Several militants killed near Afghan capital
By Xinhua,
Kabul : The U.S.-led Coalition on Friday eliminated several militants in an operation to disrupt militant activities in Kapisa province, some 80 kilometers north from Afghan capital Kabul, said a Coalition statement released here on Saturday.
The force searched a compound in Nijrab district targeting a Taliban commander smuggling weapons into Afghanistan, as well as conducting IED (Improvised Explosive Device) attacks against international forces, the statement said.
We need time to decide US official’s case: Islamabad
By IANS,
Islamabad: Islamabad has told Washington that it needs time to decide the case of Raymond Davis who shot dead two Pakistanis in Lahore late last month.
Musharraf can be hanged for violating constitution: Sharif
By DPA,
Islamabad : Pakistan's former premier and a major partner in the ruling coalition Nawaz Sharif said Saturday President Pervez Musharraf could be hanged for declaring a state of emergency late last year and sacking of more than 60 judges.
Musharraf declared the emergency Nov 3 when the Supreme Court was set to rule on his controversial re-election, in a move that turned him into a highly unpopular figure and caused the crushing defeat of his political allies in the Feb 18 general elections.
Since then there have been rising calls for the beleaguered president to step down.
Iran to increase uranium enrichment if Vienna talks fail
By DPA,
Tehran/Vienna : Iran will independently enrich uranium to levels beyond what is needed for basic power generation if talks in Vienna on a plan to process the country's nuclear fuel abroad fail, the spokesman of the Iranian Atomic Organisation stressed Monday.
Ali Shirzadian spoke in Tehran ahead of Monday's multilateral meeting at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on a deal to export most of Iran's enriched uranium to Russia and France, in order to enrich it to a higher level so it can be used in a medical-purpose reactor in Tehran.
Tragedies of Gazans emerge along with three hours of
By Saud Abu Ramadan, Xinhua,
Gaza : For three hours every day, some 1.5 million residents in the Gaza Strip have a chance to get out of their houses, buy daily necessities and bury the dead. Stories of their unheard suffering emerge as well.
Some of these stories were reported in an unprecedented statement by the International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC), which criticized Israel for not allowing its crew to evacuate the wounded and dead who ended up in a house that later came under fire in al-Zaitoun quarter in southeast Gaza city.
Air strike kills 10 in Swat: official
By IRNA,
Islamabad : Military jets pounded rebel hideouts in Swat valley on Tuesday, killing at least 10 people and wounding dozens, a security official said.
The air strike came despite an offer of truce during the current Muslim fasting month of Ramadan announced by the government at the weekend.
A senior security official said fighter jets bombed Ghat Peochar area following intelligence that leaders of pro-Taliban Fazlullah's group were hiding there.
Chief military spokesman Major General Athar Abbas confirmed the bombing but said he did not have details of casualties.
Swine flu threat: Saudi Arabia may bar young and old from Haj
By IANS,
Dhaka : Saudi Arabia may bar Haj pilgrims below six years and above 65 years due to swine flu fears, a media report said Wednesday.
Jeddah was yet to convey its decision to the governments across the globe that coordinate the Haj by their Muslim citizens every year, New Age newspaper said.
In Bangladesh's case, the number of pilgrims this year may be slashed by half.
At least 59 killed, 76 wounded in Iraqi violence
By DPA,
Baghdad : At least 59 people were killed and 76 wounded Tuesday in separate incidents across Iraq, police, security sources and eyewitnesses said.
In Baquba, 40 people were killed and 60 wounded when a suicide bomber detonated his vehicle near the main governmental office of Baquba, police and local witnesses said.
The casualty figure in the blast in Baquba, 60 km north of Baghdad, was much higher than the initial reports of 15 killed and 28 wounded.
Police officers allowed ambulance vans to rush to the blast scene to move the wounded to the hospitals.
Two rockets fired into Afghan capital, no casualties
By DPA,
Kabul : Two rockets believed to have been fired by Taliban militants landed near the presidential palace Tuesday, but caused no casualties, police said.
The rockets were fired from Bagrami, in the southern part of Kabul city, a police official in Kabul told DPA.
"Both rockets hit areas around the presidential palace, but fortunately there were no casualties," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Pakistan to restore constitution, strengthen all institution – PM
By NNN-APP
Islamabad : Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has categorically stated that the present government will restore the constitution, strengthen all institutions, ensure provincial autonomy and come up to the expectations of people with regard to independence of judiciary and freedom of media.
Bangladeshi bloggers win awards in Germany
By IANS,
Dhaka : Three bloggers from Bangladesh have won prizes in a global blog writing contest, German news broadcaster Deutsche Welle has announced.
Pakistan says tensions with India affecting war against terror
By IANS,
Islamabad: Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has said the country's focus on the war on terror is being affected because of persistent tensions with India.
"While Pakistan is fully committed to taking to logical conclusion the ongoing operations against the Taliban, the country's forces are overstretched because of perpetual tensions on the eastern border," Gilani said Friday at a meeting with James Jones, US National Security Adviser, Xinhua reported.
Obama calls for new NATO vision, greater Afghanistan efforts
By DPA,
Baden-Baden (Germany) : NATO needs to adopt a new vision to cope with the demands of the 21st century, US President Barack Obama said during a visit to Germany Friday.
"I don't come bearing grand designs," he said ahead of summit marking the alliance's 60th anniversary. "I'm here to listen, to share ideas, and jointly - as one of many NATO allies - to help shape our vision for the future."
Israeli and Palestinian leaders renew direct talks after seven-week gap
By AFP
Jerusalem : Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas held their first direct talks in seven weeks on Monday hoping to make a peace deal this year but giving no hint of progress.
The two "agreed to continue with the goal of reaching an historic agreement by the end of the year," Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev said after the two and a half hour meeting in Jerusalem.
Musharraf prepares to storm Pakistan politics
By Igor G. Barbero, IANS/EFE,
Islamabad: Former president and ex-chief of Pakistan Army Pervez Musharraf has secured himself a launchpad for his return to the country from his exile in London: a political party which is founded with the desire of bringing about "a great change".
"We are happy. There is still a lot of work to do, but we have the concept, the objectives and the will," asserted retired General Rashid Qureshi, who was the military and presidential spokesperson for Musharraf and is now one of the "masterminds" behind the All Pakistan Muslim League (APML).
44 hostages freed in Pakistan’s tribal area
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : A total of 44 security men who were kidnapped earlier have been released in Pakistan's tribal region after successful negotiations, official Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported Tuesday.
The APP quoted Political Agent of Kurram Agency Mohammad Azam Khan as saying that the tribesmen in Pewar village made 44 security men hostage and a 25-member jirga was sent to the tribes for the release for the abductees.
Israel, Saudi Arabia met secretly to discuss Iran: Report
Jerusalem : Israel and Saudi Arabia, countries that have no diplomatic relations, met five times secretly to discuss Iran which both consider a regional...
Suicide car bomb attack kills 33 in Pakistan
By DPA,
Islamabad : A suicide blast ripped through a crowded market Friday in Pakistan's conflict-torn North West Frontier Province, killing at least 33 people and injuring dozens more, police said.
The powerful explosion took place in Ustarzai, a small Shia Muslim-dominated village on the fringes of the garrison town of Kohat, 60 km south of the provincial capital, Peshawar.
Following the attack, Pakistani security forces targeted the militants' positions and killing 13 rebels.
Seven killed in Turkish road accident
By IANS,
Ankara : Seven people were killed in a traffic accident in northern Turkey Thursday, Dogan news agency reported.
22 killed as ‘suicide bomber’ hits Muharram procession in Pakistan
Islamabad: At least 22 people, including five children, were killed and dozens injured when a "suicide" bomber targeted a Muharram procession in Pakistan's Sindh...
UAE gets new English daily
By Aroonim Bhuyan, IANS,
Dubai : The United Arab Emirates (UAE) got a new English daily newspaper Thursday with the launch of The National in Abu Dhabi.
Abu Dhabi Media Co (ADMC), a diversified entertainment and media conglomerate, unveiled the newspaper at a gala event at the Emirates Palace Hotel.
Gracing the event was General Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the crown prince of Abu Dhabi, deputy supreme commander of the armed forces and chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council.
Israeli government approves new bill to detain asylum seekers
Jerusalem: The Israeli government Sunday, unanimously voted in favour of a new bill, which allows authorities to detain asylum seekers for up to 20...
UAE asks stateless people to register
By IANS,
Abu Dhabi : Authorities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are allowing stateless people in this Gulf nation a final chance to register themselves.
This is part of an initiative taken by a higher national committee set up by UAE Minister for Interior Sheikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan to find immediate solutions to the problem of people without identification papers in the country.
Morocco,UAE embassies in Syria attacked
By IANS,
Damascus : Embassies of Morocco and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Syrian capital Damascus were attacked by pro-government protesters Wednesday, Al-Jazeera TV reported.
Lawyers clash with police in Pakistan, several wounded
By KUNA
Islamabad : Several lawyers were wounded when police fired tear-gas shells and baton-charged them for holding protests in Pakistan for the reinstatement of deposed judges last year by President Musharraf to get him re-elected for another five-year Presidential term by the outgoing assemblies.
Lawyers held protest demonstrations outside Sindh High Court building in Southern Karachi port city. Police to disperse them fired tear-gas shells and use baton-charge. While, according to police sources, several lawyers were also arrested.
Kausar is first Pakistani women umpire in England
By Omar Khalid, IANS,
Karachi: Former cricketer Shah Parveen Kausar became the first woman from Pakistan to umpire a competitive game in England.
Kausar stood as a field umpire in the District Cricket League between Shaw and Friamere Second XI at Holebottom Clough.
Kausar has umpired both men's and women's games in Pakistan. She is expected to umpire a full season in England next year.
"Thanks to Kausar's achievements, more women will be encouraged to increase their involvement with Cricket," a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) statement said Wednesday.
No doubt about national polls by year-end: Bangladesh EC
By NNN-BSS,
Dhaka : Bangladesh Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Dr ATM Shamsul Huda Tuesday reiterated that there is no doubt about holding of the national election by the end of the current year.
The new year, 2009, will begin with the installation of an elected government through a free and fair election, he said while addressing a function as chief guest at the multipurpose hall of Military Institute of Science and Technology (MIST) at Mirpur Cantonment in the city.
Iran’s Bushehr n-plant unaffected by quake
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow: Iran's first nuclear power plant in Bushehr was not affected by the devastating earthquake that hit the country Tuesday, Russia's federal atomic agency Rosatom said.
Pakistan’s parliament to initiate Musharraf’s impeachment
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : The parliament of Pakistan was summoned on Saturday to meet on Aug. 11 to discuss a resolution to seek the impeachment of President Pervez Musharraf.
The News Network International news agency quoted officials as saying that the National Assembly, Lower House of the Parliament, would meet at 5 p.m.(1100 GMT).
The ruling coalition will table a resolution with a charge-sheet against Musharraf.
Militants blow up school in Pakistan
By Xinhua,
Islamabad : Militants have blown up a school Friday in Pakistan's North-West Frontier Province (NWFP), a media report said.
No casualties were reported. The explosion occurred in Upper Dir district of the NWFP, the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported.
Unidentified militants detonated a bomb in a middle school for girls. The school, which had four rooms, was destroyed, the report said.
The police have registered a case and started an investigation, it said.
Bangladesh militant outfit chief escapes arrest
By IANS,
Dhaka : Authorities Sunday afternoon failed to nab the Amir (chief) of Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), a banned militant outfit, as he managed to escape from his home in the national capital.
"Maulana Saidur Rahman, the JMB leader, went out of the house where he had been residing with his wife, just 20 minutes before the drive," Captain Taif, operation officer of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) that conducted the drive, told The Daily Star.
The Rab arrested from his home his wife and his sister-in-law, whose names were not announced.
Governor Taseer’s assassin produced before terrorism court
By IANS,
Islamabad : Mumtaz Qadri, the assassin of Punjab governor Salman Taseer, was Thursday presented before Pakistan's Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) under tight security in nearby Rawalpindi.
Al-Assad meets Berri, renews Syria’s support for dialogue among Lebanese
By NNN-SANA
Damascus : President Bashar al-Assad has held discussions with Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament Nabih Berri the results of the recently held Damascus Arab Summit, and the Lebanese issues in particular.
Al-Assad reiterated Syria's support for dialogue among the Lebanese and national consensus as the only means to resolve the Lebanese crisis.
He expressed Syria's readiness to present all possible assistance requested by the Lebanese to achieve security and stability in Lebanon.
Sharif rejects Zardari olive branch, stage set for showdown
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan was set for a bruising showdown with opposition leader Nawaz Sharif late Saturday rejecting President Asif Ali Zardari's olive branch on seeking a review of a Supreme Court verdict barring him and his brother from contesting elections, saying a lawyers' stir for reinstating the judges sacked in 2007 would go ahead nonetheless.
Former Pakistani defence officers demand Musharraf’s exit
By IANS
Islamabad : A clutch of retired three and four-star level armed forces officers in Pakistan has demanded that President Pervez Musharraf quit in the larger interests of the country.
They also said that a national government must be constituted in consultation with all the political parties instead of holding a general election under the present caretaker set-up.
Pakistan lodges protest over Afghan shelling
By IRNA,
Islamabad : Pakistan has lodged protest with Afghanistan-based NATO forces over cross-border shelling, which killed a Pakistani soldier, according to local media.
5 die as Pakistani forces raided hospital
By IRNA,
Islamabad : Pakistani security forces raided a private hospital in the tribal region where suspected militants were thought to be treated and killed at least five people, locals and officials said Thursday.
Sources said that two soldiers were also killed in clash when the militants opened fire.
They said that 18 people were also arrested after the raid at the hospital in Wana, the center of South Waziristan.
Yemen government, Shia rebels reach deal to resolve crisis
Sanaa : Yemeni President Abdo Rabu Mansur Hadi reached an agreement Thursday with the Shia Houthi rebel movement to form a new government and...
Suicide attack targets German military attache in Kabul
By KUNA,
Kabul : Two Afghan civilians were killed and three others were wounded in a suicide attack that targeted a vehicle boarding the German military attache in Kabul on Sunday, police said.
The attack was carried out by a suicide bomber who was on foot. The bomber hurled himself at the vehicle carrying in western part of the city.
Officials at the German embassy were not available for comment.
Hamas accuses Arab intelligence of selling Hamas leaders’ info to Israel, U.S.
By Xinhua
Gaza : A Hamas official accused Arab intelligence services of delivering information about Hamas leaders exiled in Syria to Israel and the United States, a London-based Arabic daily reported Sunday.
Asharq Alawsat newspaper quoted Ahmed Yousef, an adviser for Ismail Haneya, deposed prime minister of Hamas government in Gaza, as saying that the leaked information includes "the movement, the places of residence and the sorts of cars used by Damascus-based Hamas leaders."
New provinces vital for Pakistan’s existence: MQM chief
Islamabad : Leader of Pakistan's Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) party Altaf Hussain Wednesday pressed for creation of new provinces in the country and warned...
Al Qaeda training snipers to attack British, US troops
By IANS,
London : Terror outfit Al Qaeda is now training a group of snipers for a new wave of attacks on British and US troops in Afghanistan, a media report said Friday.
Palestinian forces arrest 17 Hamas members in West Bank
By Xinhua,
Ramallah : Palestinian security forces arrested 17 members of Hamas movement in the West Bank on Thursday, the Islamic movement said.
The arrests were conducted in West Bank cities of Nablus, Ramallah, Bethlehem, Hebron and Tulkarem by security forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah movement, a Hamas statement said.
The arrests are part of a crackdown the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) launched against Hamas supporters in the West Bankafter Hamas took over the Gaza Strip by force last year.
11 die as US force raids house in Iraq
By IRNA,
Baghdad : Eleven people died after Americans raided a house in the northern city of Mosul at dawn on Sunday.
The Americans said that after they entered the house in pursuit of a known insurgent, his companions opened fire and the insurgent detonated his vest.
Three women and two children died during the raid.
Neighbors said they heard an explosion come from inside the house between 5 and 6 a.m.
They said the local morgue had received 11 bodies and that two children had survived, with at least one child taken to a hospital in Mosul on Sunday evening.
Book controversy not new for Jaswant Singh
By IANS,
New Delhi : Senior leader Jaswant Singh has been expelled from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for his book praising Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, but this is not the first time his writings have touched off controversy.
In his previous book titled "A Call to Honour: In Service of Emergent India in 2006", he alleged that there was a mole in the Prime Minister's Office in the nineties during the tenure of P.V. Narasimha Rao of the Congress who leaked information to American sources.
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.
Arms for US embassy seized in Pakistan: Report
By IANS,
Islamabad : Suspicious luggage containing bulletproof jackets and weapons allegedly belonging to the US embassy was seized by police here, a media report said.
Islamabad police Saturday intercepted at the Zero Point picket here a suspicious vehicle which was found to be carrying cargo comprising M-16 rifles and magazines; 9 mm pistols and magazines, several pistol pouches, compasses, radio sets, maps, knives, and other army articles, The Nation quoted sources as saying.
Noted Pakistani historian dead
By IANS,
Islamabad : Nabi Bux Baloch, a noted Pakistani historian who had studied at Aligarh Muslim University, is dead. He was 94, a media report said Wednesday.
Musharraf’s turn to flex muscle with Pakistan Peoples Party
By Muhammad Najeeb, IANS,
Islamabad : President Pervez Musharraf has sent strong signals to the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP)-led coalition government not to take any steps aimed at curtailing his powers, especially to dismiss parliament and appoint armed services chiefs, sources in the government said.
"I can't say if it's a threat, warning or advice but the PPP has been told by the presidency not to go ahead with any amendment in the constitution to curtail the president's powers," a PPP leader told IANS, requesting anonymity.
Army man held for passing military secrets to Pakistani woman
Hyderabad: An army officer was Wednesday arrested here on charges of passing on military secrets to a Pakistani woman through social media, police said.
Police...
Five militants killed in Israeli raids on Gaza
By RIA Novosti,
Gaza : At least five Palestinians were killed on Wednesday in Israeli airstrikes on south and north Gaza, a local radio station reported.
Three Palestinians, including a 13-year-old boy and a woman, were killed during an Israeli operation east of the Jabaliya refugee camp near Gaza city.
The clashes took place as U.S. President George Bush landed in Israel, his first stop on a six-day Middle East tour. Bush will take part in the country's 60th anniversary celebrations, and will meet with President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.
Lebanon’s parliament elects army chief as president
By DPA,
Beirut : Lebanon's parliament Sunday elected army chief General Michel Suleiman as the country's 12th president, filling a post left vacant for six months by a political crisis that had threatened a new civil war.
"Suleilman garnered 118 votes and I declare him president of Lebanon," Speaker Nabih Berri announced after the voting.
A Qatari-brokered deal last week between rival Lebanese leaders defused 18 months of political stalemate that erupted into fighting this month. Iranian-backed Hezbollah fighters briefly seized parts of Beirut, routing government loyalists.
Dhaka moves against errant ruling party cadres
By IANS,
Dhaka: Authorities in Bangladesh have launched a crackdown against errant cadres of the ruling Awami League who use political patronage and muscle power to get things done.
The home ministry has asked police to act strictly to curb crimes by activists or face disciplinary measures. On the radar in particular is the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), the ruling party's student wing.
The instruction follows directions from the Prime Minister's Office to contain unruly BCL activists, The Daily Star reported Saturday.
Official: Arabs under pressure for water due to rising population, scarce resources
By Xinhua,
Amman : Arab countries are concerned about water resources because of rising demand as a result of ever increasing population and the scarcity of water resources in shared river basins, Refat al-Fauri, Director General of the Arab Organization for Administrative Development (AOAD) said Monday.
Al-Fauri made the remarks during a regional conference on water resources management and development in the Arab region, which kicked off on Monday.
NATO not to keep troops around Libya
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Brussels : NATO is not planning to leave forces around Libya following the end of its military mission in the country, NATO spokesperson Oana Lungescu has said.
Throwing acid to settle scores on the rise in Bangladesh
By IANS,
Dhaka : Nasima, 35, received serious burn injuries earlier this month as men threw acid on her after she refused to withdraw a court case against those who had allegedly raped her 11-year mentally challenged daughter. "What is more brutal for a mother than to receive acid burns instead of justice?" asks the doctor treating her.
The incidence of men throwing acid on women due to a dispute, rejection of a marriage proposal or being jilted in love is again on the rise in Bangladesh, after a brief lull, The Daily Star reported Saturday.
Musharraf will resign if a majority doesn’t want him
By DPA
Hamburg : Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf has told a German news magazine in an interview made public Saturday that he would resign if a majority of people in the country no longer wanted him.
The Pakistan leader also told Der Spiegel somebody should have stopped opposition leader Benazir Bhutto standing up in her car into the line of fire on the day last month when she was assassinated.
Over 15 killed, 50 wounded in Peshawar blast
By KUNA,
Islamabad : More than 15 people were killed and over 50 others were wounded in a huge bomb explosion Saturday near a Pakistani northern city, said police.
A powerful bomb attached to a vehicle exploded with a huge bang near a checkpost, about 10 to 12 kilometers from Peshawar, the capital of North-West Frontier Province (NWFP), police sources told KUNA.
They said the explosion was so powerful that it brought down a nearby market plaza and a boys school, burying several people under the debris.
Iran not interfering with Iraq-US security deal: envoy
By IRNA,
Baghdad : Iran's Ambassador to Baghdad Hassan Kazemi Qomi said on Wednesday that Tehran does not interfere with the strategic agreement between Iraq and the US.
Speaking at a banquet given in honor of a group of media persons in Baghdad, he said Iraq is an independent state with democratic government and for the same reason Iran does not interfere with the strategic agreement between Baghdad and Washington.
Iran is doubtful about US measures in Iraq, said the Iranian ambassador.
Six Shias shot dead in Pakistan
By IANS,
Islamabad : Six Shia Muslims were shot dead in southwest Pakistan Monday night in a sectarian attack, police said.
Yemen President renews request for Yemeni detainees in Guantanamo
By NNN-Saba
Sana'a : President Ali Abdullah Saleh reiterated on Thursday Yemen's request for extraditing Yemeni detainees in the Guantanamo Camp including Mohammed al-Moayad and his companion Mohammed Zaid.
The Yemen request came during a meeting between the president and the U.S. ambassador to Yemen Stephen Seche.
The president said that Yemen would carry out a re-qualification programme for those detainees to merge them into the society as good citizens.
Sarkozy urges EU to adopt common strategy on Libya
By IANS,
Paris : European countries should adopt a "common strategy" on issues related to violence-hit Libya, French President Nicolas Sarkozy said in an address on national television.
Headmaster beheaded, schools torched in Afghanistan
By DPA,
Kabul : Suspected Taliban militants beheaded a headmaster and torched two schools in southern Afghanistan, officials said Sunday.
Sakandar Shah Mohammadi, head of Al Berooni School in Qara Bagh district of Ghazni province was beheaded Saturday, the education ministry said in a statement.
On the same day, dozens of militants, riding on motorbikes, came to Zardalo area of the district and torched two elementary schools, Muhibullah Khepilwak, district governor, said. One of the schools was a girls' school and the other for boys.
Fayyad expects to run in next Palestinian presidential elections
By Xinhua
Gaza : Salam Fayyad, the Prime Minister of the caretaker government is thinking to run in the coming Palestinian Presidential elections due to be held in January 2009,a well-informed Palestinian source revealed Monday.
The source, which spoke in conditions of anonymity, told the London-based al-Quds al-Arabi newspaper that Fayyad would run in the elections "only if President Mahmoud Abbas decides not to compete on the Palestinian presidency."
12 rebels killed in southern Afghanistan
By SPA,
Kabul, Afghanistan : U.S.-led troops backed by warplanes battled insurgents in southwestern Afghanistan, killing about a dozen rebels, officials said Monday.
The U.S.-led coalition said its troops came under fire Sunday in the Khash Rod district of Nimroz province as they searched compounds for a Taliban leader suspected of involvement in suicide attacks.
The troops killed «multiple militant groups» with small-arms fire, and airstrikes killed two more groups of attackers, the coalition said. There were no coalition
Migrant vulnerable to financial downturn: UN chief
By IRNA,
Tehran : The United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said that more than 200 million migrants are vulnerable to the financial downturn.
According to a press released issued by the UN Information Center in Tehran (UNIC), the secretary general made the remarks in a message on the International Migrants Day, 18 December.
Musharraf wanted his photograph on currency notes
By IANS,
Islamabad : Former president and military dictator Pervez Musharraf was keen to have his photograph on Pakistan's currency notes, a former prime minister has disclosed.
Lebanon arrests three ‘Israeli spies’
By DPA,
Beirut : Lebanese security authorities have arrested three members of the same family on suspicion of spying for Israel, a Lebanese security source said Friday.
"A man, his wife and his brother were seized from their home in the town of Ghaziyeh, near the southern port of Sidon ... Friday," the source said.
The source said the arrests were based on information extracted from a retired Lebanese general charged with spying for Israel last month.
So far, 19 people have been arrested on suspicion of spying for Israel since January.
Indian mission receives nearly 2,800 complaints in Qatar
Doha: As many as 2,792 complaints, including labour law violations, have been received by the Indian mission in Qatar so far this year, a...
Lebanese speaker “stunned” by French FM remarks
By Xinhua
Beirut : Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri was "stunned" by the comment of French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner who accused him of closing down the parliament and of "lacking freedom to move," Al-Akhbar daily reported on Wednesday.
Berri, a main leader of Lebanese opposition bloc, is carrying out Arab and international contacts to assure a new round of dialogue among Lebanese rival groups.
Ban condemns Hamas” “terrorism,” calls on Israel to exercise restraint in Gaza
By KUNA
United Nations : Describing Hamas rocket attacks against southern Israel as "acts of terrorism," Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon late Wednesday condemned such acts and condemned the Israeli strikes in Gaza which killed four Palestinian children, including an infant, his press office said in a statement.
Russia completes fuel shipment to Iran’s 1st nuclear plant
By Xinhua
Moscow : Russia completed Monday the delivery of uranium fuel to Iran's first nuclear power plant, Itar-Tass news agency reported.
The eighth and final batch of Russian nuclear fuel, which is necessary for the initial stage of operation of the Bushehr nuclear power plant, was delivered to its construction site, Itar-Tass quoted the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) as saying.
Man who accused Ibrahim of sodomy swears by Quran, poll hots up
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur : Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim's former aide, who had accused him of sodomy, has sworn by the Holy Quran and repeated the charge, prompting many to challenge the leader, who is in the midst of a by-election campaign, to prove his innocence by following suit.
However, Ibrahim who hopes to win the poll and challenge Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's government in parliament, has dismissed it, reported the New Straits Times Sunday.
Pakistani ambassador’s letter requires no action: UN
By IANS,
Islamabad : UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon does not have a "specific response" to a letter from Pakistan's UN Ambassador Abdullah Hussain Haroon on the Mumbai terror attacks as it did not call for any action from the world body, his spokesperson said.
"It is a general letter addressed to the secretary-general and to all member states," Dawn Friday quoted spokesperson Michele Montas as saying while responding to a question at a briefing.
"No action was required in the letter," she added.
Jalili, Solana reaffirm commitment to nuclear talks
By NNN-IRNA,
Tehran : Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Saeed Jalili and EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana, in a telephone conversation Monday, have reaffirmed commitment to their nuclear talks.
The two officials agreed to continue with the nuclear talks under a constructive atmosphere.
According to the SNSC press secretary, both Solana and Jalili called for continued talks in line with the positive and constructive atmosphere they had in Geneva on July 19.
They also underlined the need for exchange of views and consultations between the two parties.
Dubai Police to crackdown on begging during Ramadan
By IANS/WAM,
Dubai: The Dubai Police has drawn up plans to crackdown on begging and theft during the holy month of Ramadan, it was announced Friday.
Parliamentary elections will be free and fair, says Pakistan’s Chief Election
By SPA
Islamabad : Pakistan s Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Justice (retd) Qazi Muhammad Farooq says Monday s parliamentary election will be free, fair and transparent.
We have taken every step to obliterate any chance of rigging at any phase of the electoral process, the CEC said in his address to the nation Sunday night.
The CEC said police and paramilitary forces backed by Pakistan Army have been deployed at the polling stations and the voters would be provided a congenial environment to exercise their right to vote.
Sharjah ruler pardons 133 prisoners
By IANS,
Dubai : The ruler of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, has pardoned 133 prisoners on the occasion of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.
Those pardoned are of various nationalities and have served half of their prison terms and shown good conduct at the Sharjah corrective and punitive establishments, according to the official Emirates News Agency (WAM).
Pakistan conducts back-to-back tests of nuclear-capable missile
By DPA,
Islamabad : Pakistan Monday successfully test-fired its longest-range surface-to-surface ballistic missile for the second time in three days.
The test validated the operational readiness of a strategic missile group equipped with Hatf-VI (Shaheen-2) missiles, which can carry both nuclear and conventional warheads up to a distance of 2,000 km, the military added.
The launch conducted at an undisclosed location by the army's Strategic Force Command "marked the culmination of a field-training exercise," a defence statement said.
Chinese FM to visit Pakistan April 25-26
By APP,
Beijing : Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi will visit Pakistan on April 25-26, said Pakistan’s Ambassador to China Salman Bashir.
He said that this would the first visit of Yang Jiechi to Pakistan after assuming the office as Chinese Foreign Minister.
During his visit Yang Jiechi will call on President Pervez Musharraf, Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi and political leadership of Pakistan.
The Chinese Foreign Minister to also review the talks held in Beijing during President Musharraf’s visit to China.
Taliban expanding rapidly in Pakistan, thanks to Musharraf
By IANS,
New Delhi : The Taliban are now expanding rapidly in Pakistan, courtesy the failed policies of the country's army and the now beleaguered President Pervez Musharraf, says a new book by Pakistani journalist-scholar Ahmed Rashid.
An acknowledged authority on the Taliban, Rashid says in "Descent into Chaos" (Allen Lane/Penguin) that the time has come for the Pakistan Army to live in peace with its neighbours "instead of constantly trying to undermine them".
Twin suicide blasts kill 69 in Baghdad
By DPA
Baghdad : Twin blasts carried out by female suicide bombers tore through Baghdad's pet and bird markets Friday, killing at least 69 people and wounding 180 in the deadliest attacks in the capital in six months, security and medical officials said.
The death toll in the first blast, which struck central Baghdad's al-Ghazl pet market, rose to at least 44 and the number of wounded was at least 118, police and hospital sources said.
US expects Egypt to honour peace with Israel
By DPA,
Washington: The US expects the Egyptian government to honour previous peace agreements with Israel regardless of who is in power, the White House said Friday.
Bombs kill 14 including Baghdad volunteer leader
By SPA
Baghdad : Two suicide bombers struck in a district of Baghdad on Monday, killing at least 14
people including the leader of a U.S.-backed neighborhood security patrol, an Interior Ministry source said.
The strikes were the latest in an apparent stepped-up campaign of suicide bombings that has seen major attacks nearly every day for the past two weeks, even as overall levels of violence in Iraq have fallen, according to a report of Reuters.
Obama thanks Georgia”s President for contribution in Afghanistan Politics
By KUNA,
Washington : U.S. President Barack Obama called Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili thanking him for Georgia's "significant contribution" in Afghanistan, the White House said late Tuesday.
The White House said in a statement that Obama thanked the Georgian President for his country's significant contribution to the international effort in Afghanistan, as the Georgian battalion deploys this month alongside American Marines in Helmand.
"The President relayed the strong support of the United States for Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity," it added.
Two from Kerala killed in Iraq
By IANS
Kozhikode (Kerala): Two persons from Kerala were killed in a missile attack in Basra, Iraq earlier this week.
They were working for a Kuwaiti firm supplying provisions to United States forces in Iraq, according to reports reaching here.
The attack reportedly took place Monday night and claimed three lives including that of a Sri Lankan national. The two persons, hailing from Kerala, were identified as Sureshan, 41, from Payyoli near Kozhikode and T.K. Muhammad Sali, 38, from Padanna in Kasargode district.
Karachi shutdown continues over MQM chief’s arrest
Islamabad : The port city of Karachi continued with its shutdown Wednesday in the wake of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain's arrest...
Israeli premier rejects ministers’ plea for ceasefire in Gaza
By RIA Novosti,
Tel Aviv : Israel's prime minister has rejected appeals by his defense and foreign ministers for an immediate halt to the country's military operations in the Gaza Strip, an Israeli newspaper reported on Monday.
UAE, Yemen discuss cooperation
By IANS/WAM,
Abu Dhabi : UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and his visiting Yemeni counterpart Abdo Rabbo Mansour Hadi Sunday discussed ways to promote cooperation.
Palestinian academic urges PNA to disband if 2008 sees no peace deal
By Xinhua,
Ramallah : A Palestinian academic on Saturday called on the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) to dissolve itself if no peace treaty was made with Israel by the end of this year.
Sari Nusibeh, the president of al-Quds University, said he "finds no sense for keeping the Authority which accumulates the debts and its role was only to hide the loins of the peace process."
Nusibeh gave an example that the PNA pays monthly salaries for 160,000 employees, "half of them were security personnel who don't provide any security for us..."
Canadian soldier killed in ambush in Afghanistan
By Xinhua,
Ottawa : One Canadian soldier was killed and another injured Tuesday when they were ambushed by the Taliban in southern Afghanistan, Canada's Defense Ministry said.
The soldiers were on a walk patrol when they came under enemy fire in the Pashmul region of the Zharey district, at about 11:45 a.m. local time, the ministry said in a press release.
The soldiers were immediately evacuated by helicopter to the Canadian-led multinational hospital at Kandahar Airfield, where one soldier was pronounced dead. The other soldier is in fair condition and stable.
Tension escalates in Iraq
By XINHUA,
BAGHDAD : Top U.S. officials and military commanders in Iraq congratulated Iraqis for the country's provincial elections, describing it as a milestone in Iraq's democratic development, a joint statement by U.S. embassy and military said on Sunday.
The statement congratulated the Iraqi people for holding the provincial elections and hailed the large turnout of voters.
It also congratulated the Iraqi government and the security forces for their efforts that brought a success for the elections.
Pakistani foreign minister to visit US next week
By IANS,
Islamabad: Pakistani Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar will pay an official visit to the US Sep 18-22, the foreign ministry said Saturday.
Thousands escape from Sinjar mountain in Iraq
Geneva : Around 35,000 people have escaped from the Sinjar mountains in northwest Iraq where they were besieged by fighters from the Islamic State...
American expert says US, Pakistan have real opportunities to build trusting partnership
By NNN-APP,
Washington : The United States and Pakistan share common interests in curbing al-Qaeda and Taliban violence in the region and there are real opportunities for building a trusting partnership, a prominent American writer, who recently met with top Pakistani intelligence officials in Islamabad, wrote Tuesday.
Policeman dies of injures after Bahrain blast
By IANS,
Manama: A policeman, who was injured in a bus explosion, died Saturday, Bahrain police said.
The policeman was among the two people who sustained...
Six killed in bomb attacks northeast Baghdad
By Xinhua,
Baghdad : Six people were killed and six others injured in separate bomb attacks in a village in Diyala province on Tuesday morning, a provincial police source said.
A roadside bomb detonated near a civilian car, carrying an anti-Qaida Awakening council group member, while driving in the village of A'bbara near the city capital of Baquba, 65 km northeast of Baghdad, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.
The blast killed the driver and destroyed his car, the source said.
Mideast issue is Obama’s top priority: Mitchell
By DPA,
Amman : US Middle East envoy George Mitchell conferred Saturday with the Jordanian Foreign Minister Salah Bashir and said that the administration of US President Barack Obama would give "priority" to the Middle East peace process, a foreign ministry statement said.
"The US envoy asserted that the US administration is giving priority to the Middle East and to a serious effort towards the resumption of the peace process between the Palestinians and Israelis in the run-up for the two-state solution," the statement said.
No more Abbottabad-like incidents, Gilani tells US
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan wants new rules of engagement with the US and an assurance of "no Abbottabad-like unilateral action in future", Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has said.
Six Yemeni soldiers killed in militant ambush
Sanaa: At least six soldiers were killed and three injured Friday when armed men ambushed government troops in Yemen, a military official said.
"Government troops...
Iran: nuclear negotiations with West not standstill
By Xinhua,
Tehran : Iranian Majlis (Parliament) Speaker Ali Larijani said here on Saturday that Iran doesn't think nuclear negotiations with the West have reached a standstill and an appropriate solution is still possible if the West would alter some of its behaviors, the official IRNA news agency reported.
Larijani made the comment in a meeting with a French parliamentary delegation after the issuance of the 4th UN Security Council resolution against Iran.
Appeal against woman renouncing Islam in Malaysia
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur : The Malaysian government has said it would challenge a court decision allowing a Chinese woman to renounce Islam and revert to Buddhism.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the court verdict was not final and an appeal before the higher court was almost complete.
He noted that the court decision favouring the woman, Tan Ean Huan - who called herself Siti Fatimah Tan Abdullah as a Muslim - was protested by Islamist groups including a Kuala Lumpur-based political group, Hizbut Tahrir.
Lawyers movement becomes voice of nation: Nawaz
By IRNA,
Islamabad : Former Prime Minister and PML-N leader Mian Nawaz Sharif while extending full support to the lawyers movement has said that Lawyers long march has become voice of the nation.
While talking to media men at Islamabad Airport after arriving from London , He said restoration of judiciary is the future of Pakistan and lawyers movement should not be suppressed.
At Islamabad airport he was received by his son-in-law Captain (Retd) Safdar, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and Syed Zafar Ali Shah amid tight security.
US slams Iran for closing human rights office
By DPA,
Washington : The US Monday criticized Iran's regime for shutting down the office of a human rights group led by Nobel-laureate Shirin Ebadi.
"It's troubling", said White House spokesman Tony Fratto. "We believe that these individuals are incredibly courageous to stand up in a society like Iran for the rights of their fellow citizens."
Iranian police Sunday sealed off Ebadi's office in northern Tehran, alleging the group did not have a legal permit and was using the centre "as ground for propaganda against the (Iranian) system".
Suicide car bomb kills seven in northern Iraq
By Xinhua,
Mosul, Iraq : A suicide car bomber on Tuesday struck an Iraqi army checkpoint in the city of Mosul, the capital of Nineveh province, killing seven people and wounding seven others, a provincial police source said.
The incident occurred when the suicide bomber drove his explosive-laden car into a checkpoint in the al-Quds neighborhood in southeastern Mosul, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.
The source could not tell whether any of the soldiers was among the casualty, but he said that there were children among the victims.
Court denies bail to Bangladesh ex-premier Hasina
By DPA,
Dhaka : Bangladesh's Supreme Court Thursday denied bail in a graft case to former prime minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed, now paroled for medical treatment abroad.
A five-member appellate division bench headed by Chief Justice MM Ruhul Amin passed the order during a hearing into the case filed by a businessman last year.
Pakistani city on alert of Qaeda suicide bombers
By KUNA
Islamabad : Pakistan's eastern Lahore city has been put on high alert after intelligence reports on Friday of infiltration by Al-Qaeda suicide bombers in the city, new hot target of militants.
Pakistan Federal Interior Ministry has received intelligence reports that two Arab and three Afghan suicide bombers have entered into Lahore, about 370 kilometers southeast of Islamabad.
Ministry sources told KUNA that the bombers could target government installations and security personnel.
Syrian opposition’s disarray could benefit Assad
By IANS,
Damascus : The Syrian opposition's rejection of talks with the Damascus government and its disarray will benefit President Bashar al-Assad's administration, analysts said.
Iraq’s oil flows to Turkey despite incursion
By Xinhua
Baghdad : Iraqi exports of crude oil continue flowing through Turkey despite the Turkish military operation against the Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) guerrillas in northern Iraq, the Iraqi Oil Ministry said on Sunday. "I confirm that the oil exports are flowing normally to Ceyhanport and that the operations did not effect it," an official from the ministry's media office told Xinhua.
"There is up to 350,000 barrels of crude oil per day exported through the Ceyhan port," the official said.
Child soldier pleads guilty to killing US medic in Afghanistan
By Gurmukh Singh, IANS,
Taliban claims attack on ceremony attended by Karzai
By DPA,
Kabul : A Taliban spokesman said six of their fighters armed with assault rifles opened fire during a ceremony which was attended by President Hamid Karzai and his cabinet ministers Sunday.
Karzai abruptly left the parade, held to commemorate the victory of the mujahideen against Soviet forces, after shooting out was heard in live telecast.
"Six of our mujahideen attacked the ceremony and in the shootout three of them were martyred and the other three after the attack fled the area and are in a safe place," Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid told DPA.
Election result represent ‘will of the people’ : EUEOM
By APP
London : A parliamentary member of European Union Election Observation Mission (EUEOM), has termed the February 18 national elections result in Pakistan as ‘the will of the people’ but as the same time called on the incoming Government to address the imperatives of the ‘profound democratic deficits with rigour and determination so that Pakistan’s democracy can finally come of age’.
Israel sends reduced fuel to Gaza
By Xinhua,
Gaza : Israel on Sunday resumed limited fuel deliveries to the Gaza Strip but is to hold off the pumping on Monday due to national holidays, Mujahed Salama, director of Palestinian Petroleum Agency (PPA) said Monday.
The Israeli military closed the West Bank and Gaza Strip from midnight Saturday to midnight Monday for the Jewish religious holiday of Shavuot.
Roadside bombs kill five civilians in Afghanistan
By DPA,
Kabul : Five civilians were killed and five were injured in separate roadside bombs in southern and central Afghanistan, officials said Tuesday.
Two civilians were killed and two were injured when a roadside bomb blew up a vehicle in Khakriz district of the southern province of Kandahar Tuesday morning, the provincial government said.
Two other civilians were killed in the western province of Farah Monday when their motorbike was struck by a roadside bomb, the interior ministry said.
Afghanistan sets up panels for women’s rights
By Xinhua
Kabul : The Afghanistan Ministry for Women Affairs has constituted two new organisations to protect women's rights, a local newspaper reported Sunday.
The two new sets-up 'Healthy Family, Happy Society' and 'Law and Women' are aimed at eliminating violence against women and establish a healthy and prosperous society, Afghanistan Times quoted Minister for Women Affairs Hosn Bano Ghazanfar as saying.
The 'Healthy Family, Happy Society' will involve religious leaders in various provinces to sensitise people on women rights.
Noose tightens around Mujib killers, review petitions dismissed
By IANS,
Dhaka : The Supreme Court Wednesday dismissed their review petitions of the five former army officers in prison for the killing of country's founding father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. They could be executed this month itself, said lawyers.
The four-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Md Tafazzul Islam passed the order, clearing the way for executing them, The Daily Star reported.
The review petitions were against the court's verdict confirming their death sentence.
Gov’t firm to remove obstacles: Ahmadinejad
By IRNA
Bushehr : President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said here Wednesday that the government is determined to remove obstacles in the way of the country's progress, development in industries, creating job opportunities and export increase.
"Ground should be prepared for the export of various high quality commodities," Ahmadinejad said at a meeting of the working group of occupation, investment, industry and mines and exports of Bushehr province.
Pakistan: Finance Minister pledges to present pro-poor budget
By APP,
Islamabad : Pakistan Minister for Finance, Revenue and Economic Affairs, Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar Wednesday pledged to present a pro-poor budget.
“The poor are the worst sufferers and we will re-orientize monetary and fiscal policies to support them,” he said while talking to media after attending the first Joint Workshop for Pakistani and Afghan Parliamentarians on Parliamentary Oversight here at a local hotel.
Aussie troops in Afghanistan face deadly environment, says Rudd
By Bernama,
Melbourne : Australian troops in Afghanistan face a deadly environment with little prospect of an early improvement of the situation, Australia Prime Minister Kevin Rudd warns.
Afghanistan remains a dangerous and difficult place and Australia must steel itself for further military casualties, Rudd said following the death an Australian commando in battle this week.
"My responsibility as prime minister is to be upfront and direct with the Australian people and not to mince words about how difficult and dangerous and bloody it is," he told the Fairfax Radio Network.
Syria on brink of civil war: Russia
By IANS,
Moscow: Syria faces a catastrophic civil war if both sides in the crisis fail to take advantage of the current ceasefire there, Russia's foreign ministry said.
Israel not serious in peace process – PLO
By NNN-KUNA
Gaza : A Palestinian official has charged that Israel's stepped-up attacks on the Gaza Strip and the West Bank reflected Tel Aviv's attempts in undermining the peace efforts between Israel and Palestine.
Islamabad seminaries searched for terrorists
By IANS,
Islamabad : The authorities in this Pakistani capital have launched a crackdown on seminaries here, searching 10 of them to ensure that terrorists are not hiding in the guise of students. No arrest has been made.
The managements of the madrassas were told that stern action would be taken if they were found to be providing refuge to terrorists.
Teams comprising magistrates and police officials also combed some rural areas, private guest-houses and hotels, Dawn reported Monday.
UAE sends dates to Jordan for Palestinians
By IANS,
Amman: UAE charity Red Crescent Authority has delivered 45 tonnes of palm dates to Jordan charities for distribution at Palestinian refugee camps.
Over 180 IS terrorists killed in Iraqi army operation
Baghdad : A successful anti-Islamic State (IS) operation by Iraqi forces has left more than 180 IS terrorists dead in a key area of...
Britain welcomes Iran to take part in Conference on Afghanistan
By IRNA,
London : The British Foreign Office says it has long been the plan to include Iran in Conference on Afghanistan in London, given that Iran is a neighbour of Afghanistan and has an interest in the development of its stability and security.
Barry Marston, the British Foreign Office spokesman, told IRNA that Tehran has been welcome in preparing the draft of the final statement of the London conference slated for this Thursday.
Israel proposes naval blockade of Iran
By RIA Novosti,
Tel Aviv : The Israeli prime minister has proposed that a U.S. naval blockade be imposed on Iran to stop the Islamic Republic from moving ahead with its uranium enrichment program, an Israeli newspaper said on Wednesday.
32 militants killed in S Afghanistan
By NNN-Xinhua,
Kabul : Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) and the U.S.-led Coalition forces in two separate operations have killed 32 insurgents in southern Afghan province of Uruzgan, said a Coalition statement released here.
The first engagement occurred when the combined forces was on a security patrol in the Khas Uruzagan district and received fire from insurgents in a heavily vegetated area, the statement said on Saturday.
The ANSF and Coalition soldiers returned fire and moved to an area from which they could direct air strikes, killing three militants, it added.
Hamas says discusses prisoner issues with Abbas in Ramallah
By Xinhua,
Ramallah : A Hamas lawmaker on Tuesday said he and some Hamas officials discussed with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas the issue of Palestinian prisoners and the problems between Hamas and Abbas' Fatah movement.
Hamed al-Bittawi, the Hamas lawmaker, said a group of former Hamas ministers and lawmakers attended the meeting at Abbas' office in Ramallah on Monday evening.
UAE consul general meets Sindh governor
By IANS,
Karachi : UAE Consul General Suhail Mattar Al Ketbi met Sindh Governor Ishrat-ul-Ebad to discuss a trade exhibition to be held in this southern Pakistani port city.
UN to impose new sanctions against Iran: US
By Xinhua,
Washington : The five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany are considering new sanctions against Iran after the Islamic republic failed to give a positive response to suspend its controversial nuclear programme, the US State Department said Monday.
"We are disappointed that we have not yet received a response from Iran," State Department spokesman Gonzalo Gallegos told reporters.
"We agreed in the absence of a clear, positive response from Iran (that) we have no choice but to pursue further measures against Iran."
Stop Sharia laws, kick out Taliban nomads: Miss Pakistan World
By Gurmukh Singh, IANS,
Toronto : Denouncing the Sharia laws in Pakistan's Swat Valley as surrender before terrorists, Miss Pakistan World Natasha Paracha said Monday that the world should pressure Pakistan to stop implementation of rigid Islamic laws.
The 23-year-year-old Islamabad-born Paracha, who won the 2008 beauty pageant in Toronto last year, told IANS: "I cannot bear to see that the people who have burnt down schools are being heeded to.