Pakistan likely to seek consular access to Kasab
By Muhammad Najeeb,IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan may seek consular access to Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone terrorist caught alive in the 26/11 Mumbai attack, to determine if he is a Pakistani, officials said Sunday as the country's ruling party decided to "play down" the war talk.
The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the Pakistani high commission in New Delhi had received a letter from Kasab asking for legal aid.
"Yes, we will provide him legal aid if he's a Pakistani and we are allowed consular access to him," said the official.
OIC wants ICC to bring Israeli leaders to justice
By IRNA
Dakar : The head of the world's largest organization after the United Nations, the Organisation of the Islamic Conference called on the International Criminal Court to bring Israeli leaders to justice for "heinous" attacks against civilians living in Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, secretary-general of the 57-nation body told an OIC summit in Senegal that Israeli leaders have committed war crimes against Palestinians.
Iran, Bahrain seeking to boost mutual investment
By NNN-FNA,
Tehran : Iranian and Bahraini businessmen are slated to discuss investment opportunities in their fifth joint meeting in Manama on Saturday, despite heavy pressures by the US on the Arab state to end financial ties with Tehran.
Setting up companies in the fields of shipping, airline and medicine are expected to top the agenda of talks between the two sides.
Iran's economic attaché in Bahrain Mostafa Sadat told the Islamic republic news agency that the five-day meeting between the two countries aims to create investment opportunities.
Bangladesh to import 400,000 tonnes of rice from India
By Xinhua
Dhaka : The caretaker government of Bangladesh Sunday opened a letter of credit to import 400,000 tonnes of rice at $430 per tonne from India, a senior official said.
"India will supply 100,000 tonnes of rice within a month and the rest within two months," Food Secretary Mollah Wahiduzzaman told Xinhua.
Four state-owned Indian companies will supply the rice under an agreement signed by Bangladesh and India last month.
Sudan, Chad sign new peace deal
By Xinhua
Dakar (Senegal) : Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir and Chadian President Idriss Deby have signed a peace deal here to end years of hostility between the two neighbouring countries.
Thursday's deal, the latest in a series of peace agreements aimed at pacifying their troubled relations, commits both nations to implement past accords that have so far failed to help end violence in the area.
Pakistani army pushing guerrillas into Kashmir: Indian Army
By IANS,
Srinagar : The Indian Army Saturday accused its Pakistani counterparts of pushing guerrillas into the Kashmir Valley. To back their claim, Indian Army officials produced a Pakistani national who had infiltrated into the border state a fortnight back.
Four pilots killed in warplane crashes in Turkey
Ankara: Four pilots were killed after two F-4 warplanes crashed in Malatya province of eastern Turkey Tuesday, Xinhua news agency reported.
The pilots were found...
French Defence Minister pays surprise visit to Afghanistan
By Xinhua,
Kabul : French Defence Minister Herve Morin arrived in Afghan capital Kabul Saturday for a surprise visit to meet high ranking officials and French troops based near the capital.
It is the third visit to the post-Taliban country for Herve Morin who plans to visit around 700 French troops based in the relatively peaceful Kapisa province adjoining Kabul, officials said.
Kuwaiti-Cuban ministerial committee holds first meeting
By NNN-KUNA,
Kuwait : The Kuwaiti-Cuban ministerial committee has held its first meeting here.
Finance Minister and Acting Commerce and Industry Minister Mustafa Al-Shimali headed the Kuwaiti side while the Cuban delegation was headed by Minister of Foreign Investment and Economic Cooperation Marta Lomas Morales.
The meeting Monday reflected the determination of both countries to foster bilateral economic ties, a press release by the Kuwaiti Ministry of Finance said.
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...
EU monitors say 1.5 million Afghan votes rigged
By DPA,
Kabul : European Union election monitors said Wednesday that up to 1.5 million votes, one quarter of all ballots, had been subject to manipulation or were suspected of having been tampered with.
Deputy mission head Dimitra Ioannou said 1.1 million of the suspect votes were in favour of incumbent President Hamid Karzai and 300,000 were cast for his main challenger, former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah.
"All of them need to be investigated," she added.
Pakistani Health Minister Ejaz leaves for Kampala
By SPA
Islamabad : Health Minister Ejaz Rahim has left for Kampala, Uganda, to attend the First Global Forum on Human Resources for Health, said an official statement.
The Global Health Workforce Alliance (GHWA) has convened the first-ever Global Forum. Human Resources for Health have now been identified as the single most critical constraint to the achievement of most health and development goals particularly in low income countries.
Kuwait taking part in 3rd Asia-Middle East Dialogue in Thailand
By Abdullah Bougus, KUNA,
Abu Dhabi officials learn media management skills
By IANS/WAM,
Abu Dhabi : Government officials in Abu Dhabi are learning how to interact with the media.
A workshop on public speaking and media management aims to provide them with "tools, hands-on experience and personalised expert feedback on public speaking and how to manage organised interactions with the media".
The two-day course, which began Wednesday, is part of a national-level programme to identify and develop future leaders of the government.
Family waits for report on Pakistani journalist’s killing
By IANS/AKI,
Lahore : An investigative report on the murder of Pakistani journalist Syed Saleem Shahzad is not likely be released as planned in November, said Shahzad's brother-in-law Hamza Amer.
Apologise over 1971 killings, Bangladesh tells Pakistan
By IANS,
Dhaka : Pakistan must say sorry for the atrocities its army committed in Bangladesh in 1971, a minister said here.
Commerce Minister Faruk Khan said the Pakistan government must offer an apology for the atrocities its army committed in Bangladesh in 1971 if it wanted good relations with Dhaka, New Age newspaper reported.
"Without removing the irritants, it will be difficult to strengthen trade ties between the two countries," Faruk Khan said after his two-hour meeting with Pakistani envoy Ashraf Qureshi.
PTI back to negotiation table
Islamabad : Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) vice chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi announced that his party has agreed to resume talks for the continuation of democracy,...
Pakistan to ignore Kasab’s consular plea
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan will ignore the consular access plea of Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone terrorist arrested during the Mumbai terror strikes, the Prime Minister's Adviser on Interior Affairs Rehman Malik has said.
"There is no question of consular access unless it is proved that Ajmal Kasab is a Pakistan national," he told reporters on the sidelines of a function Wednesday at the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) headquarters.
"We have thoroughly checked the registration record but have not found Ajmal Kasab's name in the Nadra database.
US soldier, 12 Taliban killed in battle in Afghan clinic
By DPA,
Kabul : One US soldier and 12 Taliban militants were killed in a firefight in eastern Afghanistan after Afghan and US forces attacked a clinic where a wounded Taliban commander was seeking medical treatment, officials said Thursday.
Afghan security forces got information that the militants had taken one of their wounded commanders to a clinic in Sar Hawza, a district in the south-eastern province of Paktika Wednesday, Hamidullah Zewak, spokesman for the provincial governor, said.
Four policemen killed, 18 injured in Baghdad blasts
By DPA,
Baghdad : Four policemen were killed and 18 people were injured in attacks in the Iraqi capital Sunday, officials said.
The policemen were killed in a car bomb attack in southern Baghdad's al-Amel neighbourhood, officials said. At least 10 people were injured.
Municipal director of the al-Mahmudiyah area, Talib Abbas was injured along three of his companions in a bombing in which his vehicle was targeted.
Four people were injured in a bomb blast in the crowded area of Allawi al-Hilla, according to officials.
Five ISAF members killed in Afghanistan
Kabul: At least five International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) members were killed Saturday in a helicopter crash in southern Afghanistan, the ISAF said.
"Five ISAF...
200 killed in Turkey coal mine explosion
Istanbul: At least 200 people were killed and some 400 workers remain trapped underground after an explosion and fire in a coal mine...
10 injured in blast near Pakistani political party’s office
Islamabad : At least 10 people were injured when a bomb went off near the office of a political party in Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan...
Iraq to file lawsuit against US security firm
By IANS,
Baghdad: Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has said his country would file a lawsuit against US private security firm Blackwater over the killing of Iraqi civilians here two years ago.
Maliki has rejected a US judge's decision to drop charges against five Blackwater security guards who were involved in killing unarmed civilians at a crowded intersection in western Baghdad in 2007, Xinhua reported Tuesday.
Pakistan MPs take oath under 1973 constitution
By IRNA
Islamabad : Newly elected Members of Pakistan National Assembly on Monday took oath, marking the inauguration of the new parliament.
The oath was administered by Speaker National Assembly Chaudhry Amir Hussain.
Speaker National Assembly Chaudhry Amir Hussain earlier told the house the newly elected members would take oath under the third Schedule of the 1973 Constitution.
Responding to a point of order from the PPP member Syed Naveed Qamar, the Speaker said that the oath in the third schedule is the same as it was in the third schedule of the 1973 Constitution.
Four US soldiers die as two aircraft crash
By Xinhua,
Baghdad : Two US aircraft crashed in northern Iraq Monday, killing four soldiers, the US military said.
"Four coalition forces members were killed when two aircraft went down at 2.15 a.m.," a military statement said. The cause of the incident is not known.
India concerned over China’s n-deal with Pakistan: Sushma
New Delhi : India was "well prepared" to guard its national interests, and has raised with China the issue of Beijing's nuclear deal with...
Musharraf may be kidnapped, Pakistani authorities fear
By IANS,
Islamabad : Former Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf, who has returned home after over four years in self-exile, may be kidnapped, the interior ministry fears.
OIC voices frustration over dropping of charges against producer of “Fitna”
By NNN-Bernama,
Dubai : The Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) Observatory on Islamophobia has expressed frustration over the decision of the public prosecutor of the Netherlands to drop charges against a Dutch legislator and producer of the blasphemous film titled "Fitna" for inciting hatred.
Its spokesman says that despite admitting that the film was "hurtful and insulting (to Muslims), the public prosecutor failed to see that the work constituted an incitement to hostility or hatred against the Muslim community in the Netherlands or hundreds of millions of other Muslims".
Suspicious powder found in Pakistani ambulance
By IANS,
Islamabad : Eight drums of a suspicious powdery chemical were Thursday recovered from an ambulance by police in Pakistan's port city of Karachi.
Sharif-Zardari talks inconclusive, to meet again Thursday
By Aroonim Bhuyan and Muhammad Najeeb, IANS,
Dubai/Islamabad : Pakistan's ruling coalition partners, discussing the issue of restoration of sacked judges, Wednesday decided to meet again Thursday, their leaders sounding optimism about positive outcome.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari met over lunch and again later in the day at an Indian restaurant in the Grosvenor House hotel in Dubai, discussing the vexed issue over seven hours.
Hamas television slams U.S. resolution over terror group brand
By Xinhua,
Gaza : Al-Aqsa satellite channel affiliated with Gaza-ruler Hamas on Saturday denounced a draft resolution presented to the U.S. Congress to classify it and four other televisions as terrorist organizations.
The draft resolution, presented on June 26, was "politically motivated and aimed at silencing every free voice unveiling the American and Zionist acts in the Islamic and Arab region," said Fathi Hamad, a Hamas lawmaker who heads the Gaza-based satellite channel.
Pakistan rejects Britain’s request to question Mumbai terror suspects
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : Pakistan's Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani has rejected a request from his British counterpart Gordon Brown to allow Britain to question suspects arrested in connection with last month's Mumbai terror attacks.
"The prime minister asked me to allow British police to have access to the Pakistanis. But I turned down the request," Gilani told the parliament Monday during a discussion on the Mumbai attacks.
Gilani said if there were any proofs, these suspects would be prosecuted under the Pakistani law.
Bush, Maliki discuss political process in Iraq
By NNN-KUNA
Baghdad : Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki held a video conference call with US president George Bush Wednesday and discussed the political process in Iraq, as well as security and economic developments nationwide, Maliki's office said.
Maliki affirmed to Bush that political forces were united to create positive atmosphere to rebuild the country.
The Iraqi government has been implementing a program to develop national economy and rebuild the country, said Maliki.
Abbas sees no progress in Mideast peace process
By RIA Novosti
Cairo : No tangible progress has been made during ongoing Palestinian-Israeli peace negotiations, the Palestinian Authority president said in Cairo on Wednesday.
"When we get down to drafting [an agreement], we will see progress, but that has yet to happen," Mahmoud Abbas said after talks with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Cairo, also commenting that negotiations with Israel were currently at the stage of "an exchange of opinions."
Gaza toll hits 100 as heavy bombing continues
Gaza : Israeli warplanes and naval artillery heavily bombed the Gaza Strip Friday, as the Palestinian death toll rose to 100 since Israel earlier...
Burney pleads for Indian prisoners, despite immigration flap
By Muhammad Najeeb, IANS,
Islamabad : Human rights activist and former minister Ansar Burney has asked Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani to convert all death sentences to life imprisonment, including that of two Indian nationals.
Burney wrote to Gillani and Chief Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar, demanding that all death sentences, including that of two Indians Karpal Singh and Sarabjit Singh, be changed to life imprisonment.
In his letter sent from here Monday evening, Burney also demanded that all prisoners, including Indians, be released once they had served their sentences.
Pakistan: John Kerry meets PM Gilani, discuss KLB
By NNN-APP,
Islamabad : Chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator John Kerry is here to meet Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani.
Kerry, the main architect of the Kerry-Lugar Bill, under which the United States of America will provide US 7.5 billion dollars over the next five years for socio-economic sector, apprised the prime minister about the explanatory statement that has been attached to the bill.
He along with the US ambassador to Pakistan Anne W Patterson also discussed Pak-US bilateral ties and the need to carry forward their long term relationship.
Pakistan’s new government asked to probe missing persons case
By DPA,
Islamabad : A leading international rights group urged the Pakistani government Wednesday to investigate the disappearance of hundreds of people allegedly at the hands of the country's security agencies.
Those people are held under counter-terrorism measures, justified by Pakistan as part of the US-led war on extremists, at various detention centres where they become difficult to trace, the London-based Amnesty International said in a report.
Iran set for talks with world powers from Oct 1
By DPA,
Tehran/Brussels : Iran is set to meet the world's biggest 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.
Over 100 militants killed in W. Afghanistan
By Xinhua,
Kabul : Afghan troops backed by the U.S.-led Coalition forces have killed more than 100 insurgents in Afghanistan's western Farah province, a press release of interior ministry said Sunday.
"The three-day operation conducted by Afghan police, army and the Coalition on May 28-30 had left more than 100 militants dead," the press release said.
During the operation which covered Bakwa and Balabluk districts of Farah six Taliban commanders have been found among the dead bodies.
Both the above districts are under the control of government troops.
Israeli troops arrest 10 Palestinians in West Bank
By Xinhua,
Ramallah : Israeli forces arrested 10 Palestinians early Wednesday in various part of the occupied West Bank, Palestinian and Israeli security sources said.
The Israeli sources said the army arrested 10 wanted Palestinians in Nablus, south of Jenin and north of Hebron, the detainees were taken for interrogation.
Six of the detainees were taken from their houses in Nablus during an Israeli military incursion and search operations, according to the Palestinian security sources.
What does axing of NSA talks mean to Kashmiris
By Sheikh Qayoom
Pakistan's decision to call off the NSA-level talks with India proves an old maxim for the people of Jammu and Kashmir:...
Another contraband haul from train from Pakistan, authorities worried
By IANS,
Attari (Punjab) : Fake currency of face value Rs.9.5 lakh and one kg of heroin were recovered from a goods train coming from Pakistan, causing worry to the authorities who say these trains are increasingly becoming a smuggling medium.
UN lauds UAE for labour reforms
By IANS,
Abu Dhabi : The UN has lauded the efforts of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for improving the conditions of its migrant workers engaged in various sectors, WAM news agency reported Thursday.
The global organisation hoped other countries in the region would follow the UAE example.
Peter Sutherland, special representative of the UN secretary general, in a letter to UAE Foreign Affairs Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, said the UAE played an important role at the conference on migration issues that began in Athens Wednesday.
Ban encouraged by Arab League’s Lebanon plan, urges non-interference of neighbours
By NNN-KUNA
United Nations : UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has said that he was "encouraged" by the Arab League efforts to end the constitutional crisis in Lebanon and urged the "neighbouring" countries not to interfere in Lebanese affairs so that the Lebanese people could find a solution on their own.
24 killed in Libya clashes
Tripoli: Heavy fighting broke out Friday between a militia group and some Islamist militants in Libya's second largest city Benghazi, killing at least 24...
Maldives is a model for democracy in Islamic world: Nasheed
By IANS,
New Delhi : Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed Tuesday said his country was a model for bringing democracy into an Islamic nation.
The 41-year-old Nasheed Tuesday began his first-ever foreign visit since becoming the president of the Indian Ocean nation of over 200 major islands, defeating Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who had been in office for 30 years. He arrived here Tuesday afternoon on a three-day state visit.
"We are the only 100 percent Muslim country able to come up with a home-grown" democracy, Nasheed said while addressing business chambers here.
19 die as Pakistan Army HQ siege ends, 39 hostages freed
By IANS,
Rawalpindi : Pakistani troops stormed the army headquarters here at dawn Sunday to end a siege by Islamists, with the stunning two-day drama leaving 19 people dead and the country bruised.
The commandos freed 39 hostages following fierce fighting that ended the most audacious assault on the Pakistani military by militants angered by a crackdown in tribal areas bordering Afghanistan.
Hamas denies plotting against Egypt’s national security
By Xinhua,
Gaza : Islamic Hamas movement on Sunday denied plotting any operation threatening Egypt's national security.
"The Egyptian national security and the Arab security are both red lines that Hamas can not cross," said Mohammed Nasser, a member of Hamas politburo.
Nasser's remarks were made following reports that Egyptian authorities arrested two members of the Muslim Brotherhood opposition party, who, with Hamas, planned to prepare an unmanned aircraft. The reports did not clarify what the aircraft was designated to be used for.
Pakistan’s election panel chief stopped from visiting India
By IANS,
Lahore: The Pakistani government Saturday barred the chief election commissioner (CEC) and the panel's secretary from visiting India to protest the snubbing of the country's cricketers at the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction.
The CEC, Justice (retd) Hamid Ali Mirza, and panel secretary Ishtiak Ahmad Khan were about to leave for New Delhi at 2.30 a.m. when they were stopped by the government at Lahore Airport, Online news agency reported, quoting official sources.
Maldivian President survives attack
Male –January 08, (IINA) – Maldivian President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom survived an assassination attempt by a "young man" who tried to stab him with a knife wrapped in a national flag, according Presidential Spokesman Mohamed Shareef. He said Gayoom was unhurt. The assailant "aimed at the president from about 10 feet away, but another young boy - about 15 years old - maybe one feet away jumped to prevent him," Shareef said.
NRI voting rights: Expatriates’ organisations to exert pressure on authorities
By Shafeeq Hudavi, TwoCircles.net,
Kozhikode: Upholding the demand to materialise the voting rights of NRIs in the upcoming elections in the local self governing bodies...
World Food Programme warns of drought in Syria
United Nations: The World Food Programme (WFP) warned Tuesday that a potential drought would further cripple the already fragile food security situation in Syria,...
Iran facing the worst drought in 100 years
By NNN-IRNA,
Ahvaz, Khuzestan (Iran) : Iran's Energy Minister Parviz Fattah has said that the Islamic Republic is experiencing one of the worst drought this year over the past 100 years.
Addressing journalists in Khuzestan Tuesday, Fattah noted that that all the provinces are facing drought across the country.
"Currently the thermal power plants have increased their capacity by 25 to 27 per cent to compensate the 75 per cent decrease of the hydroelectric power plants."
World Media Body condemns Iran’s decision to expel Al-Arabiya Bereau Chief
By NNN-KUNA,
Brussels : The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), condemned Friday the Iranian government for forcing al-Arabiya TV bureau chief Hassan Fahs from the country because they were unhappy with his reporting.
"This is censorship of the worst kind," said IFJ General Secretary Aidan White in a statement. "It shows that the government is trying to intimidate journalists and control the reporting that they carry out. It completely contravenes all principles of free expression and should be condemned by the international community," he said.
EU forum expresses concern over Bangladesh’s human rights situation
By IANS,
Brussels : A special forum at the European Parliament (EP) has expressed grave concern over the deteriorating human rights situations in Bangladesh which has been run by a military-backed government since January 2007.
Speakers at the forum titled "SOS Bangladesh" held at the EP here Thursday held the caretaker government - backed by the "corrupt" military - responsible for the worsening of the human rights situation in the country, EuAsiaNews reported.
4 Afghan civilian killed, 4 others wounded by NATO’s accidental fire
By Xinhua,
Kabul : The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) Saturday night "accidentally" killed four civilians and wounded four others in the eastern Afghan province of Paktika, said an ISAF statement released here on Sunday.
The accident occurred in the Barmal district of Paktika when an ISAF unit fired two mortar rounds, which landed nearly one kilometre away from the intended target, the statement said.
"Further three death was feared but unconfirmed at the moment," it said.
Four killed in Iraq attacks
By IANS,
Baghdad : Four people were killed and four others injured in different incidents of attacks in Iraq's capital city Baghdad, Xinhua reported Thursday.
Blame game on in Bangladesh’s BNP-led alliance
By IANS,
Dhaka : The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) of former prime minister Khaleda Zia is blaming the Islamists for the poll debacle and media reports indicate that the alliance could be heading for a split.
As the blame game continues among the 'nationalists' and 'Islamists', The Daily Star, quoting officials within the alliance, said the formidable force that won a two-thirds parliamentary majority and shared power during 2001-06, lost badly this time as people, particularly the young, preferred moderation to religion-based politics.
37 dead in Bangladesh ferry capsize
Dhaka : An overloaded ferry carrying over 100 people capsized Sunday after being hit by a cargo trawler in Padma river in Bangladesh, media...
Warship tracks 3 ships, 57 crew seized off Somalia
By SPA,
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia : A warship from an international naval force has been deployed to track three vessels and their 57 crew that were hijacked in an unprecedented spate of attacks by pirates off the coast of Somalia, AP quoted an international maritime official as saying Friday.
Noel Choong of the International Maritime Bureau also called on the United Nations to do more to bring rampant piracy under control off Africa's eastern coast.
Blast in Pakistan
By IANS,
Peshawar : A massive explosion took place in the Pakistani city of Peshawar, a media report said.
Several casualties have been reported in the blast in Adizai area of Matni in Peshawar, Geo News reported Sunday.
The blast occurred in a livestock market.
Pakistan was safer under Musharraf: former CIA official, ICC security advisers
By IANS,
London : A former CIA official, who headed its Bin Laden unit, says the Lahore terrorist attack on Sri Lankan cricketers is a direct result of the West's insistence on replacing Pervez Musharraf with a democratically-elected president in Pakistan.
Michael Scheuer, who headed the (CIA) Central Intelligence Agency's counter-terrorism unit dedicated to tracking down Al Qaeda head Osama bin Laden, also said President Asif Ali Zardari's recent ceasefire deal with the Taliban in parts of the Northwest province was to blame.
Bush shoe-thrower wants Swiss asylum
By DPA,
Geneva : An Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at US President George W. Bush wants to apply for political asylum in Switzerland, his lawyer said Monday.
Muntazer al-Zaidi made headlines around the world when he hurled his shoes at Bush during a press conference in Iraq Dec 14. Such an act is considered an insult in the Arab world.
Al-Zaidi's lawyer, Mauro Poggia, confirmed a report in the Swiss daily La Tribune that he would submit an asylum application to the Foreign Ministry in Berne this week.
Hope – and disappointment – in Tehran
By Alex Verghese, IANS,
Just a few days ago, the same street in Central Tehran where my taxi had to slow down due to joyful opposition supporters, had now turned into an obstacle race as we walked and ran to escape the teargas and passed burning garbage bins. On Saturday, it was a harrowing experience while returning home from work.
WikiLeaks expose: Intelligence gathering to get tougher
By IANS,
Washington : The WikiLeaks expose of over 90,000 uncensored intelligence documents is likely to lead to more controls in intelligence gathering in war-ravaged Afghanistan, says an expert.
Bruce Riedel, senior fellow, foreign policy at Brookings Institute, wrote that intelligence sharing is absolutely critical, but "if there are doubts as to who can keep a secret, there will be pressure to pool information more closely".
Following 9/11 "there was an enormous shift in the way that counterterrorism intelligence was shared".
India slams Pakistan for ‘coveting’ Kashmir
New Delhi : India Thursday slammed Pakistan over its stance on Jammu and Kashmir, saying its "self-destructive and futile quest for territorial aggrandisement" in...
Four Al Qaeda fighters killed in Yemen
Sanaa: At least four Al Qaeda fighters were killed when the Yemeni armed forces shelled their vehicle in Yemen's southeastern province of Shabwa Friday,...
Pakistan lifts roadblocks in militants’ stronghold
By DPA,
Islamabad : Pakistan's military has removed all roadblocks in the stronghold of local Taliban commander Baitullah Mehsud to open the troubled South Wazristan tribal district to rest of the country amid a proposed peace deal, a news report said Sunday.
Pamphlets were distributed Saturday in the area on behalf of the security forces, declaring that the road access was being restored to facilitate the local population and to return to normality, the English-language newspaper Dawn said.
Newspaper: Hamas wants role, share of revenues on Rafah crossing
By Xinhua,
Gaza : Hamas will not allow the opening of the crossing point between Gaza and Egypt unless the Islamic movement gets a share of the customs revenues, a pan-Arab newspaper reported on Tuesday.
Al-Quds al-Arabiya newspaper quoted a Hamas source as saying that Hamas rejects any proposal excluding the Islamic movement, which controls Gaza, from running the crossing.
Kayani hand behind India-Pakistan stalemate?
By Manish Chand, IANS,
New Delhi: Pakistan Army Chief, Gen Ashraf Parvez Kayani, met President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on the afternoon of July 15, just hours before India and Pakistan resumed extended talks in the evening that soured badly, well informed sources said here.
70 percent of Afghan refugees born in Pakistan
By IANS,
Islamabad : Of the 1.6 million Afghan refugees currently registered in Pakistan, around 70 percent are under the age of 18 and were born and bred in the host country, a UN survey says.
Karachi traders to stage sit-in
By IANS,
Karachi : Traders' associations in Karachi will stage a sit-in Tuesday to protest against the city's deteriorating security situation.
60 militants killed in Pakistan’s tribal area operation
By NNN-Xinhua,
Islamabad : Pakistani security forces killed at least 60 militants in the last 24 hours in the military operation in the country's tribal area of South Waziristan, the military said Sunday in a press release.
Five soldiers were also killed and 11 others were injured in the operation coded as Rah-e-Nijat, path of salvation, according to the press release.
Lebanese troops kill suspect suicide bomber
By Xinhua,
Beirut : A suspect suicide bomber was killed Saturday at a Lebanese army checkpoint near Lebanon's largest Palestinian camp, Al Manar TV reported.
A Palestinian wrapped with a belt of explosives was shot and killed by Lebanese soldiers at the entrance of the Palestinian camp of Ain el-Helweh on the outskirts of the southern city of Sidon, said the report.
Pakistani military winding down operations in northwest
By IANS,
Islamabad : The Pakistani military Friday seemed to be winding down its 61-day anti-Taliban operations in Swat and two other districts of the northwest and was focusing on mopping up operations in the areas that have been cleared of the militants.
One indication of this is that no Taliban have been been killed in the 48 hours to Friday afternoon, to go by an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) statement.
"During the last 24 hours, security forces apprehended two terrorists and also recovered arms and ammunition," the statement said.
US questions Israeli housing project in East Jerusalem
By DPA,
Jerusalem: The US has asked Israel to halt a construction project in occupied East Jerusalem and summoned Israel's Ambassador to Washington Michael Oren for clarification, Israel Radio reported Sunday.
The issue is the latest in an ongoing dispute over Israeli construction in the occupied territories.
Israel regards East Jerusalem, which it captured in the 1967 Middle East War and annexed shortly afterwards, as part of its "undivided capital".
The US sees East Jerusalem as occupied Palestinian land and demands that Israel halts all settlement activity there.
Pakistan: cabinet announcement on Friday
By NNN-APP
Islamabad : A joint committee of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N), Awami National Party (ANP) and Jamiat Ulema Islam (JUI-F) held deliberations at the Parliament House here on Wednesday on distribution of cabinet slots.
The meeting was attended from the PPP by Senator Mian Raza Rabbani, Khurshid Shah, Sherry Rehman and Syed Naveed Qamar. PML-N side included Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar and MNAs Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and Khwaja Muhammad Asif.
Suicide blast injures civilian in eastern Afghan city
By NNN-Xinhua,
Kabul : A suicide bomber blew himself up in Afghanistan's eastern Khost province Sunday, wounding himself and a passing-by woman, provincial police chief Mohammad Ayub said.
The man with explosive device tied to his body detonated himself near a UN office in Khost city, the capital of Khost province, at around 8:20 a.m. local time, wounding a woman, Ayub told Xinhua.
He said that one hand of the bomber was cut off in the explosion and he currently is hospitalized at a nearby hospital.
Hariri tribunal should not be used for revenge: Opposition
By DPA,
Beirut : Lebanon's pro-Syrian opposition led by Hezbollah said Sunday the chief prosecutor of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, Judge Daniel Bellemare, should ensure that the court does not become politicised and remains within a legal framework.
"The tribunal into the assassination of former prime minister Rafik Hariri should not be considered a tool for taking revenge or intimidation," opposition deputy Anwar al-Khalil said.
Over 10,000 march in Brussels against Israeli massacres in Gaza
By IRNA,
Berlin : More than 10,000 people took to the streets of the Belgian capital Brussels to demonstrate against Israeli mass crimes in Gaza, the Belgian news agency Belga quoted organizers as saying Wednesday.
Protesters burned Israeli flags to voice outrage over the Israeli genocide in Gaza.
Around 50 organizations, among them the Belgian-Palestinian Union, had called for the mass demo.
Numerous major European cities have witnessed large scale protests against Israeli atrocities in Gaza over the recent days.
Suicide attack kills two in Afghanistan
By Xinhua
Kabul : At least two civilians were killed and three injured when a suicide bomber rammed his explosive laden car into a foreign military vehicle Saturday in Afghanistan's eastern province of Khost, officials said.
The suicide car blast occurred at 11.15 a.m. in Ismal Khel district of Khost, said district chief Dulat Khan Qaumi, declining to give further information.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahed told Xinhua over phone from an unknown location that a Taliban fighter carried out the attack.
Jaswant Singh’s expulsion shows bias still exists against Pakistan: PML-N
By IANS,
Islamabad : The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party Thursday criticised the expulsion of senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Jaswant Singh from the party for his praise of Pakistan founder Mohammad Ali Jinnah saying "India still has prejudice and bias" against the country even 62 years after partition.
The PML-N said Singh's expulsion "shows the real face of India that boasts of great democracy in the world", the Online news agency reported.
Woman leading prayers in women only mosque in China
By IINA,
Henan : In the central Chinese province of Henan, the scene of a woman leading prayers in a mosque for women only would not be a strange one, according to a report in ABC News Australia.
Two rioters sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia
Riyadh : A special court in Saudi Arabia has sentenced two men to death and another person to 12 years in jail for taking...
Bangladesh minister to visit India in July: Sangma
By IANS,
Shillong: Bangladesh Commerce Minister M. Faruk Khan will visit India in July to sign an agreement for reopening border "haats" (markets) along the international border, former Lok Sabha Speaker Purno A. Sangma said here Saturday.
"The Bangladesh commerce minister will visit Meghalaya in July to sign the final agreement with India for reopening the traditional border haats," Sangma, who arrived here from Bangladesh Friday, told IANS.
UN chief condemns terror attacks in Afghanistan
United Nations: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Friday condemned "in the strongest terms" the deadly attacks that left over 50 civilians killed in Afghanistan this...
Pakistan accuses India of backing Baloch terror group
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan Wednesday accused India of backing a Baloch terror group that it says is a remnant of the Soviet-Afghan war.
India was backing the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) for fueling insurgency in the province and creating unrest, Interior Minister Rehman Malik said in the Senate, the upper house of parliament.
British peer calls for widening dialogue with Iran
By IRNA,
London : There will never be a constructive dialogue with Iran unless the framework is widened to more than the current approach to the country's nuclear programme, according to the deputy Liberal Democrat leader in the House of Lords.
"Is there not a case for a wider framework for discussions within which we can then make progress on the nuclear issue?" Lord Wallace asked.
The UK will not get constructive dialogue with the Iranian government "unless we broaden it out to a wider framework," Wallace told Foreign Office Minister Lord Malloch-Brown.
India and Pakistan: Lengthening shadows of a toxic past
Sixty-four years after they parted ways, their toxic past and violent split still continues to haunt India and Pakistan and hundreds of millions of people on both sides of the divide
US working with India, Pakistan to bring perpetrators to justice: Rice
By IANS,
United Nations : US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice Monday said that the United States is working with both India and Pakistan to bring to justice the perpetrators of the Mumbai terror attacks.
Speaking to reporters at the UN headquarters in New York, Rice said the US is also working with both the countries to ensure there is no repeat of the Mumbai terrorist strikes.
Cameron backs ‘military’ component for tackling IS
United Nations: British Prime Minister David Cameron Wednesday backed the inclusion of a "military" component in London's fight against the Islamic State (IS) Sunni...
Israeli defense minister vows to change situation in Gaza
By Xinhua
Jerusalem : Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Sunday evening that Hamas' ongoing attacks left Israel without choice but to respond and vowed to change the situation in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.
Barak made the remarks during a meeting with defense officials including Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi and Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) chief Yuval Diskin.
11 killed in Bangladesh bus accident
By Xinhua,
Dhaka : Eleven people were killed and 41 injured in a collision between two buses in Bangladesh's northwestern Bogra district, about 170 km northwest of capital Dhaka, the police said Tuesday.
The police were quoted by private news agency UNB as saying the fatal accident occurred at about 2 a.m. local time, when a bus from northwestern Dinajpur district to southeastern Chittagong city collided head-on with a bus from northern Gaibandha district to capital Dhaka.
Eight passengers were killed on the spot and 44 were injured.
Yemen: UNHCR to assess efforts to help refugees, internally displaced persons
By NNN-UNNS,
Sana'a : United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) António Guterres will embark on a five-day mission to Yemen Wednesday to assess the agency's efforts to help refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) first-hand.
During his mission, Mr. Guterres will also attend the opening of the UNHCR-backed Regional Conference on Refugee Protection and International Migration to be held in the capital Sana'a from May 19-20.
Pakistan supports “Kosovars’ legitimate aspirations”
By IRNA
Islamabad : Pakistan has said it "understands and support the legitimate aspirations of the Kosovars and the need for peace in Kosovo and the region."
A Foreign Ministry statement Pakistan is watching the developments in Kosovo carefully.
JuD lawyers to appeal in UN, move Pakistani courts
By Muhammad Najeeb, IANS,
Islamabad : The Jamat-ud-Dawa (JuD) says it will appeal in the UN Security Council Sanctions Committee against restrictions on its head Hafiz Muhammad Sayeed and also move Pakistani courts to protest the crackdown on its leaders and the sealing of its offices.
"All these actions are illegal as they are without any proof... we have repeatedly said that the JuD has no link with the Al Qaeda or any terrorist organisation," said Abdullah Muntazir, spokesperson of the group that is widely seen as a front for the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
Arrested FBI agent doesn’t enjoy diplomatic immunity: Pakistan
Islamabad: The Pakistan foreign ministry Thursday said an employee of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) arrested this week for carrying ammunition does...
Iran is becoming a military dictatorship: Clinton
By IANS,
Kuwait City : US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has warned that Iran is "moving toward a military dictatorship", saying the top posts in the country are being "supplanted".
Speaking to students of the Carnegie-Mellon University branch in Doha Monday, Clinton said Washington is open to "engagement" with Iran, but, at the same time, it will not stand hand-folded towards its pursuit of a threatening nuclear programme, Xinhua reported.
Pakistani gunships pound militants to secure NATO supply routes
By DPA,
Islamabad : Pakistani helicopter gunships Wednesday pounded militant hideouts in the country's northwest as tanks rumbled in to secure the vital supply link for Western troops in landlocked Afghanistan.
The operation was launched a day ago after Pakistani authorities suspended the shipment of supplies from restive Peshawar, the capital of North-West Frontier Province, to Torkham border crossing through the Khyber Pass.
22 terrorists killed in Pakistan airstrikes
Islamabad : At least 22 terrorists were killed when military fighter jets bombed their hideouts in North Waziristan Agency of Pakistan, it was reported...
Taliban ambush leaves 4 police dead, 7 others wounded in central Afghanistan
By Xinhua,
Kabul : Taliban militants ambushed two police vehicles in central Afghan province of Ghazni, killing four policemen including one commander and wounding seven others, an official said on Monday.
Muhamad Zaman, the chief of intelligence agency of Ghazni province, told media the attack occurred on Sunday evening in ZanaKhan district.
Meanwhile, Zabihullah Mujahed, the purported Taliban spokesman claimed responsibility for the attack, saying that around 10 police were killed and there were no casualties on the Taliban side.
UN appeals for aid as floods cause havoc in Pakistan
By DPA,
Islamabad : The UN planned to launch an appeal Wednesday for international aid for victims of Pakistani floods that continue to spread.
The floods triggered by heavy monsoon rains have killed more than 1,600 people and devastated large areas of the country.
Maurizio Giuliano, a UN spokesman in Pakistan said 14 million people, including six million children, were affected by the crisis and that nearly half of them would need immediate help for survival.
London Muslims share common values with other residents
London – (IINA)February 26 – Muslim communities of the British capital share common values and concerns with the rest of London’s residents, according to a latest poll by the Greater London Authority. The results of the poll contrast sharply with the image of Muslims portrayed by certain sections of the media and show the importance of working with Muslim community and its leadership in the struggle against criminality including terrorism. The survey showed that nearly all Muslim Londoners surveyed (96 percent) think everyone should respect the law in Britain.
India asks Israel to observe ‘utmost restraint’
By IANS,
New Delhi : Condemning the "unwarranted use of force" by Israel
in the Gaza Strip that has killed over 300 Palestinians, India has expressed
"disappointment" at continuing military strikes and asked Tel Aviv to
observe "utmost restraint".
"The government of India had hoped that military action by Israel against
targets in the Gaza Strip would abate," external affairs ministry
spokesperson Vishnu Prakash said in a statement here Monday night.
"It is disappointing to note that the use of disproportionate force is
UK protests mark 7th anniversary of ‘liberation’ of Afghanistan
By IRNA,
London : Stop the War Coalition (STWC) is holding a series of demonstrations across Britain on Thursday to mark the seventh anniversary of what it described as the 'so-called liberation of Afghanistan by the US and its allies'.
Protest rallies calling for UK troops to be withdrawn have so far been arranged in 15 towns and cities by local branches of Britain's biggest peace group network, including six areas of London.
12,000 walk in Dubai for breast cancer awareness
By IANS,
Dubai : A massive crowd of 12,000 people walked for over three km in Dubai to help spread awareness about breast cancer and provide support to patients.
How the Taliban has turned extortion into a gold mine
By Can Merey, DPA,
Kabul : Creating an Islamic emirate and getting rid of all the infidels. Those are the declared goals of Afghanistan's Taliban militants.
The war of the self-styled religious warriors, who have been resisting tens of thousands of foreign solders, does not come cheap.
Afghanistan's private sector does its share to finance the insurgency - albeit not entirely voluntarily. Those who want to do business in the south have to pay protection money to the Taliban.
GCC Summit in Bahrain to focus on Syria, economic unity
By IANS,
Manama : Bahrain is gearing up to host the 33rd Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) Summit, which will focus on the Syrian crisis, military cooperation and economic unity.
UAE offices to be closed Jan 1
By IANS/WAM,
Abu Dhabi: Employees in private sector institutions as well as in federal ministries in Abu Dhabi and Dubai will get a holiday Jan 1, 2013 to mark the New Year.
Hamas rejects Abbas’ remarks that Gaza takeover blocks peace process
By Xinhua
Gaza : Hamas on Tuesday rejected Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' accusation that the Islamic movement gave Israel a pretext to hinder the peace process when Hamas took over Gaza Strip by force last June.
"This is a desperate attempt to free Israel from the responsibility of the peace process failure," said Hamas lawmaker spokesman Salah al-Bardaweel. "We don't consider that there is a peace process."
Syrian truck flipped in Beirut, killing 2
By Xinhua
Beirut : Two people were killed and three wounded when a Syrian truck ran into a house in east of Beirut late Thursday, local Naharnet news website reported on Friday.
A police report was quoted as saying that the truck with a Syrian license plate ran into a house belonging to the Semaha family near the Sayyad roundabout in Hazmiyeh, east of Beirut, after colliding with a car that was driven by Antoine Shartouni, aLebanese.
France prepared to send more troops to Afghanistan, says Sarkozy
By IRNA
London : French President Nicolas Sarkozy emphasised France's commitment to the Nato-led alliance in Afghanistan ahead of a state visit to Britain Wednesday.
Sarkozy said his country had no intention of pulling out troops and may even be prepared to send in more under the right conditions.
"In Afghanistan what's at stake, it's part of our battle against world terrorism," he told the BBC radio. "Do we need a new strategy in Afghanistan? Perhaps. Placing more trust in the Afghans themselves? The answer is yes."
Mubarak meets Lebanese premier on political crisis
By Xinhua
Cairo : Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak held talks with visiting Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Seniora on the latest developments in Lebanon, the official MENA news agency reported.
After talks with Mubarak Sunday, Seniora said it was natural to come to Egypt and consult with Mubarak when Lebanon is in a critical stage.
Seniora said Lebanon believes in the need to move forward with the presidential election process, voicing his hope to reach an agreement on a three-point Arab initiative to help resolve the Lebanese political crisis.
UNHCR calls for probe into reported killing of civilians by Israel in Gaza
By NNN-Bernama
Dubai : Alarmed by the recent violence in Gaza and Israel, the top United Nations human rights official has called for an investigation into the reported killings of dozens of civilians, including children, by the Israeli Defence Force (IDF).
"Israel, as the occupying power, bears a particular responsibility under international human rights and humanitarian law to protect the civilian population and civilian installations in Gaza," UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour said in a statement issued in Geneva.
Pakistan ‘scares’ Obama
By IANS,
London : Pakistan is the one country that really "scares" Barack Obama, according to the US President's aides, a newspaper reported Monday.
The Guardian said in a report from Islamabad that Pakistan - "a nuclear-armed country hurtling towards chaos" - may turn out to be the biggest foreign policy challenge for the Obama administration.
In a report coinciding with US special representative Richard Holbrooke's visit to Pakistan, the newspaper said the Obama administration believes Pakistan is key to its aim of "pacifying Afghanistan" and hunting down Al Qaeda terrorists.
Ex-diplomats ask government to suspend dialogue with Pakistan
By IANS,
New Delhi : With Pakistan showing no sign of acting against the perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks, a group of retired diplomats, including four former foreign secretaries, Thursday advised the Indian government to downgrade bilateral ties in the absence of positive action by Islamabad.
“The people of India want the government to take decisive action within a clear timeline to put an end to this menace,” said 10 retired diplomats after their meeting at the Observer Research Foundation, a New Delhi-based think tank.
Tripura seeks access to Bangladesh ports
Agartala : The Tripura government will ask Prime Minister Narendra Modi to persuade Bangladesh to provide access to its water and land routes to...
Israeli army denies involvement in Gaza blast
By Xinhua
Jerusalem : The Israeli army denied on Friday reports that its troops were involved in the airstrike in the Gaza Strip that killed at least eight people and wounded 40 others.
The Israeli army spokeswoman told Xinhua that they were unaware of the airstrike in the coastal area.
Earlier, eight Palestinians were killed and 40 others wounded after a huge explosion hit a building in the al-Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza Strip, Palestinian medics and witnesses said.
UNICEF pushes plan to protect children in armed conflicts
By IRNA
Tehran : The Security Council must "take concrete and targeted measures" against those parties that persistently use or abuse children during armed conflicts around the world, the United Nations envoy on the issue said Tuesday, urging that well-meaning words be transformed into effective actions.
Dubai World files theft charges against former CEO
By DPA,
Dubai : The government-owned conglomerate Dubai World announced Tuesday it had filed a case against a former executive who escaped from the United Arab Emirates to avoid fraud charges.
The Dubai-based investment company filed a case in a federal court in the US state of Florida, accusing Herve Jaubert of theft and embezzlement during his time as CEO of Dubai World subsidiary Exomos, established in 2004 to design and make submarines.
Canada’s suspension of ties ‘hostile’ measure: Iran
By IANS,
Tehran: Iran has termed Canada's suspension of diplomatic ties with the country as a "hostile" measure, Xinhua reported.
US vice president on surprise visit in Iraq
By DPA,
Baghdad/Washington : US Vice President Joe Biden has arrived on a surprise visit in Iraq where he will meet with Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and President Jalal Talabani, the White House said Saturday.
The talks will focus on the stalled formation of a new government following the March parliamentary election in Iraq.
The polls, in which the Iraqiya List of former prime minister Iyad Allawi had finished only two seats ahead of al-Maliki's State of Law Coalition, have resulted in an ongoing row over which side would head the new government.
45 killed in Boko Haram attack in Nigeria
Lagos : Members of the armed terrorist group Boko Haram have killed at least 45 people in a village near Mafa city in the...
Chavez blames Iraq invasion for soaring oil prices
By Xinhua
Rio de Janeiro : Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has said that the US invasion of Iraq is partly to blame for the rising oil prices.
Oil producing countries are not to be held responsible for the surge in oil prices, but the US is "partially to blame" for it, Chavez told a press conference during a visit to Recife in northeastern Brazil Thursday.
Chavez met his Brazilian counterpart Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. State-owned oil and gas companies, Petrobras of Venezuela and PDVSA of Brazil, have signed a cooperation agreement as part of his visit.
Sunni Arab politician survives bomb attack west of Baghdad
By Xinhua,
Fallujah, Iraq : An Iraqi Sunni Arab politician escaped a bomb explosion with wounds in the city of Fallujah in Anbar province on Saturday, a local police source said.
A roadside bomb detonated near the car of Khaled al-Ubeidi, head of the Iraqi Islamic Party in central Fallujah on Saturday morning, wounding him, his driver and a bystander, the source toldXinhua on condition of anonymity.
The Iraqi Islamic Party, headed by Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi, which is part of the Accordance Front, a major Sunni bloc in the Iraqi parliament.
Aide: Abbas won’t meet Hamas leaders in Cairo
By Xinhua
Ramallah : Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah movement will not hold talks with rival Hamas in Cairo during the discussions to reopen Gaza-Egypt border, an aide to Abbas said on Wednesday.
"President Abbas did not form a delegation from Fatah to accompany him ... he will discuss Rafah crossing point's issue with the Egyptian side and has no intention to meet Hamas leaders," negotiator Yasser Abed Rabbo told the press.
Iftar in an American masjid
Photo feature by Kashif-ul-Huda, TwoCircles.net
Drive past farm-lands and old houses to arrive at Sharon Masjid or Islamic Center of New England in Sharon, Massachusetts. Nestled among trees it is a beautiful two-story masjid situated on a hill-top. First floor has place for making wudu and bathrooms while the top floor is musalla and also doubles up as a meeting hall.
150,000 Afghan refugees to leave Pakistan
By IANS,
Islamabad : The UN refugee agency plans to help in the voluntary repatriation of some 150,000 Afghan refugees from Pakistan this year.
UK closely monitoring events in Jordan
By IRNA,
London : The British government says it is closely monitoring “what is obviously a very fluid and evolving situation” in Jordan following the replacement of the government.
Israel kills 229 in air strikes on Gaza Strip
By Nidal al-Mughrabi, Reuters,
Gaza : Israeli warplanes pounded the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip Saturday, killing at least 229 people in one of the bloodiest days for the Palestinians in 60 years of conflict with the Jewish state.
Hamas vowed revenge including suicide bomb attacks in the "cafes and streets" of Israel, as Israeli air strikes continued late into the night. Israel said the offensive would continue as long as necessary and that it may also involve land forces.
Rafsanjani: Enemies’ Meddling Has Affected Iran-bosnia Ties
By Bernama,
Tehran : Chairman of the Expediency Council Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani said on Monday that the enemies lowered level of ties between Iran and Bosnia, Iranian national news agency (Irna) reported.
Rafsanjani made the remarks in a meeting with the Bosnian Ambassador to Tehran Senahid Bristric.
Iran was very hopeful to play an active and constructive role in Bosnia after the war ended in the country but the enemies' plots lowered the level of such ties.
The current level of economic and commercial ties between the two countries is very low, Rafsanjani said.
Canterbury Archbishop defends remarks on Islamic Shariah
London – (IINA) February 09 – The Archbishop of Canterbury has defended his comments on Islamic Sharia law, following widespread criticism. A statement on his website said that he "certainly did not call for its introduction as some kind of parallel jurisdiction to the civil law". However, at least two General Synod members have called for Dr Rowan Williams to resign following the row. Colonel Edward Armitstead told the Daily Telegraph: "I don't think he is the man for the job." Speaking to BBC radio on Thursday, Dr.
Pakistani PM to replace Musharraf to attend Beijing Olympic opening ceremony
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : Pakistani Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani would attend the opening ceremony of Beijing Olympics in place of President Pervez Musharraf, local media reported on Thursday.
Musharraf was originally scheduled to go China to attend the opening ceremony of Beijing Olympics. But he delayed his visit on Wednesday as Pakistan's ruling coalition agreed to impeach him.
Pakistani foreign ministry said in an brief statement late on Wednesday that Musharraf decided to visit China due to "special relations" between the two countries.
Over 591,000 Syrian refugees now in Jordan
By IANS,
Amman : Jordan Tuesday said the overall number of Syrian refugees in the country reached 591,176 since the start of the unrest in...
Pakistani PM arrives in Jaipur
By IANS,
Jaipur: Pakistani Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf Saturday arrived here for a day-long private visit to the Sufi shrine of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti at Ajmer in Rajasthan.