Pakistani PM vows to meet people’s basic needs
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani Saturday said that price hikes and other crises were inherited, however, his government would provide relief to the masses.
He was speaking at a seminar organized on the performance of the new Pakistani government during its first 100 days.
Gilani said that wheat, rice, sugar and other food commodities were not available in the market when he assumed the office. However, necessary measures have been taken to overcome the crisis since then, he said
Yemen: 800,000 African refugees, mostly Somalis, by end 2007
By NNN-IRIN,
Sana'a : The Somali consul in the port city of Aden, southern Yemen, said hundreds of African migrants crossed the Gulf of Aden to Yemen in June in search of a better life in Saudi Arabia despite a high risk of death at sea or at the hands of ruthless smugglers.
"They made the perilous sea journey despite rough seas. The number of arrivals registered by the UN Refugee Agency [UNHCR] was over 700, while those who were not registered stood at about 350," Hussein Hajji, the Somali consul, told IRIN.
US considering recall of more troops from Iraq
By IANS
New York, July 13 (IANS) The US is considering the withdrawal of additional combat forces from Iraq beginning September, following pressing need for more troops in Afghanistan in the face of intensified insurgency by Taliban, the New York Times reported Sunday.
By the time President George W. Bush leaves office Jan 20, at least one and as many as three of the 15 combat brigades stationed in Iraq could be recalled or scheduled for recall, the daily said Sunday, citing US administration and military officials.
22 PKK rebels killed in operation in SE Turkey
By Xinhua,
Ankara : A total of 22 rebels of the outlawed Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) were killed in the operations staged by the Turkish security forces in Sirnak province in southeastern Turkey in the past four days, a Turkish military statement said on Tuesday.
Iran becomes the top donor to Sri Lanka
By NNN-Govt Portal,
Colombo : Iran, which granted USD 450 million to build the Uma Oya hydropower project and upgrade the Sapugaskanda oil refinery, has emerged as Sri Lanka 's biggest donor this year, officials said.
In the five months to May, Sri Lanka received USD 1.05 billion in foreign aid, of which project loans accounted for USD 959 million and grants for USD 90 million, the Treasury said in its mid-year fiscal report.
Philippines likely to reopen embassy in Baghdad
By Xinhua,
Manila : The Philippines is likely to reopen its embassy in strife-torn Iraq within the year as the situation there continues to improve, an official from the country's Department of Foreign Affairs said on Tuesday.
The decision to reopen the embassy in Iraq would depend on security reports from the U.S. government intelligence, Philippine TV network GMA News Reported, citing Jesus Yabes, assistant Foreign Secretary for the Middle East and African affairs.
Iran’s Security Official talks with top Chinese, Russian negotiators
By SPA,
Geneva : Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Saeed Jalili in separate meetings with the top Chinese and Russian nuclear negotiators on Sunday called for final settlement of Iran's nuclear dossier which was discussed with representatives of Group 6+1 in Geneva.
Group 6+1, which included high ranking representatives from Britain, Germany, France, China, Russia and the US and EU top negotiator Javier Solana, met with the Iranian envoy on Saturday and discussed various issues such as Iran's modality plan for continued talks.
Coalition operation eliminates several militants in C Afghanistan
By Xinhua,
Kabul : Several militants were killed Tuesday during a U.S.-led Coalition forces operation to disrupt militant activities in central Afghan province of Wardak, said a Coalition statement released here on Wednesday.
Coalition forces searched several compounds in Sayed Abad district targeting a Taliban commander suspected of conducting attacks on Coalition forces, including the June 26 attack in Wardak resulting in the deaths of three Coalition service members and an Afghan interpreter, the statement said.
Italy condemns terrorist attacks in Turkey
By KUNA,
Rome : Italy condemned Monday the terrorist attacks that occurred in Istanbul Sunday evening and expressed its support to Turkey's membership in the European Union (EU).
Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said in a press release issued by his ministry that he condemns the attacks which killed 16 people and injured 154 others as acts of terrorism.
The release said the minister sent, Monday morning, a cable to his Turkish counterpart expressing the Italian government's support.
It also said that Frattini stressed his support to Turkey's membership in the EU.
Pakistan incapable of anti-terror policy, says media
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan is incapable of formulating a policy against terrorism because it blames the scourge on the West, an editorial in a leading English daily said Wednesday, noting with alarm that vast swathes in the country's north and northwest were under the effective control of the Taliban and the Al Qaeda.
"Since it blames terrorism on the West in general and America in particular, Pakistan is also incapable of formulating policy against terrorism," Daily Times said in an editorial headlined "New policy against terrorism?"
Peace process on hold till Pakistan acts against terror: Antony
By IANS,
New Delhi : India will not take the sub-continental peace process forward until Pakistan acts against the terrorists operating from its territory, Defence Minister A.K. Antony said Monday.
"We will not take the peace process with Islamabad further till it takes stern action on terrorism emanating from its soil," Antony told a conference of the Indian Air Force (IAF) top brass here.
The India-Pakistan peace process came to a grinding halt following the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks that India blames on elements operating from Pakistani territory.
With trust in Zardari waning, US wooing Sharif: NYT
By IANS,
New York : As American confidence in the Pakistani government wanes, the Obama administration is reaching out more directly than before to Pakistan president Asif Ali Zardari's chief rival Nawaz Sharif, the New York Times said in a report.
American officials have long held Sharif at arm's length because of his close ties to Islamists in Pakistan, but some Obama administration officials now say those ties could be useful in helping Zardari's government to confront the stiffening challenge by Taliban insurgents, the influential newspaper said Saturday.
Iran’s allegations on interference absurd: Obama
By DPA,
Washington : US President Barack Obama Tuesday accused Iranian officials of making the US a scapegoat in an attempt to distract the people from the debate and protests surrounding the country's presidential elections.
Obama told reporters that the United States is "not at all interfering in Iran's affairs" and strongly condemned the beatings and imprisonment of protesters.
Pakistani helicopters kill 28 Islamist militants
By DPA,
Islamabad : Helicopter gunships attacked the hideouts of Islamist militants in Pakistan's tribal region bordering Afghanistan, killing at least 28 rebels in overnight action, security officials said Thursday.
The bombardment came hours after a pro-government tribal elder, Malik Guli Shah, and his two guards were shot dead by gunmen in the Khyber district.
"Our three helicopters engaged several positions of Lashkar-e-Islam in the Sandapal and Akakhel areas of Tira Valley (Khyber district) late Wednesday," said Wajid Ali, a spokesman for the paramilitary Frontier Corps.
Put curbs on intelligence agencies, Dawn says
By IANS,
Islamabad: India and Pakistan need to put curbs on their intelligence agencies in order to end interference in each's other internal affairs, a leading Pakistani newspaper said Thursday.
In an editorial on the Indian spy agency Research and Analysis Wing's (RAW) alleged involvement in insurgent activities in Balochistan, the Dawn said: "Stopping the meddling is more important than the manner in which it is brought to an end. It is the final result that counts."
Two more British soldiers killed in Afghanistan
By DPA,
London : Two more British soldiers have died in separate bomb blasts in Afghanistan, bringing the total killed there so far this month to 22, the defence ministry in London said Monday.
It said one of the men who died was taking part in the second stage of Operation Panther's Claw, the US-led offensive in southern Afghanistan. Both deaths occurred Monday.
July has proved the "bloodiest" month so far for British troops in Afghanistan, where 191 service personnel have now died since operations began in 2001.
Afghan elections will be challenging: British envoy
By DPA,
London : The presidential elections in Afghanistan later this month will be "very challenging" but measures are in place to "mitigate" threatened disruption from Taliban forces, Britain's ambassador to Kabul said Wednesday.
Mark Sedwill, speaking via videolink to a briefing at the Foreign Office in London, said the recent increased fighting in Helmand province in southern Afghanistan had guaranteed that about 70 percent of the people there would be able to vote.
90 killed in Afghan explosion
By DPA,
Kunduz (Afghanistan) : Ninety people were killed Friday when two hijacked oil tankers exploded in the northern Afghan province of Kunduz as Taliban militants were distributing fuel to civilians, said provincial governor Mohammad Omar.
The militants stopped the two oil trucks Thursday night on the highway connecting Kunduz with the neighbouring province of Baghlan, Omar said. The explosion occurred early Friday as civilians gathered to pick up the fuel, he said.
Terrorists are British, not Pakistani: Islamabad tells London
By IANS,
London : Britain has been accused of treating Pakistan like a "whipping boy" while failing to do enough to check home-grown British terrorism.
A senior Pakistani diplomat was Wednesday quoted saying terrorists convicted Monday of planning to blow up transatlantic airliners were "born and brought up" in Britain, not Pakistan.
"Sometimes for our British friends the truth is bitter. We have somehow turned out to be a whipping boy," the Pakistani diplomat said.
US Congress set to vote on Pakistan aid with ‘no terror’ conditions
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington, Sep 30 (IANS) The US Congress is set to take the final step to triple non-military aid to Pakistan, but with stringent conditions demanding action against extremist groups on its soil and preventing attacks on neighbouring countries, namely India.
Though the bill scheduled for a vote in the House of Representatives Wednesday does not mention India so as not to hurt Islamabad's sensitivities, it specifically lists extremist movements Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), the outfit behind the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM).
Bangladesh to continue indefinitely with advanced time
By IANS,
Dhaka : Bangladesh has decided that the clock advanced by an hour to make maximum use of daylight hours as an energy saving measure would "continue for an indefinite period".
The working day dawned early throughout the country Tuesday with offices and educational institutions advancing their routine.
Bangladesh advanced its clock by an hour in July. The new time was set on Greenwich Mean time (GMT) +7 from the GMT +6.
Although that was meant to be a temporary measure, the government Monday decided that this would continue.
Jordan warns Israel against provocation in Jerusalem
By DPA,
Amman : Jordan Sunday warned Israeli police and religious radicals that further provocation in the compound that houses the al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem would fuel violence in the region and jeopardise peace efforts.
Clashes between Israeli police and youths armed with rocks broke out Sunday at the Noble Sanctuary/Temple Mount compound where the mosque is located. The confrontation was apparently sparked by calls by radical Jewish clerics to their followers to go up to the compound, and by calls by radical Muslim clerics for their followers to defend the site.
Pakistan finds documents linked to 9/11: NYT
By IANS,
Washington : Pakistan has found the passport of a member of the Hamburg cell of Al Qaeda, suspected to have planned the Sep 11 terrorist attack, during the assault in South Waziristan this week, New York Times reported.
In a village in South Waziristan, soldiers found a German passport belonging to Said Bahaji, an associate of Mohammed Atta, the leader of the 9/11 hijackers.
The passport was issued in Hamburg in January 2001 and was accompanied by a Pakistani visa dated March 2001. The documents indicated that Bahaji landed in Karachi from Istanbul Sep 4, 2001.
PM Gilani says fight against militants Pakistan’s own war
By NNN-APP,
London : Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, in an interview with The Times, talked down the anti-US feeling in his country, saying that Pakistanis, horrified by the violence, now saw the fight against militants as “their war.”
“It is our war that we are fighting, not a proxy war for the US,” he told the paper’s foreign affairs editor Bronwen Maddox in the interview, arguing that his country was an ally among equals in the battle against terrorism, not an American or British stooge.
Terrorists trying to undermine Iraq’s poll process: Italian minister
By IANS/AKI,
Brussels : Italy's Foreign Minister Franco Frattini has condemned the coordinated car bomb attacks that killed over 120 people and injured 500 in the Iraqi capital Baghdad and said terrorists were "seeking to undermine the democratic electoral process in Iraq".
"I want to express my dismay and horror at the series of attacks in Iraq," Frattini told journalists in Brussels, where he was attending a meeting of European Union foreign ministers.
"The attacks claimed many innocent victims," Frattini said.
Suicide bombing at volleyball match kills 95 in Pakistan
By DPA,
Islamabad : At least 95 people were killed in a suicide bomb attack in Pakistan's North West Frontier Province (NWFP), with many children feared to be among the victims.
More than 100 people were injured in Friday's attack, which took place at a volleyball match in Shah Hassan Khan village, some 30 km south of Lakki Marwat town.
Mohammad Ayub Khan, the district police chief, said the bomber detonated his explosives-laden car near the sporting field where hundreds of people had gathered to watch the match.
Iran develops new system to distract missiles
By IANS,
Tehran : Iran has developed a new system to distract ballistic missiles, a military official said.
The new system can prevent missiles from hitting their targets, said Deputy Commander of Iran's Air Force General Seyyed Mohammad Alavi.
Iran's Air Force has made great achievements in the production of smart ammunition and long-range weapons. The country will also start mass production of new weapons and ammunition to boost its deterrence, Press TV quoted him as saying.
Dubai debt crisis not seen as permanent setback for Islamic Finance
By NNN-Bernama,
Kuala Lumpur : The Dubai debt crisis does not represent a permanent setback to Islamic finance although the sukuk, or Islamic bond, suffered a blow as a potentially safer financial instrument than conventional bonds, says Malaysian Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry Mukhriz Mahathir.
This was because of the reasonable disenchantment with the banking and financial system as practised in the West, he said at the launch of a Shariah-compliant close-end fund, AMB Dana Aqeel Capital Protected Fund, here Tuesday.
Third blast rips a market in Lahore, 4 injured
By IANS,
Lahore : Hours after two suicide attacks targeted a military convoy in Lahore, killing at least 48 people Friday, a powerful third blast ripped through a crowded market place in Pakistan's eastern city.
The third blast occurred at Lahore's Moon Market, where dozens of people were killed in two blasts in December last year.
Friday's blast injured four people, Geo News reported.
The nature of the blast has not been confirmed.
US pledges millions in aid to Pakistan, but no n-deal
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : Praising Pakistan's efforts to combat terrorism, the United States has pledged tens of millions of dollars of aid for roads and power plants, but sidestepped Islamabad's demand for an India-type nuclear deal.
The announcements came in a joint statement Thursday as the two countries wrapped up their first Strategic Dialogue at the ministerial level, co-chaired by US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi.
Karzai told of Obama visit one hour before touchdown
By IANS,
Washington/Kabul : US President Barack Obama's visit to Kabul was shrouded in secrecy and even Afghan President Hamid Karzai was informed about his visit barely an hour before he arrived, a media report said Monday.
Karzai was notified about the visit just an hour before he arrived, Daily Mail quoted the White House as saying.
Obama Sunday made his first visit to Afghanistan after taking office.
White House aides kept Obama's trip under a veil of secrecy as they feared a Taliban ambush.
India, Pakistan agree to insulate dialogue from terror
By IANS,
Islamabad: India and Pakistan Thursday agreed to enhance counter-terror cooperation to deny terrorist elements any opportunity to derail their improving relationship as their foreign secretaries held talks to firm up "comprehensive, sustained and meaningful dialogue".
"We must deny terrorist elements any opportunity to derail the process of improving the relationship," said India's Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao after airing New Delhi's "core concerns" over terrorism at delegation-level talks with her Pakistani counterpart Salman Bashir.
Afghanistan war may be lost in Pakistan: US think tank
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : The Afghanistan war may be lost in a home-grown insurgency hit Pakistan unless US takes some "game-changing steps" including talks on an India like civil nuclear deal, suggests a US think tank.
"The Afghanistan war may be lost on the battlefields of Pakistan, where a vicious conflict is now being fought by Pakistan against a home-grown insurgency spawned by the war across its Western frontier," said the Atlantic Council of the United States in a report released Monday.
71 percent New Yorkers oppose mosque near Ground Zero
By DPA,
New York : Despite their support for freedom of religion, 71 percent of New Yorkers believe the planned mosque and Islamic community centre near Ground Zero should be built "somewhere else" and not two blocks from the terrorist-destroyed World Trade Centre, a poll said Tuesday.
The Quinnipiac University poll said that 54 percent of those interviewed recognised that "because of American freedom of religion, Muslims have the right to build the mosque near Ground Zero".
Emirates launches service to Washington
By IANS/WAM,
Dubai : Emirates, one of the fastest growing airlines in the world, has launched a daily non-stop service from Dubai to Washington's Dulles international airport.
UAE charity distributes food to Yemenis
By IANS/WAM,
Abu Dhabi: The Khalifa Bin Zayed Humanitarian Foundation of the UAE has distributed food to over 500 Yemeni families in a famine-struck desert area in the country.
250 held in Dubai for breaking the law
By IANS/WAM,
Dubai: The Dubai municipality in cooperation with Dubai police has apprehended 250 street vendors, beggars and car-washers for violating the law.
Israel, US test new missile defence system
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Tel Aviv : Israel and the US have carried out the first successful test of the Arrow 3 missile defence interceptor, the Israeli defence ministry said.
Pakistan poll panel meets over rigging complaints
By IANS,
Islamabad : The Election Commission of Pakistan summoned a meeting Monday to review complaints of rigging in last week's polls, a media report said.
Saudi Arabia beheads Syrian drug trafficker
By IANS/AKI,
Riyadh, May 20 : A convicted Syrian drug trafficker has been beheaded in Saudi Arabia, the Saudi interior ministry said in a statement Monday.
Two killed, five injured in Afghanistan suicide attack
Kabul : At least two people were killed and five injured when a suicide bomber blew himself up in Afghanistan Monday, an official said.
"A...
Amnesty International releases second edition of Manual to combat injustice
By A. Mirsab,TwoCircles.net,
Mumbai: Amnesty International has recently published second edition of ‘Fair Trial Manual’ to help combat injustices around the world. The first edition of ‘Fair Trial Manual’ was published in 1998 primarily to support Amnesty International staff and members. The first edition was overwhelmingly accepted around the world which benefitted number of lawyers and activists who fight for injustices meted out to innocents. Due to the increased demand the first edition had to be published in 15 languages.
11 ‘Al-Qaeda links’ arrested in missing Malaysian plane probe
Kuala Lumpur : A group of eleven suspected terrorists with links to Al-Qaeda have been arrested on suspicion of being involved in the disappearance...
Ukraine allows Malaysian personnel deployment at MH17 crash site
Kuala Lumpur : The Ukraine parliament has ratified a bilateral agreement which allows up to 90 Malaysian non-military personnel to be deployed at the...
Islamabad braces for protest marches as Pakistan celebrates independence
Islamabad : As Pakistan celebrated its 68th Independence Day Thursday, supporters of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Awami Tehrik (PAT) parties remained determined...
Israel slams militant Islamists in UN address
United Nations:Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Monday lashed out at militant Islamists in a speech at the UN, saying Palestinian militant group Hamas and...
Israel completes border fence with Egypt
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Tel Aviv: Israel has completed the construction of a 230-km security fence along the Egyptian border, an official said.
Afghan women getting jailed for ‘moral crimes’
By IANS,
Kabul : The Afghan government should take urgent steps to halt an alarming increase in women and girls imprisoned for “moral crimes,” Human Rights Watch said Tuesday.
18 killed, 44 injured in Iraq attacks
By IANS,
Baghdad: At least 18 people were killed and 44 wounded in separate attacks, including a suicide truck bombing, in central and northern Iraq Tuesday, police said.
Turkey to lift Twitter ban
Ankara : Turkey’s president said Sunday the government would soon lift its ban on Twitter, which has sparked criticism at home and abroad.
“It is...
‘Holistic approach being adopted for strengthening higher education sector in Pakistan’
By Aslam Chandio, TwoCircles.net,
Islamabad: Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed, Chairman Higher Education Commission of Pakistan said that the confidence shown by the Government of Pakistan in HEC’s capacity to develop higher education will be honoured and a holistic approach is being adopted to further strengthen this sector in all regions of the country.
Muslims in Britain take part in flashmob style ‘Big Iftar’
London : The tradition of breaking fast among friends, neighbors and the needy has been part of the Islamic tradition for centuries. Here in the UK, the desire to share the spirit of Ramadan has given rise to a growing popularity of flashmob Iftars and public Iftars at places of worship, community centers and even parks. This year is no different, Al Arabiya News reported.
Syria’s President Assad sworn in for new seven-year term
Beirut : Bashar al-Assad has been sworn in for a third term as Syria's president in a ceremony in Damascus, after an election his...
Will Britain’s powerful Zionist lobby forgive Sayeeda Warsi?
By M Ghazali Khan,
The first ever female Muslim Minister in the history of Britain, Sayeeda Warsi, has displayed extraordinary courage by resigning as a Foreign Office Minister over David Cameron Government’s “morally indefensible” stand on Israeli barbarism in Gaza.
Friday Prayer over, 1000s gathering at Tahrir Square for ‘Day of Departure’ rally
By Mumtaz Alam Falahi, TwoCircles.net,
Egyptian jubilation ‘premature,’ says British author
By IRNA,
London : A British author and lecturer has cautioned Egyptians celebrating the victory of their revolution following the ousting of former president Hosni Mubarak.
Text of India, Pakistan joint statement
By IANS,
New Delhi : Following is the text of the joint statement issued after two days of talks between Home Secretary G.K. Pillai and his Pakistani counterpart Qamar Zaman:
Suicide blast in Indonesian mosque injures 28
By IANS,
Jakarta : A suspected suicide bomber blew himself up during Friday prayers in a mosque in Indonesia, injuring 28 people, BBC reported.
Pakistan is largest CNG user in the world
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan is the largest user of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) for running automobiles in the world and is way ahead of India, a media report said Friday.
Pakistan has permanently stopped NATO supply: Minister
By IANS,
Islambad : Pakistan has permanently stopped passage of NATO supply through the country following an airstrike that left 25 soldiers dead, said Interior Minister Rehman Malik.
Militants kill three in Pakistan
By IANS,
Islamabad: Militants killed three people in Pakistan's northwest tribal region Wednesday, local media reported.
Pilot dies as Pakistani Air Force trainer crashes
By IANS,
Islamabad : A Pakistani Air Force (PAF) pilot was killed when his trainer jet crashed in Balochistan Wednesday, the authorities said.
Palestinian official urges Israel to open commercial crossing with Gaza
By Xinhua,
Gaza : A Palestinian official said Saturday that the flow of goods into Gaza will remain weak unless Israel opens a key commercial crossing point into the besieged territory.
"The promises to increase the amount and sorts of products that Israel sends to Gaza can not be met unless al-Muntar (Karni) crossing is opened," said independent lawmaker Jamal al-Khodary, who leads a campaign against the sanctions that Israel imposed on Gaza last year.
Afghan army set to assume more duty in Kabul: German minister
By IRNA,
Berlin : The Afghan army is expected to assume more security responsibilities in Kabul over the next six to nine months, German Defense Minister Franz Josef Jung told the daily Rheinischen Post newspaper on Saturday.
"Afghan (security) forces have to ensure Kabul's security over the next six to nine months," Jung said.
The German army will also step up the training of the Afghan army to 7,500 soldiers, he added.
The annual cost of the Afghan deployment of the German military is estimated to increase from 466.9 to 500 million euros, according to Jung.
Many in Pakistan opposed to safe passage for Musharraf
By Muhammad Najeeb, IANS,
Islamabad : A large number of politicians, lawyers and civil rights leaders are opposed to the idea of Pervez Musharraf being given safe passage out of the country after his resignation as president, though there are reports his bete noire Nawaz Sharif has agreed to it after a meeting with an envoy from Saudi Arabia.
Bahrain commissions study on small, medium sector
By IANS,
Dubai : Bahrain has commissioned leading American provider of credit information on businesses and corporations Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) to conduct a detailed study of the Gulf nation's small and medium enterprises (SME) sector.
Bahrain's Labour Fund has engaged D&B Research & Advisory Services to develop a customised business-scoring model in order to streamline financing support for SME development in Bahrain, according to a D&B statement.
The scoring model will enable SMEs to identify growth opportunities and utilise feedback for improved business performance.
Pakistani-origin men in possible plot against British queen
By IANS,
London : A cell of young Pakistani-origin men found guilty of terror offences may have been plotting to attack the queen and other members of the British royal family, a newspaper reported Tuesday.
Those targeted included Queen Elizabeth II, her husband Prince Philip, their sons Princes Charles, Andrews and Edward and daughter Princess Anne.
Also on the list were Princess Michael of Kent, the duke and duchess of Gloucester and the duke and duchess of Kent, the Daily Telegraph reported.
Militants can’t challenge writ of the govt: Gilani
By IRNA,
Islamabad : Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Thursday stressed the need to know the root causes of terrorism and said the parliament should form a strategy to deal with the issue.
Speaking in the National Assembly during debate on law and order situation, the Prime Minister said the house is sovereign and can debate for as many days as it wants and then comes up with a strategy to deal with the issue.
Iran to develop independent missile headquarters: commander
By Xinhua,
Tehran : Iran is planning to establish an independent headquarters of missiles, the semi-official Mehr news agency reported Wednesday, quoting a top military commander.
The agency quoted Brigadier General Mohammad-Ali Jafari, commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), as saying that forming of an independent commandership of missiles aimed at strengthening the structure of the missile section.
"We should not allow the basic spirit of success and victory to be diminished in Revolution Guards", Jafari said.
Malaysian Indians coming back to us: MIC chief
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur : Many ethnic Indian voters who abandoned the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) during the March general election are now returning to the party, claims its long-time president S. Samy Vellu.
"Hundreds of people" have started thronging the party's offices, knowing that "only the MIC could help them", Vellu told reporters Sunday after opening a workshop on what he calls "re-branding" of the party.
More than 250,000 Afghan refugees repatriated this year: UN
By Xinhua,
Kabul : More than a quarter million Afghan refugees, mostly from Pakistan, have returned to their country so far this year with the support of the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), a statement of the body released here Tuesday said.
"Since January this year, UNHCR has assisted a total of 251,880 registered Afghans to repatriate from the neighbouring Pakistan and Iran," the statement said.
It noted that 248,951 refugees have returned from Pakistan and another 2,929, from Iran.
The UNHCR would provide a cash of $100 to each person returning to Afghanistan.
Alleged coup plotters go on trial in Turkey
By DPA,
Ankara : The trial of 86 people accused of plotting to prepare the ground for a military coup got under way in Istanbul Monday.
The long-awaited trial of the so-called Ergenekon gang began some 17 months after police discovered hand grenades in an Istanbul house belonging to a former non-commissioned officer.
An investigation found that the grenades were from the same batch that was used in an attack on the Istanbul offices of Cumhuriyet newspaper in 2006.
Israel to hold snap election in mid-February
By Xinhua,
Jerusalem : An Israeli parliamentary spokeswoman said Tuesday that a general election has been tentatively set for Feb. 10, with possibility of a one-week delay, local daily Ha'aretz reported.
Hila Mizrachi made the announcement after Parliament Speaker Dalia Itzik met with leaders of parliamentary factions to decide on the date for the polls, originally scheduled in 2010, a day after President Shimon Peres told the legislature that he saw no chance of forming a new government.
‘Myanmar continuing gas exploration in Bangladesh waters’
By IANS,
Dhaka : Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Touhid Hossain left for Myanmar Tuesday for talks after Dhaka accused Yangon of "ignoring" its warnings and continuing with exploration in the Bay of Bengal, where a territorial dispute remains unresolved.
Dhaka has complained that three exploration vessels looking for hydrocarbons, escorted by two Myanmar warships, which intruded into Bangladesh's territorial waters Saturday, are yet to be withdrawn.
Karzai in touch with senior Taliban leaders: Afghan official
By Muhammad Najeeb, IANS,
Islamabad : Afghan President Hamid Karzai is in touch with the senior leadership of former ruling Taliban that went underground after the US-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) troops landed in the war torn country after 9/11, says a senior Afghan official.
"Yes, Hamid Karzai is in touch with them (Taliban) for some time and wants to establish long term peace in Afghanistan," the senior Afghan official visiting Pakistan told IANS, while requesting anonymity.
U.S. optimistic about approval of security pact with Iraq
By Xinhua,
Washington : The United States is confident that the Iraqi parliament will approve a controversial military pact that allows American troops to remain in Iraq until the end of 2011, White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said Wednesday.
"We think we're on a good trajectory right now," Perino told reporters. "All we need to do is to have them have the reading, let the parliament debate, as you would in a democratic society, and then have a vote. We think they'll be able to do it later this week, or early next week, or next week."
India, Pakistan agree on visa liberalization
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan and India have agreed on the need for visa liberalization and decided to discuss ways to cooperate in curbing cross border crime, according to Online news agency.
A joint statement, issued at end of the home secretary level talks, said the Federal Investigation Agency of Pakistan and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) of India will meet soon to discuss cooperation in addressing issues like human trafficking, illegal immigration, and counterfeit currency.
Turkey hosts trilateral summit meeting to help bringing Afghnistan,Pakistan closer
By Xinhua,
Ankara : Turkey on Friday hosted a trilateral summit meeting with Afghanistan and Pakistan in a bid to bring the two troubled neighboring countries closer.
Turkish President Abdullah Gul chaired the meeting with his counterparts, Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan and Asif Ali Zardari of Pakistan, in the Turkish largest city of Istanbul, which was also attended by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, according to the semi-official Anatolia news agency.
Saudi Arabia Watchful with Hajj
By Prensa Latina,
Riyadh : Some 100,000 Saudi troops are patrolling the Islamic Holy City Mecca, to provide security to over three million Muslims at the Hajj or annual pilgrimage beginning Saturday.
Interior Minister Prince Nayef bin Abdul-Aziz said pilgrims from all over the world would flood every sacred place every Muslim must visit at least one in his lifetime.
The crowd virtually paralyzes the Islamic world as prelude to four days of Eid Al-Adha, main feast of the Muslim calendar 70 after Ramadan.
New rockets fired from Lebanon at Israel
By Xinhua,
Jerusalem : A second barrage of rockets were launched from Lebanon on northern Israel, Israeli media reported on Thursday.
Earlier in the day, four Israelis were wounded by rockets launched from southern Lebanon on northern Israeli towns of Naharia and Galeli, pan-Arab al-Jazeera TV reported.
Hamas blames Abbas for activist’s death
By Xinhua,
GAZA/RAMALLAH : Gaza ruler Hamas on Monday blamed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas over the death of a Hamas detainee in the West Bank, threatening not to engage in any dialogue with Fatah movement unless all Hamas activists are freed.
"Abbas shoulders the legal and national responsibility of the wild acts of his security forces that have no job except protecting the (Israeli) occupation soldiers and settlers and chasing down on the resistance," said Ahmed Bahar, deputy speaker of the Hamas-dominated Parliament, in a statement faxed to the media.
Pakistan seeks more information on 26/11, India terms it insincere
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan said Monday it needed more information on the Mumbai terror attacks and New Delhi expectedly reacted in anger, accusing Islamabad of insincerity in prosecuting the perpetrators of the carnage.
A statement issued here after Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani chaired a meeting of the cabinet Defence Coordination Committee said the evidence India has furnished, pointing to involvement of elements from Pakistan in the Mumbai mayhem, was insufficient.
UN hostage deadline extended in Pakistan
By DPA,
Islamabad : Pakistani insurgents holding a US citizen working for the UN said Monday they would extend the deadline given for the hostage's execution.
A previously unknown group, the Baloch United Liberation Front, Friday released a video of John Solecki, who leads the UN refugee agency's operations in the southwestern Balochistan province, and issued a 72-hour ultimatum for the acceptance of their demands.
Khaleda-led opposition returns to Bangladesh parliament
By IANS,
Dhaka : The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Monday joined the ninth parliament, ending its row of 17 working days with the speaker over seating arrangements in the house.
The party led by two-term former prime minister Khaleda Zia said it was joining the house following an assurance after prolonged negotiations from Speaker Abdul Hamid of "respectable seating arrangements in the House", Star Online reported.
Etihad Airways Targets Six Million Passengers In 2008
ABU DHABI, Jan 8 (Bernama) -- Etihad Airways is targeting six million passengers this year against the five million passengers it recorded in 2007, the Emirates news agency (WAM) reported Tuesday.
Eithad's CEO, James Hogan, said the UAE national airline is set to hit the ultimate in providing the best services and performance to its growing number of passengers and clients in the new year.
In spite of being relatively very young, he added that the airline had made its mark at the local, regional and international levels as one of the most reputable airlines in the world.
Israeli artillery strike kills Gaza militant
By Xinhua
Gaza : A Palestinian militant was killed and five others wounded on Wednesday morning in an Israeli artillery strike on northern Gaza Strip, witnesses and hospital officials said.
The witnesses said the Israeli army artillery fired three surface-to-surface missiles at a group of militants who were trying to launch homemade rockets from the northern Gaza town of Beit Lahia into Israel.
Two Palestinians killed in Israeli raid in Gaza – witnesses
By KUNA
Gaza : Two palestinians were killed and six were injured in an Israeli air raid in the town of Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza Strip, eyewitnesses said.
They added in press remarks that Israeli warplanes unleashed a rocket at an apartment building killing the two and injuring the six others.
Khedra Wahdan, 30, and Mohammad Kafarneh, 22, were killed in the air strike, they added.
Abbas: Mideast peace starts from Holy Land in Palestine
By Xinhua
Ramallah : Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Thursday that the peace in the Middle East starts from "the Holy Land in Palestine."
In a joint news conference with visiting U.S. President George W. Bush in Ramallah, Abbas called on Israel to fulfill its commitments to a Mideast peace plan, saying he hopes "this will be the year for the creation of peace."
Israel, Palestinians will sign treaty in 2008: Bush
By DPA
Ramallah : US President George W. Bush said Thursday he believed he would be able to "nudge" Israel and the Palestinians toward a joint peace deal this year.
"I believe there will be a signed peace treaty by the time I leave office," Bush told a joint news conference in Ramallah with President Mahmoud Abbas, on the first visit of an American president to the central West Bank city.
When asked what he intended to do to help, Bush answered, "Nudge the process forward," apply "pressure" and "be a pain if I need to be a pain."
Car bomb hits police patrol in northern Iraq
By Xinhua
Mosul, Iraq : A car bomb explosion targeted a police patrol near the city of Mosul, the capital of Nineveh province, on Monday, wounding six people, provincial police source said.
"A car bomb parked in the Ghizlany area, south of Mosul City, near a police patrol, wounding three policemen and three civilians," Brigadier Abdul Kareem al-Jubouri, head of Nineveh's police operations office, told Xinhua.
The blast also damaged a police vehicle along with several civilian cars, Jubouri said.
Sarkozy’s visit in Saudi Arabia focuses on economic co-op
By Xinhua
Riyadh : French President Nicolas Sarkozy left Saudi Arabia earlier on Monday after wrapping up a two-day visit here which local analysts said focused on economic and energy cooperation rather than security issue.
Contrary to a visit by U.S. President George W. Bush, which is to focus on security topics, business and economic issues were high on the agenda of Sarkozy's trip here, local analysts said.
Rice to discuss with German officials Iran, Afghanistan
By KUNA
Washington : US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice is set to travel next week to Germany to discuss Afghanistan and Iran, said the State Department on Wednesday.
"The secretary will participate in bilateral meetings with senior German officials, during which she will discuss the wide range of issues the US and Germany cooperate on, including the NATO effort in Afghanistan", said State Department spokesperson Sean McCormack in a statement.
PNA refuses to discuss border issues with Hamas
By Xinhua
Ramallah : Palestinian National Authority (PNA) rejected a call from Hamas for a meeting in the Egyptian capital of Cairo to discuss arrangement for opening a border crossing between Egypt and the Hamas-run Gaza round the clock.
"The Palestinian Presidency will not talk with Hamas in any issue before it retreats its coup and we will not discuss Rafah crossing issue with Hamas because it is irrelevant in this regard," said Nemer Hammad, political advisor to President Mahmoud Abbas.
The Scotland Yard gets hold of 18 clues in Bhutto’s assassination
By SPA
Islamabad : The Scotland Yard team has got hold of 18 major clues in former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto s assassination case and would report to the government of Pakistan before elections, Caretaker Interior Minister Lt-Gen (retd) Hamid Nawaz said.
He told the reporters that the proof has been found against Baitullah Mehsud in connection with the assassination and that operation is being carried out against him.
The minister said in the valley of Swat and other sensitive areas, local Taliban factor has been controlled and now only few groups are active.
At least eight killed, 17 wounded in Iraqi violence
By SPA
Baghdad : At least eight people were killed Saturday and 17 wounded in separate attacks in Iraq, Iraqi officials and media reports said. Detentions and arrests were also reported.
In Samara, some 125 kilometres north of Baghdad, joint US-Iraqi forces killed four militants and wounded three, security sources told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.
In the Northern city of Mosul, four Awakening Councils members were killed and nine injured when an explosive device targeted their patrol, the Iraqi News Agency Voices of Iraq (VOI) reported.
Abbas calls on Israel to lift siege on Gaza
By NNN-KUNA
Ramallah : Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday called for lifting the Israeli siege on Gaza paving the way for basic commodities to enter that area.
Abbas, who spoke to reporters in Ranallah during a joint press conference with visiting Austrian Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik, called for stopping the Israeli mass punishment of the Palestinian people.
He renewed the Palestinian Authority's readiness to assume control of the Rafah border crossing into and out of Egypt and said "we have expressed readiness to assume such control."
Israel vows to intensify Gaza operations
By Xinhua
Jerusalem : Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak Thursday vowed to step up operations and strikes in the Gaza Strip if Palestinian militants continue to fire Qassam rockets into Israel, local media reported on their website.
If the Qassam rocket fire from Gaza continues, then Israel will strengthen its operations, which will increase the Palestinian casualties, Barak said during a tour of a military base in the western Negev.
NATO defeat in Afghanistan a real possibility
By IRNA
London : Former High Representative to Bosnia Paddy Ashdown Wednesday called for a new Nato strategy in Afghanistan, not a "disconnected collection of unco-ordinated tactics."
Ashdown, who was rejected for the post as the UN's special envoy in Afghanistan by President Hamid Karzai, warned that the transatlantic alliance will lose if it does not start doing things differently.
Hamas slams Abbas for keeping on talks with Israel
By Xinhua
Gaza : A day after eight people died in a mysterious Gaza explosion, Islamic Hamas movement on Saturday harshly slammed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas for not announcing an end of talks with Israel.
"Abbas should be ashamed of those martyrs... he must immediately boycott the occupiers (Israelis). Otherwise, the history would register him in its black pages," Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoom told reporters in Gaza.
The first flight of PIA leaves for Kuwait
By SPA
Islamabad : The first flight of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) left the newly built Sialkot international airport (SIA) for Kuwait, officials said.
It had 102 passengers on-board. The PIA would operate a weekly flight on Sialkot-Kuwait route.
The airline is considering expanding its network to other international destinations in near future, with a focus on initiating Haj and Umrah flights from Sialkot.
The cargo flights would also be started in the near future from this airport.
Afghan army launches operation against militants
By Xinhua
Kabul : The Afghan security forces have launched an operation against the Taliban insurgents and their associates in the country's western Farah province Saturday, the interior ministry said in a statement.
Units of Afghan national army and the police backed by the US-led coalition forces have launched the operation at 6 a.m. (0130 GMT) Saturday, in the Khak-e-Safid district of the province, it said.
Death toll from cold, snow mounts to 926 in Afghanistan
KABUL, Feb 16 (KUNA) -- The number of Afghans killed by the chilly weather continued in the snow-covered Afghanistan has reached almost 1,000 since the beginning of the winter this year.
About a fortnight back, the Health Ministry had said that some 600 people and thousands of cattle have expired while hundreds more people living in remote areas of Afghanistan have been cut off from the big cities due to the excessive snowfall in the impoverished country.
UN Security Council fails again to address Gaza situation
By NNN-KUNA
United Nations : The Security Council once again failed to issue a press statement on the deteriorating situation in Gaza because of US objection.
Council president Ricardo Alberto Arias of Panama spoke to reporters in his national capacity following a council discussion of the matter late Thursday, saying he is "profoundly concerned about the increased violence in the Middle East region."
He added that "we are concerned about the effect it has on the civil population and with the effect it has on the deteriorating humanitarian situation.
Hamas calls to protest Israel crimes
By NNN-Prensa Latina
Gaza : The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) called for protests after Friday prayers to denounce Israeli crimes against Palestinians, 32 of whom were reported dead in the last two days.
Hamas issued a release after convening massive marches today "to condemn the crimes against our people," and called for Arabs and Muslims all over the world to express solidarity with their cause.
Zardari favours setting Kashmir issue aside
By IANS
Islamabad : Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, whose party is set to led the country's next government, has said the Kashmir issue should be set aside to focus on other aspects for improving relations with India.
"The idea is that we feel for Kashmir, the PPP has always felt for Kashmir. We have a strong Kashmir policy. We have always had one," he said.
British Prime Minister phones Musharraf
By SPA
Islamabad : British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has phoned President Pervez Musharraf Pakistan and said that Pakistan should return to the fold of Commonwealth and resume its role as an important member, according to an official statement.
Brown congratulated Musharraf on the successful holding of general elections in Pakistan.
He said he would be sending his Foreign Minister David Miliband to Pakistan soon to discuss matters of mutual interest and situation in the region.
Lebanese PM says willing to go to Damascus if “convenient”
By Xinhua
Beirut : Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Seniora has said that he is willing to visit Damascus and participate in the upcoming Arab summit "if all circumstances were convenient," local As-Safir daily reported Saturday.
"The visit, (however) does not mean any change in our convictions," Seniora was quoted as noting on Friday.
Allied soldier killed, another injured in Afghan blast
By KUNA
Kabul : One allied soldier was killed and another wounded in a roadside bomb blast in southeastern Afghanistan, the multinational force said on Saturday. The soldiers were on patrol in the southeastern province of Paktia when their vehicle hit an improvised explosive device (IED), said the military.
Four PKK rebels captured in SE Turkey
By Xinhua
Ankara : The Turkish security forces captured four rebels of the banned Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) in southeastern Turkey, a military statement said on Sunday.
The statement posted by the Turkish General Staff on its website said that the security forces captured the four PKK rebels in Ergani town of Diyarbakir on March 6.
Four Taliban insurgents killed
Kabul, March 23 (Xinhua) Four Taliban insurgents have been killed in a clash with the police in Afghanistan's southern Zabul province, a police official said Sunday.
The fighting took place in Shahjoi district Saturday, also leading to the arrest of three insurgents, a police officer said.
Taliban's purported spokesman Qari Yusuf Ahmadi denied the casualties, saying two policemen were killed in the firefight he said lasted a few hours.
Taliban-related violence has left more than 220 people dead this year in the war-torn country.
PPP led coalition agree to distribute Ministries
By IRNA
Islamabad : The coalition of PPP-PML-N, ANP and others has agreed to distribute the Ministries in an equitable way and decided to appoint five Federal Minister in the first phase to resolve the matter within a week.
Reliable sources said Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi of PPP will hold the office of Foreign Ministry and PML-N leader Ishaq Dar will be appointed as Finance Minister, Sherry Rehman as Information Minister and Syed Khurshid Shah as Minister for Parliamentary Affairs.
Former head of FIA Rehman Malik will be inducted as Advisor to Interior Ministry.
Bush waives law, restore aid to facilitate democratic rule in Pakistan
By SPA
Islamabad : U.S. President George W. Bush has waived restrictions in a democracy related law to pave the way for assistance to Pakistan this year, saying the step would help in transition to democratic rule in the country and is important to US counter-terrorism efforts, officials said.
The waiver of the law came as Pakistan entered a new era of democracy with Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) taking oath as head of a coalition government following Feb 18 parliamentary elections.
Charges dropped against Marine in Haditha case
By DPA
Washington : Prosecutors have dropped charges against a US Marine accused in connection with the killing of 24 Iraqi civilians near Haditha in 2005, officials said.
Lance Corporal Stephen Tatum faced court martial on charges of involuntary manslaughter, reckless endangerment and aggravated assault.
But they were dismissed "in order to continue to pursue the truth seeking process into the Haditha incident", according to a statement posted by the Marine Corps on the website of the Camp Pendleton, California Friday.
Palestinian resistance factions attack Israeli settlements, military base
By KUNA
Gaza : Several Palestinian resistant factions claimed responsibility on Friday for firing several missiles and mortar shells on several Jewish settlements.
The military wing of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), Al-Quds Brigades claimed responsibility for firing two 80-milimeter mortar shells on Israeli military base Abu-mutaibeq in east of Gaza.
In press statement received by KUNA, the group said their Mujahideen were able to target the Israeli military base Friday evening.
Iraqi government vows to demilitarize Basra
By SPA
Baghdad : The Iraqi government vowed Monday to demilitarize Basra as relative calm was returning to the southern city, an interior ministry spokesman said, a day after Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr ordered his followers to stop fighting government troops, according to dpa.
"Security forces will carry out orders of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki to take away all weapons in Basra by the April 8 deadline," interior ministry spokesman Brigadier-General Abdel-Karim Khalaf told the Voices of Iraq (VOI) news agency.
Gunmen kill Pakistani soldier in southwest
By IRNA
Islamabad : Unidentified gunmen on Tuesday attacked a vehicle of paramilitary forces in Pakistan southwest, killing one soldier and injuring three others, witnesses and hospital sources said.
Members of the Frontier Constabulary were traveling in their official jeep when came under fire at Saryab road in Quetta, the capital of southwestern province of Balochistan.
No group claimed responsibility of the attack.
Authorities blame such attacks on anti-government Baloch insurgents.
The injured soldiers were taken to the civil hospital.
Mubarak meets Abbas on Palestinian-Israeli talks, regional developments
By Xinhua
Cairo : Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak held talks Wednesday morning with visiting Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on the latest development in the Middle East, particularly the future of the Palestinian-Israeli peace talks.
At a press conference following the talks, Abbas said he briefed Mubarak on the outcome of the 20th Arab Summit ended Sunday in Damascus and his short visit in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.
Iran sends letter to UN over three Persian Gulf islands
By NNN-IRNA
Tehran : Iran has sent a letter to the United Nations over its ownership of the three Iranian islands in the Persian Gulf region, a senior Foreign Ministry official said.
Speaking to reporters at his weekly press conference Monday, spokesman for the Foreign Ministry, Mohammad-Ali Hosseini, announced the above while commenting on a recent claim of the United Arab Emirates officials over the three islands of the Greater Tunb, the Lesser Tunb and Abu Mousa.
Latest Israeli-Palestinian round of talks centers on basic issues — official
By KUNA
Gaza : A senior Palestinian official said on Wednesday that talks that were held between the Israeli and Palestinian negotiating teams on Tuesday addressed a host of issues namely those related to the final status.
Saeb Erekat, the chief Palestinian negotiator, told Voice of Palestine Radio that the discussions that involved him, along with the head of the Palestinian team, Ahmad Qurei, and the Israeli team, led by Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, centered on final-status issues.
The three-hour meeting, held in Jerusalem, was attended by experts from the two sides, he added.
Israeli forces open fire at farmers, journalists
By KUNA,
GAZA : Israeli Army forces opened fire at Palestinian farmers and foreign journalists and supporters in the southern parts of the Gaza Strip on Wednesday.
The attack, which took place in the small town of Absan near Khan Younis, did not cause casualties, head of the Ambulance and Emergency Department in the Palestinian Health Ministry Moawiya Hasanain told KUNA.
Foreign supporters had accompanied Palestinian farmers to their farms to harvest their crops.
Taliban commander surrenders in Pakistan
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : A senior Pakistani Taliban commander Saturday surrendered to the authorities in the country's tribal region, TV reports said.
Security forces Saturday surrounded the house of Iftikhar Ahmed Khan, head of the Taliban in Khyber agency, and forced him to surrender, state-run PTV said citing officials.
Khan, 35, was wanted for attacks on NATO supply trucks and security personnel, the report said. Khan was also accused of sheltering foreign militants and kidnapping people for ransom.
Graft cases against Hasina, Zia being reviewed
By IANS,
Dhaka : While Bangladesh's courts hear the government recommendation that 11 cases against Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina be dropped, a senior law officer Monday began scrutiny of documents relating to 20 graft cases against opposition leader Khaleda Zia and her family.
The cases were instituted by the military-backed caretaker government that ruled the country 2007-08. Both the women leaders were in jail for several months.
US condemns Iran’s detention of British embassy staff
By DPA,
Washington : US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton Monday deplored the detention of Iranian staffers at the British embassy in Tehran and called for their release.
"We find that the harassment of embassy staff is deplorable, and we will continue to support the United Kingdom in calling for their release," Clinton told reporters.
Iranian authorities reportedly detained at least five embassy staffers, accusing them of participating in the ongoing demonstrations over the country's disputed election.
Spain mulls sending more troops to Afghanistan
By EFE,
Madrid : Spain is considering whether post-electoral security conditions in Afghanistan require an increase in the contingent that Madrid has deployed to the war-ravaged nation, Defence Minister Carme Chacon has said.
Spain is waiting to find out if there will be a second round of voting to decide whether to extend the presence of the so-called electoral battalion for another month.
More than 1,300 Spanish troops are serving with the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, including 450 sent to bolster security for the Aug 20 general elections.
Over 100 schools constructed by UNICEF in Pakistan after 2005 quake
By NNN-UNICEF,
Islamabad : More than 100 new schools have now been constructed and handed over to the government in Pakistan-Administered Kashmir and the North West Frontier Province (NWFP), in an initiative by UNICEF and Pakistan’s Earthquake Reconstruction and Recovery Authority (ERRA) to “build back better” in areas where schools were destroyed in the 2005 earthquake.
An additional 186 schools are expected to be completed by the end of 2010.
10 killed in Peshawar suicide bombing
By IANS,
Peshawar : At least 10 people were killed and 30 injured Friday morning in a powerful suicide bombing outside a Pakistani intelligence agency office in this northwestern city, an official said.
Inspector General of Police Malik Naveed said it was a suicide blast in which 10 people, including security personnel, were killed and more than 30 were wounded, Geo News reported.
The suicide bomber, who was travelling in a car, was trying to reach the intelligence agency's office located at Kyber Road.
The bomber blew himself up when he was stopped at a security check post.
Pakistan nuclear facilities at risk: expert
By NNN-PTI,
Toronto : A Taliban insurgency and the war in neighbouring Afghanistan have put Pakistan's nuclear arsenal at risk giving rise to a "troubling" situation, an arms control expert who served as former US President George W Bush's national security adviser has said.
"The situation in Pakistan is troubling from a lot of perspectives," Stephen Hadley, who now advises Washington- based think-tank the US Institute of Peace said.
Israeli troops kill six in Gaza, West Bank
By DPA,
Tel Aviv: Israeli troops killed six Palestinians in two separate incidents in the Gaza Strip and northern West Bank early Saturday, an Israeli military spokeswoman and media reports said.
The military spokeswoman said Israeli soldiers patrolling the border fence between Israel and the Gaza Strip noticed several suspicious figures crawling toward the fence and opened fire.
When the figures still continued crawling, an aircraft was also called in to fire at them, and reported a direct hit.
Malaysian Indian Congress bids for by-election
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur: The Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC), a member of the ruling alliance, hopes to field its deputy president to re-claim a parliament seat which Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak has said it is capable of winning.
The MIC has indicated its choice of G. Palanivel, a journalist-turned-politician, to contest from Hulu in Selangor state which he held between 1990 and 2008.
The by-election was necessitated after the death of Zainal Abidin Ahmed, the opposition nominee who defeated Palanivel in March 2008.
UAE students to get training for space mission
By IANS/WAM,
Abu Dhabi : Three engineering students of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will be trained for space missions by the US space agency NASA.
The training is organised as part of an agreement between NASA and the UAE-based Arab Youth Venture Foundation signed last year.
As per the agreement, NASA will provide three to 12 UAE engineering students each year the opportunity to work with the US students, scientists and engineers involved in NASA projects.
Taliban militants get life term in Pakistan
By IANS,
Islamabad : A Pakistani court has handed down life terms to six Taliban militants accused of planning attacks on foreigners and manufacturing suicide jackets, officials said.
The court gave the sentence Saturday.
Police had arrested the six Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan militants, including a would-be suicide bomber near Lahore in February, and seized hand grenades, explosives, suicide jackets and five detonators, Xinhua reported quoting court officials.
Four detained over failed UK envoy attack in Yemen
By IANS/AKI,
Sana'a : Yemen has detained four people in relation to a failed suicide attack on the British ambassador here in April, the ministry of defence said.
Authorities are questioning the four over the attack that killed the bomber and wounded three people, a statement posted on the ministry's website said Thursday.
"The criminal prosecution dealing with terrorism affairs began interrogating the four suspects in connection with the assassination attempt on the British ambassador, who include a German, Iraqi and two Yemenis," the statement said.
Egypt destroys Gaza smuggling tunnels
By DPA,
El Arish (Egypt): Egyptian security forces have destroyed four tunnels leading across the border to the Gaza Strip, one of them large enough to smuggle cars, officials said Saturday.