Pakistani PM Gilani vows to pursue Iranian gas pipeline
By IRNA,
Islamabad : Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani said on Friday that Pakistan regards Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) pipeline project as of strategic significance and called for early implementation of the project.
The Prime Minister expressed these views while talking to the Foreign Minister of Iran, Manouchehr Mottaki, who called on him here at the Prime Minister's House, an statement from the PM office said.
Bush to arrive in UAE on Sunday
By IANS
Abu Dhabi : US President George W. Bush will arrive here Sunday on an official visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as part of his tour of the Middle East, WAM news agency reported Saturday.
It is the first visit of a sitting US president to the country.
UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan welcomed the US President's visit and praised the existing political, economic, military and cultural ties between the UAE and the US.
He expressed confidence that the visit would open up new avenues of cooperation between the two countries.
Temple demolition: Pakistani Hindus seek redress
By Sandeep Datta,
New Delhi : As Pakistani authorities are all set to raze a 79-year-old temple in Rawalpindi, anger and disappointment prevail among the...
Israeli parliament okays millions to finance settlements
Jerusalem : The Israeli parliament's finance committee approved Sunday 177 million shekels ($50 million) for the Settlement Division, a controversial body which bolsters the...
Rubber tapping before school for Malaysian Indian girl
By IANS,
Seremban (Malaysia) : The Malayasian Indian Congress (MIC) is collecting money to help student Margatha Ambiga, who has to wake up early morning and work on a rubber plantation for three hours before going to school, so she can support her family.
Ambiga has to get up at 3 a.m. and go to a rubber estate about 10km away, and help a neighbour tap rubber for three hours before returning home at 6am, cleaning up and then going to her school.
Pakistani woman shot dead for spurning fiance
By IANS,
Islamabad : A young woman was gunned down in Pakistan's Punjab province as she refused to marry her fiance.
Anar Begum, 24, was shot dead by her fiance's brother, said police.
Pakistan offers reward for Baitullah Mehsud
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan has offered a Rs.50 million reward for information on Baitullah Mehsud, a senior leader of the Tehrik-e-Taliban who is linked to the assassination of former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto.
Advertisements have appeared in newspapers here offering reward on information that leads to the arrest of Baitullah Mehsud and his accomplices.
The rewards are for militants, including three from South Waziristan, another three from Bajaur, two from Mohmand, two from Darra Adamkhel and one from Kurram Agency.
More than 100 Taliban militants killed in Afghanistan
By Xinhua,
Kabul : At least 64 Taliban militants were killed in fighting Sunday between the insurgents and the government troops in Afghanistan's troubled southern province of Helmand bringing the total Taliban casualty over the past three days to more than 100, a provincial official said.
"Taliban militants launched a three-pronged attack on Helmand's provincial capital Lashkar Gah at the wee hours of Sunday and the troops with the support of NATO air power pounded their positions leaving 64 dead," Daud Ahmadi told reporters.
Surviving the Turkish political minefield
By Diba Nigar Goksel, CGNews,
Two weeks ago, the Turkish police detained an additional round of suspects for their affiliation with Ergenekon, described as a mafia-like gang of largely ultra-nationalist Turks, many of whom are linked to various state institutions. It is rumoured that they are plotting to bring down the government through a bevy of methods, ranging from creating chaos to staging a military coup.
Afghan mission is ‘war of necessity’, says Obama
By IANS,
Washington : US President Barack Obama said the mission in Afghanistan was "a war of necessity" as Al Qaeda was still plotting against the US.
However, he said the Iraq mission -- which he has repeatedly criticised as "a war of choice" -- will end in 2011.
Addressing the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Phoenix, Arizona, Monday, Obama said that in Afghanistan the US was pitted against an enemy that would not be easily defeated.
"We must never forget. This is not a war of choice. This is a war of necessity," he said of the Afghan mission.
Have balanced approach to curb population: Hasina
By IANS,
Dhaka : Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who heads the National Population Council that resumed work after 14 years, has called for "a balanced approach" to curb Bangladesh's population growth that is projected to reach 170 million by 2020.
Registration of couples in the reproductive age, a bunch of incentives for those who keep their families small and home visits to popularise the use of contraceptives are among the new thrust areas decided at the meeting Hasina chaired Thursday.
Pakistan Police to donate salary for flood relief
By IANS,
Islamabad : Police in Pakistan's Sindh province will donate a day's salary to the flood affected families of police personnel in the region, a media report said Wednesday.
Ahmadinejad wants US to release Iranians in return of hiker
By DPA,
Tehran : The US should release jailed Iranians in return for the release of American hiker Sarah Shourd, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Friday.
‘Facebook plays critical role in Arab world’s social movements’
By IANS/WAM,
Abu Dhabi : Networking sites like Facebook and Twitter will continue to play a critical role in organising social and civil movements in the Arab world, a new report says.
Bangladesh hopes for good ties with India
Dhaka : Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said any problems with neighbouring countries, including India, could be resolved through bilateral talks, media reported.
"I...
Pakistan successfully tests Hatf III missile
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan Thursday successfully tested its short-range ballistic missile Hatf III or Ghaznavi, the military said.
Iranians in Malaysia protest anti-Iran film
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur : Iranians living in Malaysia Tuesday lodged their protest with the government against a cable channel's plans to screen a Hollywood movie they consider as anti-Iranian, official IRNA news agency reported.
Iran's Ambassador in Kuala Lumpur Mehdi Khandaq-Abadi led the group of Iranians to lodge Tehran's official protest during a meeting with Malaysia's Minister of Information Ahmad Shabery Cheek against the cable channel's plan to show the movie "300" that Iranians believe distorted their country's history.
Zardari vows to enhance trade ties with China
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari Monday vowed to enhance trade ties with China in various sectors.
Send aid for J&K through PM Relief Fund: Indian envoy
Dubai : As the devastating floods ravage India's Jammu and Kashmir state, the Indian mission in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has urged expatriates...
Pakistan would have attacked India in 1998: Gohar Ayub Khan
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan would have launched a full-fledged air attack had India attempted to prevent its 1998 nuclear tests, maverick politician and former foreign minister Gohar Ayub Khan says in a new book.
In the book titled "Testing Times as Foreign Minister", Khan claims that in the event of an attack by India on the nuclear test site at Chagai in Balochistan, the Pakistan Air Force would have launched attacks on pre-designated targets in India, The News reported Saturday.
Jews, Muslims to deliberate on Palestine
By IANS,
Mumbai : Jewish rabbis, Christians and Muslims shall speak at a two-day meet on Palestine opening here Saturday as part of the 65th anniversary of the International Day of Palestine.
5 Afghan police killed in violence
By SPA,
Kabul, Afghanistan : Afghan officials say five police have been killed in two separate bouts of violence.
Ghazni province's deputy governor Kazim Aliyar says three police died when a bomb ripped apart a police truck on patrol. Three police were wounded in Monday's blast in the eastern province.
In the western province of Ghor, police chief Shah Jahan Noori says anti-government militants attacked a security post and killed two police. Three militants also died in Sunday's clash, the Associated Press reported.
Five people killed in Baghdad violence
By Xinhua
Baghdad : Five people were killed and 15 others wounded by mortar and gunfire attacks in Baghdad on Wednesday, an Interior Ministry source and witnesses said. Several mortar rounds landed on different residential areas ofthe Shiite district of Karrada in central Baghdad in the afternoon, killing two people and wounding six others, a ministry source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.
Blast in Pakistan kills 10
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : At least 10 people were killed and more than 40 injured in a powerful blast in northwestern Pakistan Saturday, Express TV reported.
The blast took place when a car hit a police station on Kohat road of Peshawar, capital of North West Frontier Province (NWFP) of Pakistan, the report said.
Two buildings near the police station also collapsed under the impact of the blast and some 50 people were buried under the rubble, according to the news channel.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast.
Mastermind of deadly Baghdad bombings arrested
By Xinhua,
Baghdad : A supporter of late dictator Saddam Hussein's Ba'ath party has confessed to orchestrating last week's deadly truck bomb attacks in the Iraqi capital in which 87 people were killed and more than 1,000 others wounded, the Iraqi military said Sunday.
Ali Kadhim Ibrahim has confessed to planning last Wednesday's deadly truck bombings in Baghdad, said Qassim Atta, spokesman of the Iraqi military, at a press conference.
During interrogation Ibrahim said he fled to neighbouring Syria after the US-led invasion and returned to the country in February 2007.
Supreme Leader expresses grief at human tragedy in Gaza Strip
By IRNA
Tehran : Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei on Sunday night expressed grief at the human tragedy going on in Gaza Strip.
The Supreme Leader sympathized with families who lost dear members in Israeli indiscriminate bombardment of residential areas in Gaza Strip.
"The magnitude of the tragedy is too heavy to express in writing or discourse," the Supreme Leader said in his message of condolence to the Muslim World.
Pakistan must cooperate in terror probe: Rice
By IANS,
London : The United States has told Pakistan it expects nothing short of complete cooperation in the investigations into last week's macabre terror attacks in India's Mumbai city, Pakistan's Online news agency reported Tuesday.
"What we are emphasizing to the Pakistani government is the need to follow the evidence wherever it leads," Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Monday.
Pakistan’s Islamic party elects new chief
By IRNA,
Islamabad : Pakistan’s main Islamic party has elected Syed Munawar Hassan as its new chief, Jamaat-e-Islami announced on Saturday.
Hassan will replace Qazi Hussain Ahmed, who served two times as the party chief.
Jamaat-e-Islami elects chief through secret ballot and only members can vote in election.
A party announcement said that 91.30 per cent of the members cost vote, electing the new chief calls ‘Amir’ for a five-year term.
Pakistan still awaiting Indian replies to Mumbai attacks’ queries
By IRNA,
Islamabad : Pakistan still awaits Indian replies to its 30 questions about the Mumbai attacks, Interior Ministry Advisor Rehman Malik said on Sunday, urging India to reply as soon as possible to take the investigation process forward.
Pakistan handed over to India 30 questions on February 12 with its response to the Indian dossier on the Mumbai incident.
“Unfortunately till today, the replies have not been received.” Rehman Malik told a joint news conference with Interpol chief Ronald Noble after their talks.
10 people killed in Iraq
By IANS,
Baghdad: Seven people and three helicopter crew members were killed Sunday and 26 wounded in separate violent attacks across Iraq, mainly targeting Iraqi...
UNSC condemns attacks on foreign embassies in Libya
United Nations : The UN Security Council (UNSC) has "condemned in the strongest terms" the terrorist attacks on the embassies of South Korea and...
Bangladeshi jurists oppose military law to try border guard mutineers
By IANS,
Dhaka : Most of the eminent jurists who appeared before Bangladesh's Supreme Court have opposed the use of military law to try border guard troopers who staged a mutiny earlier this year, killing 71 people.
The apex court Thursday concluded hearing a batch of ten amici curiae (friends of the court) on the presidential reference seeking a ruling on the law to apply while trying the mutineers, Star Online reported.
Mubarak, US Energy Secretary discuss peaceful nuclear cooperation
By NNN-KUNA
Cairo : Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has held discussions here with visiting US Secretary of Energy Samuel W. Bodman on bilateral peaceful nuclear cooperation.
Egypt has recently announced that it will set out fresh plans for setting up nuclear power plants.
Emerging from the meeting, Bodman told reporters that he had discussed with Mubarak the necessity of providing a congenial atmosphere for Egypt's planned nuclear power stations.
US House committee approves $400 mn for Pakistan counterinsurgency
By Arun Kumarm, IANS,
Washington : A House of Representatives committee has approved $400 million for a new Pakistan Counterinsurgency Capability Fund, but not before a key member expressed doubts about US strategies in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The $400 million requested by the Obama administration for the fund to bolster efforts against the Taliban and extremist groups forms part of the 2009 Supplemental Bill funding ongoing US military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and supporting economic and other needs in Pakistan.
US still concerned about A.Q. Khan network
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : Possible revival of the A.Q. Khan run nuclear-smuggling network is an area of ongoing concern for Washington even as Islamabad claims the notorious Pakistani scientist is out of business.
"Obviously, the A.Q. Khan network has - or is responsible for some of the most serious cases of proliferation in recent decades," State Department spokesman Philip Crowley told reporters Tuesday when asked to comment on an article in the Washington Times.
"We have worked intensively with Pakistan and other countries to shut down that network," he said.
Israel boosts protection for its ministers
By KUNA
Gaza : The Israeli security body, Shin Bet, decided to boost security measures to protect cabinet officials, especially while abroad, Radio Israel reported.
The radio said the decision came after the assassination of Hezbullah leader Imad Mughnieh a few days ago.
Virtue of the decision, official security staff are to accompany ministers in their travels, both for official work and otherwise, and "This is in fear of assassination attempts," the radio said.
Release of Malaysia’s Hindraf leaders ‘just rumours’
Kuala Lumpur, March 24 (IANS) People should disregard rumours circulated via SMS that the five Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leaders detained under Malaysia's Internal Security Act (ISA) would be released, wife of one of the detainees said.
S. Pushpaneela, wife of Hindraf legal adviser M. Manoharan, one of the five detainees, said the SMS was "just a rumour", The Star newspaper said Monday.
"I will only believe it if it comes through the proper channel such as the media.
Pakistan PM felicitates Myanmar counterpart on independence day
By NNN-APP,
Islamabad : Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has felicitated Prime Minister Thein Sein of the Union of Myanmar on the independence day of Myanmar on January 4.
In his message of felicitations the Prime Minister said, “on behalf of the government and people of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and on my own behalf I have great pleasure in extending our sincere greetings and warm felicitations on the auspicious occasion of the Independence Day of the Union of Myanmar.”
UAE hails Iraq’s efforts to restore peace and stability
By IANS,
Stockholm : The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has hailed Iraq for its efforts to restore peace and stability in the war-ravaged country, WAM news agency reported Friday.
"The newly formed police force and Iraqi military have been playing an important role to stem the insurgency in the country," Tariq Ahmed Al Haidan, assistant under-secretary of UAE's foreign ministry for political affairs, said.
Haidan was addressing the first follow-up conference of the Iraq Compact Annual Review Conference (ICARC) here Thursday.
Pakistani student commits suicide
By IANS,
Islamabad : A student of Class VIII committed suicide in Pakistan's Punjab province after failing in his examinations for a second time.
Taliban kill five in Pakistan clashes: police
By BERNAMA,
PESHAWAR, Pakistan (ANTARA/AFP) - Taliban militants killed five people, including three policemen, in clashes with tribesmen and police after seizing control of a mountain top in northwest Pakistan, police said Tuesday.
"Five people, including three policemen, were killed during an exchange of fire overnight between a tribal force and the Taliban in Buner near Swat valley," local police official Sher Khan told AFP by telephone.
"We recovered five dead bodies from the area," he said adding that one civilian was wounded during the exchange of fire.
Suicide car blast hits Afghan capital, killing at least 5
By Xinhua,
Kabul : A suicide car blast Monday morning took place near Indian embassy in Afghan capital, killing five people, an official said.
One guard of the embassy and four civilians were killed in the explosion at around 8:30 a.m. local time, Afghan defense ministry spokesman Zahir Azimi told Xinhua.
A Xinhua reporter saw the huge blast damaged nearby compound walls and roadside shops. Several ambulances were shifting bodies of victims out of the scene while foreign troops and Afghan police have cordoned off the area.
Hamas leader voices opposition against rocket attacks on Israel
By Xinhua,
Gaza : Mahmoud al-Zahar, a senior Hamas leader in Gaza said Tuesday that the militants who fired a makeshift rocket at Israel on Monday are collaborators with Israel.
"I believe that those who fired the rocket at Israel are collaborators with Israel in order to increase the pressure on Hamas movement and on the Palestinian people," al-Zahar told reporters in Gaza.
Indian family’s house destroyed in Qatar fire
Doha : A house belonging to an Indian family in Qatar was destroyed in a fire. The family, however, escaped unharmed, a media report...
‘Ethnic Indians will get a better deal in Malaysia’
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur : Ethnic Indian barbers will be called hairstylists and cooks will be referred to as chefs from now on, as part of a better deal that would include more jobs, nationalisation of Tamil schools and regularisation of the stateless, Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister and premier-elect Najib Tun Razak has said.
The Indian community's plight is also being seriously looked into by a special cabinet committee, which he chairs, to ensure that it had participation in the national economy and equity.
Five bodies found in Afghan province
By IANS,
Kabul : At least five bodies of people kidnapped and killed by militants have been recovered in Afghanistan's Logar province near Kabul, a government official said Thursday.
Zalmay Khalilzad planning to stand for Afghan Presidency: report
LONDON, Jan 29 (APP)- A report in the Tuesday edition of British daily ‘The Guardian’ has claimed that senior British Foreign Office officials believe the Afghan-born US ambassador to the UN, Zalmay Khalilzad, is planning to stand for the presidency of Afghanistan and played a complex role in advising the current president, Hamid Karzai, to block the appointment of Lord Ashdown as the UN envoy to the country.
Migration group lauds UAE’s help to Syrian refugees
By IANS/WAM,
Geneva: The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has praised the UAE for providing relief assistance to Syrian refugees.
Suicide bomber kills senior Iraqi army officer north of Baghdad
By Xinhua
Tikrit, Iraq : A suicide bomber on a wheelchair blew himself up at an army headquarters in a city in Salahudin province on Monday, killing three officers, including a senior officer, and wounding eight soldiers, a provincial police source said.
"Brigadier Abdul-Jabbar Rabie al-Safi, deputy commander of the Samarra City, some 120 km north of Baghdad, was killed when a suicide bomber wearing an explosive vest and sitting on a wheelchair blew himself up near him," the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.
Sudanese president’s whereabouts unknown
Johannesburg: As a judge here prepared to rule on Monday on whether South African authorities must arrest visiting Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir for "crimes...
Freeze on intake of Bangladeshi workers stays, says Malaysian PM Najib
By Abdul Muin Abdul Majid, NNN-Bernama,
Port of Spain (Trinidad and Tobago) : Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak said the freeze on the intake of Bangladeshi workers stays despite a request from his Bangladeshi counterpart for a review of the decision.
He said the request was conveyed in his talks with Sheikh Hasina Wajed on the sidelines of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2009 here Saturday.
Gaza toll escalates to 1766
Gaza : The Israeli offensive which started July 8 on the Gaza Strip has killed 1,766 people and left 9,500 injured, the health ministry...
Peshawar suicide bombing kills three
By IANS,
Peshawar : At least three people were killed and five injured Monday when a suicide bomber struck at a police checkpoint in this northwestern city of Pakistan, a day after a powerful blast left 13 people, including the city mayor, dead.
The suicide bomb attack at the police checkpoint on Peshawar's Ring Road killed three people and wounded five, Dawn quoted police officials as saying.
"It was at a police checkpoint," said police officer Khursheed Khan. The bomber was travelling on a rickshaw when the explosion took place.
Pakistan offers full co-op in probe of Mumbai terror attacks
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : Pakistan will stand by India in the difficult times after the Mumbai terrorist attacks and would like to offer India full cooperation in the probe of the incident, the foreign office said in a statement on Saturday.
Addressing a news conference here, Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that the Pakistani government was unanimous in condemnation of the barbaric acts of terrorism and offered condolences to the government of India and the bereaved families.
Roadside bombing kills officials in Afghanistan
By Xinhua,
Kandahar : Two Afghan officials were killed and four of their security officers wounded when a roadside bomb struck their vehicle Monday evening in this southern province, police said Tuesday.
"A bomb planted by militants struck the vehicle of Amir Mohammad, the district chief of Registan, killing him and the district police chief," provincial police chief Matiullah Khan told reporters.
Four of their bodyguards were injured in the incident, he added.
Japan offers food aid to Africa, Afghanistan, Palestinians
By Xinhua,
Tokyo : Japan offered more than 53 million U.S. dollars on Friday in food aid to Africa, Afghanistan and the Palestinians.
The Foreign Ministry said Japan decided to allocate 5.57 billion yen (53.4 million U.S. dollars) of grant aid to help ameliorate the food crisis in 10 African nations, Afghanistan and the Palestinian autonomous region.
The aid is the first provision from the 100 million dollars Japan pledged last month in emergency food aid over three months, the ministry said.
Singapore Armed Forces sends engineers to Afghanistan to help in reconstruction effort
By Xinhua,
Singapore : The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) has sent two six-man teams to Bamiyan Province in central Afghanistan, to help with the country's reconstruction effort, said the Defense Ministry in a statement on Monday.
Each construction engineering team will be there for about three months -- between May 3 and October 31, said the statement.
This deployment is part of Singapore's overall contribution to the international humanitarian assistance and reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan.
UAE to open rehab centres for people ‘lured’ by terror cells
Dubai: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) will establish centres to counsel and rehabilitate people "lured and misled" into terrorism, a media report said Monday.
Some...
Outspoken diplomat made British Representative for Afghanistan, Pakistan
By Dipankar De Sarkar, IANS,
London : A senior diplomat whose tendency to speak his mind has ruffled feathers from Hong Kong to Washington has been appointed Britain's Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Sherard Cowper-Coles, currently the British Ambassador to Afghanistan, is to take up his new job in March and will focus on cross-cutting issues facing both countries, the British Foreign Office announced Monday.
Gillani likely to be prime minister with over two-thirds vote
By Muhammad Najeeb
Islamabad, March 24 (IANS) Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani, the candidate of the coalition led by the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), is set to become prime minister with more than two-thirds of the vote Monday. The National Assembly (NA), or the lower house of the parliament, will meet in the evening to elect the leader of the house.
Four killed as worker-police clash in Bangladesh
By IANS,
Dhaka : In another round of recurring industrial violence in Bangladesh, at least four people were killed Saturday as garment factory workers clashed with police at Tongi on the outskirts of Dhaka.
Two workers and two policemen were killed and over 200 injured at the industrial township called Ershadnagar, Star Online, the website of The Daily Star said.
As reports of violence poured in, unnamed sources said the death toll might rise.
The clashes erupted at 8 a.m. when around 3,000 workers of Nippon Garment launched agitation demanding due salaries.
Kuwait-Egypt cultural cooperation “history of strong relations”
By NNN-KUNA,
Cairo : Kuwait and Egypt have a long cultural history of cooperation, and recently both Arab countries attended and held several joint cultural activities that reflected these strong ties.
Last July, Kuwait took part in the 7th International Summer Festival at Bibliotheca Alexandrina, which saw the participation of 18 states. The festival involved various music, song and cinematic activities in addition to exchange of cultural experiences.
The Gulf country also held the "Kuwait in the Heart of Egypt" which also involved several cultural activities.
12 injured in Pakistan varsity clash
By IANS,
Islamabad : At least 12 students were injured when two rival groups clashed at a university in the Pakistani port city of Karachi Monday, the Geo News reported.
Afghan policeman kills two NATO soldiers
By IANS,
Kabul: An Afghan policeman shot dead two NATO soldiers in Afghanistan Saturday, the military alliance said.
Israel may resolve Middle East crisis unilaterally: Minister
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Tel Aviv : Israel may take up "unilateral actions" if the Palestinian-Israeli peace talks do not move ahead, Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak said.
Scholars gather for world Islamic peace forum
Abu Dhabi : Over 250 of the world's leading Islamic scholars, academics and thought leaders have gathered here for the opening of the Forum...
Zardari to visit Belgium for Pakistan-EU summit
By IANS,
Brussels : Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari will pay an official visit to Brussels June 16-19 leading the country's delegation to the first Pakistan-European Union Summit, Online news agency reports.
Zardari will also address NATO's policy making body, the North Atlantic Council.
He will call on the Belgian monarch, King Albert-II, and meet Belgian Prime Minister Herman Van Rompuy to discuss bilateral relations.
The president will also meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
China keen on military cooperation with Bangladesh
By Xinhua,
Beijing : China Monday said it is keen to establish close military ties with Bangladesh.
"The People's Liberation Army (PLA) attaches great importance to developing friendly and cooperative ties with the Bangladeshi armed forces," Defence Minister Liang Guanglie told Bangladesh's visiting Chief of the Army Staff Moeen Ahmed.
The two sides have had extensive and multi-level cooperation on weapons, training and academic exchanges, he said.
Top Green legislator urges end to German boycott of Hamas talks
By IRNA
Berlin : A leading Green lawmaker called for an end to the German government's boycott of talks with the Palestinian Islamic Hamas resistance ahead of Chancellor Angela Merkel's upcoming visit to Israel.
Speaking with Sunday's edition of the Berlin-based Der Tagesspiegel, the whip of the Green faction, Fritz Kuhn said, "If one really wants peace, one has to talk with the radical Islamic Hamas organization.
"There is no alternative but negotiations through a stable ceasefire and improving the humanitarian and economic situation in the Gaza Strip.
Tourists return to Pakistan’s picturesque Swat Valley
By IANS,
Islamabad : A group of 100 people have become the first tourists to visit Pakistan's picturesque Swat Valley after the area, once referred to as Switzerland of the East, was cleared of the Taliban.
What attracted the visitors, largely from Lahore, Gujranwala and other areas of Punjab, was the 10-day free stay from Jan 1-10 offered by the local hoteliers association, which is now hoping for the revival of the tourism industry in the district that has been ravaged by two-and-a-half-years of Taliban occupation.
Candidates” representatives must be present at cmtes by 7:30 a.m.
By KUNA,
Kuwait : Elections committee will begin working at 7:30 a. m. on the day of the election, Saturday, according to the Interior Ministry.
In a statement on Thursday, it said that representatives of candidates had to be present by that time as the maximum number of representatives could not exceed a total of 15 in any committee.
The selection would be reached by agreement, or through a draw, it concluded.
Gaza calm as new 72-hour ceasefire holds
Jerusalem : Calm prevailed over Gaza at the start of a 72-hour ceasefire which came into effect at midnight between Israel and Palestinian militias,...
FM: New atmosphere created in Iran’s nuclear activities
By IRNA,
Kuala Lumpur : Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said on Saturday that a new atmosphere in Iran's nuclear activities has been created.
Mottaki made the remarks in an interview with Malaysian satellite TV channel Astro on Saturday.
The Iranian foreign minister is in Kuala Lumpur to attend the 11th foreign ministers meeting of the Eight Developing Countries (D8).
Peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear activities is not something new and dated back to 50 years ago, he said.
Arrested FBI agent doesn’t enjoy diplomatic immunity: Pakistan
Islamabad: The Pakistan foreign ministry Thursday said an employee of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) arrested this week for carrying ammunition does...
Renewables could meet global energy needs by 2050: Report
By IANS,
Abu Dhabi : Renewable energy sources like wind and solar power could provide up to 80 percent of the global energy needs by 2050, an intergovernmental panel report on climate has said.
Iran confirms supertanker for 90-day crude storage
By NNN-FNA,
Tehran : Iran has leased a supertanker to store up to 270,000 tons of crude oil for up to 90 days, adding to the more than 28 million barrels of oil floating outside its main export terminal, shipbrokers said.
Shipping sources said that National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC), had booked the Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) Universal Prime for delivery into the Middle East during June 3-6.
Kurds retake two towns from IS in Iraq
Baghdad: Kurdish forces retook two towns from the Islamic State (IS) militants in northern Iraq Sunday as the US military continued airstrikes against the...
Gaza operations will continue, get more offensive – Israeli Defence Minister
By NNN-KUNA
Gaza : Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak has announced that military operations in Gaza "will continue and get tougher".
Following international condemnations over Israel's over-proportionate force against Palestinians, Barak Tuesday referred such state to the continuation of missiles fired by the Palestinian factions.
The Israeli government has an obligation to reassure stability in residential areas surrounding the Strip, he stressed.
Mulla Sadra’s Asfar Al-Arbaeh available in English
By IRNA,
Tehran : Mulla Sadra's (Sadr al-Din Muhammad al- Shirazi), famous book, which is a philosophical masterpiece, Asfar Al- Arbaeh (The Four Journeys) has been translated into English for the first time.
The book has been translated into English by an American professor of philosophy.
Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has supervised the process of translation and has written the introduction to the book.
Mulla Sadra's other books have also been translated into the Russian, Bulgarian, Bosnian, Chinese, Korean, and Turkish languages.
Pakistan to freeze defence allocation in budget
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : The Pakistani government Monday decided to freeze the allocation for defence in the next budget in an apparent bid to show its sincerity in maintaining cordial relations with the neighbours.
Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani, while addressing the National assembly, said the government has decided to reduce the defence budget after considering it in the context of inflation and rupee-to-US dollar-parity.
Gillani said he is expecting a reciprocal gesture from Pakistan's neighbour (India) for the sake of peace and prosperity in the region.
Pakistan, China agree on intelligence cooperation
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan has assured China of full cooperation in providing intelligence about the activities of the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM), Dawn News reported Tuesday.
Pakistani media targeted over Zardari ‘shoe attack’ reports
By IANS,
Karachi: A TV channel's broadcast was blocked and copies of at least two newspapers were burnt in different parts of Pakistan after they reported a "shoe attack" on President Asif Ali Zardari during an address in Birmingham, the channel said Sunday.
Offices of many cable operators in Karachi have been set ablaze by activists of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) for transmiting Geo News, the channel said.
PPP leaders and government officials issued warnings to cable operators against the continuation of the Geo News transmission.
Rehman Malik thanks Taliban for not attacking Shias
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistani Interior Minister Rehman Malik has thanked the Taliban for not attacking Shia Muslims during their religious rituals Tuesday.
Policeman dies of injures after Bahrain blast
By IANS,
Manama: A policeman, who was injured in a bus explosion, died Saturday, Bahrain police said.
The policeman was among the two people who sustained...
Haneya phones Egypt over possible inter-Palestinian dialogue
By Xinhua,
Gaza : Deposed Prime Minister of Hamas Ismail Haneya on Saturday phoned Egyptian Intelligence Chief Omar Suleiman to discuss recent developments regarding Palestinian internal dialogue.
A statement issued by Haneya's office said that Egypt has encouraged the possible resumption of the Palestinian dialogue and stressed that it should be sponsored by Arabs.
Bush, top aides discuss Iraqi situation in Kuwait
By Xinhua
Kuwait City : U.S. President George W. Bush here Saturday discussed the Iraqi situation with his top political advisors and military commanders in Iraq.
According to media reports, Bush, who arrived here on the first leg of a four-nation Gulf tour after visiting Israel and the Palestinian territories, met with General David Petraeus, the commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, and with U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker at Camp Arifjan, a U.S. military base, which serves as a staging ground for forces deploying to Iraq.
24 killed in explosion near Syrian-Turkish border
By IANS,
Ankara: At least 24 people were killed and many injured Thursday in an explosion near Syrian - Turkish border in Turkey's Kilis province,...
Zardari, Fahim hold one-on-one meeting to resolve differences
By APP
Islamabad : Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) President Makhdoom Amin Fahim called on PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari at the latter’s- house Wednesday evening. The one-on-one meeting between the two leaders continued for two hours and they discussed options to diffuse tension created between the party leadership, sources said.
Iran, Eritra sign MoU to support and encourage foreign investment
By NNN-IRNA,
Tehran : Iran and Eritrea have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on supporting and encouraging foreign investment.
The agreement was inked by Iran's Minister of Finance Shamseddin Hosseini and his Eritrean counterpart Berhane Abrehe.
Hosseini said that Iran has no limitation to promote cultural, political and economic cooperation with Eritrea.
He added that there are plenty of opportunities for the two sides to further cooperation.
Israeli PM doubts Iran’s nuclear capability
By DPA,
Tel Aviv : Widespread international efforts against Iran's nuclear programme mean Tehran will not have nuclear capability, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said in remarks published Thursday.
"There is a powerful international effort that is geared towards preventing Iran from becoming a nuclear state," he said in interviews with the Israeli media to mark the Passover holiday, which begins Saturday night.
Al-Naimi meets with new Sec Gen of Intl Energy Forum
By IRNA-SPA
Riyadh : Engineer Ali bin Ibrahim Al-Naimi, Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, met here Tuesday with the new Secretary General of the Riyadh-based International Energy Forum Noe Van Hulst.
During the meeting, they discussed the progress of work at the IEF, its secretariat general and ways of upgrading the pace of its activities.
Also discussed were matters relating to the Ministerial Conference for Oil Producing and Consuming Countries scheduled for Rome, Italy, soon.
US defence secretary visits Afghanistan
By DPA,
Kabul : US Secretary of Defence Robert Gates has arrived on an unannounced visit to Afghanistan to meet with troops and Afghan President Hamid Karzai.
Explosion, conflict leave 3 NATO soldiers, 2 militants dead in Afghanistan
By Xinhua,
Kabul : Three soldiers with the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) were killed by roadside bombing in southern Afghanistan while the U.S.-led Coaltion forces eliminated two armed militants in eastern Paktika province on Friday, said statements of the alliance issued here on Saturday.
"Three ISAF soldiers were killed in an IED strike Friday morning in southern Afghanistan," the statement said, but it did not give any further information.
20 die in Yemen suicide bombing
Sanaa : At least 20 people were killed Thursday in a suicide bombing in this Yemeni capital.
A suspected Al Qaeda member detonated explosives near...
Half of Muslim doctors in US feel discrimination
Washington : American Muslims, even those in one the most highly regarded professions in the US, encounter a less-than-inclusive and welcoming work environment during...
No more dictators: Pakistani daily
By IANS,
Islamabad : The country wants a solid democratic order "free of dictators", a leading Pakistani daily said Wednesday.
Pakistani media mourns Muhammad Najeeb
By IANS,
Islamabad : The Pakistani media Friday paid homage to Muhammad Najeeb, the IANS Islamabad correspondent who died Thursday after a heart attack. One report called him a "much-valued friend of the media community".
Najeeb, 41, was Thursday afternoon rushed to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) where, according to a report in The News Friday, "he allegedly expired for want of emergency treatment".
His wife and three sons - Saad, 12, Hassan, 10, and Sheheryar, 5 - survive Najeeb. He was the youngest of three brothers and three sisters.
Pakistani PM levels for Malaysia on July 7 to attend D-8 conference
By NNN-APP,
Islamabad : Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani will visit Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from July 7 to 9 and attend the D-8 Conference.
On the sidelines of the conference, the Prime Minister would also hold meetings with various heads of governments including the Prime Minister of Malaysia and the Chief Executive of Bangladesh.
The Prime Minister’s entourage comprises ministers, members of coalition parties, minorities, representatives of opposition and women.
Jalil Jilani may be Pakistan’s envoy to France
By IANS,
Islamabad : After the fiasco of appointing a junior bureaucrat as Pakistan's ambassador to France - a move that was later cancelled - it appears that the job may be offered to senior diplomat Jalil Abbas Jilani.
Quoting sources, a private TV channel said Tuesday that Jilani had been offered the ambassadorship to Brussels but he rejected the offer and now is likely be appointed the country's new envoy to France.
Jilani has previously been acting high commissioner to India and the foreign office spokesperson.
Majlis speaker denies any dispute among Iran’s power branches
By IRNA,
Tehran : Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani said on Tuesday there is no political dispute between the IRI power branches.
Larijani made the remarks at his press conference, adding “This is the difference of viewpoints, that’s all.”
Asked by an Al Arabiyah television correspondent whether the different viewpoints between the Majlis and government are political, Larijani replied: “If there is any discrepancy between Majlis’s points of view and Iranian government’s, it will be normal.”
Iran-Switzerland deputy FMs agree on bilateral cooperation
By IRNA,
Tehran : Deputy foreign ministers of Iran and Switzerland agreed to compile a framework on bilateral cooperation in the field of human rights.
The deputy FMs presided the fourth round of bilateral talks in the field of human rights in the city of Bern, Switzerland, on Monday.
Deputy Foreign Minister in Legal and International Affairs Mohammad Ali Hosseini by referring to the "Principle of dialogue" as one of the basic axis of Iran's foreign policy said Iran is looking for ways of cooperation and understanding in the field of human rights.
NDTV Imagine launched in Middle East
By Aroonim Bhuyan, IANS,
Dubai : NDTV Imagine, the Hindi general entertainment channel of India's NDTV group, was launched for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) market here Thursday.
This is the second international market the channel has targeted following its launch in Britain earlier this year.
"This is the first free-to-air Hindi entertainment channel to be launched in the Middle East," Sameer Nair, chief executive officer (CEO) of NDTV Imagine, said at a press conference here.
“Istiska” prayers offered throughout Saudi Arabia
By SPA
Riyadh : 'Istiska' (rain-seeking) prayers were performed Monday morning throughout the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in line with the teachings of Prophet Mohammed, (Peace be upon him), who had urged Muslims to perform 'Istiska' prayers in cases of drought or delay in rainfall.
U.S. air strike kills eight Iraqis north of Baghdad
By Xinhua,
Tikrit, Iraq : An overnight U.S. air strike hit a village in Iraq's Salahudin province, killing eight people, a provincial police source said on Thursday.
The incident occurred when U.S. troops conducted a search operation late on Wednesday in the Mazra'a village near town Beiji, some 200 km north of Baghdad, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.
Anti-Taliban cleric among 12 killed in Pakistan blasts
By DPA,
Islamabad : A prominent cleric who supported the military offensive against the Taliban in Pakistan's northwestern Swat valley was killed Friday along with 11 other people in two separate mosque bombings in the militancy-plagued country, officials said.
The explosions came a day after security forces repulsed a militant raid on the residence of a regional army commander in the northwestern region, killing two attackers and arresting five after a shoot-out.
Israeli negotiator defends her meeting with Abbas
Jerusalem:Israeli chief negotiator Tzipi Livni has defended her meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in London last week amid criticisms accusing her of acting...
Coalition forces ‘strike Gaddafi’s home town’ : Libyan state TV
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Cairo : Coalition warplanes attacked Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's home town of Sirte in northern Libya early Sunday, the country's state television reported.
US President leaves Iraq after surprise visit
By ANTARA,
Baghdad : U.S. President Barack Obama left Baghdad on Tuesday after a four-hour visit during which he met with Iraqi leaders and addressed the U.S. troops.
During his first visit to Iraq, Obama met with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and inspected the U.S. military base, Camp Victory, on the outskirts of Baghdad.
He told his troops in the military base to be critical in next 18-month period of their mission in the war-torn country.
MI5 accused of colluding in torture of Britons in Pakistan
By IRNA,
London : Officers of Britain's MI5 domestic security agency are being accused of "outsourcing" the torture of British citizens to Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence agency (ISI) in an attempt to obtain information about terrorist plots.
A number of British terrorism suspects who have been arrested in Pakistan at the request of UK authorities say their interrogation has convinced them that MI5 colluded in the mistreatment, the Guardian newspaper reported Tuesday.
Iran’s N-scientist defected to CIA: Report
By IANS,
Washington: An Iranian nuclear scientist, who has been missing since June last from Saudi Arabia, has defected to the US and is helping in CIA's operation against Tehran's nuclear programme, a media report said.
Shahram Amiri, an award-winning nuclear physicist, has been settled in the US, ABC News reported quoting people briefed on the operation by intelligence officials.
The officials were said to have termed the defection of the scientist, "an intelligence coup" in the continuing CIA operation to spy on and undermine Iran's nuclear programme.
No travel curbs on US diplomats, says Pakistan
By IANS,
Islamabad : There are no specific travel curbs on US diplomats in Pakistan, the foreign ministry has said.
Arab League chief to run for Egyptian presidency
By IANS,
Cairo : Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa has expressed his intention to run in Egypt's next presidential election, Xinhua said, citing state TV.
Iranian navy saves US vessel from pirates
By IANS,
Tehran : Iranian naval forces have rescued an American commercial vessel that was attacked by several pirate boats near the Gulf of Aden, Press TV reported Thursday.
Protest rally in Agartala on Gaza attacks
Agartala : A protest rally was organised here Sunday calling for an end to Israeli military action in Gaza and urging the Indian government...
Obama downplays threat by Islamic militants in Iraq
Washington: President Barack Obama Friday downplayed the threat posed by Islamic militants making advances in Iraq, saying the US has been under "serious threat"...
More Civil Afghans Die in US Attack
By Prensa Latina,
Kabul : The US air force killed Afghan civilians again in air attacks against houses in the southern Uruzgan province, Pentagon sources reported on Monday in this capital.
According to a military press release, eight elderly people, women and children, and 25 supposed insurgents that were in a building, died in that bombing in Khas Oruzgan district. Three other civilians were wounded.
According to that report, the air attack on Sunday followed a clash among insurgents and troops and US-led Afghan collaborators.
Zardari wants early finalisation of engagement plan with EU
By IANS,
Islamabad : President Asif Ali Zardari has called for an early finalisation of a five-year engagement plan between Pakistan and the European Union.
Iraqi forces retake three towns in northern province
Baghdad: The Iraqi security forces Saturday re-took control of three towns in Salahudin province lying north of capital Baghdad, while troops were also being...
Bangladesh releases opposition leader for medical treatment
By DPA,
Dhaka : The military-backed interim government in Bangladesh Wednesday released from jail on parole former prime minister Sheikh Hasina to go abroad for a complicated medical treatment, officials in the Ministry of Justice said.
As rumours of Hasina's release spread, thousands of slogan chanting supporters of the 63-year-old politician thronged the central office of the Awami League, the political party she has been leading since 1981 following her return from exile.
EU appreciates election process in Pakistan
By NNN-APP
Islamabad : European Union has appreciated election process in Pakistan and assured that EU members would extend their full cooperation and assistance to the new democratic government for the welfare of the masses.
The EU delegation led by Matjaz Sinkovec, State Secretary of Slovenia, which currently holds the EU Presidency, expressed these remarks during a meeting with Chairman Senate Foreign Relations Committee Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed here at the Parliament House on Tuesday.
Portal to search for acting talents in UAE
By IANS/WAM,
Abu Dhabi: Entertainment company Imagination Abu Dhabi launched an online portal to tap acting talents in the region.
The UAE citizens and Arab expatriates can now apply for auditions of films at www.emiratifilmstar.com.
The portal will be in English and Arabic and will help the casting directors to scout for new faces and established actors.
UN launches emergency operation to feed over 1m displaced Iraqis
By IRNA
Tehran : The United Nations World Food Program (WFP) launched $126-million year-long emergency operation to feed more than 1 million displaced Iraqis.
According to a press release issued by the UN Information Center (UNIC) here on Sunday, the displaced Iraqis are unable to meet their basic needs due to the violence wracking the country.
Bangladesh court jails two rapists for life
By IANS,
Dhaka : A Bangladesh court Thursday jailed a bus driver and his helper for life for the rape of a teenaged girl a...
Barak: All options against Iran should be on table
By Xinhua
Jerusalem : Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said on Sunday that while Israel still believes sanctions are the best way to deal with Iran's nuclear program, other options must not be ruled out as well, local media reported.
During a meeting with U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney in Tel Aviv, Barak stressed that Iran's nuclear program posed a threat tothe stability of the region and the entire world, local daily Yedioth Ahronoth reported on its website.
During their meeting, the two discussed security and political issues.
Pakistan TV channels banned in Kashmir
By IANS,
Srinagar : The airing of Pakistani television channels by local cable operators has been banned following directives from the union information and broadcasting ministry, an official said here Thursday.
"As per the orders given by the government of India we have directed the cable operators to block all Pakistan based television channels," Sheikh Aijaz Iqbal district magistrate Srinagar told the media here Thursday. Iqbal was the first district-level officer to act upon the ban in the state.
Terror attack on children darkest day of humanity: Satyarthi
New Delhi : Child rights activist and Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi Tuesday condemned the terrorist attack on school children in Pakistan, terming the incident...
Israeli forces kill Palestinian farmer in southern Gaza
By RIA Novosti
Gaza : Israeli forces killed a Palestinian farmer in a shootout with Palestinian militants during an ongoing military operation in the south of the Gaza Strip on Thursday, a local police spokesman said.
The spokesman also said that several militants from Hamas and Islamic Jihad were injured in the clash, while several Palestinians were detained for questioning.
Eyewitnesses reported that Israeli ground forces and at least five armored vehicles were involved in the operation in the al-Qarrara village on the outskirts of the city of Khan Younis.
Iranian supreme leader pardons 920 convicts
Tehran: Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei pardoned or commuted prison terms of 920 convicts Monday, local media reported.
he pardon was granted at the...
Iran summons Bahraini envoy over minister’s remarks
By IANS,
Tehran : Iran foreign ministry summoned Bahrain's charge d'affaires to protest what it called "unfounded anti-Iran allegations" by the foreign minister of the...