing at least 36 civilians and wounding 100.
Palestine Authority chief Mahmud Abbas said the Israeli raids were "more than a holocaust".
He was apparently alluding to a statement made on Friday by Israel's deputy defence minister Matan Vilnai, who said Palestinians risked a "shoah" - the Hebrew word for a big disaster as well as for the Nazi Holocaust.
Israel allows PNA to build 20 police stations across West Bank
By Xinhua,
Jerusalem : Israel and the Palestinian National Authority reached an agreement on Friday, allowing the Palestinians to build 20 police stations in the West Bank in a bid to enforce its security plan there.
It is the first time Israel approved such a measure since 2001. According to the agreement, most of the stations will be established in the B areas, where under 1993 interim peace accords Israel retains the right to deploy troops against suspected militants.
Iran must not obtain nuclear weapon, US must leave Iraq — Candidates
By Ronald Baygents, KUNA,
Washington : US Democratic presidential rivals Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama said Iran must not be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon, and promised to stick to their plans to pull US troops out of Iraq within 16 months of assuming the presidency, during a debate on Wednesday night.
Afghanistan, US agree to avoid civilian deaths
By Xinhua,
Kabul : Afghanistan and the US-led Coalition said Saturday they would work in harmony to avoid civilian casualties in the war-ravaged country.
"In an ongoing endeavour to ... develop Afghan capability to defeat terrorists and adversaries, the officials have agreed to include more Afghan representatives in the planning and execution of counter-terrorism missions," a joint press release said.
"There will be better coordination to minimise risk of civilian casualties and ensure Afghans search Afghans and conduct arrest operations," it said.
All issues to be discussed in talks with India: Qureshi
By IANS,
Islamabad: Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi Sunday said all issues, including water and terrorism, will be discussed in the forthcoming talks with India, stressing the need to bridge the trust deficit between the two countries.
Talking to reporters in Multan, he said that the Indian foreign secretary is visiting Islamabad June 24 for talks with her Pakistani counterpart and with him, Online news agency reported.
Pakistan: committee to be set up to discuss abolishing 17th amendment bill – PM
By NNN-APP,
Islamabad : Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Tuesday said a committee would be set up soon to discuss the bills presented by different political parties seeking abolishing of 17th amendment from the Constitution.
He was talking to media persons in response to a question on 18th amendment bill moved by Mutahidda Qaumi Movement in National Assembly, after inaugurating a seminar on Climate Change here.
Bangladesh seeks link to Bhutan via India
By IANS,
Thimphu : Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has sought a road to Bhutan through India for bettr trade and people-to-people contact. She told her hosts at this Bhutanese capital that India had accepted the idea in principle.
Bangladesh and Bhutan could develop land communication through India at three points in Bangladesh -- Burimari Port (Lalmonirhat), Tamabil (Sylhet) and Naoka (Sherpur) -- she said while speaking to Bhutanese Foreign Minister Lyonpo Ugyen Tshering, United News of Bangladesh (UNB) reported Saturday.
Palestine, Israel Talk in Greece
By Prensa Latina,
Athens : President of the Palestine National Authority Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak are expected to discuss the Middle East peace process, on the sidelines of the 23rd Congress of the Socialist International.
Both leaders attended the said congress held at the Lagonissi resort, near Athens, and are expected to discuss the situation in the Middle East.
Kabul gunfight ends, all militants killed
Kabul: A five-hour gunfight close to Afghanistan's main election office in Kabul ended Saturday evening after Taliban gunmen were killed in a counter-attack, an...
Compensate terror-hit students, says Islamabad varsity official
By IANS,
Islamabad : The families of the seven dead and 35 injured students who were victims of twin bombings Oct 20 at the International Islamic University at this Pakistani capital should be compensated, a varsity official has said.
International Islamic University president Anwar Siddique said that the government is yet to announce any kind of financial assistance or compensation for families of students who lost their lives or sustained injuries during twin suicide bomb blasts.
France, India will halt barbarism of Taliban: Sarkozy
By IANS,
New Delhi : Expressing solidarity with India after the attack on its embassy in Kabul Thursday, French President Nicolas Sarkozy has written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh saying France will work with India to halt "the barbarism of the Taliban".
"I would like to express my full support and deep solidarity to you in these painful circumstances," Sarkozy wrote to Manmohan Singh on the day a powerful suicide bomb blast targeted the Indian embassy in Kabul, killing 17 Afghans and injuring over 80.