Pakistan government, protesting parties to resume talks
Islamabad : The Pakistan government and the two protesting parties have agreed to resume talks to resolve the 57-day-old political impasse, media reported Friday.
The...
Indonesian Hizbut Tahrir protests blasphemy against Prophet Muhammad in Europe
By SPA
Bandung, West Java : Around 300 members of Hizbut Tahrir staged a rally here on Thursday to protest European media behavior blaspheming the Prophet Muhammad, ANTARA reported.
The rally was a reaction to the publication of cartoons blaspheming the Prophet Muhammad by the Jyllands-Posten newspaper in Denmark, and other media in Sweden, the Netherlands and Spain as well as several other European countries.
Publication of the blasphemous cartoons in European countries represented a destructive human rights doctrine,the rally`s coordinator, Lutfi Afandi, said.
One killed, 11 wounded in Islamabad restaurant blast
By DPA
Islamabad : An explosion at an Italian restaurant in Islamabad Saturday night killed a Turkish woman and wounded 11 other people, the police said.
The wounded included eight foreigners and three Pakistanis, Islamabad Police Chief Shahid Nadeem Baloch told reporters.
Interior secretary Kamal Shah told reporters the woman killed was Turkish and she worked for a local non-governmental organisation. He added it was not a suicide attack, but a blast from a charge apparently planted outside the restaurant.
Israel proposes naval blockade on Iran
By RIA Novosti,
Tel Aviv : Israel has proposed a US naval blockade on Iran to stop Tehran from moving ahead with its uranium enrichment programme, Haaretz daily said Wednesday.
According to the daily, during a meeting in Jerusalem with the speaker of the US House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert proposed "a naval blockade of Iran", using the US Navy to limit the movements of Iranian merchant ships.
He said that the “present economic sanctions against Iran have run out of steam”, the paper said.
Decline of armed presence in Beirut allows army to take control
By NNN-KUNA,
Beirut : The decline of armed presence in Beirut Saturday led the army to heavily deploy its troops in the Lebanese capital after two days of heavy clashes the worst since the 1975-1990 civil war.
A security source confirmed to KUNA that the opposition's step to pull off its gunmen from the street Beirut.
Earlier on, opposition MP Hassan Khalil affirmed that the opposition would continued civil disobedience but would cease all forms of armed protest.
Arab League chief calls for breaking Gaza siege
By IANS,
Gaza : Arab League chief Amr Moussa Sunday called for an immediate lifting of Israeli blockade of the Palestinian territory.
"The siege must be broken and lifted," Moussa told reporters after arriving at the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing on Gaza-Egypt borders, Xinhua reported.
Members from the deposed Hamas government and representatives of Palestinian factions received Moussa. This is the first visit of the highest Arab diplomat since Islamic Hamas movement took over Gaza in June 2007.
UN inquiry into Bhutto assassination extended until March 31
By DPA,
New York : The UN investigation into the 2007 assassination of Pakistan's former prime minister Benazir Bhutto is to take three months longer than planned.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon informed Pakistan's government that the report on the inquiry would now be finished March 31, a UN spokesman said here Thursday.
The commission carrying out the investigation had asked for more time "because of the substantial amount of information collected by the commission in Pakistan and further follow-up work that remains".
PPP in contact with other parties for Pakistani coalition gov’t
·Zardari said PPP would join hands with democratic forces.
·Zardari said people rejected Muslim League-Quaid because of failed policies of its patron.
·Zardarib said he would meet the leader of PML-N Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday.
By Xinhua
Iran, Turkey enjoy common interests: Ahmadinejad
By IANS,
Tehran: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Saturday said that Iran and Turkey share common interests and must develop bilateral relations for their and the region's benefit.
At least 30,000 die in road accidents annually in Indonesia
By Xinhua,
JAKARTA : Indonesian Transportation Minister Jusman Syafii Djamal said that at least 30,000 people are killed in road accidents in Indonesia every year.
"The figure was taken from the statistics," the minister told a hearing with the House of Representatives here on Thursday.
The minister said that seeing the big number of victims in road accidents, the relevant agencies should develop synergy in order to help increase safety in roads.
Israel to launch inquiry into war crimes in Gaza
Jerusalem: Israel's state comptroller Wednesday announced to launch an inquiry into the military and political operation during the Gaza war, including possible war crimes...
Missiles hit Israeli Negev region — Israeli spokesman
By KUNA,
Gaza : At least four missiles were fired late on Tuesday and early this morning from northern Gaza Strip, targeting southern Israel, an Israeli Army spokesman said.
Israeli local radio quoted the spokesman as saying "four missiles landed in the Negev region, near Gaza Strip, without causing causalities or material damage." Fatah's Aqsa Martyrs Brigades meanwhile claimed responsibility for firing five local-made missiles in two waves at the Israeli settlement of Sderot, early Wednesday.
At least 50 killed in Gaza ground operation
By Xinhua,
Gaza : At least 50 people have been killed since Israel launched its ground operation Saturday evening on the Gaza Strip, officials here said Sunday.
Mo'aweya Hassanein, chief of emergency and ambulance services in Palestine Health Ministry, said there could be more fatalities as medical teams could not reach some of the areas that are under heavy Israeli fire.
14 Pakistani MPs disqualified over fake degrees
By IANS,
Islamabad: Fourteen parliamentarians of three political parties, including the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), have been disqualified for holding fake degrees, a media report said Tuesday.
Of the 14 parliamentarians, three are from the PPP, seven are from the opposition Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and four are from the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid that was voted out of power in the 2008 general elections.
The issue of parliamentarians holding fake degrees has become a matter of national concern, APP news agency reported.
Erekat says Rice to meet Abbas in Ramallah on Sunday
By Xinhua,
Gaza : Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat announced on Saturday that U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is to meet in Ramallah on Sunday with President Mahmoud Abbas.
Rice has arrived in Israel on Saturday for holding talks with Israeli and Palestinian officials on the recent development of thepeace negotiations between the two sides.
13 labourers abducted in Pakistan
By IANS,
Islamabad : Thirteen labourers of a construction firm were abducted in Pakistan's Balochistan province, a media report said Friday.
Higher Judicial Council urges Muslims to sight ‘ Dhu al-Hijja ‘ Crescent
By SPA,
Riyadh : The Higher Judicial Council has called on all Muslims in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to sight the crescent of Dhu al-Hijja on evenings of Thursday (29/11/1429H)) in accordance with Umm Al-Qura Calendar corresponding to November 28 2008.
In an announcement made this morning, the Council also requested whoever see crescent of Dhu al-Hijja to report to the nearest court and register his testimony.
Afghan president calls on Taliban chief to give up militancy
By Xinhua,
Kabul : Afghan President Hamid Karzai Sunday called upon the Taliban's leader Mullah Mohammad Omar to give up fighting and help in rebuilding the country.
"As an Afghan, I call on Mullah Mohammad Omar Akhund, Mullah Brother and Mullah Abdul Razaq Akhund to give up fighting, return home and play a role in reconstruction of Afghanistan," he told newsmen at a press conference after touring Poland, New York and London.
Mullah Brother, Mulllah Abdul Razaq and Mullah Mansoor are said to be close aide to Omar.
85 suspected militants surrender in Pakistan
Islamabad : A total of 85 suspected militants have surrendered in Pakistan, media reported Monday.
Khan Wasey, spokesman for the Frontier Corps (FC), Balochistan, said...
Israel closes crossings with Gaza strip Tuesday
By NNN-KUNA,
Gaza : Israel will close Tuesday all crossings linking it with Gaza, as ordered by Minister of Defence Ehud Barak Monday.
The Israeli radio quoted Barak as saying the crossings were closed after two missiles were launched Monday towards southern Israel, which did not result in any damage or injuries.
Arab leaders endorse draft resolution, Damascus declaration
By NNN-KUNA
Damascus : Arab leaders and heads of delegations endorsed during their closed session here on Sunday the draft resolutions listed on the agenda of the 20th Arab Summit, as well as the Damascus Declaration.
The summit is set to wrap up later today with the official announcing of the final communique and the Damascus Declaration in a joint press conference for Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa and Syrian Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Muallem.
One killed in sticky bomb attack in Iraq
By IANS,
Baghdad : A civilian was killed when a sticky bomb attached to his car blew up in eastern Iraq, officials said.
Britain to host conference on Afghanistan in January
By IANS,
London : Britain would host a conference on Afghanistan Jan 28 next year, where members of the international coalition will discuss plans for handing control of the country back to local authorities, the prime minister's office announced Saturday.
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown joined UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to make the announcement Saturday from the Commonwealth summit in Trinidad and Tobago, Xinhua reported Sunday.
UAE to have new international logistics city
By IANS,
Dubai : The United Arab Emirates (UAE) will have a new 700,000-square-metre logistics city when a new logistics company is launched this year.
Momentum Logistics, a new third party logistics (3PL) company, will be launched in the fourth quarter of 2008, according to a statement issued by its parent firm Gulftainer Co, an international port management company with transport and logistics expertise.
The new state-of-the-art International Logistics City in the emirate of Sharjah would be Momentum's flagship project, the statement said.
Hamas: Israelis elect three heads of terrorism
By Xinhua,
GAZA : Commenting on the results of the Israeli elections held on Tuesday, the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) said on Wednesday that the Israeli people have elected three heads of terrorism.
The Palestinian movement was surprised from the elections results, Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum told Xinhua in a telephone interview, adding that the winners are Tzipi Livni, Benjamin Netanyahu and Avigdor Lieberman.
NATO bombing kills five schoolboys in Afghanistan
Kabul: Five schoolboys were killed in a NATO airstrike in Parwan province in eastern Afghanistan, an Afghan police source told Efe news agency, but...
Report: explosive-laden vehicles enter Pakistan’s capital
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : Three explosive-laden vehicles have entered Pakistan's capital Islamabad, which could be used for terrorist attacks, local TV channel reported on Tuesday.
The security has been beefed up and search operation has been started to locate the vehicles, Geo TV said.
The warning from the intelligence agencies came three days after suicide bombers rammed an explosive-laden dumper into the gate of Marriott Hotel in Islamabad, killing 53 people and injuring 266 others.
Bangladesh’s opposition alliance returns to parliament
By DPA,
Dhaka : Bangladesh's main opposition parties returned to parliament Thursday, breaking over 10 months of boycott over a seating row.
Opposition leader Khaleda Zia led her deputies in the house as the parliament session resumed Thursday afternoon.
"We returned to parliament to stay in the house to discuss issues of national importance," opposition chief whip Zainul Abdin Farruque said on the parliament floor, requesting Speaker Abdul Hamid to allow them to voice their issues.
Heavy clashes break out in mountain Lebanon
By Xinhua,
Beirut : Heavy clashes between pro and anti-government supporters broke out Sunday in mountain areas in central Lebanon, local New TV reported.
The violence started in mountain village of Aytat in Aley area, and expanded to other villages and then spread out to Chweifatcity where heavy gunfire exchange is taking place, according to the report.
The report said automatic rifles and RPGs were used in the battles, and huge sound of explosion could be heard in the area.
Provincial assembly passes resolution against Musharraf
By IRNA,
Lahore : A no-confidence resolution was adopted against President Pervez Musharraf in the country's biggest provincial assembly, asking to take confidence vote, state TV reported.
A total of 321 members in the 371-member Punjab Assembly voted against President Musharraf and also asked him in the approved resolution to take confidence vote from the House as he had promised in the Supreme Court, PTV reported.
Only 25 members voted against the resolution, it said.
Around 30 members of Muslim League-Q party, which backs Musharraf, also voted against him.
Yemeni PM Orders Plan To Prevent Any Increase Of Food Items In Coming Ramadan
By Bernama,
Sana'a : Prime Minister Ali Mujawar gave orders on Monday to the Ministry of Industry and Trade to draw an extraordinary plan to double monitoring efforts on prices and quality of food products for the coming period especially in the month of Ramadan.
Yemen news agency (SABA) reported that Mujawar headed a meeting in the ministry over the current situation of food supply in the local markets and measures to stabilise prices of food items during the holy month of Ramadan.
Iran vows to take measures over new UN sanctions
By RIA Novosti
Tehran : Iran will act appropriately, if the UN Security Council passes a new sanctions resolution against the Islamic Republic, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini said on Sunday.
The five permanent UN Security Council members and Germany agreed at talks in Berlin on January 22 on a draft for a third sanctions resolution against Iran calling for travel bans, asset freezes and vigilance on banks in the Islamic Republic.
Highest number of Russian Muslims perform Haj
Moscow – (IINA) February 12 – More than 26,000 Muslims from Russia performed the annual pilgrimage of Haj last year. This figure is the highest number of pilgrims performing Haj in the history of Russian Federation, according to a statement carried by the Russian official news agency Itar Tass.
Japan to extend all-out technical support to Bangladesh
By NNN-BSS,
Dhaka, Bangladesh : Japanese ambassador to Bangladesh Masayuki Inoue said his government is keen to extend all-out technical support to Bangladesh to make its own brand of quality in different sectors, including readymade garments (RMG) and education.
His observation came while speaking as the chief guest at the inaugural session of a three-day training course on `Improvement of Production Management Skills for the Garment Industry' in the city's Spectra Convention Centre here on Saturday.
Israel deports jailed Gaza aid activists
By IANS/AKI,
Gaza City : Israel Wednesday began deporting scores of foreign activists, arrested after a deadly attack on a Gaza-bound humanitarian aid flotilla, following the UN's appeal for their immediate release.
Around 250 activists, who have so far been deported - 120 of them reportedly Algerian and Indonesian - were taken to Jordan. Hundreds more, most of them Turkish, were due to be deported from Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv.
Moussa pushes African leaders to oppose Israel’s settlement expansion
By NNN-WAFA,
Sharm El-Sheikh : Secretary-General of the Arab League Amr Moussa has called on African leaders to stand firmly in opposition to the Israeli settlement expansion.
"The Palestinian-Israeli dispute is getting more complicated and the peace process relaunched at the Annapolis conference is heading toward failure due to Israel's policies which aim at sabotaging all chances for peace," Moussa said in addressing African leaders during the 11th African Union summit which opened in this Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh Monday.
Hamas confirms Gaza truce deal
By DPA,
Gaza City : The radical Islamic Hamas movement confirmed Tuesday that it had reached a truce agreement with Israel.
The confirmation came after Egypt's official MENA news agency announced that after months of indirect negotiations led by Egypt, the Palestinian militant groups and Israel agreed on the Gaza truce that would take effect Thursday morning.
Hamas will be committed the date or any date that has been announced by Egypt, Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum told DPA.
He said Hamas would issue a formal announcement later.
Morocco dismantles IS recruitment cell
Rabat : Moroccan authorities have dismantled a seven-person cell recruiting volunteers to fight with the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group, the country's interior ministry...
Gaza at the Edge of an Energy Collapse
By Prensa Latina,
Gaza : Israel could plunge Gaza Strip population into a total darkness from Tuesday on due to the cut of fuel supplies, reported sources from that sector.
The chief of the Palestinian Oil Corporation in Gaza, Mujahid Salama, warned that the main power plant of that area will run out of oil due to the strict Israeli blockade.
"The remaining quantity of industrial fuel that allows the plant to continue operating will last until Tuesday," said Salama in a report.
‘Olmert’s decision to quit is a victory for Hamas’
By Xinhua,
Gaza : The Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, Thursday welcomed the decision by Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to quit his political career in September.
Hamas spokesman in Gaza, Sami Abu Zuhri, told reporters that Olmert's decision to retire from political life "is a victory for Hamas movement and an indication of the deteriorating political life in Israel".
Another Palestinian group, Islamic Jihad (Holy War), said on its website: "Olmert's decision to retire is an achievement of Hezbollah's war against Israel."
I can never leave Pakistan: Fatima Bhutto
By IANS,
New Delhi: Fatima Bhutto, the niece of slain former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto, says that in spite of the violence her family has suffered, including the killing of her father Murtaza Bhutto, she "could never leave" the country.
"Amidst all this madness, all these ghosts and memories of times past, it feels like the world around me is crumbling, slowly flaking away," she writes in her just-published memoir "Songs of Blood and Sword" (Penguin/Rs.699).
Fuel prices go up in Pakistan
By IANS,
Islamabad : Fuel prices went up in Pakistan Saturday, authorities said.
Iraq: Militants desparate, will use any means to continue fighting – Analyst
By NNN-IRIN
Baghdad : Militants in Iraq are keen to present themselves as able to strike at any place and at any time, but according to one analyst they are coming under increasing pressure.
Military operations aimed at ejecting them from their strongholds and paralysing their activities are ongoing, Hazim Jawad Yousif, a Baghdad-based security analyst told IRIN, but he warned: “It is like a balloon filled with water. When you press it on one side the water moves to the other.”
Christians’ execution by IS: Egypt reserves right to respond
Cairo: Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said Monday that his country reserves the right to respond at the proper time to the killing of...
UAE to focus on sustainable development
By IANS,
Abu Dhabi : The United Arab Emirates (UAE) plans to strictly enforce environmental regulations to ensure sustainable development, the UAE environment minister has said.
Rashid Ahmed bin Fahd said Monday that the UAE had introduced a set of legislations to ward off negative effects of industrial growth on environment, WAM news agency reported Tuesday.
Iran n-plant to start operation by year-end
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Iran's first nuclear power plant at Bushehr will go into full operation by the end of this year, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told a Russian TV channel Sunday.
China to hike anti-terrorism cooperation with Pakistan
By IANS,
Beijing : China will step up its anti-terrorism cooperation with Pakistan to ensure regional peace and stability, Xinhua reported Wednesday.
Iran refutes allegation of support to Iraq militants
By IANS,
Tehran : Iran Thursday slammed the US media for what it called “attempts to link Iran to the terrorist attacks in Iraq', IRNA reported.
"The US has given refuge to terrorist Mujahideen Khalq Organization (MKO) on one hand and its media are misleading the public opinion by linking Iran to the terrorist bombings in Iraq, on the other," foreign ministry spokesman Mohammad-Ali Hosseini said.
He called the US media reports “desperate attempts to sow the seed of discord between Iran and Iraq” and to “justify its occupation of the country”.
UAE launches its first earth observation satellite
By
Dubai: The DubaiSat-1, the United Arab Emirates' (UAE) first earth observation satellite launched early Thursday morning from Kazakhstan, has reached its desired position in the earth's orbit, WAM news agency reported.
The 'eye in the sky' satellite has achieved optimal position in orbit around the earth and has successfully connected with the Emirates Institution for Advanced Science and Technology (EIAST) earth observation station in Dubai, the report said, quoting officials.
Candidates for upcoming elections in Kuwait pursue campaign
By KUNA,
Kuwait : Candidates campaigning to win seats in the National Assembly affirmed that dialogue between the executive and legislative authorities must be based on constructive basis and called for instilling patriotism in the conscience of the generations.
Bassam Al-Bassam, a nominee in the second constituency, affirmed at his campaign rally, held late on Sunday, necessity of constructive dialogue between the two authorities, as well as mutual respect of opinions between the lawmakers and the executives, for sake of promoting the democratic process in the country.
Riyadh governor to arrive in India Sunday
By IANS,
New Delhi: Riyadh Governor Prince Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud will arrive here Sunday on a six-day official visit to give a boost to ties with India.
Prince Salman, belonging to the Saudi royal family, was invited by Vice President Hamid Ansari.
Manmohan Singh visited Saudi Arabia in February, the first by an Indian prime minister in 28 years.
Saudi Arabia is an important trading and energy partner for India, with bilateral trade in 2008-09 crossing $25 billion, an external affairs ministry statement said.
Two Palestinians killed in Israeli raid
By DPA
Gaza/Ramallah : Two Palestinian militants were killed when an Israeli army unit raided a refugee camp in West Bank Thursday, Palestinian hospital officials said.
The clash broke out as the Israeli unit entered the Balata refugee camp in Nablus city on a "search and arrest raid".
A third militant was wounded in the skirmish and taken in for questioning by the Israeli army.
The dead were identified as members of al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, the military wing of President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah movement.
UAE bourse advises investors to go for exchange traded funds
By IANS,
Abu Dhabi : Even as mayhem prevailed in Gulf markets along with the rest of the world, the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) said Thursday it believes exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are an ideal diversification tool for Gulf markets.
At a financial brokerage forum here, ADX deputy director Rashed Al Baloushi explained how ETFs worked and how these have been expanding globally.
"An ETF is a collective investment vehicle that trades on a stock exchange, similar to a listed security," Al Baloushi explained.
UAE charity helps Haiti quake victims
By IANS,
Abu Dhabi: The Red Crescent Authority (RCA) of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have distributed 45 tonnes of relief items among the Haiti quake victims as part of its humanitarian aid assistance, WAM news agency reported.
The materials, including tents, blankets and food, were distributed in the Croix des Bouquets area, three kilometers from Port au Prince, Haiti's capital. About 1,500 families received the aid.
Humaid Al-Shamsi, head of the RCA delegation in Haiti, said Friday his organisation would increase its humanitarian supplies to the country in the coming days.
Malaysia, South Korea financial market operators to host Islamic market meeting
By NNN-Bernama,
Kuala Lumpur : Korea Exchange (KRX) and Bursa Malaysia -- the operators of the South Korean and Malaysia financial exchanges respectively -- will play host to Korean investment bankers, advisers, issuers and institutional investors at the upcoming inaugural KRX-Bursa Malaysia Islamic Capital Market Conference.
Hamas responsible for suffering of Palestinians: Sarkozy
By DPA,
Ramallah : French President Nicolas Sarkozy has called for an urgent truce between Israel and militants in the Gaza Strip, and blamed Hamas for the violence which has seen 550 Palestinians killed and over 2600 wounded in 10 days of Israeli attacks.
Addressing a joint news conference in Ramallah with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and a European Union delegation Monday night, he condemned the firing of rockets into Israel, stressing that Hamas "acted in an irresponsible and unforgivable way" when it ended a truce on Dec 19 and began launching missiles at the Jewish state.
Pakistan coalition’s crucial meet begins in Dubai
By Aroonim Bhuyan and Muhammad Najeeb, IANS,
Dubai/Islamabad : A crucial meeting of the top leadership of Pakistan's coalition government got under way in Dubai Monday afternoon to discuss the crucial issues of restoring the judges deposed from the country's higher judiciary and the future of President Pervez Musharraf.
The meeting was being held at the residence of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, who arrived in Dubai Friday to spend time with his children.
Khalifa Foundation sends aid to Afghanistan
By IANS/WAM,
Abu Dhabi: The Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Humanitarian Foundation of the UAE has dispatched aid materials to be distributed to 1,500 needy families in Afghanistan.
Iran hangs assassin of nuclear physicist
By IANS,
Tehran : Iran Tuesday hanged a man convicted of assassinating an Iranian nuclear physicist, a media report said.
Israeli PM slams Abbas over Palestinian UN draft resolution
Jerusalem: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu slammed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Thursday over the Palestinian-proposed UN draft resolution which calls for Israeli withdrawal from...
Turkish Army continues operation against PKK
By KUNA
Istanbul : The Turkish Army continued on Friday intense military operations against locations of the Kurdish Workers Party (PKK) in the province of Sirnak, southern Turkey.
Hurriyet newspaper, in its online edition, quoted a military source as saying a scouting plane was flying over the area in search of PKK operatives, suspected of being holed up there.
The army will continue its operations in the province, the source affirmed.
Meanwhile, Turkish Army Command said it arrested a PKK operative in the province of Mansia during a search operation.
Kuwaiti candidate calls for investing financial surplus
By KUNA,
Kuwait : Second constituency candidate Bader Al-Hajri underscored importance of using financial income surplus resulting from sales of oil at high prices in the development process and upgrading civil services.
Speaking at inauguration of his campaigning headquarters in Doha, late on Saturday, Al-Hajri called for constructing a medical city, provided with needed equipment and qualified staff, to make up for shortage in this area.
15 militants killed in Pakistan
By IANS,
Islamabad : Fifteen militants were killed in military operations in Pakistan, Dawn reported Tuesday.
Pakistan panel to review criminal case rulings since 1947
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan is going to set up a commission that will allow people to file appeals on cases decided by courts since 1947, the year the country was born.
US-Pakistan ties should move beyond security to long-team partnership: ambassador
By NNN-APP,
Washington : U.S.-Pakistan relations have been about security but now it needs to become a strategic partnership, incoming ambassador to the United States Hussain Haqqani emphasized in an interview with The Washington Post.
The prominent US newspaper described him as an influential figure in the American capital.
U.S.-Pakistan negotiations should be as much about market share as security, Haqqani argued in a report Friday headlined “Haqqani Back in D.C., Where Everybody Knows His Name.”
Pakistan, India to hold talks on CBMs July 18
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : Pakistan and India will hold talks on confidence building measures (CBMs) here July 18, officials said here Sunday.
The meeting, originally scheduled July 10, could not take place because Indian delegation leader T.C.A. Raghavan rushed to Kabul in the wake of the July 7 suicide bombing on Indian embassy there, NNI news agency quoted officials as saying.
Pakistan's delegation will be led by Director General of South Asia in the foreign ministry, they said. Representatives of the related ministries of both countries will also be part of the delegations.
Not clear’ if Iraq war was legal, says Blair’s barrister wife
By IRNA,
London : The barrister wife of former prime minister Tony Blair provoked controversy Saturday by admitting that it is uncertain whether the US-UK invasion of Iraq in 2003 was legal.
"The one thing I would say, as a lawyer, is that we all know that if there had been a right answer to it in international law terms, don't you think that would have been clear. It wasn't clear. It still isn't clear," Cheri Booth said.
24 pilgrims killed in Pakistan
Islamabad: At least 24 pilgrims were killed Sunday night after a group of attackers targeted their buses in Pakistan's southwestern province of Balochistan, the...
Suicide bomber kills 8, wounds at least 35 in downtown Kabul
By RIA Novosti
Kabul : Eight civilians were killed and at least 35 wounded as a suicide bomber blew up a car rigged with explosives in the Afghan capital, Kabul, a military official said on Friday.
General Carlos Martins Branco, a spokesman for the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), said the car exploded on a road in downtown Kabul leading to the Kabul International Airport.
The ISAF is a NATO-led security and development mission involving more than forty nations.
Lebanon observes a day of mourning after Beirut blast
By DPA
Beirut : Lebanon observed Saturday a day of mourning after a high-ranking police terror investigator and five other people were killed in a bomb blast in eastern Beirut.
An official funeral was held for Captain Wissam Eid, the target of the attack, and his bodyguard at a police station just outside of Beirut.
The bodies of the captain and his bodyguard were taken to the northern city of Tripoli after the ceremony in order to be buried in their respective villages.
ADB pledges continued assistance for Afghanistan
By DPA,
Manila : The Asian Development Bank said Friday that it has pledged up to $1.3 billion in new assistance to Afghanistan in the next five
years.
The Manila-based bank said in a statement that it made the pledge during a donors conference in Paris.
During the meeting, bank vice president Liqun Jin said Afghanistan had made remarkable progress since the fundamentalist Taliban regime was driven from power there in late 2001 in a US-led invasion but the country remained the poorest in the Asia-Pacific region.
JuD objects Indian criticism of Vaidik-Saeed meeting
Islamabad: Pakistani terrorist group Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) Thursday termed the Indian colour given to a meeting between its chief Hafiz Saeed and yoga guru Ramdev's...
Pakistan proposes meeting on cross-border trade through Kashmir
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan Thursday proposed to India to host a meeting in Islamabad to operationalise as soon as possible trade across the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir.
The proposal was made by Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir to Indian High Commissioner Satyabrata Pal at a meeting, state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported.
Pakistan's proposal is in pursuit of the agreement-in-principle already reached at the July 21 foreign secretary level talks held in New Delhi, said a foreign office statement.
Two suicide bombers kill 30 in Baghdad
By Xinhua,
Baghdad : Two suicide bombers blew themselves up in northern Baghdad Friday, killing 30 people and injuring 100, an interior ministry source said.
The two attacks occurred almost simultaneously. The suicide attacks took place among worshippers in and outside the shrine of the Imam Musa al-Kadhem in the al-Kadhmiya neighbourhood, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.
Children and women were among the dead and wounded.
Israeli officer commits suicide at Sarkozy`s farewell
By ANTARA News/Xinhua,
Jerusalem : An officer of Israel Border Guard shot himself dead on Tuesday during a farewell ceremony held in honor of French President Nicolas Sarkozy in Ben-Gurion International Airport.
Moshe Fintzy, spokesman of Israel Border Police, refused to disclose any details of the incident, but confirmed to Xinhua that there was no assassination attempt on the French leader.
The incident is under investigation, Fintzy added.
Bangladesh releases six Indians after 78 days
By IANS,
Agartala : The Bangladesh government has released six Indians who had accidentally crossed the border along southern Tripura while grazing their cattle 78 days ago on June 21, officials here said Tuesday.
"The Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) handed over the six Indians, including two women, to the Border Security Force (BSF) at the Muhurighat checkpost in southern Tripura late Monday," a police spokesperson said.
Arrest warrant against Bangladesh ex-army chief
By IANS,
Dhaka : A Dhaka court has issued an arrest warrant against former army chief Gen (retd) Mustafizur Rahman, cancelling his bail, after he failed to appear before it in a high profile corruption case.
Judge Golam Mortoza Majumder of divisional special judge's court issued the warrant Tuesday after rejecting the plea of the lawyers for the former army chief who wanted a four-week extension, saying Rahman was seriously ill.
The court fixed May 28 for the next hearing in the case, when charges will be framed.
Roadside bombs kill six in Pakistan
By DPA,
Islamabad : Two roadside bombings in Pakistan's restive northwestern region Sunday killed at least six people, including a former lawmaker and an anti-Taliban tribal elder, officials said.
Ghani-ur-Rehman, a former minister in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP), and three of his guards died when their vehicle was struck by a bomb near Hangu, a town located 100 km southwest of the provincial capital Peshawar.
"It was a remote-controlled explosion and Ghani-ur-Rehman was the target," local police official Iqbal Khan said. The blast injured five people, Khan added.
At least 18 miners trapped in Turkey
Ankara : At least 18 miners were trapped inside a coal mine in central Turkey's Karaman province following a landslide triggered by an accumulation...
1 killed, 29 injured in suicide blast in Pakistan’s tribal area
By Xinhua
Islamabad : One person was killed and 29 others were injured Saturday when a suicide bomber rammed his explosive-laden vehicle in the convoy of the security force in Pakistan's tribal area.
The official APP news agency reported that the convoy of the security force was heading towards Jar area from Khar, headquarters of the Bajaur Agency when the a bomber rammed his vehicle into the convoy, killing one security man and injuring 29 others.
Security council to meet in wake of Jerusalem attack
By ANTARA News/AFP
United Nations : The UN Security Council is to hold an emergency meeting on the Middle East late Thursday in the wake of the Jerusalem attack which killed eight people, a UN spokeswoman said.
Spokeswoman Marie Okabe said the meeting on the Middle East and the Palestinian question would begin at 7 pm (0000 GMT Friday).
A UN statement meanwhile said UN chief Ban Ki-moon "condemns in the strongest terms today`s savage attack on a Jewish seminary in west Jerusalem, and the deliberate killing and injuring of civilians."
British officials ‘defeatist’ about Taliban: Robert Gates
By IANS,
London : US Defence Secretary Robert Gates has criticised a "defeatist" assessment of the war against the Taliban in Afghanistan, but favoured negotiations with moderate elements among the militants.
"While we face significant challenges in Afghanistan, there certainly is no reason to be defeatist or to underestimate the opportunities to be successful in the long run," Gates told journalists on board a military aircraft flying to Hungary for meetings of defence ministers of North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) countries.
Afghan refugees’ sit in protest in front of UNHCR office in Turkey
By Mirwais Jalalzai, TwoCircles.net,
Ankara: Dozens of Afghan women, men and children gathered in front of the UNHCR office in Ankara city the capital of Turkey to protest against the performance of UNHCR in considering their cases. Protesters claim UNHCR in Turkey is not reviewing their cases on time, which cause them wait for longer than expected.
No more US troops abroad to fight IS: Obama
Washington: US President Barack Obama said that local forces should be the main forces to fight the extremist group the Islamic State (IS) and...
Syria’s Shifting Sands: Power Struggles, Regional Ambitions and the Dawn of a New Middle...
Mushtaque Rahamat
It is indeed perplexing how swiftly Syria’s Assad regime collapsed, forcing the dictator to flee. Understanding and unpacking the incident and its implications...
Roadside bomb kills six civilians in Afghanistan
Kabul: Six civilians were killed when a roadside bomb planted by militants struck a car in the southern Kandahar province, an official said on...
Nuclear mediators meet to discuss incentives for Iran
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Six countries mediating in the nuclear dispute with Iran will meet in Shanghai on Wednesday to discuss new incentives for Tehran to suspend its uranium enrichment program.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said deputy foreign ministers from the five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany will discuss economic, security and technological steps to persuade the Islamic Republic to resume talks.
Reimburse $1.6 bn spent on combating extremism: Zardari
By IANS,
New York : Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari has urged the US to reimburse the $1.6 billion dollars spent on fighting extremism in his country's tribal areas.
Zardari made the demand during two separate meetings here with US officials, including special Af-Pak envoy Richard Holbrooke, DawnNews reported.
The US pays Pakistan for the anti-militant operations from a special account called the Coalition Support Fund. Pakistan has not been paid for more than a year.
Soldier killed, four wounded in SW Pakistan explosion
By KUNA
Islamabad : A soldier was killed and four others were wounded Thursday in a roadside explosion in Southwestern Pakistani province of Baluchistan, said police.
A Frontier Core (FC) vehicle hit a roadside bomb near gas-rich Sui district, about 350 kilometers South of Quetta, the provincial capital, police sources told KUNA.
They said the explosion killed one soldier and wounded four others.
Sushma makes statement on Yemen in Lok Sabha
New Delhi : Amid a huge ruckus and slogan shouting by opposition members, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Monday said in the Lok...
Two killed in bomb attack in Afghanistan
Kabul: At least two people were killed and seven others injured Friday when a bomb went off during a New Year celebration in the...
Scotland Yard detectives to receive all assistance from Pakistan
ISLAMABAD, JANUARY 05 , SPA -- Interior Minister Lt-Gen Hamid Nawaz says the Scotland Yard detectives, currently in Pakistan, would be provided all documents, videos and photographs of the last moments of the public meeting addressed by former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.
There will be no influence on these detectives from our side, he told reporters.
The minister said that the Scotland Yard team has formally started work to help probe Ms Bhutto's assassination.
Beirut shooting kills 2 during funeral
By SPA,
Beirut, Lebanon : Unknown gunmen opened fire on a funeral procession Saturday in a neighborhood of Beirut earlier, killing two and wounding two, police said.
The shooting took place at Tarik Jadideh.
An Associated Press photographer who witnessed the shooting said the attack came as a procession of 200 people headed toward a nearby cemetery to bury a 24-year-old killed in this week's fighting.
At least 25 killed in Iraq car bombing
By DPA,
Baghdad : At least 25 people were killed and 34 injured Wednesday when a car bomb exploded at a market in the southern Iraqi city of Nasriya, a security official said.
The explosion took place in al-Bathaa market in the north of the city during a busy morning, the source said. Numerous businesses were destroyed.
The injured were transferred to a nearby hospital. The number of casualties is expected to rise, according to the official.
Pakistan forces kill nine Taliban along Afghan border
By DPA,
Islamabad : Pakistani security forces killed at least nine Taliban militants in a clash in the country's lawless tribal areas along the Afghan border, an army spokesman said late Friday.
"In the Bajaur tribal district today, a militants' attack in Rashkai area was successfully repulsed. Nine militants were killed and around a dozen more injured," Major Murad Khan told DPA.
Car bomb kills 10 Iraqis, wounds 68
By DPA,
Baghdad : A car bomb in the Iraqi province of Babil killed 10 people and wounded 68 Thursday morning, the police said.
The blast targeted the Hamza al-Gharbi district, south of Babil's provincial capital Hilla, a source in the Hilla police force said Thursday.
Hamza al-Gharbi is some 130 km south of Baghdad.
Thursday's bombing in Hilla followed a string of attacks in northern Iraq Wednesday. A Sunni tribal leader and his family were among 10 Iraqis killed in three separate incidents in the northern cities of Mosul and Tikrit Wednesday, Iraqi police said.
Rivers around Bangladesh’s capital polluted seriously
By Xinhua,
Dhaka : The level of pollution in rivers flowing around Bangladesh's capital Dhaka is so high that no living organism can survive in the waters of these rivers, researchers said.
A three-year research found that the oxygen level of most of the rivers is less than one in per microgram while all species of local fish need 4-6 level of oxygen in per microgram to survive.
The research was conducted by the water resources department, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, leading English newspaper The Daily Star reported Sunday.
Final result of Afghan presidential poll on Aug 24
Kabul : The final result of the Afghan presidential election will be announced Aug 24, Election Commission chairman Ahmad Yusuf Nuristan said here Wednesday.
The...
Saudi oil firm selling stake in Philippines’ refining company
By DPA
Manila : Saudi Arabia's leading oil producer Aramco is selling its 40 percent stake in Petron Corp, the largest oil refiner in the Philippines, to London-based Ashmore investment group, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo said Friday.
Arroyo said the decision of Aramco Overseas Corp (AOC) to sell its stake in Petron Corp was due to a change in the oil firm's "business focus".
Petron disclosed that Ashmore offered to buy Saudi Aramco's shares for $550 million.
Qatar’s sheikh in soup over dud 500,000 pounds cheque
By IANS,
London : An Arab royal is faced with a legal threat over a second unpaid bill of over 500,000 pounds ($790,400).
Pakistani Minister appreciates arrangements at the polling stations
By NNN-APP
Islamabad : Federal minister for Information and Broadcasting Nisar A Memon Monday appreciated the arrangements made at the polling stations for the people to cast their votes.
Talking to PTV, after visiting different polling booths in Islamabad, he lauded the arrangements made by the Election Commission of Pakistan.
He also appreciated the security arrangements made by the government for smooth conduct of the elections.
He said, major political parties are participating in the elections.
Obama mulls decision on more troops to Afghanistan: Official
By Xinhua,
Washington : US President Barack Obama will soon announce his decision on the deployment of more troops in Afghanistan, the White House has said.
White House spokesman Robert Gibbs, who travelled with the president from Chicago to Washington, told reporters Monday that the government was reviewing the US policy towards Afghanistan and may take a decision soon to send additional troops to the war-torn country.
Lankarani expected to attend conference on health
By IRNA,
London : Iranian Health Minister Kamran Bagher Lankarani is expected to attend an international conference on 'Closing the Gap in a Generation' on health inequalities.
The two-day conference, starting Thursday, is being organized by the World Health Organisation (WHO) based on the work of its Commission on the Social Determinants of Health (CSDH).
Israel adds more restrictions on Gaza power deliveries
By Xinhua
Gaza : Israel on Thursday started to reduce electricity supply to the Gaza Strip as part of pressure on the civilian population to force armed groups stop rocket attacks against Israel.
The reduction will be 1.5 megawatts out of the 120 megawatts that Israel directly sells to Gaza. Last week, the Israeli High Court rejected a petition by 10 Israeli and Palestinian human rights organizations against the power cutoff.
EU to observe elections in Egypt
Brussels : The European Union (EU) Wednesday said it had deployed an election observation mission (EOM) to Egypt for its presidential elections scheduled May...
Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs receives British Ambassador
By KUNA,
Kuwait : Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs Khaled Sulaiman Al-Jarallah received British Ambassador in Kuwait Stuart Laing on Wednesday, during which the two discussed bi-lateral ties between both countries and the latest developments in the region.
The Undersecretary also later received German Ambassador to Kuwait Dr. Michael Worbs, to discuss the Berlin Ministerial Conference to be held on 24 June aimed at supporting Palestinian security institutions.
The meeting also discussed regional and international developments.
‘No win situation’ for foreign workers in Malaysia
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur : Foreigners - forming 20 percent of Malaysia's workforce - are caught in a no-win situation if they have a dispute with the employer, two lawyer-labour activists here have said.
They can go to the labour court, but the avenue and the situation that they face does not ensure justice, the activists say.
The government disagrees.
Bar Council Legal Aid Centre's Indian origin chief Ravi Nekoo said that while the law allows a foreign worker to stay in the country pending the disposal of his case, the worker is without a job.
Bahrain postpones trial of opposition leader
Manama : Bahrain's upper criminal court decided Wednesday to postpone the trial of Ali Salman, opposition leader and general secretary of Al Wefaq Society,...
Teenager married off to 75-year-old Bangladesh moneylender
By IANS,
Dhaka : Unable to repay a loan taken after cyclone Aila hit his village, a man has been 'coerced' into marrying off his 13-year-old daughter to a 75-year-old moneylender in Barisal, southern Bangladesh.
The marriage between Akhinur, 13, and 75-year-old moneylender Lokman Sikder was solemnised Sep 4, as the teenager's father Azhar Bepari could not return Tk 4,000 ($ 58) he had borrowed in May this year.
Mubarak had told US not to topple Saddam: WikiLeaks
By IANS,
London : Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak had advised the former US vice-president Dick Cheney not to dethrone Saddam Hussein, according to leaked US cables.
Israeli minister: Iran would be destroyed if attacks Israel
By Xinhua
Jerusalem : Israeli Infrastructure Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer said Monday that any Iranian attack on Israel would lead to "the destruction of Iran."
The former defense minister made the remarks during a visit to the Infrastructure Ministry war room, which is being prepared as part of the ongoing five-day nation-wide civil defense drill.
"An Iranian attack will prompt a severe reaction from Israel, which will destroy the Iranian nation," he was quoted by local daily The Jerusalem Post as saying, adding Iran "is definitely aware of our strength."
Opium cultivation will end soon: Afghan minister
By IANS
New Delhi : On the day the UN said 193,000 hectares in Afghanistan were under illegal opium poppy cultivation in 2007 and the figure had doubled since 2005, Afghanistan's visiting Agriculture Minister Obaidullah Ramin promised the eradication of the crop by next year.
Afghanistan supplies about 93 percent of the illicit opiates in the global market, the International Narcotics Control Board said in its 2007 report released here Wednesday.
Malaysian FM to leave for Ukraine
Kuala Lumpur : A team of officials led by Malaysian Foreign Affairs Minister Anifah Aman will be leaving here for Ukraine Sunday night.
"Anifah Aman...
White House denies agreement for talks with Iran
By IANS,
Washington: The White House has denied a New York Times report that the United States and Iran have agreed for the first time to one-on-one negotiations over Iran's nuclear programme.
Palestinians killed, wounded, arrested in Israeli incursion, attacks
By NNN-WAFA,
Gaza : A Palestinian died of his wound, two injured and three others arrested in attacks by Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF), medical sources said Friday.
Al-Shifa hospital said Usama al-Houbi was hit with a missile shrapnel when Israeli warplanes raided on Rafah, south Gaza Strip on Wednesday and died Friday of his serious wounds.
In BETHLEHEM, Israeli soldiers attacked a peaceful demonstration in the West Bank city of south Bethlehem, wounding two of the protesters, local sources said.
UN-ESCWA to assist Yemen in seeking GCC Membership
By SPA,
Sanaa, Yemen : Executive Secretary of UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) Ali Al-Dafa expressed ESCWA readiness to provide training and orientations which will facilitate the joining of Republic of Yemen to the membership of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
EU to lift ban on Pakistani seafood
By IANS,
Islamabad: The European Union (EU) is likely to lift the ban on seafood imports from Pakistan, the Online news agency reported Monday.
A delegation of the EU will visit Pakistan in this regard next month.
In April 2007, the EU had banned the seafood imports from Pakistan over its substandard quality. Subsequently, the Pakistani government had taken several corrective measures at the fishing harbour and processing plants in Karachi, the report said.
UN chief, Maliki discuss lifting Iraq sanctions
By Xinhua,
BAGHDAD : UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon discussed Friday with the Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki the lifting of sanctions imposed on Iraq during Saddam Hussein's regime.
During his surprise visit to Baghdad earlier in the day, Ban had a meeting with Maliki and other senior officials, including Iraqi President Jalal Talabani.
"We have discussed the ending of UN sanctions on Iraq which were imposed after the invasion of the previous regime on Kuwait," Maliki said at a joint news conference with Ban after their meeting in Baghdad.
India, Pakistan were close to an agreement: PM
By IANS,
New Delhi : Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Saturday said he was close to clinching "an agreement" on all bilateral issues with then Pakistan military president Pervez Musharraf two years ago but the judiciary in that country halted that process.
"I and General (retd) Musharraf had reached an agreement in non-territorial solution to all problems but then General Musharraf got into difficulties with the chief justice (Iftikhar Chowdhary)... He said we cannot operate on all fronts and therefore the whole process came to a halt...," Manmohan Singh told CNN-IBN in an interview.
Pakistan caretaker PM advises Musharraf to convene parliament session
By Xinhua
Islamabad : Pakistan's caretaker Prime Minister Mohammedmian Soomro on Monday sent a summary to President Pervez Musharraf, advising him to convene the new parliament session.
According to the constitution, Musharraf has to convene the National Assembly session on the advice of the prime minister.
Earlier, the caretaker Law Minister Syed Afzal Haider sent the summary to Soomro for the convening of the parliament session.
"The president will either set a date for the assembly session on Wednesday or Thursday," Haider told the private GEO television.
Iran’s parliament pressures Ahmadinejad over vice president pick
By DPA,
Tehran : Iran's parliament has increased pressure on President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad over his controversial appointment of his first vice president, Fars news agency reported Wednesday.
The parliament wants Ahmadinejad to sack his new appointment, Esfandiar Rahim-Mashaei, and Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has reportedly ordered the president to do so.
Pakistani gunfire prevents suspected US incursion
By DPA,
Islamabad : Pakistani security forces and tribesmen repelled a suspected US attack by shooting at intruding helicopter gunships in the tribal region bordering Afghanistan, officials said Monday.
The incident occurred late Sunday night in Lowara Mandi village of the North Waziristan tribal district that is believed to be haven of Al Qaeda and Taliban militants.
"Two gunships flew at least a kilometre into Pakistani territory but hails of machine-gun fire by troops and the villagers forced the intruders to turn back," a security official said while insisting on anonymity.
Afghan presidential election likely to go into run-off
Kabul: The Afghan presidential election is likely to go into a run-off as none of the hopefuls could obtain more than 50 percent of...
NATO convoys’ blockade may last weeks: Gilani
By IANS,
London : The blockade of NATO supplies through Pakistan would continue for several weeks, Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has said.
UAE signs nuclear energy pact with US
By IANS,
Manama : The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the US have signed an agreement for cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy, WAM news agency reported Tuesday.
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdulla bin Zayed Al-Nahyan signed the memorandum of understanding (MoU) Monday.
US concerned about attacks in Israel
By IANS,
Washington : The US has expressed concern over rocket attacks by Gaza militants in southern Israel.
Abbas urges Israel to free all Palestinian prisoners from Israeli
By Xinhua,
Ramallah : Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Monday called on Israel to free all 11,000 Palestinian prisoners in its jails when he received 198 Palestinian prisoners released on Monday morning.
"We tell the prisoners in Israeli jails that the time of your release is coming soon," Abbas told the released prisoners who were received by thousands of Palestinians at al-Muqata'a yard in Ramallah.
UNHCR: Iraqi crisis fuels rise in asylum seekers
By Xinhua
Geneva : A five-year downward trend in asylum applications in industrialized countries reversed in 2007, largely due to an increase in the number of Iraqi asylum seekers, the UN refugee agency said Tuesday.
Some 338,000 new applications for refugee status were submitted last year in 43 industrialized countries, a 10-percent rise compared with 2006, which saw the fewest number of applications in20 years, said the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) in a statement.
UAE opens ‘green’ service station
By IANS,
Dubai : A government-owned oil company in Dubai has launched the first ever eco-friendly service station in the Middle-east.
Syria says to introduce Moughniyeh killer
By IRNA
Damascus : Syria said it will soon introduce who was behind the killing of Hezbollah commander Imad Moughniyeh in the capital, Damascus.
Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem said he would not discuss the ongoing investigation, but "the world would soon hear the results of this mighty effort".
On Thursday, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah blamed Israel for the blast and warned it was ready for "open war".
Moallem said the Syrian security services had devoted huge resources to their investigation into "this despicable crime" and would soon unmask the killer.
Musharraf vows support for Scotland Yard in Bhutto death probe
By Xinhua
Islamabad : The detectives from Scotland Yard, now in Pakistan to assist with the probe into the recent assassination of Benazir Bhutto, would be provided maximum support and information, Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf said Saturday.
"Maximum support and information would be provided to the Scotland Yard team for them to carry out the investigation independently," local TV Dawn News quoted Musharraf as saying.
UN Commission not allowed access to Pakistani Army: Malik
By NNN-APP,
Islamabad : Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik revealed that it has been clarified to the UN Commission that Pakistani Army has nothing to do with the Benazir assassination case; accordingly, the Commission would not be allowed access to the military officials or agency.
According to a private news channel he said sweeping action would be launched against miscreants in North Waziristan Agency along with South Waziristan Agency.
Global eye care conference to be held in Dubai
By IANS/WAM,
Dubai : Eye care professionals from 63 countries will take part in an international conference in Dubai in May.