Pakistan must punish perpetrators of Mumbai terror: US experts
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : Pakistan must punish those involved in the Mumbai massacre while undercutting extremist propaganda that lays the groundwork for such incidents, say two US experts, even while advising India to address the shortfalls in its homeland security.
They have also suggested that India and the US should pursue a robust dialogue to share counter-terrorism strategies in the wake of Mumbai terror attack blamed on Pakistan based terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
Tough life for women cyclists in Pakistan
By IANS,
New Delhi : Pakistani cycling officials say the sport is one of the most neglected ones in the country, especially in the case of women.
Pakistan ex-chief justice sues Imran Khan
Islamabad : Former Pakistan chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry filed a Pakistani Rs.20 billion ($1.9 million) defamation suit against cricketer-turned- politician Imran Khan Tuesday.
In...
400,000 people fled Libya: UN
By IANS,
United Nations : Some 400,000 people have fled the violence in Libya, the UN said Friday.
Iran: Government welcomes free flow of information
By NNN-IRNA,
Tehran : Iraqi President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has welcomed free flow of information as it has currently become a public demand.
Government spokesman, Gholam-Hossein Elham said on Saturday the President made the remarks in an address to the inaugural ceremony of a meeting of the Public Relations Offices.
The spokesman said the support for the free flow of information was an issue also stressed by Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei.
Zardari does not deny Mumbai attacks directed from Pakistan
By ANTARA News/DPA,
Ankara : Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday refused to deny reports that the attacks in the Indian city of Mumbai were carried out by people operating from Pakistan.
"Pakistan has always discouraged, and our position that we are the victims of terrorism. Pakistan is currently doing its own internal investigation and it is waiting for concrete proof," Zardari said.
Asked whether Pakistan would change its own approach to combatting terrorism in the wake of the Mumbai attacks, Zardari said his government`s focus would remain on fighting terrorists.
Pakistan: India Violated Air Space
By Prensa Latina,
Islamabad : Pakistan summoned Indian Counselor in Pakistan Manpreet Vohra, to whom he officially protested an alleged air space intrusion by Indian fighter jets.
The Pakistani Foreign Ministry release says the intrusion "violates the 1991 bilateral agreement for the prevention of air space violation."
Islamabad assures that two Indian fighter jets flew over Cashmir, Pakistan, near Lahore, and in Punjab province, but India rejects the accusation.
Bush shoe-thrower appears in Baghdad court
By Xinhua,
Baghdad : The Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at former US president George W. Bush appeared at a Baghdad court Thursday.
Muntadhar al-Zaidi, 30, a reporter with Cairo-based Baghdadia Iraqi television, is standing trial on charge of assaulting a foreign leader.
In his previous appearance Feb 19, al-Zaidi told the court that he could not control his emotions when he saw Bush, who ordered war on Iraq in 2003, in front of him.
He also said that he was not trying to kill Bush and that Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki was not targeted in the attack.
12 killed, 24 injured in suicide blast in Pakistan
By PTI,
Peshawar/Islamabad : A suicide bomber blew himself up in a crowded market in Pakistan's Bajaur tribal region Sunday, killing nine persons and injuring 15 others.
The bomber detonated his explosives when he was stopped by security personnel at a check post in the main market in Khar, the headquarters of Bajaur Agency, witnesses said.
Witnesses and local officials said nine persons, including two security personnel, were killed in the attack.
Fifteen others, including several security personnel, were injured.
Malaysian Bar Council wants anti-immigration body disbanded
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur : The Malaysian Bar Council has called for Rela, the civilian vigilante oeganisation tasked to detect illegal migrants, to be disbanded following numerous reports that allege "members' abuse of their powers during enforcement raids."
Rela, a legally constituted body, is known to target visitors and tourists who overstay in search of jobs, and other illegal migrants of whom a large number are from South Asia and other Southeast Asian neighbours of Malaysia.
US, Afghan, Pakistani military officials to meet shortly
By KUNA,
Kabul : Military officials from Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the United States will meet in Kabul to discuss the bombings of June 10 near Gor Pario area in Afghanistan.
The US military in Afghanistan said on Thursday the tripartite meeting would be held at Bagram Airbase, located some 35 kilometres north of Kabul, the central capital of Afghanistan.
The first meeting of military officials of the three countries was held on June 24.
During the meeting, the officials exchanged their independently collected data.
Healing Separation
By Lila Sophia Tresemer
In October 2006, a group of women from the Holy Land gathered in Colorado to co-create a Middle Eastern village experience—living, eating, and learning together. The women came from a wide variety of backgrounds: Jewish (several were religious, others secular and some pagan), Arab (Druze, Muslim, Christian and pagan), as well as women from the US with a range of cultural identities.
U.S. troops kill 10 militiamen in Baghdad
By Xinhua,
Baghdad : U.S. troops killed ten suspected Shiite militiamen backed by Iran in eastern part of the Iraqi capital, the U.S. military said on Thursday.
A military statement said that the incident occurred on Wednesday when U.S. troops observed and engaged suspected Shiite militia group, code-named "Special Groups", planting roadside bombs in the Fedhieliyah neighborhood in Baghdad al-Jadida or New Baghdad district.
IAEA Board wraps up session on Iran’s nuclear program
By IRNA
Vienna : International Atomic Energy Agency's Board of Governors ended its Wednesday session after investigating Iran's nuclear case based on the Agency Chief Mohammad ElBaradei's report.
The session ended as the IAEA chief summed up his findings on Iran's nuclear case and briefed the participants on his conclusion.
Iran's IAEA envoy Ali-Asghar Soltanieh told reporters after the meeting that ElBaradei's conclusion reflected major portion of positive views and the NAM statements.
Soltanieh said the conclusion welcomes progress in solving the remaining issues.
Eight killed in Iran mine collapse
By IANS,
Tehran: At least eight workers were killed in Iran after a coal mine collapsed in the central region of Tabas Tuesday, Xinhua reported.
Yemen’s poor security situation attributed to weapon culture
By IINA
Sana'a : Yemen's Minister of Interior Rashad Al Alimi has said that the spread of weapons and tribal fanaticism are behind the failure of security plans in Yemen. The minister said lectures were being delivered in universities and tapes distributed to people promoting weapons as an essential part of the culture of Yemen. He mentioned in particular the Sana'a-based university of Eman, a religious university owned and run by Sheikh Abdul Majeed Al Zandani, who is accused by the US of supporting terrorism.
Jailed ex-Israeli president freed for seven hours
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Tel Aviv : Jailed former Israeli president Moshe Katsav convicted of raping a former female employee was freed for seven hours Sunday to attend his son's wedding.
India, Pakistan reiterate commitment to fight terrorism in all forms
By IRNA,
New Delhi : India and Pakistan on Tuesday reiterated commitment to fight terrorism in all forms.
Myanmar to repatriate more Bangladeshi boat people
Yangon: Myanmar will repatriate another 727 Bangladeshi boat people, rescued by the navy off the southern coast on Friday, after carrying out a detailed...
Yemen: police clash with slum dwellers in Sabaa
By NNN-IRIN,
Sanaa : Police moved into a slum area of Sanaa city on July 20 to try to evict several hundred impoverished people who had moved into the area saying they could not longer afford to pay rent.
Police used a tractor to demolish about 10 tin shacks, according to Saad Ahmed Salem, a slum leader, but did not succeed in evicting any of the roughly 200 families in the slum.
Ameen Jamaan, the deputy mayor of Sanaa, told IRIN: "We gave them notice to leave but they refused. Their makeshift homes would have developed into a neighbourhood, which is against the city's plan."
Hundreds in Lebanon protest against Israeli raid on Gaza
By Xinhua,
Beirut : Hundreds of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon Saturday marched to the Egyptian embassy here to protest against the Israeli raids on Gaza.
Riot police have thrown a security ring around the embassy in western Beirut to prevent the protesters from entering into the premises, Hezbollah Al-Nour radio reported.
Lebanese soldiers were also deployed to control the situation, it said.
The protesters were from the Palestinian refugee camp Bourj el-Barajneh in the southern part of the city.
Edict against tomboys in Malaysia
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur : The National Fatwa Council of Malaysia has ruled that tomboyism, where a girl behaves or dresses in a boyish manner, is forbidden in Islam.
Council chairman Abdul Shukor Husin said the decision was prompted by recent developments as there had been cases of young women inclined to behave like men and indulging in homosexuality, The Star newspaper said Friday.
Parents must stop their children from indulging in disruptive activities that are against Islamic teachings, Husin told reporters here Thursday.
FM: Iran works for dialogue among Lebanese parties
By Xinhua,
Beirut : Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki Monday said Iran keeps constant contacts with all Lebanese parties and works for dialogue among Lebanese parties.
Mottaki made the remarks in a press conference here, adding that "our aim is not to interfere among Lebanese groups or in Lebanese affairs."
He hailed Doha dialogue, saying "the first fruit of Doha dialogue was the election of Gen. Suleiman as president."
Egypt to try Morsi for leaking security papers to Qatar
Cairo: Ousted Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi, along with 10 others, will face trial over leaking security documents to Qatar, media reported Saturday.
The former president...
Egyptian court releases 21 Muslim Brotherhood members
Cairo : A court in Egypt Monday decided to release 21 members of the banned Muslim Brotherhood (MB) on bail of 1,000 Egyptian pounds...
77 Kurdish rebels killed in northern Iraq
By Xinhua
Ankara : At least 77 Kurdish separatists were killed on the sixth day of cross-border operations in the north of Iraq, Turkish army said Wednesday.
In a statement posted on its website, the General Staff of Turkish Army said that Tuesday's clashes have killed 77 fighters of outlawed Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK), bringing the guerrilla death toll to 230 since the beginning of the operations.
The General Staff said that the Turkish Army encountered several PKK groups and there were clashes in two different areas on the sixth day of the operation.
Gulf region investing over $18 bn in new steel plants
By IANS,
Abu Dhabi : More than $18 billion is being invested in 46 steel manufacturing plants throughout the Gulf to meet the region's increasing demand for steel, WAM news agency reported Wednesday.
"While there is talk of a slowdown in other parts of the world, the growth in the Middle East manufacturing base continues to expand with demand for steel far outstripping supply," said Spencer Felix, exhibition manager of the Middle East Manufacturing Exhibition (MEMEX), which takes place at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre Nov 23-25.
Casualties of unexploded cluster bombs in Lebanon hit 29,900 – UN official
By NNN-KUNA
Beirut : The unexploded cluster bombs and anti-personnel landmines left by Israel during the July, 2006 war against Lebanon killed and injured 29,200 people so far, said spokesperson of the United Nations Mine Action Coordination Centre (UNMACC) Dalia Farran here Friday.
She made the remarks during a ceremony held by the UNMACC in the southern Lebanese city of Tyre in observance of the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action.
Iraq Rebs Bust Armor, Kill US Troop
Washington, Jan 22 (Prensa Latina) The first US soldier on board a new sophisticated armored vehicle recently sent to the Iraq war by the Pentagon died on the weekend, confirmed military sources on Monday.
According to spokespersons from the Defense Department in this capital, the soldier lost his life when a roadside bomb struck the new MRAP vehicle, which was allegedly resistant to mines and protected against ambushes.
How a hostel in Delhi is keeping hopes of Rohingya students alive
By Inder Bisht, TwoCircles.net
Sitting cross-legged in a small room, Fayaz, Hussain and Saifful are poring over their textbooks as they prepare for their annual...
Two Palestinians killed, five injured in Israeli air raid on Gaza
By KUNA,
Gaza : Two Palestinian activists were killed and five others were injured in an Israeli air raid targeting Al-Shujaiya district, eastern Gaza Strip, late Wednesday night.
"Israeli combat jets fired at least one missile at an armed group affiliated with Eziddin Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas," local radio reported.
Sources underscored that these groups were stationed near one of Al-Shujaiya neighborhood schools when an Israeli missile killed two of their members and injured five others.
Stipend programme boosted primary education in Bangladesh: study
Dhaka : A new study shows Bangladesh's primary education stipend programme has increased geographical coverage, enrolment, attendance and gender parity in elementary education.
The findings...
Bilawal Bhutto is day dreamer: E Ahmed
By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
New Delhi: Former Junior Foreign Minister and IUML leader E. Ahmed has called Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari a day-dreamer on his controversial statement where he said that he will take every inch of Kashmir from Pakistan.
Israeli officials dismiss minister’s threat against Iran
By Xinhua,
Jerusalem : Israeli officials on Sunday slashed out at Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz over his threat of military action against Iran, stressing that the hawkish remarks do not represent Israel's policy.
Sheikh Hasina to be released to seek medical care abroad
By DPA,
Dhaka : Former Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina will be released from detention so she can seek medical treatment abroad, officials said Wednesday.
Hasina, the leader of opposition Awami League, detained on corruption charges for nearly a year, is to be released Wednesday for eight weeks so she can obtain medical treatment abroad, said prison chief General Zakir Hussain.
She is due to fly to the US for ear and eye problems.
Hasina, who led Bangladesh from 1996 to 2001, has been held in a special jail set up on the grounds of parliament since July.
Pakistan polls to decide fate of over 23,000 candidates
By IANS,
Islamabad : The fate of 23,079 candidates in the race for Pakistan's National Assembly and provincial assembly seats will be decided Saturday.
India, Afghanistan send broad hint to Pakistan – stop terrorism
By IANS,
New Delhi : In an apparent reference to Pakistan, India and Afghanistan Monday said that countries needed to prevent acts of terrorism emanating from their soil.
A joint statement issued at the end of President Hamid Karzai's 24-hour trip to New Delhi said the visit was symbolic, "to express Afghanistan's solidarity with the government and people of India in the wake of the Mumbai terrorist attack".
Bangladesh govt. determined to check all ill practices of destroying forests in iron hand:...
By NNN-BSS,
Dhaka : Chief Adviser of Bangladesh caretaker government Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed said the government is determined to check all ill practices of destroying trees and forests in iron hand.
The government, to resist corruption at all levels of forest administration, has ensured "zero tolerance" as it believes "Those who are enemies of tree are the enemies of nature and people", he added.
Pakistan launches first luxury train
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani Friday inaugurated the country's first luxury train in the eastern city of Lahore.
125 Bangladeshi policemen leave for Congo to join UN peacekeeping mission
By NNN-Xinhua
Dhaka : A 125-member contingent of Bangladesh police has left here for Congo to join the United Nations peacekeeping mission, according to a Police Headquarters' press release reaching here Saturday.
The team, led by Shahidul Islam, left Zia International Airport on Friday night by an UN chartered flight.
Assistant Inspector General of Police (UN Desk) M Ekramul Habiband other senior officials were present at the airport during the team's departure, the press release said.
Malaysian police seize 20 kilograms of opium in drug bust
By SPA,
Kuala Lumpur : Malaysian police seized 20 kilograms of opium slabs worth some 70,000 ringgit (20,588 dollars) from a suspected dealer in the northern Penang state, a news report said Saturday.
Police surrounded the car of the suspect, aged in his 30s, and discovered 20 slabs of opium after searching the vehicle, said state police chief Salleh Mat Rasid.
"We planned for four days before deciding to act against the suspect," Salleh was quoted as saying by the Star daily.
US experts say Pakistan’s nuclear asset safe, urge sustained economic, security ties
By NNN-APP
Washington : Pakistan’s nuclear assets are secure and there is no danger to their safety currently or in the near future, foreign policy experts said at a US Congressional hearing.
Testifying before the House sub-committee on the West Asia, a panel of experts described Pakistan as a crucial ally in fighting of terrorism and stressed the need for sustained US economic and security assistance for the country.
Pakistani helicopters kill 28 Islamist militants
By DPA,
Islamabad : Helicopter gunships attacked the hideouts of Islamist militants in Pakistan's tribal region bordering Afghanistan, killing at least 28 rebels in overnight action, security officials said Thursday.
The bombardment came hours after a pro-government tribal elder, Malik Guli Shah, and his two guards were shot dead by gunmen in the Khyber district.
"Our three helicopters engaged several positions of Lashkar-e-Islam in the Sandapal and Akakhel areas of Tira Valley (Khyber district) late Wednesday," said Wajid Ali, a spokesman for the paramilitary Frontier Corps.
French PS: No to Troops to Afghanistan
By Prensa Latina
Paris : The French Socialist Party (PS) announced vote of censure against the government for its decision to strengthen troops in Afghanistan and other aspects of its administration.
Socialist sources from the National Assembly remarked that after Tuesday's parliamentarian debate around sending about 1000 additional French soldiers to Afghan territory, the vote of censure will be submitted including economic and social criticisms.
Let 2015 be a start to a future of ‘lasts’ rather than ‘half’ measures...
By TCN News,
New Delhi: After receiving the Nobel Peace prize with India’s Kailash Satyarthi, Pakistan’s young education activist Malala Yousafzai has written an open letter to the world leaders. In India, the campaigners have sent this letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
12 killed in attack on Pakistani mosque
By DPA,
Islamabad : At least 12 people have been killed and some 40 injured in a bomb and gun attack on a mosque in north-west Pakistan, reports said.
Unknown gunmen late Wednesday night hurled hand grenades and then opened fire as people were offering late night prayers in a mosque in the Maskai area of Dir in North West Frontier Province.
Provincial police sources told Dawn News channel that 12 people were confirmed dead and some 40 injured.
The toll was feared to rise as many of the injured were in critical condition, according to the report.
Zardari accuses Musharraf of misappropriating US aid
By IRNA,
Islamabad : Co-chairman Pakistan People's Party, Asif Ali Zardari has disclosed that President Pervez Musharraf attempted to sabotage the present set up due to which the government was forced to take an extreme measure of his impeachment.
In his interview to a UK based newspaper, he also disclosed that his government would investigate the appropriation of American aid given for supporting the war on terror.
Zardari said the Army was only receiving about a quarter of the $1 billion annual funds from the US.
Afghan govt claims arresting 13 suspected militants
By KUNA
Kabul : The Afghan government on Wednesday claimed arrest of 13 suspects during separate operations in Zabul, Paktika, and Khost provinces of the troubled country.
A Defense Ministry statement said eight suspected terrorists were apprehended during a joint operation with the NATO-led ISAF troops in Shahr-e-Safa district of the southern Zabul province.
Some arms and ammunitions were also recovered from their possession, said the ministry's statement.
Separately, three more suspects were held in a swoop in Zerook district of Paktika province.
Musharraf terms suicide bomb attacks ‘sheer madness’
By IRNA
Islamabad : President Pervez Musharraf Tuesday described suicide attacks in the city of Lahore as a heinous act as and sheer madness in the name of great religion of Islam.
The Interior Ministry said that 24 people were killed and 170 injured in the suicide attacks, the one deadly targeted the office of Federal Investigation Agency.
"The terrible bomb blasts in Lahore must be condemned in the strongest possible terms," President Musharraf said.
US wants Bangladesh to deploy troops in Afghanistan
By IANS,
Dhaka : The US wants Bangladesh to deploy its troops in Afghanistan "to establish security and stability", authorities said.
Terrorist safe havens in Pakistan most worrisome: US
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : The havens carved out by the Taliban and other insurgents in Pakistan have become the "most worrisome" part of the US-led war in Afghanistan, says US Defence Secretary Robert Gates.
Washington had a similar perch in Pakistan when US and Pakistani officials supported Afghanistan's mujahideen rebels against the Soviet Union in the 1980s - "and let me tell you, it made a big difference", he said Sunday.
"I think as long as they have a safe haven to operate there, it's going to be a problem for us in Afghanistan," he told NBC's "Meet the Press".
Pakistan cannot afford more bloodshed: PM
By IANS,
Islamabad: Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif Monday condemned the killing of 23 security personnel by Taliban militants and said the country cannot afford...
Sharif turns on the heat after inconclusive talks with Zardari
By Muhammad Najeeb and Dipankar De Sarkar, IANS,
Islamabad/London : The main constituents of Pakistan's fragile ruling alliance were at loggerheads again Saturday - a day after seven hours of London talks failed to break a deadlock on whether to reinstate judges sacked by President Pervez Musharraf.
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Asif Ali Zardari pleaded he was helpless, while a leader of the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) - or PML-N - threatened to pull his party from the coalition government in Islamabad if the sacked judges are not reinstated.
Pakistan says US aid ‘signal of long term commitment’
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : Even as Pakistan's military questioned the anti-terror strings attached to the proposed $7.5 billion US aid package, its foreign minister said it was crucial to fight terrorists and the US assured that it would not impinge on Islamabad's sovereignty.
The US lawmakers responsible for the bill to provide Pakistan with $1.5 billion a year over the next five years had also assured him that the economic aid has no conditions attached, Shah Mahmood Qureshi said Wednesday at the Council on Foreign Relations.
Pakistan needs to be strict with terrorists: Kayani
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan needs stricter laws to deal with terrorism, army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani said in comments published Tuesday.
Karzai: Eliminating terrorism requires collective war
By Xinhua
Kabul : Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai said here Monday that terrorism is an international problem and called on collective war against the menace.
"Terrorism is our main problem. Overcoming the menace requires collective international support," he stressed in his remarks while opening the third legislature year of the country's parliament.
He also emphasized that Afghanistan would continue to fight terrorism with all possible means.
44 missing people traced in Pakistan
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan is working "vigorously" on reports of people going missing in the country, and at least 44 such people have been traced in the last three months, an official said.
Lebanon is, will remain strong with will of PPL – Suleiman
By NNN-KUNA,
Kuwait : Lebanon is strong and will remain so with the will of its people, said Lebanese Army Commander and presidential nominee General Michel Suleiman on Thursday.
Speaking to "Al-Qabas" newspaper, he said, "We have survived difficult phases and blows, but every time, the Lebanese people proved that they can overcome their wounds and pain with the support of their Arab brothers and friends around the world."
Imran Khan taken off plane in Toronto
By IANS,
Toronto : Pakistani cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan was taken off from a US bound flight for questioning here Friday, a media report said.
Pakistani tribesmen warn U.S against any border violation
By IRNA,
Islamabad : A jirga or council of Pakistani tribesmen Wednesday warned of severe action against the American troops if they tried to attack the tribal regions, tribal elders said.
"The eight million tribal people are ever ready to offer any sacrifice for safeguarding their motherland against foreign forces", tribal elders told a gathering of around 4,000 tribesmen from major Ahmedzai Wazir tribe.
13 killed in Iraq bomb attacks
By IANS,
Baghdad: At least 13 people were killed and eight injured in separate bomb and gunfire attacks in Iraq Thursday, said police.
UAE protests to UN on Iran’s activities on Abu Musa island
By IANS,
Abu Dhabi : The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has officially documented to the United Nations its protest against Iran's action of opening of two offices in UAE's occupied island of Abu Musa.
Malaysia launches knowledge knowledge infrastructure to boost competitiveness
By Bernama
Kuala Lumpur : MIMOS Berhad, a strategic agency under Malaysia's Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, has launched KnowledgeGRID Malaysia as the country's next knowledge infrastructure to increase Malaysia's competitiveness in technology advancements regionally and globally.
KnowledgeGRID Malaysia is a system where computing resources are shared across networks and enables selection, aggregation and sharing of information resources in multiple administrative domain and geographical areas.
Makhdoom Amin Fahim to be Pakistan’s next premier
By DPA
Islamabad : The incoming ruling party of slain Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto has chosen the country's next prime minister, who is to be announced when the new parliament convenes early next month, party officials said Saturday.
However, a senior party official said Makhdoom Amin Fahim, vice chairman and a founding member of Bhutto's Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), was selected to be premier by the party's top leadership during a closed-door meeting in Islamabad Friday.
Egyptian president to visit Pakistan Friday
By IANS,
Islamabad: Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi will be undertaking a state visit to Islamabad Friday, Xinhua reported.
Syria rejects Lebanon’s idea of refugee camps on border
Beirut: Damascus Friday rejected the Lebanese government's suggestion of setting up refugee camps for displaced people along its borders with Syria.
The rejection came after...
Iraqi PM says some Shia militants worse than Al Qaeda
By Xinhua
Baghdad : Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said some Shia militants were worse than Al Qaeda, as the Shia militia Mahdi Army continued heavy clashes with Iraqi forces Saturday.
"Unfortunately we were talking about Al Qaeda but there are some among us who are worse than Al Qaeda. Al-Qaeda is killing innocents, destroying establishments and they (Shia gunemen) are also doing so," he said at a meeting with tribal leaders in Basra that was broadcast by the state broadcaster al-Iraqiya.
Yemeni authorities bust Al Qaeda cell, arrest 11 members
By DPA,
Sanaa : Authorities in Yemen arrested 11 suspected members of the Al Qeada terrorist network in the capital, security sources said Thursday.
The suspects, detained in the past days, gave information during questioning about acts of terror carried out by the network.
Yemeni Deputy Prime Minister for Defence and Security Affairs Rashad al-Alimi is expected to hold a press conference to give more information about the arrests.
Russian delegation to hold security talks in Iran
By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : A high-ranking Russian Security Council official will hold talks with senior Iranian officials in Tehran on Monday.
The Russian delegation headed by acting Security Council secretary Valentin Sobolev is also due to meet with the Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, Saeed Jalili, as a follow up to the secretary's visit to Moscow in December 2007.
The officials will discuss "bilateral cooperation in security, as well as topical international and regional issues," Iran's Security Council said in an official statement.
Steinmeier phones Turkish FM to discuss PKK hostage crisis
By IRNA,
Berlin : German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Tuesday phoned his Turkish counterpart Ali Babacan to confer on the latest developments surrounding the fate of three German mountaineers taken hostage on Mount Ararat in eastern Turkey by militants from the Kurdish Workers Party( PKK).
Speaking on the sidelines of his meeting with the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Mohammad ElBaradei at the foreign ministry, Steinmeier told journalists that he did not want join speculations about an ongoing power struggle within PKK.
Final talks on peace pipeline between Iran, India and Pakistan to be held soon
By IRNA,
Tehran : The managing director of the National Iranian Gas Export Company has said that the oil and energy ministers of Pakistan and India will hold final talks with Iran on the price of the gas supply to the Peace Pipeline.
The trilateral talks on the Peace Pipeline between Iran, India and Pakistan will be held in the near future, Nosratollah Seifi said Monday.
Referring to the agreement signed in the winter of 2006 between the three countries, Seifi said that India which did not attend the Peace Pipeline talks so far, has come back.
Dhaka watches while ‘unlawful killings’ spiral: Human Rights Watch
By IANS,
Dhaka : "Unlawful killings" by Bangladesh's elite Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) have surged in recent months and the army-backed government bas watched silently, global rights group Human Rights Watch (HRW) has alleged.
According to the New York-based group, the police is emulating the methods of the RAB, a strike force manned by personnel from the army, the navy and the air force.
Healthcare sector in Middle East creating more jobs
By IANS/WAM,
Dubai : Job opportunities in the healthcare sector in the Middle East and North Africa region are expanding at the rate of 14 percent per year, a report said.
Pakistan arrests three suspected suicide bombers, seizes explosives
By IRNA,
Rawalpindi : Police in Pakistan have arrested three suspected suicide bombers and seized explosives-laden vehicles near the capital Islamabad, the Interior Ministry said.
Three other accomplices of the would-be-bombers were also arrested from the garrison city of Rawalpindi on a tip from the suspected bombers, Interior Advisor Rehman Malik told reporters at the parliament house.
He said that the suspects were arrested late last night in a search operation when a red alert was declared in Islamabad and Rawalpindi after reports that suicide bombers have entered the area.
Suicide attacks, clashes kill over 30 in Afghanistan
By DPA,
Kabul : Two suicide attackers blew themselves up at the police headquarters in Kandahar city Sunday, killing and wounding more than 30, while two dozen Taliban were killed in airstrikes and clashes elsewhere in the country, officials have said.
The bombers detonated their explosives inside the police headquarters Sunday afternoon, provincial police chief Matiullah Khan said. Kandahar city is the capital of the province of the same name.
Coalition says more than 10 militants killed in Afghanistan
By ANTARA News/AFP,
Kabul : The US-led coalition in Afghanistan said Friday its soldiers had killed more than 10 militants in an operation to find a Taliban rebel involved in bomb attacks and helping foreign militants.
The announcement came as a US defence official confirmed that two soldiers killed in attacks on Thursday were from the United States, which has about 33,000 soldiers in the fight against extremists in Afghanistan.
Bangladesh will again mourn Sheikh Mujib
By IANS,
Dhaka : After six years, Bangladesh will again observe Aug 15 as National Mourning Day to mark the assassination of its founding father and first president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975.
The day would also be a public holiday, the council of advisers decided at a meeting chaired by Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed Sunday.
The caretaker government had refrained from deciding on this sensitive issue last year, but a high court ruling last month helped the matter, reported the New Age.
Israeli FM: Halting peace negotiations only serves Hamas
By Xinhua
Jerusalem : Halting ongoing peace negotiations with the Palestinians will simply play into the hands of the Islamic Hamas movement, Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni was quoted by local daily Yedioth Ahronoth as saying on Monday.
Two people killed in Baghdad car bombings
By Xinhua,
Baghdad : Two civilians were killed and eight were wounded in two car bomb explosions in Baghdad on Saturday, an Interior Ministry source said.
A booby-trapped car parked near the Nusour Square detonated near a police patrol in the afternoon, killing a civilian and wounding two others, along with damaging several civilian cars, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.
Syrian opposition reiterates commitment to fight IS
Abu Dhabi : Hadi al-Bahra, president of the Syrian National Coalition (SNC), has reiterated the coalition's commitment to fight the Islamic State (IS) terrorist...
Six killed in Iraq prison-break attempt
By IANS,
Baghdad : Three policemen and three inmates were killed in a prison break attempt in Iraq's central city of Hilla, Xinhua reported Saturday.
Britain says no timetable for withdrawal from Iraq
By NNN-KUNA,
Baghdad : A British official was quoted by Iraqi media on Saturday as saying that the United Kingdom had no timetable for pulling out its troops from Iraq.
John Wilks, the regional spokesman for the British government in the Middle East, told "Al-Sabah" newspaper that there was no timetable for the pullout of British troops from Iraq, hoping that security development in the country would lead to a complete hand over of security to Iraqi troops.
Sarkozy calls for freeze of Israeli settlement plans
By NNN-Petra,
Occupied Jerusalem : French President Nicolas Sarkozy has criticized the expansion of Jewish settlements in the West Bank and the construction in east Jerusalem.
In an interview with the Palestinian daily Al Quds, Sarkozy called for a freeze of Israeli settlement plans including those in Jerusalem, "projected to be the capital of two states" Israel and Palestine.
Pressurise Pakistan to stabilise Afghanistan: India
By IANS,
New Delhi: Barely days before Afghan polls results become clear, India Wednesday asked the international community to put "effective pressure" on Pakistan to crack down on terrorists on its territory and asked it to maintain a long-term commitment to Afghanistan's reconstruction.
Reiterating its unwavering commitment to a democratic, pluralistic and prosperous Afghanistan, India also signalled support for the Afghan government's determination to integrate "those willing to abjure violence and live and work within the parameters of the Afghan constitution".
IDB expects to raise 10 billion USD for Islamic Fund by mid-March
By Mohamed Arshi Daud, NNN-Bernama
Kuala Lumpur : The Islamic Development Bank (IDB) hopes to raise the remaining 7.4 billion USD of the Islamic Solidarity Fund for Development (ISFD) by the time the Dakar Islamic Summit takes place in the middle of next month.
"Hopefully, the whole 10 billion USD targeted for the fund can be mobilized during this period," says the president of the Jeddah-based multilateral development financing institution, Dr Ahmed Mohamed Ali.
UN chief ‘saddened’ by Afghan attacks
By IANS,
United Nations : UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has expressed his sadness about two attacks that killed at least 59 people in Afghanistan Tuesday, his spokesman said.
Pakistani held for forcing Hindu girl to marry him
By IANS,
Islamabad : A Muslim man in Pakistan has been arrested after a Hindu girl rejected his claim that she had converted to Islam and married him, Dawn reported.
Bangladesh wants to bring back fugitive killers of Mujib
By IANS,
Dhaka : Bangladesh wants custody of fugitive former army officers hiding abroad, who killed founding father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his family members on Aug 14, 1975, for an ongoing murder trial.
Attorney General Mahbubey Alam, the government's top law officer, Monday prayed to the Supreme Court to pass "some observations that can help the government bring back the convicted accused hiding abroad," Star Online reported.
UAE, France discuss promotion of trade relations
By IANS,
Abu Dhabi : The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and France have agreed to further promote bilateral trade and investment, WAM news agency reported Monday.
UAE Foreign Trade Minister Sheikha Lubna al-Qassimi and French parliamentarian and former minister of social affairs and integration Jean-Louis Bianco during a meeting Sunday expressed their keenness to deepen bilateral relations and boost trade and investment.
Bianco is leading a delegation of the French National Assembly to the UAE.
Death toll rises to 35 in Iraq wedding suicide attacks
By Xinhua,
Baghdad : The death toll rose to 35 in double suicide blast which struck a wedding convoy Thursday evening in northeast of Baghdad, and 76 others were wounded, police said.
The two suicide bombers, one of them a female, blew themselves off as a wedding convoy passed by a main street in the town of Balad Ruz, 30 km east of Baquba, the capital city of the restive Diyala province.
Police said the first female bomber blew herself up in front of the wedding convoy, and the second bomber went off as people nearby gathered to help the wounded.
IMF suggests Bangladesh to raise public wages in phases
By Xinhua,
Dhaka : The International Monetary Fund (IMF)has suggested the Bangladesh caretaker government to raise public wages in phases to keep its fiscal burden manageable.
Increases in pay scales will need to be phased in to make the fiscal burden manageable, IMF said in Bangladesh -- 2008 Article IV Consultation: Concluding Statement.
Malaysian vote will not affect ties, Singapore FM
By ANTARA News/AFP
Singapore : The election setback suffered by Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi`s ruling coalition is not likely to affect ties with Singapore, the city-state`s foreign minister said Monday.
The Barisan National (BN) coalition was mauled in Saturday`s election, losing its crucial two-thirds majority in parliament and conceding four states to the resurgent opposition, which now controls five of Malaysia`s 13 states.
Assad regime accepts Kofi Annan’s peace plan
By IANS,
Damascus : The Syrian government has agreed to a peace plan put forward by UN-Arab envoy Kofi Annan, his spokesman said Tuesday.
Democracies of world can help speed up process of healing: Pakistan President Zardari
By NNN-APP,
Islamabad : President Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday said that the democracies of the world can help speed up the process of healing and development by helping democracy in Pakistan and rendering assistance in critical areas of social and economic development.
In a meeting with US delegation, headed by US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton which called on President Asif Ali Zardari at Aiwan-e-Sadr, matters related to bilateral relations, strategic partnership, fight against militancy, mutual cooperation and assistance to Pakistan were also discussed.
Etihad Airways in code-share pact with Malaysia Airlines
By IANS,
Dubai : In order to give its passengers greater access to destinations in Asia, Etihad Airways - the national carrier of the United Arab Emirates' (UAE) - has entered into a code-share agreement with Malaysia Airlines.
Under the deal, Etihad will place its two-letter 'EY' code on Malaysia Airlines' flights between Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur and the popular islands of Kota Kinabalu, Penang, Kuching and Langkawi, according to an Etihad statement.
42 people arrested at Egypt’s Tahrir square
By IANS,
Cairo : Forty two people were arrested during turmoil at central Cairo's Tahrir square in Egypt Saturday, Xinhua quoted Egypt's Supreme Council of Armed Forces as saying.
Egyptian FM calls on Obama push forward Mideast peace process
By Xinhua,
Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt : Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit on Saturday voiced his hope that U.S. president-elect Barack Obama will refresh efforts to help advance the Middle East peace.
The upcoming new U.S. administration should maintain the push to advance the stalled Mideast peace process, Abul Gheit told reporters at the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh on the eve of an international Quartet meeting on the Palestinian-Israeli peace talks.
Pakistan Violence Kills 50
By Prensa Latina,
Islamabad : The last events in several Pakistani areas near the Afghanistan border confirmed violence and became accentuated Monday, leaving about 50 dead and 40 wounded.
The Geo TV private channel affirmed that at least ten people died Monday when a missile hit a residence in the conflictive Swat Valley, in the north, an attack that was vindicated by Islamic rebels from Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) movement.
U.S. soldier killed in bomb attack in Baghdad
By Xinhua
Baghdad : An American soldier died of wounds sustained from a roadside bomb attack in Baghdad, the U.S. military said on Saturday.
The attack took place on Friday in south of the capital, a military statement said.
The incident came as Shiite militiamen loyal to radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr are battling U.S.-backed Iraqi security forces in many Iraqi cities, including Baghdad.
About 4,005 U.S. soldiers have been killed in Iraq since the breakout of Iraq war in 2003, according to media count based on Pentagon figures.
Man with Ebola like symptoms dies in Pakistan
Islamabad : A man who was hospitalised with Ebola like symptoms has died, a media report said Tuesday.
Zulfiqar Ahmed, 40, who returned from Togo...
Zardari vows to enhance trade ties with China
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari Monday vowed to enhance trade ties with China in various sectors.
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...
Israel`s Netanyahu vows to topple “Iranian Proxy” Hamas
By ANTARA,
Herzliya : Benjamin Netanyahu, widely tipped to become Israel`s prime minister after elections next week, vowed on Wednesday to topple the Hamas movement in Gaza, calling the Islamists an "Iranian proxy."
"In the end of the day there will be no choice but to remove the Iranian threat in Gaza," Netanyahu told the annual Herzliya security conference north of Tel Aviv.
"There will be no escape from toppling the Hamas regime which is the Iranian proxy in the Gaza Strip," he said. "This is the real threat we are facing.
Grenade attack on Bangladesh ex-premier: 22 suspects to stand trial
By IANS,
Dhaka : Twenty two people including a former minister and an Islamist militant are to go on trial, over four years after a grenade attack on a political rally of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina killed 24 people. Hasina survived the attack, but suffered serious eye and ear damage.
A Dhaka court Wednesday framed charges against detained former lawmaker Abdus Salam Pintu, who belongs to Hasina's rival Khaleda Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), chief of the banned Islamist outfit Harkatul Jihad (HuJI) Mufti Abdul Hannan and 20 others.
U.S. forces kill son of Iraqi governor
By Xinhua,
Beijing : U.S. forces shot the 17-year-old son and another relative of the governor of northern Iraq's Salahuddin Province during a raid Sunday, local officials said.
The U.S. military said it had shot two armed men but later it was found both were related to the governor.
Governor Hamad al-Qaisi's brother, Lieutenant-Colonel Saad al-Qaisi, said U.S. troops stormed a house in the town of Beiji, where the governor's son Hussam and his cousin were staying.
"They shot dead Hussam and wounded three others. This is barbaric," Saad al-Qaisi said.
Troops loyal to Yemeni president thwart Houthi rebels
Sanaa: Security forces and tribal militias loyal to Yemeni President Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi repelled an attack on Monday by Shia Houthi rebels in...
India seeks Kuwaiti funds in infrastructure, signs three pacts
By Manish Chand, IANS,
Kuwait : With recession hitting its ambitious plans to expand infrastructure, India Tuesday turned to the oil-rich Kuwait for investments in projects ranging from petrochemicals and power to the construction of ports and airports.
The two countries also sought to give a 21st century complexion to their multi-faceted ties by signing three pacts in areas of culture, education and science and technology.
Couple burnt alive in brick kiln in Pakistan
Islamabad : A couple was burnt alive in a brick kiln in Pakistan Tuesday over alleged non-payment of advance money, media reported.
Sources said the...
Afghan, NATO forces kill 80 Taliban fighters
By DPA,
Kabul : Afghan and NATO forces killed more than 80 suspected Taliban militants in separate clashes and airstrikes in southern and central Afghanistan, officials said Sunday.
A total of 63 suspected militants were killed in the Dishu district of the southern province of Helmand, the Interior Ministry said in a statement. The operation, which was conducted by Afghan and US-led troops, began Friday and continued till Sunday morning, it said.
Japan, Middle East agree to implement economic project in West Bank
By NNN-KUNA,
Tokyo : Ministers from Japan, Palestine, Jordan and Israel have agreed to begin construction of basic infrastructure early 2009 involving the Japan-led economic development project in the West Bank.
At a four-way ministerial-level talks in Tokyo Wednesday, Japanese Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura, Palestinian Minister of Planning Samir Abdullah, Jordanian Foreign Minister Salah Bashir and Israeli Environment Minister Gideon Ezra also agreed to hold a working-level meeting in the autumn to discuss details on the initiative.
Sadr militia battle troops in four Iraqi cities
By AFP
Baghdad : Moqtada al-Sadr's militiamen battled troops in four Iraqi cities on Tuesday, including the capital, as the hardline Shiite cleric threatened a countrywide campaign of civil revolt.
Heavy clashes broke out between Sadr's Mahdi Army fighters in the southern oil city of Basra, killing at least seven people and wounding 48, and in Kut and Hilla, both south of Baghdad, officials said.
Pakistan’s Razzaq cleared for World T20 contest: Report
By IANS,
London: Pakistani all-rounder Abdul Razzaq has been allowed to play in the ongoing World Twenty20 tournament, a media report said Thursday.
The 29-year-old all-rounder will replace injured Yasir Arafat in Pakistan's World Twenty20 squad, Geo TV said.
"The technical committee of the ICC World Twenty20 2009 has approved Abdul Razzaq as a replacement player for Yasir Arafat in Pakistan's squad for the tournament," the report said quoting the International Cricket Council (ICC).
Four killed, three missing in Egypt-Gaza tunnel collapse
By SPA,
Cairo : Four people were killed and three went missing in the collapse of an underground tunnel north of the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt, security sources said.
The Sources from 'Hamas' group informed Egyptian authorities of the incident, DPA reported.
Egypt is still searching for the missing people inside the tunnel, the source said.
The identities of the dead and missing were not immediately known, the source said.
Ensure safe recovery of abducted American: US to Pakistan
By IANS,
Islamabad : The US has told Pakistan to ensure safe recovery of its national who was abducted from Lahore.
Warren Weinstein, 63, was kidnapped Aug 13 from his home in Lahore.
Over 80 Afghan schoolgirls fall ill in suspected gas-poisoning
By DPA,
Kunduz (Afghanistan): More than 80 schoolgirls have fallen ill in less than a week in northern province of Kunduz, where authorities said Sunday that they were investigating whether the girls were intentionally poisoned.
The latest case revealed Sunday when 13 girls fell ill at a school in Kunduz city, the capital for province of the same name, Humayun Khamoosh, head of Central Hospital in the province said.
He said the girls were complaining of symptoms like headaches, vomiting, and shivering, but after the initial treatment they were in stable condition.
Jihadistan: A guerrilla nation that Pakistan cannot control
By Harold A. Gould, IANS,
In the face of the mounting military, political and ideological threats emanating from the Taliban-Al Qaeda sanctuary in the tribal areas of Pakistan's border with Afghanistan, it is wrong to think that the US should sit on its hands while Pakistan makes timorous efforts to rein in the Islamic extremists.
Political process key to solve Syrian crisis: Iranian official
Beirut: A senior Iranian official said here Friday that the best possible way to solve the Syrian crisis is through political process.
Iran's parliament...
U.S. diplomat urges Iran to unveil nuclear program
By Xinhua
Cairo : The U.S. envoy to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Gregory Schulte has called on Iran to unveil its nuclear program in order to build necessary confidence, the Egyptian MENA news agency reported on Tuesday.
Schulte made the call in a lecture at the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs in Cairo on Monday night.
He said Iran had been designing nuclear arms and developing a secret nuclear enrichment program until 2003, demanding Tehran allow IAEA inspectors to make sure the country has stopped its nuclear activities.
Bangladesh court issues arrest warrants for 28 opposition members
Dhaka: A Dhaka court has issued arrest warrants for 28 opposition activists in Bangladesh, including a top leader, in a case filed in connection...
NATO Bombing Kills More Afghan Civilians
By Prensa Latina,
Kabul : At least 17 Afghan civilians, including 15 children, died during a raid of the International Security Assistance Forces (ISAF) led by NATO in Helmand southern province, reported official sources Friday.
The police chief in Helmand general Assadullah Shirzad told the media that foreign planes bombarded buildings in Nad Ali district Thursday killing civilians, among them children and women.
Iran does not interfere in Arab affairs
By NNN-KUNA,
Tehran : Iranian Government spokesman, Gholam-Hossein Elham denied on Tuesday allegations that his country is interfering with Arab affairs, noting that cooperation with Arab countries is based on bilateral relations and claims about Iran interference was only used by media.
The Iranian official noted that such allegations aim at creating dispute among countries in the region.
Regarding the Lebanese crisis, Elham said he called on all Lebanese parties to end their disputes and not to include foreign powers which he claimed were what destabilizing Lebanon.
Israeli defence official in Cairo for truce talks
By DPA
Cairo : A senior official from Israel's defence ministry arrived in Cairo Thursday in a bid to revive talks over an Egyptian-brokered truce with the Palestinian militant group Hamas, according to airport sources.
Amos Gilad is expected to hold talks with Egypt's intelligence chief, Omar Soliman, over Cairo's efforts to broker a truce between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Hamas demands that Israel lift its blockade of Gaza, which it imposed since the group seized control of the territory and ousted the rival faction Fatah from there a year ago.
Modi greets Afghanistan on its Independence Day
New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday greeted Afghanistan on its 94th Independence Day and assured India's full support to create a peaceful...
UAE launches diabetes awareness campaign in schools
By IANS/WAM,
Abu Dhabi: Students, teachers and parents are together attending workshops in UAE schools to learn tips from experts on how to tackle diabetes.
More than 250 teachers and school nurses participated in various workshops organised in Al Fujairah and Al Ain to raise awareness about diabetes as part of the three-year-long campaign launched by the ministries of health and education in cooperation with Sanofi-Aventis Gulf.
Launched in December last year, the campaign aims to educate teachers, school nurses, students and parents with the dangers of Diabetes "Type II".
15 students injured in Bangladesh clash
By IANS,
Dhaka : At least 15 students were injured Saturday when pupils of two private universities in the Bangladesh capital clashed over the alleged stalking of a female student.
District intelligence chief killed in Afghanistan
By KUNA,
Kabul : Taliban militants have gunned a district chief of intelligence in southeastern Afghanistan, officials said on Tuesday.
Spokesman for the provincial government Khaibar Pashtun said chief of the national intelligence department of Alisher district of the country's southeastern Khost province was shot dead while on his way to his office.
He said the officer was killed this morning as armed men opened fire on his car, adding enemies of the country, the term Afghan officials use for Taliban, were responsible for the attack.
Legislator killed in Pakistan bomb attack
By DPA,
Islamabad : A provincial lawmaker was killed and eight more people were wounded Wednesday in a blast in Pakistan's troubled northwest, as US Special Representative Richard Holbrooke visited the region for security talks, officials said.
Alam Zaib, who belonged to the secular Awami National Party (ANP), died of wounds he suffered when his car was hit by a bomb in Peshawar, the capital of North West Frontier Province.
US ‘objective’: Deny terrorists safe havens in Pakistan
By IANS,
New Delhi : The US not only remains committed to defeating terror group Al Qaeda and its associates but also to denying them safe havens in Pakistan and Afghanistan, US Under Secretary of Defence for Policy Michele Flournoy said here Tuesday.
Flournoy said the US administration was committed to President Barack Obama's strategy in which "he made it very clear that our objective is not only to defeat Al Qaeda and its associates, but also to deny them safe havens in both Afghanistan and Pakistan".
Iran bans contact with foreign organisations
By IANS,
Tehran : Accusing European and US-based organisations of inciting post-poll violence in the country, Iran has restricted its citizens from having ties with such foreign groups, media reports said Tuesday.
Iran's deputy intelligence minister for foreign affairs said that 60 European and US institutions played a role in inciting post-election violence in the Islamic Republic.
Four Pakistanis drown in well
By IANS,
Islamabad : Four Pakistani men - including two brothers - drowned in a well after the first man went down to repair a water pump and the others rushed to rescue him, police said Thursday
Israel and Syria to Continue Talks
By Prensa Latina,
Tel Aviv : Representatives of Israel and Syria will continue their indirect peace conversations next week, possibly in Turkish soil, as reported by official sources here Wednesday.
The two parties announced the exchange three weeks ago, and the mediation was made by Turkish authorities.
Mark Regev, a spokesman for Israel’s Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, said that the Israeli government would keep its position to continue the conversations.
Iran denies alleged interference in Lebanon’s internal affairs
By Xinhua,
Tehran : Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Tuesday denied allegations that Tehran was interfering in Lebanon's internal affairs, dismissing Saudi foreign minister's claims that Iran supported a Hezbollah "coup."
"Iran is the only country which does not interfere in Lebanon's internal affairs," Ahmadinejad told a press conference in Tehran.
He said that Lebanese people were able to cope with their own issues and the international community should "let them solve their problems."