Modi vows support for Afghanistan
Kabul : Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has vowed to lend its all-round support to Afghanistan under the bilateral partnership agreement between the two...
Danish cartoonist welcomes drawing supporting freedom of speech
By DPA,
Oslo : A Danish newspaper cartoonist who was the alleged target of a murder plot over a controversial drawing of the Prophet Mohammed welcomed a Norwegian newspaper's decision to publish a drawing in defence of freedom of speech, reports said Wednesday.
"Freedom of speech is the most important thing we have," Kurt Westergaard told the online edition of Oslo daily Aftenposten, adding that his Norwegian colleague at the Adresseavisen would likely face threats.
Osama not here, says Pakistan
By IANS,
London : Pakistan has said that Osama bin Laden and other senior Al Qaeda leaders were not in the country and hence the US missile attacks in the country were futile, a media report said Sunday.
"If Osama was in Pakistan we would know, with all the thousands of troops we have sent into the tribal areas in recent months," Pakistan interior minister Rehman Malik told The Sunday Times. "If he and all these four or five top people were in our area they would have been caught, the way we are searching."
Indonesia president to visit Iran for energy talks
By SPA
Jakarta : Indonesia's president will visit Iran next week to strengthen ties in the energy field and
also for talks covering Tehran's controversial nuclear programmes, Reuters quoted a Jakarta official as saying on Thursday.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is due to fly to Iran on Monday and hold talks with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the Islamic republic's supreme leader Ali Khamenei, said presidential spokesman Dino Patti Djalal.
The two sides will also discuss greater cooperation in the energy sector.
Ceasefire ‘not enough’ for durable Middle East peace: UN chief
United Nations : UN Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon arrived in Cairo Monday in a bid to push for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip,...
Pressured by US, Pakistan curbs A.Q. Khan’s movements
By IANS,
Islamabad : Bowing to US pressure, Pakistan Tuesday placed fresh curbs on rogue scientist A.Q. Khan even as the man who mentored the country's nuclear programme vowed to fight back.
The new restrictions bar Khan, who was accused of clandestinely peddling the country's secrets on the international black market, from leaving the country and from even meeting people.
"Since Feb 6 (when the Islamabad High Court freed him from house arrest) a few people have met Khan but no one was allowed to visit his residence on Monday," Dawn News channel reported Tuesday.
Palestinian prisoners urge world help them cope with hardships
By KUNA
Gaza : Palestinian prisoners held in Israel have called on the international community to intervene and co-erce the Tel Aviv authorities supply them with necessities to cope with biting cold threatening their lives.
The prisoners, in a statement distributed in Palestinian regions on Wednesday, said they were short on necessary sheets and winter clothes because Israeli prisoners' authorities barred their families from visiting them.
U.S. confirms planned talks with Iran on Iraq
By Xinhua
Washington : The United States said Monday it was prepared to resume talks with Iran on the security of...
Pakistan ready to cooperate at all levels with India to fight against terrorism
By NNN-APP,
Chandigarh : Condemning the terrorist acts in Mumbai in the strongest possible terms, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said Pakistan is ready to cooperate with India at all levels to fight against menace of terrorism.
Speaking at the International Conference on Cooperative Development , Peace and security in South Asia and while talking to newspersons here Thursday, the Pakistan Foreign Minister said his heart goes out to families who have lost their near and dear ones in this tragic incident.
All countries should be able to use nuclear energy, says Ahmadinejad
By Yong Soo Heong, NNN-Bernama,
Kuala Lumpur : All countries should be able to use nuclear energy and there should be no restriction whatsoever, says Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
If all countries could use nuclear power, they would not have to face the current sharp increase in crude oil prices as nuclear power was cheap and attractive he said in an interview here Monday.
Give us more ships, Bangladesh Navy tells MPs
By IANS,
Dhaka : The Bangladesh Navy has sought modern ships and equipment and an overall maritime policy to better guard the country's exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
A report submitted to the country's lawmakers Monday also sought a separate hydrography department to be able to delineate the maritime boundary vis a vis its neighbours India and Myanmar with whom it recently had stand-offs in the high seas.
Bangladesh is keen to join the race for oil and gas exploration, but it has not been able to resolve the territorial disputes in the absence of a maritime boundary.
Pakistan sends aid after Afghanistan landslide
Islamabad: Pakistan has sent emergency relief supplies for those affected by the landslide in Afghanistan, the country's foreign ministry said Tuesday.
On the instructions of...
Bangladeshi former PM wins landslide victory in Parliamentary election
By Xinhua,
Dhaka : Bangladeshi former prime minister Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League won victory in the country's 9th Parliamentary election held on Monday, an official of the Election Commission said on Tuesday.
The official said in a press conference Awami League won 229 seats out of the 295 seats which have already got the polls results.
The official said Awami League's main rival former prime minister Khaleda Zia-led Bangladesh Nationalist Party won 27 seats.
Two foreigners held in Iran for ‘illegal activities’
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Tehran : Two Azerbaijani nationals have been detained in Iran for illegal activities, the Iranian foreign ministry said.
Mideast Skeptic with Abbas-Olmert Meet
By Prensa Latina,
Ramallah : Skepticism reigns in the Middle East towards today’s meeting of Palestinian National Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.
While media familiar with the Israel-Palestine peace process are unwilling to comment on the meeting at Olmert’s residence in Jerusalem, others think it will be more of the same.
The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), rival of Abbas's Al-Fatah, suspects it is another trick of Tel Aviv to "help" the PNA moderate government to the detriment of Hamas'-led Gaza.
Kerry says US intervention not about helping Iraqi PM
Washington : Secretary of State John Kerry stressed Thursday that any US intervention in Iraq to help stem the advances by Islamic militants is...
Iran-Switzerland deputy FMs agree on bilateral cooperation
By IRNA,
Tehran : Deputy foreign ministers of Iran and Switzerland agreed to compile a framework on bilateral cooperation in the field of human rights.
The deputy FMs presided the fourth round of bilateral talks in the field of human rights in the city of Bern, Switzerland, on Monday.
Deputy Foreign Minister in Legal and International Affairs Mohammad Ali Hosseini by referring to the "Principle of dialogue" as one of the basic axis of Iran's foreign policy said Iran is looking for ways of cooperation and understanding in the field of human rights.
Fishermen take out marches in Porbandar, Karachi
By IANS,
Porbandar: In a show of solidarity, fishermen in India and Pakistan Wednesday took out marches in Porbandar and Karachi to demand the release of their kin incarcerated in the other country.
"If the respective governments still fail to respond, we will knock on the doors of the respective Supreme Courts," Manish Lodhari, secretary of the Fishworkers Forum in Porbandar, said.
The proccessionists marched through the streets of Porbandar to the district collector's office and submitted a memorandum listing their grievances to be forwarded to the president of India.
Abbas vows not to run again for Palestinian president
By DPA,
Ramallah: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas reiterated Tuesday his determination not to seek re-election to the presidency, and said he had other options, which he would announce at a later date.
"I will not run again for the presidency in any upcoming presidential elections," the president told the 129-member Palestine Liberation Organisation Central Council meeting in Ramallah, repeating an announcement originally made Nov 5.
The council is expected during its two day meeting to formally ask Abbas to say in power until new elections can be held.
Jordan, Iraq agree to renew oil deal for three years
By Xinhua,
Amman : Jordan and Iraq have decided to renew an oil agreement signed in 2006 for three years with the same terms, under which Jordan can import Iraqi oil in preferential prices, local daily Jordan Times reported Friday.
The announcement was made by Jordanian Prime Minister Nader Dahabi at a press conference following Thursday's talks with his visiting Iraqi counterpart Nouri Al Maliki.
Two killed in Bangladesh clashes
Dhaka : Activists of Bangladesh's ruling Awami League (AL) Monday clashed with supporters of the main opposition BNP, leaving two people dead and dozens...
Pakistan President Musharraf not resigning, British paper’s report untrue: Spokesman
By NNN-APP
Islamabad : The spokesman for President of Pakistan has rejected the report of a British newspaper, Sunday Telegraph, that Pervez Musharraf was resigning, saying the story is baseless.
Maj Gen (Rtd) Rashid Qureshi Sunday said the paper did not quote any person which makes the report doubtful.
“Frankly if President wants to talk about such matters, he will have to talk to the people of Pakistan.
I will return to Pakistan when situation improves: Musharraf
By IANS
Islamabad: Former Pakistan president and military ruler Pervez Musharraf has said he would return to the country "when circumstances improve".
Speaking to Geo TV from Philadelphia, Musharraf said he would return home under pleasant circumstances.
He said that he won't "retaliate against those who are demanding to try him".
Police in Islamabad had on Aug 10 registered a criminal case against Musharraf following the orders of Islamabad Additional Sessions Judge Mohammad Akmal Khan.
Ties with Pakistan go beyond security: Obama
By IANS,
Washington : Pledging ties with Pakistan that go "far beyond security issues", US President Barack Obama has said he is "very fond" of the country he had visited during his college days.
"President Obama began by noting that he is very fond of Pakistan, having visited the country during college," Associated Press of Pakistan quoted a White House statement as saying after a 40-minute meeting Sunday between Obama and Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on the margins of the Nuclear Security Summit.
Indian cop-turned-terror suspect who fought in Iraq held
By IANS,
Hyderabad : An Indian policeman-turned-terror suspect who allegedly participated in fighting in Iraq and Chechnya has been arrested by police here.
Mohammed Nisar, an alleged agent of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), was Saturday produced before a city court, which sent him to judicial custody for two weeks.
The sleuths of counter-intelligence cell are believed to have picked up Nisar in Zaheerabad town in Medak district, about 100 km from here.
Egyptian PM visits Indian plant in Port Said
Cairo : Egypt's Prime Minister Ibrahim Mehleb promised to resolve all issues faced by Indian investors in the country during a visit to the...
Eight-hour siege of Lahore police academy ends, 27 trainees die
BY IANS,
Lahore : A group of heavily armed terrorists Monday stormed a police training academy near here, killing at least 27 trainees and taking over 800 hostage before the security forces ended the brazen eight-hour stand-off. Eight terrorists were killed and three were captured alive.
The casualties among the trainees could rise as bodies were still being brought out of the Manawan police academy on the outskirts of this Pakistani city, and just 12 km from the Wagah border.
Pakistan PM visits Prophet’s Mosque
By SPA,
Madinah : Pakistani Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani visited here last night the Prophet's Mosque.
He was welcomed by a number of senior...
Top Green legislator urges end to German boycott of Hamas talks
By IRNA
Berlin : A leading Green lawmaker called for an end to the German government's boycott of talks with the Palestinian Islamic Hamas resistance ahead of Chancellor Angela Merkel's upcoming visit to Israel.
Speaking with Sunday's edition of the Berlin-based Der Tagesspiegel, the whip of the Green faction, Fritz Kuhn said, "If one really wants peace, one has to talk with the radical Islamic Hamas organization.
"There is no alternative but negotiations through a stable ceasefire and improving the humanitarian and economic situation in the Gaza Strip.
Clinton, Morsi discuss US-Egypt relations
By IANS,
Cairo : Visiting US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton held bilateral talks with newly-elected Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi, Xinhua reported.
Malaysian Indian who wanted shoe garland for Mahathir punished
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur : A delegate at the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) meet who suggested that a "shoe garland" be placed around former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad's photo has been suspended from the party.
Party chief S. Samy Vellu, who had himself criticised Mahathir for 'interfering' in MIC's affairs, took the step Tuesday after the delegate's observation was condemned by Home Minister Hishamuddin Hussein.
Abbas urges efforts to bring Palestinian refugees into West Bank
Ramallah: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday ordered the ambassador to the UN to take immediate actions aiming at absorbing displaced Palestinian refugees into...
Indian workers in Bahrain survive 45-floor elevator fall
By IANS,
Dubai : Eleven Indian workers in Bahrain had a miraculous escape when an elevator they were asked to test in a newly constructed building fell 45 floors to the ground.
The workers were reportedly asked to act as human weights in the new elevator at a residential tower in Manama Thursday when the incident occurred.
“The men were ordered to enter the elevator to be human weights to check if the elevator would hold their weight,” the Gulf Daily News quoted sources as saying.
“Though they protested, it fell on deaf ears,” it added.
Iraq’s first demolished nuclear facility to be dismatled
By NNN-KUNA,
Baghdad : Iraqi Minister of Science and Technology Raid Fahmi has announced the dismantling and removal of the first demolished nuclear facility located in Tuwaitha, south of Baghdad.
He said in a ceremony Monday held by the ministry at the Conference Palace in coordination with the Education Committee in the parliament and the United Nations that it was unlikely that this facility, which was destroyed in the 1991 war, contains any radioactive material or very small quantity of non-tangible impact.
Afghan lawmaker assassinated
By SPA,
Kandahar, Afghanistan : Gunmen in a dangerous part of southern Afghanistan assassinated an Afghan lawmaker, while a roadside bomb detonated prematurely, killing 10 Taliban, officials said Saturday.
The gunmen killed parliament member and former military commander Habibullah Jan after he visited an Afghan army compound in the Zhari district of Kandahar late Friday, said Kandahar provincial council member Bismillih Afghanmul.
UN expresses concern over plight of Palestinians along Iraq – Syria Border
By NNN-UNNS
Geneva : The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Tuesday warned that the situation of the more than 2,700 Palestinians who have been stranded and are living in inhumane conditions in two camps on the Iraqi-Syrian border continues to deteriorate.
“Over the past 22 months, UNHCR has been calling for urgent humanitarian solutions for this group and – even if only temporary – relocation elsewhere, preferably in the Arab region,” the agency’s spokesperson Ron Redmond said at a press briefing in Geneva.
Pakistani PM levels for Malaysia on July 7 to attend D-8 conference
By NNN-APP,
Islamabad : Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani will visit Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from July 7 to 9 and attend the D-8 Conference.
On the sidelines of the conference, the Prime Minister would also hold meetings with various heads of governments including the Prime Minister of Malaysia and the Chief Executive of Bangladesh.
The Prime Minister’s entourage comprises ministers, members of coalition parties, minorities, representatives of opposition and women.
Turks abandoning beards fearing IS association
Ankara : Turkish men are abandoning long beards amid concern about being associated with the Islamic State (IS) terror group, the media reported on...
30 bus passengers kidnapped by Boko Haram in Cameroon
Yaounde: About 30 passengers of a bus were kidnapped Monday by suspected Boko Haram militants in a town in Cameroon along the border with...
Statute changes needed to stop military takeover: Hasina
By IANS,
Dhaka : Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has called the move to amend the country's constitution "a historic responsibility" meant to prevent future seizure of power by the military.
The amendments to the 1972 constitution are "necessary for upholding democracy, and for blocking the way for usurpation of state power through imposition of martial laws in future".
Boycotted by opposition parties, the Jatiya Sangsad (parliament) Wednesday approved the formation of a 15-member parliamentary committee that would review the constitution.
Pakistan’s Sindh provincial assembly passes resolution against Musharraf
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : Pakistan's Sindh provincial assembly Wednesday passed a resolution against President Pervez Musharraf, local TV channel DAWN NEWS reported.
The resolution asked Musharraf to take a vote of confidence or resign, said the report.
If Musharraf failed to do either, he would be impeached in the parliament, according to the resolution.
The Punjab and North West Frontier Province provincial assemblies also passed resolutions demanding that Musharraf take confidence vote.
Hamas wants Arabs to broker Palestinian accord
By SPA,
Dubai : Palestinian group Hamas is open to Arab mediation in its dispute with Fatah faction of
President Mahmoud Abbas, the Arab League chief said in remarks published on Sunday.
Amr Moussa said Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal expressed the Islamist group's view during a telephone conversation to congratulate him for achieving rapprochement between Lebanese
factions, Asharq al-Awsat reported.
Bangladesh bus accident toll rises to 34
Dhaka : The toll in an accident involving two passenger buses in Bangladesh has escalated to 34, media reported Tuesday.
Police said a Rajshahi-bound bus...
Britain stresses on Egypt’s role in combating terrorism
Cairo : Farah Dakhlallah, British foreign office spokesperson, has said that Egypt can play an important role in combating extremism by securing the Libyan...
Indian, Pakistani troops clash along LoC
Jammu : Indian and Pakistani troops traded gunfire Sunday on the Line of Control (LoC) after the Pakistanis violated the 2003 ceasefire in Jammu...
US to closely monitor A Q Khan; doubts Pakistan commitment
By NNN-PTI,
Washington : Notwithstanding Pakistan's commitment that "restrictions" had been imposed on disgraced nuclear scientist A Q Khan after his release from house arrest, the US has said it is "very serious" about him and will closely monitor his activities.
"Pakistan has given us some initial commitments but we're going to be following (the situation) very closely. The important thing is that they know we are still very serious about this individual," a US official was quoted as saying by The Washington Post.
17 killed as train slams into bus in Bangladesh
By DPA,
Dhaka : At least 17 people were killed and 30 injured Wednesday as a speeding train slammed into a bus on a level crossing in central Bangladesh, local police and witnesses said.
Rescuers said the death toll in the train-bus collision near the farming town of Elenga in central Tangail district would go up, as the condition of many of the wounded was critical.
The inter-city Ekota Express was travelling from the northern city of Dinajpur and was headed for the capital Dhaka, railway officials said.
Bangladesh may become middle income country in 17 years: UN
By Xinhua,
Dhaka : Bangladesh is expected to graduate from the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) group to a middle income country in the next 17 years if it sustains a growth rate between 6.5 and 6.7 percent, a UN report has said.
The Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), a Bangladesh think tank, released the report titled "UNCTAD LDC Report 2008: Growth, Poverty and the Terms of Development Partnership" in Dhaka Thursday.
Mubarak hopes Hamas and Israel will stick to Egyptian-brokered truce in Gaza
By NNN-WAFA,
Sharm El-Sheikh : President Hosni Mubarak has expressed hope that Hamas and Israel will stick to the Egyptian-brokered truce in the Gaza Strip.
During his talks here Tuesday with visiting Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, they tackled the package of ending violence in Gaza, Egyptian presidential spokesman Suleiman Awad told reporters.
The two leaders also discussed the latest regional developments including the ongoing negotiations between the Palestinian National Authority and Israel to reach a final agreement to establish an independent Palestinian state.
Malaysia: PM Najib asks Muslims to be patient, government will appeal
By NNN-Bernama,
Pekan, Malaysia : Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak Sunday called on Muslims to be calm and not "heat up" the issue of the High Court decision to allow a Catholic weekly to use the word "Allah" in its publication.
The Prime Minister said the government was quite aware that the issue was sensitive as well as touching on the feelings of Muslims in the country and as such the government would deal with the matter as soon as possible.
"The government is very much aware and concerned of various reactions that it has received after the recent High Court decision.
Hamas says it’s ready for dialogue if their prisoners were released
By KUNA,
Ramallah : The Palestinian resistance group "HAMAS" said Thursday that it was ready to resume reconciliation talks if the Palestinian Authority freed more than 600 of its activists being held in the West Bank.
"The number of prisoners held by President Abbas's security services in the West Bank now totals 616 people. what is happening in the West Bank is an attempt to eliminate Hamas," Salah Al-Bardawil, a senior official from the group told a Gaza City news conference.
Floods to magnify food insecurity: Pakistan daily
By IANS,
Islamabad : The devastating floods that have affected over seven million people in Sindh province will magnify food insecurity in the country, said a Pakistani daily.
Sarabjit’s case major issue between India, Pakistan, says his lawyer
By IANS,
Lahore : The lawyer of Sarabjit Singh, an Indian prisoner awaiting execution in a Pakistani jail on terrorism charges, said the case has affected India-Pakistan relations and the government should release him as a goodwill gesture, a media report said.
Owais sheikh told reporters at the press club here Wednesday that he received applications from various individuals, including the Shahi Imam of Delhi, Muslim organisations and other NGOs when he visited India on the invitation of Sarabjit Singh's sister Dalbir kaur.
IS frees over 230 kidnapped Yazidis in north Iraq
Baghdad : The Islamic State (IS) militants have freed 234 kidnapped men and women from the Iraqi Yazidi minority community, the Kurdish regional government...
UN body concerned over West Bank situation
United Nations:The UN human rights office has expressed concern over the operations by Israeli security forces after three Israeli teenagers went missing in the...
Suicide bomber kills 10 civilianan and soldier in Pakistan
By IRNA,
Islamabad : A suicide bomber blew up his explosives-packed car in a Pakistani tribal region and killed nine civilians and a soldier on Monday, TV channels reported.
Two other security men were also injured when the bomber rammed his vehicle into the car of the security men near a check post at Darra Adam Khel tribal area, reports added.
No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack. But government put the blame of similar attacks on suspected Taliban.
Iran plans to send satellite in high Earth orbit
By IANS,
Tehran : Iran plans to send satellites in medium and high Earth orbits in two or three years, Iran's ISNA news agency reported quoting a senior official. On Feb 3, the country launched Omid light satellite in low Earth orbit, using the Safir 2 (messenger) rocket.
The chief of Organisation for Iranian Scientific and Industrial Research, Hossein Rahimi, said Sunday that Iran's next step in space technology was sending operational satellites in an orbit of 36,000 km.
Lawyer power wins for second time in Pakistan
By IANS,
Islamabad : For the second time in nine months, Pakistan's gutsy lawyers have proved they are a force to reckon with despite the lack of an organised structure to lead their agitation.
The last time around, in June 2008, they didn't succeed in their demand for the reinstatement of the Supreme Court and high court judges then president Pervez Musharraf had sacked after imposing an emergency in November 2007 - but they did push the military dictator to quit office.
Pakistan to replace UN envoy over differences on policy issues
By NNN-PTI,
United Nations : Pakistan government has decided to replace its Ambassador to the UN, Munir Akram, apparently over differences with him on some policy issues, including the PPP-led Cabinet's decision to seek an inquiry by the world body into ex-Premier Benazir Bhutto's assassination.
Akram, a career diplomat who had been given extension by the previous PML-Q-led government until the end of the year, has been asked to hand over charge to Abdullah Hussain Harroon, a former speaker of the Sindh Assembly, by August 31, sources close to the Pakistani Mission to the UN here said.
Pakistan wants strong economic ties with Sri Lanka
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan has sought stronger economic ties with Sri Lanka so as to enhance trade between the two countries.
Female suicide bomber kills six in northeast of Baghdad
By Xinhua,
Baghdad : A woman suicide bomber blew herself up on Wednesday outside a court in Baquba, the capital city of the volatile province of Diyala, killing six people and wounding 18 others, a provincial police source said.
The attack occurred around midday when a woman wearing an explosive-belt blew herself up among a crowd of people at the entrance of the city court, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.
The powerful blast also destroyed several nearby civilian cars and buildings in the city, some 65 km northeast of Baghdad, the source said.
Saudi Arabia offers $1 mn more in aid to West Bank
Riyadh : Saudi Arabia will provide an additional funding of one million dollars to support humanitarian operations for Palestinians in the West Bank, media...
Bangladesh SC upholds death sentence of two wartime criminals
Dhaka: Bangladesh's Supreme court on Wednesday upheld its previous verdict on the death sentence of two war-crime convicts Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid and Salauddin...
Hasina vows to return, contest Bangladesh polls
By IANS,
Dhaka : Former Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who was denied bail and faces a possible detention, has said that she plans to return home from the US this month and contest the Dec 18 parliamentary elections.
Media reports say Hasina may return Nov 10, almost five months after being on parole in the US and Canada for medical treatment.
Her prolonged stay abroad, political analysts have said, allows an advantage to her rival and another former prime minister, Khaleda Zia, who leads a four-party Islamist alliance.
Arab Interior Ministers meeting in Jordan next October
By NNN-BNA,
Amman : Interior Ministers of Iraq's neighbouring countries to hold their 5th meeting in Amman next October.
Jordan's Interior Ministry is currently arranging for the meeting to be attended by Interior Ministers of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Turkey, Kuwait, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan and Iran.
Representatives from African Union, Organisation of Islamic Conference and United Nations will also take part, Al Dastour Arabic newspaper reported Thursday.
Ban urges gov’t, NGOs to advance status of indigenous peoples
By IRNA,
Tehran : UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in his message on the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, August 9, 2010, called on governments and civil society to fulfil their commitment to advancing the status of indigenous peoples everywhere.
According to a press release issued by the UN Information Center (UNIC), the full text of his message reads:
President Pervez Musharraf returns to Pakistan
By SPA
Islamabad : President Pervez Musharraf returned to Pakistan Tuesday at the conclusion of his nine-day four-nation visit to European countries that took him to Belgium, France, Switzerland and United Kingdom, officials said.
The President was received at Pakistan Air Force Base Chaklala by caretaker Prime Minister Muhammadmian Soomro, National Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Amir Hussain, caretaker Minister for Information Nisar Memon and Chief of the Army Staff Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kiyani besides other senior civil and military officers.
Larijani blasts efforts to weaken support for Palestine
By IRNA,
Tehran : Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani here on Saturday blasted efforts to undermine support for Palestine, saying some were trying to replace genuine support for Palestine with fighting hypothetical enemies.
He made the remarks during a meeting with members of the headquarters of an international conference in support of the Palestinian nation which was held on March 4, 2009 in Tehran.
Larijani said some regional countries, too, were helping the trend by adopting inappropriate positions which led to deception of nations.
‘The Road to Mecca’ that I took
A book review that seeks to decipher two pilgrimages on the same path separated by a century
By Kashif-ul-Huda, TwoCircles.net,
Spirituality is what separates humans from other living beings. I have been a seeker for the last few years. I have read a number of books, visited graves of saints, made ablutions at Haridwar and toured the ghats of Banaras; I have sat in the qawwali mehfils and even seen dervishes dance.
No understanding on allowing unilateral strikes: Pakistani PM
By NNN-APP,
Washington : Stressing that Pakistan itself would take anti-terrorism actions on its side of the Afghan border, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani has categorically denied any understanding with the U.S. on allowing unilateral strikes into its territory.
“No. We believe in sovereignty of the country. And naturally, nobody likes it,” he told Public Broadcasting Service when asked if the country had any understanding on permitting unilateral anti-terror strikes on its side of the Afghan border.
Palestinian armed groups fire rockets into Israel from Gaza
By Xinhua,
Gaza : Several Palestinian factions on Saturday fired rockets into southern Israel territories as they wait an Israeli response to Egyptian ceasefire proposals.
The factions, led by Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), accepted Egypt's meditation efforts to apply a lull in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip to include West Bank.
Israel is expected to hand its response to the Egyptian next week amid relative decreasing of its military operations.
As many as 990, 497 Umrah performers used Madinah International Airport
By SPA,
Madinah : The number of visitors and Umrah (minor Hajj) performers who either arrived or left via Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz international airport since the beginning of the lunar month of Rabee al-Thani 1429 AH up to half of the current lunar month of Shawal,1429 AH, amounted to 990, 497.
Out of this number, 842,155 came to Madinah from different countries of the world.
On the other hand, the number of the arriving and departing flights amounted to
148, 342.
Pakistan Air Force gets latest US radar system
By Xinhua
Islamabad : The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) said Monday that it has got the latest generation of American radar system.
The TPS-77 radars from Lockheed Martin Corporation "incorporate the state-of-the-art technology and belong to the latest generation," said a PAF statement.
The TPS-77 radars, handed over to the PAF at a ceremony in southern Pakistani city of Karachi, have the capability to provide valley coverage and long-range detection capabilities.
Iraq oil minister says security allowed oil boost
By SPA,
Baghdad : Iraq's oil minister says improved security has allowed the country to boost its oil production _ which only now has attained at pre-war levels again.
Oil Minister Hussain al-Shahristani says the increase has enabled Iraq to earn nearly US$28.5 billion in revenues in the first five months of this year.
Production last month hit the pre-war level of 2.5 million barrels a day. And al-Shahristani told parliament that in the coming five years, Iraq should be able to produce between 4 and 4.5 million barrels a day, according to a report of Reuters.
7 Taliban, 1 policeman killed in clash, air strikes in Afghanistan
By SPA
Kandahar, Afghanistan : Clashes and an air strike in southern Afghanistan killed seven Taliban fighters and a Police officer, officials said Wednesday.
Taliban militants ambushed a police patrol in Marja District of the southern Helmand province late Tuesday, and an ensuing battle left four militants and a police officer dead, said Helmand's police chief, Mohammad Hussein Andiwal.
Authorities recovered the militants' bodies and their weapons, he said. Two other officers were wounded and a police vehicle was damaged.
Gunmen kill two Iraqi policemen
By SPA
Baghdad : Gunmen killed two Iraqi policemen Wednesday in western Mosul, police said.
The attack took place in the Bab Sinjar district around 9 a.m., they were quoted as saying by the Associated Press.
Two other policemen were wounded, along with a civilian, police said.
Mosul lies 360 kilometers (225 miles) northwest of Baghdad.
Pakistan army chief warns India ahead of talks
Islamabad : Days before the visit of Indian Foreign Secretary S.Jaishankar, Pakistan Army Chief Gen.Raheel Sharif Thursday warned India of a "befitting response" to...
Arab Justice Ministers urges differentiating terrorism, Islam
By KUNA,
Cairo : Arab Justice Ministers condemned Thursday all forms of terrorism and asserted importance of differentiating between terrorism and Islam.
The ministers, at the conclusion of their meeting here, called for the strengthening of cooperation between the Arab and countries around the world in the fight against terrorism.
They said that terrorism and Islam should not be linked together because Islam calls for forgiveness and rejects terrorism and extremism.
Yemen expected to reach agreement with Shia rebels
Sanaa : Yemeni officials expect the government to reach an agreement with the Shia Houthi rebels who are besieging the capital Sanaa in an...
Seven killed, hundreds injured in Iraq blasts
By DPA,
Baghdad : At least seven people were killed and hundreds injured in twin blasts north of Baghdad Friday, Iraqiya TV channel reported.
A suicide bomber detonated his explosives and a car bomb went off in a football stadium in Tel Afar town, in the northern province of Nineveh.
Earlier, at least 18 people were injured after an explosive device went off after Friday prayers in Hilla, a police source said.
The bomb was planted beside the Shiite Imam al-Kadhim mosque in the city, 100 km south of Baghdad.
French president in Baghdad for talks with Iraqi leaders
Baghdad : French President Francois Hollande arrived in Iraq's capital Baghdad Friday for talks with Iraqi leaders and confirmed his support to Iraq in...
Lawyers to continue long march, Sharif under house arrest
By IANS,
Islamabad : Defiant lawyers Sunday gathered outside the Lahore High Court and broke down its gate to continue their 'long march' to demand reinstatement of judges sacked two years ago as former Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif and other political leaders were placed under house arrest.
After breaking down the gate, the lawyers and political activists marched ahead to the GPO chowk, where security personnel lobbed tear gas shells on them, Dawn TV reported.
Three killed in Pakistan sports stadium blast
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : At least three people were killed Tuesday when a blast occurred near a stadium in northwestern Pakistan's city of Peshawar, television reported.
The explosion took place outside Qayyum stadium of Peshawar, capital city of North West Frontier Province, when the concluding ceremony of an inter-provincial games was underway, sources said.
Three bodies have been recovered, said Geo TV channel.
No group claimed responsibility for the blast.
Four Al Qaeda militants killed in Iraq
By Xinhua,
Tikrit (Iraq) : At least four Al Qaeda militants have been killed in an US airstrike near the Iraqi city of Samarra in Salahudin province, a police official said Saturday.
A US aircraft pounded an Al Qaeda hideout near the city of Samarra in Salahudin province, some 120 km north of Baghdad, killing a local Al Qaeda leader and his three associates, police officer Alaa Jasim said.
One of the militants was of Saudi origin, he said, adding that some local residents have identified the bodies.
The province has been a stronghold of Al Qaeda.
West Bank youth killed by Israel at protest against Gaza violence
By SPA
Hehbron, West Bank : Israeli troops on Sunday shot and killed a Palestinian youth during a demonstration against Israel's offensive in the Gaza Strip, ap quoted Palestinian medical officials as saying.
It was the first fatality in the West Bank during a day of protests throughout the area, raising the risk that the Gaza violence could soon spread to other Palestinian areas.
Gunmen kill 37 in attack on Tunisian beach hotel
Tunis: At least 37 people, mostly foreigners, were killed and 36 others injured on Friday when gunmen opened indiscriminate fire in Tunisia's resort town...
Blast kills two NATO soldiers in Khost, SE Afghanistan
By KUNA,
KABUL : A bomb attack on NATO convoy killed two foreign soldiers and injured another in southeastern Afghanistan on Tuesday, said a military spokesman.
Without giving more details, the spokesman said two NATO soldiers were killed and a third sustained injuries in a bomb attack in Khost province.
Police headquarters in the same province confirmed the blast and said it was carried out by a suicide bomber.
Wazir Pacha, spokesman for the Khost police headquarters, said the bomber detonated his explosives-packed car close the NATO forces' convoy.
Badawi visits Buddhist temple
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur : Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi paid a visit to a 113-year-old Buddhist temple here and remarked: "No religion asks their followers to create trouble or problems for people of other faiths."
Badawi was only the second Malaysian prime minister to visit the Maha Vihara at Brickfields. Then prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman visited the shrine in 1967.
Twenty-two percent of Malaysia's 28 million people practice different sects of Buddhism, Hinduism and Christianity.
India, Pakistan asked to cut military spending
By IANS,
Mumbai : An India-Pakistan media conclave here has urged the two countries to cut their military expenditure and focus more on socio-economic development.
Hindraf leader’s passport not revoked: Malaysian minister
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur : Malaysian Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar has refuted allegations by London-based Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leader P. Waythamoorthy that his passport, valid till 2010, had been revoked.
In a statement issued Monday, Albar said he was informed by the immigration department that Waythamoorthy's passport was "still listed as active in the passport and travel document system".
Karachi violence toll climbs to 38
By IANS,
Islamabad : The toll in the spiralling violence in the port city of Karachi has climbed to 38 with 22 people being killed since midnight, a media report said Thursday.
Five years on, Bush vows to win war in Iraq
By DPA
Washington : US President George W. Bush marked the fifth anniversary of the beginning of the war in Iraq Wednesday by acknowledging the "high cost" of the conflict but vowing US forces will prevail.
"We will accept no outcome but victory," Bush said in a speech at the Pentagon. "I reaffirm the commitment. The battle in Iraq is noble, it is necessary and it is just. And with your courage the battle in Iraq will end in victory."
UN condemns using children as suicide bomber by Taliban
By Xinhua,
Kabul : The UN Sunday strongly denounced the reported use of children by Taliban insurgents as suicide bombers in Afghanistan.
"I strongly condemn the attack where a young boy was allegedly used as a suicide bomber against British forces in Sangin district of Helmand (province)," a statement quoted Kai Eide, special envoy of Secretary General Ban ki-Moon, as saying Sunday.
10 Yemeni policemen killed in attack on checkpoint
Sanaa : At least 10 policemen were killed Friday in an armed terrorist attack by Al Qaeda militants on a security checkpoint in Yemen.
"Masked...
Algeria condemns Beirut bombings
By IANS,
Algiers : Algeria has strongly condemned Wednesday's twin bombings in the Lebanon's capital city of Beirut which killed six people.
"Algeria condemns in the...
Al Qaeda leader, three others executed in Iraq
By IANS,
Baghdad : The Iraqi justice ministry Monday said it has executed an Al Qaeda leader and three others convicted of terrorist and criminal activities.
Syrian ceasefire first Step of Annan’s plan: US
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Washington : US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has welcomed the ceasefire in Syria while saying it is only a "first step" in the implementation of Kofi Annan's plan.
Pakistan Navy hands over command of Task Force 150 to French navy
By APP
Manama, Bahrain : Pakistan Navy Commodore Khan Hasham Bin Saddique handed over command of Combined Task Force 150 to French Navy Rear Admiral J L Kerignard during an impressive and colourful change of command ceremony onboard Pakistan Navy Ship Tippu Sultan. The ceremony was attended by high ranking military and civilian officials from different countries. A 5-member delegation from Pakistan led by Vice Admiral Saleem Ahmad Meenai HI (M) also graced the occasion.
Iranian president rejects U.S. accusation on Iraqi issue
By Xinhua
Baghdad : Visiting Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Sunday rejected the U.S. accusations that his country is supporting Shiite militias who fight U.S. troops in Iraq.
The U.S. practice of "accusing others without evidences will only bring it more problems in the region and it would not be able to solve the problems. They (the Americans) should accept the fact that the Iraqi people does not like the Americans," Ahamdinejad said in joint press conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki.
Lebanon demands discussion of its political crisis at ministerial level
By Xinhua
Damascus : Lebanon has demanded that its political crisis be discussed at the level of ministers prior to Arab summit, a Syrian official said here on Monday.
Yousef al-Ahmad, President of the preparatory meeting for the Arab summit at the level of permanent representatives to the Arab League (AL) and high-ranking officials, made the remarks in the absence of Lebanese delegates to the meeting, according to the official SANA news agency.
Jamia organises interactive session on West Asia, film screening on Afghanistan
By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
New Delhi: The Subject Association of Academy of International Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia on Wednesday organized an Interactive Discussion on...
Shelling kills 14 in Pakistan town
By ANTARA,
Peshawar : At least 14 people, including a soldier and several children, were killed when mortar shells slammed into a town in northwest Pakistan on Monday, the military and local officials said.
"At least 13 civilians were killed when militants fired mortar shells from Mirwali direction at Abbas Chowk in Darra Adam Khel," a military statement said. One soldier also died, it added.
"Security forces also responded and effectively engaged militants` locations," it said, without giving further details.
Sushma Swaraj’s visit is important: daily
Dhaka: Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj's visit is "important" for Bangladesh as it will hopefully open a "new horizon" in bilateral ties, a...
Egypt court convicts 26 Hezbollah men for plotting terror attacks
By DPA,
Cairo : Egypt's Emergency State Security Court Wednesday convicted 26 men of plotting attacks in Egypt on behalf of the Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah, al-Jazeera television reported.
Judge Adil Abdel-Salam Gomaa sentenced members of the group - which includes Egyptians, Lebanese, Sudanese and Palestinians - to between six months and life in prison.
The court's sentences may not be appealed. Only the president can overturn its verdict.
Youngest son of Bangladesh’s detained ex-PM Khaleda released
By Xinhua,
Dhaka : Arafat Rahman Koko, Bangladesh's detained former prime minister Khaleda Zia's youngest son was released on interim bail to facilitate his treatment abroad, after more than ten months in prison.
Home Affairs Advisor of the Bangladesh caretaker government MA Matin said Koko was set free for eight weeks for his treatment in humanitarian grounds.
Koko's lawyer Sanaullah said Koko may be sent to Bangkok for treatment.
910 militants, 82 soldiers killed in North Waziristan
Islamabad : At least 910 militants and 82 Pakistani soldiers have been killed in operation Zarb-i-Azb in North Waziristan, the military said Wednesday.
The statement...
Iran’s parliamentary elections blow to enemies: Khamenei
By IANS,
Tehran: Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has said that the upcoming parliamentary elections in the Islamic Republic will be another blow to the country's enemies.
Pakistan appoints new ISI chief, 5 army commanders
Islamabad : Lt. Gen. Rizwan Akhtar was Monday appointed the new chief of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence in commander-level promotions announced Monday in the country's...
16 militants killed in Egypt security campaign
Cairo: At least 16 suspected militants killed Tuesday in clashes with Egyptian army in Sinai, security sources said.
Four others suspected of being extremist leaders...
Roadside bomb kills three civilians in Afghanistan”s south
By KUNA
Kabul : Three people, including two children and an aged man, were killed as a roadside bomb struck a civilian car in Afghanistan's troubled Helmand province on Saturday.
A statement from the Interior Ministry here said a third child sustained injuries in the balst in Nad Ali district of the restive province, known for its bumper poppy crop and insurgency.
The statement said the bomb was planted by "enemies of the country," the term Afghan officials use for the anti-government Taliban.
The militants, so far, did not issue any comment.
Manmohan calls up Gilani, renews flood aid offer
By IANS,
New Delhi/Islamabad : With Pakistan dithering over accepting India's offer of $5 million aid for flood victims, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Thursday renewed the aid offer when he spoke to his Pakistani counterpart Yousaf Raza Gilani and conveyed his sorrow over the tragedy.
Manmohan Singh expressed sorrow and condoled the deaths due to the devastating floods in Pakistan, the Prime Minister's Office said in a statement in New Delhi.
EU, Pakistan to sign readmission agreement on illegal immigrants
By EuAsiaNews,
Luxembourg : European Union interior ministers who are meeting here Thursday and Friday have adopted a decision approving the signing of an agreement with Pakistan on the readmission of illegal immigrants.
The agreement is designed to strengthen the cooperation between the two parties to combat illegal immigration, said the ministers in a statement.
Four killed in US drone strike in Pakistan
By IANS,
Islamabad : At least four people were killed in a US drone strike in Pakistan's northwest tribal area of North Waziristan Sunday evening, Xinhua reported.
Fatah accuses Hamas of endangering its imprisoned Gaza supporters
By Xinhua
Gaza/Ramallah : Islamic Hamas movement and rival Fatah faction of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday traded accusations over holding hostages despite Israeli offensive into the Hamas-ruled Gaza.
In the Fatah-dominated West Bank, Hamas said that pro-Abbas forces arrested four Hamas members in various places and cities. In a statement sent to the media, Hamas explained that the detentions took place in Nablus, Tubas and Tulkarem.
Istanbul host OIC extrodinary meeting to discuss Gaza situation
By KUNA,
Istanbul : Istanbul is due to host an extraordinary meeting of the Organization of the Islamic Conference's (OIC) executive committee of parliaments in member states later Wednesday to discuss the situation in Gaza Strip.
The meeting will discuss Israeli military campaign in Gaza Strip and needed procedures to stop such the aggression against the defenseless Palestinian people.
DFLP: Closure of crossings Israeli violation of truce
By Xinhua,
Gaza : The Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) said on Tuesday that the closure of Gaza Strip border crossings is an Israeli violation of the truce brokered by Egypt last month.
Israel ordered the closure of all Gaza Strip crossings after unknown militants fired three mortar shells at Gaza border crossings of Karni and Sofa on Monday and Tuesday.
Minorities in India and Pakistan deprived of equal opportunities: Ali Shah Geelani
By Mohd. Ismail Khan, TwoCircles.net,
US envoy in Pakistan after regional archrivals appeared on brink of war
By KUNA,
Islamabad : US Undersecretary of State John Neegroponte arrived on Thursday in a follow-up effort by the superpower to defuse renewed escalation between archrivals, Pakistan and India.
Negroponte, during his brief daylong visit, was to hold meetings with President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani and Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi.
India, Pakistan foreign secretaries to meet in New York
By IANS,
New Delhi : Making it clear that terror and negotiations cannot go on at the same time, External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna Thursday said the foreign secretaries of India and Pakistan will meet in New York later this month to review Islamabad action's against the 26/11 perpetrators.
"So far the foreign secretaries have not been able to meet. Hopefully, they will meet in New York, and depending on the outcome, the foreign ministers will meet," Krishna told the Editors' Guild of India here.
Casualties of Egypt’s rockslide claim to 63 dead, 58 injured
By NNN-KUNA,
Cairo : The number of casualties of the rockslide of Al-Moqattam hill in eastern Cairo topped 63 dead and 58 wounded people, Egypt's state-run TV reported on Wednesday.
A 15-year old girl has been unearthed alive today, four days after the disaster took place on Saturday, according to the report.
Prospects of finding survivors are diminishing.
Yet, rescue teams of the civil defense and the Armed Forces Corps of Engineers are still sifting through heaps of wreckage of the thunderous rockslide which rocked the slum area of Al-Doweika, east Cairo.
Palestinian leadership to do its best to achieve nationsl unity – Abbas
By NNN-WAFA,
Ramallah : President Mahmoud Abbas has said that the Palestinian leadership will do its best to achieve Palestinian national unity because that is the will of the Palestinian people.
Speaking Wednesday at the laying of the foundation-stone of the Yasser Arafat Museum here, he said: "We will not give up on the Palestinian national dialogue despite all obstacles Hamas puts in the way."
Pakistan mulls parliament, assembly seats for overseas citizens
By IANS,
Islamabad : A bill reserving four seats in the lower house of parliament and one seat in each of the four provincial assemblies for overseas Pakistanis will be introduced in the National Assembly once the law ministry vets it.
"The bill is under consideration of the ministry of law and the Election Commission," Online news agency quoted Overseas Pakistanis Minister Farooq Sattar as saying.
The measure would require changes in articles 101, 106 and 207 of the constitution, the minister said during question hour in the National Assembly.
Khamenei says Iran is after the peaceful use of nuclear energy
By SPA,
Tehran, Iran : Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Tuesday his country will continue its peaceful use of nuclear energy.
Khamenei, who has final say in all matters in Iran, spoke at a ceremony Tuesday honoring the founder of the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.
Iran is after the peaceful use of nuclear energy and we will strongly pursue and reach it despite the envy of our enemies, he was quoted as saying by the Associated Press.
No wise nation is interested in making a nuclear weapon, since it is not logical and cannot be used, he added.
Two fined in Islamabad for littering
By IANS,
Islamabad : A man was fined here for throwing a used tissue paper while another was fined for dropping a disposal plate from a car under an anti-littering law in this Pakistani capital.
Pakistan, India back to square one on Kashmir: Daily
Islamabad : Pakistan and India are "back at a place from where they have to build from scratch" on Kashmir, said a leading daily...
Minister among 10 killed in Pakistan suicide attack
Islamabad: Pakistan's Punjab Home Minister Shuja Khanzada was among 10 people killed on Sunday when a suicide attack destroyed his office in Attock city,...
Pakistan: 7 killed, 35 injured in bomb blast
By NNN-APP,
Dera Ismail Khan, Pakistan : At least seven people including five policemen were killed and 35 others injured in a bomb blast in front of a hotel, adjacent to Polytechnic College on Multan Road here Sunday evening.
It is to be mentioned that FC personnel had been deployed in the college to maintain security during Muharram. Medical Superintendent, District Headquarters Hospital, Dr. Ashiq Saleem said apparently it seemed to be a suicide attack.
US Raids Baghdad Shiites
By Prensa Latina,
Baghdad : The US air force raided Thursday night Al Husseiniyah neighborhood in north Bagdad as part of a campaign against the Shiite Mehdi Army, leaving two dead and eight wounded.
The Iraqi Interior Ministry says the above follows an attack by joint US-Iraqi forces on Sadr City, a bastion of cleric Muqtada Al Sadr.
But the report lacks data on the victims since the area was closed down.