US military warns of Al Qaeda return to Afghanistan
BY DPA,
Washington: Al-Qaeda's presence in Afghanistan would return if the Taliban regains control of the country, the top US military officer warned Wednesday, saying the consequences of US and NATO mission failing would be "grave".
The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Michael Mullen, said the Taliban has established shadow governments in many of Afghanistan's provinces, adding that denying the possible return of Al Qaeda "ignores both the recent past and the evidence we see."
"The cost of failure is then grave," Mullen told the Senate Armed Services Committee.
US, NATO Deploy on Pakistan Border
By Prensa Latina,
Islamabad : The United States and its NATO allies in Afghanistan began a big deployment of troops along the border, generating concern in civil and political environments.
That extraordinary movement of forces caused anxiety among the population near the so-called Tribal Area of Federal Administration (FATA) and areas surrounding the northern border province, noted Pakistani newspaper The Nation Wednesday.
Pakistani PM Gilani for joint SAARC strategy to counter common challenges
By NNN-APP,
Thimphu, Bhutan : Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani Wednesday called for a joint strategy to face common challenges of energy shortage, water scarcity and management, environment and security issues facing the South Asian countries.
The Prime Minister was talking with President of Maldives Mohamed Nasheed whom he met here on the sidelines of 16th SAARC Summit.
The Prime Minister congratulated the President of Maldives on his election and restoration of constitutional democracy in the country.
Germany becoming Islamophobic: Der Spiegel
By IRNA,
Berlin : Germany is on the verge of becoming an Islamophobic country in the wake of the release of a book by a top German central banker who alleged Muslims posed a threat to German society, the news magazine Der Spiegel said in an online article Tuesday.
Referring to the scandal over Thilo Sarrazin's Islamophobic book, the Hamburg-based weekly said, 'Thilo Sarrazin's comments about Muslims have triggered outrage in Germany and abroad, but have met with willing listeners among the general public.'
Pakistan not to attend Bonn conference
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan will not attend a global conference on Afghanistan in Bonn Dec 5 in protest against the NATO air attack that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers.
Mukhtar re-elected Chief of Paris-based Arab World Institute
By SPA
Algiers : Former Algerian diplomat Mukhtar Talib bin Diab has been re-elected as the Director General of the Paris-based Institute of the Arab World for a period of three years.
The Algerian Press Agency quoted Mukhtar as saying that the Institute will focus in the next stage on shedding light on the Arab world and its culture and values at a time when Islam-phobia is escalating in France and Europe.
Pakistani PM assures Kashmiris of govt’s unflinching support for self-determination right
By NNN-APP,
Islamabad : Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani has reassured Kashmiris of the government’s unflinching support to their struggle for their right to self-determination.
“The support shall continue until their struggle is crowned with success,” the Prime Minister said in his message on the Kashmir Solidarity Day being marked on February 5.
Iran’s president warns against ‘new game’ in nuclear dispute
By DPA
Tehran : Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad warned the world powers against a "new game" in their nuclear dispute with his country, the Fars news agency reported Friday.
"Put an end to this game, but if you want to start a new game, you should know that if our nation decides something, then it will definitely be put into practice without the slightest concession," Ahmadinejad was quoted as saying.
India, US to intensify cooperation on anti-terror fight: Modi
Washington: India and the US will work together on disrupting financial and tactical support for terror groups like the Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Jaish-e-Mohammed.
External affairs ministry...
Pakistani varsity students design solar car
By IANS,
Islamabad : Students of physics at a university in Pakistan have designed a solar car and want to introduce the energy-friendly and pollution-free vehicle at the commercial level.
WHO closes office in Karachi
By IANS,
Islamabad : The World Health Organization (WHO) has closed its office in Pakistan's Karachi city in the wake of recent attacks on UN doctors there.
India, Pakistan were close to an agreement: PM
By IANS,
New Delhi : Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Saturday said he was close to clinching "an agreement" on all bilateral issues with then Pakistan military president Pervez Musharraf two years ago but the judiciary in that country halted that process.
"I and General (retd) Musharraf had reached an agreement in non-territorial solution to all problems but then General Musharraf got into difficulties with the chief justice (Iftikhar Chowdhary)... He said we cannot operate on all fronts and therefore the whole process came to a halt...," Manmohan Singh told CNN-IBN in an interview.
Osama’s family can leave country: Pakistani panel
By IANS,
Islamabad: A Pakistani commission investigating the US raid that killed Osama bin Laden has allowed his widows and daughters to leave the country, a media report said.
Iraqi police help US target terrorist in Syria: Report
By DPA,
Baghdad : The Iraqi police tipped the US military to the whereabouts of a senior Al Qaeda terrorist hiding in a Syrian border village that was the site of Sunday's controversial US raid, the al-Arabiya news network reported Tuesday.
The Dubai-based network reported that the US raid targeted Al Qaeda senior leader Badran Turki al-Hisan, who was of Iraqi origin.
It added that the Iraqi government had been demanding his handover from Syria since February when it labeled him one of the "most dangerous terrorists of Al Qaeda".
Rice, Milliband on surprise visit to Kabul
By KUNA
Kabul : US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and British Foreign secretary David Miliband arrived here on a surprise visit Thursday morning.
The two officials are scheduled to meet Afghan President Hamid Karzai at his Presidential Palace.
This is an unannounced visit. However, Wednesday evening, the president's press office informed local media offices of a press conference by Karzai set for Thursday afternoon.
Pakistan launches first luxury train
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani Friday inaugurated the country's first luxury train in the eastern city of Lahore.
Two journalists injured in blast in SW Pakistan
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : Two journalists were injured when a bomb went off in southwestern Pakistan on Monday, according to official Associated Press of Pakistan (APP).
The bomb was planted with a gas geyser outside the offices of local newspapers in Universal Complex in Quetta, capital city of Balochistan province.
An editor called Abdul Qayyum and photographer Jamal Tarakai of daily Awwam suffered minor injuries as a result of the blast. Windows of nearby buildings, shops and a medical complex were smashed as a result of the blast.
Nine African Boxers & Coach Highly-Impressed by Muslim Culture Embrace Islam
By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net,
Bhopal: Highly-impressed by the Muslim culture and the Pakistani hospitality, six visiting Central African Republic, (CAR), and three Cameroon boxers and their coach converted from Christianity to Islam at a simple ceremony in a Karachi hotel on Tuesday.
According to a news story posted with byline Shazad Ali on web news portal www.dawn.com the six pugilists from CAR – Gbodo Ygor, Selebangue Bienvenu, Vomitiande Huges, Grassa Thibault, Niambongui Davy and Ngocko Martial – had announced on Monday there wish to be converted to Islam.
Bangladesh launches business chamber just for women
By IANS,
Dhaka : Bangladesh has set up a chamber of commerce and industry exclusively for women entrepreneurs.
Four shot dead in Nigeria bar attack
By IANS,
Abuja: At least four people were killed and seven seriously injured in Nigeria after unidentified gunmen stormed a local bar and opened fire at fun-seekers, Xinhua reported.
Israeli PM says ready for peace talks with Palestinians
By Xinhua,
JERUSALEM : While Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that his country is prepared to resume peace negotiations with the Palestinians without any preconditions, the Palestinians do not seem to be much encouraged by his words.
On Monday night, Netanyahu, who spoke from Israel via satellite to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) annual conference in Washington, said that "We are prepared to resume peace negotiations without any delay, without any preconditions. The sooner, the better."
Israel detained 1,266 Palestinian children in 2014: Official
Ramallah : Israeli forces detained 1,266 Palestinian children under the age of 15 in the occupied Palestinian territories in 2014.
The children were arrested in...
US sold $4.5 bn worth arms to Pakistan in three years: Report
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : The United States sold arms worth $4.5 billion to Pakistan between 2005 and 2008, says a Congressional report even as Washington has expressed concern about reported diversion of military equipment away from the war on terrorism to fight India.
An updated Congressional report released last month says Washington signed arms transfer agreements with Pakistan in excess of $3.5 billion in the year 2006 alone, "ranking Pakistan first among all arms clients of the United States during that calendar year".
France to invite Syrian President for national day celebrations
By KUNA,
Paris : President Nicolas Sarkozy has invited Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad to attend the French "Bastille Day" national celebrations on July 14, a further sign of warming ties between the two countries.
Al-Assad will already be in Paris on July 13 at the invitation of Sarkozy but to attend a summit of Mediterranean leaders.
The French leader has invited all participants at that summit, including Al-Assad, to take part in the national day even, diplomatic sources confirmed.
Dhaka plans to train 10,000 IT programmers every year
By IANS,
Dhaka : Bangladesh plans to train 10,000 programmers a year by introducing compulsory IT education at the high school level by 2013 and for primary students by 2021, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina announced.
The present capacity is 2,500 IT programmers annually.
"If we can educate a portion of the population in information and communication technology (ICT), they can get employment at home and abroad," she said while opening BCS Digital Expo-2009 here Thursday.
German chancellor hails Mubarak resignation labeling it ‘historic’
By IRNA,
Berlin: German Chancellor Angela Merkel welcomed here Friday the resignation of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, branding it 'historic.'
Four arrested over Kabul hotel attack — spy chief
By KUNA
Kabul : Four suspects have been taken into custody over the attack on a luxury hotel in Kabul on Monday evening, officials here said on Tuesday.
Amrullah Saleh, chief of the National Directorate of Intelligence, told a news conference three among the dead were American nationals. He did not disclose their names and jobs in Afghanistan.
Earlier, officials confirmed the killing of only two people, both were said to be locals, in the bomb explosion followed by a shoot out inside the lobby of the luxury hotel.
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.
Israel removes 10 roadblocks in West Bank
By Xinhua,
Jerusalem : Israel has lifted another 10 roadblocks, all located near the West Bank city of Hebron, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Sunday.
The removal of the barriers was part of a series of measures that Israel was implementing to facilitate the movement and improve the life of local Palestinians, said the IDF.
Eight militants killed in Pakistan
By IANS,
Islamabad : Eight militants were killed in fighting with the security forces in Pakistan Sunday.
U.S. says talks with Iraq do not include withdrawal date
By Xinhua,
Washington : The United States said Monday that its talks with Iraq on future U.S.-Iraq relations will not include a date for the U.S. troops to withdraw from the Middle East country.
"It is important to understand that these are not talks on a hard date for a withdrawal," White House spokesman Scot Stanzel said.
"As (U.S.) Ambassador (Ryan) Crocker has said, we are looking at conditions, and not calendars -- and both sides are in agreement on this point," Stanzel said.
Bicycle bomber kills three ahead of Kabul conference
By DPA,
Kabul : A suicide attack in eastern Kabul killed at least three civilians and left 45 injured Sunday, officials said - two days before a major international conference in the capital.
The bomber on a bicycle detonated his explosives in Makroryan Char, a residential area close to the Kabul international airport, Abdul Ghafour Sayedzada, a senior police official said.
"Three civilians, including a child were killed and 45 other civilians, including women and children were injured in the attack," Gholam Sakhi Kargar, spokesman for the Ministry of Public Health said.
Iran, Turkey ties key to regional security: Tehran
By IANS,
Tehran: The ties between Iran and Turkey are strategic and contribute to the regional security, an official said here Wednesday.
Malaysian Indian Congress emerges younger after poll
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur : The Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) has emerged somewhat younger, but full of internal squabbles, from its 63rd general assembly.
The theme of the assembly was 'change'. This has come about in the form of a youthful team. S. Murugesan, 42, is secretary-general; Jaspal Singh, 47, is treasurer; and P. Kamalanathan, 42, is information chief.
Jaspal Singh, a second generation MIC activist, is a Sikh in a pre-dominantly Tamil party.
Russia criticises Ahmadinejad’s Geneva speech
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Russia Tuesday criticised Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's speech at the UN conference on racism in Geneva.
"Unfortunately, harsh and unbalanced statements were voiced on the first day of the conference, particularly in the speech of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad," the foreign ministry of Russia said, adding that such statements had nothing to do with the conference's main topic.
Pakistan executes 14 convicts
Islamabad : Fourteen death row convicts were executed in various jails in Pakistan's Punjab and Balochistan province on Tuesday, said a media report.
Two convicts...
Maldives court denies deportation of Pakistani criminals
Colombo: A Maldives court has denied ordering the deportation of two Pakistanis caught by police in the biggest drug bust in the history of...
Israel announces resolutions against new Palestinian government
Jerusalem: Israel's cabinet Monday announced a series of resolutions against the new Palestinian unity government after it was sworn-in in Ramallah.
"The diplomatic security cabinet...
Pakistan must ‘root out’ anti-India terror groups: Clinton
By IANS,
Mumbai: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Saturday that Pakistan needed to "root out" terrorist groups directed against Indian interests.
Clinton told a news conference here that the US had seen "a much greater effort and commitment ... to take on the terrorists" in Pakistan.
"There is a concerted effort we can look forward to. It is too early to tell the outcome of this commitment from Pakistan. In the next few days, I believe, there will be greater awareness whether or not to bring the Mumbai terrorists to justice."
Thousands in Middle East protest Israeli attack on Gaza
By DPA,
Amman : Thousands of people participated in rallies across the Middle East Sunday to protest Israel's airstrikes on the Gaza Strip and to show support for Palestinians caught in the attacks.
Some of the larger protests were in the capitals of Yemen and Jordan. Hundreds of protesters also clashed with policemen in Lebanon while smaller demonstrations were staged in Iran.
Arab League leaders agreed to meet Wednesday to discuss a reaction to the Israeli airstrikes, which were prompted by missile and mortar attacks out of the Gaza Strip after a ceasefire expired Dec 19.
UN seeks $543 mn to assist Pakistan’s war victims
By DPA,
New York : The UN is seeking $543 million to assist the hundreds of thousands of Pakistanis displaced in the fighting between security forces and the Taliban.
The top UN humanitarian coordinator, John Holmes, said Thursday the amount was a "planning figure", which may change depending on the needs on the ground for the estimated 1.6 million displaced people, 500,000 of whom may need urgent help.
64 Dubai couples tie knot in mass wedding
By IANS/WAM,
Dubai: A total of 64 couples were married in a mass wedding ceremony that was also attended by Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
Report: Iran launches e-warfare production line
By Xinhua
Tehran : Iran has inaugurated a production line of advanced radar and electronic war equipment in Shiraz, south of Iran, the state-run Press TV channel reported on Tuesday. Inaugurating the facility, Iranian Defense Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar praised the efforts of Iranian experts "to domesticate technology required for production of armaments," Press TV reported on its website.
Bangladesh jails short of doctors, nurses
By IANS,
Dhaka : Bangladesh's jails are woefully short of doctors and nurses and their work is carried out by convicts.
Currently, as few as 17 doctors, all appointed through deputation, are on hand for around 86,000 inmates in 67 jails of the country.
None of the prisons and jail hospitals have nurses or ambulances. Convicts sentenced to rigorous imprisonment are randomly assigned to take care of the patients when the situation requires a nurse, The Daily Star newspaper said Sunday.
Dilip Kumar grieves for Peshawar
By Uma Ramasubramanian,
Mumbai : Bollywood thespian and now ailing Dilip Kumar, who was born in Peshawar, said Thursday that he longed to reach out...
Iraqi forces take over security in Qadisiyah province
By NNN-KUNA,
Baghdad : Iraq forces took over Wednesday the responsibility for security in the Qadisiyah province and its capital, Diwaniyah, from the Multi-National Force (MNF).
Diwaniyah is 180 kilometres south of Baghdad.
The area saw tightened security measures, with curfew imposed as of Tuesday, as well as intensive security force deployment, as a number of official delegations attended the handover ceremony.
Eid celebrated in Telangana, Andhra
Hyderabad : Muslims across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh Tuesday celebrated Eid-ul-Fitr with religious fervour and gaiety and with prayers for the dead in Gaza.
Tens...
Berlin Arabs to mark anniversary of “Israeli massacres in Gaza”
By IRNA,
Berlin, : Berlin's Arab community is to commemorate the first anniversary of what it labeled "Israeli massacres in Gaza" in Berlin on Friday.
Numerous Berlin-based Palestinian and Arab groups have called on Germans to join them for a candle light vigil in the center of the city to honor "the victims of Israeli aggression in Palestine and Lebanon," according to a press release sent to IRNA's Berlin office on Thursday.
Pakistan rupee slips to record low on political chaos
By DPA,
Karachi : The Pakistan rupee dipped to record low against the US dollar Monday as mounting political uncertainties weighed heavily on the currency, traders said.
The rupee crossed over 74 against the dollar in the open market, while in the official inter-market, too, it was at of 73.25.
The country's National Assembly, or lower house of parliament, convened in the evening, was set to initiate impeachment proceedings against embattled President Pervez Musharraf.
Malaysian prime minister to make way for deputy
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur : Weakened after the March poll debacle when the ruling alliance's majority was reduced drastically, Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi will hand over power to his deputy Najib Tun Razak earlier than June 2010 as planned earlier, according to an official announcement.
His party, United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) has also postponed its annual general assembly and supreme council elections to next March to facilitate the "early transition of power", Badawi said after chairing a special supreme council meeting Friday.
UK unable to mount any further overseas missions, MoD warns
By IRNA,
London : Britain's Armed Forces are severely overstretched and unable to mount any further overseas operations as a result of the ongoing wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has warned.
In its latest quarterly report, the MoD admitted it was falling short of the "readiness" target, where forces are supposed to ensure that at least 73 per cent of units have no "serious or critical weaknesses."
Nearly half of all military units were said to be suffering from "serious or critical weaknesses" as a result of their service in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Palestinian gas union rejects Hamas’ request to receive fuel from Israel
By Xinhua,
Gaza : Palestinian gas union on Monday rejected a request from Hamas to receive fuel that accumulated in the depots at Nahal Oz crossing in eastern Gaza city sending by Israel.
"We refuse to get these trivial amounts because the Israeli side did not meet its promise to deliver more gas and petrol," said Mahmoud al-Khozendar, vice-president of the Petrol Station Owners Association.
Members of the deposed Hamas government on Sunday met with the representatives of the gas union and asked them to end the on-going strike.
Iraqi man walks again after seven years
By IANS,
New Delhi : Seven years after he was hit by splinters from an American missile, a former Iraqi soldier is free of constant pain and again able to walk without any support.
In what could be the first case of its kind, 28-year-old Falah Mohammad was operated upon successfully to remove a nearly three cm long and one cm wide missile splinter from his spine at the Metro Hospital in Faridabad earlier this week.
"It is rare that a splinter is removed after seven years and the patient recovers completely," said the hospital's managing director S.S. Bansal.
Five policemen killed in Pakistan
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : At least five policemen were killed Saturday in a bomb attack in Pakistan's northwestern Swat valley, a media report said.
The militants attacked a police van through a remote-controlled device. Five people were also injured in the blast, PTV reported.
The injured were shifted to a nearby hospital.
No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack.
Meanwhile, Pakistani security forces have launched a major offensive against the militants.
151 Indian fishermen return home from Pakistan
Attari (Punjab) : Thanking Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi for their release, 151 Indian fishermen freed from Pakistani prisons ahead of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's...
‘Pakistan Army violating truce to fan Kashmir separatism’
By IANS,
New Delhi : Aiming to regain its space in the country's polity, the Pakistan Army is now resorting to repeated ceasefire violations along the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir to gain public sympathy and simultaneously signal its solidarity with separatist elements in the Valley, the Indian Army says.
“Earlier, there used to be around two ceasefire violations a month along the LoC. But after mid-July, there has been a spurt in the incidents,” a senior army officer said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Zardari asks US to reimburse $1.6 bn spent on combating extremism
By IANS,
New York : Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari has urged the US to reimburse the $1.6 billion dollars spent on fighting extremism in his country's tribal areas.
Zardari made the demand during two separate meetings here with US officials, including special Af-Pak envoy Richard Holbrooke, DawnNews reported.
The US pays Pakistan for the anti-militant operations from a special account called the Coalition Support Fund. Pakistan has not been paid for more than a year.
`Drones make US extremely unpopular in Pakistan’
By IANS,
Washington : Drone attacks are making US "extremely popular" in Pakistan, said a former chief of US intelligence who cautioned that covert action there has "never led to good results".
Pakistan must wind up terror infrastructure, India tells Britain
By Dipankar De Sarkar, IANS,
London : India has told Britain squarely that Pakistan must take immediate steps to dismantle the terrorist infrastructure that continues to operate from its soil, informed sources said Saturday.
The Indian warning came at a meeting between Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon and his British counterpart Sir Peter Rickett in London Friday.
The meeting, part of an annual exercise that takes in the entire gamut of India-British ties, was said to have been held in "a great atmosphere".
10 people killed, 7 injured in road accidents in Bangladesh
By Xinhua,
Dhaka : Ten people were killed and 7 others injured in three road accidents in Bangladesh's capital Dhaka, southeastern Cox's Bazar and central Gazipur districts Saturday evening and Sunday, private news agency UNB reported.
Four people were killed as a bus rammed into a three-wheeler auto-rickshaw in Keraniganj of Dhaka district on Sunday morning.
Witnesses said the auto-rickshaw turned turtle on the road as the bus hit it from behind, killing the four people on the spot at about 11:30 a.m. local time.
Fatah, Hamas fail to reconcile
By DPA,
Gaza/Cairo : Leaders of rival Fatah and Islamic Hamas movement failed to overcome their disputes and reach an agreement by a July 7 deadline set by Cairo, and have agreed to hold a seventh round of dialogue in Cairo July 25, officials said Tuesday.
Fatah negotiator Zakareya el-Agha told the Palestinian news agency Wafa of President Mahmoud Abbas that a sixth round of inter-reconciliation dialogue had ended without agreement.
Mubarak calls on Hamas, Israel to stick to Gaza truce
By Xinhua,
Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt : Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Tuesday expressed hope in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh that Hamas and Israel would stick to an Egyptian-brokered Gaza truce.
Mubarak made the remarks during his talks here with visiting Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and they tackled the package of ending violence in Gaza, Egyptian presidential spokesman, Suleiman Awad, told reporters after the meeting.
Hamas official calls for forming interim gov’t
By Xinhua,
Gaza : A senior official of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) on Tuesday called for forming an interim Palestinian government right after launching a comprehensive national dialogue among the Palestinian factions.
Ghazi Hamad told a conference held in Gaza to encourage the dialogue that a ministry for national dialogue should be part of the interim government that has to be formed after launching the dialogue among all political factions.
Pakistan releases sketch of bomber who killed 21 policemen
By DPA
Islamabad : Pakistani newspapers Saturday published pictures of the suspected suicide bomber who killed 21 police officers and three civilians Thursday in Lahore, the capital of eastern Punjab province.
"The name and address of the person providing the information will be kept strictly confidential, and the cash award of Rs.25 lakh ($40,000) will be awarded by the government of Punjab," read an advertisement published in all major Urdu and English daily newspapers.
24 pilgrims killed in Pakistan
Islamabad: At least 24 pilgrims were killed Sunday night after a group of attackers targeted their buses in Pakistan's southwestern province of Balochistan, the...
Canada-NATO rift on Afghanistan mission widens
By Gurmukh Singh, IANS
Toronto : Reacting to Canada's threat Monday to pull out of Afghanistan, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Tuesday warned Ottawa that any withdrawal will amount to abandonment of the Afghan people.
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper had announced in the House of Commons Monday to withdraw 2,500 troops from Afghanistan by February 2009 if NATO allies didn't send 1,000 soldiers to fight alongside its forces in Kandahar.
The failure to send in extra troops, Harper warned, would put the reputation of NATO on the line.
Sewa Helping War-affected Afghan Women
By Bernama,
New Delhi : Having transformed the lives of thousands of women artisans in the country, the self-help organisation Self Employed Women's Association (SEWA) is now helping war-affected women of Afghanistan to rebuild their lives, the Press Trust of India (PTI) reported Tuesday.
For the last one year, SEWA, with the support of the Government of India, is working with the Ministry of Women's Affairs, Kabul, on setting up a vocational training centre for women at Bagh-e-Zanana in the Afghan capital.
Dhaka seeks British help for border management, maritime security
By IANS,
Dhaka : Bangladesh has sought British help for its land border management and maritime security as part of a string of joint working groups it seeks to set up within the South Asian region and outside with the US, Australia and Russia.
The first such Joint Working Group (JWG) was set up with Britain Sunday to enhance counter terrorism cooperation between the two countries.
Israel arrests six Palestinians in West Bank raids
By Xinhua
Ramallah : Israeli forces on Monday arrested six Palestinians in several parts of West Bank, Palestinian security sources said.
The detentions took place in the cities of Hebron, Tulkarem and Qalqilia, the sources added. Israel says the people were detained for being wanted by the Israeli security agencies.
Israel boosted up security measures in the West Bank since last week following a suicide attack into southern Israeli town Dimona on Jan. 4. The suicide-bombers were from West Bank city of Hebron.
Will Britain’s powerful Zionist lobby forgive Sayeeda Warsi?
By M Ghazali Khan,
The first ever female Muslim Minister in the history of Britain, Sayeeda Warsi, has displayed extraordinary courage by resigning as a Foreign Office Minister over David Cameron Government’s “morally indefensible” stand on Israeli barbarism in Gaza.
West to cooperate with Iran on nuclear reactor: Official
By DPA,
Tehran : An Iranian nuclear official claimed Sunday that Western countries had declared their readiness to cooperate with Iran in the construction of its first home-made nuclear reactor in southwestern Iran, Mehr news agency reported.
The 360-megawatt light-water nuclear reactor in Darkhowayn is under the supervision of the country's Atomic Energy Organisation and is due to be finished by 2012
One killed, 29 injured in suicide blast in Pakistan
By NNN-APP
Peshawar : One person was killed and 29 others injured when a suicide bomber rammed his explosive laden vehicle in the convoy of the Levies Force at Jar bazaar in Bajaur Agency on Saturday, Political Authorities of the agency confirmed.
The convoy of the security force was heading towards Jar area from Khar, headquarters of the Bajaur Agency when bomber rammed his vehicle into the convoy at Jar Bazar, killing one security man and injuring 29 others.
Pakistan flayed for murder of Ahmadiyya couple by Islamists
By IANS,
Toronto : Ahmadiyyas of Canada have sought international intervention to stop persecution of their community in Pakistan following the murder of a doctor couple by extremists in Multan.
Under Pakistani laws, the Ahmadiyyas have been declared a non-Muslim sect as they believe that their founder Mirza Ghulam Ahmed was the last promised messiah. Due to this, they have been persecuted by mainstream Muslims who believe Prophet Muhammad was the last messiah.
India’s dossier contains information, not evidence: Pakistani PM Gilani
By NNN-PTI,
Islamabad : Pakistan Premier Yousuf Raza Gilani claimed that the material provided by India on the Mumbai attacks constituted "information" and not evidence and said that "pragmatic cooperation" was the way forward for dealing with the 26/11 terror attacks.
"All that has been received formally from India is some information. I say information because these are not the evidence. This needs to be carefully examined," he said on Tuesday while making a statement in the National Assembly on the dossier on the Mumbai attacks handed over to Pakistan by New Delhi.
20 militants, five Pakistani soldiers killed in renewed violence
By SPA
Islamabad : At least 20 militants and five soldiers were killed in clashes with government forces for control of a strategic road tunnel in Pakistan's restive tribal area, the army said Sunday.
The militants captured the Friendship tunnel on the Indus Highway, which links North-West Frontier Province with southern and central Pakistan, near the tribal town of Darra Adam Khel on Friday evening by killing five troops and seizing ten more at a nearby security check post.
10 killed in Iraq bombing
By IANS,
Baghdad : Ten people were killed and many wounded Wednesday in a bomb explosion in southern Iraq, police said.
The bomb was detonated near a technical institute in Karbala city, some 100 southwest of Baghdad.
Dozens of Shia pilgrims had gathered at the site to observe the annual ritual of Arbaeen when the blast took place, Xinhua reported.
Identity card compulsory for all UAE residents
By IANS,
Dubai : A new law in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) requires all residents in this Gulf nation - citizens as well as expatriates - to hold a national identity card for conducting all everyday transactions.
From banking transactions to registering cars, all regular services can be availed of only when a person holds a national identity card.
"Without the cards, expats won't be able to register cars, transfer ownership of vehicles or do banking transactions," Darwish Al Zarouni, director general of the Emirates Identity Authority (EIDA), told the Gulf News newspaper.
Bangladesh ex-dictator meets Hasina, may escape punishment
By IANS,
Dhaka : Bangladesh's former military ruler Hussain Mohammed Ershad may escape punishment for violating the country's constitution following his meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina after which he "looked quite happy", his aides said.
The meeting Sunday took place at Ershad's instance, three days after the high court invalidated the seventh amendment to the constitution that had ratified Ershad's declaration of the martial law in March 1982.
The former military strongman's aides told The Daily Star that Hasina "asked Ershad not to worry much about his fate".
Hamas delegation in Cairo for Gaza truce talks
Cairo : A Hamas delegation arrived in Cairo Sunday for talks with Egyptian mediators on a possible ceasefire in Gaza.
The six-member delegation is led...
Iran, Iraq discuss expansion of border cooperation
By NNN-IRNA,
Tehran : The Islamic Republic of Iran and Iraq held a meeting here to pursue agreements already reached between the two sides on expansion of border cooperation.
The meeting was held to follow up the agreements signed by the two countries last year.
WAMY condemns ‘bloody incidents’ in Mumbai
By SPA,
Riyadh : The World Assembly of Muslim Youth (WAMY) has condemned the 'bloody incidents' that took place recently in Mumbai, India, which led to deaths and injuries of a large number of people in addition to destruction of properties and generation of panic among the innocent people.
The remarks were made in a message sent by WAMY's secretary general Dr Salih al-Wuhaibi to Indian ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia M.O.H. Farouq.
Kuwaiti Interior Minister cables counterpart as he ends visit
By KUNA,
Damascus : The Kuwaiti Minister of Interior, Sheikh Jaber Khalid Al-Sabah, Tuesday sent a cable of thanks upon concluding his visit to Syria to his counterpart Bassam Abdulmajeed.
The minister expressed gratitude for the hospitality with which he was received and efforts to create an environment conducive to productive security talks, which he held with officials of the host country.
‘China, Pakistan pose contrasting security challenges’
By IANS
New Delhi : China and Pakistan pose contrasting security challenges for India, New Delhi's top security advisor said Wednesday.
"With China, the challenge lies in the perceptions and not in the threat. It's the reverse with Pakistan," National Security Advisor M.K. Narayanan said here.
He was delivering the 25th Air Chief Marshal P.C. Lal memorial lecture on "Managing India's National Security & Building a Consensus for the 21st Century" at the Air Force Auditorium here.
Ulemas term Pakistan military operation as jihad
Islamabad : A panel of religious leaders has termed as jihad Pakistan's military operation being carried out against terrorists in North Waziristan, a media...
Pakistani panel discusses Osama raid
By IANS,
Islamabad : A Pakistani panel probing the US raid that killed Osama Bin Laden Wednesday interviewed high-ranking officials to know their opinion on the incident.
US, Bahrain sign nuclear energy sharing agreement
Washington, March 25 (DPA) The US and Bahrain have signed an agreement to cooperate in the development and sharing of nuclear energy technology, the US State Department said.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Foreign Minister Sheik Khalid signed the agreement Monday. The State Department said that the agreement highlights Bahrain's commitment as a model nation in the Middle East on nuclear issues in contrast to Iran.
Saudi King holds discussions with Blair on Palestinian issue
By NNN-SPA,
Riyadh : King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud has held discussions at his palace here with the Special Envoy of the Quartet Committee for the Middle East Tony Blair and his accompanying delegation.
During the audience Sunday, they discussed developments of the Palestinian issue and the international efforts being exerted to achieve just and comprehensive peace in the region.
The audience was attended by Minister of State and Cabinet Member for Shoura Council Affairs Dr Saud bin Saeed Al-Muthami and British Ambassador to Britain William Batey.
Taliban shaving beards to flee Swat: Pakistani military
By IANS,
Islamabad : Taliban fighters are shaving their beards to mingle with the civilians fleeing the security forces' operations in Swat in Pakistan's troubled northwest, the military said Friday, on a day when the country's army chief briefed parliament on the offensive.
UPA-II’s first year in power disappointing: BJP
By IANS,
Patna : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Sunday described the first year of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government's second stint as disappointing, just like the "general unsatisfactory record" of UPA-I.
"Like the general unsatisfactory record of UPA-I, UPA II has equally been a year of disappointment and non-achievement. Declarations have been made but delivery has been very poor," the party said in a resolution adopted at its national executive meet here.
Human trafficking cases double in Myanmar
Yangon: Cases of human trafficking have doubled in Myanmar over the first five months of this year as compared to 2014, an official report...
Yemen kidnappers free German hostages
By DPA,
Sanaa : Three German nationals kidnapped in western Yemen four days ago were released by their abductors Friday, a source close to the negotiations said.
According to the source, the hostages were transferred to the house of the government negotiator, Abdul-Qawi Obad, in Bani Dhabian east of the capital Sanaa.
The three Germans - a woman working for the technical cooperation society GTZ and her father and mother who were visiting the country that time - were taken hostage Dec 15.
Ahmadinejad vows to enter ‘new era’ after re-election
By DPA,
Tehran : Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Tuesday vowed to enter a "new era" and offered his country's cooperation in tackling global challenges.
"We are entering a new era in both internal and external policies," Ahmadinejad said in a speech on state television, his first since the official approval of his re-election.
Ahmadinejad's re-election caused widespread controversies after the opposition accused the government of fraud in the June 12 presidential poll, but the president himself called it "the freest in the world".
Bangladesh just as corrupt despite anti-graft drive: report
By IANS,
Dhaka : The anti-graft drive of Bangladesh's military-backed government has made little difference - its own law enforcing agencies have been rated as most corrupt by the Transparency International, a Berlin headquartered NGO addressing corruption globally.
Down in the first six months after the caretaker government launched its campaign in January last year, corruption has again reared its head, said a report released by the Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) Wednesday.
No troops deployment in Gilgit-Baltistan, says China
By IANS,
Beijing/New Delhi : China has dismissed reports of the deployment of around 11,000 troops in the Gilgit area of Pakistan-controlled-Kashmir, saying they were fabricated stories designed to adversely impact Beijing's ties with New Delhi.
"We believe the attempts of some people to fabricate stories to provoke China-Pakistan or China-India relations are doomed to fail," said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Jiang Yu in a brief statement late Wednesday night, according to the state-run Xinhua news agency.
10 Arab states agree on joining forces against IS
Jeddah : Ten Arab countries, including six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states, and the US have agreed to combine forces to destroy the...
Pakistan, Afghanistan agree to work together to defeat ‘common threat’
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : Pakistan and Afghanistan Wednesday promised to work together to defeat the "common threat" in their countries as US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton called for an "all government effort" to bring peace to the region.
"We all have a responsibility along with two governments of Pakistan and Afghanistan to restore the peace in their respective countries," Clinton said as she opened three-way talks with Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari and Afghan President Hamid Karzai.
Obama calls US commander over Afghan violence
By IANS,
Washington : US President Barack Obama telephoned the top American commander in Afghanistan Saturday to discuss the ongoing violence over the Quran burning.
Militant clashes kill nine civilians in Pakistan
By DPA,
Islamabad : At least nine civilians, including women and children, were killed Thursday in clashes between Taliban rebels and security forces, while a compound used by militants was destroyed in Pakistan's troubled Swat district, media reports and officials said.
The civilians died when mortar shells hit their houses in several areas of Matta sub-district.
The Dawn News television channel said five members of a family were killed when a stray shell struck their house in Darmai village, while another four people were killed in a similar incident in the Sambat area.
Geneva II talks have made little progress so far: Brahimi
By IANS,
Geneva : UN-Arab League Special Envoy to Syria Lakhdar Brahimi Tuesday said that little progress has been achieved since the start of the...
Pakistan reiterates support to Saudi Arabia over Yemen
Islamabad : Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has once again assured the Saudi Arabian leadership of support in the prevailing crisis situation in Yemen,...
Govt should be cautions in allowing Pakistani workers into Malaysia
By NNN-Bernama,
Petaling Jaya (Malaysia) : The Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) Thursday called on the government to be cautious when allowing another 70,000 Pakistani workers into the country.
Its vice-president, A. Balasubramaniam, said the move would be counter- productive as the country was trying to reduce its dependence on foreign workers.
He was commenting on a statement by Pakistan High Commissioner to Malaysia Lt Gen(Rtd) Tahir Mahmud Qazi that the Pakistani workforce in the country would increase three-fold by December next year.
Iraq Occupying Troops for Joint Operations
By Prensa Latina,
Baghdad : The occupying troops' command in south of Baghdad announced joint operations with the national forces to stop the increasing activity of rebels, basically against security personnel.
The spokesman from the Multinational Forces in the south of the country Chris Ford told reporters that the joint operations will begin Friday in al-Latif area, at 9 miles northern Basora, which province is at 366 miles southern Baghdad.
Gilani to dissolve cabinet
By IANS,
Islamabad : The ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Friday authorised Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani to dissolve the cabinet and form a smaller one, a media report said.
Gilani hopes Pakistan-India dialogue will resume soon
By IANS,
Islamabad: Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani Thursday reciprocated the good wishes conveyed to him by senior Indian leaders and hoped that the stalled sub-continental dialogue would soon resume.
Gilani made the remarks during a meeting with Population Welfare Minister Firdous Ashiq Awan, who has just returned from India after attending the Shoaib Akhtar-Sania Mirza wedding.
Awan also apprised the prime minister of her meetings with Indian leaders, including Congress party chief Sonia Gandhi and Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, Online news agency reported.
Christmas carols rewritten to highlight Israeli atrocities
By IRNA,
London : A Christmas church service has been held in central London featuring carols re-written to highlight Israel's atrocities against the Palestinians.
The event, titled "Bethlehem Now: Nine Alternative Lessons and Carols", was held last week at St James's Anglican Church, organised by Jews for Boycotting Israeli Goods and Open Bethlehem, a Christian campaign group.
The traditional carols are "with untraditional lyrics, interspersed with poetry and prose readings, to highlight the current reality in the Holy Land," the organisers said.
Flydubai strengthens presence in Africa
By IANS,
Dubai: Flydubai, Dubai's first low cost airline, is set to expand its network in Africa with the announcement of flights to Djibouti from Sep 1, WAM news agency reported Monday.
"Djibouti is an important trading destination with established commercial links with Dubai, most notably through DP World, which operates the Port of Djibouti," said Ghaith Al Ghaith, chief executive officer of Flydubai.
Saudi Arabia to develop SR365 billion railway network
Dammam : The Saudi Railways Organization (SRO) is working on a SR365 billion strategic plan for developing the railway network in the Kingdom and...
Assassinated Benazir Bhutto’s authorizes Zardari to decide about next prime minister
By SPA
Islamabad : Assassinated Benazir Bhutto s Pakistan People s Party Parliamentarians (PPP) has authorized its co-chairman Asif Zardari to decide about the next prime minister, PPPP officials said.
The PPPP emerged as the largest party in the Feb 18 parliamentary elections.
Zardari is expected to announce the decision about the next premier any time. However, some party officials said consensus has been reached on Makhdoom Amin Fahim.
A party meeting, chaired by Zardari, was attended by the newly elected MPs.
11 militants killed in new Pakistan offensive
By IANS,
Wana (Pakistan): Pakistani fighter jets have pounded the militants' hideouts in South Waziristan, killing at least 11 insurgents, as the security forces began a fresh offensive against the Taliban in the area, a media report said.
Sources said the latest offensive that began Saturday has left two soldiers dead and five injured.
One of the soldiers was killed when militants detonated a bomb through a remote control device near a security vehicle in Karkunray area of South Waziristan, Geo TV reported.
Obama will definitely open Iran talks, says Guardian analyst
By IRNA,
London : A senior British journalist says US President-elect Barack Obama will "definitely" open dialogue with Iran although the Islamic Republic is not closely allied with the West.
Jonathan Steele, international affairs columnist in the Guardian, also said Obama will wait until next year's presidential elections in Iran.
"The West does not like President Ahmadinejad and if he is re-elected, the West has no other alternative but to talk to him.
IAEA head to visit Iran over uranium enrichment
By RIA Novosti
Tehran : The head of the UN nuclear watchdog will arrive in Tehran Friday on a two-day visit to discuss Iran's controversial nuclear programme, Iranian media said Tuesday.
Mohamed El Baradei, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), will meet high-ranking Iranian officials in an attempt to push for further details on Iran's past and present nuclear activities, the media cited an IAEA spokesperson as saying.
Declare Pakistan a terrorist state, demand Indian Americans
By Lalit K Jha, IANS,
United Nations : Braving chilly winter, agitated Indian Americans gathered in front of the UN headquarters in mid-town Manhattan Friday afternoon to demand the world body declare Pakistan a terrorist state.
ADB irked by halting of corruption probe in Pakistan
By IANS,
Islamabad : The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is unhappy with Pakistan for suspending a probe into the alleged misappropriation of Rs.4 billion ($51 million) in a flood protection programme without fixing any responsibility, a media report Wednesday said.
"The issue has triggered a serious debate within the ADB management and its auditors because the bank has failed (to) keep oversight over a project to which it has contributed about $100 million," Dawn said.
Suicide bombing kills at least 40 in Iraq
By DPA,
Baghdad : A woman in the Iraqi town of Iskandariyah killed at least 40 people and left wounded at least 83 more, mostly women and children, when she detonated explosives strapped to her body Friday, the police said.
According to the police, the woman concealed the explosives under her abaya, a long, traditional gown, and infiltrated a crowd of women and children on pilgrimage to Karbala, some 60 km south of Baghdad.
Bangladesh govt. to ink pacts with six nations to recover stolen money
NEW DELHI, Feb 6 (KUNA) -- The military-backed caretaker government in Bangladesh will soon sign pacts with six countries as part of its campaign to recover the stolen money and assets.
The government will soon to create a body, which will coordinate signing of the Memorandum of Understanding with Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, the UAE, Britain and the US -- to recover siphoned off money, Bangladeshs leading English daily The Daily Star reported Wednesday.
Spain allocates USD 1 million to remove cluster bombs in South Lebanon
By NNN-KUNA,
Beirut : Spanish Ambassador to Lebanon Miguel Benzo has announced his government's approval to provide USD 1 million to support the process of clearing southern Lebanon of cluster bombs.
During his visit to the Coordinating Bureau for Defusing Cluster Bombs and Mines wednesday, Benzo said that the financing would be allocated to endorse two teams -- one Lebanese and one foreign -- in order to work at the Spanish military unit in the south.
UNRWA-Hamas aid row over
By KUNA,
GAZA : Hamas-led dismissed government in the Gaza Strip announced Saturday that its crisis with UNRWA over humanitarian aid had been resolved.
The development came following a meeting between Hamas and UNRWA officials, it said in a release.
The meeting was attended by the dismissed government's Minister of Health Basim Naim, Cabinet Secretary General Mohammad Awad and UNHRWA's Middle East Commissioner Karen Abu Zeid.
Two released Japanese tourists depart Yemen
By NNN-SABA,
Sana'a : Well-informed sources said that the two Japanese women tourists Keiko Mishima, 41, of Suginami Ward, Tokyo, and Shizuko Endo, 44, of Fukuoka, left Yemen on Friday morning a day after they were freed from their kidnappers in Marib province, 170 kilometers east of the capital, Sana'a.
The sources said to Saba, that Keiko Mishima and Shizuko Endo enjoy good health after they were kidnapped last Wednesday by gunmen in Marib.
Nawaz Shairf the first priority of PMLN for PM slot : Aqeel Anjum
By APP
Islamabad : Winner of the National Assembly seat from capital area Anjum Aqeel Khan Tuesday said that party leadership as well as the supporters of Pakistan Muslim League (n) would like Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif as Prime Minister.
Talking to a private television channel he expressed the hope that inchanged conditions the PML N leader will be able contest the bye- election on any NA seat.
India, Palestine hold talks on bilateral issues
By IRNA,
New Delhi : Visiting President of Palestinian, Mahmoud Abbas Tuesday held talks Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh in New Delhi. West peace process and bilateral issues are understood to have been discussed at length during the talks.
Later an agreement on the construction and equipping of a school named after the first prime minister of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru in Abu Dees in Palestine was signed.
Pakistan: displaces people begin returning to conflict-hit Waziristan
By NNN-IRIN,
Peshawar (Pakistan) : With the opening of some roads into conflict-ravaged South Waziristan this month, thousands of people displaced by fighting in Pakistan’s tribal areas, which lie along the country’s western border with Afghanistan, have begun returning to their homes.
Displacements from the North and South Waziristan agencies, over 150km south of Peshawar, began in 2004, as government forces began battling pro-Taliban militants in the area.
4,400 kg of heroin seized in NW Turkey
By Xinhua
Ankara : Turkey's security forces seized 400kg of heroin in an operation carried out in the northwestern provinces of Sakarya, Bursa and Edirne, the semi-official Anatolia news agency reported on Sunday.
Following a tip-off that certain olive wholesalers in Sakarya were smuggling drugs to foreign countries, the security forces launched a large scale operation in Sakarya, Bursa and Edirne and tracked down a company and the wholesalers for 9 months, according to the report.
Meeting on risks of exposing children to dangerous jobs held
By IRNA-Saba
Sana'a : A meeting was held in Sana'a on Sunday to spread awareness among members of the Children Parliament and other 30 children on risks of exposing children to dangerous jobs which has been determined by the ministerial decision No. 56 for 2004.
Deputy Minister of Social Affairs Abduh al-Hakimi said that the two-day meeting aims at promoting the decision and spreading awareness over those dangerous works for children under 18 years old.
Over 200,000 Afghans hit by severe cold to receive UN assistance
By IRNA
Tehran : United Nations agencies are delivering emergency aid to ease the plight of more than 200,000 Afghans suffering under a harsh Central Asia n winter that has already claimed hundreds of lives in recent weeks.
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees is distributing relief items such as tents, blankets, plastic sheets, sleeping mats, lanterns, jerry cans, kitchen sets and soap to recent returnees from Pakistan and Iran, internally displaced persons (IDPs) and other vulnerable people.
3.5 kg heroin seized in UAE
By IANS,
Dubai : Authorities in the United Arab Emirates Monday foiled a bid to smuggle 3.5 kg of heroin, hidden inside cars spare parts, into the country.
The seizure by customs officials here is considered the second of its kind in less than a month where spare parts were used to smuggle narcotics.
Omar Ahmed Al Muhairi, Senior Manager of Air Cargo Operations at Dubai Customs stated that inspectors suspected a postal parcel coming from an Asian country which contained a carton with four pieces of spare parts made of steel inside.
Bangladeh: 592 daily newspapers in the country, says Minister Azad
By NNN-BSS,
Sangsad Bhaban, Bangladesh : The number of the daily newspapers and fortnightly magazines in the country which got no objection certificates and declaration till May 31 this year is 592 and 76 respectively.
Of them, 424 dailies and 39 fortnightlies have been publishing and the rest 168 dailies and 37 fortnightlies were not published, Information Minister Abul Kalam Azad told the House in reply to a question raised by treasury bench member Mohammad Ekabbar Hossain on Saturday.
U.S. skeptical of Iranian president’s comments
By Xinhua,
Washington : The United States voiced skepticism on Monday after Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Iran was ready to respond positively if the United States could take a new approach.
"President Ahmadinejad said one thing to the Iranian people on Saturday and another thing to an American journalist on Monday. SoI think that all of us need to consider this with a healthy dose of skepticism," White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said at a news briefing.
Turkey role model for Islamic states: Gilani
By IANS,
Islamabad : Turkey has been a role model for the Islamic states because of its efforts towards strengthening democracy, Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said.
Seven dead in Pakistan bus attack
By IANS,
Islamabad : At least seven people were killed in southern Pakistan when gunmen opened fire on a passenger bus, a media report said Friday.
Myanmar troopers attack Bangladeshi fishermen
By IANS,
Dhaka : Eleven Bangladeshi fishermen have allegedly been hurt in firing by Nasaka, the border security force of Myanmar, in a trans-border clash in the Bay of Bengal's upper reaches, media reports said here Saturday.
Dhaka claims that its fishermen were forcibly prevented by Nasaka personnel from fishing in the estuary region around St. Martin's Island and they also looted their boats Thursday.
The Daily Star newspaper quoted fishermen as saying that Nasaka troopers fired at them within the maritime boundary of Bangladesh.
EU, PNA hold first joint meeting on Human Rights, Good Governance, Rule of Law
By NNN-WAFA,
Ramallah : The Palestinian National Authority (PNA) and the European Commission held here their first meeting of the Subcommittee on Human Rights, Good Governance and the Rule of Law, within the framework of the European Neighbourhood Policy.
Two killed, 9 injured in Pakistan suicide bombing
By IANS,
Islamabad : Two paramilitary troopers were killed and nine others injured when a suicide bomber blew himself up in Pakistan's northwest Peshawar city...
EU slams Israeli settlements as obstacle to peace
By KUNA
Brussels : The 27-member European Union condemned Monday Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian lands as illegal and an obstacle to peace. "The EU considers that settlement building anywhere in the occupied Palestinian Territories is illegal under international law. This includes Israeli settlements in both East Jerusalem and the West Bank," said EU Foreign Ministers in a statement here after a discussion on the situation in Palestine.