Al Qaeda terrorists active in Pakistan: US
By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : Even as several international terror organisations including Al Qaeda (AQ) operated and carried out attacks in Pakistan in 2007, Islamabad took steps to prevent support to the Kashmiri militancy, according to the US State Department.
"Pakistan's leaders took steps to prevent support to the Kashmiri militancy, and the number of violent attacks in Kashmir was down by approximately 50 percent from 2006," it said Wednesday citing public statements made by the Indian defence minister.
Manipur raises people’s army, rights groups warn of anarchy
By IANS,
Imphal : The Manipur government's decision to raise a people's army to fight militancy is mired in a blazing row with civil rights groups warning of chaos and anarchy if the armed vigilance force comes into being.
As part of the Manipur cabinet's decision, 300 youths were recruited Monday from among hundreds of locals at Heirok village in Manipur's Thoubal district, about 22 km southeast of state capital Imphal.
Ground shrinking for Muslim burials in Haryana; minority commission to visit state
By TwoCircles.net staff reporter,
New Delhi: Concerned over reports about Muslims not being provided land for burial in Haryana, the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) has decided to take up the matter with the state authorities.
NCM has reportedly been receiving complaints from Muslims residing in Panipat, Kaithal, Sonepat and Karnal, where the dearth of land for burial has become a big concern for the community.
‘Lonely’ Taslima to return to Kolkata or Agartala
By IANS,
Agartala : Her writing "badly affected" since she left Kolkata and desperate to return, controversial Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen said she would return there "as soon as possible". If not Kolkata, she would choose Agartala as her home when she returns to India in August.
Cash, jewellery worth Rs.25 mn stolen in Ludhiana
By IANS,
Chandigarh : Cash and gold jewellery worth nearly Rs.25 million was stolen from the office of a finance company in this industrial city of Punjab Monday.
The theft took place in the Miller Ganj area of the city where the office of the Muthoot finance company is located. The police have still not been able to identify the culprits behind the theft.
Interestingly, the theft first came to the notice of finance company officials in Gurgaon city adjoining national capital New Delhi when the sirens of the company's Ludhiana office started ringing there after the heist.
Robbers in Malaysia look for sex first
By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur : Sex before money - that seemed to be on the minds of a group of five armed robbers who struck at a house clad only in their underclothes and face masks, a newspaper report said Wednesday.
The five men broke into a house, tied up its four occupants, then searched the house for the Indonesian maid instead of the loot.
They did not like the maid, so they beat her up and then robbed the entire family, The Star newspaper reported.
Miri town police are hunting for the group of foreigners who escaped with more than 10,000 ringgit ($312) in cash and belongings.
Savvy and young, the great Indian consumer rises
By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS,
New Delhi : The new Indian consumer doing the rounds of the markets this season is a savvy shopper. He is educated, knows his brand and is ready to spend more on premium lifestyle products and entertainment.
He is dreaming big and going all out to translate his aspirations into reality, even if it means overspending and using credit. And giving him the power are banks with low-interest finance schemes. All this has combined to make pricing an insignificant factor in the decision to purchase goods.
Gunmen kidnap 12 in Philippines
By DPA,
Iligan City (The Philippines) : Unidentified gunmen kidnapped 12 people - teachers and students - in the southern Philippines Tuesday, an army commander said.
The victims were preparing for their classes when they were seized from the elementary school San Roque village in Kolambugan town, Lanao del Norte province, 810 km south of Manila.
Colonel Edwin Respicio, an army commander in the area, said most of the hostages were female.
"Male pupils were left behind as the armed men fled with the victims on foot," he said.
Islam was a revolution on several fronts: Hamid Ansari
By Mumtaz Falahi, TwoCircles.net,
New Delhi: Vice President of India Mohd. Hamid Ansari on 15th July released a book entitled “Islami Tarraqqi Pasandi” authored by Late Ali Jawad Zaidi at a function here in the national capital.
Addressing on the occasion, the Vice President said that this book contains the issues on how to make the lives of common men better and purposeful. He suggested that this useful book should be translated into Hindi and English also so that more and more people may take advantage of this book.
Ketan Parekh denied more time to surrender
By IANS,
New Delhi : The Supreme Court Wednesday refused to extend the July 31 deadline for stock broker Ketan Parekh to surrender to the Mumbai jail authorities to undergo his year-long jail term for siphoning off Rs.477 million from a Canara Bank subsidiary in a financial scam of 1992.
A bench of Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan asked him to approach the apex court's "chamber judge", who deals with the technical pleas like extending deadlines for surrendering before jail authorities, before being heard by it.
‘Madrassa education to be made more attractive’
By IANS,
New Delhi : The government has proposed to make education in madrassas more attractive and improve the standard of education among Muslims in India, according to an official.
The proposal under Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's new 15-point programme for the welfare of minorities focuses on revising madrassa modernisation programme.
Reality show members remanded in police custody
By IANS,
Kolkata : Three members of a Bengali TV reality show, including two producers and a contestant, were remanded in five days police custody by a West bengal court Saturday for allegedly pushing the caretaker of a hotel from the fifth floor for asking them to stop their night-long drinking.
The team of "Fatafati" - a reality show aired on ETV Bangla - went to Midnapore town, about 165 km from here, to shoot for a special episode Friday.
Growing support to Imam Bukhari’s proposal
By TwoCircles.net staff reporter,
New Delhi: Several Muslim religious leaders and institutions have supported the proposal of Ahmad Bukhari, Shahi Imam of Delhi’s Jama Masjid, to organize an all-party meeting of Muslim organizations to discuss indiscriminate arrest of Muslim youths in the garb of terrorism and bomb blasts.
‘Professor’ Kalam starts IIM-A classes Saturday
By IANS,
Ahmedabad : Former president A.P.J. Abdul Kalam is all set to start his classes at the Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad (IIM-A) Saturday. Reducing the urban-rural divide, energy security and water conservation are some of the key themes he will be addressing.
BJP, Samajwadi Party lock horns over Jamia shootout
By IANS,
New Delhi/Panaji : Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh Tuesday called for the resignation of Home Minister Shivraj Patil and a judicial probe into the shootout in Delhi's Jamia Nagar, prompting the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to label his stance "vote bank politics".
"Shivraj Patil should voluntarily step down in the name of morality and in the wake of the great Congress tradition over the decades," the Samajwadi Party general secretary told reporters in Goa.
Aligarh Muslim University to award Pakistani writer
By IANS,
Aligarh : Aligarh Muslim University will confer the Sir Syed Ahmad Khan International Award 2008 for literature on Mohammed Zakir Ali Khan.
Mohammed Zakir Ali Khan, one of the founders of Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology of Pakistan, is an author of several books highlighting the sociocultural life of the university. He is the editor of Urdu monthly Tehzeeb.
Three years on, RTI a boon but needs more teeth
By Mayank Aggarwal, IANS,
New Delhi : Sixteen-year-old Shahnaz knew nothing about the Right To Information (RTI) Act till a few months ago, but today she is grateful for the three-year-old law that helped her secure admission in a government school.
"The school made me undertake an entrance test and failed me in that since I live in a resettlement colony. Finally I filed an RTI application asking the government education department to tell me if there is any provision of an entrance test for a student who has successfully passed Class 10," Shahnaz told IANS.
Heavy poll turnout pushes Kashmir separatists into a corner
By Sarwar Kashani, IANS,
Srinagar : Where do the unexpectedly high voting percentages in the first two phases of elections in Jammu and Kashmir leave the separatist leadership that had called for a boycott?
That question could get increasingly important for separatists in the Kashmir valley if the next few phases of the assembly elections go the way of the first two.
Three foreigners arrested with heroin in Delhi
By IANS,
New Delhi : Two Afghan nationals and a Nigerian were arrested in the national capital and 2.17 kg of heroin worth Rs.20 million seized from them, the police said Thursday.
Acting on specific information about an international drug cartel operating in the capital, the police laid a trap and arrested Afghan national Mohammed Alam Noori and Nigerian national John Chiedozie Martin from Lodhi Colony in south Delhi Wednesday.
Delhi Police asked to explain alleged framing of innocent men
New Delhi, Dec 15 (IANS) A city court Monday asked the Special Cell of Delhi Police to file its response to a Central Bureau of Investigatiobn report that two Kashmiris allegedly framed as Al Badr terrorists are innocent.
Additional Sessions Judge S.K. Gautam asked the Special Cell to file its reply by Dec 24, the next date of hearing.
The court earlier issued warrants against the two alleged terrorists and they were brought before the court Monday.
65-year-old appears for class 10 exams for 44th time
By IANS,
Lucknow : A 65-year-old grocery shop owner in Uttar Pradesh, undeterred by past failures, is appearing for class 10 exams for the 44th time.
"Jabbar is taking the exams in the Adarsh Janta Inter college in Fatehpur district as a private candidate," District Inspector of Schools Prem Prakash Maurya told IANS over phone. Fatehpur district is around 200 km from here.
"He would be probably the oldest student enrolled with the UP (Uttar Pradesh) board. His determination to pass the exam has impressed us all," added Maurya.
Samajwadi Party hopes to tie up with Congress in Maharashtra
By IANS,
Mumbai : The Samajwadi Party is hopeful of working out an alliance with the Congress in Maharashtra ahead of the Lok Sabha polls though they face problems in seat-sharing in Uttar Pradesh, a top Samajwadi Party leader said here Friday.
Samajwadi Party state president Abu Asim Azmi said the near-collapse of talks at the central level did not mean that the doors to forge an alliance at the regional and state levels have been closed.
Kashmir Valley shuts down over separatist leader’s death
By IANS,
Srinagar : A shutdown called by the Hurriyat Conference and other separatist groups hit life in the Kashmir Valley Tuesday to mark the first death anniversary of a separatist leader killed in police firing.
Sheikh Abdul Aziz, who headed the People's League, a key constituent of the moderate Hurriyat Conference, was killed with three other people while leading a march to Muzaffarabad in Pakistani Kashmir.
The march was called by the Kashmir fruit growers association during the Amarnath land row protests last year.
25 kg of heroin seized at India-Pakistan border
By IANS,
Gurdaspur (Punjab) : Border Security Force (BSF) personnel seized 25 kg of heroin near the India-Pakistan border in this district of Punjab Tuesday.
"We have seized 25 kilograms of heroin that is worth Rs.125 crore (Rs. 1.25 billion) in the international market in the wee hours Tuesday," Jagir Singh, Punjab frontier deputy inspector general, told IANS.
Indian Haj delegation interacts with pilgrims in Jeddah
By IANS,
Jeddah : A 25-member Indian Haj goodwill delegation visited this port city of Saudi Arabia and interacted with Haj pilgrims there, expressing their satisfaction with the arrangements made by the Indian Haj mission.
The delegation, which was led by senior Congress leader Saifuddin Soz, reached the Jeddah Haj terminal Sunday. On Monday the delegates visited various accommodations for pilgrims in Mecca and Aziziya.
They also visited the main office of the Indian Haj mission and a 50-bed hospital run by them.
Six get two-year jail in Bhagalpur riots case
By IANS,
Patna : A court in Bihar sentenced six persons accused in a case of murder during the 1989 communal riots in Bhagalpur to two years' rigorous imprisonment after convicting them of involvement in the crime, court sources said Tuesday.
Bhagalpur Additional District and Sessions judge Anil Kumar Pandey acquitted the six of charges of murdering a Muslim man during the riots but found them guilty of involvement in the crime.
Over 1,000 people, a majority of them Muslims, were killed in the month-long riots in Bhagalpur city in October 1989.
153 attacks against Indians in Australia in 14 months
By IANS,
New Delhi: Feb 24 (IANS) As many as 153 cases of attacks have been confirmed against Indian nationals, including students and taxi drivers in the last 14 months in Australia, Indian External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna told parliament Wednesday.
In a written statement in the Lok Sabha, Krishna said the Indian government was "deeply concerned" about the plight of Indian nationals in Australia.
"The government of India has reiterated that it is the responsibility of the government of Australia to ensure that such attacks cease forthwith," he said.
Ten militants killed in clash in Pakistan
By IANS,
Islamabad : At least 10 militants were killed in a clash with security forces in northwest Pakistan's tribal area Wednesday.
Fifteen other militants were also injured during the exchange of fire in Orakzai tribal agency, Xinhua news agency reported.
US drones Tuesday night fired two missiles at militant hideouts in North Waziristan tribal agency, killing at least six people, security officials said.
Human torpedoes blamed for sinking of South Korean ship
By IANS,
London : North Korean "human torpedoes" have been blamed for last month's sinking of a South Korean ship, a media report said Friday.
The elite North Korean "human torpedo" squads were said to involve small submarines, Sky News reported.
The small vessels are taken so close to the target that their torpedoes or explosives blow up both the target and the attackers.
The South Korean Navy ship carrying 104 crew members sank in the Yellow Sea March 26.
The 1,500-tonne ship sank near the island of Baengnyeong, which is near North Korea but controlled by South Korea.
Rathore will get no pension: Government
By IANS,
New Delhi: Disgraced former Haryana police chief S.P.S. Rathore, in jail for molesting teenager Ruchika Girhotra in 1990, will get no pension from the government, the home ministry said Wednesday.
"Pension of S.P.S. Rathore, a retired IPS officer of the 1965 batch, has been withheld in full on permanent basis," a home ministry statement said.
The action was taken following his "conviction in the molestation case of Ruchika, a minor girl", the statement said.
Brazilian woman’s rapist sent to police custody
By IANS,
New Delhi: A court Wednesday sent a Delhi resident arrested on charges of raping his 27-year-old Brazilian tenant to a day's police custody.
Baljeet Singh was produced before Metropolitan Magistrate Munish Markan, who handed over his custody to Delhi police for one day.
"Police asked the court for a five-day custody but got it for one day," said Shakti Chand, counsel for Singh.
According to police, the victim, a mass communications student in Noida, was staying in south Delhi's C.R. Park area since June 19.
Suspected Maoists kill teen in Orissa, torch house
By IANS,
Bhubaneswar : Suspected Maoists Thursday killed a boy and torched the house of a home guard in Orissa’s Mayurbhanj district, police said.
"A group of about 20-30 suspected rebels dragged 15-year-old Sukanta Murmu from his house at Handibhanga village and later killed him by silting his throat," a police officer told IANS.
The rebels also torched the house of Rama Marandi, a home guard in the same village of Mayurbhanj district, about 300 km from here.
Jamia to organise conference on remote sensing
By IANS,
New Delhi : Experts from various institutions, including the premier Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), will participate in a day-long conference Tuesday on 'Remote Sensing and GIS for Environmental Management' organised by the Jamia Millia Islamia University.
The conference will cover new horizons in the areas of spatial technology for hydrology, water and air pollution, land degradation, land use planning and natural hazards, an official statement said.
Suspected Maoists kill two in West Bengal
By IANS,
Kolkata : Suspected Maoists Thursday shot dead two people in West Bengal's West Midnapore district, police said.
"Two bodies were found at Ektal village near Aguiboni area of Jhargram sub-division in the district this morning (Thursday). The victims were shot dead by the ultra-Left rebels and Maoist posters were recovered from the spot," Jhargram police chief Praveen Tripathi said.
Army counter Geelani; appeal not to follow Hurriyat’s call
By Syed Amir Mehrab,Agence India Press,
Maudany’s judicial custody extended till October 12
By TwoCircles.net Staff Correspondent,
Disputed land will be cut into three pieces for ‘Peace’
By Mumtaz Alam Falahi, TwoCircles.net,
Status quo in Ayodhya to be maintained: Chidambaram
By IANS,
New Delhi : The government Friday said the status quo at the disputed site in Ayodhya will be maintained till the Supreme Court takes up the case.
UN envoy survives Iraq bomb attack
By IANS,
Baghdad : UN's top envoy to Iraq, Ad Melkert, escaped unhurt in a bomb attack on his convoy Tuesday, Xinhua reported.
Babri Masjid: ‘Sangh parivar should take the first step towards reconciliation’
By Shafee Ahmed Ko, TwoCircles.net
When everything turns to gold it’s autumn in Kashmir
By Sheikh Imran Bashir,Agence India Press,
Nearly 100 arrested in US child prostitution racket
By IANS,
Washington : A total of 99 people have been arrested and at least 69 minors were rescued in an anti-child prostitution operation in the US, a media report said.
Bihar assembly results diminish Modi’s position in national BJP
By TCN Special Correspondent,
Congress MP Biswal’s attacker arrested
By IANS,
New Delhi: Delhi Police arrested the man who allegedly attacked former Orissa Chief Minister and Congress parliamentarian Hemananda Biswal here, police Saturday said.
Kashmiris’ staying outside feel respite after Union Govt directive to states
By Amin Masoodi, Agence India Press,
Sufi appointed first Kashmir information commissioner
By IANS,
Jammu : G.R. Sufi, an income tax officer, has been appointed Jammu and Kashmir's first chief information commissioner.
IPS officers who refused to toe Modi Govt’s line facing victimisation
By TCN Special Correspondent,
MP becomes 1st state to make public govt. officers’ property details
By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net,
Three brothers sentenced to life for murder
By IANS,
Lakhimpur Kheri (Uttar Pradesh) : A court here Wednesday sentenced three brothers to life imprisonment in a decade-old murder case, police said.
Five killed in renewed Hamas-Fatah clashes
By DPA
Gaza City : Five Palestinians were killed in renewed clashes between the rival Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah in three separate incidents in the Gaza Strip.
Israel launches air strikes on Gaza amid rocket fire
By DPA
Tel Aviv : Israeli aircraft fired rockets at two buildings in the central Gaza Strip Tuesday, pushing ahead with an aerial campaign against Palestinian militant factions after a week of intense rocket fire from the Strip.
American paedophile arrested in Tamil Nadu
By IANS
Chennai : Tamil Nadu police have alerted the ministry of external affairs after arresting a 60-year-old American paedophile, one of the 100 most wanted men in New York, from the seaside town of Mahabalipuram.
Iran shows willingness to compromise on nuclear issue
By DPA
Vienna : A new round of talks may bring a way out of the stalemate over Iran's nuclear programme, said International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Mohamed ElBaradei.
Suicide bombing kills 2 foreigners, injures 5 in Kabul
By Xinhua
Kabul: A suicide car bombing in the Afghan capital Thursday killed two foreigners and injured five, officials said.
"Two foreign security personnel working for a security company were killed in the explosion," said Ali Shah Paktiawal, Kabul deputy police chief. "Three foreigners and two Afghan civilians were injured."
The officials did not reveal the nationalities of the victims. However, media reports said one American and one Nepalese were killed and three Americans were injured.
One vehicle was totally damaged in the powerful explosion that targeted a convoy.
Lal Masjid demands ban on Naseeruddin Shah starrer
By IANS
Islamabad : "Khuda Kay Liye", a film that depicts the struggle between fundamentalist and liberal Muslims and stars India's Naseeruddin Shah and Pakistani actor Shan, has attracted the ire of the radical Lal Masjid here.
Yemeni President condemns terror act targeted at Spanish tourists
By NNN-SABA
Sana'a : President Ali Abdullah Saleh has expressed sorrow and condemned the terror act targeted at Spanish tourists in the Mareb governorate Monday.
The attack resulted in the death of seven Spanish tourists and two Yemenis while eight others were injured. The initial information indicated that the al-Qeada is behind the attack.
Saleh said that the terrorists who are behind the attack will not escape justice.
Four soldiers killed in explosion in north-west Pakistan
By DPA
Islamabad : At least four soldiers were killed and six injured Wednesday in a roadside explosion in Pakistan's tribal region bordering Afghanistan, officials said.
Firing near Akshardham temple in Delhi, one killed
By IANS
New Delhi : A 35-year-old man was arrested after he along with two other people allegedly shot dead a man near Akshardham temple in east Delhi Wednesday, police said.
60 dead bodies in mosque compound: cleric
By IRNA
Islamabad : Some 60 dead bodies of girl and male students are lying inside the compound of mosque and seminary, deputy of Lal Masjid Abdul Rashid Ghazi said Thursday night.
The government has confirmed only 19 deaths.
Ghazi told Pashto language Kheyber TV channels that students died due to bombing and use of tear gas by the security forces.
He said the government must allow the international and local media to see the destruction of the mosque building and bodies of the students.
UK terror suspect Bilal Abdullah charged with conspiracy
By Prasun Sonwalkar, IANS
London : Bilal Abdullah, the Iraqi diabetes specialist doctor who was one of the two men arrested following the car bomb attack at Glasgow airport, has been charged with conspiracy to cause explosions.
President Musharraf warns Lal Masjid occupiers to surrender
By NNN-APP
Suni Shoran(Balochistan) : President General Pervez Musharraf here Saturday warned the Lal Masjid elements to surrender or otherwise face the consequences.
Talking to media representatives at the residence of Federal Minister Yar Mohammad Rind in Sani Shoran Bolan district, he said the government has demonstrated extraordinary patience regarding Lal Masjid issue but it should not be taken as its weakness.
Musharraf vows to root out terrorism
By IANS
Islamabad : Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf Thursday called for rooting out terrorism and extremism in the country even as he vigorously defended the storming of the Lal Masjid to free it of terrorists who, he stressed, did not represent true Islam and called for national "introspection".
The president's remarks came at the end of the day when dozens of bodies of alleged militants killed in the storming of the mosque were buried here while Al Qaeda urged Pakistani people to overthrow Musharraf for ordering the army assault of Tuesday.
Syria, Iran seek to further bilateral ties
By Xinhua
Damascus : Syria and Iran sought to further bilateral ties as Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad paid an official visit here on Thursday in which he held talks with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and other senior officials.
Ahmadinejad's visit, two days after Assad's inauguration as president for a second seven-year term, was his second trip here since he became Iranian president in August 2005.
Pakistan PM expresses sympathies with China on loss of lives in floods
By NNN-APP
Islamabad : Pakistan Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz Tuesday expressed sympathies with China on the loss of lives in the floods in the Southern part of the country.
Aziz in his message to Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said, “I am deeply grieved to learn about the catastrophic floods that have hit the Southern part of China causing immense damage to life and property and resulting in displacement of multitude of people.�
13 killed, 61 injured in suicide bombing in Islamabad
·Up to 13 people died and 61 others were injuried.
·A suicide bomber exploded himself on Friday afternoon in a market.
·The investigation agencies have found the head of the bomber.
By Xinhua
Islamabad : Up to 13 people died and 61 others suffered injuries in a suicide bombing on Friday in the Pakistani capital, Interior Ministry Spokesman Javed Iqbal Cheema said at a news conference.
Taliban extends deadline for abducted Koreans
By Xinhua
Kabul : After killing two South Korean hostages, Taliban guerrillas Tuesday extended the deadline for 21 remaining hostages till 12 p.m. (0730 GMT) Wednesday.
A purported Taliban spokesman, Yousuf Ahmadi, told Xinhua on telephone from an undisclosed place that militants would kill more hostages if their demands were not met.
He also said some hostages were in very bad condition and they may die a natural death.
This is the ninth time Taliban militants have revised the deadline for killing Korean hostages.
Musharraf accepts resignation of Pakistan law officers
By IANS
Islamabad : Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf has accepted the resignations of two senior law officers who pleaded the government's case on suspension of the country's top judge.
Attorney General of Pakistan Makhdoom Ali Khan and his deputy Tariq Mehmood Khokar had earlier resigned following the Supreme Court's verdict last month reinstating Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry.
IAEA discusses strategy for inspection of Iranian nuclear site
By IANS
Tehran : A four-member technical team from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) arrived here Monday to draw guidelines for the inspection of Iran's controversial nuclear site.
During its four-day visit, the delegates will meet Iranian Atomic Energy Organisation officials to discuss the action plan for inspection of Natanz uranium enrichment facility within the framework of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, IRNA news agency quoted an official as saying.
Taliban ready to swap female hostages for prisoners
By Xinhua
Kabul : Taliban Tuesday expressed readiness to swap all South Korean female hostages with their women supporters held in Afghan and US military detention centres, Taliban spokesman Qari Yusuf said.
"We offer to exchange all the Korean females with those Taliban women supporters who have been languishing in Afghan government prisons and US military detention centres in Kandahar and Bagram," Ahmadi told Xinhua from an unknown location.
However, he did not specify the number of women who have been held by authorities in Afghanistan for supporting the Taliban.
Taslima’s visa extended till February
By IANS
Kolkata : Controversial Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen's visa, scheduled to expire this month, has been extended by six months till February next year.
She is living in exile in Kolkata following a fatwa issued against her by some Islamic groups in Bangladesh for her book "Lajja".
"We have received a communiqué from the union home ministry stating that Taslima Nasreen's visa has been extended by six months till February next year," West Bengal Home Secretary Prasad Ranjan Roy told reporters.
US concerned about impact of UK withdrawal from Iraq – report
By IRNA
London : The US administration is becoming increasingly concerned about the impact of an imminent British withdrawal from southern Iraq and would prefer UK troops to remain for another year or two, according to a press report.
Reporting from Washington, the Guardian newspaper said that the US was worried about the political consequences of losing British troops.
Germany urges deeper Afghan-Pakistan cooperation
By IRNA
Berlin : Germany on Monday called for stepped up political cooperation between Afghanistan and Pakistan in an effort to help stabilize the political situation in the war-stricken country.
Speaking at a routine weekly news conference in Berlin, German deputy government spokesman Thomas Steg said closer cooperation between the Afghan and Pakistan government was "urgently needed".
He made clear that improving ties between Kabul and Islamabad was of a "special concern" to the German government.
Over 100 students, teachers hurt in Dhaka varsity clash
By IANS
Dhaka : Bangladesh Tuesday witnessed this year's first indefinite strike call following running battles between Dhaka University students and the police in which over 100 students and teachers were injured.
Media reports Tuesday said acting Vice Chancellor A.F.M. Yusuf Haider and Proctor Aka Firowz Ahmed were among those injured in clashes that began at the football ground and continued till late Monday evening.
More than 300 killed in Pakistan clashes since July
By DPA
Islamabad : Some 250 militants and 60 troops were killed in clashes in Pakistan's tribal areas since the July storming of a radical mosque in Islamabad, a military spokesman said Friday amid fresh attacks.
Casualties among security forces resulted from roadside bombs, suicide attacks and fire fights with Islamic militants, mainly in the tribal areas of North and South Waziristan, army spokesman Major General Waheed Arshad said.
Taliban to free remaining seven South Korean hostages
By DPA
Kabul/Seoul : The Taliban will release the remaining seven hostages Thursday, the day after 12 of the 19 South Korean aid workers the militants have been holding hostage in Afghanistan for nearly six weeks were let free, a Taliban spokesman said.
The intention to complete the release under a pledge the Taliban made a couple of days ago in face-to-face negotiations with South Korean officials, was confirmed by Taliban spokesman Qari Mohammad Yousif Ahmadi to South Korean television station KBS Thursday.
US judge fines Iran $2.65 billion for 1983 Lebanon attack
By Xinhua
Washington : A US federal court ruled Friday that Iran must pay $2.65 billion to the family members of the 241 US servicemen killed in the 1983 bombing of the US Marine barracks in Beirut, Lebanon.
"The court hopes that this extremely sizable judgement will serve to aid in the healing process for these plaintiffs, and simultaneously sound an alarm to the defendants that their unlawful attacks on our citizens will not be tolerated," Federal Judge Royce Lamberth said in his ruling from a federal court in Washington DC.
Hasina demands telephone facility in jail
By IANS
Dhaka : Sheikh Hasina, one of the two former prime ministers of Bangladesh now in jail, has demanded use of telephone since she is charged but not yet convicted.
Telephone facility is her right under the jail laws, her lawyer Fazle Noor Taposh, quoted her as saying. He was part of the team that met her Saturday.
"She (Hasina) is not getting many rights which she is entitled to under the jail code," another lawyer, Tawfique Nawaz, said.
Bangladesh seeks N-power technology from Russia
By IANS
Dhaka : Bangladesh hopes to get Russian technology to set up a nuclear power plant and says Moscow has expressed its willingness to cooperate.
After some tentative moves at the official level, political interventions were made during Foreign Advisor Iftikhar Ahmed Chowdhury's recent visit to Russia.
Teacher Uma Khurana, framed in sex sting, gets bail
By IANS
New Delhi : Uma Khurana, a government schoolteacher falsely framed in a fake sting operation of a TV news channel, was Monday granted bail.
"So far the investigation has revealed that she was a victim of a fake sting operation conducted by the private TV news channel," Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Alok Aggarwal said while granting her bail.
Khurana's lawyer Vivek Sharma said: "We argued in the court that she was arrested only on the basis of a sting operation and even the prosecution has admitted that the sting operation was doctored."
Pakistan protests opening Siachen for tourism
By IANS
Islamabad : Pakistan Monday protested India's decision to open the Siachen Glacier - the world's highest battleground - to tourists.
India's deputy high commissioner was summoned to foreign office and a protest was lodged with him, said foreign office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam during the weekly press briefing.
India and Pakistan are currently engaged in talks to resolve their 20-year-old-conflict over the 72-km-long frozen battlefield.
UAE to penalise firms hiring illegal foreign workers
Dubai, Sep 18 (IANS) The UAE has decided to impose heavy penalties on companies that are found hiring illegal foreign workers, including Indians, from next month.
UAE Minister of Labour Ali bin Abdullah Al Ka'abi Monday approved a new government decision detailing penalties that would be imposed on such firms.
"There are many sponsors who hire illegals as drivers and housemaids. It is a violation of the labour law because there is no protection of the workers' rights in such cases," Al Ka'abi told a press conference.
Syria condemns Beirut car blast
By Xinhua
Damascus : Syria on Wednesday strongly condemned a car bombing in eastern Beirut that killed a Christian lawmaker and several others, the official SANA news agency reported.
"This criminal act targets the efforts and endeavors exerted by Syria and others to achieve the Lebanese national accord," an unnamed Syrian media official was quoted as saying, asserting Damascus' keenness on security, stability and unity of neighboring Lebanon.
Russia abstains from UN Security Council vote on Afghanistan
By RIA Novosti
New York : Russia abstained from a UN Security Council vote to extend the authorisation of the NATO-led force in Afghanistan for another 12 months.
Russia raised objections Wednesday to the unexpected inclusion in the document of a sentence expressing appreciation to NATO as well as to contributors from many nations to the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), "including its maritime interdiction component".
Abbas to reshuffle negotiation team: Fatah spokesman
By Xinhua
Ramallah : A Fatah spokesman said Thursday Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was planning a reshuffle of the team that represents the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) in the political negotiations with Israel.`
Ahmed Qurea, a former prime minister and a member of Fatah central committee, will head the reshuffled delegation, which will comprise current chief negotiator Saeb Erekat and Yasser Abed Rabbo, a member of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation's (PLO) executive committee, according to spokesman Ahmed Abdel Rahman.
Columbia University president’s harsh remarks about Iranian president draw mixed reactions
By Xinhua
New York : Colombia University President Lee C. Bollinger's pointed introduction of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has drawn mixed reactions, The New York Times reported on Wednesday.
New York : Colombia University President Lee C. Bollinger's pointed introduction of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has drawn mixed reactions, The New York Times reported on Wednesday.
Kuwait, Iraqi FMs discuss political process, reconstruction in Iraq
By NNN-KUNA
United Nations : Kuwaiti Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Dr Mohammad Sabah Al-Sabah held talks here with Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari on the upcoming meetings of Iraq's neighbours, the political process and reconstruction in Iraq.
Issue of Iran’s nuclear programme not “closed” – US
By NNN-KUNA
Washington : The United States has said that the Iranian nuclear programme case is not closed yet, in a direct response to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's statement in New York.
"Iran is under Security Council sanctions, is under several Chapter VII resolutions not asking it nicely or politely, but requiring it as a matter of international law, to halt its uranium enrichment programme and to engage in negotiations with the international community," said State Department deputy spokesperson Tom Casey in his daily press briefing Wednesday.
Iran refutes allegation on hidden nuclear site
By NNN-IRNA
Tehran : Deputy Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council for International Affairs Javad Vaeedi has denied allegation on existence of a hidden nuclear site in Iran.
Vaeedi told IRNA Friday: "Such an allegation is being made under the circumstances that new round of Iran's cooperation with the IAEA has begun on one hand, and Iranian constructive presence at the UN General Assembly, on the other."
Iran criticizes France
Tehran, Oct 7, SPA -- Mohammed Ali Husseini, the spokesman for the Iranian foreign ministry has described the new political trend of the French government towards Iran as an illogical trend.
In a statement to the pressmen today, Husseini said 'we have made it clear to the French officials that illogical trends towards Iran will not yield positive results.
It is worth mentioning that the French foreign minister has recently criticized the Iranian nuclear policy noting that his country prefers diplomatic solution to the nuclear issue.
Gaza militants launch rocket attacks at Israel
By Xinhua
Gaza : Two Palestinian armed groups said Sunday they launched four homemade rockets from northern Gaza Strip at the southern Israeli town of Sderout early in the day.
The armed wings of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) and the Fatah movement led by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas claimed their responsibility for the attack in leaflets.
The two groups also told the media that they attacked the Israeli-Egyptian crossing by eight mortar shells.
Navy war room leak accused granted bail
By IANS
New Delhi : The Delhi High Court Monday granted bail to Vinod Kumar Jha, a dismissed Indian Navy officer accused of leaking secrets and classified information, as the prosecution failed to frame charges against him after one and half years of investigation.
Justice Pradeep Nadrajog granted bail to Jha, who had been in judicial custody after his arrest on April 6, 2006, on furnishing a personal bond of Rs.50,000 and a surety of the like amount.
29 people arrested for human trafficking
By IANS
New Delhi : At least 29 people, including the wife of a popular Punjabi folk singer,were Thursday arrested on charges of human trafficking after the US embassy registered a police complaint.
"We have arrested 29 people, including Dolly Singh, who writes her husband's name as Malkit Singh. She had applied for visa on the basis of forged documents at the US embassy here," Joint Commissioner of Police Ajay Kashyap told IANS.
Malkit Singh resides in the US.
Top Al Qaeda suspect surrenders to Yemeni police
Sana'a, (Xinhua) Fugitive Al Qaeda suspect Jamal al-Badawi, accused of masterminding the bombing of the destroyer USS Cole in 2000, has surrendered to Yemeni police, media reports said.
So far, 18 out of the 23 suspects involved in the bombing have been arrested or killed by security forces, four are still on the run and one has been killed in a terrorist attack in which he participated.
The 23 suspects have been convicted of bombing the USS Cole in Oct 2000 at the port of Aden in South Yemen, which killed 17 sailors and injured 28.
Iranian women’s status elaborated at UN
By NNN-IRNA
New York, UN : IRI representative at UN General Assembly's 3rd Committee session here Wednesday elaborated on developments, advancement, and achievements related to women's status in Iran.
Seyyed Mohsen Emadi in his address also expounded on various types of aggressions observed against women in the world today, including poverty, threats due to foreign forces occupation, losses due to military attacks, human smuggling, aggressive behavior at homes, taking advantage of women in advertisements etc.
Return of Benazir won’t affect national politics
By NNN-APP
Islamabad : Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Muhammad Ali Durrani Wednesday said return of Benazir Bhutto will not create any impact or make any difference in the political scenario as the people are averse to her corruption-based politics.
Addressing a press conference here at his residence, Durrani said Benazir Bhutto has nothing for the masses of Pakistan and she is returning without any programme and clear agenda for any destination.
Egypt to launch civilian nuclear programme
By Xinhua
Cairo : President Hosni Mubarak announced Monday Egypt will set up nuclear power plants to make up shortfall in generation, and thus augment the country's power security, local media reported.
Addressing the inauguration of a northern Cairo power station, Mubarak said a council for peaceful use of nuclear energy will be established according to a republican decree, which will be issued within days, MENA new agency reported.
Former Mizo rebels feel betrayed by state
By Sangzuala Hmar, IANS
Aizawl : Twenty years after he surrendered and joined the mainstream, 42-year-old Zohmingthanga, a former rebel fighter from Mizoram, is an angry man today - leading a life of penury and feeling betrayed by the state.
A former Mizo National Front (MNF) rebel, Zohmingthanga surrendered in 1986 along with his insurgent leader Zoramthanga, now the respected chief minister of the northeast Indian state of Mizoram.
Militants free 48 captured Pakistani troops
By DPA
Islamabad : Islamic militants Friday freed 48 paramilitary troops that they had captured in overnight fighting in Pakistan's volatile north-western valley of Swat, where a week of fierce battles has left around 200 people dead.
The militants first paraded the soldiers to the media and then gave Rs.500 (around $9) to each captive before freeing them, Pakistan's Aaj news channel reported.
Pakistanis in US upset at emergency
By Parveen Chopra, IANS
New York : Pakistani Americans by and large are feeling aggrieved and are critical of President Pervez Musharraf's declaration of emergency - widely seen as tantamount to imposing martial law.
"The hope that democracy may be round the corner in my country has finally died. I am in mourning and so are many Pakistanis I came across in Jackson Heights (a South Asian conclave in New York)," Mumtaz Hussain, an artist and filmmaker of Pakistani origin, told IANS.
Soon to come a new university after Tipu Sultan’s name at Mysore
By TCN Staff reporter,
1984 Bhopal Gas survivors to knock on PM’s door on 28th anniversary
By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net,
‘Muslims participate in all kinds of politics without giving up their Muslim identity’
By M. Reyaz, TwoCircles.net,
Sixth person die in hospital as Dhule slowly returns to ‘normalcy’
Curfew still on in affected areas
M. Reyaz, TwoCircles.net
Delhi High Court directs Govt to block ‘offensive’ contents of ‘Innocence of Muslim’ film
By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
Bajrang Dal activists forcibly wedded siblings on Valentine’s Day
By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
Hyderabad: In a shocking incident on Valentine’s Day, Hindutva moral police forcibly married off siblings as they mistook them to be ‘couple.’
CLMC condemns the ‘inhuman incident of blast’
CLMC urges an end to media trial
By TCN News,
Workshop on socio-legal status of Muslim women held in Guwahati on Women’s Day
By M. Reyaz, TwoCircles.net,
Muslims urged to remain vigilant to challenges of interference in Shariah laws
By Pervez Bari, Twocircles.net,
Indian man, daughter in Bahrain forced to live out in the open
By IANS,
Dubai : An expatriate Indian man and his three-year-old daughter in Bahrain have been forced to rough it out in the open for the last six months after a business deal went sour.
Madhya Pradesh’s Annual Plan hiked by 23 pc, pegged at Rs.35,500 cr.
By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net,
Bhopal: Annual Plan of Rs.35,500 crore has been sanctioned for Madhya Pradesh for year 2013-14. This is 23 percent more than last year.
Assam CM lays foundation stone of North East’s first College of Horticulture
By TCN News,
Guwahati: Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi stressed on the need of developing the agriculture sector in the state as he laid the foundation stone of College of Horticulture at Lakhopur in Nalbari district which is the first of its kind in the northeast.
Millat Bedari Muhim Committee Demand President’s Rule in UP
By TCN News,
Aligarh: Supreme Court of India’s comment about the Uttar Pradesh government’s failure to protect its citizens and control the Muzaffarnagar riots indicates that the Apex Court has censured UP government said Prof. Razaullah Khan while chairing an analysis meeting of Millat Bedari Muhim Committee (MBMC) held at Media Centre Aligarh on 27th Committee (MBMC), Aligarh demands that President Rule be imposed in Uttar Pradesh after dismissing the Akhilesh Government as law and order has completely collapsed in state.
Degree recipients felicitated during ‘At Home’ organized by AMU
By TCN News,
Aligarh: Students and PhD scholars of Aligarh Muslim University, who have received degrees at the Annual Convocation of the Aligarh Muslim University on March 29, 2014 were felicitated at an ‘At Home’ hosted by the University at the sprawling lawns of Sir Syed Academy on 30th March. AMU Vice Chancellor, Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Zameer Uddin Shah, Pro-Vice Chancellor, Brig. (Retd.) S. Ahmad Ali, Registrar, Group Captain (Retd.) Shahrukh Shamshad, distinguished AMU alumnus and eminent entrepreneur of Saudi Arabia, Mr. Nadeem Tarin, distinguished guests and alumni were present in the function.
Modi ‘wave’ at India TV Studio, Editorial Director resigns in protest
By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
New Delhi: Qamar Waheed Naqvi, Editorial Director of India TV has resigned in, purportedly in protest of a “staged interview,” with the BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi in Rajat Sharma’s famous programme “Aap Ki Adalat.”
Five Indians killed in road accident in Saudi Arabia
Riyadh : Five Indians working in Saudi Arabia were killed in a road accident near the country's capital Riyadh after their van overturned following...
Lok Satta’s alliance with BJP: Gandhi and Ali Brothers?
By Kashif-ul-Huda, TwoCircles.net
BJP supporters are proud to tell the fact that BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is a coalition of 30 parties. Consider the...
Allah Baksh: Unsung hero of India’s freedom struggle
By Shamsul Islam,
On this May 14, 2014 falls the 71st anniversary of the martyrdom of one of the greatest freedom fighters of India, Allah Baksh. He lived and sacrificed his life for a free and all inclusive India. Allah Baksh was the Premier (those days chief minister was known by this designation) of Sind during the eventful days of ‘Quit India’ Movement of 1942 as head of the ‘Ittehad Party’ (Unity Party) which represented all sections of Sind and did not allow Muslim League to have any foothold in the Muslim majority province of Sind. Allah Baksh and his Party were not part of the Indian National Congress but when British Prime Minister Winston Churchill made a derogatory reference to the Indian freedom struggle and the ‘Quit India’ Movement in a speech in the British Parliament, Allah Baksh renounced in protest all titles conferred by the British Government.
Hindu Vahini’s involvement case thrown in SIMI’s basket to further the ban
By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
Hyderabad: Security agencies have once again landed in awkward moment with their consistent maneuver to maintain ban over Students’ Islamic Movement of India (SIMI). Andhra Pradesh police while deposing before a UAPA tribunal turned a Hindu Vahini attached communal violence instigation case into a SIMI proscribing justification.
Modi appeasing minorities: Hindu leader
Panaji: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with Goa’s Archbishop this month is proof of his “minority appeasement”, a leader of the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti...
8 year old Bhatkal boy earns prestigious ‘Preacher of the Nation’ award in UAE
By TwoCircles.net Staff reporter,
New Delhi: A Karnataka coastal town of Bhatkal which continuously remain in mainstream media’s focus due to its being a “home town” of alleged Indian Mujahideen outfit’s absconding founders Reyaz and Iqbal Shabandri has unfortunately missed the Indian mainstream media’s spotlight when an 8 year little boy of its origin won the highest prestigious reward for a child in Dubai of being ‘Preacher of the Nation’.
© TwoCircles.net
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