Yunus removal didn’t help country’s image: Minister
By IANS,
Dhaka : The removal of Grameen founder Muhammad Yunus has not helped the country's image, Bangladesh Finance Minister A.M.A. Muhith has admitted.
Factors behind the India-Pakistan logjam
By Amulya Ganguli, IANS,
The unprecedented public exposure of the India-Pakistan rift after the ministerial-level talks in Islamabad was a disaster waiting to happen.
A similar, though more muted, incident happened during Pakistan Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir's press conference in New Delhi earlier when the latter mockingly described New Delhi's charges against Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed as "literature".
250 Bangladeshi tribals seek refuge in Tripura
Agartala : Over 250 Bangladeshi tribals, mostly Buddhists and Hindus, have entered Tripura seeking refuge after ethnic clashes with non-tribal Muslims in their country,...
Pakistan Army kills 16 militants in Swat
By IANS,
Islamabad : Sixteen Taliban militants and three security forces personnel were killed in separate overnight clashes in Pakistan's restive Swat Valley, officials said Tuesday.
According to the authorities, the security forces are currently consolidating their positions in the valley. Three Pakistani soldiers were killed in the overnight clashes against the militants in the area, officials said.
The Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) department said 16 soldiers, including an officer, were also injured in the operations.
US asks Yemeni president to hand over power
By IANS,
Washington : The US has called upon Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh to "fulfill expeditiously" his pledge of signing a deal for peaceful transition in his country.
Pakistan still not doing all to clamp down on LeT: US expert
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington: Due to its India fixation, Pakistan still isn't doing everything in its power to clamp down on Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), blamed for 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, the Foreign Policy magazine suggests.
Citing non-action against LeT as one of the "three huge ways Pakistan still isn't cooperating", David Kenner writes suggesting the dramatic capture of Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar has revived a long-dormant spirit of optimism regarding the US-led effort in Afghanistan.
UNSC holds emergency session to examine “disturbing” Gaza situation
By KUNA
United Nations : UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Saturday evening condemned both the Israeli disproportionate and excessive use of force in Gaza Strip and the Palestinian rocket attacks, describing these as acts of terrorism.
Addressing an emergency meeting of the Security Council called for by Libya, the body's only Arab member, Ban said that while he recognized Israel's right to defend itself, "I condemn the disproportionate and excessive use of force that has killed and injured so many civilians, including children.
Palestine Mourns over Israeli Massacre
By Prensa Latina
Gaza : The Palestinian National Authority declared on Wednesday three days of mourning and a general strike to protest the killing of 19 people by the Israeli army in Gaza, called a massacre by national leaders.
The incursion, which left over 50 wounded people, started at dawn, when several excavators destroyed agricultural areas outside Gaza, while the infantry, supported by armored vehicles and helicopters, burst into the Zaitun neighborhood and shot people at close range.
12 killed in Pakistan clashes between tribal volunteers, militants
By IANS,
Islamabad : Nine members of Lashkar (a tribal volunteer force) and three militants were killed in a clash in northwest Pakistan, a media report said Sunday.
"A group of armed militants attacked members of the Qaumi Lashkar in Pamp Pokha area of Ambar tehsil late on Friday night when they were returning to their base," official sources said.
Lashkar sources said the militants captured three tribesmen and that the militants might have fled to Bajaur. Five militants were injured in the fighting.
UN should return Iran’s nuclear dossier to IAEA: Iran
By IANS
Tehran : Iran has called on the UN Security Council to return the country's nuclear dossier to the world body's nuclear watchdog, the country's official IRNA news agency reported Wednesday.
"The UN Security Council should return Iran's nuclear dossier to International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) which is supervising the country's nuclear programme," Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said Tuesday.
Trade, culture redeem dented India-Pakistan ties
By Shilpa Raina,
New Delhi : India may have called off the Aug 25 foreign secretary-level talks with Pakistan, but this hasn't dampened the enthusiasm...
Israeli DM threatens to escalate military operations in Gaza
By KUNA
Ramallah : Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak threatened to escalate military operations in the Gaza Strip if missiles continued to be launched from there at southern Israel.
Barak, speaking while on tour of a military base in southern Israel, said the Jewish state would be taking measures for such an escalation, which would coincide with fortifying settlements in the West Bank to protect them from missiles.
For the past three days, Israel has been waging continuous air raids on Gaza Strip, killing dozens of Palestinians.
Four dead, over 40 injured in two blasts in Pakistan
By IANS,
Islamabad : At least four people were killed and 42 others injured in two separate blasts in Pakistan Thursday, Xinhua reported.
Israel Rises Gaza Raids, UN to Return
By Prensa Latina,
Gaza : Israel air raids on Gaza and its vicinity mount along psychological warfare to intimidate the people but UN decision to resume relief operations brought some ease.
The aviation and artillery hit more than 40 targets in south and NE Gaza, being the bloodiest nine fatal victims from the same family, including two children and two women, shot by a tank while sitting in the garden in Jebaliyah refugee camp.
The Air Force raided a downtown building that housed Western and foreign Arab journalists wounding a tenant.
Democracy only way for sustainable progress, Pakistan president
By IRNA
Rawalpindi : President Pervez Musharraf has said that democracy is the only way for sustainable progress and prosperity and asserted that the forthcoming elections would be free, fair, transparent and peaceful.
He was talking to a delegation of international election observers of Centre for Media and Democracy.
He said that the caretaker governments, which are non-political and neutral in character, are mandated to carry on the governance process in an impartial manner.
Suspicious powder found in Pakistani ambulance
By IANS,
Islamabad : Eight drums of a suspicious powdery chemical were Thursday recovered from an ambulance by police in Pakistan's port city of Karachi.
Picking new Pakistani president a challenge
By Muhammad Najeeb, IANS,
Islamabad : Picking a new president is the biggest challenge facing the ruling coalition in Pakistan after Pervez Musharraf Monday resigned as head of state.
The office has to be filled within one month of the resignation of a president which, in this case, will be Sept 17. In the interregnum, Senate Chairman Muhammadmian Soomro has taken over as acting president and will continue till a new head of state is elected.
No pardon for terrorists, says Pakistani minister
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistani Interior Minister Rehman Malik has said terrorists who have been sentenced to death will not be pardoned even if capital punishment is abolished in the country, the Online news agency reported Thursday.
In an interview with Private TV Channel, Malik said although a draft has been sent to the law division for consultation to abolish capital punishment, terrorists awaiting execution would not be pardoned.
Malik said all stakeholders would be consulted before capital punishment is abolished.
Obama says Iran ‘must choose’ its future
By RIA Novosti,
Washington : Iran "must choose" whether it wants to open the door for opportunity and prosperity, U.S. President Barack Obama said in a statement on the 30th anniversary of the takeover of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran.
"It is time for the Iranian government to decide whether it wants to focus on the past, or whether it will make the choices that will open the door to greater opportunity, prosperity and justice for its people," Obama said in a statement.
ONGC Videsh strikes oil in Egypt
By IANS,
New Delhi : A consortium led by ONGC Videsh (OVL) has struck oil in an Egyptian block, which is estimated to have reserves of 800 barrels of oil per day.
An OVL statement Thursday said the discovery in well North Ramadan-2 (NR-2) is the second oil find in the block.
The first discovery was made in another well, NR-1A ST1, which produced about 3,000 barrels of oil per day during the testing phase.
The second discovery was made after drilling NR-2 at a depth of 11,700 feet.
We have always spoken of friendship with Pakistan: Rajnath
New Delhi : Ahead of next week's Saarc summit, Home Minister Rajnath Singh Saturday said India was open to talks with Pakistan but Islamabad...
Moussa, Elbaradei mull efforts to denuclearize mideast
By NNN-KUNA
Cairo : Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa has held talks here with Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Mohammed ElBaradei on the nuclear issues in the Middle East.
The talks, held at the headquarters of the League Sunday, reviewed the efforts of the UN nuclear watchdog to rid the region of nuclear weapons and other issues of global concern, Moussa said in a joint press conference with ElBaradei.
For his part, ElBaradei said nuclear weapons were among the main factors of the destabilisation of the region.
Israel reopens Gaza crossings after one-day closure
By Xinhua,
Gaza : Israel on Wednesday reopened three commercial crossings into Gaza after a one-day closure due to a Palestinian rocket attack, Israeli sources said.
"Erez, Nahal Oz and Sofa crossings will be reopened this morning to send goods to Gaza after one day of closure because of the rocket attack on Sderot city the day before yesterday," an Israeli army spokesperson told the Israeli radio.
Being well-informed a must for effective teaching — experts
By KUNA
Kuwait : Teachers need to be well-informed in their field and have a wide range of professional skill in order to exercise "effective teaching," said educational experts on Sunday.
Representatives of the quality control team, part of the committees of the National Education Development Conference which kicked off earlier today, presented a paper on "Quality in Effective Education," in which they highlighted a number of educational quality awards that served to boost the educational process.
One killed, 10 injured in Peshawar car bomb attack
By IANS,
Islamabad : A six-year-old child was killed and 10 others injured Thursday in a car bomb explosion in Pakistan's northwestern Peshawar city, police and eyewitnesses said.
A man detonated an explosives-laden car through a remote control device at a residential area in the Kohat locality of the city, police chief Liaqat Ali said.
People have seen a man coming out of the car after he parked it near the flats of the government employees, Xinhua reported quoting the official.
1,942 terror incidents in Pakistan in 15 months
By IANS,
Islamabad : At least 1,942 terror incidents were reported in Pakistan during the last 15 months, claiming 1,395 lives, parliament was informed Friday.
Compensation of Rs.250 million was paid to the families of the victims, the National Assembly, the lower house of parliament, was told during question hour.
Of this, Rs.103 million was paid in Punjab, Rs.99 million in the North West Frontier Province, Rs.70 million in Sindh, Rs.47 million in Balochistan and Rs.28 million in Islamabad.
Victims of Israel flotilla raid identified
By DPA,
Istanbul : Eight of the nine people killed in Monday's Israeli raid on an aid flotilla heading to Gaza have been identified as Turks, Turkish media reported Thursday.
The other victim is an American of Turkish origin, according to the reports.
The bodies were flown to Turkey Thursday. Funerals for several of the victims are scheduled to be held in Istanbul later in the day.
Turkey and Israel's once strategic alliance has mostly come undone following the deadly raid.
Etihad targets flying 25 mn passengers by 2020
By IANS,
Dubai : Etihad Airways, the national carrier of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has set a target of flying 25 million passengers by 2020.
The Abu Dhabi-based airline also said in a statement that it was planning to double the number of cities it serves from the current 50 to 100 by that year.
The statement quoted the airline's chief executive James Hogan as saying in the course of a visit to the US and Canada: "Our projections to 2020 reflect that order and the scale of our ambitions, closely aligned to the growth of Abu Dhabi as an economic and tourism powerhouse."
Four killed in reactor blast in Hyderabad factory
Hyderabad: Four workers were charred to death when a reactor exploded in manufacturing unit of pahramceutical firm in Maheswaram on the outskirts of Hyderabad...
UNRWA appreciates Syria’s cooperation to aid Palestinian refugees
By NNN-SANA
Damascus : Commissioner-General of the UNRWA Karen Koning AbuZayd has expressed her appreciation of the Syrian government's cooperation with the agency and the stable environment it provides to Palestinian refugees, enabling them to live a normal life as they wait for a just solution to their ordeal.
During the opening of a school and music centre at the Khan Dannoun Palestinian refugee camp Tuesday, AbuZayd affirmed the UNRWA's commitment in providing necessary services to Palestinian refugees, particularly health and education services.
Five Yemeni troops killed in suicide bombing
Aden: At least five Yemeni soldiers were killed and 10 injured Saturday in a pre-dawn suicide car bomb attack in Yemen's Abyan province, a...
Inconvenient US-Pakistan marriage being recalibrated: Daily
By IANS,
Islamabad : The "inconvenient marriage" of Pakistan and US struggles on, an English daily said Friday as it noted that the relationship was being recalibrated.
Registration of 334 Bangladesh NGOs cancelled
By IANS,
Dhaka : Bangladesh has cancelled the registration of 334 NGOs in the last four months on charges of patronising militancy and for alleged corruption and misuse of foreign funds.
The government's NGO Affairs Bureau (NGOAB) has seized moveable and non-moveable property of these organisations, which were operating in the name of social welfare, charity and voluntary work.
The move is significant as NGOAB had cancelled only 56 foreign-funded NGOs since 1990, The Daily Star said Thursday.
Bangladesh has one of highest trade barriers: World Bank
By IANS,
Dhaka : Bangladesh maintains a very restrictive trade policy and has one of the highest trade barriers in South Asia, a World Bank report released Monday said.
The country has very high tariff and non-tariff trade compared to most countries of the region, the report said.
Bangladesh ranked 113th and 107th in terms of trade policy and institutional environment, respectively, out of 125 countries studied.
Thousands demonstrate in Britain against Israeli raids on Gaza
By DPA,
London : Tens of thousands of people took to the streets here and in other British cities Saturday to protest the Israeli air raids on the Gaza Strip.
An estimated 10,000 people demonstrated in London, where witnesses said around 100 shoes were thrown at the fence protecting the Downing Street entrance to the residence of Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
The shoe-hurling - an extreme insult in Arab culture - was reminiscent of that by an Iraqi reporter targeting US President George W. Bush at a press conference in Baghdad last month.
Pakistani woman indicted for attempted murder in US
By DPA,
Washington : The US government Tuesday indicted a Pakistani woman for attempting to murder American interrogators while she was being held in Afghanistan.
Aafia Siddiqui, 36, faces attempted murder charges after she allegedly seized a rifle from a US Army officer and tried to fire it at the interrogators who arrived in Ghazni, Afghanistan in July to question her about possible terrorist related activities, the US Justice Department said.
Hezbollah prisoners freed in exchange for dead Israeli soldiers
By AFP,
Beirut : Five Lebanese prisoners freed by Israel arrived to a hero's welcome in Lebanon Wednesday, hours after Hezbollah handed over the bodies of two Israeli soldiers seized by its guerrillas two years ago.
Among those freed in a prisoner swap greeted with triumph in Lebanon but anguish in Israel was Samir Kantar, who was sentenced to five life terms for a 1979 triple murder, including of a child.
10 injured in post-poll clashes in Bangladesh
Dhaka : At least 10 people, including three policemen, were injured in Chittagong district of Bangladesh as supporters of a former councillor and a...
Musharraf will never address parliament: report
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf will "never deliver" his mandatory address to parliament because of the "hostile environment" that prevails in the National Assembly and the Senate, a media report Sunday said.
This is in spite of National Assembly Speaker Fehmida Mirza's keenness to invite Musharraf to fulfil his constitutional obligation of addressing a joint session of parliament.
PPP to ‘overturn’ Punjab government to consolidate power
By Muhammad Najeeb, IANS,
Islamabad : The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), in power at the centre and in three of the four provinces, is eyeing the fourth and the largest province of Punjab to form its own government there to consolidate its power.
"Our party leaderships considers it important to form the government in Punjab otherwise it would be difficult for the central government to function smoothly," a PPP leader told IANS.
Iraq can call off pact should the situation be fully under control – spokesman
By NNN-KUNA,
Baghdad : Iraq has the right to call off the Iraqi-US pact should local authorities be in full control of the situation on the ground, Iraqi government spokesman Ali Al-Dabbagh said.
Disclosing further details of the security pact with Washington signed Sunday, he said that
the US side enjoys the same right.
Al-Dabbagh said that such a move corresponds with President-elect Barack Obama's prospect regarding full withdrawal of US troops from Iraq even before the deadline set on Dec 31, 2011.
Pakistani PM leaves for maiden U.S. visit
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : Pakistani Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani left here Saturday for a three-day official visit to the United States.
"At the invitation of President George W. Bush, Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani will be visiting Washington on 27-30 July 2008," said a statement by the Pakistani foreign ministry.
This is Gilani's first visit to the U.S. since assuming office in March 2008. He is scheduled to meet with Bush at the White House on July 28, according to the statement.
Iran’s Ahmadinejad vows to punish ‘bullying powers’
By Xinhua,
Tehran : Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said his government will "severely punish bullying powers", referring to some Western nations for allegedly stoking post-election unrest in the country.
Tehran will take stern action against the bullying powers (Western states), responsible for fanning flames of dissent, state-run IRNA news agency reported Sunday citing the Iranian leader.
Iranian officials blamed the Western countries of meddling in Iran's post-election violence.
Beijing Olympics will be a success
By Huang Yanan, Xinhua,
Dhaka : Bangladeshi former foreign secretary and former ambassador to China Farooq Sobhan said here Sunday that China has made great efforts in preparing for the upcoming Olympics and he believed the Beijing Olympics will be a success.
Farooq said in an exclusive interview with Xinhua that he was deeply impressed by the construction of the venues when he last visited some Olympic venues including Bird's Nest in August 2007 at the invitation of Chinese People's Institute of Foreign Affairs.
Eid Al-Adha falls on Dec 8 – Islamic Crescent Monitoring Project
By NNN-WAM,
Abu Dhabi : The first day of Eid Al-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice) falls on Dec 8, according to the Islamic Crescent Monitoring Project.
Eid Al-Adha is celebrated on the 10th day of the Hijri month of Zil Hijja'.
Astronomical calculations have predicted that Nov 29 will be the first day of 'Zil Hijja', on which sighting of the crescent will be endorsed in some Muslim countries.
The Islamic Crescent Monitoring Project was set up in 1998 and includes 400 scholars and moon sighting experts.
Three arrested for killing Indian guards in Kuwait
Dubai: Three members of a gang that killed two Indian guards during an armed robbery in Kuwait last month have been arrested, a media...
‘No question of war’ with India: Gilani
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani declared Thursday that "there is absolutely no question of war" with India and said Islamabad sought "excellent relations" with its neighbour.
"There is no question of war. There is absolutely no question of war," Gilani told reporters here.
At the same time, Gilani urged the world to convince India to defuse the situation in the wake of the Mumbai terror attacks for which New Delhi has blamed Pakistani terrorists.
Yemeni airstrike kills 30 Al Qaeda members
By DPA,
Cairo : An airstrike Thursday killed 30 men suspected of plotting attacks against Yemeni and foreign targets on behalf of the Al Qaeda terrorist network, a security official said.
The pre-dawn strike targeted a meeting of Al Qaeda members in eastern Yemen's Shabwa province, an official from Yemen's High Security Committee told Yemen's state-run 26 September website (26sep.net).
Pakistan, India Still in Arm Wrestle
By Prensa Latina,
New Delhi : Amidst an environment of tension in which the US State Secretary Condolezza Rice appeared Pakistan and India continues in arm wrestle for the terrorist attacks in Mumbai.
New Delhi is demanding Islamabad to adopt strict action against the founder of Lashker-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist group Hafiz Mohammad Saeed and the also wanted for terrorism Maulana Masood Azhar and mafia chiefs' Dawood Ibrahim and Tiger Memon.
Their names appeared in a list made up of 20 people the Israeli government gave to the Pakistani to turn them in.
Militants may exploit flood-affected children: Zardari
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari and a top US senator have warned that militants may exploit orphans and children of flood-affected people for their terror activities.
"We are giving them everything we’ve got. There is a possibility that some negative forces would exploit this situation. For example, militants can take orphaned babies and put them in terror training camps," the president said at a joint press conference with US Senator John Kerry Thursday after visiting flood-affected areas of Multan and Jampur.
Three Iraqi candidates killed ahead of provincial poll
By Xinhua,
Baghdad : Three Iraqi candidates have been killed in different cities ahead of the upcoming provincial election, police sources said.
Omar Farouk al-Ani, a Sunni candidate of the Iraqi Islamic party which belongs to the Iraqi Accordance Front, was killed by unknown gunmen Thursday night in western Baghdad, a police source said.
Unknown gunmen Thursday evening shot dead al-Ani in front of his home in Amiriya, west of Baghdad, and ran away.
Malaysia’s AirAsia waives fuel surcharge for all flights
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur : In a first such move worldwide, Malaysia-based AirAsia and AirAsia X have decided not to charge passengers fuel surcharge for all their local and international flights.
The measure is to fight competition in the aviation sector, which had been under pressure in recent months because of higher fuel prices.
With crude prices coming down, it is now possible to waive the fuel surcharge, AirAsia Bhd group chief executive officer Tony Fernandes told reporters.
Pakistan should be assured of long-term US commitment: advisers to presidential candidates
By NNN-APP
Washington : The United States must maintain a long-term commitment to Pakistan and Afghanistan and security and economic development efforts should go hand in hand, foreign policy advisers to prominent American presidential candidates said.
Marriott bombing: Wily HUJI chief still at large
By IANS,
Islamabad : Qari Saifullah Akhtar, the Harkat-ul-Jehad-e-Islami (HuJI) chief suspected of involvement in the Marriott Hotel suicide bombing - and of masterminding the Oct 18, 2007 suicide attack on former prime minister Benazir Bhutto's welcome procession in Karachi - is still at large, a media report Tuesday said.
Kidnapped Afghan envoy recovered in Pakistan
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : The kidnapped Afghan envoy has been released in northwestern Pakistan, local media reported on Tuesday.
Afghan ambassador-designate to Pakistan Abdul Khaliq Farahi was kidnapped in the northwest Pakistani city of Peshawar last Monday.
The vehicle carrying Farahi was attacked by unidentified gunmen in the Hayatabad area of Peshawar, and his driver was killed in the attack.
"Farahi had reached the city (Peshawar) after his recovery and was safe and sound," The News newspaper said.
Israeli forces cross Lebanese border
By Xinhua
Beirut : Israeli forces Thursday crossed the Lebanese border in the south and advanced one km, but kept away from the UN demarcated "Blue Line" Future TV reported.
Earlier reports said that Israeli troops moved six km into Lebanon towards Wazani River, but did not cross the "Blue Line".
Following the Israeli withdrawal from south Lebanon in 2000, the UN drew a line called the "Blue Line" but it did not cover the disputed Shebaa farms, which was declared as being on Syrian soil.
Australian PM calls for calm between India, Pakistan
By Xinhua,
Canberra : Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd Sunday called for calm between India and Pakistan following the terrorist attacks in Mumbai for which New Delhi has blamed "some elements in Pakistan".
"What is called (for) is calm between Islamabad and New Delhi in what could be a very difficult period ahead," he said in a statement.
Rudd said terrorism was the enemy of all civilised people.
Canberra rules out increase in aussie troop level in Afghanistan
By NNN-Bernama,
Melbourne : The Australian troop withdrawal from Iraq will not automatically mean more troops will be sent to Afghanistan, Australian Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon says.
Australia has made it clear that it is already doing more than its share as the largest non-NATO contributor to the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, he adds.
16 Taliban killed in S. Afghanistana
By Xinhua,
Kabul : Afghan troops, backed by NATO air strike, eliminated 16 Taliban militants and wounded 9 more in Uruzgan province of southern Afghanistan on Tuesday morning, an official said.
Juma Gul Humat, provincial police chief, told Xinhua that Afghan troops at local time 2 a.m. carried out an operation after receiving intelligence reports that a group of Taliban insurgents were gathering in a private garden in Trin Kot district of Uruzgan province.
Israel shuts two Gaza crossings
By Xinhua,
Jerusalem : Israel defense forces Sunday closed the Karni border crossing and the Nahal Oz fuel terminal with the Gaza Strip after rocket attacks from Palestinian militants.
The spokeswoman of Israel defense forces told Xinhua that five Qassam rockets and one mortar shell were fired on the western Negev early Sunday, with the latter landing near the Nahal Oz fuel terminal.
Some 50 trucks of supplies were forced to turn back after the barrage of shelling, the spokeswoman added.
Probe ordered into threats to Geo TV journalist
By IANS,
Islamabad : President Asif Ali Zardari has ordered an investigation into threats received by a senior Pakistani TV journalist who complained about it a day ago.
Attacking Iran could spark new worls war – military official
By NNN-KUNA,
Tehran : A high-ranking military official here warned the West that attacking Iran could spark a new world war.
Deputy Commander-In-Chief of the Iranian Armed Forces Headquarters Brigadier Masoud Jazayeri said in a statement to IRNA that those who thought it was safe to launch an attack and get away with it due to long distance would be "wrong".
The Iranian official said everyone should seek global peace, noting that wars were bound to set everything ablaze.
Pakistan urgently needs $4-5 bn, says US senator
By IANS,
Washington : The US and Europe must give Pakistan $4-5 billion in urgent aid or risk seeing the nuclear-armed country slip into chaos, two leading US foreign policy voices warned Tuesday.
Democratic Senator John Kerry and Republican former senator Chuck Hagel, now chair of the Atlantic Council, a think tank, were to release a formal report Wednesday appealing for international help to stabilise Pakistan, Geo TV reported.
10 militants killed in Pakistan
By DPA,
Islamabad : Pakistani security forces killed 10 Islamic militants in an overnight raid on a rebel redoubt in north-western Swat district, the military said Thursday.
The picturesque valley, once a tourism hub, has regained relative peace after thousands of troops with air support routed the Taliban fighters this spring, but isolated skirmishes are still routine.
Army spokesperson Major Mushtaq Khan said soldiers attacked the rebels in Seigram village, 25 km northwest of Swat's main town of Mingora.
Israel to Build Border Wall with Egypt
By Prensa Latina
Tel Aviv : The Israeli government decided Wednesday to build a 149 mile wall at a cost of a billion dollars along the mutual border with Egypt, official sources reported.
The wall will be built across the entrance to the Sinai Peninsula to avoid attacks from Egyptian territory.
The construction of the wall will be started in two sections, one from Eilat, southern Israel on the shore of the Red Sea, and the other near Nitzana, southern Gaza Strip.
Tel Aviv : The Israeli government decided Wednesday to build a 149 mile wall at a cost of a billion dollars along the mutual border with Egypt, official sources reported.
The wall will be built across the entrance to the Sinai Peninsula to avoid attacks from Egyptian territory.
The construction of the wall will be started in two sections, one from Eilat, southern Israel on the shore of the Red Sea, and the other near Nitzana, southern Gaza Strip.
Sarkozy to meet NATO Chief Friday
By KUNA
Paris : French President Nicolas Sarkozy is meeting Friday evening with NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer to discuss a variety of issues, but principally the organizations role in Afghanistan and Kosovo, official sources said.
The two men will also be discussing preparations for the next NATO summit meeting to be held in Bucharest April 2-4, Sarkozy's spokesman David Martinon said.
Assembly deputy speaker killed in Pakistan
By IANS,
Islamabad : Deputy Speaker of Northern Areas Legislative Assembly (NALA) Syed Asad Zaidi was killed by gunmen in Gilgit region in north Pakistan, Geo TV reported Tuesday.
Zaidi was killed when unidentified gunmen ambushed his official vehicle. A police official said that one person died on the spot, while the deputy speaker and another man sustained critical injuries in the attack.
They were shifted to a hospital where doctors operated upon the deputy speaker, but he succumbed to his injuries.
Kuwait Finance House wins Islamic banking award
By IINA
Manama : Kuwait Finance House (KFH) was voted the Best Overall Islamic Bank in the World for last year at the most comprehensive Islamic Finance News annual poll. The announcement came during the awards ceremony held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where KFH was also announced the "Most Innovative Islamic Bank" and "Best Islamic Bank in Kuwait".
The awards were received by KFH Group Treasury Head Abdul Wahab Al Rushood.
Israeli Army urges Palestinians to wait before returning to their homes
By KUNA,
Gaza : The Israeli Army is advising Palestinians who left their homes during the assault on Gaza Strip "not to return to their homes just yet", even after the unilateral Israeli announcement of ceasefire.
Yediot Ahronot paper, on its website, reported that the army advised those living in areas where Palestinian factions fire missiles on Israeli targets in particular to stay away a while longer.
Tens of thousands of Palestinians were displaced during the Israeli 22-day assault on Gaza Strip abandoning homes, farms, and property in fear for their lives.
Obama concerned over journalist’s sentencing by Iran
By Xinhua,
Port of Spain : US President Barack Obama is "deeply disappointed" by Iran's sentencing of an American-Iranian journalist, the White House said.
Roxana Saberi, who worked for international news organisations in Iran for years, was sentenced to eight years in prison by an Iranian court Saturday on charges of spying for the US.
Responding to the court decision, Obama's adviser Denis McDonough said Saberi was simply practicing journalism. He said the US administration is working with Swiss diplomats in Iran to ensure Saberi's well-being.
Pakistani pro-Taliban militant leader shuns violence after release
By DPA,
Islamabad : A pro-Taliban militant leader who was freed as part of peace talks with militants in Pakistan's restive north-west valley of Swat renounced violence hours after his release from prison, media reports said on Tuesday.
Maulana Sufi Mohammed, chief of the banned Movement for the Enforcement of Mohammedan Law (TNSM), was arrested in 2001 when he returned from what he had called "holy war" against US in Afghanistan.
Germany pledges more development assistance to Pakistan
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : Visiting German Foreign Minister Frank Walter said here Tuesday that Germany will increase its development assistance to Pakistan to meet the challenge of financial crisis.
Walter, who is on one-day visit to Islamabad, urged the international community to stand by Pakistan at the difficult time to overcome the challenges posed by economic crisis and terrorism.
While addressing a joint press conference co-chaired by Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Walter said his country wants to strengthen bilateral ties with Pakistan.
Roadside bombing kills Afghan district officials in South
By Xinhua,
Kabul : A roadside bombing hit one vehicle belonging to Registan district chief in southern Afghan province of Kandahar Monday evening, killing the chief and one district police chief, said a police official on Tuesday.
Two British soldiers killed in Afghanistan
By DPA,
London : Two British soldiers have been killed in a roadside blast in southern Afghanistan, the British defence ministry said here Monday.
The soldiers, from The Black Watch regiment, were killed in an explosion north of Lashkar Gah, in Helmand province. The deaths bring to 210 the total number of British military fatalities since the conflict began in late 2001.
On a visit to troops in Afghanistan Saturday, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown promised to provide greater protection from roadside bombs which have claimed dozens of lives in recent months.
President launches spring tree planting, urges nation make Pakistan green
By NNN-APP
Rawalpindi : President Pervez Musharraf Friday launched the spring tree planting campaign and urged the nation to make Pakistan green by enthusiastically participating in the national cause.
The President kicked off the campaign to plant 86.5 million saplings, across the country, by planting a sapling of Pine [chir] here at his Camp Office.
The President said under the Medium Term Development Framework 2005-10 and the Millennium Development Goals ample financial resources have been allocated to increase forest cover from 5.01 to 6.0 percent by 2015.
Day before vote, gunmen occupy bank in Kabul
By DPA,
Kabul : An unknown number of gunmen were holed up in a government bank in the centre of Kabul Wednesday as police and army forces were trying to enter the building, officials and witnesses said.
"Our forces are already inside the bank and they are trying to clear the building of these men," Zemarai Bashary, an Interior Ministry spokesman, said.
The armed men who were driving a small car stormed inside a bank in the Jadeh Maiwand neighbourhood in Kabul after apparently being chased by police, witnesses said.
Sharif brothers barred from polls, accuse Zardari of dirty tricks
By Muhammad Sajjad, IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan teetered on the brink of political crisis Wednesday after the Supreme Court barred former prime minister Nawaz Sharif from contesting the polls and also declared null and void the election of his brother, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif. The verdict led to the fall of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government in the country's most politically consequential province.
South Sudan says it mistook UN chopper for rebel aircraft
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Khartoum: South Sudan's army has apologised for downing a UN helicopter, saying soldiers mistook it for an aircraft that was supplying arms to rebel forces.
Gaza aggression repetition of Lebanon war: Hezbollah leader
By DPA,
Beirut : The chief of the Lebanese Shia Movement has compared the ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip to the July 2006 war which Israel launched against his movement.
"This is a repeated scenario of the July war on Hezbollah ... but, with steadfastness, they (Palestinians) can achieve the awaited victory," Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah told thousands of his followers in Beirut's southern suburbs Sunday.
On July 12, 2006, Israel launched a 33-day war on Lebanon. The move came after Hezbollah snatched two Israeli soldiers in an attack near the Lebanese-Israeli border.
Afghan Bomb Kills Two NATO Troops
By Prensa Latina
Kabul : At least two soldiers of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization died and one other was wounded when a roadside bomb hit their vehicle in the Afghan province of Nangarhar, military sources reported.
According to the NATO release, the troops were responding to a call from the local police who had discovered another explosive device in an area of Kot district, when the second bomb exploded.
The nationalities of the dead soldiers were not released, but most of the troops in that area are American.
Saudi King, Egyptian President hold talks in Jeddah
By NNN-SPA,
Jeddah : Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud held talks at his palace here with Egyptian President Mohammed Hosni Mubarak.
During the talks Sunday, they discussed aspects of cooperation between the two brotherly countries, ways of their enhancement in various fields and overall events and developments at Arab, regional and international levels particularly the developments of the Palestinian cause, the situation in Iraq and Lebanon and the stand of the two countries towards such issues.
Russia questions new US sanctions against Iranian companies
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Unilateral US sanctions against a major Iranian port operator and the country's national airline raise serious questions, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Friday.
Indian dead in car accident in UAE
Dubai: An Indian expatriate was killed and four others were severely injured in a car accident in the UAE, a media report said.
The deceased,...
Pakistan, India must demarcate maritime boundary: daily
By IANS,
Islamabad : With fishermen inadvertently trespassing and getting caught, it's high time India and Pakistan tackle the issue of maritime boundary demarcation, a leading daily said Monday.
India, Oman to turn ties into mighty strategic partnership: PM
By Aroonim Bhuyan, IANS,
Muscat : India and Oman will work to turn their current bilateral relationship into a “mighty strategic partnership”, according to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
“The political leadership of Oman and India are united in our resolve to cement our relationship into a mighty strategic relationship,” Singh said in comments to the media Saturday night, the first day of his three-day tour to Oman and Qatar, after a meeting with Oman's Deputy Prime Minister Sayyid Fahd Bin Mahmoud Al Said.
30 killed in Iraq attacks
By IANS,
Baghdad : At least 30 people were killed and 70 others wounded Sunday when suicide bombers attempted to take control of a police headquarters in Iraq, Xinhua reported.
Malaysian home minister tries to resolve Hindu temple row
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur : Malaysian Home Minister Hishamuddin Tun Hussein Wednesday brought together various parties to resolve a dispute over relocation of a Hindu shrine that had led to some protesters displaying a severed cow head.
The residents' committee of the Section 23 locality in Shah Alam, capital of Selangor state where the incident occurred, will meet the Malaysian Hindu Sangam Council Friday to resolve the issue.
The 150-year-old temple was earlier located in Section 10.
Iran calls EU sanctions ‘illegal, meaningless’
By IANS,
Tehran : Iran Tuesday condemned the new sanctions by the European Union (EU) over its controversial nuclear programme, and said the sanctions are " meaningless and against the international laws".
"The sanctions are illegal and show the EU's double standards and contradictory approach during the time the packages of proposals are being studied", foreign ministry spokesman Mohammad-Ali Hosseini said, adding that Tehran strongly condemned the sanctions, official IRNA news agency reported.
1,700 Palestinians killed in Gaza offensive
Gaza: The Palestinian health ministry said Sunday that at least 1,712 Palestinians have been killed since Israel launched its offensive in the Gaza Strip...
Corruption rife in Bangladesh, says global watchdog
By IANS,
Dhaka : Corruption is rife in Bangladesh and is on the increase in all areas of government activity with a public interface despite a drive by the military-backed government against it, says Transparency International, a Berlin headquartered NGO addressing corruption globally.
Down in the first six months after the caretaker government launched its campaign in January last year, corruption has again reared its head, said a report released by the Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) Wednesday.
Bangladesh weavers strike work, demand Indian yarn
By IANS,
Dhaka : Over 1.3 million handloom and powerloom units across Bangladesh have launched an indefinite strike demanding import of yarn from India through the Benapole land port to meet the current shortage and to arrest rising prices.
The import via Benapole land port located on the western border with India was stopped after local yarn manufacturers opposed it, arguing that it would bring down domestic prices and eventually ruin Bangladesh's spinning industry.
The strike began Wednesday.
Iran welcomes halt to Saudi-led military operation in Yemen
Tehran : Iran has welcomed Saudi Arabia's halt to its aerial campaign against Yemen, expressing hope that a national dialog among Yemeni parties would...
UN official visits Gaza to assess humanitarian situation
By KUNA,
Gaza : United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator in the Occupied Palestinian Territory Max Gaylard witnessed first-hand Tuesday the worsening economic and humanitarian situation in Gaza Strip under Israeli siege.
Gaylard met Tuesday with Gaza Governor Mohammad Al-Qudwa, Khan Younis Governor Osama Al-Farra, and Governor of the strip's central area Ismael Abu Shamala.
The governors stressed, according to a press release distributed here, on the importance of the United Nations' role in supporting the Palestinian cause from the humanitarian aspects.
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."
Egypt court lists Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis as terrorist group
Cairo : A court in Egypt Monday ruled that the Al Qaeda-inspired Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis be listed as a terrorist organisation.
As one of the...
Protesters ask Obama to stop Pakistan’s threat against India
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : Amidst all the jubilation surrounding Barack Obama's inauguration, there were some protesters too, with one group asking the new president to stop Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and Pakistan's threat against India.
Protesters from the Coalition for Peace, consisting of some Jewish, Hindu and Christian organisations, hung signs along a fence in Lafayette Park across the White House, demanding an end to Islamic radicalism and Middle East oil imports.
More US troops needed in Afghanistan where situstion ‘worsening’
By NNN-APP,
New York : US Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama on Sunday called for dispatching more American troops to stabilize the “worsening” situation in Afghanistan where the Taliban insurgency was on the rise.
Reporting on his recent foreign trip, Obama said problems in Afghanistan were compounded by a weak government, which was unable to provide services to the people, and rampant drug trafficking that was hampering efforts to fight the militants.
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.
Three mn people in Syria in need of assistance: UN
By IANS/AKI,
Rome : Almost three million people in Syria are in need of assistance as the country's civil war has devastated food production, according to a joint study by two UN organisations.
Gunmen kill 10 at Nigerian pub
By IANS,
Abuja: At least 10 people have been killed and several others seriously injured by unidentified gunmen at a drinking joint in Nigeria's Plateau state, Xinhua reported.
‘British ministers silent on biraderi system for reasons of vote’
By IANS,
London : The chairman of a British parliamentary committee says the Labour government has been slow in tackling postal ballot fraud - thought to be practised among the Pakistani and Bangladeshi communities - because of fears it might cost them votes.
Speaking ahead of just-ended local government elections in England and Wales, Tony Wright, chairman of the Labour-controlled Public Administration Select Committee, said reluctance to root out electoral abuse risked compromising “the integrity of democratic politics”.
Jailed Pakistani cricketers Butt and Aamer’s appeal rejected
By IANS,
London : Jailed former Pakistani cricketers Salman Butt and Mohammad Aamer have lost their appeals against their sentences in a spot-fixing scam.
Two die in Afghanistan suicide bombing
By IANS,
Kabul: Two Afghan civilians were killed while five were wounded in a suicide bombing that targeted a police convoy in the country's northern...
Over 50 killed in Pakistan fighting
By DPA,
Islamabad : At least 11 soldiers and 40 militants died in fierce clashes in Pakistan's troubled northwestern region, security officials said Monday.
Around half of the casualties occurred in the South Waziristan tribal district where nearly 30,000 soldiers have been fighting an estimated 10,000 Taliban guerrilla fighters for the last 11 days.
The army claimed on Monday that troops had secured the important village of Ghalai and the adjoining ridges, as they pushed deep into Taliban strongholds in the mountainous area borders Afghanistan.
Saudi Arabia covered with snow in coldest winter for 20 years
ABU DHABI, January 11 (RIA Novosti) - Northern parts of Saudi Arabia are covered with snow with schools, mosques and administrative bodies paralyzed, local media reported Friday.
The oil-rich kingdom is being hit with subzero temperatures and snow storms with freezing winds of up to 50 km/h (30mp/h). Some regions have been experiencing problems with water supplies as pipes have frozen, and livestock has died from the cold.
Afghanistan will not compromise on foreign policy: Karzai
New Delhi : Afghanistan will not compromise on the independence of its foreign policy, former Afghan President Hamid Karzai said Wednesday.
Karzai noted that the...
US military deaths in Iraq war reach 4,209
By IINA,
Washington : As of Wednesday, at least 4,209 members of the U.S. military had died in the Iraq war since it began in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count. The figure includes eight military civilians killed in action. At least 3,397 military personnel died as a result of hostile action, according to the military's numbers.
Blockade in Bangladesh to continue: Khaleda Zia
Dhaka : Opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chief Khaleda Zia announced Monday that her party will continue the blockade of the country, ending hopes...
OIC Secretary General thanks The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques
By SPA
Jeddah : The Secretary General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference Prof. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu expressed his thanks to and appreciation of The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz for the Kingdom's support for the Organization and its institutions in general and the Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Industry in particular.
NATO missile plan bad for Turkey: Iran
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow: Tehran has warned that the deployment of NATO's advanced surface-to-air Patriot missiles along the Turkish border with Syria would be detrimental to Turkey.
Abbas arrives in Egypt for talks on Palestinian issue
By Xinhua,
Cairo : Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas arrived in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh for talks on the latest developments over the Palestine issue, Egypt's Nile TV reported on Saturday.
Abbas is scheduled to meet his Egyptian counterpart Hosni Mubarak on Sunday morning to brief him on the outcome of his talks in Washington with U.S. President George Bush and U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, confirmed the Egyptian official MENA news agency.
Olmert holds confidential meeting with Abbas in Jerusalem
By Xinhua,
Jerusalem : Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert met on Sunday with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Jerusalem for the second time in one week, ahead of Abbas' upcoming visit to Washington.
The two held the meeting privately for about an hour, without the negotiation teams. The Israeli Prime Minister's Office didn't release a statement regarding the meeting's results.
Iran complains to UN about US visa refusal
London : Iran has complained to the UN about the US denying a visa to Iran's UN envoy-designate, a media report said Tuesday.
Iran's Deputy...
Gaza crossings still closed, Knesset debates “missile attacks”
By KUNA,
Gaza : Israel announced Monday it will keep closure of all Gaza crossings, upon instructions of Defense Minister Ehud Barak.
Radio Israel said Barak took the decision after talks with Israeli security authorities Sunday evening.
It quoted the minister justifying the decision by saying that Palestinians fired missiles from Gaza towards the towns of southern Israel Sunday evening.
Israel closed the crossings three weeks ago and refuses to re-open them despite a looming humanitarian disaster in Gaza Strip.
Israeli incursion into West Bank camp, curfew imposed
By KUNA,
Ramallah : Israeli forces enforced Saturday a curfew on Orouba refugee camp, close to the southern West Bank city of Al-Khalil (Hebron).
Witnesses said forces executed an incursion into the camp this morning and imposed a curfew, preventing citizens from leaving their homes.
They added that the Israeli troops searched several Palestinian homes and attacked several civilians.
18 female suicide bombers turn themselves in to U.S. troops
By Xinhua,
Baghdad : The U.S. military said Thursday that 18 women suicide bombers linked to al-Qaida network in Iraq turned themselves in to the U.S. troops north of Baghdad.
The surrender occurred on Wednesday after the women were "persuaded by their mullahs (Muslim clerics) and fathers to cease their training in suicide operations and reconcile," said a military statement.
The women signed reconciliation pledge to cease attacks and declare their support to the Iraqi government, it added.
Muslim community in France is getting ready to combat Islamophobia
Paris : The Muslim community in France is getting ready to combat a rise in Islamophobic incidents after a series of deadly attacks in Paris, news agencies reported.
Attacks in France by militants -the Kouachi brothers and Amedy Coulibaly - have sent a shockwave of fear and anger through the country, a total of 20 people including the three gunmen were killed over three days.
Palestinian authority warns against plot to transform mosque into night club
By KUNA,
Gaza : A Palestinian religious authority warned on Saturday that some Jewish activists plotted to transform a mosque in northern Israel into a night club.
Chairman of Al-Aqsa Foundation for Waqf and Heritage Zaki Aghbariah said in a statement that "some Israeli quarters" were behind the plot to transform the mosque in the village of Salamah, located close to the ancient city of Yafa (Java).
Iran to launch Bushehr n-plant in February
By IANS,
Tehran : Iran has announced that its Bushehr nuclear power plant will be launched in February next year.
25 hurt, 10 critical as speeding bus overturns
By APP
Burewala : Some 20 passengers were injured, ten of them critically, when a speeding Mailsi-bound bus skidded and overturned on the highway near Chak 185-EB Thursday afternoon.
The injured, mostly women, were rushed to the local hospital for emergency treatment by patrolling and Gaggu Mandi police teams.
Those in critical condition have been identifed as Muhammad Salim, Maqsood Ahmed and Bushra Bibi of Arifwala, Farid Ahmed and Razia Bibi of Lahore, Bilal Ahmed, Rehana and Nawab Bibi of Karachi, and Nadeem and Shahnaz Bibi of Mailsi.
65 husbands jailed for violating court orders
Riyadh: Courts in the Saudi Arabian capital of Riyadh have sentenced more than 65 men to prison terms ranging from two days to three...
US drone kills four in Pakistan
By IANS,
Islamabad: At least four people were killed and two injured in a US drone strike launched early Saturday in Pakistan's northwest tribal area, Xinhua reported.
Egypt discovers 3,000-year-old tomb
Cairo : The Egyptian-French archaeological mission working at the Ramesseum temple in Luxor discovered the tomb of Karomama, divine wife of ancient Egyptian god...
Seven Pakistani fishermen held off Gujarat coast
By IANS,
Porbandar (Gujarat) : A Pakistani fishing boat with seven crew members on board was seized by the Indian Coast Guard's Porbandar unit, officials said Saturday.
"These men had illegally entered eight miles into Indian territory Friday," a source in the Coast Guard told IANS.
"The boat Al-Huja (No 8345-B) was seized at 12.45 p.m. Friday. All the men are currently being interrogated," the source added.
The boat and fishermen were brought to Porbandar's Coast Guard interrogation centre Saturday.
Taliban attacks kill 9 policemen in S. Afghanistan
By Xinhua,
Kabul : Taliban militants, in a series of pre-dawn attack on the police in Kandahar province of southern Afghanistan, killed nine policemen and wounded three others on Tuesday, a provincial police chief told Xinhua.
IS captures Jordanian pilot of downed jet
Amman/Damascus: The Jordanian army Wednesday said one of its pilots has been captured by the Islamic State (IS) after a war plane crashed near...
Afghan official killed; toll in Kandahar blast reaches 43
By DPA,
Kabul : A senior provincial official was killed in northern Afghanistan Wednesday while the death toll for a deadly blast in the southern city of Kandahar city reached 43, officials said.
Qari Jahangir, head of the justice department of the northern province of Kunduz, was driving to his office Wednesday morning when a bomb which was placed in his car exploded in the centre of Kunduz city, Abdul Razaq Yaqoubi, the provincial police chief said.
He said Jahangir, who was the sole occupant of the vehicle, was killed and his car was badly damaged in the explosion.
Four convicted Bangladeshis on the run nabbed in West Bengal
By IANS,
Kolkata : Four Bangladeshi nationals sentenced to the gallows for the 2004 murder of an Awami League parliamentarian and close associate of prime minister-designate Sheikh Hasina, have been arrested by the West Bengal police.
The four, who fled Bangladesh after being sentenced to death, were nabbed by the West Bengal Criminal Investigation Department (CID) late Sunday night from Kolkata's adjoining South 24-Parganas district.
Probe into lynching of boys begins in Pakistan
By Awais Saleem,IANS,
Islamabad : A video footage showing a mob lynching two brothers in the presence of policemen in Pakistan has sparked off protests in the country, prompting the Supreme Court to direct a probe into the brutal act.
A committee, constituted on the instructions of Supreme Court Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhary, here Monday started the investigation in the killing of two brothers by a mob in Sialkot city of Punjab province last week.
Cartier donates SR570,000 to Saudi Orphan Society
By IINA
Riyadh : Jeweler and watchmaker Cartier has donated SR570,000 to the Saudi Society for the Care of Orphans (Insan) here yesterday. On behalf of Insan, Prince Faisal bin Salman, chairman of Saudi Research and Marketing Group (SRMG), who is also the chairman of Insan’s Resource Development Committee, received the check at the SRMG headquarters. The amount was raised as part of Cartier’s yearlong charity initiative under which it collected proceeds from the sale of Cartier’s “Charity Love Bracelet”. The check was handed over by Yaqoub Al-Sharif, CEO of Sara Corporation.
Pakistan Army again violates ceasefire on LoC
Jammu: Pakistan Army has resorted to unprovoked overnight firing at Indian positions on the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district of Jammu and...
Israeli army ready to widen Gaza operation: Netanyahu
By IANS,
Jerusalem : Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Sunday said the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) were prepared to widen, if necessary, their ongoing Operation Pillar of Defence.
Rice, Chinese FM Discuss Tibet, Iran ‘Incentives’
By SPA,
Washington : U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Wednesday called Chinese Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Yang Jiechi to discuss Tibet and Iran’s nuclear program, U.S. officials said.
Four PKK rebels captured in SE Turkey
By Xinhua
Ankara : The Turkish security forces captured four rebels of the banned Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) in southeastern Turkey, a military statement said on Sunday.
The statement posted by the Turkish General Staff on its website said that the security forces captured the four PKK rebels in Ergani town of Diyarbakir on March 6.
Indian Americans call for unified action to secure life, liberty and justice for all...
By TCN News,
Washington DC: The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC - www.iamc.com), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India's pluralist and tolerant ethos, joined...
Persian Gulf states support ‘verifiable’ Iran n-pact: Obama
Washington : US President Barack Obama has said that the officials of the six Arab Persian Gulf nations with whom he met expressed to...
60 percent Taliban militants foreigners: Afghan defence minister
By Xinhua,
Kabul : Afghanistan's Defence Minister General Abdul Rahim Wardak has said that 60 percent of the Taliban militants were foreigners, an Afghan newspaper reported Thursday.
"Over 60 percent of anti-government militants are foreign nationals," daily Arman-e-Millie quoted the minister as saying.
The defence minister did not specify the nationalities of the militants.
The newspaper also quoted the defence minister as saying that these insurgents were mostly active in the Helmand province.
22,000 flee due to fighting in Pakistan
By IANS,
Islamabad : About 22,000 people have fled Pakistan's restive tribal region due to intense fighting between military and terrorists, the government said Friday.