Durrani’s sack shows rift in Pakistani leadership: Indian experts
By Manish Chand, IANS,
New Delhi : The sacking of Pakistan's National Security Adviser Mahmud Ali Durrani has exposed serious rift between key power centres in Islamabad and points towards renewed assertion by the military and hardliners in setting post-Mumbai policy towards India, say Indian diplomats and experts.
Ostensibly, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani fired Durrani Wednesday night because he spoke out on a sensitive issue by admitting the nationality of Ajmal Kasab, the lone Mumabi attacker captured alive by the Indian police, without "having taken him into confidence."
‘Benazir ghost haunts Zardari’
By IANS,
Islamabad : A pre-election deal brokered between Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf and slain former prime minister Benazir Bhutto continues to haunt her widower Asif Ali Zardari, co-chair of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) that heads the ruling coalition, who finds his hands tied because of the pact.
Zardari is "bound" by the deal to develop a "working relationship" with the president, The News reported Tuesday.
Saudi-led air raids kill 14 in Yemen
Sana'a : Fighter jets of the Saudi-led coalition forces launched several rounds of airstrikes on military sites and two hotels controlled by the Shiia...
Pakistani President Zardari for fighting terrorism collectively
By NNN-APP,
Islamabad : President Asif Ali Zardari has said that the whole nation is a victim of militancy and terrorism and urges the people to join hands for fighting the menace regardless of partisan considerations.
He said this on Thursday while addressing the representatives of Bajaur affectees living in camps due to the ongoing operation against the militants in the area.
The President said that Pakistan had been attacked by the militants and it was imperative to defeat them for peace and stability in the country.
French attackers never visited country: Malaysian police
Kuala Lumpur: Malaysian Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar Saturday refuted reports that the duo involved in Friday's terror attacks in France had visited...
Jordan’s king reaffirms independent Palestine key to settle Mideast conflict
By Xinhua,
Amman : Jordan's King Abdullah II reaffirmed here on Tuesday evening the need to establish an independent Palestinian state on lands covering both the West Bank and Gaza, saying it is the key to a final settlement of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, said a statement from Jordan's Royal Hashemite Court.
The King made the remarks when meeting with visiting U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, who arrived in Amman in the day to continue his week-long Mideast and Europe tour after visiting Afghanistan and Iraq.
Blast outside Pakistani courthouse kills one
By DPA,
Islamabad : A bombing outside a courthouse in north-western Pakistan Wednesday killed at least one person and wounded three, police said.
The explosion took place in a parking lot adjacent to courtrooms in Dera Ismail Khan, located close to Pakistan's lawless tribal region near the Afghan border.
"A police constable deployed in the parking bay was killed, and three civilians were injured," said Gul Afzal Khan Afridi, the district police chief. Several cars were damaged in the blast.
Pakistan dismisses India’s call to secure nuke assets
By NNN-PTI,
Islamabad : Pakistan today dismissed India's call to effectively secure its nuclear assets as "self serving," and said New Delhi should instead work with it on establishing a "regional strategic restraint regime".
Following a suicide attack yesterday outside the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex at Kamra, considered a base for some of the country's strategic weapons, Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao had said that India hoped the Pakistan government would "continue to take steps to effectively secure their nuclear assets".
93 ceasefire violations on LoC by Pakistan in 2012
By IANS,
New Delhi: There were 93 ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir in 2012, taking the total number since 2010 to 188, parliament was told Monday.
International community continues to ignore Israel’s regular bombing of Gaza strip – UAE paper
By NNN-WAM
Dubai : Two UAE English language daily newspapers editorialised on the violence which erupted two days ago in Gaza after two Palestinian fighters stormed into southern Israel and opened fire eventually resulting in the deaths of at least 10 people.
The Gulf Today warned that the Gaza flare-up on Wednesday, which resulted in the death of seven Palestinians and two Israelis, is threatening a fresh outbreak of violence on the border.
Israeli PM asks Abbas to help find missing teenagers
Jerusalem : Israel Monday asked Palestine to help in finding the three teenagers allegedly kidnapped last week, a statement the Israel prime minister's office...
Lebanese police chief rules out possibility of civil war
By Xinhua
Beirut : Lebanese Police Chief Gen. Ashraf Rifi has ruled out the possibility of a new civil war due to the political crisis, local Naharnet news website reported on Saturday.
"We don't have signs that any side wants" civil war, Rifi was quoted as saying after meeting Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir on Friday, adding the government's top priority is to prevent a civil war.
But he did not rule out new assassinations in Lebanon, saying that "There is always a possibility."
Remove trade barriers: Bangladeshi chamber urges India
By IANS,
Dhaka: Bangladeshi traders have urged India to withdraw non-tariff barriers and simplify the customs rules to reduce trade deficit between the two nations.
Pakistan’s future bright, says Gilani
By IANS,
London : Pakistan is going through a difficult phase but it has a bright future, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has said.
Egypt bans access to online pornography
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Cairo : Egyptian authorities have decided to enforce a ban on websites with pornographic content, a spokesman for the Prosecutor General's office said.
Egypt criticizes Israeli settlement expansions
By NNN-KUNA
Cairo : Egypt criticized on Wednesday the Israeli government's settlement expansion and its plan to build hundreds of new settlements in Eastern Jerusalem and the West Bank.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmad Abu Gheit told the press the Israeli politics go against all efforts to reach peace and justice, as was pledged to be achieved by year end by the US.
Abu Gheit referred to the recent report of Israeli "Peace Now" on increasing settlement activities since the Nablus conference.
Over 10,000 march in Brussels against Israeli massacres in Gaza
By IRNA,
Berlin : More than 10,000 people took to the streets of the Belgian capital Brussels to demonstrate against Israeli mass crimes in Gaza, the Belgian news agency Belga quoted organizers as saying Wednesday.
Protesters burned Israeli flags to voice outrage over the Israeli genocide in Gaza.
Around 50 organizations, among them the Belgian-Palestinian Union, had called for the mass demo.
Numerous major European cities have witnessed large scale protests against Israeli atrocities in Gaza over the recent days.
Mohammad (PBUH) as liberator
By Asghar Ali Engineer,
This month we celebrated the birth day of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). It is celebrated by Muslims with great devotion and reverence. But often it has been seen that devotees do not reflect on the message of the person whom they so venerate. It just becomes a tradition rather than occasion for deep reflection. Muslims also refer to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) as Muhsin-e-Insaniyyat i.e. the benefactor of humanity but hardly care to know in what respect he became benefactor?
India-Pakistan ties vulnerable to Mumbai type attacks: US analysts
By Arun Kumar,IANS,
Washington : Indian and Pakistani governments' means of detecting, preventing and responding to Mumbai type incidents needs to be strengthened to reduce the vulnerability of their relations to them, two US analysts have suggested.
The Nov 26-29 terror attacks blamed on Pakistan based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) ushered in a period of high tension between India and Pakistan, noted Teresita C. Schaffer and Sabala Baskar.
French FM urges new approach to Afghan reconstruction
By Xinhua,
Paris : French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner Saturday urged the international community to adopt a new approach in ongoing efforts to rebuild Afghanistan, lamenting that current efforts yielded little if any results.
Addressing the opening session of a conference attended by over40 non-governmental organizations in Paris, France's chief diplomat was quoted as saying that "Afghans themselves must play a leading role" in the development of their country.
Isreael wants India to explore gas, sign trade pact: Envoy
By IANS,
Noida : Israel has invited Indian companies to take part in extracting natural gas from its newly-found reserves, with 40 percent of the...
Strong earthquake jolts parts of Pakistan
Islamabad: A 5.8 magnitude earthquake hit northern region of Pakistan, including capital city of Islamabad Friday, media reported.
According to initial details, strong tremors jolted...
Two factories in S Israel hit by Palestinian rockets
By Xinhua
Gaza : Palestinian militants fired two rockets from the Gaza Strip into southern Israel on Tuesday and hit two factories in Sderot town.
Both the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC), a radical militant group, and an armed wing of Fatah claimed responsibility for the attack.
In a statement faxed to the press, the fighters said the rocket attacks came in response to the killing of Amer Qarmout, a senior PRC commander by Israeli air force on Monday.
Army chief to help end Pakistan’s political crisis
Islamabad: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) leader Tahir-ul Qadri Thursday accepted the role of the army chief as...
Security handover of Anbar to curtail dependence on MNF – Iraqi security advisor
By NNN-KUNA,
Baghdad : Iraq's National Security Advisor Muwafaq al-Rubaie has hailed the security handover in the western province of Anbar from the US-led Multi-National Forces (MNF) to the Iraqi authorities as "credit to the Iraqi forces."
"The province is heading for reconstruction and stability," he told reporters in Al-Anbar after a ceremony marking the security handover in the once restive province Monday.
"The security handover will curtail Iraq's dependence on the MNF," Al-Rubaie underscored.
Afghan poll panel refuses to advance presidential election
By Xinhua,
Kabul : Afghanistan's Election Commission Wednesday rejected President Hamid Karzai's ruling to advance the presidential election to April or May.
In January, the commission announced that the election would be held Aug 20.
Karzai, who declared his intention to run for a second term, issued a decree last week, ordering the commission to advance the election to adhere to the Afghan constitution.
The president's office term will end May 21, and the presidential election should take place 30 to 60 days before that date under the terms of the country's constitution.
Subcontinental dialogue the only way forward: Pakistan
By IANS,
Islamabad: Reiterating Pakistan's commitment to resuming the dialogue process with India, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi Tuesday said this was the only way forward to improving subcontinental ties.
"We have to engage to resolve all the issues," he told reporters here after presiding over a ceremony to mark the completion of the 28th specialised training course at the Foreign Office Training Academy, adding that mutual cooperation and dialogue was the only way forward for both countries.
Iraq’s Aziz trial resumes in Baghdad
By Xinhua,
Baghdad : The trial of Saddam's former Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz and his seven codefendants resumed Tuesday here over their alleged roles in the execution of 42 merchants in 1992.
Aziz, 72, who also served as foreign minister in Saddam's regime, appeared in court dressing in a grey suit and leaned on a cane as he walked into the courtroom.
Presiding judge Rauf Rasheed Abdel Rahman opened the trial in the Iraqi High Tribunal in Baghdad's fortified Green Zone without any presence of Aziz's lawyers.
Bangladesh gets arbitration centre for commercial disputes
By IANS,
Dhaka : Bangladesh has set up its first ever arbitration centre to settle commercial disputes.
Obama, Karzai talk on Afghan situation
By IANS,
Washington : US President Barack Obama Thursday held a videoconference with his Afghan counterpart Hamid Karzai and discussed security issues in Afghanistan, the White House said.
Iraq urges Arabs to send envoys to Baghdad
By Xinhua,
Amman : Iraqi Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi Wednesday urged Arab countries to dispatch envoys to Baghdad, saying such a move would meet mutual interest.
"We encourage an effective Arab diplomatic presence in Iraq because such a step will fulfill Arab interest before it meets theIraqi interest," al-Hashemi told reporters after talks with Jordanian Prime Minister Nader Dahabi.
"The rapprochement between Arab countries and Iraq is necessary especially at this difficult juncture," he added.
Malaysian couple held for molesting teenager
By DPA,
Kuala Lumpur : Malaysian police have detained a 50-year-old shaman and his 43-year-old wife who are accused of molesting a teenager during treatment, news reports said Thursday.
The 19-year-old girl was believed to have gone to the home of the medicine man in the southern Johor state to seek treatment for muscle ache Tuesday night, the Star daily reported.
The victim was allegedly held to the ground by the suspect's wife during treatment and her clothes removed by the shaman who then allegedly molested the girl.
Suicide car bomber wounds 10 in northern Iraq
By Xinhua,
Mosul, Iraq : A suicide car bomb Tuesday hit a police patrol in the city of Mosul, the capital city of Nineveh province, wounding five policemen and five civilians, a provincial police source said.
The suicide bomber struck the patrol at the Mosul al-Jadida neighborhood, or New Mosul, in southern part of the city before midday, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.
The suicide bombing also destroyed a police vehicle and three nearby civilian cars, the source said.
Pakistan would have attacked India in 1998: Gohar Ayub Khan
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan would have launched a full-fledged air attack had India attempted to prevent its 1998 nuclear tests, maverick politician and former foreign minister Gohar Ayub Khan says in a new book.
In the book titled "Testing Times as Foreign Minister", Khan claims that in the event of an attack by India on the nuclear test site at Chagai in Balochistan, the Pakistan Air Force would have launched attacks on pre-designated targets in India, The News reported Saturday.
Bush urges Iran to stop foreign interference, suspend nuke program
By Xinhua
Washington : U.S. President George W. Bush vowed on Saturday to maintain international pressure to force Iran to stop alleged foreign interference and to suspend its disputed nuclear program.
Speaking to reporters at his Texas ranch with visiting Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Bush said Iran needs to "stop exporting terror."
Bush made the remarks on the eve of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's first visit to Iraq. Iran and Iraq fought had an eight-year-old border war in the 1980's.
Pakistani media and terrorism coverage
By Arfa Khanum Sherwani for TwoCircles.net
The enduring terror trail in Pakistan has not just made a commoner’s life miserable but is constantly posing danger to media fraternity as well. While unrelenting terrorist assaults over the years have built up a certain kind of immunity towards terror and the retort of its citizens towards the menace-- uncertainty is the only feature seems certain to them.
27 Boko Haram militants killed in Nigeria clashes
Kano : At least 27 Boko Haram militants have been killed in a fierce exchange of fire with Nigerian army forces in the country’s...
Yemeni-Saudi talks held in Riyadh
By NNN-SABA
Riyadh : Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh and Saudi King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz have held talks here on cooperation relations between Yemen and the Saudi Kingdom in political, economic, security and military fields.
The talks Tuesday dealt with improvements of the situation in Palestine, Iraq, Somalia and Lebanon as well as the two countries' efforts in fighting agaisnt terror and organised crime.
Truck bomb kills seven Iraqis
By IINA,
Baghdad : Police say a truck bomb has killed seven people in Iraq. Police Col. Mohammed Khalid says the truck was detonated by remote control yesterday when police and security guards went to check the vehicle.
The truck had been parked along the side of a road in Duluiyah, about 45 miles north of Baghdad. Six of the dead were policemen and the seventh was a member of the local awakening council — volunteers who have turned against the insurgents.
Spokesman: sanctions against Iran violate UN Charter
By Xinhua
Tehran : Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad-Ali Hosseini said on Thursday that UN Security Council sanctions against Iran are in violation of the UN Charter, state-run Press TV reported.
"There is no legal justification for passing resolutions against Iran, just as there was no justification for Tehran's nuclear dossier to be hauled before the UN Security Council," Hosseini was quoted as telling Bahrain's newspaper Al-Wasat.
Israel seals off West Bank town to prevent anti-wall demonstration
By Xinhua,
Ramallah : Israeli forces extended a curfew on the central West Bank town of Ni'lin for the fourth day on Monday in response to Palestinian demonstrations against the construction of a West Bank barrier.
Local Palestinians said that they have been trapped in their homes for four days, unable to go to work as Israeli soldiers throw sonic bombs near civilian houses, in order "to scare children and to provoke the residents," as put by one villager.
UAE urges world community to condemn Israeli attacks
By IANS
Geneva : The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has called upon the international community to condemn the "massacres and genocide committed against innocent Palestinian children, women and elderly people by Israel", WAM news agency reported Friday.
Sheikha Najlaa Al Qasimi, UAE's envoy at the UN's Geneva headquarters, told the UN Human Rights Council Thursday the Israeli actions in Gaza came as a result of international silence and the encouragement it derived from such silence.
"The UN stands helpless in the backdrop of such indifference," she added.
Pakistan’s Rs.3.6 bn nutrition project mired in controversy
By IANS
Islamabad : A highly controversial Rs.3.6 billion project that was initiated in Pakistan to provide nutrition for schoolgirls in 29 districts has ended up playing with the lives of the students, a media report said Sunday.
The Tawana Pakistan Project has been mired in controversies since its launch in 2002.
"Prior to its suspension in 2005, a number of innocent schoolgirls fainted after it was revealed that the medicines given to the 5-12-year-old girls were not only substandard but meant for pregnant women," The News reported Sunday.
Five policemen killed in Afghan blast
By IANS,
Kabul : Five policemen with the Afghan Border Police were killed and six others injured in a blast in Afghanistan Sunday, Xinhua reported.
Indo-Kuwait Friendship Society elects office-bearers for 2015-2017
By TCN News,
Kuwait: Long serving community advisor of KKMCC and K I C Dr Ghalib Al-Mashoor was re-elected as the president of the Indo-Kuwait Friendship Society (IKFS) for a second time for the 2015--2017 term.
Dr Ghalib Al-Mashoor, founding chairman of IKFS, who served as president since inception, will have as his first vice president Advocate Sayid Mohamed Nizar will be the first vice president while A K S Abdul Nazar was re-elected as the general secretary of the IKFS at the elections of office-bearers held at the Play Club pavilion in Salmiya last Friday, a release from IKFS said here.
Pakistani minister indicates int”l conspiracy against countrys nuclearassets
ISLAMABAD, Jan 16 (KUNA) -- Pakistani Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Nisar A. Memon Wednesday said there is an international conspiracy against Pakistans nuclear assets.
The Minister added that perpetrators were making efforts to derail the democratic process.
Talking to media delegations from different small cities, Memon said that right from the beginning of the year 2007, efforts were underway to derail the democratic system in Pakistan.
Taliban target Islamabad, Lahore; talks on to disarm them in Swat
By IANS,
Islamabad : Around 300 terrorists, including suicide bombers, are believed to be headed towards the Pakistani capital Islamabad as well as Rawalpindi and Lahore cities to carry out major terror attacks as the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) government held talks with a religious group to disarm the Taliban militia.
The News daily, quoting interior ministry sources, said the terror operations were planned by Al Qaeda linked Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud and the Taliban Himayat Tehrik (THT).
Afghans call for investments in women-related projects
By Xinhua
Kabul : Hundreds of Afghans Friday joined the UN in events across the war-torn country to call for greater investment in women-related developmental projects ahead of the International Women's Day Saturday.
In the Afghan capital, women and children streamed into the women's garden where a fair is being organised by a UN agency to mark the day. A film highlighting the realities of the daily lives of Afghan women and children was screened.
Syrian and Iranian officials discuss current Mideast situation
By SPA
Damascus : Syrian Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Muallem discussed here yesterday with Ali Larenjani, the representative of the Islamic revolution at the supreme national security council in Iran, the latest developments of the situation in the Middle East, notably in Lebanon and the occupied Palestinian territories.
The Syrian news agency reported that the views of the two sides were identical and that the two countries will continue consultation and coordination.
Larenjani voiced Iran's support to the efforts exerted by Syria to settle the Lebanese problem.
Smart City Dubai serves ultimatum to Kerala government
By IANS,
Kochi: Smart City Dubai Monday served an ultimatum to the Kerala government, saying the Rs.1,500 crore Smart City Kochi project cannot be kept hanging in the balance "endlessly".
In a statement issued here, Smart City Dubai said "we have to rethink about the future of the project".
"But as mentioned earlier decisions can be taken within minutes and there is no point waiting endlessly or delaying this far. Our commitment to Kerala and the people of Kerala is important to us and we hope to begin the project soon."
Islamic hardliners mark Red Mosque operation anniversary
By DPA,
Islamabad : Thousands of hardline Islamists Sunday gathered in Pakistan's capital to commemorate the first anniversary of a military operation against the extremists in the Red Mosque.
Dozens of religious leaders from across the country and more than 3,000 people, mostly students from Islamic seminaries, chanted "God is great" and "We want martyrdom" during the rally held outside the mosque known as Lal Masjid.
Around 4,000 policemen were deployed to guard the venue for the rally, named the "Red Mosque Martyr Conference."
Pakistan’s romance with Afghan Taliban far from over
By Nadeem Sarwar, DPA,
Islamabad : The capture of Taliban's second-in-command Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar represents a rising level of cooperation between Pakistani and US intelligence agencies, but it remains far from clear if Pakistan's 15-year Taliban romance is over.
Afghan Taliban can hardly survive without hiding places inside Pakistan, and the country has yet to find an alternative for the militia that has served as its proxy in Afghanistan since 1994 when the Taliban movement was founded.
This marriage of convenience might linger on, at least for now.
Seven militants, security man killed in Pakistan clash
Islamabad : Seven suspected militants and one elite forces man were killed in an armed clash between security forces and suspected militants during a...
Lal Masjid case: Court summons Musharraf
By IANS,
Islamabad: A court Saturday ordered former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf, accused in the murder of Lal Masjid cleric Abdul Rasheed Ghazi, to be...
Kasab gets 10 days to study Mumbai attack charge sheet
By IANS,
Mumbai : Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone terrorist caught alive during the terror attack on this city last November, was Tuesday given 10 days to study the charge sheet in the case.
Judge M.L. Tahilyani, who is trying the case, rejected Kasab's plea to be handed over a copy of the 11,500-page charge sheet in Urdu. However, he gave 10 days to Kasab and Kasab's lawyer S.G. Abbas Kazmi to study the current charge sheet, which is in English, Hindi and Marathi. The next hearing will be on May 2.
Jalil Jilani may be Pakistan’s envoy to France
By IANS,
Islamabad : After the fiasco of appointing a junior bureaucrat as Pakistan's ambassador to France - a move that was later cancelled - it appears that the job may be offered to senior diplomat Jalil Abbas Jilani.
Quoting sources, a private TV channel said Tuesday that Jilani had been offered the ambassadorship to Brussels but he rejected the offer and now is likely be appointed the country's new envoy to France.
Jilani has previously been acting high commissioner to India and the foreign office spokesperson.
Palestinian president arrives tonight on state visit to India
New Delhi, Oct 6, IRNA, President of the Palestinian National Authority, Mahmoud Abbas is arriving here Monday night on a state visit to India Mahmoud will be accompanied by the foreign minister, Dr. Riyad Al-Maliki and other senior officials.
During his visit, President Abbas will meet President Mrs. Pratibha Patil, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Vice President Hamid Ansari, Leader of the Opposition L K Advani and Minister of State for External Affairs E. Ahamed.
Rangers, BSF commanders to meet in New Delhi from September 9
Islamabad: Top commanders of Pakistan Rangers and Indian Border Security Force (BSF) are scheduled to meet in New Delhi from September 9 to 13,...
Gunmen kill one, wound 2 in capital of Bangladesh
By Xinhua,
Dhaka : Gunmen Friday sprayed bullets on three brothers leaving one dead and two wounded in old part of Bangladesh's capital Dhaka as they did not pay extortion of 1.2 million taka (about 17,143 U.S. dollars), police said.
The shooting took place in front of the victims' residence Friday evening. The gunmen opened fire on the three brothers while they were chatting outside their house. One brother died at Dhaka Medical College Hospital .
Saudi firm gives software solution order to Bangalore developer
By IANS,
Bangalore : Saudi Arabia's leading point-of-sales (PoS) solutions provider Intersoft will outsource its retail software solution to Bangalore-based Taranag Software to ensure secure payment transactions.
Tarang's retail software will enable Intersoft to achieve the Europay Mastercard Visa (EMV) integrated chip card standard, which is mandatory for any payment application on PoS/ATM, the companies said in a joint statement here Saturday.
Al Qaeda suspects in Iraqi custody gunned down
By DPA,
Ramadi (Iraq) : Six detainees suspected of belonging to the Al Qaeda network in Iraq were fatally shot while being transferred from custody in northwestern Iraq, the police said Saturday.
"Unidentified gunmen killed six detained Al Qaeda members between the villages of Baiji and Haditha in the northwest of Iraq," a source in al-Anbar's security forces told DPA on condition of anonymity. They were being shifted from a jail in the northern province of Nineveh to al-Anbar province in the west.
Malaysia considering temporary freeze on foreign workers
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur : Global recession and unemployment among locals is forcing Malaysia to consider a temporary freeze on the recruitment of foreign workers, a senior official has said.
The move could affect thousands of prospective job-seekers from South Asia and Southeast Asian neighbours of Malaysia.
At present, there are some 2.1 million foreign workers in Malaysia, which translates into about 20 percent of the total workforce.
Powerful quake kills 21 in southwest Pakistan
By DPA,
Islamabad : A powerful earthquake measuring 6.4 on the Richter scale rattled Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province Wednesday morning, killing at least 21 people and injuring scores of others, media reports said.
The US Geological Survey on its website said the earthquake struck 60 km northeast of Quetta, the capital of Balochistan at 5.10 a.m.
At least 17 people died in Balochistan's Ziarat district and many were feared trapped under the rubble of several houses that collapsed during the strong shocks, DawnNews television channel reported quoting local authorities.
Iran, US cooperation against IS unlikely: official
Tehran: Cooperation between Iran and the US in the fight against the Islamic State (IS) is impossible, a senior Iranian military commander said Friday.
"Such...
Yemeni president sacks regional governors as protests build
By DPA,
Sana'a : Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh Tuesday dismissed governors of five provinces, amid growing demands by protestors across the country for him to leave office.
At least 11 killed, 44 injured in separate blasts in Iraq
By DPA,
Baghdad : At least 11 people were killed and 44 injured Wednesday in several blasts across Iraq, security sources and media reports said.
Four people were killed and 38 injured Wednesday in three explosions in the southern city of Karbala, security sources said.
"Two explosive devices went off in al-Abbas street and another near al-Dahhan market. All three blasts took place near Imam al-Abbas and al-Hussein's shrines in central Karbala," sources told DPA.
The Shiite-dominated city of Karbala lies 110 km south of the Iraqi capital Baghdad.
Iran continues uranium enrichment: UN agency
By IANS,
Vienna : Iran is continuing with its uranium enrichment activities and has set up 6,000 centrifuges, the UN nuclear watchdog has said in a report.
Director General of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Mohammed ElBaradei in a report Wednesday said Tehran has obtained some two tonnes of enriched industrial uranium since it started refining the nuclear fuel two years ago, according to Iran's official IRNA news agency.
Kuwait taking part in 3rd Asia-Middle East Dialogue in Thailand
By Abdullah Bougus, KUNA,
Peace with Damascus to reverse strategic situation – minister
By KUNA,
Gaza : Israeli Minister of Infrastructure Binyamin Ben-Eliezer said on Tuesday Israeli-Syrian peace would change the strategic situation in the Middle East region as a whole.
Speaking to the Israel Radio, the minister claimed that peace with Syria would isolate Iran and silence Hezbollah.
He added that Israel would see a genuine peace with Syria and would be ready to pay any price for such a peace and coexistence with Syria.
ISESCO Chief: Russia’s relations with Muslim World peaks to highest level
By SPA,
Moscow : Secretary General of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) Dr Abdulaziz Al-Tuweijiri said Tuesday that the relations of Russia with the Muslim world have peaked to the highest level in history.
The Russian "Novosti" news agency reported that Al-Tuweijiri made these remarks at an international Applied Scientific Conference, currently in progress in Moscow.
He also affirmed that the existing cooperation between the Muslim world and Russia is stronger than it was in past years.
Pakistani female terror suspect appears in US court
By DPA,
Washington : A Pakistani woman suspected of plotting to blow up targets in the US was to appear in a New York court Tuesday to face charges of attempted murder, the US Justice Department said.
Aafia Siddiqui, who was educated in the US, had been sought by the Federal Bureau of Investigation for a number of years on suspicion of ties to Al Qaeda.
Israel-Palestine talks to resume: Clinton
By DPA,
Washington : Israel and the Palestinians will resume direct negotiations next month in hopes of reviving the Middle East peace process, US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton confirmed Friday.
The long-stalled talks will begin in Washington Sep 2 with a deadline of reaching a deal in one year, Clinton told reporters.
Now, a fine for littering in Islamabad
By IANS,
Islamabad : Anyone caught littering would now have to pay a fine in this Pakistani capital.
A rule framed in 2008 was put in force Tuesday.
Pakistani Taliban rejects call for unconditional ceasefire
Islamabad : The outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has rejected the Nawaz Sharif government’s call for an unconditional ceasefire, a media report said.
“If this is...
Quds Brigades shells Israeli targets — statement
By KUNA
Gaza : Islamic Jihad's Quds Brigades claimed responsibility on Thursday for shelling Israeli cities and military targets close to Gaza Strip.
The Palestinian faction stated that its operatives launched at dawn about 25 rockets and mortar shells targeting the Israeli settlement of Sderot along with Nahel Oz and Zikim military positions, located in western Negev in southern Israel.
The attacks were intended to avenge the "Israeli crimes and the assassination of the brigade's senior leader Mohammed Shahada along with Saleh Karkoor," the faction said.
Pakistani Mohajirs’ plight highlighted at UN
Geneva: The European Mohajir Network has highlighted the sorry human rights status of Pakistan's Mohajirs -- the Muslims who migrated from India following Partition...
Thousand hardline Indonesian Muslims protest ‘deviant’ group
By NNN-ANTARA,
Jakarta : About 1,000 Indonesian Muslims demonstrated outside the presidential palace here Sunday demanding Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono issue a decree disbanding a "deviant" Islamic group.
The fringe Ahmadiyah group, which has several thousand members in Indonesia, was declared "deviant" in January by the Indonesian Council of Ulemas (MUI), Indonesia's highest Islamic authority.
A government team last week also recommended Ahmadiyah be disbanded because of its teachings -- it believes Mohammed was not the final prophet, contradicting a central tenet of mainstream Islam.
Suicide bomber kills 15, wounds 17 west of Baghdad
By Xinhua,
Ramadi, Iraq : A suicide bomber blew himself up at a gathering of tribal leaders and local officials in Anbar province on Thursday, killing 15 people and wounding 17 others, a provincial police source said.
The attacker blew up his explosive-belt in the building of the municipal council of the town of Garmah, near the city of Fallujah, when Sunni Arab tribal leaders and local officials were holding a meeting there, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.
UN chief condemns killing of Pakistani minister
By IANS,
United Nations : UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon strongly condemned the assassination of Pakistan's only Christian minister, calling him a "prominent advocate" for minority rights.
$50 million Saudi grant for education in Yemen
By IINA,
Sana'a : The Yemeni Deputy of Technical Education and Vocational Training held talks with the officials of the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) about implementing the projects of technical and vocational institutes financed by the fund at an amount of $ 50 million, Saba reported. The talks also dealt with the possibilities of the fund to enhance the second stage of the projects with a total cost of $ 50 million.
Sharia enforced at gunpoint will not be accepted, say Pakistani clerics
By IANS,
Islamabad: Pakistani clerics said Sunday suicide bombings and beheadings carried out by the Taliban is un-Islamic and urged Islamic nations to help Islamabad in the fight against militants.
Sarfaraz Naeemi, ulema of Ahle-Sunnat, said Taliban's agenda is in favour of Pakistan's enemies and against Islam. He also called for a decisive action against the militants.
Abdullah leading in partial election result, Ghani still not out of the race
On Sunday the Independent Election Commission announced the partial result of the Presidential Election. With nearly 10 % votes counted so far, Dr Abdullah Abdullah is leading with 41.89% of votes, while Dr Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai is close behind with 37.60%.
Pakistan senate pays tributes to Benazir Bhutto
By NNN-APP
Islamabad : Struggle by former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto was for rule of law and strengthening of democracy in the country and the struggle would continue in the same spirit.
This was stated by Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Mian Raza Rabbani while opening debate on a condolence reference for the assassinated former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto on Thursday.
A democratic Pakistan, free from terror and imperialism having independent judiciary with fruits of economic progress shared by the working classes can be the legacy of Benazir Bhutto.
Bangladeshi militants beat up journalists
By IANS
Dhaka : Seven militants of the outlawed Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), sentenced to life imprisonment for carrying out bomb blasts, beat up journalists outside a court in Rajshahi in the country's west.
The militants started chanting religious slogans after the verdict was announced Thursday and attacked two journalists as they were being taken to jail.
ISI, Kabul mission blast to figure in talks with Pakistan
By Muhammad Najeeb, IANS,
Islamabad : India and Afghanistan are expected to raise with Pakistan the bombing of the Indian mission in Kabul as well as the activities of that country's spy agency ISI during the 15th SAARC summit in Colombo, an official said here.
Pakistan Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, who left for Colombo Friday to attend the SAARC summit, is expected to meet his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh and Afghan President Hamid Karzai on the sidelines of the summit with a view to reinvigorate the ongoing peace process, the official said.
EU’s approach to terror not acceptable: Iran envoy
By IANS,
United Nations : Iran’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Mohammad Khazaee has said that the European Union’s "politically-motivated approach to deal with the menace of terrorism was unacceptable", official news agency IRNA reported Thursday.
In a letter to the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and President of the Security Council Jean-Maurice Ripert, the Iranian envoy condemned the removal of terrorist outfit Mojahedin-e Khalq Organisation (MKO) from EU’s list of terrorist groups.
Ten missiles fired from Gaza target Israel – Israeli spokesman
By KUNA,
Gaza : Palestinian militants fired 10 missiles targeting several parts of the southern Israeli settlements, the Israeli military said on Friday.
An Israeli military spokesman was quoted by Israeli radio as saying that two of the missiles targeted the Israeli settlement of Sderot.
One of the missiles caused fire in one of the buildings in the settlement, the spokesman added but did not specify if it caused any human casualties.
IAEA chief welcomes Iran-US direct talks
By NNN-IRNA,
Vienna : Director-general of the UN nuclear watchdog Mohamed ElBaradei has welcomed Iran-US direct talks.
ElBaradei said that the US President-elect Barack Obama's stated readiness for dialogue with Iran without preconditions could make Tehran more forthcoming with the International Atomic Energy Agency.
"If there is a direct dialogue between the United States and Iran, I think Iran will be more forthcoming with the agency," the IAEA chief said in Prague Wednesday.
Ex-Pakistan army chief praises Modi for austere living
Islamabad : A former Pakistani army chief Sunday praised Narendra Modi, set to be India's new prime minister, for austere living - in contrast...
Nearly 40 dead in Afghan violence
By IANS,
Kabul : Three NATO soldiers and 36 Taliban militants were killed in Afghan violence, Xinhua reported Thursday.
Dhaka dinner diplomacy: Hasina invites Khaleda to Iftar
By IANS,
Dhaka : Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Thursday invited opposition leader Begum Khaleda Zia for an Iftar party, triggering speculation of a political rapprochement.
Hasina's protocol officer Proloy Joardar Thursday morning handed the invitation letter to Zia's private secretary A.S.M. Saleh Ahmed, Star Online said.
Ahmed confirmed receiving the invitation, United News of Bangladesh (UNB) news agency reported.
Pakistan cabinet members resign
By IANS,
Islamabad : The members of Pakistan's federal cabinet Wednesday tendered their resignations to Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani in a move to rightsize it.
‘Over 6,000 fighters joined IS in July alone’
Damascus : A total of 6,300 rebel fighters joined the Islamic State (IS) militant group last month alone, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights...
Afghan peace negotiator killed
By IANS,
Kabul : Arsallah Rahmani, a member of Afghanistan's High Peace Council, was gunned down here Sunday, a media report said.
French EU Presidency vigilant on Darfur ceasefire
By KUNA,
Paris : The French Presidency of the European Union (EU) welcomed late Tuesday the announcement by the Sudanese government of a unilateral cease-fire in war-torn Darfur, but noted reports of "possible military operations" by Sudanese government forces since the cease-fire began.
"The European Union welcomes the announcement by the Sudanese President of a unilateral ceasefire in Darfur. It solemnly calls on the Sudanese authorities to honour their commitment and urges all parties to follow suit," a statement issued here said.
India fomenting trouble in Balochistan, Pakistan meddling in northeast: Editorial
By IANS,
Islamabad : India is "fomenting trouble" in Balochistan while Pakistan is "meddling" in its neighbour's northeast, an editorial in a leading English daily contended Tuesday, urging both nations to immediately restart the process of normalising their relations.
"India has been a favourite of Afghanistan to ward off Pakistan's natural neighbourly dominance," Daily Times said, adding: "Recent strategies have become more dangerous.
Islamabad blockaded, but lawyers confident of holding protest
By Muhammad Najeeb, IANS,
Islamabad : The Pakistani government fortified Islamabad Wednesday to prevent a group of lawyers, activists and lay people, demanding reinstatement of judges sacked by the president last year, from marching into the city. However, lawyers here claimed about 10,000 of them were living in hiding in the capital and would carry the movement forward.
President Pervez Musharraf had sacked more than 60 judges of the superior courts, including Supreme Court Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, on Nov 3, 2007.
Son of newly appointed Dutch military chief among 2 dead in Afghanistan
By SPA,
The Hague, Netherlands : The Dutch military says the son of the newly appointed armed forces commander was among two Dutch soldiers killed in a roadside bomb explosion in Afghanistan, according to AP.
Military spokesman Lt. Gen. Freek Meulman says there is no evidence to indicate that 23-year-old Dennis van Uhm was targeted in the explosion. He was a first lieutenant.
Gen. Peter van Uhm assumed his job as the Netherlands' top military commander on Thursday.
Two more Dutch soldiers were wounded in the blast early Friday. One was in critical condition.
Bangladesh condemns ‘mindless acts’ of Mumbai terror strike
By DPA,
Dhaka : Bangladesh Thursday condemned the overnight terrorist attacks in India's financial capital Mumbai that left 101 people dead and 287 injured.
"I condemn it as a mindless act of terror," Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, foreign affairs adviser to Bangladesh's interim government, said in a statement that denounced the carnage in the neighbouring country. "I wish to underscore that terror can serve no purpose."
Pakistani trooper injured in crossfire with NATO forces
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : At least one Pakistani security personnel was injured in an exchange of fire with North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) forces across the border Wednesday, TV channel Dawn News reported.
The exchange of fire took place between Pakistani security forces in Bajaur tribal agency along the border with Afghanistan and NATO forces, said the report.
There was no official confirmation of the incident.
Bajaur is one of the seven tribal areas in Pakistan considered havens for pro-Taliban elements.
Over 200 missing as ferry sinks in Indonesia
By DPA,
Jakarta : A ferry with some 250 people on board sank in rough waters off the Indonesian province of West Sulawesi early Sunday, leaving more than 200 missing, officials said.
Eighteen people were rescued from the sea, including a crew member, who told officials that the ship was engulfed by huge waves before it sank, said Ilham Rachman, an official at the post in West Sulawesi port town of Majene.
"The crew member said the weather was very bad and the seas were rough," Ilham said.
UN chief deeply concerned over Iraq crisis
United Nations: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki- moon Sunday voiced deep concern at "the deepening crisis in Iraq and the rising number of civilian deaths...
Madinah to host International Knowledge Forum
By IINA,
Riyadh : The International Knowledge Forum will be held on June 22-24 in Madinah. The forum will be held under the patronage of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz. This was announced by the Governor of the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA) Amr bin Abdullah Al-Dabbagh in a press conference here yesterday.
Yemen’s new PM resigns
Sanaa : Yemen's new Prime Minister Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak Thursday resigned amid threats of mass protests.
President Abd-Rabbu Manour Hadi has agreed to accept...
Israeli commander sacked for shooting at arrested Palestinian
By DPA,
Tel Aviv : The Israeli Defence Force (IDF) Tuesday suspended the commanding officer of the soldier who was captured on film shooting a blindfolded, handcuffed Palestinian protester in the foot with a rubber-coated metal bullet earlier this month.
An IDF spokesman said its Northern Command Chief, Major General Gadi Eisenkot, had ordered the officer to take a 10-day leave of absence after a hearing Tuesday and pending further investigation.
Eisenkot described the incident as "severe" and said it amounted to a "moral failure" on the part of the commander, the spokesman said.
Hamas wants to maintain Gaza quiet — Israeli officials
By KUNA
Gaza : Hamas is interested at this stage in maintaining the lull in fighting against the Israel forces along the Gaza Strip border, the daily Haaretz reported on Tuesday, quoting Israeli defense officials.
‘British ministers silent on biraderi system for reasons of vote’
By IANS,
London : The chairman of a British parliamentary committee says the Labour government has been slow in tackling postal ballot fraud - thought to be practised among the Pakistani and Bangladeshi communities - because of fears it might cost them votes.
Speaking ahead of just-ended local government elections in England and Wales, Tony Wright, chairman of the Labour-controlled Public Administration Select Committee, said reluctance to root out electoral abuse risked compromising “the integrity of democratic politics”.
Iran summons Swiss envoy over abductions in Syria
By IANS,
Tehran : The Iranian foreign ministry Tuesday summoned the Swiss charge d'affaires in the country to protest the abduction of Iranian pilgrims in Syria, Press TV reported.
Militants bring war to heart of Pakistan
By Nadeem Sarwar, DPA,
Islamabad : Pakistan's historic eastern city of Lahore has long been known as the country's cultural capital, with dozens of theatres, film studios, fashion houses, historical sites and exotic food.
But it is now being turned into a new battleground by Islamic militants who have already gained control over large areas in the northwestern regions of the nuclear-armed Islamic state.
World public opinion following Palestine developments: Larijani
By IRNA,
Tehran : Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani said on Sunday that the issue of Palestine is important for all countries and that is why the world public opinion was following its developments carefully.
Larijani made the remarks in a meeting with vice-speaker of the Venezuelan parliament Saul Ortega who visited Iran to attend the 4th International Conference on Palestine, held in the Iranian capital on March 4-5.
Gaza relief operations at risk unless crossing closures are lifted, says UN agency
UNITED NATIONS, Jan 22 (APP): The UN agency tasked with helping Palestinian refugees has warned that it may have to halt its food distribution and other key operations inside the Gaza Strip if the closures continue at the crossing points into Gaza.
Karen AbuZayd, Commissioner-General of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), said Monday that the agency is about to run out of its own fuel supplies in two more days.
Israel on high alert after attack on Jerusalem seminary
By DPA
Jerusalem : Israel was on high alert Friday after a Palestinian gunman burst into a Jewish religious seminary in Jerusalem the previous evening and killed eight students in the first such attack in the city in four years.
The Israeli army sealed off the West Bank, allowing no Palestinians to enter Israel except for special humanitarian or medical cases, a military spokeswoman said. Thousands of police patrolled Jerusalem and other cities, while setting up roadblocks at all entry points.
Pakistan to devise policy on US drone strike
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) party, which will form the new government, has decided to devise a national policy on the US drone attacks, a leader said.
Arabs are very intelligent, ahead of Indians: Barkatullah Varsity VC
By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net,
Bhopal: Prof. Ravindra Jain, Vice Chancellor of Barkatullah University, Bhopal, has said that Arabs are very intelligent people and are ahead of Indians. They took full advantage of the literature in Sanskrit and Hindi which flourished in India during the period of the Rig Veda and Upanishads (from 1500 B.C. to 500 B.C.).
EU imposes new sanctions on 180 Iranian firms
By IANS/AKI,
Brussels : The European Union's "growing fear" regarding Iran's nuclear programme Thursday prompted the 27-member bloc to slap fresh sanctions on 180 Iranian companies.
Pakistani minister injured, driver killed in attack
By DPA,
Islamabad : Unknown gunmen opened fire on a government minister's vehicle in the Pakistani capital Islamabad Wednesday, injuring the official and killing his driver, witnesses said.
Hamid Saeed Kazmi, the minister for religious affairs, was a few hundred meters from his office in the centre of the city when a man fired several shots with an AK-47 rifle at his vehicle, said Jamil Ahmad, a vendor who witnessed the attack.
US drone attack kills six in Pakistan
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : At least six people were killed in a suspected US drone strike in Pakistan's South Waziristan tribal agency, media reports said Thursday.
The pilotless aircraft fired two missiles at a house at Kanigoram village, killing the six and injuring nine.
Iran does not need assassinations: Ahmadinejad
By IANS,
Tehran : Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Sunday that Iran does not need to resort to assassinations to advance its policies, Xinhua reported citing satellite Press TV.
Bank using profits to fund militants: Dhaka minister
By IANS,
Dhaka : A bank in Bangladesh is spending eight percent of its profits to fund militants in the country, State Minister for Home Shamsul Huq Tuku has alleged.
Not in touch with Taliban: A.Q. Khan
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan's disgraced nuclear scientist A.Q. Khan, who was accused of running an illegal proliferation network, Friday dismissed reports that he was in touch with the Taliban who are reported to be making efforts to acquire a dirty bomb.
"No, there is no substance to these reports," Khan, who was earlier this month released from five years of house arrest, told an Indian TV news channel.
"I have never met anybody," he added.
"No further comments," he replied tersely when asked a second time if the Taliban had made contact with him.
Pakistan scrap market blast kills 8: TV
By IRNA
Lahore : At least 8 people were killed and several others injured in blast at a scrap market in the Pakistani eastern city of Lahore, TV channels reported.
City Police Chief Malik Iqbal confirmed five people were killed in the blast.
The blast also injured 20 others at Misri Shah's neighborhood of the city, Geo television reported.
Police said that gas cylinder caused the blast.
They said that the injured included students of the nearby institutions.
Witnesses said that the laborers were cutting a gas cylinder was when it exploded with a huge bang.
Gaza demo targets UK arms sales to Israel
By IRNA,
London : A mass demonstration was being held in Brighton, southern England, Monday to mark the first anniversary of Israel’s massacres of more than 1,400 Palestinians in Gaza.
The protest, part of a series to mark the anniversary, was targeting the manufacture of weapons components at the local EDO MBM factory, a wholly owned subsidiary of the American multi-national ITT, which supplies essential parts for the Israeli air force.
Malaysia: abnormally high percentage of silent voters
By NNN-Bernama
Kuala Lumpur : With three more days to polling on Saturday, there is an abnormally high percentage of silent voters, estimated at between 35 and 40 per cent of the electorate, in most parts of Malaysia in this 12th general election.
Political analyst Assoc Prof Dr Mohammad Agus Yusoff said the figure was almost double the average of about 20 per cent of silent voters in any general election. "Ground assessment showed that they have not made up their minds for reasons best known to them.
UAE volunteers celebrate Eid with Syrian refugees
By IANS/WAM,
Abu Dhabi : Volunteers from the UAE celebrated Eid-ul-Fitr with displaced Syrians living in refugee camps in Jordan.
Saudi official: Iran-Saudi security cooperation satisfactory
By IRNA,
Tehran : Deputy Interior Minister of Saudi Arabia in Security Affairs said at the end of his 3-day visit to Iran before departing at Mehrabad Airport, two countries' security cooperation is quite satisfactory.
According to IRNA Political Desk reporter, Ahmad bin-Muhammad al-Salem, who was being seen off by his Iranian counterpart Abbas Mohtaj, in response to a question by IRNA evaluated the results of his visit with Iranian officials as "positive."
Bangladesh gets $1.2bn World Bank loan for bridge
By IANS,
Dhaka : Bangladesh Thursday signed a $1.2 billion loan deal with the World Bank for the construction of a bridge over river Padma.
World press body calls for fresh start for press freedom in Pakistan
By EuAsiaNews
Brussels : The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ)announced Monday a new fact-finding mission to Pakistan and urged the new government and media to work together for a "fresh start for press freedom."
"This mission will be an opportunity to put positive aims and realistic objectives on the table," said Aidan White, IFJ General Secretary who will visit the country this week.
"We expect and hope that the mood of change will reinforce the robust professionalism which is a hallmark of journalism in Pakistan,''
Olmert: Peace deal including Jerusalem impossible by year-end
By Xinhua,
Jerusalem : Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Monday there would be no chance for Israel and the Palestinians to reach a peace accord that includes the issue of Jerusalem by the end of 2008.
"I don't believe we can reach an understanding this year that includes the Jerusalem issue," Olmert was quoted by local daily Ha'aretz as saying to the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.
"There is no practical chance of reaching an overall understanding on Jerusalem."
Palestinian presidency condemns Israeli killings in Gaza
By NNN-KUNA
Gaza : The Palestinian presidency has strongly condemned the Israeli massacres that were being committed against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, claiming the lives of 14 so far.
Presidential spokesman Nabil Aburdaina said these "criminal acts" were harming the peace process, adding that the Israeli government had to "stop placing hurdles" in the way of negotiations with the Palestinians.
So far Tuesday, 14 Palestinians have been killed in eastern Gaza Strip, and dozens were wounded in Israeli air raids.
34 militants killed in latest Pakistani Army operation
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : At least 34 Taliban militants were killed and seven others captured in an operation carried out by the Pakistani Army in North West Frontier Province (NWFP), the army said in a statement Thursday.
The army said five soldiers were also injured in the operation in Malakand Division of the NWFP in the past 24 hours to Thursday evening.
The operation against the militants is still continuing, the statement said.
Iran urged to let Afghans seek refugee status
Beirut : Iran’s announcement that it will grant a six-month visa extension to 450,000 Afghans is a helpful move to prevent their imminent deportation,...
Focus of Pakistani PM”s visit to US will war on terror — sources
By KUNA,
Islamabad : The focus of Pakistani Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raaza Gilani's visit to the US will be the war against terrorism and increased violence in the bordering areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan by so-called "elements" trained in Pakistan.
Official sources told KUNA that the visit would also help remove misunderstandings between the two sides and clarify the new government's position with regard to counter-terrorism strategies.
Sadr militia battle troops in four Iraqi cities
By AFP
Baghdad : Moqtada al-Sadr's militiamen battled troops in four Iraqi cities on Tuesday, including the capital, as the hardline Shiite cleric threatened a countrywide campaign of civil revolt.
Heavy clashes broke out between Sadr's Mahdi Army fighters in the southern oil city of Basra, killing at least seven people and wounding 48, and in Kut and Hilla, both south of Baghdad, officials said.
Must win by-poll, Malaysian PM tells Indian party
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur : Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak Friday asked the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) to win a prestigious by-election to prove that it was not just a party of ethnic Indians but of all communities - including Malays and Chinese.
MIC must deliver the Hulu Selangor parliamentary seat for which the bypoll is scheduled April 25, having got the nomination for the seat again, said Razak, who is currently in the US.