Egyptian president, US leader discuss bilateral ties
Cairo : Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi met visiting US Congressman Darrell Issa and discussed regional developments and security issues including regional terrorist...
UAE to launch campaign to raise donations for Yemen
By IANS/WAM,
Abu Dhabi : A nationwide campaign to raise donations to counter food shortage in Yemen will be launched in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) June 29.
Bahrain assures safety of Indians
By IANS,
New Delhi: Bahrain has assured the safety of all Indians living in the Gulf state which has witnessed violent clashes between anti-government protesters and security forces.
Iraqi minister escapes assassination attempt
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Baghdad: Iraqi Finance Minister Rafi al-Issawi, locked in a dispute with Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, has survived an apparent assassination attempt, Al Jazeera reported.
At least 50 killed in clashes between Iraqi troops, Shiite gunmen
By Xinhua
Baghdad : Iraq's security forces clashed with gunmen of a Shiite militia in the southern city of Nassiriya on Friday, leaving at least 50 people dead, security and health sources said.
The sources said more than 70 were also wounded in the clashes between members of the so-called "Soldiers of Heaven" and Iraqi security troops in the capital city of Dhi Qar province, some 390 km south of Baghdad.
100 Afghan militants join peace process
By IANS,
Kabul : About 100 militants have given up fighting and joined a government-led peace process in Afghanistan, an official said.
Gunmen attack Israeli embassy in Mauritania
By DPA
Nouakchott/Tel Aviv : Gunmen opened fire at the Israeli embassy in Mauritanian capital Nouakchott in the small hours of Friday, Israeli officials said.
The gunmen shouted "God is Great" in Arabic and engaged in a brief gun battle with Mauritanian soldiers guarding the embassy, Israeli ambassador to Mauritania Boaz Bismut said.
He said no one was injured at the embassy. But one person was injured outside, "apparently nearby".
The ambassador said the gunfire at about 2.30 a.m. woke him and his staff.
Israeli president assigns Netanyahu to form next government
Jerusalem : Israeli President Reuven Rivlin has announced that he is formally tasking incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with the role of forming the...
Egyptian Saif al-Adel chosen as Al Qaeda acting chief
By IANS,
Washington : Egyptian Saif al-Adel has been chosen "caretaker" head of the Al Qaeda after Osama bin Laden was gunned down by US commandos deep inside Pakistan, a media report said.
Two Israeli soldiers killed in wide-scale armed clashes with Palestinians
By KUNA
Gaza : An Israeli incursion into the eastern fringes of Gaza city and Jabaliya on Saturday resulted in the death of at least 15 Palestinians and two Israeli soldiers, medical sources and Israel Radio said.
The medical sources said Israeli warplanes fired missiles in the direction of a group of civilians on Al-Qarm Street east of Jabaliya inflicting a number of deaths and injuries.
More than 15 Palestinians were killed and 35 others were hospitalized as a result of Israeli attacks and Israeli-Palestinian clashes in the northern part of Gaza, they said.
Police hardly checked vehicles, harassed us: Islamabad residents
By IANS,
Islamabad : The Pakistani capital has long been a hotbed of terrorists but police have been overlooking this stark reality and been busy taking "bribes" and "harassing" commoners, media reports said Sunday, a day after a blast killed at least 46 people here.
Panicky residents in Islamabad told Daily Times that police had not been checking vehicles "thoroughly" at entry points to the city.
Bush leaves Egypt, wraps up Middle East tour
By Xinhua
Sharm el-Sheikh (Egypt) : US President George W. Bush left the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt Wednesday afternoon, wrapping up his eight-day Middle East visit that aimed at winning Arab support for a peace deal and isolating Iran.
Before leaving Egypt, the US president said at a press conference jointly with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak that the US has "a long-standing friendship with Egypt," which has a long history of culture.
Basra pipeline blast to affect oil exports – official
By NNN-KUNA
Baghdad : The blast targeting a main oil pipeline in the southern city of Basra is negatively affecting oil exports, according to an oil official.
Samir Al-Maksousi, media director at South Oil Co, told KUNA that the pipeline was bombed with an explosive device Thursday morning and that this set it on fire, with heavy smoke columns rising into the air.
The pipeline transfers oil to reservoirs in the Al-Faw area and was one of the main lines that transported crude oil to the southern port, he said.
Dubai to host Arab human genetics conference
By IANS,
Dubai : The third Pan Arab Human Genetics Conference will begin here Saturday, WAM news agency reported.
The two-day conference will discuss the latest progress in genome research in the Arab region.
United Arab Emirates (UAE) Health Minister Hanif Hassan will inaugurate the event at Al Bustan Rotana Hotel in Dubai.
Representatives of the World Health Organisation will also participate.
The objective of the conference is to support scientific research and reduce spread of genetic disorders in the Arab region, Najib Al-Khaja, president of the conference, said.
Palestinians: Israel to resume fuel supplies into Gaza after Passover
By Xinhua,
Gaza : Palestinian petroleum agency on Sunday expected that Israel will resume reduced fuel shipments to Gaza Strip after Jews' Passover holidays later in April. Starting tomorrow, Israel will also resume sending industrial diesel to Gaza power plants following a three-day suspension due to the weekend holidays, said Mujahed Salama, director of the petroleum agency.
US settlement freeze demand unreasonable, says Netanyahu
By DPA,
Jerusalem : Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Monday called US President Barack Obama's demand for an absolute freeze on settlement construction in the occupied West Bank "unreasonable".
Israel "will not freeze life in Judea and Samaria", Netanyahu told a parliamentary committee in Jerusalem, using the Biblical names for the southern and northern West Bank.
Netanyahu told the foreign affairs and defence committee that his government would not build any new Jewish settlements on the West Bank.
Kuwait charitable office a world renowned bee hive- Al-Mathkour
By NNN-KUNA
Cairo : The Kuwaiti Charitable Projects Office of Zakat House is by now a world renowned bee hive of a landmark, Chairman of Kuwait's Higher Committee for the Completion of Implementation of Sharia Provisions Dr. Khalid Al-Mathkour said Sunday after taking part in the 17th International Seminar for Contemporary Zakat Affairs.
Egyptians vote in referendum on draft constitution
BY IANS,
Cairo: Egyptians Saturday went to polling booths to vote in the first stage of the referendum on a draft constitution, which has led to bitter division between liberals and Islamists.
Suicide bombing kills 10 Afghans, six Italians in Kabul
By DPA,
Kabul : A suicide attack against an Italian military convoy shook the Afghan capital Thursday, leaving 10 Afghan civilians and six Italian soldiers dead, officials said.
"The attack left 10 civilians dead," General Zahir Azimi, a spokesman for defence ministry told DPA. More than 50 others were wounded, he said.
Appeal against Hafiz Saeed’s release re-filed
By IANS,
Lahore : Pakistan's Federal government and the government of Punjab province Tuesday re-submitted appeals in the Supreme Court against the release of Hafiz Saeed, the alleged mastermind of Mumbai terror attacks, a media report said.
Earlier, the Supreme Court returned the government's appeal filed by Deputy Attorney General Shah Khawar citing technical objections, Dawn newspaper reported.
The Jamaat-ud-Daawa chief had been placed under house arrest after a UN Security Council (UNSC) resolution banned his organisation.
Israel to keep siege on Gaza effective Thursday
By KUNA,
Gaza : Israeli authorities have decided to keep gateways skirting Gaza Strip shut on Thursday but the measure might be revised soon, in light of developments and conditions, according to Israel Radio.
The radio said in a broadcast early on Thursday that the Israeli-manned checkpoints around the strip would remain closed today, in line with a decision taken by senior Israeli security officials at a meeting held late on Wednesday.
Meghalaya tribesmen to approach UN over India-Bangladesh land deal
Shillong: Describing the ratification of the land swap deal between India and Bangladesh as violation of the human rights of the indigenous people, tribal...
French journalist detained in Iraq
By IANS,
Baghdad : A French journalist has been held here in the Iraqi capital for taking pictures without prior permission, Xinhua reported Thursday.
Bangladesh govt firm to hold meaningful elections: senior official
By NNN-BSS,
Dhaka : Commerce Adviser of Bangladesh Caretaker Government Dr. Hossain Zillur Rahman said the government has not bogged down in implementing its resolve to carry forward the nation towards its desired goal through bringing qualitative changes in the country's political culture.
"We have the highest commitment and firmness to implement the work, we have started, aiming at holding meaningful elections and transition to real political culture," he said.
Qurei rejects Olmert’s statements on settlements expansion
By Xinhua
Ramallah : Chief Palestinian negotiator Ahmed Qurei said in a meeting held on Monday with Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni in Jerusalem that the expansion of Jewish settlements is rejected.
Qurei said in a statement published by Palestinian news agency Wafa that a semi-official meeting was held on Monday evening with Livni in Jerusalem, instead of an official preparatory meeting to renew peace talks.
Palestine Security Forces Deployed in Hebron
By Prensa Latina,
Ramallah : The National Palestine Authority (NPA) deployed 585 security agents today in the city of Hebron as part of a plan to reinforce control over the West Riverbank, decision criticized by Islamic group Hamas.
The military armed with high caliber weapons were transported in different military vehicles to the mentioned city, third in the West Bank where a security system approved by president of the NPA, Mahmoud Abbas, prevails.
Zardari sacrifices black goats to ‘ward off evil eye’
By IANS,
Islamabad : A black goat is slaughtered almost every day by Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari to ward off the "evil eye" and protect him from the curse of "black magic".
"It has been an old practice of Mr. Zardari to offer 'Sadqa' (animal sacrifice). He has been doing this for a long time," President's spokesman Farhatullah Babar said.
Germany urges Israel, Palestinians to ease tensions
Ramallah: German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier Saturday warned of turning the Israeli-Palestinian conflict from political into religious due to the growing tension in Jerusalem.
Steinmeier's...
US help not needed to talk to India: Pakistan envoy
By IANS,
New Delhi : India and Pakistan do not need the intervention of the US to talk to each other, Pakistani High Commissioner to India Shahid Malik said Sunday.
The envoy made this remark in response to a speech by former American ambassador to India Robert Blackwill at the first International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS)-Citi India Global Forum here.
Blackwill noted that while Pakistan's return to democracy was encouraging, there was still uncertainty on what was going to happen in the period ahead.
Journalist beaten up in Pakistan
By IANS,
Islamabad : A journalist was beaten up here allegedly by policemen, a media report said Monday.
20 killed in Pakistan boat accident
By IANS,
Islamabad : Twenty students were drowned Monday in eastern Pakistan when their boat capsized in a canal.
27 Taliban militants surrender in Afghanistan
By IANS,
Kabul: Twenty-seven Taliban militants surrendered before government authorities in Afghanistan Sunday, Xinhua reported.
Powerful quake strikes central Indonesia
Jakarta: A strong and shallow undersea quake jolted Sulawesi Island in the central part of Indonesia on Monday morning, the Meteorology and Geophysics Agency...
Iraq to start talks with U.S. over long-term strategic ties
By Xinhua
Naghdad : Iraq will start talks with the U.S. later this month on an agreement that would shape bilateral strategic relations, including the long-term presence of U.S. troops in Iraq, the Iraqi government said Monday.
"The talks over the long-term cooperation and friendship between the two sides will start in the third week of the current month," government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said without specifying a date.
South Asian regional meeting on anti-terrorism rescheduled for April
By Xinhua
Islamabad : Pakistan said on Tuesday that the South Asian regional meeting on counter-terrorism has been rescheduled due to hectic phase of government formation.
The regional meeting of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries on counter-terrorism cooperation will be held from April 15 to 17 in Islamabad, said Interior Ministry spokesman Javed Iqbal Cheema.
The meeting will be held alongside the meeting of police chiefs of the SAARC.
US Troops Kill More Iraqi Civilians
By Prensa Latina
Baghdad : US troops attacked a home today in Tikrit city, Iraq, killing three members of that family, reported the police.
The victims are the father, mother and one son, while another daughter was wounded and moved to a US military base, told the source.
The US occupation forces slaughtered nine people last Saturday in Iskandariya city, and the government command reported it was accidental.
A US official affirmed the incident and said events are under investigation.
Taliban insurgents kill four policemen in gunfight
By Xinhua,
Kabul : At least four policemen have been killed and seven wounded in a gunfight with Taliban insurgents in the southern Afghan province of Helmand, an official said Sunday.
The insurgents ambushed the police patrol at a market place in Gereshk district Saturday, district police chief Khil Mohammad Shuja said.
The gunfight lasted for an hour. The police have arrested two insurgents from the spot.
Meanwhile, Taliban spokesman Qari Yusuf Ahmadi has confirmed Saturday's incident.
88 killed in accidents during Eid holiday in Yemen
By DPA,
Sanaa : At least 88 people were killed and 582 others injured in traffic accidents in Yemen over the Muslim Eid al-Adha festival, the police said Saturday.
The traffic police said in a statement the Arab country's roads witnessed 360 accidents during the period from Dec 4 to 12.
The figure is nearly double the number of fatalities during the Eid al-Fitr festivities two months ago, when 48 people died in road accidents nationwide.
Excessive speed, recklessness and chewing the mild stimulant drug of qat by drivers, were to blame for those accidents, the statement said.
Suicide bomber kills 40 Shia pilgrims in Iraq
By DPA
Baghdad : A suicide bomber killed 40 people and injured 60 others in a centre for Shia pilgrims in the Iraqi town of Iskandriya, south of Baghdad, police and medical sources said.
The bomber wearing an explosive belt blew himself up inside the centre. The Shia pilgrims were on the way to the southern city of Karbala.
The city hosts a religious festival every year to mark the end of the 40-day mourning for Prophet Mohammed's grandson Imam Hussein who was killed by rival co-religionists in 681.
Bangladesh fails to regain Commonwealth parliamentary membership
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur : Without an elected parliament and ruled by a military-backed caretaker government, Bangladesh has failed to restore its membership in the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA).
Delegates at the general assembly of the 54th CPA conference voted against Bangladesh's appeal, The Star newspaper said Sunday.
Muhammad Jamiruddin Sircar, speaker of the Bangladesh parliament, appealed against the decision of executive committee of the CPA to place it in suspension since April 7 last year pending the resumption of parliamentary government.
Sharif brothers ineligible for elections, Punjab government falls
By Muhammad Sajjad,IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan teetered on the brink of political crisis Wednesday after the Supreme Court barred former prime minister Nawaz Sharif from contesting the polls and also declared null and void the election of his brother, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif. The verdict led to the fall of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government in the country's most politically consequential province.
Pakistan tests n-capable missile
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan Wednesday successfully launched an Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile (IRBM) that can carry nuclear warheads, the military said.
Emulate Kejriwal, says Pakistani daily
By IANS,
Islamabad : A leading Pakistani daily Sunday called for emulating Arvind Kejriwal, who quit as chief minister of India's national capital, and said...
Malaysian PM’s ex-aide being probed for sedition
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur : An investigation was launched Thursday against Nasir Safar, who resigned as a special officer to Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, for sedition after he spoke against the country's Chinese and Indian ethnic minorities.
Safar quit after protests over his remarks made at a seminar in Malacca earlier this week.
He caused a furore at the seminar on the 1Malaysia concept when he made derogatory remarks about Chinese and Indian immigrants coming to Malaysia.
Afghan foreign ministry summons Pakistan envoy, lodges protest
Kabul: The Afghan foreign ministry summoned Pakistan's ambassador to Afghanistan Sayed Ibrar Hussain on Thursday and protested over what it described as indiscriminate firing...
Pakistani minister to visit UN for Benazir killing probe
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Shah Qureshi would visit the UN headquarters in New York Tuesday for consultations with the world body for probe into the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, an official said Thursday.
Qureshi will hold consultations with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and representatives of the UN Security Council regarding Pakistan's request for an international probe into Bhutto's assassination, foreign ministry spokesman Muhammad Sadiq said at a press conference.
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.
US welcomes Japan’s return to Afghanistan mission
By SPA
Washington : The United States on Friday welcomed Japan’s decision to resume a naval refueling mission in support of NATO-led efforts in Afghanistan, with the White House calling it “an important contribution to the war on terrorism.”
“We appreciate this support for maritime security operations and welcome its return. These operations make an important contribution to the war on terrorism,” said national security council spokeswoman Katherine Starr. “Japan has provided at-sea refueling support to many coalition countries, including the U.S.”
Dhaka hopeful of progress on Teesta talks with India
By IANS,
Dhaka : Though a deal on sharing the Teesta river water was not expected to be signed by Bangladesh and India during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's New Delhi visit next week, Dhaka was still hopeful of "progress" during the summit level talks.
Foreign Minister Dipu Moni Thursday said she hoped that progress will be made towards signing of the deal when the two prime ministers' talk Jan 11, The Daily Star reported.
Mottaki: Iran not decided yet to take part in Rome conference
By IRNA,
Tehran : Iran’s Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said Iran has not yet decided to whether or not participate in the upcoming G-8 summit to be held in Italy.
Italy intended to officially invite Iranian officials to participate in the event, which will also discuss the issue of Afghanistan on its sidelines.
Making the remarks in an interview with a Serbian TV channel, he said Iran was still considering the invitation.
Vigil in Sacramento for victims of Paris terror attack
By Ras H Siddiqui for TwoCircles.net,
Sacramento (USA): A ‘Peace Vigil’ was held by the American Muslim Voice (AMV) Foundation (Sacramento Chapter) and assisted by the local CAIR and COSVIO organizations to express a unified outrage against the recent terror strike in Paris at the office of the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo.
30 Taliban militants killed in Afghanistan
By DPA,
Kabul : Thirty Taliban militants were killed in clashes with NAvTO and Afghan forces in separate incidents in southern Afghanistan, officials said Wednesday.
A statement from the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said 25 Taliban fighters were killed in the southern Kandahar province Tuesday night in a raid on rebel hideouts.
NATO and Afghan forces raided Taliban compounds used for making roadside bombs near the Belandi area, the statement said.
Explosives and weapons were also found in the compounds after the operation ended, it said.
Israel closes Gaza border after rocket attack
By RIA Novosti,
Tel Aviv : Israel closed border crossings with the Gaza Strip after two rockets were fired into the country last night, an Israeli radio station said on Tuesday.
Kol Israel said Defense Minister Ehud Barak ordered the closure of the border crossings with the Palestinian enclave late on Monday after two rockets fell in Sderot, southern Israel. The rockets did not cause casualties or damage.
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.
EU’s Solana visits Afghanistan, Pakistan
By EuAsiaNews,
Brussels : European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana arrived in Kabul Monday on a one-day visit for talks with President of Afghanistan, Hamid Karzai, on the EU-Afghanistan ties and regional developments.
Solana's spokesperson Cristina Gallach told reporters that his visit was taking place at an "important moment" for Afghanistan .
She pointed to the recent meeting of NATO leaders in Bucharest where Afghanistan dominated the discussions and to the upcoming Compact on Afghanistan to be held in Paris in June.
Pakistani journalist manhandled
By IANS,
Islamabad : A journalist was manhandled for exposing malpractices at a premier hospital in Karachi, a media report said.
India is friend, Pakistan twin brother: Karzai
By IANS,
Islamabad: Afghan President Hamid Karzai Thursday described India as a friend and Pakistan as twin brother of Afghanistan, which could not be stable without Islamabad's cooperation.
India has gone out of the way to help Afghanistan. But Pakistan is twin brother of Afghanistan and without cooperation from Pakistan, there could be no stability, Karzai said at a joint press conference with Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani here.
Larijani: UNSC anti-Iran resolution discredited IAEA
By IRNA
Qom : The Supreme Leader's representative to Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani said on Tuesday that the recent UNSC resolution against Iran's peaceful nuclear activities has iscredited the IAEA.
Speaking to a group of university students in Qom, he said the US by architecting the resolution practically announced that
IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei had no responsibility and IAEA's views are of no importance.
At least 90 killed in Pakistan blast
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : At least 90 people have been killed and another 150 injured in a blast in a Pakistani market on Wednesday, CNN has reported.
The Peshawar blast also destroyed a mosque, and a building collapsed during a rescue operation, Pakistan's The News said.
Police fear the death toll could rise as several people are still trapped under the debris.
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari has denounced the bombing and expressed his "heartfelt grief" for the victims, the Pakistani paper said.
Pakistan is set to elect 1st woman parliamentary speaker
By IRNA
Islamabad : Pakistan is set to elect first ever female parliamentary speaker on Wednesday, victors of the February 18 elections have said.
Fahmida Mirza has been nominated for the office of the speaker of the National Assembly by the Pakistan slain leader Benazir Bhutto and PML-N Party of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and their allies.
Fahmida comes from a political family of southern Sindh, the stronghold of Peoples party.
Israeli incursion into Gaza leaves 2 Palestinians dead
By KUNA
Gaza : Two Palestinians were killed and two others were injured Tuesday during an Israeli military incursion in Shaoka town near Rafah city, south Gaza Strip.
Medical sources said the two men, in their 20s, were members of the Izzidine Al-Qassam brigades, military wing of Hamas.
According to eyewitnesses here, Israeli soldiers, with tanks backup, executed an incursion at dawn, and the Israelis met some resistance.
Iranian president to pay historic visit to Iraq by March 20
TEHRAN, January 28 (RIA Novosti) - Iran's president will travel to Iraq by March 20 for the first official visit by an Iranian leader in almost 30 years, the country's foreign minister said on Monday.
"The issue of Dr. [Mahmoud] Ahmadinejad's visit to Iraq has finally been settled. His visit will take place later this [Iranian] year [which finishes on March 20]," Manuchehr Motaki said.
Relations between Baghdad and Tehran, which were involved in a bloody war in 1980-1988, have improved since Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein was overthrown in 2003.
German daily highlights Israel’s systematic misuse of Holocaust
By IRNA,
Berlin : The German daily Die Tageszeitung (taz) on Wednesday highlighted Israel's systematic instrumentalization of the Nazi-era Holocaust for its own political goals.
"Israel's right-wing government is instrumentalizing the Holocaust for its policy. No Israeli government has ever misused the Holocaust as much as the present one to justify its policies," the paper said in an editorial.
It added that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had been using the Holocaust to justify any Israeli aggression as "an act of self-defense."
Explosion in northern Pakistan leaves 16 killed
By KUNA,
Islamabad : At least sixteen people were killed and 12 others were wounded in a bomb explosion Sunday in a Pakistani northern district, said police.
A remote-controlled bomb, planted in a school building, exploded with a huge bang in Boneer area of Sawat district, police sources told KUNA.
At the time of explosion, polling for by-elections was underway and a large number of people had gathered to cast their votes.
The explosion killed at least sixteen people and wounded 12 others, said sources, adding that the school building was badly damaged.
UAE gets its first woman judge
By IANS,
Abu Dhabi : The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has got its first woman judge with Khulood Ahmed Jawan Al Dhaheri being sworn in to the coveted post here.
Al Dhaheri was sworn in at a ceremony here Tuesday by Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE's minister for presidential affairs and chairman of the Abu Dhabi Judiciary Department, the official Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported.
"The appointment of a woman judge is certainly a unique experience in the UAE," Sheikh Mansour said.
Pakistan must resist US pressure: Daily
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan could and should resist US pressure regarding the Iran-Pakistan pipeline, said a leading daily Friday.
Iraq replaces southern chiefs of state-owned oil companies
By SPA,
Basra, Iraq : The Iraqi government has replaced some of the top officials in state-owned oil companies in southern Iraq.
The Baghdad government has removed the heads of the South Oil Company, which is in charge of exports, the South Gas Company and the Iraqi Oil Tankers Company since mid-May, local officials and the Oil Ministry told Reuters.
The head of Basra airport has also been replaced by the Transport Ministry in the shakeup.
Last Al Qaeda bastion in southeast Yemen seized
Sanaa: Yemeni armed forces Thursday dislodged Al Qaeda militants from their last bastion in the country's southeastern region, the defence ministry said.
"The armed and...
Suicide bomber kills 2 U.S. soldiers in Baghdad Shiite bastion
By Xinhua,
Baghdad : A suicide bomber blew himself up on Tuesday inside a building of the district council office of Baghdad Shiite bastion of Sadr City, killing two U.S. soldiers and four Iraqis, an Interior Ministry source said.
Ethiopian airliner crashes off Lebanon, four bodies found
By DPA,
Beirut : Four bodies have been recovered from the crash site of the Ethiopian Airlines plane that went down off the coast of Lebanon early Monday with 90 people on board, army sources said.
The aircraft, carrying 82 passengers and eight crew, crashed into the sea four minutes after taking off from Beirut's international airport, Transport Minister Ghazi Aridi said.
Lebanese army and rescue units were carrying out the search for survivors alongside a force from UN Maritime Task Force, which include two German boats.
Chinese press accolades Pakistani media on presenting Olympic Games in splendid way
By NNN-APP,
Beijing : Chinese press has lauded Pakistani electronic media for outstanding presentation and talks show on Beijing Olympics and for its closing ceremony on Sunday night. “Pakistan’s national TV station, and the private GEO, EXPRESS, NEWS and AAJ stations gave live coverage of the entire ceremony,” the English language China Daily reported in a commentary.
The Pakistani commentators congratulated China on its successful hosting of the Games, saying that Pakistan is happy to see China won most gold medals, the paper stated on Tuesday.
Pakistan Railways’ chugs towards disaster: Daily
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan Railways is teetering on the brink of disaster, warned a daily and said it was "symptomatic" that the shortage of engines was to be met from India.
Pakistan Rangers fire at Indian positions in Jammu and Kashmir
Jammu : Pakistan Rangers fired at Indian positions overnight on the international border in Samba and Jammu districts, causing no damage, police said Thursday.
A...
Lebanese parliament speaker postpones session to elect president to June 10
By KUNA,
Beirut : Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has postponed the session to elect a future president of the country to June 10.
The session was scheduled for Tuesday.
The Parliament Secretariat said Monday that if the political situation improves, the day for the important session would be drawn closer than the new announcement.
Since the presidential vacuum last November, Lebanon went into a political limbo despite the opposition and majority agreement on electing the army's head, General Michel Suleiman as president.
Iran n-talks constructive: EU
By IANS,
Istanbul : Talks between six world powers and Iran on its nuclear programme have been described as "constructive and useful" by European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton.
Libya will further study membership in proposed mediterranean union
By NNN-KUNA,
Algiers : Libya here said it would wait about its membership in the Mediterranean Union proposed by French president Nicolas Sarkozy.
Libyan foreign minister Abdulrahman Shalgham said in a press statement after the conclusion of a meeting of foreign ministers of Mediterranean countries, that Tripoli was not ready to approve the French project because "it is unclear to us."
This issue needs more study, he said and called on the Arab Maghreb countries to wait before joining the proposed Mediterranean Union.
‘Pakistan to reopen Baghdad embassy’
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan will soon reopen its embassy in Baghdad, a media report Tuesday quoted Qays al-Yaqoubi, Iraq's ambassador here, as saying.
Speaking to Geo News, he said that Pakistan's ambassador to Jordan had been making arrangements to reopen the Baghdad embassy and progress on this was expected soon.
This would improve bilateral ties between Iraq and Pakistan, the envoy maintained.
He also expressed the hope that Paksitani President Asif Ali Zardari would visit Iraq next month.
Polling continues at brisk pace in Pak
LAHORE, Feb 18 (APP): Polling for general elections is in progress at a brisk pace at most of polling stations in districts Kasur and Okara with over 20 percent votes cast within first three hours after polling started at 8 a.m.
A team of Lahore-based journalists who visited different polling stations in the aforementioned two districts found great enthusiasm among the people for using their right to vote.
Polling, which started at a slow place, picked up after 9 a.m. and people were seen standing in long queues to cast their votes.
Booming media gives a slip to Musharraf
By Manish Chand, IANS,
Islamabad : Shorn of his military uniform and his power diminished by the Feb 18 general election, President Pervez Musharraf has literally vanished from the two dozen TV news channels that used to hang on to his every word and gesture for the nearly eight years that he ruled Pakistan.
Switch on any of the proliferating news channels in Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad, and it is the new civilian rulers of Pakistan who are basking in the media spotlight and not the once all-powerful media-savvy general.
UK canceled five military contracts with Israel — UN assembly president
By KUNA,
Geneva : President of the General Assembly Miguel d'Escoto Brockmann said that the UK government cancelled earlier this month five contracts involving arms sales to the Israeli military, in response to actions taken in Gaza during the assault of December 2008-January 2009.
US commander in Iraq delivers report to Congress
By Xinhua
Washington : US commander in Iraq David Petraeus Tuesday began his two-day testimony in the Congress on the situation in Iraq, together with Ryan Crocker, US envoy to Iraq.
In the opening statement of the testimony, Senator Carl Levin of Michigan, who chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee, pointed out that the recent surge in violence in Iraq has "raised questions" about the Bush administration's war policy.
Arab League strongly condemns Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza
By KUNA,
Cairo : The Arab League has strongly condemned Israel's barbaric aggression against the Palestinians in Gaza which resulted in the death of more than 20 people and the injury of tens of others including children and elderly women and men.
The Arab League Secretariat noted in a statement here Thursday the continuing suffering of the Palestinian people in Gaza, including a real humanitarian and environmental crisis amid ongoing Israeli imposed sanctions and the closure of borders to energy and power supplies.
Iran chemical plant fire kills 30
By IINA,
Tehran : At least 30 people were killed and 38 injured, many of them suffering severe burns, in a fire in a chemical plant in central Iran yesterday. The fire in the cosmetics and detergent-producing plant near the town of Shazand was caused by a blast during welding work in a reservoir, IRNA reported. The accident happened at 4 pm (1130 GMT) in the plant near Shazand in the province of Markazi, about 320 kilometers south of Tehran.
Police: Five Iraqi children killed by bomb in northern city Mosul
By Xinhua,
Baghdad : At least five children were killed and two others injured on Monday when a bomb hidden in a street stall near the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, local police said.
According to the police, the incident took place around 6:30 pm(1530 GMT) when the children were playing near their homes in the town of Hammam al-Ali, some 20 kilometres south of Mosul.
The children were aged between seven and nine years old. The two wounded were in critical condition and had been sent to Mosul for specialist treatment, according to a local doctor.
US bombs IS positions in Iraq’s Sinjar region
Baghdad: US combat aircraft Sunday bombarded positions of the Islamic State (IS) Sunni extremist group in the Sinjar region of Iraq's Nineveh province, Kurdish...
Taliban founder’s home defies conquest
By DPA,
Zhari (Afghanistan) : Almost seven years after the radical Islamic militia was driven from power by US-led forces, the authority of the Western-backed government in Kabul ends here at the grape fields and mud compounds around Sangasar village in southern Afghanistan.
"If we go 300 metres we come under sporadic fire, any further it's heavy fire - and we're under surveillance 24/7," says a Canadian infantryman, peering over sandbags towards the former home of Taliban chief Mullah Omar.
Israel bombs three Gaza tunnels
By DPA,
Tel Aviv : The Israel Air Force bombed three weapons smuggling tunnels in the southern Gaza Strip border overnight, the military said Wednesday.
The triple airstrike in the town of Rafah, on the border with Egypt, came after militants launched two projectiles from Gaza at southern Israel late Tuesday, a spokeswoman said.
She said that since the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, which started at sunset Sunday and ended at sundown Monday, Gaza militants had launched three rockets and one mortar shell from the strip at southern Israel.
Israeli Army confirms killing six Palestinians
By KUNA
Gaza : Israeli Army confirmed the killing of six Palestinian activists early Thursday in what it called a "military operation" that was still ongoing in northeast Gaza Strip.
An Israeli Army spokesman told Radio Israel that on-foot forces, tanks, and vehicles were operating in areas from which Palestinian militants launched rockets at southern Israel.
During the military operations, covered by warplanes and helicopters, clashes erupted with Palestinian militants, killing some and wounding others, he added.
Three held in Britain after pig’s head kept near Muslim centre
By IANS,
London: Two men and a woman have been arrested in Britain after a pig's severed head was left at the doors of a Muslim place of worship, the Daily Mail reported Friday.
India can teach tolerance to world: Israeli envoy
New Delhi : Israeli Ambassador Daniel Carmon Tuesday said since India has long served as a "peaceful" home to several Jews, it stood in...
Pakistanis get the jitters on hearing firecrackers during marriages
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistanis, who are witnessing a string of terror strikes, are getting the jitters during marriage ceremonies, where bursting firecrackers and firing in the air takes place, as they are unable to distinguish the sound from a suicide attack.
The residents of the garrison city of Rawalpindi told The News that the passion for firing in the air and bursting firecrackers, especially during marriage ceremonies, has become a nuisance for them.
Israel kills 8 children playing near Gaza refugee camp
Gaza City : At least eight children were among 10 people killed at a Gaza City refugee camp, medics said, with witnesses saying several...
Arab League to discuss turmoil in Middle East, North Africa
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Cairo : Foreign ministers of the Arab League countries will meet in Cairo to discuss the ongoing political crisis in the Middle East and North Africa.
Eight killed in security clash in Afghanistan
Kabul:At least eight militants were killed and 11 others injured in a military operation in eastern Afghanistan, authorities said Tuesday.
"Afghan security forces conducted a...
Attending Pakistan Day event part of diplomatic civility: V.K. Singh
New Delhi : Minister of State for External Affairs Gen. (retd) V.K. Singh on Tuesday said his attending the Pakistan Day function was part...
Abbas: Mideast peace starts from Holy Land in Palestine
By Xinhua
Ramallah : Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Thursday that the peace in the Middle East starts from "the Holy Land in Palestine."
In a joint news conference with visiting U.S. President George W. Bush in Ramallah, Abbas called on Israel to fulfill its commitments to a Mideast peace plan, saying he hopes "this will be the year for the creation of peace."
Iran to host conference in support of Palestine, Gaza in March
By IRNA,
Tehran : Iran’s Majlis is to host an international conference in support of Palestine and Gaza on March 4-5, it was reported on Monday.
According to the Majlis information website, the conference would be held with the participation of Iran’s senior officials as well as parliament speakers from a number of other countries and leaders of Palestinian groups.
Representatives from the pro-Palestinian international bodies are also to take part in the gathering, the report added.
Afghan poll panel performance illegal: Abdullah
Kabul : Afghanistan presidential poll candidate Abdullah Abdullah Thursday termed the performance of the country's Election Commission as illegal, saying its decisions will be...
Hillary Clinton to visit Egypt, Tunisia
By IANS,
Washington : US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will visit France, Egypt and Tunisia from March 14 to 17, the US State Department has said.
Russia urges Iran to cooperate with IAEA fully
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has called on Iran to fully cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) over its nuclear programme, the Kremlin press service said.
It said Medvedev had discussed the issue with his Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on the phone.
The president, the statement said, had "urged Iran to fully cooperate with the IAEA to clarify all the remaining issues concerning the Iranian nuclear programme".
FBI team to visit Pakistan March 4
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan Thursday hoped the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) would share with Islamabad, during the visit here next month of its director, the findings of its probe into the Mumbai terror attacks.
FBI Director Robert Mueller will lead a seven-member team to Pakistan March 4, foreign office spokesman Abdul Basit said.
IAEA chief calls on Iran to be more transparent over nuclear activities
By Xinhua
Tehran : Visiting UN atomic agency chief Mohamed ElBaradei on Friday urged Tehran to be more transparent over its disputed nuclear program, after talks with an Iranian senior nuclear official in Tehran.
"We made good progress in our negotiation...and in the talks with Mr. (Gholam Reza) Aqazadeh we requested for more transparency so we could give necessary guarantees to Iran," ElBaradei was quoted as saying by the official IRNA news agency at a press conference after his meeting with Aqazadeh, head of Iran's atomic energy organization.
Pakistan’s economy to grow at 4 percent: Minister
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan's economy would grow at four percent during the current fiscal year (2011-12), Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Shaikh has said.
Nine militants killed in clashes in NW Pakistan
By SPA,
Mingora, Pakistan : Pakistani artillery and helicopter gunships killed nine militants in an assault on their hideouts in the restive northwestern Swat valley on Saturday, army officials said.
Security forces also arrested eight militants in the fighting that followed a search operation in the Kabal area, 27 km (16 miles) east of Swat's main town of Mingora, Reuters reported.
"We have killed nine militants and the operation is still continuing," an army official said.
Terror export to Iraq matter of concern: Shiv Sena
Mumbai : The Shiv Sena Tuesday expressed concern over what it described as "home-grown terror being exported" to Iraq, which could pose serious ramifications...
Power transfer in Bangladesh in a week: official
By IANS,
Dhaka : Bangladesh's military-backed caretaker government will
transfer power to the victors of the Monday poll in a week, a senior
official said Tuesday.
Adviser (minister) M. Anwarul Iqbal said the newly elected government will
take office in seven days through a gazette publication.
Former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and the nine-party alliance led by her
Awami League raced to a landslide victory Tuesday, winning 259 seats of the
299 seats in Bangladesh's ninth general election.
"The new government will be formed after the members-elect take oath as MPs;
WHO slams Israeli denial of entry permits to Gaza patients
By DPA
Jerusalem : The World Health Organization (WHO) sharply criticized Tuesday Israel's strict security screening of seriously ill Palestinians who seek medical treatment in Israeli hospitals, calling the policy "inhuman".
Ambrogio Manenti, the head of WHO in Gaza and the West Bank, said Israel's denial or delay of entry permits to Palestinian patients "shows nonsense, inhumanity and, at the end, tragedies that could and should have been avoided".
Pakistan, China vow to enhance strategic partnership
By IANS,
Yekaterinburg (Russia) : Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Chinese President Hu Jintao Monday reiterated they would enhance cooperation in all areas and vowed to make progress on strategic partnership, the Online news agency reported.
The two leaders met here Monday ahead of the 9th summit of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).
Ahmadinejad blames US policies for global insecurities
By IANS,
Yazd (Iran) : Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has blamed the US policies for the current insecurities in the world and urged countries not to accept "politics without ethics", MehrNews reported Thursday.
"If the oppressors of the world continue their past crimes, they will surely suffer the same fate as Bush's," the Iranian leader said while addressing thousands of people in Yazd province Wednesday. He criticised the "imperialist policies of some Western powers".
Gordimer to ‘Post’: Israel must talk to its enemies
By Tom Hope and Steve Linde,
As bitter, disheartening and entangled the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians is, Nadine Gordimer's message is emphatic: Don't give up. It can be solved, but only by realising one thing: Talking to your worst enemies is the only way out.
11 shot dead at Karachi rally
By IANS,
Islamabad : Unidentified armed men opened fire at a political rally in the Pakistani port city of Karachi, killing at least 11 people and injuring more than 30, a media report said.
Illegal immigrant leaves Pakistan mission in soup
By IANS,
London : An illegal immigrant has turned an embarrassment for the Pakistan high commission in Britain after running away from his flat before British officials could reach him.
Russian delegation to hold security talks in Iran
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : A high-ranking Russian Security Council official will hold talks with senior Iranian officials in Tehran on Monday.
The Russian delegation headed by acting Security Council secretary Valentin Sobolev is also due to meet with the Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, Saeed Jalili, as a follow up to the secretary's visit to Moscow in December 2007.
The officials will discuss "bilateral cooperation in security, as well as topical international and regional issues," Iran's Security Council said in an official statement.
Terrorists storm into police agency office in Lahore, two killed
By IANS,
Lahore : Heavily armed terrorists stormed into the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) building in a congested area of this Pakistani city Thursday morning. Two of them were killed in the exchange of bullets that followed, reports said.
Senior police officials said the building, housing the office of the elite security force, had been cleared and a suicide jacket and grenades recovered from the militants.
An official said that four men attacked the FIA building. While two of the men had been gunned down, one was taken into custody, media reports said.
21 killed in blast at Saudi Shia mosque
Riyadh : At least 21 worshippers were killed in a suicide blast that targeted a Shia mosque in eastern Saudi Arabia on Friday, media...
Civilian casualties in Afghanistan rose 40 percent in 2008
By DPA,
Kabul : The UN said Tuesday that Afghan civilian deaths rose by 40 percent last year, to 2,118, the highest toll in the country since the fall of Taliban regime in late 2001.
Taliban insurgents were responsible for 55 percent, or 1,160, of the overall death toll while Afghan and international forces killed 828 civilians, or 39 percent, the UN said in its annual report.
The deaths of 130 other civilians, six percent of the total, could not be clearly attributed to either side of the conflict.
50 migrants suffocate in container in Pakistan
By DPA,
Islamabad : Pakistani authorities Saturday recovered at least 50 bodies and dozens of unconscious people from a shipping container in Pakistan's southwestern province of Balochistan, the police said.
The container, which was found parked on the outskirts of the provincial capital Quetta, was carrying 110 people, apparently illegal immigrants being transported from Afghanistan to Iran via Pakistan.
India, Pakistan need to defeat terrorism together: Qureshi
By IANS,
Islamabad: Pakistan and India need to get together to defeat terrorism, Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said Saturday, describing terror as the "common enemy" of both countries.
"We have to, in my view, join hands to defeat the common enemy," the minister told Times Now television, a day after Indian Home Minister P. Chidambaram met his Pakistani counterpart Rehman Malik.
Qureshi said his own meeting with Chidambaram was "good, candid. He put across the Indian point of view, the Indian concern. I put across the Pakistani perception".
Int’l community hails progress made in Iraq, cautions against remaining challenges
By Xinhua,
Stockhlom : The international community opened a conference here Thursday to take stock of the situation in Iraq since the launch of the International Compact last year and to see what can be done in the future.
In his opening speech, Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt said the Iraqi government has made progress in the past year. However, challenges remain.
Pakistan assumes rotating UN Security Council presidency
By IANS,
United Nations : Pakistan Tuesday assumed the UN Security Council's rotating presidency for January.
U.N. Chief Condemns Violence in Gaza, Southern Israel
By SPA,
United Nations : U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday called on Israel not to violate its obligations under international and human-rights law following the reported deaths of 19 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and three Israeli soldiers in southern Israel, his office said.
“He condemns the reported civilian casualties among Palestinians, including children, during Israeli military operations, and calls on Israel to abide by its obligations under international humanitarian law and human rights law,” Ban’s office said.
NATO condemns Istanbul bombing
By KUNA,
Brussels : NATO chief Jaap de Hoop Scheffer condemned "in the strongest terms" Monday the bombings that occurred in Istanbul Sunday evening, in which 16 people were killed.
"These appalling terrorist attacks targeted innocent civilians in a deliberate and brutal way. On behalf of the Allies, I express my condolences to the families of those who lost their lives, and my sympathies to those injured in the blasts.
"NATO will continue to stand firmly in solidarity with the Turkish people in the fight against terrorism," added the statement.
Pakistan election campaign ends with bomb attack
By DPA
Islamabad : A suicide bomber killed at least 10 people at a campaign office in Pakistan's restive tribal belt as Pakistani political parties held their final election campaign rallies Saturday ahead of crucial parliamentary elections.
"All the candidates will wind up their election campaigns by midnight and no public rallies or meetings will be allowed until the day-long polling concludes Monday evening," Kunwar Dilshad, secretary of the Election Commission of Pakistan, told DPA.
Rice calls on Israel to remove more roadblocs
By KUNA,
Ramallah : U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Sunday called on Israel to remove more roadblocks saying: "Not all roadblocks are created equal." "We don't want to get into a numbers game where you just remove X number of roadblocks but it's not improving the lives of the Palestinians," she said.
Rice arrived here on Saturday evening to push forward the stalled negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian National Authority.
Pakistan does not want n-arms race, says air force chief
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan wants to follow a policy of peaceful co-existence in the Asian region and does not wish to enter into a nuclear arms race, the country's air force chief has said.
‘Middle East boom will continue for another decade’
By IANS
Thiruvananthapuram : Middle East-based business tycoon Ravi Pillai, who won India's highest award for overseas citizens early this month, has said that the Gulf boom will continue for another decade.
Pillai - whose company has stakes in oil and gas refineries and petrochemical companies in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates - also said that his company would provide 30,000 new jobs for Indians.
Wheat flour crisis deepens in Pakistan
By Muhammad Najeeb, IANS
Islamabad : The flour crisis in Pakistan is getting worse with people blaming the government, which in turn accuses hoarders and profiteers for the shortage and spiralling prices of the staple food.
"The government remained busy with loot and plunder and we are standing in long queues for flour," said Amjab Hussain, a resident of Rawalpindi who failed to get his quota of wheat flour from the government-run utility store as it ran out of stocks before his turn came.
20 pilgrims killed in Baghdad bombings
By IANS,
Baghdad: At least 20 people were killed and 44 injured in two separate bomb blasts which targetted Shiite pilgrims Saturday, Xinhua reported.
To Wear or Not To Wear Islamic Veil, Turkey
By Prensa Latina
Istanbul : The legal proceeding to allow the use of the Islamic veil at Turkish universities went to the Head of State for its approval.
Although constitutional reforms were approved by 411 of the 550 deputies and President Abdullah Gul will for sure approve them, main opposition party CHP (the Republican of the Peoples) impugned them before constitutional court.
Afghan students march against attacks on Hazaras in Pak
By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
Pakistan, Turkey conducts Joint Air Exercise
By SPA,
Islamabad : Pakistan Air Force (PAF) and Turkish Air Force (TuAF) will conduct a joint exercise code-named "Indus Viper-2008", later this month in Pakistan.
A PAF statement issued here today said the exercise would be beneficial for the expertise and professional experiences of the Two Air Forces.
The statement did not mention specific dates and duration of the exercise.
New land port opens in Bangladesh
By IANS,
Dhaka : Bangladesh Friday opened a new land port at Akhaura in Brahmanbaria district that helps it connect with India's Agartala city.
With the ceremonial opening of the new port, Bangladesh has 14 land ports that ensure better connectivity with India with which it has 4,300 km land border.
Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Bhutan are currently working out mutually beneficial arrangements under which Bangladesh will have, and provide, access to the three South Asian neighbours for trade, transit and communication.