US hinders solutions to end Lebanon’s crisis: Syria
By DPA
Damascus : Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem said Saturday that sending the USS Cole warship towards the waters off the Lebanese coast assures that the US hampers political solutions that can help resolve the country's political crisis.
"There is a large history of the American intervention in Lebanon. These past experiences were not beneficial at all," al-Muallem told reporters at a press conference here.
He stated that imposing political solutions in Lebanon, under American supervision, would not occur.
ICRC expresses grave concern over humanitarian, economic situation in Palestine
By NNN-KUNA,
Geneva : President of the Internnational Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Jacob Kellenberger has said that he is extremely worried over the humanitarian as well as the economic situation in the occupied Palestinian territories (oPt).
He told a news conference Tuesday that the economic situation is hampered by all kinds of obstacles for people to move and to pursue economic activities.
UAE was world’s top cast iron rods importer in 2008
By IANS,
Abu Dhabi : The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has imported cast iron rods worth $6.77 billion in 2008, a 237 percent increase over last year and 14 times more than the global growth rate of imports, WAM news agency reported.
Turkey was the UAE's main source of cast iron rods in 2008, contributing 87 percent of supply. China came second at 12 percent, while the remaining one percent coming from other global sources, the foreign trade ministry said in a report Wednesday.
Coalition kills several militants in Afghanistan
By Xinhua,
Kabul : The U.S.-led Coalition during two separate operations targeting the anti-government militants in Afghanistan Sunday killed and detained several militants, said Coalition statement released here on Monday.
Coalition forces searched compounds in Tala Wa Barf district of northern Afghanistan's Baghlan province targeting militant leader known to plan IED (Improvised Explosive Device) attacks andknown to have conducted indirect-fire attacks against foreign forces, the statement said.
Bomb at Pakistan funeral kills five
By IRNA,
Islamabad : At least five people were killed in a bomb blast at a funeral of a slain Shia Muslim youth in north-western Pakistan, witnesses and local TV channels reported.
The funeral was for one of the two Shia Muslims, who were shot dead in Dera Ismail Khan City over the past 12 hours, they said.
The blast occurred at Kotli Imam neighborhood when the funeral procession was its way to graveyard, witnesses said.
TV channels reported that five people were killed and over 20 others were injured.
According to reports the blast may be a suicide attack.
Gaza ceasefire extended for 24 hours: Egypt
Cairo:Egypt announced Monday that Israeli and Palestinian negotiators agreed to extend ceasefire in the Gaza Strip for 24 hours, state media reported.
"Both sides have...
“Netanyahu you will see, you will see, Palestine will be free”
Thousands chant In London
By M Ghazali Khan,
London 27 July: At least 60,000 protestorsfrom amazingly and admiringly multi-racial, multi-religious and multi-ethnic backgroundsrallied yesterdayin front of Israeli Embassy and from where they marched to the British Parliament to demand lifting of siege of Gaza and freedom for Palestine. “You don’t have to be a Muslim to stand for Palestinians. Just be a human” read a placard raised by a marcher.
Sinai attacks will not delay Egypt’s parliamentary polls: Minister
Cairo : Egyptian Local Development Minister Adel Labib said Monday that the attacks in North Sinai will not delay the country's parliamentary elections.
Last Friday,...
Malaysian journal gets permission to use the word `Allah’
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur : The Catholic Herald magazine of Malaysia has got permission to use the word "Allah" on its masthead, provided it clearly states that the magazine is "For Christians only".
Herald editor Father Lawrence Andrew said this was stated in the recently gazetted Internal Security Act signed by the Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar Feb 16.
"The next edition of the Herald will contain the word Allah, and we will print the words `For Christians only' on the masthead so as not to contravene the act," he was quoted as saying in The Star newspaper.
Two missiles harmlessly crash into southern Israel
By KUNA,
Gaza : Palestinian gunners fired a pair of missiles into southern Israel on Sunday, a spokesman of the Israeli Army said.
The spokesman said the rockets crashed into an uninhabited location in the south of Israel.
The firing of the missiles was claimed in a statement by a little known group calling itself "Ansar Al-Sunnah."
UN chief calls 2010 a turning point for women’s health
By IRNA,
Tehran : The United Nations chief has recently launched a Joint Plan of Action to accelerate progress on safe motherhood calling for 2010 to be a turning point for women’s health, it was reported Sunday.
According to a press release issued by the UN Information Center (UNIC) in Tehran, the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon made the call as the maternal mortality rates in Africa were among the highest in the world.
Pakistani airline grounds 10 planes
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan's national carrier Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has grounded 10 of its aircraft due to lack of spare parts.
Musharraf’s resignation accepted
By Muhammad Najeeb, IANS,
Islamabad : Pervez Musharraf Monday evening formally sent his resignation as Pakistan's president to National Assembly Speaker Fehmida Mirza and she has accepted it with immediate effect, officials said.
"The resignation has been received by the speaker and she has accepted it," an aide in Mirza's office told IANS. Under the rules, the president has to send his resignation to the speaker.
Meanwhile, Senate Chairman Muhammadmian Soomro has taken charge as acting president and will continue in the office until a new president is elected within one month.
Egypt rock slide toll at 38
By SPA,
Cairo, Egypt : The death toll from a devastating rock slide that buried a shanty town has risen to 38, officials said Monday.
A total of 38 bodies have been pulled from the site of Saturday's disaster, the country's Health Ministry said in a statement carried by the state news agency "MENA". Another 57 people were injured, with 21 still in hospitals, the ministry said.
Aboul-Ela Amin Mohammed, the head of the earthquake department at the National Research Institute for Astronomy and Geophysics, said the entire plateau remains in danger of further collapse.
Iraq’s Al-Najaf International Airport to open in July 2008
By NNN-KUNA
Baghdad : Iraq's Ministry of Transport has announced that it is scheduled to open a new international airport in Al-Najaf city in July 2008.
A ministry official statement Monday said that the trial opening of Al-Najaf international airport is scheduled for July 1, 2008. It is expected to receive three million travellers per year.
Mullah Omar has not been arrested: Taliban
By IANS,
Islamabad : Taliban leader Mullah Omar has not been arrested in Pakistan, a Taliban spokesperson has said.
Zabeeh Ullah told a TV channel that the news of Mullah Omar's arrest was a US and NATO propaganda and claimed that the US was employing such tactics to save face.
He insisted that Mullah Omar was still in Afghanistan, The Nation reported Tuesday.
Iran starts operation of 492 new centrifuges
By IANS
Tehran : Iran has started operation of three cascades of 164 new centrifuges in Natanz nuclear plant, citing a source official news agency IRNA reported Friday.
The operation was part of the second phase of 6,000 centrifuges, which was announced by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Tuesday, the source told IRNA on condition of anonymity.
After visiting the plant on the occasion of National Nuclear Achievement Day Tuesday, Ahmadinejad said that operations have started for installation of 6,000 P1 generation centrifuges.
Bush congratulates Musharraf on Pakistani elections
By Xinhua
Islamabad : U.S. President George W. Bush spoke to Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf on the phone on Thursday, congratulating him on holding of free general elections, local TV channel DAWN NEWS reported.
The phone conversation lasted about 15 minutes and Bush extended his congratulations to Musharraf on the holding of free and free polls, said the report.
Bush said the elections were good and would bring stability to the country. He pledged that the U.S. would continue its support to Pakistan in fighting against terrorism.
Lebanese Christian opposition leader threats to pull out of Doha talks
By Xinhua,
Beirut : Lebanese Christian opposition leader Gen. Michel Aoun has threatened to pull out of the Doha talks and return to Beirut "because the tide has turned in favor of the majority," local Naharnet news website reported on Monday.
Aoun, who is the leader of the Free Patriotic Movement, made the threat because he accused the ruling March 14 coalition of seeking "to swallow half the Christian seats in Beirut to guarantee its victory in the next parliamentary elections."
Pakistan: at least 20 killed in powerful blast in Peshawar
By NNN-PTI/APP,
Islamabad : At least 20 people, including three children, were killed and about 40 others injured in a powerful bomb blast targeting a prayer hall of the minority Shias in the northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar Friday.
The blast took place outside an Imambargah in the congested Kucha Risaldar area of the walled part of Peshawar.
Local TV channels reported that at least 20 people died in the blast which occurred in the evening hours when Shia shoppers crowded the area ahead of the Eid-ul-Azha festival.
295 ex-PKK members return home under repentance law
By Xinhua
Ankara : A total of 295 people, who fled away from the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), have returned home under the active repentance law since January 2005, local newspaper Today's Zaman reported on Friday.
According to the report, those ex-PKK members, who escaped from the PKK's hideouts in the mountains of northern Iraq and surrendered to Turkish officials, were reunited with their families without being sentenced to prison terms under Article 221of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK), called the "active repentance" law.
Nearly 100 killed as Pakistani troops battle Taliban
By DPA,
Islamabad : More than 60 militants, five troopers and 35 civilians were killed Wednesday during assaults backed by artillery and helicopter gunships against Taliban fighters in Pakistan's two northwestern districts, military officials and media reports said.
The conflict in Buner and Swat districts escalated as Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari was set to meet with his US counterpart Barack Obama in Washington later in the day.
Israel, Hamas hold indirect talks for long-term truce
Gaza: Israel and Hamas have engaged in indirect dialogues on a proposed long-term truce mediated by European officials, a prominent leader of the Islamist...
S Arabia to Pump More Oil if Needed
By Prensa Latina
Riyadh : Saudi Arabia will increase its oil production when the markets need it, Oil Minister Ali Al-Naimi affirmed Tuesday in that capital.
According to Naimi, world oil demand is expected to increase by 900,000 barrels daily, up to 1.5 million next year.
Regarding that, oil pumping will be increased when needed, the official said in a meeting with journalists accompanying US President George W. Bush, who is visiting the Saudi Arabian capital.
Report: Iran denies purchase of Russian S-300 system
By Xinhua,
Tehran : Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hassan Qashqavi on Monday denied reports that Tehran has purchased the S-300 system, an advanced Russian-made anti-aircraft missile, the English-language Press TV satellite channel reported.
"No such thing is correct," Qashqavi told reporters in his weekly press conference.
Iran's missile and technical capabilities are the outcome of a homegrown technology developed by Iranian scientists, Qashqavi said, adding that "this technology was recently demonstrated."
Solana to visit Egypt to discuss Gaza situation
By NNN-KUNA
Brussels : European Union (EU) Foreign Policy Chief Javier Solana has said that he will visit Egypt soon to discuss the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza following the tight Israeli blockade over the 1.5 million Gazans.
Solana told a press conference after a meeting of EU Council of Foreign Ministers Monday that he is in contact with the Arab League on the issue and urged the Palestinian Authority to take control of the Rafah border crossing.
Turkish national killed in Moscow
By RIA Novosti
Moscow : A Turkish national has been stabbed to death by unknown assailants in southeast Moscow, a police source said on Monday.
The body of the 27-year-old male, who worked as an electrician at a Moscow-based company, was found on Sunday evening in the doorway of an apartment house.
Forensic experts said the man had died from multiple stab wounds. A criminal case has been opened.
Routine attacks by skinheads and young gangs on foreigners and people with non-Slavic features have been reported across Russia in recent years.
13 die in Turkish prison fire
By IANS,
Istanbul : A fire in a Turkish prison has killed 13 prisoners, Xinhua reported Sunday.
Iraq’s al-Sadr calls for million-man protest march
By DPA
Baghdad : At least 12 people were killed and 23 injured in violence in Iraq Thursday as Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr called for a million-man protest march on the fifth anniversary of US occupation of the country.
Al-Sadr called on all Iraqis to take part in a million-man march April 9 starting from the Shia holy city of Najaf to mark the fifth anniversary of the US-led occupation of the country, according to a statement issued by al-Sadr's office in the city.
The call was made to Iraq's "Sunnis, Shias, Kurds and Arabs."
Tight security as verdict on Mujib’s killers Thursday
By IANS,
Dhaka : The security at Bangladesh's Supreme Court was beefed up Sunday, ahead of the verdict due Thursday in the trial over the assassination of the country's founding father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Supreme Court registrar Shawkat Hossain told The Daily Star newspaper that the authorities strengthened the security of the apex court so that no untoward incidents could take place on the court premises.
Religious minorities vulnerable amid IS violence: UN chief
United Nations: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Friday that religious minorities remain highly vulnerable since the Islamic State (IS) affiliated groups are targeting...
Four NYT journalists missing in Libya
By IANS,
Washington : Four New York Times (NYT) journalists reporting on the ongoing crisis in Libya have gone missing.
Allow people’s will in Gilgit: EU members tell Pakistan
By IANS,
Brussels : Some members of the European Parliament have expressed "great concern" over Pakistan imposing its rule in Gilgit Baltistan rather than allowing the people to decide their political future.
The EU members have formed a group called "Friends of Gilgit-Baltistan", which will "monitor very carefully all developments that take place" in the strategic border region, a part of the Pakistan-administered Kashmir where elections for its first assembly are scheduled Nov 12.
Blaze in Bangalore defence canteen godown doused
By IANS,
Bangalore: A fire broke out Tuesday afternoon in a three-storeyed building, serving as a godown of the defence canteen stores, near Trinity Circle in Bangalore's central business district. There was no casualty, police and fire service officials said.
Around 20 fire tenders were deployed to douse the fire which was noticed around 4 p.m. on the second and third floors of the building in the busy area, the officials said.
Obama victory could better coordinate US-Syria affairs — paper
By KUNA,
Damascus : A Syrian paper said that the winning of Democratic candidate in the US Presidency elections Barak Obama would mean possibility of better coordinated affairs with Syria.
Al-Watan paper said that with Obama as president, the United States is not expected to directly confront Syria as it did during the rule of George W. Bush, but would do it under McCain.
It added that any US administration, Democratic or Republican, would be better than the current administration which has failed on most of the region's issues, whether in Lebanon, Palestine, or Iraq.
Pakistan against hasty pullout from Afghanistan
By DPA,
Islamabad : Pakistan said Thursday that the US-led international forces should not leave war-torn Afghanistan until the country was strong enough to take care of itself.
"As a matter of fact what we say is that a hasty withdrawal would not be desirable," the country's foreign ministry spokesman Abdul Basit told a press briefing in Islamabad.
"Afghanistan should be able to look after itself effectively before the coalition forces leave," he said.
Morsi’s jailbreak trial adjourned till Feb 24
By IANS,
Cairo: An Egyptian court Saturday postponed till Feb 24 the trial of ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi and 130 others for storming the...
Children in Pakistan villages not given polio drops
Islamabad : Hundreds of children below five years of age have not been given polio drops in villages in Pakistan's Dadu district during successive...
Four killed in US drone strikes in Pakistan
By IANS,
Islamabad : At least four people were killed Wednesday when a US drone targeted the North Waziristan tribal area in northwest Pakistan, Xinhua reported.
Pakistan to name new ISI chief soon: Report
Islamabad : At a time when the Pakistan Army is being viewed as again meddling in politics, the country's top spy agency -- Inter-Services...
Court marriages on the rise in Islamabad
By IANS,
Islamabad : There has been an increase in court marriages in this Pakistani capital, a media report said Monday.
Iraq launches three tribunals to probe police irregularities
By NNN-KUNA
Baghdad : The Iraqi Interior Ministry said Saturday it launched three tribunals to investigate any crimes and irregularities that could be committed by its affiliate departments and staffers.
The move is in line with internal security forces penal code approved recently by the Iraqi parliament and presidential council, director of the ministry's National Command Center Major General Abdul-Karim Khalaf told reporters here.
UAE, Finland discuss bilateral relations
By IANS/WAM,
Abu Dhabi : The United Arab Emirates and Finland have held talks on strengthening bilateral cooperation, particularly in the social sector.
Thorny issues to be tackled in Lebanese-Syrian reconciliation
By Xinhua,
Beirut : Lebanese President Michel Suleiman is to visit Syria soon to discuss establishing diplomatic ties with Syria at the invitation of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem said during his visit to Lebanon on Monday.
The upcoming meeting between al-Assad and Michel Suleiman in Damascus, which would mark a new era in ties between the two neighbors, would tackle several hanging issues, said Hassana Rashid, a professor of political science in the Lebanese University on Wednesday.
Pakistan’s army court judges, prosecutors to get security
Islamabad: Pakistan President Mamnoon Hussain approved an ordinance to provide security to the recently set up military courts, their presiding officers and military prosecutors...
Hindraf leader to take oath in jail
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur : His plea for freedom not heeded, M. Manoharan, the detained Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leader, is expected to take oath as a legislator at the Kamuntin Detention Camp May 8.
Manoharan was elected to the Selangor state legislature from Kota Alam Shah in the March general elections while in prison.
He is serving a two-year term under the stringent Internal Security Act (ISA) along with four others of the Hindraf for organising a protest rally of Tamil Hindus in November.
War on terror ‘mistaken’, resolve Kashmir dispute: David Miliband
By Dipankar De Sarkar,IANS,
London : In comments made ahead of a speech in Mumbai, British Foreign Minister David Miliband Thursday said a “resolution of the dispute over Kashmir” was needed in order to fight the terrorist group Lashker-e-Taiba.
“Lashker-e-Taiba has roots in Pakistan and says its cause is Kashmir,” Miliband said in an article that calls the 'war on terror' a mistake and argues that Islamic terrorists are guided by different motives and therefore need different strategies.
US considering terror tribunals with new rules
By DPA,
Washington: US military commissions to try terrorism suspects could be revived as early as this summer, but with increased legal protections for the accused, reported the Washington Post Saturday.
After President Barack Obama's inauguration, the White House instituted a 120-day suspension of the military commissions.
Pakistan government to hold direct talks with Taliban
Islamabad: The Pakistan government has finalised direct talks with the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the venue will be decided in the next 48 hours,...
Fourth WIEF to conclude sessions today
By KUNA,
Kuwait : The Fourth World Islamic Economic Forum (WIEF) will continue its sessions for the third and final day on Thursday with the participation of ministers, educationalists and representatives of the private sector.
Sarabjit hanging put off by three weeks: Pak TV
By IANS,
Islamabad : The execution of Indian national on death row, Sarabjit Singh, has been postponed by three weeks - just two days before his sentence was to be carried out, according to a Pakistani private news channel.
Dawn News TV channel said there has been a "procedural postponement" of Sarabjit's hanging, which was to take place May 1.
However, Indian high commission officials here could not confirm the news. "We are trying to get this established by authorities," said an Indian diplomat.
Pakistan-China friendship evergreen: Wen Jiabao
By IANS,
Islamabad : The friendship between Pakistan and China is "evergreen" and both countries will continue to stand by each other in the future, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said Sunday.
Suspects in Benazir Bhutto murder case arrested: Malik
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistani Interior Minister Rehman Malik Friday said the suspects in the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto have been arrested.
Exhibition on Iran’s 7,000-year-old civilization opens in Seoul
By IRNA,
Beijing : An exhibition of Iran's 7,000 year-old civilization dubbed as "Glory of Persia" inaugurated in Seoul, capital of South Korea, Monday afternoon.
In the exhibition, which will be be open five months in two cities of Seoul and Taegu, 206 articles belonging to the different periods of Iran history, especially Achaemenian and Sassanid dynasties, will be displayed.
In the inauguration ceremony in Seoul, around 400 scientific and cultural personalities and heads of foreign representatives in South Korea were present.
Indian foreign secretary to visit Pakistan in March
New Delhi/Islamabad : The India-Pakistan foreign secretary level talks are expected to resume in March next in Islamabad, senior diplomats from both sides said...
Hezbollah may strike Israel via third party — Haaretz
By KUNA
Gaza : Hezbollah may try to carry out an attack in northern Israel with the help of another paramilitary organization, which can provide it with deniability, intelligence officers told the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense committee on Tuesday.
Pakistan board summoned over players’ participation in IPL
By IANS,
Karachi: Jamshed Dasti, chairman of the National Assembly's Standing Committee on Sports, has asked the Pakisan Cricket Board (PCB) top officials to appear at the Parliament House hearing December 17 over participation of the country's players in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
The committee wants to probe the issue after hearing contradictory report on the IPL future of leading Pakistani cricketers.
US soldier jailed for role in Iraqi murders
By DPA,
Berlin : A US Army court martial in Germany jailed a soldier for seven months Thursday for conspiracy to murder in Iraq.
US soldiers allegedly killed four Iraqi prisoners in cold blood in March or April last year and dumped their bodies in a canal near Baghdad.
The prisoners, who were blindfolded and handcuffed, appeared to have ties to the Shia al-Mahdi Army, according to US news reports.
Pakistan: ‘Zardari resisted pressure from Musharraf, US to go with PML-N’
By NNN-PTI
Islamabad : Pakistan People's Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari overcame pressure and enticement from President Pervez Musharraf's camp and the US to not align with former premier Nawaz Sharif's party, to form a coalition government with the PML-N, a media report said here today.
Zardari, who yesterday announced along with Sharif that their parties would form a coalition, was offered governments at the centre and at least three of the four provinces if he distanced himself from the PML-N and allied with the PML-Q and other pro-Musharraf forces.
George Clooney wooing Fatima Bhutto?
By IANS,
Islamabad : Hollywood star George Clooney is said to be dating slain Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto's niece Fatima Bhutto.
But the film star says those days could be coming to an end if the 26-year-old poet-journalist wants to take the relationship to the next level and spend some serious time with him in the US, The Nation reported Wednesday quoting The National Enquirer.
Two killed in Karachi violence
By IANS,
Islamabad : Two people were killed and eight others were injured when violence broke out Sunday night during a protest against the arrests of 16 people in Pakistan's Karachi city.
Libyan militias capture 70 Egyptians in Tripoli
Cairo: Libyan militias are holding more than 70 Egyptian citizens in Tripoli, Egypt's foreign ministry said Friday.
The Egyptians were taken into custody in three...
Malaysian-Indian minister switches party
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur : Senator T. Murugiah, a deputy minister in the prime minister's department, has joined the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC), the largest party of the Indians in the country.
Murugiah, who was the youth wing chief of People's Progressive Party (PPP), a smaller party with a significant number of ethnic Indians, was sacked after he fell out with PPP chief M. Kayveas, whom he tried to topple last year.
Both parties are constituents of the ruling alliance Barisan Nasional (BN).
18 killed in Taliban attack in Afghanistan
Kabul : At least 18 people, including seven militants, were killed and 16 others injured Thursday in a Taliban-coordinated car bombing and shooting attack...
Mumbai probe still on: Pakistan’s FIA
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) said Friday its probe into the 26/11 Mumbai attacks was continuing and that it had found some more evidence on the carnage, Geo TV reported.
Quoting well-placed sources in the FIA special team, the channel said the four men jailed for their alleged involvement in the attacks would remain under investigation till the charges were filed in the case.
Yemen confirms airline suspect was in the country
By DPA,
Sana'a : Yemen confirmed Monday that the man suspected of trying to blow up a US airliner on Christmas Day bad been in the country for months before leaving earlier in December.
The foreign ministry said Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, a 23-year-old Nigerian, was in Yemen since August studying Arabic. He had obtained a visa to study in the capital Sana'a.
Zardari sworn in as Pakistani president
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : The Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari is sworn in as Pakistan president at a ceremony in Islamabad on Tuesday, embarking on a five-year term in the top office of the country.
Chief Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar administered the oath to the new president at Aiwan-i-Sadr, the presidential house, in Islamabad.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai also attended the oath-taking ceremony.
17 killed in Pakistan drone strikes
By IANS,
Islamabad : At least 17 suspected militants were killed Friday in drone strikes launched in Pakistan's northwest tribal region, a media report said.
Pakistan court to try Sharif, Zardari, others for money transfer
Lahore : The Lahore High Court (LHC) Friday decided to start ex-parte proceedings against 61 politicians, including Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and former president...
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.
Pakistan: polio campaign could miss 160,000 children due to insecurity
By NNN-IRIN
Islamabad : An estimated 160,000 children in Pakistan's volatile Swat Valley in North West Frontier Province (NWFP) will probably be missed during this week's polio vaccination drive, says the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF).
"The district teams will continue to look for windows of opportunity to vaccinate the remaining children who are currently inaccessible due to the ongoing security situation," Melissa Corkum, a spokeswoman for UNICEF's polio eradication programme in Islamabad, told IRIN.
UN chief condemns mutiny of Bangladesh Rifles troopers
By Xinhua,
Dhaka : UN Secretary General Ban ki-Moon expressed his distress at the mounting death toll in the violent two-day mutiny by troopers of the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR).
He condemned such brutal acts of violence and extended his deepest sympathies to the victims, to their families and to the people and government of Bangladesh, a release from the UN office in Dhaka said Saturday.
The secretary general called for "calm and the resolution of this situation without further violence", the release said.
Former Pakistani PM says his party not to quit coalition
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : Former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said Monday that his party will not quit the coalition led by the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) although it is not satisfied with what the PPP has done.
"PPP did not fulfill promises especially on deposed judges' issue, but we do not want to quit the coalition," said the chief of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) at a press conference in the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore. "We want to keep the coalition intact."
Lebanon’s president begins consultations on forming new Cabinet
By SPA,
Beirut, Lebanon : Lebanon's new President has started binding consultations with lawmakers on forming the national unity government agreed to under an Arab League-brokered deal that resolved a prolonged political crisis, the Associated Press reported.
President Michel Suleiman's discussions with legislators from both the parliament majority party and the opposition are expected to last throughout Wednesday.
No need to overreact on Pakistan’s Gwadar port: Khurshid
By IANS,
New Delhi : India Friday said there was no need to "overreact" to issues like Pakistan transferring the management of the strategic Gwadar port from Singapore to China.
Fatah leader: Most Palestinian factions approve to start truce in early February
By Xinhua,
Cairo : Most Palestinian factions that had talks with Egyptian mediators have agreed to put a truce with Israel into effect as of Feb. 5, a senior leader of the Palestinian Fatah movement said on Wednesday.
All factions, except Hamas and Jihad, that had talks recently with Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman voiced their approval on the truce proposal, said Azzam al-Ahmad, a Fatah leader and head of the Fatah delegation for talks with Egyptian officials.
5.6 magnitude earthquake jolts Pakistan
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : An earthquake measuring 5.6 magnitude on the Richter scale jolted northwest Pakistan Sunday, the meteorological department said.
Iran: President, cabinet menbers renew allegiance to late Imam Khomeini
By NNN-IRNA
Tehran : Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his cabinet ministers on Saturday paid tribute to the Father of the Islamic Revolution, the late Imam Khomeini.
On the second day of the annual `Ten-Day Dawn' celebrations marking the victory of the Islamic Revolution, the president and members of his cabinet attended the mausoleum of Imam Khomeini to renew allegiance to the ideals of the late leader.
Custodian of the mausoleum of Imam Khomeini, Hassan Khomeini, was present in the ceremony.
Israeli FM: no hope for Palestinian state with rocket firing
By Xinhua
Jerusalem : Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said Sunday there was no hope for a Palestinian state that included the Gaza Strip, as long as Gaza-based Palestinian militants keep firing rockets and mortars into Israeli communities, the mass-selling daily Ha'aretz reported on its website.
"There is no hope for the Palestinian people with Hamas," Livni told reporters, adding that "there is no hope for any kind of peace or the vision of a Palestinian state which includes the Gaza Strip without real change on the ground."
French FM says security situation in Iraq improving
By Xinhua,
Baghdad : France's Minister of Foreign Affairs Bernard Kouchner on Sunday met top Iraqi leaders in Baghdad during his second and last day visit to the war-torn country.
After holding a working lunch with Iraq's Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, Kouchner told reporters that the security situation in Iraq was improving.
"I have the feeling that things are better as statistics show adrop in security incidents," He said at a joint news conference with his Iraqi counterpart.
37 petrochemical units launched in 30 years
By IRNA,
Tehran : Some 37 petrochemical units have become operational since the victory of the Islamic Revolution, increasing the capacity for production of petrochemical products from 4.5 million tons in 1979 to 35.2 million tons in 2007.
Bandar Imam, Tabriz, Isfahan, Khorasan, Urumiyeh, Khuzestan, Tondgouyan, Jam, Amir Kabir, Maroun, Zagros and Aryasasol petrochemical complexes are among the main projects commissioned after the victory of the revolution in 1979.
Currently, Iran is one the main producers of petrochemical products in the region. It is second to Saudi Arabia.
Abdullah dismayed over Lok Sabha adjournment
Srinagar : Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Monday said adjournment of the 16th Lok Sabha on the very first day of its...
UN reports highlight Israeli infringement of Palestinians’ rights
By SPA,
United Nations : Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon has spotlighted in two new reports to the General Assembly how Israeli practices impinge upon the rights of Palestinians through the continued building of Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory and its other practices.
Indian man’s body awaiting repatriation for 5 months
Riyadh : The body of an Indian national in Saudi Arabia has been lying in a mortuary for more than five months awaiting repatriation,...
5th Saudi Relief Plane leaves for Myanmar
By SPA,
Riyadh : The Fifth relief plane carrying 74 tons of foodstuffs, blankets and tents left King Khalid International Airport for Yangon to mitigate the devastating effects of Cyclone and flood which swept many parts of the Union of Myanmar.
The departure of the plane came under a relief program endorsed by The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to the victims of cyclone and flood in Myanmar.
Jordan warns against Israeli curbs on Jerusalem mosque
Amman : Jordan Sunday expressed opposition to the Israeli military's measures that prevent Muslims from entering Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, media reported.
The Israeli...
Pakistani Foreign Minister to visit Afghanistan on Friday
By NNN-APP,
Islamabad : Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi will pay a day-long visit to Kabul on Friday to hold talks with Afghan leaders and discuss the issues of bilateral interests, regional and international issues.
The visit of Foreign Minister to Kabul is aimed at helping Afghanistan for its socio-economic development, said Foreign Office Spokesman Muhammad Sadiq in his weekly briefing.
Ahmadinejad lauds Turkish PM’s protest in Davos
By IANS,
Tehran : Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has lauded Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan for taking a stand against Israel’s attack on Gaza.
During a panel discussion Thursday at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Erdogan reproached Israeli President Shimon Peres over the Gaza offensive, saying, “You kill people”, and then stalked off the stage.
Zardari back in Islamabad
By IANS,
Islamabad : Asif Ali Zardari late Wednesday returned to Islamabad, a city that he left abruptly Dec 6 to fly to Dubai triggering speculations of a coup.
Visa pact with Pakistan needs some approvals: India
By IANS,
New Delhi : India Thursday said a new liberalised visa regime could not be worked out with Pakistan as some internal approvals were pending there.
Afghanistan: Presidential election kicks off; candidate calls for change
By NNN-Agencies,
Kabul : As election campaign formally began in the post-Taliban Afghanistan on Tuesday, an arch rival to President Hamid Karzai's administration Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai called on Afghans to bring change through voting.
"My prime objective is to oust this corrupt administration through voting and provide shelter and job opportunities for 1 million people if people mandate me," Ahmadzai told a public meeting attended by some 1,000 of his supporters here in the Afghan capital.
EU nations to adopt new sanctions against Iran
By Xinhua,
Brusels : The European Union (EU) nations are to endorse new sanctions against Iran's financial institutions on Monday over the nation's nuclear programme, especially the Bank Melli.
A diplomatic source said the new sanctions are on the agenda to be adopted on Monday.
The new round of sanctions against Iran are to be agreed by EU countries as Iran refused to meet international demands to curb its nuclear programme.
EU diplomats have said the new sanctions will target Iran's biggest bank, Bank Melli, with an asset and funds freeze.
Interested in nuclear technology in South Africa — Sheikh Mohammad
By KUNA
Cape Town : South Africa enjoys great expertise in peaceful applications of nuclear technology, and Kuwait and the Gulf can benefit a great deal from such experience, said Kuwaiti Deputy Premier and FM Sheikh Mohammad Al-Sabah.
In a press conference wrapping Kuwaiti-South African talks here, Sheikh Mohammad noted his discussions with officials covered opportunities which Kuwait and Gulf state might seize in many fields and in green nuclear technology most specifically.
Iran’s nuclear programme fully peaceful – Arab League
By NNN-IRNA,
Tehran : Arab League chief Amr Moussa has said that Iran's nuclear programme is completely peaceful and by no means does it pose any threat.
"None of the reports released by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has shown diversion of Iran's nuclear activities to military purposes...so, it should be said that Iran's nuclear programme is peaceful and can by no means considered a threat," Moussa told IRNA on the sidelines of the 15th NAM Foreign Ministers meeting in Tehran on Tuesday.
280 suspects arrested in Pakistan
By IANS,
Islamabad : At least 280 terror suspects were arrested Monday and a large quantity of arms and ammunition was seized during searches in Pakistan's northwestern tribal region bordering Afghanistan, police said.
The suspects were arrested in Bara area of Khyber region, Xinhua reported citing Dawn News.
Meanwhile, two people were injured in a rocket attack on a local press club in Niazi market in Khyber Monday morning, according to television channels.
Pakistani legislator calls for early completion of IP gas project
By IRNA,
Islamabad : A Pakistani parliamentarian on Thursday called for early completion of multi-billion-dollar gas pipeline project between Iran and Pakistan.
Hindu housholds, temple attacked in Bangladesh
Dhaka : An around 3,000-strong mob attacked Hindu households and a temple in Bangladesh's Comilla district, media reported Monday.
The attacks took place Sunday after...
UN chief enquires about Palestinian’s peace process with Israel
Ramallah : UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called up Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to enquire about the latest developments in the peace process with...
Abu Dhabi launches scholarship for engineering aspirants
By IANS/WAM,
Abu Dhabi: At least 1,700 meritorious students of grade 12 in Abu Dhabi will participate in a scholarship programme aimed at helping engineering aspirants pursue training in advanced technology.
The Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC) in collaboration with the Advanced Technology Investment Company (ATIC) Saturday organised the first orientation session of 12th graders who have obtained at least 80 percent marks in their fist semester exams.
Maldives ex-foreign minister passes away
By IANS,
Male : Former Maldivian foreign minister Fathuhullah Jameel passed away in Singapore at the age of 69, a media report said.
Is NATO readying to strike northwest Pakistan?
By IANS,
Islamabad : After deploying troops across the Kurram Agency along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) has sent soldiers to the North Waziristan Agency (NWA), raising fears of a strike into the tribal areas in Pakistan's northwest.
Quoting official and tribal sources in NWA, The News said Wednesday that NATO troops started arriving near the border areas Monday night.
Israel reports Gaza mortar attack
Jerusalem : The Israeli Army Wednesday reported that a Palestinian mortar shell was fired from Gaza into the southern Israeli area of Eshkol, but...
Foreign observers, ambassadors, analysts express satisfaction over election process
ISLAMABAD, Feb 19 (APP): Foreign observers, ambassadors and analysts who visited various polling stations across the country have expressed satisfaction over the polling process.
US Senator John Kerry has said that voters and supporters of different candidates have expressed their confidence in the voting process at the polling stations he had visited, Radio Pakistan reported.
In an interview after visiting a polling station, John Kerry said he was impressed by the polling structure devised by the Election Commission.
Six policemen among 12 killed in Afghan clashes
By Xinhua,
Kabul : Six Afghan police personnel and six Taliban militants have been killed in two separate clashes in southern Afghanistan, officials said Sunday.
In one incident, Taliban fighters Sunday raided a police check post in southern Helmand province, killing six police personnel.
"The rebels stormed into a police checkpoint in Gereshk district at 7.00 a.m. Sunday, killing six police personnel," Governor Abdul Ahad Khan said. The check post was destroyed.
He added that the police also killed Taliban fighters in the gunfight but did not give any figure.
Hamas won’t recognize Abbas as president when his term ends
By Xinhua,
Gaza : Hamas-dominated Palestinian parliament on Sunday said it will not recognize Mahmoud Abbas as a Palestinian president as soon as his term ends in January 2009.
"In Jan. 9, 2009, Abbas' term ends and the presidency moves to the speaker of the Legislative Council for 60 days before holding new elections to select a new president," said Deputy Speaker Ahmed Barah.
"If Abu Mazen (Abbas) stayed as a president after January, he will be a power rapist," Bahar added.
US to pull out troops if Iraq does not sign security deal
By DPA,
Baghdad : The US will withdraw its troops from Iraq if the security pact between the two governments is not signed, a senior US official said Wednesday.
"The United States will withdraw its forces from Iraq and refuse to approve an extension of the UN Security Council mandate if the treaty is not signed," David Satterfield, senior advisor to the US secretary of state and the country's Iraq coordinator, told the Al-Sabah newspaper.
Satterfield met Iraqi groups opposing the so-called Status of Forces Agreement to try to persuade them to support it, the newspaper reported.
Lebanese rivals reach deal to end crisis
By DPA,
Beirut/Doha : Lebanese rivals have reached an agreement at dawn Wednesday to end the political crisis in Lebanon after five days of talks in Doha and a president is scheduled to be elected either Thursday or Friday, sources at the talks in Doha said.
Ali Hassan Khalil, a member of the opposition, confirmed to DPA "that a solution has been reached and it will be announced at a press conference in Doha Wednesday".
Khalil said that army commander Michel Suleiman will be elected at a parliament session by the end of this week.
7 killed in clashes in NW Pakistan
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : At least seven people were killed Thursday when a house in the northwestern Pakistani district of Swat was hit by shells in clashes between security forces and Taliban militants, according to local TV reports.
Witnesses were quoted as saying that women and children were among those killed at the Deolai area of the Swat valley.
Khyber TV in Pashto reported that two houses came under shelling, killing nine people.
Subcontinental dialogue the only way forward: Pakistan
By IANS,
Islamabad: Reiterating Pakistan's commitment to resuming the dialogue process with India, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi Tuesday said this was the only way forward to improving subcontinental ties.
"We have to engage to resolve all the issues," he told reporters here after presiding over a ceremony to mark the completion of the 28th specialised training course at the Foreign Office Training Academy, adding that mutual cooperation and dialogue was the only way forward for both countries.
PLO central council to meet on dismissing Hamas-held parliament
By Xinhua
Ramallah : The Palestinian Liberation Organization's (PLO) Central Council will meet Sunday evening to discuss dismissing the Hamas-dominated parliament and call for early elections.
"The central council has the right to dissolve the Legislative Council" because of the split between the Hamas-run Gaza Strip and the West Bank where Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah movement still dominant, said Akram al-Haimouni, a Fatah lawmaker.
Ban thanks Saudi Arabia for humanitarian aid for Iraq
United Nations: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Tuesday thanked Saudi Arabia for donating $500 million to support the UN's humanitarian aid effort in Iraq.
"The secretary-general...
Tehran complains about Clinton’s ‘obliterate Iran’ remarks
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Iran has sent a letter of complaint to the UN over comments made last week by Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton that the U.S. would be able to 'totally obliterate" the Islamic Republic if it were to ever launch a nuclear strike on Israel.
Iran, Iraq reopen their main border crossing
By Xinhua,
Tehran : Iran and Iraq have reopened their main border crossing to facilitate the exchange of people's visits and regional cooperation, Iran's English-language Press TV reported on Thursday.
The reopening of the crossing at Khosravi of Iran's western province of Kermanshah took place after a closure of about two years, said the report.
Relations between press, Hamas and Fatah very tense: intl press freedom org
By KUNA
Paris : Journalists are being "used" to an "unprecedented degree" by the main political factions in the Palestinian Territories, where about 10 have been arrested since the start of the year, an international press freedom organization stressed.
Reporters Without Borders said that the media are at the "centre of the dispute" between Hamas party, which is "controlling" the Gaza Strip and the party of Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, Fatah, in the West Bank.
40 Taliban militants killed
By IANS,
Kabul : About 40 Taliban militants were killed by security forces in Afghanistan, the interior ministry said Sunday.
Fatah supports sending Arab forces to end Hamas control of Gaza
By Xinhua,
Ramallah : Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah movement on Saturday said it supports sending Arab forces into the Gaza Strip to end Hamas' control on the coastal territory.
"Bringing Arab forces in the frame of resolving the disgraceful situation in Gaza to end the coup is a possible and viable idea," said Fatah spokesman Fehmi al-Za'arier, adding "Fatah is open to any proposal to end the coup."
Dutch PM annoyed by Afghan protests against the Netherlands
By Xinhua
Brussels : Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende said he was angry at recent anti-Netherlands protests in Afghanistan which were sparked by a soon-to-be-released Dutch film critical of Islam, Dutch media reported Wednesday.
"This is not acceptable. I am extremely angry about it," Balkenende was quoted as saying on television program Het Elfde Uur Tuesday.
Pakistan must go a step further, say Indian political parties
By IANS,
New Delhi : Pakistan should completely dismantle terrorist outfits operating out of its soil and it was not enough for it to admit that the Mumbai strike was planned there, political parties in India said Thursday.
Islamabad admitted for the first time that "a part of the conspiracy" related to the Mumbai terror attacks was planned on its soil and that it had arrested six suspects.
The Congress said Pakistan's admission was a result of the Indian government's efforts and Islamabad must now go a step further.
154 alleged target killers held for Karachi violence
By IANS,
Islamabad : About 154 alleged target killers have been arrested in Karachi city, Pakistan's Interior Minister Rehman Malik has said.
Pakistan’s poor go hungry amid food shortages
By Fakhr Ahmad, DPA,
Karachi : Sukena, a middle-aged mother of two girls, argued with a shopkeeper as she reached her hands into the pockets of her burqa and counted money. All she had was Rs.25 (35 cents), barely enough to buy bread but no milk in the port city of Karachi.
"Just a year ago, I could easily afford roti (bread) and some milk with this much money, but not anymore," she said with tears in her eyes.
‘Sharif set no deadline for polio eradication in Pakistan’
Islamabad : A statement issued by Prime Minister House spokesperson Thursday denied that Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif announced any deadline for the eradication...
Pakistan-Afghanistan border a major source of instability: Hillary Clinton
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : President Barack Obama's administration was quick to appoint a special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan as it looks at the border areas between them as a source of instability for the two countries and far beyond their borders.
"We are engaged very vigorously in trying to assess what has been done before and what we are going to be doing," Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Tuesday noting that the Bush administration had begun an ongoing review Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Durrani defends himself on Kasab identity disclosure
By Muhammad Najeeb, IANS,
Islamabad : Saying he had done no wrong, sacked National Security Advisor (NSA) Mahmud Ali Durrani Thursday resolutely defended his move admitting that Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone terrorist arrested during the Mumbai mayhem, is a Pakistani citizen, even as the issue has served to bring into the open the deep fissures within the country's top political leadership.
"I've committed nothing wrong and had been authorized to issue statements on security issues," Durrani told IANS but refused to elaborate how he came to know about Kasab's identity.
Eleven beheaded in sectarian violence in Pakistan
By DPA,
Islamabad : At least 11 Shia Muslims were executed by a rival Sunni group in Pakistan's Kurram agency, a volatile north-western tribal district, a tribal leader said Monday.
The beheaded bodies of eight people from the Shia tribe Toori were found dumped in Arawali and three in the Sadda area of the district, tribal chief Ali Akbar told the Geo news television channel.
However, Kurram's administrator, Azam Khan, confirmed only eight deaths. "According to our information, eight bodies have been found so far," he told DPA.
Iran-Oman joint military committee holds meeting
By SPA,
Muscat : Iran-Oman joint military committee started its seventh meeting in Muscat, Oman, on Sunday in presence of Iranian and Omani military officials.
Omani Chief of Staff of the Sultan's Armed Forces told Iran's Deputy Commander of the Armed Forces for Information and Operations Brigadier General Mohammad-Ali Rahmani that Iran-Oman ties are special.
Welcoming Iranian military delegation to Oman, General Ahmed bin Harith al-Nabahani said that his country is willing to expand Tehran-Muscat all-out cooperation.
Pakistani journalist shot dead
Islamabad: A senior journalist was shot dead on Tuesday by unidentified gunmen in Pakistan's northwestern tribal region, police said.
Zaman Mehsud, who was associated with...