Sri Lanka felicitates Pakistani driver for saving cricketers
By P. Karunakharan, IANS,
Colombo : Sri Lanka Monday felicitated the Pakistani bus driver who drove away the island nation's cricket team to safety when a group of terrorists ambushed their vehicle and launched a grenade and gun attack in Lahore last month.
Driver Meher Mohammad Khalil, who was described by the Sri Lankan media as "a hero of our time" arrived in Colombo Sunday with his wife Nazia and his brother-in-law to spend a week-long holiday here.
AFMI convention in Toronto stresses on defending pluralism and democracy in India
TCN News
The American Federation of Muslims of Indian origin (AFMI) held their 28th convention last month October in Toronto.
AFMI, that is mainly concerned about...
Pakistani security panel draws up anti-terror roadmap
By IANS,
Islamabad : A parliamentary panel on security is drawing up an anti-terror roadmap, particularly for Pakistan's restive northwest, but has cautioned against expecting quick-fix solutions.
"The committee does not have the magical Aladdin's Lamp that recommendations will be completed within a minute," sources quoted Raza Rabbani, chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security (PCNS), as saying during Monday's in-camera meeting.
Confessions of a hijabi
By Farah Zahidi Moazzam
I watched the Bollywood film My Name is Khan the other day. The brilliant depiction of an autistic person by India's leading actor Shah Rukh Khan and director Karan Johar's surprisingly taut direction made for a good film.
In one particular scene, I felt a lump form in my throat. Sonya Jehan, the actress who plays Khan's sister-in-law, a working woman living on the West Coast of the United States, has her hijab pulled off while walking down a hallway.
19 killed in mall fire in Qatar
By IANS,
Doha : At least 19 people, including 13 children, were killed and 17 others wounded in a fire at a shopping mall here in the Qatar capital, Xinhua reported.
‘Win in Champions Challenge will put Pakistan in big time hockey’
By Omar Khalid, IANS,
Karachi: Pakistan's hockey officials believe their team can be a force to reckon with in the World Cup in Delhi next year if it goes on to win the eight-nation Champions Challenge in Argentina.
Pakistan booked their World Cup berth by winning the qualifiers in Lille (France) earlier this month and are now looking to win the Champions Challenge in Salta (Argentina) Dec 6-13.
Coach Shahid Ali Khan says that his boys will have to work hard on certain areas to maintain their winning spree.
Palestinian cabinet condemn Israel incursion of Gaza Strip
By KUNA
Ramallah : The Palestinian cabinet condemned Saturday the Israeli incursion into the Gaza Strip, saying that the Israeli attack was planned ahead of time.
The cabinet Secretary General Dr. Saadi Al-Karnaz told the press that the attack was a crime against Gazans and Palestinians in general and called on the international community to react against the Israeli actions.
The Israelis were not targeting Palestinian fighters but instead civilians, stated Al-Karnaz, indicating that Israel was committing genocide against the people of Gaza.
British PM pays surprise visit to Afghanistan
By DPA,
Kabul : British Prime Minister David Cameron arrived Thursday for an unannounced visit to the Afghan capital.
In a press conference with President Hamid Karzai, Cameron, who took office last month, said Afghanistan was the British government's "most important foreign policy."
"My biggest duty as prime minister of the United Kingdom is to our armed forces, to make sure that they have all the equipment and all the protection they need to do the absolutely vital job that they are doing here in Afghanistan," Cameron said.
Iraqi PM starts visit to UAE
By Xinhua,
Abu Dhabi : Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki arrived here Sunday, starting a two-day visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the official Emirates News Agency reported.
Maliki, accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising ministers of interior, trade, industry and mining, was received upon arrival by UAE Vice President and Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, and a number of senior officials, the report said.
Sudanese army says 22 soldiers killed in clashes
By SPA,
Khartoum, Sudan : The Sudanese army commander in the volatile region of Abyei says he lost at least 22 soldiers in Tuesday's clashes with former southern rebels.
Brig. Gen. Muntasser Sabil Adam, commander of government forces in Abyei, told The Associated Press that his soldiers repelled the attacking southern forces in a six hour battle Tuesday in which he lost 22 soldiers.
On Wednesday the town of Abyei was calm, he said, and his forces still in control.
Egypt warns Israel of ‘price to pay’
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Cairo: Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi Friday warned Israel against the continuation of its military operation in Gaza, saying it will have to pay "a heavy price".
India should have pondered more before blaming us: Pakistan
By IANS,
New Delhi : Hours after India blamed "some elements in Pakistan" for the terror strikes in Mumbai, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi Friday said that India should have "pondered more" before coming to a conclusion.
While condemning the "barbaric, inhuman" attacks in Mumbai that have claimed at least 143 lives and left more than 320 injured, the Pakistan minister said: "The Indian government should have pondered more, reflected more before coming to a conclusion."
Int”l press freedom org. condemns Israeli acts against Palestinian journalists
By KUNA,
Paris : The international press freedom organization, Reporters Without Borders condemned here the "abusive behavior" by Israeli security agents towards Palestinian journalists moving around the Territories or returning from visits abroad. The worldwide press freedom organisation said it had recorded five incidents of "wrongful arrest" in the past ten days. One journalist is still being held, while another needed hospital treatment after being subjected to brutality and humiliation at an Israeli checkpoint by Israeli forces.
Ahmadinejad’s 33-year-old car gets $2 mn bid
By IANS,
Tehran: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's 33-year-old car has received a $2 million bid after it was put on an online auction, a minister said Sunday.
Iran confirms trilateral n-meet Nov 9-10
Tehran : The Iranian foreign minister will meet the US secretary of state and European Union (EU) foreign policy chief Nov 9-10 to discuss...
Police, demonstrators clash leaves four dead in Pakistan
By IRNA,
Islamabad : At least four people were killed in a Pakistani city on Saturday as police opened fire at demonstrators, who were protesting against an earlier incident of firing, witnesses and police said.
Two policemen were among 12 people injured in the clash in Quetta, the capital city of southwestern Balochistan province.
Police said they returned fire when some demonstrators fired at them on Baruri road.
Angry people were protesting against an earlier incident in which unidentified people opened fire at a car, killing one person and injuring another one.
Elaborate Hajj plan drawn up
By SPA,
Makkah : The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has arranged a security force to keep strict surveillance to ensure peace and security of the pilgrims.
US wants Bangladesh to deploy troops in Afghanistan
By IANS,
Dhaka : The US wants Bangladesh to deploy its troops in Afghanistan "to establish security and stability", authorities said.
Etihad passengers spend 23 hours for four-hour journey
By IANS,
New Delhi : Some 250 passengers including children travelling by Etihad Airways from Abu Dhabi to Mumbai had to endure a six-hour wait inside the aircraft here without food or water, after a harrowing, nine-hour delay in departure from the UAE capital.
The passengers, mostly Indians coming from Europe and the US, boarded the flight at 7.30 p.m. Friday in Abu Dhabi after a nine-hour delay but had to wait another six hours at the Indira Gandhi International Airport here, before taking off for Mumbai.
Foreign intelligence hindering peace talks: Afghan minister
By IANS,
Ankara : Afghan Foreign Minister Ahmed Osmani has said that foreign intelligence agencies are disrupting peace negotiations between the Afghan government and the...
Pakistan to spend more to fight terror
By IANS,
Islamabad: Pakistan will spend Rs.130 billion in its war against terrorism during fiscal 2010-11 beginning July 1.
According to finance ministry sources, the government has made a separate allocation to finance its anti-terrorism operations in several parts of the country, Geo TV reported Tuesday.
The government presented its annual budget earlier this month.
Pakistan protests to US coalition forces over civilian deaths
By DPA
Islamabad : Pakistan lodged a "strong protest" with the US-led coalition in Afghanistan after one of their artillery shells killed four people on the Pakistani side of a remote border region, an army spokesman said Thursday.
Two children and two women were killed early Wednesday when coalition forces fighting militants in Afghanistan fired artillery shells into Pakistan's North Waziristan Agency and destroyed a house, Pakistan army spokesman Major-General Athar Abbas said.
Qatar announces Lebanon deal
By DPA,
Doha/Beirut : Qatar revealed Wednesday details of an agreement reached by Lebanon's rival powers to elect a president within 24 hours and form a national unity government after five days of talks in Doha.
Lebanon's ruling coalition majority and the opposition powers pushed aside their differences and agreed to convene parliament for the election of army chief, General Michel Suleiman, as president and form a national unity government, Qatar's Prime Minister Hamad bin- Jabir al-Than announced.
Zardari visits Shanghai Expo
By IANS,
Shanghai: Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari concluded his five-day visit to China after visiting the World Expo in Shanghai Saturday evening.
Zardari visited both the Pakistani and Chinese pavilions, and said he had "learned a lot" from China's new developments, Xinhua reported.
Shanghai Mayor Han Zheng met with Zardari and thanked him for Pakistan's support to the Expo.
Choppers grounded as Pakistani flood victims face food shortages
By DPA,
Islamabad : Efforts to airlift aid to flood victims in northwestern Pakistan had to be halted due to bad weather Monday as tens of thousands of refugees faced food shortages.
"Around 40 military helicopters were taking part in the rescue and relief operation but we have halted the flights because of rain," an army spokesman said. Six US helicopters flown in from Afghanistan for the relief efforts were also grounded.
India should play a role in Middle East peace process, says President of Palestinian...
By NNN-PTI,
Ramallah : Describing Indian democracy a "role model" for the Palestinian people, President of Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas has said the country can play an important role in the Middle East peace process.
"India, the second largest populated nation in the world and the biggest democracy with a booming economy, including hi-tech, could play an important role in the Middle East peace process", Abbas told PTI in an interview a day before leaving for New Delhi.
Taliban denies responsibility for missing of Pakistani ambassador
By Xinhua
Kabul : Taliban purported spokesman Zabihullah Mujahed Tuesday denied responsibility for the reported missing of Pakistani ambassador to Afghanistan Tariq Aziz-ud-Din.
Talking to Xinhua via phone from an unknown location, Mujahed said his outfit "can't take" the responsibility, adding that the militant group "has no information" about the incident.
Malaysia: Anwar to ensure strong ties between federal govt and four states
By NNN-Bernama
Petaling Jaya : Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) advisor Anwar Ibrahim said he would ensure close relations between the federal government and four state governments held by the opposition parties after the general election on Saturday.
"I hope there will be close cooperation between the federal government and Kedah, Penang, Perak and Selangor and I will continue to discuss with the DAP, PKR and PAS leaderships to ensure that the ties are strengthened in the interest of national development," he told reporters at his office, here today.
US Congressional panel approves tripling of aid to Pakistan; conditions apply
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : A US Congressional panel has approved a bill to triple US economic assistance to Pakistan to $1.5 billion a year, but with stiff conditions requiring Islamabad to demonstrate a sustained commitment and progress towards combating terrorist groups.
Iraq to get 40 Boeing planes
By IANS,
Baghdad : Iraq will start receiving 40 Boeing commercial airplanes, as the first step in re-establishing its scheduled commercial aviation operations, Xinhua reported.
Bangladesh opposition leader meets Sushma Swaraj
Dhaka : Visiting Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj Friday met Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairperson Khaleda Zia, media reported.
The 40-minute meeting started around...
Spokesman: Rice not to visit Mideast
By Xinhua
Washington : The United States denied on Monday reports that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was to travel to Israel and the Palestinian territories next week.
"There is no such plan," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack told reporters. "She will be in Africa with the president next week, starting on Friday afternoon and they are getting back on Wednesday night."
Malaysia considering temporary freeze on foreign workers
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur : Global recession and unemployment among locals is forcing Malaysia to consider a temporary freeze on the recruitment of foreign workers, a senior official has said.
The move could affect thousands of prospective job-seekers from South Asia and Southeast Asian neighbours of Malaysia.
At present, there are some 2.1 million foreign workers in Malaysia, which translates into about 20 percent of the total workforce.
Ban Ki-moon urges peaceful transition in Egypt
By IANS,
United Nations : UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called for "an orderly and peaceful transition" in crisis-torn Egypt.
Iranian minister thinks nuclear deal possible before deadline
Vienna : Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif confirmed here Tuesday that he believed it is still possible to reach an agreement on his...
US soldier, two civilians killed in Iraq violence
By IANS,
Baghdad : An American soldier and two civilians were killed and four injured in separate incidents of violence in Iraq, police and US military said Thursday.
A US military statement said that one of its soldiers was killed in a bomb explosion Wednesday in Diyala province, Xinhua reported.
The latest death brings the number of US soldiers who have been killed in Iraq to about 4,413, since 2003, the report said.
Bush calls Iran’s naval confrontation with US provocative
By DPA
Washington : Iran's naval confrontation with US warships in the Gulf was a "provocative act" that should not have taken place, US President George W. Bush said.
"We viewed it as a provocative act. It is a dangerous situation. And they should not have done it, pure and simple," Bush said at a White House press conference Tuesday hours before he departs for the Middle East on a trip partly aimed at isolating the Islamic state.
120 UAE citizens get new houses
By IANS/WAM,
Abu Dhabi: A total of 121 citizens in Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah in the UAE will get new houses as part of a government project.
Abu Dhabi airport traffic grows by 13 percent
By IANS/WAM,
Abu Dhabi: Passenger traffic at the Abu Dhabi International Airport grew by 13.1 percent in February, with traffic from India showing a growth of 9.1 percent.
Lakhvi bail no surprise, Pakistan has to decide its course: Experts
New Delhi : India termed as "very unfortunate" Mumbai attack mastermind Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi getting bail from a Pakistani court, while experts and former envoys...
Muslim scholars support India’s fight against terror
By IANS,
Mumbai: Religious scholars and political experts from several Muslim and Arab countries Sunday endorsed India's fight against terrorism as they participated in a seminar held at the Taj hotel, the scene of last year's brutal terror attacks.
"The world has seen terrorism in various forms at different places, which emanated from various quarters. Terrorism has to be dealt with in the most strictest manner. It has no place in Islam and the world," Mohammed Shahumi, advisor to Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi, told the audience that terrorism cannot be tolerated.
Suicide bombing kills 8 policemen in Afghanistan
By Xinhua,
Kabul : At least eight policemen were killed and 22 injured Monday in a suicide bombing in southern Afghanistan, authorities said.
"So far the bodies of eight policemen and 22 injured men, including civilians, have been taken to hospital in Lashkar city," said Anayatullah, director of the Public Health Department in Helmand province.
A man with an explosive device tied to his body blew himself up at the front gate of the police department in Lashkar Gah at around 10 a.m. (0530 GMT), said Kamaludin Khan, a police officer.
Iran denounces Bush’s new accusations against Tehran
By Xinhua
Tehran : Iran on Tuesday brushed off the new warnings from U.S. President George W. Bush, saying his words were nothing new, the official IRNA news agency reported.
"The U.S. president's anti-Iran remarks lacked new points... unfortunately, Iranians have heard repetition of such baseless allegations over the past seven years and it is quite evident that the U.S. people and their representatives have got tired of listening to such allegations," Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini was quoted as saying in a statement.
Barak announces intention to remain in gov’t
By Xinhua
Jerusalem : Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak Sunday announced his intention to remain in the government despite a "harsh" final report on the Lebanon War in 2006, incurring criticism from the opposition as well as members of his own party, local media reported on their websites.
Thank you India! says Pakistan with box of mangoes
By Arvind Padmanabhan, IANS,
New Delhi : Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Friday received an unexpected, yet pleasant, gift from Pakistan when a box of choicest mangoes arrived at his office, sent with the best compliments of his counterpart from across the border.
Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani sent the delicious shipment to Manmohan Singh, soon after accepting India's $5 million assistance toward flood relief in Pakistan.
UN official killed in Pakistan
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : A UN official was shot dead Thursday in Peshawar, northwest Pakistan, TV reports said.
Ibn-e-Usman, an official of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), was shot dead when he tried to resist an abduction bid by gunmen outside his office in the Katcha Garhi area of the city in North West Frontier Province (NWFP), the Express TV reported.
A clerk and a security guard of the UNHCR office were injured in the attack, the report said.
The gunmen fled the scene after the attack.
‘Chic’ Afghan president’s robe to be auctioned in Washington
By RIA Novasti
Kabul : A robe belonging to the current Afghan president, Hamid Karzai, will be sold at a charity auction in Washington, D.C. on January 24, the Afghan news agency Pajhwok said on Monday.
The silken robe, or chapan as the garment is traditionally known in Central Asia, is a green and purple striped robe adorned with intricate threading.
The robe, which once won its owner the title of 'the chicest man in the world' according to the Gucci fashion house, will be auctioned by the Afghan embassy at the Meridian International Center.
UAE-Vietnam discuss economic relations
By IANS,
By WAM,
Dubai: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Vietnam Thursday discussed their relations and ways to strengthen economic cooperation and coordination.
UAE hosts international boat show
By IANS/WAM,
Dubai: More than 750 firms from 42 countries will showcase their yachts and recreational boats during the international boat exhibition that begins in Dubai Tuesday.
Russian, Egyptian FMs urge for normalization on Gaza-Egypt border
By Xinhua
Moscow : Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Egyptian counterpart Ahmed Ali Aboul Gheit urged Tuesday for normalization on the Gaza-Egypt border and improvement of the Gaza humanitarian situation.
The two top diplomats discussed by phone the Gaza situation and asked for Palestinian unity, Itar-Tass news agency reported, citing Russian Foreign Ministry sources.
Russia appreciated "the initiatives of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Palestinian relations," the ministry said.
Deaths, devastation have got dangerous dimension in Iraq
By IRNA,
Baghdad : Deaths and devastation have got dangerous dimension in Iraq by the US air strikes on residential areas of Sadr City and calls for the United Nations to undertake Iraq mandate.
Iraqi cleric Moqtada al-Sadr held the US forces responsible for carrying out air strikes on residential areas of Sadr City.
Despite his critical statement against the American "occupiers" read out at Friday prayers, he said that the unilateral ceasefire is still in force.
UAE Quran centre opened in Chechnya
By IANS/WAM,
Grozny : A centre for the study of the Quran - under the assistance of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) - has been opened in the Chechen capital city of Grozny.
Pakistan is the new epicentre of terror: US expert
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : Pakistan has emerged as the new epicentre of terror with Osama bin Laden making it his key arena, according to Bruce Riedel, a former CIA analyst who helped craft President Barack Obama's Af-Pak policy.
The recent attack on the Pearl Continental Hotel in Peshawar "is only the latest in the escalating war for the future of Pakistan," wrote Riedel, currently senior fellow for foreign policy at the Brookings Institution, a Washington think tank.
Obama, Karzai talk on Afghan situation
By IANS,
Washington : US President Barack Obama Thursday held a videoconference with his Afghan counterpart Hamid Karzai and discussed security issues in Afghanistan, the White House said.
Russian Islamic Encyclopedia launched in Moscow
By IINA,
Moscow : The Russian language encyclopedia "Modern Islam in Russia" compiled by Roman Silantyev, an expert on religious issues, is now available in Moscow. It has published this volume in terms of the Russian Education and Science Ministry's program for training specialists on Islamic culture and history in 2007-2010, Interfax reported quoting Algoritm publishing house. This program has been implemented by the Moscow State Linguistic University.
India urged to re-open consulate in Karachi
By IANS,
Karachi: India was Monday urged to re-open its consulate in this southern port city to ease the woes of visa seekers who now have to journey to Islamabad to obtain the document.
Karachi 'nazim' (administrator) Mustafa Kamal made the suggestion during his meeting here with new Indian High Commissioner Sharat Sabharwal
Kamal said that "at present conditions in the region were not good and, therefore, steps were needed to improve the relations between India and Pakistan so that both could counter the situation with mutual action and consulation," Geo TV reported.
23 suspected terrorists killed in Pakistan: Army
Islamabad : At least 23 suspected terrorists were killed Monday in aerial strikes on terrorist hideouts in the country's tribal region of North Waziristan,...
Libya condemns Israeli raids into Gaza
By Xinhua
Tunis : The Libyan Ministry for Foreign Communication and International Cooperation Tuesday strongly condemned the Israeli raids on the Gaza Strip that killed 19 Palestinians earlier in the day, according to news reaching here Wednesday.
The ministry said in a statement that the massacres committed by the Israeli occupation forces in Gaza violated international law and the Charter of the United Nations, Libyan media reported Wednesday.
Libya urged the international community to immediately take action to stop the massacres committed by Israel.
Indian DM warns Pakistan to crackdown on its home grown terror
By KUNA,
New Delhi : India's Defence Minister A.K. Antony once again warned Islamabad on Wednesday that India was still keeping all possible options against Pakistan open if it did not crackdown on the terror infrastructure on its soil.
He said that Pakistan should dismantle the terror infrastructure operating from its soil. Antony said this while speaking to reporters in New Delhi after inaugurating a defence ministry function.
National treasures campaign contninues
By WAM,
Al Ain : National Treasures Campaign has embarked on a road-show to cover universities across the UAE in its latest effort to make students familiar with the Watani.tv portal and encourage them to join the campaign that is geared to create a drive among people to participate in documenting the UAE heritage.
The campaign that represents an attempt to create an electronic reservoir of UAE culture and traditions online was introduced to the students at the UAE University in Al Ain yesterday in a ceremony attended by students of UAEU, faculty and officials.
Turkish army raids 31 PKK potential sites
By KUNA,
Istanbul : Turkish army said on Saturday that its war planes raided today 31 potential sites for the PKK in northern Iraq.
The Turkish General Staff said in a statement posted on its website that the Turkish fighters bombed since the fourth of this month for the sixth time target 31 potential sites of PKK rebels.
The Turkish attacks, involving artillery forces, came after the killing of 17 Turkish soldiers in an attack carried out by the PKK rebels last week and after Turkish parliament voted to extend military operations across the Iraqi border for another year.
Pakistan: Ambassador Munir Akram bids farewell
By NNN-APP,
United Nations : Pakistan’s outgoing Ambassador to the United Nations, Munir Akram, gave a largely attended farewell reception at the Pakistani Mission on Tuesday night.
The President of the U.N. General Assembly, Srgjan Kerim, led a distinguished lineup of guests, including head of diplomatic missions accredited to the United Nations, senior U.N. officials, prominent citizens and journalists attending the event.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was not in the city as he was traveling from Madrid to New York.
Iran’s main opposition daily newspaper banned
By DPA,
Tehran: The Tehran prosecutor's office has temporarily banned the country's main opposition newspaper Etemad Melli, the daily's website reported Monday.
The paper, which belongs to the reformist Etemad Melli party led by cleric Mehdi Karroubi, was not published Monday.
Karroubi has several times accused the establishment of torture and even sexual abuse of prisoners jailed for their protests against alleged fraud in the June 12 election which led to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad winning a second term.
Karroubi was a candidate challenging Ahmadinejad in the election.
20 detained in anti-terror raids in Istanbul
Istanbul : Turkish police detained at least 20 people in an anti-terror operation in Istanbul on Wednesday.
The semi-official Anatolian news agency reported that the...
Saudi Arabia draws up plan for gas exploration
By IANS,
Riyadh: Saudi Arabia will explore more gas wells in the Red Sea, the official media reported Monday.
Iraq: 3 killed, 4 wounded in Basra blast
By SPA
Baghdad : Iraqi security forces say a large explosion has demolished a building in the southern city of Basra, killing at least three militants and wounding four.
British military spokesman Maj. Tom Holloway says it's not clear what caused Monday's blast but insists no British, U.S. or Iraqi forces were involved, the Associated Press reported.
An Iraqi police official and witnesses say those killed were gunmen using the abandoned house as a base, and that the building was destroyed in an air strike.
German army resorting to target killing of Afghan civilians: report
By IRNA,
Berlin : The German military is deliberating killing Afghan civilians whom it considers suspicious, the press quoted an unnamed German soldier as saying Monday.
Musharraf’s fate looks sealed, say analysts
By Devirupa Mitra, IANS
Islamabad : Despite Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf's repeated assertion that he would work with the new government, there is near consensus among analysts that his efforts may be in vain.
"I stand ready to work with the newly elected parliament," Musharraf wrote in an article in Washington Post, in which he essentially praised himself for conducting free, fair and transparent elections in Pakistan.
But only the president seems to think so.
Five Yemeni soldiers killed in car bomb attack
Aden: At least five soldiers were killed and 10 injured Saturday in a car bomb attack in Yemen, an official said.
"An explosive-packed vehicle blasted...
Former Bangladesh prime minister refuses to quit politics
By DPA,
Dhaka : Former Bangladeshi prime minister Sheikh Hasina, jailed on charges of corruption, declared Sunday that she was not quitting politics despite mounting pressure from senior party leaders to step down.
"Once I thought of retiring from politics so that a new leadership emerges but now I have changed my mind," Hasina said during a deposition in a special anti-graft court in the capital Dhaka.
12 Afghan police killed in insurgent attacks
By DPA,
Kabul : Twelve policemen were killed in Afghanistan's volatile southern and eastern regions, officials said Tuesday.
Suspected Taliban insurgents attacked a police checkpoint in Ghazni, the capital of the province of the same name Monday night, Kazim Allahyar, the deputy provincial governor, said.
"Five police were killed in the overnight attack," Allahyar told DPA. Two constables were injured.
Kouchner makes surprise visit to Afghanistan Saturday and Sunday
By KUNA,
Paris : French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner left Paris early Saturday for a surprise, two-day visit to Afghanistan as tensions build there in the buildup to the results of that countrys presidential election held last August.
India-Bangladesh collaboration can save Sunderbans: Experts
Kolkata : India and Bangladesh must collaborate to facilitate and maintain a flow of fresh water round the year to save the Sunderbans mangrove...
Iraqi premier confirms differences over US security deal
By DPA,
Amman : Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has said there are "differences" between Baghdad and Washington over the long-term security agreement for stationing of US troops in Iraq.
"We have not yet reached an agreement on a security pact," al-Maliki said during a visit to Jordan Thursday. "It is merely blueprints still under negotiation, and we have differences over those drafts."
He was speaking to reporters at a joint press conference with his Jordanian counterpart, Nader Dahabi.
Shoe-thrower reporter flooded with offers from defence lawyers
By DPA,
Baghdad : Montazer al-Zaidi, the Iraqi TV reporter who threw his shoes at US President George W. Bush, is flooded with offers by lawyers who want to defend him.
Tuesday, al-Zaidi rejected an offer by Khalil al-Dulaimi, who defended the late Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein before his execution. He also turned down offers by various lawyers from across the Arab world.
“Several Taliban” killed in Afghanistan — Bagram Base
By KUNA
Kabul : The US-led coalition troops claimed they had killed several Taliban militants and arrested four more during a swoop in southern Afghanistan.
A statement from the coalition forces' Bagram base here said the operation was conducted in the southern province of Helmand to disrupt a Taliban network.
"Coalition forces performed a search of compounds in the Kajaki district targeting a Taliban leader conducting weapons facilitation activities in the area," said the statement.
Kuwait emir in landmark Tehran visit
Tehran : Kuwait’s Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah on Sunday started a landmark visit to Tehran focused on mending fences between Iran and the...
Iran’s leader urges nuclear negotiators to ‘stick to redlines’
Tehran : Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei urged Iranian nuclear negotiators on Wednesday to stick to the country's redlines in the ongoing talks...
Pranab goes to Dhaka Feb 9, counter-terror high on agenda
By IANS,
New Delhi : Bolstering counter-terrorism and security cooperation will top the agenda when External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee goes to Dhaka Feb 9 - the first visit by an Indian leader after the Sheikh Hasina government took over.
"There is a very positive agenda for rebuilding the relationship. Counter-terror cooperation and expanding security dialogue will be on top of the agenda," official source said here Friday.
"It's an important visit. We have a moment of hope," the sources added.
Up to 25 militants killed in major military operation: army
By IRNA,
Islamabad : Pakistan army said Wednesday that the security forces killed upto 25 militants in the troubled Swat valley in northwest.
The army launched a major operation in the valley after Taliban kidnapped 25 police and paramilitary soldiers from a police station on Tuesday.
The army information officer in the area said that curfew was imposed in the whole Swat valley before launching operation early Wednesday.
He said that around 25 armed militants were killed in Srabandey area of Swat.
Protect Palestinians in Gaza: Jordanian king
Amman : Jordan's King Abdullah II called on the international community to protect Palestinian civilians in Gaza and stop Israel's ongoing offensive on the...
Pakistani Taliban claim bombing at UN office
By DPA,
Islamabad : The Pakistani Taliban Tuesday claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing at UN World Food programme (WFP) offices in Islamabad.
The Monday afternoon attack, which killed five employees of the WFP, prompted immediate closure of all UN offices across the country "until further notice".
A Taliban spokesman told reporters by phone that his group was behind the bombing carried out by a suicide attacker who entered the WFP building disguised as a paramilitary soldier.
Malaysian opposition leader Anwar faces sodomy trial, again
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur: Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim Wednesday pleaded not guilty to the sodomy charge levelled against him by one of his former colleagues.
Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, Anwar's former aide, testified at the beginning of the trial Wednesday that the accused had asked him to have sex against the order of the nature.
Anwar is facing the trial on sodomy charge for the second time after serving six years in jail following his conviction, which was subsequently overturned on appeal.
Somalia’s presidential palace attacked by Al Shabab
Mogadishu: Islamist militants of the Al Shabab outfit Tuesday attacked the heavily-fortified presidential palace here in the Somalia capital, a media report said.
Heavy gunfire...
UAE funded mobile hospital opens in Sudan
By IANS,
Abu Dhabi : A mobile hospital funded by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has started its operations in southern Sudan, WAM new agency reported Sunday.
The hospital will serve the people in the region for four months, and provide medical help to tens of thousands of people in South Sudan, said Chairman of the UAE Red Crescent Authority Sheikh Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
The hospital will subsequently travel to several parts of the world to deliver humanitarian services, he added.
Reform ISI, shift focus from India to terrorism: US to Pakistan
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : The US wants Pakistan to reform its notorious Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency, shift its focus from India to Afghanistan and train its troops in counter-insurgency to meet the terrorist threat at home.
Pakistan army chief General Ashfaq Kayani "recognises that he has an extremist threat in Pakistan", Admiral Michael Mullen, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in an interview with PBS broadcast late Thursday.
US military chief in Pakistan for talks on security, terrorism
By KUNA,
Islamabad : US Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen arrived here Wednesday on his second visit in last three months for talks on security and terrorism related issues.
During his stay here, according to defense ministry sources, the US military chief will hold talks with his Pakistani counterpart, army chief General Ashfaq Kayani and other senior military officials.
He is also likely to meet with President Pervez Musharraf, sources told KUNA. They said security and counter-terrorism related issues will be the focus of his discussion with Pakistani officials.
33 killed in clashes in northern Iraq
By DPA,
Baghdad : At least 33 people were killed and 40 injured in fresh violence in Iraq's restive northern provinces Thursday, while the US military announced that 4,000 of its troops in Iraq would return home in June.
The violence came as Iraq received a vote of confidence Thursday for its efforts to promote security for its citizens by almost 100 countries and organizations gathered for a one-day UN-Iraq summit in Sweden.
17 killed in Pakistan bus accident
By IANS,
Fateh Jhang (Pakistan) : Seventeen people were killed and 55 others wounded Friday in a head-on collision between two passenger buses in eastern Pakistan, a media report said.
The accident occurred on the Pindi-Kohat road in the Fateh Jhang tehsil of the Punjab province, the Online news agency reported.
The bodies and the injured people were retrieved after cutting parts of the mangled vehicles.
Rescue teams rushed to the site to shift the injured to hospitals. The critically injured were taken to hospitals in Rawalpindi and Islamabad, the report said.
Wives of Indian sailors thank Pakistan
By IANS,
Islamabad : The wives of two Indian sailors freed by Somali pirates have thanked Pakistan for its role in negotiating their husbands' release, the Dawn reported Sunday.
Mumbai attackers had links to Pakistani soil: US
By IANS,
Islamabad : Stating it was "clear" that the Mumbai attackers had "links that lead to Pakistani soil", senior US diplomat Richard Boucher Monday evening said Pakistan and India should cooperate in the probe into the carnage as each possessed "pieces of the puzzle" that could help find the perpetrators.
While urging the South Asian neighbours to cooperate in the probe, the US assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asia said, "Each side has pieces of the puzzle and they need to be known to each other."
Tripura to supply 100 MW to Bangladesh
Agartala : India has initiated the process to supply 100 MW of power from Tripura to Bangladesh, an Indian diplomat said here Tuesday.
"Several steps...
War no solution, Pakistan too plagued by terrorism: Zardari
By IANS,
Islamabad : In an apparent bid to reduce tensions with India, Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari Saturday said the "cancer" of terrorism was plaguing his country too but cautioned New Delhi against dictating terms.
Zardari admitted his country did have “non-state actors” - a term he had used to describe the 10 terrorists who ravaged India's financial capital Mumbai last month.
Three US troops killed in Iraq rocket attack
By ANTARA News
Baghdad : Three US troops were killed and two wounded in a rocket attack on their base in southern Iraq on Wednesday, a US military spokesman told AFP.
"There was an indirect fire incident that killed three coalition force service members and wounded two," Lieutenant Michael Street told AFP.
An Iraqi civilian was wounded in the attack which according to another spokesman occurred early Wednesday on a military base in the city of Nasiriyah.
The US military usually uses the term "indirect fire" to indicate rocket attacks.
Remains of missing Gulf War pilot found in Iraq
By DPA,
Washington: The remains of a US Navy pilot who went missing during a bombing run in the first Gulf War in 1991 have been found in Iraq, the Pentagon confirmed Sunday.
The fate of Michael Speicher has been a mystery for 18 years. He had been the subject of multiple Pentagon investigations as the uncertainty over his status caused it to be changed from missing in action to captured.
Israeli ground troops pull out of northern Gaza
By Xinhua
Jerusalem : Israel Defense Forces (IDF) pulled out the ground troops from the northern Gaza Strip early Monday morning, completing the first stage of the activity dubbed Operation Hot Winter.
An IDF spokeswoman told Xinhua that counter-terror operations were expected to continue.
Jerusalem : Israel Defense Forces (IDF) pulled out the ground troops from the northern Gaza Strip early Monday morning, completing the first stage of the activity dubbed Operation Hot Winter.
An IDF spokeswoman told Xinhua that counter-terror operations were expected to continue.
Women literacy rate higher than men in UAE
By IANS/WAM,
Abu Dhabi : The literacy rate of women is higher than men in the UAE, a report said Tuesday.
Karzai, US general visit Taliban’s former stronghold
By DPA,
Marjah (Afghanistan): Afghan President Hamid Karzai and NATO's chief commander, US General Stanley McChrystal, Sunday visited the former Taliban stronghold of Marjah in southern
Afghanistan.
NATO officials also announced two of its soldiers were killed in attacks in the southern region on Sunday, without stating nationalities for the dead.
The president, in an unannounced visit, arrived in the Helmand province's Marjah town that was recently captured from Taliban, and held a two-hour meeting with more than 250 elders.
Roadside bombing kills 3 Afghan, wounds 7
By Xinhua,
Kabul : Three civilians were killed and seven others got wounded as a bomb planted by insurgents struck a car in Afghanistan's eastern Khost on Saturday, police said.
"A mine planted by anti-government militants on a road in Tanaidistrict hit a civilian car around 11 a.m. local time, killing three men and wounding seven others including three women and four children," Kalim Khan, the police chief of Tanai told Xinhua.
He put the incident on Taliban, adding Taliban insurgents by carrying out such terrorist attacks want to destabilize security in the province.
Hamas voices discontent with Egypt’s procedure at Rafah crossing
By Xinhua,
Gaza : The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) on Wednesday announced its discontent with the way Egypt used when it opened its border with Gaza Tuesday to allow stranded Palestinians and patients to cross.
The Egyptian "is part of Gaza siege because they increase the suffering of the Palestinian people instead of easing it," said Ihab al-Ghussein, spokesman of the Hamas-controlled interior ministry.
On Tuesday, Egypt opened Rafah crossing point for three days before Palestinian patients and travelers who stuck in Gaza and at the Egyptian side.
Taliban insurgents kill four policemen in gunfight
By Xinhua,
Kabul : At least four policemen have been killed and seven wounded in a gunfight with Taliban insurgents in the southern Afghan province of Helmand, an official said Sunday.
The insurgents ambushed the police patrol at a market place in Gereshk district Saturday, district police chief Khil Mohammad Shuja said.
The gunfight lasted for an hour. The police have arrested two insurgents from the spot.
Meanwhile, Taliban spokesman Qari Yusuf Ahmadi has confirmed Saturday's incident.
Israeli incursion into Al-Zaitoun district, Gaza
By KUNA
Gaza : Israeli troops executed an incursion east of Gaza City early Tuesday morning under heavy artillery fire targeting the Palestinian people and their homes.
Witnesses told Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) that several Israeli tanks and bulldozers entered Al-Zaitoun district, south of Gaza, from the Israeli posts close to the Gaza Strip's eastern borders.
They added that Israeli fire and artillery shelling wounded four Palestinians at least and that occupation troops fired toward the ambulances, denying them access to transport the wounded to hospital.
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.
Indonesia’s new cabinet sworn in
By DPA,
Jakarta: Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono oversaw the swearing in of his newly-appointed cabinet ministers Thursday after receiving a strong mandate in July's election.
In his inauguration speech, Yudhoyono reminded the ministers that their tasks in the next five years would not be easy under the existing global economic crisis and complex domestic problems.
"You must prepare yourselves mentally and physically to work hard for the sake of the people," Yudhoyono told the ministers at the Presidential Palace.