Palestinian killed in Israeli air strike — witnesses
By KUNA,
Gaza : One Palestinian lost his life and two others suffered injuries in an Israeli air strike on Gaza early on Saturday, witnesses said.
They said Israeli aircraft fired a lone missile in the direction of a group of Palestinians in Al-Shujiah district east of Gaza city killing one and wounding two others. Body of 21-year-old Ihab Al-Mughni was badly disfigured in the air strike.
The air attack coincided with land action by Israeli forces in the same region, with involvement of heavy armor and tanks.
Obama vows continued cooperation with Iraq
Washington: US President Barack Obama Monday pledged continued "close" cooperation with Iraq on combating the Islamic State (IS) militant group as the Middle East...
Gulf banks will continue to perform strongly: S&P
By IANS
Dubai : Banks in the Gulf countries will continue to perform strongly amid the current market turmoil, according to report of ratings agency Standard & Poor's (S&P).
"Gulf banks are benefiting from the rosy environment in their home markets and carry limited exposure to US sub-prime and structured investment products," S&P credit analyst Mohamed Damak said in a statement here.
"As a result, business volumes are expanding, provisioning needs are minimal, and capital and commitment are forthcoming from deep-pocketed shareholders."
`NGOs with foreign funding fuelling militancy in Bangladesh’
By IANS,
Dhaka : Foreign money is funding Bangladesh's NGOs that are fuelling Islamist militancy in the country, a minister has said.
Finance minister A.M.A. Muhith Wednesday said: "There is an international network against terror financing. Bangladesh has not completely become a part of that network."
He alleged that most of the NGOs, now under close scrutiny of government agencies and the Bangladesh Bank, came during Khaleda Zia's tenure (2001-06), when it shared power with Jamaat-e-Islami and other Islamists.
Islamist NGOs had grown during Zia's 1991-96 tenure as well.
Five dead as Turkey battles PKK
By IRNA,
Ankara : Two Turkish soldiers and three Kurdish rebels have died in clashes in south-eastern Turkey, near the border with Iraq on Sunday.
The fighting took place during an operation against the banned Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in Sirnak province, the Turkish officials said.
Turkey has launched repeated air and land attacks in the region, targeting PKK rebels based in northern Iraq.
The PKK has been fighting for Kurdish self-rule since 1984.
Prominent Indian religious leaders condemn Israel actions in Palestine, appreciate India’s stand on Palestine...
President of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind Syed Sadatullah Husaini urged the all justice-loving countries of the world should not merely condemn this blatant aggression, but also...
Lucknow’s legendary Begum Hamida Habibullah passed away at 102
Lucknow (IANS): Former UP minister and one of the most popular faces in the state capital, Begum Hamida Habibullah passed away here on Tuesday...
Pakistan to have task force for players’ safety
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan will form a sports security task force to take care of visiting international teams, Interior Minister Rehman Malik says.
Tribesmen resist Taliban advance in Pakistan, six killed
By DPA,
Peshawar : Hundreds of armed tribesmen Wednesday exchanged fire with about a dozen pro-Taliban militants as they tried to enter Pakistan's northwestern Buner district from the neighbouring Swat valley.
"When people learned about the presence of Taliban in the area they came out with their weapons and surrounded them," said Mohammed Siddiq, who himself participated in repelling the outsiders in Shalbandi village.
"Six Taliban were killed and six more were arrested, while three of our men received injuries," he added.
Afghans protest alleged civilian casualties by US forces
By ANTARA News/AFP,
Jalalabad, Afghanistan : Hundreds of protesters took to streets in eastern Afghanistan on Monday after a father and son were allegedly killed by gunfire from US-led soldiers, a governor and witnesses said.
Around 200 people demonstrated in the Khogyani district of Nangarhar province, chanting "We want the trial of those responsible for the death of civilians," witnesses said.
US-led coalition and Afghan troops were on patrol overnight in Khogyani when they saw a militant planting a bomb by a road, Khogyani governor Haji Zalmai Khan told AFP.
I am not prime ministerial candidate: Zardari
By Xinhua
Islamabad : Asif Ali Zardari, co-chairman of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), Wednesday said he would not become prime minister of Pakistan, local TV channel DAWN NEWS reported.
Addressing a news conference here, Zardari said the PPP held a central executive committee meeting Wednesday which decided he would not be the prime ministerial candidate.
Zardari also demanded the release of judges and lawyers who were deposed after President Pervez Musharraf imposed a state of emergency Nov 3.
Britain “seriously screwed” in Afghanistan, says UK expert
By IRNA,
London : Britain is “seriously screwed” in the Afghan war as it has no “strategic rationale” and is being pursued for purely “political purposes”, a British expert says.
Christopher Coker, professor of international relations at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), said on Wednesday that Britain and the United Stets are losing the war in Afghanistan.
“We have lost two wars. The war in Basra was a major loss and we are losing the Helmand [war],” he said in a debate on Afghanistan at the University of Westminster.
Pakistan gets acting chief justice
By IANS,
Islamabad : Justice Shakirullah Jan Monday took oath as the acting chief justice of Pakistan.
Iran test-fired new missile: defense minister
By Xinhua,
Tehran : Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Mostafa Mohammad Najjar said on Wednesday the Islamic Republic has successfully test-fired a new generation surface-to-surface missile.
Najjar said that the new missile, named Sajil, was a high-speed type produced at the Defense Ministry affiliated aerospace group, according to state television.
He added that Sajil had a range of about 1,200 miles (2,000 km), which is similar to that of Iran's Shahab-3 missile.
Eight dead as bus plunges into canal in Egypt
By RIA Novosti,
Cairo : Eight people, including six schoolgirls, were killed when the truck they were traveling in plunged into a canal in the northern Egyptian province of Sharqia, the MENA news agency said Thursday.
The accident, which happened Wednesday evening, is believed to have been caused by the truck driver losing control of the vehicle.
Only four bodies have been found so far and the search for other victims is continuing.
Joint India-Bangladesh exercise continues despite Dhaka mutiny
By IANS,
New Delhi/Kolkata : India and Bangladesh continued their first joint military exercise in West Bengal's Jalpaiguri district Thursday amid reports that the mutiny by Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) troopers, which saw the killing of at least 50 people, spread beyond Dhaka.
"The Indian Army, Air Force and Bangladesh Army have been participating in the exercise to test their battlefield tactics since Feb 22. It will continue till March 7. The exercise is not in anyways affected by the developments in Bangladesh," a senior army official told IANS, requesting anonymity.
Canadians Vs. Troops in Afghanistan
By Prensa Latina
Ottawa : Recent polls by Angus Reid Strategies reveal that 58 percent of Canadians oppose extending military operations in Afghanistan beyond February 2009.
The inquiry also shows that 61 percent consider poor official account to keep a 2,500-strong contingent at the Central Asian country.
Conservative PM Stephen Harper recently sent to Parliament a resolution to extend security missions in Kandahar province but Liberal opponent Stephane Dion warned that he will contend.
Arab League delegation in Damascus to check preparations for summit
By NNN-KUNA
Damascus : A delegation representing the Arab League on Tuesday discussed with Syrian Deputy Prime Minister Faisal Al-Miqdad preparations underway for holding the next Arab League summit in Damascus.
Arab League Assistant Secretary General Ahmad Bin Heli "expressed satisfaction at the preparations underway" and said he is confident the summit will be special and will consolidate Arab unity, a statement by the Syrian Foreign Ministry said.
2 British soldiers killed in blast in Afghanistan
By SPA
Kabul, Afghanistan : A blast struck a NATO patrol in southern Afghanistan, killing two British soldiers, a spokesman for the force said Monday.
The troops were airlifted to a military hospital after they were caught in the explosion during a routine patrol Sunday in the volatile southern part of the country where Taliban fighters are active, NATO said in a statement. Both died at the hospital of their injuries, the Associated Press reported.
After abstaining in anti-Israel vote, Indian official on Palestine visit
New Delhi : Days after India abstained in a UNHRC vote against Israel over the 2014 Gaza conflict, a top Indian official visited...
Turkey gives US no timeframe on Iraq operation-Gates
By SPA
Ankara : Turkey has given no clear timeframe for ending its military operations against Kurdish PKK rebels in northern Iraq, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates told reporters on Thursday after talks with Turkish officials, according to Reuters.
Gates also reiterated Washington's call for the operation, now in its seventh day, to be as short and carefully targeted as possible. Turkey's Defence Minister Vecdi Gonul said Turkish troops would withdraw once they had accomplished their goal.
Hasina promises minimum wages for troubled garment sector
By IANS,
Dhaka : Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has promised minimum wages for the industrial violence-hit garment sector that is also the country's highest foreign exchange earner.
She accused "a third party" of being behind the recurring violence in the key industrial sector and claimed to have gathered "some names" and "some information", but did not specify anybody or party at a May Day rally here.
Her targets are the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its Islamist ally, the Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh, political analysts said.
Palestinian toddler killed in West Bank attack
Jerusalem: A Palestinian toddler was killed and three of his family members injured in an arson attack on their home on Friday in Israel's...
Pakistan spoilt dialogue by talking to Hurriyat: Sushma Swaraj
New York : Pakistan "spoilt" the Indo-Pak dialogue by talking to Hurriyat leaders just four days ahead of the scheduled foreign secretary level...
Iraqi leaders back Al-Maliki stand in security talks with us
By KUNA,
Baghdad : The Iraqi Political Council for National Security asserted support for the position of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in negotiations on the long-term Status of Forces Agreement.
The council backs the way Al-Maliki is handling the security talks with the United States, the council said on Saturday in a statement issued following its meeting here.
The meeting, held at the office of President Jalal Talabani, reviewed the exchanged letters between the Iraqi and U.S. negotiators and the disputable points in the talks, the statement pointed out.
Nine killed in attacks in Iraq
Baghdad: At least nine people were killed and 29 others wounded in separate violent attacks across Iraq Friday, police said.
Four people were killed and...
Seven workers killed in Iraq oil refinery
By DPA,
Baghdad : Seven employees of the Baiji oil refinery were shot dead and some 750 million dinars ($640,000) in salary payments were stolen from them, Iraqi media reported Tuesday.
According to al-Sumaria television, the seven were holding onto the large sum in order to pay employees at the refinery.
The gunmen managed to escape and were not captured following the incident Monday.
US raid kills 11 family members in Iraq
By Xinhua,
Mosul (Iraq) : Eleven members of a family were killed Sunday in a US military raid at a house in this northern Iraqi city, officials said.
The US military said in a statement that five male members of a family, who were militants, killed in the operation. Three women and three children of the family also died in the attack.
One of the militants blew himself up with explosives when the security forces raided the house, the statement said. However, it did not mention whether the people were killed in the blast or in gunfight between security forces and the militants.
Egyptian militant group denies swearing allegiance to IS
Cairo : Egypt's Sinai-based Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis militant group Tuesday refuted the news about it swearing allegiance to the Islamic State (IS) group.
"The statement...
Turkey negotiates free trade agreement with Gulf region – Turkish President
By WAM
Abu Dhabi : Turkish President Abdullah Gul has said that his country is in the process of negotiating a free trade agreement with all the Gulf States including UAE.
In an exclusive interview with the Dubai-based English Daily Khaleej Times, Turkey's 11th President also said that Turkey attaches great importance to the security and stability of the region. But he called for using dialogue rather than force to solve problems.
Pakistan’s Mumbai terror suspects sent to 14-day remand
By IANS,
Islamabad : Six suspects, including Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, commander of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror group, allegedly involved in the Mumbai terror attacks were sent to 14-day remand by a court here, Geo TV reported Sunday.
Officials at Pakistan's foreign office said Saturday that the Rawalpindi anti-terrorism court has issued a 14-day physical remand of the six alleged suspects, into the custody of Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).
Food rations reduced following closure of Gaza crossings – UN
By NNN-UNNS
Gaza : The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) was unable to provide a full ration to 10,000 Palestinians on Sunday after all three crossings for goods from Israel into the Gaza Strip were closed, UN aid officials reported.
Fuel reserves also run out on Sunday, according to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), which has been warning all week about the deteriorating situation inside Gaza because of the closed border crossings and the restrictions on the supply of fuel, food, medicine and other essential items.
Iraq’s oil flows to Turkey despite incursion
By Xinhua
Baghdad : Iraqi exports of crude oil continue flowing through Turkey despite the Turkish military operation against the Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) guerrillas in northern Iraq, the Iraqi Oil Ministry said on Sunday. "I confirm that the oil exports are flowing normally to Ceyhanport and that the operations did not effect it," an official from the ministry's media office told Xinhua.
"There is up to 350,000 barrels of crude oil per day exported through the Ceyhan port," the official said.
Military drill to showcase regional security: Iran Navy chief
Tehran : Major military exercises underway in international waters to the south of Iran are to show the world that the region was safe...
Attacks in Iraq decrease but insufficient progress on political front – UN report
By NNN-WAM
New York : The incidence of attacks in Iraq has decreased but insecurity continues to severely limit the activities of the United Nations mission there while the political situation has not improved as much as had been hoped, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says in a new report.
"Indiscriminate and targeted violence continued to claim civilian victims," Ban tells the Security Council in his latest report on the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), covering the three months ending in December.
US indirectly paying Afghan warlords, Taliban: Report
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : The US military is funding a massive protection racket in Afghanistan, indirectly paying tens of millions of dollars to warlords, corrupt public officials and the Taliban, according to US Congressional investigators.
The security arrangements, part of a $2.16 billion transport contract, to ensure safe passage of its supply convoys throughout the country violate laws on the use of private contractors, as well as Defence Department regulations, the Washington Post reported Tuesday citing a Congressional report.
Iraq signs security pact with US on stationing troops
By Xinhua,
Baghdad : Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari and the US envoy to Iraq Ryan Crocker signed Monday the long-awaited security pact which would allow US forces to remain in the country for three more years, state-run TV reported.
"This is an historic day for the Iraqi and US relations," Zebari said during the signing ceremony.
He said the agreement has to be approved by parliament before it goes into force, adding that "there is a positive atmosphere among the political leaders."
Pakistani PM hits out at British counterpart
By IRNA,
Islamabad : Pakistani Prime Minister, Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, on Thursday hit out at his British counterpart, David Cameron, who accused Islamabad of exporting terrorism to Afghanistan and the world.
Gilani, while speaking in the Senate, warned that criticizing role of Pakistani agencies would affect the war on terror.
The opposition leader Raja Zafarul Haq raised the issue of the remarks of British Prime Minister during his visit to India also accused Islamabad of having links with terrorist groups.
Bangladesh is out of danger from cyclone attack
By Xinhua,
Dhaka : Bangladesh is out of danger from Cyclone Nargis as it bypassed Bangladesh's coasts and moved towards Myanmar Friday.
The meteorological office here said the cyclone moved eastwards and was crossing Myanmar coast at 18:00 (12 GMT) Friday.
The deep depression over the southwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal turned into a cyclonic storm Nargis on April 28.
Nargis has intensified into a severe cyclone on April 29.
Tehran condemns anti-Iran draft resolution
Tehran: Iran's envoy to the UN in Geneva Friday condemned the "masterminds" of a recent anti-Iran draft resolution referring to them as old-fashioned people...
Widow of Pakistani leader appeals for help
By IANS,
London: The widow of a Pakistani politician murdered in London Thursday appealed for witnesses to come forward with information about his killers.
Court dismisses cases against Islamabad protesters
Islamabad : A Pakistani court Wednesday quashed all cases registered against the protesters of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) who...
Arab summit must study Economic World Crisis effects – AMF Chief
By NNN-KUNA,
Abu Dhabi : Chairman and Director General of the Arab Monetary Fund (AMF) Dr. Jassim Al-Mannaie said the upcoming Arab Economic Summit should analyze the effects of the world economic crisis and discuss ways to deal with it.
Al-Mannaie told KUNA that the summit, to be held in Kuwait on January 19-20, should discuss issues aimed at boosting economic cooperation among Arab countries and achieve integration of their economies.
ICRC wants respect of humanitarian law in Gaza
Geneva: The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Tuesday called on parties in the Gaza conflict to respect humanitarian law to ensure effective...
French diplomat to oversee UN aid work in Pakistan
By Xinhua,
United Nations : UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Monday announced the appointment of Jean-Maurice Ripert of France as head of its humanitarian assistance programme in Pakistan.
Ripert is expected to work closely with the Pakistani government and UN humanitarian coordinators in the country.
Some 2.3 million people have been displaced in northwest Pakistan due to the fighting between the government forces and Taliban militants.
Pakistani PM takes serious note of situation in Karachi, directs strict action
By NNN-APP,
Islamabad : Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani on Sunday took a serious note of the situation in Karachi and sought a report from the Advisor on Interior, within 24 hours.
He also directed the provincial authorities to take strict action against the law violators and said no one will be allowed to put at risk the lives and property of the people.
He was reacting to the incidents of violence in Karachi Saturday in which several people were killed and property damaged.
14 killed, nearly 40 wounded in Pakistan blast
By IANS,
Islamabad : At least 14 people, including two children, were killed and around 40 injured Thursday in a bomb blast outside an Islamic seminary in Pakistan's Quetta city, police said.
Islamic centre to be built near 9/11 Ground Zero
By DPA,
New York: A private group Tuesday won the right to build an Islamic centre, which includes a mosque, near the site of the destroyed World Trade Center despite vocal opposition from victims of the 9/11 terrorist attack.
The Cordoba Institute said it plans to spend $100 million to rebuild the site at 45 Park Place in lower Manhattan after New York's Landmarks Preservation Commission voted 9-0 against granting landmark status to the site.
Israeli official wraps up talks in Cairo on Gaza truce
By Xinhua,
Cairo : A senior Israeli defense official wrapped up a several-hour visit to Egypt on Sunday for talks with Egyptian mediators on a possible ceasefire deal between Israel and various Palestinian groups.
Amos Gilad, head of the Political-Military Bureau of the Israeli Defense Ministry, held talks with Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman, who has been engaged in mediating between Israel and the Palestinian groups on the ceasefire talks, the official Egyptian MENA news agency reported.
Musharraf dismisses resignation reports
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf Saturday dismissed as baseless rumours of his resignation and said that they have created panic among the people.
"I have not decided to resign. I will remain in Pakistan. I do not have any house outside Pakistan. Rumors about my resignations are rubbish," Musharraf told a group of senior reporters in a programme broadcast live on TV.
"Someone reported that a plane has landed in Islamabad to take me out of Pakistan. But where is the plane?" he asked.
Karzai’s brother said to be on CIA payroll: NYT
By IANS,
New York : Afghan President Hamid Karzai's brother Ahmed Wali Karzai, a suspected player in the country's booming illegal opium trade, has been getting regular payments from the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) for the last eight years, according to the New York Times.
The US spy agency pays Karzai for a variety of services, including helping to recruit an Afghan paramilitary force that operates at the CIA's direction in and around the southern city of Kandahar, Karzai's home, it said in a report Wednesday from Kabul citing current and former American officials.
Pakistan military vows to continue anti-militancy operations
Islamabad : Pakistan's top military commanders Wednesday decided to continue two major operations against the Taliban and other militant groups.
The security forces are presently...
Economic cmte. holds meetings at Arab League
By KUNA,
CAIRO : The Arab League's Economic and Social Council committee held meetings on Sunday headed by Syrian Deputy Minister of Economy and Trade, Dr.Ghassan Habash with the participation of representatives of Arab ministries.
The meetings come within the framework of preparations for the 83rd Economic and Social Council ministerial meetings, scheduled next Thursday in Cairo.
Middle East diplomatic quartet to meet next week
By DPA,
New York : The diplomatic group on the Middle East peace process, or the quartet, will meet Monday at the UN headquarters, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has said.
"It is a year which I hope will bear fruit in the Middle East," Ban said Friday in a conference in Geneva announcing the meeting in New York.
"Somewhat below the radar, Israelis and Palestinians have been engaged in direct, intensive negotiations, and have created trust and a framework where none existed only two years ago," he said.
Iranian leader Khamenei named dictator of the year
By DPA,
Oslo: Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was Wednesday selected as winner of "dictator of the year prize", students at Oslo University said.
The Iranian leader was chosen from 11 candidates - selected by human rights experts - including North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il, President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, and Myanmar's General Than Schwe.
Pakistani cop moves court to reclaim ransom paid to Taliban
By IANS,
Islamabad : A policeman has moved the Peshawar High Court against the police department to get back Rs.500,000 that his family paid to the Taliban for his release from captivity.
India should have pondered more before blaming us: Pakistan
By IANS,
New Delhi : Hours after India blamed "some elements in Pakistan" for the terror strikes in Mumbai, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi Friday said that India should have "pondered more" before coming to a conclusion.
While condemning the "barbaric, inhuman" attacks in Mumbai that have claimed at least 143 lives and left more than 320 injured, the Pakistan minister said: "The Indian government should have pondered more, reflected more before coming to a conclusion."
Arab League to address Gaza crisis Monday
By RIA Novosti
Cairo : The Arab League plans to discuss the spiraling crisis in the Gaza Strip at an emergency session in Cairo, Egypt, on Monday, a senior official in the 22-nation regional organization said.
Ahmed Ben Helli said Arab diplomats, Secretary General Amr Mousa and Palestinian National Authority (PNA) officials will gather to discuss diplomatic measures to counter what he called Israeli aggression against the Palestinian enclave.
"The Secretariat of the Arab League is preparing a detailed report on the situation in Gaza," Ben Helli said.
UAE opens mobile hospital at Somali-Kenyan border
By IANS/WAM,
Mogadishu: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has opened a 50-bed mobile hospital at the Somali-Kenyan border to provide medical help to the needy in the refugee camps.
Israel preparing for new war: Hezbollah chief
By DPA
Beirut : Hassan Nasrallah, leader of Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah, Friday accused Israel of preparing for a new war against his country, similar to the July 2006 conflict.
"Israel's killing of Hezbollah leader Imad Muganiyeh is a prelude to open war against Lebanon and part of new tactics by Israel of cutting off the heads of Hezbollah leaders," Nasrallah said.
He was addressing a massive rally in Beirut's southern suburbs to commemorate the death of Muganiyeh, who was killed in a car bomb blast Feb 12 in Damascus.
17 killed, 45 injured in Pakistan’s Karachi rail mishap
By NNN-Xinhua,
Islamabad : At least 17 people died and 45 others injured after a passenger train collided Tuesday head on with a goods train near the southern Pakistani city of Karachi, police and hospital sources said Wednesday.
As per details, the Karachi-bound Allama Iqbal Express collided with the Super Parcel Goods train near Jumma Goth in limits of Quaidaba, police said.
Army to stay away from poll booths in Pakistan
By Muhammad Najeeb, IANS
Islamabad : As Pakistan gears up for its crucial polls Feb 18, under scrutiny by the international community and media, the interior ministry said that army and paramilitary troops would not be deployed at polling stations, though they would be available for any emergency.
"The government has made adequate security arrangements for peaceful polls and Rangers, Frontier Corps and Frontier Constabulary have been placed at the disposal of provinces and the army has started mobilizing," Interior Ministry spokesman Javed Iqbal Cheema told IANS.
NATO troops kill Taliban commander in S Afghanistan
By Xinhua,
Kabul : The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) targeted and killed a high-level Taliban commander Mullah Sheikh and two of his followers in the vicinity of Musa Qala in Afghan southern Helmand province early Sunday morning, said an ISAF statement.
Mullah Sheikh and his followers are responsible for facilitating and directing frequent attacks against the Afghan people, Afghan National Security Force and ISAF forces in and around Helmand province, particular the Musa Qala district, the statement said.
Haj: Malaysia asks for higher special quota from Saudi Arabia
By NNN-Bernama,
Kota Baharu (Kelantan, Malaysia) : The government is negotiating with the Saudi Arabian authorities for special additional quota for Malaysians to perform the Haj so more could do so.
Minister in Prime Minister's Department, Jamil Khir Baharom, said the 26,000 quota now was not enough given the rising number of pilgrims each year.
He said given the existing quota there was concern that some elderly folks would not be able to perform the Haj.
"This was because elderly people, especially those 75 years and above, were more prone to various sickness risks.
Abbas Warns Israel on West Bank Raids
By Prensa Latina,
Gaza : Palestinian National Authority President Mahmoud Abbas threatened to withdraw the its police from the West Bank, if Israel goes on with constant raids and insults.
Abbas met Israeli President Shimon Peres on Tuesday in the presidential residence and stated his concern about frequent military aggressions to citizens of the occupied territories.
Abbas also met Al-Fatah Movement legislators and was questioned about his plans regarding frequent Israeli raids in Nablus, Jenin, Hebron, and other West Bank cities.
Imran Khan’s party imposes shut-down in Karachi
Karachi: Cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan's party, protesting since August against the alleged rigging in the 2013 parliamentary elections, Friday imposed a shut-down in the port...
Amnesty finds evidence of state-sponsored abuse in Syria
By IANS/AKI,
London : Human rights group Amnesty International has said it has collected evidence of state-sponsored rights abuses in Syria.
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...
Chinese man held in Pakistan
By IANS,
Islamabad : A man, who was wearing a burqa when he was arrested last month in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, is a Chinese national, a media report said.
Pakistan believes in strong, credible defence: PM
By APP
Islamabad : Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani Friday said Pakistan believes in maintaining a credible minimum deterrence to ensure peace and stability in the region.
Gilani was talking to Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, who called on him at PM Secretariat to felicitate him on assuming the office of the Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister said Pakistan was a peaceful country and its defence policy was based on peaceful coexistence.
Malaysia’s Samy Vellu to defend party presidency for 11th time
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur : S. Samy Vellu, long-time chief of the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC), says he will fight for the top job for the eleventh time next March.
He will not call it quits and is ready to face any challenge.
He has also rejected a suggestion from former party vice president M. Muthupalaniappan that the presidency should be restricted to two terms.
"We are a democratic party and anyone can contest, including for the post of president."
Indonesia, Iran Ministers discuss bilateral cooperation
By NNN-Antara
Jakarta : Indonesian Health Minister Siti Fadilah Supari met with her Iranian counterpart Kamran B Lankarni here on Tuesday to explore bilateral cooperation in the health sector.
Siti Fadilah said the meeting with the Iranian health minister was conducted to follow up a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the two countries which was singed in the Iranian capital of Tehran on November 19 last year.
Arab ‘trespasser’ arrested in Lebanon
Beirut : The Lebanese Army arrested an Arab citizen from Israel who had cut through the border's barbed wire fence to cross into the...
40 kids dead in Egypt train-bus collision
By IANS,
Cairo: At least 47 people, including 40 school children, were killed in Egypt Saturday when a train collided with the bus in which the pupils were travelling, media reports said.
Pakistani executed in Saudi Arabia
By IANS/AKI,
Riyadh : Saudi Arabia Tuesday executed a Pakistani national in Medina city for trafficking heroin.
Egypt’s top lawmaker invited to Euro-Mediterranean meetings
By NNN-KUNA
Cairo : European Parliament President Hans-Gert Poettering invited Egypt's top lawmaker to attend Euro-Mediterranean Parliament meetings.
In a phone conversation Friday, Poettering asked Ahmed Fatehi Sorour, speaker of the Egyptian People's Assembly, lower house of parliament, to set aside a resolution adopted by the European Parliament, criticizing the status of human rights in Egypt, an Egyptian parliamentary source was quoted by Egypt's state-owned Middle East News Agency (KUNA).
Bomb blast kills army officer, 2 others in Pakistan
By IRNA
Islamabad : An army major and two other security men were killed in a bomb attack on a convoy in Pakistan's tribal region on Thursday, witnesses said.
The convoy came under attack at Mamund area of Bajur tribal region, bordering Afghanistan, they said.
Three other soldiers from the Bajur Scouts were injured when a roadside bomb was detonated through a remote control.
The fresh attacks came as troops were deployed in sensitive parts of Pakistan few days ahead of parliamentary elections.
EU waiting for Iranian response to incentive package
By DPA,
Brussels : The European Union (EU) is waiting for Iran to formally reply to an offer of incentives designed to convince Tehran to stop its nuclear programme, Javier Solana, the bloc's foreign policy chief, said Thursday.
"For the moment there has not been any reply," Solana said in Brussels, adding that he was nevertheless "looking forward to hearing from them."
Four Taliban insurgents killed
Kabul, March 23 (Xinhua) Four Taliban insurgents have been killed in a clash with the police in Afghanistan's southern Zabul province, a police official said Sunday.
The fighting took place in Shahjoi district Saturday, also leading to the arrest of three insurgents, a police officer said.
Taliban's purported spokesman Qari Yusuf Ahmadi denied the casualties, saying two policemen were killed in the firefight he said lasted a few hours.
Taliban-related violence has left more than 220 people dead this year in the war-torn country.
Wounded Israeli soldier dies — spokesman
By KUNA
Gaza : An Israeli soldier passed away on Sunday in South Israel Hospital after succumbing to wounds he sustained in a bomb blast on the Palestinian-Israeli border last Thursday, the Israeli Army said.
The army spokesman told a local radio that the soldier was seriously injured as Palestinian militants detonated an Improvised explosive Device (IED) near an Israeli military vehicle in a nearby area to Deir Al-Balah town, central Gaza Strip.
Arab League adopts sanctions against Syria
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : The Arab League Sunday approved sanctions against Syria in the latest bid to dissuade the Bashar Assad regime from its crackdown on dissent.
Haneya hopes Egypt to convince Israel accepting ceasefire
By Xinhua,
Gaza : Deposed Hamas Premier Ismail Haneya on Monday hoped Egypt would succeed in convincing Israel to accept a ceasefire deal designated to take place in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.
In a statement sent to the press, Haneya called on the Israeli leaders to cope with Egypt's intelligence chief Omar Suleiman who is on a visit to Israel to present the ceasefire initiative.
Haneya also urged Israel to "end the aggression and lift the siege on the Palestinian people."
Four men shot dead near Peshawar
By IANS,
Islamabad : At least four people were gunned down on the outskirts of Pakistan's Peshawar city Wednesday, Online news agency reported.
Pakistan suicide blast kills six
By IANS,
Islamabad : Six people were killed and several injured Thursday in a suicide blast in Pakistan's North West Frontier Province (NWFP).
The suicide attack took place at Rasooldar hotel in Tank district's Jandola area, Geo News reported.
Lebanon President to Visit Syria
By Prensa Latina,
Beirut : Lebanese President Michel Suleiman condemned a lethal blast that killed 18 and left 40 wounded at the port city of Tripoli and lashed at terrorist threats.
Invited by Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, this 48-hour official visit to Syria is the first since the 2005 military withdrawal under a bilateral accord and a Security Council Resolution.
The bilateral agenda includes establishing diplomatic ties which the respective presidents agreed at the Paris Summit for the Mediterranean on July, 13, 2008.
Hamas denies plotting against Egypt’s national security
By Xinhua,
Gaza : Islamic Hamas movement on Sunday denied plotting any operation threatening Egypt's national security.
"The Egyptian national security and the Arab security are both red lines that Hamas can not cross," said Mohammed Nasser, a member of Hamas politburo.
Nasser's remarks were made following reports that Egyptian authorities arrested two members of the Muslim Brotherhood opposition party, who, with Hamas, planned to prepare an unmanned aircraft. The reports did not clarify what the aircraft was designated to be used for.
Ireland opens condolence book for Blair’s victims
London, Sept 2, IRNA -- A book of condolences has been opened in Ireland for the victims of military actions and foreign policies in Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestine ahead of former British prime minister Tony Blair's visit to Dublin this weekend.
The commiserations are being gathered as part of the preparations for a major demonstration against the Irish launch of Blair's memoirs on Saturday.
Russia condemns Taiwan’s referendum on UN membership
By Xinhua
Moscow : Russia has strongly condemned the Taiwan authority's declaration to hold a referendum on UN membership in the name of Taiwan March 22, saying it poses a grave problem for the world.
The decision of the Taiwan authority led by Chen Shui-bian to hold the "referendum", despite strong objections from the Chinese central government and the world community, will pose a severe threat to peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits and to the Asia-Pacific region, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Losyukov said Monday.
Anti Iran resolution damages Security Council IAEA
By NNN-IRNA
United Nations : Iran's permanent representative to the United Nations has warned against any move by the Security Council against the country's nuclear programme.
Mohammad Khazaei made the remarks in a meeting with officials of the Non-Aligned Movement states which are non-permanent members of the Security Council.
Israel will respond to Egyptian truce proposal — Haaretz
By KUNA,
Gaza : Israel will positively respond to the Egyptian-mediated cease-fire proposal in Gaza Strip, Israel's "Haaretz" newspaper reported on Monday.
The paper said Israel did not intend to officially declare its commitment to the Egyptian proposal, but would take s a series of steps, beginning with a lull in military action, followed by gradual relaxation of the "financial blockade" of Gaza.
Meanwhile, Hamas would dispatch a delegation to the Egyptian capital, Cairo, as Israel informed Egyptian mediators about its preliminary agreement of the truce.
Saudi killed in Bangladesh
By IANS,
Dhaka : A 35-year-old Saudi national was killed Tuesday in an accident in Bangladesh.
Makkah Governor calls for improving services to Haj pilgrims
By IINA,
Jeddah : The Governor of Makkah Prince Khaled Al Faisal underlined the need for exerting great efforts to improve the services being offered to Haj pilgrims. Inaugurating a workshop on improving Haj services here yesterday evening, the governor also criticized the poor quality of services rendered to Haj pilgrims. "It is regrettable that we face every year the problem of serving Haj pilgrims as if we were encountering with it for the first time," he said.
‘Former Libyan spy chief was double agent for Britain, US’
By IANS,
London : Musa Kusa, the former Libyan intelligence chief who defected to Britain, was acting as a double agent for the MI6 and the CIA for a decade, an official said.
Girl stalked, father dies fearing media spotlight
By IANS,
Dhaka : The father of a girl who was stalked by a youth in Bangladesh died of a heart attack as he feared media attention.
Saiful Islam Munna, a resident of Bogra town, died outside the police station moments after pleading with journalists not to click photographs and run the story of his daughter being stalked.
The tension proved too much for Munna who feared it would make it very difficult for him to marry off his daughter, a Class 8 student, The Daily Star said.
Nine killed in combat in Afghanistan
By DPA,
Kabul : Nine people -- a NATO soldier, two Afghan police personnel, five Taliban militants and a civilian -- were killed in a series of clashes in southern and eastern Afghanistan, officials said Sunday.
A roadside bomb targeting Kandahar city's mayor killed one bystander and wounded six other civilians Sunday morning, Abdul Khaliq, a senior police official in the province, said.
The bomb in a push-barrow damaged the mayor's vehicle, but he escaped unharmed.
15 killed in violent clashes in Libya
Tripoli : Over 15 people were killed and 10 others injured in violent clashes on Saturday between forces of the General National Congress (GNC)...
IAEA receives information from Tehran on n-plan
Vienna: The UN nuclear agency on Tuesday said it received substantive amount of information from Iran about its nuclear programme and the agency is...
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.
India cautious on Iran sanctions, pitches for dialogue
By IANS,
New Delhi : With the UN Security Council (UNSC) Wednesday imposing fourth round of sanctions against Tehran, India has no choice but to implement new measures but New Delhi has let it be known that there is no alternative to dialogue to resolve the Iranian nuclear issue.
"Being a UN member, India will have to abide by the UNSC resolution. But we continue to advocate, as we have always done, dialogue and diplomacy to resolve issues relating to the Iranian nuclear programme," official sources said.
Blast kills 29 at funeral in Pakistan
By DPA,
Islamabad : A blast ripped through a funeral procession in north-western Pakistan Friday, killing at least 29 people and wounding dozens more, a police official said.
The attack took place in the town of Dera Ismail Khan near the Afghan border when Shiite Muslims were marching to a mosque to offer funeral prayers for a community member who was fatally shot Thursday.
Gunfire broke out after the explosion, and enraged crowds of Shiite Muslims torched vehicles and ransacked shops after the blast, which was believed to have been carried out by a suicide bomber.
U.S. embassy denies involvement in Israeli-Syrian peace talks
By Xinhua,
Jerusalem : The United States is not sending an envoy to take part in the next round of indirect Israeli-Syrianpeace talks in Turkey, a U.S. embassy official said Saturday night.
The daily newspaper The Jerusalem Post quoted the official as saying that "there are no plans to send a U.S. envoy to the talks."
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's spokesman Mark Regev, when asked whether Israel knew of plans to send a U.S. envoy to the fifth round of peace talks, said "we have no public comment."
Bangladesh Chief Adviser to join D-8 summit in Kuala Lumpur
By NNN-BSS,
Dhaka : Chief Adviser of Bangladesh caretaker governent Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed leaves here Monday for Kuala Lumpur to join the 6th one-day Developing-8 (D- 8) Summit to be held on July 8 in the Malaysian capital.
Foreign Adviser Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, Chief Adviser's Principal Secretary Ali Imam Majumder and Press Secretary Syed Fahim Mumaim will accompany Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed to the summit of the head of the governments of the eight-nation grouping.
The theme of this year's summit is "Meeting Challenges Through Innovative Cooperation".
Pakistan: PM links political maturity to help end sectarianism
By NNN-APP,
Gilgit : Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani on Wednesday stressed the need to shunning sectarianism in the country and said political maturity could help calm such rifts among the cross-section of people.
He was talking to a delegation of Pakistan Peoples Party members while referring to the recent clashes in Gilgit that claimed lives.
Gilani said sectarianism should not be fanned at any cost and urged the party members to play their role in developing peaceful situation in the area through political maturity.
Security beefed up in Karachi
By IANS,
Karachi : Security has been beefed up in this southern port city ahead of the Friday prayers with additional contingents of police and paramilitary Pakistan Rangers deployed at different roads to avert any terrorist incident.
The interior ministry has directed police to strengthen security outside mosques and imambaras for Friday prayers. Surveillance cameras have been installed around key government buildings and sharpshooters deployed on the rooftops of key security establishments, The News reported on its website.
France suspends all cargo flights from Yemen
By DPA,
Paris : France suspended Saturday all incoming cargo flights from Yemen after parcels containing explosives were found on board two US-bound flights originating in the country.
Israel needs sanctions not appeasement, says UK boycott group
By IRNA,
London : The British Committee for the Universities of Palestine (BRICUP) have condemned the academic initiative announced by Prime Minister Gordon Brown this week as "abject hypocrisy".
Brown controversially announced the setting up of a British- Israel Research and Academic Exchange Partnership (BIRAX) when he became the first UK leader to address Israel's Knesset on Monday.
15 Pakistani security men killed in bombing
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : At least 15 Pakistani security men were killed in a remote-controlled roadside bomb explosion in northwestern Pakistan late Tuesday, the News Network International (NNI) news agency reported Wednesday.
A convoy of six vehicles was carrying ration for security forces when the bomb exploded at Sarsenay area, some 30 km from Mingora, a major city in the Swat Valley of North West Frontier Province, reported NNI.
Security forces and militants exchanged fire after the explosion.
Final result of Afghan presidential poll on Aug 24
Kabul : The final result of the Afghan presidential election will be announced Aug 24, Election Commission chairman Ahmad Yusuf Nuristan said here Wednesday.
The...
Death toll in Pakistan devastating bomb attack climbs to 34
By IRNA,
Islamabad : The death toll in Friday's terrorist bomb attack in the northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar has risen to 34, police and medical sources said on Saturday.
In addition, over 50 people were injured when an apparent car bomb detonated in a crowd of people busy in shopping for 'Eid" festival.
The bomb exploded in the city's famous and busy bazaar Qisa Khwani around 7:30 p.m., police chief Malik Naveed told reporters.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack and officials say they do not rule out foreign hands in the devastating attack.
60 Bangladeshis arrested in UAE
By IANS/WAM,
Abu Dhabi : Sixty Bangladeshi workers have been arrested here in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) after their employers declared them absconders.
The workers were hiding in an apartment building in the Nadi Siyahi area when they were caught Wednesday on charges of violating labour and residency laws, the ministry of interior said.
Israeli navy fires at Palestinian fishermen and int’l human rights workers
By NNN-WAFA,
Gaza : Israeli naval vessels fired on unarmed Palestinian fishing boats and international human rights workers off the coast of the Gaza Strip, the Free Gaza Movement said.
The fishing boats are several miles off the coast of Gaza City, in Palestinian territorial waters, it said.
UN humanitarian chief deplores living conditions in Gaza
UNITED NATIONS, Feb 16 (APP): Decrying the “miserable” daily living conditions inside the Gaza Strip, the UN humanitarian chief Friday deplored the restrictions on the flow of aid and goods in and out of the area, saying he would raise his concerns with Israeli and Palestinian officials.
John Holmes, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, made a day-long visit Friday to assess the impact on the restrictions on Gaza’s estimated 1.4 million inhabitants, according to a press statement issued at UN Headquarters in New York.
Seven killed in mortar attack in Iraq
By Xinhua
Baghdad : At least seven people were killed and more than 20 wounded in a mortar attack on the Shia-dominated neighbourhood of Sadr City in eastern Baghdad Wednesday, a witness and a security sources said.
"Three mortar rounds landed on a residential area in the Sadr City neighbourhood, killing seven people and wounding more than 20," Abu Haider, a witness said.
He said that a mortar round struck a house and killed a woman and two children, while another round landed on a tent set up for a condolence service, killing four people and wounding more than 20 others.
Rice calls for Israel to halt settlement expansion
By SPA
Amman : U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice called on Monday for a halt to Israeli settlement building after Jerusalem municipality said it planned to build 600 new housing units.
"We continue to state America's position that settlement activity should stop, that its expansion should stop -- that is indeed not consistent with 'road map' obligations," Rice said at a press conference in Amman, Jordan with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, according to a report of Reuters.
Gaddafi threatens to kill Berlusconi: Italian daily
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Rome : Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi has sworn to assassinate Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, Italian daily Corriere della Sera reported.
Pakistan bars militant groups from collecting hides on Eid
Islamabad, Dec 10 (IANS) Pakistan has barred militant organisations like the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and the Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) from collecting hides of animals sacrificed on Eid and which are donated to religious educational institutions and other social welfare organizations, even as the crackdown against the organisations continue.
Some 25 million animals are sacrificed on the three days of Eid that started on Tuesday and various charitable organisations had hitherto been collecting and distributing the hides, with the LeT and the JeM of late also jumping into the fray.
Three killed in two car bombings in central Baghdad
By Xinhua
Baghdad : Three people were killed and six others injured when two car bombs detonated coordinately outside a fuel station near an office of a key Shiite party in central Baghdad on Monday, an Interior Ministry source said.
"The two explosions at midday were caused by two booby trapped cars parked at a queue of cars outside the al-Hurriyah fuel station in Karrada, killing up to three people and wounding six others," the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.
The two car bombs detonated almost simultaneously, the source said.
‘It is a sea of people’
By DPA,
Islamabad/Lahore : It was a sea of humanity as tens of thousands of supporters of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif thronged in the streets as he left his residence in a dark green armoured Land Cruiser, despite a government ban on public gathering and a massive deployment of law-enforcement personnel.
"It's a sea of people. It looks as though the entire Lahore city is gathered here. Young, elders, women, children - everyone is here," local journalist Younis Bath said.
Israel denies permission to EP deligation to visit Plestinian prisoners
By NNN-WAFA,
Ramallah : Kyriakos Triantaphyllides, head of the European Parliament (EP) delegation to the occupied Palestinian territories, has expressed "very deep disappointment" over Israel's refusal to allow the delegation to visit Palestinians detained in Israeli prisons.
In a press conference held Sunday at the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) here, Triantaphyllides said that the EP's mission was a follow-up to a resolution made at the EP to visit PLC members behind bars in Israel.
Pakistani held with Indian currency in Bangladesh
Dhaka : A Pakistani national was detained at the Shahjalal International Airport here Sunday for carrying a large sum of Indian currency.
The airport officials...
Iran presents first space research satellite
By IANS
Tehran : Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad Monday inaugurated the country's first space research satellite being designed and developed by its scientists, official IRNA news agency reported.
The Omid (Hope) satellite would be launched into orbit in near future, the president said and felicitated the scientists and the engineers for their efforts.
Ahmadinejad said the space research unit would take Iran into the select comity of nations having space expertise and would accelerate the country's progress.
Threat of attack on UAE through missiles is real: Official
By IANS,
Abu Dhabi: The threat of attack on United Arab Emirates "from long range ballistic missiles is real", a senior military official has said.
Singapore’s religious Council condemns anti-Islam Dutch Movie
By SPA
Singapore : Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura "MUIS" (The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore), has condemned the production and release of the video called "Fitna".
The 15-minute video was produced by Geert Wilders, a Dutch right-wing Member of Parliament.
In a statement, 'MUIS' said "the film distorts verses of the Holy Quran. It also incites hatred of Muslim immigrants among Europeans, by including acts of violence that were committed by radicals."
Gamblers sever Bangladeshi ex-cop’s tendons
By IANS,
Dhaka : A group of youths in Bangladesh who were asked by a retired police constable to stop gambling attacked the man and cut the tendons in his hands and legs, police said Friday.
Pakistan Rangers violate ceasefire in Jammu
Jammu : Pakistan Rangers resorted to unprovoked firing at a BSF post on the international border in Jammu and Kashmir, police said on Sunday.
"Pakistan...
Wanted Saudi militant turns himself in to authorities
By DPA,
Riyadh : Fawaz al-Utaibi, a Saudi Arabian Al Qaeda-linked militant, has turned himself in to authorities in the kingdom under an amnesty arrangement, the Saudi interior ministry said Wednesday.
Al-Arabiya TV news channel said the 35-year-old left for Iran last year.
In February, the Saudi government published a list of 85 men worldwide it said adhered to "deviant" ideologies - common Saudi terminology for Al Qaeda.
100,000 people involved in illegal drug trade in Bangladesh
By Xinhua,
Dhaka : About 100,000 people, including 30,000 women and children, are involved in illegal drug trade in Bangladesh, the country's Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) said Wednesday.
"It is unfortunate for us that we have failed to control the use of narcotics," DNC director general (DG) Humayun Kabir told reporters Wednesday, on the eve of the globally observed anti-drugs day on June 26.
Three explosions in Pakistani city, over 20 dead, scores wounded
By KUNA
Islamabad : More than 20 people were killed and scores wounded in three explosions that rocked an east Pakistani city Tuesday morning, a week after two suicide blasts in the city killed over 11 and wounded dozens others, said police and eyewitnesses.
The first explosion took place inside the six-storey Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) building on the busiest Temple Road in Lahore, and the second occurred near a school and Bilawal House of slain Benazir Bhutto in Model Town area, police sources told KUNA.
Hamas: Israeli military training on Gaza border prelude to offensive
By Xinhua,
Gaza : The armed wing of Islamic Hamas movement on Wednesday said Israeli army exercises and training on Gaza Strip borders prove that Israel prepares for offensive.
Abu Obaida, a spokesman for al-Qassam Brigades of Hamas, rejected Israeli statements that these training were defensive."The Israeli occupation has never been in a state of defense," AbuObaida said.
He added these training "on Gaza Strip borders, in the air and in its sea reveal what the occupation plans to do in the coming days."
Jalili, Solana reaffirm commitment to nuclear talks
By NNN-IRNA,
Tehran : Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Saeed Jalili and EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana, in a telephone conversation Monday, have reaffirmed commitment to their nuclear talks.
The two officials agreed to continue with the nuclear talks under a constructive atmosphere.
According to the SNSC press secretary, both Solana and Jalili called for continued talks in line with the positive and constructive atmosphere they had in Geneva on July 19.
They also underlined the need for exchange of views and consultations between the two parties.
Major parties divided on new electoral law in Bangladesh
By NNN-PTI,
Dhala : Major political parties in emergency-ruled Bangladesh have welcomed the decision to hold general elections in December but have voiced opposing views on the amended electoral law.
While former prime minister Sheikh Hasina's Awami League extended full support to the amended Representation of the People Order (RPO), her archrival Khaleda Zia-led BNP has rejected the amendments, which allow for a provision of a "no-vote" on the ballot paper.
Israeli Army assassinates member of al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades
By KUNA,
Ramallah : A member of al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, Palestinian Fatah's armed wing, was assassinated by Israeli Army Special Forces' Unit at Balata Refugees' Camp, eyewitnesses said on Friday.
Hani Al-Kaabi, 26, was gunned down in an ambush set by the unit, whose members had disguised themselves in Arab costumes, the eyewitnesses noted, adding that another activist, Samer Abu Leil, was injured during the attack.
They also abducted another member of the Brigades, Alaa Ulaian. At the same time, a girl was injured with random gunfire by the troops, the eyewitnesses said.
Pakistani forces recapture key town from Taliban
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistani security forces have recaptured a key town from the Taliban in the country's restive northwest and the operations against them would last another week, the military said Thursday, even as Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani called for national unity in the struggle against terrorism.
"The troops have taken full control of Daggar", the administrative capital of Buner district that lies just 100 km from Islamabad, Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas, the director general of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) told reporters here.
Dubai Airshow to be held in November
By IANS,
Dubai : The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and US defence authorities held a meeting here to review the arrangements for the upcoming Dubai Airshow Nov 15-19, WAM news agency reported Tuesday.
The 11th Dubai Airshow is the foremost aerospace event in the Middle East and is the fastest growing airshow in the world, the report said.
The airshow is being organised by F & E Aerospace in collaboration with Dubai Airports, Dubai government and the UAE armed forces.
UK daily found guilty of smearing Muslim parliamentary candidate
By IRNA,
London : A right-wing British newspaper has been found guilty of breaching the press code of conduct by smearing a Muslim candidate standing in the country’s general elections in May.
“There was a breach of Clause 1 (Accuracy) of the Editors’ Code which merited prompt and explicit remedial action on the part of the newspaper,” the Press Complaints Commission (PCC) ruled against the Daily Telegraph and is journalist Andrew Gilligan.
Russia, UAE offer help in tackling oil spill
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Washington : Russia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have offered their assistance in tackling the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the US Department of State has said.
"Regarding the Deep Water Horizon oil spill... we received two additional offers of assistance which we are grateful for from the United Arab Emirates and Russia," Philip Crowley, the department's assistant secretary, said at a daily press briefing in Washington Monday.
Warplanes seized by IS destroyed, claims Syrian government
Damascus : The Syrian government has claimed that its army has destroyed two warplanes in the hands of the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group...
Landmark changes proposed in Pakistan’s constitution
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan's constitution could see revolutionary changes with the country's provinces being given greater autonomy and the federal government responsible only for defence, foreign affairs and finance if a bill on this clears parliament.
The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Monday filed the draft bill with the National Assembly secretariat to remove the controversial 17th Amendment that had been enacted at former president Pervez Musharraf's behest and to loosen the federal government's control over the provinces.
Main Peshawar school attack perpetrator arrested
Islamabad : One of the main perpetrators of the Dec 16 attack on the Army Public School in the Pakistani city of Peshawar has...
Arab FMs holds urgent meeting on Lebanon in two days – spokesman
By NNN-KUNA,
Cairo : Spokesman of the Egyptian foreign ministry Hosam Zaki said on Friday that an urgent meeting for Arab foreign ministers is expected to be held within the next few days to examine the current Lebanese crisis.
Egypt and Saudi Arabia had rendered a request to hold the meeting at the Arab League headquarters and to discuss the issue during an Arab foreign ministers council, Zaki noted, adding that the request was conveyed to the League's Secretary General Amr Moussa.