Baghdad Car Bomb Kills 5, Hurts 10
By Prensa Latina,
Baghdad : A car bomb blew up Friday near the Al Yarmouk hospital complex, in western Baghdad, leaving five persons dead and ten others wounded, security forces informed.
The explosion destroyed part of the health facilities, and several nearby shops and houses, the sources added.
The capital has suffered several violent acts so far this month, chiefly against security institutions, though security forces and US troops have intensified their operations there in the last 17 months.
Death toll from train accident in Bangladesh rises to 10
By NNN-Xinhua,
Dhaka : With 2 more people died in hospital, the death toll from Wednesday's train accident in Bangladesh rose to 10, private television station Channel I reported in its evening bulletin.
Eight people were killed and about 30 injured after two trains collided at around 1 a.m. on Wednesday in Bangladesh's Brahmanbaria district, 80 km northeast of the capital Dhaka.
A Sylhet (northeastern city)-bound train from Dhaka rammed into another train standing at the station, leaving six of the stationary train's passengers dead on the spot and dozens injured.
Pakistan President Musharraf not resigning, British paper’s report untrue: Spokesman
By NNN-APP
Islamabad : The spokesman for President of Pakistan has rejected the report of a British newspaper, Sunday Telegraph, that Pervez Musharraf was resigning, saying the story is baseless.
Maj Gen (Rtd) Rashid Qureshi Sunday said the paper did not quote any person which makes the report doubtful.
“Frankly if President wants to talk about such matters, he will have to talk to the people of Pakistan.
UN panel to probe Israel’s Gaza bombing
By Xinhua,
United Nations : UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has said that the global organisation will form a panel to probe into Israel's Gaza raid.
The UN chief made the announcement at a meeting of the UN Security Council Monday.
The closed-door meeting was to brief the Security Council about UN chief's recent visit to Europe, the Middle East and Asia, Japan's UN envoy Yukio Takasu told reporters.
Ban said he will inform the panel in the next few days and a report will be presented to the Council on the panel's findings, Takasu said.
Dutch ambassador summoned in protest at posting anti-Islam film
By IRNA
Tehran : Dutch Ambassador to Tehran Rodnik Van Vollenhoven was summoned to Iran's foreign ministry on Sunday in protest at posting Dutch blasphemous film.
Director General for Western European Affairs at Foreign Ministry Mostafa Dolatyar conveyed in strongest terms Iranian protest to Rodnik Van Vollenhoven over the film.
Dolatyar said that such sacrilege, masterminded by the Dutch MP Geert Wilders, has links to the Zionist circles.
Objectivity need of the hour, say Indian, Pakistani scribes
By IANS,
New Delhi : Nearly five months after 26/11, candour and introspection marked a seminar of Pakistani and Indian journalists and writers here Wednesday, as they admitted they sometimes tended to speak in the "language of the secret services".
The conference at the India International Centre took a broad, overarching view of how the media in both India and Pakistan reported events following the Nov 26, 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai and analysed whether their reporting whipped up jingoism and created war hysteria.
Car bombing rocks Afghan city
By IANS,
Kabul: A suicide car bombing Thursday rocked Afghanistan's Helmand province capital, injuring many people, including foreign troops, Xinhua reported.
Uzbekistan condemns anti-Quran film
By IINA
Tashkent : The Central Asian Muslim country of Uzbekistan strongly denounced the controversial Dutch film that is offensive to the Holy Quran and the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). "The public of Uzbekistan resolutely condemns the fact of making the documentary film “Fitna” by the Dutch politician Geert Wilders which insults the religious feelings of Muslims," according to a statement carried by Uzbekistan's Information Agency Jahon.
Asif Zardari as next Pakistani president: Hope and Despondency
By C. Uday Bhaskar, IANS,
Pakistan is scheduled to elect its next president on Sep 6 after the resignation of General Pervez Musharraf from that office on Aug 18. From current evidence, it appears that Asif Zardari, the leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), will emerge victorious in the three-way contest. Given his dramatic rise from what the Pakistan media has characterised as "playboy to first husband" - and later "Mr. 10 percent" - to grieving widower of Benazir Bhutto, Zardari is now a few days away from the highest constitutional office in Pakistan.
Iranian FM arrives in Syria for talks with Assad
By SPA,
Damascus, Syria : Iran's Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki is in Damascus for talks with Syria's President Bashar Assad on the latest Mideast developments.
But the two are also expected to discuss a request by the French president that Assad help persuade Tehran to cooperate with the international community over its nuclear program, the Associated Press reported.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy met Assad at a Euro-Med summit last weekend in Paris. Assad promised to relay the request from France to Tehran.
First batch of Pakistani government Haj pilgrims arrive
Jeddah : The first Haj flight arrived in Jeddah from Peshawar on Sunday carrying pilgrims under the official Government of Pakistan Scheme.
The pilgrims were...
Lebanese majority leader views similar problems between Lebanon and Iraq
By Xinhua,
Beirut : Majority leader Saad Hariri said that Lebanon and Iraq suffer from almost the same problems and face similar challenges, local Daily Star reported Wednesday.
"Lebanon and Iraq suffer from sectarian divisions rather than political ones," Hariri said in assessing his visit to Iraq two weeks ago.
He also noted that Lebanon and Iraq are subject to continuous attempts that jeopardize Arab unity.
However, he pointed out that "the Iraqis and Lebanese come to the conclusion that it is vital to preserve national rather than sectarian interests."
Israeli troops kill man mistaken for Hamas leader
By IANS,
London : Israel's military has expressed "regret" for having shot dead an innocent 67-year-old man in his bed, after he was mistaken for a Hamas leader, Sky News reported Friday.
Bomber kills security man, injures 17 other people
By IRNA
Islamabad : A suicide bomber rammed his explosive-laden car with a security forces vehicle, killing security personnel and inuring 17 other people in Pakistan's tribal region on Saturday, witnesses said.
The bomber also died in the attack 9 kilometers away from Khar, the headquarters of Bajur tribal region.
Witnesses said that 8 security men were among those injured.
The injured were taken to Agency' Headquarters Hospital, where they faced difficulties to get proper treatment in time due to lack of doctors and medicines.
Five killed in Pakistan blast
By IANS,
Islamabad : At least five people, including three police personnel, were killed and 10 injured in a powerful suicide blast Monday outside the residence of the information minister of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province.
Many people had gathered at the residence of Information Minister Mian Iftikhar in Pabbi area of Khan Sher Gharhi at the time of the blast to offer condolences for the death of his son, Mian Rashid Hussain, who was killed Saturday, Geo News reported.
Pakistan releases 40 Indian prisoners
Attari (Punjab): Pakistan has repatriated 40 Indian prisoners, including 35 fishermen from Gujarat, BSF officials said Sunday.
The prisoners were brought late Saturday to the...
Israel releases former Palestinian finance minister from jail
By NNN-KUNA,
Ramallah : The Israeli authorities have released Dr Omar Abdulrazzaq, a finance minister in the deposed Hamas government, after spending two years in prison, Israeli media reported.
Abdulrazzaq was arrested in 2006 and was set free Sunday after serving his two-year sentence.
Israel had arrested 40 Hamas MPs on charges of belonging to the Islamic resistant movement, causing it to lose its majority in the Palestinian National Council (PLC), or parliament, which has not held a single session since Hamas took over control of the Gaza Strip.
Pakistani PM vows not to allow Taliban re-organize again
Islamabad, Dec 25, IRNA -- Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani Thursday said that his government will not allow Taliban to re-organize after the death of their leader Baitullah Mehsood.
Baitullah, the most wanted Taliban leader to the Pakistani and US authorities, was killed in an American drone strike in South Waziristan on August 5th.
Pakistani Taliban had elected Hakimullah Mehsood as new leader few days after Baitullah's death and the militants are carrying suicide attacks on security forces across the country.
New Iran site raises question about other secret locations: IAEA
By DPA,
Vienna: Iran's late declaration of a new nuclear site raises the question whether there are other still secret facilities, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said Monday in its latest report on the Islamic state.
Iran informed the Vienna-based IAEA in September that it has been constructing an additional uranium enrichment plant in Fordu, 20 km north of the city of Qom. The plant is set to become operational in 2011.
The restricted report said that "Iran's delay in submitting such information to the Agency does not contribute to the building of confidence".
Miliband to join EU emergency talks on Israeli massacres
By IRNA,
London : British Foreign Secretary David Miliband was travelling to Paris to join his EU counterparts in emergency talks on the latest Israeli massacre of over 350 Palestinians in Gaza, more than double those killed in the Mumbai terror attacks.
The meeting, held under the French presidency of the 27-nation group, comes after demonstrations have been held around Europe protesting at the failure by western countries to condemn the continuing slaughter of Palestinians in 4-days of air strikes.
Iraq signs gas deal with Pakistani energy firm
By IANS,
Baghdad : Iraq has signed a deal with a Pakistani energy company to explore for natural gas in eastern Iraq, Xinhua reported.
Song dedicated to Osama on YouTube
By IANS/AKI,
Skopje : A group of ethnic Albanian Muslims in Macedonia have uploaded a song praising terrorist Osama Bin Laden on the popular video sharing website YouTube.
"Allah is great. You fled from your hometown and swore to Jihad. You spent your life in the mountains and all you had you sacrificed to Allah", says the song. The singer and songwriter are unknown, according to Macedonia's news agency INA.
Pakistani daily concerned over India’s hiked defence budget
Islamabad : New Delhi's rationale for increasing the defence budget is "consistent with the shift in the Indian government's ideology to more nationalistic elements...
UN reports highlight Israeli infringement of Palestinians’ rights
By SPA,
United Nations : Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon has spotlighted in two new reports to the General Assembly how Israeli practices impinge upon the rights of Palestinians through the continued building of Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory and its other practices.
UAE exhibition opens in Romania
By IANS/WAM,
Bucharest : An exhibition showcasing the cultural heritage of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has opened here.
Romanian Culture Minister Hunor Kelemen, UAE ambassador to Romania Yaqob Yusuf Al Housni and other officials attended the opening ceremony.
Paintings, traditional handicrafts were showcased and documentaries were screened Thursday.
Abu Dhabi announces medical distinction award
By IANS/WAM,
Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi has announced an award to recognise and honour health professionals in the Gulf region for their outstanding achievement in the field.
Estonians ready for battle in Afghanistan’s ‘Hell Land’
By Nick Allen, DPA,
Helmand (Afghanistan) : The desert landscape shudders to explosions of mortar and rocket shells, small arms fire and grenade blasts as the Estonian troops stage final battle rehearsals before the real thing.
By mid-morning the mercury rises to 40 degrees Celsius and the men are caked with dust and sweat as they manoeuvre and shoot, again and again.
Malaysian police officers head for MH17 crash site
Kuala Lumpur : Sixty eight Malaysian police officers left Wednesday night for Kiev to secure the crash site of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 and...
Airstrikes by Syrian government forces kill 182 civilians in a week
Beirut : The regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has intensified its airstrikes on anti-government forces over the past week, killing 500 people, 182...
Looking after the interests of Arab immigrant workers
By NNN-KUNA
Cairo : Arab ministers in charge of immigration have urged the Arab Labour Organisation (ALO) to set up a special task force committee to look after the interests of Arab workers at their places of work abroad.
Russia hopes Israel allows armored vehicle supplies to PNA
By RIA Novosti,
Berlin : Russia is hoping Israel will resolve issues blocking the delivery of 50 armored personnel carriers to the Palestinian territories as part of an aid program, the Russian foreign minister said Tuesday.
"We have been ready to hand 50 APCs to Palestinian Administration security agencies for a long time. For the time being, unfortunately, they cannot be delivered to the PNA due to questions the Israeli side has. I hope these issues will be finally settled soon," Sergei Lavrov said at an international donor conference on the Middle East in Berlin.
US expects Karzai to accept Afghan runoff: Report
By DPA,
Washington : US officials believe Afghan President Hamid Karzai would declare his acceptance Tuesday of a presidential runoff after an investigation of voting fraud invalidated part of the August ballots, The Washington Post reported.
The Post cited unnamed senior US government officials in its report late Monday on its website that Karzai was expected to accept the runoff after what were described as tense negotiations with the president.
Badawi should step down now, says Mahathir
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur : Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmed Badawi should step down immediately and not wait until March, his predecessor and friend-turned-critic Mahathir Mohamad has said.
Mahathir said that Badawi, while announcing that he would quit in March as chief of the ruling United Malaysian National Organisation (Umno) and with that give up the prime ministership, had not allowed autonomy to his would-be successor, Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak.
Six killed in shootings in Pakistan
By IANS,
Karachi : At least six people were killed and several injured in different shooting incidents in Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi, DawnNews reported Wednesday.
Four people were shot dead late Tuesday in the city's New Karachi area when two groups clashed, reportedly over a land dispute. The deceased were said to be members of the ruling Pakistan People's Party.
Two others were killed in separate firings in Karachi's Gulistan-i-Jauhar and Ayub Goth areas.
Meeting of Iraq’s neighbouring countries affirms its integrity and sovereignty
By NNN-SANA,
Damascus : The Security Coordination and Cooperation Committee of Iraq's Neighbouring Countries meeting here has affirmed the importance of respecting the integrity, sovereignty and independence of Iraq and preserving its Arab and Islamic identity.
In a press statement issued at the closing of the meeting Monday, participants underlined the positive cooperation between Iraq and its neighbouring countries in counter-terrorism, praising the Iraqi government's efforts in that regard.
Pakistani minister urges Taliban to show flexibility
By KUNA,
Islamabad : The Chief Minister (CM) of Pakistans North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) Tuesday urged local Taliban militants to show flexibility in the new round of peace negotiations they called off Monday only a month after they were started.
Talking to newsmen in Peshawar, capital of NWFP, Chief Minister Amir Hotti urged Taliban to show flexibility to make peace negotiations successful. He said military troops have been deployed in the region to maintain law and order situation, adding that they will be withdrawn when situation will return to normalcy.
Pakistan new premier asks militants to lay down arms
By IRNA
Islamabad : Pakistan's Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilnai on Saturday called upon the militants to lay down arms for dialogue with his new government.
Earlier the National Assembly, lower house of the parliament, unanimously gave vote of confidence to the Prime Minister after all the opposition groups extended their support.
"Unfortunately, some people have adopted violence as the source of expression of their opinion.
As the democracy has now started, I urge all those people to give up the way of violence and join us in the democratic journey.
22 die after consuming spurious liquor in Indonesia
By IANS,
Jakarta : At least 22 people have died and 300 fell sick after consuming spurious liquor in Indonesia's Central Java province, Xinhua reported Friday.
The toll is likely to increase. Police said the victims bought the liquor from a resident in Salatiga April 16.
People were admitted to hospital when they suffered nausea, breathing difficulties and headaches after drinking the spurious liquor. The first death was reported April 18.
The seller could face a jail sentence of up to 15 years.
UAE, Argentia discuss trade relations
By IANS/WAM,
Abu Dhabi: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Argentina have held talks to consolidate their trade and investment cooperation.
Myanmar to repatriate 200 Bangladeshi boat migrants
Yangon: Myanmar authorities will repatriate 200 Bangladeshi boat people rescued by Myanmar navy under an agreement between the two countries, a media report said...
Iraqi govt imposes two-day curfew on Baghdad
By NNN-KUNA
Baghdad : The Iraqi government Thursday imposed a curfew throughout Baghdad until Sunday morning.
Major-General Qassem Ata, spokesman of the Law Enforcement operation, told KUNA security authorities have decided to impose a curfew on individuals, vehicles and motorcycles all over Baghdad until Sunday morning.
Sources at the Baghdad Operations Command said the curfew was a preventive measure against possible violent actions.
Baghdad was a scene Thursday of armed clashes.
FM receives Pakistani religious leaders
By IRNA,
Tehran : A number of Pakistani religious leaders discussed issues of mutual interest with Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki here Monday.
In the meeting, Mottaki, by referring to the presence of foreigners in the region and their goals, underlined the necessity of unity among Muslims and Islamic countries.
Mottaki said, "One of the plans of foreign powers in the region is spreading disunity among Shia and Sunni Muslims and the role of religious leaders to neutralized such plots is very prominent."
Blast kills one child in NW Pakistan
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : A remote control bomb was detonated in northwestern Pakistan on Sunday, killing one child and injuring six other people.
The bomb was planted in a women's make-up shop in Charbagh town of the volatile Swat valley, News Network International (NNI) news agency quoted police as saying.
The police said the shop owner was cleaning the shop early in the morning when the bomb device went off, killing a nine-year-old child. The shop was completely destroyed.
The blast also damaged several other shops in nearby areas.
Chad Aviation Attacks Rebels in the Capital
By Prensa Latina
Nairobi : Insurgents opposing Chadian President Idriss Deby were attacked by planes and helicopters Sunday in several zones of N'Djamena, the capital, according to radio reports from the neighbour country.
Rebel spokesman Mahamat Hassane Boulmaye said that Saturday night was quiet, but fierce combats restarted early today, though he could not confirm the air attacks against the rebels.
Nine killed in multiple explosions in Syria
Damascus : At least nine people were killed and over 20 others injured in three different explosions Sunday in the Syrian city of Homs,...
Pakistani PM says Karzai’s statement may hamper development work in region
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : Pakistani Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani Wednesday strongly condemned Afghan President Hamid Karzai's statement over Pakistan's alleged involvement in terrorist attacks inside Afghanistan.
It could hamper development process in the region, Gilani said in a statement issued before the start of cabinet meeting here.
Hamas says military escalation not to bring security for “Zionists”
By Xinhua
Gaza : The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) said on Sunday that Israeli army attacks in Gaza Strip will not bring security for the "Zionists."
"In as much as the Israeli massacres, assassinations and invasions continued, the army of occupation should prepare itself to receive strikes by the Palestinian resistance," said Hamas' spokesman Ismail Radwan.
Three Pakistani cops held for murder
By IANS,
Islamabad : Three police officials have been arrested in Pakistan's port city of Karachi for allegedly killing a man they believed to be a dacoit.
Pakistan: Zakat budget amounting to Rs. 7.39 billion approved for 2008-09
By NNN-APP,
Islamabad : The Central Zakat Council has approved the zakat budget having size of more than Rs. 7.37 billion for various zakat programmes for the financial year 2008-09.
The main programmes against which allocation has been approved are Rs. 2.23 billion for Guzara Allowance, Rs 2.19 billion for educational stipends, Rs. 923 million for health care, Rs. 148 million for marriage grant, Rs. 100 million for natural calamities and Rs. 186 million for Eid grant.
UAE, Brunei hold talks on education
By IANS/WAM,
Abu Dhabi: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Brunei have held discussions over education and ways to boost cooperation.
Libyan rebels take over key town of Ajdabiya: Report
By DPA,
Cairo/Tripoli: Libyan rebels Saturday recaptured the key eastern town of Ajdabiya from Muammar Gaddafi's forces, broadcaster Al Jazeera reported.
Turkish opposition party brings “hijab” issue to court
By KUNA
Ankara : The Republican People's Party (CHP), Turkey's major opposition party, lodged an appeal Wednesday to the Constitutional Court against the recent amendment of a legislation which allowed female students wearing "hijab" (Muslim headscarf) to get into universities.
The amendment runs counter to the secularist values of Turkey, CNN quoted secretary general of the party Ondar Sav as saying after lodging the appeal to the court.
The amendment places the religious ideology above the secular constitution and laws of Turkey, he said.
Bush to stay the course on Iraq, Mideast policy
By Joe Macaron, KUNA
Washington : In his last speech before Congress, US President George W. Bush appeared to stay the course on Iraq and Middle East policy in his last year in office.
"Our enemies in Iraq have been hit hard. They are not yet defeated, and we can still expect tough fighting ahead," said Bush in his State of the Union address before Congress, late on Monday.
President Bush did not set a deadline for US withdrawal, a priority demand for Democrats who hold the majority in Congress.
World Bank announces $900 mn for Pakistan floods
By IANS,
Islamabad : The World Bank has announced a grant of $900 million for relief and reconstruction work following the floods in Pakistan that have cost the nation around Rs.250 billion, a media report said Friday.
Pakistan is grappling with its worst ever floods that have left over 1,600 people dead and affected over 14 million people. A report in the Dawn put the total economic loss due to floods at around Rs.250 billion.
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.
Four Al Qaeda-linked militants killed in Afghanistan
By DPA,
Kabul : The US-led coalition in Afghanistan Friday said its troops killed four suspected Al Qaeda-associated militants during an operation in the eastern province of Paktia.
A military statement released by the US forces said that the foreign fighters were killed in Paktia province Thursday.
The operation was carried out in Zurmat district of south-eastern Paktia province.
"Coalition forces targeted an Al Qaeda-associated militant known to assist local Taliban leaders with the movement of Arabs and other foreign fighters into Afghanistan," it added.
Zardari urges Chinese entrepreneurs to invest in Pakistan
By Xinhua,
Hangzhou (China) : Visiting Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari has urged Chinese entrepreneurs to set up business ventures in that country in a bid to boost foreign investment.
Zardari made the call during his visit to Hangzhou, capital of China's Zhejiang Province, Saturday.
With the gradual recovery of its economy, Pakistan is making efforts to explore new international markets and remove barriers for investment and trade so as to attract more foreign investment, Zardari told reporters in Hangzhou.
Seven, including three ministers, killed in Somalia blast
By DPA,
Mogadishu : A bomb blast ripped through a hotel in the Somali capital Mogadishu Thursday, killing at least seven people, including three ministers.
A DPA correspondent at the scene said the apparent suicide attack took place during a graduation ceremony for dozens of university students at the Shamo Hotel.
Nobody claimed immediate responsibility for the blast, but Islamist insurgent group al-Shabaab has increasingly turned to suicide bombings as it battles to oust the weak Western-backed government
Zardari leading nation toward mid-term polls: Nawaz
By IANS,
Lahore : Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif has said that President Asif Ali Zardari wants to drag the nation toward mid-term elections, Geo TV reported Friday.
In an interview after his electoral disqualification Friday, Nawaz Sharif said that no third force could come into power if the government showed maturity and responsibility.
"I will not come in their way if President Zardari restores the deposed judges," he said.
He further said that Zardari had backed out from the promises he made with his Nawaz League.
Pakistani journalist shot dead
By IANS,
Islamabad : Unidentified motorcycle-riding gunmen Friday shot dead a journalist in Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province, a media report said.
Mufti vows to take cross LoC trade to next level
Jammu : Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed on Saturday said the cross Line of Control (LoC) trade and travel was the...
13 die in Turkish prison fire
By IANS,
Istanbul : A fire in a Turkish prison has killed 13 prisoners, Xinhua reported Sunday.
Battle in southern Afghanistan leaves 35 dead
By KUNA,
Kabul : Fierce fighting broke out in southern Afghanistan when scores of Taliban insurgents attacked an Afghan Army convoy on the main highway south of the capital on Thursday.
Afghan officials said that the Taliban were beaten back by soldiers and police officers and that 35 insurgents were killed, including several foreign fighters, and five captured.
The battle came as NATO's secretary general, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, warned of critical danger to Afghanistan, with foreign fighters and terrorists from different countries trying to destabilize the country.
Karzai edging closer to victory in Afghan election
By DPA,
Kabul : With some three quarters of vote counted, Afghan President Hamid Karzai has edged closer to the absolute majority needed to avoid a run off with his main challenger Abdullah Abdullah, the country's Independent Election Commission (IEC) said Sunday.
Karzai has received 48.6 percent of votes from nearly 75 percent of polling stations tallied by Sunday, Daoud Ali Najafi, head of the IEC told a news conference. The incumbent is more than 17 points ahead of Abdullah, who garnered 31.7 percent.
West Bank youth killed by Israel at protest against Gaza violence
By SPA
Hehbron, West Bank : Israeli troops on Sunday shot and killed a Palestinian youth during a demonstration against Israel's offensive in the Gaza Strip, ap quoted Palestinian medical officials as saying.
It was the first fatality in the West Bank during a day of protests throughout the area, raising the risk that the Gaza violence could soon spread to other Palestinian areas.
Israel closes down Islamic Movement offices
By KUNA,
Gaza : Israeli police and Shin Bet forces raided the Islamic Movement's Al-Aqsa institution offices in the northern city of Umm Al-Fahm late last night and shut down the place, according to Yediot Ahronot newspaper.
It its online edition, the newspaper said the operation was carried out in accordance with an "unlawful organization" order issued by Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak, following information that the institution had ties with the Hamas headquarters in Jerusalem.
Olmert: Iran will not have nuclear capability
By Xinhua,
Jerusalem : Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert assured to the citizens of Israel that the international community is making great effort to prevent Iran from gaining nuclear capability, local media reported on Thursday.
"I want to tell the citizens of Israel: Iran will not have nuclear capability," Olmert told Ha'aretz daily in an interview ahead of the Jewish holiday of Passover.
Three U.S. soldiers killed in Baghdad
By Xinhua,
Baghdad : Three U.S. soldiers were killed in a mortar or rocket attack in eastern Baghdad on Monday, the U.S. military said.
The soldiers were killed as a result of indirect-fire attack in eastern Baghdad, the U.S. military said in a statement.
The statement issued on Monday did not give a more exact location of the incident, but Sadr City and other militia strongholds are in that area, which has been the scene of fierce fighting over the past month between militants and U.S. and Iraqi forces.
Iran to support Hamas until Israel collapses: Ahmadinejad
By DPA,
Tehran : Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad vowed Friday to keep supporting the Palestinian militant group Hamas until the collapse of Israel.
The news network Khabar quoted Ahmadinejad as saying in a phone conversation with Hamas leader and deposed Palestinian prime minister Ismail Haniya that Iran considered supporting the Palestinians its religious and national duty and would stay beside the Palestinian nation "until the big victory feast which is the collapse of the Zionist regime (Israel)".
Singapore flags flown at half-mast for Malaysia quake victims
Singapore : Flags were flown at half-mast here on Monday as the country mourned the deaths on Malaysia's Mount Kinabalu following a 5.9 magnitude...
Zardari assures on nukes, vows fight against militants
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has sought to reassure America that his government has full control of its nuclear weapons and a just launched operation against extremists would continue until normalcy was restored.
"I have attested to the fact that our nuclear capability is in safe hands," he told reporters after a meeting with members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee here Thursday.
"All of the responsible authorities" in and out of Pakistan "are availed of the situation," he added.
Obama backs women’s rights in speech to Muslim world
By DPA,
Cairo : In a speech to the world's 1.5 billion Muslims from Cairo Thursday, US President Barack Obama called on predominantly Muslim countries to support the education and employment of women.
"I reject the view of some in the West that a woman who chooses to cover her hair is somehow less equal," Obama said. "But I do believe that a woman who is denied an education is denied equality. And it is no coincidence that countries where women are well-educated are far more likely to be prosperous."
‘Rise in terrorism linked to decline in arts’
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan's most famous puppeteer Farooq Qaiser has drawn an unusual link between the growth in extremism and a decline in interest in the arts, prompting a leading newspaper to say the idea "needs further study and assessment".
The linkage "is a fascinating one" and "needs further study and assessment as we attempt to understand the violence and militancy that has today become a part of life," The News said Monday in an editorial titled "Outlet for anger".
US slaps sanctions on Syria, Iran
By IANS,
Washington : The US Monday unveiled new sanctions against Iran and Syria for using "technologies to monitor and target citizens for violence".
Britain’s Pakistanis ask Zardari to act against PCB
By IANS,
Karachi : Leaders of the Pakistani community in Britain have requested President Asif Ali Zardari to make sweeping changes in the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
According to well-placed sources, community leaders told President Zardari in a meeting last week in Birmingham that Pakistan's performance on the ongoing cricket tour was embarrassing and a direct result of the PCB's poor selection policies.
Seven killed in three Israeli air strikes on Gaza
By Xinhua
Gaza : Seven Palestinians were killed and 10 others wounded on Thursday in three airstrikes on Palestinian militants in different Gaza Strip areas, medics and witnesses said.
Two militants from al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas movement's armed wing, were killed and four others wounded in a fresh Israeli air strike on Zeitoon neighborhood in southern Gaza City on Thursday evening, witnesses and medics said.
GCC Sec. Gen. heads to N.Y. for UN”s General Assembly meeting next week
By KUNA,
Riyadh : The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary-General Abdulrahman Al-Attiya will head to New York next week to participate in the 63rd United Nations General Assembly meeting.
A statement from the GCC Secretariat said Tuesday that Al-Attiya will meet on the sideline of the meeting with heads of state and officials participating in the meeting and will discuss ways of boosting bilateral cooperation between their countries and the GCC.
Al-Attiya will meet as well with the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, the statement added.
UAE commits $10 mn to n-fuel bank proposal
By IANS,
Abu Dhabi : The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has committed $10 million to a nuclear fuel bank proposal launched in September last year by the US-based public charity body Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI).
Hamad Al Kaabi, the UAE's special representative for international nuclear cooperation, delivered a letter from UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdulla Bin Zayed Al Nahyan to International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) director general Mohamed ElBaradei, detailing the UAE's commitment, the state-run Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported.
Pakistan church bombings kill 15; trigger violence
Islamabad : Two powerful explosions rocked two churches in Pakistan's Lahore city on Sunday killing at least 15 people and triggering violence, media said.
Jamatul...
District chief, provincial council member killed in Afghanistan
By KUNA,
KABUL : A district governor and a member of a provincial assembly were killed in fresh incidents of violence in eastern Afghanistan on Saturday, police said.
Khan Mohammad, who was member of the Nangarhar provincial council, was shot dead in Darra-e-Noor district on Saturday morning.
The attackers managed to escape in a car after the ambush. No one claimed responsibility. Police spokesman in Nangarhar province Colonel Abdul Ghafoor said investigations had been launched into the incident.
Turkish, Turkmen presidents pledge to strengthen bilateral ties
By Xinhua
Ankara : Turkish President Abdullah Gul and visiting President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow on Monday affirmed mutual desire to boost relations between the two countries.
Gul made the remarks at a joint press conference with Berdimuhamedow following their official talks, saying, "We discussed bilateral relations from all perspectives and exchanged viewpoints in order to increase cooperation between Turkey and Turkmenistan."
"Berdimuhamedow and I affirmed that we have the opportunities to develop our bilateral relations," stressed Gul.
Egypt’s ruling military pardons nearly 2,000 detainees
By IANS,
Cairo : Egypt's ruling military council has approved the release of a total of 1,959 people detained in military prisons, state media reported.
Iranian students protest against Dutch lawmaker’s anti-Islamic film
By Xinhua
Tehran : More than 70 students of Tehran-based universities Saturday staged a rally outside the Dutch Embassy to protest against a controversial anti-Islamic film made by a Dutch lawmaker.
Chanting slogans such as "Dutch ambassador to Iran should be expelled," the students condemned the release of the film and called for the closure of Dutch companies including Shell and Phillips in Iran, the official IRNA news agency reported.
Iran to unveil missile-launching warship
By IANS,
Tehran : Iran will unveil an indigenous missile-launching warship Nov 28, Iranian Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari said Monday.
Iraq cuts 2009 budget due to falling oil prices
By Xinhua,
Baghdad : Iraq's 2009 budget was cut to 67 billion U.S. dollars as a result of falling global oil prices, Finance Minister Bayan Jabr Solagh said Saturday.
"We have a budget of 80 billion dollars as had been proposed for the year 2009, but later the budget was lowered to 67 billion dollars after meeting with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) because of the falling oil prices," Solagh said in the opening session of the U.S.-Iraqi investment conference.
Meet moots equal opportunities for Pakistani women
By IANS,
Islamabad : Women in Pakistan need to be provided equal job opportunities as well as gender equality at the workplace, speakers at a national conference here said.
Dubai international airport traffic increases, signal industry rebound
By IANS,
Dubai : Dubai international airport started the New Year on a high note with more than 3.86 million passengers using the facility in January 2010, WAM news agency reported Tuesday.
This is the eighth consecutive month of double-digit passenger traffic growth and the highest single month passenger total ever recorded at Dubai International surpassing the previous record of 3.81 million passengers in December 2009.
Pakistan militant commander ready for talks
By DPA,
Islamabad : A tribal council mediating between Pakistani authorities and Islamic rebels Saturday said a powerful militant commander has agreed to hold negotiations to end the military action in the Khyber tribal district in the northwest.
The government sent in hundred of paramilitary forces backed by tanks, artillery and armoured vehicles to the town of Bara last week, foreseeing the threat of North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) capital Peshawar falling to the Lashkar-e-Islam militant group.
UN rights panel demands immediate end to Syria bloodshed
Geneva : As the civil war in Syria enters its fourth year, a UN-appointed human rights panel has said the fighting has driven some...
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia to enhance cooperation
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have agreed to enhance cooperation and boost ties, it was reported here.
PNA, Hamas slam Netanyahu remarks on Jerusalem
Ramallah/Gaza : The Palestinian National Authority (PNA) and the Islamic Hamas movement on Monday slammed remarks by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Jerusalem...
Police kill militant commander in Afghanistan
By KUNA,
KABUL : A militant commander was killed and four others were arrested in southern Afghanistan by the Afghan police, with the assistance of the US-led coalition troops.
A military statement said the militant leader was killed in Washir district of the country's Helmand on Saturday.
The troops were conducting a search operation on a suspected mid-level Taliban commander's compound, the statement noted.
As the combined force approached the compound, the suspect exited and took up a fighting position in a nearby valley, engaging the troops with small-arms fire, it added.
President Zardari, Bush disscuss ties, Bush pledges continued support for Pakistan
By NNN-APP,
New York : President Asif Ali Zardari and President George W Bush discussed strengthening bilateral relationship here Tuesday, with the U.S.leader acknowledging Pakistan’s sovereignty and pledging continued support for the country in economic and security fields.
Bush welcomed the newly elected Pakistani leader at The Waldorf Asotria Hotel as they met on the sidelines of the 63rd UN General Assembly session.
At the outset, the US leader expressed a profound sense of grief over the loss of life in the weekend bombing on the Marriott Hotel, Islamabad.
UAE’s role in Libya confined to humanitarian aid
By IANS/WAM,
Abu Dhabi : The United Arab Emirates announced Monday that its role in Libya remains strictly confined to delivery of humanitarian assistance.
Pakistani traffickers stealing British data
By IANS,
Islamabad : Human traffickers in Pakistan are intercepting information from British-Pakistanis to forge documents to help illegal migrants settle in Britain, a daily said Tuesday.
Bangladesh backs India for UN seat, to fast-track boundary solution
By IANS,
New Delhi: Turning a new chapter in their ties, India and Bangladesh have decided to fast-track the solution to their boundary dispute and fight terrorism under a new framework of security cooperation.
A day after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina held talks that transformed the bilateral ties, the two countries issued a joint communique in which they resolved to fight terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, and enhance trade and connectivity between them.
Ahmadinejad blames US policies for global insecurities
By IANS,
Yazd (Iran) : Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has blamed the US policies for the current insecurities in the world and urged countries not to accept "politics without ethics", MehrNews reported Thursday.
"If the oppressors of the world continue their past crimes, they will surely suffer the same fate as Bush's," the Iranian leader said while addressing thousands of people in Yazd province Wednesday. He criticised the "imperialist policies of some Western powers".
India, Gulf working on multi-faceted cooperation
By IANS,
New Delhi :India is working on a multi-faceted cooperation structure with the Gulf nations with that region becoming a key trading partner.
India and the Gulf also share the need for continued political stability and security in the region, according to Minister of State for External Affairs E. Ahamed.
“Common political and security concerns could translate into efforts for peace, security and stability in the region,” Ahamed told Bahrain’s Gulf Daily News newspaper.
Afghan election commission acknowledges ‘massive’ vote fraud
Kabul : Afghanistan's June 14 presidential runoff was marred by large-scale fraud, the Independent Electoral Commission has said, announcing that it was invalidating 16...
Bangladesh celebrates 41st independence day
By IANS,
Dhaka : Bangladesh celebrated its 41st independence day Monday with tributes to the martyred war heroes.
Musharraf aides meet Zardari, ask him not to go with Sharif
By NNN-PTI
Islamabad : Ahead of a crucial meeting between the two victorious opposition leaders, President Pervez Musharraf's aides have reportedly urged Pakistan People's Party co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari not to join hands with Nawaz Sharif's PML-N to form a coalition and even discussed possible prime ministerial candidates from PPP.
Musharraf's aides met Zardari Tuesday for discussions on the formation of the next government, their first contact since the February 18 general election, Dawn News channel reported today.
Malaysia to pull out of Philippine peacekeeping mission
By DPA,
Manila : Malaysia said Thursday it was withdrawing its troops from an international peacekeeping mission in the troubled southern Philippines amid stalled peace talks between the Philippine government and Muslim separatist rebels.
Malaysian Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Rais Yatim said Malaysia's troops were pulling out of the southern region of Mindanao as scheduled on Nov 30.
Dhaka wants to restore 1972 constitution
By IANS,
Dhaka : The Bangladesh government wants to "restore the constitution" framed in 1972, a year after independence, to reinforce the spirit of secularism, rule of law, human rights and democracy, a minister said.
Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Shafique Ahmed said his ministry would take steps to restore the 1972 constitution "in order to re-establish the spirits of secularism, the great liberation war, rule of law, human rights and democracy in the country".
Dubai’s non-oil trade reaches 228 bn dirhams in 2010
By IANS/WAM,
Dubai: Dubai's foreign trade in non-oil sectors has reached 228.2 billion dirhams, registering a growth of 16 percent in the first five months of this year, according to new statistics by Dubai Customs.
The data indicated a rise in Dubai's export value by almost 12 percent, reaching 145.6 billion dirhams from January to May, against 130.6 billion dirhams in the same period last year.
Direct exports recorded the highest growth of 43 percent over the past five years, reaching 26.7 billion dirhams as compared to 18.7 billion dirhams in the same period last year.
14 IS militants killed as their rocket explodes
Baghdad : At least 14 members of the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group were killed Tuesday near Baghdad when a rocket whose warhead they...
Israel’s bids to separate Gaza from West Bank in vain: Fatah
Amman : Israel's bids to separate Gaza Strip from the West Bank and its "criminal" military operations have all failed, Fatah secretary-general in Jordan,...
US releases German of Afghan origin held near Kabul
Berlin, May 31 (DPA) The US military authorities in Afghanistan have released a German of Afghan origin detained at a military airbase near Kabul five months ago, the German Foreign Office said in Berlin Saturday.
The unnamed 41-year-old man was detained at the beginning of January in a supermarket on the base after US officials apparently found him acting suspiciously.
The man, who lives in the city of Wuppertal in Germany, was visiting relatives at the time.
Afghanistan ready for September polls: says election body
By DPA,
Kabul : The head of Afghanistan's election commission said Thursday that all preparations for parliamentary elections scheduled for Sep 18 were on track and there was no reason to delay the polls.
The surge in Taliban attacks and deteriorating security mainly in southern and eastern regions have prompted many Afghans and Western officials to call for the postponement of the polls.
Meghalaya Police file charge sheet against ex-Bangladesh minister
Shillong: Meghalaya Police on Wednesday filed a charge sheet against former Bangladesh minister Salahuddin Ahmed for trespassing into India.
"We have filed a charge sheet...
Security tightened as Dhaka awaits Mujib murder verdict
By IANS,
Dhaka : The Bangladesh government has beefed up security and asked cadres of ruling Awami League not to organise processions as the country awaits the verdict Thursday in the trial of founding father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's killers.
A five-judge bench of the Supreme Court is scheduled to give its ruling Thursday on the appeals filed by five former army officers who were awarded death sentence.
Special security forces are deployed around the Dhaka Central Jail where all the five condemned prisoners are kept.
Israel, Palestinians to discuss core issues on Monday
By Xinhua
Jerusalem : Heads of Israeli and Palestinian negotiation teams, Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and chief Palestinian negotiator Ahmed Qurei, will meet on Monday to begin talks on final-status issues of the conflict, local daily Ha'aretz reported on Sunday.
Israeli officials confirmed that the first meeting on final-status issues between the Israelis and the Palestinians would be held on Monday and would be attended only by the negotiation teams' heads.
Death toll in Beirut riots rises to 18
By Xinhua,
Beirut : The death toll in Beirut riots rose to 18 as relative calm prevails across Lebanon on Saturday.
Street gun battles between government supporters and opponents, which began on Wednesday, killed at least 18 people and wounded over 50 others, according to security sources.
Lebanese army deployed in most areas in Beirut following Shiite militant group Hezbollah took control of key parts in the capital on Friday, local As Safir daily quoted the sources as saying.
EU condemns “disproportionate” use of force by Israel in Gaza
By SPA
Brussels : The European Union on Sunday condemned what it called disproportionate use of force by the Israeli military in Gaza after 54 Palestinians were killed in the highest single day toll since fighting erupted in 2000, AP reported.
In a statement, the EU urged Israel to halt activities that endanger civilians saying they were contrary to international law.
It also called for an immediate end to Palestinian rocket attacks on Israeli territory and insisted that the peace process should not be interrupted.
Israel arrests 9 Palestinians in West Bank
By Xinhua,
Ramallah : Israeli forces arrested nine Palestinians during raids in West Bank, Palestinian and Israeli sources said on Monday.
The detentions took place in Nablus, Ramallah, and Qabatya, the Palestinian sources said.
Israeli sources said that nine wanted Palestinians were arrested and taken to interrogation.
The West Bank, where President Mahmoud Abbas' forces control, is not included in a six-month ceasefire which took place in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip on Thursday.
District governor shot dead in southern Afghanistan
By DPA,
Kandahar : A district governor and his bodyguard were shot dead in southern Afghanistan, while the US military said they killed several Taliban militants as Afghan forces retook control of a town in the southern region, officials said Saturday.
An Afghan district governor for Mezan district in southern Zabul and his bodyguard were killed by unknown gunmen in Qalat, the provincial capital Friday night, police official Abdul Matin said.
Palestinian elected head of global Lutheran church body
By DPA,
Stuttgart (Germany): A Palestinian protestant bishop was Saturday elected head of the Lutheran World Federation, representing some 66 million Lutheran Christians globally, the body announced.
Bishop Munib A. Younan, of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Jordan and the Holy Land, was elected President of the Federation by 300 votes to 23, a statement on the body's website announced.
The 11th Assembly of the federation is meeting in Stuttgart until Tuesday.
Younan, 59, was born in Jerusalem and has led the Lutheran Church in the Holy Land since 1998.
Afghan violence kills 2 NATO soldiers, wounds 16
By Xinhua,
Kabul : Roadside bombing and conflicts in the war-torn Afghanistan has left two soldiers with the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) dead and 16 people including three ISAF soldiers injured, said an ISAF statement released here on Tuesday.
ISAF convoy on Monday hit a roadside bomb in northern Afghan province of Faryab leaving one soldier dead and three Latvian soldiers injured, the statement said.
"Explosion also wounded 13 civilians nearby," it said.
FM: Israel not to cede “red lines” in peace talks with Palestinians
By Xinhua
Jerusalem : Israeli Foreign Minister Tizpi Livni said on Sunday that Israel plans to set and will not cede "red lines" in negotiations with the Palestinians, local daily Yedioth Ahronoth reported.
"Israel will continue the negotiations with the Palestinians, but there are things we cannot compromise on, and things we won't compromise on. Israel does not plan to compromise on the red lines," Livni was quoted as saying.
Iran’s army powerful deterrent to enemies: president
By IANS,
Tehran : Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, in an obvious warning to the West, Thursday said the country's armed forces would react to any threat of aggression.
Addressing a military parade marking the National Army Day here, the president said: "No major power is able to jeopardize the Iranian nation's security and interests of its people. Iran's army, the Revolutionary Guards and the Basij would respond strongly to even the minimum aggression."
Air strikes kill dozen civilians in Afghanistan
By Xinhua,
Kabul : Air raids against a suspected hideout of Taliban insurgents in south Afghanistan's Kandahar province claimed the lives of nearly one dozen civilians, sources said Wednesday.
"On Monday afternoon the international forces from the air and ground pounded a house in Shah Walikot district leaving more than 10 people dead and injuring 10 others including a bride," a resident Abdul Jabbar said.
Meanwhile, the Mirwais hospital in Kandahar city, according to media reports, admitted 11 people injured in the incident.
Woman, several militants killed in Taliban operation
By KUNA,
Kabul : An Afghan woman and "several Taliban militants" were killed in an operation by the US-led coalition troops in southeastern Afghanistan, the military said on Friday. The anti-insurgent operation was conducted in Zurmat district of Paktia province on Thursday night, said a statement released from the coalition forces' Bagram base. While searching compounds in Zurmat district to target two militant leaders, the coalition forces received fire from armed militants, said the statement.
Hasina, Zia exchange barbs on ties with India
By IANS,
Dhaka : Ahead of her summit-level talks in India, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Saturday ridiculed opposition leader Khaleda Zia's threats of making her government's path "thorny" should it fail to protect national interests while signing agreements with New Delhi.
"Those who had made the people's lives thorny during their tenure are now out to make the government's path thorny as well," Hasina said at a function in the southern Chittagong port town.
Israel continues aggression in Gaza, executes air raids
By KUNA
Gaza : Israeli Army continued in the early hours of Sunday its operations in different areas of Gaza Strip, causing more causalities among Palestinians.
Israeli fighter jets executed this morning several air raids on the Strip, launching missiles that demolishes buildings.
An Israeli helicopter also targed Jabalia refugee camp, northern Gaza, with two missiles. The camp was gravely damaged and several refugees were injuried and had to be hospitalized.
Houses in Beit Lahiya and Jabalia town were also attacked by Israeli fighter jets early Sunday.
US Army questions Bergdahl over Taliban capture
Washington : The US Army has begun questioning former Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl, a prisoner of war of the Taliban in Afghanistan, over how he...
Old faces dominate ministerial nominees, presented to Afghan Parliament
By NNN-Xinhua,
Kabul : Majority of those enlisted in the list of ministerial nominees presented by President Hamid Karzai to Wolesi Jirga or lower house of Afghan parliament for approval on Saturday are old faces served in the cabinets.
Sixteen out of 23 names nominated for the ministries in the new cabinet and presented to the lower house by Vice President Mohammad Qasi Fahim are sitting or former ministers.
23 killed, dozens injured in Islamabad blast
Islamabad: At least 23 persons were killed and scores of others injured in a huge explosion at a vegetable market in the Pakistani capital...
Olmert to discuss negotiations with Hamas on Shalit — radio
By KUNA,
Gaza : Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert will head Sunday a meeting to discuss resumption of negotiations with Hamas on the Israeli soldier still held in Gaza Strip, Israeli Radio said.
The radio Sunday reported that an official concerned with the kidnapped Israeli soldiers dossier will head to Cairo this week to hold talks with Chief of the Egyptian intelligence Agency General Omar Sulaiman who is mediating between the Israelis and Palestinians.
Russia bans Turkish Islamic sect Nurcular
By RIA Novosti
Moscow : Russia's Supreme Court has ruled that Turkish Islamic organization Nurcular is an extremist organization, and has banned its activities in the country.
The court granted a request by Russia's top prosecutors.
"The Supreme Court, having considered in a closed session the Prosecutor General's Office request to protect Russia's interests by ruling the activities international religious organization Nurcular extremist, and to ban its activities on Russian territory, decided to grant the office's request," the court said.
Eight civilians killed in Iraq
By Xinhua,
Baghdad : Eight Iraqi civilians were killed Friday when gunmen opened fire at a brick factory in Diyala province, the police said.
The victims include six women and two men. One child was wounded in the attack.
A police official requesting anonymity said that the gunmen barged into the factory and began spraying bullet at them before escaping. The incident occurred in Bladrouz, some 30 km from the provincial capital.
The police have launched a search to capture the accused.
World Bank approves $300 mn aid package for Pakistan
By IANS,
Islamabad : The World Bank Friday approved two projects totaling $300 million to help Pakistan strengthen its social safety nets and improve higher education.
Of the total, $200 million has been allocated for the Pakistan social safety nets development policy credit that is designed to establish an institutional and operational framework for an efficient national safety net system, Online news agency reported.
US condemns Afghan bombings
By IANS,
Washington : The US strongly condemned the two suicide bombings in Afghanistan Tuesday that left at least 59 people dead and 154 others injured.
Man survives extraction of iron rod in Dubai
By DPA,
Dubai : An Indian man in Dubai survived a massive surgery to remove a two-metre-long iron rod that penetrated him in an accident, daily newspaper Emirates Today reported Thursday.
The iron rod fell 10 stories before it hit 34-year-old construction worker Saran Kumar Monday, penetrating his shoulder, passing through his abdomen and out of his thigh.
The rod broke through his diaphragm, a lung, and passed through his colon and bladder.
Iraq takes airspace responsibility for first time since 2003
By IANS,
Baghdad : Iraq has taken control of its airspace for the first time since the US-led invasion in 2003, the US embassy in Baghdad said Thursday.
Goal of EUPOL COPPS is to help in building a viable Palestinian state
By NNN-WAFA,
Ramallah : The European Union Co-ordinating Office for Palestinian Police Support (EUPOL COPPS) has said that its goal is to help build a viable Palestinian state with a functioning criminal justice ststem.
"We have a common goal to assist Palestinians and their National Authority to build a viable Palestinian state with a functioning criminal justice system," head of the EUPOL COPPS'S Rule of Law Section, Christophe Lukits said Tuesday.
Unidentified number of Israeli soldiers killed, injured in Gaza: reports
By NNN-KUNA,
Gaza : According to media reports aired Saturday, an unidentified number of Israeli soldiers were killed and injured within the early hours of the ground incursion to Gaza, whereas the Israeli Navy had bombarded coastal areas before the strip.
Some 25 Israeli soldiers were either killed or injured during the second phase of the wide-scale military operation dubbed "Cast Lead", which entered its eighth day; Al-Arabiya TV channel quoted anonymous Israeli sources as saying.
President’s spokesman denies meeting US Ambassador
By NNN-APP,
Islamabad : The spokesman to President Monday categorically denied reports regarding meeting of President Pervez Musharraf with US Ambassador Anne W Paterson.
The spokesman said “no such meeting took place.”
‘Abu Dhabi to play key role in meeting world energy challenges’
By IANS,
Abu Dhabi : The United Arab Emirates, particularly Abu Dhabi, will have to play a key leadership role as the world faces challenges in the energy sector, according to a senior oil industry official.
"Abu Dhabi has an impressive record of serving its global customers by applying advanced technologies, by its strong commitment to developing necessary skills and capabilities, and by its consistently statesman-like role in global energy markets," Malcolm Brinded, executive director for exploration and production at global oil major Royal Dutch Shell, said at an event here.
Six killed in Iran road accident
By IANS,
Tehran: As many as six people were burned to death during a road accident in Iran Monday, Xinhua reported.
Khalifa Foundation delivers food aid in Yemen
By IANS/WAM,
Sana'a : The Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation has launched the fifth phase of distribution of food assistance in Yemen to ensure meals to nearly 20,000 poor and needy families.
Menon in US on mission to put pressure on Pakistan
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon is in the US on a mission to persuade the US to put pressure on Pakistan to come down heavily on terrororist groups on its soil in the wake of the Mumbai terror atrocity.
Arriving here Monday, Menon, who was expected to brief US officials about the terror attack in Mumbai and its aftermath, had a couple of meetings, but Indian embassy officials would not say with whom he met and what transpired.