Candidates” number reaches 112 in first day of registration
By KUNA,
Kuwait : Number of nominees who registered for the National Assembly (NA) elections reached 112, including five females, by 11:30 a.m. Monday.
Interior Undersecretary for Legal Affairs Major General Khalid Al-Osaimi toured the headquarters for administration of electoral affairs and said that the ministry would do its best to ensure that the registration process would proceed smoothly.
He added that the interior ministry executes the Cabinet's decisions regarding the elections and advertisement law.
Pakistan: 8 killed in blast targeting military bus in Rawalpindi
By NNN-PTI
Islamabad : At least eight people were killed and about 10 injured Monday when a bomb ripped through a bus ferrying security personnel near the Pakistani armys headquarters in the garrison city of Rawalpindi.
The explosion occurred at 7.15 AM outside the gate of the army's National Logistics Cell in R A Bazar, a high security area as it is located very close to the General Headquarters.
Iran seeks to produce 20,000 mw of nuclear power
Tehran, Aug 16, IRNA – Since Iran seeks to produce 20,000 megawatts of power it will need fuel for its power plants in future, said an expert here on Monday.
Talking to IRNA, Morad Enadi added that the West’s claim that Iran needs no enrichment if Russia provides fuel for Bushehr power plant is in fact an effort to continue its political attitude towards Iran’s peaceful nuclear program.
“Iran should gain access to the full fuel cycle to be able to provide the fuel needed for its power plants,” he said.
NATO soldier killed in Afghanistan attack
Kabul: A NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) soldier was killed Tuesday in an attack in eastern Afghanistan.
The ISAF neither provided the nationality of...
Palestinian security detains 35 Hamas members in fresh W.Bankcrackdown
By Xinhua
Ramallah : Palestinian security forces arrested 35 Hamas members in West Bank, including two prominent leaders who had been released after brief detention, the Islamic movement said on Sunday.
"In Ramallah, the security services detained Sheikh Hussein AbuKwaik and Sheikh Faraj Romana, leaders of Hamas in the city," Hamas said in a statement faxed to the press.
Jordan warns Israel against provocation in Jerusalem
By DPA,
Amman : Jordan Sunday warned Israeli police and religious radicals that further provocation in the compound that houses the al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem would fuel violence in the region and jeopardise peace efforts.
Clashes between Israeli police and youths armed with rocks broke out Sunday at the Noble Sanctuary/Temple Mount compound where the mosque is located. The confrontation was apparently sparked by calls by radical Jewish clerics to their followers to go up to the compound, and by calls by radical Muslim clerics for their followers to defend the site.
U.N. Envoy: National Reconciliation, Dialogue Needed in Iraq
By SPA,
United Nations : The United Nations (U.N.) under-secretary-general for political affairs, Lynn Pascoe, on Monday urged for dialogue and national reconciliation in Iraq to halt the deteriorating humanitarian situation.
Pascoe and the 15-member council discussed the secretary-general’s third report on the activity of the U.N. assistance mission in Iraq, saying: “The humanitarian situation in Iraq continues to be of great concern and provides ample evidence of the impact violence in Iraq has on civilians on a daily basis.”
73 killed, 148 injured in Iraq attacks
By IANS,
Baghdad: A wave of bombing attacks struck war-torn Iraq Friday, leaving as many as 73 people dead and 148 injured, police and officials said.
Rice insists Afghanistan strategy is working despite warnings
KABUL (AFP) - US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice denied here Thursday the allied strategy to stabilise Afghanistan was failing, saying it was incomplete and needed innovation to crush "determined enemies."
Iran to produce special car for women
By NNN-FNA,
Tehran : Iran Khodro, the Middle-East's No. 1 car manufacturer, has unveiled a car specifically designed for women, with electronic parking sensors and a special jack making it easier to change a flat tire.
The car's internal design will be especially geared towards women and its exterior will be painted in softer, "feminine" colors, Iran Khodro announced.
An alarm system will warn drivers of flat tires and automatic transmission, navigation and entertainment systems will be installed in order to make the driving experience all the more pleasant.
Dhaka mutiny probe begins
By IANS,
Dhaka : A high powered probe has begun to find out, among other things, whether there was any role of "other forces" into the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) troopers' mutiny, a minister said as the two-day insurrection ended Thursday evening leaving over 50 dead.
Commerce Minister Mohammad Faruk Khan, a retired army colonel, did not elaborate on who he meant by "other forces" or the composition of the probe body, The Daily Star said Friday.
Bangladesh’s state of emergency challenged in court
By DPA,
Dhaka : A Bangladeshi court Monday asked the interim government to justify its state of emergency that allows fundamental civil rights to be suspended.
A Dhaka High Court panel is reviewing a citizens' petition seeking a constitutional ruling on the emergency powers, court officials said.
Civil and political rights in Bangladesh have been suspended since a state of emergency was promulgated in January 2007 in the wake of political turmoil centring on the country's ninth parliamentary elections.
Pakistan unveils new security policy
Islamabad : Unveiling a new national security policy Wednesday, Pakistan's Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan underlined a major policy shift, saying attacks by...
Suicide bombing at Pakistani mosque kills 45
By DPA,
Islamabad : At least 45 people were killed and dozens injured when a suicide blast ripped through a crowded mosque during Friday prayers in Pakistan's Khyber tribal region along the Afghan border, officials said.
The bombing in Bagiari village of the Khyber tribal district in north-western Pakistan demolished the two-storeyed building.
"A bomber who was on foot blew himself up when the people were offering Friday prayers," said civil administrator Tariq Hayat Khan.
Coordination meeting of Arab countries hosting Palestinian refugees
By NNN-SANA,
Damascus : The coordination meeting of Arab countries hosting Palestinian refugees has held discussions on the state of refugees, the UNRWA's work, and the need to take a unified Arab stance in the upcoming meeting of the UNRWA Consultation Committee which will be held here on Wednesday.
The meeting Sunday included delegations from Lebanon, Egypt, Jordan, Palestine and the Arab League. The meeting's agenda includes discussing the UNRWA's report to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the letter from the Consultation Committee which will be directed to the UNRWA.
Israeli escalations to displace Palestinians in Jerusalem — Erekat
By KUNA,
Gaza : Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat condemned Tuesday the Israeli demolition of an apartment building in Jerusalem on Monday, saying the attack aims to displace Palestinians and drive them out of the city.
Erekat told the Voice of Palestine radio station from Washington, where he is holding talks with US and Israeli officials, that the demolition of the building occupied by several Palestinian families is a vary serious escalation against the Palestinian people.
Majority in Pakistan wants IP gas deal to be finalized
By IRNA,
Islamabad : Pakistan is currently facing an acute energy shortage and majority in Pakistan believes that the issue could be resolved if Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project is completed on the priority basis.
Federal Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Syed Naveed Qamar has informed the National Assembly that Pak-Iran gas pipeline project has been finalized and accord will be signed by the head of states of both the countries by Feb 15.
Eliminate all terrorists in Waziristan: Pakistan army chief
Islamabad : Pakistan Army Chief Gen. Raheel Sharif on Monday told troops in North Waziristan to "eliminate all local and foreign terrorists and their...
Hamas: Rice visits to secure more time for Israel’s expansion projects
By Xinhua,
Gaza : U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's visits to Israel and the Palestinian territories aim at granting more time for Israel to continue Judaization projects, Islamic Hamas movement said on Sunday.
Musharraf and his men behind Bhutto killing: Pakistani scribe
By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS,
Ahmadinejad: Iran would welcome uranium exchange deal
By DPA,
Tehran : Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Thursday that Iran would welcome a uranium exchange deal proposed with Russia, the US and France.
"We welcome the uranium exchange deal and are ready for cooperation, but the countries involved in the deal should also fulfil their commitments," Ahmadinejad said in a speech in Mashad in northeastern Iran that was broadcast on television.
Ahmadinejad did not say whether Iran would definitely accept the deal as it was agreed in Vienna last week or demand amendments.
US video show North Koreans inside Syrian nuclear site: Report
By DPA,
Washington : Members of the US Congress were to be shown a video Thursday that purportedly shows North Koreans inside a Syrian nuclear facility which was the target in September of an Israeli airstrike, the Washington Post reported.
The video, obtained from Israel and recorded in summer 2007, includes footage from inside the Syrian nuclear site, known as al-Kibar, the report said citing senior US officials speaking on condition of anonymity.
UN chief renews calls for immediate Gaza ceasefire
By DPA,
Cairo : UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Wednesday renewed his calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and stressed that all UN member states are obliged to abide by Security Council resolutions.
He made his appeal after his meeting with Egyptian President Hosny Mubarak in Cairo where he arrived as fighting in Gaza entered its 19th day and the Palestinian death toll neared 1,000. In the second such strike this week, militants in Lebanon fired three Katyusha rockets into northern Israel Wednesday morning.
Oil closes near $99 as Turkish troops move into Iraq
By Xinhua
New York : Crude-oil futures gained modestly Friday on supply concerns raised by Turkish incursions to Iraq, holder of the world's third-largest crude reserves.
Crude for April delivery gained 58 cents, or 0.6 percent, to close at 98.81 dollars a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.
Crude was trading between the intraday range of 100.01 dollars and 97.16 dollars in the volatile session.
18 soldiers killed in Pakistan suicide bombing
By DPA,
Islamabad : A suicide car bomber attacked a military convoy and checkpoint in northwestern Pakistan Saturday, killing at least 18 soldiers and two civilians, a senior police official said.
The bomber rammed his explosives laden car into a security wall around the army post when a military convoy was passing by in Doaba town of the restive Hangu district.
"It was a suicide bombing. The deaths of 18 security personnel and two civilians have been confirmed," said deputy police superintendent Farid Khan.
"Ten more people were injured," he added.
EU meets in Poland on Palestinian statehood
By IANS,
Warsaw : Foreign ministers of European Union countries are meeting in Poland to seek a unified position on Palestinian statehood for a UN vote later this month, Xinhua reported.
Palestinian official: Israel threatens more restrictions on Gaza fuel
By Xinhua
Gaza : Palestinian official warned on Monday that Israel threatens to reduce deliveries of Gaza power station's fuel and to diminish electricity amounts of electricity which provides to Gaza via cables next week.
Every week, the only power plant in Gaza needs 3.5 million liters of industrial diesel to run. Nowadays, Israel allows 2.2 million liters into the station and threatens to reduce this amount from February the 8th, said Mahmoud al-Khozendar, deputy director of Gaza petrol station owners' union.
Iran to complain to UN against US nuclear threat
By IANS,
Tehran: Iran Sunday said it will lodge a formal complaint with the UN against US President Barack Obama for threatening the country with a nuclear strike.
The move was backed by the majority of Iran's 290 members of parliament, Press TV said citing foreign ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast.
According to the report, Tehran took this decision after Barack Obama declared last week that his administration reserved the right to launch a nuclear attack on Iran over its atomic programme.
Pakistan moves troops to Indian border
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : Pakistan is moving around 20,000 troops to areas bordering India amid rising tensions with its neighboring country, local newspapers Daily Times reported Saturday.
The daily newspaper quoted a senior army official as saying that the army was diverting around 20,000 troops from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas to Kasur and Sialkot districts in eastern Punjab province near the border with India.
The army official who declined to be named said the troops were moved from the areas where the operation against militants was not going on.
Pakistani safe havens hinder Afghan war: US
By IANS,
Washington : Pakistani safe havens and corruption are two factors retarding the progress of NATO forces in Afghanistan, according to a senior US military commander.
Discussing Democracy in Islamabad
By Yoginder Sikand, TwoCircles.net,
One of my many major grouses with the 'mainstream' Indian media (and this applies to the dominant Western media as well) is the despicable way in which it treats Pakistan. It is as if bad news about Pakistan is always good news for the media. It is also if there is nothing at all good in that country to write about or that anything good about it is not 'newsworthy'.
Saudi Arabia recruits Indian maids to ease labour shortage
Riyadh : Saudi Arabia has started issuing recruitment visas for domestic maids from India under a new employment contract finalised by the two nations,...
US, Iraq forces launch operation against Al Qaida
By Xinhua
Baghdad : The US and Iraqi forces have launched a new offensive Tuesday against Al Qaida militants in Iraq, the US military said.
The offensive, dubbed "Phantom Phoenix", is a series of operations aimed at pursuing and neutralising Al Qaida and other extremist insurgents, a military statement quoted Lieutenant General Ray Odierno of the US forces in Iraq as saying.
Death toll of Iranian mosque blast rises to 11
By Xinhua
Tehran : The death toll of a blast which occurred in the southern Iranian city of Shiraz on Saturday night has risen to 11, the official IRNA news agency reported Sunday.
The bomb blast at the Shohada Hosseiniyeh mosque when a prominent local cleric was delivering a speech, and right now more than 191 people were injured, said the report.
Iranian media previously said 8 people were killed and more than 66 were wounded, but adding the number of the casualties could increase because some wounded were in critical condition.
Two Palestinians die due to Israeli raids on northern Gaza Strip
By KUNA
Gaza : Al-Aqsa Brigades of Fatah said on Sunday two of its members died in an Israeli air raid northern Gaza Strip late on Satuday.
The group said in a statement, Rabei Mohasen, 23, Murad Khithir, 23, died last night, when missiles fired by the Israeli aircraft hit the region of Azbah Abed Rabbo, east of the town of Jibalya.
Abbas likely to ask Fayyad to expand acting gov’t
By Xinhua
Ramallah : Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas tends to ask acting premier Salam Fayyad to form an expanded government to take office away from the disabled Hamas-held parliament, local Maan news agency reported on Monday.
32 insurgents killed in E Afghanistan
By Xinhua,
Kabul : The U.S.-led Coalition forces on Tuesday killed 32 armed insurgents including one female during an operation to disrupt the Taliban's roadside bomb network in eastern Afghan province of Laghman, said a Coalition statement released here on Wednesday.
Coalition forces targeted a Taliban roadside bomb cell responsible for numerous attacks in Alishang district, some 100 km northeast of Afghan capital city of Kabul, the statement said.
Bin Laden threatens Europe over Mohammed cartoons
By DPA
Washington : Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden threatened Europe over the publication of cartoons depicting Prophet Mohammed, in comments made in an internet video released to coincide with the fifth anniversary of the US-led war in Iraq.
Addressing the "intelligent ones in the European Union," bin Laden said the drawings first published in a Danish newspaper were even more offensive than war-related killings, according to a transcript of his remarks released by the IntelCenter, a private firm outside Washington that monitors terrorist activities on the web.
Lebanese presidential vote postponed until Jan. 21 amid political crisis
By SPA
Beirut, Lebanon : Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri on Friday postponed a session to elect Lebanon's next president until Jan. 21 _ the 12th such delay since the sharply divided legislature first tried to select a new head of state, according to AP.
India’s UNSC entry is not `if’ but `when’: Pakistani daily
By IANS,
Islamabad: India's entry into the elite UN Security Council as a permanent member is "is not a matter of `if' but of `when'," said an article in a leading Pakistani daily.
More NATO troops needed in Afghanistan: US security advisor
By DPA,
Berlin : The US expects its European allies in NATO to supplement their troop presence in Afghanistan, at least during the country's August election period, US security advisor James Jones has said.
"Whether these troops stay longer or head home straight after the elections, is another matter," Jones said in an interview published Sunday in German daily Tagesspiegel.
Although US President Barack Obama is not expected to ask for an increased troop commitment at next week's NATO summit, Jones said it was "self-evident" that he would welcome increased deployments.
Court restores `secularism’ in Bangladesh constitution
By IANS,
Dhaka : In a far-reaching move, Bangladesh's Supreme Court has restored 'secularism' in the country's constitution. It has also denounced the declaration of martial law in the past and sought safeguards to end "extra-constitutional adventures".
Responding to the ruling, Bangladesh's top law officer, Attorney General Mahbubey Alam, said the country would, however, continue to be an Islamic republic. Bangladesh has a 90 percent Muslim population.
Syrian President, Turkish PM meet on peace process with Israel
By Xinhua,
Damascus : Syrian President Bashar al-Assadon Saturday held talks with visiting Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on activation of the peace process in the Middle East.
The two leaders discussed "ways of activating a just and comprehensive peace process", said the official SANA news agency.
According to SANA, Assad praised efforts made by Turkey in this regard and expressed Syria's readiness to "continue cooperation with Turkey in all what serves security and stability of the region."
However, Assad did not reveal any more details.
Moussa calls for implementation of Arab initiative, supports Lebanese dialogue
By NNN-SANA,
Beirut : The Secretary General of Arab League Amr Moussa has called for the implementation of the Arab initiative for solving the Lebanese political crisis, pointing out that the invitation of Speaker of Lebanese Parliament Nabih Berri to dialogue should not be refused.
In a speech at opening the Arab Economic Forum in Beirut on Friday, Moussa said that he exerts every possible effort to achieve progress in resolving the Lebanese crisis.
Nearly 48,000 Indians register for UAE Modi reception
Abu Dhabi: Nearly 48,000 Indians in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have so far registered for the public reception of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,...
Ostrich is animal, conclude legislators in Pakistan
By IANS,
Islamabad : A Pakistani provincial assembly "in its (in)finite wisdom" has declared that an ostrich is not a bird but an animal, said a leading daily.
140 Iraqi refugees in Syria head home
By SPA,
Damascus, Syria : Some 140 Iraqi refugees living in Syria headed home Wednesday on a free trip organized by the Iraqi government, citing improved security in their country.
The refugees boarded a chartered Iraqi Airways flight to take them to Baghdad, where they will receive an official reception at the airport. The Iraqi Embassy says it is
planning several such trips in the coming weeks, Associated Press reported.
Israeli soldiers wound two Palestinians near Nablus
By Xinhua,
Ramallah : Two Palestinian young men were shot and wounded early on Saturday by Israeli troops' gunfire nearthe northern West Bank city of Nablus, medics and eyewitnesses said.
Witnesses at al-Far'a refugee camp north of Nablus city said that an Israeli army force raided the Palestinian refugee camp on Saturday amid intensive gunfire, where two Palestinian young men were moderately injured.
Don’t blame us, Malaysian police tell people of Indian origin
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur : Malaysia's police chief has urged the Indian community to look within for the rising crime graph, saying the police force should not be blamed for this situation.
"The community's political leaders should find a solution to the problem," Inspector General of Police Musa Hasan was quoted as saying in a report in Malaysian Nanban newspaper.
Hasan, who had met editors of Tamil newspapers and journals, mooted that politicians and other leaders of the Indian community, which numbers over two million, conduct a study on the rising crime rate.
IS burned alive over 40 people in Iraq in cages: Report
Baghdad: Islamic State (IS) militants burned up to 43 people alive inside iron cages in Iraq's western province of Anbar, a provincial security source...
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.
Aler Encounter: Mohammed Viqaruddin was made to pay with his life for being a...
On April 7 2015, five people accused in the murder of two policemen were killed in an encounter in Aler, Nalgonda after the police...
Eight killed by Taliban militants in Afghanistan
Kabul : At least eight people, including six policemen, were killed Monday by Taliban militants in Afghanistan, an official said.
"Taliban militants raided a security...
Dutch anti-Islam film meets with heavy criticism
By DPA
The Hague : Criticism at home and abroad of Dutch opposition lawmaker Geert Wilders' anti-Islam film grew Friday after Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende appeared on television to distance the government from the film.
Balkenende spoke shortly after the film, Fitna - in which Wilders draws links between terrorist acts by Muslim extremists and the words of the Koran - was posted on the www.liveleak.com website Thursday evening.
In the run-up to the film's release, Wilders had described the Koran as a "fascist book" that incites people to violence.
Eight killed in Iraq car bomb attacks
By Xinhua,
Baghdad : At least eight people were killed and 30 others injured in two separate car bomb attacks in the Iraqi capital Tuesday night, the police said.
The first explosion occurred near a Shia mosque in the Al-Amin district of Baghdad, while the second explosion took place near a coffee shop in the same district.
Eight people were killed and 30 injured in the bombings, a police official said requesting anonymity. The number of deaths in each of the incidents was not immediately known. The explosions also damaged nearby buildings.
Iran N-deal: Devil’s in detail, so hold the champagne, please
By Aadil Mir
New Delhi : The contentious nuclear deal struck on Tuesday between Iran and the five permanent members of the UN...
Pakistani who hacked apex court website tracked
By IANS,
Islamabad : The hacker who defaced the website of Pakistan's Supreme Court has been tracked, authorities said.
Iran to unveil ‘advanced’ cruise missile
By IANS,
Tehran : A senior Iranian defence ministry official announced Sunday that his ministry plans to unveil a highly advanced cruise missile.
UAE, Libya sign air transport deal
By WAM,
Tripoli : The UAE and Libya signed Wednesday an air transport agreement to boost economic and commercial cooperation.
The agreement was signed at the conclusion of a visit to Libya by a UAE civil aviation delegation.
The two sides also inked a Memorandum of Understanding which will give Etihad Airways the right to run 21 flights to three Libyan airports of Tripoli, Benghazi and Sabha as of winter 2010 while Emirates Airline will operate 28 flights to Libya as of winter 2009.
Air Arabia and Ras Al Khaimah Airline were also considered as UAE national air carriers.
Norwegian journalist killed in Afghanistan
By Xinhua
Stockholm : Norwegian journalist Carsten Thomassen was killed in a terrorist attack on Monday in Afghan capital Cabul, according to a statement posted on the Norwegian Foreign Ministry website.
Thomassen was one of journalists who were accompanying Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere on his visit to Afghanistan, the Norwegian Foreign Ministry said.
"I was deeply saddened to learn that Carsten's life could not be saved following the terrorist attack on Hotel Serena," the Norwegian foreign minister said in the statement.
GCC denounces Danish newspapers for re-publication of anti-prophet caricature
By KUNA
Riyadh : The Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Abdel Rahman Al-Attiyah denounced on Tuesday re-publication of caricature in Danish newspapers seen as abusive to Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), and described the action as "frivolous conduct". In a press statement, Al-Attiyah called on the authorities in Denmark to put an end to these provocative actions of the feelings of hundreds of millions of Muslims and the non-recurrence of such irresponsible conduct by holding accountable those responsible for the publication of the drawings.
Afghanistan calls for support to strengthen its forces
By Xinhua
Kabul : Afghanistan Thursday called on the international community to help it strengthen it security forces to take over the country's security.
"We are asking the international community and everybody to accelerate the growth of Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) both in quality and quantity," Defence Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak told reporters at a videoconference arranged by Brussels ahead of NATO summit.
"We believe the only way to secure Afghanistan is to enable the Afghans themselves," Wardak emphasized.
Pakistan plans to raise n-power plants’ capacity
Islamabad : The overall production of nuclear power plants in Pakistan will be raised to 40,000 MW by 2050, Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC)...
Militants attack US supplies in Pakistan
By DPA,
Islamabad : Scores of Islamist militants destroyed at least 10 lorries Sunday in north-western Pakistan in an attack on a truck terminal used for transporting supplies to US and NATO troops in Afghanistan, police said.
Three private guards were injured when insurgents fired rocket-propelled grenades at the depot on the edge of Peshawar, the capital of troubled North-West Frontier Province.
"Amid heavy gunfire, they torched at least 10 trucks loaded with cement bags," police officer Fazal Wahid said. Living quarters for the guards were also gutted.
British premier on surprise visit to Iraq
By DPA,
Baghdad : British Prime Minister Gordon Brown arrived in Iraq Saturday on an unannounced visit, according to Iraq's state television.
Brown is expected to meet Iraqi leaders and visit British troops based in the south.
Britain, which has about 4,000 troops in Iraq, handed responsibilities for security in Basra province to Iraqi troops in December, effectively marking the end of almost five years of British control on the south of Iraq.
British troops remain in the south confined to a single base at Basra airport.
Dhaka, Colombo vie for sub-regional bloc secretariat
By IANS,
Dhaka : Sri Lanka, where a quarter century of ethnic conflict has just ended, is keen to host the secretariat of sub-regional bloc Bimstec. Bangladesh has been wanting to host the secretariat as well.
The issue was discussed here at a two-day meeting of the joint working group of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (Bimstec).
Bangladesh hopes to house the secretariat as major players of the grouping hinted at their support for Dhaka, the New Age newspaper reported.
Pakistan floods: newborns likely to be malnourished
By Awais Saleem, IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistani health officials fear that the more than 85,000 babies expected to be born in the country's flood-affected areas over the next six months will be malnourished because of scarce food supply.
There is also a serious threat of polio and measles outbreak amongst newborns and officials are trying to put in place preventive measures, health sources told IANS.
Roadside bombs kill six in Pakistan
By DPA,
Islamabad : Two roadside bombings in Pakistan's restive northwestern region Sunday killed at least six people, including a former lawmaker and an anti-Taliban tribal elder, officials said.
Ghani-ur-Rehman, a former minister in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP), and three of his guards died when their vehicle was struck by a bomb near Hangu, a town located 100 km southwest of the provincial capital Peshawar.
"It was a remote-controlled explosion and Ghani-ur-Rehman was the target," local police official Iqbal Khan said. The blast injured five people, Khan added.
Pakistani Army officer with UN shot dead in Islamabad
By IANS,
Islamabad: A senior Pakistani Army officer, who was the head of the UN peacekeeping mission in Sudan, was gunned down along with another soldier Thursday, as the military stepped up its offensive against the Taliban in the restive northwest areas.
Brigadier Moinuddin Ahmed, who was former deputy director general military operations, was killed by gunmen who ambushed his jeep at 8.30 a.m., three days after twin blasts killed seven people in the International Islamic University campus here.
India, Pakistan border guards exchange Diwali sweets
By IANS,
Amritsar : Indian and Pakistani border guards Wednesday exchanged sweets at the Attari-Wagah border post near here to mark Diwali, which is also celebrated by Hindus in Pakistan.
Israelis shot people in forehead, says Pakistani
By DPA,
Islamabad : A Pakistani journalist who was captured during a naval attack on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla alleged Wednesday that Israeli soldiers were shooting people in cold blood.
Talat Hussain, one of the 124 people arriving in Jordan following their release by Israeli authorities, claimed that the commandos "shot people in the forehead".
"I witnessed myself the first Israeli assault on the ship. There was no weapon on the ship," Hussain told Aaj news channel by phone from Jordan.
UK police mentor shot dead in Afghanistan
By IRNA,
London : A former police officer from Northern Ireland man was reported Monday to have been killed in Helmand province in southern Afghanistan.
Ken McGonigle from County Tyrone was working as a police mentor for the New Century civilian security firm when he was said to have been shot by an escaped prisoner in the Musa Qala district on Saturday.
Two US marines are also believed to have been killed in the incident along with the gunman, according to the BBC.
4th expanded Iraq”s conf. to be held in Baghdad – Kuwait FM
By KUNA,
Kuwait : Kuwait's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Dr. Mohammad Sabah Al-Sabah said here Tuesday holding the next expanded meeting of neighboring countries of Iraq in Baghdad was one of the key decisions in today's meeting.
One of the key decisions of today's meeting is that "the next conference is to be held in Baghdad," Sheikh Mohammad told a joint news conference with Iraqi foreign minister Hoshyar Zebari following the third expanded conference of neighboring countries of Iraq.
38 killed in Turkey earthquake
By IANS,
Ankara : Thirty-eight people were killed Monday in a 6.0-magnitude earthquake which hit Elazig province of eastern Turkey, media reports said.
NTV channel reported 38 deaths while the semi-official Anatolia news agency quoted Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Situation Management Directorate as saying that at least 20 people were killed.
The Istanbul-based Kandilli Observatory and Earthquake Research Institute said the quake measured 6.0 magnitude on the Richter scale, Xinhua news agency reported.
Amnesty accused of campaigning with ‘Taliban supporter’
By IANS,
London : Gita Sahgal, the head of Amnesty International's gender unit has accused the human rights group of damaging its global standing by campaigning alongside a former Guantanamo Bay inmate she described as "Britain's most famous supporter of the Taliban".
Sahgal told Amnesty directors in an email that its campaign involving Mozzam Begg, one of three Britons released from Guantanamo Bay in 2005, "fundamentally damages Amnesty International's integrity and, more importantly, constitutes a threat to human rights".
Arab Interim Parliament pushes for reconciliation among Palestinians
By NNN-KUNA
Cairo : The Arab Interim Parliament (AIP) asked its committee on reconciliation Saturday to activate efforts to restore unity and accord among the Palestinians.
There is a malicious design targeting the division of Palestine into two weak entities (in Gaza Strip and the West Bank) as a prelude to erasing the identity of the Palestinian people, the AIP warned in a draft resolution of the ongoing emergency session here.
The draft reaffirmed commitment to the Arab peace initiative as basis for solving the chronic Arab-Israeli conflict.
Not paid salary for 2 months in UAE? May apply for new job
By IANS,
Dubai : Expatriate workers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), who do not receive salaries for two months, can now change their jobs without applying for a no objection certificate (NOC).
A decision to this effect has been taken by the UAE's Minister of Labour Saqer Saeed Ghobash, the Gulf News reported.
Earlier, an employee could apply for a change in sponsorship without an NOC only if he did not receive salaries for three months.
According to the new law, the new sponsor will have to apply to the ministry to have the worker transferred to its rolls.
Senior Qaeda operative arrested in Iraq’s Anbar province
By NNN-KUNA
Baghdad : The Iraqi Ministry of Interior has announced that Iraqi forces have detained the assistant of Abu Ayub Al-Masri, senior Al-Qaeda leader, in Al-Anbar.
The ministry said Thursday that the Iraqi forces managed to arrest Nazal Sabar Al-Jughaify, aka Abi Al-Jarrah, who is an assistant of Abu Ayub Al-Masri, and another Al-Qaeda senior leader in western Iraq on Tuesday.
The statement said the arrest took place in Al-Ramadi, Al-Anbar's largest city.
The arrestee was spotted and captured after two years of trying to track him down.
Israel-Hamas talks make no progress: Official
Cairo: The ongoing indirect talks on a lasting truce between Israel and Palestinians have made no progress in the Egyptian capital Cairo, an Israeli...
Death toll from Karbala suicide bombing rises to 35
By Xinhua
Baghdad : The death toll from a suicide bombing in Iraq's Shiite holy city of Karbala on Monday rose to 35, with 55 others wounded, an interior ministry source said.
A female suicide attacker detonated explosives in a market near the shrine of Imam Hussein in Karbala, about 110 km south of Baghdad, the source said.
The source said Iranians are among the casualties.
An early report put the toll at 10 killed and 30 wounded.
The explosion came as U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney paid a surprise visit to Iraq earlier in the day.
Hamas still awaits Israeli response on Egypt’s ceasefire proposal
By Xinhua,
Gaza : The Islamic Resistance Movement, or Hamas, is still awaiting Israeli clarifications on questions raised by the Islamic movement regarding an Egyptian offer for a ceasefire in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, a spokesman said on Wednesday.
Taher al-Nounou, spokesman for the deposed Hamas government, added that the questions were delivered to the Egyptian mediators when a Hamas delegation visited Cairo last week.
Pakistani groups still active against India: Chidambaram
By IANS,
New Delhi : The 26/11 Mumbai terror strikes were a "game-changer", Home Minister P. Chidambaram said Monday while stressing that Pakistan-based groups like the Lashker-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) persisted in their attempts to attack India.
"The attacks in Mumbai on 26 November 2008 were a game-changer. We can no longer afford to do business as usual. Policing in India was always a challenge; after 26/11, the challenge has become more grave," Chidambaram said while inaugurating a three-day conference of state police chiefs.
Pentagon authorises 1,300 additional troops for Iraq
Washington: Up to 1,300 additional troops, including nearly 1,000 soldiers will start to be deployed in Iraq, in late January, to help in the...
Israeli navy personnel detain six Palestinian fishermen
By KUNA,
Gaza : Israeli naval personnel detained six Palestinian fishermen early on Tuesday while they were fishing off the border town of Rafah in the south of Gaza Strip.
Local radio stations said the Israeli forces opened fire in the direction of the fishermen who were aboard their boats at sea.
They were taken to an unknown destination.
Will not send US troops back to Iraq: Obama
Washington: US President Barack Obama said Friday he will not send US troops back to Iraq to help fight Islamist militants.
"We will not be...
52 killed in suicide bombings in Baghdad
Baghdad: At least 52 people were killed and another 54 wounded on Monday in three suicide bombings, but also in a series of attacks...
‘Mossad’ active in India too: Palestine Ambassador
By TwoCircles.net Staff Correspondent,
Kochi: The Israeli spy agency ‘Mossad’ is very active in India too, said HE Adli Sadiq, Palestinian Ambassador to India. The ‘Mossad’, which has a powerful network in foreign countries, has got influences in the media and security fields. They are in contact with several other fields too, said Mr Sadiq when he came to Kerala for a national seminar held in the Farook College in Calicut.
Pakistan rejects UK request to question suspects: PM
By IRNA,
Islamabad : Pakistani Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani said Monday he has rejected a request from his British counterpart to allow British police to quiz Pakistani suspects of the Mumbai attacks.
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who traveled to Pakistan on Sunday, sought access to the activists of banned militant outfits in Pakistan arrested in the recent crackdown following the Mumbai attacks.
Brown said three British citizens were also killed in Mumbai attacks and that is why he had requested Pakistan to question the suspects.
‘Important’ Taliban commander killed, army chief visits Swat
By IANS,
Islamabad: Pakistani security forces have killed an "important" Taliban commander during their operations in the Swat district of the restive North West Frontier Province (NWFP), the military said Thursday, on a day the army chief visited the area to study first hand the conduct of the operations.
Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani "visited Daggar in Buner District to see first hand progress of operations on ground," an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) statement said.
Pakistan: Security high alert in Islamabad
By NNN-APP
Islamabad : Strict checking of vehicles has been started on all entry and exit points of Islamabad as security has been put on high alert in the capital.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Islamabad, Syed Kaleem Imam Friday directed SSP East, SSP West, SHOs of all police stations to take strict action against suspicious people and anti-social elements.
Lebanon’s future movement outlines proposals on relations with Syria
By NNN-KUNA,
Beirut : The Lebanese Future Movement (also known as March 14 Alliance) has announced a seven-point proposal on relations with Syria to coincide with Lebanese President Michel Suleiman's visit to the eastern neighbour.
The proposal defines "the necessary framework for" establishing sound and normal ties with Syria, the alliance said in a press release here Wednesday.
Gaza death toll at 376, 1,900 injured — medical sources
By KUNA,
Gaza : Israel's "all-out war" on Gaza Strip, in its fifth consecutive day, claimed the lives of 376 people, according to Palestinian medical sources on Wednesday.
"Huge numbers of people fell in the Israeli air strikes, where women and children are among the dead," the sources said, noting that some 1,900 people were injured.
More than 200 of the injured had sustained severe wounds, which is likely to raise the death toll, they added.
Does Islam Prohibit Muslims From Befriending People of Other Faiths?
By Maulvi Yahya Nomani,
(Translated from Urdu by Yoginder Sikand)
Obama greets Zardari, hails pledge to return powers to parliament
By NNN-APP,
Washington : US Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has felicitated President-elect Asif Ali Zardari on his election as head of the state and praised the Pakistani leader’s avowed commitment to return unconstitutionally appropriated powers from presidency to the parliament.
“I congratulate Asif Ali Zardari on his election as President of Pakistan. I am glad to hear of his pledge to return this office to its traditional stature, and return to Parliament the powers unconstitutionally appropriated to the presidency,” the senator said in a statement.
Indian couple kill son, commit suicide in Malaysia
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur : An Indian couple poisoned to death their two-year-old son before committing suicide in Malaysia, officials said Thursday.
The couple fed rat poison to their son before jumping to their deaths off the 29th floor of their luxury condominium in Brickfields, The Star newspaper reported.
The sprawled bodies of the husband and wife, aged 34 and 29, were discovered by a security guard on the ground floor of the building, while the child's body was found in the master bedroom of the family's 14th floor residence.
Power-starved Bangladesh bans evening use of ACs
By IANS,
Dhaka : Bangladesh has banned use of air coolers and air conditioners during evening peak hours in all establishments, except hospitals and hotels, across the country to tackle the ongoing power crisis.
The government took the step Tuesday amidst reports that power cuts in major hospitals, including the Dhaka Medical college Hospital, had caused disruption in surgery procedures.
Suicide bombing in Pakistan kills 15
By IANS,
Islamabad : At least 12 tribal paramilitary troopers and three civilians were killed when a suicide bomber targeted their vehicle in Pakistan's restive northwest Wednesday, officials said.
Thirteen troopers of the paramilitary Khasadar Force were injured in the attack in the Khyber agency's Jamrud district in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) along the Afghanistan border.
Ahluwalia invited to visit Pakistan
By IANS,
New Delhi : India's Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia has been invited to visit Pakistan to explore grounds for bilateral economic cooperation.
“He has accepted our invitation. We hope to see him and his team in our country soon. We will benefit a lot from his experience as a leading economist,” Muhammad Ismail Qureshi, secretary of Pakistan's water and power ministry, said here Wednesday.
Foreign Ministry welcomes formation of Iran-Bahrain journalists association
By NNN-IRNA
Manama : Iran Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad-Ali Hosseini on Saturday welcomed the idea for formation of the Iran-Bahrain Journalists and Reporters Friendship Association and hoped for its materialization.
"Formation of the Association and similar associations such as the Iran-Bahrain Parliamentary Friendship Group can help bring views of Iranian and Bahraini people and officials closer to each other," said Hosseini.
263 militants, 35 soldiers killed in Pakistan’s Khyber Agency
Islamabad : At least 263 militants and 35 soldiers were killed in the ongoing military operation in Pakistan's northwest tribal area of Khyber Agency,...
NATO soldier, several Taliban killed in Afghanistan
By SPA,
Kabul : One NATO soldier was killed and two wounded in an explosion in southern Afghanistan, while several insurgents were killed in a separate attack in the eastern region, officials said Saturday.
The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) soldiers were killed and wounded in an "unknown explosion" in southern Helmand province on Friday, ISAF said in a statement quoted by DPA.
The statement did not reveal the nationalities of the soldiers. Most of the forces deployed in volatile Helmand province are British.
PKK rebel surrenders, another captured in Turkey
By Xinhua
Ankara : A member of the banned Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) surrendered to the Turkish security forces while another was captured in southeastern Turkey, a Turkish military statement said on Friday.
The statement posted on the Turkish Chief of General Staff's website said that one PKK militant surrendered in the southeastern province of Batman on Thursday, while Turkey's security forces detained the other one in another southeastern province of Hakkari on Wednesday.
Obama promises Afghanistan long-term support
Kabul, July 20 (Xinhua) US Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama Sunday met Afghan President Hamid Karzai and promised him long-term support for the war-ravaged country, if he wins the election.
Karzai and Barak exchanged views on ways to boost economic relations between Afghanistan and the US and on rebuilding of the country, a statement issued by Karzai's office here said.
Senator Obama arrived in Afghanistan Saturday at the head of three-member Senate delegation.
Pakistan-UNHCR sign MoU for rehabilitation of IDPs
By IRNA,
Islamabad : Pakistan and the UN refugee agency Friday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for assistance and rehabilitation of hundreds of thousands Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) due to military offensive in the tribal regions and Swat Valley.
Officials say that over 400,000 people have left homes only in the Bajaur tribal region, where the army is using fighter planes and gunship helicopters against the militants.
Temporary camps have been set up for the IDPs in several cities and Peshawar, the capital of North West Frontier Province (NWFP).
Dutch Islamic extremism suspect sentenced to three years in prison
The Hague: A Dutch citizen, who had moved to Syria, was Monday sentenced to three years in prison for participating in Islamic extremist activities...
Palestinians: Israel to resume fuel supplies into Gaza after Passover
By Xinhua,
Gaza : Palestinian petroleum agency on Sunday expected that Israel will resume reduced fuel shipments to Gaza Strip after Jews' Passover holidays later in April. Starting tomorrow, Israel will also resume sending industrial diesel to Gaza power plants following a three-day suspension due to the weekend holidays, said Mujahed Salama, director of the petroleum agency.
Swat operation ending, Mehsud next target, says Pakistani minister
By DPA,
Islamabad : Pakistan's Defence Minister Chaudhry Ahmad Mukhtar said Friday that the army's operation against the Taliban in the country's northwestern region was nearing its end and people uprooted by the conflict could start returning to their homes from Saturday.
The government forces launched a major offensive in Swat and three neighbouring districts around two months ago when the Islamist insurgents failed to observe the terms of a peace deal.
Will BJP send Advani, Lalu, Mamata to Pakistan, asks Congress
New Delhi : After BJP leader Giriraj Singh said those opposing Narendra Modi will be sent to Pakistan, the Congress Sunday wondered if the...
Suspected Pakistani spy arrested at Delhi airport
By IANS,
New Delhi: A suspected Pakistani spy was arrested from the Indira Gandhi International Airport here early Sunday, a home ministry official said. He has been handed over to Delhi Police for investigations.
"The spy has been identified as Sayeed and has been handed over to Delhi Police's Special Cell," a police source added.
A home ministry official said: "It is still not clear what he was doing in India. We are trying to ascertain his antecedents."
Two Bangladeshi leaders executed for war crimes
Dhaka : Bangladesh executed two political leaders, convicted of war crimes during the country's independence war in 1971, amid tight security early on Sunday.
Bangladesh's...
Russia takes measures to protect its facilities and citizens in Iran
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Russia is taking steps to ensure the safety of its facilities and citizens in Iran following reports of a planned terrorist attack on the Russian consulate in Rasht, the Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.
Iran said on Wednesday it had arrested a terrorist group that planned to blow up the Russian consulate building in the town of Rasht near the Caspian Sea.
Saudi silence on Gaza linked to ‘US nuclear gift’
Tehran, Jan 15, IRNA – US ‘nuclear gift’ to Saudi Arabia concurrent with the Zionist regime’s genocide in Gaza reveals one of the main reasons for the country’s silence against the Israeli crimes against humanity, said an analysis with IRNA’s Research and News Studies Office.
Saudi’s sobering silence against the Israeli war crimes in Gaza prompted President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to send a letter to King Abdullah, calling for a clear stance vis-à-vis the massacre in Gaza.
Israeli air force kills Palestinian militant in Gaza
By Xinhua
Gaza : Israeli air force attacked a group of Palestinian militants early Sunday in eastern Gaza city, killing one and wounding two others, medical sources said.
According to Hamas, the pre-dawn air strike targeted a joint group of its fighters and militants from the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC), an armed group comprising fighters from several factions, killing Mohammed al-Rab'i, 36, and moderately wounding two others.
Renewed protest demonstrations in Tehran
By DPA,
Tehran: Renewed protest demonstrations started Monday in Tehran, just hours after the official endorsement of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's second presidential term, eye-witnesses said.
Thousands gathered between the two squares of Vali Asr and Vanak which connect central to northern Tehran, they said.
A large number of police and pro-Ahmadinejad voluntary Basij forces on motorbikes were trying to disperse the protestors but so far in vain, the witnesses added.
Nine jailed for terrorism in public trial in China
Beijing: Nine people were sentenced to up to 14 years in prison for involvement in terrorism in the northwestern Chinese region of Xinjiang, media...
UAE residency law violators can seek amnesty
By IANS/WAM,
Abu Dhabi : The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has called on violators of its entry and residency laws to benefit from the country's new amnesty provisions.
20 killed in Yemen sectarian clashes
Sanna : At least 20 people were killed in sectarian clashes in Yemen, officials said Wednesday.
The clashes between Shia Houthi rebels and Sunni tribal...
ISI chief leaves for Washington for day’s visit
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan's spy agency chief, Lt. Gen. Shuja Pasha, left for Washington Wednesday, more than two months after Osama bin Laden's killing hit ties with the US.
MKO removal from EU terror list, new trap of West for Islamic states
By IRNA,
Baku : Iran’s Ambassador to Azerbaijan Naser Hamidi Zare’ on Saturday referred to the exclusion of the terrorist Mujahedin Khalq Organization from the EU terror list as West’s new trap for Islamic states.
Speaking to IRNA, the ambassador criticized West’s double standard policy in dealing with terrorist groups.
In their latest meeting in January, the European Union politicians decided under heavy pressures exerted by the Zionist lobby, to exclude the outlawed group from Europe’s list of terrorist organizations.
Iran to use new mine-sweeping system in Gulf
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Iran will soon put into service a new mine-sweeping system in the Persian Gulf, navy commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari said Saturday.
Gaza hospitals fail to cope with injured from Israeli airstrikes
CAIRO, December 29 (RIA Novosti) - Gaza hospitals have insufficient facilities to care for all the victims of ongoing Israeli airstrikes, the Egyptian media said on Monday citing a UN humanitarian organization.
According to the international organization's report, all the hospitals in the Palestinian coastal enclave, including private clinics, have beds for a total of 2,000 people. In addition, medical facilities lack medicines and equipment.
19 killed, 81 injured in Iraqi car bombings
By Xinhua,
Baghdad: At least 19 people were killed and 81 injured in three car bomb attacks in the western Iraqi city of Ramadi Sunday, an official said.
In the first incident, two explosives-laden cars parked outside the compound of the Anbar provincial council building were detonated in quick succession, killing 17 people, including seven policemen, and wounding 77, an official said requesting anonymity.
At the time of the blasts, provincial officials and tribal leaders were holding talks in the building. Ramadi is the capital of Anbar province, some 110 km west of Baghdad.
Pakistan: govt committed to cope with economic crisis, says President Soomro
By NNN-APP,
Islamabad : President Muhammadmian Soomro on Wednesday said the government is determined to bring the country out of economic crisis, and would provide relief to the business community and general masses.
Addressing at the ground breaking ceremony of Export Display Centre by Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), Soomro termed entrepreneurs a “valuable asset” for the country, and said the government would provide them maximum opportunities to benefit from their potential.
South Waziristan operations: Top US general heading for Pakistan
By IANS,
Islamabad : Gen David Petraeus, the head of the US Central Command, will leave for Pakistan Monday for discussions with Pakistani commanders who are conducting a major operation against the Taliban in South Waziristan.
"The decision to send Gen Petraeus, who was treated for prostate cancer last week, shows the importance Washington attaches to this operation in an area it describes as an Al Qaeda safe haven," Dawn reported Sunday.
Pakistan set to start assessment of quake damages
By DPA,
Islamabad : Authorities Sunday prepared to begin a survey in Pakistan's southwest to calculate damage from this week's earthquake that left thousands homeless ahead of a harsh winter.
The quake, registering 6.4 on the Richter scale, shook the northern and central parts of impoverished Balochistan province early Wednesday, killing at least 250 people and injuring hundreds.
The survey being launched Monday with the involvement of the military was expected to be completed within two weeks, said Brigadier Mubashir Wasim, who is responsible for relief operations in the region.