Hezbollah military wing added to Britain’s terror list
By NNN-KUNA,
London : The military wing of the Lebanese political party Hezbollah has been placed on the British government's list of banned terrorist organisations, the British Home Office announced Wednesday.
Hezbollah's external security organisation was already included on the list, drawn up under counter-terror legislation passed in 2000, but it has now been replaced by a ban on the party's entire military structure.
A Pakistani hospital thrice launched, never built
By IANS,
Islamabad : A hospital in Pakistan's Punjab province was launched thrice, but it hasn't yet got built.
Taliban militants kill 28 members of tribal peace committee in Pakistan
By KUNA,
Islamabad : Taliban militants have killed at least 28 members of Tribal Peace Committee (TPC) in Pakistan's South Waziristan tribal agency, bordering Afghanistan, officials said.
Their dead bodies were found Wednesday near Jandola district, security officials told KUNA on Wednesday. They added that two more members of the TPC were still missing.
US optimistic about final nuclear deal with Iran
Washington: A day after reaching a framework agreement with Iran, the Obama administration on Friday sounded upbeat about the prospect of a final deal...
Diplomacy of contrasts: After chiding Pakistan, Modi meets other neighbours
By Arul Louis,
New York : In a diplomacy of contrast, after gently chiding Pakistan in his UN General Assembly speech, Indian Prime Minister Narendra...
Obama calls Karzai over civilian killings
By IANS,
Washington : US President Barack Obama Sunday called Afghan President Hamid Karzai to express his "shock and sadness" at the killing of Afghan civilians.
Pakistan to seek compensation from India for Chenab ‘water loss’
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan will seek from India "compensation for the loss" of water flow from the river Chenab in Jammu and Kashmir, media reports said Sunday.
Pakistan's Indus Water Commissioner Jamaat Ali Shah said he would press his Indian counterpart to ensure that Pakistan is compensated for the "last month's water loss of 0.2million acre feet when he visits India for a week from next Saturday", Dawn newspaper reported.
Afghan president fast losing his popularity
By Muhammad Najeeb, IANS,
Kabul : Afghan President Hamid Karzai is fast losing popularity in the streets of his capital, as he is being blamed for the absence of peace in the country, where the Taliban insurgency is gaining momentum despite the presence of over 8,000 soldiers of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).
"Since his appointment as president he has never thought about the people of Afghanistan. Rather he is bent upon appeasing his foreign masters," says Mesi Ameri, who has lived in Kabul since his birth in 1957.
Fatah nominates Abbas for next presidential elections
By Xinhua,
Ramallah : Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party has nominated him as its candidate for next presidential elections, a senior Fatah official said on Saturday.
"Fatah is ready to run in the presidential elections and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is the movement's candidate for the elections," said Ahmed Qurei, the chief Palestinian peace negotiator.
President Abbas won the last presidential election in January 2005 after the death of late President Yasser Arafat, while Hamas, the biggest Islamic faction, did not stand for that election.
Pakistani gov’t rejects Taliban’s unilateral ceasefire
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : A Pakistani official said Sunday that the operation against Taliban would continue until their surrender.
Advisor to the prime minister on interior Rehman Malik told reporters that the unilateral ceasefire announced by Taliban was not acceptable, as they had broken previous pledges.
The private Geo TV quoted Malik as saying that the ceasefire could only hold if Taliban surrender their arms publicly in Islamabad.
Hamdan, al Beshir confer on latest Arab, world issues
By WAM
Abu Dhabi : Deputy Prime Minister HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan received Sunday night visiting Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bestir.
Sheikh Hamdan and Sudanese head of state explored ways of enhancing bilateral ties and exchanged views on wide-range current issues at Arab, regional and international levels.
Sheikh Hamdan hoped al Beshir's visit would contribute to further bolstering UAE-Sudan cooperation in sectors of economy, trade and investment.
Focus on Afghanistan, not Kashmir, India and Pakistan urged
By Vikas Datta,
Jaipur : Afghanistan, not Kashmir, can be the issue for India and Pakistan to resume a sustainable dialogue, where it will be...
Two NATO soldiers killed in Afghanistan
By ANTARA,
Khost, Afghanistan : Two NATO soldiers were killed and one wounded in a bomb blast in eastern Afghanistan on Tuesday, a military spokeswoman said.
"Two alliance soldiers were killed by an IED (improvised explosive device) and one wounded," Lieutenant Colonel Rumi Neilson-Green, a spokeswoman for the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force, told AFP.
She could not release the nationalities of those killed but most soldiers in eastern Afghanistan are US nationals.
UAE launches sustainable lifestyle kit
By IANS/WAM,
Abu Dhabi: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has launched an innovative reusable kit to help raise awareness about the region's unique biodiversity as well as reduce carbon emission.
International seminar on child labor underway in Cairo
By IINA
Cairo : The Second International Seminar on the Reduction of Child Labor is underway at the headquarters of the Arab Scout Regional Office here. The Rabat-based Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) is organizing the event in cooperation with the Arab Scout Regional Office. Proceedings of the seminar, which was opened by the Egyptian of Minister of Labor Force and Migration Ms. A'esha Abdel Hadi will conclude on April 10.
Five Taliban killed in Afghanistan
Tehran: Five Taliban militants, including a commander, were killed in Afghanistan Sunday as clashes erupted in Kunduz province, police said.
"The clash erupted in Gultapa...
India slams Pakistan for ‘coveting’ Kashmir
New Delhi : India Thursday slammed Pakistan over its stance on Jammu and Kashmir, saying its "self-destructive and futile quest for territorial aggrandisement" in...
Iranian passenger plane crashes, all feared dead: Report
By IANS,
Tehran : An Iranian passenger plane crashed Wednesday near the country's northwestern city of Qazvin and all 150 people on board were feared killed, Press TV reported.
The Russian-made Tupolev plane went down near the Jannatabad village near Qazvin at 11.33 a.m. Wednesday after it took off from Tehran to fly to Yerevan in Armenia.
Qazvin Police Chief Hossein Behzadpour said all 150 passengers on board the plane are believed to have been killed in the crash.
Pakistan to accede to pact against terror funding
By IANS,
Washington : Pakistan will accede later this year to an international convention against terror funding, even as it draws up a multi-layered plan to eradicate the scourge, the country's envoy to the UN says.
"We fully recognize merits of the global counter-terrorism strategy," APP quoted Ambassador Abdullah Hussain Haroon as saying of the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism that Pakistan would ratify in September.
Pakistan sent back 50,000 Afghan refugees in 2011
By IANS,
Islamabad : Around 50,000 Afghan refugees were sent back to their country by Pakistan last year, a media report said Wednesday.
Rice meets al-Maliki during unscheduled Iraq visit
By DPA,
Baghdad : Visiting US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Iraqi premier Nuri al-Maliki Thursday began talks that centred around the presence of US troops in the country and the security situation in Iraq's restive Diyala province.
Rice met al-Maliki at the Iraqi cabinet building in the capital immediately after arriving for the unscheduled visit, Iraqi media reported.
Sudan, Chad presidents sign peace deal
By IRNA
Dakar : The presidents of Sudan and Chad signed a peace deal to suppress armed groups operating along their shared border.
The peace deal will be effective in the battered Darfur region of Sudan where both governments have claimed rebels are backed by the other.
Sudan's Omar al-Bashir and Chad's Idriss Deby, commits the two nations to implementing past accords that have so far failed to help end violence in the area.
Israel’s Olmert in Egypt for talks with President Mubarak
By SPA,
Sharm El-Sheik, Egypt : Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak said Tuesday that his country was trying to secure the release of a captive Israeli soldier.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and President Mubarak held talks at the Red Sea resort of Sharm El-Sheik, in a meeting that came on the sixth day of an Egyptian-mediated truce between Israel and Hamas, the Associated Press reported.
Police recommend charging Israeli PM
By DPA,
Tel Aviv : Israeli police recommended Sunday evening to indict Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on corruption charges, including bribery.
Olmert's lawyers countered that the recommendation had "no meaning" and they were waiting for the final decision by Attorney General Menahem Mazuz.
Police officials met for five hours earlier in the day to review evidence against Olmert and to decide whether to make the recommendation to Mazuz, ultimately reaching an unanimous decision.
Terror hits development work, rues Pakistani official
By IANS,
Islamabad : The string of recent terror strikes in the country has affected development work and hampered revenue generation for the government, a Pakistani official has said.
The terror attacks have not only discouraged investors but also affected the overall development activities and revenue generation, said Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) director general Makeen Shahbaz.
Shahbaz said the recent wave of terrorism has brought all development schemes to a standstill.
Release of kidnapped soldier plays key role in Gaza truce
By Xinhua,
Jerusalem : The release of Israel Defense Forces soldier Gilad Shalit plays a key role in resolving the security situation in the Gaza Strip, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said on Monday.
Barak made the remarks during a meeting at his Tel Aviv residence with Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman, whose visit to Israel on Monday may lead to progress in terms of the Shalit issue, as Suleiman serves as the main contact with Hamas and the soldier's kidnappers, who abducted Shalit in a cross-border raid in June 2006.
Israeli incursion east of Jabalya in northern Gaza
By KUNA
Gaza : Israeli troops have intruded into the eastern outskirts of Jabalya north of the Gaza under intensive cover by military jets that are still flying over the area.
Several Israeli Military vehicles and tanks are taking part in the Saturday incursion together with commando units that are now positioned around the Martyrs' Cemetery firing at Palestinians' houses, witnesses said.
The incursion came a short time after an Israeli air raid that killed two Izz-Eddin Al-Qassam fighters in the area.
Arrest warrant against Bangladesh ex-PM Khaleda Zia
Dhaka : A court in Bangladesh has issued arrest warrants against ex-Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and two others in two cases filed by the...
Blast kills four Iraqi police recruits
By SPA,
Baghdad : An explosion killed at least Four Iraqi police recruits and wounded 23 others in Baghdad on Sunday, police said.
The recruits were gathered at a police recruiting centre in Western Baghdad when they came under attack.
There were conflicting police reports on the cause of the blast. One police source said it was a mortar round. Another said it was a roadside bomb, Reuters reported.
Two other roadside bombs targeting police patrols in different parts of the capital on Sunday wounded four policemen and five civilians, police said.
11 killed in NATO chopper crash in Afghanistan
By IANS,
Kabul : Eleven people, including four NATO and three US soldiers, were killed Thursday when a NATO military helicopter crashed in Afghanistan's Kandhar province, Xinhua reported.
Austrian girls leave for Syria to ‘fight for Islam’
Vienna : Two Austrian girls who are searched by the international police said in a letter that they went to Syria to "fight for...
Singapore to host First Halal Food Exhibition
Singapore – (IINA) January 13, 2008 – As many as 100 local and foreign companies are expected to display their products at Singapore's First Halal Food Exhibition. The four-day event will begin on January 24 as part of the Singapore Expo. The expo is aimed at capturing a larger slice of the lucrative food industry in the country. The Singapore International Halal Showcase (Sihas) will be organized jointly by the Singapore Malay Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Adex Communications Pvt. Ltd.
17 killed in Turkey coal mine blast
By IANS,
Ankara : Seventeen people were killed in a gas explosion in a coal mine in northwest Turkey, Xinhua reported quoting Turkish news agency Anatolia.
The incident occurred Tuesday when a methane gas explosion ripped through the mine in Baliksir province, killing 11 miners and an engineer on the spot, Governor Yilmaz Arslan said.
"Five miners lost their lives after being taken to hospital with severe burns, bringing the death toll to 17," Arslan was quoted as saying.
UAE, Pakistani presidents voice keenness to boost bilateral ties
By Xinhua,
Abu Dhabi : The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Pakistan voiced here Monday their keenness to boost their bilateral ties, the official Emirates News Agency reported.
UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and his visiting Pakistani counterpart Asif Ali Zardari expressed the desire during their meeting.
Tehran, Manila to expand air transportation cooperation
By NNN-IRNA,
Tehran : The Islamic Republic of Iran and the Philippines have inked an agreement to develop air transportation cooperation.
Announcing this Tuesday, the spokesman for Iran's Civil Aviation Organisation (CAO), Reza jafarzadeh, said that as per the agreement, the first Tehran-Manila direct flight will begin in the near future.
"The Tehran-Manila direct flight is a good opportunity for transport of the two countries' passengers," Jafarzadeh said.
Referring to the number of Tehran-Manila directs flights, he said the number depends on the response of passengers.
Trafficking victims to be cared for, says UAE
By IANS/WAM,
Abu Dhabi : An anti-human trafficking panel has been set up in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to care for victims and create awareness on the issue, a top official has said.
The panel will look into human trafficking and launch awareness programmes on the crime, and will ensure that victims in shelters are well protected, Brig. Ahmed Mohammed Nakhaira Al Muharrami, director of the human rights department said Tuesday.
Work is under way to set up a database on human rights issues, which will monitor regional and international development, he said.
PML-N ministers submit resignations in Pakistan
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : Ministers from the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) submitted their resignations to Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani Tuesday afternoon, marking the end of the six-week-old coalition government.
PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif announced Monday that the PML-N ministers would resign following the failure of talks with the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) on the issue of reinstatement of deposed judges.
The PPP and PML-N emerged as the two largest parties in the National Assembly, lower house of parliament, in the general elections held Feb 18.
Taliban leader killed in Afghanistan
By Xinhua,
Kabul : Afghan army and the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in a joint operation have killed a senior Taliban leader in southern Afghanistan's Helmand province, an ISAF statement said Thursday.
Mullah Bismullah Akhund was a senior leader of the insurgent group responsible for supplying weapons and explosives to the rebel fighters, the statement said.
Bismullah was closely associated with local Taliban leader Mullah Rahim, whose brother was also killed during the July 12 operation, it added.
Obama asks Pakistan to snap ties with militant groups: report
By DPA,
Washington : The United States has offered Pakistan an expansion of military and economic cooperation but has insisted that Islamabad ends dalliance with militant groups for its policy ends in India and Afghanistan, the Washington Post reported Monday on its website.
Citing government officials speaking on condition of anonymity, the daily paper reported that James Jones, national security advisor to President Barack Obama, delivered the offer earlier in November to Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari.
Rice arrives in Baghdad on unannounced visit
By Xinhua
Baghdad : U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived in Baghdad on an unannounced visit on Tuesday for talks with Iraqi leaders, U.S. embassy said.
"I can confirm that Miss Rice is in Baghdad by now," an official in the U.S. embassy in Baghdad told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.
Rice flew from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, while she was accompanying U.S. President George W. Bush in his Middle East tour.
Her trip aimed at meeting with Iraqi leaders to build up what Bush's administration sees a progress on national reconciliation efforts.
Israel releases nearly 200 Palestinian prisoners
By KUNA,
Gaza : Israel on Monday released nearly 200 Palestinian prisoners in line with a previously reached understanding with the Palestinian authority of President Mahmoud Abbas.
Palestinian Television said buses boarding 198 released prisoners moved from the Israeli-manned checkpoint of Beitunya in the West Bank, in the direction of Abbas' headquarters in the town of Ramallah.
Thousands of cheering people are awaiting the returning prisoners at the compound of the main building of the Palestinian authority.
35 Taliban insurgents killed in Afghanistan
By Xinhua,
Kabul : Afghan security forces in a clean up operation have killed 35 suspected insurgents in the southern province of Helmand, a newspaper reported Monday.
"Thirty five Taliban fighters have been killed in the clean up operation launched late last week," the Outlook daily quoted army officer Muhiuddin Ghauri as saying.
During the operation backed by the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), three Taliban commanders had also been killed.
Thousands in Pakistan mark second anniversary of Bhutto’s death
By DPA,
Islamabad: Thousands of people Sunday commemorating the second anniversary of the death of Pakistan's former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, called on the government to unmask her assassins.
Bhutto was killed in a gun-and-bomb attack when she was leaving a park after an election rally in the garrison town of Rawalpindi Dec 27, 2007.
Crowds of people, including children, on Sunday travelled to the Bhutto family mausoleum in the Garhi Khuda Bakhsh village in Sindh province.
Egypt speaker blocks anti-Iran statement
By IRNA,
Cairo : Speaker of Egypt's Shura Council on Sunday blocked a debate on an anti-Iran statement in the council.
Safwat al-Sharif said that the statement may lead to break-up of Iran-Egypt ties.
The draft statement was critical of Iran and the speaker demanded the press not to publish it, because it has not been released by the parliament yet.
The draft statement criticized Iran for urging Egypt to open Rafah border point to Gaza Strip and help alleviate sufferings of 1.5 million people living under Israeli siege.
Pakistan condemns Israeli air strikes on Gaza
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistani parliament Tuesday adopted a resolution condemning the Israeli aerial bombardment on Gaza.
Tailors held in Pakistani town for refusing orders
By IANS,
Islamabad : A stitch in time would have saved as many as 10 tailors who were detained in a Pakistani town for rejecting Eid orders and overcharging.
Candidate calls on Kuwaiti voters to “wisely” elect representatives
By KUNA,
Kuwait : Fourth constituency candidate Mohammad Al-Khalifah called for political reforms and abidance by norms of justice, freedom, equality nd honestly in electing parliamentary representatives for serving national high interests.
Speaking at the inauguration of his campaigning headquarters in the district of Jahra, on Saturday, themed "continue the reforms," Al-Khalifa criticized the cooperation absence between the legislative and executive authorities and negative efforts by some former MPs that disrupted development projects, disappointed Kuwaiti citizens.
Four Gulf States win Islamic fund management awards
By IINA
Dubai : Investment companies and banks in the GCC States of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Bahrain together with Malaysia, Ireland, South Africa, France and the United States have been awarded the highest global accolades in Islamic fund management.
German court allows Muslims students to pray in school
By IRNA
Berlin : An administrative court in Berlin ruled that Muslim students can pray in school, citing religious freedom, news reports said Wednesday.
The court ordered the school of an unidentified 14-year-old Muslim student to enable him to pray.
It also argued that prayer of the Muslim student would also promote peaceful co-existence and tolerance among students of other religions.
The school had initially barred the pupil from praying, pointing to the neutrality rule of the school.
UAE reiterates support to Myanmar Muslims
By IANS/WAM,
Abu Dhabi : The UAE Friday reiterated its support to the Organisation of the Islamic Conference call for protecting Muslims in Myanmar.
UAE, Oman discuss bilateral relations
By IANS/WAM,
Muscat : The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Oman have explored new ways to strengthen their relations in different areas.
Iraqi presidency sets March 6 elections date
By DPA,
Baghdad: The Iraqi presidential council Tuesday set March 6 as the new date for parliamentary elections, Baghdad's Aswat al-Iraq news agency reported, citing state television.
The announcement followed parliament's unanimous approval to a law to cover those polls minutes before a midnight deadline Sunday, ending a tense, months-long standoff that highlighted sectarian divisions between Shiite, Sunni, and Kurdish political parties.
Lebanon, Syria to exchange ambassadors by year-end – Lebanese President
By NNN-KUNA,
Beirut : Lebanon and Syria will exchange ambassadors by the year-end, President Michel Sueliman said.
Suleiman was speaking to a delegation of the Lebanese-French Friendship Committee of the French Senate that he received at the presidential palace Wednesday.
"The relationship with Syria has been placed on the right track," he said.
Lebanese and Syrian officials have been discussing issues of common concern in a candid atmosphere on the basis of mutual confidence, the president added.
Turkey to buy F-35 jets, helicopters from US
By IANS,
Istanbul : Turkey will purchase two F-35 fighter jets and 15 helicopters from the US, a government committee has said.
Pakistan begins culling over 21,000 diseased Australian sheep
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan has begin culling over 21,000 imported Australian sheep after tests showed they were diseased, a media report said Monday.
Israel lifts blockade, allows 480 trucks into Gaza Strip
Jerusalem : The Israeli military Wednesday decided to allow 480 trucks into the Gaza Strip via the Karm Abu Salem crossing.
"The trucks are loaded...
Gilani urges Afghan insurgents to join peace talks
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has appealed to Afghan insurgent groups to join the peace talks in that country.
India unsure if Zardari can deliver on anti-terror pledge
By Manish Chand, IANS,
On Board PM's Special Aircraft : Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari may be keen on improving ties with India, but New Delhi is not sure whether he can deliver on his anti-terror pledge.
The joint statement at the end of talks between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Zardari in New York Wednesday re-committed Pakistan to honour its Jan 6, 2004 pledge not to allow terror attacks against India from its soil.
Pakistan’s political parties endorse anti-Taliban operations
By IANS,
Islamabad: Pakistan's political parties across the spectrum have endorsed the military's operations against the Taliban in the country's restive northwest, a senior minister said Monday.
"All parties have unanimously approved a resolution in favour of the Swat operation," Information and Broadcasting Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira said.
Iran to build nuclear reactors overseas in 10 years: Official
By IANS,
Qom (Iran) : Iran will be able to build nuclear power plants worldwide within the next ten years, IRNA reported Monday quoting a senior official.
Mohammad Saeedi, deputy director of Iran Atomic Energy Organisation (IAEO), said: "In the next ten years Iran will be among the countries in the world that build nuclear reactors."
Speaking at a ceremony Sunday to mark the National Nuclear Day, Saeedi said that comprehensive plans for developing nuclear activities began in 1997 and that the country had sought help from some countries but they refused, Mehr News reported.
Pakistan not to extradite terror suspects to India: Minister Qureshi
By NNN-PTI,
Islamabad : Pakistan has rejected India's demand for extradition of the perpetrators of the Mumbai terror attacks, saying there was no extradition treaty between the two countries.
"There is no extradition treaty between India and Pakistan. We are keen on rebuilding our internal institutions. So if we engage in these issues, it will be harmful for Pakistan," Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi told Geo TV.
44 foreign hostages released in Iraq
Ankara: A group of 44 foreign nationals, including four Turkish citizens, who were kidnapped Tuesday by tribal groups in northern Iraq, have been released,...
UAE releases over 80 prisoners
By IANS/WAM,
Ajman : The rulers of the emirates of Ajman and Umm Al Qaiwain have ordered the release of more than 80 prisoners in total ahead of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.
UN report says over 8,000 killed in Afghanistan in 2007
By RIA Novosti
New York : Over 8,000 people, including at least 1,500 civilians, were killed in violence in Afghanistan in 2007, a new UN report said.
The report to be discussed by the UN Security Council on Wednesday said that in spite of "tactical successes by national and international military forces, the anti-government elements are far from defeated."
According to the report drafted by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, last year's violence was at the highest level since the U.S.-led invasion of the country against the Taliban in 2001.
Japan”s crude oil dependence on Kuwait, Middle East down
By KUNA
Tokyo : Japan's crude oil imports from Kuwait fell 3.2 percent in December from a year earlier to 9.25 million barrels but but edged up 1.1 percent from the previous month, according to the latest data released by the government agency.
Kuwait provided 6.7 percent of nation's crude oil in the reporting month, compared with 7.2 percent in the same month of last year and 7.0 percent in November, the Japanese Natural Resources and Energy Agency, a unit of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, said in a preliminary report.
IAEA agrees to resolve outstanding issues with Iran in one month
By NNN-IRNA
Vienna : The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has said that based on a new agreement with Iran, the outstanding issues will be resolved in one month.
The agency said in a statement Sunday that a new modality plan envisaged to remove the remaining issues in one month.
During two-day visit to Iran, IAEA Director-General Mohamed ElBaradei met senior Iranian officials -- Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the statement said.
Mohamed Nasheed held in Male on fresh court order
By IANS,
Male: Former Maldivian president Mohamed Nasheed was arrested Tuesday, ahead of his trial hearing at Hulhumale Magistrate Court, scheduled for Wednesday afternoon, a media report said.
Pakistan top brass meet ahead of US NSA talks
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan's top political and military leadership met Wednesday to discuss the internal security scenario and the progress in the war against terror ahead of talks with visiting US National Security Advisor James Jones and CIA director Leon Panetta.
Quoting sources in the presidency, Online news agency reported that the meeting discussed the agenda of talks with the US delegation "so that the government and military leadership are on the same level".
Sri Lanksns to get 100,000 more jobs in Qatar
By NNN-Govt Portal
Colombo : Sri Lanka will be sending 100,000 persons for employment in Qatar following an agreement reached during the talks between Qatar's Minister of Labour Dr. Sultan Al Dawsary and Sri Lanka's Minister of Foreign Employment and Welfare Development Keheliya Rambukwella.
This will boost the number of Sri Lankan employed in Qatar to 230,000. The employment opportunities will be open for skilled workers in the construction field and artisans, according to ministry sources.
Muslims join campaign for more democracy in UK
London, Feb 5, IRNA – British Muslims are being urged to back a campaign for democratic renewal launched by POWER2010 ahead of the UK’s forthcoming general election.
The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) said it was urging everyone to vote to strengthen local democracy and “fix the disconnect between parties and the voters.”
“British Democracy is clearly in difficulties. For too long political power in this country has been locked away in the hands of a small number of people at the centre,” the MCB said.
Muslims nervously await 9/11 amid row over mosque plan
By Arun Kumar,IANS,
Washington : Muslims in the US are nervous about celebrating Eid this year as the festival coincides with the 9/11 anniversary that too amid a controversy over plans to build a mosque near ground zero.
A worried US commander in Afghanistan has criticised a Florida church's plan to mark the anniversary of Sep 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on New York and Washington by burning copies of the Quran, and warned that the demonstration "could cause significant problems" for American troops overseas.
EU calls for a ‘health democracy’ in Bangladesh
By DPA,
Dhaka : The European Union Thursday stressed the need for better parliamentary partnership between Bangladesh's ruling and opposition parties for a healthy growth of the country's nascent democracy.
"Discussions, debates and critical analyses of the problems should be there [in parliament] in a healthy democracy," Stefan Frowein, the head of the delegation of the EU's executive, the European Commission to Dhaka, told a press conference in Dhaka.
43 killed, over 190 wounded in Iraq bomb attacks
By IANS,
Baghdad : As many as 43 people were killed and over 190 wounded in a series of bomb attacks across Iraq Tuesday, the police said.
Zardari asks US to honour Pakistan’s sovereignty
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari Monday called on the US to respect the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity and stop drone attacks that raise anti-America sentiments as well as cause outrage and uproar among the people, the Geo TV reported.
"Continuing drone attacks on our territory, which result in loss of precious lives and property, are counterproductive and difficult to explain by a democratically elected government. It is creating a credibility gap," Zardari said while meeting US top commander General David Howell Petraeus.
U.S. says Iran’s refusal to answer IAEA questions “troubling”
By Xinhua,
Washington : The United States said Tuesday Iran's refusal to answer questions from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on its nuclear program is "very troubling."
"It is very troubling that the Iranian government refuses to answer questions about the military involvement in this program, which can raise a whole other set of issues about what were the activities vis-a-vis weaponizing or trying to weaponize a nuclear program," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said.
Heavy clashes break out in mountain Lebanon
By Xinhua,
Beirut : Heavy clashes between pro and anti-government supporters broke out Sunday in mountain areas in central Lebanon, local New TV reported.
The violence started in mountain village of Aytat in Aley area, and expanded to other villages and then spread out to Chweifatcity where heavy gunfire exchange is taking place, according to the report.
The report said automatic rifles and RPGs were used in the battles, and huge sound of explosion could be heard in the area.
Iran state TV says targeted by Israel in Gaza
By ANTARA News/Reuters,
Tehran : Iran`s English-language state Press TV television station said the building housing its office in Gaza was targeted by Israeli forces on Friday, but that there were no casualties.
"Israeli forces have targeted Press TV and al-Alam television stations in the Gaza strip," the satellite station said on its website. Al-Alam is Iran`s Arabic-language television station.
"No casualties in attacks on Press TV, al-Alam stations in Gaza," it said in a headline, giving no further detail.
Taliban claim Bannu suicide blast in Pakistan that kills 6, wounds 60
By KUNA,
Islamabad : The Taliban late Friday claimed responsibility for the Bannu suicide blast that killed six people and wounded nearly sixty others.
Qari Hussain, a purported spokesman for Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), telephoned local newspapers from an undisclosed location and claimed responsibility for the blast.
Meanwhile, District Police Officer (DPO) Iqbal Marwat told newsmen that the explosion killed five policemen and a prisoner and wounded nearly sixty others. The wounded include 24 policemen and 16 civilians.
BJP asks government to call off dialogue with Pakistan
By IANS,
New Delhi : Accusing the ruling coalition of "speaking in different voices" in the wake of the Mumbai terrorist attacks, India's main opposition BJP has asked the government to marshal international support to "expose" Pakistan and call off the composite dialogue with it.
Pakistan suicide blast kills six
By IANS,
Islamabad : Six people were killed and several injured Thursday in a suicide blast in Pakistan's North West Frontier Province (NWFP).
The suicide attack took place at Rasooldar hotel in Tank district's Jandola area, Geo News reported.
Stranded Thai Muslim pilgrims request extended Hajj
By NNN-TNA,
Bangkok : Requests are being made to the Saudi embassy in Bangkok to extend the annual Haj pilgrimage held in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, for another few more days as nearly 1,000 Thai Muslim pilgrims trying to travel there were still stuck in Thailand Saturday as Suvarnabhumi international airport is still shut down by anti-government protesters.
Nawaz party ministers take oath with black armbands
By Muhammad Najeeb, IANS
Islamabad : Members of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Monday took oath as federal ministers from President Pervez Musharraf wearing black armbands as a token of protest against him.
Musharraf administered the oath of office to 24 members of Pakistan's new cabinet, six weeks after opposition parties swept the elections in February.
The general-turned-civilian-president, who faces strong opposition from the ruling coalition, administered the oath to new cabinet members in the presence of Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani.
US can work with Muslims, Obama tells OIC
By IANS,
Jeddah : US President Barack Obama has told the Organization of Islamic Conference that he has full confidence that the US can work together with the world's largest grouping of Muslims, the official IRNA news agency reported Monday.
In a letter to OIC Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, Obama said he would work to improve relations with the grouping, the Jeddah-based organization said in a statement.
Indian and Pakistani schools exchange greeting cards on festivals
Students of Air Foundation School System, Pakistan
By TCN News,
New Delhi: Festivals are social celebrations, encourage us to reach out to others, create...
Kasab appears in court, demands Pakistani lawyer
By IANS,
Mumbai : The lone terrorist captured in the Mumbai terror strike, Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab, Wednesday demanded a Pakistani lawyer to defend him as the trial started here with his assigned counsel Anjali Waghmare being removed on grounds of "professional misconduct".
Kasab, the prime accused in the Nov 26-29 Mumbai terror attack in which over 170 people were killed, was present in person for the first time in the Special Court in the Arthur Road Central Jail, where the 26/11 trial opened for the first time under a tight security blanket.
Syria confirms assassination of senior security officer
By Xinhua,
Damascus : Syria confirmed on Wednesday an assassination of a senior security officer last week, the independent Syria-news website reported.
Presidential Advisor for Political and Information Affairs Buthaina Shaaban made the confirmation in a statement to the press, saying Brigadier General Mohammad Suleiman was killed last Friday, said the report.
Investigation is underway to determine who committed this "heinous crime," Shaaban added.
All board members of State Railway Thailand resign
By KUNA,
Kuala Lumpur : As train services continued to be suspended nationwide for the fifth day Monday, members of the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) resigned en masse, the Thai News Agency (TNA) reported.
The train services were disrupted when national railways workers labour union took leave as a show of support for the anti-government protest of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD).
TNA said SRT Board Chairman Somsak Boonthong made the announcement that all board members chose to resign to show their responsibility to the railway strike.
Not downgrading diplomatic ties with Britain, says Iran
By DPA,
Tehran : Iran is not planning to downgrade diplomatic ties with Britain or any European country, foreign ministry spokesman Hassan Ghashghavi said Monday.
Police arrested eight Iranian staff members of the British embassy in Tehran Sunday, a move condemned by British Foreign Minister David Miliband.
The Fars news agency in a report said the eight local staffers were arrested for their alleged involvement in demonstrations over the June 12 presidential election. London says nine were arrested.
Palestinian PM says Israel to transfer delayed tax revenues
By SPA,
Ramallah, West Bank : The Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad says Israeli officials have informed him that they have transferred millions of dollars in delayed tax revenues.
But Fayyad says the cash still has not come through. The money goes toward paying the salaries of around 150,000 Palestinian civil servants. They haven't received their May wages yet, according to a report of Reuters.
Israel was meant to ship around $74 million dollars (¤47 million) last month. It collects the tax revenue on behalf of Palestinians in an agreement between both sides.
Grenade attack on Bangladesh ex-premier: 22 suspects to stand trial
By IANS,
Dhaka : Twenty two people including a former minister and an Islamist militant are to go on trial, over four years after a grenade attack on a political rally of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina killed 24 people. Hasina survived the attack, but suffered serious eye and ear damage.
A Dhaka court Wednesday framed charges against detained former lawmaker Abdus Salam Pintu, who belongs to Hasina's rival Khaleda Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), chief of the banned Islamist outfit Harkatul Jihad (HuJI) Mufti Abdul Hannan and 20 others.
Arabs are victims of abuse in US post 9/11
By IANS,
Washington : A quarter of Arab Americans have experienced personal or familial abuse because of race, ethnicity or religion since 9/11, says a new study.
This is the first representative, population-based investigation of the health and psychological impact of Sep 11 on Arabs and Muslims living in the US, the researchers say.
Muslim Arabs also reported higher rates of abuse than Christians, said Aasim I. Padela, clinical instructor in emergency medicine at the University of Michigan (U-M), who led the study.
Military chief calls for patience on Afghanistan
By KUNA,
London : The head of the British armed forces Monday called for patience over the mission in Afghanistan.
Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup, Chief of the Defence Staff, told the Society of Editors annual conference in Bristol, south west England, that success, particularly in the "ungoverned" borderlands adjoining Pakistan where radical British Muslims receive training in terror tactics, was vital.
Gulf banks will continue to perform strongly: S&P
By IANS
Dubai : Banks in the Gulf countries will continue to perform strongly amid the current market turmoil, according to report of ratings agency Standard & Poor's (S&P).
"Gulf banks are benefiting from the rosy environment in their home markets and carry limited exposure to US sub-prime and structured investment products," S&P credit analyst Mohamed Damak said in a statement here.
"As a result, business volumes are expanding, provisioning needs are minimal, and capital and commitment are forthcoming from deep-pocketed shareholders."
Pakistan, China to bolster defence, energy and trade
By Shafek E Koreshe, APP
Sanya : President Pervez Musharraf and his Chinese counterpart Friday vowed to enhance cooperation in defence, energy and trade and hoped that these would be further strengthened with the coming into power of a new government in Pakistan.
The talks here at China’s southernmost city of Sanya covered a wide range of issues with a particular focus on Pak-China bilateral relations besides discussions on regional issues and international developments.
Abu Dhabi fund for development signs AED 275.5 mln financiang deal for Yemen’s dam
By NNN-WAM
Abu Dhabi : Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD), Abu Dhabi's government financing arm, will offer AED 275.5 million for financing the Hassan dam project in Yemen.
A loan agreement in this respect was signed Monday by ADFC Director-General Ahmed Sari Al Mazrouei for the Abu Dhabi government while Yemeni Ambassador Abdullah Al Madfai signed for his country.
Pakistan to switch to three-yearly budget
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan has decided to switch to a three-yearly budget, making it perhaps the only country in the world to do so.
The decision to do away from the annual exercise was taken at a cabinet meeting Wednesday presided over by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and would be implemented from next June, Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira said at a media briefing.
Quake rocks SW Pakistan, at least 80 killed
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : An earthquake jolted southwestern Pakistan's Quetta city early Wednesday morning, killing at least 80, private TV channel DAWN NEWS reported.
The DAWN NEWS quoted official sources as saying that two quakes occurred Wednesday morning. The first one measuring magnitude 5.0 on Richter scale took place at 4:33 a.m. (2233 GMT Tuesday) and the second one measuring magnitude 6.1 occurred at 5:10 a.m. (2310GMT Tuesday).
At least 80 people were killed and 60 others injured in the earthquake, DAWN NEWS said, adding that 500 houses were damaged.
Ghani accepts audit in Afghan presidential election
Kabul : Ashraf Ghani, one of the two contenders disputing the Afghan presidential election, Friday accepted an audit of 43 percent of the votes...
UK police investigate third torture claim
London, Feb 20, IRNA – British police are investigating allegations that members of Britain’s secret services were complicit in the torture of Shaker Aamer, the last remaining British resident being held at Guantanamo Bay, it was reported Saturday.
Investigating officers have applied to the high court for the release of classified government documents relating to when Aamer, a Saudi national who has a British wife, was detained in Afghanistan in 2002.
Obama, Netanyahu talk focus on peace, Iran and terrorism
Washington:US President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met at the White House Wednesday and held discussion over some thorny issues including...
Iran Condemns EU Financial Restrictions
By Bernama,
Tehran : Foreign Ministry spokesman on Tuesday condemned the EU finance restrictions against the Islamic Republic of Iran, Iranian news agency (Irna) reported.
Mohammad-Ali Hosseini said that the illegal, double-standard and contradictory approach during the time the packages of proposals are being studied is meaningless and is strongly denounced.
Mullah Omar not in Karachi: Pakistan
By IANS,
Islamabad/Washington : Pakistan has rejected a US newspaper report claiming that the one-eyed Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Omar is in Karachi, terming it false and baseless.
Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit, while speaking to a private TV channel Friday, made it clear that Omar was not in the southern port city, Online news agency reported.
If anyone had information about his hideout, this should be shared with Pakistani authorities instead of engaging in sensational journalism, Basit added.
Suicide bombing kills 36 mourners at Pakistan funeral
By IANS,
Peshawar : Terror struck Pakistan again Wednesday when 36 mourners gathered for a funeral were killed in a suicide bombing in a village near this town.
Schools shut in areas hit by Pakistani shelling
Jammu: Authorities Tuesday ordered closure of educational institutions in areas affected by shelling by Pakistani forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Jammu district.
"All educational institutions...
Pakistanis, Bangladeshis blamed for British vote-rigging
By Dipankar De Sarkar, IANS,
London : The use of Biraderis - extended clan or tribal systems - by first generation Pakistani and Bangladeshi Muslims as well as their political masters is helping fuel widespread rigging of postal votes and other electoral malpractices in Britain, a report said.
Although the majority of those booked for electoral malpractices in Britain have been white males, the report by the Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust, a national charity promoting democratic reform and constitutional change, says half of those convicted are Pakistanis and Bangladeshis.
Richard Holbrooke meets Pakistani leaders
By IANS,
Islamabad : Richard Holbrooke, the US special representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan, met Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani and Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi here Tuesday, Geo TV reported.
President Zardari and Holbrooke discussed the situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), war on terror, Indo-Pakistan tensions and Pakistan-US relations.
US Ambassador to Pakistan Anne W. Patterson and Pakistan's Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir were also present at the meeting.
14 insurgents killed in Afghanistan
By Xinhua,
Kabul : Afghan troops have killed 14 Taliban militants in southern province of Zabul, a local official said Wednesday.
"Afghan troops with the support of air power pounded militants positions in Khak-e-Afghan district Tuesday night killing 14 rebels," Gulab Mangal, deputy to Zabul provincial administration, told Xinhua.
He said eight of the bodies left on the ground appeared to be foreign nationals.
However, the official did not say if there were any casualties on Afghan forces.
Death row convict hanged in Pakistan
Islamabad: A death row prisoner, convicted of killing four policemen, was hanged on Tuesday in Pakistan, a media report said.
The execution took place in...
JuD chief Hafiz Saeed released in Pakistan
By IANS,
Islamabad : Chief of the hardline Islamist organisation Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) Hafiz Saeed, who was detained following the Mumbai terror attacks in India, was released by the Lahore High Court Tuesday.
A JuD spokesperson told reporters that Saeed, who was under house arrest, had been set free.
"Saeed is not a terrorist," the spokesperson said, adding that JuD is not a terror organisation.
Pakistan deny permission to squash team’s visit to India
By Omar Khalid,IANS,
Karachi : Pakistan have refused to clear squash team's tour to India for the Asian Junior Championship citing security concerns after its request to relocate the tournament was turned down by Asian Squash Federation (ASF).
Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF) had requested the ASF to either move the Jan 16-23 tournament out of India (Chennai) or change the dates (Jan 16-23) as their players cannot take part because of the prevailing tension between the two neighbours.
Iran-IAEA meeting in Vienna postponed
By DPA,
Tehran : A meeting between Iran's nuclear chief and the head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog has been postponed until further notice, official sources said Sunday.
Iran's Vice President and head of the Iranian Atomic Energy Organisation, Gholamreza Aghazadeh, was supposed to meet with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) director, Mohamed ElBaradei, in Vienna Monday.
A more suitable date would be sought for the meeting, Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation public relations office said.
Sources: Israel does not increase products into Gaza
By Xinhua,
Gaza : Palestinian sources on Monday said the goods which Israel allowed into Gaza, as part of the cease-fire deal, did not demonstrate a change from the previous status.
The Egyptian-brokered ceasefire deal, which took hold on Thursday, calls for Israel to increase the products that go to Gaza to 30 percent of the coastal enclave's needs. "What Israel has allowed in did not exceed 20 percent," the sources said.
NATO helicopter crashes in Afghanistan
By IANS,
Kabul : A military helicopter with the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) crashed in eastern Afghanistan Saturday, Xinhua reported.
World leaders felicitate Nawaz Sharif
By IANS,
Islamabad : Leaders of many countries Sunday felicitated Nawaz Sharif on his party's victory in the general elections in Pakistan.
Nawaz accepts Zardari’s banquet invitation
By IANS,
Islamabad : In an indication that the opposition Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) could return to the ruling federal coalition, its leader and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif has accepted an invitation to a banquet President Asif Ali Zardari will host on Monday.
Pakistan army kills 12 in Bajaur tribal agency
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : Pakistan's security forces on Saturday continued their military operation in northwestern Bajaurtribal agency, killing at least 12 militants.
The security forces, backed by jet fighters, gunship helicopters and artillery, heavily pounded militants' hideouts in Charmang, Chinar, Loisam, Sarlara and other areas of Bajaur agency on Afghan border, the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) said.
Fasting best way to quit smoking: Pakistani expert
By IANS,
Islamabad : Along with a bundle of blessings, fasting during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan also helps people quit the bad habit of smoking, a Pakistani doctor has said.
OIC changes title and logo
By IRNA,
Astana : The Organization of the Islamic Conference adopted a new title and logo, it was announced here on Tuesday.
Pakistan’s intelligence official shot dead
By Xinhua
Islamabad : A Pakistani intelligence official was shot dead by unidentified gunmen on Friday in northeast part of the country, local media reported.
Khaliq-ur-Rehman, an inspector of the Intelligence Bureau (IB),was ambushed when he was returning home after offering Friday prayers in Charsadda, a town in Pakistan's North West Frontier Province.
The slain IB official suffered two bullets, one on chest which caused his death, News Network International (NNI) quoted police as saying.
Mosque suicide bomber identified as IS-linked Saudi national
Riyadh: Saudi Arabia has said that the suicide bomber at the shiite mosque attack killing 21 worshipers was a Saudi national and a member...
I will take difficult decisions if needed: Gilani
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has said that he would not hesitate to take "difficult decisions" in the country's interest.
Iran, Singapore to expand technical-scientific cooperation
By IANS
Tehran : Iran has expressed its willingness to expand technical and scientific cooperation with Singapore, official IRNA news agency reported Thursday.
Deputy Minister of Science, Research and Technology Alireza Jahangiri told a visiting Singaporean delegation here Wednesday his country needs huge investment to develop its science and technology potential and is keen on technical and scientific cooperation with Singapore.
Jahangiri said Iran has had remarkable scientific development and "ranks first in some scientific fields among the Islamic world and Middle East region."
Qureshi climbdown: Never said Krishna got directions
By IANS,
Islamabad: After being pilloried in India for his "undiplomatic" conduct and playing the spoiler, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi denied saying his Indian counterpart S.M. Krishna was getting directions from New Delhi during their talks here. He also said he would visit India, but not for a "leisure trip".
Israel demands embargo on nuclear-hungry Iran
By IANS,
New Delhi : Israel Tuesday demanded an embargo on Iran to prevent the Mahmoud Ahmadinejad regime from going nuclear.
Israeli Trade and Communication Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer said here that a nuclear Iran would pose a serious threat to peace and stability in the Middle East.
He urged the US and other Western countries to immediately impose sanctions on Tehran for six months. This, he said, would have the desired impact and force the regime to abandon its nuclear programme.
‘Little India’ mosque in Malaysia a symbol of tolerance
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur: The sultan of Selangor, Sharafuddin Idris Shah, has opened Masjid India Muslim, a renovated mosque patronized by ethnic Indians that has become a symbol of tolerance.
Speaking at the opening Friday, he pointed out that the mosque was located near churches, Hindu temples and Sikh gurdwaras.
"The Muslims must remind themselves of the need to be united with all. Masjid India Muslim is known to all in the Klang Valley and throughout Selangor. So it is an icon of unity and brotherhood among Klang Muslims despite their different ethnicity," he said.
Saudi king decrees equality, diversificaton of economy
Riyadh: Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud decreed that the discrimination between different sections of the society be removed and the economy diversified...
Sarkozy sends letter of support to Afghan leader
By KUNA,
Paris : French President Nicolas Sarkozy has sent a letter of support to his Afghan counterpart, Hamid Karzai, who was the target of an assassination attempt in Kabul Sunday, Sarkozys office announced Monday.
Obama arrives in Jordan for visit
By Xinhua,
Amman : U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama arrived at Jordan's capital of Amman on Tuesday.
Obama is scheduled to hold talks with King Abdullah II here.
Obama, on his first overseas tour since securing the democratic nomination, has visited Afghanistan and Iraq, and is to visit Israel and the West Bank after Jordan.
Pakistani teenager kills eight family members
By IANS,
Islamabad : Fed up with unending domestic bickering, a Pakistani teenager shot dead his parents, four brothers and two sisters in Punjab's Guaranwal town, Geo News reported Sunday.
Olmert, Mubarak discuss Israeli-Palestinian peace process in Sharm El-Sheikh
By NNN-KUNA,
Sharm El-Sheikh : Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert have held discussions here on the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.
Mubarak expressed at the meeting Tuesday he was happy to meet Olmert, stressing the importance of discussing many issues including the Palestinian-Israeli ceasefire that took effect last Thursday through an Egyptian sponsorship.
For his side, Olmert said Egypt is a strategic partner in the region and has special efforts in the peace process.
Palestinian officials: 4 killed in Israeli shelling of Gaza house
By Xinhua,
Gaza : At least four people were killed Monday in the shelling of a house in Gaza by Israelis, Palestinian health officials said.
The dead included a woman and a child, and several others were injured, they said.
UAE, Kazakhstan sign customs pact
By IANS/WAM,
Abu Dhabi : The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Kazakhstan have signed a customs cooperation agreement.
Relocation of Hindu shrine in Malaysia put on hold
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur : Malaysian authorities have suspended the proposed relocation of a 150-year-old Hindu temple to a Muslim-Malay dominated area after a meeting to persuade the local residents turned chaotic.
Chief Minister Abdul Khalid Ibrahim of Selangor state Saturday said the relocation would be put on hold until a different site was found, Straits Times said Sunday.
The move turned controversial after locals protesting the relocation to the Muslim-dominated area held rally displaying a severed cow head - animal sacred to the Hindus.
Zardari congratulates Pranab
By IANS,
New Delhi : Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari Monday congratulated India's president-elect Pranab Mukherjee on his election and wished him health and happiness.