32 killed in suicide-bombing in Iraq, say witnesses
By DPA,
Baghdad : At least 30 people were killed Thursday and 75 injured when two suicide bombers blew themselves up in the town of Balad Rus, in the province of Dijala, northeast of Baghdad.
Witnesses said one attacker had detonated an explosives device near the town's hospital. A second attacker detonated a device hidden in a car when helpers and onlookers approached the scene.
Several Al Qaeda terrorist cells are holed up in the province.
Kuwait hands out relief aid to 1,440 Syrian families in Jordan
Kuwait City : Kuwaiti Higher Committee for Relief distributed humanitarian aid to 1,440 Syrian refugee families in Jordan as part of Kuwait's wide-scale campaign...
Seven killed as gunmen open fire in Pakistan
By Xinhua
Islamabad : At least seven people were killed when unidentified gunmen opened fire on an ambulance in northwestern Pakistan Thursday, TV channel Dawn News reported.
The incident took place in Toor Ghara area of Kurram agency in the northwestern tribal areas, said the report.
Seven people including four women were killed in the incident.
However, there was no immediate official confirmation of the deaths.
Iran celebrates National Nuclear Day
By IANS,
Tehran : Iran Thursday celebrated National Nuclear Day marking the inauguration of the country's first nuclear fuel plant in the central Iranian city of Isfahan, IRNA reported.
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad inaugurated the atomic plant at a special ceremony held in Isfahan.
The Iranian leader outlined the country's achievements in the nuclear field on the occasion.
Israeli Shin Bet chief: removal of W Bank roadblocks risky
By Xinhua
Jerusalem : The head of Israel's domestic security service Shin Bet, Yuval Diskin, on Sunday criticized the Defense Ministry for dismantling 10 roadblocks in the west Bank, describing the move as risky, local daily Ha'aretz reported.
Diskin told the weekly cabinet meeting that removal of roadblocks in the West Bank was risky as the current checkpoints kept Jerusalem from danger and the separation fence was still incomplete.
The remarks came as Israel Defense Forces (IDF) razed 10 roadblocks in the West Bank on Sunday.
UK launches latest Hajj delegation
London, Nov 12, IRNA ,Foreign Secretary David Miliband Wednesday launched the latest British delegation to support Muslim pilgrims performing this year's Hajj rituals.
The Hajj Delegation, the ninth to be launched since Britain became the first Christian country to offer special consular and medical arrangements for pilgrims in 2000, was an example of 'shared purpose and partnership between both the government and British Muslims', Miliband said.
Khalifa restructures ADIA board
By IANS/WAM,
Abu Dhabi : UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan has restructured the board of Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA).
Iran rejects UNSC’s criticism on n-programme
By IANS,
Tehran: Iran has rejected a UN Security Council statement calling Tehran's nuclear programme a threat to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), Xinhua reported.
Win at home would have been sweeter: Younis Khan
By IANS,
Karachi : Pakistan cricket captain Younis Khan Thursday said his team's four-wicket triumph over Australia in the one-day series opener in Dubai would have been sweeter had it come on home soil.
"It was great to win against Australia," Younis told Geo News after the win Wednesday night. "But we would have enjoyed the result a lot more had we been playing at home."
34th Arab health ministers’ meet in Cairo Wednesday
By IANS,
Abu Dhabi : The 34th Arab Health Ministers' Conference will begin in Cairo Wednesday to discuss ways to improve primary healthcare in the region, WAM news agency reported.
The two-day conference will discuss the status of the Arab health fund, swine flu crisis and alternative funding sources for health services, among other issues, the report said Tuesday.
Health Minister Hanif Hassan will lead the UAE delegation.
Pakistan moves to regulate poultry industry
By IANS
Islamabad : Reports of fresh cases of avian influenza from Karachi have prompted the Pakistani government to regulate the country's poultry industry, comprising some 26,000 farms, to control the spread of bird flu.
"We are taking measures to regulate the poultry farms," Dawn Sunday quoted Animal Husbandry Commissioner Rafiqul Hassan Usmani as saying.
He called for measures on war footing to contain the disease, which was first officially confirmed in the country in 2006.
UAE to host meeting of Arab League, Pacific island states
By IANS,
Abu Dhabi : The foreign ministers of the Arab states and the Pacific island nations will meet in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in June to discuss cooperation between the two sides.
Representatives of more than 30 Arab and Pacific countries will attend the meeting, the foreign affairs ministry said Wednesday.
UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan and League of Arab States Secretary General Amr Moussa will open the meeting.
Pakistan assumes rotating UN Security Council presidency
By IANS,
United Nations : Pakistan Tuesday assumed the UN Security Council's rotating presidency for January.
Jordan’s latest symbol of interfaith peace -Jesus Mosque
Madaba (Jordan), Oct 3 (DPA) A mosque named after the central figure of Christianity is the latest milestone of interfaith coexistence in Jordan.
Both Muslim and Christian leaders expressed delight when the Jesus Christ Mosque opened a few months ago in the tranquil town of Madaba, 30 km south of the capital, Amman.
"This is a message to the world that Muslims consider Jesus Christ their own messenger because he informed humanity beforehand that the Prophet Mohamed was coming," the mosque's prayer leader, Belal Hanini, told DPA.
Zardari dismisses need for Sharif’s resignation: Government
Lahore/Islamabad: The Pakistani government said Saturday former president Asif Ali Zardari has denied any need for Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to resign over the...
Arab summit should be held periodically – Arab interim parliament
By NNN-KUNA
Cairo : The Arab Interim Parliament (AIP) has underlined the importance of holding the Arab summits on a periodical basis in order to tackle all challenges facing the Arab world.
In a final communique Sunday, the AIP called on Arab leaders, who are scheduled to meet in Damascus later this month, to address inter-Arab disputes and defuse tension between Arabs.
Sri Lanka, Israel hold bilateral trade talks
By IANS,
Colombo : Sri Lanka and Israel have held their first bilateral consultation on enhancing trade ties, authorities said.
Bring back 39 Indians held captive in Iraq: Amarinder Singh
New Delhi:Welcoming return of Kerala nurses from Iraq, Congress leader Amarinder Singh Saturday urged the Centre to intensify its efforts for freeing 39 Indians...
US reporter requests privacy after release
Washington: The US journalist, who was freed this week by the miltants in Syria after two years in captivity, Wednesday thanked everyone for their...
Mullah Omar not in Karachi: Pakistan
By IANS,
Islamabad/Washington : Pakistan has rejected a US newspaper report claiming that the one-eyed Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Omar is in Karachi, terming it false and baseless.
Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit, while speaking to a private TV channel Friday, made it clear that Omar was not in the southern port city, Online news agency reported.
If anyone had information about his hideout, this should be shared with Pakistani authorities instead of engaging in sensational journalism, Basit added.
Malaysia: Mahathir dares Anwar to swear on the Quran, just like his sodomy accuser...
By NNN-Bernama,
Serdang, Malaysia : Former Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad today dared Pakatan Rakyat de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim to swear on the quran to prove he was innocent of the sodomy charge he faces, just like his sodomy accuser Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan had done to demonstrate that Anwar had sodomised him.
"Anwar should also be doing the same thing, instead of just giving ceramah (talks) everywhere, to prove his innocence," Dr Mahathir said when approached by reporters during his visit to the Malaysia Agriculture, Horticulture and Agrotourism (MAHA) Show 2008, here.
Mauritania, UAE hold talks
By IANS/WAM,
Nouakchott: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Mauritania have discussed ways to enhance bilateral relations.
Survey: next generation to live in more dangerous world
By NNN-Bernama
Dubai : The latest findings of a global survey carried out for the World Economic Forum show a lack of faith that the next generation will live in a safer world.
Respondents were asked about prospects for a safer and more economically prosperous world but the results showed there is still lack of optimism on both counts, most notably in Western Europe and North America, according to a World Economic Forum release.
London confab likely to focus on forces withdrawal from Afghanistan
By IRNA,
Islamabad : A senior Pakistani analyst Ayaz Wazir on Sunday believed that the London conference on Afghanistan would likely to focus on the strategy of withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan.
Talking to IRNA the analyst who is a specialist of Afghanistan affairs said that a way for transferring security responsibilities to the Afghan authorities would also be found out in the meeting.
U.S. President Barack Obama earlier had announced to send 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan to “seize the initiative” to end the unpopular war and start a pullout in July 2011.
Abu Dhabi among region’s top aviation investors
By NNN-Bernama,
Abu Dhabi : A recent survey on the region's airport construction and the industry's expansion has placed Abu Dhabi International Airport's US$6.8 billion master plan as one of the largest airport developments by investment among the Gulf countries, Jordan, Iraq, India, Sri Lanka and across the African continent, Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported.
More women in Pakistan polls signals ‘political freedom’
By Muhammad Najeeb, IANS
Islamabad : For the first time in Pakistan's history, an increasing number of women stood for elections in Monday's polls that also saw women coming out to vote in larger numbers - an encouraging trend signalling "freedom for women in politics".
While at few polling booths, women were barred from casting their votes, in other areas they polled in large numbers with encouragement from local jirgas or elder's assembly.
In comparison to 1988, that only saw 27 women running for the general seats, this year the number increased by more than six times - to 168.
India, Qatar sign pacts on defence, security
By Aroonim Bhuyan,IANS,
Doha : India and Qatar signed two agreements on defence and security cooperation as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh arrived in this Gulf nation Sunday evening on the last leg of his two-nation Gulf tour.
The defence agreement includes the issue of maritime security among others while the agreement on security and law enforcement covers issues like common threat perceptions and sharing of data.
The agreements were signed following a meeting between Singh and Qatar Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassem Bin Jabor Al-Thani.
Taliban killed at least 30 passengers: Afghan officials
By DPA,
Kabul : Afghan officials said Sunday Taliban militants killed at least 30 passengers after they took them hostage in southern Afghanistan, but Taliban said that those killed were Afghan army soldiers.
The militants stopped buses in Maiwand district in southern Kandahar province Thursday and killed 31 passengers, defence ministry spokesman General Zahir Azimi said.
Kandahar police chief Matiullah Khan Qaneh said they recovered the bodies of six passengers, who had been beheaded by the militants.
Obama meets Israeli, Palestinian leaders
By Xinhua,
New York : US President Barack Obama has met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas to push for the resumption of peace talks in the Middle East.
The leaders met Tuesday on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meeting here.
Obama urged the leaders to work with a "sense of urgency" to restore peace in the region.
Saudi king to host 1,400 Haj pilgrims
Riyadh : Saudi Arabia will host 1,400 pilgrims from more than 70 countries to perform Haj rituals in the final month of the Islamic...
Former prime minister Allawi’s list wins Iraqi polls
By DPA,
Baghdad: Former prime minister Ayad Allawi's Iraqiya list won the most seats in Iraq's March 7 parliamentary election, the Independent High Electoral Commission said Friday.
Allawi won 91 seats in the 325-seat parliament, only two seats ahead of the State of Law coalition, led by his rival current Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki. The Iraqi National alliance came third with 68 seats.
Shortly after the results were announced, al-Maliki described the elections as "transparent". Yet, he said he will not accept the results.
Barrage of rockets fired at Baghdad`s green zone
By ANTARA News/Reuters,
Baghdad : A barrage of about a dozen rockets struck near Baghdad`s fortified Green Zone diplomatic and government compound on Sunday evening in what appeared to be one of the biggest strikes in weeks.
The rockets could be heard whistling past from the east of the Iraqi capital as they flew in the direction of the riverside compound and exploded, Reuters correspondents on the opposite river bank said.
Israeli jets raid Gaza targets
By IANS,
Gaza : Israeli airplanes struck several targets in the Gaza Strip, apparently in response to the injury of two soldiers by Palestinian militants.
Witnesses said that the air strikes destroyed two smuggling tunnels beneath Gaza's southern border with Egypt late Tuesday. Medical sources said there were no casualties in these raids, Xinhua reported .
India, Pakistan heads of government to meet after eight months
New Delhi : Prime minister-designate Narendra Modi and Pakistani premier Nawaz Sharif's meeting May 27 will come eight months after the heads of the...
Syria confirms assassination of senior security officer
By Xinhua,
Damascus : Syria confirmed on Wednesday an assassination of a senior security officer last week, the independent Syria-news website reported.
Presidential Advisor for Political and Information Affairs Buthaina Shaaban made the confirmation in a statement to the press, saying Brigadier General Mohammad Suleiman was killed last Friday, said the report.
Investigation is underway to determine who committed this "heinous crime," Shaaban added.
Floods destroy crops in Pakistan
By IANS,
Islamabad : The devastation caused by flash floods in Pakistan is likely to result in severe food shortage across the country in the next couple of months as crops spread over 10 million acres have been destroyed.
In Punjab alone, cotton, sugarcane and other crops worth more than Rs.80 billion have been destroyed because of flooding. Punjab, being the largest and most fertile province, is the largest food provider as well. In Sindh, crops have been completely washed away and the urban areas have already started feeling the pinch.
Israel arrests 17 Palestinians in West Bank raids
By Xinhua
Ramallah : Israeli forces stormed several towns in West Bank and arrested 17 Palestinians, Palestinian security sources said on Wednesday.
In Nablus city, the army detained four residents, claiming they were wanted by Israel.
According to witnesses, Israeli special forces entered the city and opened fire at the four residents and arrested them.
A witness, called Mohammed Eiliwi, said the undercover forces stopped their mini-bus taxi, approached to another Palestinian car and opened fire on the four, who were inside the car.
EU seeks to boost its engagement in Afghanistan
By EuAsiaNews,
Brussels : The European Union said Monday that it will seek to address challenges facing Afghanistan in the context of a wider regional approach.
"Fostering stability in Afghanistan is in the interest of all countries in the region and the international community," said the foreign ministers of the 27-member European bloc in a statement after discussing the situation in Afghanistan during their meeting here today.
17 killed in Afghanistan fighting
By DPA,
Kabul : Five police personnel were killed in a roadside bomb blast in central Afghanistan, while Afghan and coalition forces killed 12 militants in the southern region, officials said Sunday.
The police personnel were driving in a private vehicle Saturday afternoon in Charkh district of Logar province when they were hit by a roadside bomb, Mustafa Khan Mosseni, the provincial police chief said.
NATO-led international military forces in Kabul said that the attack left four policemen dead and one wounded, who was treated by the alliance medics at the scene.
China to install power project
By SPA
Islamabad : China has conveyed to the Pakistan that it wants to install 405 MW integrated coal mining cum power project at Sinda-Jerruk at the cost of $600 million, English daily The News reported.
A five-member delegation headed by Vice-President of China National Machinery Import & Export Corporation (CMC) Ms Qin Ruijan conveyed its desire to set up the power project in a meeting held with Water and Power Ministry Secretary Muhammad Ismail Qureshi.
Pakistani journalist recalls night of horror at Marriott
By Muhammad Najeeb,IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistani journalist Imtiaz Alam was in a lift in Hotel Marriott here when he heard an ear-splitting boom. The lift came to a sudden halt and its lights went off.
A friend of many Indian journalists, Alam did not know then that a suicide bomber had just blown up a truck packed with one tonne of explosives outside the gates of the luxury hotel.
Numbed by fear, Alam used all his strength to force open the doors of the lift and step out on the fourth floor of the five-storey hotel that was now ablaze.
Merkel to join Islamic rally for ‘tolerance’
Berlin: German Chancellor Angela Merkel will attend a rally called by Islamic groups, for an "open and tolerant Germany" Tuesday, following last week's terrorist...
Palestinians take up flotilla attack with UN rights council
By DPA,
Geneva : The Palestinian delegation to Geneva asked the UN Human Rights Council Monday to hold a special meeting on the Israeli pre-dawn raid of a flotilla of international political activists bringing aid to the Gaza Strip.
Imad Zuhairi, a Palestinian diplomat, made the request at a plenary, asking for the session to be held Tuesday.
The council's president, Alex Van Meeuewen, said the request was being taken into consideration.
Earlier, Zuhairi slammed the Israeli raid, calling it a "premeditated attack on civilians."
Pakistan: death toll could be as high as 190, fears Nazim
By NNN-APP,
Quetta/Ziarat : Death toll caused by earthquake in Ziarat valley can cross a figure of 190 as rescue teams have rushed volunteers to some villages where dozens of people are buried under debris collapsed houses, District Naib Nazim Ziarat Momin Khan Dummar told APP on telephone.
“I personally visited Waam, Kann and other areas where 28 people of only two families had perished under debris” he said adding that reports coming from Killi Sra Kheizai “are dreadful where scores of inhabitants are still under debris”.
10,000 men guarding Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal: official
By IANS,
Islamabad : About 10,000 security personnel are guarding Pakistan's nuclear arsenal and Western fears about the safety of the weapons are unfounded, a senior official has said.
Air Commodore Khalid Banuri, director of arms control and disarmament affairs at the Strategic Plans Division (SPD), said that Pakistan's �command and control structure' for the weapons was better than that of many other nuclear-armed states, and many countries had officially acknowledged this, DawnNews reported Thursday.
India, Pakistan reiterate commitment to fight terrorism in all forms
By IRNA,
New Delhi : India and Pakistan on Tuesday reiterated commitment to fight terrorism in all forms.
Afghan commission set up to search for kidnapped U.S. aid worker
By RIA Novosti
Kabul : Afghanistan has set up a special commission to search for a U.S. woman kidnapped in the southern city of Kandahar in Afghanistan last Saturday, an interior ministry spokesman said on Wednesday.
The commission comprising officers from the country's defense, law enforcement and security agencies will assist in the hunt for U.S. national, Cyd Mizell, 49, who was abducted by armed gunmen together with her Afghan driver.
Proposed measures on Iran include travel curbs, asset freezes, more talks
By Xinhua
United Nations : Iran could face travel restrictions and bans on some of its citizens and an expansion of asset freezes imposed under two previous UN Security Council resolutions, according to "elements for a third sanctions resolution" made available Friday.
The proposal, agreed by Britain, China, France, Germany, the United States and Russia Tuesday, also expressed the willingness of the six countries "to further enhance diplomatic efforts to promote resumption of dialogue, and consultations on the basis of their offer to Iran."
Clinton visits Afghanistan
By IANS,
Kabul: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived in Kabul Saturday on a previously unannounced visit, an Afghan official said.
US military probes reports of Afghan civilian deaths
By DPA,
Kabul: The US military said Thursday that a targeted rebel commander in western Afghanistan survived an airstrike, but it was investigating "unsubstantiated" reports that civilians were among the dead.
The US military said that its air force killed an insurgent commander, Mullah Mustafa, and 16 of his fighters in an airstrike in western Ghor province Wednesday. It added the "warlord" had links with Iran and the Taliban.
However, the military said in an updated statement Thursday that "credible reports surfaced that Mustafa survived the attack."
Suicide bomber kills 40 in Pakistani tribal area
By DPA
Islamabad : Forty people were killed Sunday by a suicide bomber at a meeting of tribal leaders in north-west Pakistan who vowed to fight Islamic militants, local media reports and officials said.
The bomber blew himself up in the midst of a crowd of 1,000 people at the end of a grand jirga (tribal council) in Darra Adam Khel in the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP), near the country's lawless tribal areas, where Taliban and Al Qaeda militants are based.
Bangladesh condemns Sri Lankan minister’s assassination
By Xinhua
Dhaka : Bangladesh Monday condemned the assassination of Sri Lankan Senior Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle by suspected terrorists.
"It was a cowardly act of terrorism that we strongly condemn. Our prayers are with the families of Fernandopulle and others who lost their lives in the incident," Bangladeshi caretaker government Foreign Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury said in a message.
He also expressed his sympathies to the Sri Lankan government and the families of those killed in the attack.
Pakistani court frees nuclear scientist A.Q. Khan
By IANS,
Islamabad : Mentor of the Pakistani nuclear programme, A.Q. Khan who was accused of illegally proliferating the country's secrets, Friday walked free after four years with the Islamabad High Court lifting his house arrest.
"These things happen. We should forget and look forward," Khan told reporters after the verdict.
Khan said Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif had also been "inside" (jail).
"The government had made arrangements and nobody could hurt me. Now also, the government will take care," Khan said.
‘UNSC to vote on Palestinian statehood bid by Monday’
Ramallah: The UN Security Council will vote on a draft resolution calling for the recognition of the Palestinian state by Monday, says Chief Palestinian...
US pastor says burning of Bible is okay
Tehran, Aug 2, IRNA – An American pastor who is infamous for his extreme anti-Islam views and is attacked because of them both by the US church-goers and media said burning of the Bible and insulting Christian sanctities was okay.
Terry Jones who serves as a pastor in Florida said in a televised interview on Saturday that it was okay for him if the Bible was set ablaze and Christian sanctities were insulted.
He made the statement in answer to a question by the TV host who asked him about the objectives of his activities against the things held sacred by 1.5 billion Muslims.
French Oil Co. Stays in Venezuela, Iran
By Prensa Latina
Paris : The fourth most important oil company in the world's western countries, Total SA (TOTF.PA France), said Wednesday it will continue doing business with Venezuela and Iran and highlighted its good relations with Caracas.
Total's CEO Christophe de Margerie told press that despite geopolitical and political difficulties existing in the countries where they work, the enterprise finds reasonable solutions and leads its competitors in increased production, with net income last year of 12.2 billion euros making it France's number one oil company.
11 Taliban militants killed in Afghanistan
By Xinhua,
Kabul : The Afghan National Army (ANA) and NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) killed 11 Taliban militants and wounded five in a joint operation Monday in Daychopan district in southern Afghanistan, an official said.
Fazel Bary, the district chief, told Xinhua that ANA and ISAF launched a joint operation targeting Taliban activities early Monday morning.
"With the assistance of air strike, the joint forces killed over 11 militants and injured five," he said.
No ANA or ISAF casualties were reported.
High civilian casualties tarnish U.S.-imposed democracy in Iraq
By Yu Zhixiao, Xinhua
Beijing : High Iraqi civilian casualties over the past five years after the U.S.-led coalition forces toppled the Saddam Hussein regime have tarnished the U.S.-imposed democracy in the volatile country, analysts say.
The coalition troops started an invasion into Iraq by bombarding the Iraqi capital Baghdad on March 20, 2003, and swiftly brought down the administration of Saddam Hussein, who was earmarked as a cruel dictator by the United States and some other Western countries.
25 dead, 75 injured in Baquba suicide bombing
By NNN-KUNA,
Baghdad : Twenty-five people were killed and 75 others were injured when two suicide bombers targeted an army volunteer recruitment queue, Interior Ministry Operations Commander Abdelkerim Khalaf Al-Rubaei said.
Al-Rubaei told KUNA Tuesday that two terrorists wearing explosive belts positioned themselves in the middle of a crowd of volunteers and detonated the explosives in coordinated succession, causing a large number of casualties.
The second bombing targeted the crowd that rushed to rescue the victims of the first, police sources said.
Report on Kuwait”s fifth constituency candidates
By KUNA,
Kuwait : The fifth constituency (Ahmadi) is geographically spread out over a large area of the country, and groups the largest number of eligible voters.
The constituency holds 20 areas: Ahmadi, Hadiya, Fintas, Mahboula, Abu Halifa, Sabah Al-Salem Area, Riqqa, Subahiya, Thahar, Oqaila, Qurain, Addan, Qusour, Mubarak Al-Kabeer, Fahad Al-Ahmad Area, Jaber Al-Ali Area, Fahaheel, Manqaf, Ali Sabah Al-Salem Area, Mina Abdullah, Al-Zour and Wafra.
NSA’s answers to Mumbai probe taken out of context: PMO
By IANS,
New Delhi : Seeking to clear confusion over the divergent views of National Security Adviser (NSA) M.K. Narayanan and External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Pakistan's response to the Mumbai terror probe, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) Wednesday said Narayanan's quotes were taken out of context.
“Selective quotes taken out context from the detailed answers have tended to give a distorted idea of what was actually said,” said a statement from the PMO.
Pakistan army to induct 14,000 youth from Waziristan
Islamabad: Pakistan Army Chief General Raheel Sharif Monday announced that 14,000 youth will be inducted into the army from tribal region of Waziristan over...
Pakistan to examine evidence to issue red notice against Hafiz Saeed: Minister Rehman Malik
By NNN-APP,
London : Pakistan on Thursday said it needs to examine the evidence provided by India to issue Red Notice against Hafiz Saeed, who it claims was involved in the Mumbai attacks.
Interior Minister Rehman Malik, responding to a question at a press conference along with the MQM leader Altaf Hussain, said Pakistan has received the dossier from India, but needs to examine it whether it meets the procedural requirements.
“We need tangible evidence which can stand the test of the court,” Rehman Malik said.
Missile strike kills three in Pakistan’s tribal region
By IRNA,
Islamabad : At least three people were killed and four others injured in a missile strike at a house in Pakistan's tribal region on Sunday, local tribesmen said.
It is the second missile strike in two days in Pakistani tribal region and the local tribesmen said the missile was fired from a U.S drone.
The missile hit a house in North Waziristan tribal region, killing three persons and injuring four others, local tribesmen said.
Muslim Brotherhood chief, 13 others get death penalty
Cairo: An Egyptian court delivered on Monday death sentence to the chief leader of the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood (MB) group, Mohamed Badie, and 13...
Delay in Indo-Pak dialogue benefiting extremists: Zardari
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari Friday urged India to respond positively to the Pakistani road map for the restoration of the peace dialogue as only "extremists and anti-state elements" are benefiting from the delay in the process.
Asserting that Pakistan wants to solve all outstanding issues with India, including the Kashmir dispute, in an amicable manner, Zardari said both countries must come to negotiations table soon, otherwise extremists and anti-state powers would benefit out of it.
LeT’s Lakhvi planned Mumbai carnage: Pakistani minister
By IANS,
Islamabad : Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror group had planned the Mumbai carnage, Pakistan's Interior Minister Rehman Malik said here Thursday.
"The Lashkar-e-Taiba which we have banned planned the attacks. One Zakiur Rehman of the LeT did the planning," Malik said at a press conference here to report on the progress in Pakistan's probe into the Nov 26-29, 2008 Mumbai carnage that claimed more than 170 lives, including those of 26 non-Indians, and injured more than 300.
UK drops charges against leaks of secret Iraq warnings
By IRNA
London : A Foreign Office official accused of leaking confidential documents to the British media, warning that the Iraq war was fuelling Muslim extremism, was cleared Wednesday after charges against him were suddenly dropped.
Derek Pasquill was alleged to have breached the Official Secrets Act, by leaking details about the government's attitude to secret CIA rendition flights and contacts with Muslim groups that led to articles in the Observer weekly and New Statesman magazine.
Unidentified number of Israeli soldiers killed, injured in Gaza: reports
By NNN-KUNA,
Gaza : According to media reports aired Saturday, an unidentified number of Israeli soldiers were killed and injured within the early hours of the ground incursion to Gaza, whereas the Israeli Navy had bombarded coastal areas before the strip.
Some 25 Israeli soldiers were either killed or injured during the second phase of the wide-scale military operation dubbed "Cast Lead", which entered its eighth day; Al-Arabiya TV channel quoted anonymous Israeli sources as saying.
Al Qaeda has 6,000 suicide bombers in Iraq: Documents
By DPA,
Baghdad : Iraqi security forces have found documents purported to belong to the Al Qaeda terrorist network in Iraq's Diyala province, which include names of 6,000 alleged suicide bombers in the country, an official newspaper said Tuesday.
"The documents reveal that 6,000 people, most of them Arab and Afghan nationals, were involved in suicide bombings in Iraq since the US-led invasion in 2003," Sheikh Sabah Shukr al-Shumary, the spokesman for the Awakening Councils of Baquba Clans, was quoted by al-Sabah newspaper as saying.
10 killed in Iraq violence
Baghdad : At least 10 people were killed and 56 wounded Friday in a car bomb attack and clashes in Iraq, police said.
Seven people...
UNSC resolution on Gaza alone not necessary — Steinmier
By KUNA,
Cairo : German Foreign Minister Frank Steinmeier on Saturday expressed his conviction that the UN Security Council resolution 1860, despite its importance, is not enough alone to create the conditions necessary for its effective implementation.
In a statement to the press after meeting President Hosni Mubarak, the German minister urged for a speedy action now in order to provide the necessary conditions for the cessation of hostilities on the ground, describing the decision as "a correct step" on the path to a cease-fire.
Israel to fire warning shots at Paleatinians near border fence – Haartez
By NNN-KUNA,
Gaza : Israel has informed Hamas it will fire warning shots at Palestinians who enter an area west of the Gaza Strip border fence, extending for several hundred metres, the Israeli daily Haartez reported.
Egyptian officials told Hamas of the new procedure, which is expected to raise tensions between the two sides, said the paper Tuesday.
3,021 Afghan civilians killed in 2011: UN
By IANS,
Kabul : A total of 3,021 civilians were killed in terrorism-related violence in 2011 in Afghanistan, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said in its annual report Saturday.
UN Secretary General welcomes UAE decision to write off Iraq debt
By NNN-WAM,
New York : UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has welcomed UAE's decision to write off all debts on Iraq. The debt amounting to USD 4bn that was paid to Iraq over the last several years was written off along with interest by a decision in July by President HH Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
In a report on UN mission in Iraq, presented to UN Security council for ratification, Ban Ki-moon, said 'the decision of the United Arab Emirates to forgive Iraqi debt is a strong step that I hope is taken by others in the region'.
Abbas urges Israel to stop settlement expansion
By SPA,
Ramallah, West Bank : The Palestinian President says Israel must freeze settlement construction if it wants to engage in serious peace talks.
President Mahmoud Abbas spoke at the opening of a special Palestinian Cabinet meeting at his headquarters Wednesday, the Associated Press reported.
Abbas met earlier in the week with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.
Abbas says he told Olmert that if you want serious negotiations, you have to stop settlement expansion, release a significant number of prisoners and remove roadblocks.
Transfer of power to take place soon: Soomro
By APP
Lahore : Caretaker Prime Minister Muhammadmian Soomro has said that election process was held in a peaceful and transparent manner and transfer of power would take place soon.Briefly talking to newsmen after attending Talents Scholarships distribution ceremony among students of public sector universities in the provincial metropolis from Baitul Maal at Punjab University here on Saturday,he said, “decisions pertaining to different issues would be taken by new leadership.”
UN calls on Myanmar to open air or sea corridor
By IRNA,
Kuala Lumpur : The United Nations has called on Myanmar government to open an air or sea corridor to channel large amount of aid to the victims of Cyclone Nargis.
Relief for those affected by Cyclone Nargis has been slow to arrive.
The UN's humanitarian agency said there was a risk of a "second catastrophe" unless a massive operation began.
The UN is worrying about outbreak of epidemic.
The UN said it had only been able to reach 270,000 of the 1.5m survivors.
21 killed in tribal clashes in Pakistan
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : At least 21 people were killed and 35 injured in tribal clashes in northwest Pakistan's Kurram tribal agency Wednesday.
The clashes between Bangash and Turi tribesmen entered the 14th day Wednesday and both sides used artillery, mortar and automatic weapons against each other, Geo TV channel reported.
Members of the Jirga, or tribal elders' council, have failed to persuade the two sides to stop fighting and proposed that the security forces launch operations against them.
US: Several insurgents killed in Afghanistan
By SPA,
Kabul, Afghanistan : The U.S.-led coalition says several insurgents have been killed and six others detained during an operation in southern Afghanistan.
A coalition statement says its troops clashed with and called in airstrikes on insurgents in Helmand province Friday.
It says the force was targeting weapons traffickers and those assisting foreign fighters in the area, according to a report of the Associated Press.
Indian student commits suicide after caught cheating: Police
By IANS,
Dubai : An Indian student, who allegedly committed suicide by jumping from a building here was caught cheating in an examination by her...
Lava bubbling below the surface, daily warns Pakistan
By IANS,
Islamabad : There is "a lava bubbling under the surface" in Pakistan, said an editorial in a Pakistani daily as it commented on the political upheaval in Tunisia and Egypt.
UN refugee chief calls for greater support for Somali refugees in Yemen
By NNN-UNNS,
Sana'a : The top United Nations refugee official, beginning a five-day visit to Yemen, Thursday called on the international community to bolster its assistance to Somali refugees who have reached the Middle East country after making the perilous crossing of the Gulf of Aden.
António Guterres, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), toured Kharaz refugee camp, located about 140 kilometres west of the city of Aden, and met with both refugees and officials, the agency reported.
Obama’s speech is welcome but has many shortcomings: Syed Shahabuddin
By TwoCircles.net News Desk
New Delhi: Syed Shahabuddin, Convener, Joint Committee of Muslim Organisations for Empowerment, has welcomed US President Barack Obama’s Cairo speech to the Muslim World but has urged the Muslim community to exercise caution in drawing conclusion and take note of its shortcomings.
Turkish air force strikes Kurdish rebel positions in Iraq
By DPA,
Baghdad/Ankara : The Turkish military confirmed Friday that it carried out a series of bombing attacks on Kurdish rebel camps inside Iraq Thursday night.
In a short statement posted on its official website, the Turkish General Staff said a number of warplanes took off at 11 p.m. (2000 GMT) Thursday night and attacked Kurdish Workers Party (PKK) positions in the Qandil mountains near Iraq's border with Iran.
Is every Bangla-speaking poor Muslim in India Bangladeshi migrant?
By Mumtaz Alam Falahi, TwoCircles.net,
Air strikes leave 15 suspected insurgents dead in Afghanistan
By Xinhua,
Kabul : Air raids carried out by international troops on Taliban militants in Afghanistan's eastern Paktika province have left over a dozen suspected insurgents dead, spokesman of provincial administration said Saturday.
"The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in efforts to eliminate insurgents carried out air raids on their hideout in Charbaran district yesterday evening (Friday evening) ,killing 15 armed enemies," Ghani Khan Mohammad Yar told Xinhua.
A number of arms and munitions have also been seized from the rebels, he further added.
Afghan suicide car blast wounds 6 including 2 Canadian soldiers
By Xinhua,
Kabul : A suicide car bomber targeted a military convoy in Afghanistan's southern Kandahar province Wednesday wounding six persons including two Canadian servicemen, a senior police officer in the province Abdul Raziq said.
"The terrorist driving a car exploded it next to a Canadian military convoy on the Spin Boldak-Kandahar highway this morning injuring six persons including two Canadian soldiers," Raziq told Xinhua.
Two passers-by and two Afghan police were also injured in the explosion, he added.
Islamic scholars adopt charter for solidarity
By IINA,
Makkah : Eminent Islamic scholars and thinkers from around the world on Tuesday adopted an Islamic Solidarity Charter, recommended the establishment of a league of economic entities to achieve economic integration of the Ummah and proposed the institution of the King Abdullah Islamic Solidarity Prize.
Abu Dhabi airport traffic grows by 13 percent
By IANS/WAM,
Abu Dhabi: Passenger traffic at the Abu Dhabi International Airport grew by 13.1 percent in February, with traffic from India showing a growth of 9.1 percent.
Empty security bunkers at Pakistan educational institutes raise questions
Islamabad : Hundreds of unattended and unguarded bunkers outside educational institutions in the city of Lahore in Pakistan are more like a security threat...
Officials: Iraqi councilman kills Two U.S. soldiers
By SPA,
Baghdad, Iraq : An Iraqi city council member opened fire on U.S. forces outside Baghdad on Monday, killing two soldiers, U.S. officials said.
Two U.S. soldiers were killed in a small arms fire attack near Salman Pak early Monday afternoon, the U.S. military said in a statement. Three others soldiers and an interpreter were wounded, the statement said, which added that soldiers killed the gunman.
The attack happened as the soldiers were leaving the Salman Pak Nahia Council building, the military said.
US to give Iran ‘space’ to mull nuclear fuel deal
By DPA,
Vienna/Tehran, Nov 9 (DPA) The US is willing to give Iran time to come up with a response to a proposed multinational nuclear fuel deal, the US ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Glyn Davies, said Monday.
"We want to give some space to Iran to work through this. It's a tough issue for them, obviously," Davies told reporters in Vienna, adding, however, that Washington hopes for a response soon.
Turkish president calls on Kurdish rebels to lay down arms
By Xinhua
Ankara : Turkish President Abdullah Gul has called on the outlawed Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) rebels to lay down arms, underlining that Turkey will never tolerate people engaged in terrorism.
Gul made the call Friday at a joint press conference with visiting Iraqi President Jalal Talabani following their official talks at the Presidential Palace in capital Ankara.
Talabani: Turkish PM to visit Iraq soon
By Xinhua,
Baghdad : Iraqi President Jalal Talabani said that Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will pay a visit to Iraq soon to enhance bilateral ties.
During a meeting in his office with heads of Iraqi media organizations on Thursday, Talabani reviewed security, economic and political issues in Iraq in addition to his country's relations with neighboring countries, Talabani's office said in a statement obtained by Xinhua on Friday.
NATO trooper, 47 Taliban killed in Afghanistan
By DPA,
Kabul : At least 47 suspected Taliban militants were killed in clases with the Afghan and international forces across Afghanistan, the military said Saturday.
In southern Helmand province, Afghan and US-led coalition forces killed 15 militants in an operation in Kajaki district Saturday, the US military said in statement.
The compounds where the militants were targeted were used for weapons and bomb-making, materials trafficking, and as a safe-haven for insurgent fighters moving between Helmand and Oruzgan provinces, it said.
UAE to get fast access to Interpol DNA database
By IANS,
Abu Dhabi : The United Arab Emirates (UAE) would become the first country in the Middle East to get fast access to the Interpol's database of DNA profiles after it signs the Interpol DNA Charter, WAM news agency reported Friday.
"It will be very soon," said Ahmed Abdullah al Marzouki, head of genetics section of the Abu Dhabi forensic science laboratory and a member of Monitoring Experts Group, the database's oversight committee.
Pakistani lawmakers with dual nationality disqualified
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistani parliamentarians holding dual nationality were disqualified by the Supreme Court Thursday.
Two militants, NATO soldier killed, seven suspects held in Afghanistan
By KUNA
Kabul : Two Taliban commanders and a NATO soldier were killed in two separate incidents while seven suspected militants were detained in the volatile southern Afghanistan, a NATO spokesman said here on Thursday.
The operation was conducted in the province of Helmand, said spokesman Brig. Gen. Carlos Branco. He said the Taliban network had suffered another set back as a result of this operation.
Bangladesh: sesonal storms kill dozens, damage crops
By NNN-IRIN,
Dhaka : Over 30 people have been killed this month and hundreds more injured as seasonal storms, locally known as `norwesters’, wreaked havoc across Bangladesh.
On Tuesday, eight people were killed in Siraganj, Rajbari and Lalmonirhat districts, in the northwest, south-central regions and in the extreme north.
Two days earlier, two persons were killed and 10 others injured as another localised tornado swept through southern Barisal and Magura districts.
Sharif’s party wants presidential poll put off by a week
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), the second largest party in the country's National Assembly, demanded Sunday that the presidential polls scheduled to be held Sep 6 be postponed by at least one month.
The private television channel Geo TV reported that the demand came at the conclusion of the PML-N's four-hour long meeting held in Lahore.
The meeting expressed disappointment at the attitude of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), the dominant party in the ruling coalition, according to the report.
Israel fights locust swarms migrating from Egypt
By IANS,
Jerusalem: Israel's agriculture ministry announced Wednesday that it was fighting off locust swarms migrating from Egypt in the south with pesticides.
EC constitutes election tribunals for local polls
By NNN-BSS,
Dhaka : Bangladesh Election Commission (EC) has constituted 13 election tribunals for hearing and resolving the appeals of contesting candidates against the official results of the four city corporations and nine pourasabha polls held on August 4.
An official handout said here today that the appeals should be submitted before the tribunal within 30 days of the gazette notification of the polls' results. The EC published gazette of the results on August 12.
The tribunals in four city corporations have been constituted with the following joint district judges:
Eight killed in Afghanistan roadside bombing
Kabul: At least eight people were killed and two injured Saturday in a roadside bombing in Afghanistan's Kandahar province, an official said.
The blast occurred...
Hamas against linking truce to releasing Israeli soldier – Israel
By KUNA,
Gaza : Israel said on Monday that the Palestinian Islamic organization Hamas expressed opposition to linking an aspired truce to release of the Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.
Israel Radio, citing security sources, said the Israeli intelligence official, Amos Gilad, was notified about Hamas' opposition to releasing the soldier at a meeting between him and the chief of the Egyptian intelligence, Omar Suleiman, held in Cairo yesterday.
US Troops Killed in Iraq at 3,975
By Prensa Latina
Baghdad : The number of US soldiers killed in Iraq amounted to 3,975 after reports of another death in the western province of Diyala in a counter-insurgency operation, the Central Command reported Saturday.
During the action, a load detonated when a patrol passed by, and another US military soldier was injured.
Less than two weeks before the fifth anniversary of the beginning of US invasion against this Arab country, soldiers continue to die and Washington is losing control in the scenes where they operate, even in Baghdad.
Iraq army in tug-of-war fights with Sunni militants
Baghdad : Iraqi security forces Monday continued their battle against Sunni militant groups in Salahudin province, as an Al Qaeda offshoot group declared the...
Turkish jets strike PKK targets in N Iraq
By Xinhua,
Ankara : Turkish jets struck targets of the outlawed Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) in northern Iraq, Turkish General Staff said in a statement on Sunday.
"Turkish airplanes have effectively hit a PKK target across the Turkish-Iraqi border in Zap region of northern Iraq on Saturday night," said the statement posted on the website, without further details.
The Turkish military has periodically bombed and shelled suspected PKK positions in Turkish-Iraqi border area during the past few months. In February it launched an eight-day ground incursion into Iraq.
Pakistani President to visit Saudi Arabia
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari will pay a two-day official visit to Saudi Arabia from Nov.4, the Foreign Office announced on Friday.
Speaking at his weekly news briefing, Foreign Office spokesman Muhammad Sadiq said that Zardari would hold talks with King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz, and exchange views on bilateral, regional and international issues during his stay in Saudi Arabia.
Iran warns Europe not to cross “red lines” in nuclear offer
By Xinhua,
Tehran : Iran on Saturday warned European countries not to cross its "red lines" in a new offer of incentives to coax Tehran to roll back its nuclear program, the official IRNA news agency reported.
The European countries are well aware of Iran's red lines, Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said during a joint press conference with his Yemeni counterpart Abu Bakr al-Qurbi.
Israeli troops open fire at Palestinians, wound two in Gaza
By KUNA,
Gaza : Two Palestinians were injured late last night after Israeli occupation forces opened fire at them when they were walking east of Gaza City.
According to Palestinian medical sources and eyewitnesses, the occupation forces opened fire at a group of citizens traveling near the Karni crossing in eastern Gaza, injuring scores of people.
They said that Palestinian ambulances rushed to the scene and transported the injured to Al-Shifa Hospital west of Gaza City for treatment.
Zahedan, Quetta to be declared twin cities: officials
By IRNA,
Islamabad : Pakistani and Iranian authorities have agreed to declare the Pakistani southwestern city of Quetta and the Iranian Zahedan as "Twin Cities" to strengthen brotherly and cordial relations between the neighbouring countries.
Quetta is the capital of Balochistan province.
A formal announcement to declare Quetta and Zahedan as twin cities will be made in Tehran in the first week of the coming month, officials from both sides said here.
Food insecurity looms over Pakistan, says daily
By IANS,
Islamabad : A lot of Pakistanis are going to be hungry for years to come, warned a daily while describing the situation as "desperate".
UN accuses IS of killing 1,000 people in Iraq
Geneva : Islamic State (IS) militants have killed nearly 1,000 people in Iraq over the past three weeks, the United Nations said Monday.
UN High...
US alarmed by Al Qaeda’s growth in Pakistan
By IANS
Washington : The US government is "extremely concerned" about the emergence of Al Qaeda in Pakistan, but will not act without a nod from the Pakistani government.
"There are concerns now about how much Al Qaeda turned inward, literally, inside Pakistan, as well as the kind of planning, training, financing and support that the worldwide effort is," Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters here Friday.
Expressing Pentagon's extreme concern over the development, he said: "I think continued pressure there will have to be brought".
Pakistan attaches high priority to strategic ties with U.S. : Gilani
By SPA
Islamabad : Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has told a delegation of US Congressmen that Pakistan attaches high priority to its strategic relationship with the United States and is keen to further expand its relations in all fields.
The delegation that met the premier included Congressmen John Tiemey, Keith Ellison, Jim Moran, Betty McCollum, Maurice Hinchey and Barbara Cubin.
Iraq reopens Russian arms deal probe
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Dubai : Iraq's central criminal court has resumed an investigation into officials suspected of corruption in a $4.2 billion deal to purchase Russian weapons.
Had excellent meeting with Modi: Sharif
New Delhi : Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said Tuesday that he had an "excellent" meeting with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi.
"I had an...
Pirates release seized Jordan-flagged ship off Somalia
By SPA,
Amman : Pirates have released the Jordan-flagged ship Victoria which was seized off the Somali coast last week, Jordanian Transport Minister Alaa Batayneh said Saturday.
"The Danish authorities have informed Jordanian maritime officials that the vessel's crews are in good health," Batayneh was quoted as saying by DPA.
The ship's crew, numbering around a dozen, included Pakistanis, Indians, Tanzanians and Bangladeshis, he added.
Jordan: cost of hosting Iraqis estimated at $2.3 bln
By Xinhua
Amman : Iraqis residing in Jordan had cost the country 1.6 billion Jordanian dinars (about 2.3 billion U.S. dollars) over the past three years, the English-daily Jordan Times reported on Wednesday.
Jordan has been coping with a considerable burden while hosting hundreds of thousands of Iraqi nationals and deserves more help, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Antonio Guterres was quoted as saying.
Antonio Guterres paid a one-day visit to Jordan Tuesday and held talks with Jordanian King Abdullah and Prime Minister Nader Dahab.
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.
Two Islamic Jihad militants killed in N West Bank
By Xinhua,
Ramallah : A senior Islamic Jihad (Holy War) militant and his aide were killed on Thursday in the village of Qabatia, south of northern West Bank city of Jenin, the movement and medics said.
The Islamic Jihad said in a statement that a special Israeli army force surrounded a house in the village at predawn and exchanged fire with Bilal Ikmail, 26 and Izzedin E'weisat, 19.
The movement added that the two ran out of ammunition following several hours of exchange of fire and "the Zionist soldiers fired a missile at the house and killed both of them."
UK ‘moral vocation’ to maintain reputation of compassion, says Clegg
By The Muslim News,
London: Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has expressed his admiration of Muslim generosity and compassion during the fasting month of Ramadan as an “example to all,” particularly in responding to Pakistan’s worst-ever floods.
Clegg suggested that it may be because “so much of the misery is difficult to see on our television screens” why the world was not yet responding with urgency to the disaster afflicted 20 million or a third of Pakistan’s population.
Turkey discusses safety of n-power plants
Istanbul : Turkey will apply optimum safety measures in its two biggest nuclear power plant projects, the authorities guaranteed at an international summit here...
48 killed in Bangladesh landslides
By IANS,
Dhaka : At least 48 people were killed Tuesday and several others were missing in rain-triggered landslides in Bangladesh, officials said.
Heavy rains swept through Bangladesh's two southeastern districts -- Cox's Bazaar and Bandarban -- and triggered landslides, Xinhua reported.
"Rescuers in my district have so far recovered 44 bodies," said a senior police official of Cox's Bazaar district, about 391 km away from here.
At least 25-30 people including six army personnel of a military camp in the district remained missing, the report said.
Egypt’s military rulers dissolve parliament, suspend constitution
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Cairo: Egypt's military leadership Sunday dissolved both the upper and lower houses of the parliament and suspended the constitution.
Iraqi electoral commission withdraws resignation
Baghdad : Avoiding repercussions of their move on the country's political process, the commissioners of Iraq's Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) Sunday withdrew their...
Gaddafi’s departure non-negotiable: US
By IANS,
Washington : Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's departure from power is "non-negotiable", Xinhua Tuesday quoted a US State Department spokesman as saying.
UAE, Montenegro establish diplomatic relations
By Xinhua
Abu Dhabi : The United Arab Emirates (UAE)and the Republic of Montenegro have established diplomatic relations of the ambassadorial level, the official Emirates News Agency reported on Saturday.
The diplomatic relations between the UAE and Montenegro start from April 4, 2008, a joint statement by the two countries was quoted as saying.
The joint statement was signed Friday in New York by UAE's Permanent Representative to United Nations Ahmed Abdul Rahman AlJaramain and his Montenegrin counterpart Nebojsa Kaludjerovic.
People voted for change in Feb 18 elections: Pakistani PM
By NNN-APP,
Islamabad : Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani said the people of Pakistan largely voted for change of system in February 18 elections and it is the responsibility of coalition partners to work for the attainment of that mandate.
He said that any change made for the people of Pakistan should be visible at all levels. The Prime Minister said while chairing the coalition partners parliamentary party meeting in the Parliament House this afternoon.
The Prime Minister also apprised the members about his recent foreign visits.
Blair scared by Israeli warplanes
By IRNA,
Damascus : Israeli fighter jets scrambled to intercept an unidentified aircraft suspected to be hostile this weekend, only to find that it carried none other than Tony Blair.
Blair, the International Mideast peace envoy, was on a private plane from the World Economic Forum summit in Sinai, Egypt to an investment conference in the West Bank city of Bethlehem when it was passing through Israeli airspace.