Pakistan’s processes flawed, says daily after Lakhvi bail
Islamabad : It will be difficult to tackle the militant menace when "our institutional processes are so flawed", a Pakistani daily said Friday, a...
Pakistan has not rejected India’s evidence on terrorism: Envoy
By IANS,
New Delhi : Islamabad has not “rejected” the evidence handed over by New Delhi, which points to the involvement of elements across the border in the Mumbai attacks, Pakistan's envoy here said Tuesday.
“There is no question of rejection of material that the Indian government has given us,” Pakistan High Commissioner Shahid Malik told reporters here on the sidelines of a conference of Asia Africa Rural Development Organisation.
“We are in the process of examining the evidence and we will get in touch with authorities,” Malik said.
US now relies on air strikes to hit targets in Pakistan
By IANS,
New York : Following strong protests from Pakistan against ground raids by American commandos, the US is now increasingly relying instead on an intensifying campaign of airstrikes by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) against militants in the mountainous region bordering Aghanistan.
First batch of Pakistani government Haj pilgrims arrive
Jeddah : The first Haj flight arrived in Jeddah from Peshawar on Sunday carrying pilgrims under the official Government of Pakistan Scheme.
The pilgrims were...
Bahrain arrests human rights activist
Dubai : A prominent human rights activist in Bahrain has been arrested on charges of insulting the country's ruler and assaulting police officers, a...
UN team visits Bhutto assassination spot
By IANS,
Islamabad : Two members of a UN technical assessment team have visited the site in Rawalpindi where former Pakistan prime minister Benazir Bhutto was assassinated in 2007, a media report said Friday.
The UN officials went to the site at Liaquat Bagh Thursday to assess security arrangements in the area ahead of a visit by a three-member UN commission appointed to probe the "facts and circumstances" of Bhutto's assassination, Geo TV reported, citing police sources.
Embassy: Britain to ink nuclear deal with Jordan
By Xinhua,
Amman : Britain and energy-scarce Jordan are likely to enter into a nuclear cooperation agreement this weekend, diplomatic sources said on Wednesday.
British chief on atomic energy Barbara Thomas Judge is expected to come to Amman this weekend to ink the deal with her Jordanian counterpart Khaled Toukan, the British embassy said.
The embassy did not elaborate on the deal but indicated that the two sides would discuss how the energy-hungry country could share British experience in nuclear energy.
EU to strengthen political role in Afghanistan
By Xinhua,
Stockholm : The European Union (EU) will strengthen its presence in Afghanistan, especially its political role there, Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt said here Saturday.
"We will be in Afghanistan for a long time to come. Our presence is politically oriented," Bildt said at a news conference when the EU foreign ministers concluded their two-day informal meeting in Stockholm.
PPP led coalition agree to distribute Ministries
By IRNA
Islamabad : The coalition of PPP-PML-N, ANP and others has agreed to distribute the Ministries in an equitable way and decided to appoint five Federal Minister in the first phase to resolve the matter within a week.
Reliable sources said Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi of PPP will hold the office of Foreign Ministry and PML-N leader Ishaq Dar will be appointed as Finance Minister, Sherry Rehman as Information Minister and Syed Khurshid Shah as Minister for Parliamentary Affairs.
Former head of FIA Rehman Malik will be inducted as Advisor to Interior Ministry.
Indian foreign secretary meets Karzai, presidential candidates in Kabul
Kabul/New Delhi : A day after visiting the Indian consulate in Herat that faced a terror attack last week, Indian Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh...
Cold, avalanches kill up to 24 in Afghanistan
By DPA
Kabul : More than 24 people were killed in avalanches and cold weather in Afghanistan while heavy snowfalls blocked several roads in the country, leaving hundreds stranded and making food deliveries difficult, officials said.
In Herat province in western Afghanistan, eight members of a family were killed when their mud-brick house collapsed due to heavy snowfalls, said Noor-ul-din Ahmadi, head of Afghan Red Crescent in the province.
Turkish army bombards PKK targets in northern Iraq
By NNN-KUNA,
Istanbul : The Turkish army has issued a statement saying its jetfires bombarded once more targets in northern Iraq beloning to the PKK.
The shelling took place in the areas of Zap and Tahataha, destroying a PKK hideout in a cave and killing 30 to 40 members of the outlawed organisation in it, said the statement Tuesday.
The bombardment came two days after the terrorist explosions in Istanbul which killed 17 people and wounded 154 others.
From Syria, a call for ‘Undivided India’
By Coomi Kapoor, ummid.com,
The RSS vision of an Akhand Bharat has an unlikely supporter, the Grand Mufti of Syria, Dr Ahmad Badr Al-Din Hassoun. The Mufti feels "You need to bring back the idea of pre-independence India. An Indian continent which for over a thousand years was home to all civilisations -- Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims, Jews, Christians and Sikhs. He believes that the barriers between India, Pakistan and Bangladesh are unnatural and should be removed. The holy man cites the example of Europe, where boundary lines are becoming irrelevant.
Suicide bomb attack kills four in Pakistan
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : Four people were killed Wednesday in a suicide bomb attack in Pakistan's North West Frontier Province, the private Express TV channel reported.
According to the report, a suicide bomber rammed his explosives laden vehicle into a security convoy in Pirqalla town of the province, killing four people in the process.
No further details were immediately available.
Pakistan’s election process to be completed by March 5: minister
By Xinhua
Islamabad : Caretaker Law Minister Syed Afzal Haider Thursday said the process of electing the national assembly would be completed by March 5 and the department of law and parliamentary affairs would send a summary to the president for convening the session.
Speaking at a program of the state-run television channel PTV, Haider said when the process of election was completed, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) would notify the names of elected members.
Pakistan to celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr Saturday
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan will celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr Saturday, the Shawwal moon sighting committee announced.
Secretary general of Egypt’s ruling party arrested
By IRNA,
Beirut : Secretary General of Egypt's ruling party, Egypt National Front Party, Ahmed Ezz was arrested on Saturday afternoon when he was trying to flee Cairo.
70,000 tons of wheat from UAE arrive in Yemen
By IINA,
Sana'a : The first shipment of the UAE's wheat assistance consignment to Yemen has arrived at Al Salif seaport of Hodeidah governorate. Some 70,000 tons of wheat were unloaded on Wednesday. The shipment is part of the 500,000 tons of wheat donated by President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan to Yemen as a gift from the people of UAE to the Yemeni people to help improve living conditions there.
US soldier dies in non-combat incident in Iraq
By SPA,
Baghdad : The U.S. military says a soldier has died in a vehicle accident near al-Asad.
The military says the soldier was killed when the vehicle he was traveling in rolled over near al-Asad, home to the second largest air base in Iraq.
The military has not released the name of the soldier, pending the notification of relatives. The soldier died on Saturday.
Sunday's announcement raises the number of the U.S. military losses in Iraq to at least 4,075 since the Iraq war started in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count.
Pakistani lawyers protest senior advocate’s killing
By IANS,
Islamabad : Lawyers in Pakistan observed a day-long strike Tuesday to protest the killing of a senior lawyer in Lahore city of Punjab province, Geo News reported.
Pakistani Haj pilgrims injured
Islamabad : Twelve Pakistani Haj pilgrims were injured during the ritual stoning of the devil in Mina, Geo TV reported Sunday.
Saudi officials were quoted...
Pakistan to receive 4 F-16 fighter jets from U.S.
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : Pakistan will receive four refurbished F-16 fighter-jets from the United States on Saturday, a media report said.
The fighter jets are part of a consignment of 12 refurbished planes that Pakistan would receive from the United States.
Pakistan, a major non-NATO ally of the United States, receive two of these jets earlier this year and another four last month. Two more planes would be delivered next month, Dawn News newspaper said.
US keen on success talks with Iraq on long-term deal – US’ Iraq envoy
By NNN-KUNA,
Baghdad : US' Iraq envoy David Satterfield has said here that Washington is very interested in bringing about success to negotiations with Baghdad for a long-term agreement.
Satterfield, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's Special Advisor and Coordinator for Iraq, made the remarks during a meeting with Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari at the latter's office here Monday, according to a government statement.
Traditionally secular Damascus rediscovers religion
By DPA
Damascus : Every morning, Fares leaves his house for the nearby mosque to say his dawn prayers. When he returns he expects his wife and two sons to have finished their own prayers and got ready to recite verses from the Koran until it's time to leave for work and school.
Fares is a civil servant at a government department. His sons are in grades seven and eight. His wife does not go out to work because Fares believes house chores are a woman's only work.
Party position
By APP
Islamabad : Following is the Party Position at 1330 hrs PST, available with the Election Comission of Pakistan for the National Assembly seats;
Party Position
NA Provinces
Party Punjab Sindh NWFP Bal. Fata ICT Total
PPPP 32 19 08 0 0 0 59
PML-N 44 0 1 0 0 2 47
PML-Q 19 2 2 0 0 0 23
MQM 0 18 0 0 0 0 18
ANP 0 0 7 0 0 0 07
700,000 people attend Istanbul protest rally on Gaza
By IINA,
Istanbul : Israel’s tank and troop assault on the Gaza Strip prompted widespread protest rallies across the Muslim world yesterday. The biggest rally of the day was held in Turkey where hundreds of thousands of people spilled into streets of Istabul to protest against Israeli action as the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) began diplomatic effort to end the sufferings of Gazans. Organizers of Istanbul rally said there were as many as 700,000 people in the 180,000-square-meter venue.
Pakistan election result present ‘will of the people’ : EUEOM
By NNN-APP
London : A parliamentary member of European Union Election Observation Mission (EUEOM), has termed the February 18 national elections result in Pakistan as ‘the will of the people’ but as the same time called on the incoming Government to address the imperatives of the ‘profound democratic deficits with rigour and determination so that Pakistan’s democracy can finally come of age’.
Pakistan SC wants Hindu marriage bill’s draft approved
Islamabad : The Supreme Court of Pakistan has ordered the Nawaz Sharif government to ensure that the proposed Hindu Marriage Registration Bill's draft is...
UAE raises $19 mn for Pakistan flood aid
By IANS,
Abu Dhabi : In order to help flood-hit Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has raised AED 72 million ($19 mn) from donations given by its citizen during a three-day nationwide campaign.
A total of AED 72 million was collected on the final day of the telethon "Awnakum" (Arabic for Your Help), which was launched Wednesday by the Red Crescent Authority (RCA) to help millions of flood-affected people in Pakistan.
Dozens of Taliban fighters killed in Afghanistan: Police
By DPA,
Kabul : An Afghan police official said Monday their forces backed by international troops killed and wounded dozens of militants after Taliban fighters attacked police posts in western Afghanistan.
Around 200 Taliban fighters attacked police posts in Bala Murghab district in Badghis province Sunday night, Abdul Raouf Ahmadi, spokesman for the police force in the western region, said.
A repeat HH the Amir”s approval of the cabinet”s resignation
By KUNA,
Kuwait : His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah approved Monday the resignation of HH Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah's cabinet.
HH the Amir tasked the cabinet ministers to continue discharging their duties till the formation of a new cabinet.
Earlier Monday HH the Amir received HH the Prime Minister at Al-Saif Palace to mull the fate of the latter's cabinet following the just-ended National Assembly elections.
Jordan pledges visa for eligible Iraqis
By Xinhua,
Amman : Jordan will continue to issue visas for eligible Iraqis who wish to enter the kingdom, local daily The Jordan Times reported on Monday.
Jordan will also issue residency permits to Iraqis who meet the requirements for the status, said Interior Ministry spokesperson Ziad Zu'bi.
But the government at the same time welcomes Iraq's efforts to attract Iraqis back, he added.
Rulers and their reigns in Middle East and North Africa
By IANS,
Cairo : Here is a list of leaders in Middle East and North Africa who have been in power for years:
Five Iraqis killed, 30 injured in Baghdad double bombings
By Xinhua,
Baghdad : Five people were killed and 30 others injured in a car bomb explosion followed by a suicide vest attack in northern Baghdad on Monday, an Interior Ministry source said.
The twin bombings occurred at about 08:00 a.m. (0500 GMT) when a booby-trapped car went off first and was followed by a suicide bomber who detonated his explosive-vest shortly after people gathered to examine the first blast in a marketplace in the Sunni-dominated neighborhood of Adhamiyah, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.
French firm bags Abu Dhabi energy project deal
By IANS,
Abu Dhabi : French energy firm GDF SUEZ Energy International has bagged a multimillion dollar contract to supply power and water to the emirate of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for the next 20 years.
Though the exact figure of the deal has not been disclosed, GDF SUEZ will own 40 percent of the Shuweihat 2 power generation and seawater desalination plant while the remaining 60 percent will be with the Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority (ADWEA), reports said.
Israel ignores ‘roadmap’ to peace, continues to build houses
By RIA Novosti
Moscow : Israel is continuing to build settlements despite agreeing to freeze construction at a U.S.-hosted peace conference last November, an Israeli paper said Monday citing a report by an Israeli peace movement.
The report released on Sunday said that 101 "instances of settlement construction" had been recorded in the occupied West Bank since December, while the U.S.-brokered conference set the construction freeze as one of the primary cornerstones for peace.
Israel rockets Hamas car in Gaza, five killed
By DPA
Gaza City : An Israeli aircraft fired missiles at a car with Hamas gunmen in the southern Gaza Strip Wednesday morning, killing five Palestinians, first aid officials said.
Four others were injured when two missiles struck the car west of Khan Younis, said Gaza emergency services chief Mo'aweya Hassanein.
Initial reports said the vehicle was a Hamas police car, but witnesses later said it was a private car carrying members of the radical Islamic movement's armed wing.
No decision yet on Pakistan army chief’s extension: PM
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani Thursday termed as "inappropriate and premature" the defence minister's assertion that army chief Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani's tenure would not be extended, an indication that this could well be on the cards.
Defence Minister Ahmed Mukhtar's statement earlier this week that Kayani, who is due to retire in October, would not be given an extension was "inappropriate and premature and he should not have given such a statement", Gilani said during an interaction with senior journalists here.
Cheney says U.S. endeavor in Iraq successful
By Xinhua
Baghdad : Visiting U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney on Monday said the United States has made a "successful endeavor" in Iraq on the eve of the fifth anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion.
Cheney, who arrived in Baghdad in the morning on an unannounced visit, met Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and other Iraqi political figures.
He said there was a significant progress compared with 10 month ago when he was traveling here, adding security has improved dramatically and the Iraqi leaders have made progress in governing.
Palestinian negotiator says W Bank becomes prison like Gaza
By Xinhua
Jerusalem : Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said here on Monday that Israel's "hermetic" blockade is turning the West Bank into a "big prison" like the Gaza Strip.
"The situation on the ground indicates that the (Israeli) siege and closure continue to be hermetic," Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth quoted Erekat as saying, "The West Bank is turning into one big prison, just like Gaza."
Candidate calls voters to elect those able to cooperate with gov”t
By KUNA,
Kuwait : Fourth constituency candidate Naif Al-Enizi called voters to elect those who are able to cooperate with the government and serve the people.
Al-Enizi said, in a seminar he held Friday evening, that members of the previous National Assembly had conflicts with each other and with ministers.
He called future members of parliament to focus in legislations and issuing laws that benefit the people.
Pakistan arrests three suspected suicide bombers, seizes explosives
By IRNA,
Rawalpindi : Police in Pakistan have arrested three suspected suicide bombers and seized explosives-laden vehicles near the capital Islamabad, the Interior Ministry said.
Three other accomplices of the would-be-bombers were also arrested from the garrison city of Rawalpindi on a tip from the suspected bombers, Interior Advisor Rehman Malik told reporters at the parliament house.
He said that the suspects were arrested late last night in a search operation when a red alert was declared in Islamabad and Rawalpindi after reports that suicide bombers have entered the area.
One of world’s oldest Quran fragments found in Britain
London : The radiocarbon dating of ancient documents has identified an Islamic manuscript kept at the University of Birmingham as one of the...
Israeli soldiers” remains confirmed through DNA testing
By KUNA,
Beirut : The International Red Cross has determined, through DNA testing, that the remains handed over by Hezbollah did in fact belong to the two Israeli soldiers, Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev.
Hezbollah had handed over this morning the remains of the two soldiers, whom it kidnapped on July 12, 2006. Up until today, their fate had been unknown.
“Free Gaza” to sail to Gaza waters in August
By Xinhua,
Gaza : A small vessel "Free Gaza" will set sail for Gaza with medical aid from Cyprus on August 5, expecting to be illegally detained by the Israeli navy as it enters Gaza waters, a Palestinian official said Monday.
Jamal al-Khodari, chief of the Palestinian Popular Committee Against Siege told reporters that there will be 60 people aboard Free Gaza vessel, including a survivor of the Palestinian Nakba (Catastrophe).
Stable Pakistan must for Kashmir peace: Mufti
By IANS,
Jammu : Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed Monday welcomed the Pakistan government decision to reinstate sacked judges and thereby avoid a major political crisis in the neighbouring country.
Mufti Sayeed, the patron of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said he was concerned at recent events in that country, as "a stable Pakistan is must for the resolution of Kashmir crisis".
US withdraws aircraft from Pakistan flood relief work
By IANS,
Islamabad : The US has withdrawn its cargo aircraft from flood relief work in Pakistan as it was now possible to reach the affected areas by road, a media report said Wednesday.
Bahrain meeting calls to back $10 billion Islamic Solidarity Fund
Manama – (IINA)February 06 –A high level Islamic meeting held here yesterday underlined the need for backing a fund aimed at combating poverty throughout the Muslim world. The $10 billion Islamic Solidarity Fund for Development (ISDF) is being established within the Jeddah-based Islamic Development Bank (IDB) to support poor countries in the Muslim world, especially in Africa. The one-day meeting of the high-level Advisory Panel for ISFD has urged Muslim countries to enhance efforts to ensure participation by the private sector in bolstering the Fund.
Chinese delegation to visit Pakistan to explore investment opportunities in CNG
By APP
Beijing : The unremitting use and development of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) in the country has convinced Chinese traders to explore investment opportunities in Pakistan.
One of the leading Chinese firms dealing in provision of all CNG related machineries and technical affairs is planning to send soon its senior technical officers delegation to Pakistan to hold business and technical meetings with their counterparts.
Ban strongly condemns terrorist bombing in Syria
By NNN-KUNA,
United Nations : Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon strongly condemned the terrorist bombing on the outskirts of Damascus earlier Saturday which has reportedly taken the lives of 17 civilians.
Ban called for the perpetrators of this crime to be brought to justice and extended his condolences to the Government and people of Syria and wished speedy recovery to those who injured.
Syrian Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Muallem addressed the General Assembly 63rd session earlier Saturday and completely ignored to mention the terrorist bombing in his country.
Dhaka to reconstruct prayer houses damaged in violence
By IANS,
Dhaka : The Bangladesh government has said it will reconstruct four prayer houses set ablaze during two days of violence against Buddhist tribals in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT).
Dipankar Talukdar, the minister in charge of the region that is home to the indigenous people, said this would be done "as soon as possible".
He also promised action against those responsible within seven days, Star Online said Monday.
Canadian troops to leave Afghanistan by 2011
By SPA,
Washington : Canada’s Prime Minister on Wednesday pledged that Canadian forces would not renew their military mission in Afghanistan past 2011.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Canadians do not want to keep troops in Afghanistan beyond then, and that 10 years of fighting is enough. “You have to put an end date on these things,” he told reporters in Toronto. “We intend to end it.”
Saudi schoolgirl to get 90 lashes for carrying cell phone
By IANS,
Dubai : A 13-year-old schoolgirl in Saudi Arabia has been sentenced to 90 lashes and two months in prison for carrying to her classroom a mobile phone equipped with a camera.
The girl, who has not been named, was sentenced to 90 lashes in front of her classmates followed by two months in detention.
A Saudi court pronounced the judgement after she was caught with a cell phone equipped with a camera. The gadget is banned in girls' schools in the country, Press TV reported Thursday.
Suicide attacks, clashes kill over 30 in Afghanistan
By DPA,
Kabul : Two suicide attackers blew themselves up at the police headquarters in Kandahar city Sunday, killing and wounding more than 30, while two dozen Taliban were killed in airstrikes and clashes elsewhere in the country, officials have said.
The bombers detonated their explosives inside the police headquarters Sunday afternoon, provincial police chief Matiullah Khan said. Kandahar city is the capital of the province of the same name.
No work permit in Saudi Arabia for Ebola-hit country nationals
Riyadh : Saudi Arabia has decided to stop issuing work permits to workers from Ebola-hit countries, including Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, an official...
UK troops `tortured’ dozens of Iraqi detainees – surviving victims
By IRNA
London : Dozens of Iraqi detainees were tortured, killed and their corpses mutilated by soldiers at a British army camp, it has been claimed following the lifting of a gagging order to prevent the allegations being reported.
Some 22 detainees died and another nine were tortured after a gun battle near the town of Majar al Kabir in 2004, according to surviving victims quoted by their lawyers.
Bush urges Congress to pass Iraq war-funding bill
By Xinhua,
Washington : U.S. President George W. Bush on Saturday urged the Democratic-dominated Congress to pass a huge Iraq war-funding bill.
"This is an opportunity for Congress to give our men and women in uniform the tools they need to protect us, and Congress should approve these vital funds immediately," Bush said in his weekly radio address.
"Congress has had this funding request for more than a year, and there is no reason for further delay," he said.
Militants kidnap 11 policemen in Pakistan’s Khyber area
By DPA,
Islamabad : Islamist militants Sunday kidnapped 11 tribal policemen following an attack on a checkpoint in northwestern Pakistan bordering Afghanistan, an official said.
The gunmen forced the Khasadar policemen to surrender all weapons after laying siege to the Shin Qamar post in Khyber tribal district, a hub of militant activity.
"They pushed the Khasadars into their vehicles and sped away," said Manzoor Ahmed, an official of the local administration.
According to Ahmed, one abductee managed to escape from the militants' custody and reached to safety later in the day.
34 killed in Syria car bomb blast
Damascus : At least 34 people were killed and 50 injured Friday in car bomb blast in Syria's Hama province.
The blast was triggered by...
Spokesman slams Bush’s anti-Iran claims
By IRNA
Tehran : Foreign Ministry Spokesman Mohammad-Ali Hosseini on Wednesday blasted US President George W. Bush's "antagonistic" claims on Iran's missile capabilities and said the statements in Bucharest summit of the military alliance are examples of the US government's "desperate and opportunistic" attempt to destabilize the Middle East region.
Iranian President sends message to Zardari
By SPA,
Tehran : Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad has sent a message to his Pakistani Counterpart Asif Ali Zardari on the developments in Gaza.
The Iranian news agency reported that Iranian minister of oil Ghulam Hussein Nozari left today for Islamabad to deliver the message to the Pakistani President.
Israelis protest at Gazan crossing to press for release of soldier
By KUNA,
Gaza : Tens of Israeli people on Sunday closed Kerem Shalom crossing on the demarcaton line with Gaza Strip as a part of a demonstration to demand the release of Hamas' imprisoned Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.
"People staged the demonstration at this particular crossing located at Israeli-Egyptian borders, demanding Gilad Shalit's release, who was captured by Palestinian activists in June, 2006," Israel Radio said.
The radio said the protestors vowed to disrupt entry of supplies to Gaza, as they sealed the crossing early Sunday, preventing trucks from entering.
Bangladesh: Muslims observe Lailatul Qadr
By NNN-BSS,
Dhaka, Bangladesh : Thousands of Muslims on Saturday thronged Mosques and other religious places to offer special prayers in observance of the holy Lailatul Qadr, the night when the first verses of the Holy Quran were revealed to the Greatest Prophet, Hazrat Muhammad (SM).
The devout Muslims are to join milad, zikr, prayers, QuranKhwani, religious discussion in Mosques and their houses in line with the traditional practices as the night is better than 1,000 months.
Palestinian premier arrives in Sana’a
By NNN-SABA,
Sana'a : Palestinian Prime Minister Salaam Fayyad arrived in Sana'a on Friday for talks with Yemeni officials on efforts to hold reconciliation talks between the rival Palestinian movements of Fatah and Hamas, Yemen's officials Saba news agency reported. The agency said Fayyad would discuss with Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh and other senior officials "thoughts for implementing the Yemeni initiative that is intended to patch up the inter- Palestinian rift.".
Arab League representatives prepare for Monday”s Arab FMs meeting
By KUNA,
Cairo : The 130th meeting of permanent representatives to the Arab League will be held here on Saturday, to prepare for Monday's meeting of Arab foreign ministers.
The African Union's Peace and Security Commissioner Ramadan Al-Amamra had arrived in Cairo early this morning to take part in the meeting, which is set to discuss Arab action in the political, economic and social spheres.
We didn’t let Poonch militants escape: Indian Army
By IANS,
Jammu : The Indian Army Saturday denied reports it had provided safe passage to militants hiding in the Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir in exchange for the release of some abducted security personnel during the eight-day operation against them.
"It is just fiction, a total lie with no truth whatsoever in it," a senior officer at the 16 Corps headquarters at Nagrota, told IANS.
"Spreading such reports is not only detrimental to the army's cause but goes against national interest," he added
Israel to close crossings with Gaza Strip – source
By KUNA,
Gaza : Israel announced Monday evening that it would be closing all crossings linking it with the Gaza Strip.
Haaretz newspaper said on its website that an Israel military source has affirmed that Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak instructed the closure of the three crossings providing Gaza with its needs of food and vital supplies.
The decision was taken after mortar shells fell on the Karni crossing without causing any casualties.
Fire engulfs Karachi’s cloth warehouse
By IANS,
Islamabad : A fire engulfed a cloth warehouse in an industrial area of Pakistan's Karachi city early Friday, Geo News reported. There were no reports of casualties.
Power outages affecting health in Pakistan
By IANS,
Islamabad : More and more people are suffering from psychological disorders in Rawalpindi due to chronic power outages, with electricity cut up to 16 hours a day.
Detained Hindraf leader’s mother meets Malaysian PM
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur : Detained Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leader P. Uthayakumar's mother met Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to plead for early release of her son who is seriously sick.
Uthayakumar's mother K. Kalaivaniy was accompanied by 100 supporters and the movement's coordinator, R.S. Thanendran.
Thanendran urged Badawi to consider Kalaivaniy's request, adding that since there was no guarantee that Uthayakumar would get proper medical attention, it was only right that the government allowed his family to send him for treatment.
Israel to take more strict measures with Palestinians – Olmert
By NNN-KUNA,
Gaza : Israel has implied that it will take more strict measures with the Palestinians as punishment after Wednesday's attack in Jerusalem.
The Israeli Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper said Thursday Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert held, Wednesday evening, a series of meetings with government officials to discuss the situation of Jerusalem's Arab residents.
It said the Israeli government thinks the Arab residents use their residency rights to move freely into central Israel to carry out terrorist attacks.
Iran, Singapore to expand technical-scientific cooperation
By IANS
Tehran : Iran has expressed its willingness to expand technical and scientific cooperation with Singapore, official IRNA news agency reported Thursday.
Deputy Minister of Science, Research and Technology Alireza Jahangiri told a visiting Singaporean delegation here Wednesday his country needs huge investment to develop its science and technology potential and is keen on technical and scientific cooperation with Singapore.
Jahangiri said Iran has had remarkable scientific development and "ranks first in some scientific fields among the Islamic world and Middle East region."
Iranian president urges UN to bring Israeli leaders to justice
By Xinhua,
TEHRAN : Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Monday called on the United Nations to bring Israeli leaders to justice, the official IRNA news agency reported.
The president made the remarks in a meeting with the visiting chief of Hamas Political Bureau Khalid Mashaal who arrived here Sunday for talks with senior Iranian officials on major regional and international issues.
Ahmadinejad urged the United Nations to bring Israeli leaders to justice for "crimes against humanity and war crimes in Gaza," the report said.
2012 bloody year of sectarian violence in Pakistan: Dawn
By IANS,
Islamabad : This year saw violent sectarian clashes in Pakistan as it witnessed a new phase in the long history of sectarian feud, the Dawn said Friday.
US, Iraq negotiating details on forces agreement
By DPA,
Washington : US and Iraqi officials are working on the details of an agreement to establish a legal basis for the presence of US soldiers after the end of this year, the White House said Friday.
"We are in the process of working out details right now," said Gordon Johndroe, a White House spokesman. "There are still discussions ongoing."
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was in Iraq Thursday, holding several hours of talks on the broader military and political agreement with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari.
Pakistan’s rebel group claims responsibility for blast in southwest
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : A separatist group on Sunday claimed responsibility for the bomb blast in northwestern Pakistan' s Balochistan province, which killed at least three people and injured six.
The Baloch Republic Army (BRA), a separatist rebel group, has claimed responsibility for the blast, local Dawn News TV said.
The blast occurred in a bazar of Dera Bugti district of Balochistan Sunday morning, and the remote-controlled bomb was planted in a motorcycle, official sources said.
Pakistan wants good ties with India, peace: Nawaz Sharif
Islamabad : Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif Wednesday said that he wanted relations with India based on equality and mutual respect, values which are...
In a radicalised region, a face of modern Islam
By Tarun Basu,
The Arab world is in a bloody ferment. The Yemen conflict is just the latest in the upsurge in regional unrest, compounded by the spread of extremist forces with their violent ideologies, that threaten to take the region and beyond into a vortex of uncertainty.
This may have unpredictable - and possibly dangerous - consequences.
China asks Indonesia to maintain ASEAN regional security
By ANTARA,
Beijing : China has asked Indonesia to jointly step up security in ASEAN region, especially during the global financial crisis which led to a significant change in the field of security and defense.
"The global financial crisis has a negative impact on a number of countries, including those in East Asia, and has changed the security situation in East Asia and ASEAN," Chinese Military and Science Academy(AMS) spokesman Lt Gn Liu Chengjun said in a China-ASEAN Defense dialog here on Monday.
Indonesia hands over D-8 presidency to Malaysia
By IRNA,
Kuala Lumpur : Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda handed over the two-year chairmanship of the Eight Islamic Developing Countries (D-8) to his Malaysian counterpart Rais Yatim here on Sunday.
The ceremony for replacing D-8 presidency took place at the inaugural session of the 11th foreign ministers meeting which started its work earlier on Sunday in the Malaysian capital.
Iran's Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki is also attending the two-day meeting which would be followed by the sixth Summit of the D-8 heads of states slated for July 7-8.
Berri calls for dialogue as speaker
By Xinhua
Beijing : Nabih Berri calls for a national dialogue as the Lebanese Speaker though he is a major figure in the opposition, Ali Hamdan, press adviser of Berri, said on Monday.
Hamdan made the remarks in an interview with local Al-Manar TV in response to Prime Minister Fouad Seniora's comment on Monday claiming that "Speaker Berri is on the opposition side, and can not sponsor national dialogue."
Berri called for a national dialogue to gather both ruling coalition and opposition leaders in order to reach an agreement to elect a new president.
Bloodshed Marks Rice Iraq Visit
By Prensa Latina,
Baghdad : A bloody weekend with over 70 people dead and about 20 others wounded was the panorama that US Secretary of State Condolezza Rice left in Iraq.
While official sources today speak of nearly 20 victims in the clashes and bombings of the last two days, Rice congratulated the Iraqi government for advances in security.
Upon her arrival in Baghdad Sunday, the US diplomat came up against an ultimatum by Shiite clergyman Muqtada al Sader, warning of a possible open war if the foreign troops refuse to begin withdrawing gradually.
‘Bangladesh opposition misleading public on Indian project’
By IANS,
Dhaka: Bangladesh's main opposition is "misleading" the people on the proposed Indian dam at Tipaimukh with data and information that is "flawed", said the head of the parliamentary team that will visit the project site in Manipur late this month.
Joining the battle on behalf of the government, Abdur Razzak, a freedom fighter and former water resources minister, hit out at the opposition leader and former prime minister Khaleda Zia for campaigning against the project on the basis of information that was "incorrect, imaginary and motivated", Star Online reported.
Islamabad Police foil terror bid
By IANS,
Islamabad : Islamabad Police have foiled a bid to blow up an important building in the capital, Interior Minister Rehman Malik said Friday.
Pakistan, Britain trade charges as 12 arrested for terror plot
By IANS,
London : Pakistan and Britain asked each other to "do more" to counter terrorism after British police arrested a dozen men - most of them Pakistani students - for suspected links with a major terror plot.
"We are dealing with a very big terrorist plot - we've been following it for some time," British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said Thursday.
"We know that there are links between terrorists in Britain and terrorists in Pakistan ... Pakistan has got to do more to root out the terrorist elements in its country," he added.
SAARC interior ministers’ meet postponed
By IRNA,
New Delhi : The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) interior ministers' conference, scheduled for February 26 to 28 in Islamabad has been postponed.
The date did not suit the Nepalese interior minister and this was the sole reason for putting the event on hold, All India Radio (AIR) reported quoting official sources in New Delhi.
Bangladesh: commendable work done for December poll, says Ban Ki-moon
By NNN-BSS,
Dhaka, Bangladesh : Chief Adviser of Bangladesh caretaker government Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed expressed his firm conviction that Bangladesh would set a new standard of democracy and good governance in the developing world.
The Chief Adviser expressed the view while addressing the banquet hosted by him in honour of visiting UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon at Hotel Sheraton in the city on Saturday.
The speaker, advisers, special assistants to the chief adviser, dignitaries, and high civil and military officials were present.
Millions of Muslims Ask Forgiveness At Haj Climax
By Inal Ersan, Reuters,
Arafat, Saudi Arabia : More than two million Muslim pilgrims gathered around a mountain east of Mecca on Sunday at the peak of the haj to beg God's forgiveness, chanting "O God, I am answering your call!".
Pilgrims trickling to the area where they will pray until sunset set up thousands of tents in a vast plain.
"Being here is better than anything I had ever experienced ... better than the time I saw my children for the first time," said Rawya Mohammad, a secretary from Egypt.
Development of Gwadar Port number one priority of Pakistani govt: PM
By NNN-APP,
Islamabad : Pakistani Prime Minister, Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani on Wednesday told the National Assembly that development of Gwadar port is number one priority of his government.
“We have already made this port operational and imported fertilizer for the agriculture was operated through this port”, the Prime Minister remarked.
He said operational activities through Gwadar port has created jobs for the people there and generated economic activities.
IAEA official arrives in Tehran for two-day visit
By NNN-IRNA,
Tehran : The United Nations nuclear watchdog's deputy director general, Olli Heinonen, has arrived here for a two-day visit.
The International Atomic Energy Agency has announced that Heinonen is to hold talks with senior Iranian nuclear officials on the process of bilateral cooperation between Iran and the IAEA.
The IAEA number two man is scheduled to discuss Iran's nuclear case with Deputy Head of the International Atomic Energy Organisation (IAEO) for International Affairs Mohammad Saeedi and Iran's permanent representative to the IAEA Ali-Asghar Soltaniyeh.
Israel renews fuel supplies to Gaza
By Xinhua,
Jerusalem : Israel on Wednesday resumed the fuel supply to the Gaza Strip after a week-long cutoff.
A spokeswoman of Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed to Xinhua that a total of eight truckloads of fuel have been shipped into Gaza through Nahal Oz fuel terminal.
The decision was made by Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Monday.
Hours earlier, three IDF soldiers were killed in exchanges of heavy gunfire with a group of Palestinian militants who approached the security fence near Kibbutz Be'eri.
12 die in Taliban attack on Indian embassy in Kabul
By IANS,
Kabul/New Delhi : A Taliban suicide bomber exploded near the Indian embassy in Kabul Thursday, killing 12 people and injuring nearly 90 in the second such attack since July 2008.
No Indian was killed in the devastating bombing on the busy road outside the embassy. Afghan officials said the dead were one police officer and 11 Afghan civilians, most of whom were Indian visa seekers.
Israel, Palestinians will sign treaty in 2008: Bush
By DPA
Ramallah : US President George W. Bush said Thursday he believed he would be able to "nudge" Israel and the Palestinians toward a joint peace deal this year.
"I believe there will be a signed peace treaty by the time I leave office," Bush told a joint news conference in Ramallah with President Mahmoud Abbas, on the first visit of an American president to the central West Bank city.
When asked what he intended to do to help, Bush answered, "Nudge the process forward," apply "pressure" and "be a pain if I need to be a pain."
Libya, UAE sign $500 mn deal
By IANS
Tripoli : Libya and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have signed an agreement for a $500 million joint venture for development projects in the African country, WAM news agency reported Sunday.
The agreement was signed here Saturday between the Libyan Social and Economic Development Fund (SEDF) and the Abu Dhabi-based Al Mibar International for Investments in the presence of Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE's minister of presidential affairs.
Al Nahyan is on a working visit to Libya.
Indian killed in Bahrain construction site mishap
By IANS,
Dubai : An Indian worker was crushed to death when a heavy steel sheet fell on him at a construction site mishap in Bahrain.
U. Sajeevan, 33, was killed instantly when the steel sheet, which was being lifted by a pulley, fell on him at the construction site in Hidd on the island of Muharraq Thursday, according to local media reports.
Authorities rushed to the spot on receiving news of the incident and have launched a probe.
Sajeevan was employed as a steel fabricator by an Indonesian company, which had the project contract from Gulf Industrial Investment Company (GIIC).
166 booked in Pakistan for Rs.30bn tax evasion
By IANS,
Islamabad : Cases have been filed over the past year against 166 tax defaulters who collectively owe a staggering Rs.30 billion to the Pakistani exchequer, a minister said.
Pakistan lifts ban on Facebook
By IANS,
Lahore : A Pakistani court Monday asked the government to restore access to social networking site Facebook and said it should develop a system to block access to "blasphemous" content on the internet.
Justice Ejaz Chaudhry of the Lahore High Court issued the directive, reversing its May 19 order on the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) to block Facebook over "blasphemous" drawings of Prophet Mohammed on the website.
"Restore Facebook. We don't want to block access to information," Chaudhry told the court.
Pakistan ready to extend MFN status to India: Envoy
Kolkata : Asserting that Pakistan would confer India the status of most favoured nation (MFN) once the dialogue process resumed, Pakistan High Commissioner to...
UAE women gaining more achievements: Roumi
By WAM
Abu Dhabi : Incessant support lent by the UAE prudent leadership to women have helped them to actively participate in all political, social, economic and development walks of life, HE Minister of Social Affairs Mariam Al Roumi affirmed on Thursday.
''This great support aims at empowering UAE women to carry out their responsibilities and duties towards their nation and community.
More Palestinians arrive in Egypt via Rafah
By Xinhua,
Cairo : A total number of 719 Palestinians from the Gaza Strip were allowed on Monday to enter Egypt through the Rafah border crossing, the Egyptian official MENA news agency reported.
The Palestinians holding visas to Egypt and other countries crossed into Egypt's north Sinai earlier in the day, said the report.
Palestinians stranded on the Egyptian side of the border will also be permitted to return to Gaza, said Hani al-Jabour, a Palestinian diplomat in Cairo.
UN condemns killing of Iraqi MP
By IANS,
United Nations : The top UN envoy in Iraq Tuesday condemned the killing of Iraqi MP Ifan Al-Issawi in a terrorist attack.
India, Pakistan heads of government to meet after eight months
New Delhi : Prime minister-designate Narendra Modi and Pakistani premier Nawaz Sharif's meeting May 27 will come eight months after the heads of the...
Use computerised rolls for local polls: Gilani
By IANS,
Islamabad : Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has said that it would be appropriate for the provinces to hold elections to local bodies on the basis of computerised electoral rolls.
Imran vows to reveal murderers of Pakistani politicians
Islamabad: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan Thursday vowed to name the killers of two politicians gunned down in June this year, a media...
Ruet-e-Hilal body to meet for sighting Rabi-ul-Awwal moon on Saturday
By APP
Islamabad : A meeting of Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee for sighting the moon of Rabi-ul-Awwal, 1429 Hijri will be held here on Saturday (March 8). Chairman Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee Mufti Muneebur Rehman will preside over the meeting.
“Dubai Cares” Partners with “Save the Children” in Yemen
By WAM,
Dubai : Dubai Cares, a charity initiative with the aim of educating one million children in developing countries, today announced a joint venture with leading children's organization Save the Children to drive primary education programmes in Yemen over a five year period, benefitting nearly 46,000 children from 35 under-developed schools.
Bangladesh allows transit of foodgrain to northeast India
By Sujit Chakraborty,
Agartala : In a highly significant move that was evidently cleared at the highest level, Bangladesh is allowing India to ferry foodgrain...
Sharjah seeks to boost trade with African countries
By IANS,
Sharjah : A delegation of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) has recently embarked on a five-day tour to Kenya, Ethiopia and other African countries as part of its efforts to boost trade ties with the region, WAM news agency reported Tuesday.
The tour, till Feb 25, aims to reinforce trade and economic ties between SCCI and its counterparts in Africa. It also aims to promote emirate's products and services and allow SCCI members to tap into new markets outside the region.
Bombings kill 31, including 25 troops, in Pakistan
By DPA,
Islamabad : Two separate bombings Saturday killed at least 31 people, including 25 soldiers, in Pakistan's restive northwestern region, police officials and media reports said.
A suicide car bomber rammed his explosives-laden car into a security wall around an army post when a military convoy was passing by in Doaba town in the restive Hangu district in North West Frontier Province (NWFP).
"It was a suicide bombing. The deaths of 25 security personnel and two civilians have been confirmed," said deputy police superintendent Farid Khan.
Iraqis worry deal with U.S. would harm sovereignty
By Xinhua,
Baghdad : As the ongoing negotiation framing the Iraqi-U.S. future relations is moving toward its deadline, concerns are growing among the Iraqis that their sovereignty and interests would fall a victim to the agreement.
No details of the planned pact have been announced, although the two sides originally intended to end the work by the end of July.
U.S. President George W. Bush and Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki signed in November set of principles aimed at reaching an agreement to replace the UN mandate concerning the U.S. operation in Iraq.
At least ten people killed in election-related violence
By SPA
Islamabad : At least ten people have so far been killed and several others injured in election-related violence in Pakistan Monday, officials said.
By and large, polling is underway peacefully all over Pakistan.
A woman was killed in exchange of fire between rival political workers in Gujrat. Another person was killed in exchange of fire in Sialkot district. In most incidents exchange of fire claimed the lives.
The polling was temporarily suspended at some points where violence hit. However, it resumed shortly.
Pakistan, Afghanistan to adopt joint boarder security mechanism
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : Pakistan and Afghanistan Sunday agreed on a joint boarder control mechanism and regular exchange of information, Pakistani Interior Secretary Rahman Malik said.
Malik, advisor to the Pakistani prime minister on interior affairs, discussed border security with the Afghan authorities in a brief visit to Kabul.
The visit was unscheduled and was kept secret from the media.
Malik paid the Kabul visit two days after Foreign Minister ShahMehmood Qureshi visited Kabul on his first visit to Afghanistan.
Human shield to protect Hindus celebrating Holi in Pakistan
Islamabad : A human shield was formed at the Holi celebrations at Swami Narayan Temple in Karachi to show solidarity with and protect Hindus...
MERS toll reaches 102 in Saudi Arabia
Riyadh: The Middle East Respiratory Syndrome toll has reached 102 in Saudi Arabia since the virus first emerged in April 2012, a media report...
Pakistan concerned over Muslim deaths in Myanmar
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari Tuesday expressed deep concern over the loss of life and property of Rohingya Muslims in ethnic clashes in Myanmar.
Kuwaiti parliamentary candidates call for development schemes, praise 5 constituency
By KUNA,
Kuwait : Second constituency candidate for scheduled parliamentary elections Mohammad Al-Mutair has called on the government to abide by explicit development schemes, and a fellow nominee from the third constituency, Abbas Bou Reden, praised the new five-constituency system.
Afghan journalist for BBC killed in S Afghanistan
By Xinhua,
Kabul : An Afghan journalist working for BBC was found dead Sunday in Helmand province of southern Afghanistan, an official said.
The body of Abdul Samad Rohani, who went missing Thursday, was found in a cemetery some 15 km away from Lashkar Gah, the provincial capital, Helmand's police chief Mohammad Hussein Andiwal told Xinhua.
The British Broadcasting Corporation has confirmed the killing of Rohani.
After India, France to sell 24 fighter jets to Qatar
Paris : France has agreed to sell 24 Rafale fighter jets to Qatar, while two similar sales were commissioned with Egypt in February and...
Iran’s IRGC officer: U.S. video of Hormuz ship incident fake
By Xinhua
Tehran : Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) said on Wednesday that the United States has fabricated a footage claiming to show Iranian speedboats harassing U.S. warships in the Strait of Hormuz, state television reported.
A member of the marine forces of the IRGC said that footage released by the U.S. Navy are file pictures and the audio has been fabricated, Iran's state-run English language Press TV channel reported.
Saudi Arabia now centre of gravity of world investment: report
By IANS,
Dubai : Saudi Arabia has become the world's centre of gravity for capital investment with over $117 billion in petroleum and petrochemicals investments planned over the next two years, according to new research.
Canada-NATO rift on Afghanistan mission widens
By Gurmukh Singh, IANS
Toronto : Reacting to Canada's threat Monday to pull out of Afghanistan, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Tuesday warned Ottawa that any withdrawal will amount to abandonment of the Afghan people.
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper had announced in the House of Commons Monday to withdraw 2,500 troops from Afghanistan by February 2009 if NATO allies didn't send 1,000 soldiers to fight alongside its forces in Kandahar.
The failure to send in extra troops, Harper warned, would put the reputation of NATO on the line.
New Arabic media content creation zone in Abu Dhabi
By IANS,
Abu Dhabi : A new Arabic media content creation zone, twofour54, has been unveiled here.
Representing the geographical coordinates of Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), twofour54 will be a centre of excellence for Arabic content creation that is internationally renowned, the official Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported.
Crown prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan attended the launch of the initiative here Sunday.
Pakistani leaders condemn suicide blast in northwest
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani have condemned the suicide blast Sunday that killed 13 people, including four security personnel, official APP news agency said.
The explosion occurred when a suicide bomber blew himself up inside a military-run bakery near the Punjab Regimental Centre in Mardan district of North West Frontier Province (NWFP). More than 20 people were also injured in the blast, according to private Geo TV.
Hillary commits $ 243.5 million aid, broad-based ties with Pakistan: State dept.
By NNN-APP,
Washington : Secretary of State Hillary Clinton committed a total of 243.5 million in new assistance for Pakistan in Islamabad as she underscored United States’ resolve to forge a broad-based relationship with the South Asian ally, the State Department said. “She throughout, she underscored America’s broad partnership with Pakistan’s democratically elected government.
Women can’t be forced to wear veil, rules Dhaka court
By IANS,
Dhaka : Muslim women cannot be forced to wear the veil while at work or in public, the Dhaka High Court has ruled while stating that it should be their personal choice.
It said in a ruling Thursday that no one could force women, working at public and private educational institutions, to wear the veil or cover their heads against their will.
The court directed the education ministry to ensure the execution of its order.
It asked the education secretary to ensure that women were not harassed by their superiors at educational institutions.
Hamas ready to study any cease-fire initiative
By Xinhua
Gaza : The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) is ready to study any cease-fire proposal "that can secure the restoration of the Palestinian people's rights," a spokesman for the movement said on Monday.
"Hamas clearly says that the problem was not at the Palestinian side or with the resistance because we are the side that falls under aggression," the spokesman Fawzi Barhoom told reporters in Gaza.
Barhoom's remarks came in response to French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner's offer to mediate between Israel and Hamas to reach a ceasefire.
NAM countries announces support for Israeli nuclear inspection
By NNN-KUNA,
Vienna : Member countries of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) have announced their support for an Arab proposal to be presented at the 52nd International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) conference in Vienna, calling on Israel to join the nuclear non-proliferation treaty (NNPT).
Cuban envoy Norma Goicochea Estenoz is reported to have sent a message regarding the issue to IAEA Director-General Mohamed ElBaradei last Friday.
The 52nd IAEA is to discuss the Arab proposal and will be entitled "Israel's Nuclear Capabilities."
Bangladesh bristles at Indian charges that it harbours terrorists
By IANS,
Dhaka : While condemning the serial blasts in India's Assam state, which claimed 77 lives and left over 300 injured, as a "cowardly act of terrorism", the Bangladesh government is bristling at the Indian charge that the blasts were the handiwork of Harkat-ul Jehad-i Islami (HuJI) militants based in this country.
Assam was rocked by a wave of bombings Thursday - 12 blasts in quick succession - six in Guwahati, and six in the three western districts of Barpeta, Kokrajhar and Bongaigaon.
CIA chief admits use of brutal interrogation techniques
Washington: Some officers of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) used brutal techniques on terrorist suspects and there was no proof of useful information yielded...
UAE peaceful nuclear programme sets to serve as a role model
By WAM,
Dubai : With its peaceful nuclear programme and adoption of a policy of fulll disclosure and transparency, the UAE once again shows the way to the rest of the world, the UAE press commented Tuesday.
The newspapers said the policy white paper issued by the UAE government on Sunday culminates a long process of the nation's quest for peaceful nuclear power.
In fact, the papers added, as Foreign Minister HH Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan argued, the country's nuclear programme could serve as a role model for the rest of the region and the world.
Iran among the world’s top 10 agricultural products producers – official
By NNN-IRNA,
Kuala Lumpur : Iran is geographically fit for production of various agricultural products, and according to the World Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), ranks among worlds' top 10, producing a third of world agricultural crops.
Head of Iran's Food Industries Union, Mohammad Hosseini, made the comment at Malaysia's 5th Halal Food Exhibition, adding, "Manufacturing Halal food stuff in Iran has been increasing in recent decades."
Iran’s commander of border guards confers with Azeri president
By IRNA,
Baku : Iran's Commander of Border Guards Qassem Rezaei conferred with Azeri President Ilham Aliyev here Monday.
In the meeting, developments in relations between border guards of both countries were discussed.
Deepening cooperation among border guards of Iran and Azerbaijan Republic to confront border violations and also exchange of experiences were considered as an important and effective step.
Rezaei heading a delegation arrived in Baku on Monday for a 2-day visit.
The Iranian commander also met with his Azeri counterpart Alcin Qoliyev today.
Two terrorists killed in Pakistan
Islamabad: Two terrorists were killed in a gunbattle with security forces in Pakistan's Karachi city, a media report said on Wednesday.
The Rangers killed the...
78 ordinances promulgated by caretaker government in Gangladesh to be scrapped
By NNN-APP,
Dhaka : The government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has dropped 78 ordinances out of 122 promulgated by the immediate past army-backed caretaker government and directed Law Ministry to prepare remaining 44 as bills which would be placed in parliament for passage.
“The fate of the rest of the ordinances will be decided by the House,” Law Minister Shafiq Ahmed disclosed this after a meeting with legal experts.
The experts told a special committee that most of the 122 ordinances made by the caretaker government were “not justifiable”.