Climate change to displace over 95 mn Bangladeshis

By IANS, Dhaka : Climate change in Bangladesh will force the displacement of over 95 million people by 2040, says a new report by a local think tank.

Egypt bans access to online pornography

By IANS/RIA Novosti, Cairo : Egyptian authorities have decided to enforce a ban on websites with pornographic content, a spokesman for the Prosecutor General's office said.

‘Why is Pakistan silent on genocide in Kashmir?’

By IANS, Islamabad : Why is Pakistan silent on the "genocide in occupied Kashmir" where Indian security forces are "brutally crushing the human, civil and political rights of the Kashmiris and even preventing them from praying in mosques", an editorial in a Pakistani Urdu paper Sunday said. "Today the Hindu society is developing new strategems to carry out a genocide of the Kashmiri Muslims... Today the most brazen violation of human rights is taking place in India-occupied Kashmir," the editorial in the Nawa-i-Waqt said.

Pakistan’s coalition parties to meet for government strategy

By Xinhua, Islamabad : Pakistan's coalition parties will hold a meeting on Wednesday to evolve a strategy against terrorism and discuss ways to meet other challenges including inflation. The meeting, convened by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, would be attended by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shahbaz Sharif, Pakistan People's Party Co-chairman AsifAli Zardari and heads of the two other parties. But the PML-N chief and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif will not attend the two-day meeting.

12 injured in Pakistan blast

By IANS, Islamabad : At least 12 people have been injured in a blast in Noshera district of Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, reported Xinhua.

Powerful quake strikes off Indonesia’s Sumatra

By DPA, Jakarta: A 6.5-magnitude undersea earthquake struck off the western coast of Indonesia's Sumatra island late Friday, seismologists said. The quake struck at 11.07 p.m. at a depth of 10 km, about 119 km southeast of Mentawai islands, Indonesia's National Meteorological and Geophysics Agency (BMG) said. There were no immediate reports of injury or structural damage from the quake, the latest to jolt Indonesia in recent weeks.

Insecurity, Uncertainty at Pakistan Polls

By Prensa Latina Islamabad : Pakistan expects to elect Monday a new Parliament and the assemblies of its four provinces in an atmosphere marked by insecurity, violence and political uncertainty. Security operations have no comparison, however, hours before starting elections, about 20 explosions have shaken the southern province of Balochistan.

Cypriot peace talks to start on Sept. 3

By Xinhua, Athens : Greek Cypriot leader Demetris Christofias and his Turkish counterpart Mehmet Ali Talat agreed Friday to start the Cypriot peace negotiations on Sept. 3 with a view to ending years of division of Cyprus. The aim of the talks is to reach "mutually accepted solution to the Cyprus problem which will safeguard the fundamental and legitimate rights and interests of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots", the United Nations Special Representative to Cyprus Taye Brook Zerihoun said in a joint statement.

Israeli intelligence: Iran to attain offensive nuclear capabilities within 3 years

By Xinhua Jerusalem : The Israeli intelligence head has said that Iran will attain offensive nuclear capabilities within three years, local daily Jerusalem Post reported Tuesday on its website. Meir Dagan, head of Israeli intelligence agency Mossad made the assessment in a report presented to the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee of the Knesset (parliament) on Monday, according to the daily.

Iraq’ PM offers amnesty for gunmen in Mosul

By Xinhua, Baghdad : Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki offered members of armed groups in Mosul an amnesty in exchange for weapons, his office said in a statement on Friday. It said that the gunmen have only ten days to show up and hand over their heavy and medium weapons. Besides amnesty, the tradeoff also includes an unspecified amount of money. The statement said that the gunmen can hand over their arms to the security forces or tribal leaders in their areas.

Hezbollah to demand Palestinian prisoners’ release: Report

By DPA, Tel Aviv : The Lebanese Shia movement Hezbollah will demand the release of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails in exchange for two Israeli soldiers, reports said Sunday. It had been believed that a deal, in which Israel would release Lebanese prisoners in return for its soldiers, was imminent and that Hezbollah had apparently dropped the Palestinians from the deal. Israel has said it will not release Palestinians as part of the deal with the Lebanese group.

27 killed in eight-hour siege of Lahore police academy

By IANS, Lahore : Pakistani security forces Monday stormed a police training academy on the outskirts of this Pakistani city, ending an eight-hour siege by a group of heavily armed attackers who killed 27 people and took over 800 hostage. Four of the terrorists were killed, while three were captured alive. At least 27 police trainees were killed but the casualty figure could rise as bodies were still being brought out of the Manawan police academy that is close to the Wagah border. Eyewitness accounts put the number of attackers at between 10 and 12, some of them in police uniform.

Ravi Shankar to visit refugee camp in Iraq

Bangalore: Spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar will visit Iraq's Kurdish capital Nov 19-20 as part of efforts to step up assistance to Yazidis...

Jihad says not to block ceasefire efforts

By Xinhua, Gaza : The Islamic Jihad (Holy War) movement said Wednesday it will not obstruct Egypt's efforts to broker a ceasefire between armed Palestinian groups led by Hamas, and Israel in Gaza Strip. "The Islamic Jihad supports the principle of broad, mutual and coincident calmness which includes the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank and will not block the truce efforts," said Ziad al-Nakhala, the movement's deputy chief.

UAE to begin livestock vaccination programme

By IANS/WAM, Dubai: The United Arab Emirates is starting a country-wide campaign to vaccinate livestock against several endemic diseases.

US: No Military Chief to Pakistan

By Prensa Latina, Washington : The Pentagon cancelled sending a former chief of the US prison in Guantanamo, Cuba, to Pakistan, after the criticism generated in the country because of his possible appointment as a military link. According to The New York Times, the US Department of Defense has not publicly annulled the appointment of Major General Jay Hood for the position to the US Embassy to Islamabad; however, statements made by US officials are suggesting it should be annulled.

Pakistan flood victims move into new homes

By IANS, Islamabad : Fifty families uprooted by devastating floods in Pakistan's northern region of Gilgit-Baltistan have moved into new houses they helped build with UN support.

World Bank continue support Pakistan poverty Alleviation Fund

By NNN-APP, Islamabad : The World Bank (WB) will continue an expanded support to Pakistan Poverty Allevation Fund (PPAF) for its country-wide interventions aimed poverty reduction. This was stated by Adolfo Brizzi, Sector Manager, Agricultural and Rural Development, South Asia Region of World Bank, during his visit to Dhok Tabark Shaheed and Dhok Ashraf pilot projects here on Sunday.

UK accused of ‘grave’ human rights violations

London, March 23, IRNA -- The British government was accused Tuesday of involvement in a catalogue of "grave human rights violations" since the September 2001 attacks in the US. In a damning report, Amnesty International said there is "credible evidence" that the government is implicated in torture, unlawful detentions, rendition, the concealment of victims' complaints and a failure to disclose evidence of torture.

Two more die in Pakistan firing, Modi says things will be fine

New Delhi/Jammu/United Nations/Mumbai: Pakistan Rangers continued to fire across the International Border with India through the night and well into Wednesday, killing at least...

Abu Dhabi to host forum on charity, corporate social responsibility

By IANS, Abu Dhabi : Sheikhs, corporate leaders and heads of non-governmental bodies are among a cross-section of people expected to attend the Arab Giving Forum to be held here Jan 5-6 next year. The two-day forum is being organized to promote and disseminate the culture of giving and the concept of corporate social responsibility among individuals and companies, according to the official Emirates News Agency (WAM).

Taliban suspends peace talks with US

By IANS, Kabul : The Afghan Taliban has suspended preliminary peace talks with the US, according to a statement released Thursday by the outfit.

Taliban avenging Lal Masjid assault: cleric

By IANS, Islamabad : The resurgence of the Taliban in Pakistan's restive northwest is to avenge the assault on the Lal Masjid here two years ago, says the chief cleric of the the mosque. Most of the students of the madrassa attached to the Lal Masjid belonged to Swat, Buner and Dir areas of the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) and were now extracting their revenge, Dawn Monday quoted Maulana Abdul Aziz, who was released last month after spending almost two years in jail, as saying.

OIC seeks action against blasphemous cartoons in Western media

By NNN-APP United Nations : Pakistan, as chairman of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), has urged UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to call on governments to take a firm stand against the publication of the blasphemous cartoons in the Western media. “The right to freedom of expression carries with it special duties and responsibilities, and does not provide a license to insult and hurt the sentiments and beliefs of others,” a statement issued by the chairman of OIC Group in New York said Monday.

Sudan yellow fever claims 18 more lives

By IANS, Khartoum: A deadly yellow fever outbreak in Sudan has claimed 18 more lives, taking the toll from the vector-borne disease to 50.

Two NATO troops killed in Afghanistan

By IANS, Kabul : A man wearing an Afghan army uniform killed two NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) soldiers in Afghanistan Monday.

Pakistani minister shot in leg, driver killed

By IANS, Islamabad : Hamid Saeed Kazmi, Pakistan's religious affairs minister, was injured and his driver was killed Wednesday when assailants opened fire at his vehicle here. Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has ordered an inquiry into the incident. The minister was attacked when he was passing through Melody Market, Geo TV reported. Eyewitnesses said that two men on a motorcycle shot at the minister, injuring him in his left leg.

Four Afghan soldiers killed in blast

Kabul : At least four Afghan soldiers were killed and two others injured Sunday when a roadside bomb went off near their vehicle, an...

Jamat-ud-Dawah denies Lashkar link, says will challenge ban

By Muhammad Najeeb, IANS, Islamabad : The Pakistan-based Jamat-ud-Dawah (JuD), which has been branded a terrorist group by the UN, is writing to the global body to clarify that it has no links with terrorism and the Pakistani government began investigations against it only on the basis of "Indian propaganda", its chief Hafiz Muhammad Saeed said.

Over 40 killed in Tajikistan fighting

By IANS, Dushanbe : Twelve soldiers and 30 militants were killed in a clash Tuesday in Tajikistan, Xinhua reported.

26/11 could have been planned on a ship: Pakistani envoy

By Dipankar De Sarkar, IANS, London : The Mumbai terror attacks of 26/11 were planned in a “third place” outside Pakistan and Britain, Pakistani High Commissioner to Britain Wajid Shamsul Hasan said Friday. Hasan said Pakistan's official report on the Mumbai attacks in which over 170 people were killed will be ready “by Saturday or Sunday". “I have spoken to the interior ministry to check on Pakistani newspaper reports that said the attacks were planned in the UK,” Hasan told IANS.

PNA warns settlement activities undermine two-state solution

By Xinhua, Ramallah : Palestinian National Authority (PNA)warned on Saturday the construction of Israeli settlements undermines the two-state solution, his warning came on the eve of the U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's arrival to the region. "The continuation of settlements, land confiscation and keeping on expansions and annexations undermines the principle of two" Israeli and Palestinian statehoods, said negotiator Saeb Erekat.

Roadside bombing kills, injures 15 civilians in S Afghanistan

By Xinhua, Kabul : A roadside bombing Tuesday morning hit one mini-bus in southern Afghan province of Uruzgan killing nine people and wounding six others, all civilians, Juma Gul Humat, provincial police chief told Xinhua.

N Lebanon clashes kill one Imam, wound three others

By Xnhua, Beirut : A gun battle between Sunni Muslims and Alawites in a north Lebanon village mosque on Sunday left one Imam killed and three others wounded, Local Naharnet website reported Monday. Automatic weapons and rocket-propelled grenades were used in the fighting in the village of Sheikhlar, which left Imam Ezzedine Qassem killed and was "triggered by dispute between villagers," the report said. Security officials said that rescue workers had not been unable to enter because of the intensity of the fighting at the time, the report added.

Two Dutch soldiers killed in Afghanistan

By DPA, The Hague : Two Dutch soldiers have been killed by insurgents in Uruzgan province in southern Afghanistan, the Netherlands Defence Ministry said late Saturday in The Hague. One soldier was severely wounded in the deadly attack using explosives. The slain troops were aged 23 and 29. The latest deaths bring Dutch military casualties in the Afghan conflict to 23 dead. The Netherlands has a force in Afghanistan of about 2,000 troops, who are due to be withdrawn starting in August through the end of 2010.

An Islamabad-Istanbul train that will traverse 6,500 km

By IANS, Islamabad : A cargo train that will cover a distance of 6,500 km from Islamabad through Tehran to Istanbul will be "running in less than a year", an official said.

Zardari tried to bribe my father: Fatima Bhutto

By IANS, New Delhi : Asif Ali Zardari attempted to bribe his brother-in-law Murtaza Bhutto to swing a deal in the Middle East at a time when his estranged sister Benazir Bhutto was Pakistan's prime minister but was roundly rebuffed, Murtaza's daughter Fatima Bhutto writes in her just released memoir, "Songs of Blood and Sword". Zardari was accused of plotting Murtaza's murder but had been acquitted of the charge.

Pakistan: govt, opposition, masses united on national security issue, says Minister Sherry

By NNN-APP, Islamabad : Minister for Information and Broadcasting Sherry Rehman said that the government, opposition and the masses are united on the issue of national security and nobody would be allowed to use Pakistan territory for terrorism and nor anybody would be allowed to commit aggression against our country. Talking to mediapersons at Parliament House, she said that it was time to adopt a joint strategy for defence of the country.

Gaddafi vows to fight to the last man

By IANS, Tripoli: Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi Wednesday vowed to fight to the "last man and last woman" to defend his country.

Israeli troops arrest 3 in N Gaza raid

By Xinhua Gaza : Israeli army limitedly rolled into northern Gaza Strip early Wednesday, arresting three civilians, said witnesses and security sources. The witnesses said the incursion took place in the east of Beit Hanoun, a border town in northern Gaza Strip, from where Palestinian fighters often fire their rockets at the nearby Israeli city of Sderot. About 10 tanks, armored personnel carriers and bulldozers joined the incursion bolstered by helicopter gunships, added the witnesses.

Israeli Army planning new Gaza military ground operations — radio

By KUNA Gaza : The Israeli Army said on Wednesday its forces are drawing plans to execute wide-scale military ground operations in Gaza Strip, Israeli radio reported. The radio quoted an Israeli official source as saying "despite the military plans, the Israeli Army would keep its security operations at the same scale for now." The Israeli Army carried out frequent limited incursion operations in different areas in Gaza and its outskirts.

Iran says more time needed for n-deal

Tehran: More time is needed to work out the details of a final nuclear deal between Iran and the world powers, Iranian Foreign Minister...

Terrorist cell busted in Yemen had links with Israel

By IANS, Dubai : A terrorist cell busted in Yemen last month after a suicide attack on the US embassy there had links with an Israeli intelligence agency, the state-run Saba news agency reported. The report, quoting an unnamed source, said investigations and data retrieved from a computer seized from the cell, showed there was correspondence between the Islamic Jihad group's deputy leader Bassam Abdullah Fadhel Al-Haidari and an Israeli intelligence agency.

Iran not to yield to UN Security Council’s illegal demands – Ambassador

By IRNA United Nations, New York : Iran's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Mohammad Khazaie here Monday regarded Security Council's moves against our country devoid of legitimacy and fully lacking any legal basis, stressing that our nation would not yield to pressure, intimidation, and illegal demands of UNSC, and will not abandon its absolute rights.

Zimbabwe NGOs urge EU to lift sanctions on Mugabe

By IANS, Harare: A Zimbabwean association of voluntary organisations Monday called on the European Union (EU) to lift the sanctions on Zimbabwe's president and his...

12,500 houses to be replaced in UAE

By IANS/WAM, Abu Dhabi: Around 12,500 houses built before 1990 across the UAE will be replaced with new ones at a cost of 10 billion dirhams.

52 detainees killed in Iraq

Baghdad : At least 52 detainees were killed in a militant attack on a police station in Iraq's eastern province of Diyala, security sources...

Israeli FM: no Palestinian state before Israel’s security guaranteed

By Xinhua, Jerusalem : Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said on Wednesday that no Palestinian state would be created before the security of the Jewish state can be guaranteed. "A Palestinian state can be established only after Israel's comprehensive security needs are met," local daily Yedioth Ahronoth quoted her as saying at a meeting with American envoy to the Middle East General James Jones.

Prime minister sees no spy ties with Taliban

By IRNA, New York : Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said US concerns about collusion between members of his nation's intelligence agency and terrorists are being taken seriously and "will be resolved." He told reporters in Washington and editors of The Washington Times that he had seen no evidence to support allegations that Pakistan?s Inter-Services Intelligence, known as ISI, is compromised.

No Arab spring in Syria, only cross-border terror: Envoy

By IANS, New Delhi: There was no Arab Spring or revolution in Syria but only "planned and sponsored terror", the country's envoy to India said Tuesday.

Temple demolition: Pakistani Hindus seek redress

By Sandeep Datta, New Delhi : As Pakistani authorities are all set to raze a 79-year-old temple in Rawalpindi, anger and disappointment prevail among the...

OIC calls for respecting rights of Muslims in Crimea

Jeddah : The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has expressed concern about the security and well-being of the Muslim Crimean Tatar community in view...

Pakistan to create immigration system along Afghan border

By IANS, Islamabad : Pakistan will put in place an immigration system along its border with Afghanistan to check illegal cross-border movement, Interior Minister Rehman Malik said Wednesday.

Imran Khan attacks Sharif, threatens to shut down major cities

Islamabad: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan Sunday announced his plans to bring major cities in the country to a standstill, while pressing for...

Egypt’s al-Sisi officially declared president

Cairo: Egypt's former military chief Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi was Tuesday officially announced as the new president of the country by the presidential election commission. Al-Sisi achieved...

Two explosions kill four near Baghdad police academy

By Xinhua, Baghdad : Two explosions struck the area outside the Baghdad police academy in eastern part of the capital on Monday, killing four people and wounding six others, an Interior Ministry source said. The blasts apparently carried out by two booby-trapped cars near the rear gate of the police academy and the nearby building of Ministry of Irrigation, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity. The source could not immediately tell whether the victims were civilians or security members, but he said the death toll could rise.

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.

IAEA head to visit Iran over uranium enrichment

TEHRAN, January 7 (RIA Novosti) - The head of the UN nuclear watchdog will arrive Friday in Tehran on a two-day visit to discuss Iran's controversial nuclear program, Iranian media said on Monday. Mohamed ElBaradei, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), will meet with high-ranking Iranian officials in an attempt to push for further details on Iran's past and present nuclear activities, the media cited an IAEA spokesperson as saying.

IS kidnaps 56 Christians in Syria

Damascus: The Islamic State (IS) militants Monday kidnapped 56 Syrian Christians of Assyrian minority in Al-Hasakah province, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The...

U.S.: Turkey’s incursion in Iraq “fairly responsible”

By Xinhua Washington : The United States said on Tuesday Turkey's military operation against Kurdish rebels in Iraqis "fairly responsible" while hoping the incursion to be short. "It's obviously a situation that none of us would choose to have, but it's one that the Turks, we believe, so far, have been fairly responsible in moving forward with this operation," said White House spokeswoman Dana Perino, referring to Turkey's offensive inside northern Iraq.

Iraq urges Turkey to respect Iraq’s territorial integrity

By NNN-KUNA Baghdad : Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki has indicated to his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the importance of respect for Iraq's territorial integrity and sovereignty, and that Turkey should avoid military actions against the PKK militants. Al-Maliki said in the telephone conversation with Erdogan Thursday that the Iraqi government was supporting the security and stability of Turkey, stating that the "terrorist Kurdistan Workers Party is posing a threat on Turkey and border areas," government spokesman Ali Dabbagh said.

Palestinians reject Israeli accusation over fuel crisis

By Xinhua, Gaza : Palestinian gas union on Saturday rejected Israeli statements that the Palestinians, led by Hamas, are responsible for the fuel shortages in Gaza Strip. On Friday, Col.Nir Press, head of the coordination and liaison administration to the Gaza Strip, said "the Palestinians, led by the Hamas organization, are creating shortages, misery and disaster." He added that there was up to one million liters of fuel stored at the Palestinian fuel depot at Nahal Oz crossing and the Palestinians have not taken any of that fuel during the past month.

Half of Muslim doctors in US feel discrimination

Washington : American Muslims, even those in one the most highly regarded professions in the US, encounter a less-than-inclusive and welcoming work environment during...

Pro-Abbas troops arrest 44 Hamas supporters in West Bank

By Xinhua, Ramallah : Palestinian scurrility forces arrested dozens of Hamas supporters in West Bank in one of the largest crackdown against the Islamic movement, Hamas said on Sunday. In a statement sent to the media, Hamas said the forces rounded up 44 of its supporters and members in most of West Bank towns last night and early Sunday. The detainees included two journalists who were arrested in Ramallah and Salfeet, the statement said. Mosque Imams and university students were also among the detainees.

CAIR urges US Congress to intervene to halt disaster in Gaza

Washington – (IINA) January 22, The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) yesterday called on American Muslims and other people of conscience to urge their elected officials to immediately intervene to put an end to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The crisis was triggered by an Israeli-imposed blockade on Sunday evening, which forced the closure of the only electric plant that serves Gaza City's 400,000 residents and one third of the Gaza Strip's 1.5 millions residents. The blockade prevents the entry of fuel that is essential to the operation of the plant.

Pakistan army bomb positions of suspected Taliban

By IRNA, Islamabad : Pakistan army have bombed suspected positions of local Taliban in the country's northwest a few days after Taliban killed 17 soldiers, officials said Monday. There was no report of any casualty in the first shelling by army of the hideout of Taliban at Hangu area in North West Frontier Province. The forces started bombing of Taliban hideouts at Zargiri town late night and the operation continued till morning, officials and locals said. Locals said that the bombing created panic among the people in the area, already vacated by around 80 per cent people.

Three villages damaged in Iran quake

By DPA, Tehran : An earthquake rattled the northeastern Iranian province of Semnan, damaging three villages and injuring several villagers late Friday, state media reported. The quake with a magnitude of 5.9 on the Richter scale shook several villages near the provincial city of Damqan and was felt in the capital Tehran.

Palestinian official: Abbas, Olmert to meet on Monday

By Xinhua, Ramallah : A senior Palestinian official said Saturday that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will meet outgoing Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Monday. The meeting is scheduled to take place in the occupied Jerusalem on Nov. 17, said Saeb Erekat, Palestinian peace negotiator. "The meeting will focus on the situation in the Gaza Strip and the issue of (the West Bank) settlements," Erekat told Voice of Palestine radio.

Pakistan army chief to meet Afghan, NATO commanders

Islamabad: Pakistani army chief General Raheel Sharif will visit Afghanistan Monday to discuss war against terrorism and security situation with top Afghan and NATO...

Israel removes 10 roadblocks in West Bank

By Xinhua, Jerusalem : Israel has lifted another 10 roadblocks, all located near the West Bank city of Hebron, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Sunday. The removal of the barriers was part of a series of measures that Israel was implementing to facilitate the movement and improve the life of local Palestinians, said the IDF.

Musharraf warns US against military action in Pakistan

By IANS Islamabad : Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf has warned that any intervention in his country by the US-led coalition forces fighting in Afghanistan would be treated as an invasion even as Washington termed as "completely outrageous and unfounded" suggestions it was involved in a conspiracy to assassinate Benazir Bhutto. "Any entry by the United States or coalition forces into Pakistan's tribal areas would be resisted as a breach of Pakistan's sovereignty," Musharraf told Singapore's English language daily The Straits Times in an interview published Friday.

21 killed in Iraq attacks

Baghdad: As many as 21 people were killed and seven injured in violent attacks that mainly targetted security force in different parts of Iraq...

Man to get 40 lashes for drinking alcohol in Qatar

By IANS/AKI, Doha: A court in Qatar has sentenced an Asian Muslim migrant to 40 lashes for consuming alcohol.

Pakistan government ask EC to rescind decision on bypoll delay

By NNN-PTI, Islamabad : Pakistan government will ask the Election Commission to rollback its decision to postpone the June bypolls by two months after the issue snowballed into a major row within the ruling coalition The PML-N, a key ally in the coalition led by the Pakistan People's Party, yesterday sought action against senior PPP leader Rehman Malik after it emerged that he had asked the North West Frontier Province government to seek the postponement of the by-polls.

Jolie opens girls’ school in Afghanistan

By IANS, New York,: Actress Angelina Jolie has set up a school for girls in Afghanistan, and it opens Monday. The institution, which can accommodate upto 800 students, has eight classrooms. It is located at Tangi, reports usmagazine.com Following a 2008 visit to a refugee settlement in Afghanistan's eastern Nangarhar province, Jolie, named a Goodwill ambassador for the UN, donated $75,000 for the school's construction.

Hamas welcomes Abbas call for dialogue

By DPA, Gaza/Ramallah : The Hamas movement welcomed Wednesday the initiative by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas for holding a comprehensive dialogue to end their dispute. Top Hamas leader Mahmoud al-Zahar told reporters that Hamas movement welcomed Abbas' call for holding a comprehensive dialogue, "but without any preconditions”. Taher al-Noono, spokesman of the deposed Hamas government in Gaza, told reporters "the government welcomes the initiative and accepts it.

India, Pakistan finalise liberal visa accord

By IANS, New Delhi : In an important confidence-building step, India and Pakistan Friday firmed up a draft of their bilateral visa agreement that will ease travel between the two countries.

Al Qaeda’s Indian branch leader killed by US

Washington: Ahmed Farouq, an American who died in a US counterterrorism airstrike in January, was the deputy emir of Al Qaeda in the Indian...

Iraq’s provincial elections: A test of fragile calm

By DPA, Baghdad : As voters prepare to go to the polls Jan 31, Iraq stands balanced on a knife-edge as the streets are safer now than they have been at any time since the country slid into civil war in 2005. When Iraqis vote in 14 of the country's 18 provinces to choose the provincial councils that will govern them, the country could make a great step forward in drawing a line under the recent years of bloodshed. Or, many Iraqis say, if the polls are viewed as unfair, the country could tip back into carnage and chaos.

Olmert says no peace with Palestinians but after cessation of terrorism

By KUNA Ramallah : US President Bush and Olmet said they discussed the Iranian nuclear program and exchanged views over it. Bush said Iran has been threatening international peace and the international community must stop it. If a country is capable of enriching uranium for civil purposes then it can develop it for military methods to build a nuclear bomb, said Bush, citing iranian missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads. He said Iran was not transparent regarding its nuclear program.

US to give Pakistan unarmed drones’ technology: Gates

By IANS, Islamabad: In a major shift in policy, the US said Thursday it would provide drone technology to Pakistan but only for unarmed aircraft - to partly meet a demand this country has been making for over a year. "Pakistan's demand for provision of drone technology has been accepted by the US and we are working together with Pakistan Army in this connection," visiting US Defence Secretary Ribert Gates told a private TV channel here.

New Year gift: India repatriates 66 Pakistanis despite tension

By IANS, Attari Border (Punjab) : Discounting the war threat rhetoric, India Tuesday repatriated 66 Pakistani prisoners to their home country as a goodwill gesture on the eve of the New Year. The Pakistanis, including 28 women and four children, were lodged in various jails in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Amritsar (Punjab) and Delhi. Most of them were put behind bars for entering or staying in India with forged or expired travel documents. This is the first release of prisoners from here after the Nov 26 Mumbai terror attack for which India has blamed terrorist elements in Pakistan.

Nine Kuwaiti claimants get $590 mn over Iraq invasion

By IANS/AKI, New York : The UN has paid $590 million to nine Kuwaiti claimants in connection with Iraq's 1990 invasion of their country. The latest payment brings the total amount of compensation disbursed by the UN Compensation Commission (UNCC) to individuals, corporations, governments and international organisations to nearly $29.5 billion, the UN said Thursday. The majority of funds for compensation payment have come from sale of Iraqi petroleum under the Oil-for-Food programme, which ended in 2003, and later by arrangements made under Security Council resolutions.

National Water Company Board holds First Meeting

By SPA Riyadh : The Board of Directors of the National Water Company held here today its First meeting under the chairmanship of Minister of Water and Electricity Eng. Abdullah Al-Hussein. Al-Hussein briefed the Board of Directors on offers pertaining to the privatization of the Water and Sewage sector as well as on the Company's organizational skeleton and statutes, its financial authorities, policies of human resources and the proposed motto of the Company.

At least 500 killed in ongoing Iraqi clashes

By DPA, Baghdad : A Sadrist leader in Iraq said Wednesday that at least 500 people have been killed, most of them women and children, and 2,000 wounded in the ongoing intense clashes between militants and Iraqi forces in Sadr City since March 25. Fatah al-Sheikh, a Sadrist leader, told DPA that the situation in Sadr City is "dramatic" and "a crisis is widely anticipated in the city amid a governmental total silence." US air raids on the city continued between late Tuesday and the early hours Wednesday amid intense clashes between militants and Iraqi forces, al-Sheikh said.

French Foreign Minister begins third Mideast visit Saturday to urge “painful compromises”

By NNN-KUNA Paris : As the peace process continues to mark time and the danger of a vacuum persists, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner on Saturday begins his third visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories in nine months to recall the commitments of the parties to a negotiated settlement and urge them to make the sacrifices needed to achieve this.

‘Zardari discussed my name for premiership’: Ahmed Mukhtar

By APP Islamabad : Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) MNA-elect and Prime Minister hopeful Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar Wednesday appreciated the party Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari for taking along all political parties in government formation at centre and provinces in well and smooth manner. Talking to a private television (ARY One World), he said the party leadership was committed to put the country on consistent path to democracy and development.

Int’l community praises progress in Iraq

By NNN-KUNA, Stockholm : The international community, at the conclusion of a meeting of the International Compact with Iraq (ICI) here, commended the progress made by the Iraqi government in different domains. The Stockholm Declaration Thursday said a report by the Iraqi government and the UN has indicated the big progress achieved by the Iraqi government in enforcing law and boosting economy coupled with high oil revenues. UN Secretary-General Advisor Ibrahim Gambari and Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Barham Saleh took part in the ICI.

Suicidal Woman Kills 8 in Iraq

By Prensa Latina, Baghdad : A bomb blast killed at least eight and wounded 24 in northern Iraq where national and foreign forces continued with the raids, to neutralize the rebels' activity. A security source highlighted that a woman attired in with a belt with explosives detonated it, killing one commander of the popular committees or Councils Sahwa and seven other people in Baquba city, capital of Diyala northeastern province.

Jihadists flood web with anti-British messages

By IANS/AKI, Washington : Jihadists have flooded internet with anti-British messages inciting rioters to take further action, US-based terrorist tracking group SITE Intelligence has said.

Palestinians hold Gaza strike to protest Israeli blockade

By DPA Gaza City : Shops and stores in Gaza City closed their doors Saturday for several hours as part of a general strike to protest against the Israeli siege on the impoverished Gaza Strip. "We shut down our stores to express our rejection of the Israeli blockade imposed in Gaza since more than six months," an owner of a shoe shop said. Israel sealed off Gaza Strip in June when Hamas ousted Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah movement and took over the coastal strip by force.

Stop bickering: lawyer urges Zia, Hasina

By IANS, Dhaka : In Bangladesh, where politics polarises virtually everything, a prominent lawyer who defends both Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia in numerous graft cases, has urged the warring former prime ministers to stop bickering and promote democracy. Haq is in a unique position to deliver political counsel as well to the two women leaders whose supporters resumed sniping at each other even as they fight the current caretaker government.

Three killed as van plunges into river in Pakistan

By IANS, Islamabad : At least three people were killed and 15 injured when a passenger van plunged into a river in Pakistan Friday, The News reported.

Pakistan aiding terrorists’ infiltration into India: Shinde

By IANS, New Delhi : India's Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde Sunday targeted Pakistan for its help to terrorists infiltrating from across the border into the country.

Iranians protest against Israeli offensive in Gaza

Tehran : Hundreds of Iranians gathered here Saturday to protest against Israel's offensive against the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Raising anti-Israel slogans, the demonstrators...

Report: Israeli air force purchases instant fixing material for runways

By Xinhua, Jerusalem : The Israel Air Force (IAF) has purchased a unique material able to repair bombed-out runways within minutes, local daily The Jerusalem Post reported Wednesday. A number of tests were carried out recently with the new material, including the takeoff of fully-loaded fighter jets, said the report, adding that the new solution can allow a base to resume operations within minutes.

Germany boosts financial aid for Iraqi refugees

By IRNA Berlin : Germany's Foreign Ministry has increased its financial aid for millions of Iraqi refugees by 2.5 million euros, press reports said Wednesday. The funds will be allocated to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to be used for refugees in Syria, Jordan and even those Iraqis who were displaced inside their own country. Germany's total financial aid for Iraqi refugees stood at 3.7 million euros since the beginning of the year.

Iran’s nuclear issue in final stage, says former official

By Xinhua Tehran : Iran's former chief nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani said Wednesday that Iran's nuclear issue is in its final stage and the recent UN nuclear watchdog report has removed its ambiguities, Iran's Student News Agency ISNA reported. The report by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Mohamed ElBaradei disarmed the Westerners and put an end to their excuses, said Larijani, who is now representative of the supreme leader to the Supreme National Security Council.

Saudi Arabia to launch official TV, radio for fatwa

By DPA, Riyadh : Saudi Arabia is mulling the idea of setting up an official television channel and radio station for accredited Muslim scholars to issue fatwas, or religious edicts, reports said Saturday. The television channel will "create a credible link between the inquirer from inside or outside the kingdom and the authorised clerics" through free hot lines for people from all over the world, the daily al-Youm reported. Sources indicated that the channel would be based in the Saudi capital of Riyadh.

Kuwait names former army chief as ambassador to Iraq

By Xinhua, Kuwait City : Kuwaiti foreign ministry announced on Thursday that it has named retired Lieut. Gen. Ali al-Mu'min as ambassador to Iraq, the first one since 1990 when Iraq invaded its neighbor, the state KUNA news agency reported. Al-Mu'min's nomination is expected to be formally ratified by Kuwaiti emir, First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Dr. Mohammad Sabah al-Salem al-Sabah was quoted by KUNA as saying.

Krishna goes to New York for UNGA Sep 22, to meet Qureshi

By IANS, New Delhi : External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna will go to New York Sep 22 on a six-day visit to represent India at the UN General Assembly session and will also meet his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi there amid a growing chill in sub-continental ties. Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao will meet her Pakistani counterpart Salman Bashir in New York to review Islamabad's action against the perpetrators of the Mumbai carnage. The outcome of the talks between the foreign secretaries could set the tone for the meeting between Krishna and Qureshi.

US Congressional delegation discuss ties with Musharraf

By IRNA, Islamabad : A US delegation constituting of two senate members met President Pervez Musharraf and discussed bilateral matters, with special focus on cooperation in the so-called war on terror, officials said on Monday. US Embassy spokesperson says Senator Carl Levin and Senator Robert Casey are in Islamabad on one-day visit for meeting top echelons of the government and senior Pakistan leadership. Senator Carl Levin is the chief of armed services committee of US senate and he is placed among the top-ten US influential senators besides he has been opposing US war in Iraq.

Iraq to file lawsuits over UN oil-for-food graft

By Xinhua, Baghdad : The Iraqi government Sunday said it would file lawsuits in the US courts against companies and individuals who benefited illegally from the UN oil-for-food programme. Government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said in a statement posted on the government website: "The Iraqi government has decided to file lawsuits in US courts against a group of companies and individuals that conspired to corrupt the UN oil-for-food programme."

Iran ready to face possible Israeli attack: Larijani

By IANS, Tehran : Iran's parliament speaker Ali Larijani has said the country is ready to face any eventuality, including an attack by Israel on its nuclear facilities, official news agency IRNA reported Sunday. "We are ready to face any situation", the agency quoted Larijani as telling reporters Saturday when he was asked about Israel's threat of attacking the Islamic country's nuclear installations. The Iranian leader, however, warned that Iran would respond to an attack, if it takes place, by Israel with full force.

Zionist regime decides to erect wall along border with Egypt

By IRNA Beirut : The Zionist regime's cabinet decided on Wednesday to construct a cement wall along occupied Palestine and Egypt. According to IRNA reporter in Lebanon's capital city, Beirut, the Zionist regime media reported that the construction of a 186 mile long wall along Israel's border with Egypt that would cost 411 million US dollars was approved at the cabinet of Israel, in order to halt the entry of Palestinian combatants into their occupied motherland.

Pakistan keen to settle Kashmir issue:Abdul Basit

New Delhi:Calling for a "new era of peace and stability", Pakistan's High Commissioner Abdul Basit said on Monday that his country was "keen" to...

Rocket attack on Afghan base visited by German leader

By DPA, Kunduz (Afghanistan) : A German military base in Afghanistan came under rocket fire shortly after a visit by German Chancellor Angela Merkel Monday, a government spokesman said in Berlin. Two missiles were fired at the base in Kunduz 20 minutes after the chancellor left, deputy government spokesman Thomas Steg said. The missiles landed outside the perimeter fence and caused no casualties or damage. Merkel paid a surprise visit to the central Asian country to discuss reconstruction projects and visit German soldiers.

US says Iranian elections ‘cooked’

By DPA Washington : The outcome of Iran's parliamentary elections are "cooked" because the regime refuses to allow opposition candidates a spot on the ballot, the US State Department said. "They're cooked in the sense that the Iranian people weren't able to vote for a full range of people," spokesman Sean McCormack said Friday. "Essentially, they're given the choice of choosing between one supporter of the regime or another supporter of the regime."

US concerned about attacks in Israel

By IANS, Washington : The US has expressed concern over rocket attacks by Gaza militants in southern Israel.

Four people killed, 7 wounded in eastern Turkey

By Xinhua, Ankara : Four people were killed and seven others wounded most likely due to a family feud in eastern Turkey on Saturday, the semi-official Anatolia news agency reported. Earlier, Anatolia reported that a group of militants of the outlawed Kurdish Workers' Party opened fire at Turkish citizens in arable fields in Genc town of Bingol province, killing four people and injuring seven others. Bingol Governor Irfan Balkanlioglu was quoted as saying that the incident occurred at 19:30 local time (1630 GMT), most likely due to a family dispute.

Diplomacy of contrasts: After chiding Pakistan, Modi meets other neighbours

By Arul Louis, New York : In a diplomacy of contrast, after gently chiding Pakistan in his UN General Assembly speech, Indian Prime Minister Narendra...

Etihad targets flying 25 mn passengers by 2020

By IANS, Dubai : Etihad Airways, the national carrier of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has set a target of flying 25 million passengers by 2020. The Abu Dhabi-based airline also said in a statement that it was planning to double the number of cities it serves from the current 50 to 100 by that year. The statement quoted the airline's chief executive James Hogan as saying in the course of a visit to the US and Canada: "Our projections to 2020 reflect that order and the scale of our ambitions, closely aligned to the growth of Abu Dhabi as an economic and tourism powerhouse."

Ban condemns Ahmadinejad’s anti-Israel statement

By IANS, United Nations: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has condemned Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's anti-Israeli statements.

Pakistan must ‘root out’ anti-India terror groups: Clinton

By IANS, Mumbai: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Saturday that Pakistan needed to "root out" terrorist groups directed against Indian interests. Clinton told a news conference here that the US had seen "a much greater effort and commitment ... to take on the terrorists" in Pakistan. "There is a concerted effort we can look forward to. It is too early to tell the outcome of this commitment from Pakistan. In the next few days, I believe, there will be greater awareness whether or not to bring the Mumbai terrorists to justice."

Obama will be fair to India, Pakistan, says his Harvard classmate

By IANS, New Delhi : US president-elect Barack Obama "will be fair to both India and Pakistan, without sacrificing American strategic interests", says an Indian who studied with him at the Harvard Law School. Surat Singh, who is headed for Washington to attend the presidential inauguration next Tuesday as a special guest, says he is looking forward to the ceremony but before that, the brunch for the Harvard Law School alumni that Barack and Michelle Obama are to host Sunday.

Afghan body to recount ballots from 10 percent polling centres

By DPA, Kabul : Election authorities said Tuesday they would recount ballots from around 10 percent of the polling stations in last month's presidential vote due to indications of fraud. The UN-backed Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC) ordered the recount after receiving more than 2,000 complaints of fraud, with hundreds of them said to be serious enough to affect the outcome. "The ECC decided that we should recount ballots from 2,516 polling stations and we are waiting for their representatives to start the recount," deputy chief electoral officer Zekria Barekzai told DPA.

Mauritius, UAE discuss ties

By IANS, Port Louis: Mauritius Prime Minister Navin Chandra Ram Ghulam and UAE's Ambassador Eisa Abdullah Al Basha Al Nuaimi have discussed ways to boost bilateral relations.

Gunmen kidnap Afghan provincial council polls’ candidate

Kabul : A provincial council polls contender and nine of his supporters have been kidnapped in Afghanistan, sources said Monday. "Candidate Hussain Nazari was travelling...

90 die in Bangladesh floods, landslides

By IANS, Dhaka: Nearly 90 people have died in Bangladesh in flash floods and landslides triggered by heavy rains, officials said Wednesday.

20 killed in Afghanistan quake

By DPA, Kabul : At least 20 people were killed in an earthquake that hit Afghanistan's Nangarhar province early Friday, officials said. The earthquake, with magnitude 5.1 on the Richter scale, had its epicentre in Nangarhar, about 80 km east of Kabul, said Shersad Hamras, the director of Afghanistan's disaster control office. About 50 people were injured by collapsing buildings, he added.

EU Foreign Policy Chief says relations with GCC making good progress

By Talal Al-Kanderi, KUNA, Brussels : A senior official of the European Union has expressed his belief that the union and the Gulf Cooperation Council could further boost their relations and cooperation and affirmed significance of the aspired free trade accord to serve this purpose. "I am impressed with the development and growth of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) into an even more efficient organization with closer cooperation with other parts of the world," EU Foreign Policy and Security Chief Javier Solana told KUNA Sunday as he headed to the UAE.

‘Mossad’ active in India too: Palestine Ambassador

By TwoCircles.net Staff Correspondent, Kochi: The Israeli spy agency ‘Mossad’ is very active in India too, said HE Adli Sadiq, Palestinian Ambassador to India. The ‘Mossad’, which has a powerful network in foreign countries, has got influences in the media and security fields. They are in contact with several other fields too, said Mr Sadiq when he came to Kerala for a national seminar held in the Farook College in Calicut.

Badawi laments Muslims’ dismal position in education

By IINA, Kuala Lumpur : Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said that emphasis must be placed on education to ensure that Muslims remain dynamic and vigilant in the defense of truth. "Education was the vehicle through which human capital development could have a positive impact on the development of Muslim civilization," he said adding Muslim rulers had always insisted that mistakes be understood as examples that should not be repeated.

Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province unsafe for foreigners: Daily

By IANS, Islamabad : Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province is unsafe for foreigners and "this sorry state of affairs is unlikely to improve", a daily said Monday.

‘UAE respects security precautions of other nations’

By IANS, Abu Dhabi : The security and stability that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) enjoys is the outcome of the country's keenness to provide everyone here with an opportunity to live and earn with honour and dignity, according to UAE President Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Shiekh Khalifa's comments come in the wake of recent terror alerts issued by the British and US missions in this country. In an interview with Lebanese daily Al-Nahar, the president said that alerts

Egyptian, Bahraini leaders discuss Palestinian conciliation

By NNN-KUNA, Cairo : Egyptian and Bahraini leaders have underlined the importance of reaching conciliation between the Palestinian factions to bring about unity among them. Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and King of Bahrain Hamad bin Essa Al-Khalifa underscored the importance of clearing obstacles and back the joint Arab action at all levels. Mubarak's spokesman, Ambassador Suleiman Awwad told reporters Monday both leaders discussed the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories and bilateral ties.

UAE transport authority approves plan for 2011-2013

By IANS/WAM, Abu Dhabi: The UAE National Transport Authority (NTA) has approved a new strategy for 2011-2013 to raise the efficiency of the country's transportation systems.

India, Bahrain seek to boost trade, investments

By IANS, New Delhi : India and Bahrain Wednesday signed eight deals and asked companies to enhance investments and trade on the back of strong...

Malaysian Tamil schools ‘lock out’ Penang minister

By IANS, Kuala Lumpur : P. Ramasamy, the Indian origin Deputy Chief Minister of opposition-ruled Penang state in Malaysia, has alleged that federally-run Tamil schools do not invite him, although he wants to help them. Only two of the 28 Tamil schools in Penang state have invited him in the four months since he took over as the deputy chief minister. Ramasamy alleged that there seemed to be an "unwritten rule" that state executive council members (ministers) in charge of Tamil schools should not be invited to the schools, as they were under the federal government's purview.

Top Al Shabaab leader killed in Somalia

Mogadishu: A top Al Shabaab leader was killed in a covert operation by the Somali army, officials said on Saturday. Qasim Sheikh was killed after...

Thousands rally against US, NATO in Peshawar

Islamabad, Dec 19, IRNA ,Thousands of protesters rallied in Peshawar on Thursday, demanding that Islamabad end its logistical support for US and NATO troops in Afghanistan. The crowd of about 5,000 demonstrators chanted "Allahu Akbar" (God is the Greatest), "Crush America" and "No to NATO supplies" as they marched through Peshawar, an AFP correspondent witnessed. The rally came amid a recent spike in attacks by militants on NATO and US supply depots on Peshawar's outskirts.

Pakistan’s Sharif acquitted in murder case

By Xinhua Islamabad : The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) of Pakistan Saturday acquitted Shahbaz Sharif, president of the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) party, in a murder case, paving the way for his election. Shahbaz Sharif, younger brother of former PM Nawaz Sharif, was accused of staging a fake police encounter during his rule in 1998 as chief minister of the central Punjab province. He was on bail in the case and his nomination papers for elections were rejected on the basis of the court cases including this one.

Hotel charges high as pilgrims throng holy cities

By IINA, Makkah : Accommodation shortage in the two holy cities of Makkah and Madinah and overcrowding are causing difficulties for local Umrah pilgrims. Hotels and...

Indian charged in UAE with ‘insulting Islam’

Dubai : An Indian man has been charged in a UAE court for allegedly posting on a social networking site comments that insult Islam,...

Malaysian jet may have skirted Indonesian airspace: Official

Perth : A Malaysian government official has revealed that the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 avoided Indonesian airspace after leaving Kuala Lumpur, The Sydney...
Send this to a friend