Women behind Baghdad blasts, death toll rises to 19
By KUNA,
Baghdad : Monday's blasts that targeted Shiites on a religious visit to Baghdad were carried out by three women, a security sources confirmed Monday.
Meanwhile, the death toll of the blasts which took place in National Theatre Square, Al-Alawiyah Square, and Kahramanah Square rose to 19, while 40 other people were injured, medical sources in Ibn Al-Nafees and Al-Kindi hospitals said.
PKK deny link to Turkey bombings
By DPA,
Ankara : A senior Kurdish separatist figure Monday denied that the Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) had carried out a bomb attack in Istanbul Sunday night that killed 17 people and left more than 150 injured.
"This is a dark incident... This incident has no connection to the Kurdish freedom struggle. They cannot make a connection with the PKK," Zubeyir Aydar, a former Turkish parliamentarian who is now head of the political section of the PKK, told the PKK-inked Firat news agency.
UK not to prosecute US for killing journalist in Iraq
By IRNA,
London : Britain's state Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has decided against prosecute US troops for killing award- winning journalist Terry Lloyd in Iraq in 2003, despite an inquest ruling that he was unlawfully killed.
A CPS spokesman was quoted by the BBC Monday saying that there was "insufficient evidence" to bring about a successful prosecution against any US soldier responsible for shooting dead the British ournalist on the outskirts of Basra at the beginning of the Iraq war.
Pakistan Labour Minister to attend NAM meet in Tehran
By IRNA,
Islamabad : Pakistan's Minister for Labour, Manpower and Overseas Syed Khurshid Ahmed Shah will lead delegation to the 15th NAM Ministerial Meeting to be held in Tehran, Iran on 29-30 July, the Foreign Ministry said Monday.
He will be accompanied by senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs including Pakistan's Permanent Representative to the U.N Munir Akram and Director General (UN) in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Syed Hassan Javed.
Merkel, Medvedev to discuss ME peace, Afghanistan next month
By IRNA,
Berlin : German Chancellor Angela Merkel will meet with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev at Sotchi on the Black Sea on August 15 for political talks, government spokesman Ulrich Wilhelm was quoted as saying on Wednesday.
The meeting is expected to dwell on the situation in Afghanistan and the latest developments in the Middle East peace process, the Merkel spokesperson added.
Wilhelm did not provide any further details on the content of the planned talks.
Medvedev visited Berlin last month for his first official European trip since taking office in May.
Gov’t officer shot dead in sectarian-related violence
By IRNA,
Islamabad : Two unknown motorcyclists gunned down a government officer in northwest Pakistan on Wednesday in sectarian- related violence, police said on Thursday.
District Account Officer Arif Shah was gunned down in the city of Dera Ismail Khan. The gunmen fled after the firing. No group claimed responsibility for the killing.
Up to 25 militants killed in major military operation: army
By IRNA,
Islamabad : Pakistan army said Wednesday that the security forces killed upto 25 militants in the troubled Swat valley in northwest.
The army launched a major operation in the valley after Taliban kidnapped 25 police and paramilitary soldiers from a police station on Tuesday.
The army information officer in the area said that curfew was imposed in the whole Swat valley before launching operation early Wednesday.
He said that around 25 armed militants were killed in Srabandey area of Swat.
Hamas: Olmert”s decision to step dowm constitutes a blow to settlement efforts
By KUNA,
Ramallah : Hamas on Thursday considered the decision of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to step down from political life a blow to the group tasked with reaching a political settlement in the Palestinian Authority.
Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri told reporters in Gaza that the declaration of Olmert to step down from office is a blow to the group, which links its destiny to settlement plans and the presumption of achieving a Palestinian state at the end of this year.
Main authority should be stronger than provincial councils – Iraqi PM
By NNN-KUNA,
Baghdad : Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki said he supported the establishment of provincial councils and independent governments in provinces as long as they did not have a higher authority than the central government.
Iran, EU discuss major powers’ nuclear talks offer
By SPA,
Brussels : Iran's nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili and European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana discussed an offer from major powers on Tehran's nuclear programme on Monday, a European Union official said.
"During the (phone) conversation, the freeze-for-freeze issue will not be discussed. Like the last talks (in Geneva), they will only discuss the common points of the two packages," the senior Iranian official told Reuters.
Hamas plays down PNA’s consideration of banning its armed wing in West Bank
By Xinhua,
Gaza : A Hamas spokesman Monday played down reports that the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) was considering to outlaw the movement's armed wing in the West Bank.
"This is a shame on those who study to ban the al-Qassam brigades and this decision will greatly fail," said Fawzi Barhoom,a spokesman for Hamas in Gaza.
"Those who want to ban al-Qassam have to face all the Palestinian people and this will be impossible," Barhoom added.
Iraqi Parliament fails to approve provincial council elections bill
By NNN-KUNA,
Baghdad : The Iraqi parliament has failed again to approve the provincial council elections draft law, already rejected by the presidency council, and decided to meet again on Sept 9 to vote on the bill.
MP Mohsen Al-Saadoun, from the coalition of Kurdistan, told KUNA the house has failed again Wednesday to approve the draft law because the lawmakers did not reach a common formula.
Speaker Mahmoud Al-Mashhadani formed a committee consisting of head of blocs to narrow the gap between the political parties, he said.
Lebanese President meets Commander of US Central Command
By NNN-KUNA,
Beirut : Lebanese President Michel Suleiman has held talks here with commander of the US Central Command (CENTCOM) General David Petraeus on military cooperation between Beirut and Washington.
Petraeus informed Suleiman about his appointment as head of CENTCOM. The army general is also head of the US forces in Iraq.
Both men discussed ways of boosting military and political cooperation, an official statement said Wednesday.
The US has extended military assistance to the Lebanese army and the internal forces.
U.S. says new sanctions against Iran are under consideration
By Xinhua,
Washington : The United States and four other permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany are considering new sanctions against Iran after Tehran failed to give clear answer to an incentives package by the six major powers, the State Department said Wednesday.
"We are very disappointed that Iran has failed yet again to give ... a clear answer to the P5+1 generous incentives package. The letter we received yesterday appears to be a stalling tactic," State Department spokesman Gonzalo Gallegos said.
In Palestine, the mobile phone is the placement agency
By Aroonim Bhuyan, IANS,
Dubai : A chance meeting between an unemployed Palestinian youth and a Canadian aid worker in 2005 has resulted in a service that is today helping hundreds of unemployed Palestinian youths find jobs on their mobile phone screens.
Souktel, a cell phone-based company that uses SMS technology to link young people with jobs and aid agencies with people who need help, this week unveiled its new customized SMS JobMatch service for students, in partnership with Harvard University and Palestine's Birzeit University.
Called Bengalis, Malaysian Sikhs walk out of function
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur : A group of Malaysian Sikhs walked out from a function when Perak state's chief executive referred to them as Bengalis.
Perak's Mentri Besar Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin made the gaffe Sunday when he wished the Tamil community "Puthandu Vazth-uka" or Happy New Year followed by "Happy Vasakhi to the Bengali community".
"For generations, Sikhs have bit their lips when mistakenly referred to as Bengalis. Many usually excuse the gaffe by ordinary folk who do not know any better," media reports from the Perak capital Ipoh said.
Yusuf Estes explains Islam’s beauty
By IINA,
Jeddah : Prominent American Islamic scholar and a preacher from Texas Yusuf Estes said that the strident smear campaign against Islam and Muslims following September 11 terror attacks in the United States encouraged many American men and women to study and embrace Islam. “They are doing the job for us,” Estes, himself a convert, said while delivering a lecture on “The Beauty of Islam” at the Saudi German Hospital Auditorium here on Friday night. However, he reminded Muslims of their big responsibility in spreading the message of Islam among others.
Kuwait to participate in higher defense session in Paris
By IANS,
Paris : The Fourth international session on the Asia-Middle East region will kick-off here Tuesday at the Higher Institute for Defense Studies, with the participation of several Gulf states, including Kuwait, the French Foreign Ministry announced.
The session, which will be entitled "The factors of instability: which security tools?" is being held as a result of an initiative taken by the French Foreign Ministry with the cooperation of the Defense Ministry.
Pakistan, Afghan forces exchange fire over wheat flour smuggling
By IRNA,
Islamabad : Pakistani and Afghan border security forces exchanged fire on Monday after the Pakistani forces tried to stop 'smuggling of flour' to the neighboring country, officials said.
Officials at the Pakistani border city of Chaman in southwestern Balochistan said that both sides started firing at 7:15 a.m. which continued till 11 a.m.
There was no report of any casualty.
The firing was stopped after senior officials of the two countries held talks, officials said.
Bengali new year celebrated in Bangladesh amid tight security
By NNN-Xinhua
Dhaka : The Bengali New Year is celebrated Monday across Bangladesh, especially in capital Dhaka, with a festive atmosphere.
Tens of thousands of people in masks and traditional dress, mostly students of the Dhaka University, held a colorful parade through the university, ushering in good spirits for the new year and vowing to defeat any ill-will.
At the forefront of the parade were precisionists carrying symbolic figures of the owl, tortoise, tiger and elephant.
Death toll rises to 40 in Iraq’s Diyala car bombing
By Xinhua,
Baghdad : The death toll from a car bomb explosion in the city of Baquba, the capital of Diyala province on Tuesday, rose to 40 with some 70 others injured, a provincial police source said.
"The latest reports said that up to 40 people were killed and some 70 others injured by the Baquba car bombing," the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.
Earlier, the source put the toll at 12 killed and more than 40 others wounded.
Pakistan rejects report on U.S. Training in Tribal Areas
By SPA,
Islamabad : Pakistan Army has described as 'incorrect' a report regarding US trainers being moved to tribal areas of Pakistan to train the paramilitary troops of Frontier Corps troops.
"Any training programme to train the trainers of Frontier Corps will be finalized with the approval of Ministry of Interior of Pakistan", an official said.
All paramilitary forces including the Frontier Corps fall under the jurisdiction of Ministry of Interior, he said and added that the report of any type of pressure on the army in this regard is 'baseless and unfounded.'
Iraqi shot by British soldier to get 2 million pounds payout
By NNN-KUNA,
London : A young Iraqi man accidentally shot by a British soldier will receive 2 million pounds, the British Ministry of Defence (MoD) has said.
The commercial TV station "Channel 4 News" reported, late on Monday, that the man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was set to receive the payout after suffering severe spinal injuries which left him paralysed.
The sum is far higher than anything paid to any British troops injured in Iraq and is likely to reopen the controversy over the compensation levels for wounded service personnel, commentators said.
Iran’s army powerful deterrent to enemies: president
By IANS,
Tehran : Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, in an obvious warning to the West, Thursday said the country's armed forces would react to any threat of aggression.
Addressing a military parade marking the National Army Day here, the president said: "No major power is able to jeopardize the Iranian nation's security and interests of its people. Iran's army, the Revolutionary Guards and the Basij would respond strongly to even the minimum aggression."
Captured UK sailors were not in Iraqi waters, documents confirm
By IRNA,
London : Fifteen British sailors and marines captured by Iran last year were not in Iraq's maritime territory as the UK government claimed, official documents released under the Freedom of Information Act confirm.
The sailors were apprehended in March 2007 because the US-led coalition designated a sea boundary for Iran's territorial waters without telling the Iranians where it was, according to internal Ministry of Defence (MoD) briefing papers.
Ban urges all members to attend Iraq Compact Annual Review Conference in May
By KUNA,
United Nations : Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has sent out invitations to all member states and regional organisations and institutions "strongly encouraging" them to attend the Iraq Compact Annual Review Conference scheduled for May 29 in Stockholm.
His spokesperson, Michele Montas, told the daily press briefing Thursday that the invitations were also extended by Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Barham Salih, and by the Special Advisor to the Secretary-General, Ibrahim Gambari.
Iran criticises US offensive in Iraq
By Xinhua,
Baghdad : The Iranian ambassador to Iraq has strongly criticised the US military operations in Baghdad's main Shia bastion of Sadr city that killed many civilians.
"We criticize the pounding of cities and the siege of people, which will aggravate the situations and make things worse," the Iranian envoy Hassan Kazemi Qomi told a news conference at the Iranian Embassy here late Saturday.
UN approves Iran’s proposal on combat trafficking antiquities
By NNN-IRNA,
Vienna : Iran's proposal on combat against trafficking antiquities was approved by the 17th session of UN Crimes Commission.
Iran's proposed resolution, passed during the last session of the commission, underlined the need for preserving antique objects as parts of the common human heritage.
It also said that serious measures should be taken to stop the organized groups trafficking the antiquities.
The five-day session, inaugurated in the Austrian capital city on Monday, concluded its work Friday evening.
Israeli Police on highest alert
By KUNA,
Gaza : Israeli Police put all its units on highest alert Sunday across Israeli territory, Radio Israel reported this morning.
"This step was taken after security authorities received detailed intelligence and traced leads to Palestinian factions in the process of executing planned attacks inside Israel," the radio added.
The station added thousands of policemen, border guards, and volunteers were deployed in all Israeli cities, and most particularly in crowded cities.
Britain extends conditional support to Pakistan’s dialogue plan with militants
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : Britain supports Pakistan's reconciliation process with the militants "but the talks should beheld with those who wanted to surrender or lay arms", British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said.
Miliband arrived in Peshawar, the capital of Pakistan's North West Frontier Province (NWFP) on a two-day visit for talks with the new government.
The new provincial government has formed a committee of senior officials to hold dialogue with the militants in the Swat valley and tribal regions.
Lift emergency for credible polls, new US envoy to Dhaka
By IANS,
Dhaka : New US Ambassador to Bangladesh James F. Moriarty has urged that emergency be lifted to ensure credible elections in the country.
He said that it would be "extremely difficult" to conduct polls under emergency rules in force since January last year.
The emergency "does not allow political parties to campaign for elections and hinders other electoral preparations", Moriarty said at a media meet Monday after presenting his credentials.
Iraq neighbors’ meeting opens in Kuwait with Maliki’s call for help
By Xinhua,
Kuwait City : A ministerial conference on Iraq opened here Tuesday with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki urged the neighbors to help stabilize his war-torn country. The neighboring countries, especially the Gulf neighbors should help stabilize Iraq by living up to pledges to forgive its debt, Maliki urged at the opening session of the conference.
Two Iranians shot dead by Azerbaijani border guards
By RIA Novosti,
Baku : Azerbaijani border guards shot dead early on Tuesday two Iranians who illegally entered the country with the aim of smuggling alcohol back into Iran, Azerbaijan's Interior Ministry said.
The ministry's press service said three Azerbaijani accomplices met the Iranians near the border to hand over the goods. On being apprehended by border guards, the Iranians opened fire, and were killed in the return fire.
The three Azerbaijanis escaped, but were later detained in a search operation, the statement said. An investigation into the incident is underway.
Isreali warplanes voilate Lebanese airspace
By KUNA,
Beirut : Several Israeli warplanes have violated Lebanese airspace and flew over several Lebanese territories, Lebanese security sources said.
Sources told KUNA Wednesday Israeli fighter jets flew over Tyre and the town of Rashaya, as well as the Western Bekaa region at low altitudes.
The sources added warplanes violate Lebanese airspace almost daily in stark violation of Lebanese sovereignty and UN resolution 1701.
Iran, IAEA determined to continue cooperation
By IRNA,
Tehran : Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency will continue cooperation, said an Iranian nuclear official here on Wednesday.
"Iran and the IAEA will continue cooperation. As announced earlier, Tehran's policy is based on continuing cooperation with the IAEA within framework of the international body's regulations," said spokesman for the Iranian delegation to negotiations with the IAEA Deputy Chief for Safeguards Olli Heinonen, here on Wednesday.
8th Int’l Petrochemical Confab to be held in Tehran
By IRNA,
Tehran : The Eighth International Petrochemical Conference will be held in the IRIB International Conference Center from May 17-18.
A group of high ranking officials and representatives of domestic and foreign companies will take part in the event.
The conference aims to prepare the ground for getting familiar with Iranian petrochemical industry and to provide investment opportunities in this respect.
ElBaradei: Iran’s decision for cooperation with IAEA a milestone
By IRNA,
Vienna : Head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Mohamed ElBaradei said Wednesday that Iran's decision to have more cooperation with the IAEA is a milestone.
ElBaradei said that he hoped his agency will make progress in its investigation into Tehran's alleged nuclear weapons programs.
The top IAEA official made the comment in Sarajevo on Wednesday shortly after his Agency announced that Iran had agreed to cooperate with IAEA in its investigation.
Alleged studies is a clause of the last IAEA report on cooperation with Iran.
Pro-Taliban militant leader directs halt to attacks in Pakistan
By DPA,
Islamabad : Top leader of pro-Taliban militants in Pakistan has directed his comrades "to immediately cease their activities" as the government inches toward signing a peace accord with the rebels, media reports said Thursday.
Baitullah Mehsud, the head of the country's umbrella militant group Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), issued the orders Wednesday in pamphlets.
"He has warned that his directives should be complied with and those violating them will be publicly punished," read the order, which was published in several newspapers.
Two Turkish soldier killed in clash with PKK rebels
By Xinhua,
Ankara : Two Turkish soldiers were killed in an operation staged against the outlawed Kurdish Workers' Party(PKK) in southeastern Turkey on Friday, the General Staff said in a statement.
Two soldiers were killed in a clash with PKK rebels in Mount Cudi region in southeastern province of Sirnak on Friday, said the statement.
Halt in Gaza aid unacceptable – Russia FM
By NNN-KUNA,
Moscow : The Russian Foreign Ministry criticized on Friday the suspension of food supplies to Palestinian refugees, saying it may lead to famine and more tension.
"The termination of supplies threatens spread of hunger and a sharp rise in internal tension. Moscow believes that such actions, which may be regarded as collective punishment of the civilian population, must be avoided," Boris Malakhov, deputy spokesman for the ministry, told the press.
A test for the world community
By NNN-WAM,
Sharjah : The world is on the brink of a disaster as millions of people are facing poverty because of global food scarcity and high food prices, a UAE daily paper warned Thursday.
''It may even affect political and economic stability of many countries. Unlike any natural calamity like tsunami, drought or flood that devastates the world every year, this looming crisis is man-made and needs immediate attention,'' wrote The Gulf Friday.
Elections run-off begins
By NNN-IRNA,
Tehran : The 8th Majlis run-off elections started here at 54 constituencies at 08:00 am Tehran times on Friday.
Some 164 candidates run the race in 100 cities in 21 provinces to win 82 parliamentary seats.
The run-off elections will be held for 10 hours based on the law and the time would be extended if necessary.
One Palestinian killed, seven hurt in clashes
By SPA,
Gaza City, Gaza Strip : Israeli troops and Palestinian gunmen are exchanging heavy fire in northern Gaza. Medics say one Palestinian has been killed.
The clashes began before dawn Saturday when an Israeli undercover force entered a border area. Hamas and Islamic Jihad fighters fired at the force. They used machine guns, mortars and homemade bombs, according to a report of the Associated Press.
Afghanistan backs Pakistan’s move to make peace with non-threatening Taliban
By NNN-APP,
New York : Stating that he was confident of the new Pakistan government’s “good intentions”, Afghan President Hamid Karzai has supported Islamabad’s move to make peace with the Taliban who do not pose any threat.
“But,” he told New York Times, “if the deal is with those that are hard-core terrorists, Al Qaeda, and are bent upon sooner or later again causing damage to Pakistan, and to Afghanistan and to the rest of the world, then that’s wrong and we should definitely not do it.”
UN condemns Taliban attack on Afghanistan’s victory parade
By DPA,
New York : The UN Security Council issued a condemnation Monday of the Taliban-led attack against a victory parade in Kabul attended by Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who escaped unhurt.
One person was killed and 11 others injured when Taliban forces opened fire on a parade marking the end of the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in February 1989, by Afghan freedom fighters known as mujahideen.
Ahmadinejad: Iran, Pakistan to finalize peace pipeline project
By IRNA,
Tehran : President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Monday high ranking Iranian and Pakistani officials are to finalized Peace pipeline project soon.
In an exclusive interview with Pakistan's state TV channel, the Iranian president referred to fruitful talks with Pakistani officials and expressed the hope that the legal issue of gas deal between the two countries would be resolved very soon.
Israeli Army Kills Gaza Family
By Prensa Latina,
Ramallah : Israeli tanks attacked a locality in Gaza Strip, killing seven Palestinians, four children among them, and wounding about 20 others, medical sources informed.
The incursion was against Beit Hanun, one of communities most attacked by the Israeli army in northern Gaza.
The sources added the four children were brothers ranging from 1to 7 years of ages, and their mother also died when a projectile struck the house.
Iran to counter Dutch anti-Islam video with two documentaries
By ANTARA News,
Tehran : Iran is to counter the anti-Islamic video Fitna (Discord) made by Dutch legislator Geert Wilders with two documentary films, Fars news agency reported Monday.
The Iranian films are titled Reply to Fitna and Beyond Fitna and aimed at what the filmmakers call neutralizing the "plot" by the Dutch against Islam.
The two Iranian filmmakers have also declared their readiness to have a debate with Wilders over his film.
WIEF reaffirms importance Kuwait attaches to OIC — state minister
By KUNA,
Kuwait : The Fourth World Islamic Economic Forum (WIEF) comes to affirm the importance that Kuwait attached to the Organization of the Islamic Conference and its support for all its affiliate institutions and activities, said Deputy Prime Minister and State Minister for Cabinet Affairs Faisal Al-Hajji on Tuesday.
Speaking at the inauguration of the WIEF, Al-Hajji, who is Chairman of the Forum's Higher Organizing Committee, welcomed the participants in Kuwait and hoped that the meetings would serve the best interests of the Muslim countries and people.
Palestinian factions fire rockets into Israel after seven killed
By Xinhua,
Gaza : Palestinian militants fired tens of home-made rockets and mortar shells into Israeli targets around Gaza Strip on Tuesday.
The armed factions said the rocket attacks were in response to the killing of seven Palestinians, including a woman and her four children, during an Israeli army operation in northern Gaza Strip Monday.
The armed wing of Islamic Hamas movement, which ruled Gaza Strip, claimed responsibility for launching nine Qassam rockets into Sderot city in Western Negev.
Olmert regrets Gaza civilian deaths, blames Hamas
By Xinhua,
Jerusalem : Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Tuesday expressed "deep regret" over Monday's civilian deaths in the Gaza Strip while accusing Hamas of exposing Palestinian civilians to danger.
"I would like to express my deep regret on behalf of the Israeli government and the State of Israel over the tragic incident in which a mother and her four children were killed in Beit Hanoun, " local daily Yedioth Ahronoth quoted Olmert as saying at the start of the weekly cabinet meeting.
NATO critically short of troops in Afghanistan, says UK briefing
By IRNA,
London : The Nato mission in Afghanistan is "critically" short of key troops and equipment, according to a leaked British Foreign Office briefing.
The three-page document, which summarizes the British view of Afghanistan, was drawn up at the request of Prime Minister Gordon Brown to be distributed to western allies, according to the Daily Telegraph, which published extracts of the report Tuesday.
"Critical military gaps remain to be filled," the paper said, listing that Nato still needed more helicopters, more aircraft and more training teams to help the Afghan army.
Suicide bomber kills at least 16 in eastern Afghanistan
By RIA Novosti,
Kabul : A suicide bomber blew himself up on Tuesday in eastern Afghanistan, killing at least 16 people and injuring over 40, the local Tolo TV channel said.
The attack came after militants had fired shots and rocket-propelled grenades at a police station in the town of Khogyani. The suicide bomber then detonated his device in the middle of a crowd as civilians fled the fighting.
300 killed in Iraqi Shia bastion in April
By Xinhua,
Baghdad : The death toll in clashes between the Shia militia and the US-backed Iraqi forces in the capital's Sadr City area climbed to more than 300 in April, sources said Wednesday.
Women and children were among the victims of the clashes in the stronghold of Mahdi army militia, loyal to radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, the sources told Xinhua.
Up to 321 people were killed and some 834 wounded in the clashes in the slum of Sadr City in April, according to the ministry database.
Czech Republic to send special forces unit to Afghanistan
By DPA,
Prague : The lower house of Czech parliament Wednesday agreed to deploy a special-forces unit to Afghanistan for the rest of 2008.
The deployment was already cleared in the Senate, upper houser of parliament, and it does not require a presidential approval.
A contingent of up to 100 special-forces troops is to serve under US-led operation Enduring Freedom. The unit has already served in the mission in 2004 and 2006.
Initial approval for Oman’s Bank of Muscat to operate branch in Kuwait
By NNN-KUNA,
Kuwait : Kuwait's Central Bank Governor Sheikh Salem Abdul-aziz Al-Sabah has said that it initially agreed to grant a licence to Oman's Bank of Muscat to open a branch in Kuwait.
Sheikh Salem said in a press release Sunday the approval is the fifth by the Central Bank within cooperation with central banks in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states.
The Governor also noted that there are already two branches of UAE and Qatar banks active in the country and listed in the Central Bank's record.
Bangladesh invites MNC bids for oil and gas exploration
By IANS,
Dhaka : Bangladesh hopes to get nine foreign oil and gas multinational corporations, including some global names, to bid for offshore blocks for exploration.
Submission of offers for exploration in eight shallow water blocks and 20 deep-sea blocks in the Bay of Bengal is to begin shortly. The bidding is the first of its kind for Bangladesh where the focus is exclusively on the Bay of Bengal. The country hopes to catch up in the race where neighbours India and Myanmar have already gone ahead and found oil and gas.
IAEA hopes to shed light on Syrian reactor soon
By DPA,
Brussels : The head of the UN nuclear watchdog said Wednesday he hoped his agency could soon shed light on an alleged nuclear reactor which the US claims was secretly built by Syria with North Korean help before being destroyed by Israel.
"We are now in dialogue with the Syrians ... I hope we will be able in the next few weeks to be in a position to shed some light on the nature of the facility that was destroyed," said Mohamed ElBaradei, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), during a visit to Brussels.
Sharif, Zardari lunch date in London to restore judges
By Muhammad Najeeb, IANS,
Islamabad : Asif Ali Zardari and Nawaz Sharif, leaders of the main partners of Pakistan's ruling coalition, are scheduled to meet over lunch in London Thursday to discuss the fate of judges sacked by President Pervez Musharraf when he imposed emergency Nov 3 last year, official sources said.
Sharif, head of his own faction of the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Nawaz), is already in London where his wife underwent knee surgery. Zardari, chief of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), left for the British capital Wednesday night.
Inquest opens in UK’s heaviest loss of life in Afghanistan
By IRNA,
London : The delayed inquest into 14 British soldiers killed in Afghanistan, when a Nimrod reconnaissance plane crashed in nearly two years ago, formally opened Wednesday with a cockpit recording of moments before the aircraft burst into flames.
The explosion, which resulted in the heaviest single loss of life for British forces since the Falklands war, happened minutes after the spy plane refueled near Kandahar on September 2 2006.
President: Fight against drugs needs world resolve
By IRNA,
Tehran : President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad underlined that campaign against drugs needs world resolve.
In a meeting with Assistant Secretary General of the United Nations and the executive director of fight against drugs and crimes Antonio Mario Casta, President Ahmadinejad said countries like Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan have suffered the most on drugs.
He went on to say, "Parts of the expenses which other countries pay for campaign against drugs can be spent for fight against drug production."
Coalition soldier killed in central Afghanistan IED blast
By KUNA,
Kabul : A soldier of the US-led coalition troops was was killed in a blast caused by an improvised explosive device (IED) in central Afghanistan, said a statement.
"One coalition service-member was killed today when a vehicle struck an IED in Tagab Valley, Kapisa province," said the military statement released late on Friday.
The identity of the deceased is being withheld until next-of-kin notification.
I’m powerless, says Zardari after seven hours of talks
By Dipankar De Sarkar, IANS,
London : The two leaders of Pakistan's ruling alliance have failed to reach agreement on the important issue of reinstatement of judges sacked by President Pervez Musharraf, agreeing to disagree after seven hours of inconclusive talks here.
Lebanese Army deployed in Mount Lebanon
By NNN-KUNA,
Beirut : The Lebanese army has been deployed to the area of Aitat and other towns in Aley, Mount Lebanon.
Security sources told KUNA that the army was deployed after the Mount Lebanon areas witnessed three hours of intense fighting which claimed Sunday the lives of six people.
Pro-government Druze leader Walid Jumblatt stated that the clashes would lead to more tension between the Druze and Shiite sects, adding that he had assigned head of the Democratic bloc Talal Arsulan to negotiate with the opposition's gunmen.
Palestinian PM optimistic over archieving security plan
By NNN-KUNA,
Ramallah : Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad has expressed optimism over achieving the security plan in the Palestinian areas.
During his visit to the city of Nablus Sunday, Fayyad said he was optimistic all objectives of the security plan would be achieved.
He said that the Palestinian National Authority has been following the issue of normalizing the security situation in the Palestinian areas which began in the city of Nablus and was followed by Jenin.
Israel resumes fuel shipments to Gaza
By Xinhua,
Gaza : Israel on Monday resumed fuel shipments to Gaza Strip after about a week of halting, Palestinian officials said.
Four tank trucks of industrial diesel were seen entering the Strip and going to the only power station there which was shut down on Saturday due to fuel shortage.
Mujahed Salama, director of the Palestinian Petroleum Agency, said that Israel started to pipe fuel into Palestinian depots at Nahal Oz crossing in eastern Gaza city.
Haneya hopes Egypt to convince Israel accepting ceasefire
By Xinhua,
Gaza : Deposed Hamas Premier Ismail Haneya on Monday hoped Egypt would succeed in convincing Israel to accept a ceasefire deal designated to take place in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.
In a statement sent to the press, Haneya called on the Israeli leaders to cope with Egypt's intelligence chief Omar Suleiman who is on a visit to Israel to present the ceasefire initiative.
Haneya also urged Israel to "end the aggression and lift the siege on the Palestinian people."
Dubai-style island resorts planned on the Thames
By IANS,
London : Gulf property developers are planning to build luxury island resorts in England - complete with yacht marinas, theatres, an opera house and housing - along the lines of the famed artificial palm islands of Dubai, a newspaper reported.
Fatah al-Islam threatens fighting against “humiliation” in Lebanon
By Xinhua,
Beirut : Fundamentalist Sunni group Fatah al-Islam, defined by Lebanese government as a terrorist group, has vowed to confront those "bowing the heads of the Sunni in Beirut" with "bloodshed," pan-Arab Al-Hayat daily reported Thursday.
In an indirect reference to Shiite Hezbollah group, Fatah al-Islam said in a statement what happened in Beirut, "the killing, burning and humiliation to our Sunni people is not justified or accepted."
Kuwaiti leadership receives cables of condolences from Turkey
By KUNA,
Kuwait : His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah received a cable on Friday from Turkish President Abdullah Gul in which he expressed his sincere condolences on the passing of His Highness the Father Amir Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah.
His Highness the Amir sent a cable in response, in which he thanked the Russian president for his heartfelt sentiments.
Moscow hails Lebanon peace deal
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Russia welcomes the deal reached between Lebanon's Western-backed government and the Hezbollah-led opposition, and mediated by the Arab League, Russia's Foreign Ministry said on Friday.
The sides agreed on Thursday to a new national dialogue to elect a president and form a unity government. Hezbollah agreed to end its blockade of Beirut airport and seaport and withdraw its gunmen from the streets.
ElBaradei to present Iran report in almost a week
By IRNA,
Vienna : International Atomic Energy Agency's Chief Mohammed ElBaradei will present his Iran report probably next weekend or earlier the week following it.
An informed source told IRNA in Vienna on Friday that the IAEA Head's report may be ready and put at the disposal of the IAEA Board of Governors' members between May 23-27.
The diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the report is expected to be an ordinary one which would focus on latest developments, namely the alleged studies.
Four Afghan soldiers injured in suicide blast
By KUNA,
Kabul : Four Afghan soldiers and a civilian translator with the coalition troops were injured in a suicide attack in southeastern Afghanistan on Monday, local officials said. The attack was carried out in Paktika province. Spokesman for the provincial government Ghamay Khan said all the injured were locals. Separately, a teenager was killed and six more people were injured in an attack by militants in the same province, said the spokesman. The injured included local officials and two road construction workers.
Palestinian rocketeers target Israeli town
By KUNA,
Gaza : A Palestinian faction said on Tuesday its gunners targeted the Israeli town of Sderot with missiles.
Al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of Islamic Jihad in Palestine organization, said in a statement it was responsible for unleashing three "Quds" missiles in the direction of the town.
The gunners who fired the missiles narrowly escaped a retaliatory Israeli air strike in the north of Gaza Strip.
A spokesman of the Israeli Army confirmed that two missiles harmlessly crashed close to Sderot early today.
Yemen Is One Of Major Countries Receiving Refugees: FM
By Bernama,
Sana'a : Foreign Minister Abu Baker al-Qirbi confirmed that Yemen faces exceptional situation since early 1990s because of continuous streaming of refugees from African Horn, saying that Yemen is one of major countries receiving refugees, Yemen News Agency (Saba) reported.
"Yemen has forgiveness policy towards refugee applicants, especially Somalis because of deep links between the two peoples," said al-Qirbi in the opening ceremony of the Regional Conference on Refugees Protection and International Migration held here on Monday.
Syria says it is involved in peace talks with Israel
By KUNA,
Damascus : Syria announced on Wednesday that it was involved in peace talks with Israel under Turkish sponsorship.
The official Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) quoted an official source of the Foreign Ministry as saying Syria and Israel had begun indirect peace talks under Turkish auspices.
Tehran agrees with Solana’s visit on nuclear proposal
By Xinhua,
Tehran : Tehran Wednesday agreed "in principle" to EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana's visit to deliver a promoted incentive package to Iran, reported the official IRNA news agency.
Foreign Minister Manouchrhr Mottaki was quoted as saying that Solana has sent us a message asking us to let him to travel to Iran to deliver the package and "we have agreed in principle with the visit."
The date "will be announced when it was fixed," said Mottaki.
Ban Ki-moon welcomes indirect peace talks between Syria, Israel
By APP,
United Nations : UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has welcomed Wednesday’s announcement that Syria and Israel have started holding indirect talks aimed at resolving their long-running conflict.
In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Ban commended Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert “for taking this important step.” He also thanked Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan for his efforts.
U.S., Iraqi troops detain hundreds in Baghdad Shiite militia strongholds
By Xinhua,
Baghdad : U.S. and Iraqi troops swept Shiite neighborhoods in southwestern Baghdad on Friday, detaining hundreds of suspects, witnesses and police sources said on Saturday.
The troops surrounded and searched the neighborhoods of Baiyaa and al-Amil for several hours starting from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.local time, a police source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.
The source said that more than 200 suspected militiamen loyal to Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr have been detained during the raids in the two adjacent neighborhoods.
Pakistan needs several years to curb militancy: US
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan needs several years to defeat Al Qaeda-linked terrorists operating in its tribal region along the Afghan border, the Pentagon has warned.
This apart, the peace talks between the Pakistani government and tribal militants will make it easier for terrorists to cross the border, the commander of the US forces in Afghanistan has warned.
"We are troubled by the negotiations and the possibility of yet another peace deal in the northwest," Dawn Sunday quoted Gen. Dan McNeill as saying in a dispatch from Washington.
$300mn UAE aid to Morocco to tackle rising energy prices
By IANS,
Casablanca (Morocco) : United Arab Emirates (UAE) will give Morocco $300 million in aid to help the northwest African kingdom tackle the impact of rising energy costs, WAM news agency reported Sunday.
UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan has granted the aid to help ease the impact of rising energy prices, Morocco's ministry of foreign affairs and cooperation said in a statement Saturday.
Iran conservatives support ex-nuclear chief for post of speaker
By Xinhua,
Tehran : Iran's majority conservatives on Sunday elected Ali Larijani, former top nuclear negotiator, as the candidate for speaker in the new parliament.
The conservatives chose Larijani by 161 votes against 50 for the outgoing speaker Gholam Ali Haddad Adel, the official IRNA news agency reported.
Larijani quit as top nuclear negotiator last year and was elected to parliament in March.
Conservatives secured a majority in the new parliament, winning69 percent of the 290 seats in elections in March.
British serviceman killed in Afghanistan
By KUNA,
London : A British serviceman has been killed and two others injured in an explosion in southern Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) said Monday. The three had been returning from operations when their vehicle was caught in a blast north of Sangin, Helmand province. It brings to 97 the number of UK troops killed in operations in the country since 2001. More than 7,000 British troops are deployed in Afghanistan, mainly in the troubled Helmand province.
Sources: Abbas intends to reshuffle Palestinian gov’t
By Xinhua,
Ramallah : Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas intends to reshuffle acting government of Salam Fayyad by adding more members from his Fatah movement, sources said on Tuesday.
The sources, quoted by local Palestinian news agency Sama, reported that Abbas ordered lawmakers from Fatah to hold discussions over reshuffling Fayyad's government by replacing some ministers and adding more ministers from Fatah.
France strongly denies secret contacts with Hamas
By KUNA,
Paris : The French Foreign Ministry on Tuesday emphatically denied rumours of secret contacts held with the Islamist movement, Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip and which is listed as a "terrorist organization.
" Foreign Ministry spokesperson Pascale Andreani said that there was "no official contact" and "no negotiations with Hamas." The official said that a former French ambassador to Iraq and former Director of the Foreign Ministrys Middle East and North Africa department had had "individual" contact with Hamas within the framework of "research" he was doing.
Iran hiding information about nuclear activities: US
By DPA,
Washington : A new UN report shows that Iran "willfully" withheld information about its effort to develop technology that could lead to the building to nuclear weapons, the US said Tuesday.
"The Iranians have been wilfully non-cooperative. And you can read that in the report," US State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said. "It's disturbing."
The UN nuclear watchdog International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) released a report Monday saying Iran has failed to adequately answer questions based on intelligence that shows the Islamic state may have sought nuclear arms.
Pakistani PM holds supporters of undemocratic forces responsible for crisis
By KUNA,
Islamabad : The Pakistani Prime Minister Thursday said supporters of "undemocratic" forces were responsible for prevailing political crisis however the country can overcome the challenges by adhering to the democratic process on a sustainable basis. Addressing a gathering at the National Defence University, Yousuf Raza Gilani said the political leadership of the country was determined to resolve all contentious issues.
Iran sees not much change in ties with US if Barack Obama wins presidency
By NNN-Bernama,
Kuala Lumpur : Iran does not think there will be much change in terms of its relations with the United States should Democratic candidate Barack Obama become president, says Dr Ali Akbar Velayati, the Adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader for International Affairs.
Hamas warns of carrying out escalatory actions to break the sieget
By Xinhua,
Gaza : The Islamic Hamas movement threatened on Saturday to carry out new escalatory measures to break a blockade imposed by Israel on the Gaza Strip since the movement took control of Gaza last June.
"The threat to carry out measures to break the siege came after the Egyptian efforts to reach a truce with Israel had failed," said Hamas spokesman in Gaza Sami Abu Zuhri.
Pakistan pays Rs.25 bn to clear oil companies’ bills
By IANS,
Islamabad : With Pakistan freezing domestic prices of petroleum products, the government has been forced to give state-owned oil marketing companies Rs.25 billion to enable them to clear their bills.
The government has frozen domestic prices for a fortnight, the second time it is doing so.
Hamas military court sentences 5 Fatah members to years in prison
By Xinhua,
Gaza : A Hamas military court sentenced a group of Palestinians to different years in prison "for forming illegal organization threatening the general interest," a statement by deposed Hamas interior ministry said on Monday.
The verdicts on the five Palestinians, who were members of President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah movement, varied between eight months and three years.
Nasser Muhana, one of the defendants, received a two-year sentence because he "formed a group comprising the rest of the accused persons to work against the Palestinian government."
Jordan anti-Denmark campaign condemns suicide blast near embassy
By DPA,
Amman : An anti-Denmark coalition of activists has condemned the explosion at the Danish embassy in Islamabad, but said the Danish authorities should bear the brunt of the responsibility.
"We categorically and strongly condemn the use of violence in responding to the systematic targeting of Islam and the Prophet," the campaign entitled "the Messenger Unites Us" said in a statement Monday.
At least eight people were killed after a suicide car bombing at the entrance to the Danish embassy in Pakistan's capital Monday.
Hamas claims responsibility for wounding Israeli soldier in Gaza
By Xinhua,
Gaza : The Islamic Hamas movement on Tuesday claimed its responsibility for wounding an Israeli soldier in an exchange of fire during an Israeli incursion into central Gaza Strip.
Ezz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, said their fighters opened fire on Israeli Special Forces which entered the eastern part of central Gaza Strip on Tuesday.
Witnesses said that an Israeli soldier was injured in the shooting, while Israeli press sources said the soldier was moderately wounded and evacuated to a hospital in Be'er Sheva.
Suicide attacks target Afghan towns, several rebels killed
By IANS,
Kabul : Two suicide attacks killed an Afghan child and wounded more than 20 others, while the US-led coalition troops killed more than a dozen Taliban insurgents in the southern region, officials said Wednesday.
A suicide attacker attacked a convoy of NATO forces in Spin Boldak district in southern Kandahar province Wednesday morning, killing himself and a child and wounding four others, said Abdul Razaq, the border police commander in the region.
Israeli keen on holding serious talks with Palestines – Olmert
By NNN-KUNA,
Gaza : Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has said that he is keen on holding serious peace negotiations with the Palestinians.
In a statement quoted by Radio Israel Thursday, Olmert said the issue of Jerusalem was not discussed in the recent talks.
The Israeli and Palestinian sides are holding semi-secret talks on the refugees, settlements, prisoners, and establishing an independent Palestinian state.
Olmert, who is on a visit to the United States, hoped that a peace agreement with the Palestinians would be achieved by the end of 2008.
Haneya calls on AL to host the Palestinian dialogue
By Xinhua,
Gaza : Deposed Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haneya Thursday called on the Arab League (AL) to host a comprehensive dialogue between his movement and Fatah movement of President Mahmoud Abbas.
Haneya said in a televised speech aired on several Arab satellite channels that he welcomes Abbas' initiative of reconciliation and the resumption of dialogue, calling on "AL to sponsor the dialogue anywhere based on the principle no winner andno looser until we reach an agreement."
He also urged the parties to launch the dialogue immediately.
Ruling on headscarf must be respected — Turkish chief of staff
By KUNA,
Istanbul : Turkish Chief of Staff, General Yasar Buyukanit, said Friday the constitutional court's annulment of the parliament's decision to allow Muslim women to wear the "hijab" (headscarf) at universities must be respected, reminding that the country was a secular, democratic state.
Yesterday, the Turkish constitutional court ruled out amendments ratified by parliament to lift the ban on wearing the headscarf at universities and educational institutions.
Musharraf dismisses resignation reports
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf Saturday dismissed as baseless rumours of his resignation and said that they have created panic among the people.
"I have not decided to resign. I will remain in Pakistan. I do not have any house outside Pakistan. Rumors about my resignations are rubbish," Musharraf told a group of senior reporters in a programme broadcast live on TV.
"Someone reported that a plane has landed in Islamabad to take me out of Pakistan. But where is the plane?" he asked.
Allied Forces airstrike kills 11 Pakistan soldiers Spokesman
By KUNA,
Islamabad : The military spokesman in a statement on Wednesday confirmed that at least 11 soldiers were killed in an overnight Allied Forces airstrike in the Pakistani bordering tribal region and said a strong protest has been lodged.
Karzai appeals for aid at Afghanistan conference
By DPA,
Paris : Afghan President Hamid Karzai Thursday appealed to the international community to provide long-term aid for his struggling country.
The most important needs were energy and agriculture, he told the representatives of 67 nations and 17 international organisations gathered at a conference in Paris to give his government a political and financial boost.
Karzai also asked donor nations to improve the coordination of aid with his government in Kabul. "Parallel structures exist currently that hinder the establishment of Afghan institutions," he said.
Arab fund cuts off Iraqi debt of $100 mln
By Xinhua,
Amman : The Abu-Dhabi-based Arab Monetary Fund has written off 100 million U.S. dollars out of Iraq's a total of 500 million dollars debt, a visiting Iraqi official revealed here Saturday.
Iraqi Finance Minister Bayan Jabr made the confirmation at a press conference after Iraq and the Arab fund signed an agreement in this regard.
Many Western nations have dropped Iraqi debt but Sunni Arab neighboring states, wary of Iraq's Shiite-dominated government and its ties with Iran, have been reluctant to follow suit.
Sadr’s followers to support candidates outside movement in upcoming provincial elections
By Xinhua,
Baghdad : The followers of anti-U.S. Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr will not field candidates under their own political movement but will support any qualified and independent candidate, a Sadr aide said on Sunday.
Sheik Salah al-Obeidi, Sadr's spokesman in the holy Shiite city of Najaf said "the Sadr political movement is not boycotting the (provincial) elections but we call on our followers to vote for independent candidates even if they are from other party lists."
Kings of Jordan and Saudi Arabia call on unity among Arabs
By Xinhua,
Amman : Kings of Jordan and Saudi Arabia stressed that the unification of Arab attitudes and activating joint Arab cooperation are the best way to address the challenges facing the nation and preserve its interests, the Royal Hashemite Court said on Sunday.
The two heads made the remarks during Sunday's talks in Jeddah, which focused on the political developments on Arab and regional arenas, efforts to achieve regional peace and stability as well as ways to activate all-round bilateral relations.
Britain to step up troop levels in Afghanistan: Brown
By DPA,
London : Britain is to send more troops to Afghanistan, increasing its presence in the country to its highest level so far, Prime Minister Gordon Brown said Monday.
Speaking at a joint news conference in London with US President George W. Bush, Brown said security was on its way to being "transformed" in Afghanistan.
He said Britain and the US were working "side by side" both in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Bangladesh to host Saarc ministers’ meeting on climate change
By Xinhua,
Dhaka : The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) ministerial meeting on climate change will be held here July 3.
The meeting will be held in the backdrop of growing concern of adverse impact of climate change, particularly sea level rise in some countries of the region, the leading English-language newspaper The Daily Star reported Tuesday.
In view of growing concern for climate change, the 29th session of the Saarc council of ministers in New Delhi in December last year decided to hold the ministerial meeting.
Car bomb kills 50 in Iraq
By DPA,
Baghdad : A car bomb blast in northern Baghdad left more than 50 people dead and 80 wounded Tuesday, a police source said.
"The car that was parked in a garage in al-Hurriya district, north Baghdad, has exploded leaving at least 130 casualties. All of them are civilians," sources told DPA.
The bomb ripped through the garage and a bus stop as well as striking an outdoor market and apartments in Hurriya, a predominantly Shia neighbourhood, according to the CNN website.
US urges Afghans, Pakistanis to cooperate on border security
By DPA,
Washington : The US Tuesday urged the Afghan and Pakistani governments to work together to improve border security, after Afghan President Hamid Karzai warned he was willing to send troops into Pakistan to halt cross-border militant attacks.
Karzai has been increasingly frustrated by attacks carried out on Afghan soil by Taliban militants operating out of Pakistan, and on Sunday threatened to launch an assault across the border.
Somali president escapes roadside bomb attack
By DPA,
Mogadishu : A roadside bomb killed three policemen, one of them a senior officer, in Mogadishu Wednesday just minutes after a convoy carrying Somali President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed had driven past.
The bomb went off near Al-Mathal school in southern Mogadishu, as an armoured vehicle went past on patrol, instantly killing the head of police in west Mogadishu, officials told DPA.
"The commander died in the blast and two other policemen died in the hospital," a government official who requested anonymity, said.
Jeddah meeting asserts need for oil production, refining investment
By NNN-KUNA,
Jeddah : The Jeddah Energy Meeting has stressed the importance of boosting investments in oil production and refining, as well as seeking other energy resources.
Saudi Oil Minister Ali Al-Nuaimi, reading a final communique at a news conference at the conclusion of the one-day meeting, said it was important to strengthen transparency in international stock markets as well as the development of legislation of investment funds.
382 illegal migrants arrested in UAE
By IANS,
Sharjah : As part of a drive against illegal migrant workers into the United Arab Emirates (UAE), authorities here have arrested 382 people, WAM news agency reported Tuesday.
Abdullah Ali bin Sahoo, director of the Department of Naturalisation and Residency, said the immigrants have been arrested for violating the country's entry and residency laws.
Sahoo said the department would "continue the inspection campaign to bring violators to book".
Israeli forces kill 2 Palestinians in West Bank
By SPA,
Nablus, West Bank : Israeli forces killed two Palestinians, including a commander of Islamic Jihad group in the West Bank city of Nablus on Tuesday in the first fatal raid
since a ceasefire took hold in the Gaza Strip last week.
Tarek Juma Abu Ghali, who lost his life, is described as one of most senior commanders of Islamic Jihad group in the northern West Bank, Reuters reported.
A second Palestinian, affiliated with the Hamas group, was also killed in the overnight raid, Palestinian security sources said.
Gaza rockets hit Israeli Sderot area despite truce
By Xinhua,
Jerusalem : Three Qassam rockets fired Tuesday afternoon from the Gaza Strip landed in the Sderot area, five days after a ceasefire enacted between Israel and Palestinian militant groups last week.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert responded in a statement that the Qassam attack was "a clear violation of the ceasefire understandings."
The Prime Minister's office added that Olmert "warned that the truce may be short-lived. ...Israel has warned against such breaches and will now consider the counter measures at its disposal."
2 NATO troops killed in Afghanistan
By Xinhua,
Kabul : Two soldiers of the NATO-led International Assistance Security Force (ISAF) were killed on Tuesday in two separate attacks by anti-government militants in eastern and southern Afghanistan, said the ISAF.
One ISAF serviceman died from wounds inflicted when the vehicle struck an explosive device planted on the roadside in eastern province of Nangarhar, said the ISAF in a statement.
Meanwhile, another ISAF soldier was killed during an engagement with insurgents in Sangin district of southern Helmand province.
Erekat: Rice invites Palestinian negotiators to Washington
By Xinhua,
Ramallah : U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has invited Palestinian negotiators to the United States to discuss and evaluate the staggering Israeli-Palestinian peace process, a senior Palestinian official said on Wednesday.
Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said the invitation was sent to Ahmed Qurei, head of the Palestinian negotiation team. According to Rice's invitation, the visit is scheduled for next month.
Israel arrests seven Palestinian in West Bank
By Xinhua,
Ramallah : Israeli army arrested seven Palestinians in West Bank cities early on Thursday, Palestinian security sources said.
The detentions took place in Nablus, Ramallah, Jenin and Jericho, the sources added.
At dawn, the Israeli army stormed Nablus and arrested three residents during raids and searching operations in houses, said the sources.
Israeli sources said the detainees were taken for interrogation because they were wanted by the security services.
Suicide bomber kills 15, wounds 17 west of Baghdad
By Xinhua,
Ramadi, Iraq : A suicide bomber blew himself up at a gathering of tribal leaders and local officials in Anbar province on Thursday, killing 15 people and wounding 17 others, a provincial police source said.
The attacker blew up his explosive-belt in the building of the municipal council of the town of Garmah, near the city of Fallujah, when Sunni Arab tribal leaders and local officials were holding a meeting there, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.
Kuwaiti parliament”s session adjourned to Oct 21
By KUNA,
Kuwait : National Assembly Speaker Jassem Al-Kharafi announced Thursday that the beginning of the second session of the parliament's 12th legislative term would be on October 21.
This came at the closing for the current session, and following speeches by the speaker and His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah.
Allam Al-Kanderi, the parliament's secretary, then read out the decree on adjourning the session as of today, June 26.
Jordan, Britain sign nuclear co-op memorandum
By Xinhua,
Amman : Jordan entered into a preliminary nuclear accord on Sunday with Britain in a bid to take advantage of the latter's expertise to facilitate its civil nuclear program, a senior Jordanian official said.
Chairman of Jordan Atomic Energy Commission Khalid Touqan told reporters that the U.K. and Jordan have agreed in a memorandum to join efforts to promote "the establishment of a reliable source of nuclear fuel for future civilian light water nuclear reactors" in the energy scarce kingdom.
UAE gas company announces new oil discovery in Egypt
By Xinhua,
Abu Dhabi : Dana Gas of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the largest private-sector natural gas company in the Middle East, announced on Sunday that it has made a new oil discovery in its concessions in Egypt.
The new discovery by the Sharjah-based Dana Gas is the company's first discovery in its major drilling campaign in 2008, according to a press release by the company.
"This is the first discovery for Dana Gas in its major drilling campaign for this year," said Ahmed Rashid Al Arbeed, the company's Executive Director for Upstream.
Iraqi govt allcates USD 10 million to rebuild Sadr, Shula cities
By NNN-KUNA,
Baghdad : The Iraqi government has allocated USD 10 million to rebuild the cities of Al-Sadr and Al-Shula following the ejection of armed militia.
Tahseen Shaikhali, civilian spokesman of the Law Enforcement plan, said USD 10 million were allocated to rebuild different sectors in Al-Sadr city in Baghdad, which witnessed devastation caused by the Iraqi government's military operations against armed militia.
The USD 10 million will be used to rebuild schools, sports clubs, parks and electricity supply, Shaikhali told a news conference here Sunday.
Blast at Iran gas canister centre, 15 feared dead
By SPA,
Tehran : An explosion at a gas distribution company in a town near the Iranian capital was thought to have killed 15 people, Iran's Fars news agency said on Monday.
The cause of the blast late on Sunday was not immediately clear, but Fars said a large number of gas canisters used in homes for cooking had exploded.
"It is not yet clear if (the blast) was intentional or not," Fars reported, adding that the explosion occurred at a gas company in a suburb of Karaj, west of Tehran.
Palestinian official: Israel not increases fuel supplies to Gaza
By Xinhua,
Gaza : Israel did not increase fuel shipments it allows into the Gaza Strip as an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire enters its 10th day, a Palestinian official said on Monday.
Mahmoud al-Khozendar, deputy director of the petrol stations owners union in Gaza, said the fuel shipments sent to Gaza Monday were even less than that before the ceasefire took hold.
Israel, Syria to begin third round of talks
By DPA,
Jerusalem : Israel and Syria are to resume their indirect peace negotiations and two senior Israeli officials are to leave for Turkey to conduct the talks, Israel Radio reported Monday.
An Israeli spokesman would not comment on the report, which said that Yoram Turbovitz, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's bureau chief, and Shalom Turjeman, a senior aide to the premier, were to depart for Turkey Monday night for a third round of talks with Syria.
Israel reopens Gaza crossing points
By DPA,
Tel Aviv : Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak ordered the reopening Wednesday of the crossing points into the Gaza Strip, after they had been shut for one day in response to the launching of a rocket from the salient into southern Israel.
For the first time in a year, construction materials will be allowed into the Strip, Israeli media reported.
The rocket launched late Monday caused neither injuries nor damage, and was the fifth rocket launched since a truce between Israel and the Gazan militant organisations went into effect from June 19.
Syria returns princeless archeological artifact to Iraq
By NNN-SANA,
Damascus : Syrian Minister of Culture Dr Riadh Naasan Agha has handed over here a priceless archeological artifact to the Iraqi Minister of Tourism and Archeology Mohammad Abbas al-Uraibi.
The artifact was confiscated by Syrian authorities while it was being smuggled from Iraq to Syria.
The artifact, 100 cm high and 40 cm wide, is part of the Nimrod Temple, which is located in northern Iraq, near al-Mosul. It depicts the Assyrian Nimrod engraved on a type of stone that stores light during the day, making it glow in the dark.
Bangladesh FM’s adviser says there should be limit to high food prices
By Siti Radziah Hamzah, NNN-Bernama,
Kuala Limpur : Bangladesh feels there should be a limit to the extent of high food prices influenced by the surge in demand for biofuel, says Dr Ifthekar Ahmed Chowdhury, the adviser to the country's Foreign Minister.
The general consensus was that biofuel contributed towards the food crisis as crops were being turned into ethanol and mixed with fuel, he added Sunday.
Al-Assad stresses necessity of intensifying efforts to realise Palestinian unity
By NNN-SANA,
Damascus : President Bashar al-Assad has stressed the necessity of intensifying efforts to realise Palestinian unity, saying that "national unity among Palestinians is the only way for them to regain rights and achieve aspirations in the establishment of a Palestinian independent state with Jerusalem as its capital."
Al-Assad held two meetings with President of the Palestinian National Authority Mahmoud Abbas on the situation in Palestine and the peace process.
Car bomb kills 15, wounds 20 outside Indian Embassy in Kabul
By RIA Novosti,
Kabul : A car bomb went off outside the Indian Embassy in Afghanistan's capital Kabul on Monday killing 15 people and wounding over 20, a source in the country's interior ministry said.
Police say the blast was a suicide attack. No terrorist group has yet claimed responsibility.
The Indian Embassy is located opposite the Interior Ministry, but the explosion went off to the side of the building, where people were queuing to receive Indian visas.
French FM sees continuing dialogue with Iran on nuclear issue
By John Keating, KUNA,
Paris : French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said here Monday that he did not see the dialogue ending with Iran after reception of a letter from Iranian authorities which is expected in France later Monday afternoon.
The French Minister explained that he has not had the opportunity yet to read the Iranian letter which has been transmitted to Chief of the EU foreign policy Javier Solana and the other five members of the Six major nations addressing the Iranian issue.
Remembering the diplomat son lost to a terror strike
By IANS,
Rajahmundry (Andhra Pradesh) : A day after the suicide bomb attack on the Indian embassy in Kabul, a pall of gloom enveloped the house of V. Venkateshwara Rao, an Indian diplomat who lost his life along with 43 others.
"He told me over phone that he will come to celebrate his birthday on Aug 26 and take us to Delhi, where we will live together," Rao's father Vadapalli Appalacharyulu said as tears roll down his cheeks.
"He also wanted to know what he should bring for me from Kabul," Appalacharyulu added.
Pro-government Christian parties delay Lebanese cabinet formation
By Xinhua,
Beirut : Lebanon has not yet formed a cabinet till now as the pro-government Christian parties have been unable to reach an agreement on the distribution of cabinet portfolios, Local Al-Akhbar daily reported Tuesday.
However, an agreement was reached between Christian opposition leader Michel Aoun and Lebanese Prime Minister-designated Fouad Seniora on the opposition's share in the new cabinet, the report said.
Muslim D-8 Group urges quick resolution of Food Problem
By SPA,
Kuala Lumpur : The leaders of the Group of the eight Muslim developing countries (D-8) urged today the governments to work for solving the problem of food, and said failure to resolve this problem would have disastrous repercussions.
Addressing the summit's inaugural session, Malaysian Prime Minister
Abdullah Ahmad Badawi underscored the importance of regional and international cooperation for confronting the problems of oil and food.
The group is comprised of Malaysia, Indonesia, Iran, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Egypt, Nigeria, and Turkey.
Terrorism cannot be fought only by using force: Gilani
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur : Pakistan's Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani has spoken of "a new, multi-pronged strategy" to combat terrorism at home, making it clear that it could not be won only by using force.
Stressing the need for a political dialogue with the pro-Taliban tribals and militants who have been battling the government for long, Gilani told the New Straits Times: "The fight against terrorism cannot be won merely through short-term military, legislative or administrative measures."
Iran urges UN to help free kidnapped diplomats
By NNN-FNA,
Tehran : Iran is seeking the assistance of the United Nations to help secure the release of four Iranian diplomats kidnapped in Lebanon in 1982.
Tehran believes the four - three diplomats and a journalist - are being kept in Israel, but the Zionist regime has so far denied holding the four.
No confidence motion against Badawi government rejected
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur : The first no confidence motion against Prime Minister Ahmad Abdullah Badawi's government was rejected Monday, causing opposition lawmakers in Malaysia's parliament to stage a protest walk-out.
Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia rejected an emergency motion of no confidence in his chamber, citing "use of wrong words" as the reason, The Star Online said.
Opposition Leader Wan Azizah Wan Ismail had last Thursday filed a non-voting motion that generated a lot of political heat in the wake of a sodomy charge levelled last month against her husband Anwar Ibrahim.
Palestinian officials to Washington amid low expectations for peace
By Joe Macaron, KUNA,
Washington : Palestinian negotiators arrive to Washington on Tuesday to hold talks with US officials in what could be a last bid to overcome the stalemate in a peace process that seems out of reach before the end of the year.
"The meeting in Washington is to talk to the Americans about what can be achieved before President George W. Bush leaves office," said the Director of Middle East Democracy at Brookings Tamara Cofman Wittes in an interview with KUNA.
"It is impossible and too complicated to get a final status agreement before next January," she added.
Deposed Palestinian gov”t says Israel banned Blair”s Gaza visit
By KUNA,
Gaza : The deposed Palestinian government cited Tuesday Israeli pressures that led to the canceling of the visit of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair to Gaza Strip.
In a press release, the deposed government said that Israel banned Blair from entering Gaza, although he reached the borders, to prevent him from seeing and reporting the disaster cased by the "unjust" Israeli siege on the strip.
22 PKK rebels killed in operation in SE Turkey
By Xinhua,
Ankara : A total of 22 rebels of the outlawed Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) were killed in the operations staged by the Turkish security forces in Sirnak province in southeastern Turkey in the past four days, a Turkish military statement said on Tuesday.
Palestinian officials arrive in Washington amid low expectations for peace
By NNN-KUNA,
Washington : Palestinian negotiators have arrived here to hold talks with US officials in what could be a last bid to overcome the stalemate in a peace process that seems out of reach before the end of the year.
"The meeting in Washington is to talk to the Americans about what can be achieved before President George W. Bush leaves office," said Director of Middle East Democracy at Brookings, Tamara Cofman Wittes in an interview with KUNA.
"It is impossible and too complicated to get a final status agreement before next January," she added.
Hamas expresses satisfaction over talks on Yemeni initiative
By NNN-SABA,
Sana'a : Hamas has praised the efforts of President Ali Abdullah Saleh towards Palestinian reconciliation.
Its Political Bureau head, Khaled Masha'al, said prior to his departure Tuesday that Saleh made contacts with a number of Arab leaders to determine steps to be taken to achieve Palestinian reconciliation.
He renewed Hamas' commitment to the Yemeni initiative towards reconciliation and Palestinian unity.
3,000 detained workers in UAE freed, set to resume work
By IANS,
Dubai : United Arab Emirates (UAE) authorities Wednesday ordered the release of around 3,000 expatriate workers, a vast majority of them Indians, who were detained July 4 for their involvement in a violent strike.
"Following police investigations, the release of all the workers, except for eight, has been ordered today (Wednesday)," a diplomatic source told IANS.
"The workers are likely to resume work at their site in Ras Al Khaimah tomorrow," the source said.
The eight detained include seven Indians and one Bangladeshi.
China to participate in Geneva talks on Iran
By Xinhua,
Beijing : China Thursday announced that it would send a senior diplomat to Geneva to attend the international talks on Iranian nuclear standoff slated for Saturday.
Assistant Fforeign Minister Liu Jieyi will represent China in the talks which will primarily be between Iranian chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili and European Union (EU) foreign policy chief Javier Solana, foreign ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said here Thursday.
Diplomats from the US, Russia, Britain, France and Germany will also attend the talks as observors.
Bush, Maliki, agree on ‘time horizon’ for US troop cut
By AFP,
Tucson, Arizona : US President George W. Bush and Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki have agreed to set a "time horizon" for US troop withdrawals as part of a long-term security pact, the White House said Friday.
But any reduction in the US force presence "would be based on continued improving conditions on the ground and not an arbitrary date for withdrawal," spokeswoman Dana Perino said in a statement.
Israel increases fuels amounts into Gaza
By Xinhua,
Gaza : A Palestinian official said on Saturday that Israel has actually increased the amounts of diesel and gasoline allowed into the Gaza Strip, but kept the same limited amounts of cooking gas.
Mahmoud al-Shawa, chief of Gaza Stations Union said in a statement that Israel on Friday added 400 thousand liters of diesel to the previous amount of diesel which is 800 thousand liters.
EU’s Solana starts nuclear talks with Iranian nuclear negotiator
By Xinhua,
Geneva : Top EU diplomatic official Javier Solana started a nuclear talks with Iran's nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili here on Saturday at the presence of U.S. Under Secretary of State William Burns.
Burns, the first U.S. diplomat to attend negotiations with Iran in 30 years, was here to witness the whole process of the talks.
Though Burns will not take an active role at the meeting, but his presence was widely seen as a major policy shift of Washington on Iran.
Arab League seeks compromises in Sudan-ICC crisis
By DPA,
Cairo : In an effort to avoid possible prosecution of the Sudanese president on genocide charges, an Arab League committee formed during an emergency meeting Saturday is trying to draw up a conciliatory statement to solve the crisis between Sudan and the International Criminal Court (ICC), diplomatic sources said.
The cirsis erupted when ICC Chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo asked the court Monday to issue an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir on suspicion of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Geneva talks find no path to full Iran negotiations
By DPA,
Geneva : Iran and world powers, including the US for the first time, failed to find a way towards full negotiations in Geneva Saturday, as Tehran's representatives did not agree to the precondition of suspending uranium enrichment.
Speaking at a news conference after talks with Iranian negotiator Saeid Jalili, EU chief diplomat Solana said that "the most important question" in the dispute with Iran remained unanswered.