Arabs hold emergency meeting on Israeli strikes on Gaza
By Xinhua
Cairo : An emergency meeting of the Arab League (AL) Council started here on Monday to discuss the continued Israeli raids and siege on the Gaza Strip, the Egyptian official MENA news agency reported.
The meeting at the level of permanent delegates was presided by the Algerian ambassador to the AL Abdel Qader Hajjar and attended by AL Secretary General Amr Moussa, said the report.
Arab League to address Gaza crisis Monday
By RIA Novosti
Cairo : The Arab League plans to discuss the spiraling crisis in the Gaza Strip at an emergency session in Cairo, Egypt, on Monday, a senior official in the 22-nation regional organization said.
Ahmed Ben Helli said Arab diplomats, Secretary General Amr Mousa and Palestinian National Authority (PNA) officials will gather to discuss diplomatic measures to counter what he called Israeli aggression against the Palestinian enclave.
"The Secretariat of the Arab League is preparing a detailed report on the situation in Gaza," Ben Helli said.
London top western centre for Islamic finance – report
By IRNA
London : International Financial Services London (IFSL) Monday promoted the British capital as the best Western centre for Islamic finance.
"As the global market for Islamic financial services has grown three fold over the past decade to Dlrs 531 billion in 2006, so London is setting out its stall to be the key western centre for Islamic finance," the IFSL said.
Four people killed, 30 injured in road accident in Bangladesh
By NNN-Xinhua
Dhaka : Four people were killed and 30 injured in a head-on collision between two buses in Dhamrai, about 60 km south of Bangladesh's capital Dhaka, Tuesday noon.
Police and witnesses were quoted by private news agency UNB as saying, the two buses collided in a fatal accident at about 12 p.m. local time (0600 GMT), killing four passengers instantly.
The injured were admitted to different local hospitals.
Ailing in Gaza Face Death from Blockade
By Prensa Latina
Gaza : The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East denounced on Friday that ailing Palestinians are on the point of death because of the blockade Israel maintains over the Gaza Strip.
UNRWA spokeswoman Elena Mancusi Materi said Israeli siege of the Gaza Strip prevents Palestinians from receiving humanitarian relief, and warned of a possible crisis due to a lack of fuel.
Pakistani PM inaugurates PAFIS
By SPA
Islamabad : Caretaker Prime Minister Mohammadmian Soomro has inaugurated Pakistan Automated Fingerprint Identification System (PAFIS) to provide a centralized database of fingerprints to help search for criminals and terrorists.
The system, having a central database at Islamabad, is hooked to remote stations in 52 districts of Pakistan and has access to 122,000 fingerprints of criminals, which is being upgraded to 440,000 prints, providing top-of-the-line biometric identification technology.
Iran receives seventh fuel shipment from Russia
By IANS
Tehran : The seventh nuclear fuel shipment from Russia for Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant arrived here Saturday morning, officials said.
The Iran Atomic Energy Production and Development Company, the main official body responsible for Islamic country's nuclear programme, announced the 11-tonne shipment has been forwarded to Bushehr nuclear power plant, which has been the focus of international attention over fears that Iran is developing nuclear weapons, IRNA news agency reported.
Pakistan army kills 25 pro-Taliban militants, recaptures key tunnel
By NNN-PTI
Islamabad : At least 25 pro-Taliban militants were killed Sunday as security forces backed by helicopter gunships and artillery took control of a strategic tunnel in northwestern Pakistan that had been occupied by the extremists.
Militants Saturday occupied the Japanese-built Kohat tunnel near Darra Adam Khel town after security forces launched a major operation in the area to trace four trucks carrying ammunition that had been hijacked by the rebels.
Spokesman: U.S. has not changed policy toward Iran
By Xinhua
Washington : The United States has not changed its policy toward Iran although its envoy was found sitting together with the Iranian foreign minister at an international panel, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said Wednesday.
Referring to reports that U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Zalmay Khalilzad sat beside Iranian Foreign Minister at a panel of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Saturday, McCormack said that Khalilzad's behavior was not authorized.
S.Korea”s next president vows to enhance ties with Mideast
By KUNA
Tokyo : South Korea's President-elect Lee Myung-bak promised Thursday to seek closer diplomatic ties with Middle Eastern nations through frequent summits with their leaders, Seoul's Yonhap News Agency reported.
Lee made the remarks while meeting with ambassadors from 13 Arab countries in his office, the news ageny said, citing his aide.
Bangladeshi militants beat up journalists
By IANS
Dhaka : Seven militants of the outlawed Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), sentenced to life imprisonment for carrying out bomb blasts, beat up journalists outside a court in Rajshahi in the country's west.
The militants started chanting religious slogans after the verdict was announced Thursday and attacked two journalists as they were being taken to jail.
Polish Ambassador hopes to strengthen economic relations with Kuwait
By NNN-KUNA
Kuwait : Polish Ambassador Janusz Szwedo said it was the scope of his mission to maintain the excellent political relations between his country and Kuwait, but also to strengthen economic ties.
In an interview with KUNA, the ambassador, who presented his credentials to His Highness the Amir of Kuwait on January 9, hoped that his tenure would further "the excellent relations that have existed between Poland and Kuwait since 1963."
Libya urges AU members to ratify common defence pact
By Xinhua
Addis Ababa : Libyan leader Muammar Ghadaffi has urged all the members of the African Union (AU) to ratify a continental common defence pact, in order to create a "machinery" that could quickly respond to regional crisis.
Barak announces intention to remain in gov’t
By Xinhua
Jerusalem : Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak Sunday announced his intention to remain in the government despite a "harsh" final report on the Lebanon War in 2006, incurring criticism from the opposition as well as members of his own party, local media reported on their websites.
10 people killed in raids by foreign, Afghan troops
By SPA
Kandahar, Afghanistan : Afghan and foreign forces conducted separate raids on the homes of suspected Taliban militants on Monday, leaving 10 people dead, including women and children, police said.
In western Farah province, troops attacked the home of suspected Taliban member Mullah Manan, killing nine people, including two women and two children, said district police chief Khan Agha.
He said the troops acted on intelligence indicating that insurgents were meeting at his house.
Manan escaped the attack.
Arab League chief returns to Lebanon on Friday
By NNN-KUNA
Beirut : Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa returns to Lebanon on Friday ahead of the parliament session to elect a new president next Monday.
Moussa informed Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri Monday of his upcoming visit to resume efforts to enact the Arab initiative to solve the Lebanese presidential standoff, Berri's office said.
Berri has set Monday (Feb 11) as the next parliament session to elect the president.
Occupiers Kill Afghan Civilians
By Prensa Latina
Kabul : The occupying forces' air raid against a house in the Afghan province of Farah killed seven members of a family, reported the police in the capital on Monday.
The bombing occurred on Sunday in Bakwa district where a woman, two children and four men died, told the media general Khialbaz Sherzai, police's chief in Farah, at the southeast of the Afghan territory.
Spokesmen from the NATO and United States' commands reported lack of immediate information over the air raid and the civilian Afghan victims.
Israeli- Palestinian conflicts mount in Gaza
By Xinhua
Gaza : Several Gaza militant groups resumed their attacks on Israel by rockets and mortar shells on Wednesday, one day after Israel struck a Hamas-police base in southern Gaza Strip, which killed eight people.
In retaliation to the killing of eight Hamas-police men in Gaza, Hamas armed wing, al-Qassam Brigades, launched a series of attacks on Israeli communities and towns near the Gaza Strip, the group said in leaflets.
League of Arab States hold meeting with U.N. Chief on Gaza
By SPA
United Nations : The league of Arab states on Tuesday held a closed-door meeting with United Nations (U.N.) Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon on the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.
Saudi Press Agency (SPA) obtained an exclusive copy of the Arab States’ talking points for the meeting which reflected the Arab group’s appreciation for Moon’s commitment to the ongoing Middle East peace process, but gave specific mention to the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
Under Secretary of Interior Ministry receives UN Official
By SPA
Riyadh : On behalf of Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz, the Interior Minister, the Under Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, Dr. Ahmed bin Mohammed Al-Salem received here yesterday the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women, Yakin Ertürk and the accompanying delegation who are currently visiting the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
During the meeting, they discussed all matters relating to women's rights and their role as active members in the community.
Lack of fuel causes 30% power shortfall in Gaza
By Xinhua
Gaza : Israel's restriction policy over the fuel shipments to the Gaza Strip caused a power shortage of 30 percent in the poor enclave, a Palestinian official said Sunday.
Kan'an Obaid, deputy director of Palestinian Energy Authority, also slammed Israel for its reduction of power supply, saying it "would double the suffering of the (Gazan) residents who are already in hardship."
Capture of Dadullah is a great achievment, says Pakistani Interior Minister
By SPA
Islamabad : Interior Minister Lt-Gen (retd) Hamid Nawaz says the capture of Taliban leader Mansoor Dadullah is a great achievement as it will help control the terrorism to a large extent.
Dadullah along with his four accomplices was arrested by Pakistan s security forces in a full-fledged crackdown near Chaman in Balochistan province.
The interior minister told the reporters that the foreign observers will be allowed freedom of movement during the Feb 18 parliamentary elections for monitoring of polls.
Pakistan launches operation in Waziristan to find missing diplomat
By KUNA
Islamabad : Security forces have launched an operation to find a missing diplomat, feared to have been kidnapped by suspected militants near the Pakistan-Afghan border.
Police and security forces were jointly conducting a search operation in Khyber tribal agency and the adjoining northern areas, security officials told KUNA.
Tariq Aziz-u-Din, Pakistan's ambassador to Afghanistan, went missing on Monday while on his way to Kabul along with his driver and two bodyguards. Officials in Islamabad have confirmed he was missing but avoided the word kidnap.
No trace yet of abducted Pakistani envoy
By DPA
Islamabad : Pakistani security forces resumed searching for a third day Wednesday for the country's ambassador to Afghanistan who disappeared in Pakistan's restive northwest tribal region where Taliban militants have become increasingly active.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammed Sadiq said there were no new leads into the whereabouts of Ambassador Tariq Azizuddin, who vanished along with his driver and bodyguard Monday morning.
"There's nothing new. The search is on," Sadiq said.
Stronger Iran-Syria cooperation to serve regional peace – Assad
By NNN-IRNA
Damascus : Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has said here that stronger Iran-Syria cooperation would benefit regional stability, calm and peace.
Assad told visiting Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki Thursday that any consultation between Tehran and Damascus under the present juncture is of special sensitivity.
"Consultations between Damascus and Tehran within the framework of sensitive regional conditions will be in line with bilateral, regional and international interests," said Assad.
Pakistani army chief satisfied with army deployment for polls
By Xinhua
Islamabad : The Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan, General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani on Friday expressed satisfaction over the pace and manner of army's deployment to maintain law and order for the forthcoming general elections, strictly in accordance with the dictates of the constitution.
Presiding at a high-level meeting in General Headquarters in Rawalpindi, which undertook a detailed overview of the army's deployment, Kayani reiterated the necessity and importance of holding peaceful elections.
Two Palestinian missiles launched at Sderot
By KUNA
Gaza : Two missiles were launched Saturday morning from northern Gaza at the southern Israeli region of Negev, according to an Israeli Army spokesman.
The spokesman told Radio Israel that the missiles fell over an open area near Sderot town.
No injuries or damages were reported, he claimed.
Syria denies probing Hezbollah commander’s killing
By Xinhua
Damascus : Syria has denied media reports on the formation of a joint committee with Iran and Hezbollah to investigate the assassination of Hezbollah commander Imad Moughniyah, the official SANA news agency reported.
The news agency quoted an official saying that such reports are baseless. Only the Syrian authorities are conducting the investigation into the assassination, it said.
Explosion in southern Afghanistan kills dozens
By DPA
Kabul : An explosion rocked Kandahar city in southern Afghanistan Sunday, leaving scores dead and wounded, a government spokesman said. However, a witness said it was a suicide attack and more than 50 people were killed.
"There was an explosion in Kandahar city at 10:00 a.m., that killed dozens and wounded dozens more," Interior Ministry spokesman Zemarai Bashary said. "We can't give an exact number, but the number is very high."
A witness in Kandahar said that it was a suicide attack that killed more than 50 people including a former commander.
Israeli PM downplays possibility of peace deal with Palestinians this year
By Xinhua
Jerusalem : Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert pledged on Sunday that he would make every effort to reach a peace agreement with the Palestinians this year, but insisted reaching understandings on the basic principles is the most possible goal.
Speaking in Jerusalem at a gathering of the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations, Olmert said that one possibility of a peace deal is a declaration of principles for a Palestinian statehood.
Pakistan People’s Party leading in elections
By IRNA
Islamabad : Pakistan People's Party of the late prime minister Benazir Bhutto is leading in the parliamentary elections, initial unofficial results indicated on Tuesday.
Elections were held on 268 of the total 272 general seats of National Assembly, lower house of the parliament, on Monday.
The national assembly has the strength of 342 seats.
Polls were cancelled in four constituencies due to security problems and death of the candidates.
The PPP has secured 85 National Assembly seats in the 232 announced so far, according to Geo television.
Haneya calls on Arab League to help Gazans under siege
By Xinhua
Gaza : Hamas leader and prime minister of the deposed Palestinian coalition government Ismail Haneya on Tuesday urged the Arab League (AL) to aid residents of Gaza Strip who face Israeli military pressure and blockade.
Haneya's appeal was made in a message he sent to the (AL) Secretary-General Amr Moussa about "the daily crimes that the occupation forces commit and the unjust siege that the Palestinian people suffer from."
Haneya's message questioned the AL stance regarding the Israeli siege on the Hamas-ruled Gaza.
Iraq’s historic sites threatened by military camps
By DPA
Baghdad : An Iraqi minister criticised US-led multinational troops for continuing to set up military camps on historic sites in Iraqi cities, a newspaper reported Tuesday.
"Foreign military troops have been taken out of a position in Babylon but their presence in it and other sites in Samarra and Nasiriyah has caused big damages," the Minister of Antiquities and Tourism Mohammed Abbas told the al-Mada newspaper.
The ministry has made a few appeals for clearing the sites of all troops.
Saudi FM calls for more cooperation to find just peace in the Middle East
By NNN-KUNA
Buenos Aires : Saudi Foreign Minister Saud Al-Faisal has called on the Arab and South American regions to double their efforts to find comprehensive peace in the Middle East based on international legitimacy.
In his country's capacity as the current president of the Arab Summit, Al-Faisal told the Arab and South American foreign ministers at their opening meetings Wednesday that the Arabs have been keen on attending all efforts towards peace between Israel and the Palestinians starting from the Madrid peace conference to the Annapolis meeting.
Pakistan: poll proves country wants country wants reinstatement of judges says Chaudhry
By NNN-PTI
Islamabad : Pakistan's sacked Supreme Court Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has said the election results proved that the country wanted the reinstatement of the deposed judges, an issue which is top on the agenda of former premier Nawaz Sharif's PML-N.
Amidst reports that he would soon be freed from house arrest, Chaudhry has vowed to march to his office to resume his duties as soon as he is released.
Iran, Iraq emphasize on need to restore brder posts
By NNN-IRNA
Tehran : The deputy foreign ministers of Iran and Iraq have signed a border agreement to restore the posts at the two countries' shared land and water international borders, including those in Arvand River.
According to IRNA Political Desk reporter, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister (Arab World and African Affairs) Mohammad-Reza Baqeri said at the ceremony held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs here Wednesday to sign the agreement in the presence of Iraq's Deputy Foreign Minister (Legal Affairs) Muhammad al-Haaj Hammoud that bilateral ties are friendly.
New draft on Iran sanctions presented to UNSC
By Xinhua
United Nations : France, Britain and Germany formally introduced to the UN Security Council Thursday a draft resolution that calls for further sanctions against Iran over its refusal to suspend sensitive nuclear enrichment activities.
The draft is based on the elements agreed last month by foreign ministers of the six nations -- Germany, France, Britain, China, Russia and the United States, said Britain's UN Ambassador John Sawers after attending a council meeting.
Afghan Blast Kills British Soldier
By Prensa Latina
Kabul : One British soldier died and another was wounded when their vehicle activated a roadside bomb in Helmand, north of Sangin, south Afghanistan.
Military sources said in Kabul the soldiers belonged to the International Security Assistance Forces led by NATO. The ISAF report omits details on another soldier dead and a second wounded.
This fatality raised to 89 the amount of itish killed since the beginning of the US-led invasion out of the 7,800 British soldiers deployed, mostly in Helmand.
Iran demands US apology over nuclear issue
By Xinhua
Tehran : Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has demanded an apology from the US and its allies for groundlessly condemning its supposed nuclear ambitions and to "compensate for their mistakes".
Ahmadinejad said in a televised address to the nation Saturday that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report vindicated Iran's position over the nuclear issue and the best way for the US and its allies to "compensate for their mistakes" is to "apologize and pay compensation".
Gazans to demonstrate on Monday against siege
By Xinhua
Gaza : The Palestinian Popular Committee against Siege Sunday called on Gaza Strip residents to organize a large demonstration on Monday against an 8-month Israeli siege.
The committee, headed by Jamal al-Khodari, an independent lawmaker supported by Hamas, had started a series of peaceful activities on Saturday to urge the world to exert pressure on Israel to end the siege on the coastal enclave.
Hamas says ready to hold talks with Abbas without prior conditions
By Xinhua
Gaza : The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) Sunday said it is completely ready to deal with any Arab mediation to hold a dialogue with President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah movement if no prior conditions were set.
Sami Abu Zuhri, Hamas spokesman in Gaza, made the remarks in response to a Yemeni initiative aiming to bridge the gaps between the two rival movements and bring them back to the negotiating table.
77 Kurdish rebels killed in northern Iraq
By Xinhua
Ankara : At least 77 Kurdish separatists were killed on the sixth day of cross-border operations in the north of Iraq, Turkish army said Wednesday.
In a statement posted on its website, the General Staff of Turkish Army said that Tuesday's clashes have killed 77 fighters of outlawed Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK), bringing the guerrilla death toll to 230 since the beginning of the operations.
The General Staff said that the Turkish Army encountered several PKK groups and there were clashes in two different areas on the sixth day of the operation.
Hamas’ armed wing rules out ceasefire for the time being
By Xinhua
Gaza : The armed wing of Hamas on Thursday ruled out any ceasefire with Israel following a violence flare-up that left 18 Palestinians dead in Gaza Strip.
"We can't hold any calmness deal with the Israeli occupation in the shadow of these massacres and crimes," said Abu Obaida, a spokesman for Ezz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades of Hamas.
"Killing our activists proves the occupation is not interested in any sort of calmness and it doesn't respect any mediation on reaching a deal," the spokesman added.
Former ruling party vowed to defend Musharraf
By SPA
Islamabad : The former ruling party, Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q) has vowed to defend and protect President Pervez Musharraf against the onslaught launched by the parties that won the Feb 18 parliamentary elections.
Musharraf is an elected President, top PML-Q leader Chaudhry Pervez Elahi told the reporters.
He said that Musharraf and PML-Q leaders keep consulting each other on various issues.
Three civilians killed in Afghanistan blast
By DPA
Kabul : Three people including a woman were killed and five wounded when their vehicle was blown up by a remote-controlled device in southeastern Afghanistan, the police said Saturday.
The victims, members of the same family, were travelling Saturday morning in Alisher district of Khost province when their tractor was blown up, said Mohammad Ayoub, provincial police chief.
Ahmadinejad says his trip to Iraq not against any country
By IRNA
Tehran : President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said his upcoming visit to Iraq is not against any third country rather it can benefit all.
Speaking in an interview with Iranian television, the president said, "If there is peace and brotherhood but not occupation in Iraq, and all respect the territorial integrity of that country, then, this (my trip) will benefit everybody."
President Ahmadinejad will start an official visit to Iraq on Sunday.
At least forty persons were killed in Pakistan
By SPA
Islamabad : At least forty persons were killed when a suicide bomber struck a gathering of tribal elders (Jirga) in Pakistan s tribal areas Sunday, police said.
More than thirty-five persons were wounded in the attack in village Zarghon of Darra Adamkhel where notables from five tribal clans had gathered. The suicide bomber attacked when the assembly had ended.
The injured persons were removed to hospitals in Peshawar and Kohat.
Participants of seminar on Sunnah condemn re-publishing caricatures of Prophet Mohammed
By SPA
Riyadh : The participants of the seminar on the translation of the Prophet's Sunnah and Biography, have strongly condemned re-publication of caricatures of Prophet Mohammed, peace be upon him, by the Danish newspapers.
In a statement, issued here yesterday, they made it clear that re-publishing the caricatures runs counter to the teachings of the heavenly religions and the international treaties.
UN Security Council President Says Joint Position on Gaza Historic
By SPA
United Nations : The United Nations Security Council’s joint position on violence between Israel and the Palestinians is “very important,” the council’s current head, Russian UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said Tuesday.
Churkin said “there are varying recollections” and people “with long memories” who cannot remember when the Security Council was able to reach a “united approach” on the situation in the Middle East.
London protests at conspiracy of silence over Israeli massacres
By IRNA
London : A protest demonstration was been held outside the British parliament Wednesday, calling for an immediate end to Israel's latest massacres in Gaza.
A picket was also gathering outside Prime Minister Gordon Brown's office, condemning the conspiracy of silence condoning the killing of more than 115 Palestinians, including a children and babies.
The emergency protests are being organized by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, the British Muslim Initiative (BMI) and the Palestinian Forum in Britain.
Turkish Parliament’s Speaker eulogises Benazir’s services
By APP
Islamabad : The Speaker of the Turkish Parliament, Koksal Toftan, in a condolence message to Jan Muhammad Khan Jamali, Acting Chairman Senate of Pakistan has expressed deep grief and sorrow over the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, former Prime Minister.
Strongly condemning the heinous attack, the Speaker of the Turkish Parliament assured that the Turkish Grand National Assembly, as well as the Turkish people will always stand by the brotherly people of Pakistan in their endeavours for democracy.
LPG sector attracts Rs.11 billion investment
By APP
Islamabad : The Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) sector has so far attracted an investment of Rs.11 billion as result of government’s prudent policies and efficient regulation. According to the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA), the investment is expected to increase substantially in future, with introduction of LPG in the automotive sector.
At the end of last financial year, there were 10 LPG producing companies and 60 LPG marketing companies operating in the country while 61 licenses for the construction of storage and filling facilities have been issued.
Palestinian who attacked Jewish institute worked in it — Israel Radio
By KUNA
Ramallah : The Palestinian gunman who carried out the deadly attack on a Jewish religious academy in West Jerusalem late on Thursday was identified on Friday as Alaa Abu Duhaim.
Abu Duhaim, 25, who was a resident of the district of Al-Mukabbar in the holy city, had worked as taxi driver at the religious institute where he opened fire at the students killing eight and wounding scores others, Israel Radio said.
UAE committed to relationship with Britain, says Abdullah
By WAM
Abu Dhabi : The United Arab Emirates is committed to its long-term friendship with Britain, but expects British companies to make more effort to develop their relationship with the country, according to Foreign Minister HH Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Palestinian negotiator: Israeli settlement plan impedes peace process
By Xinhua
Ramallah : Chief Palestinian negotiator Ahmed Qurei Tuesday said that the Israeli decision to build mor ehousing units near East Jerusalem was a hurdle on the road of peace process.
Speaking to reporters following his meeting with international Quartet for Middle East envoy Tony Blair, Qurei said that "Jewish settlements are unaccepted and illegal from the first stone to the last one."
Ending malaria in Africa vital to anti-terrorism fight: Bush
By DPA
Washington : US President George W. Bush told a gala dinner at the residence of Kuwait's ambassador to the US that the fight against malaria in Africa was part of the global war on terrorism.
Wednesday evening's dinner was sponsored by the Kuwait-America Foundation's Stand for Africa, where Bush paid tribute to a joint US-Kuwait effort to help end malaria in Africa.
Proceeds from the dinner are to be donated to the Malaria No More initiative, a New York-based non-profit organisation set up in 2006 at the first White House Summit on Malaria
OIC Summit has focused on decisive efforts
By IRNA
Dakar : The 57-member Organization of the Islamic Conference, the world's second largest body after the United Nations, is holding its 11th Summit in the Senegalese capital Dakar today and tomorrow.
At least 33 heads of state, and nearly 5,500 delegates representing member countries and international organizations have attended the summit.
Saudi Arabia, which has the OIC's headquarters, has highlighted the summit's significance and hopes it will strengthen Muslim unity.
Saudi Arabia, which has the OIC's headquarters, has highlighted the summit's significance and hopes it will strengthen Muslim unity.
Number of US troops killed in Iraq touches 4,000
Baghdad, March 24 (Xinhua) The US military said Monday a roadside bomb killed four servicemen Sunday night, pushing the total number of US soldiers killed in action in Iraq to 4,000, days after the fifth anniversary of the war.
The military said in a statement that the four died when their vehicle came under a roadside bombing attack in southern Baghdad. One soldier was injured in the incident.
The new casualty figure came to light amid heated debate in the US presidential election campaign on whether the troops should be pulled out soon.
UAE appoints the country’s first female judge
By Xinhua
Abu Dhabi : President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Wednesday appointed the country's first female judge, making it the second Gulf country to have a female judge after Bahrain, the official Emirates News Agency reported.
Turkey seeks free trade agreement with Gulf
By IANS
Abu Dhabi : Turkey is negotiating a free trade agreement with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and other Gulf states, WAM news agency reported Friday.
In an exclusive interview with the Dubai-based newspaper Khaleej Times, Turkish President Abdullah Gul said his country attached great importance to the security and stability of the region and called for dialogue rather than using force to resolve problems.
Egyptian minister heads for Arab summit in Syria
By Xinhua
Cairo : Egyptian Minister of Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Moufed Mahmoud Shehab on Friday left Cairofor Syria to attend the upcoming 20th Arab summit, the Egyptian MENA news agency reported.
Shehab will represent Egypt at the summit slated for Saturday and Sunday in Damascus, capital of Syria, which was expected to discuss the region's main crises, including the Lebanon situation and the Arab-Israeli conflict.
Israeli soldiers kill Hamas militant in Gaza
By Xinhua
Gaza : A militant of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) was shot dead early on Friday by Israeli troops' gunfire southeast of the Gaza Strip, Hamas sources and medics said. Hamas said in a leaflet sent to reporters that one of the movement's militants was killed in an exchange of fire with an Israeli army force east of al-Garara village in southern Gaza Strip.
UN chief condemns anti-Islam film
By IRNA
New York : UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has strongly condemned a controversial film on Islam made by a Dutch politician, calling it "offensively anti-Islamic".
Several Muslim countries have also condemned the film, a 15-minute polemic by the far-right MP Geert Wilder, which was posted online on Thursday.
Pakistan, Indonesia, Iran and Bangladesh were among those to protest.
The film sets verses from the Koran against a background of violent images from terror attacks.
Chinese delegation call on PPP leaders
By APP
Islamabad : China and Pakistan agreed on mutual consensus over exchange of trade, youth and cultural delegations to strengthen the brotherly relationship between the two countries and formulation of strategy particularly to counter terrorism.
It was proposed in the meeting held between the Chinese delegate headed by Liu Hung Cai of Communist Party of China and leaders of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) comprising Jhangir Badar, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Senator Raza Rabani, Nafeesa Shah and Ibn- Muhammad Rizvi here in People’s Secretariat.
New Zealand PM to attend NATO summit on Afghanistan
By NNN-Xinhua
Wellington : New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark will leave for Europe on Monday evening to attend the NATO summit on Afghanistan in the Romanian capital of Bucharest.
New Zealand is among 15 non-NATO contributors to the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) mission in Afghanistan invited to NATO's Enlarged Meeting on Afghanistan, which will be held on April 3. The ISAF operates under a United Nations mandate.
Rice says Israelis, Palestinians have joint responsibility
By Xinhua
Jerusalem : Visiting U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Sunday morning that the Israelis and the Palestinians have a joint responsibility to create an atmosphere and a reality in which the Palestinians are committed to Israel's security and Israel is committed to the Palestinians' quality of life.
Baghdad to lift curfew after Sadr’s ceasefire call
By Xinhua
Baghdad : The curfew imposed on Baghdad will be lifted Monday morning, Iraq's state TV said on Sunday.
The curfew will be over at 6 a.m. (0300 GMT) Monday morning, the al-Iraqiya TV station said, adding a traffic ban will continue in three Shiite neighborhoods controlled by followers of cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.
The curfew was announced Thursday night. It should have ended Sunday morning but was extended Saturday night.
The removal of the rule came after Sadr ordered his Mahdi Army to stand down on Sunday.
Pakistan’s Top General visits Jordan
By SPA
Islamabad : Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Chairman General Tariq Majid has left for Jordan on a five-day official visit to participate in a special operational conference and exhibition Sofex-2008, said an official statement.
He was seen off at Islamabad airport by Jordanian ambassador to Pakistan Dr Saleh Ahmed Al-Jawarneh and senior military officials.
During his visit to Jordan, General Majid will meet senior military and political hierarchy.
He will also visit the operational and training establishments of Jordan's armed forces.
Rice calls for Israel to halt settlement expansion
By SPA
Amman : U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice called on Monday for a halt to Israeli settlement building after Jerusalem municipality said it planned to build 600 new housing units.
"We continue to state America's position that settlement activity should stop, that its expansion should stop -- that is indeed not consistent with 'road map' obligations," Rice said at a press conference in Amman, Jordan with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, according to a report of Reuters.
Germany boosts financial aid for Iraqi refugees
By IRNA
Berlin : Germany's Foreign Ministry has increased its financial aid for millions of Iraqi refugees by 2.5 million euros, press reports said Wednesday.
The funds will be allocated to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to be used for refugees in Syria, Jordan and even those Iraqis who were displaced inside their own country.
Germany's total financial aid for Iraqi refugees stood at 3.7 million euros since the beginning of the year.
Several insurgents killed, 4 arrested in Coalition’s operation in S Afghanistan
By Xinhua
Kabul : A number of armed insurgents were killed and four other suspected were detained during a operation run by the U.S.-led Coalition forces to disrupt Taliban facilitation networks in southern Afghanistan's Helmand province, said a Coalition statement released here on Thursday.
Coalition forces on Tuesday performed a search of compounds in the Kajaki district, targeting a Taliban leader conducting weapons facilitation activities in the area as they engaged with several insurgents wielding AK-47s and possessing explosives, the statement said.
Israel removes 50 West Bank barriers easing Palestinian travel
By RIA Novosti
Tel Aviv : Israel has notified the U.S. and the Palestinian National Authority that it has removed 50 roadblocks to ease the movement for Palestinians in the West Bank, the Haaretz newspaper reported Thursday.
The removal of the barriers was part of a package of measures agreed Sunday at a meeting between U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, the Israeli defense minister, Ehud Barak, and Palestinian prime minister, Salam Fayyad.
Saudi King, Kuwait”s Amir discuss means of bolstering bilateral ties
By KUNA
Riyadh : Official talks were held on Saturday between the state of Kuwait and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia chaired by visiting Kuwait's Amir, Highness Sheikh Sabah al Ahmad al Jaber al Sabah and Custodian of the two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al Saud.
The two sides discussed the already strong bilateral relations at all levels.
They also discussed a number of regional and Arab issues of reciprocal interest.
Iranian students protest against Dutch lawmaker’s anti-Islamic film
By Xinhua
Tehran : More than 70 students of Tehran-based universities Saturday staged a rally outside the Dutch Embassy to protest against a controversial anti-Islamic film made by a Dutch lawmaker.
Chanting slogans such as "Dutch ambassador to Iran should be expelled," the students condemned the release of the film and called for the closure of Dutch companies including Shell and Phillips in Iran, the official IRNA news agency reported.
Pakistan, China relations being translated into deeper economic ties: Musharraf
By NNN-APP
Rawalpindi : President Pervez Musharraf said Pakistan and China enjoy a deep multifaceted relationship that was being translated into deeper trade and economic relations.
Talking to Chairman China Mobile Communication Corporation Wang Jianzhou here at President’s Camp Office on Saturday, the President welcomed company’s investment in Pakistan and appreciated the development projects undergoing in the country, with Chinese assistance.
Israeli soldier’s captors say Israel blocks prisoner exchange
By Xinhua
Gaza : Captors of an Israeli soldier in the Gaza Strip on Monday accused the Israeli government of blocking the negotiations on exchanging the soldier for Palestinian prisoners.
"The Israeli government delays the progress by rejecting the demands of the Palestinian resistance," said Abu Mujahed, a spokesman for the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC), a group which joined Hamas in kidnapping the soldier.
Toll of US soldiers killed in Baghdad Sunday reaches six
By KUNA
Baghdad : The US Army in Iraq said Monday an American soldier was killed Sunday, raising the day's death toll of US soldiers to six.
The army said in a press release that the soldier died when a bomb exploded near his vehicle in east Baghdad, witnessing fierce clashes between militias and Multi-National Forces (MNF).
The release did not reveal any more information about the incident.
UAE to compile date palm encyclopaedia
By IANS
Abu Dhabi : The United Arab Emirates (UAE) plans to compile an encyclopaedia on the date palm tree, WAM news agency reported Tuesday.
The research project was announced during the launch of the Khalifa International Date Palm award Monday at the Emirates Palace and is supported by the UAE government.
The date palm is considered an important symbol of the UAE's national identity and culture.
The encyclopaedia would have a wealth of information about the date palm tree and its important role in the UAE's history, a government official said while making the announcement.
Al-Assad meets Berri, renews Syria’s support for dialogue among Lebanese
By NNN-SANA
Damascus : President Bashar al-Assad has held discussions with Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament Nabih Berri the results of the recently held Damascus Arab Summit, and the Lebanese issues in particular.
Al-Assad reiterated Syria's support for dialogue among the Lebanese and national consensus as the only means to resolve the Lebanese crisis.
He expressed Syria's readiness to present all possible assistance requested by the Lebanese to achieve security and stability in Lebanon.
Iraq violence casts pall on key US Congress report
By AFP
Washington : US lawmakers Tuesday grilled the top US general in Iraq amid fierce fighting on the ground as Shiite radical leader Moqtada al-Sadr threatened to end a truce which had helped staunch the bloodshed.
Sadr's threat hung over the key hearing in the US Congress, as General David Petraeus urged troop withdrawals to be frozen for at least 45 days after July to allow military commanders to review security.
Government offers peace talks to rebels in Pakistan
By DPA
Islamabad : The new chief minister of Pakistan's restive south western Baluchistan province said Wednesday his government would hold peace talks with the armed nationalist rebels, who have waged a war against security forces for the last three years.
The Baluch rebels have been demanding a greater share of the province's oil and gas wealth and more autonomy for the region for many years.
One killed, 12 injured in Karachi violence
By Xinhua
Islamabad : One person was killed and 12 were injured when unidentified gunmen opened fire after violence erupted in the Pakistani port city of Karachi Wednesday, Dawn TV reported.
The violence broke out after two rival groups of lawyers clashed outside city court in Karachi, the private channel said.
TV footage showed that offices of lawyers, buses and a bank were set ablaze on the main and busy M. A. Jinnah Road in Karachi.
Incidents of firing were also reported in various parts of the city, and all markets in the city were closed after the violence broke out.
Middle East sees strong growth amid record oil prices
By DPA
Washington : Middle Eastern economies are growing stronger despite a global economic slowdown, thanks in large part to surging oil prices that are helping boost exports, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said Wednesday.
The Middle East is forecast to grow an average of 6.1 percent in both 2008 and 2009, up from 5.8 percent in the previous two years, according to the IMF's semi-annual World Economic Outlook report.
Explosion in Pakistan city kills 10, wounds over 20
By KUNA
Islamabad : At least ten persons were killed and more than twenty were wounded in an explosion on Wednesday in a Pakistani eastern city.
The explosion occurred in the Scrap market of Lahore city. Police said it was a gas cylinder explosion. Police sources told KUNA that the explosion was so huge that it completely destroyed several nearby shops.
They said at least ten persons were killed and more than twenty were wounded.
Pakistani forces retake control of Taliban’s center
By IRNA
Islamabad : Pakistani security forces retook a center of local Taliban in the country's scenic Swat valley early Thursday a day after the militants appeared in the area after months in hiding, officials said.
Taliban offered evening prayers and had also announced to offer Friday prayers at Imam Dheri, a small village, three kilometers from Mingora, the main city in the Valley.
The early morning operation by the troops forced the militants to leave their center and move to nearby mountains, locals said.
Sweden to host UN conference on Iraq
By NNN-Xinhua
Stockholm : Sweden will host an international conference on Iraq on May 29 in collaboration with Baghdad and the United Nations, Sweden's Foreign Minister Carl Bildt said here.
It will be the first follow-up meeting after the launch of the five-year International Compact with Iraq (ICI) peace and development plan in Egypt last May, Bildt said at a briefing.
The one-day conference would focus on "international support, reconciliation and state building" in Iraq, Bildt said, emphasizing that the meeting would not be a donors conference.
Arab FMs meet on Palestinian, Lebanese issues
By Xinhua
Cairo : Arab foreign ministers started an extraordinary meeting here on Sunday morning to discuss the Palestinian-Israeli peace negotiations as well as the Lebanese crisis.
The Arab foreign ministerial meeting held here at the headquarters of the Arab League was initiated at the request of Egypt and Saudi Arabia, the current Arab summit chairman.
Abbas, Olmert to meet Tuesday ahead of Bush’s visit
By Xinhua
Ramallah : Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will meet Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Tuesday ahead of U.S. President George W. Bush's Mideast tour, a Ramallah-based al-Ayyam daily reported Monday.
Ahead of the Abbas-Olmert summit, another meeting is expected to be held later on Monday between Israeli and Palestinian negotiation teams, Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat was quoted as saying.
Pakistan tightens security ahead of elections
By Xinhua
Lahore, Pakistan : Police and security forces were obviously on high alert in Pakistan's major cities on Friday, the first day of the sensitive month of Muharram on Islamic calendar and just one day after a deadly suicide attack in the eastern city of Lahore.
Several police officers were guarding outside the fence on the Mall Road in front of the High Court, the site of Thursday's suicide attack in the downtown area that killed about 20, mostly police officers on duty maintaining order at the gathering of some judges in a protest.
UAE expresses support to Lebanon to resolve Presidential crisis
By NNN-KUNA
Beirut : UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al-Nuhayyan expressed, in a phone call with Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora Friday, full support to a plan approved by Arab countries to resolve the presidential crisis in Lebanon.
Siniora received a phone call from Sheikh Khalifa and the latter affirmed the support of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to overcome all problems, a statement by the Prime Minister's office said.
Sheikh Khalifa expressed "the readiness of the UAE to help Lebanon in whatever it needs," said the statement.
Bangladesh polls by December
By DPA
Dhaka : The military backed interim government in Bangladesh declared Saturday that a general election will be held before the end of the current year to restore parliamentary rule in the country.
The announcement of the national polls was made by Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed during a televised address to the nation.
Ahmed, however, discounted prospects of advancing the polls to June/July as demanded by major political parties to tackle the uncertainty facing the country.
Iraqi high-ranking judge shot dead in Baghdad
By Xinhua
Baghdad : Gunmen assassinated an appeals court judge as he was heading to work in western Baghdad on Monday, an Interior Ministry source said.
"Unknown armed men in two cars gunned down Amir Jawdat al-Naieb, an appeals court judge and a member of the Iraqi Supreme Judicial Council, at about 8:30 a.m. (0530 GMT)," the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.
Naieb's driver was seriously injured by the attack, and died later while he was transported to a nearby hospital, the source added.
PLO left-wing parties boycott Hamas-led Damascus conference
By Xinhua
Gaza : Left-wing parties of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) announced on Monday that they decided to boycott a Hamas-led conference scheduled to be held in Syria's Damascus on Jan. 23.
Islamic Hamas movement, Islamic Jihad (Holy War) and other radical parties based in Syria agreed to hold a conference in Damascus on Jan. 23 to protest against what they called "the concessions on legitimate Palestinian principles."
EU expresses concern over violence in Gaza, condemns attack in Lebanon
By NNN-KUNA
Brussels : The European Union has expressed its deep concern over what it said was "the latest surge of violence in and near Gaza".
A statement issued Tuesday by the EU Presidency, held currently by Slovenia, called on all the parties to exercise utmost restraint and refrain from use of force.
The EU appealed for calm, "particularly in this time of renewed political process and encouraged Israel and the Palestinian Authority to pursue negotiations in accordance with the Annapolis joint understanding".
Saudi Arabia, US reiterate support for Arab peace plan in Lebanon
By NNN-KUNA
Riyadh : Saudi Arabia and the United States have reiterated their support for the Arab League peace plan for Lebanon and called for electing the candidate with the national consensus.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal and his US counterpart Condoleezza Rice condemned, in a joint press conference Tuesday, the blast which occurred in Beirut and targeted a US embassy vehicle driving along the northern seaside highway out of Beirut.
He said that the incident will have no effect on the Arab peace plan for Lebanon.
Iran’s trade grows despite US sanctions
By DPA
Washington : A US congressional watchdog agency raised questions Wednesday about the effectiveness of two decades of US economic sanctions against Iran and urged a thorough review of the source of Iran's booming foreign trade.
The Government Accountability Office (GAO), the investigative and auditing arm of Congress, noted in the report posted online that Iran's overall trade with the world has risen seven to nine percent a year since 1987.
Sri Lankan Trade Minister invites direct contact from Pakistan
By NNN-APP
Colombo : Direct discussions and negotiations is the best way to increase trade turnover between Sri Lanka and Pakistan, says Bandula Gunawardhana, Lankan Minister of Trade, Marketing Development, Cooperatives and Consumer Services.
In an interview with APP, Gunawardhana invited Pakistani traders to directly deal with the ministry’s newly constituted importing arm, the State Trading Cooperative Wholesale Corporation (STCWC).
Bad reviews for Bush in the Mideast
By IRNA
New York : The disparaging of President Bush's eight-day tour of the Middle East by America's staunchest opponents in the region was hardly unexpected, The TIME magazine said.
"Iran's foreign minister claimed it was designed to give Israel a green light 'to perpetrate new crimes' against Palestinians.
Lebanon's most senior Shi'ite cleric accused Bush of 'war crimes.' A prominent jihadist web site called the President 'this criminal, butcher and murderer of our blood.'"
UN ranking official urges Israel to reopen Gaza crossings
By Xinhua
United Nations : U.N. Undersecretary-General John Holmes on Friday urged Israel to reopen border crossings with the Gaza Strip to prevent a deterioration of the already dire humanitarian situation there.
"I'm deeply concerned by the closure this morning by Israel of all crossing points between Gaza and Israel, because they are the lifeline for the delivery of humanitarian assistance and other goods to Gaza," Holmes, who's in charge of humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordination, told a press conference.
At least 22 killed in Iraq violence
By DPA
Baghdad : At least 22 people were killed in acts of violence in Iraq, including gunmen from the Al Qaeda terrorist network, while at least 90 terrorist suspects were rounded up in raids by US and Iraqi forces across the country, Iraqi and US officials said Sunday.
The Iraqi military killed 14 gunmen and rounded up 60 suspects in raids across the country over the last 24 hours, the military said in a statement carried by the Voices of Iraq (VOI) news agency on Sunday.
Arab League to hold emergency meeting on Israeli raids in Gaza
By Xinhua
Cairo : The Arab League (AL) Council will hold an emergency meeting on Jan. 21 on the ongoing Israeli military actions in the Palestinian territories which caused dozens of Palestinian deaths, a senior official of the Cairo-based Arab bloc said on Sunday.
The meeting at the level of permanent delegates will be taking place at the joint request of the AL and the Palestinian National Authority, AL Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs Ahmed ben Heli was quoted by the Egyptian MENA news agency assaying.
Musharraf vows to respect election result
By Xinhua
Brussels : Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf on Monday promised his administration would respect the result of the forthcoming parliamentary elections.
"Whoever wins, obviously power will be handed over," he told reporters and business leaders at a breakfast event in Brussels, where he began his four-nation visit to Europe.
"There is no question at all that we would deny forming a government to whichever party forms a majority," he added.
Italy to help establish human rights commission of Pakistan
By NNN-APP
Islamabad : The government of Italy will assist Pakistan in establishing the Human Rights Commission, which is in its nascent stages, to effectively address issues related to human rights.
The assurance was given by Italian ambassador Roberto Mazzotta who called on Caretaker Minister for Human Rights Ansar Burney here Monday.
The ambassador informed him that a human rights commission has already been working in Italy since long and Pakistan can benefit from its valuable experience.
Iran calls new Security Council resolution a “mistake”
TEHRAN, January 23 (RIA Novosti) - Iran's president has said the new nuclear program resolution agreed on Tuesday by the five permanent UN Security Council members and Germany is a mistake, national TV said on Wednesday.
"Our position is crystal clear. As we have stated before, from our point of view, Iran's nuclear problem is over, but they have made the same mistake again...an ineffective resolution," Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was quoted as saying.
UNSC urged to let IAEA release technical views on Iran case
Tehran, Jan 25, IRNA ,Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said on Thursday that the time has come for the UN Security Council to revise its former policies and let the IAEA inform the world of its technical views free from certain powers' pressure.
Red Cross says at least 4 killed in Beirut explosion
By Xinhua
Beirut : Lebanese Red Cross Committee announced that at least four people were killed and 20 others injured in a powerful explosion in a Christian neighborhood in Beirut on Friday, the official National News Agency reported.
The blast, which occurred at around 10 a.m. (0800 GMT), targeted a military vehicle in the Chevrolet neighborhood northeast of Beirut.
Car bomb hit Algerian town killing at least 3
By Xinhua
Algiers : At least three people were killed when a car bomb exploded in an Algerian town on Tuesday, officials said.
The explosion in Thenia, some 55 km east of the country's capital Algiers, also injured several others, the officials said.
Training cut for Afghan-bound recruits
By KUNA
London : Nearly 1,000 new British Army recruits could have their combat training halved to meet a shortage of troops available to deploy to Afghanistan, it was reported here Thursday.
Under plans being considered by the Army, some newly-enlisted soldiers would spend just 14 weeks on a combat infantry course instead of the normal 26-28 weeks, according to The Times newspaper.
The move has been proposed because all of the battalions due to replace 52 Brigade in Afghanistan next year are currently at least 100 soldiers below required strength, the paper said.
Israel welcomes Hamas plans to cut economic ties with Gaza
By KUNA
Gaza : Israel welcomed Sunday news that Hamas intends to sever Gaza Strip's economic ties with the Hebrew state, saying that the decision would be in the state's interest.
According to daily Yediot Ahronot, Israeli Army sources said the reports which indicated that Hamas was seriously considering possibility of cutting economic ties with Gaza were received favorably.
Pakistani traders under attack in South African township
By Fakir Hassen, IANS
Kroonstad (South Africa) : There was tension in the township of Maokeng in South Africa after the mainly black residents went on the rampage against Pakistani shopkeepers in the area following alleged sexual remarks to some local girls by a Pakistani trader.
Twenty residents were detained and police reinforcements sent in as locals looted and burnt shops owned by Pakistani and Bangladeshi nationals, many of whom have settled in South African black townships in recent years.
Iranian experts produce airplane fule from kerosene
By NNN-IRNA
Shahr-E-Ray : Managing director of Tehran Oil Refinery Company said here Wednesday the company's experts succeeded for the first time to design a system to de-mercaptan kerosene.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday afternoon, Shahabeddin Motaji said, "The design is considered as a universal innovation, adding, "This system can turn kerosene into airplane fuel."
US says it views Scotland Yard probe as credible
WASHINGTON, Feb 8 (APP): The United States on Friday said it views Scotland Yard’s probe into assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto as credible investigation by independent outside experts.
“Certainly, I understand that this is an emotional issue both for members of her family as well as many people in Pakistan who supported Benazir Bhutto. In terms of the investigation itself by Scotland Yard, we view this as a credible investigation by independent outside experts.
Palestinian negotiator calls for ceasefire to save Gaza
By Xinhua
Ramallah : Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat Tuesday called for a ceasefire with Israel to prevent a disaster in the Gaza Strip which is suffering from lack of food and medicine.
"Considering all these dangerous situations in Gaza, I demand a comprehensive, mutual and coincident calmness to take place immediately," Erekat told Voice of Palestine radio.
Israel launches daily attacks in the Gaza Strip where Islamic Hamas movement rules. The offensive coincides with more than seven months of unprecedented Israeli blockade on the coastal strip.
Blast in Damascus kills Hezbollah’s senior commander
By Xinhua
Beirut : The Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah said a car explosion on Tuesday night in the Syrian capital Damascus had killed its senior commander Imad Moughniyah, Hezbollah-related television reported on Wednesday.
Pakistan tests short-range ballisti missile
By NNN-Xinhua
Islamabad : Pakistan on Wednesday conducted a successful test fire of Ghaznavi (Hatf III) short-range ballistic missile, the military said in a statement.
The Ghaznavi missile has a range of 290 km, according to the statement.
The field launch exercise was witnessed by Prime Minister Mohammedmian Soomro, Chief of the Army Staff General Ashfaq ParvezKayani, senior military officers and scientists, said the statement.
Addressing troops in the exercise area, Soomro congratulated them on achieving excellent training standards of professional readiness.
UAE ranks fifth in UN e-governancee survey
By IANS
Dubai : The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been ranked fifth in terms of online transactional services by a UN survey on e-governance, WAM news agency reported Wednesday.
According to the 2008 e-government survey by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), the UAE is fifth best country after Sweden, Denmark, Norway and the US in providing efficient online services.
Israeli Army forces detain 56 Palestinian in the West Bank
By KUNA
Ramallah : Over 56 Palestinian citizens were detained Wednesday when Israeli Army forces executed a wide-scale detention operation in the West Bank.
Some 43 Palestinian in Harbon were arrested when the Israeli forces carried out raid and search operations, in the pretext of searching for wanted.
Palestinian sources said that Israeli forces radied that city with 30 military machinary and imposed curfews prior the detention process.
The forces detained five Palestinian in the city of Bethlehem who are said to be affiliated with Fatah Movement.
Over 100 children missing from Afghan orphanage
KABUL, February 13 (RIA Novosti) - As freezing weather continues in Afghanistan, an orphanage with a broken roof and almost no food supplies has been abandoned by 112 children, Pazhvak news agency reported on Wednesday.
Of the 157 children that were living in the children's home in the Ghazni province, only the youngest girls remain in the building, in two rooms where the roof is still intact, the agency said citing a report by local authorities.
The report said the children who abandoned the home do not have winter clothes.
U.S. attorney general visits Iraq to boost rule of law
By Xinhua
Washington : U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey arrived in Baghdad Wednesday for talks with Iraqi officials on "efforts to establish the rule of law in Iraq," his office said.
This is Mukasey's first visit to Iraq since he took office in November 2007.
"The United States is at a critical juncture in Iraq, and the Justice Department is working to ensure sustainability of the freedom and security for which our men and women in uniform have so bravely fought and sacrificed," Mukasey said in a statement.
PML-Q ready to work with opposition, says Elahi
By Muhammad Najeeb, IANS
Lahore : As various opinion polls in Pakistan suggest a drubbing for the PML-Q that ruled the country for five years alongside President Pervez Musharraf, party chief and prime minister hopeful Pervez Elahi says he is ready to work with the opposition.
Egyptian president, Jordanian king meet on regional situation
By Xinhua
Cairo : Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak held talks Saturday with visiting King Abdullah II of Jordan at the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh on the regional situation, the official MENA news agency reported.
The two leaders discussed the situation in the Palestinian territories and efforts made to revive the stalled Mideast peace process, said the report.
Hamas invites France FM to visit in Gaza
By Xinhua
Gaza : A spokesman for Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) in Gaza invited France Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner on Sunday to visit in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.
Kouchner, who is visiting in Israel, had earlier said that France is willing to mediate between Israel and Hamas to release captive Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit and stop firing rockets at Israel "if France is asked to."
Iran’s lawmakers call for severing ties with Denmark
By IANS
Tehran : Iranian lawmakers have demanded the government sever ties with Denmark to protest the republication of a controversial cartoon of Prophet Mohammed in Danish media, official IRNA news agency reported Monday.
In a letter, 16 legislators urged President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Sunday to snap both political and economic ties with Copenhagen to convey Iran's strong resentment over the "renewed insults by the Danish press against Islam", the official IRNA news agency reported.
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.
Poll papers filed for detained Hindraf leader
By IANS
Kuala Lumpur : Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leader M. Manoharan, detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA), has filed his nomination papers for the upcoming elections in Malaysia through his wife.
S. Pushpaneela filed the papers Sunday for the Kota Shah Alam seat in the state legislature.
She said her husband, who is under detention for organising a protest rally on Nov 25, was "excited and motivated".
"He feels that Malaysia needs a strong opposition and he has the full support of his friends and family," The New Straits Times quoted her as saying Monday.
Dubai International Airport Wins Best Airport Award
DUBAI, Feb 25 (Bernama) -- Dubai International Airport recently won awards for 'Best Airport' in the Middle East, at the prestigious Business Traveller Awards in Germany, and the 'Fastest Growing Airport' and 'Best Duty Free', at the Naseba Middle East and North Africa (Mena) Airports Awards in Doha.
Passenger at Dubai International reached 34.34 million in 2007 - up 19.3 per cent over 2006, the highest growth rate registered last year by any international airport, Emirates news agency (WAM) reported Monday quoting a report in Gulf News, as saying.
Thirty one killed in launch capsize incident in Buriganga
By NNN-BSS
Dhaka, Bangladesh : At least 31 people, mostly women and children, drowned this afternoon, when a launch carrying more than 200 passengers capsized in the Buriganga River, rescuers and witnesses said.
They said the Munshiganj suburb-bound vessel, Saurav-1, from Sadarghat in Dhaka, sank near the Buriganga Bridge at Postagala, Being hit by a sand-laden cargo vessel from behind.
Fire service officials said 16 of the victims were women, eight children and seven men.
The death toll could rise, they said, as the rescue operation were continuing.
Israeli army kills 14 Palestinians in Gaza
By Xinhua
Gaza : Israeli army carried out a military operation in northeastern Gaza Strip on Saturday morning, during which 14 Palestinians were killed and 32 others wounded, Palestinian medics and Hamas police sources said.
Mo'aweya Hassanein, chief of emergency and ambulance services in the ministry of health, told reporters that all the 14 slain including three children were the victims of Israeli air and ground strikes by missiles and shells.
Pakistan police formally accuse al-Qaida-Linked extremist of masterminding Bhutto killing
By SPA
Islamabad : Pakistani police on Saturday formally accused the top Taliban leader in the country of planning the assassination of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto, AP reported.
Police filed preliminary charges in court against Baitullah Mehsud, whom the Pakistani government named as a suspect in the Dec. 27 killing of Bhutto. Four others were also charged in the suicide and gun-attack at a public rally.
Free Education For All, Says Abdullah
By SPA
Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia : Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said the government will ensure that all Malaysians receive free education, reported Bernama.
He said the government placed strong emphasis on education as it was important in efforts to create a progressive community who would be able to continue with the country's development in future.
US mulling plan to send military trainers to Pakistan
By DPA
Washington : The US military is reviewing a plan that could send about 100 American experts to Pakistan to train a paramilitary force that is engaged against extremist groups and Al Qaeda in the country's tribal areas, the New York Times reported Sunday.
The paper quoted US military officials as saying the programme would be larger than the ongoing efforts to train Pakistani troops in counterinsurgency tactics.
Pakistan: call for setting up poly-technical institutions
By NNN-APP
Islamabad : The Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry has stressed the need for establishing technical educational institutions across the country to overcome shortage of skilled manpower.
In a meeting with Director Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority (TEVTA), Yasmin Munir, the ICCI President that there was a great shortage of skilled manpower, which could only be overcome with the help of TEVTA and other technical training institutes.
Hamas: Rice’s visit to Mideast unwelcome
By Xinhua
Gaza : U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's visit to the Middle East is not unwelcome as it serves the aim of preventing Arab countries from responding to the help appeals from the Gaza Strip, Hamas said on Tuesday.
"Rice's gloomy visit comes to rein in the state of solidarity among the Palestinian people," said Hamas' spokesman Fawzi Barhoom, adding that "it also comes to give more support to the Israeli occupation to commit new massacres."
Moussa calls on UNSC to shoulder responsibilities towards Palestine
By KUNA
Cairo : The Secretary-General of the Arab League Amr Moussa here Wednesday called on the UN Security Council and the international Quartet to shoulder their responsibilities towards the Palestinian cause and deal with the Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people.
Pakistani protest blasphemous cartoons, film
By KUNA
Islamabad : In protest of republication of blasphemous cartoons in European newspapers and anti-Quraan film, a token strike was observed in Pakistans largest commercial city and protests were held across the country.
Darfur Refugees Relocating to Chad
By Prensa Latina
United Nations : The UN agency for refugees will move thousands of violence-plagued Darfur inhabitants to safe areas in Chad.
"We are moving these people to safety inside Chad, far from the conflict along the border with the Sudanese border of Darfur," said a spokeswoman of the High UN Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), Jennifer Pagonis.
"The volatile situation along the Chad-Sudan border continues to be tense," Pagonis added in declarations circulated in the agency's headquarters in New York.
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.
Woman suicide bomber kills 4 in Iraq’s Diyala
By Xinhua
Baghdad : A woman suicide bomber blew herself up outside the house of a tribal leader in Diyala provincein northeast of Baghdad on Monday, killing him and three others, aprovincial police source said.
A woman arrived early Monday the house of Shiek Ghadhban al-Karkhi, and asked to meet him as he is the head of the Karkhiyah clan in the town of Kanaan, southeast of the provincial capital ofBaquba, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.
Restoration of Saudi-Qatari full diplomatic relations adds strength to GCC dynamics: UAE paper
By WAM
Dubai : Saudi Arabia's decision to restore full diplomatic relations with Qatar is a highly positive and welcome move in that it seals a gap in ties between the two members of the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC), opined a UAE English language daily.
"Regardless of the reasons for the five-year hiatus in Riyadh-Doha diplomatic ties, it was unnatural that the two GCC countries were at odds", said the Gulf Today.
Toll in Lahore twin blasts rises to 28
By Xinhua
Islamabad : The twin suicide bombing attacks in the eastern Pakistan city of Lahore have left 28 people dead and 160 injured, GEO TV channel reported.
The blasts, one targeting the Federal Investigation Agency headquarters and the other hitting an advertising firm Tuesday, were the latest in a wave of violence in Pakistan.
Israeli troops storm Jenin searching for wanted activists
By KUNA
Gaza : Israeli forces carried out a wide-scale incursion on Wednesday into the city of Jenin, North West Bank, Islamic Jihad sources said.
The sources confirmed that more than 15 Israeli military vehicles backed with several bulldozers stormed the city and executed wide-scale search operations looking for wanted Al-Quds brigade operatives.
The troops raided a number of civilian houses, on the pretext of searching for the wanted.
The Israelis detained and interrogated a number of Palestinians after arresting several Islamic Jihad activists.
Hamas keen on Gaza Strip ceasefire — Radio Israel
By KUNA
Gaza : Hamas is keen on ceasefire in Gaza Strip, as calm seems to have set in for several days now, Radio Israeli said Wednesday.
"This stance comes after Hamas sensed that its authority in Gaza Strip is threatened by instability," the radio quoted an Israeli senior political source as saying.
The source underscored that toppling Hamas rule must be within the Israeli strategic considerations, but should go inline with other tactical objectives adopted by the Israeli premier and defense minister for the current phase.
Israelis killed a Palestinian in West Bank
By SPA
Nablus, Palestine : Israeli troops on an arrest raid in the West Bank killed a Palestinian pre-dawn gunbattle, ap quoted Palestinians and the Israeli military as saying.
Troops surrounded a house in the village of Saida and demanded that its occupants come out, , a gunfight erupted, and a Young man was killed, The Israelis then demolished half of the house and arrested an old man.
NATO to deepen political ties with Pakistan
By IANS
Brussels : The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) has said it would deepen its ties with Pakistan in the political sphere once a new government is formed in the country, EUAsiaNews reported Thursday.
"We have very close relationship with Pakistan on the military side and a growing relationship in the political sphere. I hope to take this forward once a government is formed," NATO spokesperson James Appathurai told a news conference in Brussels Wednesday.
Blast near Kabul airport kills six, injures over 20
By RIA Novosti
Kabul : A suicide bomber attacked a U.S. military convoy outside Kabul's airport on Thursday, killing six civilians and injuring over 20 people, Kabul police said.
Four American soldiers suffered minor injuries in the car bomb attack, which also damaged several nearby vehicles and buildings.
The Taliban has claimed responsibility for the blast. The Islamist group has threatened to continue regular attacks this year.
Pakistan: Caretaker cabinet to meet last time on Saturday
By NNN-APP
Islamabad : The caretaker federal cabinet will hold its last meeting Saturday, to review its performance a day before the new parliament is sworn in on Monday.
The meeting to be chaired by Prime Minister Mohammadmian Soomro at the Prime Minister Secretariat will review the tasks assigned to it, besides the decision taken during its brief stint in power.
Forces arrest 31 militants in an operation in Pakistani northern valley
By KUNA
Islamabad : Security forces Friday in a search operation arrested 31 militants and recovered huge cache of arms and armament in northern Pakistani Sawat valley.
The operation that lasted for more than two hours, was conducted in Charbagh and Baderkaly areas of Sawat valley after a roadside bomb explosion targeted an official vehicle, security sources told KUNA.
They said about 31 militants were rounded up and also huge cache of arms and armament was also recovered.
51st session for UN cmte to fight crimes, narcotics concluded
By KUNA
Vienna : The United Nations' (UN) committee to combat narcotic drugs and crime concluded Friday its 51st session with the participation of several states including Kuwait.
The committee endorsed a number of plans and projects aimed at facing the threat of narcotics and the distribution of illegal drugs.
The committee also endorsed a draft law, submitted by Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan, regarding providing international aid against drug traffic in states neighboring Afghanistan.
Iraq’s faction leaders launch reconciliation bid
By DPA
Baghdad : Iraq's political, religious and tribal leaders met Tuesday to iron out their differences and re-launch faltering reconciliation efforts ahead of the fifth anniversary of the war.
The two-day conference is attended by 500 Iraqi figures representing the country's political, sectarian and ethnic groups.
The aim of the conference is to strengthen the role of various groups and communities in the political process, which US officials and many Iraqis say has not achieved sufficient progress.
Gillani named PPP’s PM candidate
By Xinhua
Islamabad : The Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Saturday named Yousuf Raza Gillani as its prime ministerial candidate, according to local TV channels.
PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari announced Gillani's name as the prime ministerial candidate in a statement read out to the media by party spokesman Farhatullah Babar.
President Pervez Musharraf Thursday summoned the National Assembly session for the election of a new prime minister on March 24 and would administer the PM's oath-taking the next day.