Hasina may change tour plan to meet Obama
BY IANS,
Dhaka : Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who is scheduled to go to North America next week, may change her itinerary to meet US President Barack Obama, a report said.
Eager to meet Obama, she may visit the US first instead of Canada, provided she gets an appointment from the White House, New Age newspaper said Friday.
During her trip to Canada, Hasina is likely to meet Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Hasan Mahmud told the newspaper.
Pakistan could prospect for oil, gas in Libya
BY IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan could prospect for oil and gas in Libya as part of its efforts to enhance its reserves, an official accompanying President Asif Ali Zardari on his state visit to the African nation says.
Speaking to Dawn from Tripoli, Asim Hussain, the prime minister's adviser on petroleum, said Pakistan's two state-owned oil exploration and production companies had the expertise for overseas operations.
"We would like to see Pakistani companies entering into joint ventures with Libyan or other international firms operating here (in Libya)," he added.
Help us to disarm Taliban, says Pakistan
By IANS,
London: Pakistani Interior Minister Rehman Malik has urged the global community to play its role in stopping the flow of weapons to the Taliban instead of questioning the government's competency to deal with the problem.
The minister said if the US believes Islamabad is unable to tackle the Taliban problem, then how could Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz chief Nawaz Sharif handle the problem.
Pakistan’s 2009-10 budget summary sent to PM for approval
By IANS,
Islamabad : A summary of Pakistan's budget for fiscal 2009-10 has been sent for approval to Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani ahead of its expected presentation in parliament June 6.
"It is up to the prime minister to approve June 6 or any other date for the announcement of the national budget in parliament," APP news agency Wednesday quoted a top finance ministry official as saying.
He said the ministry had received budgetary proposals and suggestions from various stakeholders and these had been forwarded to the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) for finalisation by May 31.
UN seeks $454 million for Pakistan refugees
By DPA,
Islamabad : The UN appealed Friday for $454 million in extra aid to help the refugees fleeing Pakistan's latest offensive against Taliban militants in the country's north-west.
Nearly 1.5 million people have been displaced by this month's intense fighting in the Swat valley and the neighbouring districts of Buner and Dir, where the Taliban had gained control over large areas. Another 500,000 were uprooted last year.
Hezbollah chief calls for death penalty for spies
By DPA,
Beirut : The leader of Lebanon's Hezbollah movement, Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, urged Friday that Lebanese prosecutors seek capital punishment against recently captured Israel-linked espionage ring members.
In a televised address commemorating the ninth anniversary of the Israeli withdrawal from south Lebanon, Nasrallah said: "I call for capital punishment for all arrested agents and beginning with the Shiite agents first."
Blast in Pakistan’s northwest kills three
By IANS,
Islamabad : At least three people were killed and seven injured in a blast Monday in Kohat town in Pakistan's restive northwest where the military is currently engaged in a major anti-Taliban operation.
The blast, the second in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) in a week, occurred at a bus stand in Kohat's Teera Bazar area, APP news agency reported.
Earlier reports had placed the casualties at four.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani have strongly condemned the blast.
Bangladesh launches campaign to save rivers
By IANS,
Dhaka : Bangladesh's lawmakers, media and industry leaders have launched a campaign to 'save' the rivers around the national capital by evicting encroachers and improving the environment.
Called "Save rivers, Save Dhaka" campaign, the programme was launched Monday by parliament Speaker Abdul Hamid with the participation of The Daily Star newspaper and 'i'TV channel.
Agriculture Minister Motia Choudhury assured government support. He and Speaker Abdul Hamid resolved to come up with a law that would end encroachment.
Rice boom causes problems for Bangladesh
By IANS,
Dhaka : The surplus production of rice this year in Bangladesh, which is prone to foodgrain shortage and calamities, has raised the confidence of farmers and the government but also caused pricing and storage problems, media reports here said Tuesday.
Estimated at 32.4 million tonnes, the current fiscal this month-end will mark the highest production of rice, the staple diet of the country's 153 million population. The average requirement is about 30 million tonnes.
First swine flu case detected in Bangladesh
By Xinhua,
Dhaka : The first case of infection of the influenza A(H1N1) virus has been detected in Bangladesh, the health ministry said Friday.
The case came to light Thursday after throat swab and nasal wash samples of a patient tested positive for swine flu, the ministry said in a statement.
The Bangladeshi national had returned from the US about four days ago, bdnews24.com reported citing health officials.
The patient is currently undergoing treatment in Dhaka, while his family members are kept under constant observation, it said.
Pakistani Taliban buying children for suicide attacks
By IANS,
Washington : Pakistani Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud is buying children as young as seven years old to carry out suicide bombing, the Online news agency said citing reports Thursday.
The price for a child bomber is between $7,000 and $14,000, a Pakistani official requesting anonymity said.
Mehsud has turned suicide bombing into a production company, not like the way Toyota produces cars, a US Defense Department official said recently to reporters.
He said the price depends on how quickly the bomber is needed and how close the child is expected to get to the target.
Advancing time helps Dhaka save power
By IANS,
Dhaka : Advancing the time by an hour has helped Bangladesh reduce power demand by 150 to 200 megawatt (MW) in the evenings, marginally easing the persistent electricity shortage.
Factories have also begun to run past midnight to avoid power cuts.
"This means that the never-ending power shortage has forced large power consumers like the industrial sector to be innovative," a senior official of the Power Development Board (PDB) was quoted as saying by The Daily Star newspaper Thursday.
PML-N plans to file criminal case against Musharraf
By IANS,
Lahore : The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party is planning to file a criminal case against former Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf, the Online news agency said.
Sardar Zulifqar Khosa, advisor to Punjab chief minister, said Thursday his party is consulting with senior lawyers to file a criminal or a civil case against former president Musharraf in the Supreme Court.
Khosa said the judiciary has become independent in the country and the notice to Musharraf Wednesday, summoning him July 29 in the Supreme Court, was a clear example in this regard.
Pakistan bans Hafiz Saeed’s LeT, JuD, 23 other organisations
By IANS,
Islamabad/New Delhi: Pakistan Wednesday banned the Jamaat-ud Dawa (JuD) of Hafiz Saeed, who India says masterminded the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, and 24 other religious and welfare organisations.
Also banned is the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror group that Saeed founded and which morphed into the JuD in the wake of the December 13, 2001, attack on the Indian parliament that New Delhi blamed on the outfit.
The interior ministry Wednesday presented the list of banned organisations in the National Assembly, the lower house of Pakistan's parliament, Geo TV reported.
Renewed mandate for UN mission in southern Lebanon
By DPA,
New York : The United Nations Security Council Thursday renewed the mandate of its peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon for another year and called on parties in conflict in the region to abide by the ceasefire.
The UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), with more than 12,000 military and civilian personnel, will remain in southern Lebanon until Aug 31, 2010, to continue monitoring the ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel.
Pakistan to ‘examine’ Interpol notice against Hafiz Saeed
By IANS,
London : Pakistan Interior Minister Rehman Malik has said his government will examine an Interpol red corner notice against Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed, who India says masterminded last year's Mumbai terror attacks.
"We will examine "t," Malik told a press conference in London Thursday.
He, however, pointed out that cer"ain "proce"ures" were needed to pursue the notice.
Malik also said Pakistan has received a dossier from India, but needs to examine whether it"meets "procedural requir"me"ts."
Slight decrease in uranium enrichment by Iran: IAEA
By DPA,
Vienna : The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) increased its pressure on Iran to prove it had not done work related to nuclear weapons, in a report published Friday that confirmed a slight decrease in the country's enrichment activities.
In his latest report, IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei also said Iran had partly improved its cooperation with the Vienna-based agency by allowing better monitoring at its controversial enrichment facility in Natanz, and by granting a visit to a research reactor that is under construction.
Contempt of court petition filed against Musharraf
By IANS,
Islamabad : A contempt of court petition was filed Wednesday in the Supreme Court of Pakistan against former president Pervez Musharraf for imposing emergency in 2007.
Anwar-ul-Haq, a medical practitioner in Islamabad, filed the petition in the court Wednesday saying Musharraf breached the Constitution and violated the Supreme Court's order by imposing emergency rule Nov 3, 2007, Geo TV reported.
He suggested that Musharraf be brought to the country by Interpol.
Clinton objects to Israel’s settlement plans
By DPA,
Washington : US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Israel's plan to expand settlements in the West Bank was regretful and "inconsistent" with the international peace plan designed to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
"We regret the reports of Israel's plans to approve additional settlement construction," Clinton said in a statement. "Continued settlement activity is inconsistent with Israel's commitment under the roadmap" peace plan.
Diplomat wanted for killing ex-Bangladesh PM to stay in Malaysia
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur : A former Bangladesh high commissioner to Malaysia, who is wanted for the killings of four top political leaders in Dhaka in 1975, is going to settle down here and will not return home in compliance of a Bangladesh government order.
A former army major, M. Khairuzzaman has been implicated in the killing of Bangladesh's first prime minister Tajuddin Ahmed, then vice president Nazrul Islam and two ministers who were jailed after the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the then president and the country's founding father.
No synthetic for me: Bangladeshi designer Bibi Russell
By Aparajita Gupta, IANS,
Kolkata : She was a catwalk queen abroad, but returned to her native land, Bangladesh, to help the handwoven textile industry. Today Bibi Russell says nothing in the world can make her design synthetic garments.
"I studied and worked abroad and then came back to Bangladesh because that is what I wanted to do (work on natural fibres). The whole world is turning towards organic products," said Bibi, who is known for designing 'gamchas' or traditional towels.
Afghan scribe’s body abandoned to avoid more casualties: NATO
By DPA,
Kabul : NATO said Saturday its forces had to leave behind the dead body of an Afghan journalist to avoid "more casualties" after its airborne operation freed a Western journalist.
British soldiers raided a house Tuesday night to free Sultan Munadi, an Afghan reporter, and British-Irish national Stephen Farrell, both working for The New York Times.
Farrell was freed in the raid in the Chardarah district of Kunduz province, but Munadi was shot and killed. A British soldier and an Afghan woman also died in a firefight with the militants.
Adjusted U.S. missile defense more effective against Iran – Gates
By RIA Novosti,
Washington : An adjusted U.S. missile defense in Europe would be more effective than the previously planned one even if the current intelligence data on the Iran threat is wrong, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Friday.
President Barack Obama announced Thursday that Washington was dropping its previous plans to deploy elements of a missile shield in the Czech Republic and Poland.
Over 50 countries to participate in Energy Summit
By IANS,
Abu Dhabi: Over 50 countries will be participating in the World Future Energy Summit 2010 to be held here Jan 18-21 next year, a WAM report said Monday.
The city will see the largest and most diverse gathering of world leaders, investors, policy makers, researchers, financial institutions and experts, the organisers of World Future Energy Summit (WFES) announced.
Indonesian quake kills 529, thousands trapped under rubble
Padang (Indonesia), Oct 1 (DPA) At least 529 people have been killed and 423 were injured in a powerful quake that struck Indonesia's West Sumatra province, the Social Affairs Ministry said Thursday.
In the provincial capital, Padang, which was the hardest-hit area in Wednesday's magnitude-7.6 earthquake, as many as 376 people were killed and more than 100 others were injured, said Novianto, an official at the ministry's coordinating post.
Bombings at Islamabad university, 1 dead
By IANS,
Islamabad : Synchronised blasts, including a suicide bombing, rocked the Islamic University campus in this Pakistan capital, killing at least one person and injuring 13.
According to reports, a suicide bomber blew himself up at the girls' cafeteria inside the campus.
Ahmed Hassan, an eyewitness, told Express TV that a man entered the university saying he had to deliver something. He then detonated himself.
The blasts took place in the boys hostel and the cafeteria.
US set to pay Taliban members to switch sides
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : US President Barack Obama has signed a $680 billion defence appropriations bill with one provision giving commanders the ability to pay Taliban members to switch sides, but some experts feel the programme may buy only temporary loyalty.
The payments to Taliban would be made under a Taliban reintegration provision under the Commander's Emergency Response Programme (CERP), which is now receiving $1.3 billion in the bill pay for military operations in the 2010 fiscal year, signed by Obama Wednesday.
Skyrail, flyovers, waterways to decongest Dhaka
By IANS,
Dhaka : Bangladesh's national capital is going in for a facelift that will include a skyrail, flyovers, underground railways and orbital waterways as part of the effort to decongest the city's roads.
Dhaka, which has a population of over 10 million, also aspires to be a regional tourism hub.
"We are examining whether a regional tourism network can be built comprising Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Bhutan," Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina told the Jatiya Sangsad (parliament) Wednesday.
Iran’s Ahmadinejad says ready to cooperate on nuclear fuel
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Thursday his country is ready to cooperate with Western powers on nuclear fuel and technology, but will not retreat "one iota" on its nuclear rights.
"We welcome the fuel exchange, nuclear cooperation, building of power plants and reactors and we are ready to cooperate," Ahmadinejad said in a live broadcast on state television as Tehran is to present its formal response to a UN-drafted deal in Vienna today.
Hamas afraid of elections – Palestinian foreign minister
By RIA Novosti,
Baku : Palestinian Authority Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki said on Thursday the Islamist movement Hamas is afraid to participate in Palestinian presidential and parliamentary elections scheduled for January 2010.
The statement came following a meeting between al-Maliki and his Azerbaijani counterpart Elmar Mamedyarov. Al-Maliki is on a two-day official visit to Azerbaijan which ends Friday.
Chinese envoy calls on Pakistani interior minister
By NNN-APP,
Islamabad : The Chinese Ambassador in Pakistan Luo Zhaohui Wednesday called on Minister for Interior Rehman Malik and discussed bilateral matters of mutual interests.
During the meeting, the Minister said Pakistan gives utmost importance to its relations with China, being a reliable and close friendly state.
He said both the states enjoy time tested friendship and brotherly cooperation between Pakistan and China would bring stability and prosperity in the region.
The Ambassador Luo Zhaohui said that China gives special significance to its ties with Pakistan.
Online banking begins in Bangladesh
By IANS,
Dhaka : Banking in Bangladesh entered a new era with the commencement of online payment system introduced by the country's central bank. It facilitates fund transfers and payment of utility bills on the net.
The new move allows people to use local currency credit cards for online transactions within the country.
Although these services are being introduced by the Bangladesh Bank on a small scale, it is seen as the first step toward full-fledged online banking.
Three LeT men who planned to attack US mission held in Bangladesh
By IANS,
Dhaka : Three Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists, who had surveyed the area around the US mission in the Bangladesh capital and were allegedly planning to attack it, have been arrested. They had links with the US and Pakistan, media reports said Friday.
The LeT men were caught on information provided by an Indian-born US national and a Pakistan-born US national. The two were arrested in the US recently on charges of attempt to attack various establishments, including embassies and high commissions of the US, Britain and India in different countries, The Daily Star said.
Israeli piracy driven by concerns of developing Iranian-Western ties
By KUNA,
Damascus : Blocking the arm vessel "Francop" reflects Israeli concerns towards the ease that Iranian-Western relations are witnessing nowadays, a Syrian gazette said Friday.
The step aimed at "alerting" the world and directing it towards anti-Iran stances driven by risks that Iran's nuclear program might present, Syrian daily, Al-Thawra said.
It noted that this move comes at a time that the UN is looking into the Goldstone report which documents Israeli crimes in Gaza.
Suicide bombing kills four in Peshawar
By IANS,
Peshawar : At least four people were killed and 25 injured Monday morning when a suicide bomber struck near a police station in the outskirts of this Pakistani city, an official said.
The blast took place at 7.45 a.m. in Badhbeer, which is located in the outskirts of the North-West Frontier Province capital.
District Coordination Officer (DCO) Peshawar Sahibzada Anis said four people died in the blast, Geo News reported.
The blast was so powerful that a nearby mosque collapsed, Anis said, adding some people may be trapped under the rubble.
Germany, Pakistan forge economic deal, pledge cooperation
By DPA,
Berlin : Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and German Chancellor Angela Merkel promised closer cooperation between their two countries Tuesday, and heralded the signing of a new economic agreement in Berlin.
Gilani is on a four-day visit to Germany to discuss economic cooperation, as well as the insurgency along the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Iran does not want escalation over nuclear dispute: Ahmadinejad
By DPA,
Tehran: Iran does not want further escalation in the dispute over its nuclear programmes and wants talks with the world powers, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Wednesday.
"We do not welcome any escalation and are ready to hold further talks [with world powers] over global issues," Ahmadinejad said after a cabinet session in Tehran, reiterating previous offers of talks, which, however, did exclude the nuclear issue in the past.
Pakistani PM vows not to allow Taliban re-organize again
Islamabad, Dec 25, IRNA -- Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani Thursday said that his government will not allow Taliban to re-organize after the death of their leader Baitullah Mehsood.
Baitullah, the most wanted Taliban leader to the Pakistani and US authorities, was killed in an American drone strike in South Waziristan on August 5th.
Pakistani Taliban had elected Hakimullah Mehsood as new leader few days after Baitullah's death and the militants are carrying suicide attacks on security forces across the country.
Clinton condemns Pakistan suicide bombing
By DPA,
Washington : US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has condemned the suicide bombing at a volleyball game in Pakistan that killed at least 95 people.
Clinton late Friday said the US would continue to provide support to Pakistan as it confronts terrorism within its borders.
"The US strongly condemns (the) attack on civilians in Pakistan, and we offer our condolences to the families of the victims and all the people of Pakistan," Clinton said in a statement.
U.S. provides $16.5m to upgrade Pakistan’s power plant
Islamabad, Jan 13,IRNA-- U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Ambassador Richard C. Holbrooke announced that the U.S. Government will contribute $16.5 million (1.4 billion rupees) to improve the operating capacity of the Tarbela Dam hydroelectric plant.
Grant funding will be provided to the Ministry of Water and Power (MoWP), and implemented through the Pakistan Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA).
“The energy crisis in Pakistan is an issue that affects everyone,” Ambassador Holbrooke said at a ceremony marking the signing of the agreement.
Berlin Arabs to mark anniversary of “Israeli massacres in Gaza”
By IRNA,
Berlin, : Berlin's Arab community is to commemorate the first anniversary of what it labeled "Israeli massacres in Gaza" in Berlin on Friday.
Numerous Berlin-based Palestinian and Arab groups have called on Germans to join them for a candle light vigil in the center of the city to honor "the victims of Israeli aggression in Palestine and Lebanon," according to a press release sent to IRNA's Berlin office on Thursday.
UN to focus more on social, economic development in Iraq
By IRNA,
Tehran : United Nations efforts to help Iraq continue to evolve with the war-torn country’s progress as the government is now seeking increasing support for social and economic development in the years to come, Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro said Tuesday.
Afghanistan polls postponed due to lack of funds
By DPA,
Kabul : Afghanistan's election commission said Sunday that it had to postpone parliamentary elections from May to September due to insufficient funds and security arrangements.
"The decision was made after consultations with national and international authorities," Fazel Ahmad Manawi, a senior commissioner for Independent Election Commission told a press conference in Kabul.
"Due to lack of budget, security uncertainties, logistical challenges... the IEC has decided to conduct the Wolosi Jirga (lower house of parliament) elections on 18th of September 2010," he said.
Medvedev, Abbas to discuss Middle East peace process
By RIA Novosti,
Sochi (Russia) : Russian President Dmitry Medvedev will meet his Palestinian counterpart Mahmoud Abbas Tuesday to discuss the resumption of Israeli-Palestinian talks, a Kremlin source said.
Abbas, who is currently on a three-day visit to Russia, will meet Medvedev in the southern Russian city of Sochi. The previous meeting between the two leaders was held in Moscow in April 2009.
The talks will focus on the resumption of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, which have seen a lack of progress due to the Jewish outpost expansion in the West Bank.
NATO defence ministers agree to meet pledges of London conf. of Afghanistan
By NNN-KUNA,
Istanbul : The defense ministers of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) called here on Friday for translating the pledges of the London Conference on Afghanistan into real actions.
Briefing newsmen on the outcome of the ministers' two-day informal meeting, NATO's Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said the process to stabilize Afghanistan required more finance than ever.
Pakistan to switch to three-yearly budget
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan has decided to switch to a three-yearly budget, making it perhaps the only country in the world to do so.
The decision to do away from the annual exercise was taken at a cabinet meeting Wednesday presided over by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and would be implemented from next June, Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira said at a media briefing.
Bangladesh opposition returns to parliament
By IANS,
Dhaka : Opposition parties in Bangladesh Thursday ended an eight-month boycott and returned to attend the Jatiya Sangsad (national assembly).
Leader of the opposition Khaleda Zia, who returned to the house after 64 days, said the opposition will continue with the protests against the government's policies "both inside and outside parliament".
"We returned to parliament to stay in the house to discuss issues of national importance," opposition chief whip Zainul Abdin Farruque said on the parliament floor, requesting Speaker Abdul Hamid to allow them to voice their issues.
Berlin claims no information on German role in Hamas murder case
By IRNA,
Berlin : A spokesman for the German foreign ministry alleged he had no independent information on an Arab newspaper report which said that a German national was implicated in the recent killing of a prominent Hamas leader in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
He added the German Embassy in the UAE had yet to get involved in the murder case of Mahmoud Abdel-Raouf Mohammed Hassan, also known as Mahmoud al- Mahbouh.
Meanwhile, the Hamburg-based weekly news magazine Der Spiegel identified the German suspect as 43-year-old Michael B.
Two Israeli soldiers indicted for actions during Gaza offensive
By DPA,
Tel Aviv : Israeli military prosecutors indicted two Israeli soldiers Thursday for allegedly ordering a Palestinian child to open bags suspected of containing explosives, during Israel's Gaza Strip offensive last year, a military statement said.
The statement said that while searching a building in Gaza City's Tel al-Hawa neighbourhood, the two soldiers ordered the child to open bags thought to be booby-traps.
Suspected US drone strikes kill eight in Pakistan
By DPA,
Islamabad : At least eight people were killed and four injured in two suspected US drone strikes in Pakistan's northwestern tribal district of North Waziristan Sunday, security officials said.
An unmanned drone aircraft fired three Hellfire guided missiles into a compound in the Alora Mandi area of North Waziristan, a known safe haven of Taliban and Al Qaeda militants launching cross-border raids on NATO-led international forces in Afghanistan.
From Afghanistan to Arakans, militants converge on Dhaka
By IANS,
Dhaka : At least 15 foreign militant organisations were active or are still operating in Bangladesh since 1991 using the country as a safe haven or transit point to infiltrate India and other neighbouring countries, those nabbed have confessed.
The outfits who found access in Bangladesh are based in Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and Myanmar, using fake passports, engaging in militancy and funding their operations partly by printing fake Indian rupees and US dollars.
Top Afghan election officials, accused of vote-rigging, resign
By DPA,
Kabul : Two top election officials, accused of vote-rigging in last year's presidential polls, resigned Wednesday after President Hamid Karzai accused Western embassies of threatening and bribing them.
Azizullah Ludin, the chairman of the Afghan Independent Election Commission (IEC) and Daoud Ali Najafi, the commission's chief electoral officer, have stepped down from their posts and Karzai accepted their resignations, Waheed Omar, the chief presidential spokesman, told a press conference.
Apologise over 1971 killings, Bangladesh tells Pakistan
By IANS,
Dhaka : Pakistan must say sorry for the atrocities its army committed in Bangladesh in 1971, a minister said here.
Commerce Minister Faruk Khan said the Pakistan government must offer an apology for the atrocities its army committed in Bangladesh in 1971 if it wanted good relations with Dhaka, New Age newspaper reported.
"Without removing the irritants, it will be difficult to strengthen trade ties between the two countries," Faruk Khan said after his two-hour meeting with Pakistani envoy Ashraf Qureshi.
Bangladesh invites pre-qualification bids for Padma bridge
By IANS,
Dhaka : Bangladesh has invited international bids for pre-qualification for the construction of a road-cum-rail bridge over river Padma that will link the northern and southern parts of the country better.
Communications Minister Abul Hossain said Tuesday the government wanted the construction work to start by December this year.
"We are expecting to complete the bridge within three years from commencement of the work in December 2010," he said.
One killed, several trapped in Bangladesh coal mine accident
By IANS,
Dhaka : A miner was killed and several others remained trapped Tuesday in a coal mine accident in northern Bangladesh, a media report said.
The accident took place about 400 metres underground in Barapukuria coal mine at Dinajpur in northern Bangladesh.
The dead was identified as Ranjit, The Daily Star reported on its website.
Sources at Barapukuria Coal Mine Company Ltd said 13 workers were trapped when a roof collapsed around 8.30 a.m.
Eight workers were rescued and rushed to the company's hospital. The body of Ranjit was also recovered.
Musharraf seeks to be Pakistan’s PM
By IANS,
Washington : Former Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf plans to return home to re-enter politics and has indicated that he wants to be the prime minister.
In an interview to CNN Thursday, he also discounted the findings of a UN probe that laxity on his government's part had resulted in the December 2007 assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto in a gun and bomb attack in the garrison town of Rawalpindi.
Holbrooke cancels Pakistan visit
By IANS,
Islamabad : US special envoy for Pakistan and Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke has called off his planned visit Thursday to Pakistan as no top official will be here on that day due to prior commitments.
"Holbrooke's visit on Wednesday has been cancelled," Dawn.com quoted a senior official at Pakistan's foreign ministry as saying.
Arab League chief calls for breaking Gaza siege
By IANS,
Gaza : Arab League chief Amr Moussa Sunday called for an immediate lifting of Israeli blockade of the Palestinian territory.
"The siege must be broken and lifted," Moussa told reporters after arriving at the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing on Gaza-Egypt borders, Xinhua reported.
Members from the deposed Hamas government and representatives of Palestinian factions received Moussa. This is the first visit of the highest Arab diplomat since Islamic Hamas movement took over Gaza in June 2007.
US opposes China-Pakistan nuke deal
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : The United States has said it would oppose a proposed nuclear deal between China and Pakistan as it requires a specific exemption from the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) like the US deal with India.
"This appears to extend beyond cooperation that was grandfathered when China was approved for membership" state department spokesman P. J. Crowley told reporters Tuesday when asked on what grounds it woild oppose the deal when it had opened the door to such agreements with the US-India deal.
Tens of thousands of Afghan refugees go back home with UN support
By IRNA,
Tehran : An estimated 70,000 Afghan refugees have returned to their homeland so far this year, according to the United Nations refugee agency.
According to a press release issued by the UN Information Center (UNIC) here on Tuesday, this is an indication that an increasing number of those who fled have confidence that they can live in the country despite the prevailing security and socio-economic challenges.
Dubai workshop discuses energy security
By IANS/WAM,
Dubai: A two-day workshop began here Wednesday to discuss Dubai's energy security. It was organised by the Supreme Energy Council.
Council Chairman Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum and other officials attended the meeting.
The workshop focused on securing fuel sources and diversification of energy resources to include civil nuclear technology.
"The workshop focused on several issues, including development of a strategic plan for the energy sector in Dubai," said Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Vice Chairman of the Supreme Council of Energy.
UN chief asks Israel, Palestine to continue proximity talks
By IANS,
United Nations : UN Secretary-General Ban Ki- moon Monday urged Israelis and Palestinians to continue proximity talks sponsored by the US.
Ban, who returned from attending the G20 summit in Toronto, Canada, told reporters at UN Headquarters that he had discussed with leaders, including those from the European Union, on the situation in the Middle East, Xinhua reported.
Pakistan plans electronic media restrictions
By IRNA,
Islamabad : Pakistan has introduced legislation in the parliament to impose restrictions on the country's independent electronic media.
The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority Bill would introduce tough laws for broadcasters and online media.
The bill, which focuses on TV channels and private FM radio stations and several online news services, is expected to be put for voting in the current session of the National Assembly, Lower House of the parliament.
Pentagon demands Afghan war files back, erased
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Washington : US Defence Department demanded that whistle-blowing website WikiLeaks return all US secret documents on the war in Afghanistan and erase the classified data already posted on the internet.
Last month, WikiLeaks released some 71,000 US military secret files on the war in Afghanistan dating from September 2004 to December 2009. The website is believed to have at least 15,000 more files with classified data.
10 Mideast nations declare Wednesday first day of Ramadan
By DPA,
Amman : At least 10 countries in the Middle East decided Tuesday night that the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan will start Wednesday.
The decision was first adopted by Saudi Arabia's legal moon sighting panel, with other Arab and Islamic countries following suit.
Middle East countries celebrating the start of Ramadan Wednesday so far are Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Lebanon, Yemen, Libya, the Palestinian Authority and Turkey.
More Arab and Muslim states were expected to follow the Saudi lead.
US aid to flood-hit Pakistan totals $76 mn
By IANS,
Washington : The US assistance to the flood-affected areas of Pakistan has totalled $76 million, the State Department said.
"As of this morning, the additional money that the US is providing is to Save the Children, and that's $4.1 million. That will be used for food vouchers enabling flood victims to purchase food in their local markets," department spokesman Mark Toner said Thursday.
Toner also said the 19 helicopters ordered by Defence Secretary Robert Gates to help the affected population will be in place over the next few days.
Saudi poet-politician who praised suicide bombers dies at 70
By DPA,
Riyadh : Ghazi Abdul Rahman al-Gosaibi, Saudi Arabia's minister of labour, former ambassador, and prolific poet who caused controversy by praising a Palestinian suicide bomber, has died aged 70 from cancer, officials said Sunday.
Gosaibi published more than 20 books, including novels and poetry, many of which were banned in the conservative kingdom until last month due to their themes of materialism, criticism of conservatism and open discussions of romance and love.
‘Pakistani prisoners being tortured in India’
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistani prisoners in Indian jails are being "tortured" and "have had their identity papers stolen" to facilitate Indian spies enter Pakistan, an editorial in a Pakistani paper Saturday alleged, and urged that Indians jailed in the country be treated the same way.
12 killed in Iraq attacks
By DPA,
Baghdad : At least 12 people were killed and 23 injured Friday in separate attacks across Iraq that mainly targeted security forces, police said.
In the northern city of Mosul, six soldiers and one policeman were killed in a series of attacks that also left seven people injured.
One child was killed and three civilians injured when gunmen attacked a residential neighbourhood in Kirkuk, which lies 250 km north of Baghdad.
Malaysian PM vows to fight racism and extremism
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur : Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak has vowed to fight "racism and extremism" and appealed for public cooperation by being "calm and rational".
Relations with Obama ‘very good’: Karzai
By IANS,
Washington : Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai says his relations with his US counterpart Barack Obama are "very good" and the two are in regular contact.
Pakistan tax evaders owe Rs.100 bn to exchequer
By IANS,
Islamabad : Tax evaders in Pakistan owe a whopping Rs.100 billion to the national exchequer, officials said.
Differentiating between Islamic teachings, culture vital – scholar
By Nawab Khan, KUNA,
Bangladesh launches probe into Grameen Bank
By DPA,
Dhaka : Bangladeshi authorities have launched an investigation into the Nobel Peace Prize-winning micro-lender Grameen Bank, following allegations it diverted Norwegian aid money.
Hundreds of Iraqis protest corruption, poor services
By DPA,
Baghdad: Hundreds of Iraqis protested Tuesday against corruption, poor services and arbitrary arrests.
Iran opposition vows protests until leaders are freed
By DPA,
Berlin : The Iranian opposition said Monday that its protests would continue until the release of two of its main leaders, according to messages on its websites.
Kuwait government resigns to avoid parliament grilling
By DPA,
Cairo/Kuwait City : The Kuwait government resigned Thursday, the official news agency KUNA reported, after parliament filed an application to question three ministers.
800 bodies found in Iraq mass grave
By IANS,
Baghdad : A mass grave containing the remains of over 800 people, including women and children, has been found in western Iraq.
Yemen may witness signing of power transition plan Saturday
By IANS,
Moscow : A power transition plan between Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh and the opposition could be signed Saturday in the Saudi capital of Riyadh, Al Jazeera reported.
Saudi Arabia sets up anti-corruption body
By IANS,
Riyadh : The Saudi government has set up an anti-corruption body to deal with all forms of financial and administrative graft, state-run SPA news agency reported.
Pakistan ready to talk to militants: Gilani
By IANS,
Islamabad : Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has said the Pakistani government was ready to hold a dialogue with militants - if they surrender their weapons.
Pakistan air base put on high alert after terror tip-off
By IANS,
Rawalpindi : High alert was issued at Pakistan Air Force Chaklala air base following a warning from an intelligence agency that terrorists may target it, a media report said Thursday.
Mubarak’s daughters-in-law banned from leaving Egypt
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Cairo : Egypt's ministry of justice has imposed travel bans on two daughters-in-law of former president Hosni Mubarak, Al Ahram reported.
Pakistan assures better media environment
By IANS,
Islamabad : The Pakistan government has said it is committed to providing a better environment for promoting a vibrant media in the country.
Bangladesh lawmaker booked for graft
By IANS,
Dhaka : A corruption case has been filed against a lawmaker of the ruling Awami League.
ISAF commander meets Pakistan Army chief
By IANS,
Islamabad : General David H. Petreaus, commander of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), has met Pakistan Army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani in Rawalpindi.
Pakistan sets national anthem singing record
By IANS,
Islamabad : Nearly 6,000 people gathered in Pakistan's port city of Karachi to sing the national anthem and set a new world record, a media report said.
Pakistan hotel blast toll rises to 14
By IANS,
Islamabad : The toll in a bomb attack in a hotel in southwestern Pakistan's Balochistan province rose to 14, a media report said Monday.
Libya’s NTC fails to agree on interim government
By IANS,
Tripoli: Libya's National Transitional Council (NTC) has failed to reach an agreement on an interim government, as some members could not solve their differences, Xinhua reported.
Gaddafi kin leave Algeria for Egypt: Report
By IANS,
Cairo : Eight family members of ousted Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi have left Algeria for the Egyptian capital Cairo, a media report said Monday.
Beijing increases investment in China-Pakistan railway
By IANS,
Islamabad : Beijing has hiked investment in the China-Pakistan railway, it was reported here.
Two fined in Islamabad for littering
By IANS,
Islamabad : A man was fined here for throwing a used tissue paper while another was fined for dropping a disposal plate from a car under an anti-littering law in this Pakistani capital.
Pakistani minister took 10.12 decisions per meeting
By IANS,
Islamabad : It perhaps can't get more precise than this. A Pakistani minister took exactly 10.12 decision per meeting while his predecessor took 8.96 decisions per meeting.
Zardari’s condition stable: Doctor
By IANS,
Islamabad : Asif Ali Zardari, who was undergoing medical tests in a Dubai hospital, was in a "stable" condition, said the president's physician.
Last US troops out of Iraq
By IANS,
Kuwait City: The last batch of US combat forces in Iraq crossed into neighbouring Kuwait Sunday, ending its nearly nine-year presence in the country.
Iran invites IAEA inspectors to visit n-sites
By IANS,
Tehran : Iran has invited inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to visit nuclear establishments in the country, an official said.
UAE armed forces release book on role in Afghanistan
By ANS/WAM,
Abu Dhabi: The armed forces of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have released a book on its role in providing security, stability and humanitarian aid in war-torn Afghanistan.
Some want to delay senate polls: Gilani
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has said that conspiracies are being hatched to delay the country's senate elections.
UN chief condemns Pakistan killings
By IANS,
United Nations : UN Secretary-General Ban Ki- moon has strongly condemned an attack in Pakistan in which at least 18 people were killed and eight others were injured.
Five killed as blast hits van in Pakistan
By IANS,
Islamabad : Five people died in northwest Pakistan Monday when their van hit a roadside bomb.
Iran busts terror cell linked to Israel
By IANS,
Tehran : Iran Tuesday said it has busted a terrorist cell linked to Israel and arrested a number of its members.
Pakistan, US to hold talks on new terms of engagement
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan will hold talks with the US on "new terms of engagements", the foreign ministry said Tuesday.
NATO trucks caused Rs.100 bn damage to roads: Pakistan
By IANS,
Islamabad : Heavy NATO containers, trundling through Pakistan to Afghanistan, caused Rs.100 billion worth of damage to the country's roads, said a minister.
Obama concerned about Yemen
By IANS,
Washington : US President Barack Obama has said he was concerned about the terrorism threat stemming from Yemen, after a deadly suicide bombing there killed at least 90 soldiers.
Israel may resolve Middle East crisis unilaterally: Minister
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Tel Aviv : Israel may take up "unilateral actions" if the Palestinian-Israeli peace talks do not move ahead, Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak said.
US plane turns back as passenger screams ‘jihad’
Washington: A United Airlines flight from Washington to Denver, with 39 people on board, turned back when a passenger ran towards the cockpit shouting...
Geelani’s no to Eid party an affront to Pakistan: Daily
Islamabad: Hardline Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani's refusal to attend an Eid Milan party hosted by the Pakistan High Commission in India is...
Bomb kills 2 US-led coalition members in Afghanistan
By SPA
Kabul, Afghanistan : A roadside bomb killed two U.S.-led coalition soldiers in eastern Afghanistan, while a suicide bomber on a motorcycle attacked a border police patrol in the south, killing a policeman, officials said.
Clashes and another roadside bomb left nine people dead elsewhere in the country, the Associated Press reported.
Heavy snowfall kills 20 in Afghanistan
By KUNA
Kabul : At least 20 people were killed and scores of houses were damaged, while roads connecting remote districts and villages with cities were cut off due to heavy snowfall in many parts of Afghanistan.
According to officials in the Afghanistan Red Crescent Society (ARCS), eight members of a family were killed in the western province of Herat when the roof of their house collapsed under weight of the snow.
The majority of Afghans, living in areas other than big cities like Kabul, Mazar, Herat, Kandahar or Jalalabad, live in mud houses.
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.
Bomb in Pakistan’s Lahore kills at least 20
By Xinhua
Islamabad : A suicide bomb blasted in eastern Pakistan on Thursday, killing 20 people, mostly police officers, local TV channel DAWN NEWS reported.
The blast occurred near Lahore High Court in Punjab province also wounded 57 others, mostly police officers, in the city's main commercial district, said the report, quoting a local police officer.
Islamabad : A suicide bomb blasted in eastern Pakistan on Thursday, killing 20 people, mostly police officers, local TV channel DAWN NEWS reported.
The blast occurred near Lahore High Court in Punjab province also wounded 57 others, mostly police officers, in the city's main commercial district, said the report, quoting a local police officer.
US air strikes hit 40 targets south of Baghdad
By SPA
Baghdad : U.S. warplanes dropped 40,000 pounds of bombs on more than 40 targets on Baghdad's southern outskirts on Thursday in a major strike on al Qaeda targets, Reuters quoted the military as saying in a statement.
The U.S. Air Force dispatched two B-1 bombers and four F-16 fighter jets, aiming at three large target areas in Arab Jabour.
Talibani seeks strengthening of Iraq’s relation with EU countries
By NNN-KUNA
Baghdad : Iraqi president Jalal Talabani Friday underscored the need for Iraq to strengthen relations with EU countries at all levels in order to serve the common interests between the two sides and support the process of development and prosperity throughout the Middle East region.
Bush courts Saudi allies after warning Iran
RIYADH (AFP) - US President George W. Bush began a visit to close ally Saudi Arabia on Monday to rally support from the regional economic and political powerhouse for his campaign to isolate archfoe Iran.
Pak. minister condemns Karachi blast, urges for national unity
By IRNA
Islamabad : Interior Minister Lt. General (rtd) Hamid Nawaz while strongly condemning the Karachi bomb blast Monday said that entire nation should stand united against terrorists who are engage in killing the innocent people.
Talking to local media, the Minister said that terrorists are very small in number but they have taken the entire nation as hostage.
These people negate all the civilized values including the will of majority and it comply on all the members of society to help and assist the law enforcing agencies in tackling the menace.
Bush offers Saudi Arabia $20 bn worth high-tech arms
By DPA
Riyadh : US President George W. Bush offered Saudi Arabia an arms deal estimated to be worth $20 billion during his talks in Riyadh Tuesday but complained about spiralling oil prices.
Bush flew into the Saudi capital Monday for a two-day stay in the Islamic monarchy, the US's number one friend in the Gulf.
US media reports said an agreement on new US arms sales to Saudi Arabia would be announced during the visit.
Kuwait seen offering vast opportunities to Malaysian businessmen
By Ahmad Farizal Hajat, NNN-Bernama
Kuwait City : Malaysian International Trade and Industry Minister Rafidah Aziz has called on Malaysian firms to diversify their exports to Kuwait to meet the requirements of the booming local economy.
"There is much potential to increase two-way trade between malaysia and Kuwait," Rafidah said in a keynote address at a seminar on "Malaysia-Kuwait Business Opportunities" here Tuesday.
Palestinian gov’t blames world community for Israeli offensive
By Xinhua
Ramallah : The Palestinian government led by Salam Fayyad blamed the international community on Wednesday for bloodily Israeli raids in the Palestinian territories.
"We can't exempt the international community from its responsibilities in any way," said Information Minister Riyadh al-Maliki.
Ramallah : The Palestinian government led by Salam Fayyad blamed the international community on Wednesday for bloodily Israeli raids in the Palestinian territories.
"We can't exempt the international community from its responsibilities in any way," said Information Minister Riyadh al-Maliki.
German FM to discuss Syrian role in promoting ME peace process: official
By IRNA
Berlin : German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier will hold talks with his Syrian counterpart Walid Muallem in Berlin on Thursday, a German official announced here Wednesday.
Speaking to media representatives, German Foreign Ministry spokesperson Martin Jaeger said the meeting would focus on 'Syria's contribution in a comprehensive peace solution' in the Middle East.
Jaeger reiterated that a peace settlement in the volatile Mideast region was 'not possible without Syria's participation'.
“French Reporters” urges clarification of Pakistani cyber law
By KUNA
Paris : Press freedom organization, Reporters Without Borders (RSF), on Wednesday expressed concern about a new law in Pakistan governing press activity, including the use of photos and video on blogs.
The new law "will pose serious obstacles" to "citizen journalism," the French organization said, calling on Pakistani authorities to "clarify the definition of some of its provisions".
Syria urged to take constructive role in Mideast peace process
By Xinhua
Berlin : German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Thursday urged Syria to play a constructive role in the Middle East peace process and stressed that Syria has to use its influence in Lebanon to solve the political crisis.
Steinmeier made the remarks after meeting with visiting Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem.
According to a news release on the website of the German Foreign Ministry, Steinmeier told a news conference that Syria can satisfy its own interests by actively participating in the Middle East peace process.
Teen held in Bhutto murder plot
By IANS
Islamabad : A teenaged boy arrested Friday has told investigators that he was the next in line to kill former prime minister Benazir Bhutto if the Dec 27 attempt had failed, a media report Sunday said.
"He appears to be part of the group that had planned the assassination, but not directly involved in it," Dawn quoted an official in Peshawar as saying.