Freedom for Zia likely as Dhaka may ease Emergency curbs
By IANS,
Dhaka : Bangladesh's military-backed government may not oppose the bail of detained former prime minister Khaleda Zia as it prepares to ease Emergency curbs to facilitate a political dialogue in the run up to the December elections.
"We are coordinating everything. There is no scope to waste time. Highest efforts are being made," Commerce Adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman told the media Thursday, adding that the government would weigh the "legal and humanitarian aspects" involved.
Talks with IAEA constructive: Iran
By IANS,
Tehran : Iran has said its three-day talks with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) were "constructive and positive", official IRNA news agency reported Thursday.
Iranian envoy Ali-Asghar Soltanieh, who was present during the talks between IAEA's chief inspector Oli Heinonen and Gholam-Reza Aqazadeh, head of the Iranian Atomic Energy Organisation (IAEO), said the discussions were held in a very constructive and cordial atmosphere.
Israel imposes full closure of Palestinian territories
By NNN-KUNA,
Ramallah : Israeli authorities has decided to impose a complete closure in the Palestinian territories as a precaution as it celebrates the a Jewish holiday, Israeli radio reported.
The closure on the West Bank will last for two weeks starting Thursday evening, the radio added.
Palestinians will be banned from entering Israeli territories except in emergency and humane cases.
Israeli chopper targets metal workshop in Gaza
By KUNA
Gaza : An Israeli military chopper attacked on Friday evening a metal workshop in Khan Younis city in southern Gaza with two missiles.
Eyewitnesses in the city said the Chopper fired two missiles at the workshop near western camp destroying it completely and also damaged nearby houses.
According to eyewitnesses, the workshop, which was the target of another Israeli air raid two years ago, belonged to Maher Al-Jabri.
Police clueless about ex-Pakistani PM’s abducted son
By IANS,
Islamabad : Police are still clueless about the whereabouts of former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani's son Ali Haider Gilani who was abducted Thursday, said a media report Friday.
Resumption of Karachi power supply underway
Islamabad : Resumption of power supply in Pakistan's Karachi city, which remained suspended Sunday for more than 10 hours, is underway.
An electricity company spokesperson...
Bangladesh border guards want death for mutineers
By IANS,
Dhaka : As about 4,000 of its troopers face trial for the February rebellion that left 74 people dead, the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR), the country's border guards, has mooted death penalty for mutiny.
Trials by special civilian courts began earlier this month.
A draft law was submitted Wednesday to the government by BDR Director General, Major General Mainul Islam, who told New Age that the death penalty had been proposed as highest punishment for mutiny or any disobedience in the presence of the enemy.
Jalili: IAEA report shows Iran’s nuclear program peaceful
By Xinhua
Tehran : Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili said on Friday that the latest International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report showed that Iran's nuclear program is peaceful.
"Today's report is another proof that Iran was right in its past declarations about the nature of its nuclear activities ...(and) shows that the activities are peaceful," Jalili told a press conference here.
The UN nuclear watchdog report also proved that allegations that Iran's atomic program is aimed at producing nuclear weapons are "baseless," he added.
US more in alignment with Islamic values than many Muslim states: Sheikh Aaidh Al-Qarni
By Siraj Wahab
A popular Saudi author and religious scholar has raised some questions about governmental and societal practices across the Arab world and asserts that the United States is more in alignment with many Islamic values than many countries represented as Muslim states.
Sheikh Aaidh ibn Abdullah Al-Qarni, whose self-help book “Don’t Be Sad” sells briskly both in English and Arabic, made the remarks in two recent columns published in the pan-Arab mass-circulation Arabic newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat.
Alert cops if kids are embracing terror, parents told
London: British Home Secretary Theresa May has urged parents to report their children to police if they are at risk of becoming terrorists.
In the...
Yazidi girl talks of ordeal as IS terrorist’s sex slave
Baghdad: A Yazidi teenager recalled her nine-month ordeal under Islamic State terrorists and how she and her little sister were raped daily by the...
Afghan battle kills over 30 militants
By Xinhua,
Kabul : At least 30 rebels have been killed when the Afghan National Army (ANA) backed by the US-led coalition forces attacked Taliban safe havens in eastern Afghan province of Laghman, said a coalition statement here Thursday.
The operation was launched on intelligence inputs about militants' activities in the area, the statement said.
The joint forces were engaged by militants using small-arms fire and the fierce battle forced approximately 200 civilians to flee the area, it said.
Toll escalates to 450 in Libya clashes
Tripoli : At least 450 people were killed in violent clashes in Libya's second largest city of Benghazi, officials said Sunday.
"The people killed include...
Hillary Clinton arrives in Iraq on unannounced visit
By DPA,
Baghdad : US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has arrived in the Iraqi capital on an unannounced visit, Voices of Iraq news agency reported Saturday.
The visit comes at a time as the new US ambassador to Iraq, Christopher Hill, is taking up his office.
The trip - Clinton's first to Iraq as secretary of state - also comes after 48 hours of suicide bombings in Baghdad and other cities which have killed at least 155.
President Barack Obama vowed to withdraw US combat troops from Iraqi cities by summer during a recent visit to Iraq.
Rallies, processions banned in Dhaka amid political tensions
Dhaka : All rallies and processions have been banned in the Bangladeshi capital city in the light of simmering political tensions between the opposition...
Iran-IAEA negotiations on technical cooperation to continue
By NNN-IRNA,
Tehran : Iran's ambassador and permanent representative in the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Ali Asghar Soltanieh has said that talks here between Iran and the agency was held in a scientific, technical and constructive atmosphere.
At the end of the three-day negotiation Wednesday between deputy head of the IAEA for Safeguards Affairs Olli Heinonen with officials from Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation (IAEO), Soltanieh told IRNA: "The negotiation concerning technical cooperation between Iran and IAEA will continue."
UAE’s GDP grew by 5.2 percent in 2007
By IANS,
Abu Dhabi : The gross domestic product (GDP) of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) grew by 5.2 percent in 2007, according to the latest figures released by the UAE's ministry of economy.
The country's economy also expanded to 729.7 billion dirhams ($198.6 bilion) in 2007, the official Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported citing the figures.
GDP in the non-oil sector grew by 16.8 percent, touching 467.9 billion dirhams ($127.4 billion). This accounted for 64.1 percent of the total GDP during 2007.
Bus explosion kills three, wounds 15 in Baghdad
By DPA
Baghdad : At least three civilians were killed and 15 wounded when a bomb targeted a bus in the Iraqi capital, media reports said Saturday.
Security sources told the Voices of Iraq (VOI) news agency that a bomb was detonated near Baghdad's Beirut area, targeting a bus with a capacity of 21 passengers.
Separately, Iraq's Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki allowed ambulances and vehicles to move in the Shia cities of Shula and Sadr Friday, General Qassim Atta, spokesman for Baghdad operations, told VOI.
Gender discrimination in Pakistan state units: Study
By IANS,
Islamabad : There is gender discrimination in Pakistan's public sector organisations, a study has revealed.
MNF affirms anti-terrorism cooperation with foreign intelligence
By NNN-KUNA,
Baghdad : The Multi-National Force's (MNF) Major-General Kevin Bergner has affirmed here that exchange of intelligence information with neighbouring states with Iraq has occurred in order to crack down on Qaeda operations.
Bergner said in a joint press conference with Iraqi spokesman Dr Tahseen Al-Sheikhali Wednesday that about 50 terrorists were arrested in the city of Mosul north of Iraq, adding that the exchange of information led to an improvement in anti-terrorism operations.
Iraqi parliament postpones election of new speaker
By KUNA,
BAGHDAD : The Iraqi parliament on Thursday anew postponed voting on a new parliament speaker following a closed-door session due to lack of quorum.
A media source in the parliament told KUNA the session was postponed till next Saturday.
The parliament held a closed-door session earlier today to elect one out 10 candidates competing for the post. (pickup previous) ahh.rj.sd KUNA 051708 Feb 09NNNN
Supplies for US-led forces start moving from Pakistan again
By Muhammad Najeeb, IANS,
Islamabad : Twenty trucks carrying goods for the US-led forces Monday left for Afghanistan from Pakistan's tribal areas though more than 100 trucks were still waiting to move forward after a series of militant attacks, a security official said.
The official said that more than 100 trucks were still parked in Khyber Agency of the tribal areas because of the security situation and attacks on the transport caravans by militants.
Obama to order additional troops to Afghanistan: Reports
By DPA,
Washington : US President Barack Obama plans to increase troop levels in Afghanistan by an additional 4,000 soldiers in a move to expand the fight against Taliban and Al-Qaeda militants, US news reports said.
Ahead of the White House unveiling its new Afghanistan-Pakistan strategy Friday, the Washington Post and CNN reported that on top of the 17,000 additional combat troops already authorised, 4,000 more would be deployed later this year to serve as advisers to the Afghan army.
The additional deployments would push total US troop strength in Afghanistan well above 50,000.
Obama urges for reconciliation in Iraq
By DPA,
Washington : US President Barack Obama called for greater reconciliation between Iraq's ethnic groups during a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki at the White House Wednesday.
Coming to agreements on contentious issues is essential to a unified Iraq and its stability in the future as US forces increasingly turn responsibility for security over to the Iraqis, Obama said.
"Iraq will be more secure and more successful if there is a place for all Iraqi citizens to thrive, including all of Iraq's ethnic and religious groups," Obama said.
Musharraf orders ‘shoot-on-sight’ of trouble makers for elections
By IRNA
Karachi : President Pervez Musharraf said on Monday that he has ordered 'shoot-on-sight' order to security forces if any one tried to disrupt the upcoming parliamentary elections.
Elections are set for February 18, which were earlier scheduled to be held on January 8th but were postponed after the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.
The Election Commission said that its offices were burnt in southern Sindh province during violent protests after Bhutto's murder and that it cannot hold elections on the previously set date.
Land trade between India, Pakistan halted after Wagah blast
Attari (Punjab) : Land border trade between India and Pakistan was halted Monday following a suicide bomb attack at Wagah in Pakistan that left...
Three killed as car catches fire in Malaysia
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur : A car crashed into a toll plaza and then burst into flames, killing three people inside it in Malaysia's Penang state Monday, police said.
The accident took place at about 2.15 a.m. local time at the Sungai Dua toll plaza in the north-south expressway.
There were two men in the front seats and a woman in the rear, who were burnt to death, police said, adding that the fire lasted for nearly 20 minutes.
The cause of the accident was not yet known.
The north-south expressway is the longest highway in Malaysia with a length of 966 km.
Earthquake hits southern Lebanon
By SPA
Beirut : An earthquake measuring an estimated at 4.2 degrees on the Richter scale hit areas east of the southern port city of Tyre on Friday, DPA reported. The tremor was felt in the capital Beirut, causing panic in the streets.
The earthquake epicenter was near the town of Tyre in southern Lebanon. The second earthquake was felt as far as Bint Jbeil near the Israeli border.
US sees no Iranian role in ending Syrian violence
By IANS,
Washington: The US has insisted that it sees no role for Iran in ending violence and bloodshed in Syria, Xinhua reported.
A peep into Pakistan, specially for Indians
By Rahul Dass, IANS,
Book: "Pakistan - Identity and Destiny"; Author: Javed Jabbar; Publisher: Har-Anand; Price: Rs.495; Pages: 191
Iran, world powers to hold n-talks from Thursday
Tehran: Experts from Iran and six major world powers will meet Thursday for a new round of talks on Iran's controversial nuclear programme, Fars...
Pakistan to make public Mumbai attack report on Monday: PM
By NNN-APP,
Lahore : Prime Minister Syed Yusaf Raza Gilani on Friday said that Pakistan would take the international community into confidence by making public the Mumbai attack report on Monday.
Talking to the media at Lahore Airport, he said that the report based on the information shared by India would be submitted to him on Monday which would be made public same day.
He said that Pakistan is not isolated and the entire world is with us as we always strongly condemn the incidents of terrorism across the world and we even vehemently condemned Mumbai attack .
The Scotland Yard gets hold of 18 clues in Bhutto’s assassination
By SPA
Islamabad : The Scotland Yard team has got hold of 18 major clues in former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto s assassination case and would report to the government of Pakistan before elections, Caretaker Interior Minister Lt-Gen (retd) Hamid Nawaz said.
He told the reporters that the proof has been found against Baitullah Mehsud in connection with the assassination and that operation is being carried out against him.
The minister said in the valley of Swat and other sensitive areas, local Taliban factor has been controlled and now only few groups are active.
Three killed, 10 injured in Pakistan firing in Kashmir
Jammu/Srinagar: Two soldiers and a woman were killed and 10 injured Saturday in two separate incidents of Pakistan shelling and firing across the international...
US concerned over Israeli decision on new homes
Washington: The US is "deeply concerned" by reports that Israel would build more settler homes in east Jerusalem, the state department has said.
"Israel's leaders...
Inter-faith congress calls for dialogue against terrorism
By DPA,
Madrid : A groundbreaking inter-faith conference here has called for a global dialogue between religions as a means of fighting terrorism.
"We want to take the dialogue onto the world level," including the UN, Muslim World League Secretary-General Abdullah al-Turki stressed Friday on closing the World Conference on Dialogue.
The meeting sponsored by Saudi Arabia brought together some 250 Muslim, Christian and Jewish clergy and other experts on inter-religious understanding in the Spanish capital Madrid.
Bangladesh arrests British charity chief on terrorism charges
By DPA,
Dhaka : Security forces arrested the chief of a British charity Monday for suspected terrorism financing under the guise of operating religious schools in southern Bangladesh, officials said.
Faisal Mustafa, the head of Green Crescent charity, was arrested in central Gazipur district in a pre-dawn police raid, senior officer Rezanur Rahman told a press conference.
Faisal operates a religious school in Bhola district, from where the forces seized a cache of arms and munitions late last month, with support from the London-based charity.
Pakistan PM Gilani, his British counterpart Brown vow wide-ranging cooperation against terrorists
By NNN-APP,
London : Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani rejected the notion that two-thirds of terrorist attacks against Britain stemmed from Pakistan and that the 9/11 mastermind Osama bin Laden was in Pakistan.
“I don’t agree with this,” Gilani told reporters after a breakfast meeting with British Prime Minister here at the 10 Downing Streeton on Thursday, where they discussed regional and international situation with focus on economic rehabilitation and strategic support to Pakistan in the wake of fight against militancy.
Pakistani living in India for 38 years arrested
By IANS,
Jaipur : An 84-year-old man was arrested in Rajasthan's Sikar district, 38 years after he illegally came to India from Pakistan and settled down under a disguise, police said Tuesday.
Protest in Lebanon for release of Cubans jailed in US
By IANS,
Beirut : Hundreds of Lebanese and Palestinians held a demonstration here in support of Cuba and demanded the release of five Cubans in US jails, having been convicted of terrorist activities in that country.
According to a Cuban embassy official, the protesters demanded the release of Fernando Gonz'lez, Rene Gonz'lez, Gerardo Hern'ndez, Ramon Labanino and Antonio Guerrero imprisoned for over 11 years in the US, Prensa Latina reported.
87 killed as crane falls on Saudi’s Grand Mosque
Riyadh: At least 87 people were killed and around 80 injured after a crane collapsed on to the Grand Mosque in the Saudi Arabia's...
Abu Dhabi to host international IT conference
By IANS/WAM,
Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi will host an international conference on information technology supported by the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Khaleda Zia faces another corruption charge
By IANS
Dhaka : Bangladesh's former prime minister Khaleda Zia and 10 ministers in her government have been accused of receiving kickbacks while awarding a coalmine operation contract to a Chinese firm during their tenure in office.
This is the third graft case against the Bangladesh National Party chief, who ruled the country from 2001 to 2006 and is in jail since September last year.
Also sued is Amir (chief) Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) Matiur Rahman Nizami, Bangladesh's largest Islamist party, who was the industry minister in the Zia government.
Passage of Iraqi election law will contribute to political normalisation – Ban
By NNN-KUNA,
United Nations : UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has welcomed the passage of the Iraq provincial election law by the country's Council of Representatives, predicting that it will help political normalization in the country, his office said in a statement.
He described it as a "very important step forward which should contribute to political normalization in Iraq."
Abbas sets conditions for direct talks with Israel
By DPA,
Riyadh: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said he was ready for direct negotiations with Israel, provided key condition are met, including a total halt to settlement building in the West Bank, according to statements released Thursday.
After months of US-brokered indirect meetings, or proximity talks, Abbas said he would negotiate directly with the Israel if the goal was to establish an independent Palestinian state on the territory occupied in the 1967 war.
Abbas' statements came after a meeting with Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah in Jeddah late Wednesday.
Police check-post set ablaze protesting man’s killing
By IANS,
Islamabad : A police check-post in Pakistan was Saturday set on fire by an angry family protesting the death of one of its members in police firing.
Musharraf: Pakistan to continue comprehensive strategy to counter terrorism
By Xinhua
Islamabad : Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf said on Tuesday that Pakistan would continue to pursue a comprehensive strategy to counter terrorism.
While meeting with visiting U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte, Musharraf emphasized the importance of a stable, broad-based and multi-faceted relationship between Pakistan and the United States, News Network International (NNI) reported.
Musharraf said he would give full support to the newly-elected Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gillani and his government.
Obama extends emergency regarding foreign terrorists
By KUNA,
Washington : President Barack Obama extended by one year the national emergency with respect to foreign terrorists who threaten to disrupt the Middle East peace process.
Indian female spy arrested: Pakistani officials
By Muhammad Najeeb, IANS,
Islamabad : Amid escalating tension between Pakistan and India in the wake of the Mumbai terrorist attacks, officials here said Saturday security forces had captured an Indian female spy from near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
An interior ministry official confirmed the arrest and said this was the second Indian spy to be arrested in Pakistan in less than two months.
The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the burqa-clad woman, arrested after intelligence reports, was shifted to Islamabad and was being interrogated.
Enemies target Iranian’s dignity, sovereignty – Iranian President said
By NNN-IRNA,
Tehran : Enemies of Iran have targeted the nation's dignity and sovereignty under the pretext of their peaceful nuclear activities, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Friday.
Addressing a group of people in a district in southern Tehran, he said, "No nation can survive without independence."
"Many people sacrifice their personal interests and even their lives to maintain the independence of their country," President Ahmadinejad stressed.
He regretted that the world nations are faced with different problems.
UN condemns Iraq attacks
By IANS,
United Nations: UN Monday strongly condemned the series of attacks in Iraq that killed about 90 people and injured hundreds of others in different parts of the country on the weekend.
ECP affirms free, fair and impartial elections in Pakistan
By SPA
Islamabad : The Feb 18 parliamentary elections in Pakistan would be held in a free, fair and impartial manner, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) said in a statement.
In a meeting at Karachi, the ECP reviewed and expressed satisfaction over the arrangements made so far, for holding free, fair, impartial an credible elections in a peaceful atmosphere.
Israel launches airstrike after unilateral Gaza truce
By Xinhua,
Jerusalem : The Israeli military Sunday said it launched an airstrike to hit back at Gaza militants' rocket attacks earlier Sunday after the Jewish state announced a unilateral truce late Saturday night.
A spokesman from the military said that Israeli aircraft hit the launchers in the Gaza Strip that had fired rockets into Israel.
The retaliation came after southern Israel was pounded by a number of rockets fired from the Gaza Strip in the morning, hours after an Israeli unilateral ceasefire came into effect.
Pakistan a potential place for long-term investments: PM
Islamabad : Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif Monday said that there were opportunities for investors in Pakistan and termed the country a potential place...
Australian PM phones President Karzai over Afghan Governor’s death
By NNN-Bernama,
Melbourne : Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has called Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai over an incident involving Australian troops in which a district leader was killed, the Australian Associated Press (AAP) news agency has reported.
Chora district governor Rozi Khan was among those who died in a firefight involving coalition forces last week after his party was mistaken for Taliban insurgents.
Khan was an ally of Karzai, who Rudd telephoned on Saturday night to express concern about the incident.
German FM to attend Afghanistan conference in Paris
By IRNA,
Berlin : German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier is to attend the international Afghanistan conference, scheduled to take place in Paris on Sunday.
The confab will feature political representatives of the Afghan government as well as its six neighboring states and India.
Other participants include the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, the European Union, the United Nations, Germany and Italy.
Car bombing in Baghdad kills two
By Xinhua,
Baghdad : A car bomb went off in a Baghdad commercial street on Monday, killing two people and wounding five others, an Interior Ministry source said.
The explosion occurred before noon when a booby-trapped car parked near the Mission commercial compound in the thoroughfare of Mu'askar al-Rasheed in Baghdad's central neighborhood of Karradah, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.
The blast also damaged several nearby civilian cars and shops, the source said.
Terror war inflicting immense losses on Pakistan economy
By IRNA,
Islamabad : The economy of Pakistan has been facing serious threats as it has lost $6 billion for extending its support to US-led terror war in the year 2007-08.
Majority of Pakistanis believe that war on terror has practically been an American war in which the Pakistani government went beyond limits of subservience to the US, Pakistani media say.
The involvement of Pakistan in war on terrorism has been affecting its economy by damaging its economic environment, they say.
Global Halal Forum: Halal Industry all set to become a multi-trillion industry
TCN News:
The second Global Halal Forum was organized on October 18th and 19th 2018 by Amanah Halal Research Centre in collaboration with University of...
Defense chief: Gaza operation unlikely to end rocket attacks
By Xinhua,
Jerusalem : Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Sunday that even a large-scale military operation in Gaza Strip will not cease rocket attacks from the Hamas-ruled region.
The Egypt-mediated Gaza ceasefire, which went into effect in June, is effectively halting the barrages, Barak said in an interview with local TV Channel 10, adding that he hoped the truce would last for a year.
Five US soldiers slain in Baghdad suicide attack
By AFP
Baghdad : Five US soldiers were killed and three wounded in a suicide attack in the centre of the Iraqi capital on Monday, in the deadliest attack on American troops in two months, the US military said.
"Five US soldiers were killed today when their dismounted patrol was struck by a suicide bomber. Three US soldiers and an Iraqi interpreter were wounded as well," military spokesman Lieutenant Michael Street said.
Karzai accepts runoff vote to be held in two weeks
By DPA,
Kabul : Afghan President Hamid Karzai announced Tuesday that he failed to win an outright election in the first round and accepted the results for the second round of voting to be held in two weeks.
The president told a press conference at his palace that the decision for the second round of the election announced by the Independent Election Commission (IEC) was in accordance with the Afghan constitution.
40 Tamil schools to be rebuilt in Malaysia
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur : Forty Tamil schools will be rebuilt across Malaysia this year, a minister said.
Human Resources Minister S. Subramaniam Wednesday thanked Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Najib Tun Razak for considering the Malaysian Indian Congress's request for additional allocation of $13.54 million under the second stimulus package.
140 people killed in Israel”s wide scale strikes on Gaza — official
By KUNA,
Gaza : Israeli warplanes staged wide scale strikes on Saturday targeting Hamas-occupied buildings in Gaza Strip and killing at least 140 people, a medical official said.
Dr. Muawiah Hassanain, in charge of the emergency ward of the Palestinian Health Ministry, said in a statement that the strikes left hundreds of people wounded, including many women and children.
Among the dead was Major General Toufic Jaber, the police chief of the dismissed Hamas leadership, and Abu Ahmad Ashour, the governor of the central province of the strip, he added.
EU welcomes Israel-Hezbollah prisoner exchange
By DPA,
Brussels : Wednesday's prisoner exchange between Israel and the Lebanese Hezbollah movement was "first and foremost a positive step taken by both sides," which contributed towards regional stability, European Union External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner said.
RSF raised concern on Hamas strengthen control over Gaza strip
By NNN-WAFA,
Paris, France : Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is concerned about a new system of certification that Hamas has announced for all telecommunications companies, Internet service providers, broadcast media and news agencies based in the Gaza Strip, which has been controlled by the Islamist party Hamas since June 2007.
The press freedom organisation also called for the release of three journalists who have been held without explanation since 12 October in the Gaza Strip town of Deir Al-Balah.
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.
Taliban urges Pakistan to refuse international aid
By DPA,
Peshawar : Taliban militants asked the government of Pakistan Wednesday to boycott the international relief assistance for flood victims.
The call came as the UN announced a formal appeal for a "few hundred million dollars" Wednesday for more relief to help over 14 million flood-affected people in Pakistan.
The floods caused by unprecedented monsoon rains have killed more than 1,600 people and displaced hundreds of thousands.
Palestinian cameraman killed in Israeli attack on central Gaza
By Xinhua,
Gaza : A local cameraman working for Reuters Television was killed in an Israeli attack on central Gaza Strip on Wednesday afternoon, Palestinian witnesses and medics reported.
Witnesses said an Israeli artillery shell hit the white armored jeep of Faddel Ouda Shana'a in the neighborhood of Johr el-Deikeast of al-Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza Strip.
Medics at al-Aqsa Hospital in central Gaza Strip said Shana'a was killed in the shelling and his body was brought to the hospital.
India congratulates Karzai, asks world to unite against Taliban
By IANS,
New Delhi : Congratulating Afghan President Hamid Karzai on his re-election, India Tuesday said it looked forward to partnering Afghanistan in its reconstruction efforts and asked the international community to "stand steadfast" against the Taliban and the Al Qaeda.
"We congratulate President Karzai and look forward to partnering Afghanistan as it continues the process of its stabilisation, reconstruction and development," the external affairs ministry said in a statement here.
Gov’t firm to remove obstacles: Ahmadinejad
By IRNA
Bushehr : President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said here Wednesday that the government is determined to remove obstacles in the way of the country's progress, development in industries, creating job opportunities and export increase.
"Ground should be prepared for the export of various high quality commodities," Ahmadinejad said at a meeting of the working group of occupation, investment, industry and mines and exports of Bushehr province.
Journalist beaten up in Pakistan
By IANS,
Islamabad : A journalist was beaten up here allegedly by policemen, a media report said Monday.
NDTV signs consultancy agreement with Malaysian network
By IANS,
New Delhi: NDTV Worldwide has signed a consultancy agreement with Malaysia's Astro Awani Networks to offer operations and strategic management support for a period of two years, a statement issued here Thursday said.
NDTV Worldwide will assist with channel strategy, provide a compelling content plan, broadcast training and technology planning for the channel.
"We are indeed happy to extend the business relationship Astro Awani has had with NDTV," the statement quoted Zainir Aminullah, executive director, Astro Entertainment Sdn Bhd, as saying.
Dubai to house world’s first Marvel Super Heroes theme park
By IANS,
Dubai : Tatweer, a member of Dubai Holding, will develop the world's first Marvel Super Heroes theme park at Dubailand, the world's largest entertainment complex coming up in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Tatweer announced Saturday that it has clinched a landmark deal with US-based Marvel Entertainment Inc to develop the theme park, WAM news agency reported Sunday.
Marvel Entertainment Inc is known for the creations of Super Heroes characters such as Spider-Man, The X-Men, The Fantastic Four and The Incredible Hulk.
India, Israel explore new partnerships in culture and education
By IANS,
New Delhi : India and Israel are exploring new partnerships in culture and education to consolidate bilateral ties.
An India-Israel Colloquium 'Preserving Cultural Identities in Today's World' Wednesday probed the intellectual synergy between the two nations in the context of the historical relationship between the two countries.
Whoever wins will form government: Musharraf
RAWALPINDI, Feb 18 (APP): President Pervez Musharraf Monday said that whoever wins in the general election will form the government and he remains committed to the policy of political reconciliation in the larger interest of the country. The President was talking to reporters after casting his vote at a polling station at Bhindara School here in constituency NA-54 and PP-9. First lady Begum Sehba Musharraf and the President’s mother also polled their votes.
Ahmadinejad officially welcomes Turkmen counterpart
By IRNA,
Tehran : Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad officially welcomed his visiting Turkmen counterpart Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov.
Ahmadinejad received Berdymukhamedov in his office in the presidential venue.
The two presidents reviewed guards of honors after they listened to the anthems of the two countries played at the beginning of the reception ceremony.
The Turkmen president arrived in Tehran Friday evening at the head of a ranking delegation.
He is accompanied by all his cabinet members in his two-day visit.
UAE signs pact with Korea for nuclear cooperation
By IANS/WAM,
Abu Dhabi : The United Arab Emirates and South Korea Tuesday signed an agreement for cooperation in the areas of nuclear safeguards, export controls and physical protection.
Makkah imam urges Muslims to support Palestinians
By IINA,
Makkah : Sheikh Saud bin Ibrahim Al-Shuraim, imam of the Haram Mosque in Makkah, yesterday urged the world’s Muslim leaders to do whatever they can for the victory of their brethren in Gaza against the Israeli forces. “It is the responsibility of Muslim leaders, rulers, scholars and intellectuals...to do whatever is possible for the victory of their brethren in Gaza by extending all possible assistance,” the imam said in his Friday sermon.
USAF Helicopter Bombs Iraqi Family
By Prensa Latina,
Baghdad : The US helicopter attack to Tamra small village in Salahadin Iraqi Northern Province has killed five members of a family, reported the police.
According to Tikrit agents the settlement was bombed early in Wednesday morning and a couple and its three children also died in the operation.
No US sources referred to the attack against that civil area.
Three other people living close to the house destroyed by the helicopter were wounded, emphasized the police..
Abu Al-Gheit: Egypt will not abandon its support for Palestinian people
By NNN-WAFA
Cairo : Egypt voiced concern over Israeli Authorities' decision to cut power supply to Gaza Strip.
Egyptian Foreign Minister, Ahmed Abu al-Gheit said that the illegal collective punishment perpetrated by Israel on Palestinians is completely rejected by Egypt as it increases the deterioration of human situation in the Gaza Strip.
Abu al-Gheit called on Israel to stop its measures which threaten the explosaon of human situation in the Gaza Strip.
Report: Israeli officials deny full withdrawal from Golan
By Xinhua,
Jerusalem : Israeli officials on Wednesday dismissed a statement by Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem that Israel has promised to withdraw from the Golan Heights to the borders drawn before the 1967 Six Day War, local daily the Jerusalem Post reported.
Shortly after Israel, Syria and Turkey confirmed the existence of Ankara-mediated peace talks, Moallem said Damascus has received Israel's commitment for a withdrawal from the highland to the June 4, 1967 line.
Iran’s chief justice urges judiciary to consider Saberi’s appeal
By IANS,
Tehran : Iran's chief justice Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi Monday urged the judiciary to consider immediately an appeal filed by the Iranian-American journalist who has been sentenced to eight years in prison by a court here on charges of espionage.
Shahroudi has told Tehran's justice department chief Abbas Ali Alizadeh that the accused has the right to appeal and fair trial, the ISNA news agency quoted judiciary spokesman Alireza Jamshidi as saying.
Israel seizes weapons-smuggling ship off coast
By DPA,
Tel Aviv : Israeli naval commandoes Wednesday seized a cargo ship smuggling weapons from Iran to the Hezbollah guerrilla group in Lebanon, the military said.
The Antigua-flagged, German-owned Francop was stopped some 160 km off the Israeli coast before dawn, military spokeswoman Lieutenant-Colonel Avital Leibowitz told DPA.
After the ship was redirected to the southern Israeli port of Ashdod, 36 large shipping containers containing the arms were laid out on the dock.
70,000 security men to be deployed to ensure Haj pilgrims’ safety
Makkah : About 70,000 security officers will be deployed during this year’s Haj season to ensure the safety of pilgrims and provide them with...
More US marines for Afghanistan
By NNN-Antara
Washington : The Bush administration has finally approved a plan to send some 3,200 extra marines to Afghanistan, the Pentagon confirmed Tuesday.
Among the total, 2,200 will help fend off an upcoming spring offensive of Taliban in the south of the country, while the other 1,000 troops will help train Afghan security forces, Pentagon was quoted by Xinhuanet as saying in a statement.
The United States already has about 26,000 troops in Afghanistan, half of them under the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force.
Government respects judiciary: Pakistani PM
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani says his government respects the judiciary and implements its decisions.
Blast near complex housing US citizens in Yemen
By DPA
Sanaa : A big explosion was heard Sunday evening near a complex housing US citizens in the Yemeni capital Sanaa, eyewitnesses said.
A security official, who spoke on condition on anonymity, said that the explosion was caused by three rocket-propelled grenades fired on the residential complex.
The blast caused no casualties but shattered glass in one of the buildings. Security was tightened in the area.
The security official said that the terrorist network Al Qaeda was likely to be behind the blast, which was very similar to the attack in March on the US embassy in Sanaa.
Cease ‘activities’ in Pakistani Kashmir, China told
New Delhi : China has been told to cease its "activities" in Pakistani Kashmir, Defence Minister Arun Jaitley said Friday.
The minister told the Lok...
Karzai backs Pakistan’s move to make peace with non-threatening Taliban
By APP,
New York : Stating that he was confident of the new Pakistan government’s “good intentions”, Afghan President Hamid Karzai has supported Islamabad’s move to make peace with the Taliban who do not pose any threat.
“But, he told a leading US newspaper, “if the deal is with those that are hard-core terrorists, Al Qaeda, and are bent upon sooner or later again causing damage to Pakistan, and to Afghanistan and to the rest of the world, then that’s wrong and we should definitely not do it.”
Malaysia not threatened by Singapore’s purchase of jetfighters
By Xinhua,
Kuala Lumpur : Malaysia does not feel threatened by Singapore's plan to purchase new and modern fighter jets, its Air Force Chief General Azizan Ariffin said here on Wednesday.
"I'm not surprise with the report. This is a competition to acquire modern and sophisticated assets," the national news agency Bernama quoted him as saying.
He was asked to comment on news reports that Singapore was planning to buy up to 100 units of the world's most advanced fighter jet, the supersonic F-35, which uses stealth technology to avoid radar detection.
Pakistan President, PM condemn Rawalpindi suicide attack
By NNN-APP
Islamabad : President Pervez Musharraf and caretaker Prime Minister Mohammedmian Soomro Monday strongly condemned the suicide attack in Rawalpindi that killed the Surgeon General, Army Medical Corps, Lt. Gen. Mushtaq Ahmed Baig and several others and expressed the resolve to remain undeterred by such acts.
The President and the Prime Minister said such heinous acts of violence cannot deter the government from its resolve in continuing its fight against terrorism.
IPI condemns killing of Reuters cameraman
By DPA,
Vienna : The International Press Institute (IPI) has condemned the killing of a Reuters cameraman in the Gaza Strip by Israeli forces.
"IPI condemns this killing in the strongest possible terms and calls on the Israeli military to conduct an independent, timely and transparent investigation into the incident," IPI Director David Dadge said Thursday.
Fadel Shana was killed by an Israeli tank shell Wednesday during a military incursion into the Gaza Strip.
16 militants killed in Pakistan
By IANS,
Islamabad : Sixteen militants were killed in fighting with security forces in Pakistan Wednesday.
32 killed in Iraq violence
Baghdad :At least 32 people were killed and 12 others wounded Friday in incidents of violence in Iraq's eastern province of Diyala, police sources...
Bangladeshi plane catches fire at Nepal airport, passengers safe
Kathmandu : A Bangladeshi aircraft caught fire while landing at Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) Monday afternoon, officials said.
Airport police said the wheels of...
‘Iran uranium enrichment to continue’
By IANS,
Tehran: Iran is determined to continue enriching uranium to the purity level of 20 percent, an Iranian lawmaker has said.
Egyptians were first to make replica toes in 950 B.C.
By IANS,
London : Ancient Egyptians from 950 B.C. were probably the world's first to make prosthetic toes, and they still work today, according to a British research.
Pakistani may file appeal against nuclear scientist — release
By KUNA,
ISLAMABAD : The Pakistani government is considering filing an appeal against an Islamabad High Court (IHC) verdict declaring nuclear scientist Dr. A. Q. Khan a free citizen, said a report here on Monday.
The IHC on Friday ended an almost five-year house detention of Khan and declared him free citizen.
Citing government sources, local daily Dawn reported that the court decision might be challenged because of concerns expressed by the United States and the United Kingdom.
Blast hits Afghan town
By IANS,
Kabul : A powerful explosion hit Jalalabad town in eastern Afghanistan Thursday, injuring 12 people, the authorities said.
Rice should fulfil US promise in halting Israeli settlements – Abbas
By NNN-KUNA,
Ramallah : President Mahmoud Abbas has urged US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to fulfil America's promise to halt Israeli plans to build more settlements.
Speaking at a press conference after meeting Rice Sunday, Abbas said that building more settlement means less chances for peace, adding that calming the situation here would help reduce the sufferings of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
Pakistan’s attorney general resigns, successor appointed
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : The attorney general of Pakistan Malik Abdul Qayyum has submitted his resignation here on Wednesday, private Geo TV channel reported.
Latif Khosa, a senator belonging to Pakistan People's Party, has been appointed as the new attorney general, said the Geo report.
Malik Qayyum is a former judge and was appointed by then-President Pervez Musharraf as attorney general in August last year.
The attorney general is the chief legal advisor of the Pakistani government.
Hasina asks Dhaka to take tough measures against corruption
By IANS,
Dhaka : Herself on parole after being jailed on graft charges for a year, former Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina has urged the caretaker government to take tough measures against the corrupt.
While talking to the leaders of her party Awami League's Canada chapter before heading for London Saturday night, Hasina said it was well-known that unbridled corruption, misrule, nepotism and politicisation had plunged Bangladesh into a deep crisis. She appealed to the government to take strong steps to curb corruption, The Daily Star reported.
Iran’s Guardian Council confirms election result
By DPA,
Tehran : Iran's top legislative body, the Guardian Council, Monday approved the result of the country's disputed June 12 election, confirming incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as president.
State television station IRIB quoted the council's spokesman, Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati, as saying that no major irregularities had been found, and that the council considered the results as official.
Lahore attackers were home-grown terrorists, say editorials
By IANS,
Islamabad : The attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team is proof that "the writ of our state is threadbare" and signals the requiem for international sporting events in Pakistan, a leading English newspaper said Wednesday, with another saying the assault "highlights the folly of negotiating with those bent on destroying our way of life".
Passenger flight lands as windscreen cracks
By IANS,
Islamabad : A passenger aircraft had to land in Karachi after its windscreen developed cracks.
Malaysian apex court dismisses Hindraf leaders’ petitions
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur : Malaysia's Federal Court Thursday dismissed applications of two Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leaders who complained about defects in the proceedings that considered their detention under the stringent Internal Security Act (ISA).
Of the two, R. Kenghadaran was released earlier this month along with 12 others on the day Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak took office. The habeas corpus petition was filed before his release.
M. Manoharan, who is a lawmaker and legal adviser of Hindraf is in jail along with two others - Vasanth Kumar and P. Uthayakumar.
Over Rs.10 bn distributed to Pakistan flood-hit
By IANS,
Islamabad : Over Rs.10 billion have been distributed to flood-affected families in Pakistan through a government scheme called watan card, a minister said Thursday.
Iran calls on ICC to bring to justice Israeli war criminals
By IRNA
Gaza City : Iran has called on the International Criminal Court to bring to justice Israeli leaders for committing war crimes in Gaza Strip.
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Saturday night that the International Criminal Court is responsible to make case against Tel Aviv leaders for committing war crimes against the people living in Gaza Strip.
As the Security Council was assembling reports came in that Israel continues with air strike on Gaza Strip residential areas killing at least 36 civilians and wounding 100.
Pakistan: Zardari best choice for presidentship, says PPP Nowshera
By NNN-APP,
Peshawar, Pakistan : NWFP Minister for Excise and Taxation Liaqat Shabab said that Pakistan Peoples Party had always played a pivotal role against dictatorship.
Addressing party workers on Friday at District Secretariat of Nowshera, the Minister said that peaceful exit of Pervez Musharraf was the result of political vision and farsightedness of Asif Ali Zardari, adding that removal of Musharraf was the completion of Benazir Bhutto’s pledge she had made to the nation.
Four killed, 15 injured in Baghdad bombings
By Xinhua,
Baghdad : Four people were killed and 15 others injured when two roadside bombs struck an Iraqi police patrol in Baghdad on Tuesday morning, an Interior Ministry source said.
A roadside bomb detonated near a police patrol close to the Kendi Hospital in Nahdha area in central Baghdad, killing a policeman and a civilian and wounding five others, including two policemen, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.
The blast also damaged two police vehicles, the source said.
Blair’s testimony and the motive for the Iraq War
By Yamin Zakari
"No matter how skilfully he ducked and dived today, Tony Blair's legacy will forever be that of the illegal, immoral Iraq war.”
- Angus Robertson of the SNP
The ineffectual Chilcot Inquiry was never designed to account Tony Blair; rather it appears to have served as a lesson for future Prime Ministers not to make ‘administrative’ errors like submitting dodgy dossiers. Moreover, it gave Tony Blair an opportunity to present his side of the story in a casual manner.
Musharraf unveils precautionary security measures for general elections
By Xinhua
Islamabad : Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf said Monday he had ordered a "shoot-at-sight" order to security forces to cope with possible untoward situations during the forthcoming general elections, the News Network International news agency reported.
Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of a flyover at the southern port city of Karachi, Musharraf said, "Any one who will create trouble, I have ordered the army and Rangers (paramilitary forces),that we will shoot any one who will do anything of this sort."
MQM chief’s bail extended in money laundering case
Islamabad : The London Metropolitan Police have extended Altaf Hussain's bail, the chief of Pakistan's Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) party, by three months in...
Missile attack kills 20 in Pakistan’s tribal region
By DPA
Islamabad : Missiles fired from an unknown location killed 20 suspected militants in a house in the tribal Waziristan region in northwest Pakistan Sunday, according to local news reports.
There was no official confirmation of the attack, but DAWN TV reported three missiles hit the house of tribesman Noorullah in Shahnawaz village and locals said foreigners, suspected Al Qaeda fighters, were staying at the house at the time of the strike.
Pakistani military sources were not immediately available for comment.
Iraq inquiry seeks evidence from UK war veterans
By IRNA,
London : The year-long inquiry into Britain’s involvement in the Iraq war announced Wednesday it was inviting UK veterans to submit evidence on the conflict.
The inquiry chair Sir John Chilcot said there would be a meeting held at Tidworth Garrison in Wiltshire, western England, on September 14 for UK military personnel past and present who served in Iraq between 2003 and 2009.
"The purpose of this event is to gain insights from those who are in a unique position to talk about how the campaign was conducted and the impact it had upon their lives,” Chilcot said.
Pakistan plans to raise n-power plants’ capacity
Islamabad : The overall production of nuclear power plants in Pakistan will be raised to 40,000 MW by 2050, Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC)...
IITF-2008 kicks off in New Delhi with Iran’s participation
By NNN-IRNA,
New Delhi : The 28th edition of India International Trade Fair (IITF) 2008 kicked off Friday at Pragati Maidan (Exhibiton Ground), the venue of Asia's largest trade fair in New Delhi with the participation of around twenty companies from the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Vice President of India, M Hamid Ansari inaugurated the IITF'08, while Union Minister of State for Commerce and Power, Jairam Ramesh is presiding over the inaugural function.
Sharif’s party pushing Zardari to be Pakistan PM
By Muhammad Najeeb, IANS
Islamabad : Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) is pushing Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chief Asif Ali Zardari to head the yet-to-be-formed coalition government, say political leaders.
Leaders from both the parties said in background interviews the PML-N leadership was convincing Zardari, widower of slain former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, to take up the top executive post.
Hamas blames Abbas for activist’s death
By Xinhua,
GAZA/RAMALLAH : Gaza ruler Hamas on Monday blamed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas over the death of a Hamas detainee in the West Bank, threatening not to engage in any dialogue with Fatah movement unless all Hamas activists are freed.
"Abbas shoulders the legal and national responsibility of the wild acts of his security forces that have no job except protecting the (Israeli) occupation soldiers and settlers and chasing down on the resistance," said Ahmed Bahar, deputy speaker of the Hamas-dominated Parliament, in a statement faxed to the media.
‘Iran to respond agressively if attacked’
By IANS,
Tehran : An Iranian military commander has warned that the army would respond very aggressively to any attack on the country or its nuclear facilities, official IRNA news agency reported Friday.
"Any (military) act on Iran will be considered as the start of an war," General Mohammad-Ali Jaafari, Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, said Thursday, adding that the army would respond aggressively to such attacks.
Hamas police, Qaida-linked group clash in Gaza
By Xinhua,
Gaza : The police forces of Islamic Hamas movement clashed early Sunday morning with members of Army of Islam, an al-Qaida-linked group, in a southern Gaza City neighborhood, Hamas police said.
The police said in a statement sent to reporters that the police forces arrested early Sunday morning members of the Army of Islam organization in Sabra neighborhood in southern Gaza City, but the statement did not say how many members of the group were arrested.
Dutch ambassador summoned in protest at posting anti-Islam film
By IRNA
Tehran : Dutch Ambassador to Tehran Rodnik Van Vollenhoven was summoned to Iran's foreign ministry on Sunday in protest at posting Dutch blasphemous film.
Director General for Western European Affairs at Foreign Ministry Mostafa Dolatyar conveyed in strongest terms Iranian protest to Rodnik Van Vollenhoven over the film.
Dolatyar said that such sacrilege, masterminded by the Dutch MP Geert Wilders, has links to the Zionist circles.
Pakistan bombings toll reaches 40
By DPA,
Islamabad : At least 40 people have been killed and over 100 injured in three bomb explosions that rocked Pakistan's two major cities Monday.
Islamist insurgents have launched a series of deadly attacks across the country in recent weeks to avenge military operations in the militancy-plagued tribal region near the Afghan border.
Two back-to-back bombings ripped through a busy market in Pakistan's eastern city of Lahore Monday night, killing at least 30 people and injuring more than 90.
Iran stops oil exports to Britain, France
By IANS,
Tehran : Iran's oil ministry announced Sunday that it has stopped oil exports to Britain and France.
Pakistani troops enter Taliban town in Swat, 25 militants killed
By DPA,
Islamabad : Pakistani soldiers moved into a key Taliban-dominated town in the Swat valley Sunday, the military said, intensifying the offensive that had displaced over one million people.
Ground troops entered the strategically important town of Matta and the nearby Kanju area to eliminate "miscreants and terrorists", and asked locals to identify the Taliban targets.
Speeding car hits Indian worker in Riyadh
Riyadh : An Indian worker was critically injured when a speeding car hit him while crossing the road in Riyadh, a media report said...
America’s biggest law firm opens second office in UAE
By IANS,
Abu Dhabi : Global legal services giant DLA Piper, the largest law firm in the US, has opened its second office in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
DLA Piper has over 3,700 lawyers in 65 offices spread across 25 countries.
The new office, located at the Al Bateen locality here, will initially comprise four partners and eight lawyers but this number is likely to more than double, according to a DLA Piper statement. The firm has a 100-strong lawyer team at its Dubai office. Its other offices in the Gulf are at Doha in Qatar and Muscat in Oman.
ICRC to supervise prisoner swap between Lebanon, Israel
By NNN-KUNA,
Beirut : The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) will supervise the transfer of prisoners between Lebanon's Hezbollah and Israel, an ICRC official said here.
The ICRC has received requests from Israel and Hezbollah to play a neutral mediator and facilitator for the prisoner swap just as it did before, Jassi Chahin, an ICRC media official said in news remarks Monday.
She said that the prisoner swap would take place on Wednesday on the border between both sides.
Cross border terrorism hampering Afghanistan, Pakistan: Clinton
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : Noting that a "cross border fertilisation of terrorism" is preventing both Pakistan and Afghanistan to defeat the forces threatening them, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton wants the two countries to work together to defeat terrorism.
"We know that there is a cross-border fertilisation of extremism and terrorism," Clinton who was in Afghanistan for the inauguration of President Hamid Karzai's second term told the local Azadi Radio in an interview.
US delivers Cobra helicopter gunships to Pakistan
By IANS,
Islamabad: In a move that is likely to raise temperatures across the border, the US has delivered a squadron of 14 AH-1 Cobra advanced helicopter gunships to Pakistan.
The US has also given $750,000 to update Pakistan Army Aviation's current fleet of Cobra variants like AH-1S, AH-1F, Online news agency reported, quoting sources.
Pakistan has also been assured it would receive the latest AH-1Z variant in phases by 2015, the sources added.
The AH-1 has been supplied by the US America from its Jordan Air Base stock.
Saudi policeman killed in shootout with IS members
Riyadh: The Saudi interior ministry announced on Friday the death of one of its personnel during a raid to arrest three Islamic State (IS)...
Arab FMs back initiative on Lebanon, urge Israel to lift Gaza siege
By Xinhua
Cairo : Arab foreign ministers on Sunday reiterated their support for an Arab initiative to resolve the current Lebanese political crisis, and urged Israel to lift the blockade on the Palestinian territory of Gaza Strip.
In a statement issued after an emergency meeting at the Arab League (AL) headquarters in Cairo, Arab foreign ministers stressed their consensus on abiding by the Arab initiative and continuing efforts to implement the Arab plan to resolve the Lebanese political crisis.
US committed to long-term relationship with Pakistan: John McCain
By NNN-APP,
Islamabad : Senator John McCain said the United States is committed to a long-term relationship with the democratic Pakistan that goes beyond counter-terrorism and proceeds in a spirit of mutual respect and cooperation.
John McCain was talking to media persons here on Saturday before leaving Islamabad after a day-long visit to Pakistan. Senators Joe Lieberman and Lindsay O. Graham were also part of the US delegation.
Senator McCain said main objective of the culprits behind the Mumbai terror attacks was to hinder the peace process between Pakistan and India.