Shortage of contraceptives worries Dhaka
By IANS,
Dhaka : The shortage of contraceptives is worrying health planners and international agencies engaged in curbing population in Bangladesh, one of the world's most densely populated nations.
The current stock of contraceptives and major drugs and devices to prevent pregnancy could last three to four months, while a 12 month-buffer is considered 'safe', New Age newspaper said Thursday.
Health ministry officials, however, sought to allay fears of short supplies saying that documentation work for procuring stocks that would last till 2012 had been completed.
Not much to show after eight years of Karzai
By Can Merey, DPA,
Kabul : It was a key moment of change: At Afghanistan's first free presidential election in October 2004, long queues snaked in front of the polling stations in Kabul, and the hope for freedom and a better future was palpable.
A majority voted for then-interim president Hamid Karzai. At his swearing-in ceremony two months later, he said: "We have now left a hard and dark past behind us, and today, we are opening a new chapter in our history."
UN condemns Iraqi heritage destruction by IS
United Nations: The UN Security Council has condemned the destruction of religious and cultural artifacts and burning of rare manuscripts by the Islamic State...
Global Jain business forum to open Dubai chapter
By IANS,
Dubai : In a bid to explore business opportunities in India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a global Jain business forum will open a new Dubai chapter this month.
The Jain International Trade Organisation (JITO), comprising Jain businessmen, industrialists, knowledge workers and professionals from across the world, has announced that the new Dubai chapter will be opened in the course of a conference here Sep 26-28.
‘Obama’s re-election not to influence Iranian n-programme’
By IANS,
Tehran: Iran has said the re-election of Barack Obama as the US president will not influence Tehran's nuclear programme, Xinhua reported.
Dubai to host Airport Show 2010
By IANS/WAM,
Dubai : Dubai would host the Airport Show 2010, an event showcasing a wide array of hi-tech services and equipment related to the airport sector.
The show would be held April 25-27 and host equipment manufacturers from a number of countries including China, UK, Germany, Italy, Denmark, and Switzerland.
The equipment showcased at the event include aircraft servicing equipment, airport handling, docking and access systems, training solutions, automation and equipment for paperless cargo processing and recovery of aircraft.
Car bomb blast kills 17 in Syria
By DPA,
Damascus : At least 17 people were killed and more than a dozen injured when a car bomb exploded in Syrian capital Damascus Saturday, national news agency SANA reported.
The bomb planted in a car went off near a security-forces facility on the outskirts of the busy Sayyida Zainab district.
The explosion killed 17 civilians and injured 14 others who were shifted to nearby hospitals, the news agency said.
Iran starts cruise missile production
By IANS,
Tehran : Iran Saturday began mass production of its latest anti-vessel cruise missiles, the official media reported.
President Zardari, Afghan president hold-wide-ranging talks
By NNN-APP,
Kabul : President Asif Ali Zardari held wide-ranging talks with his Afghan counterpart Hamid Karzai here on Wednesday, with focus on enhancing bilateral cooperation in diverse fields as well as joint efforts for the eradication of the menace of terrorism.
President Zardari, who arrived here on a two-day visit to attend the oath-taking ceremony of President Karzai being held on Thursday, drove straight from Kabul airport to the Presidential Palace for talks with the Afghan President.
Sheikh Nawaf”s 2nd anniversary as Kwt Crown Prince
By Adnan Al-Failkawi, KUNA
Kuwait : The 20th of February marks the second anniversary of His Highness Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah taking up the post of Kuwait's Crown Prince.
His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah issued an Amiri Decree, February 7, 2006, nominating His Highness Sheikh Nawaf as Kuwait's Crown Prince, in view of his honorable career and in view of his qualifyication for the post virtue of the constitutional rules of succession.
Zardari to take decision on new premier
By Devirupa Mitra, IANS
Islamabad : Five days after it held crucial general elections, Pakistan still does not know who its next prime minister will be. The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), the largest political party in the newly-elected National Assembly, Friday authorized its co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari to take a final decision.
The newly elected PPP members to the National Assembly met Friday to discuss on the country's next prime minister. The party's Makhdoom Amin Faheem is the current front-runner.
Workers of another Bahraini firm go on strike
By IANS
Dubai : Around 1,300 workers, both locals and expatriates, of a leading Bahraini construction firm have gone on strike to demand better wages - the 11th such strike to hit the country in the last five weeks.
The workers of the Haji Hassan Group refused to get to work at 8 a.m. Saturday from their tow labour camps in Salmabad.
"We are demanding for our salaries to be revised until which we will not resume duty," workers' trade union representative Abdulla Mirza told the Gulf Daily News.
Maldivian president Waheed meets Manmohan
By IANS,
New Delhi: Mohamed Waheed, the new president of the Maldives, Saturday met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh here in his first-ever visit to India.
Solana to visit Egypt to discuss Gaza situation
By NNN-KUNA
Brussels : European Union (EU) Foreign Policy Chief Javier Solana has said that he will visit Egypt soon to discuss the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza following the tight Israeli blockade over the 1.5 million Gazans.
Solana told a press conference after a meeting of EU Council of Foreign Ministers Monday that he is in contact with the Arab League on the issue and urged the Palestinian Authority to take control of the Rafah border crossing.
Zardari asks traders to help overcome economic crisis
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari has urged the business community to suggest ways for overcoming the country's economic crisis.
Bush lends Musharraf a helping hand
By IANS,
Islamabad : US President George Bush has telephoned embattled Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf and assured him of his full backing in his struggle to remain in power.
"The president reiterated the United States' strong support for Pakistan and he indicated he looked forward to President Musharraf's continuing role in further strengthening US-Pakistani relations," Dawn, in a despatch from Washington, Saturday quoted White House spokeswoman Dana Perino as saying.
Advance poll date, Bangladesh ex-premier tells government
By IANS,
Dhaka : Bangladesh's jailed former prime minister Khaleda Zia has demanded that the military-backed government lift emergency curbs by this month-end and advance the parliamentary poll dates to October.
She questioned the government's neutrality and said the popularity of the administration run by Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed was "minus zero", The Daily Star newspaper said Thursday.
65 killed as crane falls on Makkah’s Grand Mosque
Riyadh: At least 65 people were killed after a crane collapsed on to the Grand Mosque in the Saudi Arabia's holy city of Makkah,...
Israeli raids kill 17 as rocket barrage continues
By DPA
Gaza City : Israeli raids in the West Bank and Gaza Strip killed 17 Palestinians, among them three children, as Gaza-based militants fired at least 30 rockets and mortars at southern Israel.
The Israeli attacks bring to 30 the number of Palestinians killed, including the 17 killed Thursday, in escalating violence since Wednesday as Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak threatened an invasion of the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip if the rocket fire did not end.
Syria calls for joint efforts to encourage Lebanon solution
By Xinhua
Damascus : Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem on Sunday called on Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries to work with his country in efforts to find a solution to the Lebanese political crisis.
Muallem made the remarks at a joint press conference with Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa after the conclusion of the two-day 20th Arab summit here.
Iran, US claim progress in latest round of n-talks
Vienna: Iran and six world powers are making progress in the latest round of talks over Iran's long-disputed nuclear programme, said top diplomats of...
PPP to support Musharraf’s trial by parliament: Official
By IANS,
Islamabad : The ruling Pakistan People's Party (PPP) will support the trial by parliament of former president Pervez Musharraf for tampering with the constitution and arresting the Supreme Court judges after declaring emergency in November 2007, the country's top law officer said Monday.
"The PPP has ideological differences with (the opposition) PML-N (Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz) but it would support resolution bringing dictators and breakers of constitutions to book," Online news agency quoted Attorney General Latif Khosa as saying.
Terrorists seize Turkish consulate in Iraq’s Mosul
Baghdad : A day after taking control in Mosul, Iraq's second largest city, militants Wednesday seized the Turkish consulate and arrested its consul and...
‘Zardari tampered with evidence of Benazir assassination’
By IANS,
Karachi: A close relative of slain Pakistani former prime minister Benazir Bhutto has accused her widower President Asif Ali Zardari of tampering with evidence relating to the assassination.
Mumtaz Bhutto, a cousin of Benazir's father and former president Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, made the remarks while speaking to reporters in Tandojam, in Sindh's Hyderabad's district.
He also lamented that two years after the assassination, neither had the killers been arrested nor had a case been registered.
Pakistan’s Sharif acquitted in murder case
By Xinhua
Islamabad : The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) of Pakistan Saturday acquitted Shahbaz Sharif, president of the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) party, in a murder case, paving the way for his election.
Shahbaz Sharif, younger brother of former PM Nawaz Sharif, was accused of staging a fake police encounter during his rule in 1998 as chief minister of the central Punjab province.
He was on bail in the case and his nomination papers for elections were rejected on the basis of the court cases including this one.
Eight militants killed while attacking conference venue in Somalia
Mogadishu: Eight gunmen, believed to be Al Shabaab militants, died in an attempted suicide attack on a conference venue in the town of Adado...
UAE recognises Kosovo as independent nation
By IANS,
Abu Dhabi : The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has officially recognised the Republic of Kosovo as an independent and sovereign state.
The UAE gave its recognition in accordance with its firm support for the principle of the legitimate right of peoples to self-determination, the state-run Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported.
In its statement, the UAE wished the government and people of Kosovo prosperity and progress.
Located in southeast Europe between Serbia and Macedonia, Kosovo officially declared itself an independent nation in February this year.
Italian scholar says Gaza genocide is Holocaust
Rome, Jan 11, IRNA -- An Italian Islamic scholar said that Israel's bloody crimes and genocide in Gaza is in fact a Holocaust in the third millennium.
Condemning the atrocity in Gaza by Zionists, Ammar De Martino called on international bodies to prevent Israel from continuing the massacre of Palestinians in Gaza City.
"Today, the world is witnessing the brutal killing of Palestinian children and women by Israel," he said, adding that 'the scenes of murder hurt the feelings of viewers and reminds them of World War II'.
US Senate okays $7.5 bn for Pakistan to fight extremists
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington/New York : The US Senate has approved legislation to triple civilian financial aid to Islamabad to $7.5 billion over five years even as President Barack Obama spoke of violent extremists within Pakistan posing a threat to the world.
Underscoring Islamabad's perceived role in the war in Afghanistan and the broader fight against international terrorism Obama urged "sustained and expanded" support for Pakistan at an international summit Thursday.
UAE’s “Training without Borders” trains Moroccan medical staff
By WAM
Rabat : 8 Belgian training medical doctors have from "Training without Borders" programme arrived in Morocco starting a 4-day mission to train 30 Moroccan doctors, paramedics on emergency, resuscitation and critical cases.
The programme is part of "The Zayed Giving Initiative", a joint heart treatment initiative between the UAE Red Crescent Authority (RCA) and Emirates World Heart Group (EWHG) to train a total of 300 Moroccan medical staff in cooperaion with the European Resuscitation Council (ERC).
Ahmadinejad faces new dilemma as rice prices rise in Iran
By Farshid Motahari, DPA,
Tehran : Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad can certainly not complain about not having enough excitement these days.
The country is facing renewed financial sanctions through the UN Security Council due to Tehran's defiance over its nuclear projects, neighbouring Iraq is accusing Iran of supporting and arming Shia insurgents, and the West is more and more isolating the Islamic state.
Furthermore the new parliament is expected to be more critical of the president than during the previous legislative period, especially over his economic policies.
Turkish army launches ground incursion into Iraq
By Xinhua
Ankara : Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) has launched a cross-border ground operation in fight against the banned Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) in the north of Iraq.
This is the first cross-border ground operation of Turkey since the Turkish government gave the authority for the army to launch cross-border ground operations in fight against the PKK militants in the north of Iraq last November.
UN holds photo exhibit on Afghan women
By IANS,
Kabul : A month-long photo exhibition organised by various UN agencies to highlight the status and achievements of women in war-hit Afghanistan kicked off Saturday in the capital.
Arab literature takes centre stage in London
By Susannah Tarbush,
When Egyptian novelist Naguib Mahfouz became in 1988 the first (and so far only) Arab writer to win the Nobel Prize for Literature, it was hoped that this would lead to a major breakthrough for Arab literature in the West, including Britain. But for years such a breakthrough remained elusive.
Palestinian rivals agree on government formation, elections
Gaza: The Hamas movement and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah Party agreed Wednesday to form a unity government and hold general elections, a senior...
Kerry to visit Turkey for Syria meeting
By IANS,
Ankara : US Secretary of State John Kerry will attend the upcoming Friends of Syria meeting in Turkey, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday.
UN chief renews calls for immediate Gaza ceasefire
By DPA,
Cairo : UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Wednesday renewed his calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and stressed that all UN member states are obliged to abide by Security Council resolutions.
He made his appeal after his meeting with Egyptian President Hosny Mubarak in Cairo where he arrived as fighting in Gaza entered its 19th day and the Palestinian death toll neared 1,000. In the second such strike this week, militants in Lebanon fired three Katyusha rockets into northern Israel Wednesday morning.
Iran Urges IPU To Support Rights Of Palestinians
By Bernama,
Cape Town : Iran called on Inter- Parliamentary Union to support the rights of Palestine and help remove the restrictions imposed by Israel on the people living in Gaza Strip and the West Bank, Iranian news agency (Irna) reported.
Forwarding a letter to IPU Secretary General, Anders Johnson, Iranian parliament's representative Mohsen Yahyavi urged the international community to conduct immediate inquiry into what is going on in Gaza Strip and the West Bank and force the Israeli regime to end systematic killing of Palestinians.
Salafism and Sufism- is there real conflict?
By Asghar Ali Engineer,
Salafism or Wahabism, also referred to as cult of Ahl-e-Hadith is supposed to be directly opposed to the sufi strain of Islam. In India too the two sects are opposed to each other though here, due to democratic secular polity, nature of conflict is not very aggravated or violent. The partisans of both the ideologies apart, it confuses many Muslims as to what are their differences about and why they condemn each other?
Education forum realizes Kwt Amir”s calls for sector development
By Adnan Al-Failkawi, KUNA
Kuwait : Sunday's national conference for the development of education comes to realize the directives of His Highness the Amir who called, during his inauguration speech of the second session of the 11th legislative term, for the overall development and improvement of education.
Trial of Bangladesh border guard mutineers to begin Tuesday
By IANS,
Dhaka : Bangladesh is to begin Tuesday the trial of over 3,500 border guards who staged a mutiny in February killing 74 people. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has promised to fast-track the process.
"I promise, if I live, I'll see the trial completed," Hasina said at a special programme in Dhaka Cantonment to mark Armed Forces Day Saturday.
The troopers had mutinied Feb 25 over low wages and poor working conditions.
Tajik officers seize 500 kg of drugs on Afghan border
By RIA Novosti
Dushanbe : Tajik special forces seized over 500 kilograms (1,100 pounds) of opium-related drugs on the Afghan border and arrested eight suspects, a source in the country's Security Committee said on Thursday.
An estimated 73 kg of heroin was seized in the special operation. The source said the suspects are believed to be part of a major international drug-smuggling ring.
Tajikistan, a former Soviet republic in Central Asia, is a major transit country for drugs from the world's largest heroin producer, Afghanistan.
Bombings at Islamabad university, 1 dead
By IANS,
Islamabad : Synchronised blasts, including a suicide bombing, rocked the Islamic University campus in this Pakistan capital, killing at least one person and injuring 13.
According to reports, a suicide bomber blew himself up at the girls' cafeteria inside the campus.
Ahmed Hassan, an eyewitness, told Express TV that a man entered the university saying he had to deliver something. He then detonated himself.
The blasts took place in the boys hostel and the cafeteria.
Israeli ex-president rejects plea bargain, pleads not guilty
By Xinhua
Jerusalem : Former Israeli President Moshe Katsav on Tuesday backed out a plea bargain reached with prosecutors over sex crime charges and pled not guilty, vowing to clear his name.
The Jerusalem Magistrate's Court, after rejecting on Monday Katsav's petition to postpone the deliberation on the plea agreement, accepted his annulment, which means that Katsav is to face the first trial as the head of state in Israel's history.
Pakistan got Rs.972 bn as taxes in past seven months
By IANS,
Islamabad : Stating that tax collection had increased, Pakistan Finance Minister Hafeez Shaikh says that Rs.972 billion had been collected as taxes in the past seven months.
Pakistan assures better media environment
By IANS,
Islamabad : The Pakistan government has said it is committed to providing a better environment for promoting a vibrant media in the country.
Gaza death toll up to 271 Palestinians, injured around 900
By KUNA,
Gaza : The death toll in Gaza rose to 271, while 900 are reported injured after the Israeli military operations on the Strip.
Local radio stations quoted the director-general of ambulance and emergency service in Gaza Moaweya Hasanain as saying that around 120 of the wounded are suffering from "serious injuries", which means a possible rise in death toll.
Reformers inside Iran excluded from US support, Zibakalam
By IRNA
Tehran : The reformers inside the Islamic Republic never enjoyed support from the Bush Administration, university lecturer Sadeq Zibakalam said on Tuesday.
He told IRNA that when the reformist government of President Mohammad Khatami (1997-2005) sought rapprochement with Washington, the US Administration did not give positive response to it.
"The Bush Administration did not get closer to the reformers inside the Islamic Republic when Foreign Ministry was run by them, and the reform camp was in majority in the parliament.
Tehran guarantees Iranian Nobel peace laureate’s safety
By DPA,
Tehran : Nobel Peace Prize winner Shirin Ebadi was safe and there was no need for any international concern over her well-being, Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Hassan Ghashghavi said Monday.
The spokesman was referring to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon who Saturday urged Tehran to secure Ebadi's safety after Islamists gathered outside her residence in Tehran last week, accusing her of having sympathy for Israel in the Gaza crisis.
13 killed in Afghanistan attack
Kabul : At least 13 people were killed and two injured on Tuesday when unidentified gunmen opened fire at three vehicles in Afghanistan's Wardak...
Bangladesh ferry death toll rises to 45
By SPA
Dhaka : Bangladeshi rescuers recovered six decomposed bodies from a river near the capital on Sunday where a crowded ferry sank last week, reuters quoted the police sources as saying. This will raise the death toll to 45 from the disaster.
The ferry carrying over 100 people sank in the Buriganga river on Thursday after it was hit by a vessel loaded with sand.
"Six more bodies, including two of children, have been recovered today," a police officer told reporters.
US-Pakistan tension grows over anti-terror campaign
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : Pakistani Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani Thursday lent full support to the army chief criticizing recent cross-border raids by US-led coalition forces, which have caused deaths of many civilians.
"The statement of the army chief reflects the government's policy," said Gilani at a project inauguration ceremony in Islamabad.
The prime minister said that Pakistan is a responsible country and is playing its role to fight terrorism.
19 Afghan soldiers killed
By IANS,
Kabul : Nineteen Afghan soldiers were killed when Taliban militants launched an attack on an army checkpoint in Afghanistan, an official said Sunday.
"The...
Israel offers Palerstine 93 percent of West Bank: report
By DPA,
Jerusalem : Eight months into its difficult negotiations with the Palestinians, Israel has drawn up a detailed proposal for a peace agreement in principle, offering to withdraw from 93 percent of the West Bank, an Israeli newspaper reported Tuesday.
The proposal includes arrangements on three bottleneck issues of the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict: borders, the Palestinian refugee problem and security, the authoritative Ha'aretz daily reported quoting a senior Israeli official.
Floods, landslides kill 130 in Bangladesh
By IANS,
Dhaka: About 130 people died in floods and landslides triggered by monsoon rains in the past three weeks in Bangladesh, the government said Thursday.
Israeli gunship helicopters raid Palestinian targets killing one guerrilla
By KUNA
Gaza : Israeli gunship helicopters raided Palestinian targets in Gaza Strip early on Sunday killing one Palestinian guerrilla and wounding several others, security and medical sources said.
The sources said the multi-winged aircraft rocketed several locations in the east and north of the strip, including the region of Al-Shujaieh east of Gaza city, killing one Palestinian fighter and wounding a number of other gunmen. Several rockets crashed into advance positions manned by the guerrillas who were on a night watch mission.
Palestinian problem is a humanitarian problem
By Navaid Hamid,
Holy is He who carried His servant by night from the Holy Mosque (in Makkah) to the farther Mosque (in Jerusalem) whose surrounding We have blessed that We might show him some of our signs. Indeed He alone is All-Hearing, All seeing.
(1:17: Quran)
Parliament session adjourned till Wednesday
By KUNA
Kuwait : Speaker of the National Assembly Jassem Al-Kharafi adjourned Tuesday's session for Wednesday, after having earlier adjourned for 30 minutes after government representatives walked out as voting began on a proposal for a KD 50 pay raise for Kuwaitis.
The members did not return after the 30 minutes and the chairman had to adjourn for tomorrow.
The session began with approval of several documents including a letter of resignation by MP Dr. Ali Al-Emeir from the Public Utilities Committee and from the Committee for the Affairs of the Disabled.
$7.5 bn US aid proposed for Pakistan
By IANS,
Islamabad : Non-military aid to Pakistan could be tripled to $7.5 billion over five years if the US Congress clears a bill, a newspaper report here Wednesday said.
Joseph Robinette Biden, chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, introduced the bill Tuesday proposing $1.5 billion annually for five years for developmental activities like building schools, roads and health clinics, a dispatch from Washington in The News daily said.
Lenanon reiterates commitment to resolution 1701
By NNN-KUNA,
Beirut : Lebanon has reiterated its commitment to resolution 1701, saying that the firing of rockets from South Lebanon was executed by parties that wanted to push the country into a state that served the interests of Israel.
Prime Minister Fuad Siniora, in a press statement Thursday, said that he immediately contacted President Michel Suleiman, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, Defence Minister Elias Murr, and Army Commander General Jean Kahwagi.
19 killed in suicide attack near Lal Masjid
By Muhammad Najeeb, IANS,
Islamabad : Nineteen people, including nine policemen, were killed and more than 30 injured in a suicide bombing near a police station 300 yards from the Lal Masjid Sunday in a renewed terrorist attack in the Pakistani capital, police and hospital sources said.
"Eight people were killed on the spot while seven died in different hospitals of the city," a senior police officer told IANS. He said that more than 30 people were injured This was also confirmed by the hospital sources in the federal capital where emergency has been declared.
OIC receives prime plot of land to build its new headquarters
By IINA,
Jeddah : The Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) has received a prime plot of land allotted to build its new headquarters from the Jeddah Municipality at a ceremony held here yesterday. The Municipality officials handed over the documents related to the site to senior officials of OIC including its Secretary General Prof. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu. The ceremony was also attended by senior officials of the Saudi Ministry of Finance, the Jeddah Construction Development Company as well as officials from the OIC member countries.
Czech Republic to send more elite military unit to Afghanistan
By Xinhua
Prague : The Czech Republic will agree to a U.S. request to send an elite military unit to Afghanistan, Czech Defence Minister Vlasta Parkanova said on Friday.
The 100-member-strong unit will be additional to the 415 troops approved by the parliament last autumn to be deployed in Afghanistan, Parkanova said.
It mainly involves members of the special forces unit from Prostejov, which had operated twice in Afghanistan, and is under the direct command of the defence minister through the head of Military Intelligence service, the Czech news agency CTK reported.
Three injured in Lahore acid attack
By IANS,
Islamabad : Two women and a child were injured when some men threw acid on them in Pakistan's Lahore city Sunday, the authorities said.
Flash floods in Bangladesh wash away thousands of homes
By DPA,
Dhaka : Tropical rain lashed northern Bangladesh Sunday unleashing flash floods which washed away scores of villages, disaster management bureau sources said.
The flooding rivers drowned at least six fishermen while five were missing in the rampaging waters.
Five districts in the northern region were stricken by floods which isolated more than 100,000 people in submerged villages.
33 killed, 147 injured in Afghanistan militant attack
Kabul: At least 33 people have been killed and 147 others injured Thursday when Taliban militants attacked a government compound in Afghanistan, officials said.
Fighting...
Iraq Criticizes Kills by US
By Prensa Latina,
Baghdad : The Iraqi Government decried on Saturday the operations carried out by the US Army resulting in four people killed and one arrested, according to an official communique released by Nina news agency.
The note issued by the office of Prime Minister Nuri al Maliki said both attacks were in violation of Iraqi law and sovereignty and urged the US command to bring people responsible before justice.
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...
Pakistan Supreme Court issues notices to parties
Islamabad : The Supreme Court Tuesday issued notices summoning all parties after hearing a set of petitions against the sit-in protests by the Pakistan...
Enemies can be defeated by returning to Islamic principles, says Qaradhawi
By IINA,
Doha : World Renowned Islamic scholar Sheikh Yousuf Al Qaradhawi said that the history of the world's wars such as the Crusades proves that Muslims can overcome the enemies if they hold fast to Islam's principles. "We believe that the victory of Muslims and the defeat of Israel are indispensable, because falsehood will never overcome the truth," the Qatar daily Al-Sharq reported quoting him as saying.
Militants may exploit flood-affected children: Zardari
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari and a top US senator have warned that militants may exploit orphans and children of flood-affected people for their terror activities.
"We are giving them everything we’ve got. There is a possibility that some negative forces would exploit this situation. For example, militants can take orphaned babies and put them in terror training camps," the president said at a joint press conference with US Senator John Kerry Thursday after visiting flood-affected areas of Multan and Jampur.
Three US soldiers killed in Baghdad Green Zone
By IINA
Baghdad : Three US service personnel have been killed and 31 wounded by rocket attacks on the Green Zone and a base elsewhere in Baghdad, the US military has said. The rocket attack at 1530 (1230 GMT) on the Green Zone, which houses government offices and foreign embassies, killed two personnel and wounded at least 17. A separate attack at the same time on a forward operating base in the Rustamiya district killed one and injured 14.
Taliban refuses to free former Pakistan PM’s son
Islamabad: The Taliban has refused to free the sons of former Pakistan prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and slain Punjab governor Salman Taseer, media...
Pakistan”s ruling coalition protests disqualification of its leader
By KUNA,
Islamabad : Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N), partner of Pakistan People Party (PPP) at the center, Tuesday was holding protests to condemn its leader's disqualification to contest by-elections and also PPP's U-turn over controversial judges' reinstatement issue.
Nawaz Sharif, Chief of PML-N, was Monday disqualified by the Lahore High Court (LHC) from contesting by-elections. The decision sparked protests in eastern Punjab province, his party stronghold. There were reports of violence by PML-N activists in several small Punjab cities on Monday night.
32 killed, 47 injured in Nigeria twin blasts
Lagos: The Nigerian government confirmed Friday that 32 people were killed and 47 injured in twin suicide bomb blasts in the central north state...
Pakistan Army to intensify air strikes against militants
Islamabad : The Pakistan Army Wednesday decided to intensify air strikes on militant hideouts in the wake of recent terror attacks across the country,...
Pakistan Taliban arrest APTN cameraman
By IRNA,
Islamabad : Pakistani Taliban have arrested a staffer of APTN cameraman in North Waziristan tribal region, officials in the region said Thursday.
Muhammad Arshad was taken away by the armed Taliban while he was filming in Miranshah, the center of North Waziristan, on Monday, a Taliban spokesman Ahmadullah Ahmadi said.
Ahmadi said that Taliban had banned entry of non-local journalists in North Waziristan and they must take permission from the militants before their arrival.
Legal help to a Nepali National by QIFF
By TCN News,
Qatar: A Nepal national working as a labor in Qatar who was denied accident insurance claims by his employer, was helped by Qatar India Fraternity Forum and succeeded to get back the his accident insurance claims by fighting a legal action from 3 years.
Pakistan’s new PM gets vote of confidence in parliament
By SPA
Islamabad, Pakistan : Pakistan's new prime minister has won the unanimous backing of parliament, including the allies of its U.S.-backed president.
The legislature passed a motion expressing confidence in Yousaf Raza Gilani on Saturday without holding a vote after opposition parties pledged their support.
Lawmakers elected Gilani as prime minister earlier this week.
Israeli wounded in fresh missile attacks on southern Israel — spokesman
By KUNA,
Gaza : One Israeli was wounded in renewed Palestinian missile attacks that targeted southern Israel on Monday, a spokesman of the Israeli Army said.
He told Israel Radio up to 10 missiles were fired from Gaza, crashing in several locations in the south of Israel and wounding one Israeli.
Five of the missiles crashed into the industrial zone in the southern town of Sderot. A rocket harmlessly crashed into a grocery store and another hit a nearby cemetry.
Modi meets Bangladesh President
Dhaka: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday called on Bangladesh President Mohammad Abdul Hamid at Bangabhawan in Dhaka.
“A warmth that brings two nations together....
What’s on Delhi-Dhaka diplomacy table
By IANS,
Dhaka: Notwithstanding the uncertainty over the Teesta water accord, there is a lot happening on the India-Bangladesh diplomacy table.
Israel opens two commercial crossings into Gaza
By Xinhua,
Gaza : Israeli sources on Wednesday said commercial crossing points into Gaza Strip reopened in the day after Palestinian rocket attack blocked earlier openings.
The Israeli radio reported that cement will be allowed into Gaza for the first time since June 2007 when Israel imposed economic sanctions on the coastal Strip after Hamas took control of the territory by force.
The ease of the Israeli blockade comes as part of an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, took effect on June 19.
13 militants killed, injured in N Afghanistan
By Xinhua,
Kabul : Afghan National Army (ANA) backed with NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) killed seven anti-government militants and wounded six more on Wednesday in northern Afghan province of Badghis, said a statement of Defense Ministry released here on Thursday.
"ANA engaged militants during a patrol between Qalay-i-Naw district, capital of Badghis province, and Ghur Match district," the statement said.
"With the support of ISAF air strike, the joint forces killed seven militants and wounded six others," it said.
Non-bailable arrest warrant against Musharraf suspended
Islamabad : The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday suspended the non-bailable arrest warrant issued against Pakistan's former president Pervez Musharraf for the alleged...
Fatah, Hamas trade crackdown accusations against their members
By Xinhua,
Gaza : Rival Hamas movement and President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah movement exchanged accusations on Saturday that each groups is cracking down on the others' members in Gaza and the West Bank.
The renewal of rivalry between the two groups mounted as Israel ended one week ago, a 22-day large-scale military offensive on the Gaza Strip, where thousands of people were killed and wounded.
Jordan wants release of kidnapped ambassador in Libya
Amman: Jordan said Wednesday that it was intensifying efforts to secure the release of its ambassador to Libya who was kidnapped in mid-April by...
Yemen, US, EC, Japan, Malaysia discuss piracy in region
By NNN-SABA,
Sana'a : Deputy Prime Minister for Security and Defense affairs Rashad al-Alimi held talks here on Wednesday with the ambassadors of US, European Commission (EC), Japan and Malaysia on the piracy phenomenon off the Somali coasts.
The meeting dealt with the risks of this phenomenon and its negative consequences and damages on the international navigation as well as impacts on the regional security.
Shah Rukh to pay airfare to receive Malaysia’s ‘Datuk’ honour
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur : Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan will fly down to Malacca to receive the traditional Malaysian title of 'Datuk', akin to the British knighthood, but the actor will be paying his own airfare.
"His fans can also come and see him there if they want to," Chief Minister Mohammed Ali Rustam said, confirming that Shah Rukh would attend the ceremony.
Saudi Arabia issues Al Qaeda ‘wanted list’
By DPA,
Riyadh : The Saudi government has published a list of 85 men worldwide it says adhere to "deviant" ideologies, common Saudi terminology for Al Qaeda, the official SPA news agency reported.
Saudi security forces urged the men to turn themselves in to Saudi embassies abroad and "return to reason and wisdom", adding that they could be reunited with their families, depending on the charges against them.
The SPA Monday said that 15 of the men "who had been led astray" had done so since Saudi Arabia announced an amnesty programme for militants.
Imprisoned Malaysian Indian legislator may quit
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur : Malaysian Indian legislator M. Manoharan, who says he is frustrated at not being able to work for his constituents due to his imprisonment under the stringent Internal Security Act (ISA), may resign to make way for the election of his wife.
Manoharan's wife Pushpaneela, standing in for him, can serve the constituents of Kota Alam Shah in Selangor state better if elected a legislator, The Star said.
But the opposition Democratic Action Party (DAP), to which Manoharan belongs, is weighing the political pros and cons.
Palestinian killed, others injured in Israeli attacks
By KUNA
Gaza : A Palestinian was killed and several others were injured on Sunday in Israeli air and ground attacks that targeted Palestinian houses in Jabaliya refugee camp, in northern Gaza Strip.
Local radios confirmed the attacks, and said that an Israeli incursion was executed, targeting Jabaliya refugee camp. The Israeli troops were backed with tanks, military vehicles and combat helicopters.
Palestinian medical sources expected an increase in causality numbers due to the serious injuries suffered by many Palestinians, who were admitted to hospitals.
Missiles fired from Afghanistan kills 2 in Pakistan
By KUNA,
Islamabad : At least two persons were killed and twoo others were wounded when a missile fired from neighboring war-ravaged Afghanistan landed inside Pakistani bordering tribal district, said officials.
A missile probably fired by Allied Forces, conducting operation against Taliban militants, landed near a checkpost in Khar district of Bajaur tribal agency, security officials told KUNA.
They said the missile killed two persons including an Afghan refugee and wounded two others.
Indian teacher honoured in Saudi Arabia
Jeddah : The Indian community in Saudi Arabia held a reception here to honour a teacher who has received India's best teacher award.
The Indian...
Mideast peace must include solution for Palestinian refugees: Ban Ki-moon
By APP,
United Nations : A sustainable peace in the Middle East will have to factor in a viable and just solution to the Palestinian refugee issue, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has said.
“The Palestinian people’s desire or right to live a normal daily life in their own sovereign land remains undiminished, as do the individual and collective rights of Palestine refugees,” Ban said in a message to a UN meeting convened in Paris to assess the condition of the refugees and examine the role of the world body in alleviating their plight.
Malaysian Christian group slams government seizure of Bibles
By DPA,
Kuala Lumpur : A Christian group in Malaysia Wednesday criticised the government's confiscation of some 15,000 Malay-language Bibles which contain the word "Allah," or God in Arabic.
In a statement, the Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM) called for the immediate release of the Bibles, saying that withholding the holy books would be denying Malay-speaking believers the right to practise their faith.
Malaysia’s beleaguered opposition leader Anwar wins crucial election
By DPA,
Kuala Lumpur : Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim Wednesday hailed a long-awaited imminent return to parliament after he scored a thumping victory in a special election.
"We won! And our victory is decisive and overwhelming," Anwar said in his blog early Wednesday.
"And it's great to be back!"
The former deputy prime minister will be sworn in to parliament at a simple ceremony Thursday, officials said.
Hamas: Israelis elect three heads of terrorism
By Xinhua,
GAZA : Commenting on the results of the Israeli elections held on Tuesday, the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) said on Wednesday that the Israeli people have elected three heads of terrorism.
The Palestinian movement was surprised from the elections results, Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum told Xinhua in a telephone interview, adding that the winners are Tzipi Livni, Benjamin Netanyahu and Avigdor Lieberman.
UN chief urges protection of civilians in Yemen
United Nations : UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday called on all parties involved in military operations in Yemen to ensure the protection of...
Five killed in blast at UN Islamabad’s office
By IANS,
Islamabad : Five people, including a foreigner, were killed when a suicide bomber detonated himself inside the lobby of the UN World Food Programme office in an upscale locality of this Pakistan capital.
The UN temporarily suspended its operations following the attack that was condemned by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.
Ishrat Rizvi, national information officer for the UN Information Centre in Islamabad, said: "We have temporarily suspended our operations in Pakistan due to the security risks to the UN staff."
At least 26 killed, 32 wounded in Iraq violence
By DPA
Baghdad : At least 26 people were killed and 32 others wounded in separate attacks across Iraq, US military and police and media reports said Wednesday.
In Baquba, 60 km north of Baghdad, five people were killed Wednesday and 16 wounded when a suicide bomber detonated his explosives belt in a public market, Iraqi police told DPA.
The police suspected said that a female suicide bomber might have carried out the attack.
The bomb also damaged nearby stores in the market.
Israel reopens crossings to Gaza, but UN stresses need for much greater access
By Xinhua,
United Nations : Israel on Wednesday reopened crossings into Gaza that it had closed on Tuesday following a bomb attack along the border that killed a soldier, but the top UN official in Gaza stressed that access remained a problem with thousands of tons of generously donated aid sitting in Egypt, Jordan and the ports of Israel.
"That aid should be right here, right now, helping the people who need it," the director of operations in Gaza for the UN Reliefand Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), John Ging, said.
UN appeals for $462 mn for West Bank, Gaza
By DPA,
Gaza/Jerusalem : UN aid agencies asked international donors Wednesday for $462 million to help fund their activities in Gaza and the West Bank in 2009, saying most of the money was needed for emergency food and cash assistance to Palestinians.
Conditions in Gaza have worsened over the past three weeks amid a breakdown of a five-month-old ceasefire, with Israel slapping a near-total closure on the strip in response to renewed rocket fire.
Palestine: Israel Hampers Peace Process
By Prensa Latina
Ramallah : Palestinian Vice Minister of Foreign Relations Ahmed Soboj held responsible Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak of making the life of Palestinians impossible and hampering peace process.
National Palestine Authority official denounced that since Anapolis lecture on November Israeli army assassinated 155 Palestinians and raised more barriers to block the passage of goods and people towards the occupied territories.
Obama counsels ‘effective dialogue’ between India-Pakistan
By IANS,
London : India and the US Thursday said they will step up counter-terrorism cooperation even as President Barack Obama counselled "effective dialogue" between India and Pakistan after his meeting here with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Both leaders spoke, but with different emphasis, on the need for increasing coooperation in meeting the challenges of terrorism after their first meeting on the sidelines of the Group of 20 (G20) summit.
UN official welcomes carter’s decision to talk to Hamas during Mideast trip
By NNN-KUNA,
United Nations : John Holmes, UN Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator has welcomed former US President Jimmy Carter's decision to meet Khaled Meshaal, leader of the militant Palestinian group Hamas, if that will help break the deadlock in the peace process.
Syria, UNRWA discuss projects in Syria for Palestinian refugees
By NNN-SANA
Damascus : Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem has held discussions with Commissioner-General of the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) Karen Abu Zayd on projects fulfilled by UNRWA in Syria in the service of the Palestinian refugees.
Talks during the meeting Thursday dealt with the ongoing preparations for holding the annual regional meeting of donors due in Syria in June.
Abu Zayd expressed appreciation of the big efforts exerted by Syria to help the Palestinian refugees to ensure their basic needs of care and services.
New electoral constituencies” system in Kuwait will tackle some negative aspects
By Iman Al-Houti, KUNA
Kuwait : Kuwaitis are divided regarding assessment of the five-constituency system upon which the next parliamentary elections will be, with one party hoping that the new regime will result in electing qualified figures and the other deeply concerned that it may lead to new problems.
Attack on UN convoy in Somalia outrages UN chief
United Nations: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is "outraged" by the terrorist attack on a UN convoy in Somalian capital city of Mogadishu, his spokesperson...
Another Indian joins Malaysian by-poll fray
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur: V.S. Chandran, a businessman of Indian origin, Saturday joined the fray for a Malaysian parliamentary by-poll, raising fears of division of the
the ethnic Indian vote.
Deputy Prime Minister Muhiyddin Yassin said Chandran's entry was no problem for the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) and the ruling alliance Barisan Nasional (BN) that aims to win back its traditional stronghold.
Chandran, 55, a former MIC member, was a surprise last-minute entry at the Hulu Selangor by-election.
Saudi Arabia, US sign aviation security agreement
By IANS,
Jeddah : Saudi Arabia and the US have signed an aviation security agreement, Saudi Press Agency reported Monday.
More than 50 killed during Aghanistan voting
By DPA,
Kabul : More than 50 people were killed during Thursday's voting in the Afghanistan presidential election, the government said after lifting the day-long reporting restriction.
Interior Minister Hanif Atmar said nine policemen and nine civilians were killed during the polling violence, with 14 police and 13 other people wounded.
In addition, eight soldiers were killed and 25 wounded, according to Defence Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak. Four suicide bombers were also killed.
Need to de-escalate and avoid conflict: Kayani
By Muhammad Najeeb, IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan's army chief General Ashfaq Kayani Monday urged de-escalating India-Pakistan tensions and avoiding a conflict in the interest of peace and security, even as Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani reiterated that no one would be allowed to use the country's soil for terrorism.
"The army chief highlighted the need to de-escalate and avoid conflict in the interest of peace and security," a military spokesman here said in a statement following a meeting between Kayani and visiting Chinese Vice Foreign Minister He Yahei.
Israeli army arrests two Islamic Jihad activists in West Bank
By Xinhua,
Ramallah : Israeli forces on Wednesday arrested two Islamic Jihad militants in Jenin city in northern West Bank, the armed group said.
A spokesman for the Islamic Jihad's military wing said the detainees were Hani and Mayssara Kmail, both are 23, who have been wanted by Israel since months.
According to witnesses, Israeli forces stormed Qabatya neighborhood in southwest Jenin last night and stormed the houses of several families believed to have members working for al-Quds Brigades, the Islamic Jihad armed wing.
Pakistan to subsidise 5.8 mn poor households
By IANS,
Islamabad : The Pakistani government, with assistance from the World Bank, is to provide "targeted subsidy" to 5.8 million poor households to enable them cope with rising food prices.
"The bank is likely to provide funds for 5.8 million households. Of them, one million will also be given training for skill development," Dawn reported Sunday.
Details of the subsidy would be revealed in the budget for 2008-09 (July 1-June 30) that would be presented to parliament at its session beginning Monday.
Soldier killed, four wounded in SW Pakistan explosion
By KUNA
Islamabad : A soldier was killed and four others were wounded Thursday in a roadside explosion in Southwestern Pakistani province of Baluchistan, said police.
A Frontier Core (FC) vehicle hit a roadside bomb near gas-rich Sui district, about 350 kilometers South of Quetta, the provincial capital, police sources told KUNA.
They said the explosion killed one soldier and wounded four others.
Israeli FM backs Egyptian request to double forces on border
By Xinhua
Jerusalem : Israeli Foreign Ministry is recommending that Israel allow Egypt to double the number of soldiers it has stationed along its borders with Israel and Gaza -something that Cairo has long wanted to do, but that Jerusalem has hitherto vetoed, local daily Ha'aretz reported Tuesday on its website.
Since the Israeli-Egyptian peace treaty strictly limits the forces that Egypt can deploy along these borders, any increase would require Israel's consent, said the report.
D8 ministers approve economic cooperation roadmap
By Xinhua,
Kuala Lumpur : The foreign ministers of the Developing 8 countries (D8) sanctioned a 10-year roadmap for economic collaborations among member states at the 11th Session ofD8 council of Ministers here on Sunday.
The two-phased roadmap envisaged increased intra-trade from the current 5 percent to between 15 and 20 percent by 2018, Malaysian Foreign Minister Rais Yatim said.
Protests in Delhi over Gaza crisis
New Delhi ; Nearly 250 people, including activists, artists and school children, protested here demanding India should boycott all collaborations and end military ties...
Pakistan and Afghanistan signs Air Services Agreement
By SPA
Islamabad : Pakistan and Afghanistan have signed bilateral Air Services Agreement (ASA), said an official statement.
Talks between the two countries were held at the defense ministry in Rawalpindi.
Pakistani side was led by Maj-Gen Mir Haider Ali Khan, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Defense, whereas, the Afghan side was headed by Eng. Raz Mohammad Alami, Technical and Operational Deputy Minister of Transport & Civil Aviation.
Iran is ‘test case’ for nuclear co-operation: Brown
By DPA,
London : British Prime Minister Gordon Brown Tuesday urged Iran to "make the right choice" in its current stand-off with the West over its nuclear programme and said Tehran could become a "test case" for co-operation between atomic nations and non-nuclear states.
Brown, in a speech in London, said Iran remained a "critical proliferation threat" while it continued to enrich weapons grade uranium and risked severe sanctions.
New UN envoy discusses Afghanistan with U.S. officials
By APP,
United Nations : The new U.N. envoy to Afghanistan has just wrapped two days of meetings with United States officials in Washington during which they expressed their full support for the world body’s efforts in the strife-torn nation, the U.N. said Wednesday.
Kai Eide, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative and head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), met with President George W. Bush, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defence Secretary Robert Gates.
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.
Iraqi official confirms bombing attack targeted minister of labor
By KUNA,
Baghdad : Iraq's Minister of Labor Mahmoud Al-Sheikh Radhi survived a bombing attack that targeted his motorcade in the heart of the Iraqi capital early on Thursday but the blast left 10 people dead and 20 others wounded.
The information advisor at the ministry of labor, Abdullah Al-Lami, told KUNA that the minister survived the attack, waged by a lone driver of a vehicle packed with explosives.
The minister started his daily regular work as usual after the blast, the advisor said in the statement to the Kuwaiti news agency.
UN mission condemns suicide attack in Afghanistan
United Nations: The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) strongly condemned a deadly suicide attack that killed 17 and injured four dozens in the...
New resolution on Iran introduced to UN Security Council
By RIA Novosti
United Nations : A new UN Security Council resolution calling for sanctions against Iran over its refusal to halt its nuclear program was officially introduced by France and Britain, the U.K.'s UN envoy said.
"The text that we've circulated today reflects some of the comments we've had back from delegations," John Sawers said adding the draft resolution was agreed in principle last month during a meeting of foreign ministers from six nations - France, Germany, Britain, the U.S., China, Russia.
Int’l peace group calls for end to NATO’s war in Afghanistan
By IRNA,
Berlin : A newly created international peace group, calling itself the 'International Coordinating Committee' (ICC), here Thursday urged an end to NATO's war in Afghanistan.
"An end to the war requires that NATO troops be withdrawn from Afghanistan. Globally we need, and therefore are working for the dissolution and dismantling of NATO in order to contribute to international security," the peace organization said in a press statement ahead of the international Afghanistan conference, slated to be held in London on January 28.
Passage of Iraqi election law will contribute to political normalisation – Ban
By NNN-KUNA,
United Nations : UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has welcomed the passage of the Iraq provincial election law by the country's Council of Representatives, predicting that it will help political normalization in the country, his office said in a statement.
He described it as a "very important step forward which should contribute to political normalization in Iraq."
Israel-Hezbollah prisoner swap set for this week: report
By DPA,
Ramallah/Tel Aviv : The expected prisoner swap between Israel and the Lebanese Hezbollah movement will be carried out in three stages beginning Thursday, the Palestinian Maan news agency reported Sunday evening, citing "informed Palestinian sources".
There was no official confirmation of the report from any other source. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said in a speech last week that he expected the swap to start "around July 15 or shortly afterwards and continue for a few days".
Indian PM’s statement follow up of Sharmal Shaikh understanding: Pakistan PM
By NNN-APP,
Peshawar : Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani said on Saturday that the recent statement by the Indian Prime Minister expressing desire for talks with Pakistan on all issues was a follow up of Sharmal Shaikh.
Replying to a question at a press conference here, the Prime Minister recalled that an understanding was developed at the sideline of Sharmal Shaikh Conference that both the neighbors would settle their problems through talks as war was no solution to the problem.
Pakistan abolishes Haj quota of MPs
By IANS,
Islamabad : The Pakistan government Wednesday abolished the Haj quota of all parliamentarians, including president and prime minister, in order to "provide equal chance" to every aspirant.
Announcing a new Haj policy for 2009, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira said the government and private tour operators will equally share the Hajj quota this year.