Pakistan Army’s biggest war game begins Saturday
By IANS,
Islamabad : The Pakistan Army will Saturday begin its biggest field exercise, involving 20,000 personnel, to validate the concept of a new defensive doctrine for countering conventional threats.
The six-week exercise, codenamed Azm-i-Nau 3, involves troops belonging to all arms and services, besides engagement of various aircraft and equipment of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF), Online news agency reported, quoting military sources.
Ahmadinejad grilled by Iran parliament
By IANS,
Tehran : Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Wednesday appeared before parliament for an inquiry into his economic and political policies, state news agency IRNA reported.
Karzai hails Obama, calls for new strategy against terror
By Xinhua,
Kabul : Afghan President Hamid Karzai Wednesday congratulated Barack Obama on his victory in the US presidential elections and called for change in the strategy on war against terrorism.
"I congratulate Senator Barack Obama on winning the presidential elections and we hope there will be a change in the strategy of war on terror," Karzai told newsmen at a press conference here.
"The war on terror should be conducted in areas where the sanctuaries of terrorists and their training centres exist," and not in Afghan villages, he said.
Suicide attack kills 10 in Pakistan
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : At least 10 people were killed Saturday in a suicide attack on a military convoy in northwest Pakistan's tribal region, a TV channel reported.
The security forces convoy on its way from Bannu to Miramshah was attacked in North Waziristan tribal agency, Dawn News TV said.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.
Ongoing Israeli strikes kill another 24 Palestinians in Gaza
By Xinhua,
Gaza : The Israeli army continued its air and ground strikes on different targets in the Gaza Strip since midnight until Sunday morning, killing 24 Palestinians, local medical sources and witnesses said.
At least 12 were killed in separate air strikes and tank shellings in northern Gaza Strip, eastern Gaza City and the east Khan Younis in the southern Strip, said local witnesses.
German-sponsored confab eyes restoring US global credibility
By IRNA,
Berlin : A high-profile German-sponsored conference here Wednesday discussed ways of restoring America's credibility in the wake of the US wars in Afghanistan and Iraq as well as massive human rights violations in Washington's global anti-terror campaign.
The objective of the conference is "to present a blueprint or plan of action for the next US administration," former German ambassador to the US Wolfgang Ischinger told journalists here Wednesday at a press briefing in Berlin.
Iran Inaugurates Space Program
By Prensa Latina
Tehran : The first space program totally designed by Iranian technicians was inaugurated Monday with the launching of the Kaveshgar 1 rocket in orbit and opening the aerospace center and exhibit of a research satellite.
Mahmud Ahmadineyad, president of the Islamic Republic, said that in the modern world, it is necessary "to keep an active and affective presence in space, to guarantee a more honorable life for the nation."
Turkish FM says there’s a long way to go before Israeli-Syrian peace
By SPA,
Ankara, Turkey : Turkey's foreign minister says there's still a lot to achieve before any peace agreement between Israel and Syria.
Ali Babacan told reporters Monday that an agreement between the two countries requires strong political determination from both sides.
Turkey, which has close ties to both Israel and Syria, has disclosed that it is trying to restart low-level talks between the two countries as a prelude to bringing the leaders of Syria and Israel together, the Associated Press reported.
Pakistan rules out foreign troops in war against terror
By IANS,
Islamabad : Holding that "mutual trust" was essential in the war against terror, Pakistan Tuesday ruled out the deployment of foreign troops in its tribal areas along the Afghan border to take on the Taliban and Al Qaeda.
The US had accepted Pakistan's position that it would not permit foreign troops to operate from its soil, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said at a joint press conference after talks with Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the US joint chiefs of staff, and Richard Holbrooke, the US pointsman for Afghanistan and Pakistan.
PM: Pakistan, U.S. to discuss defense co-op, intelligence sharing
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : Pakistani Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani said Saturday that he would have an exchange of views with U.S. President George W. Bush and other U.S. officials on forging cooperation of defense, education, health, science and technology, agriculture and intelligence sharing.
Gilani made the remarks at the military Chaklala airbase before his departure to Washington on a three-day official visit to the United States.
USD 33 billion Middle East seaport expansion underway
By NNN-WAM,
Dubai : Massive economic growth is driving major seaport expansion in the Middle East with ongoing projects worth in excess of USD 33 billion to handle record volumes of containers and bulk cargoes, say leading maritime industry observers.
"The emergence of strong and diversified maritime companies and operators is making the Middle East, and the Arabian Gulf in particular, one of the most dynamic and vibrant international maritime centres in the world," said Christopher Hayman, managing director of Seatrade, organisers of Seatrade Middle East Maritime 2008.
Love in the age of intolerance: A story from Dubai that restores faith in...
In the age of intolerance where humanity seems to be divided by border and religion, a number Muslim professionals of India went out...
Gunmen kill three family members in Baghdad violence
By Xinhua
Baghdad : Gunmen shot dead three family members in Baghdad, while a roadside bomb wounded an Iraqi army soldier, an Interior Ministry source said on Sunday.
"Unknown gunmen stormed a house in Baghdad's northeastern neighborhood of Ur, killing an old man and two women and wounding their son," the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.
The attack took place on Saturday night, the source said, adding that investigations are underway.
Five killed in mortar attacks in Iraq
By DPA,
Baghdad : At least five people died Friday in a round of mortar attacks, as incidents targeting Shia-dominated districts in Baghdad increased.
The total number of victims was not confirmed, but a source in the Interior Ministry said the attacks killed at least five people and wounded 12.
Witnesses told DPA, the German news agency, that the mortar rounds, which struck Jisr Diyala district - an impoverished neighbourhood in southern Baghdad, killed seven people and wounded 18.
Want to chart new course in Pakistan ties: Modi to Sharif
New Delhi/Islamabad : Prime Minister Narendra Modi has replied to a letter from Pakistani premier Nawaz Sharif that he looks forward to working closely...
Pakistan wants equal treatment from Australia on uranium
By IANS,
Canberra : If Australia sells uranium to India, it should sell to Pakistan as well, Pakistan's High Commissioner Abdul Malik Abdullah here told ABC Radio Monday.
Landmine blast kills three in SE Turkey
By Xinhua,
Ankara : Three people were killed in a landmine explosion in southeastern Turkey on Sunday, the semi-official Anatolia news agency reported.
The report said that the landmine, planted by the militants of the outlawed Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK), exploded when a truck passing by hit it in Semdinli town of Hakkari province.
The three people who died in the blast were reported to be from the same family, said the report.
‘Pakistan to continue building its military potential’
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan would continue to develop its military potential as weakness invites aggression from stronger nations, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said Friday.
WikiLeaks: Bangladeshi security force accused of rights abuse
By IANS,
London : A leaked US diplomatic cable has mentioned "alleged human rights violations" by a Bangladeshi paramilitary force, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), that Britain has trained.
Pakistani Christian leader sends flowers to protesters
Islamabad : A Pakistani Christian leader has sent 200 bouquets to activists who have been protesting outside Pakistan's Parliament House despite heavy rainfall, Dawn...
Roadside bomb kills eight Afghan civilians
By KUNA,
Kabul : At least eight Afghan civilians were killed Tuesday as a roadside bomb hit a mini-bus in southwestern Afghanistan.
The incident occurred in Afghanistan's western province of Farah, bordering Helmand province in the southern zone of the country, a senior official said. Deputy Governor of Farah province Younus Rasouli told the press that the mini-bus was on way from Farah to the neighboring Nimroz province. All those killed in the incident were men. Taliban or other warring group so far did not claim responsibility for the blast.
British peer calls for widening dialogue with Iran
By IRNA,
London : There will never be a constructive dialogue with Iran unless the framework is widened to more than the current approach to the country's nuclear programme, according to the deputy Liberal Democrat leader in the House of Lords.
"Is there not a case for a wider framework for discussions within which we can then make progress on the nuclear issue?" Lord Wallace asked.
The UK will not get constructive dialogue with the Iranian government "unless we broaden it out to a wider framework," Wallace told Foreign Office Minister Lord Malloch-Brown.
Afghan women getting jailed for ‘moral crimes’
By IANS,
Kabul : The Afghan government should take urgent steps to halt an alarming increase in women and girls imprisoned for “moral crimes,” Human Rights Watch said Tuesday.
US to send 17,000 more troops for Afghanistan
By IINA,
Washington : The US President Barack Obama has approved the deployment of an extra 17,000 troops for Afghanistan, the White House has confirmed. The deployment would include an additional US army brigade and a marine expeditionary force, along with support staff, Obama said in a statement yesterday. "This increase is necessary to stabilize a deteriorating situation in Afghanistan, which has not received the strategic attention, direction and resources it urgently requires," he 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...
Palestine: No Peace if Prisoners Not Released
By Prensa Latina,
Ramallah : President of the Palestinian National Authority (PA), Mahmoud Abbas, ruled out a peace agreement with Israel without a mass release of Palestinian prisoners and defended the struggle for an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital.
"The Palestinian leadership will follow Yasser Arafat's example until a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital is established," said Abbas in a speech before thousands of followers outside the PA headquarters in the Mukataa on occasion of the fourth anniversary of the Palestinian historic leader's death.
Ban proposes additional resources for UN coordinator on Kuwaiti issue
By NNN-KUNA
United Nations : Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has urged the Security Council to allow the transfer of USD 900,000 from the Iraq escrow account to pay for the future activities of the UN high-level coordinator for the issues of Kuwaiti detainees and stolen property.
In a letter Tuesday to council president Vitaly Churkin of Russia, Ban said the expenses undertaken by the former coordinator, the late Yuli Vorontsov, during the last eight years amounted to about USD 2 million transferred from the Iraq escrow account.
West supported protests to take revenge: Ahmadinejad
By DPA,
Tehran : Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad accused the West of supporting protests this summer against alleged election fraud because it wanted to retaliate against him and his policies of the past four years, the official news agency IRNA reported Thursday.
"They have been humiliated in the last four years and, therefore, wanted to take revenge by encouraging continued unrest" after the June 12 presidential election, Ahmadinejad said.
Some 50,000 Muslims to leave for Haj pilgrimage from France
By NNN-KUNA,
Paris : French authorities have said that they expect around 50,000 Muslims to leave from France or transit through here from third countries heading to the haj pilgrimage next month.
Foreign Ministry deputy spokesman Frederic Desagneaux said Tuesday that the French government had printed up 50,000 "guide booklets" for the pilgrims.
Enemies target Iranian’s dignity, sovereignty – Iranian President said
By NNN-IRNA,
Tehran : Enemies of Iran have targeted the nation's dignity and sovereignty under the pretext of their peaceful nuclear activities, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Friday.
Addressing a group of people in a district in southern Tehran, he said, "No nation can survive without independence."
"Many people sacrifice their personal interests and even their lives to maintain the independence of their country," President Ahmadinejad stressed.
He regretted that the world nations are faced with different problems.
Iranians protest alleged abuse of teenaged pilgrims in Saudi Arabia
Tehran: Hundreds of people gathered in front of Saudi Arabia's embassy in Tehran on Saturday to protest against what they called Saudi airport guards'...
Modi wishes Pakistan on its I-Day
New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi Thursday wished Pakistan on its 68th Independence Day.
"On the occasion of their Independence Day, I convey my...
Suicide Blast Kills 4 in Pakistan
By Prensa Latina,
Islamabad : Four people died and four others were injured when a man driving a rickshaw blew himself up at a security check post in northwestern Pakistan.
According to Geo TV channel, the suicide bomber detonated the dynamite charge when the police halted him in the outskirts of Bannu city, in North West Frontier Province .
Two civilians and two soldiers died, and four policemen were wounded in the attack.
Pakistan has deployed thousands of soldiers in Bannu and other cities near the Afghanistan border.
Israel opens two Gaza crossings
By KUNA,
GAZA : Israel temporarily opened two Gaza crossings on Wednesday, allowing trucks carrying humanitarian aid, goods, and fuel derivatives to enter the Strip.
The Israeli authorities informed the Palestinian side that Karem Shalom Crossing will be opened to allow in 80 trucks, including 24 of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) and other international organizations, said head of the committee supervising the entry of supplies into Gaza Raed Fattouh.
Two Hamas TV cameramen killed in Gaza strike
By IANS,
Gaza: Two cameraman working for the Hamas' Al-Aqsa satellite channel were killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City, Xinhua reported.
Vet war files to save Afghanis, WikiLeaks told Pentagon
By IANS,
Washington : Whistle-blower WikiLeaks has sought help from the US defence department to review 15,000 Afghanistan war files embargoed by the website as their release may endanger Afghan civilians who assisted US forces in fighting Taliban.
WikiLeaks has sent an urgent request to Pentagon for help to review 15,000 still-secret American military reports to remove the names of Afghan civilians and others who might be endangered when the reports are made public, The Daily Beast reported.
Iran supports Nicaragua energy plan
By NNN-FNA
Tehran : Nicaragua will develop an ambitious energy project with financial and technical collaboration from Iran, Managua's Energy and Mines Minister Emilio Rappacciolii announced.
The official informed that by 2011 a large hydroelectric power plant to be built with an almost 200-million-dollar Iranian investment will be finished.
Last August the Iranian government announced it will finance several mega projects including power generation, agriculture and ports.
Abbas: We intend to resume peace talks with Israel
By Xinhua
Ramallah : Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announced on Wednesday that the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) intends to resume peace talks with Israel.
Nabil Abu Rudeineh, spokesman of the presidency quoted Abbas assaying in a written statement that "we intend to resume the peace talks with Israel which reserve the aim of ending the occupation and establishing a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital."
Police patrol Kabul streets as US general warns of attacks
By DPA,
Kabul : Thousands of police were patrolling Kabul streets Monday as the US commander in Afghanistan warned the public of possible attacks based on "credible intelligence" during the country's 89th anniversary of independence from Britain.
Most of the citizens in the capital city stayed home Monday and 7,000 security personnel closed several roads leading into the centre of the city.
Pakistan Rangers return two Indian bodies
Jammu: Pakistan rangers on Saturday night handed over two Indian dead bodies to BSF (Border Security Force) authorities in Jammu district after recovering them...
Iran’s president departs for first visit to Turkey
By Xinhua,
Tehran : Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Thursday left Tehran for Turkey on an official visit, the official IRNA news agency reported.
The two-day visit, which comes at an official invitation of Turkish President Abdullah Gul, is his first since Ahmadinejad took office in 2005.
During his stay in Turkey, the Iranian president would hold talks with Gul and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to discuss major bilateral, regional and international developments as well as issues related to the world of Islam, IRNA reported.
Seven die in Afghan suicide bomb attack
By IANS,
Kabul : Two policemen were among seven people killed Wednesday in a suicide car bomb attack in Afghanistan's northeastern Kapisa province, Xinhua reported.
Court issues death warrants for five Mujib killers
By DPA,
Dhaka : A Dhaka court Sunday issued death warrants against five former army officers convicted in the assassination of Bangladesh's founding President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, court officials said.
District and sessions judge Mohd Abdul Gafur signed the warrants against five former military men - Syed Faruk Rahman, Mohiuddin Ahmed, Bazlul Huda, A.K.M. Mohiuddin Ahmed and Sultan Shahriar Rashid Khan - after receiving the final Supreme Court verdict in the case.
Egypt’s ruling party wins clear majority in parliament
By DPA,
Cairo: Egypt's ruling party won a clear majority in parliamentary elections, as monitors called on President Hosni Mubarak to dissolve the new parliament due to reports of fraud.
Security plan to face influx of African refugees to Yemen
By NNN-SABA,
Sana'a : The Interior Ministry said it has drawn up a security plan that will help the security forces to deal with the influx of African refugees to Yemen.
The plan will be effective as of Sept 1, 2008 and will aim to prevent African refugees from reaching Yemen's territorial waters.
The plan will be implemented in cooperation with the International Coalition Forces, international organisations and neighbouring countries.
Yemen receives many African refugees fleeing poverty and fighting in their countries. Those refugees arrive in the country on smuggling boats.
Malaysia: Muslim NGOs begin Church security patrols
By NNN-Bernama,
Kuala Lumpur : Volunteers from Muslim non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have begun patrolling church areas in the Klang Valley.
Ten volunteers had begun patrolling from 11pm Sunday in church areas in Kampung Pandan and Brickfields.
Deputy chief and working secretary of Kerja Badan Tarbiah Sejagat (BATAS) Danny Azar said the patrol schedule was 11pm to 2am and 4am till dawn.
"We have started patrolling and we also meet church officials to identify ourselves," he said.
NATO soldier killed in Afghanistan
By Xinhua,
Kabul : A soldier in the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) has been killed by an explosion in Helmand province of southern Afghanistan, the ISAF said Saturday.
A statement from the military alliance said a group of soldiers were hit Friday by the explosion. Two soldiers were wounded and a military vehicle was damaged in the blast.
Helmand province, a hotbed of Taliban militancy, is guarded by some 7,750 British soldiers.
A total of 47,000 NATO-led troops are deployed in Afghanistan.
Pakistan, China trade to reach $10 bn: Zardari
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan and China are determined to increase their bilateral trade to $10 billion, President Asif Ali Zardari has said.
Pakistan frees five Indian prisoners
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan has freed five Indian prisoners, including four fishermen, after they had completed their respective sentences, a media report said Wednesday.
Iran test-fired new missile: defense minister
By Xinhua,
Tehran : Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Mostafa Mohammad Najjar said on Wednesday the Islamic Republic has successfully test-fired a new generation surface-to-surface missile.
Najjar said that the new missile, named Sajil, was a high-speed type produced at the Defense Ministry affiliated aerospace group, according to state television.
He added that Sajil had a range of about 1,200 miles (2,000 km), which is similar to that of Iran's Shahab-3 missile.
Palestinian dies of injuries in Rafah
By KUNA
Gaza : A Palestinian militant wounded during an Israeli incursion in Rafah city in Gaza Strip died on Monday, Palestinian medical sources said.
The sources told KUNA Auni Abu Taha, 42, was wounded on Sunday during an Israeli incursion near Rafah, in which one civilian and three Hamas militants were killed by Israeli fire.
Initial results from Iran’s parliamentary elections show lead for conservatives
By Xinhua
Tehran : Early results from Friday's parliamentary elections in Iran indicated a clear lead for conservatives as ballots were being counting, the state-run English-language Press TV channel reported on Saturday.
Out of 118 seats already decided in the country's 18 provinces, the "principlists" -- conservatives loyal to Islamic Revolutionary ideals -- were leading with 85 seats, Press TV said.
The reformist camp reportedly won 25 of the already decided seats, while the other eight seats went to independents.
Lebanon Clashes, Polemic Killed Frail Truce
By Prensa Latina,
Beirut : Fresh polemics and clashes among the leading political forces killed the fragile truce that Lebanon enjoyed from Saturday.
Michel Pharaoun, leader for Legislative Affaire, accused Hassan Nasrallah, head of the Party of God (Hizballah), of eluding the disarmament dialogue.
The media charges the later of Monday's tensions that followed his address that called Hizballah disarmament taboo, leading hours later to clashes between Shiites and followers of Future Trend of Parliament majority Leader Saad Hariri.
Pakistan to produce nuclear safety equipment
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan can now produce "Class-I nuclear safety equipment" and manufacture spare parts for its nuclear stations under embargo conditions, a media report said.
479,249 pilgrims reach Madinah
By SPA
Madinah : According to a report of the Hajj committee of Madinah, 479, 249 pilgrims arrived here up to yesterday.
As many as 209, 743 left Madinah and 269, 447 are still remaining in the city.
The pilgrims, who have come to Madinah included 57, 169 Indonesians, and 33, 362 Iranians.
Yesterday 10, 417 pilgrims left Madinah via Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport aboard 39 international flights.
Up to yesterday, 422 flights operated from Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Airport carrying 101, 149 pilgrims.
Blast kills 5 in northwest Pakistan
By IANS,
Islamabad : At least five people, including a tribal chief, were killed in a remote-controlled bomb blast in northwest Pakistan's tribal area Friday, a local TV channel reported.
Xinhua quoted Geo News as saying that a roadside bomb exploded in Salarzai of Bajaur Agency when a car passed by, killing five people.
A tribal chief Sardar Malik Gul Shali was among the victims. The car has been completely destroyed in the blast, the channel said.
Security forces have cordoned off the area. The administration has confirmed the five deaths.
Pakistan PM directs awareness campaign on effects of climate changes
By NNN-APP
Islamabad : Caretaker Prime Minister, Mohammadmian Soomro Saturday launched a media campaign to aimed at making people aware people about the impacts of climate change.
“We need to launch an effective campaign for public awareness on climate change through print and electronic media including talk shows,” the Soomro said chairing the meeting on climate change.
Dr. Ishfaq Ahmad, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister briefed the meeting on effects of Climate Change.
Norway calls for ending Gaza blockade, reconstruction
Gaza: Norway Monday called for ending the Israeli blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip and for an immediate restoration of the coastal enclave.
In a...
We will boost democracy, Dhaka tells foreign donors
By IANS,
Dhaka : Bangladesh has assured international donors that it will further improve the working of its parliament and boost democracy to facilitate an inclusive and faster pace of development.
The Anti-Corruption Commission and human rights bodies would also be strengthened, the Bangladesh Development Forum (BDF) 2010, a consortium of development partners, was told during two-day consultations.
Bangladesh, which is one of the most densely populated and is high on the global corruption chart, is rated as a least developed country (LDC).
NATO fires at insurgents in Pakistan
By SPA,
Kabul, Afghanistan : NATO troops in eastern Afghanistan fired 20 artillery rounds at insurgents inside Pakistan after coordinating with Islamabad, officials said Tuesday.
Meanwhile, five Afghan troops were killed in a clash with insurgents in the west, Associated Press reported.
The military alliance said it fired the rounds after insurgents attacked its troops in Afghanistan's eastern Paktika province with rockets from across the border on Sunday.
U.S. reports arms deals of $72 bln to Gulf allies from 1981-2006
WASHINGTON, January 16 (RIA Novosti) - The United States rendered military services worth a total of $72 billion to six Arab states in the Persian Gulf from 1981 to 2006, the Congressional Research Service (CRS) said on Wednesday.
The six countries - Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Oman - are members of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Persian Gulf, and U.S. allies in the region.
Afghan opium production to drop in 2010: UN
By DPA,
Kabul : Afghanistan this year is likely to produce less opium, the raw material for heroin and a major source of revenue for its Taliban-led insurgency, as yields decrease, a UN survey released Wednesday found.
Although an assessment conducted by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) predicted a production drop, it also said the area of land under poppy cultivation would be stable in 2010 at 123,000 hectares, the same amount as last year.
Obama open to Karzai plan for talks with Taliban
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : US President Barack Obama has indicated that he may accept Afghan President Hamid Karzai's plan to reconcile with certain Taliban leaders to bring peace to the war-torn nation.
"With respect to perceived tensions between the US government and the Afghan government, let me begin by saying a lot of them were simply overstated," he said at a joint press conference with Karzai after a 45-minute meeting in his Oval office.
Italy to back Afghanistan beyond 2014
By IANS,
Kabul: Visiting Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti has said his government will continue to support Afghanistan after 2014 when the foreign troops leave.
Iran, Lebanon in Good Relations
By Prensa Latina,
Tehran : The Iranian Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei highlighted the good level of relations with Lebanon and considered unity between political and ethnic groups a key in this country to consolidate their prosperity.
During the comment about the two-day visit to that Persian nation by president Michel Suleiman Khamenei said that all Lebanese groups' power must be at the service of national unity to face the danger of the Zionist regime.
Over 100 children missing from Afghan orphanage
KABUL, February 13 (RIA Novosti) - As freezing weather continues in Afghanistan, an orphanage with a broken roof and almost no food supplies has been abandoned by 112 children, Pazhvak news agency reported on Wednesday.
Of the 157 children that were living in the children's home in the Ghazni province, only the youngest girls remain in the building, in two rooms where the roof is still intact, the agency said citing a report by local authorities.
The report said the children who abandoned the home do not have winter clothes.
Terrorists behind north Lebanon explosions arrested
By Xinhua,
Beirut : The Lebanese authorities have arrested a "terrorist network" which is connected with al-Qaida Fattah al-Islam group, local As-Safir daily reported Monday.
Fattah al-Islam group was proved to be responsible for attacks in the northern Lebanon city of Tripoli last month when four army soldiers and three civilians were killed, along with 32 others wounded.
"Several members of a terrorist cell involved in the recent explosions in Tripoli have been arrested," a Lebanese army statement said.
264,000 South Asians lost jobs in Gulf: Survey
By IANS,
Thiruvananthapuram : About 264,000 people from South Asia have lost jobs in the Middle-East on account of the global meltdown, city-based think tank Centre for Development Studies (CDS) has found.
Presenting the study here Monday, S. Irudayarajan and D. Narayana of CDS said the financial crisis that originated in the US impacted the Gulf Cooperation Council countries soon after.
Somali pirates release Omani ship after eight months
By Xinhua,
Nairobi : Somali pirates freed an Omani ship almost eight months after hijacking the vessel. The crew were unharmed, a regional maritime official said Thursday.
The pirates Thursday released the ASMAK fishing vessel, which was hijacked Jan 14, without causing harm to any of the 22 crew members of the ship, said Andrew Mwangura, the East African coordinator of Seafarers Assistance Programme (SAP).
"The 22 crew men of Oman fishing vessel ASMAK have been released unharmed and are preparing to sail back to Oman," Mwangura told Xinhua over telephone.
B-Town continues mourning for Peshawar attack victims
Mumbai : A day after 132 children were brutally killed in a gruesome Taliban attack on a school in Pakistan's Peshawar city, Bollywood celebrities...
Ahmadinejad visits Cuba
By IANS,
Havana : Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad arrived here Wednesday on a one-day official visit.
Terrorists to be targeted: Clinton
By IANS,
Kabul : US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, on a visit to Afghanistan, Thursday said terrorists would be targeted on both sides of the Afghan-Pak border.
Two 4,000-year-old reliefs discovered in Egypt
Cairo: Egyptian Antiquities Minister Mamdouh Eldamaty announced that two 4,000-year-old reliefs, belonging to Ptolemaic Queen Berenice, were found by Polish archaeologists in the temple...
Bahrain protesters return to square as military withdraws
By DPA,
Cairo/Manama: Anti-government protesters returned to Lulu Square in Bahraini capital Manama Saturday, despite calls by the crown prince, Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, for calm.
Taliban militants attack government buildings in Kabul
By DPA,
Kabul : An unknown number of Taliban militants occupied a building in central Kabul close to the presidential palace Monday and shots and explosions were heard from the area, police and witnesses said.
The militants fired at the southern gate of the presidential palace and at finance and justice ministries from Foreshgah Buzerg Afghan, a shopping complex where they took up position, said a police official.
"Police, army forces and intelligence forces are preparing to raid the building," he said.
Iran, EU reiterate willingness to resume nuclear talks
By DPA,
Tehran : Iran and the European Union (EU) Monday reiterated their willingness to resume talks on the dispute over the Islamic country's controversial nuclear programmes, ISNA news agency reported.
Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Saeid Jalili and EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana agreed in a phone conversation to continue what Iran called "talks in a constructive atmosphere," the news agency reported.
The duo had voiced the same willingness in a phone call last Monday.
Iraqi PM courts Sunni tribal leaders
By DPA,
Baghdad: Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki Tuesday reached out to tribal leaders in the country's Sunni heartland, calling for an end to sectarian identity politics.
Al-Maliki, a Shia Muslim, praised the Sunni tribesmen of Iraq's western al-Anbar province for their role in "maintaining the national unity of Iraq", and for "the great sacrifices" they had made in "battling the evil designs of wanted terrorists" who, he said, sought to divide the country.
The prime minister's visit followed a sharp rise in sectarian violence across Iraq.
Newspaper: U.S., Iraqi SOFA talks halted, waiting for U.S. response over suggested draft
By Xinhua,
Baghdad : The talks over a draft security deal between Washington and Baghdad has been halted waiting for U.S. reply over suggested Iraqi draft, Iraqi official newspaper reported on Wednesday.
"The talks over SOFA (Status of Forces Agreement) between the two sides have been halted until our (Iraqi) negotiators receive a response from the U.S. side, who has already sent our suggestions to Washington," the state-run al-Sabah newspaper quoted a source close to the SOFA as saying.
Bangladesh calls for LDC representation at economic summit
By Xinhua,
Dhaka : Bangladesh Sunday called for representation of the world's least developed countries (LDCs) at global economic summit in future.
Speaking to journalists here, the caretaker government's foreign adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury welcomed the inclusion of developing countries like Brazil, China and India in the G-20 summit held in Washington of the United States to address the current global economic crisis.
Gulf states pledge $12 bn to boost Egypt’s economy
Cairo: Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) pledged on Friday a total of $12 billion in aid and investment to boost...
Stage set for crucial parliamentary election in Pakistan
ISLAMABAD, Feb 15 (NNN-APP) -- The nation goes to the polls Monday to elect a national assembly and four provincial legislatures through a free, fair and transparent election to complete the third phase of transition to full democracy.
The Election Commission has made countrywide foolproof arrangements to conduct the election described by President Pervez Musharraf as “mother of all elections that are highly important for the future of our country.”
17 killed in Pakistan accidents caused by fog
By IANS,
Islamabad : At least 17 people were killed in road accidents in Pakistan as most parts of the country remained covered in dense fog, a media report said Tuesday.
Rehman Malik invites Indian PM to visit Pakistan
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistani Interior Minister Rehman Malik, who reached New Delhi on a goodwill visit to India, Friday invited Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for a visit to Pakistan.
US wants emerging powers to pressurise Iran
By IANS,
Washington: A day after asking India and Pakistan not to have transactions like their gas pipeline with Iran, the US wants everyone, particularly emerging powers, to put pressure on Tehran to curb its nuclear ambitions.
"I'm not familiar with any particular project, but this is part of our ongoing dialogue with countries that we are looking to place pressure on Iran," state department spokesman P J Crowley told reporters Friday when asked about plans for an Iran-Pakistan India gas pipeline.
Proposed measures on Iran include travel curbs, asset freezes, more talks
By Xinhua
United Nations : Iran could face travel restrictions and bans on some of its citizens and an expansion of asset freezes imposed under two previous UN Security Council resolutions, according to "elements for a third sanctions resolution" made available Friday.
The proposal, agreed by Britain, China, France, Germany, the United States and Russia Tuesday, also expressed the willingness of the six countries "to further enhance diplomatic efforts to promote resumption of dialogue, and consultations on the basis of their offer to Iran."
1998-2008: Ten years in the life of Pervez Musharraf
By IANS,
Islamabad : From Oct 7, 1998 when he became chief of army staff to Oct 12, 1999 when he ousted the Nawaz Sharif government and now, almost nine years later, when he quit Monday as Pakistan's 12th president, Pervez Musharraf has played a key role in the country's development.
His political career in a nutshell:
Oct 7, 1998: Appointed chief of army staff.
April 9, 1999: Given additional charge of chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee.
Syria committed to helping settle Iran’s nuclear issue
By Xinhua,
Tehran : Visiting Syrian President Basharal-Assad said here on Sunday that Damascus is committed to helping settle Iran's nuclear standoff with the West based on international agreements.
Assad made the remarks in a joint press conference with his Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad at the end of his two-day official visit, the official IRNA news agency reported.
"We are here to hear Tehran's views on the issue and see if we can play any role in this regard," Assad said, adding that he would "transfer Iran's stance to the other side."
240 kg of hashish seized in Islamabad
By IANS,
Islamabad : Islamabad Police have seized 240 kg of hashish from a truck when it tried to enter the city.
PPP urged for any evidence to official probe on slain Benazir
By SPA
Islamabad : Pakistan's Caretaker Minister for Interior Lt-Gen (retd) Hamid Nawaz Khan has urged the leadership of slain former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto's Pakistan Peoples' Party (PPP) to hand over evidence if they have any, to the investigating team probing the suicide attack on her in Rawalpindi.
Sadr group agrees to end fighting in Baghdad’s Sadr City
By Xinhua,
Baghdad : The movement of Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr agreed to a ceasefire in Baghdad's eastern neighborhood of Sadr City, a Sadr spokesman said on Saturday.
"We have made an agreement between the Sadr movement and the government of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki to cease fire," said Shiekh Salah al-Obiedi, spokesman of Sadr office in the holy city of Najaf, 160 km south of Baghdad.
The agreement would include a ceasefire by Sadr followers, an end to all arms appearances in public and opening of all blocked entrances of Sadr City neighborhoods, Obiedi said.
Militants take control of Pakistani security forces post as clashes continue: report
By IRNA
Islamabad : Suspected militants have taken control of a post of security forces in a Pakistan tribal region a day after they had hijacked four trucks, carrying weapons and ammunition, local media reported.
The militants captured check post of security forces near the Kohat, a city some 60 kilometers southwest of Peshawar.
Geo television reported that clashes between the security forces and militants started in the Darra Adam Khel tribal region Friday morning, leaving 34 militants and one soldier dead. Two soldiers were injured.
Israel broke law with use of cluster bombs in Lebanon: HRW
By IRNA
New York : Human Rights Watch said Sunday that Israel breached international law when it bombed southern Lebanon with cluster weapons in 2006.
The New York-based Human Rights Watch demanded an independent inquiry to determine whether individual Israeli commanders "bear responsibility for war crimes."
Pakistani PM to visit China
By IANS,
Beijing : Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani will pay an official visit to China from May 17 to May 20, a foreign ministry spokesperson said Tuesday.
Land trade between India, Pakistan halted after Wagah blast
Attari (Punjab) : Land border trade between India and Pakistan was halted Monday following a suicide bomb attack at Wagah in Pakistan that left...
Iraq eyes U.S. pullout by 2010 amid Obama visit
By Xinhua,
Baghdad : The Iraqi government said Monday that it hopes the U.S. combat troops would leave by 2010, raising a clear vision of time line after the two countries have agreed on a vague "time horizon."
Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh made the remarks as U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama is here on a fact-finding tour.
After Obama's meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, Dabbagh said Iraq did not set a fixed withdrawal timetable, but hopes the U.S. troops would end its combat role and pull out by 2010.
Police guarding Lebanese envoy’s house in Syria killed
By IANS,
By AKI,
Damascus: Armed men abducted and "brutally killed" two Syrian policemen guarding the residence of the Lebanese ambassador to Damascus, according to Lebanese newspaper As Safir.
Sixteen candidates withdraw from Kuwait”s 2008 parliamentary race
By KUNA,
Kuwait : Sixteen more candidates running in the upcoming parliamentary polls have dropped out of the race, bringing the total number of running candidates to 300 out of the original number of 380.
According to the Interior Ministry's Department of Elections' Affairs, the first constituency lost Abdulrahman Al-Sharrah and Hisham Al-Siddiqi, while Farraj Al-Mutairi withdrew from the second constituency.
In the third constituency the withdrawing candidates were Adnan Al-Shatti and Mohammad Al-Barrak.
56 suspects arrested for Myanmar’s riots
Yangon : Myanmar authorities have arrested 56 suspects for their involvement in a sectarian riot in Mandalay, police officials said Sunday.
Action is being taken...
Ahmadinejad, Moussavi both claim win in election
By DPA,
Tehran : Both leading candidates declared victory in Iranian presidential elections Friday after 16 hours of voting, as polls finally came to a close at midnight (1930 GMT).
Incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was leading the polls capturing almost 70 percent of the 20 percent of ballots counted so far, the news network Press TV reported Friday night.
Main challenger, Mir-Hossein Moussavi had gained 26 percent of the counted votes, which were mainly from the provinces.
EU urges no death penalty as Bangladesh reviews political murders
By DPA,
Dhaka: The European Union reiterated its opposition to the death penalty Saturday aimed at Bangladeshi authorities as they investigate deaths related to the country's 1971 independence struggle.
Most parties in Bangladesh have taken a hands-off approach to the deaths in the past, many of which are believed to have been politically motivated.
However, that has changed under current Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wazed. She is one of two surviving daughters of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who was murdered with most of his family in a 1975 military putsch.
Iran expects upcoming OIC Summit to counter anti-Islam propaganda
By IRNA
Tehran : Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said here on Saturday that the upcoming OIC Summit will shoulder heavy responsibility to counter anti-Islam propaganda campaign.
In a meeting with his visiting Bruneian counterpart, Lim Jock Seng, he said Muslim states will seriously defend their sanctities during the upcoming Summit of leaders of the Organization of Islamic Conference member states to be held in Senegal.
Senegal is expected to take over OIC presidency from Malaysia.
Iran prepared to counter aggression: Military official
Tehran : A top military officer said Wednesday the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) is fully prepared to counter any possible military...
Huge blast rocks Turkish munitions factory
By DPA,
Istanbul: A heavy explosion caused a fire in a munitions factory on the outskirts of Ankara Tuesday, media reports said.
Media reports said the blast at Roketsan in the town of Elmadag on the southern edge of Ankara had felt "like an earthquake". However, there were no immediate reports of casualties.
Roketsan produces missile systems, including those used in aircraft and anti-tank defence.
Iranian diplomat recovered 15 months after kidnapping
By IANS,
Islamabad: An Iranian diplomat kidnapped in Pakistan 15 months ago has been recovered after a successful operation by Iran's intelligence agencies, Tehran's envoy here said Tuesday.
Hashmat Atharzada, the commercial attache at the Iranian consulate at Peshawar, was recovered after a successful operation by Iranian intelligence officials, even though the safety of diplomats was the responsibility of the Pakistani government, Ambassador Mashaullah Shakiri Shakiri said at a press conference at the Iranian embassy here.
UN panel to probe Israel’s Gaza bombing
By Xinhua,
United Nations : UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has said that the global organisation will form a panel to probe into Israel's Gaza raid.
The UN chief made the announcement at a meeting of the UN Security Council Monday.
The closed-door meeting was to brief the Security Council about UN chief's recent visit to Europe, the Middle East and Asia, Japan's UN envoy Yukio Takasu told reporters.
Ban said he will inform the panel in the next few days and a report will be presented to the Council on the panel's findings, Takasu said.
Suicide bomb attack on Afghan police vehicle kills 10, injuries 27
By Xinhua,
Kabul : A suicide bomb attack on a police vehicle in southern Afghan province of Helmand Monday noon killed eight civilians and two policemen, injuring 25 civilians and two more police, a provincial police chief said.
The powerful blast happened in a busy bazaar in Musa Qala, a known front-line town in Afghan fighting against Taliban insurgents, in southern Afghanistan, when a suicide attacker while approaching a passing-by police van on foot detonated the bomb attached to himself, Asadullah Sherzad, police chief in Helmand, told Xinhua.
Six killed, 45 wounded in bangladesh in road accidents
By IANS,
Dhaka : Six people were killed and 45 injured in two road accidents in Bangladesh's Bagerhat and Nilphamari districts Tuesday, the Daily Star reported.
Bangladesh just as corrupt despite anti-graft drive: report
By IANS,
Dhaka : The anti-graft drive of Bangladesh's military-backed government has made little difference - its own law enforcing agencies have been rated as most corrupt by the Transparency International, a Berlin headquartered NGO addressing corruption globally.
Down in the first six months after the caretaker government launched its campaign in January last year, corruption has again reared its head, said a report released by the Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) Wednesday.
UNRWA: Gaza food aid halt would not last for long
By Xinhua,
Gaza : The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestinian refugees said on Saturday suspension of food aid deliveries to refugees in the Gaza Strip will not last for long.
"From our experience, I don't think this issue will last for long because there are urgent intensive communications with the Israeli side on all levels," UNRWA spokesman Adnan Abu Hassna told Voice of Palestine radio.
"There are promises that this problem would be resolved very soon," he said.
Syria completes draft law on media freedom
By IANS,
Damascus : Syria has begun work on a legislation that could lead to media freedom.
19 years and counting: the tale of Naseema Begum’s wait for her missing husband
In the second of the five personal stories of half widows, Raqib Hameed Naik narrates the story of Naseema Dar.
Tengpora...
Iraq: Militants desparate, will use any means to continue fighting – Analyst
By NNN-IRIN
Baghdad : Militants in Iraq are keen to present themselves as able to strike at any place and at any time, but according to one analyst they are coming under increasing pressure.
Military operations aimed at ejecting them from their strongholds and paralysing their activities are ongoing, Hazim Jawad Yousif, a Baghdad-based security analyst told IRIN, but he warned: “It is like a balloon filled with water. When you press it on one side the water moves to the other.”
Arab world, UK need to face common challenges — Brown
By KUNA,
Manchester : British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has stressed the importance of working together with the Arab world to overcome the great challenges of terrorism, the global economy and security issues.
Brown made the remarks at a dinner hosted by the Arab ambassadors late last night on the fringe of the annual Labour party conference, in Manchester, northern England.
The prime minister was endorsing the comments made by Kuwaits ambassador to the UK Khaled Al-Duwaisan, who is also the dean of the foreign diplomatic corps.
Japanese Foreign Minister due to arrive on Friday
By NNN-APP,
Islamabad : Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs, Masahiko Koumura is arriving on four-day visit to Pakistan on Friday.
The purpose of Koumura’s visit is to convey goodwill message to new democratic government that Japanese government attaches great importance to Pakistan’s efforts for eradicating terrorism, consolidating democracy and sustaining economic growth in order to further strengthen bilateral relations.
Dhaka business chamber calls for strife-free polls
By IANS,
Dhaka : A leading industry lobby in Bangladesh has asked political parties preparing for the Dec 18 polls to shun "politics of conflict and violence".
"Let us not miss this train," Annisul Huq, chief of the Federation of Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) chief said at an Iftar party he hosted during the current Ramadan month for leaders of mainstream parties, the Awami League and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), besides professionals.
US drone attack kills eight in Pakistan
By IANS,
Islamabad : Eight people were killed Monday night in a US drone attack in northwest Pakistan, Xinhua reported.
Raymond Davis is a CIA spy, says British daily
By IANS,
London : Raymond Davis, who gunned down two men in Lahore, sparking a diplomatic crisis between Islamabad and Washington, is a CIA agent, a media report here said.
Meghalaya urges Centre to ratify protocol with Bangladesh
Shillong : The Meghalaya government on Monday urged the central government to ratify the land agreement protocol that was signed between India and Bangladesh...
Five killed in triple suicide bombings in Syria
Damascus: Three suicide bombers detonated themselves at a hotel in Syria's Qamishli city Tuesday, leaving five people killed and eight wounded, state media said.
The...
Mehsud masterminded Benazir’s murder, says former aide
By IANS,
Islamabad : A militant leader who broke away with Pakistan's Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud has accused him of killing former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto, a media report said Friday.
Haji Turkistan Baetani, former right-hand man of Mehsud, claimed that Mehsud had planned the assassination of Bhutto.
Baetani told Geo TV that he heard Mehsud say, "I have moved two of my associates to Rawalpindi (for) slaying Mohtarma B.B. (Benazir Bhutto)."
Pakistan to accede to pact against terror funding
By IANS,
Washington : Pakistan will accede later this year to an international convention against terror funding, even as it draws up a multi-layered plan to eradicate the scourge, the country's envoy to the UN says.
"We fully recognize merits of the global counter-terrorism strategy," APP quoted Ambassador Abdullah Hussain Haroon as saying of the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism that Pakistan would ratify in September.
120 Egypt Muslim Brotherhood supporters get 3 years in jail
Cairo : An Egyptian court Wednesday sentenced 120 supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood group to three years in jail each over riotous acts in...
11 dead in Pakistan accidents
By IANS,
Islamabad : At least 11 people were killed and over a dozen injured in two traffic accidents in Pakistan Tuesday, media reports said.
Pakistan’s anti-terror efforts lauded by British foreign secretary
By IANS/EFE,
Islamabad : British Foreign Secretary William Hague said Wednesday that Pakistan's commitment to the struggle against terror should be understood by everyone and criticized a recent report accusing the Pakistani secret services of giving support to the Taliban in Afghanistan.
Strengthen ceasefire in Syria: Annan
By IANS,
Geneva : UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan Sunday urged all parities in Syria, especially the government, to work with UN monitors to consolidate the fragile ceasefire in the country.
Israeli opposition moves to dissove parliament
By Xinhua,
Jerusalem : Israel's main opposition party on Tuesday set June 18 the date to introduce a bill requesting a dissolution of the current parliament and an early election which could end the premiership of scandal-enveloped Ehud Olmert.
"On June 18 we will bring forth a motion calling for the dissolution of the Knesset (parliament) in order to hurry the coming election in the most dignified way possible," local media quoted lawmaker Silvan Shalom from the Likud party as saying.
Pakistan braces for flood surge
By DPA,
Islamabad : Authorities in southern Pakistan were Thursday preparing for the arrival of flood waters that have left hundreds dead and large areas devastated on their way through the northwest and centre of the country.
"Up to 1 million cubic feet (28,300 cubic metres) per second of water will pass through Guddu Barrage at Indus River in Sindh Province sometime in the evening," said Qamar-uz-Zaman Chaudhry, the head of Pakistan's meteorological department.
"However, there is no forecast of rains in the area at that time," he added.
“Move to detain us aimed to please Hindutva vote bank in Jammu,” say fear-stricken...
At-least 168 Rohingya refugees living in Narwal area of Jammu in India were taken to detention centres on March 6. The move whipped up...
Iran supporting insurgents in Iraq, says US
By Xinhua
Washington : A senior official of the US State Department has said that Iran continues to support the insurgents in Iraq to fight against the US-led coalition troops in the country.
"Iran remains engaged in terms of providing training and equipment to the most radical and violent forces in Iraq. Attacks by those forces continue," David Satterfield, the US State Department's Iraq coordinator, said Thursday.
Attacks on the US-led forces with armour-piercing munitions, suspected to be from Iran, have increased in the recent months, Satterfield said.
Pakistani PM Gilani emerged as an active dynamic leader at the ASEM summit
By NNN-APP,
Beijing : Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani with his active role in the 7th summit of Asia-Europe Meeting received a lot of appreciation from the leaders of the participating countries for effectively projecting his country’s position on the issues relating to war on terror and economic recession.
He was warmly received by the world leaders, since it was Pakistan’s first appearance at the level of head of government, after its formal admission in the group, comprising two continents, Asia and Europe that represents 60 percent of the world population.
Turkey begins troop pullout from northern Iraq
By Xinhua
Ankara : Turkish troops Friday started withdrawing from northern Iraq, eight days after they crossed the border to launch a ground offensive against the outlawed Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) rebels.
However, the General Staff of the Turkish Armed Forces has not issued any statement on the pullout.
Turkey's national NTV news channel reported that dozens of trucks ferried troops back to the Turkish border town of Cukurca from neighbouring Iraq's north.
Arab Justice Ministers urges differentiating terrorism, Islam
By KUNA,
Cairo : Arab Justice Ministers condemned Thursday all forms of terrorism and asserted importance of differentiating between terrorism and Islam.
The ministers, at the conclusion of their meeting here, called for the strengthening of cooperation between the Arab and countries around the world in the fight against terrorism.
They said that terrorism and Islam should not be linked together because Islam calls for forgiveness and rejects terrorism and extremism.
MWL Chief receives Afghani Consul
By SPA
Makkah : Secretary General of the Muslim World League (MWL) Dr Abdullah Al-Turki received here today the Consul of the Republic of Afghanistan in Jeddah Abdul-Halim Thaqib.
During the meeting they discussed a number of issues of common interest.
Thaqib delivered to Al-Turki a message from the Chief of the Supreme Courts in the Republic of Afghanistan Professor Abdul Salam Azeemi pertaining to cooperation between the MWL and the Islamic Jurisprudence Council with the Afghan courts.
Pakistani Army officer with UN shot dead in Islamabad
By IANS,
Islamabad: A senior Pakistani Army officer, who was the head of the UN peacekeeping mission in Sudan, was gunned down along with another soldier Thursday, as the military stepped up its offensive against the Taliban in the restive northwest areas.
Brigadier Moinuddin Ahmed, who was former deputy director general military operations, was killed by gunmen who ambushed his jeep at 8.30 a.m., three days after twin blasts killed seven people in the International Islamic University campus here.
Iran announces new Islamic internet
By IANS/AKI,
Tehran : Iran has announced it would launch an Islamic internet to counter the influence of the US-dominated world wide web.
Terrorism has no place in Islamic life
By Dr. Zakir Naik
My work over the past 18 years,using the Glorious Qur’an and teachings of the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) has focused mainly on the clarification of important issues, including such topics as; Women’s status and rights, terrorism and the killing of innocent civilians, the profound message of and the route to Peace in Islam, the universal brotherhood based on the oneness of God, among several other topics.
