Iran’s parliament lauds Turkish PM’s walkout over Gaza
By Xinhua,
TEHRAN : Iran's Majlis (parliament) on Sunday lauded Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan for his outburst with Israel over its massive onslaught on the Gaza Strip.
The parliament praised in a statement the bravery act by Erdogan "in defending the rights of the oppressed people in the Gaza Strip and uncovering of the Zionists crimes against the Palestinian nation," the official IRNA news agency reported.
Nawaz Sharif to address UN assembly Sep 26
Islamabad : Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will address the UN General Assembly (UNGA) Sep 26, the day his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi is...
Timing not right for deal with Afghan Taliban: US defence secretary
By IANS,
Washington : The chances of a deal between the Afghan government and the Taliban are remote as long as the insurgents enjoy momentum on the battlefield, US Defence Secretary Robert Gates said.
"The time was not yet ripe for the kind of reconciliation that occurred in Iraq with armed opponents of the Baghdad government," Geo TV reported Saturday, citing Gates.
"I think the view of most of us is that until the momentum of the battle turns against the Taliban... the likelihood of any kind of reconciliation is very small," he said.
Official: Israel tries to bring Syria back to talks
By Xinhua
Jerusalem : Israeli Infrastructure Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer said Friday that Israel has been trying to bring Syria back to the negotiating table.
"All efforts are being made to bring Syria to the negotiating table in order to sign a peace treaty," Ben-Eliezer was quoted by Israel Radio as saying.
These remarks came days after Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert hinted that Israel would favor face-to-face talks with Syria that could result in a peace treaty.
Olmert: Israel to find new ways to ensure calm in south
By Xinhua,
Jerusalem : Israel will embark on other directives to ensure that calm returns to the south if Egyptian efforts to mediate a truce with militants in the Gaza Strip fails to yield results, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud said on Sunday.
"Israel wants quiet and full security for southern communities, and if that won't come to fruition through Egyptian mediation, it will be brought to fruition through other means," Olmert was quoted by local daily Ha'aretz as saying at the weekly cabinet meeting.
UNSC urges Yemeni parties to unite for stability, security
United Nations : The UN Security Council has welcomed the formation of a new government in Yemen, and urged all parties and political actors...
Turkey launches air strikes against rebels in N Iraq
By Xinhua
Baghdad : Turkey launched air strikes Tuesday night on rebel targets in northern Iraq, an Iraqi security source said on Wednesday.
Turkish warplane targeted the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants in the Sidekan area of Arbil province, but no casualties had been reported, the source said on conditional of anonymity.
The latest strikes came about a week after Turkey wrapped up across-border ground military operation going after the PKK members.
ICRC expresses grave concern over humanitarian, economic situation in Palestine
By NNN-KUNA,
Geneva : President of the Internnational Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Jacob Kellenberger has said that he is extremely worried over the humanitarian as well as the economic situation in the occupied Palestinian territories (oPt).
He told a news conference Tuesday that the economic situation is hampered by all kinds of obstacles for people to move and to pursue economic activities.
Islamophobia High on OIC Summit
By IRNA
Riyadh : With drawings blaspheming Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) and a documentary desecrating the holy Quran, alarming Islamophobia in the West will be high on the agenda of the Muslim leaders' upcoming Summit.
"We have to resolve the issue of Islamophobia through a committed political dialogue and a historical reconciliation between Islam and the West," Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Conference Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu said.
Iraqi Premier arrives in Iran to discuss reconstruction plans
By IANS,
Tehran : Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maleki has arrived in Iran to seek Tehran's assistance in restoring peace and stability in the country which has been plagued by years of insurgency and sectarian violence, official IRNA news agency reported Sunday.
The Iraqi premier, heading a high ranking delegation, arrived at Mehrabad Airport in Tehran Saturday evening, and was scheduled to meet President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and discuss the latest developments in Iraq, including an agreement between Iraq and the United States to be finalized next month.
US carrier rescues eight Iranian sailors
By DPA,
Manama (Bahrain) : Eight Iranian sailors whose vessel caught fire were rescued by US Navy helicopters in the Arabian Sea, according to a US military statement late Thursday.
Two helicopters from the nuclear-powered carrier USS Harry Truman carried out the rescue operation on high seas, after an F/A-18 jet assigned to the carrier squadron spotted a vessel on fire, according to a statement issued by the Bahrain-based US 5th Fleet Command.
The vessel in distress was sighted late Wednesday about 80 km from the aircraft carrier.
10 mn Pakistan voters not on electoral roll
By IANS,
Islamabad : Over 10 million eligible voters in Pakistan are missing from the draft electoral rolls, a media report said Saturday.
Nawaz Sharif meets president
Islamabad : Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif Thursday discussed the current political imbroglio with President Mamnoon Hussain, a media report said.
Nawaz Sharif called on the...
US hopes for more Pakistan action against Taliban
By IANS,
New Delhi : Sharing India's concerns over surging violence in the AfPak region, US special envoy Richard Holbrooke Monday said he hoped for "more action" from Pakistan in tackling the "ruthless and desperate" Taliban, and blamed the militia for the latest explosion in Kabul.
Holbrooke, US special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Monday met External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna and discussed their approach towards the London conference on Afghanistan set for Jan 28.
Pakistan blames Al-Qaeda for hotel bombing
By AFP,
Islamabad : Pakistan on Sunday blamed Al-Qaeda linked Taliban militants for the massive suicide truck bombing at the Marriott Hotel that killed at least 60 people and injured more than 260.
Dramatic footage of Saturday night's attack showed the carnage could have been far worse, but the attacker failed to get through a secondary barrier when he crashed his explosives-laden truck into the hotel's security gates.
Pakistan’s steps against terror ‘not nearly enough’: Rice
By IRNA,
Islamabad : Insisting that the steps taken by Pakistan in the wake of the Mumbai attacks are 'not nearly enough', the US has advised it to keep on working to 'really deal' with terrorism to help ease the 'crisis' with India.
Neither India nor Pakistan wanted to escalate tensions and "no one was speaking in belligerent language," Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said at a function in Washington.
‘Gandhi’, ‘Calcutta 71’ to be screened at Pakistan film festival
By NNN-PTI,
Lahore : The widely acclaimed Indian films "Gandhi" and "Calcutta 71" will be part of the South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA) film festival that kicks off in Pakistan's cultural capital today.
"Calcutta 71", a Bengali film directed by Mrinal Sen, will be screened on day two of the festival. Released in 1972, the film is based on four short stories, each presenting a study of the political turmoil of the 1970s.
Lebanese Maronite Patriarch warns politicians of “war starts with words”
By Xinhua
Beirut : Lebanese Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Butros Sfeir has expressed concerns that Lebanon might be slipping into a "war starts with words," The Daily Star reported on Monday.
"It has been said that a war starts with words," Sfeir was quoted as saying during his Sunday sermon in Bkirki, adding that "some are drowning us with statements that could lead to harsh circumstances."
GCC conf.on petrochemicals starts Sunday
By KUNA
Doha : The 11th Gulf Cooperation Council conference of industrialists starts Sunday under the slogan "petrochemical sector .. futuristic vision for the year 2020" and under the auspices of the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Muhammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Industry, with the participation of GCC ministers of Industry.
EU to support Pakistan to build stable society
By EuAsiaNews
Brussels : The European Union said Monday that it remains committed to supporting Pakistan in building a prosperous and stable society.
Foreign Ministers of the 27-member bloc after a meeting here said in a statement that the 18 February elections were an important step in the democratic development of Pakistan.
"The EU will support Pakistan in strengthening democratic institutions, promoting human rights and fundamental freedoms, as well as combating extremism,'' it noted.
Will halt US drone strikes: Imran Khan
By IANS,
Islamabad : Head of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party Imran Khan has said his party will stop US drone strikes in the country if it comes to power.
FM: Iran reviewing six-nation package with constructive view
By Xinhua,
Tehran : Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki Sunday said his country is reviewing a package of incentives by six world powers with a constructive view, the official IRNA news agency reported.
"Iran will give an answer to the package after examining it," Mottaki told reporters after the inaugural ceremony of the 17th session of Iran-Pakistan Joint Economic Commission in Tehran.
UK rationalizes helicopter fleet between Iraq and Afghanistan
By IRNA,
London : Britain is temporarily deploying more Merlin helicopter to Iraq to free up Sea Kings for Afghanistan as part of a rationalization of the support given to troops in both theaters due to shortages, Defence Secretary Des Browne has announced.
"We have completed the process of consolidating our medium and heavy fleets across the two theaters, with Merlin and Puma in Iraq, and Chinook and Sea King in Afghanistan," Browne told MPs in a written statement published Wednesday.
Iran to supply power to Syria, Lebanon
By IANS,
Tehran : Iran will supply electricity to Syria and Lebanon, an Iranian official said Sunday.
3 killed, 20 injured when train plunges into river in Malaysia
By SPA
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia : A railway official says three people were killed and at least 20 injured when a train plunged into a river in a Malaysian state on Borneo island.
Hamzah Mamat, a spokesman for Sabah Railways, says the train is believed to have skidded off the wet tracks Wednesday before plummeting into the Padas river in eastern Sabah state.
He says rescue workers have found three bodies in the train, the Associated Press reported.
New batch of US aid delivered to Lebanon
Beirut : The Lebanese Army said it has received a new batch of military aid under the US military assistance programme.
According to officials, the...
Bush for More Troops in Afghanistan
By Prensa Latina
Bucharest : The president of the United States, George W. Bush, called the North Atlantic Treaty Organization member countries to increase the number of soldiers in Afghanistan.
In a speech shortly before opening the NATO summit in this capital, Bush ratified his country's intention to send another 3000 marines to the Central Asian nation, as part of that political-military organization.
Bush used an alledge "real terrorist threat" as a pretext for the deployment of more soldiers in Afghanistan, saying that it must be a priority of the alliance.
Israeli vice PM calls to sever attackers’ neighborhoods from Jerusalem
By Xinhua,
Jerusalem : Israeli Vice Prime Minister Haim Ramon said Thursday that the Palestinian neighborhoods of the perpetrators in the recent two deadly attacks in Jerusalem should be cut off from the city.
Speaking a day after a Palestinian man from the east Jerusalem neighborhood of Zur Baher killed three women and injured dozens in a bulldozer rampage in downtown Jerusalem before being shot dead, Ramon told Army Radio that Israel should treat the neighborhood as a Palestinian village, and revoke the permanent residency status of their residents.
Myanmar halts gas exploration in disputed waters: Bangladesh
By DPA,
Dhaka : Authorities in Bangladesh Sunday claimed that Myanmar has suspended oil and gas exploration in the disputed waters in Bay of Bengal as a result of Dhaka's efforts to defuse tension between the two countries.
"Diplomatic endeavours and a strong presence by the Bangladesh Navy resulted in the suspension of exploration by Myanmar in the disputed waters," a statement issued by the Inter-Service Public Relations office of the country's defence ministry said.
NATO soldier dies, 13 militants detained in Afghanistan
By Zhang Yunlong, Xinhua,
Kabul : One soldier serving the NATO-led military died in southern Afghanistan as 13 militants were detained during an Afghan and U.S.-led Coalition operation in eastern province Paktia, the NATO and Coalition said Wednesday.
One soldier of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) died of wounds and one was injured Tuesday during an engagement with insurgents, said an ISAF statement. It did not release the casualty's nationality or gave more details.
PLO: Israeli decision to transform part of its security leadership to zone ‘E1’ in...
By NNN-WAFA,
Ramallah : The PLO Executive Committee (EC) affirmed on Thursday that the Israeli decision to transfer part of its security leadership to zone 'E1' in Jerusalem as a prelude to settlement expansion in this vital region of the city of Jerusalem, leading to the division of the West Bank into two parts and destroy the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.
UN refugee agency expands presence in Syria
United Nations: The UN refugee agency has opened a field office and warehouse in Syrian city of Sweida to expand the reach of its...
Hasina to go to Saudi Arabia on her first foreign visit as PM
By IANS,
Dhaka : Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will leave late Monday for Saudi Arabia on her first foreign visit since she took office in January.
Besides performing the Umrah, she will seek relaxation of restrictions on Saudi Arabia importing Bangladeshi manpower which is a major source of foreign remittances, media reports said.
Pakistani PM confirms Czech Ambassador killed in Islamabad hotel blast
By IRNA,
Islamabad : Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani Sunday confirmed that Ambassador of Czech Republic to Pakistan has been killed in the truck suicide bomb attack at the Marriot Hotel.
"The ambassador has been confirmed dead in the attack," Gilani told reporters after visiting the injured at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences Islamabad.
The Czech Republic's ambassador to Pakistan Ivo Zdarek had been missing since the yesterday attack.
Suicide attack kills six in Afghanistan
By Xinhua,
Kabul : A suicide attack on a government office in southwest Afghanistan's Nimruz province Saturday killed six people, including the attorney of the province, the police said.
"We have recovered six bodies including the body of Mohammad Anwar Shah Khan, the attorney general of the National Security Directorate of the province," provincial police chief Mohammad Ayub Badakhshi told reporters.
All six killed were employees of the intelligence service and Shah Khan's son was also among the dead , he added.
200 rebels surrender in Afghanistan
Kabul : At least 200 rebels surrendered Wednesday in Afghanistan's Jawzjan province.
"Up to 200 insurgents gave up fighting and joined the government in provincial...
Taliban, Islamist leader begin talks in Swat
By IANS,
Islamabad : The talks between an Islamist group and Taliban's Pakistan chief Maulana Fazlullah for the restoration of peace have begun in Swat, where Islamabad allowed the Taliban to impose Shariat (Islamic law).
Maulana Sufi Muhammad, chief of the Tehreek-e-Nafaz-e-Shariat-e-Mohammadi (TNSM), and Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) leader -- and also his son-in-law -- Fazlullah were meeting at an "undisclosed location" in Matta, Geo TV reported.
The first round of talks was held between a TNSM delegation and Fazlullah.
US, Tajikistan reach Afghan transit deal
By Xinhua,
Almaty : The US and Tajikistan have reached a deal on sending non-military cargo through Tajik territory to neighbouring Afghanistan, according to reports reaching here Tuesday.
Within one or two months, the US should be allowed to send non-military supplies to Afghanistan, US Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher said in Tajik capital Dushanbe.
Earlier, Russia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have agreed to open their territories for transit of US non-military supplies, including construction materials, water and fuel, to Afghanistan.
Iranian special envoy, Pakistani PM discuss ties
By IRNA
Islamabad : Pakistan Caretaker Prime Minister Mohammedmian Soomro has said that Pakistan and Iran enjoy close neighborly relations and have been playing a significant role in the region for peace and stability.
Both countries, he added, desire to expand trade and economic links in order to ensure prosperity for their people.
The prime minister was talking to the special envoy of Iran, Kazem Jalali who called on him here at the Prime Minister's Secretariat on Friday, an official statement said.
Abu Dhabi gets robot to help people during expos
By IANS,
Abu Dhabi : A company that organises exhibitions in Abu Dhabi will soon employ the services of a robot to assist visitors and guide them to the desired stalls.
Pakistani-American indicted in Times Square car bomb attempt
By IANS,
New York : A federal grand jury has indicted Pakistani American Faisal Shahzad in the Times Square bombing attempt on 10 counts, including attempt to commit international terrorism and use a weapon of mass destruction.
Six of the charges against Shahzad, 30, carry a maximum life sentence if convicted, including two that bring a mandatory life sentence, according to a Department of Justice statement issued after his indictment in New York Thursday.
12 Afghan police killed in insurgent attacks
By DPA,
Kabul : Twelve policemen were killed in Afghanistan's volatile southern and eastern regions, officials said Tuesday.
Suspected Taliban insurgents attacked a police checkpoint in Ghazni, the capital of the province of the same name Monday night, Kazim Allahyar, the deputy provincial governor, said.
"Five police were killed in the overnight attack," Allahyar told DPA. Two constables were injured.
Jaishankar arrives in Afghanistan, to meet Ghani
Kabul : Indian Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar arrived in this Afghan capital on Wednesday on the fourth and final leg of his four-nation Saarc...
Hotel fire kills 40 in Iraq
By DPA,
Baghdad : At least 40 people died and 22 were injured when a fire broke out at a hotel in northern Iraq, health officials said Friday.
The blaze broke out Thursday evening at the Suma hotel in Sulaymaniyah, in the autonomous region of Kurdistan.
Four Americans, and several Italian and Canadian tourists as well as Iraqi Arabs and Kurds were among the victims, al-Arabiya news channel reported. City hotels are usually packed with tourists visiting during the summer.
At least three of the victims died jumping from the windows to escape the flames.
Over 200 trained to enhance road safety in Abu Dhabi
By IANS/WAM,
Abu Dhabi : Over 200 non-commissioned officers and personnel have been trained here on the basics of traffic and patrols to ensure greater road safety.
A group of 236 traffic non-commissioned officers and policemen were trained at Al Ain Traffic Institute to boost government efforts to reduce serious injuries and death toll caused by accidents, a senior official said.
Colonel Saeed Al Yahiyai, head of the traffic institute, said the trainees were given an eight week-long basic course on the principles the traffic and patrols elements should be aware of.
‘Ruthless’ LTTE inspired Al Qaeda in Iraq, says FBI
By P.K. Balachandran, IANS
Colombo : The "ruthless tactics" of the Sri Lankan Tamil Tigers have inspired terrorist networks worldwide, including the Al Qaeda in Iraq, says the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
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.
Iran’s nuclear programme fully peaceful – Arab League
By NNN-IRNA,
Tehran : Arab League chief Amr Moussa has said that Iran's nuclear programme is completely peaceful and by no means does it pose any threat.
"None of the reports released by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has shown diversion of Iran's nuclear activities to military purposes...so, it should be said that Iran's nuclear programme is peaceful and can by no means considered a threat," Moussa told IRNA on the sidelines of the 15th NAM Foreign Ministers meeting in Tehran on Tuesday.
Iraqi official says Al-Qaeda in Iraq is penetrated, has become an open book
By NNN-KUNA
Baghdad : The Interior Ministry announced Friday that al-Qaeda in Iraq has been successfully penetrated by means of a recently formed government security apparatus and is virtually an "open book," confirming that the sectarian sedition in the country was at the end of its rope.
Yemen planning to curb population growth
By NNN-IRIN,
Sana'a : The National Population Council (NPC), a government body, has said it has approved a plan to implement a national population strategy to reduce the fertility rate - one of the highest in the world.
Mujahed al-Shaab, head of the NPC's Population Information Department, said the NPC had prepared the plan, which will run until 2010, with the help of 22 governmental and non-governmental bodies.
"The strategy needs US$8 million to be implemented. Half of this amount would be contributed by donors and the other half by the government," he told IRIN.
NATO soldier killed in Afghanistan
By Xinhua,
Kabul : A soldier in the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) has been killed by an explosion in Helmand province of southern Afghanistan, the ISAF said Saturday.
A statement from the military alliance said a group of soldiers were hit Friday by the explosion. Two soldiers were wounded and a military vehicle was damaged in the blast.
Helmand province, a hotbed of Taliban militancy, is guarded by some 7,750 British soldiers.
A total of 47,000 NATO-led troops are deployed in Afghanistan.
$6 billion in new funding for global food crisis, says UN Aid chief
B IRNA,
Tehran : The top United Nations relief official said that $6 billion in new funding to tackle the global food crisis has been pledged following the food security summit that concluded in Rome.
UN Information Center said that Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes announced the new funding when he briefed reporters in New York this weekend on a comprehensive plan to meet the crisis.
"We need to focus both on the immediate needs and on the longer-term issues starting right now and the focus is on the smallholder farmers in developing countries," he said.
CNN hails King Abdullah’s inter-faith dialogue initiative
By IINA
Riyadh : Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz has made history with his call for dialogue among religions, CNN reported yesterday. It said the king became a history-maker by taking this important initiative, the Saudi Press Agency reported. In a report in its main bulletin, CNN highlighted the King’s call for dialogue among the three monotheistic religions for the protection of humanity from frivolousness and his role in supporting the peace process in the Mideast.
Bush prods Israel, Palestinians for final peace
By Xinhua
Jerusalem : During his first leg of the eight-day Middle East trip on Wednesday, U.S. President George W. Bush asked both Israelis and Palestinians to make concessions to nurture a peace deal by the end of his presidency.
Speaking at a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Bush underlined that a two-state solution to the chronic Israeli-Palestinian conflict is in the best interest of the world.
Outpost had "to go"
Pakistani daily fears terror attacks during polls
By IANS,
Islamabad : Terrorism is very much alive in Pakistan and this becomes all the more ominous with elections now just around the corner, said a daily Wednesday.
Hasina agrees to forego medical treatment abroad
By IANS
Dhaka : Bangladesh's former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, in jail on corruption charges and ailing for long, has agreed to be treated in a hospital here instead of going abroad.
Her supporters fear that she may not be allowed to return, as had been attempted in April last year, once she leaves the country.
Through her lawyer, Hasina Tuesday told a court that she is willing to be treated at a local hospital. Her trial in a graft case has been postponed to Feb 26.
Modi congratulates Satyarthi, Malala
New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday congratulated Indian child rights activist Kailash Satyarthi for winning the Nobel Peace Prize, saying that he...
UAE president grants over 1,700 plots, houses
By IANS/WAM,
Abu Dhabi : UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan has granted a total of 1,762 residential plots and houses to citizens of Abu Dhabi.
Policemen among several injured in Afghan blast
By KUNA,
Kabul : A roadside bomb exploded in southern afghanistan early Tuesday injuring three Afghan policemen and more than a dozen civilians, security officials reported.
The officials added, the bomb was planted on a bicycle parked on a roadside in Kandahar province of the volatile country. All the injured were travelling in a bus which was passing by the area when the bomb exploded. No one claimed responsibility for the blast so far, official said.
UK violated jailed Iraqis’ rights, say EU court
By IRNA,
London : The British government has been found guilty of violating the human rights of two Iraqis accused of murdering two British soldiers in 2003.
The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg unanimously found Faisal Al Saadoon and Khalaf Mufdhi were "at real risk of being subjected to an unfair trial followed by execution by hanging" in Iraq, reversing a decision made at the High Court in London.
Al Saadoon and Khalaf Mufdhi are former officials of Saddam Hussein's Baath party, who have been detained for six years and are currently held in Rusafa jail near Baghdad.
Israel will continue peace process, Olmert tells Clinton
By DPA,
Jerusalem : Israel is interested in continuing the peace process with the Palestinians, caretaker Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told newly sworn-in US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Thursday, according to his office.
Israel would also make every effort to ensure humanitarian aid reaches the people of the Gaza Strip following Israel's military offensive there, Olmert told Clinton in a telephone call.
Olmert's office said he had congratulated Clinton on her appointment, and praised her "ability, talent and rich experience".
Muslims should ’empty’ Swiss accounts: Turkish minister
By IANS/AKI,
Ankara : Muslims should consider withdrawing their money from Swiss bank accounts in response to the country's ban on construction of minarets, a Turkish minister said.
"I am certain this (vote) will prompt our brothers from Muslim countries who keep their money and investments in Swiss banks to review their decision," said Egemen Bagis, cited by Turkish daily Zaman.
Bagis is the chief negotiator for Turkey's European Union accession as well as minister for European affairs.
Missile salvos roar in direction of southern Israel
By KUNA,
Gaza : Missile salvos unleashed from northern Gaza roared in direction of southern Israel on Saturday maintaining a de facto state of military alertness between the Israeli and Palestinian forces.
An offshoot of Fatah, "the Brigades of the Martyr Abu Ammar (nickname of the late Palestinian President Yasser Arafat," said in a statemen that its gunners fired two rockets in the direction of the Jewish settlements of Zukim and Netiv Ha'asara.
Special workshops to mark financial brokerage meet in Abu Dhabi
By IANS,
Abu Dhabi : Special workshops providing a suitable environment to participants to meet and exchange ideas will be the highlight of the Financial Brokerage Forum (FBF) to be held in Abu Dhabi in October this year.
This year's theme of the forum, to be held Oct 14-15, is 'Investment in a New Global Economy', the official Emirates News Agency (WAM) said.
Powerful quake jolts eastern Indonesia
By IANS,
Jakarta: An earthquake measuring 6.7 on the Richter scale Saturday jolted the Maluku province in eastern Indonesia, the country's Meteorology and Geophysics Agency said.
No tsunami warning was issued, Xinhua reported.
The quake occurred at 0815 GMT with the epicentre 152 km northwest of Tual area in Maluku province.
Indonesia sits on a vulnerable quake-hit zone called the "Pacific Ring of Fire".
Iran launches 10-day naval exercise
By IANS,
Tehran : Iran Saturday launched a massive 10-day naval exercise in international waters, the official media reported.
Terror war inflicting immense losses on Pakistan economy
By IRNA,
Islamabad : The economy of Pakistan has been facing serious threats as it has lost $6 billion for extending its support to US-led terror war in the year 2007-08.
Majority of Pakistanis believe that war on terror has practically been an American war in which the Pakistani government went beyond limits of subservience to the US, Pakistani media say.
The involvement of Pakistan in war on terrorism has been affecting its economy by damaging its economic environment, they say.
At least 95 killed in sectarian clashes in Pakistan
By DPA,
Islamabad : At least 95 people were killed and about 200 injured in the weekend sectarian clashes in Pakistan's tribal region along the Afghan border, media reports said Monday.
Heavily armed fighters from rival Shia Toori and Sunni Bangash tribes targeted each other's positions Sunday with missiles, rockets and assault rifles across the tribal district of Kurram Agency.
Israel arrests 6 Palestinians in West Bank
By Xinhua
Ramallah : Israeli forces arrested six Palestinians in the West Bank on Saturday night, Palestinian security sources said on Sunday.
Four detainees, including three teenagers, were arrested in Jenin during overnight raids at the houses, the sources added. The other two people was detained by Israeli troops who rolled into the holy city of Bethlehem, according to the sources.
Times Square plot: Pakistan frees retired army major
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistani authorities have released a retired army major nearly two weeks after arresting him for his purported links with Faisal Shahzad, the prime suspect in the attempted car bombing in New York's Times Square, a media report Monday said.
Adnan Ahmad, who was detained midmonth, was released after the investigators determined that he had no links to Shahzad, a naturalised US citizen of Pakistani origin, the Los Angeles Times reported from Islamabad.
BlackBerry poses security threat, says UAE
By DPA,
Cairo : The smartphone services of BlackBerry posed a security threat to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), government officials said in statements carried Monday by local media.
"Certain BlackBerry applications allow people to misuse the service, causing serious social, judicial and national security repercussions," according to a government statement.
The government said its concerns rested with how data on the network is managed and stored, and specifically, that it was kept outside of the Emirates.
What Palestinians and the world could learn from South Africa’s BDS movement
By Priyanka Borpujari,
On July 9, despite the chill in the winds, about 200 people gathered outside St George's Cathedral in Cape Town, South Africa. This is the Anglican cathedral that Nobel laureate Desmond Tutu uses as a religious, and political, seat. Outside the stone structure was a passionate shout to Israel to stop the blood-spill in Palestine: little girls with their heads covered coughed between the slogans, young men exchanged their keffiyeh as they carried the Palestinian flag. In doing so, the crowd joined thousands across the world in protesting against the violence in Gaza.
Turkey insists on international Gaza flotilla investigation
By DPA,
Istanbul : Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu Monday said Ankara insists on an international commission to investigate the Israeli commando raid on a Gaza aid flotilla that ended in the death of nine Turks.
"If an international commission is not set up and Turkey's rightful demands are ignored, Turkey has the right to review its relations with Israel," Davutoglu said at a press conference in
Ankara.
The foreign minister was responding to Israel's announcement Monday that it was setting up its own inquiry, which will include two international observers.
Zardari asks US to reimburse $1.6 bn spent on combating extremism
By IANS,
New York : Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari has urged the US to reimburse the $1.6 billion dollars spent on fighting extremism in his country's tribal areas.
Zardari made the demand during two separate meetings here with US officials, including special Af-Pak envoy Richard Holbrooke, DawnNews reported.
The US pays Pakistan for the anti-militant operations from a special account called the Coalition Support Fund. Pakistan has not been paid for more than a year.
Zardari vows to enhance trade ties with China
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari Monday vowed to enhance trade ties with China in various sectors.
Fake job scam busted in Bahrain
By IANS,
Dubai : A fake job scam has come to light involving a travel agency in Kerala that was trying to recruit people for non-existent jobs in a Bahrain-based firm.
Flyway Tours and Travels (FTT), a Kerala-based company, allegedly tried to run advertisements and conduct interviews for jobs that did not exist in Bahrain's Alfouz Contracting Company, the Gulf Daily News reported.
The company reportedly tried to collect recruitment and visa fees from 492 workers in the south Indian state claiming that it had been authorised by the Bahrain firm to recruit workers.
Israeli PM to visit Turkey Monday
ISTANBUL , Dec 21 (KUNA) -- Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is expected to travel to Turkey on Monday and meet his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan to discuss the Turkish mediation and the indirect negotiations with Syria.
Anadolu news agency said the two men would tackle bilateral relations, regional issues of common concern and the Middle East peace process.
Since May, Turkey has mediated four rounds of indirect peace talks between Israel, its chief regional ally, and southern neighbour Syria.
Obama, Tunisian PM to meet in early April
Washington: US President Barack Obama and Tunisian Prime Minister Mehdi Jemaa will meet at the White House April 4, a government official said Tuesday.
The...
Hamas, Islamic Jihad delegation heads to Egypt
By KUNA
Gaza : A delegation grouping leading figures in Hamas and Islamic Jihad Movement (IJM) headed to Egypt through Rafah border crossing on Saturday.
According to a radio station in Gaza, the delegation was headed by Hamas figure Dr. Mahmoud Al-Zahhar who will meet Egyptian security officials at El-Arish in Sinai.
The delegation also included Jamal Abu Hashem and Saeed Sayyam from Hamas, as well as Dr. Mohammad Al-Hindi from IJM who was participating for the first time ever in talks with Egyptian officials.
Restoring constitution reaffirms Bhutto’s philosophy: Zardari
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari has said that the steps taken to restore the constitution, under which his own powers will be drastically reduced, reaffirms the political philosophy of the document's framer, the late Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, that the people alone are the legitimate fountainhead of political power.
"We pledge to continue forward our march to empower the people," the president said Sunday in his message to the nation on Bhutto's 31st death anniversary.
Red Sea’s largest port to come up in Saudi Arabia
By IANS,
Dubai : Developers of the King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC) in Saudi Arabia Saturday unveiled the blueprint of the KAEC Sea Port designed to become the largest port in the Red Sea and one of the top 10 ports in the world.
Emaar, the Economic City (Emaar E.C.), the consortium developing KAEC 100 km north of Jeddah, said in a statement that the new port would be a logistics hub and would have a capacity of handling 20 million TEU or twenty-foot equivalent container units.
Abbas chooses Hamdallah to form Palestinian unity government
Ramallah : Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Thursday officially designated Rami Hamdallah to form the interim unity government that was agreed upon with the Gaza-based...
Receiving mixed signals from government on talks: Imran Khan
Islamabad : Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan said Saturday his party is receiving mixed signals from the government abouut the talks that are...
Iran calls for emergency OPEC meeting
By IANS,
Ahvaz (Iran) : Iran's oil minister Saturday called for an emergency meeting of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to discuss production cuts, saying this was the only way to prevent crude prices from falling further, the official IRNA News agency reported.
"The only way to stop the downturn (falling of oil prices) is to trim OPEC output," Gholamhossein Nozari told reporters at the Ahvaz oil faculty in the oil-rich southern province of Khuzestan.
UAE, El Salvador ink air services agreement
By IANS/WAM,
Dubai : The UAE and El Salvador Tuesday signed an agreement on air services.
Both sides agreed to designate airlines that will have the right to perform scheduled services.
Donors to offer $4 bn to Pakistan at Japan conference
By DPA,
Tokyo : Japan aims to gather $4 billion in assistance over a two-year period from member states at an international donor conference on Pakistan scheduled for Friday, while planning to make significant commitment, foreign ministry officials said Tuesday.
The host of the one-day conference hopes that 30 participating nations and international groups would donate $4 billion over two years.
Vet war files to save Afghanis, WikiLeaks told Pentagon
By IANS,
Washington : Whistle-blower WikiLeaks has sought help from the US defence department to review 15,000 Afghanistan war files embargoed by the website as their release may endanger Afghan civilians who assisted US forces in fighting Taliban.
WikiLeaks has sent an urgent request to Pentagon for help to review 15,000 still-secret American military reports to remove the names of Afghan civilians and others who might be endangered when the reports are made public, The Daily Beast reported.
Egyptian media slam U.S. policy ahead of fifth anniversary of Iraqi war
By Xinhua
Cairo : Major Egyptian newspapers on Wednesday strongly criticized the U.S. policy in Iraq on the eve of the fifth anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion on the Mideast and Arab country.
"Iraq is experiencing the worst stage of its modern history and is living under a brutal military occupation," Al Ahram said in its editorial on Wednesday.
Five years ago, the United States launched the Iraqi war under the pretext of its disarmament and bringing freedom and democracy to Iraqi people, the influential Egyptian newspaper said.
Ban Ki-moon asks Pakistan to act against Wagah attackers
United Nations : UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has asked Pakistan to act against the terrorists who carried out the attack last week at the...
Gillani new frontrunner for Pakistan PM slot
By IANS
Islamabad : Yousuf Raza Gillani, senior vice president of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), has emerged as the frontrunner for the post of prime minister after it became clear the top slot will go to Punjab to avoid concentration of power in Sindh, the media reported Saturday.
Shah Mehmud Qureshi of Punjab and Ahmed Mukhtar of Gujarat are also in the run. However, Gillani is the choice of PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, said The News Saturday.
Rebel attack kills six in Syria
Damascus: At least six people were killed and 12 injured Saturday when rebels fired a shell that slammed into a marketplace in the country's...
Iranians charged with pushing ‘Velvet Revolution’
By DPA,
Tehran : A group of demonstrators, political activists and journalists faced charges of fomenting a "Velvet Revolution" in the Islamic state as their trial began Saturday, Iranian media reported.
The official news agency IRNA reported that a variety of charges had been filed against about 100 defendants. All stand accused of acting against national security by pushing for a "Velvet Revolution", a reference to the bloodless revolt that forced the collapse of the Communist regime in the then Czechoslovakia in 1989.
Hasina cracks down on her party’s student wing
By IANS,
Dhaka : Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has ordered a crackdown on her party Awami League's student wing that is accused of increasingly indulging in criminal activities since she took office in January.
The party's presidium, the highest policy making body, decided Saturday that she would quit the post as the 'guardian' of the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL).
The BCL cadres clashed with those from the rival parties, particularly the Islami Chhatra Shibir of the Jamaat-e-Islami, and also engaged in internal factional feuds in several institutions across the country.
Bush condemns terror attack in Pakistan
By DPA,
Washington : US President George W. Bush Saturday condemned the terrorist bombing at a hotel in Islambad that killed more than 60 people and injured hundreds more.
"This bombing, the latest in a series of terrorist attacks, is part of a continuing assault on the people of Pakistan. This attack is a reminder of the ongoing threat faced by Pakistan, the United States, and all those who stand against violent extremism," Bush said in a statement.
Pakistan helping Afghan Taliban: Report
By IANS,
London : Pakistan security agencies are helping the Taliban in Afghanistan and Islamabad knows the location of senior Taliban leaders, BBC reported Wednesday citing a secret NATO report.
Polling process continues peacefully across Pakistan
By NNN-APP
Islamabad : The polling process for Election 2008 is proceeding peacefully across the country.
The polling started on 8:00 a.m and will continue without any break until 5.00 p.m.
The turnout of voters has increased gradually at noon as compared to the morning and voters are showing enthusiasm for casting vote to their favourite candidates.
Process is progressing peacefully and security arrangements on poll day are quite satisfactory, an elderly person standing in queue said.
Pakistani students win appeal against deportation from UK
London, May 18, IRNA -- Two Pakistani students arrested in major counter-terrorism raids in Britain last year but who were never charged with any offences have won their appeals against deportation from the UK.
Abid Naseer and Ahmed Faraz Khan, both 23, took their cases to the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (Siac) in London, and won the right to stay in the UK, even though Naseer was said to be an al-Qaeda operative and a security risk.
Afghan woman, two kids killed in German troops’ fire
By DPA,
Kabul/Berlin : An Afghan woman and two children were killed and four other children injured as German soldiers opened fire on a civilian vehicle in the northern province of Kunduz, the Afghan police said Friday.
The incident - which occurred southeast of the provincial capital, also named Kunduz - took place Thursday evening in a region where German troops lead operations for the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), German defence ministry spokesman Thomas Raabe said in Berlin.
Strong earthquake jolts central Afghanistan
By DPA,
Kabul : A strong earthquake measuring 6.0 on the Richter scale jolted central Afghanistan early Monday morning, but there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties, the US Geological Survey said.
The epicentre was located about 70 km southeast of capital Kabul and was 35 km deep, the centre said in its website.
Afghanistan's Hindu Kush mountainous region, where seismic activity is high, is often hit by earthquakes.
More than 70,000 were killed in a 7.6-magnitude earthquake in neighbouring Pakistan in October 2005.
Barge with 900 tonnes coal sinks in Bangladesh
Dhaka : A barge, carrying 900 tonnes of coal, sank in Bangladesh's Sandwip Channel near Chittagong port on Friday after hitting a buoy.
All 12...
A new Tower of Babel? Iraqis flee sectarian violence
By Nicholas Rigillo, DPA
Brussels : Professor Taher Alwan, 46, used to teach at Baghdad University's institute of fine arts. In 1996, he left Iraq in protest at Saddam Hussein's brutal regime, but gladly returned after the US-led invasion of 2003 with high hopes for his country.
He founded a film festival to support Iraq's new generation of filmmakers and an NGO that produces documentaries about human rights.
Global powers discuss Iran at UN
By DPA,
New York : Foreign ministers from the world's major powers met Friday in New York to discuss Iran's controversial nuclear programme, according to German government sources.
The meeting of the UN Security Council's five permanent members - US, Russia, China, France, Britain - plus Germany comes after an earlier scheduled ministerial gathering to discuss sanctions had been cancelled.
France and the US have been pushing for another round of Security Council sanctions against Iran over its ongoing nuclear programme.
South Africa to recall ambassador to Israel
By IRNA,
Pretoria : South Africa will recall its ambassador to Israel following a deadly attack on a vessel attempting to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza, SA Deputy International Relations Minister said on Friday.
Ebrahim Ebrahim added in a press conference, "However, government had no intention of expelling the Israeli ambassador to South Africa or of cutting diplomatic ties with that community."
Hamas: Chances of inter-Palestinian dialogue retreated
By Xinhua,
Gaza : A senior Hamas leader said on Saturday that possibilities of launching inter-Palestinian dialogue have been retreated due to opposition from Western powers.
"The chance of a Palestinian-Palestinian dialogue," which is intended to repair the political gap between the West Bank and the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, now "returned to zero," said the Gaza-based leader Mahmoud Zahar.
"There is no dialogue now because the officials in Ramallah are unable to do so due to the American-European veto," he said.
Iraq launches three tribunals to probe police irregularities
By NNN-KUNA
Baghdad : The Iraqi Interior Ministry said Saturday it launched three tribunals to investigate any crimes and irregularities that could be committed by its affiliate departments and staffers.
The move is in line with internal security forces penal code approved recently by the Iraqi parliament and presidential council, director of the ministry's National Command Center Major General Abdul-Karim Khalaf told reporters here.
Afghan MP targeted in roadside bomb attack
Kabul: A roadside bomb struck the vehicle of a parliamentarian in Afghanistan's Jalalabad city Saturday, injuring three people including the MP, a official said.
"A...
US President Bush, Iran leader to visit Saudi Arabia
By NNN-SPA,
Riyadh : President George W. Bush of the United States of America will arrive here on Friday on a visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during which he will meet the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.
During the meeting, they will discuss bilateral relations and ways of enhancing them in various fields in addition to regional and international issues of common concern.
Taliban threaten media of dire consequences over ‘unfair reports’
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistani Taliban have threatened the media of dire consequences if any statement or report is published against them, the Online news agency reported.
Posters have been put on display before the offices of news channels and newspapers on behalf of a Taliban commander, wherein it is alleged that the media has published negative reports about Taliban.
Israeli police kills Palestinian near Jerusalem
Ramallha/Jerusalem: A Palestinian was shot dead on Thursday evening in clashes with Israeli police in the Palestinian refugee camp of Shu'fat near east Jerusalem,...
Hamas condemns stark violation of Gaza truce
By KUNA,
Gaza : The Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) on Wednesday denounced Israeli incursions into southern Gaza Strip as a "serious escalation".
Earlier on Tuesday, Israeli tanks and a bulldozer moved 250m into the central part of the coastal enclave, backed by military aircraft.
Israel said its troops had entered Gaza to destroy what it claimed was a tunnel dug by militants to abduct its troops.
Hamas responded by firing multiple rockets into Israel hours after six activists died during Israel's first major incursion into Gaza Strip since June's truce.
Pakistan PM to attend nuclear summit in Washington
By IRNA,
Islamabad : Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani will represent Pakistan at the Nuclear Security Summit to be hosted by the US President Barack Obama next month, the Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.
The conference will be held in Washington from April 10th to 13th.
Sources said that Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will head the Indian delegation.
Announcing this at a weekly news briefing, Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit said the summit would discuss issues relating to security of nuclear weapons and materials.
Indian expatriate gets 40 lashes in Qatar
Dubai : An Indian national in Qatar has been sentenced to 40 lashes and his driving licence ordered to be suspended for two months...
Released journalist leaves Iran, says US employer
By DPA,
Washington : Iranian-American journalist Roxana Saberi, who was held for more than three months in a Tehran prison after being convicted of spying, has left the Iranian capital after her release early this week, her employer said.
Saberi departed Thursday with her parents for Austria and they plan to soon return to the US, US National Public Radio reported, citing a friend travelling with the family.
Saberi's release Monday came after an appeals court revised a lower court's eight-year jail sentence and converted it into a two-year suspended term.
Shoaib gave false information in divorce paper?
By IANS,
Hyderabad: Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik, who is set to marry Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza, could land in fresh trouble for furnishing false information while giving divorce to his first wife Ayesha Siddiqui, according to official documents.
The divorce and agreement papers, which Shoaib signed April 7, have the name of his late father as Malik Saleem Hussain while the invitation for the April 15 wedding reception carries the name of his father as Malik Faqeer Hussain, the documents show.
J&K house seeks resumption of India-Pakistan talks
Srinagar : A resolution, seeking effective steps to end ceasefire violations in Jammu and Kashmir and resumption of India-Pakistan dialogue, was unanimously adopted in...
Pakistani analyst highlights Iranian FM visit to Pakistan
By NNN-IRNA,
Islamabad : Pakistani political/defense analyst Lt Gen (Retd) Talat Masood on Thursday termed the upcoming visit of Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki of Pakistan as important.
Talking to IRNA, he said that the visit is being carried out at a time when both the countries have been facing serious challenges from the Western countries.
Mottaki is arriving in Islamabad on Thursday evening to discuss expansion of bilateral relations with senior Pakistani officials.
Some seminaries promoting militancy in Pakistan: Rehman Malik
By Awais Saleem, IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan's Interior Minister Rehman Malik Thursday said seminaries "belonging to a particular school of thought" were promoting militancy in the country.
Lahore bombings cast another shadow on Australia’s Pakistan tour
By IANS
Sydney : Thursday's suicide bomb blast outside the Lahore High Court, which claimed 25 lives, has cast another shadow on Australia's cricket tour to Pakistan, scheduled in March.
The series was already under threat following the assassination of former Pakistan prime minister Banazir Bhutto last month during an election rally at Rawalpindi. After the assassination, several Australian cricketers expressed fears about their security.
Israeli Army detains 28 Palestinians in the West Bank
By KUNA,
Ramallah : More than 28 Palestinians were detained during an Israeli incursion executed on early Wednesday in the West Bank.
Israeli troops stormed Nablus, Balata refugee camp, and Jenin as well as Al-Khalil (Hebron) and Tulkarem, Palestinian sources said.
Israeli radio claimed that the detainees were among the Israeli security authorities' wanted, noting that they are currently being interrogated.
Meanwhile, Palestinian medical sources said that Israel decided to stop searching for Palestinian activists who were among the wanted list since Al-Aqsa Intifada.
International donors to pledge USD 4 billion in aid for Pakistan
By KUNA,
TOKYO : About 30 countries are expected to pledge a total of USD four billion in aid for Pakistan at an international donors conference on April 17 in Tokyo, Japan's public broadcaster NHK reported Wednesday.
Single-day land transactions in Dubai touch record $140 mn
By IANS,
Dubai : Land transactions in Dubai in a single day have touched a record 515.61 million dirhams ($140.3 million), with sales totalling 224.77 million dirhams ($61.2 million).
The total value of mortgages during the period was 290.84 million dirhams ($79.2 million), the state-run Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported citing figures released by Dubai's Land Department.
Pakistan coalition’s crucial meet begins in Dubai
By Aroonim Bhuyan and Muhammad Najeeb, IANS,
Dubai/Islamabad : A crucial meeting of the top leadership of Pakistan's coalition government got under way in Dubai Monday afternoon to discuss the crucial issues of restoring the judges deposed from the country's higher judiciary and the future of President Pervez Musharraf.
The meeting was being held at the residence of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, who arrived in Dubai Friday to spend time with his children.
Spokesman slams Bush’s anti-Iran claims
By IRNA
Tehran : Foreign Ministry Spokesman Mohammad-Ali Hosseini on Wednesday blasted US President George W. Bush's "antagonistic" claims on Iran's missile capabilities and said the statements in Bucharest summit of the military alliance are examples of the US government's "desperate and opportunistic" attempt to destabilize the Middle East region.
Pakistan: Intelligence agencies grills Taliban spokesman about Taliban plans
By NNN-APP,
Islamabad : Intelligence officials have been questioning the chief spokesman for the TalibanMaulvi Omar, who was arrested on Monday.
Maulvi Omar was arrested in the Mohmand tribal area while travelling to South Waziristan, near the Afghan border.
Pakistani officials said he has confirmed that the group’s leader, Baitullah Mehsud, was killed in a US drone attack earlier this month, BBC reports.
The Taliban had previously denied US and Pakistani reports that he was dead.
Zardari not becoming Pakistan’s PM: Presidency
By Muhammad Najeeb, IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan's presidency Tuesday denied any move to change the present setup even as a report in a leading English daily claimed that there is a serious rift between President Asif Ali Zardari and his handpicked Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani.
Terming as "ridiculous and baseless" reports in Indian media, the presidency in a statement said Zardari does not want to take over Gilani's authority.
New Taliban chief is ‘look alike brother’ of Hakimullah Mehsud
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistani intelligence agencies believe the new Taliban chief named by the militant group Saturday is a "look alike brother" of Hakimullah Mehsud and not the real one, the Online news agency reported.
Taliban in order to save their image are giving the impression that Hakimullah Mehsud is alive, while the truth is the man, also called by the same name, who has been selected as the new chief of Teherik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is his look alike brother, the report said citing intelligence sources.
Bangladeshi rich take to Eid tourism
By IANS,
Dhaka : Many of Bangladesh's well-off families are utilising the Eid-ul-Fitr festival this year to take a holiday abroad, moving away from the grime and jostling crowds at home.
Israel promises to ease restrictions on West Bank
By RIA Novosti
Tel Aviv : Israel has said it will ease restrictions on the West Bank without compromising the country's security.
Defence Minister Ehud Barak conveyed this during his talks here with Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad.
"Barak has confirmed to the Palestinian premier that Israel intends to ease restrictions in regard to the West Bank population of the Jordan River, while maintaining security for Israeli citizens as a priority," the ministry said in a statement.
Another UK soldier killed in Afghan war
By IRNA,
London : Another British soldier has been killed in southern Afghanistan, bringing the death toll of UK troops killed in the Afghan war to 125 since 2001.
The soldier was killed when his patrol was hit with an improvised explosive device on Saturday.
Earlier a top British commander in Afghanistan had complained about the type of vehicles used in the Afghan war, blaming the Ministry of Defense for putting the lives of UK forces at risk in the war-ravaged country.
The MoD said in a statement that the soldier was in a routine road move when his vehicle was hit.
1,244 Taliban killed in military operations: Official
By IANS,
Islamabad : At least 1,244 Taliban have been killed in the Pakistani military's operations against the militants in the country's restive northwest, parliament was informed Tuesday.
Briefing the National Assembly's standing committee on the interior, Syed Kamal Shah, the interior secretary said 26 militant commanders have been killed in the Malakand division of the North West Frontier Province (NWFP), while 89 security personnel had been killed and 276 injured during operation Rah-e-Rast, Geo TV reported.
Arab FMs hold talks prior to Sunday conference
By KUNA
Cairo : Arab foreign ministers are to meet and deliberate later Saturday, at the Arab League headquarters, on their upcoming formal conference tomorrow focusing on the issues of the political instability in Lebanon and Palestinian territories.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Dr. Mohammad Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah, who had flown to the Egyptian capital Friday, is to take part in both meetings. He called for Arab action in both areas.
UAE discusses relations with China, Canada
By IANS/WAM,
Abu Dhabi: Envoys from China and Canada met a senior official of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and held discussions on bilateral relations.