Africans Talk Access to Drinking Water
By Prensa Latina,
Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt : Experts and permanent representatives before the African Union defended the definition of a common course leading to socialize the access to drinkable water in the continent.
Gathered in this resort, about 342 miles southeast of Cairo, delegates of 53 African nations are preparing the documents to be discussed by ministers and ratified by heads of State during their summit on June 30-July 1.
Figures provided by the World Health Organization, UNICEF and UNDP have led participants to describe regional situation as worrying.
Visa pact signed with Pakistan; India insists on 26/11 justice
By Jaideep Sarin, IANS,
Ban strongly condemns Saturday’s rocket attack near UN compound in Baghdad
By NNN-KUNA,
United Nations : UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon strongly condemned late Saturday the rocket attack that occurred near the UN compound in Baghdad, Iraq, his press office said.
"Shocked and saddened," Ban "strongly condemns" the rocket attack in the proximity of the UN compound in Baghdad.
He expressed his condolences to the families of victims and sincere wishes of speedy recovery to the injured catering staff working for the UN.
Israelis fasting in Berlin for Palestinian right to live in Qods
Berlin, Aug 26, IRNA - A group of Berlin-based Israeli dissidents on Thursday went on a hunger strike in front of the embassy of Israel to show their support for the right of a Palestinian man to take his infant daugher to the holy Qods.
Callling themselves 'Israelis Against Occupation', the group announced 'a 24-hour fast in solidarity with Firas Maraghy' who has been on a a hunger strike near the Israeli embassy in Berlin since July 26 over the Isreal refusal to issue travel documents to his seven-month-old baby daughter Zainab which would allow her to live in occupied al-Qods.
Qatar Airways pilot dies in flight
By IANS,
Doha : A Qatar Airways flight en-route from the Philippines to Qatar was forced to land in Kuala Lumpur after one of the pilots died on board, the flag-carrier said in a statement.
Report: Barak mulls ultimatum to Olmert
By Xinhua,
Jerusalem : Israeli Defense Minister and Labor Party chairman Ehud Barak is contemplating delivering an ultimatum to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, whereby he will demand the premier either resign or agree on a date for early elections, local daily Ha'aretz reported Wednesday.
Barak will hold consultations with senior party officials on Wednesday, after which he is expected to make a statement at a 1:30 P.M. (1030GMT) press conference.
WHO closes office in Karachi
By IANS,
Islamabad : The World Health Organization (WHO) has closed its office in Pakistan's Karachi city in the wake of recent attacks on UN doctors there.
Jamaat calls for strike in Bangladesh
Dhaka : Bangladesh's Jamaat-e-Islami Monday called for a strike Wednesday after the Supreme Court upheld the death verdict for its leader Mohammad Kamaruzzaman.
The Jamaat...
Australia will consider extra troops for Afghanistan
By NNN-Bernama,
Melbourne : Australia will consider any reasonable US request for extra troops for Afghanistan , subject to four preconditions, Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon says.
Fitzgibbon said he expected to gain a clearer idea of whether those conditions were being met after attending the meeting of NATO defence ministers in Krakow, Poland next week, the Australian Associated Press reports.
More than forty militants were killed, says Pakistani army
By SPA
Islamabad : More than forty militants and eight soldiers have been killed in two days clashes in the tribal area of South Waziristan near the Afghan border, Pakistan Army said in a statement.
As many as thirty miscreants were arrested, the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.
Two militants, NATO soldier killed, seven suspects held in Afghanistan
By KUNA
Kabul : Two Taliban commanders and a NATO soldier were killed in two separate incidents while seven suspected militants were detained in the volatile southern Afghanistan, a NATO spokesman said here on Thursday.
The operation was conducted in the province of Helmand, said spokesman Brig. Gen. Carlos Branco. He said the Taliban network had suffered another set back as a result of this operation.
Rice, Chinese FM Discuss Tibet, Iran ‘Incentives’
By SPA,
Washington : U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Wednesday called Chinese Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Yang Jiechi to discuss Tibet and Iran’s nuclear program, U.S. officials said.
Iranian lawmakers to impeach economy minister
By IANS,
Tehran : Iranian lawmakers have signed a motion to impeach the country's Economy Minister Shamseddin Hosseini for swindling banks of nearly $2.6 billion, the official media reported.
Lebanese Labor Union cancels protest amid rising tension
By KUNA,
Beirut : Tebanese Labor Union on Wednesday announced cancelling a major demostration that was planned later today to protest low salaries for the workers' class.
The announcement coincided with rising tension throughout the Lebanese capital.
Palestinian killed, over 24 injured in Israeli attacks
By KUNA,
Gaza : A Palestinian was killed and more than 24 others were injured in Israeli attacks in Gaza Strip early Friday.
Palestinian sources in Gaza City said Khalil Sokkar, 27, was shot dead by Israeli forces that sneaked to Al-Shujaiya district and that four people were injured after they the forces opened fire at them as they were trying to move Sokkar's body from the place of incident.
Meanwhile, more than 20 Palestinians were injured in two Israeli air raids on Gaza City and Bait Lahya, north of Gaza Strip.
Karzai rival alleges poll irregularities
By IANS,
Kabul : A rival candidate has alleged irregularities in the Aug 20 Afghan presidential elections and warned they could affect the outcome, the Online news agency reported.
Abdullah Abdullah said Sunday: "The violations are glaring and run into hundreds. The violations I am talking about are extraordinary and will change the result. The people should be informed of these anomalies."
Pakistan willing to discuss alternatives to drone strikes
By IANS,
Islamabad:Pakistan has said it was willing to look at alternatives to the drone attacks by the US, which Islamabad termed "illegal" and "totally unacceptable".
22 killed as monsoon rains create havoc in Karachi
By IANS,
Karachi: At least 22 people have been killed and 150 others injured at the weekend in various incidents caused by heavy rains in the Pakistani port city of Karachi, media reports said Sunday.
Most of the deaths occurred due to buildings collapsing and electrocution caused by the first spell of monsoon rains in the city, the police and hospital sources said.
In the Ramswami area of the city, a portion on the sixth floor of a building collapsed and the debris fell on an adjacent house, killing four members of a family and injuring 10, the Geo TV said.
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.
Troops allied to Houthis in Yemen rebel
Sanaa: Yemeni security forces in the city of Taiz that have allied themselves with the Shia Houthi militia and supporters of former President Ali...
Israelis and Palestinians resume negotiations
By DPA
Jerusalem : The top Israeli and Palestinian negotiators met Monday, resuming talks stalled since an Israeli military incursion into the Gaza Strip last month.
Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni met with chief Palestinian negotiator Ahmed Qureia in Jerusalem for about two hours in the late afternoon, said Aryeh Mekel, a spokesman for the ministry.
In accordance with an agreement between the sides, he would not divulge information other than to say there was progress made on "core issues".
Ban calls for peaceful electoral process next Monday in Bangladesh
By KUNA,
United Nations : On the eve of Bangladesh's "highly significant" parliamentary elections on December 29, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Saturday reiterated his call for a peaceful electoral process and a stable post-election climate, his press office said in a statement.
Sudan to protect foreign oil workers following Chinese killings
By RIA Novosti,
Beijing : Sudan will deploy security officers to protect foreign oil workers following the killing of five Chinese nationals on Monday, the Sudanese Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.
Nine Chinese oil workers were kidnapped in central Sudan a week ago, and five were killed execution-style on Monday. Sudan says two escaped, and two are still in captivity.
"Sudanese security forces will do everything possible to ensure the safety of oil workers and staff of other foreign companies on Sudan's territory," Ali Sadiq told the Sudan News Agency.
Israeli officer commits suicide at Sarkozy’s farewell
By Xinhua,
Jerusalem : An officer of Israel Border Guard shot himself dead on Tuesday during a farewell ceremony held in honor of French President Nicolas Sarkozy in Ben-Gurion International Airport.
Moshe Fintzy, spokesman of Israel Border Police, refused to disclose any details of the incident, but confirmed to Xinhua that there was no assassination attempt on the French leader.
The incident is under investigation, Fintzy added.
Letters exchanged between India, Pakistan students
Kolkata : A batch of 560 letters from students in Pakistan arrived here as part of an oral history project to strengthen ties between...
Death toll in US air strike in Pakistan rises to 10
By KUNA,
Islamabad : The death toll in the latest US air strikes in a Pakistani tribal agency has increased to 10 while there are conflicting reports about the wounded figures.
Citing unnamed sources local news channels reported that at least ten persons were killed in the air strikes while several were wounded A local Ajj news channel said 11 teenaged fighters were killed in the strike.
Geo news reported that all the victims were students of the targeted Madrassah.
However, security sources, confirmed that a wanted Al-Qaeda militants was killed in the strike.
Afghan heroin may flood South Eat Asia, say India, Pakistani experts
By P. Vijian, NNN-Bernama,
New Delhi : Top Indian and Pakistani narcotics officials have warned South East Asian governments of increasing African drug dealers exploiting Asian women to smuggle heroin and that the trend will worsen as Afghanistan is enjoying a bumper opium crop.
UAE to launch campaign to raise donations for Yemen
By IANS/WAM,
Abu Dhabi : A nationwide campaign to raise donations to counter food shortage in Yemen will be launched in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) June 29.
Four killed in Pakistan drone strike
By IANS,
Islamabad : A US drone fired two missiles at a vehicle in Pakistan's northwestern tribal region Monday evening, killing at least four suspected militants, media reports said Tuesday.
Iraqi Militia Rejects Govt Conditions
By Prensa Latina,
Baghdad : A spokesman for cleric Muqtada al Sadr called Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al Maliki's conditions to end the military campaign against the Al Mahdi Army "illegitimate" on Monday.
Maliki's terms are to lay down arms, non-interference in government affairs, non-interference in Police and Army duties and the handing over of wanted militiamen.
The terms were announced on Saturday after several weeks of fierce
clashes between the Al Mahdi Army and joint US-Iraqi forces, which
left over 400 victims in Sadr City neighborhood in Baghdad.
US-Israeli bond `unbreakable’, Obama tells Muslim world
By DPA,
Cairo : "America's strong bonds with Israel are well known," US President Barack Obama told the world's 1.5 billion Muslims in a much-anticipated speech from Cairo Thursday. "This bond is unbreakable."
Referring to his planned visit to the Nazi concentration camp in Buchenwald, Germany, Friday, he condemned anti-Semitism and denial of the Holocaust as "baseless, ignorant, and hateful".
Israeli shot by Palestinian sniper in Gaza
By KUNA
Gaza : An Israeli citizen was wounded on Friday by a Palestinian sniper in Gaza Strip.
An Israeli army spokesman told Radio Israel that a group of armed Palestinians fired this morning at a number of Israeli farmers in Jafaat Nazmeet, a Jewish settlement adjacent to the Gaza Strip.
He added that it ended in wounding one of the farmers and he was taken to the hospital for treatment.
Two Palestinians were injured early today in Khuzaa town, southern Gaza Strip, due to an Israeli tank shelling that aimed at the town, adjacent to the Israeli borders.
UNRWA demands an investigation over shelling of Beit Lahiya School
CAIRO, Jan 19 (KUNA) -- The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) demanded on Monday the investigation over the shelling of the Beit Lahiya School using Phosphoric bombs.
A report issued by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), distributed by the UN media center in Cairo, said that the Israeli existence in the northern areas, the eastern borders and the borders of Rafah continue.
Afghanistan thwarts bomb attack on German troops
By Xinhua,
Berlin : Afghan authorities thwarted a car bomb attack on German troops based in northern Afghanistan last week, the German Defense Ministry confirmed on Wednesday.
German Defense Ministry spokesman Dietrich Jensch said that two men, a Pakistani and a Tajik, were arrested outside the northern Afghan town of Masar-i-sharif, where Germany's 3,200 troops were based. They were found driving a car with up to 300 kilograms of explosives stuffed in the vehicle's doors and floor.
Lightning kills four in Bangladesh
By IANS,
Dhaka : At least four people were killed and one was injured after lightning struck them in Bangladesh's Dinajpur district Wednesday, police said.
Anti-Shia attacks in Pakistan on the rise
Islamabad : Pakistan has seen a rising tide of sectarian violence in recent times, particularly against Shias -- of which the Ismaili community is...
Pakistan elections to be held in 2013: Gilani
By IANS,
Islamabad : Free, fair and transparent elections will be held on time in 2013, said Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani who stressed that the government was not facing any threat.
Political parties should end politicking, begin service to nation: Musharraf
By NNN-APP
Multan : President Pervez Musharraf Saturday said the new governments in the Centre and Provinces must end politicking after coming into power and focus on taking the country forward on path of progress and prosperity.
“All the political parties must understand this, put politicking on the backburner, provide good governance and take the country forward for the betterment of the nation,” the President said at the inauguration of Multan’s television Centre.
13 Pakistani soldiers killed by Afghan forces
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : At least 13 Pakistani soldiers were killed when Afghan forces attacked a border check point in a tribal area in northwest Pakistan, local television channels reported Wednesday.
According to reports, two Afghan military planes bombed two border villages in Mohamand tribal agency in North West Frontier Province Wednesday morning, killing 13 soldiers and injuring several others.
The Express TV channel said that at least 40 Pakistani soldiers were killed and more than 10 injured in the attack.
However, there is no immediate official word about the attack.
Terrorists storm Lahore police training centre, 22 killed
By IANS,
Lahore : Terrorists armed with machine guns and grenades Monday stormed a police training centre on the outskirts of this Pakistani city, killing at least 22 trainees and injuring dozens more. The attackers took scores of trainees hostage as security personnel laid siege to the sprawling complex.
Helicopters hovered overhead as crack assault teams and snipers took up positions at the Matawan police training centre that is located a few kilometres from the Wagah border. About 850 men were reportedly in the complex when the terrorists struck.
Taliban, Islamist leader begin talks in Swat
By IANS,
Islamabad : The talks between an Islamist group and Taliban's Pakistan chief Maulana Fazlullah for the restoration of peace have begun in Swat, where Islamabad allowed the Taliban to impose Shariat (Islamic law).
Maulana Sufi Muhammad, chief of the Tehreek-e-Nafaz-e-Shariat-e-Mohammadi (TNSM), and Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) leader -- and also his son-in-law -- Fazlullah were meeting at an "undisclosed location" in Matta, Geo TV reported.
The first round of talks was held between a TNSM delegation and Fazlullah.
Abbas: Mideast peace starts from Holy Land in Palestine
By Xinhua
Ramallah : Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Thursday that the peace in the Middle East starts from "the Holy Land in Palestine."
In a joint news conference with visiting U.S. President George W. Bush in Ramallah, Abbas called on Israel to fulfill its commitments to a Mideast peace plan, saying he hopes "this will be the year for the creation of peace."
Bomb blast kills 20 in Pakistan
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : At least 20 people were killed Saturday morning as a suicide bomber rammed an explosive-laden car into a police station in northwest Pakistan's troubled Swat valley, state television reported.
Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, or the Pakistan Taliban Movement, claimed responsibility shortly after the suicide bombing at the police station in Charbagh Tehsil, the TV channel quoted the police as saying.
The Taliban Thursday attacked an ordnance factory in Wah Cantt in Punjab province, killing at least 70 and injuring dozens.
Pakistan to attend Int’l Tourism exhibition in June
By APP
Beijing : Pakistan has been invited to participate in the 2008 Beijing International Tourism Exhibition (BITE) being held at the first half of this year. Revealing the details of the exhibition the Deputy Director General of Beijing Tourism Administration (BTA) Mrs Xiong Yumei said that the exhibition would be held between June 19 to 21.
Another senior official Mrs. Gu Xiao Yue speaking on the occasion said that invitations for the exhibitions have also been extended to a number of countries and region for their participation.
Israeli troops kill Palestinian in Gaza — medical sources
By KUNA,
Gaza : A Palestinian militant was killed early on Wednesday during an Israeli incursion in northern Gaza Strip, medical sources said.
"Israeli troops carried out an incursion at dawn into the eastern sectors of Jabaliyah town in northern Gaza Strip where they killed a Palestinian militant near the grave yard," a medical source said.
‘Lahore attack home grown, focus on Jaish and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi’
By IANS,
London : Security officials in Pakistan are focusing on the possible involvement of two terrorist groups other than the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) in the recent armed attack on Sri Lankan cricketers in Lahore, a newspaper said Sunday.
Pakistani authorities now privately admit that the attack was home-grown, and are investigating not only the LeT, the militant group that was originally set up by the ISI intelligence service, but also the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) and Jaish-e-Mohammed, the Sunday Times reported.
We’ll punish WikiLeaks informers: Taliban
By IANS,
London : The Taliban in Afghanistan has threatened to behead informers who have been revealed following the explosive disclosure by WikiLeaks.
WikiLeaks has put out over 90,000 uncensored intelligence documents, causing a security scare. Countries which have their forces fighting in Afghanistan are pouring over the documents to see the extent of the damage.
The Taliban Thursday night responded for the first time since the WikiLeaks expose of the names and locations of anti-Taliban informers, Daily Mail reported Friday.
77,000 kg narcotics seized in Pakistan
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan's Anti Narcotics Forces (ANF) said it seized a total of 77,865 kg of narcotics from different parts of the country last year.
First Mandinka translation of Qur’an in offing
By IINA,
Cairo : In an effort to promote Islam among millions of Mandinka-speaking people around the world, a Gambian Muslim imam is translating the Holy Qur'an into the West African language. "I want to make sure people have the correct information about the Qur'an and Islam, so they don't get it from the TV screen," Momodou Ceesay told the Sun-Sentinel newspaper. Ceesay, who studied Arabic and Islamic studies at the Cairo-based Al-Azhar University, the highest seat of learning in the Muslim world, spent six months translating the Holy Book into Mandinka.
Syrian president accepts government resignation
By DPA,
Damascus : Syrian President Bashar al-Assad accepted his government's resignation Tuesday following days of protests.
India rubbishes Pakistan’s Balochistan allegation
By IANS,
New Delhi: India Thursday dimissed as "baseless allegations" Pakistan's claims that New Delhi was backing the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), an insurgent outfit active in Pakistan's south-western province.
"These are entirely baseless allegations and we see no reason to dignify them with a response," external affairs ministry spokesperson Vishnu Prakash told reporters.
Kuwaiti Emir to open 4th world Islamic Economic Forum Tuesday
By Muin Abdul Majid, NNN-Bernama,
Kuwait City : The Wolrd Islamic Economic Forum (WIEF), whose fourth edition will be opened here Tuesday by the Emir of Kuwait, is determined it will not falter after a good start as it strives to boost business and investment linkages among Muslim countries.
"We're not merely another talk shop as commonly found in quite a number of fora like the one we're conducting as we're focussing on specific subjects that are of a specialised nature," says WIEF Chairman Musa Hitam, the former Malaysian deputy prime minister.
Iranian MP protests against Britain’s “illegal act”
By NNN-Xinhua,
Tehran : An Iranian parliament member (MP) protested against Britain's "illegal act," saying Iran will give necessary responses.
"Britain's move on imposing further sanctions against Iran beyond the UN Security Council resolutions is an illegal act against the Iranian nation," head of the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of the Iranian Parliament Alaeddin Boroujerdi said in a meeting with British Ambassador to Tehran Geoffrey Adams on Saturday.
MWL Chief meets Italian Muslim leader
By IINA,
Makkah : The Secretary General of the Muslim World League (MWL) Dr. Abdullah Al Turki met Dr. Mohammed Abdul Latif Abdul Qader Al Barq, Director of the Islamic Cultural Centre (ICC) in Perugia, Italy, at the headquarters of MWL here yesterday. During the meeting, they discussed several issues of mutual concern between MWL and the Centre, particularly about promoting religious and cultural dialogue.
UN Chief congratulates President Zardari
By NNN-APP,
United Nations : Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has spoken by telephone with President Asif Ali Zardari and felicitated him on his inauguration as Pakistan’s head of state, a UN spokesman said.
Spokesman Farhan Haq said the UN chief was also sending to the Pakistani leader a formal letter of congratulations.
President Zardari will lead Pakistan’s delegation to the 63rd session of the UN General Assembly opening on Sept. 16.
Israeli army shots dead Palestinian teenager in N Gaza
By Xinhua
Gaza : Israeli forces shot dead a Palestinian teenager in northern Gaza Strip overnight, Palestinian medical sources said on Saturday.
Mu'awia Hassanein, a senior emergency official at the health ministry, said the ambulance crews found a dead body near a former Israeli settlement close to the border in Beit Lahiya town in northern Gaza.
He added that the body of 18-year-old Tamer Dawass was hardly recognized due to the numerous gunshots he received.
The paramedics have taken the body to Kamal Adwan hospital in Jabaliya refugee camp, according to Hassanein.
Iran summons freed US woman for trial
By IANS,
Tehran : An American woman, who was arrested in Iran on charges of spying and later freed on bail, has been summoned by an Iranian court for trial, the IRNA news agency reported.
Mahmoud Abbas condemns killing of Palestinians
Ramallah: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Saturday condemned the latest Israeli killing of three Palestinian activists in the West Bank.
Abbas's spokesman said that the Israeli...
Millions of Muslims Ask Forgiveness At Haj Climax
By Inal Ersan, Reuters,
Arafat, Saudi Arabia : More than two million Muslim pilgrims gathered around a mountain east of Mecca on Sunday at the peak of the haj to beg God's forgiveness, chanting "O God, I am answering your call!".
Pilgrims trickling to the area where they will pray until sunset set up thousands of tents in a vast plain.
"Being here is better than anything I had ever experienced ... better than the time I saw my children for the first time," said Rawya Mohammad, a secretary from Egypt.
Syria urges global community to stop Israeli aggression
Damascus: Syrian government Tuesday urged the international community to stop the "Israeli aggression that is threatening the peace and security in the region".
Israel has...
Missing Pakistani sailor found in Australia
Canberra : A Pakistani sailor who jumped off a navy vessel in Australia's Darwin Harbour has been found, media reported Tuesday.
The man, 23, went...
Senior officials suspended in Karzai”s attack case
By KUNA,
Kabul : Police chief of Afghanistan's central capital Kabul is among the seven senior officials suspended on the recommendation of the inquirty commission formed to investigate the April 27 attack on a military parade attended by President Hamid Karzai along with other senior officials and diplomats.
The suspension orders of the seven officials were issued by office of the Attorney General Abdul Jabbar Sabit on Monday.
OIC’s urgent appeal to rush relief supplies to Gaza
Jeddah : Iyad Ameen Madani, secretary general of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), made a pressing appeal to the member states and all...
Iranian supreme leader criticises US support for Israel
By IANS,
Tehran: Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Saturday criticised what he called US President Barack Obama's support for Israel, a media report said.
Eight people killed in joint US-Iraqi attack
By Xinhua,
Baghdad : At least eight people were killed and 61 others injured in overnight clashes as joint US-Iraqi force conducted operations in Sadr city east of capital Baghdad, an Iraqi interior ministry source said Saturday.
The US and Iraqi troops backed by helicopters conducted operations in several parts of the sprawling slum of Sadr city late Friday night to arrest followers of hardliner Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, sources told Xinhua.
During the operation, the troops came under heavy fire from gunmen prompting the troops to fire back.
Roadside bombing kills three soldiers in Pakistan
By DPA,
Islamabad : A roadside bomb targeted a security convoy in northwestern Pakistan Friday, leaving three soldiers dead and more than a half-dozen injured, an official said.
The remote-controlled bomb was planted near a school building in the Jalala area of the Malakand district in the North West Frontier Province.
"Three soldiers died while seven more were wounded," said an intelligence official who spoke on the condition of anonymity. "One vehicle was destroyed in the blast."
A military spokesman confirmed the incident but refused to give details.
Saudi varsity establishes chair in name of Bangladeshi Nobel laureate
By IANS
Dubai : The King Saud University (KSU) in Riyadh has established research chair in the name of Nobel laureate and founder of Bangladesh's Grameen Bank Mohammed Yunus.
The new chair is part of the university's research and development programme."There will be 15 international scholarships under his (Yunus's) name," Fayez A. Al-Ghamdi, assistant professor of English at the university's College of Arts, was quoted as saying by the Arab News newspaper.
Set up six months back, the research programme aims to forge strategic collaborations with international scholars.
Don’t expect too much from Modi-Sharif meet: Pakistan media
Islamabad : Two Pakistani newspapers Sunday lauded Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for agreeing to attend Narendra Modi's oath taking Monday but said there should...
Russia, Egypt eye deeper economic, military, cooperation
By IANS/ITAR -TASS,
Moscow : Moscow will host a meeting of the Russian-Egyptian commission on trade and economic cooperation March 28, according to a joint...
Indian farmer abducted by Bangladeshi nationals
Agartala : Tension erupted along the India-Bangladesh border in Tripura after Bangladeshi nationals kidnapped an Indian farmer in retaliation to the arrest of a...
Bangladesh ferry capsizes with 200 passengers on board
Dhaka : An overloaded passenger ferry with about 200 passengers aboard capsized on Monday in the river Padma, near Munshiganj district, about 30 km...
Southern Israel hit by two rockets from Gaza
By Xinhua,
Jerusalem : Southern Israel was hit by two rockets fired from the Gaza Strip on Friday evening, causing no damage or injuries, local news service Ynet reported.
The Qassam rockets, which were launched from the northern part of the Hamas-ruled coastal enclave, landed in open areas in the southern Israeli town of Ashkelon, said the report.
Such attacks have become rare since an Egypt-brokered cease-fire took effect on June 19, which calls on both sides to stop cross-border violence and requires Israel to ease its blockade on the strip.
US committed to establishing democracy in Afghanistan: Bush
By DPA,
Kabul : US President George W. Bush arrived in Afghanistan early Monday on a surprise farewell visit, committing the United States to establishing a stable democracy in the war-torn country.
Bush met his Afghan counterpart Hamid Karzai and US troops on his visit, the details of which were shrouded in secrecy as the country and its foreign allies battle a rising Taliban and Al Qaeda insurgency.
N Lebanon clashes kill one Imam, wound three others
By Xnhua,
Beirut : A gun battle between Sunni Muslims and Alawites in a north Lebanon village mosque on Sunday left one Imam killed and three others wounded, Local Naharnet website reported Monday.
Automatic weapons and rocket-propelled grenades were used in the fighting in the village of Sheikhlar, which left Imam Ezzedine Qassem killed and was "triggered by dispute between villagers," the report said.
Security officials said that rescue workers had not been unable to enter because of the intensity of the fighting at the time, the report added.
Two NATO soldiers, six militants killed in Afghanistan
By DPA,
Kabul : A Canadian and a Latvian soldier serving in NATO forces were killed in separate attacks in Afghanistan while the Afghan defence ministry said Tuesday that its soldiers killed six insurgents and arrested a Pakistani militant.
A Canadian soldier was killed and another wounded Monday when militants attacked them with rocket-propelled grenades and small-arms' fire while they were protecting their outpost in the Panjwayi district of the southern province of Kandahar, the Canadian defence ministry said in a statement.
Woman saves Indian from Bangladeshis’ captivity in Baharin
Manama: An Indian, allegedly tortured and held hostage in Bahrain by five Bangladeshis for a paltry BHD800 ransom (about $2,000), was rescued with the...
UAE opens building at British military academy
By IANS/WAM,
London: The UAE has opened a new building in the memory of its founding father, late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (RMAS).
Two girls’ schools burnt down in Pakistan
By IANS,
Islamabad : Two girls' schools were burnt down Saturday by Taliban militants in Pakistan's northwestern Swat valley, IRNA news agency reported.
The schools were located in the Mingora area of the province.
The militants also blew up two bridges in the Khwazakhela area of the valley.
Muslim Khan, a Taliban spokesman, has claimed responsibility for the attacks.
In the last two months, Taliban militants have burnt down around 61 girls' schools in the Swat valley, due to which some 17,000 girls are deprived of education, a police official said on condition of anonymity.
25 drowned, 40 missing in Bangladesh boat accident
By Xinhua
Dhaka : At least 25 people drowned when a passenger boat carrying 150 people capsized on the Buriganga river near the Bangladesh capital Thursday afternoon.
Rescuers have recovered 25 bodies from the river so far. Up to 40 passengers were missing, they said.
The police said the boat was sailing from Dhaka Sadarghat Terminal towards Munshiganj, some 30 km southeast of Dhaka at the time of the incident.
The boat capsized after it was hit by a cargo ship near Buriganga First Bridge at about 3 p.m.
Zia blamed for rebel’s hanging
By IANS,
Dhaka : A US journalist and writer has accused former Bangladesh president Ziaur Rahman for the hanging of a former army officer who turned a rebel in 1976.
Car bomb hits U.S. patrol, 9 killed
By Xinhua,
Baghdad : A car bomb struck a U.S. military patrol in eastern Baghdad on Thursday, killing nine people and wounding 23 others, an Interior Ministry source said.
A car bomb detonated near a U.S. patrol in the Garage al-Amana area in the neighborhood of Elwiyah, killing nine people and wounding 23 others, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.
The source said that one U.S. soldier was among the killed people and two U.S. soldiers were among the wounded. The U.S. military did not immediately confirm the report.
Iran, Algeria sign cultural accord
By NNN-IRNA,
Tehran : Iran and Algeria have inked an agreement on expansion of cultural cooperation between the two states.
The agreement was signed by Iran's Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Mohammad-Hossein Saffar-Harandi and his visiting Algerian counterpart, Khalida Toumi.
During the ceremony Wednesday, the Iranian minister said culture is a key to all closed doors.
Israeli Army Chief issues apology to Turkish Army on Israeli Army statements
ISTANBUL, Feb 20 (KUNA) -- Chief of Staff of the Israeli Armed Forces Gabi Ashkenazi sent a formal letter of apology, to his Turkish counterpart Ilker Basbug concerning provoking statements made by Israel's Commander of the Land Forces Ari Mizrahi that critisise Turkey's military involvement with the Kurds, Cyprus and Armenia, which caused anger amongst officials at Ankara.
Talks continue to free three German hostages in Yemen
By DPA,
Sanaa : Talks aimed at freeing three German hostages held by tribesmen in western Yemen continued Thursday as authorities added a new member to its negotiating team, one of the abductors said.
"We met representatives of the government today, and discussed our demands with them," the abductor, who requested anonymity, told DPA.
He was speaking from Naba'ah, a remote mountainous area in Khawlan district, some 60 km southeast of the capital Sanaa.
Iraqi security forces given control of Baghdad’s Green Zone
By DPA,
Baghdad : Iraqi security forces Thursday were handed over control of Baghdad's fortified Green Zone from US troops in a landmark event leading towards Iraq's full sovereignty, local media reported.
Located in central Baghdad, the Green Zone houses several ministries, the Iraqi parliament and the US and British embassies.
US troops took over the international area and fortified it by building a four-metre-concrete wall around the Green Zone after the US invasion in 2003.
Pakistan PM leaves for Germany
Islamabad : Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif Monday left for Germany on a two-day visit to Berlin.
He has been invited by German Chancellor Angela...
200,000 Pakistanis gather to honor Benazir
By IINA,
Karachi : Around 200,000 Pakistanis have gathered at the mausoleum of Pakistan's former PM Benazir Bhutto to mark the first anniversary of her assassination.
Negotiations on TAP pipeline to be held in Islamabad
By SPA
Islamabad : Negotiations on the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (TAP) gas pipeline project will be held in Islamabad on April 22 and 23, officials said.
Turkmenistan would present a third-party certification of its gas reserves during the talks.
Turkmenistan claims to have gas reserves of 159 trillion cubic feet (TCF) at its Daulatabad fields, but Pakistan wants a third-party certification. Issues of project structure, security problems in Afghanistan, transit fee and gas pricing would be also discussed, officials said.
Death toll rises to 47 in Iraq suicide bombings
By IRNA,
Baghdad : Death toll rose to at least 47 and 130 wounded in terrorist bombings among crowds in Baghdad and the northern city of Kirkuk.
Three blasts in Baghdad killed 26 Shia Muslim pilgrims heading for Imam Kadhimiya holy shrine.
The attacks, which wounded about 52 people, were carried out by women suicide bombers, police said.
In Kirkuk, a suicide bomber targeted a crowd of Kurdish protesters, killing at least 22 and injuring at least 80.
Shoaib Malik’s Indian visa extended
By IANS,
Islamabad : The Indian high commission Friday extended the visa of former Pakistani cricket captain Shoaib Malik for another year and he will be also able to visit Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Hyderabad.
Shoaib Malik and his wife Sania Mirza on Friday met High Commissioner Sharat Sabharwal, during the course of which he accepted the request to extend the cricketer's visa, which is valid till June 24, Online news agency reported.
Establishment of independent Palestinian state inevitable: Bulgarian official
By NNN-WAFA,
Ramallah : Deputy Speaker of the Bulgarian Parliament and President's adviser Petar Beron said Tuesday that the establishment of an independent Palestinian state is inevitable despite the fact of all obstacles.
During a meeting with Palestinian Legislative Council members in Ramallah, Beron condemned the Israeli policy which does not serve peace and stability on the region/
He also affirmed that Bulgaria would continue support for the Palestinian people until it achieves its legitimate rights in freedom and independence.
Pakistan Army chief to visit Kabul
Islamabad : Pakistan Army chief Gen Raheel Sharif is going on a day-long visit to Kabul Thursday to discuss security and other issues, the...
Expatriate driving ban ruled unconstitutional in Bahrain
Manama : The controversial Article 20 in Bahrain's draft traffic law that bars expatriates from driving in the country has been ruled "unconstitutional" by...
Most new lawmakers in Bangladesh are businessmen
By IANS,
Dhaka : About 160 new lawmakers in Bangladesh are businessmen, marking a near-doubling of their presence from 84 in the eighth parliament, going by the statements they have filed before the Election Commission.
Jamiruddin Serker, speaker of the outgoing parliament, placed the proportion of businessmen at 40 percent and noted the change from the first assembly of the then East Pakistan, which had a majority of lawyers.
Israel-Iran problem has nothing to do with Islam: envoy
By IANS,
New Delhi : Israel's problem with Iran has nothing to do with religion and it should not be seen as a fight against Islam, Israeli ambassador to India Mark Sofer said here Friday.
"Israel has over 12 percent Muslims and has the highest regard for Islam or for that (matter) for the Iranian civilization and culture," Sofer said.
IS video shows beheading of 21 Egyptians in Libya
Tripoli: The Islamic State (IS) militant group claimed in a video Sunday to have executed 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians abducted in Libya.
Some Libyan affiliates...
Pakistani President Musharraf not to attend OIC summit due to political situation
By NNN-Xinhua
Islamabad : Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf will not attend the upcoming Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) summit scheduled to be held this month in Senegal, local media reported on Wednesday.
Pakistan Caretaker Foreign Minister Inaam-ul-Haq will attend the 11th summit on behalf of Pakistan, GEO TV said.
Musharraf would not attend the OIC summit at Dakar, capital of Senegal, scheduled to be held on March 13-14 owing to existing political situation in the country, GEO TV quoted sources in Islamabad as saying.
Pakistan SC reinstates Sethi as PCB chairman
Karachi: The Supreme Court of Pakistan Wednesday reinstated Najam Sethi as the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), annulling an earlier decision of...
Bangladesh fails to register its Urdu-speaking citizens as voters
By IANS,
Dhaka : Urdu-speaking non-Bengali citizens of Bangladesh will not be able to vote in the December parliamentary polls as the Election Commission has closed its voters' list without enrolling them, despite a court order.
"No step was taken to enrol them," the New Age newspaper said after the poll body wrapped up its exercise Friday.
After years of litigation and petitioning various authorities, a high court order in May granted citizenship to about 160,000 people living in 161 make-shift camps across the country.
Israeli president regrets Erdogan incident at Davos
By DPA,
Tel Aviv/Davos : Israeli President Shimon Peres said Friday he regretted the incident at the World Economic Forum in Davos the day before when Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan stormed out of a debate over the Gaza Strip issue.
The Haaretz newspaper's website said Peres had made a telephone call with Erdogan Friday morning and assured him that he was "very sorry" about the incident.
"Friends can have disputes among each other," Peres reportedly told the Turkish premier. "I have always had great respect for the Turkish Republic and for you as its prime minister."
General Petraeus awaits chilly reception at Iraq hearings
By DPA
Washington : General David Petraeus will likely get a cool reception when he appears next week on Capitol Hill to testify on progress under US President George W. Bush's troop surge in Iraq.
The top US military commander in Iraq is expected to tell the Congress that the buildup has delivered dramatic reductions in violence since coming fully into effect in September, but will likely also advocate keeping the pre-surge baseline of 130,000 troops deployed once the buildup ends this summer.
Egypt, Hamas delegation meet on consolidating Gaza ceasefire
By Xinhua,
Cairo : Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman held talks on Sunday with a visiting delegation of the Palestinian Islamic Hamas movement on means of consolidating a fragile ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
The two sides discussed "the efforts exerted by Egypt to shore up the Gaza ceasefire, end the blockade on Gaza and resume the Palestinian national dialogue," reported the Egyptian MENA news agency.
No more details of the closed-door talks, three days after an Israeli official's visit to Cairo on the Gaza issue, are available at the moment.
Pakistani student wins global competition
By IANS,
Islamabad : A Pakistani schoolboy has won a world maths competition, a media report said.
400 kg hashish seized in Afghanistan
By IANS,
Kabul : Around 400 kg of hashish has been seized in Afghanistan's southern province of Helmand by the interior ministry, police said.
20 jihadis killed in Syria airstrikes
Damascus : As many as 20 fighters from the Islamic State (IS), formerly known as the Islamic State in Iraq and Greater Syria, were...
Nearly Rs.1.1 million spent on goofed-up ad: Minister
By IANS,
New Delhi : The central government spent nearly Rs.1.1 million on the controversial advertisement Jan 24 that featured a former Pakistani air chief, Women and Child Development Minister Krishna Tirath said Monday. The enquiry report has not yet been submitted to the government.
In a major embarrassment to the government, an ad by the women and child development ministry on the occasion of National Girl Child Day featured Air Chief Marshal Tanvir Ahmed, who headed the Pakistan Air Force 2006-09.
Iran wants US policy change before talks
By IANS,
Tehran : Iran Saturday called on the US to change its policy towards the Islamic country before holding any talks to ease tensions between the two sides, the official IRNA news agency reported.
"The next US administration should take the issue of changing its approach towards Iran seriously," government spokesman Gholam Hossein Elham told reporters at his weekly press conference here.
~Youth Views~ Western students exceed Lebanese expectations
By Nathalie Nahas,
Despite the political and economic turmoil that Lebanon has endured for many years – which culminated in violence weeks before the recent Doha accord – I recently noticed that the number of international students around the American University of Beirut (AUB) campus has grown. One only has to attend a course on Middle Eastern studies to notice the diversity of nationalities, with students coming from the United States and throughout Europe.
Philippine troops kill 19 Muslim rebels
By SPA,
Manila, Philippines : Philippine soldiers backed by air support killed 19 Muslim separatist rebels in separate clashes in the country's troubled south, the military said.
Lt. Col. Julieto Ando, spokesman for the military's 6th Infantry Division, was quoted as saying by Associated Press that soldiers backed by rocket-firing planes encountered about 100 Moro Islamic Liberation Front insurgents Friday in three separate areas in a marshy region in Maguindanao province.
He said three soldiers were slightly wounded and rejoined the military operation.
Iran Bristles at US Intrusion
By Prensa Latina
Teheran : The Iranian foreign ministry denounced on Tuesday the US government intends to perpetuate its interfering policy in the Middle East.
The US government has always meddled in the zone by stirring up imaginary fear among regional countries, spokesman Seyyed Mohammad Ali Hoseini affirmed.
Hoseini thus replied to denunciations against the Persian country by US President George W. Bush during his current tour of the Levant, according to IRNA news agency.
Malaysia awaits information from Australia on missing jet
Kuala Lumpur : Malaysia is awaiting information from Australia as to whether certain objects shown in satellite images floating southwest of the Australian coast...
Ex- Libyan prime minister held in Tunisia
By IANS,
Tunis : Former Libyan prime minister Baghdadi al-Mahmudi was sentenced to six months in prison Thursday by a Tunisian court, Xinhua reported Friday.
‘Don’t shake hands with Muslims’
By IANS,
London: Academics at Cambridge University have been asked not to shake hands with Muslims or disabled people because it might upset them, a media report said Thursday.
Pakistan: nine killed, two injured in Swat valley of NWFP
By NNN-PTI
Islamabad : Nine persons were killed and two others injured as Pakistani security forces continued their operations against pro-Taliban militants in the restive Swat valley of the North West Frontier Province.
Seven members of a family died when their house was hit during overnight shelling by security forces on suspected militant positions at Kabal tehsil in Swat. The bodies of two persons, who are believed to have been shot, were also found by security forces, Dawn News channel reported today.
Geo TV, Jang group apologise to ISI
Islamabad : Geo TV network and Jang media group Monday tendered apology to Pakistan’s armed forces and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) for hurling allegations its...
One-third Iraqis suffer from mental problems: study
By DPA
Baghdad : The terrorism and chaos in Iraq have led to a manifest increase in mental health problems among the country's residents, according to the results of a study announced Wednesday by the Iraqi health ministry.
Around 35 percent of all Iraqis suffer from serious mental health problems, the study produced with the cooperation of the World Health Organization (WHO) showed.
An adviser to the ministry, Mohammed Rashid al-Obeidi, told the Al-Sabah daily that more women (about 40 percent) were affected than men (30 percent).
Some Pakistanis take money out of banks amid economic crisis
By Muhammad Najeeb, IANS,
Islamabad : Some Pakistanis have started cleaning out their bank lockers and dollar accounts, fearing a freeze due to the economic crisis gripping the country. The run continues despite the assertion of President Asif Ali Zardari that "Pakistan is not a limited company which may go bankrupt".
UN awaits clarification from Israel on settlement expansion plan
By NNN-KUNA
United Nations : The UN is awaiting clarifications if sought from the Israeli Government regarding its intention to build more settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem.
"The United Nations has raised with the Israeli Government, through the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process (Robert Serry) its serious concerns at recent reports of further settlement activity and is now awaiting clarifications," Associate spokesperson Marie Okabe told the daily press briefing in a response to a question.
Chinese premier to be conferred Pakistan’s highest honour
By IANS,
Islamabad : Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, who is paying a two-day official visit to Pakistan from Wednesday, will be conferred Nishan-e-Pakistan - the country's highest honour.
Fire guts 200 shanties in Bangladesh
By IANS,
Dhaka : A fire that swept through a slum near Dhaka early Sunday gutted at least 200 shanties, police said.
Syria’s Assad denies meddling in Lebanon at boycotted summit
By AFP
Damascus : Syrian President Bashar al-Assad denied on Saturday meddling in Lebanon as he hosted an Arab summit boycotted by half of the region's leaders, many of whom blame Damascus for the political crisis in Beirut.
"I would like to make a point with regards to Syrian interference in Lebanon.
It is the contrary which is true because pressure has been exerted on Syria for over a year to interfere in Lebanon's affairs" but we have refused to do so, Assad said.
Makkah Imam calls for Islamic Common Market
By IINA
Makkah : Sheikh Saud Al Shuraim, imam of the Haram Mosque in Makkah has called for the establishment of an Islamic Common Market. Delivering his Friday sermon at the Haram Mosque, the imam said the proposed market should follow the teachings of the Sharia, keeping away from interest-based financial dealings.
"Many international financial organizations have started adopting Islamic financing systems after the latter proved successful in terms of achieving substantial profits.
FM says Muslim world should strengthen their cultural interests
By IRNA,
Tehran : Foreign minister Manouchehr Mottaki said member states of Islamic Inter-Parliamentary Union (IIPU) should consolidate unity among themselves and strengthen their cultural interests.
In a meeting with new secretary general of IIPU here Saturday afternoon, Mottaki said, " Nowadays, Muslim culture and faith have been targetted internationally by our enemies and the supporters of the idea of clash between civilizations."
Pakistan-US talks on security, counter-terrorism begin
Islamabad : The second round of Pakistan-US Strategic dialogue focussing on issues such as security, counter-terrorism and law enforcement began Tuesday, a media report...
Palestinian killed, others injured in Israeli attack
By KUNA,
Gaza : A Palestinian militant was killed and two others were injured in an Israeli ground attack in eastern Gaza Strip late on Saturday.
According to witnesses, an Israeli tank fired several shells toward a group of Palestinian militants who were stationed in the eastern sector of the strip, killing one and injured many others.
The attack took place in Al-Shujaiya district, close to the Palestinian-Israeli border, causing damage to nearby houses.
Malaysia aims to cut foreign labour by 500,000
By DPA,
Kuala Lumpur : Malaysia's labour minister said Thursday the government aims to reduce the number of foreign immigrants in the workforce by 500,000 over the next three years.
Human resource minister S Subramaniam told parliament that the government was committed to minimizing the country's dependency on immigrant workers, adding that there are currently 2.1 million foreign workers in all sectors.
"We want to reduce by at least 500,000 foreign workers," he said.
UN secretary general calls for international mobilisation against terror
By Arul Louis ,
United Nations: UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has called for “mobilising all resources and political will” to fight terrorism in the...
Kosovo prepares for historic declaration of independence from Serbia
By SPA
Pristina : Kosovo's ethnic Albanian leadership called a special session of parliament for 3 p.m. (1400 GMT) Sunday to declare independence _ a bold and historic bid for statehood in defiance of Serbia and Russia, reported ap.
Prime Minister Hashim Thaci said lawmakers would vote on a declaration proclaiming the formation of the Republic of Kosovo as an independent, sovereign and democratic state. This is the will of the people, he said.
Royal Malaysian Navy receives IMO award for anti-piracy OPS off Somalia
By NNN-Bernama,
Kuala Lumpur : The Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) has received an award for excellence from the International Maritime Organization (IMO) for its role in operations against piracy in the waters off Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden.
According to a RMN statement received here Wednesday, the award for Exceptional Services Rendered to Shipping and Mankind was received in London on Monday by the RMN's Captain Mohamad Adib Abdul Samad, who is the commanding officer of the KD Sri Indera Sakti.
13 labourers abducted in Pakistan
By IANS,
Islamabad : Thirteen labourers of a construction firm were abducted in Pakistan's Balochistan province, a media report said Friday.
Pakistan beefs up security ahead of elections, Muharram
By Xinhua
Karachi : In and outside of the Forum shopping mall, the most luxurious one in Pakistan's Karachi city, more security deployment than in usual days can be seen.
A much higher number of police personnel and Pakistan Rangers are patrolling the streets of the biggest city of Pakistan to prevent anything unexpected from happening.