Gunmen kill deputy speaker in Pakistan
By IANS,
Islamabad : Two people, including a legislative assembly deputy speaker, were shot dead in an attack late Monday in northern Pakistan, Geo TV reported.
According to the report, some unidentified gunmen opened fire on the car of Syed Asad Zaidi, the deputy speaker of Northern Areas Legislative Assembly (NALA), in Kashrot area of Gilgit, killing him on the spot.
Another person, who was travelling with Zaidi, was also killed while the driver of the car critically wounded in the attack.
Police have begun an investigation into the incident.
‘Financial aid top priority in Ukrainian consolidation’
By IANS,
Budapest: At least seven foreign ministers from central and southeast Europe underlined the need for financial assistance to Ukraine during a meet here...
Modi condemns airport attack in letter to Sharif
Islamabad : India's newly-elected Prime Minister Narendra Modi replied to a letter written by Pakistani Premier Nawaz Sharif, condemning the terror attack at Karachi...
Iran’s Security Official talks with top Chinese, Russian negotiators
By SPA,
Geneva : Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Saeed Jalili in separate meetings with the top Chinese and Russian nuclear negotiators on Sunday called for final settlement of Iran's nuclear dossier which was discussed with representatives of Group 6+1 in Geneva.
Group 6+1, which included high ranking representatives from Britain, Germany, France, China, Russia and the US and EU top negotiator Javier Solana, met with the Iranian envoy on Saturday and discussed various issues such as Iran's modality plan for continued talks.
Bangladeshi prisoner attempts suicide in Amritsar jail
By IANS,
Amritsar : Upset over not being released even after his prison term ended two years ago, a Bangladeshi national Friday attempted suicide inside the Amritsar central jail in Punjab, police officials here said.
Mohammed Kasel stabbed himself in the stomach with a sharp-edged weapon. He was taken to the government civil hospital where the doctors treated him.
Kasel, police officials said, was arrested in Ludhiana in 2005 for illegally staying in India.
Rebels Shell Iraq Green Zone
By Prensa Latina,
Baghdad : The so-called Green Zone in Baghdad was once again struck by mortar shells fired by the Iraqi resistance, this time amid a severe sandstorm, police forces reported Monday.
At least a dozen mortar shells last night hit the area, where the diplomatic headquarters of the US and Great Britain, and the most important offices of the government of Prime Minister Nuri al Maliki are located.
Anti-corruption drive causes fall in investment in Bangladesh
By IANS,
Dhaka : The interim government's drive against corruption has been cited by a report as one of the three main reasons for the slide in Bangladesh's domestic and foreign investment.
The other two reasons, as per the report of the planning ministry, are poor implementation of the annual development programme (ADP) and inflation.
The caretaker government headed by Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed has jailed over 200,000 people since January last year on charges of misuse of office and corruption.
Pakistan serious about normalising ties with India: Qureshi
By IANS,
Islamabad: A day after his tirade against India, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi Saturday toned down his rhetoric saying Pakistan is very serious about normalising bilateral ties and stressed that the decision to continue talks is a "good augury".
"We are very serious about normalising our relations with India. I met with my Indian counterpart in Islamabad just day before yesterday. We agreed to embark on a sustained dialogue process. The decision to continue the talks is a good augury," said Qureshi.
UAE, Yemen discuss cooperation
By IANS/WAM,
Abu Dhabi : UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and his visiting Yemeni counterpart Abdo Rabbo Mansour Hadi Sunday discussed ways to promote cooperation.
Attack on Lebanese Army convoy kills five
By DPA,
Beirut : Five Lebanese soldiers were killed and 11 others wounded when their convoy was ambushed in eastern Lebanon, army sources said Monday.
Three soldiers died immediately in the ambush on an army convoy in the area of Riyak, in eastern Lebanon, while two others died later in a hospital from serious wounds, among them a major, the sources said.
Eleven others are still in hospital being treated for moderate wounds, hospital sources in the area said.
The Bekaa Valley has always been known to be the main production area of illegal drugs, mainly hashish.
Netanyahu’s remarks over Palestinian state ‘worrying’: Abbas
Ramallah : In the first official reaction to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's statement that he opposes a Palestinian state, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas...
India asks Pakistan to decide whom it wants to talk to
New Delhi : Pakistan should draw a "red line" whether it wants to talk to the government of India or to those who want...
Malaysia hikes petrol price 40 percent, diesel 63 percent
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur : Malaysia has opted for a fuel price hike like many countries across the world, reducing government subsidy amidst warnings from opposition politicians and economists that the consequences would be adverse.
The price of petrol has been hiked by 78 Malaysian cents to 2.70 ringgits (83 US cents) per litre, while the price of diesel has been hiked by 1 ringgit to 2.58 ringgit per litre.
Karzai sworn in for second term amid tight security
By DPA,
Kabul : Afghan President Hamid Karzai was sworn in Thursday for a second term in office amid tight security at Kabul's presidential palace.
Security in the Afghan capital was tightened drastically out of fear of possible attacks by Taliban insurgents wishing to disrupt the inauguration.
Wearing a black lambskin hat and a green traditional striped silk coat over his shoulders, 53-year-old Karzai took his oath in a nationally televised ceremony attended by hundreds of tribal elders, Afghan ministers and foreign dignitaries.
At least 40 dead in slum fire in southern Pakistan
By RIA Novosti,
New Delhi : At least 40 people were killed after a fire broke out in a shanty town in Karachi, in southern Pakistan, local media reported on Friday.
Some 15 children and women were among those killed in the fatal blaze that occurred in the north of the city just before midnight when most residents were asleep, Geo TV said.
Another 40 people were injured and hospitalized, according to preliminary reports.
Raise your voices against Swat flogging: Pakistani newspaper
By IANS,
Islamabad : "Raise your voices loud in protest," an editorial in a leading Pakistani daily urged Saturday, a day after a shocked nation watched a video of a 17-year-old girl being flogged by the Taliban in the Swat Valley over an alleged illicit relationship.
"Raise your voices loud in protest. Say strong and clear that this is not for you," The News said in an editorial headlined "Things to come".
"Organise and march and lobby and agitate and protest and in so doing stem the tide of extremism that rolls ever closer.
Gilani gets lawyer in contempt case
By IANS,
Islamabad: Prominent Pakistani lawyer Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan will represent Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani in the Supreme Court in the contempt of court case.
Rocket attack kills seven in Iraq
By Xinhua
Mosul (Iraq) : Seven people were killed and 17 injured when a rocket hit a Shia religious ceremony in a town in the...
2nd Saudi Orthopaedic Association International Meeting
By SPA,
Jeddah : Prince Misha'al bin Majid bin Abdulaziz, the Governor of Jeddah, will patronize here on 10- 14 January 2009 the opening of the Second Saudi Orthopaedic Association Meeting to be held at King Abdulaziz University (KAU) with participation of 350 experts and surgeons in the filed of Orthopaedology.
The Saudi Orthopaedic Association (SOASSN) has been approved on 3rd Rabi Al Thani 1426 (11th May 2005). This association is under the umbrella of King Saud University, Riyadh.
Khaleda asks for more security to attend court hearing
Dhaka : Former Bangladesh prime minister Khaleda Zia has asked for more security to attend the next hearing of her corruption case in the...
Major fire breaks out in Dhaka shopping complex
By IANS,
Dhaka : A massive fire broke out Friday afternoon in a crowded shopping complex in this Bangladesh capital, an official said.
The fire broke out on the top floors of the 20-storey Bashundhara City shopping complex, The Daily Star reported.
Rafiqul Islam, an official at the shopping complex, said the main shopping mall of Bashundhara was still unharmed.
Two people were seen trapped on the roof of the building when the fire broke out.
Fatah Islam Refutes Attack to Lebanon
By Prensa Latina,
Beirut : The Fatah al-Islam organization denied Wednesday any responsibility for an attack on a military intelligence outpost in the northern town of Abdeh that killed a Lebanese army soldier, the Al Akbar newspaper reported Wednesday.
The daily said it had received a statement signed by Fatah al-Islam's media bureau in which the group said it did not issue a claim of responsibility for the Abdeh attack
Jordan, Iraq considering exchange of prisoners
By SPA,
Amman : Jordan has approached the Iraqi government with a proposal to swap "non-political" prisoners provided that they complete their jail terms in their home countries, Iraqi ambassador Saad Hayyani was quoted Thursday as saying, according to dpa.
"We will forward the suggestion to our government," Hayyani was quoted as saying by the Jordan Times.
He said that the Jordanian proposal excluded prisoners "implicated in terror and political wrongdoings".
Uruguay supports Iran’s peaceful nuclear program
By IRNA
Madrid : Uruguay's Foreign Minister Gonzalo Fernandez said Montevideo will not follow political actions of other countries against Iran on nuclear issue.
In a meeting with Iran's Ambassador to Montevideo Morteza Tafreshi, Fernandez said, "Uruguay has always supported peaceful means as well as observing respect for international law to solve disputes." About criminal acts of the Zionist regime against oppressed people of Palestine in Gaza Strip, Fernandez said, "As a lawyer, I have been supporter of observing international regulations."
Two die in Taliban, security forces’ clashes in Pakistan’s northwest
By IRNA,
Islamabad : Two civilians were killed and five others injured as a mortar shell hit a house during exchange of fire between local Taliban and the security forces in Pakistan's northwest on Tuesday, officials and witnesses said.
Taliban also kidnapped 25 policemen from a police station and demanded the release of their prisoners to free the policemen in Swat valley, Taliban spokesman Muslim Khan said.
Suspected militants had also shot dead three intelligence officials last night in Swat.
President: Iran not to talk about nuclear issue outside IAEA
By Xinhua
Tehran : Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Wednesday that his country would no longer negotiate over its nuclear issue outside the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the official IRNA news agency reported.
"From now on, Iran's peaceful nuclear program will be discussed only at the International Atomic Energy Agency within the framework of the NPT (nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty) regulations and mutual commitments," IRNA quoted Ahmadinejad as saying.
Hezbollah to follow closely Israeli drill along Lebanese border
By DPA
Beirut : The Shia movement of Lebanon is to "follow closely" Israel army manoeuvres planned for Sunday, the group's commander in south Lebanon, Nabil Kaouk, was quoted as saying Saturday.
"Israel's military drill is not a testament of its strength but of its frustration and despair following its defeat in the Second Lebanon War," Hezbollah television al-Manar quoted Kaouk as saying.
According to Lebanese security sources, Hezbollah has put its militants in a state of full alert ahead of Sunday's manoeuvres.
World’s first cloned camel born in UAE
By IANS,
Dubai : After Dolly, the world's first cloned sheep born in Edinburgh, the first cloned camel has been born in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), according to a media report Tuesday.
The female camel calf, Injaz (Achievement), was born at the Camel Reproduction Centre (CRC) in Dubai April 8, the Gulf News reported.
"We are all very excited at the birth of Injaz as she is the result of great skill and teamwork of everyone at the Camel Reproduction Centre," the newspaper quoted the centre's scientific director Lulu Skidmore as saying.
Report: Israel steps up detention campaigns against Palestinians
By Xinhua,
Gaza : Israeli forces stepped up random detentions of Palestinians in West Bank and Gaza Strip, Hamas-led ministry of prisoners' affairs said on Monday.
In a new report issued on Monday, the ministry said the Israeli troops arrested more than 2,700 Palestinians since the beginning of this year, about 600 of them were seized during raids in Gaza Strip. Of the arrested, 255 were children aged under 18.
Since the start of the second Palestinian Intifada in 2000, a total of 7,000 children have been arrested, according to the report.
Afghan mission costs hinder Polish army modernization
By DPA,
Brussels : Poland's participation in the NATO-led mission in Afghanistan is so expensive that it is hampering efforts to modernize the country's armed forces, Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski said Wednesday, on his first visit to NATO headquarters.
Poland is still trying to reform and modernize its armed forces some two decades after the fall of Communism. It has 2,630 troops in Afghanistan, the seventh-largest Western contingent in the country and by far the largest from Central and Eastern Europe.
Blast in high security area in Lahore kills one
By NNN-PTI,
Lahore : A woman was killed and four persons were injured when a car bomb went off in a high-security residential complex for government officials in this eastern Pakistani city Wednesday.
The explosion occurred at 9.20 am within the Government Officers Residences complex, an area in the capital of Punjab province where senior government officials and judges reside.
The dead woman was identified as Farzana Masih and her husband was among those injured in the blast, officials said.
20 Pakistani officials superseded
By IANS,
Islamabad : Twenty senior officials whose "annual confidential reports were very good" were superseded in Pakistan, a media report said Tuesday.
It’s very hard to accept any changes in Iraqi agreement – White House
By NNN-KUNA,
Washington : The Bush administration has renewed its refusal to inject new amendments into the bilateral agreement with Iraq.
"It's going to be very hard for us to accept any changes, and I think the Iraqis know that," White House spokeswoman Dana Perino told reporters Tuesday.
"We think that the door is pretty much shut on these negotiations," she added. "Without seeing the amendment, I think it's a little premature for me to say what we would or would not accept, but it will just be a very high bar for them to clear for us to change anything."
French aid worker released in Yemen
By IANS,
Sana'a : A French aid worker who was kidnapped by suspected Al Qaeda gunmen three months ago in Yemen has been released, Xinhua reported.
Yemeni PM resigns
Sanaa : Yemeni Prime Minister Mohammed Basindawa Wednesday submitted his resignation to President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, a government official said.
"Basindawa submitted his resignation to...
Court lifts restrictions on A.Q. Khan
By IANS,
Lahore : The Lahore High Court Friday lifted all restrictions on disgraced nuclear scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan, saying he was free to move anywhere in the country.
"His movements can not be restricted, as he is a free citizen of the country," the court said while disposing off the petition filed by Khan, who mentored Pakistan's nuclear programme and was then accused of proliferating the country's secrets abroad, challenging the restrictions on his movements.
Pakistan troops kill 12 militants in tribal area
By IRNA,
Islamabad : At least 12 al-Qaeda linked militants, two of them foreigners, were killed when Pakistani helicopter gunships shelled rebel hideouts in a tribal region near the Afghan border, officials said.
The casualties occurred on Wednesday in the Bajaur region, where Pakistani troops launched a major offensive against Islamic militants in August.
"Helicopter gunships pounded positions of militants in Badan area, killing 12 rebels including two foreigners, local administration official Mohammad Jamil Khan told IRNA.
Israeli president regrets Erdogan incident at Davos
By DPA,
Tel Aviv/Davos : Israeli President Shimon Peres said Friday he regretted the incident at the World Economic Forum in Davos the day before when Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan stormed out of a debate over the Gaza Strip issue.
The Haaretz newspaper's website said Peres had made a telephone call with Erdogan Friday morning and assured him that he was "very sorry" about the incident.
"Friends can have disputes among each other," Peres reportedly told the Turkish premier. "I have always had great respect for the Turkish Republic and for you as its prime minister."
Israel’s Winograd Committee finds faults at all levels at Second Lebanon War
By Xinhua
Jerusalem : Eliyahu Winograd, chairman of Israel's Winograd Committee probing into the performance of the government and the army during the Second Lebanon War said on Wednesday that "major faults were found on all levels during the war."
He added that the commission's decision not to assign personal responsibility to any of those mentioned in its final report does not mean they were exonerated of such responsibility.
The final report also concluded that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert made "reasonable" decisions during the war.
Iranian president arrives in Afghanistan
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad arrived in Kabul on Wednesday for talks with his Afghan counterpart, Hamid Karzai, Iranian media reported.
The two leaders are expected to discuss Afghan problems and ways to solve them, regional cooperation issues, Afghan economic recovery and Iranian participation in it and expansion in cooperation the financial, trade and energy spheres.
Antiterrorism and anti-drugs efforts may also be discussed by Karzai and Ahmadinejad during the visit.
Zardari to do plain talking with Cameron
By IANS,
London : Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari will be doing some "plain talking" when he meets British Prime Minister David Cameron and has a mind to "put him straight" over the remark that Islamabad was exporting terror.
A senior Pakistani official said that Zardari plans to "put him (Cameron) straight" when he meets him at a summit at Chequers Friday. Chequers is the official country residence of the British prime minister in Buckinghamshire.
Pakistan’s Musharraf starts Thursday China visit
By SPA
Islamabad : Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf leaves for Beijing for a six-day visit to China Thursday.
He will hold talks with top Chinese leaders including the Chinese President.
In an interview to Chinese news agency, Xinhua, Musharraf lauded China's assistance on mega projects in Pakistan and said his government encourages Chinese entrepreneurs to invest more in his country to achieve win-win results.
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.
Bird flu spreads to another Bangladesh district
By SPA
Dhaka : Bird flu has spread to another district in Bangladesh despite massive culling by authorities to contain the outbreak, officials said on Friday, bringing the number of affected districts to 42 out of 64, Reuters reported.
Veterinary workers culled nearly 25,000 fowls after tests confirmed some chickens had died from the avian influenza virus in Comilla, in the south east, livestock officials said.
Pakistan needs $1.3 bn to repair NATO-damaged roads
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan needs around $1.3 billion to repair the roads damaged due to heavy traffic, having been used as supply lines for NATO forces in Afghanistan, a minister has said.
Iran to build its first geothermal plant
By IANS,
Tehran : Iran will build its first geothermal power plant in the northwestern part of the country.
Turkish president calls on Kurdish rebels to lay down arms
By Xinhua
Ankara : Turkish President Abdullah Gul has called on the outlawed Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) rebels to lay down arms, underlining that Turkey will never tolerate people engaged in terrorism.
Gul made the call Friday at a joint press conference with visiting Iraqi President Jalal Talabani following their official talks at the Presidential Palace in capital Ankara.
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.
Military offensive not against tribals, says Pakistani minister
By IANS,
Islamabad : The military operation in northwest Pakistan is not against any tribal group but targets the Taliban led by Baitullah Mehsud, Pakistani Interior Minister Rehman Malik has said, stressing that the government has not signed any peace deal with the militants.
He added that there is a need for cooperation between the federal and provincial governments to eliminate the menace of terrorism completely.
He said the militants could enter Punjab province from South Waziristan, a Taliban stronghold, where the security forces are making a final push against the group.
Morocco dismantles Syria-related terrorist cell
Rabat: Moroccan police announced Saturday that it has recently dismantled a terrorist cell that recruits Moroccan combatants for Syria, local media reported.
The cell members...
Malaysian police seize 40 smuggled live pangolins
By DPA,
Kuala Lumpur : Malaysian police seized 40 live pangolins believed to have been brought illegally out of Indonesia and headed for cooking pots in the country, a media report said Monday.
Six officers from the southern Johor state spent four days staking out a river popular with smugglers when they spotted two boats approaching the coast late Sunday.
Two men were then seen loading sacks of live pangolins into a car, before they realised they'd been discovered and immediately sped away, the Star online news portal reported.
UN Security Council calls for immediate ceasefire in Gaza, US abstains
By NNN-KUNA,
United Nations : Stressing that Gaza is an "integral part" of the 1967 occupied Palestinian territory, the Security Council late Thursday adopted a resolution calling for an immediate and durable ceasefire in the Strip, leading to a full Israeli withdrawal from there, and for provision of humanitarian assistance.
The US abstained even though it contributed to the drafting of the resolution that has been amended by the Arab ministers.
Eight drowned in Pakistan cable car accident
By IANS,
Islamabad : Eight people were drowned in Pakistan Sunday after the wire of a cable car lift installed over the Indus river in a town in the Gilgit-Baltistan area snapped, Dawn reported.
Bali anti-corruption conf. considers state property recovery
By Ahmad al-Furaij, KUNA
Kuala Lumpur : The second session of the conference of the courtiers and parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) in Bali, Indonesia, on Sunday probed several practical experiments on how to recover state public funds and properties, a Kuwaiti jurist said.
Dr. Moahmed al-Muqatea', a Kuwaiti constitutional expert, made the remarks to the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) by phone.
400 Palestinian couples tie knot in mass wedding
By IANS/WAM,
Gaza: A total of 436 Palestinian couples tied the knot at a mass wedding sponsored by the UAE's Khalifa bin Zayed Foundation.
Islamic State ‘driven out of Kobane’
Damascus: Kurdish forces have driven Islamic State (IS) militants from Kobane, officials say, ending a four-month battle for the northern Syrian town.
Fighters from the...
UK continues arms sales to Israel despite Gaza massacres
By IRNA,
London : Britain is continuing to sell a wide range of military equipment to the Israel, despite last year’s massacre of more than 1,400 Palestinians in Gaza.
After the attack on Gaza, Foreign Secretary David Miliband told parliament that all future applications for arms-related exports to Israel "will be assessed taking into account the recent conflict".
But the latest official figures show that UK government approved almost £4m worth of export licences for weapons and equipment, including small arms ammunition and parts for sniper rifles in first nine months of 2009.
Pakistan working with global community for normalcy in Afghanistan: Governor
By NNN-APP,
Peshawar, Pakistan : The NWFP Governor Owais Ahmed Ghani has said that the govt. was successfully perusing its “Three Ds” policy in the insurgency hit areas, which included Dialogue, Development and Deterrence.
He said this while talking to an 80 member group of Armed Forces War Course 2008-09 of National Defence University Islamabad that called on him here on Saturday.
The participants were given a detailed presentation on the security situation in FATA and other related issues.
UAE emirate to upgrade oil storage capacity
By IANS/WAM,
Fujairah (UAE) : The UAE emirate of Fujairah will upgrade its petroleum storing facilities at its sea port.
UNHCR: 856,000 Afghan Refugees Returned Home From Iran
By Bernama,
Kabul : United nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) bureau in Aghanistan declared here that since the year 2002 about 856,000 Afghan refugees have returned to their country from Iran with the assistance of UNHCR, Iranian national news agency (IRNA) reported.
UNHCR spokesman in Kabul, Mohammad Nader Farhad, issued a press release here Monday saying that 5,500 Afghan have left Iran voluntarily in the year 2008.
Now there are still around 3 million Afghan living in Iran either legally or illegally," he was quoted as saying in the note.
Laws discriminatory to minorities to be repealed: Bangladesh
By IANS,
Dhaka : Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said that her government will repeal all laws and rules discriminatory to minority communities, including indigenous people.
"Our government believes in freedom of all religious faiths and equal opportunities for all," Hasina told a visiting French military delegation Wednesday.
Hasina said the government would ensure protection of freedom of all religions and the minority groups' freedom of expression in the country, United News of Bangladesh reported.
Dubai to build airport the size of 19,200 football pitches
By DPA,
Dubai : The glitzy Gulf emirate of Dubai has unveiled a plan to build the world's largest airport, which will be the size of 19,200 football pitches or the equivalent of Chicago and London Heathrow airports combined, a report from the UAE said Wednesday.
The Dubai World Central airport, at Jebel Ali, aims to handle 120 million passengers a year, Bob Johnson, the chief executive officer of Dubai Aerospace, was quoted by the Khaleej Times as saying.
Arab Ministers mull proposal to boost Arab immigrants’ role in Arab development
By NNN-KUNA
Cairo : An Arab ministerial meeting on international immigration here has discussed a proposal to set up a regional centre aiming to boost the role of Arab immigrants in Arab development.
Such a proposal is to be presented to a planned Arab economic and social development summit due to be held in Kuwait in January 2009, especially as the outflow of Arab capital, minds and efficient people is a key challenge facing the Arab world.
Pakistani rupee falls again against dollar
By DPA,
Karachi : The Pakistani rupee fell by over one percent against the dollar Tuesday to close at 79.60 from 78.60 the previous day amid growing concerns over eroding foreign exchange reserves, traders said.
The decline in the rupee was one of the steepest in Pakistan's history in a single day as bankers and traders panicked over falling hard currency reserves with the central State Bank of Pakistan (SBP).
Hamas says 26 missiles fired into Israel
By Xinhua
Gaza : The Islamic Hamas movement's armed wing said Wednesday that its fighters have launched some 26 homemade rockets into Israeli targets near Gaza since Tuesday night.
Some 14 Qassam missiles landed into the southern Israeli city of Sderot early in the night, Ezz el-Deen al-Qassam brigades said in a statement faxed to the press.
Israel Radio said that 10 residents of Sderot suffered from shock during the attack.
Hamas also fired rockets on Kissufim and Sufa crossings in southeast Gaza Strip.
US drone attack kills 16 militants in Pakistan
By DPA,
Islamabad : A US unmanned aircraft fired five missiles at a suspected insurgent camp in Pakistan's tribal region near the Afghan border Saturday, killing 16 people, security officials said.
Several more militants were injured in the attack in Naiz Narae village in South Waziristan tribal district.
"The locals have pulled 16 bodies and some survivors from the debris of the compound that was hit by the missiles," an intelligence official said on condition of anonymity.
Dutch support for security mission in Afghanistan declining
By DPA,
Amsterdam : More than 60 percent of Dutch people think their government should withdraw troops from Afghanistan if the number of their troops killed hits 25.
The findings published Monday came from an Internet survey of the Dutch MSN website in which 11,000 people participated.
However, 25 percent of Dutch think the number of Dutch military killed in Afghanistan is "not relevant" in the decision on whether or not to continue the Dutch contribution to NATO's International Security and Assistance Forces (ISAF) in Afghanistan.
India, Pakistan agree on visa liberalization
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan and India have agreed on the need for visa liberalization and decided to discuss ways to cooperate in curbing cross border crime, according to Online news agency.
A joint statement, issued at end of the home secretary level talks, said the Federal Investigation Agency of Pakistan and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) of India will meet soon to discuss cooperation in addressing issues like human trafficking, illegal immigration, and counterfeit currency.
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.
Iran using violence against protesters, US says
By DPA,
Washington : The US criticised the Iranian government for using violence against tens of thousands of protesters that are railing against the country's election, the White House said Friday.
"The violence is being conducted by the government," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said, adding that President Barack Obama "has been clear in underscoring and deploring the violence".
Pakistan brings home 136 students from Kyrgyzstan
By IANS,
Islamabad : A Pakistani military aircraft Tuesday brought the first group of 136 students from violence-hit Kyrgyzstan home, a Pakistan minister said, adding that another plane had left to bring the others still stranded.
Information Minister Qamar-uz-Zaman Kaira, who received the students at a military airbase in Rawalpindi, said the government will take all measures to bring all students from southern city of Osh in Kyrgyzstan where ethnic violence has claimed over 100 lives, Xinhua reported.
Pakistan PM seeks parliament support again
Islamabad : Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has called a joint session of the national parliament Tuesday to seek support for his government in...
Emergency OIC Meeting to discuss Gaza on Saturday
By IINA,
Jeddah : The Expanded Executive Committee of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) is scheduled to hold an emergency meeting at the ministerial level at the OIC headquarters here next Saturday. The meeting will discuss the grave situation in the Gaza Strip due to the Israeli aggression and the atrocities committed by Israeli forces against the Palestinian people, and to secure the complete and permanent lifting of the embargo imposed on Gaza, according to an OIC press statement.
Israel conducts anti-missile test
By DPA,
Tel Aviv : The Israeli navy has successfully tested its Barak anti-missile system, the military announced Sunday.
The test included a version of the missile system with improved rocket-interception capabilities, the military said.
An interceptor missile was fired from the Israel Navy Ship Lahav, a Sa'ar 5-type corvette, successfully intercepting a target described as simulating an incoming enemy missile.
Abu Dhabi varsity to promote multicultural harmony
By IANS/WAM,
Abu Dhabhi : Students from Abu Dhabi University and 16 countries will give traditional performances Thursday as part of the annual Global Day celebrations.
Two days after Jinnah book, Jaswant expelled from BJP
By IANS,
Shimla : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) expelled its veteran leader Jaswant Singh from the primary leadership of the party Wednesday, two days after the release of his controversial book in praise of Pakistan's founder Mohammed Ali Jinnah.
The decision to expel the 71-year-old leader, who has held the portfolios of finance, defence and external affairs in BJP-led governments, was taken by the party's parliamentary board, said BJP president Rajnath Singh.
He has also been stripped of all party posts.
Pakistani officials meet UAE envoy
By IANS/WAM,
Islamabad : Top officials from Pakistan's Punjab province met the UAE's ambassador to the country and discussed ways to boost bilateral relations.
Iran’s allegations on interference absurd: Obama
By DPA,
Washington : US President Barack Obama Tuesday accused Iranian officials of making the US a scapegoat in an attempt to distract the people from the debate and protests surrounding the country's presidential elections.
Obama told reporters that the United States is "not at all interfering in Iran's affairs" and strongly condemned the beatings and imprisonment of protesters.
Ten Israelis killed in armed attack on religious school in West Jerusalem
By NNN-KUNA
Gaza : At least 10 Israelis were killed while others were injured in a shooting attack against a religious school in occupied West Jerusalem Thursday evening, Israeli media reported.
"Two gunmen attacked with machineguns a school in the city of Jerusalem killing at least 10 people and injured scores others studying in this school," said the media reports.
The Haaretz newspaper said in its website that ambulances rushed to the school and were currently removing those who were killed, transferring the injured to hospitals in Jerusalem.
FM says Muslim world should strengthen their cultural interests
By IRNA,
Tehran : Foreign minister Manouchehr Mottaki said member states of Islamic Inter-Parliamentary Union (IIPU) should consolidate unity among themselves and strengthen their cultural interests.
In a meeting with new secretary general of IIPU here Saturday afternoon, Mottaki said, " Nowadays, Muslim culture and faith have been targetted internationally by our enemies and the supporters of the idea of clash between civilizations."
Iranian revolution a major event in world’s history: Intellectuals
By IRNA,
Islamabad : Pakistani intellectuals on Tuesday described the Iranian Islamic Revolution as a major event in the history and paid homage to Imam Khomeini for his role in leading the Iranian nation in difficult times.
Talking to IRNA with a reference to the 30th anniversary of the revolution they extended their facilitations to the government and people of Iran.
Mazhar Abbas a senior journalist said that the whole of the Iranian public supported that revolution which is very inspiring for the other oppressed countries of the world.
Pakistan doesn’t have hegemonistic designs: Gilani
By IANS,
Karachi : Pakistan doesn't have any hegemonistic designs and does not want to engage in an arms race with any country but would fulfil all the needs of its armed forces, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said Monday.
"Our strategic as well as conventional capabilities are focused towards legitimate
defence needs and the promotion of peace. To this end we will equip our armed forces
accordingly, regardless of economic hardships," he said at the induction ceremony of the Chinese-built frigate, PNS Shamsheer, here.
NATO pledges cooperation with Pakistan on fighting terrorism
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer Thursday pledged to work with Pakistan to fight terrorism.
"Pakistan and NATO share common strategic objectives," Scheffer said at a joint press conference with Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi in Islamabad.
Scheffer said there is need for Pakistan and NATO to jointly "tackle terrorism effectively" and that NATO respects Pakistan's sovereignty, but reserves the right to retaliate if fired upon from the Pakistani side of border.
"A secure and stable Afghanistan is vital to Pakistan," Scheffer said.
All Iranian headquarters activities in Lebanon are legal
By IRNA,
Beirut : Iranian headquarters to help rebuilding Lebanon underlined that all activities undertaken by the headquarters are legal.
Reacting to a recent statement by some officials in Lebanon who had claimed Iran is interfering in Lebanon's domestic affairs, the headquarters issued a statement on Monday.
The headquarters declared that Iran had implemented more than 400 development projects in different areas of Lebanon after recent Zionist regime's war against the country.
British MPs join campaign against anti-Muslim right-wing extremists
London, March 19, IRNA – MPs, including former ministers, have joined trade unions and numerous organisations in condemning the latest anti-Muslim protest being held by the right-wing English Defence League (EDL) on Saturday.
Stop the War Coalition, Britain’s main peace group network, is also leading a counter-demonstration against the provocative march planned in Bolton, north-west England.
“The EDL is a group of racists and football hooligans with close links to the fascist British National Party,” the MPs said in a joint statement obtained by IRNA.
Militants take children hostage in Pakistan
By Xinhua
Islamabad : A group of militants took dozens of schoolchildren hostage in northwest Pakistan, local media reported Monday.window.onload = function() {var adsPercent =...
Iran unveils its drone after capturing a US one
By IANS,
London : Iran has unveiled a long-range drone capable of reaching Israel and most of the Middle East months after capturing a US one, a media report said.
IS releases 19 abducted Christian Assyrians
Damascus: The Islamic State (IS) militants on Sunday released 19 Christian Assyrians they had kidnapped last month, a monitoring group reported.
The 19 people are...
Afghanistan’s oldest woman, 136, dies
By IANS,
Kabul : Afghanistan's oldest woman, Khanum Hasno, has passed away at the age of 136, Xinhua reported Tuesday. She had 465 grandchildren.
Statement on investigations on death of Bhutto
By SPA
Islamabad : The Interior Ministry of Pakistan, and British High Commission (embassy) Islamabad have released the working arrangements agreed between the Pakistani law enforcement agencies and the Metropolitan Police Service team assisting with the investigation into the death of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, said an official statement.
Abu Dhabi to spend $200 billion on urban development
By IANS
Abu Dhabi : The United Arab Emirates (UAE) capital plans to spend $200 billion over the next five years in an ambitious plan to develop its infrastructure, WAM news agency reported Sunday.
The government's share would constitute 40 percent of the total spending while the remaining would come from the private sector, according to Falah Mohammed Al Ahbabi, director general of urban planning, executive affairs authority of Abu Dhabi.
Myanmar begins controversial citizenship verification process
Bangkok : The Muslim stateless residents of northern Rakhine state have long identified themselves as “Rohingya,” a term recognized by the United Nations, and foreign nations, including the United States. But not by Myanmar’s government. Instead, authorities are asking them to register as “Bengalis.”
OIC complains to Ban about increasing manifestations of Islamophobia
By KUNA
United Nations : Chairman of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC), Pakistan, late Saturday urged Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to call on governments to take a firm stand against the publication of the blasphemous cartoons in the Western media.
Fatima Bhutto’s book stays on top
By IANS,
New Delhi : "Songs of Blood and Sword" by Fatima Bhutto, niece of late Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto, remains on top among non-fiction bestsellers this week while prize-winning author Rana Dasgupta's "Solo" dominates the fiction list.
The top 10 in each category are:
Non-fiction
1. "Songs of Blood and Sword"
Author: Fatima Bhutto
Publisher: Penguin Viking
Price: Rs.699.00
2. "The Big Short"
Author: Michael Lewis
Publisher: Allen Lane
Price: Rs.599.00
3. "Nine Lives: In Search of the Sacred in Modern India"
Suspected US airstrike kills 10 in Pakistan
By DPA,
Islamabad : A suspected US missile strike Thursday killed at least 10 people in Pakistan's restive tribal region, an intelligence official said.
The airstrike came just a day after Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi told the US point man on Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard Holbrooke, that such drone attacks would undermine relations between them.
Two missiles, believed to be fired from a pilotless aircraft Thursday, flattened a seminary and an adjacent house in a remote part of North Waziristan, a tribal district bordering Afghanistan.
Landslides kill 14 in Bangladesh
By DPA,
Dhaka : Tropical storms lashed southern Bangladesh with torrential rains Monday, triggering landslides which left at least 14 people dead and many injured and missing, the police and rescuers said.
Local search and rescue teams said among the dead were four women and four children whose bodies were dragged out of the mud.
The toll was expected to rise as several people were apparently trapped waiting to be rescued, said Abdul Hamid of the fire brigade in the southern port city of Chittagong.
Abu Dhabi launches scholarship for engineering aspirants
By IANS/WAM,
Abu Dhabi: At least 1,700 meritorious students of grade 12 in Abu Dhabi will participate in a scholarship programme aimed at helping engineering aspirants pursue training in advanced technology.
The Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC) in collaboration with the Advanced Technology Investment Company (ATIC) Saturday organised the first orientation session of 12th graders who have obtained at least 80 percent marks in their fist semester exams.
Musharraf consults with aides after political parties announce govt.
By KUNA
Islamabad : A day after Pakistans two main political parties announced intention to form a coalition government at the center and restore sacked judges within 30 days of government formation, President Pervez Musharraf Monday held consultations with close aides and legal advisors.
The high-level meeting was attended by Attorney General Malik Muhammad Qayyum, his legal advisors including Sharif-u-Din Pirzada and other close aides, official sources told KUNA.
Pakistanis kill two shop robbers
By IANS,
Islamabad : Two armed men died in Pakistan's port city of Karachi when they attempted a robbery at a shop Thursday, and enraged citizens snatched their weapons and shot them.
Candidate calls on Kuwaiti voters to “wisely” elect representatives
By KUNA,
Kuwait : Fourth constituency candidate Mohammad Al-Khalifah called for political reforms and abidance by norms of justice, freedom, equality nd honestly in electing parliamentary representatives for serving national high interests.
Speaking at the inauguration of his campaigning headquarters in the district of Jahra, on Saturday, themed "continue the reforms," Al-Khalifa criticized the cooperation absence between the legislative and executive authorities and negative efforts by some former MPs that disrupted development projects, disappointed Kuwaiti citizens.
Fire-hit Turkey oil link may take 1-2 weeks to reopen
By SPA,
Ankara/Baku : The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline, which is still ablaze after an explosion, may not reopen for another one to two weeks, a senior source at Turkey's
state-owned pipeline company Botas told Reuters on Thursday.
Stocks at the Ceyhan depot, which had been used to keep the one million barrels per day (bpd) pipeline flowing have run dry, the source said, following the explosion on Tuesday night.
Opened in 2006, the pipeline is the first to carry large volumes of Caspian crude without going through Russia.
Women in Saudi Arabia vote for first time
Riyadh : Municipal elections began on Saturday in Saudi Arabia in which women cast their votes for the first time.
Women also stood as candidates,...
UN envoy slams attack on Somalian government
United Nations: The UN secretary-general's special representative for Somalia Wednesday condemned Tuesday night's attack on Villa Somalia, the seat of the Somali Federal Government...
VP: Iran on good terms with Americans, Israelis
By Xinhua,
Tehran : Iran's Vice President for Tourism and Cultural Heritage Esfandiar Rahim-Mashaie said on Sunday the Islamic Republic is on good terms with the people of America and Israel, the local Fars News Agency reported.
Rahim-Mashaie made the remarks that would spark controversy questioning Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's rhetoric on Holocaust and the existence of Israel, the report said.
Kuwait’s democratic process benchmark for other countries in the region: paper
By WAM
Dubai : A local English language daily lamented what it called "an alarming turn of events in Kuwait".
The Gulf News was commenting on the "recent crackdown by Kuwait police on organisers of illegal tribal primaries" which the paper dubbed as "disappointing." "The democratic process in Kuwait has always stood as a benchmark for other countries in the Gulf region to follow", remarked the paper.
Mideast status quo benefits extremists: Sarkozy
By DPA,
Sharm al-Sheikh (Egypt) : French President Nicolas Sarkozy, speaking at the opening of an international donors conference in the Egyptian resort city of Sharm al-Sheikh Monday, urged a swift and comprehensive resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
"The status quo benefits the extremists," Sarkozy warned, and called for a new summit to strike a peace deal between Israelis and Palestinians.
"We all know the parameters of a peace," Sarkozy said. "What are we waiting for? A government that we like? The longer we wait, the fewer wise men there will be."
Iraqi journalist killed in Baghdad
By Xinhua
Baghdad : An Iraqi journalist was shot dead in central Baghdad on Thursday, Iraqi journalists' Union told Xinhua.
"Qasim Abdul Hussein al-Eqabi, a journalist working for the local al-Muwatin newspaper was killed when unknown gunmen in two cars showered him with bullets near the National Theater in Karrada neighborhood," Jabbar Tarrad, the new chief of the Iraqi Journalists' Union told Xinhua by telephone.
Pakistan seeks good neighbourly ties with India
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan desires good neighbourly relations with India and hopes that New Delhi will positively respond to Islamabad's suggestion to resume the sub-continental dialogue process, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said Monday.
His remarks came during a joint press conference after talks with visiting British Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
Islamabad, a capital in search of its identity
By IANS/EFE,
Islamabad : Fifty years after its founding, Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, has established itself as a modern city, but it continues to grow with no clear direction or identity, away from realities of the country and vulnerable to its problems.
Designed in 1960 by Greek architect Constantinos Dioxadis, Islamabad, or "the place where Islam lives", was founded at a strategically secure zone with a pleasant climate, surrounded by lakes and hills not far from the Himalayas.
12 killed in Somali presidential palace attack
By IANS,
Mogadishu: At least 12 people, including permanent secretary of the Somalian prime minister and an ex-intelligence commander, were killed Friday in an attack...
Egypt opens Rafah crossing for stranded Palestinians
By DPA,
Gaza : Egypt opened its crossing point with the Gaza Strip at Rafah Saturday to allow around 8,000 stranded Palestinians to cross into Egypt, the Palestinian Border Crossing Corporation (PBCC) said.
"Around 8,000 Palestinians, including patients, students, businessmen and Palestinians holding other foreign nationalities will be crossing into Egypt starting from Saturday until Monday," the PBCC said in a statement.
Islamic State biggest threat to our profession: Scribe panel
Cairo : Following the beheading of US reporter James Foley, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has warned that the Islamic State (IS) Sunni...
Bangladeshi caught after crossing into Pakistan with onions
By IANS,
Amritsar : A Bangladeshi national who hid himself in a truckload of onions being exported from India to Pakistan was caught by Pakistani border guards and handed over to their Indian counterparts at the Attari-Wagah land border joint check-post near here.
The Bangladeshi national, Abu Tahir, 25, was handed over to Border Security Force (BSF) officials after he was caught on the Pakistani side of the border Tuesday night.
Delay levy on firms for employing foreign workers: Malaysian minister
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur : As global recession-hit Malaysia tightens rules so that jobs are created for locals and entry of foreign workers is curbed, the Human Resource Minister Wednesday said he would urge a delay in doubling the levy on employers who hire foreign workers.
Minister S. Subramaniam, an ethnic Indian, said he would ask Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak to give employers a grace period. He would also raise the matter in cabinet.
OPEC not under any pressure: Badri
By IRNA
Tehran : Secretary General of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries Abdullah al-Badri said here Saturday evening that OPEC is not under any pressure.
Al-Badri, who arrived in Iran on Friday on a three-day visit, made the remarks in a press conference after his meeting with Oil Minister Gholam-Hossein Nozari.
He reiterated that there is coordination and unity among all OPEC member states admitting that there were some differences of views among them in the past.
Scandinavian nations fear terror attacks after Islamabad bombing
By Alfred de Tavares, IANS,
Stockholm : All Scandinavian countries have placed their respective embassies around the world on 'red alert' following the suicide car bombing Monday outside the Danish embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan.
The measures follow dire warnings by many experts that the Islamabad terror attack can be "the harbinger of a wave of imminent such attacks across Europe".
Activities of Iranian headquarters for assistance in rebuilding Lebanon are legal
By NNN-IRNA,
Beirut : The Iranian headquarters embarking of providing assistance in rebuilding Lebanon has stated that all its activities are legal.
Responding on a recent statement by some officials in Lebanon who had claimed that Iran is interfering in Lebanon's domestic affairs, the headquarters issued a statement on Monday stating that Iran had implemented more than 400 development projects in different areas of Lebanon following the war with Israel.
Four NATO soldiers killed in Afghanistan
By IANS,
Kabul : Four soldiers with the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) were killed in Afghanistan, Xinhua quoted the military alliance as saying Tuesday.
Kuwait deports over 100 Bangladeshi workers
By Xinhua,
Dhaka : Over 100 Bangladeshi workers, who were deported by Kuwait over allegations of instigating labour unrest, have arrived here, a newspaper report said Thursday.
Several hundred others who have been put in jail for staging demonstrations in the Gulf country might also be deported soon, The Daily Star reported.
Kuwaiti police have so far arrested about 1,000 workers for staging demonstrations. About 300 of them will be released, the Bangladesh foreign ministry said Wednesday.