Libya’s Islamist-backed government sworn in
Tripoli: Libya's Islamist-backed cabinet was sworn in Saturday.
The new cabinet is headed by Omar al-Hasi. It comprises 19 ministries and three supreme councils, Xinhua...
Iranian nuclear talks enter ‘deep-water zone’
Vienna: The Iranian nuclear talks has already enter a "deep-water zone", thus the negotiation is like "crossing a river by feeling the stone," said...
Israeli, Palestinian negotiators meet to resume peace talks
By Xinhua
Jerusalem : Israeli and Palestinian negotiating teams met on Monday in an effort to resume peace talks, local daily Jerusalem Post reported on its website.
Ahmed Qurei, chief Palestinian negotiator, said he downgraded the meeting to unofficial as a protest against the Israeli construction plans.
Pakistan wants meaningful dialogue with India: Sharif
Islamabd: Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif Thursday said that his country wants a meaningful dialogue with India on all issues, media reported.
Sharif said during...
Egypt’s Mubarak denies giving order to kill protestors
Cairo : Egypt's ousted president Hosni Mubarak told the Cairo Criminal Court Wednesday that he did not give orders to kill protestors during the...
Three Pakistani policemen killed in university attack
By DPA,
Islamabad : Suspected insurgents Wednesday killed three policemen who responded to an emergency call after an attack on a university in Pakistan's troubled North-West Frontier Province, officials and media reports said.
The shootings occurred in Chakdara town of the Lower Dir district, 75 km from the provincial capital, Peshawar, police officer Gul Mohammad said by telephone.
He said the militants first fired rocket-propelled grenades at the University of Malakand campus and later resorted to indiscriminate gunfire, injuring one private guard deployed on the premises.
Israel okays new building projects despite moratorium
By DPA,
Jerusalem : The Israeli government has authorised the construction of another 84 new homes in West Bank settlements, despite the moratorium it announced last week, Israel Radio reported.
Last week, Israel okayed the construction of 28 public buildings including schools and kindergartens, as the moratorium on Israeli construction in the occupied territory applies to residential buildings only.
Israeli soldiers arrests 13 Palestinians in West Bank
By Xinhua,
Ramallah : The Israeli armed forces arrested13 Palestinians in different areas in the occupied West Bank early on Sunday, Israeli and Palestinian security sources said.
Israel Radio quoted Israeli army sources as saying that the army arrested 11 wanted Palestinians in Nablus and two in Anatta village near Ramallah, adding that the detainees were taken for interrogation.
Palestinian security sources said that 11 of the detainees were taken from their houses in city of Nablus during an Israeli military incursion, raids and search operations.
US security agreement poses threat to Iraq”s neighbors — Syrian leader
By KUNA,
Damascus : The security agreement between Baghdad and Washington poses a threat to countries neighboring Iraq, said Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad on Sunday.
Addressing the opening of the second regular session of the Arab Interim Parliament (AIP), he said Iraq's stability was vital for regional security and this could only be achieved by ending "foreign occupation" and reaching national conciliation, thereby guaranteeing the country's independence and sovereignty.
NAM ministerial meeting winds up in Tehran
By NNN-IRNA,
Tehran : The 15th meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) foreign ministers wound up Wednesday night releasing a final statement and two documents on Iran's peaceful nuclear activities and the Zimbabwe crisis.
In the document about Iran's nuclear issue, participating delegates voiced their support for the country's peaceful nuclear programme.
They have also referred to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) as the only legitimate source to study nuclear activities of its member states.
11 injured in Peshawar blast
By IANS,
Islamabad : At least 11 people were injured, three critically, when a bomb exploded in a busy market in Pakistan's Peshawar city Thursday morning.
Pakistan navy test-fires missiles
By IANS,
Islamabad : The Pakistan Navy has successfully test-fired new missiles in the Sonmiani area of interior Sindh.
Sharif, Zardari ask Musharraf to convene parliament session
By Muhammad Najeeb, IANS
Bhurban (Pakistan) : The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Sunday decided to form a coalition government and asked President Pervez Musharraf to immediately convene the session of the national and provincial assemblies. They also agreed to restore the sacked judges of the superior courts.
Report: Over 80% Internet services recover in Egypt
By Xinhua,
Cairo : The Egyptian authorities said Internet services have restored more than 80 percent on Sunday, two days after several undersea cables in the Mediterranean Sea were cut.
An official source of the Egyptian Ministry of Communications and Information Technology confirmed that the Internet capability has been gradually recovered in the day, the state MENA news agency reported.
On Friday, up to 80 percent of Internet services and call centers in Egypt were cut after the submarine cables were damaged south of Italy for unknown reason.
Pakistan’s new ambassador-designate Haqqani arrives in Washington
By NNN-APP,
Washington : Pakistan’s new ambassador-designate to the United States Husain Haqqani arrived here Tuesday evening to take up his assignment.
Deputy Chef-de-Mission Muhammad Aslam Khan and senior diplomats received Ambassador Haqqani upon his arrival in the U.S. capital.
Since his appointment as Pakistan’s top envoy to the U.S., Haqqani has been described in the American media as an influential figure in Washington’s diplomatic and political circles, having cultivated a wide range of contacts on the Capitol Hill and in American think tanks.
Union Cooperative Society play key role in countering inflation. Al Mansouri
By WAM
Dubai : HE Sultan Bin Saeed Al Mansouri, Minister of Economy, honored Majed Hamad Al Shamsi, President, Union Co-operative Society for their counter-inflation initiatives. He praised the contribution of the co-operative society in stabilizing the prices of essential food items by resorting to direct imports of sufficient stocks.
Six Taliban killed in Afghan blast
By IANS,
Kabul : Six Taliban militants were killed in Afghanistan's Helmand province Wednesday when an explosive device they were planting on a road went off accidentally, Xinhua reported.
13 killed in Somalian bomb blast
Mogadishu: At least 13 people were killed and over 20 injured in a car bomb blast in a Somalian town Monday, police and witnesses...
Six civilians killed in two separate incidents in Afghanistan
By KUNA
Kabul : Three Afghan civilians, including a woman, were killed and as many sustained injuries when a roadside landmine hit their vehicle in southeastern Afghanistan on Saturdy.
Separately, three more civilians were killed and another three wounded when their car collided with a vehicle of the International Security Assistance Force in the central Logar province, officials said.
King Abdullah orders SR100 million more in medical aid to Gaza
Jeddah : Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah on Friday ordered SR100 million ($26.6 million) in medical aid to Gaza, the...
IAEA monitoring 5,000 centrifuges operating in Natanz – Iran’s Atomic Energy body
By NNN-IRNA,
Tehran : Deputy head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation Mohammad Saeedi has said that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is monitoring 5,000 operating centrifuges in the Natanz facilities.
Saeedi was speaking on the sidelines of the First International Seminar on 'Nuclear Power Plants, Environment and Sustainable Development' here on Sunday.
There is no concern over peaceful application of such centrifuges because the IAEA monitors all of them one by one and even pay snap inspection to control their activities.
Obama’s war council focusing on Al Qaeda in Pakistan
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : As US President Barack Obama met his top national security officials to discuss Afghanistan-Pakistan policy, media reports suggested that the emerging war strategy was focusing on the campaign against Al Qaeda in Pakistan.
Saddam Hussein’s secretary executed
By IANS,
Baghdad : A secretary and close aide of Iraqi president Saddam Hussein has been executed after being convicted for genocide, the Iraqi justice ministry said Thursday.
Arab League to hold urgent meeting to discuss Gaza crisis
By KUNA
Cairo : The Arab League declared on Sunday that an urgent meeting would be held for the permanant delegates of the organization on Monday to address the living crisis in Gaza.
Ambassador Ahmad Bin Hale, the secretary general's assistant for political affairs, said in a statement that the meeting would discuss the escalating brutal Israeli aggression on Gaza Strip.
The delegates will ponder possible diplomatic steps in the face of the Israeli practices against the Gazans.
Somalian Govt. to Meet Opposition
By Prensa Latina,
Addis Ababa : Representatives of the Somalian transition government and the opposition in exile are expected to meet in Djibouti on May 10, a note from the Ethiopian Foreign Minister announced on Saturday.
These talks are part of pro-reconciliation efforts by Somalian Prime Minister Nur Hassan Hussein.
It is the first such meeting between the Executive of the neighboring country and the members of ARS ( Alliancefor the Re-Liberation of Somalia, a Muslim-led coalition.
EU welcomes UN probe into Israeli attack on Gaza aid flotilla
By KUNA,
Brussels : European Union (EU) High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton expressed support to the announcement by United Nations (EU) Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon on Monday of an international inquiry into the Israeli attack on the Freedom Flotilla that was carrying aid to Gaza.
"Israel and Turkey's commitment to the enquiry is a positive step towards finding out the truth of what really happened on May 31," said Ashton's spokesperson Maja Kocijancic in a statement here late Tuesday.
India watching events in Iraq, but wants to keep distance
New Delhi: India is watching with much concern and consternation events unfold in Iraq, the world’s newest hot spot of violence where Al Qaeda-linked...
Death toll in Pakistan bombings reaches 27
By DPA,
Islamabad : The death toll in a pair of car bombings in northwestern Pakistan rose to 27 Sunday, police and hospital authorities said.
Rescuers found two more bodies of policemen as they clawed through the rubble of a police station in the volatile Bannu district, where a suicide bomber blew up an explosives-laden pickup truck Saturday morning.
"The confirmed casualty count as of Sunday stands at 14 - nine policemen and five civilians," police officer Talha Khan said.
U.S. announces arms sale to Saudi Arabia
By Xinhua
Washington : The U.S. Pentagon said Monday it plans to sell advanced bomb delivery systems to Saudi Arabia, coinciding with U.S. President George W. Bush's arrival at the Gulf country.
The package, worth 123 million U.S. dollars, will provide Saudis with 900 Joint Direct Attack Munitions, or JDAMs, which is a bomb delivery system, it said.
The deal was made public as the Pentagon notified the Congress about details of the sale.
The Congress will have 30 days to decide whether to approve the plan.
SIO condemns Israeli attack on unarmed Gaza aid ship
By TCN News,
New Delhi: The Students Islamic Organisation of India (SIO) strongly condemned the attack of Israel on the Gaza aid ship convoy that was carrying aid to the war affected Gaza. In a condolence message from Istanbul, SIO President Suhail KK said the attack is “really inhuman,” demanded Israel to stop such activities.
In the condolence message from Istanbul, SIO President said: “It's really inhuman to kill 16 unarmed people by open fire while activists in the Freedom Flotilla were from non-violent groups like Free Gaza Movement or Turks.”
Need to streamline Zakat & Sadaqah administration in the world
By Dr Syed Zafar Mahmood,
Circulation of wealth: Zakat & Sadaqah
Bringing about economic equality through circulation of wealth in the society is one of the...
Palestinian-Americans Protest Israel Anniversary
By SPA,
United Nations : Several Palestinian-Americans gathered outside the United Nations (U.N.) on Friday, despite wet weather, to protest the 60th anniversary of Israel’s statehood and to educate the American public on Palestinians’ displacement since its 1948 establishment.
Palestinian-Americans at the demonstration told the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) they see the anniversary of the establishment of Israel as “the Nakba” or catastrophe for displaced Palestinians around the world.
Taliban declare 10-day ceasefire in Pakistan
By IANS,
Islamabad : Taliban militants in northwestern Pakistan's restive Swat Valley Sunday announced a 10-day ceasefire to facilitate a deal between the regional government and a militant group to enforce Islamic law in the district, the Geo TV reported.
"In view of the ongoing efforts for enforcement of Shariah (Islamic rule) in Malakand division, we announce a unilateral ceasefire for 10 days," Haji Muslim Khan, spokesman for the banned outfit Tehreek-e-Taliban Swat, told the Geo TV.
"But we reserve the right to retaliate if we are fired upon," he added.
Afghan president to form new cabinet in ‘near future’
By DPA,
Kabul: The new cabinet for President Hamid Karzai, who was re-elected in a poll marred by massive fraud, is expected to be announced "in a near future", his spokesman said Tuesday.
Karzai, who was sworn in for a second five-year term Thursday, has been under international pressure to cleanse his administration by excluding corrupt officials and crack down on endemic graft.
Chidambaram welcomes Pakistan police action against Saeed
By IANS,
New Delhi : Home Minister P. Chidambaram Friday welcomed the Pakistan police's move to file complaints against suspected Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed, and said even "a half step is a good step".
"I have gathered it from the media. But I am told that it's not related to the 26/11 attacks. Even if they apprehend him on some other charge and use the opportunity to question him on his involvement in the 26/11 attacks, that would be a significant progress in the case," Chidambaram said in an interview with the TV news channel Times Now.
Pakistan: senate Foreign Relations Committee demands OIC summit to discuss Israeli aggression
By NNN-APP,
Islamabad : Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Friday strongly condemned the Israeli state terrorism against civilians in Palestine and urged the Muslim countries to immediately convene OIC summit to discuss the recent issue of Israeli attacks on Palestine.
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee in its meeting held here at Parliament House under the chairmanship of Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed also urged the United States Security Council to adopt resolution for immediate ceasefire by Israel.
‘Zardari tampered with evidence of Benazir assassination’
By IANS,
Karachi: A close relative of slain Pakistani former prime minister Benazir Bhutto has accused her widower President Asif Ali Zardari of tampering with evidence relating to the assassination.
Mumtaz Bhutto, a cousin of Benazir's father and former president Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, made the remarks while speaking to reporters in Tandojam, in Sindh's Hyderabad's district.
He also lamented that two years after the assassination, neither had the killers been arrested nor had a case been registered.
Muslims of Sri Lanka or in Sri Lanka?
By Imaad Majeed,
Former advisor on Muslim issues to the Howard government in Australia, Dr Ameer Ali is a graduate of the University of Ceylon who went on to read for a Master of Philosophy from the London School of Economics and obtained his PhD from the University of Western Australia with a thesis on the religious precepts and economic practices of the Muslim community in Sri Lanka. Dr Ali is of the opinion that Muslims have played pragmatic politics in the past by joining national parties and have achieved political gains for their community. However, he regards the advent of the Sri Lanka Muslim Council (SLMC) as unnecessary and counterproductive. Speaking to The Sunday Leader, Dr Ali claimed with conviction, “Ethnic politics is the bane of this country”.
Petition filed in Pakistan court to postpone Senate polls
By IANS,
Islamabad: A petition was filed in the Lahore High Court Saturday seeking postponement of the Senate elections scheduled to be held March 2, a media report said.
Indian arm of Australian inter-faith centre launched
By IANS,
New Delhi : Australia will improve its understanding of the Muslim world with the launch of Indian arm of the University of South Australia's International Centre for Muslim and Non-Muslim Understanding to leverage this country's experience in the area, visiting Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard said Wednesday.
Pakistan welcomes special envoy Holbrooke’s appointment
By IANS,
Islamabad : Terming it an opportunity to improve stability in the region, Pakistan Friday welcomed the appointment of Richard Holbrooke as the special US envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan.
"Pakistan welcomes the appointment of ambassador Holbrooke and looks forward to enhanced and fruitful engagement with the special envoy to further the cause of peace and stability of the region," Dawn quoted the foreign ministry spokesman as saying.
Expansion of Iran-Iraq bilateral ties urged
By IRNA,
Baghdad : Iraqi National Security Advisor Muwafaq al-Rubaie here on Sunday called for expansion of Tehran-Baghdad relations in all areas.
He made the remarks in a meeting with Supreme Leader's Advisor Ali-Akbar Velayati.
During the meeting, Velayati congratulated the Iraqi nation and government on the successful holding of the recent Iraqi provincial councils elections.
Velayati, who arrived in Baghdad Saturday, reiterated that the mass participation of Iraqi people in the elections was an indication to their vigilance and sensitivity towards their country’s fate.
Allow people’s will in Gilgit: EU members tell Pakistan
By IANS,
Brussels : Some members of the European Parliament have expressed "great concern" over Pakistan imposing its rule in Gilgit Baltistan rather than allowing the people to decide their political future.
The EU members have formed a group called "Friends of Gilgit-Baltistan", which will "monitor very carefully all developments that take place" in the strategic border region, a part of the Pakistan-administered Kashmir where elections for its first assembly are scheduled Nov 12.
US Senate votes for new sanctions on Iran
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Washington: The US Senate voted Friday to impose broader sanctions on Iran targeting the country's domestic industries.
Bangladesh Islamists float political party with government nod
By IANS,
Dhaka : Leaders of the banned Islamist outfit Harkatul Jihad al Islami (HuJI) in Bangladesh have floated the Islamic Democratic Party (IDP) ahead of the December elections with permission from the caretaker government, which said it had found the group had no terror links.
Tracing back their origin to the 1980s war in Afghanistan against the Soviet Union, the HuJI leaders say they formed a 15-member convening committee in May as the caretaker administration gave them the go-ahead after a probe found nothing that could link them to any subversive campaign.
Israel to resume fuel supplies into Gaza
By Xinhua,
Gaza : Israel pledged to resume reduced fuel shipments to the Gaza Strip Monday, director of the Palestinian Petroleum Agency Mujahed Salama said.
Gaza's reduced weekly supply of gasoline will be allowed into the coastal enclave Monday after nearly two months of suspension, Salama said.
The 75,000 litres of benzene are expected to be piped into Gaza via Nahal Oz crossing, he added.
On Sunday, Israel allowed 270,000 litres of diesel into Gaza and will continue supplying the strip with up to its previous weekly amount of 880,000 litres, Salama said.
Bomb blast kills 13 children in north-west Pakistan
By DPA
Islamabad : At least 13 people were killed Friday when a roadside bomb struck a bus carrying a wedding party in Pakistan's volatile Swat Valley, an army officer said.
The victims, all children, were part of a wedding party that was travelling by bus around 3:35 pm (1035 GMT) in the valley's Matta area when the bomb detonated, one army spokesman at the scene, who asked not to be identified, told DPA.
He said 20 people on the bus were injured.
US concerned over journalist’s jail sentence by Iran
By DPA,
Washington/Tehran : The US expressed deep concern Saturday over an eight-year prison sentence imposed by the Iranian judiciary on Iranian-American journalist Roxana Saberi for spying.
"I am deeply disappointed," Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said. "We will continue to vigorously raise our concerns to the Iranian government."
Saberi, 31, a reporter for US National Public Radio, was sentenced on charges of spying for the US after the closed-door trial, her lawyer told reporters in Tehran.
President greets Somalia on National Day
New Delhi: President Pranab Mukherjee on Tuesday greeted the government and people of Somalia on the eve of its National Day.
In his message to...
NATO troops killed in Afghanistan ahead of summit
By ANTARA News
Kabul : Two British Marines and a Danish soldier were killed in Afghanistan, officials said Monday, days before a NATO summit is to hear appeals for more forces to fight Taliban extremists.
The troops were slain in the southern province of Helmand, a region caught in the throes of the Taliban-led insurgency and the centre of Afghanistan's massive drugs trade -- a source of funding for the rebels.
ILO, FAO launch joint website to showcase their activities
By IRNA,
Tehran : Two United Nations agencies dealing with labour and agriculture launched over the weekend a new website designed to highlight the many areas in which they work together, including youth employment, safety and health and crisis management.
The website: "Food, Agriculture and Decent Work" (www.fao-ilo.org) describes the cooperation and activities of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in 10 major fields and provides links to related information sources.
UAE launches polio vaccination campaign in Pakistan
Islamabad : On the directive of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE Project to Assist Pakistan...
Libya to honour UN resolution if NATO ends air strikes: Russia
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
US air strikes hit 40 targets south of Baghdad
By SPA
Baghdad : U.S. warplanes dropped 40,000 pounds of bombs on more than 40 targets on Baghdad's southern outskirts on Thursday in a major strike on al Qaeda targets, Reuters quoted the military as saying in a statement.
The U.S. Air Force dispatched two B-1 bombers and four F-16 fighter jets, aiming at three large target areas in Arab Jabour.
UAE university boasts of region’s biggest grid computing system
By NNN-WAM
WAM Dubai : Sun Microsystems has deployed one of the most advanced super grid computers in the world at the UAE University. The system is the regions biggest grid computing system and places the UAE University in the Top 500 list of high performance computing grids worldwide.
The super grid is deployed in service of the community at large, and will support the teaching and research missions of the University by providing students and faculty with unprecedented computing power.
US friendship with Israel ‘unwavering’ 60 years on
By Mike McCarthy, DPA,
Washington : Only last month, US federal authorities charged an American man for spying on behalf of Israel, passing on nuclear and other closely guarded secrets, in a case connected to the more infamous Jonathan Pollard case of the 1980s.
The US Justice Department accused Ben-Ami Kadish of providing the Israeli government with nuclear documents and classified materials related to US weapons, while acknowledging the connection to Pollard, a former naval analyst arrested in 1985 who is serving a life sentence in the US.
Threats targeting US schools in UAE raise concerns
Dubai: The embassy of the US in Abu Dhabi warned US citizens about threats to attack American schools and teachers from Islamist groups in...
Al Qaeda claim to have killed 30 soldiers in Yemen
By IANS,
Aden : Terror outfit Al Qaeda Saturday claimed to have killed at least 30 Yemeni soldiers and seized a military site after a deadly gunbattle with government troops, Xinhua reported.
Al-Assad stresses need to upgrade media discourse to face challenges
By NNN-SANA,
Damascus : President Bashar al-Assad has underlined the necessity to upgrade Arab media discourse to a level through which it can face political, intellectual and moral challenges in the Arab society and be the best means to re-enhance Arab relations.
He made the remarks at a meeting with Arab Ministers of Information and Communications who participated in a joint meeting of the Arab Information and Communication Ministers Council here Monday.
Al-Assad described this meeting as "an important step at the level of the joint Arab action."
Arab Summit resumes, summiteers hold closed session
By KUNA
Damascus : The summiteers of the 20th Arab Summit started a closed session Sunday discussing the agenda approved by their foreign ministers which include the Palestinian issue and the Arab Peace Initiative and the Lebanese question.
The leaders and delegates are also to discuss the situation in Iraq, in Sudan, and in Somalia, in addition to economic and social issues.
The summit, presided by Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, is to end later today.
The summiteers had convened for a closed session last night and discussed the first portion of the agenda.
Israeli raid kills four Palestinian children
By IINA,
Gaza City : At least seven Palestinians have been killed after the Israeli Army shelled a house in the northern Gaza Strip. Four children and an elderly man were among the dead; the children's mother was taken to hospital but died later as doctors struggled to save her life. The health ministry said shells were fired at a house in the town of Beit Hanoun - the family inside were eating breakfast at the time. The Israeli army say there was an air and tank attack on a group of armed men which were said to be nearby, but they say no houses were targeted.
Iran’s Bushehr n-plant almost ready: Russia
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow: Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant is almost complete, with all work set to finish on schedule, the chief of Russia's state-owned nuclear energy company has said.
US commends Dhaka’s fight against terror
By IANS,
Dhaka : US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has commended Bangladesh's fight against terrorism and religious extremism during a telephone call to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Pakistan government, PTI to hold talks
Islamabad : The negotiating teams of Nawaz Sharif-led government and Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) are scheduled to meet Tuesday in Islamabad to find...
Egypt sentences 10 Brotherhood members to death
Cairo : An Egyptian court Saturday sentenced ten Muslim Brotherhood members to death over the charges of inciting violence and murder after the ouster...
Iraq’s Maliki to disarm Shiite militiamen in southern province
By Xinhua,
Baghdad : Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has announced a four-day deadline for Shiite militiamen in Maysan province to hand over their weapons to the Iraqi troops, Iraqi official television reported on Sunday.
"Those who possess heavy and medium weapons, explosives and sniper guns have to hand over them to the Iraqi security forces within four days started from Sunday in return for money," the state-run Iraqiya channel quoted a statement from Maliki, the Commander in Chief of the Iraqi Armed Forces, as saying.
Chinese president thanks Saudi Arabia for assistance after quake
By Xinhua,
Beijing : Chinese President Hu Jintao held a telephone conversation with Saudi Arabian King Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz Friday evening, expressing his appreciation for Saudi Arabia's assistance for China's quake-hit area.
Hu said King Abdullah offered sympathy and condolences to the Chinese government and people and swiftly provided aid to the quake-stricken area at this crucial moment when a strong earthquake shocked China's southwestern province of Sichuan.
Israel should open Gaza crossings: EU
By DPA,
Jerusalem/Gaza City : Israel should allow exports from the Gaza Strip, European Union High Representative Catherine Ashton said, as she toured the enclave Sunday and said the EU would continue to demand that Gaza crossing terminals become completely operational.
Ashton called on Israel to allow exports from the Gaza Strip as she toured the enclave for the second time this year and said the EU would continue to demand that its crossing terminals become completely operational.
US suspects Pakistani intelligence of Indian embassy bombing: Report
By DPA,
Washington : US intelligence agencies believe that Pakistani intelligence agents were involved in the July 7 bombing of the Indian embassy in Kabul, the New York Times (NYT)reported Friday, citing unnamed US government officials.
The Kabul attack left 54 people dead, including an Indian defence official posted at the embassy.
The US conclusions came from communications intercepted between the attackers and Pakistani intelligence officers, the NYT reported.
Pakistani politicians speaking at cross-purposes on Kashmir?
By IANS,
Islamabad : Are Pakistani politicians speaking at cross-purposes on Kashmir? It would seem so, with Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi expressing ignorance that the issue was close to resolution as a result of back-channel diplomacy with India by the previous government.
"Neither I, nor the people of Pakistan have any knowledge about a Kashmir solution evolved by the previous government," he told reporters here Sunday.
No such proposal had ever been debated, nor was there any record about it at the foreign office, he added.
Shoe throwing at Bush evokes mixed reaction in Iraq
By DPA,
Baghdad : An Iraqi television news reporter threw shoes at US President George W. Bush and called him a "dog" in Arabic, during a press conference in Baghdad Sunday, evoking mixed reaction from the Iraqis.
Bush, who was on a farewell visit to Iraq, was addressing the press conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki when the assault took place.
The assailant, identified as Montasser Al-Saidi, a reporter for al-Baghdadiyia television, was removed from the room by security staff. None of the two projectiles made contact with their apparent target.
Indian workers in Iraq uncontactable: MEA
New Delhi : The 40 Indian workers who have reportedly been kidnapped by militants in Iraq's Mosul city remain "uncontactable", the external affairs ministry...
‘Muslim Brotherhood behind Egypt stadium riots’
Cairo : The president of Egyptian soccer club Zamalek SC, Murtada Mansur, Monday accused the banned Muslim Brotherhood (MB) of instigating and taking part...
US ‘objective’: Deny terrorists safe havens in Pakistan
By IANS,
New Delhi : The US not only remains committed to defeating terror group Al Qaeda and its associates but also to denying them safe havens in Pakistan and Afghanistan, US Under Secretary of Defence for Policy Michele Flournoy said here Tuesday.
Flournoy said the US administration was committed to President Barack Obama's strategy in which "he made it very clear that our objective is not only to defeat Al Qaeda and its associates, but also to deny them safe havens in both Afghanistan and Pakistan".
Roadside bomb kills three in Afghanistan
By IANS,
Kabul : Three people, including a child, were killed after a roadside bomb hit a car in Afghanistan's Pakita province Sunday.
Khaleda Zia gets bail after a year in prison
By IANS,
Dhaka : Former Bangladesh prime minister Khaleda Zia was Thursday freed on bail after more than a year in jail on charges of corruption.
A sessions court in Dhaka granted her bail for three months after several weeks of behind the scene negotiations between her and top officials of the current military-backed caretaker government, Star Online said.
While Zia, 63, was set to walk free, speculation persisted on whether her elder son Tarique Rahman, who had also been granted bail, would be freed soon to be able to go abroad for medical treatment.
Hindraf leader to take oath in jail
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur : His plea for freedom not heeded, M. Manoharan, the detained Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leader, is expected to take oath as a legislator at the Kamuntin Detention Camp May 8.
Manoharan was elected to the Selangor state legislature from Kota Alam Shah in the March general elections while in prison.
He is serving a two-year term under the stringent Internal Security Act (ISA) along with four others of the Hindraf for organising a protest rally of Tamil Hindus in November.
Chinese President felicitates President-elect Asif Ali Zardari
By APP,
Islamabad : Chinese President Hu Jintao on Sunday felicitated and extended best wishes to PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari on his election as the President of Pakistan. “China and Pakistan are good neighborly countries linked by common mountains and rivers, and our two peoples are enjoying profound all-weather friendship,” Hu Jintao said in a message addressed to President-elect Asif Ali Zardari.
US president pays surprise visit to Afghanistan
Kabul: US President Barack Obama paid a surprise visit to Afghanistan Sunday, an Afghan official said.
The US president arrived in the Bagram air base...
Bangladesh: ‘video footage shows outsiders in uniform during BDR mutiny’
By NNN-PTI,
Dhaka, Bangladesh : Bangladesh investigators probing the bloody BDR mutiny said that they have gathered clues that outsiders in uniform took part in the massacre of army officers as BDR personnel claimed "masked" soldiers forced them to join the revolt, reports said today.
Newly appointed dilapidated BDR chief Brigadier General Mainul Islam told the Daily Star without elaboration that video footage taken during the massacre inside the paramilitary force's headquarters at Pilkhana in Dhaka showed movement of "some unknown people wearing BDR uniforms".
Abducted Iranian diplomat in Pakistan alive: Report
By Xinhua,
Tehran : An Iranian diplomat who was kidnapped in Pakistan in mid November is alive and in good health, a state-run TV channel reported Sunday.
Heshmatollah Attarzadeh Niyaki, commercial attaché of the Iranian Consulate here, was kidnapped Nov 13 by unidentified gunmen while on his way to office from his home in the Pakistani city of Peshawar. His driver was killed in the attack.
"The Iranian embassy's efforts to locate the abducted diplomat have been satisfactory," the Press TV quoted Iran's envoy to Pakistan Mashallah Shakeri as saying Saturday.
Poll-eve charges before Malaysian Indian Congress meet
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur : Aspirants for Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) party posts are trading charges on the eve of the party's plenary meeting Saturday.
S. Subramaniam, a former MIC deputy president who wants to recapture the post, Friday dismissed an allegation by the party chief and old rival S. Samy Vellu that he was banking on "external influence" to canvas for votes, NST Online reported.
The charge related to his being praised by the country's former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad and published by a Tamil online news portal.
United States lauds Bangladesh’s anti terrorism efforts
By NNN-BSS,
Dhaka : US Government lauded the efforts of Bangladesh Government in curbing terrorism in Bangladesh.
This was stated in the 2007 Country report on Terrorism released in Washington DC on April 30,2008. They also acknowledges the growing cooperation between the law enforcement agencies in Bangladesh and USA, said a press release received here recently.
Iran test-fires three missiles
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : The Iranian military has successfully test-fired three new domestically produced missiles, the Fars News Agency has reported.
PPP’s Fahim frontrunner for Pakistan PM’s post
By NNN-PTI
Islamabad : Widely respected PPP leader Makhdoom Amin Fahim was emerging as the frontrunner for the Prime Minister's post in the new coalition government in Pakistan as the two main opposition parties Friday worked for a power sharing formula.
The newly elected Parliamentarians of Pakistan People's Party(PPP) met Friday for the first time after it became the single largest party in the recent elections and discussed the name of Fahim, the 68-year-old Vice-President of Benazir Bhutto's party and a few other probables.
People detained to identify Osama network: Pakistan
By IANS,
Washington : Many people have been detained or questioned in Pakistan to identify members of Osama bin Laden's support network, said Pakistani ambassador Hussain Haqqani.
Somali pirates release Jordanian-flagged ship
By Xinhua,
Amman : Somali pirates have released the MV Victoria, a Jordanian-flagged ship owned by a company of United Arab Emirates, which was hijacked on May 17 off the Somali coast, Jordanian Minister of Transport Alaa Batayneh told local daily the Jordan Times on Saturday.
"We have been informed by the ship's owner, Marwan Shipping and Trading Company, that the ship and its crew and cargo were released on Friday," he said, adding that he was unaware of any deal with the pirates on the ship's release.
Israel can remove 10 key checkpoints:Report
By SPA,
Ramallah, West Bank : Israel should remove 10 major West Bank checkpoints to give a badly needed boost to the Palestinian economy and can do so without compromising security, a group of Israeli ex-generals and Palestinian officials said in a joint report Wednesday.
The 10 checkpoints cause major disruptions to Palestinian trade and movement, said the report, whose authors include two former chiefs of Israel's military government in the West Bank.
Nuclear watchdog chief to issue new report on Iran program
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei will issue a new report on Iran's nuclear program to the agency's board of directors on Monday, Iran's Mehr news agency reported.
The contents of the new International Atomic Energy Agency report have not yet been disclosed. The report may be ElBaradei's last as he steps down from the IAEA on November 30.
Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States have been trying to persuade Iran to halt uranium enrichment for economic and diplomatic incentives. Iran-Six envoys last met in Geneva on October 1.
Pakistan Army officer held for theft
By IANS,
Islamabad : A serving army major in Pakistan has been arrested for theft of copper cable from a railway wagon.
Taliban video game sparks outrage
By IANS,
London : A video game in which the players pretend to be heavily armed Taliban guerrillas has sparked anger, with British Defence Secretary Liam Fox calling for a ban and a security expert stating that "the Afghanistan campaign isn't a game - it's happening".
The video game is the updated version of "Medal Of Honour" that is scheduled to be available in October. The game allows players to `attack' brave British Forces in Afghanistan using AK-47 rifles.
Pakistan Medical Team to China
By Prensa Latina,
Islamabad : A team made up of 28 Pakistani doctors and nurses traveled from this capital to the Gansu province in China, which was affected by the May 12 earthquake.
In declarations to the press Information and broadcasting minister Sherry Rehman explained that the mission will help with emergency medical activities in the Chinese areas affected by the earthquake.
The minister said that Pakistan previously sent material aid and is also able to contribute with more if the Chinese government needs it.
137 divided family members cross India-Pakistan border via LoC
By NNN-PTI,
Jammu (India) : As many as 137 members of the divided families crossed over the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, Indian official sources said here Tuesday.
A group of 61 civilians crossed over to Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) Monday by Poonch-Rawalakot bus service, the sources said adding 36 among them were from the state who went to PoK to meet their families and relatives while 25 were PoK civilians who came to meet their family members in the state.
British MPs join campaign against anti-Muslim right-wing extremists
London, March 19, IRNA – MPs, including former ministers, have joined trade unions and numerous organisations in condemning the latest anti-Muslim protest being held by the right-wing English Defence League (EDL) on Saturday.
Stop the War Coalition, Britain’s main peace group network, is also leading a counter-demonstration against the provocative march planned in Bolton, north-west England.
“The EDL is a group of racists and football hooligans with close links to the fascist British National Party,” the MPs said in a joint statement obtained by IRNA.
‘Russia not to send troops to Afghanistan’
By IANS,
Moscow : Russia has said it is not going to replace NATO in Afghanistan after the alliance forces' withdrawal from the country.
‘Caretaker govt in Bangladesh to quit on Dec 31’
By NNN-PTI,
Dhaka, Bangladesh : The government in emergency-ruled Bangladesh will hand over power to the elected representatives on December 31 after holding general elections, a top advisor to the military-backed interim authority said.
"The tenure of this government will come to an end on December 31. We will then hand over power to an elected government and go back to our respective professions," Bdnews24 news agency quoted Law Adviser Hassan Ariff as saying on Saturday.
Jaswant Singh committed ideological heresy
By Amulya Ganguli, IANS,
Just as the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) idea of India is that of a Hindu nation and not a multicultural one, Jaswant Singh's interpretation of Mohammed Ali Jinnah's pre-1947 role is at odds with the widely held perceptions in India.
By arguing that the founder of Pakistan has been unfairly demonised for partitioning the country, Singh not only went against the BJP's views, which has now expelled him, but also against an overwhelming majority of public opinion in India.
Pakistani PM Gilani urges SAARC countries to put up collective flight against extremism, intolerance
By NNN-APP,
Thimphu, Bhutan : Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani Wednesday stressed upon SAARC member countries to join hands for fight against the forces of extremism and intolerance.
Addressing the 16th SAARC Summit in Thimphu, Bhutan, the Prime Minister called for uniting against forces of extremism and intolerance.
“We need to forge a common front, based on tolerance, on respect for human dignity and universal values.”
He said terrorism has affected the South Asian region and impacted each of its countries.
Blair calls for ending Israeli occupation, removing checkpoints in W. Bank
By KUNA
Ramallah : Quartet special envoy Tony Blair stressed Thursday the importance of ending the Israeli occupation and removing all military barriers and checkpoints in the West Bank, in order to achieve true peace.
In a press conference held in Nablus, which Blair was visiting for the first time, the former British premier said he clearly understood the tragedy that the Palestinians lived in in this city, brought about by occupation and checkpoints.
War on terror ‘mistaken’, resolve Kashmir dispute: David Miliband
By Dipankar De Sarkar,IANS,
London : In comments made ahead of a speech in Mumbai, British Foreign Minister David Miliband Thursday said a “resolution of the dispute over Kashmir” was needed in order to fight the terrorist group Lashker-e-Taiba.
“Lashker-e-Taiba has roots in Pakistan and says its cause is Kashmir,” Miliband said in an article that calls the 'war on terror' a mistake and argues that Islamic terrorists are guided by different motives and therefore need different strategies.
Pakistan rallies condemn blasphemous cartoons
By IRNA
Islamabad : Pakistan major Islamic groups on Friday staged rallies to condemn re-printing of blasphemous cartoons in Denmark and urged the government to expel Danish ambassador.
The demonstrators also demanded recalling Pakistani ambassador from Denmark as protest against insult to the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him).
Jamaat-e-Islami and its students wing Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba staged rallies in major cities across the country.
Comprehensive solution to Palestinian problem achievable: India
By NNN-PTI,
Tehran : Voicing optimism over a "just and comprehensive solution" to the vexed west-Asia crisis, India said it extends full support to the Palestinian people in realising their aspirations for a "sovereign, independent" state.
External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, on a visit here, articulated India's "abiding concern" over the fact that the rights of the Palestinian people remain to be achieved and said "this situation requires to be resolved at the earliest".
Road accidents in fog leave 29 dead in Bangladesh
By SPA
Dhaka : A series of road accidents blamed on fog in Bangladesh has left at least 29 people dead and scores injured, Deutsche Presse-Agentur "DPA" quoted police and witnesses as saying today.
The national meteorological office said the mishaps occurred in fog as a cold wave pushed daytime temperatures to below 10 degrees Celsius in the north.
The worst accident happened overnight in the shanty town of Keraniganj, nearly 25 kilometers east of the capital, Dhaka, killing 10 people and injuring 35.
Obama’s speech is welcome but has many shortcomings: Syed Shahabuddin
By TwoCircles.net News Desk
New Delhi: Syed Shahabuddin, Convener, Joint Committee of Muslim Organisations for Empowerment, has welcomed US President Barack Obama’s Cairo speech to the Muslim World but has urged the Muslim community to exercise caution in drawing conclusion and take note of its shortcomings.
Indonesia not to follow Malaysian move on yoga
By IANS,
Jakarta : Indonesia, which has the world's largest Muslim population, will not follow the Malaysian move to ban Muslims from practicing yoga, the country's top clerics have said.
"It is okay if it's for sport but I do not know if it is proven that it can destroy our beliefs as Muslims or contains ideas of polytheism," Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) deputy chairman Umar Shehab was quoted as saying by The Jakarta Post Monday.
MUI edict commission deputy chairman Ali Mustafa Yakub said there was no need to ban yoga as no Muslims were found practising it in Indonesia.
Afghanistan suspends presidential vote auditing
Kabul : The Afghan Independent Election Commission (IEC) Saturday announced that the presidential runoff vote auditing process has temporarily been suspended and will resume...
Lack of rights hampers progress in Arab nations: UN
New York, July 22 (DPA) The lack of human rights, political and social justice as well as a stable environment has prevented individuals in Arab countries from improving, the UN Development Programme said Tuesday.
The UNDP said human security is a prerequisite for human development. But the widespread absence of security in Arab countries has reduced the ability of an Arab person to make good choices for his or her life.
Anti-war activists to protest at London Libya conference
By IRNA,
London : Anti-war activists are planning to hold a protest against Tuesday's international Libya conference in London called by the British government.
US plane forced to land in Iran
By DPA,
Tehran : Iranian military jets forced a US Falcon plane with five senior US military officials on board to land in Iran, Fars news agency reported Tuesday.
The plane, which was coming from Turkey, had illegally entered Iranian airspace and was, therefore, forced by the Iranian jets to land at one of the country's airports.
The report did not say when and where the plane was forced to land.
Fars added that the five generals were interrogated by Iranian intelligence forces.
Uncertainties may delay Bangladesh poll schedule announcement
By IANS,
Dhaka : Political, procedural and legal uncertainties may delay the announcement of a timetable for the parliamentary elections in Bangladesh, but the Election Commission insists the polling date, Dec 18, shall remain unchanged.
"The announcement of the poll schedule will be delayed, but the polling date will remain unchanged. The schedule cannot be announced until the legal wrangle over the fresh demarcation of electoral constituencies is resolved," Chief Election Commissioner A.T.M. Shamsul Huda was quoted as saying in the New Age newspaper Friday.
Muslim couple abused on Sydney train to press charges
Sydney : A Muslim couple from Brisbane who were racially abused on a Sydney train last week, on Tuesday said that they intend to...
Iranian guard not killed on Pakistani soil: Pakistan
Islamabad : Pakistan Thursday promised Iran all help in locating a group of five kidnapped Iranian guards, one of whom was killed by captors...
Hamas says Israeli report encourages it to continue resistance
By Xinhua
Gaza : Hamas Thursday said Israel's Winograd Report on the Second Lebanon War in 2006 showed the Jewish state's weakness and encouraged Hamas to stick to its resistance.
Eliyahu Winograd, chairman of Israel's Winograd Committee probing into the performance of the government and the army during the Second Lebanon War, said on Wednesday that "major faults were found on all levels during the war."
NATO oil tankers destroyed on Pakistani-Afghan border
Islamabad, March 24 (DPA) Dozens of tankers carrying oil for NATO forces were destroyed Sunday evening in a bomb blast targeting a Pakistani border crossing where they awaited clearance to enter Afghanistan, officials said.
"The explosion took place this evening when the oil tankers were parked in the parking lot of Torkham border in the tribal town of Landi Kotal. More than 60 tankers caught fire and 35 of these were completely destroyed," a government official Bismillah Khan said.
Call for anti-Islam video protest in Bangladesh
By IANS,
Dhaka: Bangladeshi religious groups have called for a dawn-to-dusk countrywide protest Sunday over an anti-Islam US video and French caricatures of Prophet Muhammad.
UN condemns Pakistan hotel blast
By Xinhua,
United Nations : UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Tuesday strongly condemned the bombing of a luxury hotel in Pakistan's northwestern Peshawar city in which at least 11 people were killed, including an UN official.
In a statement issued here, Ban said he was saddened by the "large number of dead and wounded", including a UN refugee agency staff who died in the attack.
Dhaka government to talk to parties on poll code
Dhaka, March 25 (IANS) Bangladesh's army-backed caretaker government wants to initiate talks with political parties to evolve a code of conduct for the elections it has promised for this yearend.
But it also wants the politicians' support to sustain political and electoral reforms and the anti-graft drive that politicians say is aimed against them.
Landslide in Cairo hits shantytown, killing at least 23
By Xinhua,
Cairo : A massive landslide hit a shanty town in the east of the Egyptian capital of Cairo on Saturday, crushing dozens of houses and killing at least 23 people.
The massive landslide occurred at about 9:00 local time (0700 GMT) in the morning and dozens of houses were hit heavily by the boulders, witnesses told Xinhua.
The witnesses and survived residents said they heard the loud bang like an earthquake or explosion in the morning when the boulders broke away from the cliff of el-Muqattam hill.
Indian and Pakistani chambers form group to boost trade
By IANS,
New Delhi: The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) and the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) have set up special contact groups to boost bilateral trade. The move is significant as a substantial chunk of trade between the two countries now takes place through third countries.
Assocham has been invited by KCCI to hold business-to-business initiatives and a small group under D.S. Rawat, Assocham secretary general, is scheduled to visit Karachi to continue negotiations.
Tehran, Ankara discuss broadening cultural, financial, banking cooperation
By NNN-IRNA,
Ankara : Tehran and Ankara are in talks over expansion of mutual cooperation in various fields, especially in the cultural, financial, banking and transportation sectors.
An Iranian politico-economic delegation, led by Deputy Foreign Minister Ali-Reza Sheikh-Attar, is in Ankara for talks on the issues ahead of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's Turkey visit to meet with his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul in Istanbul.
Tunnels used for smuggling destroyed in Egypt
Cairo: Twenty tunnels that were being used for smuggling have been destroyed in Egypt, a military spokesman said.
These tunnels in the Sinai Peninsula were...
Four Indians among 14 killed in Kabul attack
Kabul/New Delhi : Four Indians were among 14 people killed in a suspected Taliban attack on a guesthouse in Afghanistan's capital city of Kabul...
Five policemen killed in Pakistan
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : At least five policemen were killed Saturday in a bomb attack in Pakistan's northwestern Swat valley, a media report said.
The militants attacked a police van through a remote-controlled device. Five people were also injured in the blast, PTV reported.
The injured were shifted to a nearby hospital.
No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack.
Meanwhile, Pakistani security forces have launched a major offensive against the militants.
17 die in Pakistan clashes
By IANS,
Islamabad : Seven soldiers were killed in clashes with militants in Pakistan's northwest that also left 10 rebels dead, a media report Friday said.
Air Arabia starts direct flight to Russia
By IANS/WAM,
Sharjah : Air Arabia, the low-cost airline in the Middle East and North Africa, has announced launch of direct flights to Moscow and Yekaterinburg in Russia.
Muscat n-talks may not reach agreement: Iran
Tehran : The upcoming nuclear talks between Iran and the world's major powers are not likely to result in an agreement, Iran's senior nuclear...
Sacking Pakistan’s chief justice was a mistake: Musharraf
By IANS,
San Antonio (Texas) : Former Pakistani president and military ruler Pervez Musharraf has admitted that he committed a mistake by sacking Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry.
Musharraf Thursday said at a lecture at Trinity University, San Antonio, Texas: "Now, after seeing the incidents following his dismissal from the office I realised that I shouldn't have done that."
Pilgrims arriving Madinah exceed 842,000
By SPA,
Madinah : According to a report released by the secretariat of the Hajj committee in Madinah, the number of pilgrims who arrived in Madianh up to yesterday amounted to 842035, while the number of the pilgrims who left the City up to yesterday amounted to 703053. This will make the remaining pilgrims in Madinah up to yesterday 138854.
The pilgrims included 19903 Indians, 17595 Pakistanis and 12411 Egyptians.
The number of the flights arriving at Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport yesterday amounted to 33.
Hindu among five abducted in Pakistan
By IANS,
Islamabad : A Hindu driver and four officials have gone missing and are feared to have been kidnapped in Pakistan's Sindh province, a media report said Tuesday.
2nd visual arts festival to feature 2,500 works
By IRNA,
Tehran : Display of 2,500 visual artworks at the Second Visual Arts Festival due to open on February 1 indicates remarkable presence of Iranian and foreign artists at the event.
Secretary of the festival, Abbas Mirhashemi said that a total of 9,427 artworks by 3091 artists have been submitted to the secretariat.
Of 3,110 paintings and 348 sculptures, some 115 and 50 respectively were selected for the competition section, he said.
In the categories of pottery and ceramics and miniature sections, 75 and 194 respectively found their ways to the competition section.
Indonesian police identify body of one suicide bomber
By DPA,
Jakarta: Indonesian police said Sunday one of the suicide bombers in Friday's hotel attacks in Jakarta had been identified, and blamed a regional terrorist group.
National police spokesman Nana Sukarna said the perpetrators of the bombings were from Al Qaeda-linked South-East Asia group Jemaah Islamiyah, because of similarities in the bombs used.
He explained that bombing of JW Marriott and nearby Ritz-Carlton used devices resembling those employed in a previous Bali attack and one discovered in a recent raid on an Islamic boarding school.
Abu Dhabi to become global leisure boating hub
By IANS,
Abu Dhabi : Leading United Arab Emirates (UAE)-based real estate developer Aldar Properties Tuesday announced the launch of a new subsidiary to develop Abu Dhabi into a new global hub for luxury boating.
The new entity, Aldar Marinas, will provide a broad range of leisure marine facilities and services that will constitute an integral part of Aldar's waterfront developments, the state-run Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported.
Six killed in Iraq violence
By IANS,
Baghdad : Six people were killed and eight others wounded in separate bomb and gunfire attacks in Iraq Thursday, police said.
Indian, Bangladeshis held in Malaysia
By IANS,
Dhaka : Eighty-one illegal migrants, including an Indian, two Pakistanis and 33 Bangladeshis, have been detained in Malaysia.
Pope supports Palestinian state
By DPA,
Bethlehem : Pope Benedict XVI expressed strong and unequivocal support for a Palestinian state Wednesday, as he arrived in Bethlehem in the West Bank.
The pontiff, greeted by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, also urged young Palestinians to renounce violence against Israelis.