Pakistan opens fire on LoC again, woman injured
Jammu : After an overnight lull, Pakistan troops Monday broke the ceasefire again, opening unprovoked firing on Indian positions on the Line of Control...
UNRWA urges donors to support Palestinian refugees in Syria
Beirut : The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) urged international donors to increase their humanitarian support to help displaced people...
Arab summit approves Yemeni initiative
By Xinhua
Damascus : A senior Palestinian official revealed on Sunday that the Syrian-hosted Arab summit approved the Yemeni initiative for reconciliation between rival Hamas and Fatahmovements.
Majdi el-Khalidi, a diplomatic advisor to President Mahmoud Abbas and member of the Palestinian delegation told reporters that Arab leaders accepted the Yemeni initiative and approved it.
Sikh man killed in Pakistan
Islamabad : A Sikh man was killed and two other Sikhs were wounded Wednesday when gunmen opened fire at a group of Sikhs in...
Iran opens state-run firms for foreign ownership
By Xinhua,
Tehran : Iran will allow foreign firms to purchase stakes in state-run companies, with the possibility of obtaining full ownership, Press TV said Monday.
Iran will allow foreign companies and nationals to purchase shares of state-run enterprises, director of Iran's Privatization Company Gholamreza Heidari Kord Zangeneh was quoted as saying.
The move is designed to attract greater foreign investment and is part of the country's opening up programme, Kord Zangeneh said.
Three US soldiers, Iraqi interpreter killed in attack in Diyala
By NNN-KUNA
Baghdad : Three soldiers assigned to the Multi-National Force (MNF) and an Iraqi interpreter were killed by an improvised explosive device attack in the Diyala province, northeast of the Iraqi capital, the MNF said.
Another MNF soldier was injured as an improvised explosive device detonated near a patrol in the troubled Diyala province, the statement said Tuesday.
The incident came as the MNF announced Monday that it lost five soldiers in a suicide bombing which targeted their patrol in the Al-Mansour neighbourhood, in western Baghdad.
Nine Taliban militants killed in Afghanistan
By DPA,
Kabul : Afghan police backed by Nato troops killed nine Taliban militants in a fight in southern Afghanistan, police said Tuesday.
The militants were killed in Nawa district of the Hemland province after they attacked an Afghan police checkpoint in the area Monday, Assadullah Shirzad, provincial police chief, said.
Nato-led British troops stationed in the province rushed to the scene of the battle and engaged the militants, Shirzad said, adding that there were no casualties among the Afghan police or Nato forces.
Gulf reacts to Obama win with optimism laced with caution
By IANS,
Dubai : The Gulf reacted expectedly with a definite sense of optimism, but tinged with caution, as America elected its first African American president, Barack Hussein Obama, to the White House.
Media across the region reacted variously with headlines such as “Symbol of hope and change”, “Mr. Obama, yes you can”, “A momentous mandate yes, we agree”, “Change has arrived for all of us” and “New beginning”.
Spanish parliament votes to extend Libya operations
By IANS,
Madrid : The majority of Spanish parliamentary parties voted Tuesday to extend the country's participation in NATO's Libya operation by two months.
Israeli Barak: counter-terror operations to continue
By Xinhua
Jerusalem : Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Monday that counter-terror operations in Gaza would continue, local media reported.
Barak made the remarks during a meeting with European Union's foreign policy chief Javier Solana, according to the website of local daily Jerusalem Post.
Hamas was dealt "a heavy blow" in the recent Israeli army's activity, he added.
Jerusalem : Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Monday that counter-terror operations in Gaza would continue, local media reported.
Barak made the remarks during a meeting with European Union's foreign policy chief Javier Solana, according to the website of local daily Jerusalem Post.
Hamas was dealt "a heavy blow" in the recent Israeli army's activity, he added.
14 killed as Iraq undergoes parliamentary polls
Baghdad:Iraqis Wednesday participated in their country's first parliamentary elections since withdrawal of US forces in 2011. Held amid heavy security, the polls were still...
Pakistani Ambassador Haqqani urges patience, says short-term actions no solution
By APP,
Washington : Asserting that unilateral actions by Afghanistan-based coalition forces on the Pakistani side of the border prove counter-productive in the war on terror, Ambassador Husain Haqqani Friday urged patience and cooperative efforts as there is no short-term solution to the menace of terrorism.
Husain Haqqani said the fight against terrorism is going to be a long struggle and “has to have much more than a military component.”
Amnesty International calls upon Bangladesh government to try war criminals
By KUNA
New Delhi : International human rights body Amnesty International (AI) has called upon Bangladesh's military-backed caretaker government to try its war criminals -- who allegedly joined hands with the then Pakistan government during the countrys liberation war in 1971.
AI wanted the present government to initiate the process of trying the war criminals at the earliest, AI secretary general Irene Khan told reporters at Dhaka Saturday night, news agency Indo Asian News Service reported Sunday.
Israeli NGO asks Barcelona to suspend ties with Qatar Foundation
Jerusalem: An Israeli NGO has called on FC Barcelona to suspend ties with its Qatar Foundation title sponsor as it is "immoral to receive...
U.S. soldier killed in bomb attack in Baghdad
By Xinhua
Baghdad : An American soldier was killed in a roadside bomb explosion in the Iraqi capital on Thursday, the U.S. military said on Friday.
The incident occurred when a roadside bomb went off near the soldier's vehicle while conducting combat operations in Baghdad, the military said in a statement.
The name of the deceased soldier is being withheld pending notification of next of kin, it added.
Mortar shell kills 11 in Pakistan
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : At least 11 people were killed when a mortar shell landed near a check post in northwestern Pakistan's Swat valley Saturday, state television reported.
Reports said an unspecified number of people were injured in the blast at Wanai village in the troubled valley.
Pakistan's security forces have intensified military operations in the mountainous valley since late July.
Swat valley was once a tourist spot dubbed the "Switzerland of Pakistan" but has now turned into a stronghold of pro-Taliban militants.
National assembly members offer FATEHA for Benazir Bhutto
By NNN-APP
Islamabad : The National Assembly on Monday morning offered Fateha for the soul of assassinated Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Benazir Bhutto.
She was assassinated on December 27,2007 in Rawalpindi. PPP leader Raja Pervaiz Ashraf on a point of order called for offering Fateha for the departed soul.
Pakistan government to use Facebook for dengue awareness in Punjab
By IANS,
Islamabad : The Punjab government in Pakistan will spread public awareness on dengue through social networking site Facebook.
Infighting between two Afghan groups leaves dozens dead
By DPA,
Kunduz (Afghanistan) : More than 50 fighters and an unknown number of civilians may have been killed during infighting between two rival insurgents groups in northern Afghanistan, officials said Sunday.
The battle between Taliban militants and loyalists of the Hezbi Islami network, another militant group that has also waged insurgency against the Afghan government and international troops, took place in the Baghlan-e-Markazi district of the northern Baghlan province Saturday, Kabir Andarabi, the provincial police chief said.
Eight killed in Iraq attacks
By DPA,
Baghdad : Eight people - including a pregnant woman, her husband and two children - were killed and seven were injured in two attacks west of Baghdad, a police source said Friday.
Unidentified gunmen killed the four-member family when they broke into their house, near the Abu Ghreib area, early Friday. Gunmen killed the father, the pregnant mother and their two children, the source told DPA.
Two rockets that fell on houses near the same area had left four people dead and seven injured, he added.
Israel resumes air strikes on the Gaza Strip
By Xinhua,
Gaza : Israeli warplanes Saturday night resumed bombardments on targets of the Islamic Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip, including security installations and roads, witnesses and security officials said.
Witnesses said that Israeli warplanes destroyed the main road of Sallah el-Dein in the northern Gaza Strip that leads to the towns of Beit Hanoun, Beit Lahia and Jabalia. There were, however, no immediate reports of casualties.
Pakistan may seek Kasab’s custody
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan said Saturday it might seek the custody of Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone terrrorist captured during the Mumbai mayhem, to aid its investigations into the carnage.
"If Ajmal Kasab is needed for the investigation process, then India could be asked for handing him over," Interior Minister Rehman Malik told reporters in the southern port city of Karachi, adding that at the moment, it would be premature to say anything else in the matter
Al Qaeda using Pakistan to rebuild leadership: US
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : Al Qaeda has used tribal areas of Pakistan to rebuild its leadership and replace killed or captured fighters, and has forged regional alliances with militants in Africa, according to the US State Department.
A cease-fire negotiated by Pakistan in early 2007 gave Al Qaeda leaders "greater mobility and ability to conduct training and operational planning, particularly that targeting Western Europe and the United States," its annual terrorism report said.
Two blasts kill 11 in Afghan provinces
By RIA Novosti,
Kabul : A total of 11 civilians have been killed in two explosions in Afghan provinces this week, local media said on Tuesday.
A roadside bomb in the western province of Farah, near the border with Iran, killed eight civilians on Tuesday, the Tolo TV channel reported.
Another three civilians died and eight others were injured in the southern province of Kandahar on Monday when a bomb went off in a small shop, local officials said.
Foreign pilgrims commend Friday sermon translation service
Madinah : Non-Arabic speaking Umrah pilgrims and visitors to the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah commended the service of live translation of Friday sermons introduced at the two holy mosques.
Iran to consider gas delivery at India-Pakistan border
By IANS,
New Delhi : Iran will consider India's demand for making the India-Pakistan border the point of delivery of gas through the proposed tri-national pipeline.
This was conveyed by Iranian oil minister Gholam Hossein Nozari to Indian Petroleum Minister Murli Deora on the sidelines of the World Petroleum Congress in Madrid.
The meeting follows last Friday's announcement by the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan in New Delhi that bilateral issues dogging the Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) pipeline have been resolved.
Malaysia: minister urges Muslim youths to condemn anti-Quran film
By NNN-Bernama
Nilai (Malaysia) : Malaysian Muslim intellectuals and youths who have been campaigning for the opposition through the Internet should now join forces in condemning a film that accuses the Quran of inciting violence.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said that since they were Internet savvy, they should now show their indignation against the film through the medium.
Bangladesh opposition parties to launch stir against Hasina
By IANS,
Dhaka : Bangladesh's principal opposition parties have decided to launch a joint stir against Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government whose policies they say are "anti-national".
The decision was taken by leaders of the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its key political ally Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) who met here Saturday evening.
JeI said it would join the June 27 strike announced by the BNP.
British troops to stay in Afghanistan until job is done
By DPA,
London: There will be "no artificial deadline" for the withdrawal of British troops in Afghanistan, who would remain there until "their job is done," Foreign Secretary William Hague said Thursday.
The Conservative minister made his remarks following the first cabinet meeting of the newly-formed Conservative-Liberal British government.
During the election campaign, the Liberal Democrats had said they would fight for troops to come home during the next five years of the new parliament.
India, Saudi to share information on terrorist movement, arms, drugs
By Aroonim Bhuyan, IANS,
Riyadh: Security and counter-terrorism measures will get top priority during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Saudi Arabia, says India's Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Talmiz Ahmad.
"This visit, taking place four years after the visit of (Saudi Arabia's) King Abdullah (Bin Abdul Aziz) to India will give both sides an opportunity to discuss important global and regional issues," Ahmad told IANS.
Sheikh Hasina expands her cabinet
By DPA,
Dhaka : Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wazed Saturday inducted six more junior ministers into her cabinet, raising the cabinet's strength to 38, officials said.
President Iajuddin Ahmed administered the oath to the new state ministers at the presidential palace, Bangabhaban. Portfolios of the ministers were yet to be allocated.
The expansion of the cabinet came less than a month since Hasina was sworn in as Prime Minister Jan 6 and a day ahead of inauguration of the country's ninth parliament Sunday.
Iraqi Shiites mark Ashura amid heavy security after clashes
By Xinhua
Baghdad : Tens of thousands of Iraqi Shiite Muslims rallied for a major religious ceremony of Ashura on Saturday amid heavy security measures after gunmen attacked pilgrims and security forces in two southern cities.
Baghdad : Tens of thousands of Iraqi Shiite Muslims rallied for a major religious ceremony of Ashura on Saturday amid heavy security measures after gunmen attacked pilgrims and security forces in two southern cities.
Commonwealth Sec-Gen welcomes February 18 polls in Pakistan
By NNN-APP
Islamabad : The Commonwealth Secretary General Don McKinnon has welcomed and congratulated the Election Commission of Pakistan on the conduct of fair and peaceful General Elections on February 18, said a press release issued here Friday.
In a special message for the Secretary Election Commission of Pakistan Kanwar Muhammad Dilshad, McKinnon said, “These elections were an important step in Pakistan’s journey towards full democracy, the people of Pakistan have spoken and their voice must be heard and respected.”
Shia businesses shut down by Sunni pro-government supporters
By DPA,
Riffa (Bahrain) : Scores of Shia-owned businesses in Sunni areas of Bahrain were forced to shut down by supporters of the Sunni government.
IS behind Tunisian journalists’ execution in Libya
Tripoli: The Libyan branch of the Islamic State (IS) Thursday claimed to have executed two Tunisian journalists, who have been missing for the past...
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.
Hindraf banned for exploiting Malaysian Indian community
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur : The Malaysian government has banned the Hindu Rights Action Front (Hindraf), which claims to speak for the country's two million-plus ethnic Indians, a bulk of them Tamil Hindus, for exploiting the Indian community and posing a threat to public order.
The ban came Wednesday, precisely a year after the body sought registration from the Registrar of Societies.
Police kill 9 militants in NW Pakistan
By Xinhua,
ISLAMABAD : The police have killed nine militants and foiled an attempt to kidnap a person in northwestern Pakistan, the News Network International (NNI) news agency reported on Wednesday.
Some armed militants early Wednesday morning arrived in vehicles at Bazid Khel neighborhood in the outskirts of Peshawar, capital city of North West Frontier Province and tried to kidnap a person, said the report.
The police who were on alert in view of the growing incidents of kidnappings in Peshawar encountered the militants and exchanged fire, leaving nine militants dead.
Libyan intelligence officer slain
By IANS/EFE,
Tripoli : A member of the intelligence services was slain Thursday in a Libyan town, official sources told EFE.
30 killed in Afghanistan suicide car bombing
Kabul : At least 30 people were killed and 100 others injured Tuesday when a suicide car bomb went off in a marketplace in...
13 militants killed, injured in N Afghanistan
By Xinhua,
Kabul : Afghan National Army (ANA) backed with NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) killed seven anti-government militants and wounded six more on Wednesday in northern Afghan province of Badghis, said a statement of Defense Ministry released here on Thursday.
"ANA engaged militants during a patrol between Qalay-i-Naw district, capital of Badghis province, and Ghur Match district," the statement said.
"With the support of ISAF air strike, the joint forces killed seven militants and wounded six others," it said.
Pakistan executes four terror convicts
Islamabad : Four convicts, involved in an attack on former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf 11 years ago, were hanged to death Sunday at a...
Only Israel will decide when Gaza offensive ends: Minister
By DPA,
Tel Aviv/Gaza City : Only Israel will decide when it will stop its offensive in Gaza, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said Monday, as the air force struck more targets in the strip and ground troops battled with militants on Gaza City's outskirts.
"I don't accept that in a war against terror the UN decides when to stop," Livni told Israel Radio Monday morning.
Israel when it takes care of itself does it best, she said defiantly.
Minister of Culture and Information receives Sierra Leone’s Envoy
By SPA
Riyadh : Minister of Culture and Information Iyad Ameen Madani received here today Sierra Leone's ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Al-Haja Amadu Deen Tejan-Sie.
They reviewed aspects of cooperation between the Kingdom and Sierra Leone in the cultural and information domains.
Dhaka workers go on rampage to protest new wage structure
By IANS,
Dhaka : Thousands of readymade garment workers Friday rampaged through different parts of the national capital to protest the new wage structure announced for them by the government.
The angry workers put up barricades on the roads. They ransacked several buses, private cars and motorcycles and also vandalised buildings, including garment factories and business enterprises, Star Online reported.
Bangladesh Thursday announced new wage scales for its ailing garment industry but the workers are persisting with their Taka 5,000 ($71) minimum wage demand.
18 African migrants drown off Yemen coast
By DPA
Sanaa : At least 18 African migrants died after smugglers forced them to jump off a boat at gunpoint Saturday as they neared the end of a trip across the Gulf of Aden from Somalia to Yemen, Yemeni officials said.
The officials said that the boat was carrying 120 refuge-seekers, most of them Somalis, and that 102 of them managed to swim to the coast of Ahwar in the southern Yemen province of Abyan.
A local official in Abyan, some 450 km from Sanaa, said the survivors were 82 Somalis and 20 Ethiopians.
A breakdown for the nationalities of the dead was not available, he said.
Govt according high priority to social schemes: Pakistani PM Gilani
By NNN-APP,
Islamabad : Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani has said that the government is according high priority to the social sector schemes, particularly in the areas of population, health and education as envisioned by our great leader Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto.
In a message on the occasion of World Population Day, the Prime Minister said World Population Day is being observed across the globe today (July 11).
Iran`s Revolutionary Guards Hold War Games
By ANTARA News/Reuters,
Tehran : Iran`s elite Revolutionary Guards began military manoeuvres on Monday, news agencies said, the same day the U.S. Navy said it was carrying out an exercise in the Gulf.
The war games were conducted by missile units of the Guards` naval and air forces, the Fars and Mehr news agencies said. They said the exercises, which began a few hours ago, were aimed at improving combat readiness and capability.
The reports did not give details of where the exercise was taking place. The Guards often conduct manoeuvres in the Gulf.
Jyoti Basu lives in our heart: Sheikh Hasina
By IANS,
Kolkata: Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Tuesday paid her last respects to Communist veteran Jyoti Basu, expressing her gratitude for the helping hand he extended during the 1971 Bangladesh liberation war.
"We will always remember your contribution," the Bangladesh prime minister wrote in the condfolence book kept in the state assembly.
In a touching gesture, Hasina flew to the city with several of her cabinet ministers to lay wreaths at Basu's body.
Mourning Basu's death, Hasina said: "The man Jyoti Basu, however, was larger than life. He lives in our heart.
Three Asian doctors killed in Nigeria
By IANS,
Abuja: Three Asian doctors - believed to be Chinese or South Korean nationals - have been killed by unidentified attackers in Nigeria, Xinhua reported Sunday.
Parliament query shows Work Population Ratio lowest among Muslims
By TCN Staff Reporter
Delhi: Work population ratio, which is an indicator used to analyse the employment situation in the country, continues to remain the...
Family killed in Iraq’s Diyala province
By SPA
Baghdad : A bomb attack on Saturday killed three people and injured one, all from the same family in the province of Diyala, some 60 kilometres north of the Iraqi capital, dpa quoted media reports as saying.
A bomb went off on the main road in Muqdadiyah in the northern province, killing three members of an Iraqi family and injuring the father, security sources told the Voices of Iraq (VOI) news agency.
Gulf naval commanders’ conference in July
By IANS,
Abu Dhabi : A maritime security conference of the navies of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries will be held next month in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) capital, WAM news agency reported Monday.
The Gulf Naval Commanders' Conference (GNC) July 2 will be organised by the Institute for Near East and Gulf Military Analysis (INEGMA).
The theme of the conference will be maritime security of the Arabian Gulf.
Israeli Defence Minister orders shut-down of all Gaza strip crossings
By NNN-KUNA,
Gaza : Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak has ordered the shut-down of all border crossings with the Gaza Strip for Wednesday.
Barak said in a statement late Tuesday that this decision was in response to "the Palestinian missile attacks into southern Israel, injuring four people."
The Israeli radio reported Wednesday morning, "Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert held last (Tuesday) night urgent talks with Barak to agree on response to this attack that was claimed by the Islamic Jihad movement."
Four detained over Peshawar school attack
Islamabad : At least four suspects, including a woman, have been detained from Pakistan's Punjab province in connection with the Peshawar school attack that...
Bangladesh court jails two rapists for life
By IANS,
Dhaka : A Bangladesh court Thursday jailed a bus driver and his helper for life for the rape of a teenaged girl a...
Mashhad to host 25th Int’l Qur’an Contests
By IRNA,
Mashhad, Khorasan Razavi : The 25th International Qur'an Contests will be held here in August.
Announcing this, deputy head of Endowment and Charity Affairs Organization for cultural affairs, Hossein Ahmadian said in a meeting with those involved in organizing the event in Mashhad Wednesday that some 100 contestants from different countries will take part in this round of the competition.
‘Pakistan, India competing with each other to please US’
By IANS,
Shimla: Pakistan and India are competing with each other to please Washington and this has resulted in the strained relations between them, a senior Pakistani journalist said Saturday.
"Both Pakistan and India are competing each other to please Washington and both following its diktats," Hameed Haroon, chief executive officer of the Dawn Media Group, Pakistan's leading media conglomerate, told reporters here.
Haroon was here to attend a seminar organised by the Indian Institute of Advanced Studies.
Netanyahu vows response to every effort to attack
Jerusalem : Two days after Israeli army shot dead two suspected gunmen while trying to enter the country from Syria, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu...
NATO FM’s to discuss comprehensive plan for Afghanistan
By EuAsiaNews
Brussels : North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) Foreign Ministers will discuss a comprehensive political and military plan for Afghanistan in their meeting in Brussels on Thursday.
The plan is divided into two documents, one is a detailed confidential one which will set out very clearly where NATO and the international community should be going in the coming years, NATO spokesman James Appathurai told reporters here Wednesday.
Protesters vow to disrupt Wilders’ anti-Islam speech in Berlin
Berlin, Oct 2, IRNA - Numerous political and civic groups have vowed to protest against Dutch Islamophobic politican Geert Wilders who is to address...
Palestinian president says no progress in talks with Israel
By SPA,
Ramallag, West Bank : Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas says nothing has been achieved in the peace talks with Israel.
Abbas says he rejects any attempts to delay negotiations over the core issues in the conflict.
The chief Palestinian negotiation, Ahmed Qureia, says that the Palestinians will only accept a comprehensive deal.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert had suggested recently that only guidelines for an agreement might be possible.
Iraq demands pullout timetable in US defence pact talks
By AFP,
Baghdad : Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said on Monday he is negotiating a deal with Washington that will for the first time set a timetable for a withdrawal of foreign forces as part of a framework for a US troop presence into next year.
The White House, however, said no "hard date" for the withdrawal of US forces was contemplated and US officials suggested that any timetable would be dependent on conditions on the ground.
Indian expatriate gets 40 lashes in Qatar
Dubai : An Indian national in Qatar has been sentenced to 40 lashes and his driving licence ordered to be suspended for two months...
Suez Canel SEZ to create nearly 25,000 jobs
Cairo : The Suez Canal - Special Economic Zone(SEZ) in Egypt at the investment of $4.8 is expected to create nearly 25,000 jobs, Egypt's...
Peres praises ‘heroic efforts’ of security forces in Mumbai
By IANS,
New Delhi : Israeli President Shimon Peres has appreciated the "heroic efforts" of India's security forces in rescuing hostages in Mumbai and said that his country is with India in the "crucially important" fight against terrorism.
Six Israelis were amongst the 183 killed in the 60-hour terror siege in Mumbai, including the Nariman House Jewish centre and two luxury hotels.
In a message to President Pratibha Patil, Peres said that Israel "stands together with India in this crucially important fight to eradicate terrorism".
Lebanese police chief rules out possibility of civil war
By Xinhua
Beirut : Lebanese Police Chief Gen. Ashraf Rifi has ruled out the possibility of a new civil war due to the political crisis, local Naharnet news website reported on Saturday.
"We don't have signs that any side wants" civil war, Rifi was quoted as saying after meeting Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir on Friday, adding the government's top priority is to prevent a civil war.
But he did not rule out new assassinations in Lebanon, saying that "There is always a possibility."
High winds knock off Pakistan power supply
By IANS,
Islamabad : High winds and a cyclone are to blame for the current electricity crisis in Pakistan, said a minister.
EU to assess all options with Gaddafi regime: Van Rompuy
By IRNA,
Berlin: EU Council President Herman Van Rompuy said on Friday that the European Union leaders are open to 'all options' in confronting the regime of the Libyan ruler Muammar Gaddafi.
Iraq vows it will reveal security deal with US to neighbouring countries
By NNN-KUNA,
Baghdad : Iraq stressed it would display its proposed security pact with the United States to the neighbouring countries as soon as negotiations regarding the deal are completed.
The announcement came from Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki during a telephone call with Turkish President Abdullah Gul, according to an Iraqi government statement on Friday.
During the call, Al-Maliki said that he would send delegations to countries neighbouring Iraq - including Turkey - to present the security agreement after receiving Washington's reply to the Iraqi proposed amendments.
Taliban rejects dialogue offer by tribal council
By IRNA,
Islamabad : Afghan Taliban rejected dialogue proposal by tribal elders and political leaders from Pakistan and Afghanistan and said that talks could not be held unless foreign troops quit Afghanistan.
Tribal elders from Afghanistan and Pakistan Tuesday emphasized the urgent need of dialogue and negotiations with the 'opposition groups' in both countries to find a peaceful settlement of the on-going conflict.
IAEA team in Tehran for talks
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow : A high-level delegation from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) arrived in Tehran Monday for talks on nuclear issues.
Iraqi man walks again after seven years
By IANS,
New Delhi : Seven years after he was hit by splinters from an American missile, a former Iraqi soldier is free of constant pain and again able to walk without any support.
In what could be the first case of its kind, 28-year-old Falah Mohammad was operated upon successfully to remove a nearly three cm long and one cm wide missile splinter from his spine at the Metro Hospital in Faridabad earlier this week.
"It is rare that a splinter is removed after seven years and the patient recovers completely," said the hospital's managing director S.S. Bansal.
Iran ‘resolute’ over peaceful nuclear rights
Tehran : Iran is firm and resolute over its nuclear rights and is ready to prove that its nuclear activities are peaceful, Iran's President...
No plans to carry suicidal attacks during elections:Lashkar
By News Agency of Kashmir,
Srinagar: Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) has strongly denied the media reports of carrying any suicidal attacks during parliamentary elections in Jammu and Kashmir and killing of LeT woman militant, the spokesman of the outfit termed the reports as ‘propaganda by Indian agencies’.
India conveys strong concerns over Lakhvi bail to Pakistan
New Delhi : India has conveyed to Pakistan its strong concerns on the granting of bail to Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, a key mastermind of...
Bangladesh’s Awami League may end civic poll boycott
By IANS,
Dhaka : Cracks have appeared in the opposition boycott of the civic polls in Bangladesh with the Awami League (AL) ready to take the plunge if the military-backed caretaker government lifts the emergency.
This runs counter to the stand of the rival Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) that has vowed to "resist" the civic polls slated for Aug 4 to cover four metropolis and nine municipalities.
Israel warns ‘unilateral action’ over Palestinians’ UN move
Jerusalem : Blaming Palestine for the impasse over the peace talks, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel may take "unilateral action" against the...
Syria slams EU over presidential elections’ remarks
Damascus : Syria's foreign ministry Saturday slammed as "flagrant violation of the international law" the European Union's statement terming its presidential elections "illegitimate".
"The Syrian...
US’ ambitious policies triggered financial meltdown: Iran
By Sarwar Kashani, IANS,
Astana : Iran Thursday blamed the ambitious policies of the US for the global financial crisis and advocated an overhaul of industrial and banking sectors.
"The global financial meltdown has been caused by a superpower and unfortunately the world is paying for it," Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said while addressing the 7th conference of the Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) held in this Kazakhstan capital.
"The US' ambitious policies that were doomed to fail are the main causes of the financial crisis," Mottaki said.
Number of Palestinians killed by Israeli barrage reaches 550 – doctor
By KUNA,
Gaza : Up to 550 Palestinians were killed during 10 days of Israeli onslaught against Gaza Strip, a Palestinian doctor said Monday.
Among those killed were 162 children and 57 women, Dr. Mo'aweya Hasanein, director of emergency at the Palestinian health ministry, told KUNA.
He said around 50 Palestinians, mostly civilians, were killed in Israeli raids in different parts of Gaza today only.
Hasanein said more than 200 Palestinians were injured today, raising number of wounded since Israel began its barrage on December 27, 2008, to over 2,700 people.
Top Russian official says Iran’s nuclear program is strictly peaceful
By RIA Novosti,
Tehran : A senior Russian government official said on Wednesday after talks with the Iranian leadership that the Islamic Republic was not developing nuclear weapons.
Valentin Sobolev, who serves as the acting head of Russia's Security Council, arrived in Tehran with a delegation of high-ranking Russian officials last Sunday to discuss with the Iranian leadership international and regional issues, as well as bilateral economic cooperation and the Iranian nuclear program.
17 killed in Afghanistan coal mine explosion
Kabul: At least 17 people were killed and several trapped following a blast in a coal mine in the northern Afghan province of Samangan...
India is arrogant, says Pakistan
London : A top Pakistani officer has accused India of "arrogance" and described Kashmir as a "festering wound" between the two countries.
Major General Asim...
Election Pakistan to support China’s candidate for Secretary General WCO election
By APP,
Beijing : Pakistan has assured to support China’s candidate for election of Secretary General of World Customs Organization (WCO), as a representative from the developing countries.
The support to China was extended on Tuesday when request in this regard was made
by Chinese Minister for Customs Administration Sheng Guangzu during a meeting here with the Secretary General and Chairman Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Abdullah Yusuf who was leading the Pakistani delegation, said a press release.
Iraqi court ratifies parliamentary election results
By DPA,
Baghdad : After months of political tension, Iraq's federal court Tuesday ratified the final results of the March 7 parliamentary elections.
The announcement came from Judge Medhat al-Mahmoud, president of Iraq's Supreme Judicial Council.
The results of the March 7 elections showed former prime minister Iyad Allawi's Iraqiya List in the lead, having won 91 seats in the 325-member parliament.
Current Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's State of Law coalition came in second place with 89 seats.
Bangladesh: elections to be held in scheduled time, preparation on in full swing, says...
By NNN-BSS,
Dhaka, Bangladesh : Adviser for Law, Justice and Parliament Affairs of Bangladesh caretaker government Hassan Ariff said, the upcoming parliament elections would be held in scheduled time and all necessary preparations have already been taken in this regard.
" There is no doubt about holding elections," he told reporters on Sunday at secretariat replying to a number of queries related to the objection of main political parties about holding elections under emergency.
Iran confirms President Ahmadinejad to visit Iraq in less than two months
By Xinhua
Tehran : Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will visit Iraq in less than two months, Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said on Monday.
"The visit to Iraq of President Ahmadinejad has become finalized" and he would pay the visit before the end of the current Iranian year on March 19, the official IRNA news agency quoted Mottaki as saying.
Mottaki said that Iraqi officials had delivered the invitation during his visit to Baghdad in late October and he had handed overthe invitation to President Ahmadinejad.
Pakistan says Mumbai attackers could be Pakistanis
By IANS,
New Delhi : After weeks of denial, Pakistan Tuesday said for the first time that the perpetrators of the Mumbai mayhem could be Pakistani nationals.
"Could be... could be - that's all I will say as of now, while the investigations are still being completed," Pakistan's National Security Adviser Mahmud Ali Durrani told the CNN-IBN news channel in an interview from Islamabad.
Pakistani peacekeeping troops assigned to train in Congo
By SPA
Islamabad : Pakistani peacekeeping troops have been assigned to train and reintegrate armed forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.
A 13-week Training Task Force programme is meant to reorganise the disbanded battalions and provide permanent security basis for consolidation of peace in turbulent areas.
The statement said a passing out parade of three newly trained battalions was held recently at Labreizi Training Academy Congo.
UK admits breaching human rights in killing Iraqi detainees
By IRNA
London : The British government is to admit "substantive breaches" of the European Convention on Human Rights over the death and torture of Iraqi civilians in the custody of British soldiers, Defence Secretary Des Browne has revealed.
Browne said the admissions, to be made in court Friday, included breaches of Article Two on the right of life and Article Three on the prohibition of torture over the 2003 killing of Basra hotel worker Baha Mousa while being detained by UK troops.
Indefinite curfew in Baghdad
By Xinhua
Baghdad : A curfew, promulgated in the Iraqi capital Thursday till Sunday morning, has been extended indefinitely, state television Al-Iraqiya reported.
The curfew has been extended after violent clashes continued in the Iraqi capital and elsewhere between Shia fighters and security forces.
"The Baghdad military command has decided to extend the curfew in the Iraqi capital for an indefinite period," the TV report said Sunday.
According to reports, curfew has been imposed in six southern provinces, including Basra.
Iraq Base Suicide Attacks Kill 20
By Prensa Latina,
Baghdad : At least 20 deaths and 55 wounded were the toll of twin suicide attacks at a recruitment center on Al-Saad base in Baquba, east of Diyala, north Baghdad.
Medical and security sources said the two attackers detonated their vests packed with explosives at the Iraqi military base.
An Arab TV channel said a policeman died Monday when an unidentified man opened fire from his vehicle in Mosul, Ninewa, and drove away.
Pakistan’s PM Gilani meets Afghanistan President Karzai
By SPA,
Colombo : Pakistan's Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani Sunday met President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan and expressed hope that it will help remove misunderstandings between the two countries.
After a meeting on the sidelines of the Saarc summit, the Prime Minister said “it was a very successful meeting, held in a very cordial atmosphere.”
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi expressed the hope that “definitely there will be an end to the blame game” that soured the ties between the two countries, according to a report of the Associated Press of Pakistan.
Turkey launches air strikes against rebels in N Iraq
By Xinhua
Baghdad : Turkey launched air strikes Tuesday night on rebel targets in northern Iraq, an Iraqi security source said on Wednesday.
Turkish warplane targeted the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants in the Sidekan area of Arbil province, but no casualties had been reported, the source said on conditional of anonymity.
The latest strikes came about a week after Turkey wrapped up across-border ground military operation going after the PKK members.
Textracts: rumor-mongering
By Muhammad Tariq Ghazi,
Whoever intentionally attributes to me something that I did not say or do has made his abode in the Hellfire.
The Rasool-Allah
Rohingya Muslim minority: The world’s most forgotten people
Myanmar : Around 1,600 Muslim refugees from Myanmar and Bangladesh were rescued off the coast of Indonesia on Sunday and detained in Malaysia on...
Mining firm unearths 2,600-year-old Buddhist monastery
By IANS,
London : A Chinese company digging an unexploited copper mine in Afghanistan has unearthed a sprawling 2,600-year-old Buddhist monastery.
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.
Saudi Arabia plans to erect a fence along its border with Iraq
By NNN-SPA,
Riyadh : Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz, Interior Minister, considers infiltration cases into Iraq from Saudi Arabia as rare, noting at the same time that the Kingdom is planning to erect a fence along its border with Iraq to prevent infiltration attempts from Saudi Arabia to Iraq.
Press bodies condemn killing of Reuters cameraman in Gaza
By KUNA,
Geneva : The Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) and the International Covenant for the Protection of Journalists (ICPJ) while welcoming the release of Associated Press photographer Bilal Hussein (36 years old), more than two years after he was detained by US Marines on suspicions of links to insurgents, condemned in the strongest possible manner the killing of Reuters cameraman during the Israeli attack against Gaza Wednesday.
Reuters cameraman 24-year-old Fadal Shanaa was killed while filming the Israeli tank attack in central Gaza.
US commission wants Pakistan designated for violations of religious freedom
By Arun Kumar
Washington : An independent US commission has asked the State Department to designate Pakistan and seven others as "countries of particular concern,"...
‘India, Bangladesh should join hands to manage floods’
By Sahana Ghosh, IANS,
Dhaka : With India and Bangladesh bearing the brunt of floods
Turkish delegation arrives in Baghdad
By Xinhua
Baghdad : A delegation of senior officials from the Turkish foreign ministry arrived in Baghdad on Wednesday to discuss the tension on the Iraqi-Turkish border, an Iraqi foreign ministry official said.
"I can confirm that the Turkish delegation of senior officials of the Turkish Foreign Ministry is in Baghdad," the official said on condition of anonymity.
"The Turkish delegation is now holding a meeting with the Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari and a group of his senior ministry officials," the source said.
Pakistan challenges court decision on Kasab, Ansari
By IANS,
Islamabad: The Pakistan government Monday challenged in the Rawalpindi bench of the Lahore High Court the rejection of its plea to declare 26/11 Mumbai terror attack accused Ajmal Kasab and Fahim Ansari as proclaimed offenders.
The government said the anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Rawalpindi had requested to initiate proceedings under section 87/88 of criminal procedure code but the plea had been rejected, Online news agency reported.
The government petition contended that legal formalities had not been fulfilled by the court in its decision rejecting the application.
Iran seeks urgent General Assembly session on Gaza
By IANS,
United Nations : Iran has called for an urgent General Assembly session to put up a five point proposal regarding the Gaza conflict, IRNA reported Thursday.
Iran’s permanent ambassador to the UN Mohammad Khazaie put forth Iran’s proposal in a letter addressed to UN General Assembly President Miguel D’Escoto Brockmann Wednesday.
Khazaie and Brockmann also had a 40 minute discussion, seeking ways to end the attacks on Gaza by the Israeli armed forces.
Masked gunmen assassinate senior Iraqi police officer east of Baghdad
By NNN-KUNA,
Baghdad : A senior Iraqi police officer has been assassinated by masked gunmen in an ambush east of Baghdad.
A police source told KUNA that a colonel in the Iraqi police was ambushed in the area of Zaiyona where the masked gunmen opened fire on him on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the Iraqi special operations forces (ISOF) captured a suspected cell leader for the Al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) in eastern Mosul on June 2, stated the Multi-National Force (MNF).
Iraqi PM accuses Kurds of providing base to terrorists
Baghdad : Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki Wednesday accused the Kurds of providing a base for the operations of terrorist groups, promising to free...
Pakistan to execute five terrorists Tuesday
Islamabad : The Pakistan government will execute five more terrorists in Sukkur and Faisalabad jails Tuesday, media reported.
Three terrorists belonging to banned outfits and...
101,072 Indian Hajis reach Saudi Arabia
By IANS,
New Delhi : A total of 101,072 Indian Haj pilgrims have reached Saudi Arabia. And 46 have died.
Pakistan woos UAE investors for housing
By IANS,
Dubai : Pakistan has invited investors from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to invest in its low-cost housing project announced by its Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani last month.
"There is an annual demand of 850,000 housing units in Pakistan while the maximum production is about 350,000 units," reports quoted Pakistan's Minister for Housing and Works Rehmatullah Kakar as telling the Pakistan Business Council here.
Pakistani security forces make advances in South Waziristan
By IANS,
Wana (Pakistan) : The security forces claim to have taken control of the Spankai and Ghazai areas of South Waziristan along the restive border with Afghanistan, while Pakistan Air Force (PAF) combat jets pounded Taliban positions, killing 12 terrorists and demolishing several hideouts during a military operation that began late Saturday, a media report said.
Two security personnel were killed and five injured in two separate attacks in the region, which is the stronghold of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Geo TV reported Sunday quoting sources.
Iran urges IAEA chief to reconsider nuclear report
By IANS,
Tehran: Head of Iran's Foreign Policy Commission Alaeddin Boroujerdi Sunday urged the chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Yukiya Amano, to reconsider his report on Iran's nuclear activities.
Boroujerdi told reporters that "since Mr. Amano is to present his report to the agency's Board of Governors next Monday, he'd better use the chance and change the report," Xinhua reported citing the official IRNA news agency.
11 killed in road accident in eastern Pakistan
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : Eleven persons were killed and 17 others were injured in a road accident in eastern Pakistan's Punjab province on Thursday morning, local media reported.
The road accident occurred when a bus rammed into a wagon near Motra on the GT Road, the Associate Press of Pakistan (APP) said.
Nine persons died on the spot, and two others died after being shifted to hospital.
The investigation is underway for the cause of the accident.
Hamas’ Haneya receives message from AL chief
By Xinhua
Gaza : Deposed Hamas Prime Minister Ismail on Monday received a message from Arab League (AL) Secretary General Amr Mousa in response to an earlier letter that Haneya sent to Moussa, his office said.
The message focused on the Israeli closure of Gaza Strip and the mounting Israeli army attacks in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, Haneya's office disclosed.
In his message, Moussa said that "the catastrophic situation in Gaza Strip became a new pain and worry for me and for the mind of all Arab people."
UAE to open rehab centres for people ‘lured’ by terror cells
Dubai: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) will establish centres to counsel and rehabilitate people "lured and misled" into terrorism, a media report said Monday.
Some...
Three persons killed in Pakistan’s sectarian violence
By SPA,
Peshawar, Pakistan : Gunmen killed three persons in a drive-by shooting in Pakistan's northwest on Saturday in what appeared to be a sectarian attack, officials said.
The assailants, riding on a motorbike, opened fire on the three person in the town of Dera Ismail Khan as they sat in a shop, killing all of them on the spot, Abdul Ghafoor, head of the police station in the area, told Reuters.
Dubai Police foils bid to smuggle arms to Yemen
By IANS/WAM,
Dubai : Dubai Police have seized a huge consignment of arms destined for Yemen, it was announced Thursday.
Arab countries table draft resolution calls for placing all Israeli nuclear facilities under IAEA...
By NNN-KUNA,
Vienna : The Arab countries have officially tabled a draft resolution, sounding alarm against "Israel's nuclear capabilities," to the ongoing 52nd General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) here on Monday.
The draft resolution, a renewed and modified Arab effort to shed light on the dangers posed by Israel nuclear activities to the regional security, is backed by the Islamic Republic of Iran.
A similar move was shelved last year after the Arab countries failed to lobby for it at the annual conference of 145-member IAEA.
Muslims nearly four times likely to be jailed in UK
By IRNA
London : Muslims are nearly four times more likely to be in jail in England and Wales compared with the rest of the population, according to the latest official figures.
In a written parliamentary reply, Justice Secretary Jack Straw said that at the end of June 2006 there were 8,243 prisoners declaring themselves as Muslim out of a total prison population of 77,982 at the time.
Egyptian FM: Gaza truce needs to be followed by further steps
By Xinhua,
Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt : Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit on Saturday termed the Egypt-brokered Gaza truce as a step towards a comprehensive Palestinian-Israeli peace, which needs to be followed by further steps.
Abul Gheit made the remarks in an exclusive interview with Xinhua on the sidelines of the second day of 13th ordinary session of the African Union (AU) Executive Council ahead of the AU Summitin the Egyptian Red Sea resort.
Etihad Airways launches non-stop service to South Korea
By IANS,
Abu Dhabi : The UAE's national carrier Etihad Airways was Friday night set to commence a non-stop flight to Seoul, making it its first ever service to South Korea.
Attack on Sderot injures two Israelis — Radio Israel
By KUNA
Gaza : Two Israelis were injured Thursday in a missile attack on Sderot City, near Gaza Strip, Radio Israel said.
An Israeli Army spokesman said two missiles were fired on Sderot this morning from north Gaza and that one exploded near a vehicle causing injury to two of its passengers.
The spokesman added ambulances rushed to the scene of the explosion and took the injured to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Ezzidine Al-Qassam Brigades, military wing of Hamas, had earlier this morning claimed responsibility for firing two other missiles on Sderot.
Hajj shows Islam’s message of justice, equality: Brown
By SPA,
London : The British Prime Minister sent his “warm wishes” and greetings to British Muslims on the occasion of Eid Al-Adha.
Gordon Brown in his message to the British Muslim Community said, “For me, the inspirational thing about Hajj is the great stirrings for justice that shows in the Ummah".
“At this special time, we can also reflect upon and celebrate the tremendous contributions of British Muslims to our national life, " he was quoted as saying in a report published today by Saudi Gazette.
265 killed in Malaysian traffic accidents during Eid Al-Fitr holidays
By NNN-Bernama,
Kuala Lumpur : A total of 265 people were killed in traffic accidents during the recent holidays for the Muslim Eid Al-Fitr festival which saw millions of Malaysians making their way to their home towns to spend the holidays with their families.
However, Royal Malaysia Police Traffic Division chief Abdul Aziz Yusof said the increase in the death toll in the police operation conducted in conjunction with the festive period -- Ops Sikap XX -- which ended last Sunday, did not reflect the failure of the operation.
Zardari to attend Islamic meet in Saudi Arabia
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari will attend a two-day Islamic summit in Makkah in Saudi Arabia in August, Geo News reported.
Bangladesh trade deficit shrinks
By IANS,
Dhaka : Bangladesh's trade deficit during the first six months of the 2013-2014 fiscal contracted by 58.29 percent to about $1.53 billion year-on-year,...
Somalia hails UAE’s humanitarian efforts
By IANS/WAM,
Mogadishu : Somalia has lauded UAE government's support to the people of Somalia who are affected by the drought in the Horn of Africa.
Help Afghan police, NATO chief urges members
By DPA,
Brussels : NATO members states must give the Afghan police more training and better equipment to help them fight off insurgent attacks, the alliance's top official said Friday.
Two-thirds of all the uniformed personnel killed in Afghanistan are police officers, and there is an "urgent need to provide them with better training, infrastructure and equipment", NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer told alliance defence ministers.
Western oil firms stage a comeback in Iraq
By IANS,
Abu Dhabi : Major western oil firms are now set to stage a comeback in Iraq some four decades after being driven out by Saddam Hussein, WAM reported Saturday quoting media reports.
Four oil giants - American ExxonMobil, the Dutch group Shell, France's Total and British major BP, all partners in the Iraq Petroleum Company, are in talks with Iraq's oil ministry for no-bid contracts to service the country's largest oilfields. Among others in the field are Chevron and smaller firms.
Hamas condemns rocket attack on South Israel
By KUNA,
Gaza : The Islamic movement Hamas condemned on Tuesday firing of a single rocket into Israel the day before.
Mahmoud Al-Zahar, a ranking member of the organization, that controls Gaza Strip, said in a statement broadcast by local radio stations that all Palestinian factions were in consensus on the necessity to maintain calm.
Iraq says hope slim for security deal with current U.S. gov’t
By Xinhua,
Baghdad : The Iraqi government spokesman gave a dim outlook Monday of reaching a security agreement with the current U.S. administration.
"There is a large possibility of postponing the signing of the long-term agreement between Iraq and the U.S., until a new U.S. administration is elected," Ali al-Dabbagh was quoted as saying by the Voice of Iraq news agency.
Their disputes include a timetable for the pullout of foreign troops and how the U.S. forces would operate in Iraq, Dabbagh said, adding that both sides were trying to achieve the maximum gains.
Anti-IS motion submitted to Turkish parliament
Ankara : The Turkish government has submitted a motion to parliament to extend the scope of potential action against the Islamic State (IS).
Deputy Prime...
Empty security bunkers at Pakistan educational institutes raise questions
Islamabad : Hundreds of unattended and unguarded bunkers outside educational institutions in the city of Lahore in Pakistan are more like a security threat...
Campaign to remove political slogans begins in Beirut
By NNN-KUNA,
Beirut : The campaign to rid Beirut from pictures, flags, and slogans promoting certain political groups began Saturday in accordance to an agreement between the Future Bloc, Hezbollah and Amal parties.
The three-day campaign saw the participation of young loyalists to the three political blocs under the supervision of security forces.
Interior Minister Zeyad Baroud, who conducted a field inspection of the campaign, told the press that the step was very important to achieve political stability in Lebanon.
Pakistani security forces storm Taliban chief’s stronghold
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistani security forces have fought their way into Makeen, which is the stronghold of the country's Taliban chief Hakimullah Mehsud, during the ongoing operations against terrorists in South Waziristan.
The security forces have successfully entered Makeen area, Geo News reported Friday.
Five hideouts were destroyed and two militants were killed in a fierce battle.
Fighter jets, gunship helicopters and heavy artillery pounded the positions of the militants.
Pakistan rebuilds school that collapsed in quake
By IANS,
Islamabad : A school, which collapsed in an earthquake killing 81 students, has been re-built in Pakistani Kashmir.
Palestinian leader says Israel must stick to 2008 accord
By RIA Novosti,
Washington : Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has insisted that Israel must honor commitments on borders with Palestine made in 2008 talks in order to resume the stalled bilateral peace negotiations.
Abbas met on Tuesday with U.S. President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in New York to discuss the settlement of the long-lasting Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the resumption of peace talks, which were suspended last December.
Al Qaeda threatens to disrupt Australian fuel supplies
Sydney: Al Qaeda has urged Islamic militants to attack oil tankers in maritime hotspots that supply Australia with up to 70 percent of its...
Pakistan, U.S defence bodies hold dialogue
By IRNA,
Islamabad : Top defence institutions of Pakistan and the United States are holding dialogue in Islamabad ‘to foster understanding’ between the two forums and the respective countries, the army has said.
The National Defence University, Islamabad and the National Defence University Washington Strategic Dialogue will also know each other’s perception about some of the vital international and regional issues, an army statement said. The dialogue concludes on Tuesday.