40 militants killed in Afghanistan clashes
By DPA,
Kabul : Afghan and international forces killed at least 40 suspected Taliban militants in the latest clashes in southern and eastern Afghanistan, while a suicide bomber killed himself and wounded a civilian in the north, officials said Sunday.
The police chief of Afghanistan's restive southern Zabul province claimed Sunday that Afghan forces backed by US-led coalition air support killed 22 suspected insurgents in a clash.
Zardari wants India in Friends of Democratic Pakistan group
By IANS,
London : Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has said here that his country wants India to be part of the Friends of Democratic Pakistan group, a media report said Friday.
"We want India to be the part of Friends of Democratic Pakistan and will encourage any Indian investment in this regard," Zardari said while speaking Thursday at the think tank International Institute of Strategic Studies (IISS), the Nation newspaper reported on its site.
Imam Hussain sets shining example of human sacrifice: Pakistani President Zardari
By NNN-APP,
Islamabad : President Asif Ali Zardari said the martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussain was a shining example of human sacrifice in the path of righteousness.
In a message here on Sunday on the eve of 30th annual Imam Hussain Conference, the President said it is a matter of great pleasure that Markazi Imam Hussain Council is holding the annual conference in which prominent religious scholars from all schools of thought will participate.
The President said it is appreciable that Markazi Imam Hussain Council has been working for years to bring the Muslim Ummah together.
143 killed in clashes against IS in Iraq
Baghdad: A total of 143 people were killed Sunday in the ongoing clashes between the Iraqi security forces and militants, including of the the...
US soldier, two civilians killed in Iraq violence
By IANS,
Baghdad : An American soldier and two civilians were killed and four injured in separate incidents of violence in Iraq, police and US military said Thursday.
A US military statement said that one of its soldiers was killed in a bomb explosion Wednesday in Diyala province, Xinhua reported.
The latest death brings the number of US soldiers who have been killed in Iraq to about 4,413, since 2003, the report said.
Polish, Egyptian presidents discuss Mideast, economic co-op
By Xinhua
Warsaw : Presidents of Poland and Egypt Lech Kaczynski and Hosni Mubarak discussed here Tuesday the situation in the Middle East and ways of boosting economic cooperation.
"This was one of the most interesting meetings I had over the past two years," said Lech Kaczynski at a joint press conference held after talks with the Egyptian president.
The presidents discussed the situation in the Middle East, the Palestinian National Authority, Lebanon, the Persian Gulf and Africa including Darfur and Somalia, according to Polish news agency PAP.
Chinese president meets Ahmadinejad
By IANS,
Beijing : Chinese President Hu Jintao Friday discussed Iran's nuclear issue with his Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Beijing.
OIC secretary-general condemns bomb attack in Nigeria
Jeddah: Secretary-General of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation Iyad Ameen Madani has strongly condemned the recent killings of a number of people in a...
Iraqi Director of police affairs killed in bomb explosion
By NNN-KUNA
Baghdad : The Iraqi Interior Ministry has announced that the Iraqi Director of the Federal Police Affairs was killed in an explosion of a bomb planted inside his car by unknown persons in Al-Mansour district in western Baghdad.
Director of the National Command Centre in the Iraqi Interior Ministry Major General Abdul Karim Khalaf told KUNA that unknown persons planted a bomb in the car of of the officer Sunday, adding that the bomb exploded while he was travelling in the Al-Mansour district west of here, killing him instantly.
He gave no more details.
Iraqi commander vows fresh operation against insurgents in Baghdad
By NNN-KUNA,
Baghdad : Deputy Chief of Staff of the Iraqi Army Lt-Col Naseir Al-Ebadi has said that his forces will launch a new military operation against insurgents in the Al-Shu'la district, north Baghdad.
"The Iraqi forces are poised to launch a fresh operation against the hotbed of insurgents and law violators in Al-Shu'la," Al-Ebadi told reporters here Wednesday.
Top German MPs blast French nuclear deal with UAE
By IRNA
Berlin : Two leading lawmakers of the co-ruling Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the opposition Free Democratic Party harshly criticized France's planned nuclear cooperation with the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Talking with Sunday's edition of the Berlin-based Tagesspiegel newspaper, the chairman of the foreign affairs committee, Ruprecht Polenz said, "I am very irritated that France wants to press ahead with the expansion of civilian atomic energy in the (Persian Gulf) region."
Kazakhstan allows U.S. non-military transit to Afghanistan
By RIA Novosti,
ASTANA : Kazakhstan has permitted the transit of non-military logistical supplies for U.S. troops deployed in Afghanistan, a Kazakh Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Monday.
Yerzhan Ashikbayev said only the land transit of civilian cargoes for the U.S. contingent in Afghanistan had been allowed. He also said that their "technical and commercial parameters" had yet to be specified.
Moscow said on Friday it would allow the transit of non-military supplies for U.S. troops in Afghanistan as soon as Washington provided Moscow with cargo specifications.
Bangladesh mourns its founder’s killing
By IANS,
Dhaka : Bangladesh Sunday observed the National Mourning Day to mark the death anniversary of its founder Sheikh Mujibur Rahman who was killed in a military-led putsch on this day in 1975.
Twenty-eight people, including his wife and three sons, were killed. The survivors included his two daughters who were abroad.
Sunday was a public holiday with prayer meetings being held in mosques, churches and temples.
Rahman's elder daughter and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visited the ancestral home at Tungipara to place wreaths at his grave.
Car bombing attack kills 3, injures 30 in S. Afghanistan
By Xinhua,
Kabul : A powerful car bomb rocked Kandahar city, the capital of Kandahar province in southern Afghanistan, on Wednesday noon, leaving at least three people dead and 30 others wounded.
The incident occurred at around 11:45 a.m. local time (0715 GMT)close to the buildings of provincial council and the department of intelligence service in Kandahar city. Ambulances have been taking the wounded to hospitals, a Xinhua reporter said on the spot.
18 dead in Pakistan landmine blast
By IANS,
Islamabad : Eighteen people were killed when a bus carrying a marriage party was blown up in a landmine explosion in Pakistan's Mohmand Agency.
According to Geo News, the marriage party bus was struck with anti tank mine planted by militants in Lakro area.
Eighteen people, including women and children, were killed while six people were injured.
Pakistan media plays down Hamza arrest
By IANS,
New Delhi : In complete contrast to the Indian media, the Pakistani media Tuesday appeared to play down the dramatic arrest of a key mastermind of the Mumbai terror attack.
Suicide bomber kills nine in Baghdad
By Xinhua
Baghdad : The toll from a suicide bombing explosion in a town in Diyala province on Thursday evening, rose to nine dead and 13 wounded, a provincial police source said.
"Our latest report said that nine people were killed, including two policemen and 13 others injured including three policemen," the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.
On the day, a suicide bomber wearing an explosive-vest blew himself up at a crowd of worshippers gathering outside a Shiite mosque to commemorate the religious ritual of Ashura.
Abu Dhabi to host forum on charity, corporate social responsibility
By IANS,
Abu Dhabi : Sheikhs, corporate leaders and heads of non-governmental bodies are among a cross-section of people expected to attend the Arab Giving Forum to be held here Jan 5-6 next year.
The two-day forum is being organized to promote and disseminate the culture of giving and the concept of corporate social responsibility among individuals and companies, according to the official Emirates News Agency (WAM).
Arianespace Sends Its First Mission To International Space Station.
By Bernama
Kuala Lumpur : Arianespace, the launcher of Malaysia's Measat-I & -II, successfully launched the European Space Agencys first ATV (Automated Transfer Vehicle), dubbed Jules Verne ATV to the international space station on Sunday, March 9.
In a statement today, Arianespace said the mission marked Arianespaces first mission to the International Space Station (ISS).
The Guiana Space Center from where the mission was launched has now joined the select club of launch sites serving the ISS, along with Baikonur and the Kennedy Space Center (Cape Canaveral).
Two US soldiers killed in Iraq, 18 wounded
By ANTARA News,
Baghdad : Two car bombs in Iraq killed two US soldiers and wounded 18 along with two Iraqi contractors, the US military said on Sunday.
One soldier was killed and 18 were wounded along with two Iraqi contractors, when one bomb exploded near a small patrol base close to executed president Saddam Hussein`s hometown of Tikrit on Sunday, the military said.
The second soldier died when his vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb in east Baghdad at 9:45 am (0645 GMT) on Saturday, it added.
Pakistan Senate regrets Karzai accusations
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : Pakistan's Senate Wednesday adopted a unanimous resolution regretting the accusations against Islamabad by Afghan President Hamid Karzai, according to local media.
"The Senate of Pakistan expresses deep regret over recent threatening statements by the Afghan president," said the resolution.
Karzai alleged that Pakistan's intelligence agency was involved in the car bomb blast outside the Indian embassy in Kabul last month that killed over 50 people.
UNHCR seeks $33 mn for Pakistan flood victims
By IANS/WAM,
Islamabad/Geneva : The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is seeking $33.2 million to help the flood victims in Pakistan.
Hezbollah says official was wounded, not killed in blast
By DPA,
Beirut : Lebanon's Shiite movement Hezbollah denied late Monday that a member of the group was killed when a bomb left behind from the 2006 war with Israel exploded near his house.
Saeed Nasser, a Hezbollah official in southern Lebanon, "was wounded and not killed" in the blast in the village of Tayr Filsi on the southern bank of the Litani river, the Hezbollah source said.
A Lebanese security source in southern Lebanon earlier told DPA that Nasser was killed when he tried to defuse the bomb in his backyard.
"Reports on casualties are baseless," the Hezbollah source said.
Iranians mark Quds Day in solidarity with Palestinians
Tehran : Hundreds of thousands of Iranians rallied Friday across the country to mark Quds (Jerusalem) Day in solidarity with the Palestinians, condemning Israel's...
Britain commited to stability in Iraq – British Defence Secretary
By NNN-KUNA
Baghdad : Visiting British Defence Secretary Des Browne has renewed Britain's commitment to improve the security and economic situation in Iraq.
Britain is sticking to its commitment towards Iraq despite the planned withdrawal of its forces, Browne told a press conference here Thursday.
Britain's efforts will focus in the coming period on the economic development, updating the airports and seaports and improving the security atmosphere and health and education services for the citizens in the southern Iraqi city of Basra, he pointed out.
Iran launches first communication satellite
By DPA,
Tehran : Iran Sunday launched its first communication satellite into space, Iranian state television reported.
The report said that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad made the countdown for the Omid (Hope) satellite, which was launched on the Safir (Envoy) rocket.
Ahmadinejad termed the launching a great technological achievement for the Iranian nation.
The same rocket was first tested last February under the name Kavoshgar (Explorer) 1 upon Ahmadinejad's direct order from a space centre in order to prepare for the launch of the Omid satellite.
Egypt asks Arab economies to join hands against globaL crunch
By IANS,
Abu Dhabi : Arab countries should join hands to stave off the impact of the global financial crunch on their economies, Egypt's Minister of Trade and Industry Rachid Mohamed Rachid has said.
"The international credit crisis will have negative impact on the world trade due to the recession which has hit the US and Europe. other economies will also feel the pinch in varying degrees," WAM quoted the Egyptian minister as telling reporters here Sunday.
Rachid arrived here Sunday on a two-day visit of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as part of a regional tour.
Highest number of Russian Muslims perform Haj
Moscow – (IINA) February 12 – More than 26,000 Muslims from Russia performed the annual pilgrimage of Haj last year. This figure is the highest number of pilgrims performing Haj in the history of Russian Federation, according to a statement carried by the Russian official news agency Itar Tass.
Iraq considers Arab League’s initiative on Iraq the best – Iraqi FM
By NNN-KUNA
Cairo : Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari has said that his government considers the Arab League initiative to achieve Iraqi reconciliation as one of the best initiatives that were put on the Iraqi arena.
Zebari denied, in a statement to reporters following his talks with Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa Tuesday the existence of rejection of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki of the League's efforts to achieve reconciliation in his country.
Pakistan, Turkey wrap up air exercises
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan and Turkey have concluded air exercises aimed at excelling in the air combat capability, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) said.
19 gunmen killed in Egypt raid
Cairo: At least 19 gunmen have been killed in a security raid by the Egyptian army in Sheikh Zuweid city of Egypt's North Sinai...
U.S. military confirms Turkey incursion against PKK
By Xinhua
Baghdad : The U.S. military in Iraq said Friday it was aware of Turkey's latest cross-border operation in Iraq against the outlawed Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK).
The U.S. military said it "is aware that Turkish ground forces have entered into northern Iraq, for what we understand is an operation of limited duration to specifically target PKK terrorists."
"Turkey has given its assurances it will do everything possible to avoid collateral damage to innocent civilians or Kurdish infrastructure," it said.
Olmert holds meeting with Abbas ahead of Bush visit
By Xinhua
Jerusalem : Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas met in Jerusalem Tuesday, ahead of U.S. President George W. Bush's visit to the region.
The two leaders will discuss Israel's settlement building and the Palestinians' demand that the Israeli army refrain from carrying out any extensive military operations in the West Bank.
Turkey sends humanitarian aid to Iraq
By Xinhua
Ankara : Turkish Red Crescent sent seven trucks loaded with 85 tons of humanitarian aid to Iraq on Friday, the semi-official Anatolia news agency reported.
"We will distribute the aid in Mosul and Tal Afar," Omer Tasli, director general of Turkish Red Crescent, was quoted as saying, adding that they also sent one communication vehicle and three personnel to the war-torn country.
Tasli continued that the organization would also send 23 tons of medicine and medical equipment, as well as 40 tons of serums to the region.
Kuwaiti authorities remove 26,000 illegal electoral advertisements
By Muntaha Al-Fadhli, KUNA,
Kuwait : Authorities have removed thousands of advertisements and billboards and posters for candidates contending for parliamentary seats in various districts of the country since dissolution of the former National Assembly.
Head of Secretariat of the Joint Interior-Municipal Elections Committee Mohammad Al-Moussawi said on Sunday more than 26,000 illegal electoral advertisements, slogans and posters had been removed since the issuance of the parliament dissolution decree.
Musharraf’s judges detention case adjourned till March 21
Islamabad : An anti-terrorism court (ATC) here Friday adjourned the detention of judges case against former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf until March 21, media...
10 Taliban, 4 criminals killed in Afghanistan
By KUNA
Kabul : Afghan and coalition forces have eliminated 10 militants and four criminals in two separate operations in southern and western Afghanistan, officials said on Wednesday.
In one operation, conducted in Deh Rawod district of the southern Uruzgan province, the Afghan and coalition troops killed 10 Taliban militants, including their two commanders.
Iran has protested to UN over Israeli threats
By IRNA,
Tehran : Foreign Ministry spokesman, Mohammad-Ali Hosseini, said on Sunday that Iran has sent a letter of protest to the United Nations over Israeli threat.
The letter was handed over to the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the Security Council by Iran's permanent envoy to the UN, Mohammad Khazaei on Friday.
In his April 7 statement Israeli national infrastructure minister, Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, threatened the Iranian nation with destruction.
Dozens of Taliban, eight civilians killed in Afghanistan
By DPA,
Kabul : Dozens of Taliban fighters, four police men and a girl were killed in separate attacks, while three coalition soldiers were killed as their vehicle rolled into a river in southern Afghanistan.
Officials in the southern Uruzgan province said a police vehicle was blown up by a roadside bomb in the provincial capital Tirin Kot city Tuesday morning while on a patrol.
Gulab Khan, head of the crime branch of the police, said four policemen died on the spot and two were wounded seriously.
Pakistani scholars reject doomsday prophecy
By IANS,
Islamabad : Scholars in Pakistan have termed as "baseless" a prophecy by the ancient Mayan civilisation that the world would come to an end Dec 21, 2012.
Malaysia’s Hindraf detainees released on Deepavali eve
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur : Ten activists of the banned Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf), who were detained last week for gathering outside the Malaysian prime minister's office, have been released on bail ahead of the Hindu festival of Deepavali.
While this gesture was received with joy by the family members and supporters of those detained, there was no word about any government action on the five top (Hindraf) leaders - M. Manoharan, S. Kengadharan, P. Uthaya Kumar, Vasanth Kumar and Ganabatirau - whose freedom the 10 activists were seeking when they were arrested Thursday.
UAE pledges $250 mn in reconstruction aid to Afghanistan
By IANS,
Paris : The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has pledged $250 million in reconstruction aid to Afghanistan at the international donor conference for the country here, WAM news agency reported Friday.
The announcement was made Thursday by the UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al Nahyan.
The minister hailed the French government for organising the donor conference and supported the reconstruction plan put forward by the Afghan government.
Pakistan demands India provide Mumbai evidence
By IINA,
Islamabad : Pakistan sought to put some of the pressure over the Mumbai bloodshed on India, demanding that its neighbor hand over “concrete evidence” against Pakistani citizens and groups allegedly involved in the terror attack. Pakistani officials made the demand yesterday after saying for days that they need evidence to try suspects, but there has been no sign India would provide any of its findings soon.
Schools reopen in parts of Pakistan
By IANS,
Islamabad : Schools in the Pakistani capital and those located in Sindh and Punjab provincves reopened Monday. They had been shut following a spate of terror attacks in the country.
The government directed security agencies to take steps to ensure foolproof security at educational institutions across the country, Geo TV reported Monday.
Educational institutions in Balochistan will remain closed for three more days following the killing of Balocistan's education minister Sunday.
Institutions in the restive North West Frontier Province will remained closed till Nov 1.
Obama forges new Pakistan, Afghanistan anti-terror front
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : President Barack Obama has won a promise from Pakistan and Afghanistan to forge a new front in the fight against extremists, saying the security of both countries and the US is linked.
Presidents Asif Ali Zardari of Pakistan and Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan understand the seriousness of the threat from Al Qaeda and the Taliban in the border region between the two nations, Obama said Wednesday after a trilateral summit at the White House.
Abdullah renews oath as Malaysian prime minister
By IRNA
Kuala Lumpur : Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has been sworn in, two days after his coalition suffered its worst election result in five decades.
Abdullah took the oath of office at the national palace in Kuala Lumpur.
The prime minister has faced calls for his resignation in the wake of Saturday's polls.
The ruling National Front won more than half of all seats in parliament, but lost its two-thirds majority, its worst result since independence in 1957.
Overnight clashes kill two in northern Lebanon
By Xinhua,
Beirut : Two people were killed and more than 28 others wounded in overnight clashes between pro-government Sunni and Alawits opposition supporters in northern Lebanon, local Elnashra website reported Wednesday.
A man was killed by a shot in his head from a sniper, while a woman died from a heart attack when a shell hit her apartment, the report said.
Politics not best way for change: Fatima Bhutto
By IANS,
New Delhi: Fatima Bhutto, the niece of slain former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto, Sunday said politics was not the best way to bring about transformation in society and she had chosen the media and academia to work for change.
Fatima, who took part in a panel discussion here on "Altered Histories: The Legacy of Political Assassinations in South Asia" along with political critic Ashis Nandy, Hindustan Times editorial director Vir Sanghvi and Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar, said politics has an element of violence.
UAE banks move as fraudsters strike
By IANS,
Dubai : Banks in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are taking a series of security and other measures following reports of fraudsters using counterfeit ATM cards to withdraw money from customer accounts.
The National Bank of Abu Dhabi (NBAD) has announced that it would fully refund any customer who was a victim of the fraudsters in the last three days, provided the customer proved that the account has been exposed.
Bangladesh war killed four times more than thought earlier: report
By Dipankar De Sarkar, IANS,
London : The war leading up to the liberation of Bangladesh in 1971 killed 269,000 people - nearly five times the number previously estimated, a new study says.
The study by researchers from Seattle, US - published by the British Medical Journal - says globally war has killed three times more people than previously estimated, and there is no evidence to support claims of a recent decline in war deaths.
52 detainees killed in Iraq
Baghdad : At least 52 detainees were killed in a militant attack on a police station in Iraq's eastern province of Diyala, security sources...
UNSC report on Lebanon will not address Sheba’a farms issue – UN Coordinator
By NNN-KUNA,
Cairo : A report to be presented to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) within the next 10 days will not address the issue of Sheba'a Farms, the UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Michael Williams said.
The report would enclose realisation of UN resolution 1701, Williams told reporters Tuesday after meeting Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmad Abul Gheit here.
NATO forces kill key Taliban commander in S Afghanistan
By Xinhua,
Kabul : The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) have killed a Taliban commander Mullah Ziauddin during an operation in southern Afghan province of Helmand, said an ISAF statement released here on Tuesday.
Mullah Ziauddin, who was involved in the procurement, construction and emplacement of IEDs (Improvised Explosive Device),died as a result of injuries which occurred during a strike against him by ISAF in an area to the south of Lashkar Gah, capital of Helmand on Oct. 29, the statement said.
Review Pakistan’s ties with US: Nawaz Sharif
By IANS,
Lahore : Pakistan-US ties should be reviewed following the US raid in Abbottabad to kill Osama bin Laden, said opposition Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif.
Iraq soon to be free of foreign troops — official
By KUNA,
Baghdad : Iraqi forces will be self-sufficient in the near future, said Iraqi national security adviser Muwafaq Al-Rubaie on Wednesday.
Al-Rubaie, who was representing the Primer Nouri Al-Maliki at the handover ceremony of the security dossier to the local forces, told reporters that he foresaw the day when Iraq would be free of foreign presence.
He expressed gratitude to every soldier who contributed to liberating Iraq from the former dictatorship, and for remaining to train the Iraqi forces as well as their ongoing support for restoring law and order to the country.
Lawyers clash with police in Pakistan, several wounded
By KUNA
Islamabad : Several lawyers were wounded when police fired tear-gas shells and baton-charged them for holding protests in Pakistan for the reinstatement of deposed judges last year by President Musharraf to get him re-elected for another five-year Presidential term by the outgoing assemblies.
Lawyers held protest demonstrations outside Sindh High Court building in Southern Karachi port city. Police to disperse them fired tear-gas shells and use baton-charge. While, according to police sources, several lawyers were also arrested.
US’ image high in Europe, weak in Muslim countries
By DPA,
Washington : The US' image in Western Europe remains high, while Muslim nations still have a negative view of the US and are sceptical about President Barack Obama's policies, according to a survey released Thursday.
The favourability rating for the US has climbed since Obama replaced the unpopular George W. Bush as president, notably in Germany and France, where a respective 63 and 73 percent of those polled expressed a positive view, the annual Pew Research Centre survey showed.
Khaleda, Hasina tighten hold on parties ahead of polls
By IANS,
Dhaka : Consolidating their hold over their parties ahead of the general elections, former Bangladesh prime minister Khaleda Zia has been made president for life of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) while her rival Sheikh Hasina eased out an erring general secretary of her Awami League (AL).
While setting their respective houses in order, both have asked the military-backed government to free them "permanently" - withdraw the numerous corruption cases filed against them.
Gunmen kidnap 42 college students near Iraqi city of Mosul
By SPA
Baghdad : Iraqi authorities say gunmen have kidnapped 42 college students traveling in a bus near the northern city of Mosul.
Brig. Gen. Khalif Abdul-Sattar says three other students on a second bus were injured when gunmen opened fire as the driver sped away.
Abdul-Sattar says the ambush occurred early Sunday on the main highway linking Mosul with Baghdad.
It is not immediately clear where the students were traveling from or where they were headed, the Associated Press reported.
Jaswant Congratulates Asif Zardari And Nawaz Sharif
By NNN-APP
New Delhi : Jaswant Singh, former Indian Foreign Minister and Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha has congratulated Pakistan Peoples Party Co-Chairperson Asif Ali Zardari and Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) leader Mian Nawaz Sharif on their victory in the elections and hoped new leadership will take steps to further normalise relations with India.
Jaswant Singh, who is a senior leader of Bhartia Janata Party called up both the leaders and conveyed his good wishes to them.
We won’t bow to pressure: Zardari
By IANS,
Islamabad : Stressing that Pakistan would not "bow down" to any pressure, President Asif Ali Zardari said that if India wants to build up world pressure on Pakistan, it is a "mistake", a media report Sunday said.
"If India wants to build world pressure on Pakistan, it is a mistake," Zardari said during a dinner reception hosted Saturday for Islamabad-based foreign ambassadors at the Aiwan-e-Sadr.
Zardari separately met Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan Satyabrata Pal and discussed the regional situation with him.
Muslims helping Haiti
By Wajahat Ali
Haiti is experiencing unimaginable suffering from its devastating earthquake, with more than 150,000 dead and one to three million individuals displaced. Individuals, groups and governments from around the world have stepped in to do what they can. United by their religious tradition of charity, Muslims have emerged as effective partners in aid and relief work.
Ulemas term Pakistan military operation as jihad
Islamabad : A panel of religious leaders has termed as jihad Pakistan's military operation being carried out against terrorists in North Waziristan, a media...
25 injured in clash with Dhaka police
By IANS,
Dhaka : Twenty-five activists of an environment protection group who tried to lay siege to the energy ministry in Dhaka were injured during a clash with police.
Pakistan, not India, exporting terrorism: PM
By Quaid Najmi, IANS,
Mumbai : Denying that India was to blame for terror in Balochistan, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Sunday said it was Pakistan that was patronizing terrorism and causing "great harm" to South Asia.
Visiting Mumbai on the last day of campaigning for the Maharashtra assembly elections, slated for Tuesday, Manmohan Singh also asked Maoist guerrillas to shed violence and initiate a dialogue with the government.
67 percent Britons want burqa ban
By IANS,
London : A majority of Britons - around 67 percent - want to see the burqa banned in the country.
Earlier in the week, members of parliament in France voted to outlaw the full Islamic veil in public. A poll by YouGov showed that two-thirds of the British public would like to see their government follow suit, the Daily Express reported.
Over 2,000 Britons were asked whether the burqa should be banned in Britain. Some 67 percent said yes, while that figure rose to 80 percent among people aged 55 or over.
Pakistani politicians barred from flight for turning up late
Islamabad : Two Pakistani politicians were barred from a flight for holding it up for over one-and-a-half hours, media reported Tuesday.
Passengers of an Islamabad-bound...
EU seeks Israeli assurances on humanitarian aid to Gaza
By KUNA,
Brussels : European Union foreign ministers held an extraordinary meeting with Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni here late Wednesday night to discuss the situation in Gaza following three weeks of Israeli military onslaught which killed about 1,300 Palestinians and injured more than 4000, mostly civilians.
Swat deal linked to restoring peace, asserts Pakistan
By IANS,
Islamabad : The ratification of a peace deal signed with the Taliban in the Swat Valley is directly linked to restoring peace in the area, a Pakistani minister said Friday, a day after a radical cleric who had brokered the deal upped the ante on its implementation.
Talking to reporters outside parliament, Interior Minister Rehman Malik said President Asif Ali Zardari would accede to the pact only after Taliban militants laid down their arms.
Terrorism still a concern in Bangladesh, says US envoy
By DPA,
Dhaka : The US government believes that Islamist militancy is still a major concern in Bangladesh, the US ambassador in Dhaka said Sunday.
"We do have disturbing indications. There continues to be a threat in Bangladesh and my government does believe that there is a threat," James F. Moriarty told reporters in the South Asian country.
Referring to the recent seizure of arms caches in remote villages and the capture of members of militant outfits, the ambassador said these demonstrate that terrorism remains a concern in Bangladesh.
Three die in Iran police chopper crash
By IANS,
Tehran : Three people were killed when a police helicopter crashed Friday in Iran's southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchestan, a media report said.
40 Taliban militants killed
By IANS,
Kabul : About 40 Taliban militants were killed by security forces in Afghanistan, the interior ministry said Sunday.
UAE vice-president opens world’s tallest building
By IANS,
Dubai: United Arab Emirates (UAE) Vice-President Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum inaugurated the world's tallest building Burj Dubai here Monday, WAM news agency reported.
Sheikh Mohammed unveiled the commemorative plaque at the site announcing the official opening of the world's tallest building.
The gleaming glass and steel tower of more than 160 floors extends more than 800 metres into the sky, making it some 300 metres taller than Taipei 101, currently listed as the world's tallest inhabited structure.
Pakistani women go under knife to regain virginity
By IANS,
Islamabad : Living as they do in a conservative, Muslim-dominated society where pre-marital sex is a religious taboo, many Pakistani women are going under the knife for hymen reconstruction surgeries to regain their lost virginity before marriage.
Just look up advertisements in English newspapers or websites or the walls of shops on busy street corners in cities like Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad, offering women a chance to shroud their past with a recreated hymen - and you'll know.
Arab Justice Ministers urges differentiating terrorism, Islam
By KUNA,
Cairo : Arab Justice Ministers condemned Thursday all forms of terrorism and asserted importance of differentiating between terrorism and Islam.
The ministers, at the conclusion of their meeting here, called for the strengthening of cooperation between the Arab and countries around the world in the fight against terrorism.
They said that terrorism and Islam should not be linked together because Islam calls for forgiveness and rejects terrorism and extremism.
Hindu trader shot dead in Pakistan
By IANS,
Islamabad : A Hindu trader was gunned down by unidentified militants Monday in a market in Pakistan's Balochistan province, police said.
India finish fourth, Malaysia win Asian Rugby Sevens
By IANS,
New Delhi: After a roaring start, India stumbled against Sri Lanka in the semifinals and Malaysia emerged champions on the second and the last day of the Asian Rugby Sevens Championship at the Delhi University here Saturday.
India, who topped Group B by winning all their three matches Friday, were beaten 19-34 by the under-21 Sri Lankan side Saturday. The hosts, lacking the fizz, then lost to Kazakhstan 7-33 in the match for third place.
In the final, Group A toppers and the top-ranked team here, Malaysia, outclassed the Sri Lankans 38-5 to win the trophy.
Local Pakistan gov’t holds dialogue with Taliban on ceasefire
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : The ruling party in northwestern Pakistan province on Friday held dialogue with local Taliban operating in Swat valley to settle issues on negotiating table and restore peace in the area.
The Awami National Party (ANP) of North West Frontier Province (NWFP) and the local Taliban agreed on ceasefire as confidence building measure, ANP spokesman Zahid Khan told a private Geo TV channel.
Khan termed first round of the talks "positive" and expressed the hope that the negotiations would achieve positive results and normalcy would return to Swat soon.
Abu Dhabi hosts Ophthalmology meet
By IANS/WAM,
Abu Dhabi : The World Ophthalmology Congress 2012 opened here will help generate $21,880, the organisers said.
Arab officials warn against rising unemployment in Arab countries
By NNN-KUNA,
Kuwait : The Arab Economic and Social Forum has concluded its two-day activities with the final session concentrated on youth, unemployment and immigration in the Arab world.
Qatari Minister of Labour and president of Doha Forum for Development and Work, Sultan Al-Dosari said Arab governments were responsible for encouraging the youth to participate in the development in the Arab countries.
"Paying more attention in the youth issues should be very high," Al-Dosari said at the opening of the last session.
US wants new Pakistan government to work with Musharraf
By Parveen Chopra, IANS
Washington : If President George W. Bush can continue to head the US government after his Republican Party lost the majority in Congress in 2006, Pervez Musharraf can retain his position as the president of Pakistan even though his party has lost the polls, a White House spokesperson said.
Acknowledging that Musharraf's party has conceded defeat in the elections, the Bush administration now hopes that the new government will continue to work with Musharraf, its ally, and continue to partner the US in its war on terror.
Pakistani journalist is Punjab caretaker chief minister
By IANS,
Islamabad : Well known journalist Najam Sethi has been nominated to lead the caretaker government in Pakistan's biggest province Punjab.
Bomb attacks target Iraqi judges in Baghdad
By Xinhua,
Baghdad : Three bomb attacks targeted Iraqi judges on Monday morning, wounding one of them while two others escaped unhurt, an Interior Ministry source said.
"Judge Ghanim Abdullah al-Shimmary, his wife and daughter were wounded when a bomb detonated inside his house in Baghdad's eastern neighborhood of Bunoog," the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.
Shimmary is working in the court of the Sadr City neighborhood, the Shiite stronghold of Mahdi Army militia loyal to the radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, the source said.
Resolve N-issue peacefully, Gulf nations tell Iran
By IANS,
Dubai : The Ministerial Council of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has called upon Iran to adhere to principles of international legitimacy and settle the nuclear issue through peaceful means.
At the 108th session of the GCC ministerial council that concluded in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, late Tuesday night, the council welcomed the ongoing negotiations between Iran and Western countries, and hoped that the negotiations would lead to a peaceful settlement, the state-run Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.
UAE, Saudi Arabia are most globalized Arab countries
Abu Dhabi – (IINA) January 13, 2008 – The United Arab Emirates topped as the most globalized Arab country, and Saudi Arabia comes next to it, according to a recent report by Center for Research in Economics, Management and the Arts (CREMA), an affiliate of Switzerland's Zurich University. The index, measuring the economic, social and political dimensions and ranging from economic openness to attractiveness, has chosen UAE as the world's 35th most globalized country, Saudi Arabia (36) and Kuwait (40).
Italy converts $10 million Pakistan’s debt into aid
By SPA
Islamabad : Italy has converted $10 million Pakistan's debt into aid for development in the social sector, officials said.
Italian Ambassador Vincenzo Prati said Pakistan would use the money over five years. He said that according to the agreement Pakistan would deposit 20 percent of the total debt amount in a special account every year.
Prati said that under the initial 2003 agreement, Italy had waived half of the debt, and converted the remaining $110 million into aid for social sector development.
Top Pentagon officer rules out military operation in Pakistan
By NNN-PTI
Islamabad : Stating that the United States had no concerns about Islamabad's nuclear arsenal falling into the hands of terrorists, America's top military officer today ruled out operations by his troops in Pakistani territory.
Admiral Michael Mullen, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said he was "very comfortable that Pakistan's nuclear weapons are secure" and the US was "not concerned that they are going to fall into the hands of t errorists".
Malaysia to boost Muslim progress through education
By Muin Abdul Majid, NNN-Bernama,
Dubai : For Malaysia's Higher Education Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin, efforts to make Malaysia a regional education hub is more than just about attracting an increasing number of foreign students to its approximately 60 public and private universities.
It is also about doing whatever it can to enable developing countries, especially Muslim nations, to progress by equipping their people with the relevant skills and knowledge.
Sri Lanka: Foreign Ministry orders investigation into charges of neglect by mission in Kuwait
By NNN-Govt Portal,
Colombo : Taking into consideration the allegation leveled by a Sri Lankan housemaid who recently returned from Kuwait, contending that she had received no assistance from the Sri Lanka Mission in Kuwait after being allegedly pushed from the upper floor of a house by her employer, Minister of Foreign Affairs has ordered a full scale investigation pertaining to the cited issue.
He also called upon the Sri Lanka Embassy in Kuwait to provide a comprehensive report on this matter, a ministry press release said.
Hamas: Chances of inter-Palestinian dialogue retreated
By Xinhua,
Gaza : A senior Hamas leader said on Saturday that possibilities of launching inter-Palestinian dialogue have been retreated due to opposition from Western powers.
"The chance of a Palestinian-Palestinian dialogue," which is intended to repair the political gap between the West Bank and the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, now "returned to zero," said the Gaza-based leader Mahmoud Zahar.
"There is no dialogue now because the officials in Ramallah are unable to do so due to the American-European veto," he said.
Soldier killed in Pakistan landmine blast: official
By ANTARA News
Quetta, Pakistan : A Pakistani soldier was killed and two others were wounded when a landmine blew up their vehicle in the southwestern province of Baluchistan early Thursday, officials said.
The blast happened near a gas field in Nasirabad district of the region hit by a tribal insurgency, a security official told AFP.
The two injured soldiers were rushed to hospital after their vehicle was badly destroyed, the official said, requesting anonymity.
UN increases efforts regarding Afghanistan
By NNN-KUNA
Oslo : Deputy Special Representative for the UN Secretary-General in Afghanistan Chris Alexander announced on Tuesday new plans to reinforce missions of assistance to the Afghan people and support to government institutions in Afghanistan.
Alexander added, missions of assistance were proposed by the new Norwegian candidate for the position of Special Representative for Afghanistan, to seek a fast solution for the Afghani crisis.
4 injured in bomb blast in NW Pakistan
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : At least four people were injured in a bomb blast in a town of North West Frontier Province (NWFP) of Pakistan on Wednesday, state media reported.
A remote control bomb exploded in a video shop in NWFP's Kohat bazaar, the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) quoted police as saying.
The four people injured were rushed to a local hospital for treatment.
No further details are available.
Eight mn fake tablets detected in Pakistan
By IANS,
Islamabad : Eight million water purification tablets sent to flood-hit Sindh province were counterfeit, a firm has informed Pakistan.
Egyptian court postpones trial of Morsi, 130 others
Cairo: A criminal court in Egypt Saturday postponed the trial of ousted president Mohamad Morsi and 130 other defendants in a jailbreak case till...
Religious leaders oppose violence in northwestern parts of country
By IRNA,
Islamabad : The Pakistani religious leaders on Friday strongly condemned the suicide attack in northwestern city of D I Khan killing at least 30 people, and said that a conspiracy is being hatched to light the fire of sectarianism.
Talking to IRNA they called upon the people to foil the designs of those elements who are trying to divide Muslims of Pakistan.
According to reports, a suicide blast occurred near Shia mosque when hundreds of people were attending the funeral procession of a person Sher Zaman, who was shot dead in a target killing incident.
Bangladesh ferry toll reaches 22
Dhaka : At least 22 people were killed when a ferry, carrying between 250 to 300 passengers, capsized in a river in Bangladesh Thursday,...
U.S. tries to solve Iran’s nuclear issue through diplomacy
By Xinhua,
Washington : The United States said Friday that it is trying to solve Iran's nuclear issue through diplomacy.
"We are trying to solve this diplomatically," White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said.
"I understand that Israel is very concerned about their future and their safety when they have a neighbor in their region -- Iran-- that says they want to wipe them off the map," Perino said.
Israeli troops open fire at Gaza farmers
By Xinhua,
Gaza : Israeli soldiers opened intensive fireat Palestinian farmers approaching their farms near the fence between northern Gaza Strip and Israel, Hamas police sources said Sunday.
The sources said Palestinian farmers went on Sunday morning to work at their farms adjacent to the no-go zone in northern Gaza Strip, adding that Israeli soldiers opened intensive gunfire at them. No injuries were reported.
Eight killed as bomb goes off in Iranian mosque
By DPA
Tehran : At least eight people were killed and more than 50 injured when a bomb exploded in a mosque in southern Iran Saturday, Fars news agency reported.
The bomb went off during a speech by a local cleric in the mosque in the city of Shiraz in Fars province.
The agency said that the death toll might go up as many of those injured are in a critical condition.
An emergency meeting was immediately convened at the governor's office, and all nearby streets leading to the mosque have been sealed off by police and security forces.
UAE ratifies Charter of Arab Peace and Security Council, Human Rights
By NNN-WAM
Cairo : The United Arab Emirates has deposited its instrument of ratification of the Charter of Arab Peace and Security Council which was approved by the 18th Summit Conference of the Arab League Council and became effective as of June 2007.
The UAE also deposited its instrument of ratification of the Arab Charter on Human Rights which was approved by the Arab League at the 16th Arab summit in Tunisia. The Charter will go into effect as of March 15, 2008.
Mehsud masterminded Benazir’s murder, says former aide
By IANS,
Islamabad : A militant leader who broke away with Pakistan's Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud has accused him of killing former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto, a media report said Friday.
Haji Turkistan Baetani, former right-hand man of Mehsud, claimed that Mehsud had planned the assassination of Bhutto.
Baetani told Geo TV that he heard Mehsud say, "I have moved two of my associates to Rawalpindi (for) slaying Mohtarma B.B. (Benazir Bhutto)."
14 killed in Afghan suicide bombing
By IANS,
Kabul : Fourteen people, including three NATO soldiers and a senior official, were killed and 37 others injured in a suicide bomb blast in Afghanistan's Khost province Monday.
Pakistan offers full co-op in probe of Mumbai terror attacks
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : Pakistan will stand by India in the difficult times after the Mumbai terrorist attacks and would like to offer India full cooperation in the probe of the incident, the foreign office said in a statement on Saturday.
Addressing a news conference here, Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that the Pakistani government was unanimous in condemnation of the barbaric acts of terrorism and offered condolences to the government of India and the bereaved families.
Goods train derailed as blast damaged track in Pakistan
By IRNA
Islamabad : A blast on a railway track derailed a goods train that was heading to the southwestern Pakistani city of Taftan near the border with Iran, official said Saturday.
In another incident an explosion blew up a gas pipeline in Quetta, the center of Balochistan province, suspending gas supply to several areas.
Railway officials said that six apartments of the Taftan-bound goods train were derailed near the city of Nushki.
The blast also caused damage to engine of the train.
The train was carrying rice and potato for Iran, officials said.
Afghanistan heads for presidential runoff
Kabul: Two leading Afghan presidential candidates, out of eight in the contest, will vie in a runoff poll in mid-June as no winner emerged...
Bangladeshi French fry maker eyes export market
By IANS,
Dhaka : A Bangladeshi French fry maker is readying to multiply his production ten-folds while heeding the government's call to utilise more potato in view of a glut in its production.
"We will invest Tk 80 million ($1.2 million) more to produce 80-90 tonnes of French fry a month by 2010," said Eshtiaque Ahmed, managing director of Ejab Group, the owning company of Quality French Fried Potato.
Ahmed is enthused by the fact that "one super market chain in United Arab Emirates alone sells French fry worth US$ 6.6 million per month", the Daily Star reported Sunday.
Russia urges cooperation between US-led coalition, Damascus
United Nations : Russia Saturday said the fight against terrorists in Syria by US-led coalition should be structured in cooperation with the Syrian government.
"It...
Contributions of Indians vital: says Malaysian PM
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur : Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmed Badawi has hailed the contribution of ethnic Indians as "vital" to nation-building and said a cabinet committee has been set up to address challenges faced by the community.
In a message on the eve of Diwali, the prime minister said that Malaysian Indians are an integral part of society and the government recognises the past and present contributions of the community to nation-building.
Israel on full alert after Demona attack — media
By KUNA
Gaza : Israel announced Tuesday that its police and army forces were put on full alert in fear of another attack similar to the one which occurred in Demona city yesterday.
According to Israeli radio, the police forces were on alert in all cities of the country and areas near the West Bank.
The radio also said that Commissioner of the Israel Police Inspector General Dudi Cohen called for increasing efforts to find Palestinians working in Israel without a license.
Car bomber kills 35 Afghans targeting Canadian military
By IRNA
Kabul : Some 35 Afghan civilians died at Spin Boldak, a town in Kandahar province on Monday when a car bomber targeting a Canadian military convoy detonated its explosives.
IRNA reporter in Kabul said that 27 others were also wounded, several of them in critical condition.
He said that two of the wounded died at hospital raising the death toll to 37.
Three Canadian soldiers were slightly wounded, he said, adding that there is possibility of toll rise.
One of the Canadian military vehicles was heavily damaged in the attack.
Four killed in Afghanistan blast
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow: A suicide car bomber in Afghanistan's Uruzgan province killed at least four people, including three children, Saturday, a local media report said.
Musharraf denies he misappropriated US anti-terror funds
By DPA,
Islamabad : A spokesman for President Pervez Musharraf has denied that the embattled leader had "misappropriated" millions of dollars of military aid provided to Pakistan by the United States since the September 11, 2001 al-Qaeda terrorist attacks.
"The allegations are absurd and baseless. Every penny that we got in aid since 2001 has been accounted for," presidential spokesman Rashid Qureshi Sunday told DPA.
Israeli Gaza operation to end Tuesday: Egypt
By IANS,
Cairo : Israel's military operation against the Gaza Strip will come to an end Tuesday, Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi said.
Pakistani ministers need to speak with discretion: Daily
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistani ministers need to speak and act with discretion, said a daily after Interior Minister Rehman Malik disclosed the location of a high-profile kidnapping victim.
Roadside bomb kills 4 contractors in N Iraq
By Xinhua,
Baghdad : A roadside bomb went off near the city of Mosul, the capital of northern Iraq's Nineveh province, killing four contractors and wounding eight others, the U.S. military said Tuesday.
The attack took place at about 3:30 p.m. (1230 GMT) on Monday, when the bomb struck a convoy carrying contractors in an area located 23 km south of Mosul, a military statement said.
According to a spokesman of the U.S. forces based in Iraq, nationalities of the victims had not been released, pending notification of next of kin.
Dhaka rejects World bank’s grim forecast on economy
By IANS,
Dhaka : Bangladesh's finance minister has rejected World Bank's forecast of its economy in the wake of global downturn and economists here insist that the economy was poised for a higher growth at 5.5 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
"I do not accept it," said Finance Minister A.M.A. Muhith when asked to comment on the World Bank's projection of 4.5 percent growth rate.
Bangladesh Bank, the country's central bank, too rejected the WB projections.
Israeli settlers fire two rockets on Palestinian village in West Bank
By KUNA,
Ramallah : Israeli settlers fired two rockets toward Boreen village near Nablus city north of the West Bank, Palestinian security sources said on Tuesday.
The source said two settlers from Baraka settlement near the village fired the two rockets targeting Palestinians, but caused no injuries.
The rockets dubbed (Sharon-1, Sharon-2) fell in a deserted area causing fire only, the sources said.
Ahmadinejad calls for closer India-Iran ties
By IANS,
Tehran : Contemporary world situation calls for close cooperation between India and Iran, Iranian President Mahmdoud Ahmadinejad said Tuesday.
Iran and India should stay together because of their cultural ties as well as the situation in the region and the world, he told Indian External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna here on the sidelines of the G-15 meet.
All these call for close cooperation between the two countries, the president said.
"Iran and India should build upon their common views in building up new systems for the future of the world," the president said.
Japan Will Not Send Mil to Afghanistan
By Prensa Latina,
Tokyo : Japan annulled its decision to send troops to Afghanistan after government officials that were to pave the way for an expedition certified soaring insecurity.
The government split over the idea since the Liberal Democratic Party of Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda and New Komeito doubted that Parliament would OK a Law to send soldiers to Afghanistan.
PTI may form government in two provinces: Jemima Khan
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) seems set to form government in two provinces of Pakistan, said Imran Khan's ex-wife Jemima Khan.
Al Gore receives prize in Israel for environmental efforts
By Xinhua,
Jerusalem : Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore has received in Israel a prize of one million U.S. dollars for his efforts to fight climate change and prevent an environmental disaster.
"We do face a planetary emergency. The phrase sounds shrill to many, but it is unfortunately quite accurate," Israeli daily Ha' aretz quoted Gore as saying Monday at Tel Aviv University, where the Dan David Foundation awarded him the annual prize for alerting the world to the crisis caused by overuse of fossil fuels.
Straight fight in Malaysian by-poll: Najib to campaign
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur: Prime Minister Najib tun Razak will personally campaign for his alliance's ethnic Indian candidate in a key parliamentary by-election that became a straight fight after two independents withdrew Tuesday.
Odds favour P. Kamalanathan, information chief of the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC), a constituent of the Najib-led alliance Barisan Nasional (BN), who is facing Zaid Ibrahim, a former law minister and nominee of the opposition alliance Pakatan Rakyat, media reports said.
Oil, food crisis to be in D8’s declaration: Malaysia official
By Xinhua,
Kuala Lumpur : Malaysia is confident that the global oil and food crisis issues will be included in the Kuala Lumpur (KL) Declaration of the 6th Summit of the Developing 8 countries (D8), Malaysian Foreign Minister Rais Yatim said here on Sunday.
Over the past two days, there have been mixed signals given by the delegates during preparatory meetings on whether the oil price issue would be included in the declaration.
Bangladesh’s Zia seeks vote ‘to save Islam and country’
By IANS,
Dhaka : Former Bangladesh prime minister Khaleda Zia has been urging people to "save Islam and the country" by voting for her Islamist alliance nominees in the parliamentary election due Dec 29.
"Save the country and Islam by voting for BNP (Bangladesh Nationalist Party) and its alliance, and don't cast your vote for those who defamed the religion," Zia said at a large rally at Sylhet in northeastern Bangladesh.
Iran celebrates National Nuclear Day
By IANS,
Tehran : Iran Thursday celebrated National Nuclear Day marking the inauguration of the country's first nuclear fuel plant in the central Iranian city of Isfahan, IRNA reported.
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad inaugurated the atomic plant at a special ceremony held in Isfahan.
The Iranian leader outlined the country's achievements in the nuclear field on the occasion.
UK provides additional US$ 2 mln to build institutions in quake-hit areas
By APP
Islamabad : The United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID) Friday announced to provide an additional US$2 million to support stronger local government institutions in the earthquake-affected areas.
The funds will be channelled through UNDP’s project Building Enabling Governance and Institutions for Earthquake Response (BEGIN-ER).
A signing ceremony was held at the UNDP office to mark the occasion in the presence of David Taylor, Deputy Head of DFID Pakistan and Alvaro Rodriguez, Resident Representative UNDP.
PFLP claims responsibility for attacking Netiv Ha”asara
By KUNA
Gaza : Abu Ali Mustafa Brigades, the military wing of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, claimed responsibility for launching several mortar shells at the Israeli Netiv Ha'asara settlement.
In a statement, the brigades said the attack took place at dawn.
This operation, it said, was in retaliation for the massacre that took place last night in Breij Camp, in which eight Palestinians were killed and some 80 others were wounded.