Twelve dead as Turkish troops and Kurd militants clash
By RIA Novosti
Ankara : Nine Kurdish militants and three Turkish soldiers have been killed during clashes in Turkey's south-east, the Turkish General Staff said on Tuesday.
It said the deaths occurred on Monday in the province of Sirnak, which borders Iraq. Large amounts of arms, ammunition and other supplies belonging to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) were seized by Turkish troops during the ongoing military operation. Five Turkish soldiers were also reported to have been injured.
More Turkish soldiers have since been sent to the area and F-16 aircraft have also been deployed.
Senior UN officials deny accusations of favouritism in Afghan presidential polls
By NNN-UNNS,
United Nations : The top United Nations envoy to Afghanistan has only ever sided with electoral institutions in the country’s recent presidential ballot, and never with any of the candidates, UN officials said Wednesday as they refuted allegations of bias.
The Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC) and Independent Election Commission (IEC), both established under Afghan law, began an audit of the disputed election results on Monday, with all political parties monitoring the process, including representatives of the two main presidential candidates.
Iran, US resume nuclear negotiations
Geneva : Iranian and US negotiators resumed their nuclear talks here Saturday morning, media reported.
The Iranian delegation led by foreign ministry deputy Abbas Araqchi...
Three probes on into Bangladesh Rifles mutiny
By IANS,
New Delhi : Three separate investigations were on into the Feb 26 mutiny, Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) chief Major General Mohammed Mainul Islam said here Wednesday, adding that only the probe will reveal if Pakistan's spy agency was invovled in it.
"Three separate investigations - judicial, administrative and other - are underway to probe the mutiny," Islam said here at the conclusion of the India-Bangladesh Border Coordination conference.
Saudi Arabia draws up plan for gas exploration
By IANS,
Riyadh: Saudi Arabia will explore more gas wells in the Red Sea, the official media reported Monday.
Saudi Chambers Council holds talks with Sudanese Delegation
By SPA,
Riyadh : The Council of Saudi Chambers of Commerce and Industry held talks here today with the visiting delegation of The Sudanese Businessmen & Employers Federation (SBEF) on ways of enhancing commercial and investment relations between Saudi Arabia and Sudan.
The talks were co-chaired by Chairman of The Council Abdurrahman Rashid Al-Rashid and Chairman of SBEF Saud Mamoon Al-Birir.
The two sides reiterated the need and importance of bilateral economic relations and highlighted promising agricultural investments in Sudan.
Pakistani PM says Karzai’s statement may hamper development work in region
By NNN-APP,
Lahore : Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani strongly condemned Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s statement over Pakistan’s alleged involvement in terrorist attacks inside Afghanistan, and said it could hamper development process in the region.
In a statement issued before the start of cabinet meeting here on Wednesday, the Prime Minister said Pakistan declared at all forums that a stable Afghanistan is in the interest of Pakistan and entire region.
He said Pakistan provided all out support for the establishment of stable government in Afghanistan.
What Syrian-Israeli talks mean
By Hasan Abu Nimah, CGNews,
There was a surprise announcement last week that Syrians and Israelis started indirect peace negotiations under Turkish patronage in Istanbul. That was confirmed in both countries' capitals soon afterwards.
Almost simultaneously, the Israeli daily Ha'aretz reported that the two sides had already reached understanding as a result of secret talks in Europe two years earlier, between September 2004 and July 2006, and that the two sides would sign an agreement of principles, and once they had fulfilled their commitments, a peace agreement would be signed.
Iran, world powers to resume n-talks on Wednesday
Tehran : Iran and the P5+1 group of world powers will resume on Wednesday talks on an agreement for Iran's peaceful nuclear programme, in...
Iraqi PM wraps up visit to Jordan
By Xinhua,
Amman : Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki wrapped up a two-day official visit to Jordan on Friday.
Al-Maliki held talks with Jordan's King Abdullah II and Prime Minister Nadir Dhahabi on a series of issues including Iraqi political process and means to enhance bilateral relations, especially economic links.
Both King Abdullah and Dhahabi reaffirmed Jordan's keenness to build strong relations with Iraq, offering all needed political support to enable it to preserve security and stability and ensure the unity of the country.
Pakistani spy agency strengthened Lashkar-e-Taiba: US intelligence officials
By IANS,
New York : Militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), the main suspect in the Mumbai terrorist attack, built up its strength with the help of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), The New York Times said Monday quoting unnamed US intelligence and counterterrorism officials.
In a front page report, The New York Times said though top US intelligence officials have not found, so far, a direct ISI link to the Mumbai attack, but this Pakistani spy agency did share intelligence with the LeT.
US, Iraq negotiating details on forces agreement
By DPA,
Washington : US and Iraqi officials are working on the details of an agreement to establish a legal basis for the presence of US soldiers after the end of this year, the White House said Friday.
"We are in the process of working out details right now," said Gordon Johndroe, a White House spokesman. "There are still discussions ongoing."
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was in Iraq Thursday, holding several hours of talks on the broader military and political agreement with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari.
Britain condemns release of Iraq hostage video
By DPA
London : The British government has condemned the release of a video on an Arabic satellite TV channel purporting to show one of five British hostages kidnapped in Baghdad last May.
The Dubai-based Al-Arabiya TV broadcast a clip of the bearded man, who gave his name as Peter Moore, and urged Prime Minister Gordon Brown to facilitate the hostages' release.
Al Arabyia said it had received the video from a Shia group.
US soldier dies in non-combat incident in Iraq
By SPA,
Baghdad : The U.S. military says a soldier has died in a vehicle accident near al-Asad.
The military says the soldier was killed when the vehicle he was traveling in rolled over near al-Asad, home to the second largest air base in Iraq.
The military has not released the name of the soldier, pending the notification of relatives. The soldier died on Saturday.
Sunday's announcement raises the number of the U.S. military losses in Iraq to at least 4,075 since the Iraq war started in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count.
Iran to launch communication satellite soon: President
By IANS,
Tehran : Iran has the technology to develop satellites and would soon send a communication satellite into the orbit, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said, official IRNA news agency reported Sunday.
"Iran has obtained the technology to build satellites and will use its know-how to launch its first remote sensing telecommunication satellite into space," the president told a gathering in the central Iranian province of Arak Saturday.
Ahmadinejad added that the satellite developed by its scientists is the most advanced technology of its kind.
Supreme Court summons Musharraf on judges’ sacking
By IANS,
Islamabad : The noose seems to be tightening around former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf with the Supreme Court Wednesday summoning him to defend his Nov 3, 2007 moves to impose emergency and sack the apex court judges.
A 14-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammed Chaudhry issued summons to Musharraf to appear in person or through his counsel on July 29 after the federal government refused to defend him in court.
"Determining responsibility for the steps taken on Nov 3, 2007 is necessary," the chief justice observed before issuing summons.
Israel allows limited fuel supplies to Gaza strip
By NNN-KUNA,
Gaza : Israel has decided to resume supplying the Gaza Strip with a limited quantity of diesel oil and natural gas but to maintain a ban on petrol supplies.
Tankers carrying diesel oil for the Gaza power station crossed into the Gaza Strip through the eastern Nahal Oz crossing point, deputy chief of the Palestinian power authority Kan'an Obeid told reporters Sunday.
"Two natural gas tankers have also entered the Strip to supply households with the fuel they are in bad need for," he noted.
37 killed, 86 injured in Iraq violence
Baghdad: As many as 37 people were killed and 86 injured in a wave of attacks in different parts of Iraq Thursday.
At least 12...
Suicide bombing kills 45, wounds 27 in Iraq
By DPA,
Baghdad : At least 45 people were killed and 27 wounded Thursday when a suicide bomber blew himself up in a funeral procession in a village north of the Iraqi capital, police sources said.
A police officer told DPA that a suicide bomber detonated his explosive belt targeting a funeral procession in Abu Mohamed village, some 70 km north of Baghdad.
Sources said that the suicide bomber was a member of the Awakening Council.
The Awakening Councils are local police squads located mainly in Sunni Iraqi provinces and aim at fighting the Al Qaeda terrorist network.
Israeli settlement activities illegal: UN chief
By IANS,
Sirte (Libya): UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said Saturday Israeli settlement activities in East Jerusalem are illegal and against the international law, Xinhua reported.
In a speech at the opening session of the 22nd Arab Summit, the UN chief said the significance of Jerusalem should be respected as a capital for both Israel and the future Palestinian state.
"Whatever our concerns, there is no alternative to negotiations for a two-state solution," Ban said.
Hamas says activist succumbed to injuries
By KUNA
Gaza : A Palestinian activist succumbed to severe injuries sustained days ago during an Israeli incursion into Qarara, Hamas reported on Sunday.
A statement by the Ezz Eldien Al-Qasssam Martyrs brigade, the military arm of Hamas, said "Alaa Abu Hadaf, 21, from southern Gaza Strip, died last night due to severe injuries he sustained during an Israeli attack on Qarara several days ago." The statement addressed the Israelis saying "the battle continues, and Hamas shall retaliate to any attack, and shall shake the enemy."
Ten Kurdish rebels killed in Turkey
By DPA
Ankara : Ten Kurdish militants have been killed in fighting in eastern Turkey, a statement released by the general staff said Monday.
The statement posted on the general staff's website said military units in the province of Bingol Sunday came across the group of Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) militants and called on them to surrender. In the subsequent gunfight 10 PKK militants were killed.
A large amount of provisions, ammunition and PKK documents were seized after the clash.
With latest polls, Pakistan may have turned a corner
By Harold A. Gould, IANS
After many delays, and no further unanticipated crises that could be used as excuses for further delays, Pakistan held its latest long awaited round of national elections on Feb 18. Their outcome has been a pleasant surprise to almost everyone who has harboured an opinion about where Pakistani politics may be headed following the furore over Benazir Bhutto's assassination and the rising tide of Islamic fundamentalism and terrorism emanating from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and Waziristan.
94-year-old to stand for Malaysian election
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur : A 94-year-old woman Thursday became the first person to request for a nomination form in Malaysia's Terengganu state to run for parliament for a second time.
22 killed in Afghan suicide bombings
By IANS,
Kabul : At least 22 people, including three policemen, were killed in suicide bombings in Afghanistan Tuesday, an official said.
Death toll in Friday explosions in Iraq reaches 84
By DPA
Baghdad : Attacks carried out by two female suicide bombers on Baghdad's pet and bird markets Friday morning have left at least 84 people dead and 153 injured, hospital and police sources said Saturday.
Sources said that 76 of the wounded were still receiving treatment, while the others had been released from hospital.
Hospitals around Baghdad had been receiving the dead and wounded in the attacks, which occurred Friday morning as both markets were teeming with people.
‘IAEA resolution not to stop Iran’s nuclear programme’
By IANS,
Tehran: Iran will not stop its nuclear programme following the resolution adopted by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Xinhua reported Iranian officials as saying.
Radical cleric Abu Hamza awarded life imprisonment in US
New York : A US court Friday awarded life imprisonment to radical cleric Mustafa Kamel Mustafa, also known as Abu Hamza, who was found...
Bomb explosion kills five policemen north of Baghdad
By Xinhua,
Baghdad : A roadside bomb struck a police chief's convoy in an Iraqi town north of Baghdad on Tuesday morning, killing him and four policemen, an Interior Ministry source said.
The incident took place in the town of Tarmiyah, 40 km north of Baghdad, when a roadside bomb hit the convoy of a Colonel who is the police chief of the nearby town of Mashaahda, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.
Despite security gains in recent months in Iraq, there are still sporadic bombings, which shape setback to the Iraqi government.
Six Sri Lankan cricketers hurt in Lahore attack: minister
By P. Karunakharan, IANS,
Colombo : At least six Sri Lankan cricketers were wounded in Pakistan's Lahore city Tuesday when gunmen attacked the team travelling to the Gaddafi stadium for the ongoing Test, Sports Minister Gamini Lokuge said. Sri Lanka has cancelled the Test series.
"Six of our players were wounded during the shooting incident targeting the Test team travelling to the match venue at Lahore. We are very concerned about the incident," Lokuge said.
Syrian army kills 140 IS fighters
Damascus: At least 140 fighters of the Islamic State (IS) were killed Thursday in an ambush by the Syrian army near an airbase in...
Iraqis at British embassy in Baghdad claim sexual abuse
By DPA,
London : Iraqis employed at the British embassy in Baghdad's Green Zone claim to have been sexually abused, a media report has said.
According to a report by the Times Wednesday, the British Foreign Office had received complains from from an Iraqi cleaner and two cooks that a culture of sexual harassment, abuse and bullying existed at the embassy.
The accusations have been made against British employees of the US service company KBR which was responsible for catering at several embassies in Baghdad.
Bangladesh: Chief Advisor determined to see pro-reform, democratic government after December polls
By NNN-BSS,
Dhaka : Chief Adviser of Bangladesh caretaker government Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed reiterated his determination that a pro-reform and democratic government would take the responsibility of running the state after the general elections to be held in December this year.
"It is the responsibility of all to implement whatever has been reflected through the Road Show across the country for building a prosperous and democratic Bangladesh," he said while addressing as the chief guest the concluding ceremony of the 50-day campaign here on Saturday.
Deadly Israel Raids in Gaza
By Prensa Latina,
Gaza : At least seven Palestinians were killed and another eight were wounded in air raids carried out Sunday by Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip.
Both Palestinian and Israeli sources confirmed that four members of Ezzedin al Qassam Brigades, the armed Branch of the Islamic Resistance (Hamas), were hit by several air-to-earth missiles in Jabaliya.
Another Hamas militant was killed in Beit Lahiya, while a third attack claimed the lives of two Hamas militants and left six wounded in eastern and northern Gaza.
Pakistan presidential election underway
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : Pakistan's presidential election is underway Saturday with polling expected to continue from 10 a.m. to 3.00 p.m.
Three candidates are contesting the election: Asif Ali Zardari, widower of the assassinated former prime minister Benazir Bhutto and co-chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Saeed-uz-Zaman Siddiqui of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party and Mushahid Hussain, former chief justice and candidate for Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) party.
The voting will be held through a secret ballot.
Barack Obama makes surprise visit to Afghanistan
By IANS,
Washington: US President Barack Obama arrived in Afghanistan Sunday on his first visit to the country since taking office, a media report said.
He is expected to meet Afghan President Hamid Karzai and address US troops during the trip, MSNBC reported.
In December, Obama ordered the deployment of an extra 30,000 US troops to Afghanistan.
Obama had travelled to Afghanistan during his campaign for the 2008 presidential election but the present visit is his first to the country since becoming the US president and commander-in-chief of all US amed forces.
Hadiths provide guidance too
By Amin Farzanefar
Bonn, Germany : In public discourse in the West, it is assumed that the Qur'an is the sole foundation of the Islamic faith, and other sources, which contribute to the diversity of the faith, are simply ignored. Marco Schöller, a scholar of Islam who has now translated the popular hadith collection of al-Nawawi into German, elaborates on this particular source in the following interview:
Mr. Schöller, what is a hadith?
US asks citizens to stay alert in Pakistan
By IANS,
Islamabad: The US Saturday asked its citizens visiting Pakistan to "maintain extra vigilance" in the wake of recent violent protests in Muslim countries against an anti-Islam movie.
Zardari softpedals on Kashmir at UN, India takes note
By IANS,
New York : In his debut speech at United Nations, Pakistan's new president Asif Ali Zardari focused on combating terrorism while softpedalling on the Kashmir issue, wanting Islamabad and New Delhi to resolve their disputes by accommodating each other's concerns and interests - a positive sign noted by India.
EU-Middle East energy seminar in Damascus
By KUNA,
Brussels : Energy in the Middle East will the topic of a regional seminar organised by the Brussels-based Energy Charter Secretariat and the European Commission (EC) in Damascus on 19 June.
Key government and industry experts from the EU, Turkey, the Middle East and Mashreq countries will exchange views on issues such as regional investments, market structures and energy integration. "The EU, Turkey and the broader Mashreq region with Egypt and Iraq have a lot to gain by reinforcing energy cooperation," said EU Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs in a statement.
ONGC to develop gas fields in Iran
By IANS,
New Delhi: The state-run oil explorer Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) and its partners have signed two agreements with Iranian authorities to develop gas fields in that country.
The agreements were signed during Iranian Deputy Oil Minister Seifollah Jashnsaz's India visit Dec 1.
After two days of "intense negotiations" two strategic agreements were signed, the company said in a statement, adding that it would get at least six million tonnes LNG (liquefied natural gas) per annum from Iran.
Pakistan will continue to raise Kashmir issue: Gilani
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan will continue to raise the Kashmir issue at international fora till its resolution, said Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani.
Israel, Palestine to start peace talks next week
By Xinhua
Jerusalem : Israel and the Palestinian National Authority Sunday set up teams of government experts to jumpstart US-backed peace talks, local daily Ha'aretz reported.
"The teams will focus on a range of specific issues, from security to trade and water use, that would form part of any agreement on a Palestinian state," Israeli foreign ministry spokesman Arye Mekel was quoted as saying.
Qatar hosts DIMDEX Doha 2008 Naval Defence Exhibition
By NNN-KUNA
Doha : Qatar is hosting, between February 17-19, the Doha International Maritime Defense Exhibition (DIMDEX- Doha 2008) which is the first dedicated maritime defense exhibition to serve the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) with some 55 countries taking part.
It is sponsored by the Qatar Emiri Naval Forces (QENF).
Pakistani president summons parliament session on budget
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf summoned the National Assembly session on the federal budget that is likely to be presented in the parliament session for deliberation on June 7, said local private Dawn TV on Monday.
But the TV channel did not elaborate on whether Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari would bring the proposed constitutional amendment to the parliament session.
Hamas leader urges Israel accept ceasefire or face more resistance
By Xinhua,
Gaza : A senior Hamas leader on Monday urged Israel to accept an Egyptian offer for ceasefire to avoid more escalation in resistance.
Israel "has a chance for calmness; if they accept it, it will be fine." Mahmoud Zahar, former Hamas foreign affairs minister, told a news conference in Gaza.
"If they do not accept it, they have to know and to expect that the Palestinian people will not stop their resistance and will keep it on until achieving their goals," Zahar added.
With Pakistan in mind, India warns of interference in Afghanistan
By IANS,
New Delhi: With Pakistan trying to broker a deal between the Taliban and the Afghan government, India Thursday warned against "external integration" in the reintegration process, saying it would be detrimental for the future of a democratic and stable Afghanistan.
"External interference in the reintegration process would be detrimental both for its success and for the future of a democratic, stable, pluralistic and prosperous Afghanistan," External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna told the Rajya Sabha.
Bomb attacks kill 45 in Iraq
By DPA,
Baghdad : At least 45 people were killed and 59 injured Tuesday in attacks, including a bloody suicide and car bomb attack in Iraq's restive Diyala province, in some of the worst violence the country has witnessed in recent months.
A simultaneous suicide and bomb attack in Diyala province killed at least 35 people. Around 47 people were injured in the attack.
A suicide bomber got out of a car and detonated himself amid a crowd of police recruits standing in front of a police station in Jalawla town, some 60 km northeast of the Iraqi capital, witnesses told DPA.
Ahmadinejad: Iran serious’ in nuclear talks
By SPA,
Tehran, Iran : Iran's president says diplomacy is the only way out of his country's standoff with the West over its nuclear program.
State TV aired footage Sunday of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad saying there is no way except talks and obedience to the law.
He says Iran is serious in nuclear talks and hopes the other side will be as well, according to a report of the Associated Press.
Zardari not becoming Pakistan’s PM: Presidency
By Muhammad Najeeb, IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan's presidency Tuesday denied any move to change the present setup even as a report in a leading English daily claimed that there is a serious rift between President Asif Ali Zardari and his handpicked Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani.
Terming as "ridiculous and baseless" reports in Indian media, the presidency in a statement said Zardari does not want to take over Gilani's authority.
Siachen avalanche: Pakistan welcomes India’s offer
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan Monday appreciated India's offer for assistance in the operation to rescue over a hundred soldiers trapped in an avalanche in Siachen.
Oil prices reach USD 111 pb
By KUNA
Kuala Lumpur : Prices of oil have risen furher amid concerns that these record hikes of the crude price may stem demand at a time supplies are increasing.
In last night's operations, according to regional indices, the price of the crude rose to USD 111 per barrel, after the American currency's rate vis-a-vis the Japanese yen slipped for the second day in a row below 100 yen, in addition to its fall against the euro and the rise of gasoline supplies to record levels, unseen since 1993.
Rice, Gates to take missile shield talks to Russia
By AFP
Washington : US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Robert Gates will visit Russia March 17-18, with Russo-US ties sorely strained by US missile defense plans, officials said Wednesday.
With Iran, the Middle East, and Kosovo's declaration of independence also on the agenda, Rice and Gates will meet with their counterparts and seek talks with President Vladimir Putin and president-elect Dmitry Medvedev, aides said.
Afghan poll review panel completes probe in fraud charges
By DPA,
Kabul: A UN-backed Election Complaints Commission announced Monday its verdict on contested ballots from the Aug 20 Afghan presidential election, but it was not known if the rulings would push the country to a runoff vote.
"The ECC has finalised all of its decisions with respect to polling and counting for the presidential elections and has officially communicated them to the IEC," the election panel said in a statement.
Afghan president laments coalition use of ‘thugs’
By IRNA,
Kabul : Afghan President Hamid Karzai wants a proper police force, not militias, Chicago Tribune said.
The leader of Afghanistan faults US-led forces, saying they have hired warlords who have then been sent to mistreat ordinary Afghans.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai criticized the American-led military operations in his country and called for focusing the fight against terrorism more on neighboring Pakistan than Afghanistan.
Curb use of money in polls: Pakistani official
By IANS,
Islamabad : Steps would be taken to obviate the use of money in elections in Pakistan, a top official said.
Children caught up in crossfire in Pakistan
By DPA,
Islamabad : Children at an orphanage in Pakistan's restive district of Swat were Wednesday caught in crossfire between the security forces and Taliban militants, the administrator of the facility said.
Mohammad Ali said the military troops took positions on the roof of the four-storey building of "Our Home" orphanage, located in Swat's main town Mingora, Tuesday and were targeting militants from there.
"The lives of the children are at risk. Taliban have not so far fired upon the building, but it can happen anytime," Ali told DPA by telephone.
Political crisis in Yemen and proxy war of Saudi Arabia
By Dr.Mohammad Nazrul Bari,
Yemen was among the four Arab countries convulsed by huge protest and demonstrations from February 2011 onwards including Tunisia, Egypt and Libya. In February 2011 after the Arab spring at Yemen, Ali Abdullah Saleh was forced to leave his office by the Saudi-led Gulf Cooperation Council. Saleh’s power was divided into several groups. Mansoor Ali Hadi, Deputy of Ali Abdullah Saleh, got elected as the new President of Yemen with full support of Saudi Arabia.
15 missing after boat capsizes in Malaysia
By DPA,
Kuala Lumpur : Rescuers searched Wednesday for as many as 15 people after the boat they were travelling in capsized off Malaysia's southern coast the previous day.
Marine police rescued seven Indonesian nationals, but as many as 15 others were still missing.
Rescuers also recovered the bodies of a 7-year-old girl and a 30-year-old man.
The trawler was believed to be ferrying undocumented immigrants working in Malaysia back to Indonesia. District police chief Baljeet Singh was quoted by the Star newspaper as saying that the boat capsized in bad weather Tuesday.
Kuwaiti Ambassador hails support of Kuwait’s PM to Kuwait Cultural Week
By NNN-KUNA,
Amman : Kuwaiti Ambassador to Jordan Sheikh Faisal Al-Hmoud Al-Malik Al-Sabah reiterated here on Saturday that the unlimited support shown by His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah for making success the Kuwaiti Cultural Week events to be held in Jordan early next month would distinguish the event which devotes the strong brotherly relations that bind the two countries.
Rs 72 mln contract awarded for feasibility of Pak-China rail service
By NNN-APP,
Islamabad : The Ministry of Railways has signed a contract with a consortium to prepare the feasibility of planned train service between Pakistan and China as a joint venture between the two countries, said Railways Minister Haji Ghulam Ahmad Bilour.
Talking to this news agency, the minister said both the countries are going to execute a joint venture for a freight train service what he said would be upgraded to the passenger train service, keeping in view the needs of the people, particularly the business class.
Pakistan has sufficiant proof to act against terror suspects: India
By NNN-PTI,
Islamabad : India on Monday said Pakistan government has sufficient evidence which links the elements based in the country to the Mumbai terror attacks as well as the activities of terrorist groups.
"There is a lot of evidence with the Pakistani government and other countries on not just the Mumbai incident. Everyone knows and has evidence about the activities of terrorist groups in Pakistan," India's acting High Commissioner Manpreet Vohra said here on Monday.
Bangladesh’s Mominul looks to emulate De Villiers against India
Fatullah (Bangladesh): With the India series knocking on the door, Bangladesh batsman Mominul Haque has set his sights on South African skipper AB de...
Pakistani troops overrun Taliban base near Afghan border
By DPA,
Islamabad : Pakistan's security forces claimed Saturday they had seized a strategic Taliban militant base in the country's ungoverned tribal region along the border with Afghanistan.
Major General Tariq Khan, inspector general of the paramilitary Frontier Corps, said the troops had taken control of Loi Sam area in Bajaur tribal district, a known sanctuary for Taliban and Al Qaeda fighters carrying out cross-border attacks on US-led international forces in Afghanistan.
Israeli NGO blames occupation for Palestinians’ poor living standards
Jerusalem: Israel's military, civil and administrative occupation of the West Bank has led to a dramatic decline in Palestinians' living conditions, according to a...
Zardari rejects offer to become Pakistan PM
By IANS
Islamabad : Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari has rejected an offer from the establishment to head a proposed national reconciliation government, media reports said Saturday.
"Zardari has been indirectly (urged) to become the prime minister of Pakistan for a one-year interim period, heading a government of national reconciliation, but he has summarily dismissed the suggestion," The News said.
Bangladesh celebrates Victory Day, vows to try 1971 war criminals
Dhaka, Dec 16 (DPA) Tens of thousands of people Tuesday thronged the National Mausoleum to pay tribute to Bangladesh's liberation war heroes on the occasion of Victory Day, while activists called for the country's war criminals of 1971 to be brought to justice.
Celebrating the nation's 38th Victory Day, the activists also urged voters to refrain from voting for war criminals, some of whom are running for national elections Dec 29.
Police probe petrol bomb attack on Iranian embassy
By KUNA,
London : An arson investigation was under way Tuesday after an apparent petrol bomb attack at the Iranian Embassy, in central London, Scotland Yard said.
Police were called to the building on Prince's Gate, in the Knightsbridge area of the British capital, last night.
No-one was injured in the attack, Scotland Yard said, but the door of the embassy suffered minor damage after it was ignited.
A petrol bomb or similar device is regarded as the most likely cause, though this has not been established for certain.
Majority Europeans Against US Confrontation With Iran
London, Oct 17, IRNA,A new poll suggests the majority of people in Europe, Asia and North America are opposed to any US confrontation with Iran over its peaceful nuclear drive.
The poll, conducted by mainstream newspapers in Britain, France, Canada, Belgium, Japan, Poland, Mexico and Switzerland, also suggest that the next US president should "specifically rule out" any military action against Tehran.
According to the "Guardian", in Britain 47 percent say George Bush's successor should study other options including diplomacy to resolve Iran's nuclear issue.
Suicide bombing at Pakistan mosque kills 22
By DPA,
Islamabad : At least 22 people were killed and dozens injured Sunday when a suicide bomber blew himself up at a Shia mosque in Pakistan's Punjab province, government officials said.
The suicide blast took place at the main entrance of the mosque in Chakwal district, some 90 km south-west of capital Islamabad.
"At least 22 people are killed and more than 50 are injured, many of them critically," said provincial law minister Rana Sanaullah.
US Mideast Envoy Talks Gaza Truce
By Prensa Latina,
Amman : The US envoy for the Middle East George Mitchell discussed Saturday consolidation of a long truce in Gaza with the Jordan King Addulah II who demanded from Washington a real commitment in the regional peace process.
Mitchell, recently appointed special envoy to the mideast by US President Barack Obama, was in the Jordan capital finishing a tour that covered Egypt, Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories.
Iran top nuclear official to meet ElBaradei-IRNA
By SPA
Tehran : A top Iranian official will discuss his country's nuclear programme with the U.N. atomic watchdog boss Mohamed ElBaradei in Vienna this week, the official 'IRNA' news agency reported on Saturday.
IRNA said the head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, Gholamreza Aghazadeh, would meet on Monday with ElBaradei, the head of the U.N.'s International Atomic Energy Agency.
The five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council and Germany will meet on April 16 in Shanghai to discuss whether to sweeten incentives they offered Iran in 2006 to curb its nuclear
Pakistan army kills 10 militants in tribal region
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : Pakistan's security forces Tuesday killed 10 militants in an operation in the tribal region in the country's northwest.
The army, backed by helicopter gunships, pounded militants' hideouts in Bajaur tribal agency, killing 10 militants and injuring 14, private Geo TV channel reported.
Local people have fled their houses to seek asylum in adjourning areas, it reported.
The local authorities have vowed to continue the military operation against militants in a bid to maintain law and order in the region.
US soldier to plead guilty in killing of 16 Afghans
By IANS,
Washington : A US Army soldier intends to plead guilty in the killing of 16 Afghan villagers in March 2012, in order to avoid the death penalty, his lawyer said.
Egyptian farmer hangs, decapitates daughter in ‘honour’ killing
By DPA,
Cairo : An Egyptian farmer who suspected his 16-year-old daughter was having an affair hanged her and then beheaded her body in the southern province of Bani Soueif, it was reported Sunday.
The local daily Al-Akhbar said Abdel-Samad, 46, turned himself to the police after the killing. It said a police investigation showed the father suspected his daughter of having an affair.
So-called honour killings are not unusual in Egypt and other countries of the Middle East, where families murder female members for having brought "shame" on their name.
Sigh of relief among Lebanese after announcement of Doha accord
By NNN-KUNA,
Beirut : The Lebanese are finally breathing at ease after their majority and opposition representatives announced an accord reached in the six-day Doha-sponsored national dialogue.
In remarks to KUNA, Taleb Salloum said he was overjoyed over the accord, "after the spark of civil war cost hundreds of lives and left many others injured."
"Such agreement would not have been possible without Arab, and more specifically Qatari, support and effort to surmount all obstacles and impediments," he noted.
Zillur Rahman is new Bangladesh president
By IANS,
Dhaka : Veteran Awami League politican Zillur Rahman will be sworn in as Bangladesh's 19th president Thursday, the Election Commission announced Wednesday. He was declared elected unopposed.
Rahman is slated to resign as member of parliament and the deputy leader before being administered oath of office by Chief Justice M.M. Ruhul Amin, Star Online said Wednesday.
The 79-year-old veteran Awami League leader was elected unopposed as no other nominee came forward for the presidential election.
Malaysia says no to race relations law
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur : The Malaysian government has shot down a proposal for a race relations law after a study revealed that the people do not favour enforcing better racial ties through law, a media report said Wednesday.
Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Mohammed Shafie Apdal Tuesday said the decision came after exhaustive discussions within the cabinet and with representatives of all communities.
5.6 magnitude earthquake jolts Pakistan
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : An earthquake measuring 5.6 magnitude on the Richter scale jolted northwest Pakistan Sunday, the meteorological department said.
Afghan police kill 15 Taliban fighters including 2 commanders
By Xinhua
Kabul : Afghan police have killed 15 Taliban insurgents including two of their local commanders over the past two weeks, a press release of Interior Ministry issued here Tuesday said.
Afghan police have eliminated Mullah Hanif and Mullah Dadgul, two local commanders of Taliban outfit, along with 13 of their comrades in Deh Rawad district of southern Afghanistan's Uruzgan province, the ministry said.
The operation launched two weeks ago is still continuing, it said.
Iraq pullout in 16 months: Obama
By IANS,
Chicago : US president-elect Barack Obama reiterated Monday that all American combat troops would be withdrawn from Iraq in 16 months, even while residual forces could remain longer.
"At the same time, I will listen to my commanders on the ground," Obama maintained at a press conference here at which he introduced his national security team. Hillary Clinton, who has been named the new Secretary of State, stood to Obama's left.
Obama said the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) agreed to between the US and Iraq had made the 16-month timeline possible.
Opposition candidate is Chittagong mayor
By IANS,
Chittagong : Mohammed Manjur Alam, backed by the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party, will be the mayor of Chittagong, the country's principal port town, it was announced Friday.
This marked a setback for the ruling Awami League that had backed A.B.M. Mohiuddin Chowdhury in a bitterly-fought election marked by violence.
The election victory could enthuse opposition leader and two-term prime minister Khaleda Zia, who has vowed to launch protests against the government from June 27.
300 of Pakistan’s 500 locomotives out of order
By IANS,
Islamabad : Over 300 of Pakistan Railways' 500 locomotives are out of order, leading to a loss of a whopping nearly Rs.25 billion a year, authorities said.
Libyan parliamentary polls on June 25
Tripoli : The Libyan interim parliament announced Thursday that a general vote will be held June 25 to solve the present crisis with the...
Afghan prohibition of under-age police recruitment wins UN applause
By NNN-UNNS,
Kabul : The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) Monday welcomed a ban on the recruitment of people under the age of 18 into the national police force and called on the defence ministry to adopt a similar prohibition with regard to the army.
Russia Challenges US Iran Policy
By Prensa Latina
Bucharest : Russian President Vladimir Putin challenged Friday the current United States´ policy towards Iran, during the Russia-NATO council meeting held here on the sidelines of the military bloc summit.
According to a source from the Russian delegation, Putin said Iran should receive aid, not threats.
The White House has accused Tehran of building a nuclear program with military purposes.
The Russian Head of State also voiced his opposition to NATO leaders' intentions to open membership doors to former Soviet republics.
Iran rejects nuclear weapons suspicions as fabricated
By SPA,
Vienna : Iran on Thursday refuted all evidence of a possible military dimension of its nuclear programme as US fabrications, according to dpa.
Tehran's representative at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Ali Asghar Soltanieh, said documents presented by the UN nuclear watchdog were fakes.
In a briefing for the IAEA's 35 board member states, chief inspector Olli Heinonen laid out intelligence the IAEA received from about 10 member states, diplomats present at the meeting said.
Four U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq
By Xinhua
Baghdad : Four U.S. soldiers have been killed in Iraq, including one died from non-combat related cause, the U.S. military said on Wednesday.
A soldier was killed by a roadside bomb attack Wednesday in Salahudin province, a military statement said.
A second soldier died of wounds sustained from a roadside bomb attack in northeastern Baghdad, the military said.
Earlier, a military statement said that another soldier was killed by a roadside bomb attack during operations in east of Baghdad on Tuesday.
Let’s resolve disputes for an Asian century: Musharraf
By IANS,
New Delhi : Steering clear of contentious issues, former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf Sunday underlined the need for Pakistan and India to resolve all disputes so that they can expand their economic ties and claim their place in an Asian century.
"This century is the century of geo-economics. It's the economy which will drive nations towards development and people towards their welfare," Musharraf told businessmen and the media here.
US commanders want to take anti-terror war to Pakistan
By IANS,
New York : US commanders in Afghanistan have urged a widening of the war to include attacks on indigenous Pakistani militants in the bordering tribal areas, but their requests have been rebuffed for now, according to US officials.
Bush administration officials fear that attacking Pakistani radicals may annoy Pakistan's new government, which is negotiating with the militants, and destabilize an already fragile security situation, the New York Times reported Sunday.
US Troops Killed in Iraq at 3,975
By Prensa Latina
Baghdad : The number of US soldiers killed in Iraq amounted to 3,975 after reports of another death in the western province of Diyala in a counter-insurgency operation, the Central Command reported Saturday.
During the action, a load detonated when a patrol passed by, and another US military soldier was injured.
Less than two weeks before the fifth anniversary of the beginning of US invasion against this Arab country, soldiers continue to die and Washington is losing control in the scenes where they operate, even in Baghdad.
Mother of IS-held Japanese hostage calls for release of son
Tokyo: Junko Ishido, mother of a Japanese hostage held by the Islamic State (IS) militants, called Friday morning for the release of her son,...
11 policemen killed in Karachi attack
By IANS,
Islamabad : At least 11 policemen were killed Thursday and more than 40 injured in an explosion targeting a police bus in Karachi...
Bus service between northeastern states and Kolkata via Bangladesh soon
By Sujit Chakraborty,
Agartala : India might operate direct bus services soon between the northeastern states and Kolkata via Bangladesh to ferry people easily from...
Wasim Akram’s wife buried in Lahore
By IANS,
Karachi : Tributes poured in for Wasim Akram's wife, Huma, who was buried in her hometown Lahore Monday. She was 42.
A large number of former Pakistan Test cricketers, senior Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officials, dignitaries of the city and Wasim's fans attended the funeral.
Saeed Anwar, a former Pakistan captain and ex-teammate of Wasim, led the funeral prayers. Also in attendance were Ijaz Butt, the Pakistan Cricket Board chairman, former captain Inzamam-ul-Haq, Moin Khan, Ijaz Ahmed, Zakir Khan among others.
Blair denies secret deal with Bush to invade Iraq
London, Jan 29, IRNA – Former prime minister Tony Blair Friday denied striking a "covert" deal with then US President George Bush to invade Iraq at a private meeting a year before the 2003 war.
Although no one else was at the meeting at Bush’s Crawford ranch in April 2002, Blair insisted that he had been "open" about what had been discussed -that Saddam Hussein had to be dealt with and "the method of doing that is open".
"We have to deal with his WMD and if that means regime change so be it," he said during the first phase of giving evidence to the Iraq inquiry.
554 dead since start of IS onslaught on Syrian city
Beirut : At least 554 people have died since the Islamic State's (IS) advance on the northern Syrian Kurdish city of Kobane began in...
Hopes for peace deal with Israel end of 2008 have vanished – Qurei
By NNN-KUNA,
Ramallah : Palestinian top negotiator Ahmad Qurei has said that hopes to reach a peace agreement with Israel end of this year have vanished.
Qurei, addressing a gathering of the Fatah movement Tuesday, said the situation was vague as for the situation with the Israelis which had just elected Tzipi Livni as head of the Kadima party. Livni has been assigned to form a new government.
Hopes to reach a peace deal with the Israelis end of 2008 have evaporated, he said.
Bangladeh gov’t to set up electronic registry system
By NNN-Xinhua
Dhaka : The Bangladesh government will set up an electronic registry system this month to enable Bangladesh nationals to have access to the country's regulations, officials said.
Officials said Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed is expected to inaugurate the first ever e-registry system on Feb. 20 to lessen the hassles people face in obtaining government orders, gazette notifications and rules.
Iraq’s Sadr threatens to declare war if gov’t continues crackdown
By Xinhua,
Baghdad : Iraq's radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr said on Saturday that he would give the government one more chance to take "path of peace," threatening to declare war if the government continues cracking down on his Mahdi Army militia.
"I am giving my last warning ... to the Iraqi government to take the path of peace and stop violence against its own people," Sadr said in a statement issued by his office in the holy city of Najaf.
"If they don't stop the infiltrated militias, then we will declare an open war until liberation," Sadr warned.
Federation, provinces working together for strong Pakistan: Nayyar
By NNN-APP,
DG Khan, Pakistan : Leader of the House in Senate, Senator Syed Nayyar Hussain Bukhari said on Saturday that federal government and provinces were working together for a strong Pakistan.
The Senator visited DG Khan on behalf of President Asif Ali Zardari to express sympathies to Advisor to Chief Minister Sardar Zulfiqar Ali Khan Khosa, Punjab minister for local government Sardar Dost Muhammad Khosa, and MNA Sardar Saifuddin Khan Khosa.
AL chief calls for meeting to evaluate Arab-Israeli peace talks
By Xinhua
Damascus : Arab League (AL) Secretary General Amr Moussa on Saturday called for convening a meeting of Arab foreign ministers in mid 2008 to evaluate the Arab-Israeli peace talks.
Addressing the opening session of the 20th Arab Summit, Moussa said Arab foreign ministers should meet in the middle of the year again to determine a direction the Arab states should take in the peace process with Israel.
He warned that Arabs may have to take "painful positions" if no progress was made by then.
Pakistani Kashmir’s PM condemns Indian Army chief’s statement
Islamabad : Pakistani Kashmir's Prime Minister, Chaudhry Abdul Majeed, has condemned a statement by the new Indian Army chief warning of a "more than...
Iran starts mass production of anti-tank rockets
By IANS,
Tehran : Iran has started mass production of rockets that can be used to destroy tanks, armoured vehicles and the "enemy's ammunition depots", state-run Press TV reported.
Petition filed to disqualify Pakistan PM
Lahore: A petition was filed in the Lahore High Court Saturday seeking to disqualify Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for lying in his speech...
Gaza clashes kill 17 Palestinians, three Israeli soldiers
By DPA,
Gaza City/Tel Aviv : At least 17 Palestinians and three Israeli soldiers were killed in heavy clashes in the volatile Gaza Strip Wednesday, the highest death toll in the battered salient for weeks.
At least 12 Palestinians were killed in fighting near the al-Bureij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, which erupted as an Israeli army force entered the area and local militants confronted it with mortar shells and gunfire.
Pakistan cuts short Olympic torch route amid security fears
By DPA
Islamabad : Pakistan has reduced the length of the route of the Olympic torch relay owing to security concerns, officials said Monday.
Pakistan Olympics Association President Syed Arif Hassan said the torch was originally scheduled to travel a distance of five and a half kilometre on capital Islamabad's avenues, but now the relay will be held inside a sports complex. Hundreds of security personnel will guard the venue.
Bombings at Iraqi mosques kill 25
By DPA,
Baghdad : At least 25 people were killed and 37 others injured Friday in a series of attacks targeting four mosques in Baghdad, Iraqi security sources said.
Police forces cordoned off all the areas around the mosques in different parts of Baghdad. The blasts took place right after the Friday prayers.
According to the Voices of Iraq news agency, a car bomb that went off near al-Shroufi mosque in the northern district of al-Shaab left 15 civilians killed and 40 wounded.
20 killed, 50 injured in Pakistan twin blasts
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : Twenty people were killed and at least 50 injured in twin blasts in eastern Pakistan's Punjab province Thursday, private TV channel Geo reported.
The blasts occurred at the main gate of Pakistan Ordnance Factory in Wah Cantonment, some 50 km northwest of Islamabad, said the report.
The channel quoted Rawalpindi police officer Nasir Khan as saying that the blasts targeted civilians.
The injured have been shifted to hospitals and security forces cordoned off the area of the blasts.
Iran to allow full foreign ownership of state-run companies
By Xinhua,
Tehran : Iran will begin to allow foreign firms to purchase Iranian state-run companies, with the possibility of obtaining full ownership, Iran's satellite Press TV said on Monday.
Iran will allow foreign companies and nationals to purchase unlimited shares of state-run enterprises which are in the process of being sold off, director of Iran's Privatization Company Gholamreza Heidari Kord Zangeneh was quoted as saying.
Turkish troops withdrawing from N Iraq
By Xinhua
Baghdad : Turkish troops are withdrawing from northern Iraq after a week-long cross-border chasing of rebels, a security source of Iraq's Kurdish region said on Friday.
Some Turkish troops have left northern Iraq, but there were still many inside the area, said the source who declined to be identified.
Mahmoud Othman, a Kurdish lawmaker, confirmed that the Turkish troops started withdrawing on Friday morning, but the troops have not pulled out completely due to bad weather.
Egypt completes canal project to turn desert into farmland
By IANS/WAM,
Alexandria (Egypt) : An ambitious $100 million canal project to bring water from the Nile river to the Toshka desert in Egypt to convert arid regions into farmland and boost animal production has been completed.
The Sheikh Zayed Canal project, funded by the Abu Dhabi government, is part of a bigger human settlement plan that aims to construct all modern civic amenities in the desert.
The grant was mainly used in the construction of the canal, three irrigation stations and development of farmland.
Egyptian president, Lebanese PM meet on Lebanese situation
By Xinhua,
Cairo : Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak held talks on Saturday with visiting Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Seniora in the northern Egyptian coastal city of Alexandria.
During the one-hour meeting, the two leaders discussed the current situation in Lebanon and the bilateral relations between the two countries, the Egyptian official MENA news agency reported.
They also talked about a recent agreement between Lebanon and Syria to set up diplomatic ties, said the report.
Military death toll rises in Afghanistan
By IRNA,
Kabul : More American and coalition troops died in Afghanistan last month than during any other month since the American-led invasion began in 2001.
IRNA reporter in Kabul said that it is the latest evidence of a strengthening Taliban insurgency that has menaced NATO forces and reclaimed control over some southern and eastern parts of the country.
The violence in Afghanistan has surged at the same time as the number of attacks and American deaths in Iraq have fallen.
Hollande to announce France’s stance in fight against IS
Paris : French President Francois Hollande will decide later Thursday whether his country will intervene and fight against the militants of the Islamic State...
Lebanon delays presidential polls for 14th time
By NNN-KUNA
Beirut : A parliamentary vote to elect Lebanon's president has been postponed for a 14th time as distrust between the anti-Syrian ruling party and Hezbollah-led opposition is growing after a 15-month political crisis and three months with no president.
Nabih Berri, the speaker of the Lebanese parliament, said the vote, which was supposed to be held on Feb 18, was now scheduled for February 26th.
Gunmen besiege government official at Baghdad district
By NNN-KUNA
Baghdad : Gunmen suspected of being loyal to the radical cleric Muqtada Al-Sadr sealed off a mosque in a Baghdad district on Saturday where an official was attending a religious ceremony, official sources said.
The sources said Muwaffaq Al-Rubei'ee, the national security advisor of the government, was "stranded" at Al-Jawadain Mosque in Al-Shu'la northwest of Baghdad after it was surrounded by the armed men. Simultaneously, the district was also besieged by Iraqi government troops and American troops.
Pakistani President greets Korean President on assuming office
By NNN-APP
Islamabad : President Pervez Musharraf Monday greeted his Korean counterpart Lee Myung-bak on assumption of office as president of Republic of Korea.
In a message sent to the Korean president, President Musharraf expressed the confidence that under his leadership, Korea would continue to prosper and play its due role in furtherance of regional and international peace, prosperity and cooperation.
Joint Indo-Bangladesh forum to save Sundarbans
By IANS,
New Delhi: An India-Bangladesh joint forum will soon be established to take measures to check the impact of climate change on Sundarbans, the world's largest mangrove forest, Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh Thursday said.
"Sundarbans will be most effected by climate change and many new islands in the mangrove forest will be submerged. Sundarbans are spread in India and Bangladesh and bilateral measures need to be taken to save the ecosystem," Ramesh told reporters here.
Militants kill four policemen in Pakistan
By DPA,
Islamabad : Islamic militants killed four police officers in an attack on a patrol unit in Pakistan's restive North-West Frontier Province Monday, police said.
Around two dozen gunmen ambushed the police vehicle shortly after midnight Sunday on the outskirts of the provincial capital, Peshawar, which borders the Khyber tribal district.
"Two policemen died on the spot and two more succumbed to their injuries while being moved to the hospital," senior police officer Shahid Ahmed said.
Libyan minister resigns over crackdown on protesters
By IANS,
Tripoli: Libya's justice minister resigned Monday protesting excessive use of violence against anti-government demonstrators, Xinhua said citing a local newspaper report.
Karzai seeks greater Afghan role amid civilian casualties
By DPA,
New York : Afghan President Hamid Karzai has said his country's security forces should take on more responsibilities to prevent mounting civilian casualties that have undermined local support for the US and NATO-led battle against Al Qaeda and Taliban remnants in Afghanistan.
Karzai, in an address before the United Nations General Assembly in New York, warned that terrorist attacks were spreading "like wildfire" throughout the region. He urged international help to dismantle terrorist strongholds and build up the Afghan economy and military.
Militants kill 20 kidnapped people in Pakistan’s tribal region
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : Local Pakistani militants Wednesday killed 20 people who were kidnapped, local media reported.
The 20 members of peace committee in Pakistan's South Waziristan tribal region were kidnapped on Monday and their bodies were thrown at a bazaar, News Network International (NNI) news agency said.
South Waziristan, one of the seven self-governed tribal regions on the Afghan border, has been the base for the Taliban group led by Baitullah Mehsud.
Iraq’s PM arrives in Mosul to direct offensive against Al-Qaeda in Iraq
By NNN-SPA,
Baghdad : Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki took personal charge Wednesday of a military operation to rout al-Qaida in its last major stronghold, even a tenuous cease-fire took hold over Baghdad's embattled Shiite Sadr City slum.
The campaign in the northern city of Mosul was the third by al-Maliki in two months as he attempts to stamp out Shiite militants and Sunni extremists.
But even as al-Maliki directed operations against al-Qaida in Iraq, extremists probably belonging to the organization used a young girl strapped with explosives to kill an Iraqi
Saudi police kill four militants
Riyadh: Saudi Arabia announced Saturday the death of four militants in an exchange of fire with police in the disturbed city of Al-Awamiyah in...
Number of Syrian refugees in Turkey to reach 1.5 mn
Ankara : The number of Syrian refugees taking shelter in Turkey is expected to reach 1.5 million by the end of 2014, according to...
Quake rocks Afghanistan
By IANS,
Hong Kong : An earthquake measuring 5.4 on the Richter scale jolted Hindu Kush region of Afghanistan Thursday, the US Geological Survey said.
UAE to suspend Blackberry services from Oct 11
By IANS/WAM,
Abu Dhabi : United Arab Emirates (UAE) telecom authorities Sunday said Blackberry services in the Gulf region will be suspended from Oct 11, citing security concerns.
The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) said the Blackberry messenger, e-mail and web-browsing services in the UAE will be suspended because of the "failure of ongoing attempts, dating back to 2007, to bring Blackberry services in line with UAE's telecommunications regulations".
Tension re-appears in North Lebanon
By KUNA,
Beirut : Tension re-appeared in northern Lebanon on Wednesday after gunmen set citizens' properties afire, according to security sources.
The sources said high tension prevailed in the districts of Bab Al-Tebbannah and Baal Mohsen, where armed elements set houses, shops and fuel stations afire. Roads in these regions were also blocked by citizens protesting the attacks on the properties.
Lebanese Army troops and units of the internaal security forces were deployed in the northern city following fighting between armed loyalists and opposition gunmen that claimed nine lives.
Iraqi PM urges coordinated anti-IS efforts with Saudi Arabia
Baghdad: Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi Tuesday urged Saudi Arabia to coordinate its efforts against the violent Islamic State (IS) terrorist group after an...
Two ISAF soldiers killed in Afghan blast
By KUNA
Kabul : Two soldiers of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) were killed in a roadside bomb blast in southeastern Afghanistan.
A statement by NATO released here on Wednesday said the bomb hit the NATO patrol in Sharan, capital of Afghanistan's southeastern Paktika province, which borders the troubled tribal region of Pakistan.
China, Bangladesh pledge to deepen comprehensive partnership
Dhaka : China and Bangladesh have pledged to deepen the comprehensive partnership between the two countries and further boost cooperation in various fields, Xinhua...
Russian warships head to Syria
By IANS,
Damascus: A fleet of Russian warships Tuesday began sailing towards Syrian ports, Iran's Arabic TV network al-Alam reported.
How do we control these violent protests?
By Shafaque Alam
The anti-Islamic video circulating on the internet, followed by the offensive cartoons published in a French magazine, indicate a bad omen and a threat to the world peace.
Don’t make aid conditional, Gilani urges US
By IANS,
Islamabad : The US should not make aid to Pakistan for the war against terror conditional as this would be counter productive, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said Monday.
"Pakistan-US relations should be based on mutual trust. Pakistan is doing a lot in the war against terrorism," Gilani said during a meeting here with visiting US Senator John Kerry.
Arab FMs meet on Palestinian, Lebanese issues
By Xinhua
Cairo : Arab foreign ministers started an extraordinary meeting here on Sunday morning to discuss the Palestinian-Israeli peace negotiations as well as the Lebanese crisis.
The Arab foreign ministerial meeting held here at the headquarters of the Arab League was initiated at the request of Egypt and Saudi Arabia, the current Arab summit chairman.
Citizen journalism an effective tool in war-torn Syria
London : Citizen reporters are increasingly getting stories out of remote areas of Syria that are difficult for traditional media to reach during the...