Three security personnel killed in Pakistan
Islamabad: At least three security personnel were killed and two injured Saturday when militants attacked a checkpost near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
According to officials, the...
Zionist regime, product of a few big lies
By IRNA,
Tehran : The Zionist regime is the product of a few big lies made up by the arrogant and colonial governments to dominate the Islamic world and the entire globe, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Wednesday.
He made the remarks in an address to the opening ceremony of the 4th International Conference for Support of Palestine, The Model of Resistance, and Gaza, the Victim of War Crimes.
The two-day conference which began this morning with an address by Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, is being hosted by Iran’s Majlis.
Britain urges combined efforts along Pak-Afghan border to combat extremism
By NNN-Xinhua,
Islamabad : It will require determined efforts on both sides of the Afghanistan and Pakistan border to tackle the challenges to global security presented by violent extremism, the visiting British Defense Secretary Des Browne said here..
Browne made the remarks while holding a series of talks on Monday with Pakistan Defense Minister Chaudry Ahmad Muktar, the Chief of the Army Staff General Kayani, Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi and the Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff Committee Major General Tariq Majid.
New Iran site raises question about other secret locations: IAEA
By DPA,
Vienna: Iran's late declaration of a new nuclear site raises the question whether there are other still secret facilities, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said Monday in its latest report on the Islamic state.
Iran informed the Vienna-based IAEA in September that it has been constructing an additional uranium enrichment plant in Fordu, 20 km north of the city of Qom. The plant is set to become operational in 2011.
The restricted report said that "Iran's delay in submitting such information to the Agency does not contribute to the building of confidence".
Pakistan visit fruitful: Krishna
By Jaideep Sarin, IANS,
Lahore : Indian Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna described as "fruitful" his three-day visit to Pakistan that he wrapped-up Sunday.
Police thwart attempt to besiege Khaleda’s office
Dhaka : Police Monday barred hundreds of pro-government activists from besieging the office of Bangladesh's former prime minister Khaleda Zia.
Police stopped the activists at...
Iraq troops pullout depends on security conditions: Mullen
By Xinhua,
Washington : The timetable for the US troops pullout from Iraq will depend on the security conditions in the country and other factors, a top military officer has said.
"I do think it is important that this be conditions-based," said Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, at a Pentagon news conference Monday.
The top military officer's remarks came after the US signed a security agreement with Iraq, known as the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), that would require American forces to leave by the end of 2011 without any details disclosed yet.
15 killed in Iraqi violence
Baghdad: At least 15 people were killed and 26 wounded in separate attacks across the country Monday, police and medical sources said.
In Anbar province,...
Minorities have equal rights in Pakistan: Zardari
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has said his government stands committed to ensuring equal rights for minorities.
US worried Mumbai attacks may hit war in Afghanistan
By Manish Chand, IANS,
New Delhi : The rapid downslide in India-Pakistan relations in the wake of the Mumbai terror strikes has alarmed the US as it feels that any confrontation between the two nuclear-armed neighbours could ruin its hopes of defeating a resurgent Taliban in Afghanistan.
The decision by US President George W. Bush to send Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on a day-long visit to India Wednesday seems motivated primarily by American concerns about the impact of escalating tensions between India and Pakistan on the NATO-led campaign in Afghanistan.
Four Gazan children and mother killed in Israeli air attack
By IRNA,
Gaza City : Four Gazan children and their mother died in Israeli air strikes on Gaza on Monday.
Israel said that they were killed in clash with Israeli soldiers.
Miyasar Abu Meatak was preparing breakfast for her children in the northern Gaza town of Beit Hanoun when the shell struck, her stepson Ibrahim said.
Her children, aged 15 months to 6 years, were killed instantly, and she died shortly afterward in a local hospital, Palestinian officials said, and her two older children were critically wounded.
Asif Zardari consensus candidate of all political forces: Sherry
By APP,
Islamabad : Minister for Information and Broadcasting Ms Sherry Rehman said on Tuesday that Senator Asif Ali Zardari has emerged as the consensus presidential candidate of almost all political parties of the country. Addressing a media briefing here she said that the PPP presidential candidate has the credentials to serve the cause of the federation as well as strong parliamentary institutions.
No Place To Run For Gazans, Says UN Official
By Muin Abdul Majid, Bernama,
Dubai : As Gaza continues to be pounded by Israeli military attacks, a United Nations (UN) official has made a grim observation of the tragic reality on the ground -- neither homes nor UN shelters are safe for the nearly 1.5 million people in the coastal enclave.
"There are no safe places to flee. We call on all parties to uphold international humanitarian law and protect civilians," said UN humanitarian coordinator for the occupied Palestinian territory Maxwell Gaylard.
Obama links Pakistan aid to fight against terror
By IANS,
Washington : US President Barack Obama has stated in his foreign policy agenda that the US "will increase nonmilitary aid to Pakistan and hold them accountable for security in the border region with Afghanistan".
President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden will renew America’s security and standing in the world through "a new era of American leadership", stated the document released Tuesday soon after the new president went to the Oval Office following the swearing-in ceremony.
Pak minister stresses campaign against terrorism
By IRNA,
Tehran : Pakistan's Minister for Labour, Manpower and Overseas Syed Khurshid Ahmed Shah on Wednesday stressed countering terrorism.
Addressing the 15th NAM Foreign Ministers meeting, Ahmed Shah said root causes of terrorism, including poverty and occupation, should be taken into consideration in campaign against the phenomenon.
He stressed the need for the UN reshuffle and promoting multilateralism.
He urged NAM members to find proper responses to current global challenges through mutual cooperation.
Bangladesh newly elected MPs to take oath at weekend
By Xinhua,
Dhaka : Newly elected members of Bangladesh's 9th Parliament will be sworn in on Saturday and Sunday, an announcement of the parliament secretariat said on Friday.
Speaker Jamiruddin Sircar will administer the oath to the newly elected MPs on the two days at the parliament building.
In Dec. 29 Parliament polls, former prime minister Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League won a landslide victory bagging 230 seats out of 299 seats. Her rival immediate past prime minister Khaleda Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party won only 29 seats.
NATO soldier killed in southern Afghanistan
By SPA
Kabul, Afghanistan : An explosion hit a NATO patrol in southern Afghanistan on Tuesday, killing one soldier and wounding another, the alliance said.
The troops were patrolling in Ghazni province, NATO's International Security Assistance Force said in a statement. No details were given about the explosion or the troops' nationalities.
In the western province of Herat, Taliban attacked a checkpoint Monday in Shindand district, killing two police officers and wounding another, said Rauf Ahmadi, spokesman for the western region police.
Electricity from India will ease power crisis: Pakistani PM
By IANS,
Islamabad : A number of initiatives, including importing electricity from India, will help resolve Pakistan's energy crisis, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has said.
Kuwait rejects terrorism in all its forms, calls for its definition
By NNN-KUNA,
United Nations : Kuwait late Thursday rejected Terrorism and criminal acts in all their forms and manifestations and urged the international community not to link them to any particular religion, civilization or ethnic group.
Addressing the General Assembly's legal committee, Kuwaiti diplomat Mohammad Abdullah Al-Ateeqi said that at the national level, Kuwait established a specialized unit for financial oversight and for the investigation of money-laundering and Terrorism financing.
Advisor of British PM meets Pakistan Premier
By SPA
Islamabad : Advisor to British Prime Minister Robert Hannigan met Caretaker Prime Minister Mohammedmian Soomro Thursday, said an official statement.
Soomro reiterated government's resolve to fight terrorism with full force.
He said that inhuman acts of terror would not deter the government's determination to hold free, fair and transparent elections in the country on the scheduled date.
On his part, Robert Hannigan extended his government's complete support to the Government of Pakistan in its efforts to confront the common challenge of terrorism.
All options open if Pakistan does not act: Pranab
By IANS,
New Delhi : India is keeping all options open if Pakistan does not act against perpetrators of the Mumbai terror attacks but it will not resort to Israel-type military strikes, according to External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee.
In an interview on CNN-IBN channel Saturday, Mukherjee stressed that India was keeping options open if Pakistan did not act upon the evidence linking Pakistani nationals to the Mumbai carnage.
"All options are open. We have not reached the end of the road," he said.
Over 600,000 Bangladesh get overseas employment in 2007
By NNN-BSS
Mymensingh (Bangladesh) : Foreign Adviser of Bangladesh caretaker government Dr. Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury said over 600,000 Bangladeshis received overseas employment in 2007 due to a pragmatic manpower policy of present government.
Dr Iftekhar, who is also in-charge of the Ministry of Overseas Employment and Expatriates' Welfare, said the country earned a US $ 6.5-billion remittance during the same period and received sanction for fresh employment of 820,000 people.
Suicide bomber kills Pakistani army general, six others
By Muhammad Najeeb, IANS
Islamabad : Seven people, including a Pakistani army general, were killed and at least 30 injured in the garrison city of Rawalpindi in a renewed terror attack after the last week's general elections, police and hospital sources said.
Surgeon General Lt Gen Mushtaq Baig of Army's medical corps was killed along with his driver and five others when a car loaded with explosives rammed into his car outside the military hospital, the police said.
UAE, Kazakhstan to sign customs pact
By IANS/WAM,
Abu Dhabi : The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Kazakhstan will sign a customs agreement that is expected to help stop illegal trade practices and protect economic, social and cultural interests of the two countries.
The UAE's Federal Customs Authority (FCA) had already signed the final draft accord with Kazakhstan in Astana earlier this month.
However, the official signing of the final pact is scheduled in the next few days upon ratification by the relevant national agencies and the leaderships of both countries.
Indian passport problem in Saudi Arabia resolved
By IANS,
Dubai : The problem of Saudi Arabian immigration authorities not accepting newly designed Indian passports has been resolved, according to the Indian embassy in Riyadh.
Palestinian president preparing for Gaza visit
Jerusalem : Palestinian authorities Tuesday said that security preparations are under way for President Mahmoud Abbas who is set to visit the Gaza Strip...
Five killed in Iraq bomb explosion
By Xinhua,
Baghdad : Five people were killed and 12 injured in a bomb explosion on the outskirts of Iraqi capital Monday, the interior ministry said.
The blast took place near a car repair workshop in the Abu Ghraib area, some 15 km west of Baghdad, it said.
Many people were gathered outside the workshop to have their cars repaired when the explosion occurred.
Despite the security gains in recent months in Iraq, sporadic bombings targeting Iraqi security forces have continued.
Pakistani Sharif joins protesting lawyers
By IRNA
Islamabad : Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif Thursday joined around 1000 lawyers, who rallied for the restoration of deposed hief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhary in Islamabad.
Riot police stopped the lawyers from heading to the residence of the former chief justice, where he has been under house arrest since November 3rd.
"Time will come soon when we will bring back the deposed chief justice and other judges to the courts, " Nawaz Sharif announced amidst anti-Musharraf slogans.
Aircraft with 43 onboard crashes in Afghanistan
By IANS,
Kabul : An airplane carrying 38 passengers, including eight foreigners, and five crew members crashed Monday in north Afghanistan, said officials.
The plane was en route from Afghanistan's northern city of Kunduz to capital city of Kabul.
The aircraft crashed somewhere near Salang Pass between Baghlan and Parwan provinces, about 100 km from Kabul, Interior Ministry spokesman Zemarai Bashary told Xinhua.
He said that the ministry was sending a team to probe into the accident.
EU condemns attack in Jerusalem
By Xinhua,
Brussels : The French presidency of the European Union condemned on Wednesday the "terrorist" attack in Jerusalem as "heinous."
It conveyed "its condolences to the families of the victims and their loved ones and expresses its sympathy and deepest solidarity to the people and government of Israel."
"This unacceptable terrorist act does harm to all Israelis and all Palestinians," the French presidency said in a statement.
Eliminate all terrorists in Waziristan: Pakistan army chief
Islamabad : Pakistan Army Chief Gen. Raheel Sharif on Monday told troops in North Waziristan to "eliminate all local and foreign terrorists and their...
Beirut clashes expand to Bekaa areas
By Xinhua,
Beirut : Clashed between pro- and anti-government camps in Lebanon spread to the Bekaa region, where two people were wounded, local Elnashra Website reported on Thursday.
The casualties took place in the Bekaa towns of Taalabaya and Saadnayel, where gunmen were deployed in the streets, with others manning automatic rifles on rooftops, according to the report.
Protesters blocked several roads in Western Bekaa, and the Marjroad leading to Massna on the Syrian-Lebanese northern borders.
Major parties divided on new electoral law in Bangladesh
By NNN-PTI,
Dhala : Major political parties in emergency-ruled Bangladesh have welcomed the decision to hold general elections in December but have voiced opposing views on the amended electoral law.
While former prime minister Sheikh Hasina's Awami League extended full support to the amended Representation of the People Order (RPO), her archrival Khaleda Zia-led BNP has rejected the amendments, which allow for a provision of a "no-vote" on the ballot paper.
Zia fails to meet sons at mother’s funeral
By IANS
Dhaka : Former prime minister of Bangladesh Khaleda Zia was not able to meet her two jailed sons at her mother's funeral here as prison authorities staggered their parole.
Lodged in a special jail since Sep 3 last year, Zia burst into tears when she arrived at her residence in Dhaka cantonment to have a final glimpse of her mother Taiyaba Majumder.
Zia and her sons were released on parole Saturday to attend the funeral of Majumder, whose body was flown to Dhaka by an air force helicopter from Dinajpur in northern Bangladesh where she died Friday.
Iran: FM says President’s visit to Iraq brings more cooperation
By NNN-IRNA
Gorgan, Golestan Province (Iran) : Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said President Ahmadinejad's visit to Iraq will provide ground for new cooperation between the two countries.
Speaking to IRNA here Monday, Mottaki added, "Of course, we have already had good ties and cooperation with Iraq."
He underlined the main aim of the trip is to discuss issues of mutual interest with senior Iraqi officials who have officially invited president Ahmadinejad to visit their country.
18 killed in Pakistani security clashes
By IANS,
Islamabad : Eighteen people, including 14 militants, were killed in clashes in Pakistan's tribal area of Khyber Agency Friday, Xinhua reported.
Another mass grave found in Iraq
By IANS
Baghdad : Iraqi security forces discovered a mass grave containing at least 100 bodies in Iraq's Diyala province, the US military said Saturday.
The site of the mass grave was discovered Friday. Initial reports said it might contain remains of 100 decomposed bodies, the US military said in a statement.
"The skeletal remains appear to have been in the grave for a long time," it said.
The US military said they have not yet determined who might be responsible for the killing and burial. The finding is currently being investigated.
Israeli premier in Egypt for talks over truce with Hamas
By DPA,
Cairo : Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert arrived Tuesday in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh on a quick visit during which he will discuss with Egyptian President Hosny Mubarak a proposed prisoner swap between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
In the talks, which come five days after a truce between Israel and Hamas took effect in the Gaza Strip, Mubarak and Olmert were expected to discuss Cairo's mediation efforts to secure the release of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, who was seized by militants in Gaza in a cross-border raid two years ago.
Jordan and Morocco sign 19 agreements
By NNN-Petra,
Amman : Jordan and Morocco have signed here 19 agreements, protocols, executive programmes and memorandums of understanding to regulate cooperation between the two countries in various fields.
The agreements were signed Monday at the conclusion of meetings of the Joint Jordanian-Moroccan Higher Committee which were co-chaired by Prime Minister Nader Dahabi and his Moroccan counterpart, Abbas Al Fasi.
French Afghanistan Buildup Slammed
By Prensa Latina
Paris : The socialist ex presidential candidate Segolene Royal Thursday criticized the decision of the French head of State, Nicolas Sarkozy, to send more troops to Afghanistan, considering the unknown risks in that Arab nation.
"I am surprised that president Sarkozy made the announcement in front of the British parliamentarians in London and was not able to speak about the issue to the French deputies," said Royal, who is the current head of the regional government of Poitou-Charentes.
Malaysia can play important role in Nuclear Non-Proliferation
By NNN-Bernama,
Kuala Lumpur : Malaysia can play an important role in Asia on disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation towards a nuclear weapons-free world, says the Australian co-chair of the International Commission on Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament (ICNND), Prof Gareth Evans.
Given the fact that the United States and Russia's new leaderships are committed to nuclear disarmament action, he said here Thursday that Malaysia, with its reputation of fighting for a nuclear-free region, could play its part to promote the agenda of nuclear security.
Iran talks delivery of fourth fuel shipment from Russia
By NNN-IRNA
Tehran : Iran has taken delivery of the fourth shipment of fuel from Russia for the Bushehr power plant.
The Iran Atomic Energy Production and Development Company said that it took delivery of 11 tons of fuel on Sunday morning and forwarded it to Bushehr.
It said that the remaining part of fuel will be shipped to Iran four more times according to a timetable.
The company said that the Bushehr power plant needs 85 tons of fuel for its primary stage of commissioning.
Afghan opium production declines 10 percent in 2009: UN report
By DPA,
Kabul : Opium production is down by 10 percent while the area under poppy cultivation in Afghanistan fell 22 percent in 2009, a new UN report said Wednesday.
However, the war-shattered Afghanistan still remains the world's largest supplier of the drug, producing 6,900 tonnes of opium, from which heroin is derived.
"World demand for opium remains stable (at around 5,000 tonnes per year), which is several thousand tonnes lower than what Afghanistan produces every year," a report from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), released in Kabul Wednesday said.
Omani university develops low-fat ‘halwa’
By IANS,
Muscat : A research team from a university in Oman has developed what it terms as "healthy halwa", a sweet dish with low fat alternatives.
Verdict on Bangladesh war crimes accused Abdul Jabar soon
Dhaka : The verdict against former Jatiya Party MP Abdul Jabbar, accused of war crimes during the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971, is expected...
Gilani warns of Taliban retaliation across Pakistan
By IANS,
Lahore : The gruesome car bombing in Peshawar Friday was not entirely unexpected and the Taliban could attempt to stage more such attacks in retaliation to the military operations being conducted against them in Pakistan's restive northwest, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said here Saturday.
"Such barbaric acts were expected as an aftermath or result of the action against the militants," he told reporters here after inaugurating a medical and dental college.
Lebanese president admits obstacles facing cabinet lineup
By Xinhua,
Beirut : Lebanon's newly-elected President Michel Suleiman said there are some obstacles that could delay the cabinet make-up, but the barriers can be surmounted through dialogue, local Naharnet news website reported on Thursday.
Suleiman also denied allegations that some foreign parties were pressuring him to nominate certain figures for the next cabinet, said the report.
"There is no party that can pressure Baabda (the Presidential Palace)," Suleiman was quoted as saying, adding "We are only ready to move under the pressure of national and Arab interests."
Taliban besieges Lahore, strikes at three police establishments
By IANS,
Lahore : Five days after striking at the heart of the Pakistani military headquarter, the Taliban laid siege to this cultural capital of the country Thursday, staging simultaneous and "multi-directional" attacks at three police establishments that have killed at least seven people, police and eyewitnesses said.
Armed men dressed in military uniform stormed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), the training centre of the Elite Force and the Manawan police training school that is just 12 km from the India-Pakistan border.
Iraq violence leaves 12 dead, Al Qaeda militants held
By DPA,
Baghdad : The Iraqi police captured suspected members of an Al Qaeda terror cell Sunday and seized many explosive belts ready for use in suicide bombings in western Iraq, while a wave of attacks across the country left at least 12 people dead and 39 injured.
The suspects were arrested during raids Saturday night in the town of Hit, 130 km west of Baghdad, mayor Hikmat Jubayr announced.
Hit is in Anbar province, which was once the hotbed of Sunni insurgency and the main base for the Al Qaeda terror network.
Iran accuses U.S. of invading Afghanistan, Iraq under pretext of Sept. 11 attacks
By Xinhua,
Tehran : Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Wednesday accused the United States of invading Afghanistan and Iraq under the pretext of Sept. 11 terror attacks.
President Ahmadinejad made the accusation while addressing a large group of local residents in Iran's central city of Qum, the official IRNA news agency reported.
Ahmadinejad was quoted as saying that over one million people have so far been killed in the occupied Iraq and tens of thousands of civilians have died in Afghanistan after U.S. forces invaded the two countries.
Israel says worried about chaos on Gaza-Egypt border
By Xinhua
Jerusalem : Israel is worried about the chaos on the border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt, and expects Egypt to solve the problem, Israeli foreign ministry spokesman said Wednesday.
The comment came several hours after thousands of Gazans poured into Egypt after parts of the fence wall at the Gaza-Egypt border were blew up by Gaza militants.
"It is the responsibility for Egypt to ensure that the border operates properly, according to the signed agreements," Israeli foreign ministry spokesman Arye Mekel said.
MFN sets stage for Indian, Pakistani leaders meeting in Maldives
By Manish Chand, IANS,
Iran threatens to retaliate against any US attack
By DPA,
Berlin : An Iranian military commander Monday warned the United States that it would retaliate against any military attacks, the official news agency IRNA reported.
Mike Mullen, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Sunday that the US has an attack plan prepared against Iran, but that the prospects of an attack and of a nuclear-armed Iran were both very worrisome.
Mullen told NBC news that the "unintended consequences of either outcome" in an "incredibly unstable part of the world" was what he worried about the most.
Two Hamas policemen, one child killed in Gaza violence
By Xinhua,
Gaza : Two Hamas policemen and one child were killed and 60 others wounded on Saturday in clashes between Hamas police forces and a pro-rival Fatah movement clan in Gaza City, a Hamas spokesman said.
Khaled Radi, spokesman of the Hamas-ruled ministry of health told reporters that two policemen of Hamas and a little boy were killed and 60 wounded, six of them are in serious conditions.
Outstanding issues remain Iran, despite progress- IAEA
By NNN-UNNS
Vienna : The head of the United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said Friday that it has made “quite good progress” in clarifying unresolved issues over Iran’s past nuclear programme, but several hurdles remain.
Iranian women on Facebook want to shun veil: Study
London : Use of social media can influence attitudes and behaviours to a greater extent, even empower women too. According to a promising research,...
Israeli PM calls for halt to incitement
Jerusalem: The world must end its silence and condemn "Palestinian incitement" that fuels violence in Jerusalem, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday, hours...
Pakistani schools portray Hindus, minorities negatively: US study
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Iraq doesn’t need money but technical support – DPM
By NNN-KUNA,
Baghdad : Iraq is not in need of aid and financial donations but technical support to make good use of its resources, Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Barham Saleh said.
"Iraq is a wealthy country and does not need financial aid but a geniune partnership with the international community to develop its capabilities and technical skills to invest its resources," Saleh told the opening session of the seventh round of the donor countries' conference, organised by one of the UN special committees, here Monday.
Pakistan to devise policy on US drone strike
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) party, which will form the new government, has decided to devise a national policy on the US drone attacks, a leader said.
N-programme will continue: Ahmadinejad
By IANS,
Tehran: Iran will continue to produce 20-percent enriched uranium, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Tuesday.
UAE starts price control campaign for Ramadan
By IANS,
Dubai : The United Arab Emirates' (UAE) Ministry of Economy has launched a comprehensive nationwide price control campaign to prevent manipulation and monopoly and ensure smooth supply of food items during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.
The ministry is coordinating with consumer cooperative societies and major retail outlets to prepare the Ramadan food basket for consumers at cost prices with effect from next week, the state-run Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported.
The food basket will bear the logos of the ministry and the respective cooperative societies.
Five terrorists killed as Fidayeen attack on Pathankot air base ends
Pathankot/New Delhi: Five terrorists, suspected to be from Pakistan, were killed in a gunfight that lasted nearly 15 hours after they breached a high-security...
Lebanon’s president elected with int’l, regional, local support
By Xinhua,
Beirut : The 12th president of the Lebanese republic Gen. Michel Suleiman was elected Sunday with huge international, regional and local support after six months of presidential vacancy.
A total of 118 votes out of 127 members of parliament (MP) voted in favor of Army Commander Michel Suleiman as president, the Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri announced in the electing session.
Iran’s development of nuclear weapon unacceptable: Obama
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : US president-elect Barack Obama has called Iran's development of a nuclear weapon as unacceptable and said that the US has to mount an international effort to prevent that from happening.
"Let me state -- repeat what I stated during the course of the campaign. Iran's evelopment of a nuclear weapon I believe is unacceptable. And we have to mount a international effort to prevent that from happening," Obama said at his first news conference since his election in Chicago Friday.
Kuwait prince calls for protection of expat workers’ rights
By IANS,
Dubai : Crown Prince of Kuwait Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah has urged the city state's labour authorities to do everything possible to protect the rights of expatriate workers and maintain Kuwait's reputation abroad.
"Kuwait will never allow anything to tarnish its good image abroad," the state-run Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) quoted Sheikh Nawaf as telling the 'Al-Watan' Arabic daily in an interview.
Indians, numbering 550,000, form a major chunk of the expatriate population in Kuwait.
Eid festivities marred by Gaza carnage, plane crash
Dubai : Muslims in Mideast and Asia Asia on Monday marked a grim Eid Al-Fitr, overshadowed by several air tragedies, including the downing of...
Pakistani daily slams neglect of Katasraj temple pond
By IANS,
Islamabad : The drying up of a sacred pond abutting the 900-year-old Katasraj temple complex in Pakistan is failure "in the form of wilful neglect and exploitation", said a daily.
Car bomb kills two Iraqis, wounds 10 in Baghdad
By Xinhua,
Baghdad : A car bomb explosion in northeastern Baghdad on Wednesday killed two civilians and wounded10 others, an Interior Ministry source said.
"A car bomb parking at al-Madaris Street in the Shaab neighborhood, detonated around midday, killing two civilians and injuring 10 others," the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.
The blast damaged several nearby civilian cars and buildings, the source said.
Taliban attacks governor’s convoy in central Afghanistan
By RIA Novosti,
Kabul : Taliban militants set off a bomb in central Afghanistan's Wardak province on Tuesday as a convoy carrying the provincial governor passed by on the way to the capital, Kabul, local radio reported.
The governor, Muhammad Halim Fidai, was not injured in a blast, caused by a remote-controlled roadside bomb, the Salam Watandar radio said, adding that four suspects were detained shortly after the incident.
Dancers win bail after entertaining police in Pakistan
By DPA,
Islamabad : Four dancers arrested for misdemeanour offences in Pakistan's eastern province of Punjab had to entertain police for the whole night to secure bail, a news report said Tuesday.
The women were detained late Saturday night when they were performing at a marriage function in Fatehgarh area, the English-language Daily Times newspaper reported. Five drunken men were also taken into custody.
The dancers alleged that officials thrashed them for refusing to dance in the police station.
GCC Sec-Gen condemns Saudi oil-tanker hijacking
By NNN-KUNA,
Riyadh : Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Abdulrahman Al-Atiyyah has condemned the hijacking of a Saudi oil-tanker seized several days ago about 800 kilometres off the Kenyan coast and anchored at present somewhere on the Somali coast.
Al-Attiyah Wednesday described the incident as "despicable," and a "direct threat to maritime navigation."
He also expressed his extreme anxiety towards the increasing phenomenon of maritime piracy witnessed in the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea, calling the threat a form of terrorism.
Pakistan sends wheat to avert food crisis in Afghanistan
By DPA,
Islamabad : The Pakistan government Tuesday sanctioned the export of 50,000 tonnes of wheat to Afghanistan to avoid food crisis in the war-torn country, officials said.
The approval was given by Economic Coordination Committee (ECC), country's highest economic-decision making body, in a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani.
The 50,000 tonnes of wheat would be in addition to 600,000 tonnes regular annual export to Afghanistan, a statement from the primer minister office said.
Gulf investment: Central government considering Islamic banking
By TwoCircles.net Staff Correspondent,
Malappuram: The central government is reportedly considering the scopes of Islamic banking in the country in order to invite big investments in the time of economic crisis. Investments including those from Arab countries could be used for infrastructural development and other purposes if the central government begins Islamic banking.
Insurgents destroy another mobile tower in Afghanistan
By Xinhua
Kabul : Taliban militants destroyed another tower of a telecommunication company in their former stronghold of Kandahar province in southern Afghanistan, an official said Wednesday.
"The enemies in their subversive activities attacked an antenna of a mobile company in Loya Wala area, five km north of Kandahar city Tuesday night and destroyed it completely," city official Mohammad Ahsan said.
However, he said, none of the guards at the tower were injured.
13 Al Qaeda militants killed in Yemen
By IANS,
Sana'a : At least 13 Al Qaeda militants and 10 soldiers were killed when the militants launched an attack at military troops in Yemen Sunday, army officers said.
Israel officially confirms signing of prisoners swap deal with Hezbollah
By KUNA,
Gaza : Israel has officially confirmed the signing of a deal to exchange prisoners with Hezbollah, the Israeli radio reported on Monday.
The radio quoted sources in the Cabinet of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert as saying that Ofir Dekkel, the official in charge of the file of prisoners and missing soldiers, and the UN envoy Gerhard Conard signed the deal.
Libya’s new PM wins confidence vote
Tripoli: Libya's newly-elected Prime Minister Ahmed Maitiq won a confidence vote Sunday after a controversial parliamentary election and formed a Islamist-backed cabinet.
Maitiq won 83...
Gaza Launches Rockets against Israel
By Prensa Latina,
Gaza : Palestinian activists launched about 20 rockets against Israel, apparently without causing victims, in response to an air raid of that country Tuesday that killed six people and wounded three.
The media reported in this city that projectiles hit the Israeli southern erea a few hours after six Palestinians died in an Israeli military attack to a coastal zone.
Policeman dies, 2 wounded in attack in Pakistan’s NW
By IRNA,
Islamabad : A policeman was killed and two others were injured in an overnight attack on a security check post in Pakistan's restive northwest, police said Wednesday.
In another development, suspected militants burnt six girl schools in Swat Valley, according to a police report.
Three school buildings, too, were completely burnt, police said.
Taliban had claimed responsibility for burning of the schools, although the action is contrary to their agreement in a peace deal signed with the government last month.
Palestinian honour for Indo-Arab League chairman
Hyderabad : Palestine will confer 'Star of Jerusalem', the highest civilian award, on Syed Vicaruddin, chairman of Indo-Arab League, in recognition of his support...
FM: Israel not to let border raid veto peace talks
By Xinhua
Jerusalem : Israel will continue peace talks with the Palestinians despite a deadly attack by Palestinian militants on an Israeli border terminal, Foreign Ministry spokesman Arye Mekel said Wednesday.
The remarks came hours after a group of Palestinian gunmen infiltrated into the Nahal Oz fuel terminal from the Gaza Strip and opened fire, killing two Israeli civilians and injuring two others.
Seven militants killed in Pakistan’s tribal area
By IANS,
Islamabad : At least seven militants were killed in a clash with security forces in Pakistan's northwestern tribal region of Orakzai, Dawn reported Wednesday.
UAE embassy in Australia holds iftar
By IANS/WAM,
Gold Coast : The UAE embassy in Australia organised an iftar banquet for 1,500 Muslims in Queensland's Gold Coast city.
IS beheading video claimed to be filmed in Afghanistan
Kabul: The Islamic State (IS) terror group has released a gruesome beheading video claiming to have filmed it in Afghanistan's Khurasan province, the media...
Benazir’s birth anniversary observed in Pakistan
By Muhammad Najeeb, IANS,
Islamabad : The 55th birth anniversary of assassinated former prime minister Benazir Bhutto was observed throughout Pakistan Saturday, with the country's new rulers exhorting the country to follow her example of opposing extremism and dictatorship.
The main function was held at Larkana district's Garhi Khuda Bakhsh, the ancestral village and family graveyard of the Bhutto family.
520 Palestinians killed since Israeli offensive began
By DPA,
Gaza City : At least 520 Palestinians have been killed and 2,500 injured since Dec 27 in the Israeli offensive against militants in the Gaza Strip, a medical official in the salient said Sunday.
The total makes Israel's Operation Cast Lead the bloodiest offensive against the Palestinians since the Palestinian Authority came into being in 1994.
Previously, the highest toll was in Israel's Operation Defensive Shield in 2002, when, following a wave of deadly suicide bombings in Israeli cities, troops entered the West Bank.
Taliban peace panel chief condemns attacks in Pakistan
By IANS,
Islamabad : Maulana Samiul Haq, chief of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan's (TTP) three-member peace talks committee, requested the group Friday to end all kinds...
Hasina may change tour plan to meet Obama
BY IANS,
Dhaka : Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who is scheduled to go to North America next week, may change her itinerary to meet US President Barack Obama, a report said.
Eager to meet Obama, she may visit the US first instead of Canada, provided she gets an appointment from the White House, New Age newspaper said Friday.
During her trip to Canada, Hasina is likely to meet Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Hasan Mahmud told the newspaper.
Slain Taliban commander was Pakistani army officer: report
By IANS,
London : A Taliban commander killed by British commandoes in Afghanistan last year was a Pakistani military officer, a British newspaper reported Sunday quoting highly placed Afghan officials.
The Sunday Times said the commander, killed in a compound in the Sangin valley in Helmand province, had Pakistani military ID on his body.
He was one of six killed in the past year by British SAS and SBS commandoes, said the report written by the paper's long-standing correspondent covering the region.
Falure in the fight against terrorism not an option: Pakistani President Zardari
By NNN-PTI,
Washington : "Failure is not an option" in Pakistan's fight against terrorism, the country's President Asif Ali Zardari has said.
"This is an existential battle. If we lose, so too will the world. Failure is not an option," Zardari said, a day after Pakistan was rocked by a brazen terror attack on Sri Lankan cricketers, the first in the history of cricket.
"Tuesday's terrorist attack against the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore shows once again the evil we are confronting," the Pakistan President said in an op-ed piece in the Wall Street Journal.
PFLP rejects extending Gaza ceasefire unilaterally by Hamas
By Xinhua,
Gaza : The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) on Monday said current ceasefire in the Gaza Strip should not be extended by a single Palestinian movement, referring to Islamic Hamas movement.
The remarks came as the Egyptian-brokered six-month ceasefire between Hamas and Israel will end in December.
"The PFLP calls for discussing this issue (the extension) in the framework of the Palestinian factions to get the lesson of the current lull which Israel works to turn it into own victory," said PFLP top official in Gaza, Kayed al-Ghoul.
Press bodies condemn killing of Reuters cameraman in Gaza
By KUNA,
Geneva : The Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) and the International Covenant for the Protection of Journalists (ICPJ) while welcoming the release of Associated Press photographer Bilal Hussein (36 years old), more than two years after he was detained by US Marines on suspicions of links to insurgents, condemned in the strongest possible manner the killing of Reuters cameraman during the Israeli attack against Gaza Wednesday.
Reuters cameraman 24-year-old Fadal Shanaa was killed while filming the Israeli tank attack in central Gaza.
UN Security Council fails to condemn Jerusalem killings
By NNN-KUNA
United Nations : The Security Council has failed to issue a press statement that would have "condemned in the strongest terms the terrorist attack" in West Jerusalem after four council members insisted on condemning at the same time the attacks in Gaza, and amid exchange of insults between the Israeli and Libyan envoys.
U.S. may offer Israel ‘nuclear umbrella’ against Iran – paper
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : The new U.S. administration will provide Israel with nuclear deterrent guarantees in case of a potential nuclear attack from Iran, an Israeli newspaper said on Thursday.
The Haaretz newspaper cited a source close to U.S. president-elect Barack Obama's transition team as saying "the U.S. will declare that an attack on Israel by Tehran would result in a devastating U.S. nuclear response against Iran."
Uneasy calm prevails in Lebanon following violence
By NNN-KUNA,
Beirut : Uneasy calm prevailed throughout Lebanese regions on Wednesday following fierce clashes between pro and anti-government forces that claimed lives of scores of people.
Some businesses opened in several regions, with limited traffic, but all schools and colleges remained closed since the fighting broke out a week ago.
Lebanese Army troops completed deployment in various areas that had witnessed clashes and troubles in the Beirut region and areas in the mountains and northern Lebanon.
Seven killed as building collapses in Rawalpindi
By Xinhua
Islamabad : Seven people were killed and many others injured when a building collapsed in Pakistan' garrison city of Rawalpindi, local TV channel Dawn News reported Sunday.
A four-storey building, which was used to house firecrackers, collapsed after fire crackers burst near Thana Gunj Mandi, said the report.
The injured have been rushed to medical centres after the collapse. Rescue teams have reached the site to look for survivors.
Russian deputy FM urges Israel to end Gaza violence
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Russia's special envoy to the Middle East met with the Israeli foreign minister in Jerusalem to urge an end to the violence in the Gaza Strip, where the death toll has increased to over 500, the foreign ministry said.
Israel launched a ground offensive sending at least 10,000 troops into Gaza on Saturday following a week of airstrikes on the densely-populated enclave. The troops, supported by Israeli tanks and aircraft, were reported to be involved in running battles with Hamas fighters.
Bulgaria seeks GCC cooperation in electro-nuclear project
By Mohammad Al-Baqari, KUNA,
Sofia : Bulgaria is planning to discuss with officials from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) the possibility of investing in a project to establish a new Bulgarian electro-nuclear center, Bulgarian Minister of Economy and Energy Traicho Traikov said Saturday.
Traikov told KUNA that the Bulgarian offer comes at a time when the Balkan country is suffering from the economic and political ramifications of the global financial crisis, and is thus seeking foreign funding.
EU seeks to boost partnership with Afghanistan and Pakistan
By EuAsiaNews,
Luxembourg : Foreign ministers of the 27-member European Union gave Tuesday the green light for the adoption of an EU Action Plan for Afghanistan and Pakistan .
"Turning the page in Afghanistan and Pakistan is a formidable challenge. It can only be done through concerted national, regional and international action. The conflict in Afghanistan cannot be solved without addressing the complex problems in Pakistan. Pakistan must be part of the solution," said the EU foreign ministers in a statement following their 2-day meeting here.
Rallies outside Danish, Dutch embassies against insulting cartoons
By NNN-Bernama
Jakarta : Hundreds of people rallied outside the Danish and Dutch embassies here Wednesday to protest against the recent publication of cartoon images of Prophet Muhammad by newspapers in the two European countries.
"We heard they have reprinted the cartoons to defend the freedom of speech while in fact they have thereby clearly and seriously insulted the Prophet Muhammad and Islam, and this has happened several times," Antara news agency quoted a spokesman of Muslim organisation 'Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI),Muhammad Ismail Yanto, as saying.
Iran to hold military exercise in Persian Gulf Thursday
By IANS,
Tehran : Iran will start a three-day military exercise dubbed "Great Prophet 5" in the Persian Gulf Thursday, Xinhua reported.
The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Deputy Commander, Brigadier General Hossein Salami, said IRGC's air, naval and land forces will participate in the exercise.
The exercise is aimed at protecting the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, he said Wednesday.
"The exercise is not a threat to any neighbouring country", and carries the message of "peace and friendship" for the Persian Gulf states, he added.
Syrian, Turkish interior ministers discuss bilateral cooperation
By NNN-SANA,
Ankara : Interior Minister Maj-Gen Bassam Abdul-Majeed has held discussions here with his Turkish counterpart, Beshir Atalay, on cooperation in measures to combat drug trafficking, organised crime and illegal migration.
During the meeting Wednesday, Abdul- Majeed stressed the necessity for combating terrorism, stressing that Syria was among the first countries which suffered from terrorism.
In a statement to reporters, Abdul-Majeed indicated that his current visit to Syria was within the framework of boosting the existing bilateral relations, considered to be exemplary.
Musharraf rules out UN probe into Bhutto’s murder
By NNN-APP
Islamabad : President Pervez Musharraf Saturday ruled out an investigation by the United Nations into the assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.
He said country’s own institutions and Scotland Yard team could be counted on.
Deputy FM says talk with Turkmen President Positive
By IRNA,
Ashkhabad : Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Ali-Reza Shiekh Attar called the results of his talk with Turkmen president in all fields " Positive."
After meeting with President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov here Wednesday afternoon, Sheikh Attar told IRNA, "The two sides discussed bilateral, regional and international issues."
UN chief welcomes Gaza truce deal
United Nations : UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Tuesday welcomed the ceasefire deal reached between Israel and the Palestinians.
"A brighter future for Gaza and Israel...
Car bomb, clashes kill 30 people in Pakistan
By DPA,
Islamabad : At least 30 people died in the ongoing military offensive against the Taliban in northwest Pakistan and an explosion outside a cinema Friday that is believed to be in retaliation to the army operation.
The fresh violence came as the UN appealed for $543 million in aid to help the refugees fleeing the army operation in Swat and neighbouring districts of North Western
Frontier Province (NWFP).
Fayyad to ask Rice for guarantees that Gaza offensive won’t happen again
By Xinhua
Ramallah : Acting Palestinian Premier Salam Fayyad will ask visiting U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to give guarantees that Israeli offensive into Gaza will not happen again, a government spokesman said on Tuesday.
Rice started a Middle East tour on Tuesday and is scheduled to visit Ramallah in the afternoon to meet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and his Premier Fayyad before heading for Jerusalem for talks with Israeli officials.
Western countries will be defeated in Afghanistan: Taliban
By Xinhua,
Kabul : Top Taliban commander Mullah Mohammad Omar has said that despite the surge in international troops, western countries should learn from the history of Afghanistan as a tomb for invaders and they would face defeat eventually.
"The invaders should study the history of Afghanistan from the time of the aggression of Alexander, to the Ganges of the yore and to this very day and should receive lesson from it," he said in a statement released Saturday, on the eve of Eid al-Fitr, in Pashtun, Farsi and English versions.
Dubai launches major initiative to harness solar energy
By IANS,
Dubai : As part of its efforts to reduce pollution and create alternative sources of energy to meet growing demand, the city of Dubai has launched a major initiative to harness solar energy.
Chairman of the Dubai government's investment vehicle Dubai World Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem has launched Solar Technologies, the Middle East's largest photovoltaic manufacturing facility, in the course of the Green Dubai World Forum-2008, currently underway here.
Six killed as militants attack Pakistan checkposts
By IANS,
Islamabad : At least six security personnel were killed Tuesday and 28 injured in militant attacks in Pakistan's Khyber Agency.
20 feared drowned as tractor falls into canal in Pakistan
Islamabad : At least 20 people were feared drowned when a tractor-trolley fell into a canal in Pakistan's Punjab province Friday, local media reported.
The...
At least five killed, 17 wounded in Lebanon military bus blast
By RIA Novosti,
Beirut : At least five people were killed and 17 injured on Monday in an explosion that hit a bus carrying troops in Tripoli, northern Lebanon, al-Watania news agency said.
The explosion occurred near an army post in the Buhsas area in the south of the city. An explosive device planted in a car was activated by remote control, the agency said.
The attack is the second on the Lebanese military in the last two months. A similar incident at a bus station in Tripoli on August 13 killed 17 people, including 10 soldiers, and injured 45.
Malaysian Election Best in Years
By Prensa Latina
Kuala Lumpur : Malaysians voted Saturday in the country's 12th general elections, in which the governing National Front by Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi hopes to be the winner.
Shortly before closing the 8,000 polling stations distributed throughout the country, the Electoral Commission reported that 58 percent of 10.92 million people have voted.
UAE to deport boy for giving camel electric shock
By IANS,
Abu Dhabi: A court in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has ordered the deportation of a 17-year-old boy for giving electric shock to a camel, WAM news agency reported Monday.
The boy, referred to only by his initials ASW, was caught shocking a racing camel with an electric device to boost the animal's performance. He has already served one and a half months' prison term, the report said.
Pakistan PM accords approval to host Asian Political Parties Conference in October
By NNN-APP
Islamabad : Caretaker Prime Minister Mohammedmian Soomro accorded approval to host International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAP) General Assembly here in October this year.
Senate of Pakistan would host the Conference and the government would provide necessary financial, logistic and administrative support.
The Prime Minister accorded the approval while talking to a delegation of South Korean parliamentarians comprising Mr. Chong and Dr. Kim which called on him here Thursday.
Palestinians, Syrians to take joint military action against IS
Damascus : Visiting Palestinian envoy to Syria Ahmad Majdalani said on Thursday that an agreement has been reached with the Syrian authorities on forming...
Pakistan bans BlackBerry services for foreign diplomats
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan has banned BlackBerry services for all foreign diplomats working in the country with immediate effect, a media report said Monday.
Indonesia to improve infrastructure for 2022 World Cup bid
By Xinhua,
JAKARTA : Indonesia plans to upgrade the infrastructure throughout the country in an attempt to boost its chance of winning the 2022 World Cup, an official said on Tuesday.
"The three well prepared cities include Jakarta, Samarinda and Palembang, all of which have good infrastructure for world level sports event," said the Indonesian Sports and Youth Ministry expert staff Johar Arifin.
"We are still preparing another 11 cities for the possible 2022World Cup in Indonesia," he added.
Five police officers killed in Iraq bombing
By DPA,
Baghdad : Five policemen, including a high-ranking officer, were killed Tuesday when an explosive device went off targeting their patrol in the northern city of Kirkuk, the police said.
Police sources named the officer as Ziyad al-Bayati, from Amerly district in Kirkuk, which lies 250 km north of Baghdad.
A second bomb went off also went off in the city, targeting another patrol, but without injuries.
Separately, one person was killed and five others were injured Tuesday when an explosive device went off in eastern Baghdad.
Poll papers filed for detained Hindraf leader
By IANS
Kuala Lumpur : Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leader M. Manoharan, detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA), has filed his nomination papers for the upcoming elections in Malaysia through his wife.
S. Pushpaneela filed the papers Sunday for the Kota Shah Alam seat in the state legislature.
She said her husband, who is under detention for organising a protest rally on Nov 25, was "excited and motivated".
"He feels that Malaysia needs a strong opposition and he has the full support of his friends and family," The New Straits Times quoted her as saying Monday.
Italy arrests three recruiters for IS
Rome: Italian police on Wednesday arrested three people suspected of forming a terror cell to recruit jihadis for the Islamic State (IS) from the...
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.
Libya authorities amend law to try Gaddafi’s son
Tripoli: The Libyan General National Congress Tuesday made partial amendments to the country's criminal law to allow the trial of Gaddafi's son, a judicial...
Hamas to challenge peace deal between Israel, Palestinians
By IANS,
Gaza : A senior Hamas movement official warned Wednesday that his movement would violently confront any peace deal that might be reached between...
Thousands rally in Germany against Israeli attack on Gaza aid convoy
By IRNA,
Berlin : Thousands of people took to the streets of Hamburg and Berlin on Friday to protest Israel's deadly attack on a fleet of boats trying to bring aid to the Gaza Strip.
The largest demonstration took place in Hamburg where more than 2,500 people voiced their outrage over the brutal Israeli military action, branding it "open sea piracy."
Protesters called also for the release of the remaining activists of the 'Gaza Freedom Flotilla' who were kidnapped by Israeli soldiers following their takeover of the six ships in international waters.