Bangladesh to form association to ensure maximum welfare of migrant workers
By Xinhua,
DHAKA : Bangladesh will form a labor welfare association aiming to ensure maximum welfare of the country's millions of migrant workers, a senior government official said on Wednesday.
Bangladesh's Minister for Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain has already instructed officials concerned to make a work plan for formation of the association.
Iraq still under IS threat: Pentagon
Washington: US department of defence (DOD) Thursday said the threat from the Islamist militants remain in Iraq even though fear of mass violence on...
Zardari gets highest votes; to be Pakistan’s next President
By NNN-APP,
Islamabad : Asif Ali Zardari Saturday secured the highest number of votes from the National Assembly and the Senate to become Pakistan’s next President.
Amidst vociferous slogans of “Jeye Bhutto” and “Zinda hae BiBi zinda hae” the Chief Election Commissioner announced the unofficial result according to which Zardari secured 281 votes, against 111 of Justice (Retired) Saeeduzaman Siddique and 34 of Mushahid Hussain Sayed, out of 436 total votes, of which ten were invalid.
He also sweeped the polls in the provincial assemblies of NWFP, Sindh and Balochistan.
11 children killed in train-bus collision in Pakistan
By NNN-Bernama,
Islamabad : As many as 11 children were killed and several others injured on Wednesday as a train collided with a school bus in eastern Pakistan's Punjab province, according to China's Xinhua news agency quoting reports by local TV channels.
The school van carrying school children was completely damaged when it was hit by a train coming from western city of Quetta at the Railway Crossing Gate in Mian Channu, a city in Punjab, the private TV Express reported.
Most of the children were seriously injured and the driver died on the spot, police sources said.
Training halted for Afghan police recruits
By IANS,
Kabul : The US is suspending training for new recruits to the Afghan Local Police (ALP) and checks are being carried out on possible ties to the Taliban, BBC reported Sunday.
Iran to talk with world powers Oct 1
By DPA,
Tehran/Brussels : Iran is set to meet the world's major powers for talks on its disputed nuclear programme Oct 1, officials said Monday.
Iranian chief nuclear negotiator Saeid Jalili and European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana "spoke this morning and agreed on a date for talks... of Oct 1," Solana's spokeswoman Cristina Gallach said.
The venue for the talks has not been fixed, Gallach said.
‘Minor’ explosion outside Mukherjee hotel; officials play down incident
By Ranjana Narayan, IANS,
Bad people gain if good don’t vote: Pakistan poll chief
By IANS,
Islamabad : "When good people do not vote, bad people benefit," said Chief Election Commissioner Fakhruddin G. Ebrahim after casting his vote Saturday.
Pakistan: Zardari best choice for presidentship, says PPP Nowshera
By NNN-APP,
Peshawar, Pakistan : NWFP Minister for Excise and Taxation Liaqat Shabab said that Pakistan Peoples Party had always played a pivotal role against dictatorship.
Addressing party workers on Friday at District Secretariat of Nowshera, the Minister said that peaceful exit of Pervez Musharraf was the result of political vision and farsightedness of Asif Ali Zardari, adding that removal of Musharraf was the completion of Benazir Bhutto’s pledge she had made to the nation.
Imran Khan appreciates Indian PM, calls him ‘faithful’
Islamabad : Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan, addressing a sit-in in Islamabad, appreciated Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's effort to bring back assets...
Palestinian factions back Egyptian proposal for truce with Israel
By RIA Novosti,
Cairo : A coalition of 12 small Palestinian factions agreed in principle on Wednesday to accept conditions of a ceasefire with Israel, mediated by Egypt, the MENA news agency reported.
Egypt earlier proposed a ceasefire agreement including a six-month truce between Israel and the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, an exchange of prisoners, and the opening of Gaza's border crossings.
EU rejects Ahmadinejad speech
By DPA,
Brussels : The European Union (EU) rejects the claim by Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad that Israel is a racist state, but most members will not abandon the UN conference where he made the claim, a joint statement said Tuesday.
The EU "rejects in the strongest terms" Ahmadinejad's accusation, made at the opening of the so-called Durban II conference on racism in Geneva Monday, that Israel is a racist regime, the statement, drawn up by the Czech government, which currently holds the EU's rotating presidency, said.
UN to focus more on social, economic development in Iraq
By IRNA,
Tehran : United Nations efforts to help Iraq continue to evolve with the war-torn country’s progress as the government is now seeking increasing support for social and economic development in the years to come, Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro said Tuesday.
Obama predicts difficult fight ahead in Afghanistan
By DPA,
Washington : Days before Afghans go to the polls to cast ballots in historical presidential elections, US President Barack Obama warned the fight in the country will be long and difficult.
Speaking to the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Phoenix, Arizona, Obama said the US must remain committed to Afghanistan's security future as well as the development of its economy and government.
"There will be more difficult days ahead," Obama said. "The insurgency in Afghanistan didn't just happen overnight. And we won't defeat it overnight. This will not be quick. This will not be easy."
Two Palestinians killed in Israeli raid in Gaza – witnesses
By KUNA
Gaza : Two palestinians were killed and six were injured in an Israeli air raid in the town of Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza Strip, eyewitnesses said.
They added in press remarks that Israeli warplanes unleashed a rocket at an apartment building killing the two and injuring the six others.
Khedra Wahdan, 30, and Mohammad Kafarneh, 22, were killed in the air strike, they added.
Bush starts 48-hour visit to Israel
By DPA,
Tel Aviv : US President George W. Bush arrived here Wednesday for a 48-hour visit to Israel, during which he would "encourage" the parties to reach a peace deal this year, despite bitter arguments over Gaza violence and Israeli settlement construction.
During the visit, in honour of Israel's 60th anniversary, Bush is slated to address an international conference in Jerusalem Wednesday night, as well as Israel's Knesset (parliament) Thursday afternoon.
Egypt Elections Amid Abstention and Disturbances
By Prensa Latina
Cairo : Municipal elections in Egypt were marked on Tuesday by great abstentionism and disturbances that led to suspension of the elections in one of the country's northern cities.
Voter's participation was poor today, due to concern about economic problems, some national media reported.
Absence of the first opposition force, the Muslim Brotherhood, which called to boycott on Monday, stroke another sour note in the process, affecting its development.
16 killed in two Pakistan attacks
By IANS,
Islamabad : At least 16 people were killed and nine injured Sunday in two attacks in Pakistan's northwest tribal region bordering Afghanistan, a media report said.
Notices to 300,000 Pakistanis who don’t pay taxes
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan, which is facing a disappointing economic scenario, is sending notices to 300,000 people who don't pay their taxes.
Sixteen killed in Bangladesh bus crash
By SPA
Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh : At least 16 people were killed when a bus hit a roadside pole carrying
electric power lines and caught fire near the Bangladeshi resort town of Cox's Bazar on Thursday, police said.
More than 20 other people injured in the accident, which happened about 375 km (234 miles) southeast of the capital Dhaka, have been taken to hospital.
The victims, mostly factory workers, were travelling to Cox's Bazar from the port city of Chittagong for a picnic, police said. Thursday is a public holiday in Bangladesh.
Photograph showing open ballot box goes viral
By IANS,
Islamabad : A photograph showing a Pakistani ballot box that had been forcibly emptied of ballots went viral on the internet Saturday.
Bangladesh court allows trial of Sheikh Hasina
By IANS,
Dhaka : Bangladesh's Supreme Court (SC) Thursday allowed trial of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, upholding the caretaker government's right to invoke the stringent Emergency Power Rules (EPR).
A seven-judge bench accepted the government's plea against a high court verdict of Feb 6 that had nullified Hasina's trial in an extortion case filed by businessman Azam J. Chowdhury.
Olmert, Abbas to discuss Israeli settlements, roadblocks
By SPA,
Tel Aviv : The Israeli and Palestinians leaders will discuss Israeli settlements and roadblocks in the West Bank at a summit Monday, a Palestinian official said, two issues given prominent mention by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice during her latest diplomatic mission in the region.
Taliban extends authority in Pakistan’s north-west
By DPA,
Islamabad : Taliban militants in Pakistan's north-western Swat valley extended their authority over another district after the government last week allowed Islamic sharia law to be imposed in the region, officials said Wednesday.
President Asif Ali Zardari approved a regulation April 13 to impose Islamic sharia law in Malakand Division, which includes Swat and seven other districts, after a hardline cleric brokered a peace agreement between the regional government and the Taliban.
Afghan patience wanes as conflict escalates
By Nick Allen, DPA,
Jaji (Afghanistan) : "Afghanistan received billions of dollars for reconstruction, but teachers here had no salary in five months, and we have no healthcare - it's like we are living in a coma," a Pashtun elder complained to US military officers to murmurs of agreement from his fellow villagers.
Almost eight years after the radical Taliban militia was ousted from power by US-led forces, dissatisfaction is swelling in remote but strategically crucial parts of Afghanistan that feel bypassed by development since 2001.
Internationsl Day for elimination of violence against women on Dec 25
By NNN-APP,
Islamabad : International Day for Elimination of Violence Against Women will be observed in Pakistan on Dec 25 with an aim to fight against gender‑based violence in all its forms.
Public and private organizations have arranged several activities including seminars, rallies, fun fairs and interactive dialogues to mark the day, a private TV channel reported.
Violence against women persists worldwide, occurring in every region, country and culture, and cutting across income, class, race and ethnic groups.
Hamas calls for unconditioned dialogue with Abbas
By Xinhua
Gaza : The deposed government of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) called on Sunday for an unconditioned dialogue with President Mahmoud Abbas and his Fatah movement.
Hamas government spokesman Taher al-Nouno told a news conference that "only when the parties sit down at the table of dialogue, all outstanding issues would be presented on the table for discussion."
Gas leakage in Pakistan’s nuclear plant kills 2 employees
By IRNA
Islamabad : At least two employees were killed due to leakage of gas from a nuclear power plant in Pakistan's eastern Punjab province on Tuesday.
Several people were also fell unconscious due to the gas leakage from nuclear reactor near the city of Khushab where Pakistan had built 40-50 Mega Watt, Thermal Research Reactor in April 1998.
"Situation was immediately brought under control and two workers lost their lives while controlling the incident," a statement from the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) said.
Three foreign engineers killed in Afghanistan bombing
Kabul : At least three foreign engineers were killed Monday in a suicide bomb attack in Afghanistan, official sources said.
The killing occurred around 7.15...
PLO official: elections to prevent Hamas from boosting power
By Xinhua,
Ramallah : A Palestinian official Thursday said comprehensive elections would be the best way to prevent Hamas from boosting its de-facto power.
"Elections are the solution that will not give the coup rights it doesn't entitled to get," said Yasser Abed Rabbo, a member of the executive committee of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO).
Abed Rabbo was referring to Hamas' violent takeover of the Gaza Strip in June last year by routing Fatah-dominated security forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
Nine dead in Pakistan blast
By IANS,
Islamabad : Nine people died Friday in Pakistan when a bomb struck a van carrying government employees.
Fencing along India-Pakistan border almost complete: Centre
New Delhi : Nearly 2,000 km of fencing along the India-Pakistan border has been put in place even as cases of cross-border infiltration are...
Kuwaiti transparency authority will oversee scheduled parliamentary polls
By Muntaha Al-Fadhli, KUNA,
Kuwait : A national transparency authority will oversee the scheduled parliamentary process and record and report any irregularities during the polls due on May 17.
Chairman of Kuwait Transparency Society (KTC) and the Higher Transparency Commision Salah Al-Ghazali told KUNA that teams of the commission would observe the polls and report any irregularity or offense such as vote buying, suspicious financial funding, violence or any illegal act related to ballot casting.
8 soldiers killed in land mine explosion in E Turkey
By Xinhua,
Ankara : Eight soldiers of the Turkish security forces were killed and three others injured in a land mine explosion in the eastern Turkey on Monday, the semi-official Anatolia news agency reported.
The land mine, probably planted by the militants of the outlawed Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK), exploded while a military vehicle was passing by near Kemah town of Erzincan province, Erzincan Governor Ali Gungor was quoted as saying.
The wounded soldiers were taken to a hospital in Erzincan for medical treatment, Gungor said.
Gaza toll escalates to 1654
Gaza : The number of Palestinians killed in Gaza in the Israeli offensive jumped to 1,654 Saturday, most of them civilians, a health ministry...
Pakistan daily wants ISI reined in
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan needs to ensure that the dreaded Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) is "reined in", said a daily Tuesday.
European Investment Bank to fund small and medium projects in Syria
By NNN-SANA,
Damascus : The European Investment Bank has launched the second phase of financing small and medium projects in Syria with loans ranging from 200,000 and 12.5 million Euro and maximum duration of 12 years.
"We will fund all projects whether they were industrial, tourist or service, except the commercial projects," chairman of the Financing Unit for the Small and Medium Projects of the European Investment Bank Nizar Ibrahim said in a statement Monday.
Abused fathers in Saudi Arabia seek protection from children
Riyadh: A number of Saudi fathers have approached the courts to seek justice against their abusive children.
Many of these parents were subjected to either...
21 killed in Afghanistan terror attack
Kabul : At least 21 people were killed Sunday when militants attacked a security check point in Afghanistan, an official said.
"Several militants raided a...
Senior PPP leadership wants Zardari to clear misgivings
By IANS,
Islamabad: Top leaders of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) want President Asif Ali Zardari to deliver an immediate nationwide address to quell rumours and inject confidence into the suspense-ridden and disappointed masses, a media report Tuesday said.
They have also demanded immediate removal of "incompetent persons" from their "highly esteemed and responsible posts" since they were bringing disrepute to the party and ruining its name and credibility among the masses, Online news agency reported.
Gunmen kidnap ministry official in Iraq
By Xinhua
Tikrit (Iraq) : Unknown gunmen have abducted a senior government official near a town in the northern Iraqi province of Salahudin, a provincial police source said Thursday.
"Ra'ad Shallal al-Hadithi, an advisor to the electricity minister, was kidnapped Wednesday afternoon when armed men set up a fake checkpoint and intercepted his car in a desert area on the main road west of the town of Beiji, some 200 km north of Baghdad," the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.
India wants Pakistan to act fast in Mumbai case
By IANS,
New Delhi : Four days after India responded to Pakistan's 30 questions in connection with the Mumbai attacks, New Delhi Tuesday asked Islamabad to act fast in bringing the perpetrators of the carnage to justice and underlined that it will do everything it can to encourage this process.
"Certainly, we would hope that those things (bringing perpetrators to justice and dismantling terror infrastructure) would happen and happen as soon as possible and we will do everything we can to encourage that process," Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon told reporters here.
U.S. ex-president, Hamas leaders meet in Egypt
By Xinhua,
Cairo : Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter held talks Thursday with a delegation of the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), Egyptian official MENA news agency reported.
The talks focused on the deteriorating situation in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip and the stalled Mideast peace process, said the report.
Carter discussed with the Hamas delegation, led by Hamas leader Mahmoud Zahar, the possibility of lifting blockade on Gaza and reaching a comprehensive truce between the Palestinians and Israelis.
17 killed, 40 wounded in Lebanon explosion as President Suleiman heads for Damascus
By Xinhua,
Beirut : 17 people, including 10 army soldiers, were killed and some 40 others wounded on Wednesday morning in an explosion in Lebanon's northern city of Tripoli, LBCTV reported.
The blast occurred hours before Lebanese President Michel Suleiman's arrival in Damascus on a groundbreaking visit to Syria for talks that would redefine ties between the two close neighbors.
According to the report, the explosives were placed near a bus station in the Banks Street in Tripoli, which is mostly used by army soldiers to take the bus for their working positions.
Emirates Post issues stamps on Arab Postal Day
By IANS/WAM,
Dubai : Emirates Post, in association with Arab postal administrations, has issued a set of commemorative stamps in one denomination (225 Fils) to mark Arab Postal Day.
Malaysian PM Najib returns after attending Climate Change Summit
By NNN-Bernama,
Sepang, Malaysia : Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak returned on Sunday, from Copenhagen after attending the United Nations Summit on Climate Change in the Danish capital.
The aircraft carrying Najib and his wife, Rosmah Mansor, touched down at the KL International Airport (KLIA) at 12.35pm.
Najib and Rosmah were greeted by Perlis Menteri Besar (Chief Minister) Dr Md Isa Sabu, People's Progressive Party (PPP) president M. Kayveas and several officers from the Prime Minister's Department.
Pakistan-Afghan presidents move to counter terrorism
By DPA,
Ankara : Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari and his Afghanistan counterpart Harmid Karzai agreed in Istanbul Friday to deepen cooperation against terrorism and to introduce concrete institutional mechanisms to solve problems between the two countries.
Turkish President Abdullah Gul who hosted the tripartite summit in Istanbul described Friday's talks as "open, sincere and fruitful."
Karzai said that since the election of Zardari to the Pakistani presidency, relations between the two countries at a leadership level have been very good.
Pakistan: UN says aid rushed to survivors of deadly earthquake in Balochistan
By NNN-APP,
United Nations : The United Nations is rushing urgently-needed relief supplies to survivors of the deadly earthquake that struck Pakistan’s Balochistan province earlier this week and the aftershocks that have followed, according to a UN statement.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that winter-ready tents, blankets, warm clothing, health services and clean water are urgently needed for 7,500 families, and food items for 5,500 families.
Joy, cautious optimism after markets rebound in Gulf
By Aroonim Bhuyan,
Dubai : Media and investors in the Gulf reacted with joy and cautious optimism after regional bourses rebounded Monday after a weeklong slump triggered by the global credit crunch.
'Brimming with confidence,' read the front page banner headline of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) daily Gulf News' Tuesday edition, followed by the sub-headline: 'Markets rebound after governments move to secure foreign and domestic bank deposits.'
'Markets rejoice after UAE bank moves,' read another headline in the Khaleej Times newspaper.
Beirut clashes expand to Bekaa areas
By Xinhua,
Beirut : Clashed between pro- and anti-government camps in Lebanon spread to the Bekaa region, where two people were wounded, local Elnashra Website reported on Thursday.
The casualties took place in the Bekaa towns of Taalabaya and Saadnayel, where gunmen were deployed in the streets, with others manning automatic rifles on rooftops, according to the report.
Protesters blocked several roads in Western Bekaa, and the Marjroad leading to Massna on the Syrian-Lebanese northern borders.
Abbas welcomes Israel-Hezbollah prisoner swap
By DPA,
Ramallah : Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas welcomed Wednesday the ongoing prisoner exchange between Israel and Hezbollah and in a statement congratulated the families of the "liberated prisoners".
Abbas, who was on a visit to Malta, extended his wishes to the family of Lebanese fighter Samir Kuntar, seen as a hero in Lebanon and the Palestinian territories but in Israel as a cruel and callous murderer.
Key witness gives testimony in Israeli PM’s bribery case
By Xinhua,
Jerusalem : American-Jewish businessman Morris Talansky told the Jerusalem District Court Tuesday that he gave Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert 150,000 dollars out of his own pocket, speculating that some of the money went to fund Olmert's fondness for fine hotels, first-class flights and luxury goods.
Talansky gave the testimony as a key witness for the prosecution in the investigation into allegations that Olmert accepted illegal payments from the U.S. financier.
Germany strongly condemns terror attack on Afghan luxury hotel
By IRNA
Berlin : German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier here Tuesday strongly condemned the latest terror attack on a luxury hotel in the Afghan capital Kabul.
"I condemn in the strongest terms yesterday's (Monday) attack on the Serena Hotel in Kabul," Steinmeier was quoted saying in a foreign ministry press statement.
He offered his deep sympathies for the victims of the terror act as well as their families and friends.
The minister added that the attack was also aimed at international reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan.
A helping hand
By Zohra Javed for TwoCircles.net,
One may have a lot of courage and fortitude, but human beings need to share their joys and worries to keep their system normal. Man is, as they say a social animal and needs to be looked after and cared for. This is more than evident in times of a crisis.
Iran,US open nuclear talks in Munich
Berlin : Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and US Secretary of State John Kerry held a fresh round of talks in Munich as...
Candidate for scheduled Kuwaiti polls makes vows to followers
By KUNA,
Kuwait : Another nominee for the second constituency, Fahad Al-Ajmi, affirmed necessity of a balanced relationship between the legislative and executive authorities and their joint role in mapping out vital development strategies.
Speaking to followers in Ghernata last night, he said the serious strains in this relationship had affected "the process of development and delayed consensus on issues that concern every one."
11,000 food samples tested in UAE
By IANS/WAM,
Dubai : Around 11,000 food samples have been tested in laboratories in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in 2010 to ascertain their suitability for human consumption.
The Food and Environment Laboratory of the Dubai Municipality conducted chemical, radiological and microbiological tests on the samples.
The laboratory also analysed samples of sea water and waste water from industries and found them to be fit for consumption. It also checked samples of camel milk and the proportion of alcohol in chocolate exported to European countries.
Bhutto medical report fraught with lacunae: experts
By IANS
Islamabad : The medical report of slain former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto is fraught with lacunae as doctors at the Rawalpindi General Hospital acted "unprofessionally" while writing it, medico-legal experts say.
"The doctors could have done a much better job by simply sticking to the basics like writing a proper medico-legal report mentioning the precise nature of injuries, description of wounds and kind of weapon (bullet, shrapnel or other possible object)," Dawn newspaper said Sunday.
Malaysian Indian woman to sue for false detention
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur : A Malaysian Indian woman is seeking compensation and an unqualified apology from the Malaysian immigration department for her wrongful detention for 11 months after she was mistaken for an illegal alien from Sri Lanka.
Perak state's Health, Environment and Human Resources Committee chairman A. Sivanesan relayed Rajeshvari's demand during a media conference in Ipoh Tuesday.
Urging the department to check all detention depots in the country, Sivanesan said he feared that Rajeshvari's case could be "just the tip of the iceberg".
Iraq’s faction leaders launch reconciliation bid
By DPA
Baghdad : Iraq's political, religious and tribal leaders met Tuesday to iron out their differences and re-launch faltering reconciliation efforts ahead of the fifth anniversary of the war.
The two-day conference is attended by 500 Iraqi figures representing the country's political, sectarian and ethnic groups.
The aim of the conference is to strengthen the role of various groups and communities in the political process, which US officials and many Iraqis say has not achieved sufficient progress.
Japan says it supports Iran’s cooperation with IAEA
By IANS
Tokyo : Japan has said it supports Tehran's cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
This was conveyed by Japanese Foreign Minister Masahiko Koumura to Mohammad-Javad Larijani, secretary of Iran's Human Rights Commission, Thursday during the latter's visit to Japan, official IRNA news agency reported Friday.
Koumura also described Tehran-Tokyo ties as historical and crucial, calling for expansion of cooperation in all fields.
China offers Pakistan military aid to fight terrorism
By IANS,
Islamabad : China has offered Pakistan military aid to fight terrorist activities in the country, media reports said Saturday.
"Beijing will further cooperate with Pakistan in dealing firmly with terrorists," Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi told reporters here Friday.
Yang was addressing a press conference with his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmud Qureshi, The News reported.
Qureshi said: "Pakistan will purchase equipment from China to fight terror. Pakistan has expressed the desire to purchase some anti-terror equipments from China to which they have agreed.
One officer killed, 14 injured after PKK’s attack in Turkey
By Xinhua,
Ankara : One police officer was killed and 14others were injured after a police shuttle bus came under attack by the militants of the banned Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) in the southeastern province of Diyarbakir on Wednesday, the semi-official Anatolia news agency reported.
The PKK terrorists sprayed bullets on the shuttle bus as it was passing by Azizye neighborhood in Diyarbakir, according to the report.
The police shuttle bus was carrying personnel working at the Ali Gaffar Okkan Police Career Academy.
Pakistani, Afghan forces clash over flour smuggling
By DPA,
Islamabad : Pakistani paramilitary soldiers Monday engaged in a gunfight with Afghan forces along Balochistan border when the Pakistani forces tried to stop the smuggling of wheat flour, the military said in a statement.
Afghan forces engaged a Pakistani post near the Chaman border crossing, located some 150 km north-west of Quetta, capital of Balochistan province, after Pakistani troops fired warning shots at three pickup trucks loaded with bags of flour.
Anwar Ibrahim plots return through by-election
By IANS
Kuala Lumpur : Malaysia's controversial former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim says he has been cheated of his right to contest the March 8 polls and is determined to make a political comeback via a by-election.
Ibrahim, advisor of the Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), is serving a ban on holding political office due to his jail sentence after he was convicted on corruption charges.
The ban ends April 14. The March 8 election was scheduled only to deny him the opportunity to contest, he has said.
Expand Pakistan, Saudi Arabia trade ties: Zardari
By IANS,
Islamabad : The huge potential of trade and economic activities between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia should be given a boost, President Asif Ali Zardari has said.
Three LeT men who planned to attack US mission held in Bangladesh
By IANS,
Dhaka : Three Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists, who had surveyed the area around the US mission in the Bangladesh capital and were allegedly planning to attack it, have been arrested. They had links with the US and Pakistan, media reports said Friday.
The LeT men were caught on information provided by an Indian-born US national and a Pakistan-born US national. The two were arrested in the US recently on charges of attempt to attack various establishments, including embassies and high commissions of the US, Britain and India in different countries, The Daily Star said.
‘Gaddafi’s daughter Aisha is Claudia Schiffer of North Africa’
By IANS,
Tripoli: The Arab media describes Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's only daughter Aisha as the "Claudia Schiffer of North Africa", a media report said Tuesday.
Gillani new Pakistan PM, to be sworn in Tuesday
Islamabad, March 24 (DPA) Pakistan's lower house of parliament Monday elected Yousuf Raza Gillani the country's new prime minister.
A member of slain former prime minister Benazir Bhutto's Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), he is scheduled to be sworn in Tuesday.
A former National Assembly speaker, Gillani got the nod for the post from Bhutto's widower and party Co-Chairman Asif Ari Zardari Saturday as the PPP candidate for prime minister after weeks of inter-party debate.
Gillani won 264 votes to the 42 for opposition candidate Chaudhry Pervaiz of the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid party.
NATO chopper crashes in Afghanistan, nine killed
By DPA,
Kabul : Nine members of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) were killed Tuesday when their helicopter crashed in southern Afghanistan, the ISAF said.
Iraqi civilian deaths on the rise
By IRNA
Baghdad : The toll of civilian deaths in Iraq has soared in recent weeks as Iraqi and American security forces carried offensive on Basra and Sadr City, according to Interior Ministry figures.
The battles reached their peak after Iraqi forces began an assault on Basra one week ago; that fighting has dropped off since Sunday, when Moqtada Sadr, Iraqi anti-occupation campaigner asked Mahdi Army to lay down its arms and made a series of demands of the Iraqi government.
Taliban, Al Qaeda disown Peshawar blast
By IANS,
Islamabad : The Taliban and the Al Qaeda have distanced themselves from the deadly market blast in Peshawar that claimed 105 lives, saying they don't explode bombs in such areas, reported a Pakistani paper Thursday.
The News quoted an Al Qaeda statement as saying the group was not involved in the killing of innocent people. Most of those killed in the blast were women and children.
UK needs ‘humility’ about what happened in Iraq, says Miliband
By IRNA
London : Foreign Secretary David Miliband has refused to say whether he is proud that Britain went to war in Iraq but rather suggests that the UK should be much more humble about the disastrous consequences.
"A lot of our people have died. A much larger number of Iraqis have died. You have to have a lot of humility about what happened," Miliband said.
In an interview with the New Statesman magazine, he spoke in detail about former prime minister Tony Blair's criteria for "humanitarian intervention", and how it foundered in Iraq.
Pakistan doesn’t have hegemonistic designs: Gilani
By IANS,
Karachi : Pakistan doesn't have any hegemonistic designs and does not want to engage in an arms race with any country but would fulfil all the needs of its armed forces, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said Monday.
"Our strategic as well as conventional capabilities are focused towards legitimate
defence needs and the promotion of peace. To this end we will equip our armed forces
accordingly, regardless of economic hardships," he said at the induction ceremony of the Chinese-built frigate, PNS Shamsheer, here.
Lebanese PM meets MP Michel Aoun
By KUNA,
Beirut : Prime Minister-designate Fouad Al-Siniora eets on Saturday with head of the Change and Reform bloc MP Michel Aoun in order to agree on the formulation of the new government.
Al-Siniora arrived at the residence of Aoun in the Rabia area east of Beirut in response to an invitation by the latter for lunch.
Afghan asylum-seekers to be granted residency in Australia
By NNN-Bernama,
Melbourne : All the 42 Afghan asylum-seekers who survived when a boat they were on exploded near Ashmore Reef, north of Australia, in April will be granted permanent residency in Australia, according to The Australian newspaper.
The Afghan men from the boat which was set alight on April 16 will be released into the community this week, ahead of a coroner's inquest into the cause of the blaze which killed five of their fellow passengers, the newspaper says.
NAM urges UN to resolve Palestinian problem
By NNN-IRNA,
Tehran : The non-aligned countries have ratified their implacable solidarity with the cause of the Palestinian people and advocated for UN resolutions to be fulfilled to stop Israel's violations in the occupied territories.
A declaration adopted in this Iranian capital by the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Committee on Palestine rejected in the strongest terms the blatant genocide committed daily by the Israel army against the Palestinian civil population.
The forum, led by Cuba as president, was attended by 11 of its 12 members, eight of them foreign ministers.
Pakistan, US vow to strengthen strategic relationship
By NNN-APP,
Sharm El-Sheikh (Egypt) : Pakistan and United States Sunday vowed to enhance their bilateral economic cooperation and affirmed the resolve to transform existing relations into long-term strategic partnership.
Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and U.S. President George W. Bush who met here on the sidelines of World Economic Forum on Middle East, discussed ways and means to enhance economic cooperation between United States and Pakistan in diverse fields.
One Palestinian killed in Israeli attack in southern Gaza
By KUNA,
Gaza : A Palestinian lost his life and several others were wounded in an Israeli incursion that targeted Khaza'a town in southern Gaza early on Sunday, witnesses said.
They said Hussam Al-Najjar, in his 50s, was killed with tank shells during the military operation in the town. The man's brother and his wife were also wounded with shrapnel.
At least four other people were wounded in the Israeli operation involving tanks and armored personnel carriers.
The Israeli troops thrust into the town on a surprise assault, advancing under cover of a barrage of gunfire.
Islamic Universities’ Federation supports inter-faith initiative
By IINA
Riyadh : The Executive Council for the Federation of the Islamic Universities has adopted the Inter-faith Initiative of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz as regards enhancing the values of dialogue among the heavenly religions. "This development came at the end of the 13th session of the Executive Council of the Federation of the Islamic universities, hosted by Kuala Lumpur-based Islamic University last Thursday and Friday.
OIC voices concern over desecration of Muslim holy places in Crimea
By IINA,
Jeddah : A spokesman of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) Observatory on Islamophobia expressed concerns over the rising incidents of vandalism targeting holy places and shrines of Muslims in Crimea. These included desecrating Mosques and destroying and defacing the monuments of famous figures of the Crimean Tatar people erected in Crimean towns as well as gravestones in cemeteries by extremists," the spokesman said in a statement.
Iran hopes for end of Security Council measures: envoy
By DPA,
Vienna : Iran sees signs that the UN Security Council might end its engagement in the country's nuclear issues, after the body's permanent members indicated a readiness for direct talks, Iran's UN ambassador here said Wednesday.
Permanent Security Council members Britain, China, France, Russia and the US, as well as Germany told the board of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Tuesday they wanted to find a comprehensive diplomatic solution through direct talks.
Iran: President kicks off regional tour, heads for Pakistan
By NNN-IRNA,
Tehran : Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad left for Islamabad, Pakistan, Monday morning at the first leg of his three-nation tour to regional states which would later take him to Sri Lanka and India.
The president is accompanied by his senior advisor, Mojtaba Samareh Hashemi, Head of Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization, Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei, Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki and Minister of Commerce Massoud Mir-Kazemi as well as a group of other senior officials.
Israeli jets target Hamas post in Gaza
Gaza: Israeli war jets struck a Hamas military post Saturday in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis, security officials said.
The security officials and...
Pakistan to pursue a comprehensive strategy to counter terrorism: President
By IRNA
Islamabad : The US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte called on President Pervez Musharraf at the Aiwan-e-Sadr here Tuesday.
The President said that it is a historic day for Pakistan and with the oath taking of a newly elected Prime Minister the process of transition to full democracy is underway.
He said moderate parties emerged victorious in the elections and the new Prime minister and his government would enjoy his full support.
ISI should be under civilian rule: Pakistani media
By Muhammad Najeeb, IANS,
Islamabad : Smarting under embarrassing questions from the United States about the links of its premier intelligence agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), with the Taliban and other terror outfits in the region, the Pakistani media is coming round to the view that the agency should be brought under "direct and practical" control of the prime minister.
US President George W. Bush raised serious concerns about "elements in the ISI" and asked Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani during a meeting in Washington last week: "Who controls the ISI?"
Special workshops to mark financial brokerage meet in Abu Dhabi
By IANS,
Abu Dhabi : Special workshops providing a suitable environment to participants to meet and exchange ideas will be the highlight of the Financial Brokerage Forum (FBF) to be held in Abu Dhabi in October this year.
This year's theme of the forum, to be held Oct 14-15, is 'Investment in a New Global Economy', the official Emirates News Agency (WAM) said.
ISIS kills rival rebel commander in Syria
Damascus : The Islamic State in Iraq and Greater Syria (ISIS) killed a commander of a rival jihadi group in the eastern countryside of...
Iran despises possible new sanctions over nuclear program
By Xinhua
Tehran : Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Monday vows to continue his country's nuclear program, saying the world powers could just "play with papers", apparently brushed off possible new UN sanctions pushed by the West.
Bios of winners of 5th constituency of 2008 parliamentary elections
By KUNA,
Kuwait : Justice Ali Al-Mutairat, Chairman of the Central Committee of the 5th constituency, announced Sunday morning the 10 winners of the parliamentary elections for the 12th legislative term 2008.
Jaber Al-Azmi, with 15,118 votes, was born in 1970 and holds a bachelors degree in Islamic Sharia. He heads a department at the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs. He was elected MP in 2006.
Afghan militancy, drug to put regional stability at stake
By Abdul Haleem, Lin Jing, Xinhua,
Kabul : A glance to the ongoing Taliban-led militancy and the increasing poppy cultivation in Afghanistan illustrates the bleak feature of its impact on the region.
Emerged as a fighting force in Afghanistan's southern Kandahar province in 1994 and ousted from power by a U.S.-led military invasion in late 2001, remnants of the radical hierarchy have regrouped and begun fighting back Afghan and the international troops stationed in Afghanistan.
UAE charity helps Haiti quake victims
By IANS,
Abu Dhabi: The Red Crescent Authority (RCA) of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have distributed 45 tonnes of relief items among the Haiti quake victims as part of its humanitarian aid assistance, WAM news agency reported.
The materials, including tents, blankets and food, were distributed in the Croix des Bouquets area, three kilometers from Port au Prince, Haiti's capital. About 1,500 families received the aid.
Humaid Al-Shamsi, head of the RCA delegation in Haiti, said Friday his organisation would increase its humanitarian supplies to the country in the coming days.
Pakistan condemns bomb attacks in Bangalore, Ahmedabad
By NNN-PTI,
Islamabad : Condemning the bomb attacks in Bangalore and Ahmedabad, Pakistan Premier Yousuf Raza Gilani has described them as "dastardly acts of senseless violence" against innocent people.
The Pakistan Prime Minister "has strongly condemned the acts of terrorist violence in the Indian cities of Ahmedabad and Bangalore and expressed deep sympathies with the bereaved families and the victims of these dastardly acts of senseless violence against innocent persons," a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry here said on Sunday.
Ahmadinejad inaugurates Iran’s first nuclear fuel plant
By DPA,
Isfahan (Iran): Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Thursday inaugurated the country's first nuclear fuel manufacturing plant (FMP) located near this central Iranian city.
The FMP, reportedly based solely on work by Iranian experts, is to provide the Arak 40-megawatt research reactor with fuel, producing nuclear fuel tablets, rods and assemblies for the plant, which is to be launched within the next two or three years.
Iran says that with the launch of the FMP, it has de-facto mastered the final stage of the nuclear fuel production process.
IAEA calls on Iran to cooperate with int’l community over nuke issue
By Xinhua,
Vienna : The Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on Monday in a report Iran has shown a lack of cooperative sincerity with the international community in solving its nuclear issues, calling on the country to cooperate in this regard.
The IAEA's report also noted that the international community always doubted whether Iran's nuclear programs were only for peaceful use as Iran claimed. The IAEA called for actual actions by the Iranian government so as to clear such doubt.
UAE greets Pakistan on Independence Day
By IANS/WAM,
Abu Dhabi : UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan has greeted his Pakistani counterpart Asif Zardari on Pakistan's 66th Independence Day Tuesday.
Malaysian court invites affidavits on case about use of ‘Allah’
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur : All parties to the dispute over the use of the word "Allah" in a Christian publication should have their say, a judge has ordered, after a church official went to court against a home ministry ban on the publication using the word.
To enable all sides to have their say, the court which has been hearing the case since last December has now set Feb 27 as the next date of hearing.
The imborglio started after the use of the word "Allah" in the Herald-The Catholic Weekly, a Christian publication.
Nine killed in Pakistan suicide blast
By IANS,
Rawalpindi : At least nine people were killed and over a dozen injured in an apparent suicide bombing outside a hotel in Rawalpindi Monday evening, Geo TV reported.
The blast occurred near Pir Wadhai Chowk at Ghousia Adda area on the outskirts of Rawalpindi, according to the police.
TV grabs showed a number of cars and roadside stalls destroyed in the explosion in the garrison city.
At least 15 people were injured in the attack, Rawalpindi police chief Nasir Khan Durrani said. The blast appeared to be a suicide car bomb attack, he added.
Afghanistan Blasts Kill Four, Hurt 41
By Prensa Latina,
Kabul : Four dead and 41 wounded were the toll of a car-bomb set off next to a US military vehicle in Parwan and of two land mines in Kandahar.
Interior Ministry Spokesman, Brigadier General Zemarai Bashari, said the first attack occurred during a meeting of Afghan authorities and US military at a government office in Charikar, Parwan.
The Pentagon says their vehicle caught fire with the blast and wounded two soldiers.
McCain warns Pakistan of Indian strikes
By NNN-PTI,
Islamabad : US Senator John McCain has said he believes that if Pakistan does not act against individuals and groups linked to the Mumbai terror attacks, it could be a "matter of days" before India carries out surgical strikes against such elements.
There is enough evidence of the involvement of former Inter-Services Intelligence officers in the planning and execution of the Mumbai attacks and terrorist training camps are still operational in Pakistan, McCain told a small group of senior Pakistani journalists at an informal lunch in Lahore yesterday.
Palestinian militant killed in Israeli shelling in Gaza
By Xinhua
Gaza : One Palestinian militant was killed and three others wounded on Saturday night in an Israeli artillery shelling on the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Hanoun, paramedics and witnesses said.
The witnesses said that a group of militants were launching homemade rockets from Beit Hanoun into the southern Israeli town of Sderout.
Paramedics said that they picked up the body of a Palestinian, and three others wounded right after the Israeli artillery strike, adding that they were taken to the hospital for treatment.
Violence against women is not a tenet of Islam
By Naazish YarKhan,
Listening to the radio one day, I was shocked to hear the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) report on widespread occurrence of rape in Afghanistan. As a Muslim who knows that the core of her religion is about justice and mercy, I asked myself how the perpetrators of these acts could have strayed so far from the Muslim faith and from basic humane principles.
Jewish colonizers attack, would Palestinian Legislator in West Bank
By NNN-WAFA
Ramallah : Jewish colonizers attacked and wounded on Friday a Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) member in the West Bank(WB) city of south Nablus, sources said.
Dr. Siham Thabet's car was attacked by a group of colonizers near Yitzahar Israeli settlement as she was heading to Ramallah. Thabet was hit in the face and transferred to one hospital in Nablus.
In GAZA, Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) killed on Friday morning a farmer in the northern Gaza Strip near the border with Israel, medical sources said.
‘Time running out for Pakistan, Indian military action imminent’
By IANS,
New Delhi : "Time in running out" for Pakistan with the deadline of Dec 26 given by New Delhi to Islamabad for a crackdown on terror infrastructure approaching, said a report of a leading publisher of geopolitical intelligence Tuesday.
The report from Stratfor says that after the Nov 26 Mumbai attacks, India relayed a message to Pakistan via the US that they would be given “30 days to carry out significant actions in cracking down on Islamist militant proxies operating on Pakistani soil that continue to threaten India”.
Four Pakistani kids die in roof collapse
By IANS,
Islamabad : Four children, aged three to 10, were killed when the mud roof of their house collapsed and buried them in a village in Pakistan's Punjab province.
No hand in Islamabad court attack: Pakistani Taliban
Islamabad : The Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has said that is had no hand in the attack on an Islamabad court Monday that claimed 11...
Pakistan held 73 Indian boats, 430 fishermen in 2014
New Delhi : The Pakistan Marine Security Agency (PMSA) apprehended 73 Indian boats and 430 fishermen between 2014 and January 2015, parliament was informed...
Chopper crash: Pakistan Taliban claims Sharif was target
Islamabad : The outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) on Friday claimed responsibility for "shooting down" a Pakistan Army helicopter in Naltar valley in Gilgit-Baltistan territory,...
India awaiting word on Pakistan’s Mumbai probe: Mukherjee
By IANS,
New Delhi/Islamabad : India Saturday said it was awaiting a formal communication on Pakistan's probe into the Mumbai terror attacks that New Delhi has blamed on elements operating from the neighbouring country, even as Islamabad hoped its enquiry would ease sub-continental tensions.
"The Pakistani High Commissioner (Shahid Malik) paid a courtesy call on the Home Minister (P. Chidambaram) on January 29, 2009. He did not provide any details on the results of the investigation in Pakistan into the Mumbai attacks," External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said in New Delhi.
Ammunition depot blast kills 30 rebels in Syria
Damascus : More than 30 rebels including field commanders were killed Sunday in a huge explosion in the country's central province of Homs.
Homs-based activists...
Imran Khan’s party imposes shut-down in Karachi
Karachi: Cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan's party, protesting since August against the alleged rigging in the 2013 parliamentary elections, Friday imposed a shut-down in the port...
Kuwait Company to explore oil, gas in Pakistan
By NNN-KUNA
Kuwait : Kuwait Energy Co. and Pakistan's New Horizon have won a concession for exploring oil and gas in Pakistan.
Sara Akbar, deputy CEO of Kuwait Energy, told Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) that both companies would invest USD 9.5 million during the first three years of the exploration stage.
This investment will be used in the conduction of geological and geophysical studies and three-dimensional seismic surveys at an area of 150 square kilometers, and the digging of two exploratory wells, she said.
Ex-general secretary of Mubarak’s party detained
By IANS,
Cairo : Egypt has detained Safwat Sherif, former general secretary of the National Democratic Party (NDP), over corruption charges, Xinhua Tuesday quoted state media as saying.
Everything possible done for fair polls: Bangladesh
By IANS,
Dhaka : Everything possible has been done to create a level playing field and hold fair polls Dec 18, Bangladesh's caretaker government has said in a clear message to recalcitrant former premier Khaleda Zia and her Islamist allies.
The Zia-led Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has been pressing the military-backed government to meet its seven-point charter of demands for, what the party says, creating a level playing field. The demands include lifting of the state of emergency for the election.
Kerry calls Pakistan PM
Islamabad : US Secretary of State John Kerry telephoned Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif Wednesday and condemned the barbaric massacre of children in a...
10 people killed in fire in Bangladesh’s capital
By Xinhua,
Dhaka : 10 people were killed and 15 others were injured in a fire accident in Bangladesh's capital Dhaka early Monday morning, fire brigade said.
A fire official on duty said the fire started from a chemical shop which is in the ground floor of a 7-story building after Sunday midnight.
It took one and half hours for the fire brigade to extinguish the fire.
The official said the fire went up to the fourth floor of the building and many residents who live in the building rushed out of their homes and caused stampede.
Yemen’s poor security situation attributed to weapon culture
By IINA
Sana'a : Yemen's Minister of Interior Rashad Al Alimi has said that the spread of weapons and tribal fanaticism are behind the failure of security plans in Yemen. The minister said lectures were being delivered in universities and tapes distributed to people promoting weapons as an essential part of the culture of Yemen. He mentioned in particular the Sana'a-based university of Eman, a religious university owned and run by Sheikh Abdul Majeed Al Zandani, who is accused by the US of supporting terrorism.
Pakistan Railways at virtual standstill: Daily
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan's once efficient railway network, a relic from the British Raj, is inching towards collapse.
Siniora, “big loser” in Lebanese power struggle: German daily
By IRNA,
Berlin : The American-backed Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora is the "big loser" in the recent brief military standoff with Lebanon's Islamic Hizbollah resistance, the junge Welt newspaper said in an analysis on Tuesday.
"The loser of the short but severe power struggle in Lebanon is the government of Fouad Siniora. Ignoring the power constellation can only lead to a new civil war," the daily added.
No threat of India-Pakistan war: Musharraf
Lahore, Dec 26 (IANS) Former president Pervez Musharraf said Friday that there were no chances of a Pakistan-India war, adding that both countries should work for peace.
"India should not dare attack Pakistan... our forces are fully capable of meeting any challenges," the former army chief told reporters at the wedding ceremony of former foreign minister Khushid Mahmood Kasuri's son.
Pakistan wants to live in peace with India: Bilawal
By Dipankar De Sarkar, IANS
London : Declaring he has brought "hope to a new generation of Pakistanis", the man who could become Pakistan's youngest ever prime minister said Tuesday he wants his country to live peacefully with India.
"I believe Pakistan should be able to live in peaceful co-existence with all its neighbours," Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, son of slain former Pakistan premier Benazir Bhutto, said at a packed press conference in London.
Funeral held for Pakistani soldiers
By IANS,
Islamabad : Funeral prayers were Sunday offered for the 24 Pakistani soldiers who died Saturday in a NATO attack on a border check-post, Geo News reported.
Hamas says Israeli report encourages it to continue resistance
By Xinhua
Gaza : Hamas Thursday said Israel's Winograd Report on the Second Lebanon War in 2006 showed the Jewish state's weakness and encouraged Hamas to stick to its resistance.
Eliyahu Winograd, chairman of Israel's Winograd Committee probing into the performance of the government and the army during the Second Lebanon War, said on Wednesday that "major faults were found on all levels during the war."
Syria denies building nuclear reactor at bombed site
By Xinhua,
Damascus : Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem denied on Monday that his country had been building a nuclear reactor at a site bombed by Israel last year.
Muallem made the denial at a joint press conference with his visiting Norwegian counterpart Jonas Gahr Stoere, which was the first official comments after a visit to the site by UN nuclear investigators last week.
"Syria would not have allowed the inspectors in if it had such a secret program," he noted.
Pakistan, India Agree to Foster Peace
By Prensa Latina,
New Delhi : Pakistan and India agreed fostering a dialogue for peace between the two countries Friday, with the meeting between the Foreign Affairs Ministers of both nations, Mahmoud Qureshi and Pranab Mukherjee respectively.
Pakistani Foreign Affairs Ministry Qureshi arrived in New Delhi Friday for a three-day visit to improve bilateral relations, fostering the peace dialogue and discuss on bilateral cooperation.
Death toll of UK forces in Afghanistan and Iraq tops 300
By KUNA,
London : The British military death toll in Afghanistan and Iraq hit 300 when two Royal Marines were killed in an explosion in Helmand province yesterday, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) confirmed Thursday.
The deaths bring the total killed in Afghanistan to 124, while 176 have died on active service in Iraq since operations began.
The marines were taking part in a joint patrol with soldiers from Afghan security forces when their vehicle was struck by an explosive device in the Garmsir district of southern Helmand.
Main Lebanese Groups for Reconciliation
By Prensa Latina,
Beirut : Leaders of the majority in Parliament and of main opposition party in Lebanon expressed on Monday their readiness for reconciliation talks among rival factions, in line with the spirit of the Doha Agreement signed in May.
Hizbullah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah hoped for Lebanese talks as soon as possible and urged all political groups to attend.
Blast in Pakistan graveyard
By IANS,
Islamabad : A bomb exploded at a graveyard in northwest Pakistan Wednesday night, a media report said.
Pakistan condemns Mumbai terror strikes
By Muhammad Najeeb, IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistani leaders have strongly condemned the killing of over 100 people in synchronised terror attacks in India's commercial capital of Mumbai, calling for "strict measures" to counter the scourge.
President Asif Ali Zardari, while condemning the blasts and firing, called for strict measures to deal with terrorism. "President Zardari stressed the need for taking strict measures to eradicate terrorism and extremism from the region," a brief message issued by the ministry of information said.
Hindu temple may be razed in Pakistan
Islamabad : A 79-year old Hindu temple in Rawalpindi may be razed to make way for an educational and housing complex, a media report...
Israel, Palestinians to start writing pact
By SPA,
Al-Quds (Jerusalem) : Israeli and Palestinian negotiators agreed to start drafting elements of a proposed peace accord, the chief Palestinian negotiator said.
We agreed with the Israelis to begin writing the positions, Ahmed Qureia told reporters late Friday.
Qureia did not say what issue the two sides would start with. If they reach agreement on any issue, then they will draft a single provision, he said. If not, they will lay out on paper their divergent views, he was quoted as saying by the Associated Press.
One civilian killed, three injured in NATO air raid on Taliban
By RIA Novosti
Kabul : One civilian was killed and three others injured during an air raid conducted by NATO-led coalition forces in the Afghani province of Zabul, a national news agency reported.
The incident occurred on Wednesday in the Hasankhail area, Mezan district of Zabul, when the bombs hit houses rather than suspected positions of the Taliban fighters, the Bakhtar news agency said citing a local police chief.
The injured civilians were admitted to Qalat Hospital in stable condition.
39 killed, 41 injured in Iraq violence
Baghdad : A total of 39 people were killed and 41 injured in separate violent incidents, including during a security operation, across Iraq Thursday,...
Israeli army pulls out of Gaza, over 115 dead – local radio
By RIA Novosti
Gaza Strip : The Israeli military concluded a ground offensive in northern Gaza on Monday that left at least 118 people dead and jeopardized U.S.-backed peace talks with the Palestinians, local radio said.
Israeli ground troops launched the offensive last Wednesday mainly targeting the town of Jebalya in the north of the Palestinian enclave controlled by radical Islamic group Hamas. At least 400 people, including women and children, were injured in the operation.
Pakistani President Zardari hopes new US administration will understand Pakistan’s anti-terrorism efforts
By NNN-APP,
Washington : President Asif Ali Zardari has voiced the hope that the incoming Barack Obama administration would recognize Pakistan’s key anti-terror role as well as understand the fact that his South Asian country has been a victim of terrorism.
“We think we need a new dialogue, and we’re hoping that the new (U.S.) government will . . . understand that Pakistan has done more than they recognize” and is a victim of the same insurgency the United States is fighting, he said in an interview with The Washington Post published on Sunday.