[22 Oct 2013] Pakistan Supreme Court intervention sought on Iran gas...
These long queues of vehicles outside the CNG station in the Pakistani capital Islamabad is a grim reminder that the country is in the midst of...
These long queues of vehicles outside the CNG station in the Pakistani capital Islamabad is a grim reminder that the country is in the midst of sever energy crises. Pakistan is exploring several options to meet its future energy needs. One of them is to import natural gas from neighboring Iran. Iran has completed work on its side of the border. However, Pakistan has yet to lay the pipeline on its side. The delay has prompted one of Pakistan\'s senior lawyers to seek the intervention of the Supreme Court to ensure the timely completion of the project.
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[23 Oct 2013] Church of Nativity Deportees call on Abbas to end their...
Eleven years has passed since the end of Israeli siege on the ccurch of the Nativity in Bethlehem. The 39-day siege was ended after a deal between...
Eleven years has passed since the end of Israeli siege on the ccurch of the Nativity in Bethlehem. The 39-day siege was ended after a deal between the Palestinian Authority and Israel to deport 39 Palestinians. Twenty-six Palestinians were deported to Gaza Strip and thirteen others were deported to European countries. Today, the deportees in Gaza have reiterated their call for return. They also call for an investigation into the deportation deal.
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[24 Oct 2013] Terrorism on the rise in Pakistan - English
Pakistan continues to face the blow back of its decision to side with the United States in its so-called war on terror.
A new study shows that...
Pakistan continues to face the blow back of its decision to side with the United States in its so-called war on terror.
A new study shows that a 40 percent increase in terrorist attacks was witnessed in the country after new government took charge in May this year.
The report prepared by the Conflict Monitoring Center reveals that September was the deadliest month as 215 violent incidents were reported.
In those attacks as many as 284 people were killed and over 500 injured.
Pro-Taliban militants have stepped up attacks following a unanimous resolution passed by the country\'s main stream religious and political parties last month to hold talks with them.
The report also says that in the first nine months of 2013, more than 800 violent incidents were recorded in different parts of the country leaving over 2000 people dead and many more injured.
Majority of the public here in Pakistan believe that the country is facing increased number of terrorist attacks due to its alliance with the US.
Official figures indicate that as many as 50,000 Pakistanis including thousands of security personnel have lost their lives in violent incidents since 9/11 attacks.
The current Pakistani government is pushing for a peace deal with the pro-Taliban militants. But many critics here believe that it will be a huge challenge for the administration in Islamabad to achieve that objective if militants continue their attacks.
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[24 Oct 2013] Protest comes after funeral of 7 policemen killed on...
In Tunisia, at least five people have been injured after protesters attacked the office of the ruling Ennahda party in the town of Beja.
Earlier...
In Tunisia, at least five people have been injured after protesters attacked the office of the ruling Ennahda party in the town of Beja.
Earlier in the day, clashes also erupted with police in the northern city of Kef after another office of the ruling party came under attack by demonstrators. This, after the funeral of seven police officers who were killed by militants on Wednesday. Now the government is delaying a national dialog with the opposition. The talks were aimed at ending months of political deadlock, with the opposition demanding the resignation of the government. They accuse the Ennahda-led government of being too lenient on hard-line groups.
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[25 Oct 2013] US is not looking to ease sanctions on Iran - English
The US says it is not looking to ease sanctions on Iran at the front-end of nuclear negotiations.
The White House aide, Ben Rhode says Tehran...
The US says it is not looking to ease sanctions on Iran at the front-end of nuclear negotiations.
The White House aide, Ben Rhode says Tehran should take concrete steps before any decision to think about sanctions relief. He made the comments during a meeting of Senate committee leaders. However, he noted that one of the many ways to provide sanctions relief is to release Iran\'s frozen funds. The comments come as many innocent people including Iranian patients who are in need of medicine are the victims of illegal sanctions against the country.
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[25 Oct 2013] Islam and Life - Muslims influence on British politics -...
Parliament has returned from its summer recess and British politics is back on the agenda. The ability to influence another individual is a much...
Parliament has returned from its summer recess and British politics is back on the agenda. The ability to influence another individual is a much sought-after skill. But the ability to influence an entire nation\'s politics can only be imagined.
Maybe we Muslims set our aims too high. Even small changes can greatly benefit the lives of Muslims living in the West.
But how can we Islamically engage in western politics when it takes away people\'s rights, takes their money and harms people in other countries? How can we influence non-Islamic governments?
Well, maybe we can learn from Prophet Yusuf (PBUH) and his influence in Egyptian politics. After all, we Muslims are supposed to imitate the examples in the Qur\'an. Allah in the Qur\'an, when beginning the story of Prophet Yusuf (PBUH) in Surah Yusuf, says: \"We relate to you the best of stories...\"
This week\'s Islam and Life asks: Can Muslims ever influence British politics?
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[27 Oct 2013] Several killed as Bangladesh police open fire on...
In Bangladesh, clashes between police and protesters during a nationwide strike have led to the death of at least five people. Police say they...
In Bangladesh, clashes between police and protesters during a nationwide strike have led to the death of at least five people. Police say they opened fire on opposition supporters in the western town of Nagarkanda after they attacked police forces with bricks. The opposition has launched a three-day strike, asking the government to step down before the upcoming general elections. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party-- B-N-P, led by Khaleda Zia says the ruling party should step aside ahead of the January polls. The opposition wants the elections to be held under a neutral caretaker government, to prevent vote rigging. Earlier attempts to cancel the strike failed. On Friday, clashes broke out between supporters of the opposition and the ruling party across the country, leaving several people dead and hundreds injured.
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[30 Oct 2013] Pro-israel lobbyists meet White House officials on Iran -...
The US government is under renewed pressure from pro-Israel lobbyists over talks with Iran. Pro-Israel advocates have met with senior White House...
The US government is under renewed pressure from pro-Israel lobbyists over talks with Iran. Pro-Israel advocates have met with senior White House officials to seek explanations about recent negotiations with Iran. They\'re worried about the possible easing of draconian sanctions on Iran while they seek a military option down the road. White House officials say they\'ve told the lobbyists the U-S wants to resolve the nuclear issue through diplomacy. The Obama administration also wants Congress to stop introducing new sanctions on Iran in order to give talks a chance. Pro-Israel lobbyists namely AIPAC are pressuring the government to retain harsh sanctions. Some US politicians suspect lobbyists of trying to push anti-Iran measures to a tipping point that could lead to a conflict.
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[30 Oct 2013] US Senate mulls tougher sanctions on Iran - English
The US senate is debating fresh sanctions on Iran over its nuclear energy program. This comes as nuclear talks between Tehran and the permanent...
The US senate is debating fresh sanctions on Iran over its nuclear energy program. This comes as nuclear talks between Tehran and the permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany are underway.
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[31 Oct 2013] UN blasts deadly terrorist attack on Iranian border guards...
United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki- moon condemns a recent terrorist attack on Iranian border guards.
Ban also extended his condolences to...
United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki- moon condemns a recent terrorist attack on Iranian border guards.
Ban also extended his condolences to the families of the victims and the Iranian people and government. The attack which took place in southeastern Iran near the border with Pakistan last Friday left over a dozen border guards dead. The assailants had infiltrated into Iran from Pakistan and fled to the other side of the border following the attack. A group calling itself Jaish-ul-Adl has claimed responsibility.
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[03 Nov 2013] Shias in Kashmir want lifting of ban on Muharram...
As the month of Muharram approaches, Shia Muslims in Indian-controlled-Kashmir are intensifying their campaign to demand the lifting of a ban on...
As the month of Muharram approaches, Shia Muslims in Indian-controlled-Kashmir are intensifying their campaign to demand the lifting of a ban on religious processions. The ban has been in place for more than two decades now, and forbids the Shias from holding mourning ceremonies on the 9th and 10th days of Muharram.
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[04 Nov 2013] Turkey seizes large amount of chemicals on Syria border -...
Turkey says it\'s seized a large quantity of chemicals on its border with Syria. Authorities say the chemicals could be transformed into weapons....
Turkey says it\'s seized a large quantity of chemicals on its border with Syria. Authorities say the chemicals could be transformed into weapons.
The Turkish army says a convoy of three vehicles attempted to smuggle the chemicals across the border. The army managed to arrest one of the passengers of the vehicles near the town of Reyhanli. The rest of the suspects fled in the direction of Syria. The army says a large amount of sulphur was part of the chemical haul. Our correspondent in Turkey says the army also seized a shipment of chemicals at the Iskenderun port in Hatay province.
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[17 Nov 2013] Pakistan plans to put Musharraf on trial for treason -...
Pakistan\'s interior minister says the government plans to put former military ruler Parviz Musharraf on trial for treason.
Musharraf would be...
Pakistan\'s interior minister says the government plans to put former military ruler Parviz Musharraf on trial for treason.
Musharraf would be the first military ruler tried for treason in a country that has experienced three military coups in its 66-year history. He could face the death penalty if convicted of treason for declaring a state of emergency while in power. Musharraf has pleaded not guilty to all the charges. Musharraf was forced to step down in 2008 after ruling for about a decade and left the country shortly afterwards. He returned to Pakistan in March to run in the national elections in May, but was disqualified. Musharraf had been held under house arrest for months and was freed earlier this month after he received bail in four other cases, including the investigation of the assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.
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[21 Nov 2013] France warns Central African Republic on - English
France has warned that the Central African Republic is on the verge of genocide. This comes as the U-N is considering sending African and French...
France has warned that the Central African Republic is on the verge of genocide. This comes as the U-N is considering sending African and French forces to intervene in the strife-torn country.
French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius has described the situation in France\'s former colony as total disorder. The Central Africa Republic has faced growing chaos since a coalition of rebels staged a coup in March, forcing president Francois Bozize to flee. Last year, France invaded Mali under the pretext of stopping what it called al-Qaeda-linked militants in the country. The invasion has caused a serious humanitarian crisis in the country, displacing thousands of people.
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[26 Nov 2013] Berlin foreign policy forum focuses on Iran - English
More than 200 high-ranking politicians, business- and government representatives came together in German capital to attend Berlin third Foreign...
More than 200 high-ranking politicians, business- and government representatives came together in German capital to attend Berlin third Foreign Policy Forum. Experts discussed key questions of German and European foreign policy focusing on issues ranging rom transatlantic relations to the recent agreement on Iran\'s nuclear energy programmer reached in Geneva last weekend.
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[28 Nov 2013] Saudi Arabia mufti: Ban on driving protects society from...
More bad news for women in Saudi Arabia, as the kingdom\'s Grand Mufti says the country\'s ban on women\'s driving protects the society from evil....
More bad news for women in Saudi Arabia, as the kingdom\'s Grand Mufti says the country\'s ban on women\'s driving protects the society from evil.
Sheikh Abdul Aziz bin Abdullah also said that allowing women to drive is not the society\'s concern. His comments come as activists in the Persian Gulf monarchy have time and again protested the ban. This, while the Saudi interior minister has assured rights activists that authorities are re-assessing the situation. To this day, Saudi Arabia is the only country where women are not allowed to drive.
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[28 Nov 2013] Mortar attack on Idlib University in Syria kills 2...
In Syria, at least two people have been killed in insurgent shelling of the city of Idlib.
At least five mortar shells landed near a university...
In Syria, at least two people have been killed in insurgent shelling of the city of Idlib.
At least five mortar shells landed near a university in the northwestern city. One of the victims was a student and the other a passerby. At least 17 others were also injured in the attack. Mortar attacks are the hallmark of insurgents in Syria. Only on Monday, about a dozen people were killed in a mortar attack on a government stronghold in the northern city of Aleppo.
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[02 Dec 2013] israel PM is under fire for squandering public money on a...
Israel\'s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is under fire by Israeli media for squandering public money on a posh lifestyle.
Reports of...
Israel\'s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is under fire by Israeli media for squandering public money on a posh lifestyle.
Reports of Netanyahu\'s plush items of interest come at a time when Tel Aviv is facing tough austerity measures. In a detailed document released by a civil liberties group, Netanyahu\'s alleged expenses on fancy whim-wham, including scented candles, flowers and ice cream, exceeded 900-thousand dollars in 2013 alone. Israelis have long been weary of Netanyahu\'s lavish lifestyle, and his failure to address the middle class\'s economic woes. Activists have held several large rallies to protest Tel Aviv\'s economic policies. Netanyahu\'s office has responded by saying that this year, they\'ve spent less than last year.
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[09 Dec 2013] Iran FM warns Washington against imposing new sanctions on...
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohamad Javad Zarif has advised the US against imposing new sanctions against Tehran. In an interview with Time magazine,...
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohamad Javad Zarif has advised the US against imposing new sanctions against Tehran. In an interview with Time magazine, Zarif said the Geneva nuclear deal is going to be QUOTE-dead if the US Congress imposes new sanctions, even if they do not take effect for six months. Two US senators are preparing legislation to impose new sanctions on Iran in six months if the deal goes nowhere. These sanctions would target Iran\'s oil exports, foreign exchange reserves, and industry. The senators are making the move despite the Geneva deal between Tehran and the P-five-plus-one group of countries, which includes the U-S. Washington has already imposed several rounds of illegal sanctions on Iran, causing problems mainly for ordinary Iranians.
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[11 Dec 2013] Foreign backed militants continue their attacks on...
Foreign-backed militants continue their attacks on residential areas in Syria.
The insurgent shelling of the Meridian district of the northern...
Foreign-backed militants continue their attacks on residential areas in Syria.
The insurgent shelling of the Meridian district of the northern city of Aleppo killed several civilians on Wednesday. They also captured the area of Adra, northeast of the capital Damascus. More than 20 civilians, mostly Alawites, are said to have been killed in the militant attack there. This is while, Kurdish People\'s Protection Units have recaptured the north-eastern village of Tweineh, near al-Hasakah city, following clashes with militants of the al-Qaeda-linked al-Nusra Front. In recent days, some regional and international leaders have warned of growing extremism in Syria. This, as insurgents fighting the Syrian government enjoy the logistical and financial supports of Western and some regional Arab countries.
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[18 Dec 2013] Israeli forces open fire on Palestinians in the occupied...
Israeli forces open fire on Palestinians in the occupied West Bank town of Jenin during a raid.
At least one Palestinian has been killed and...
Israeli forces open fire on Palestinians in the occupied West Bank town of Jenin during a raid.
At least one Palestinian has been killed and several others injured by Israeli soldiers who were trying to arrest a Palestinian. The Israeli military claims its forces came under attack by residents before they opened fire. Some reports say some of those injured are in serious condition.
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[19 Dec 2013] 26 US senators introduce bill to impose fresh sanctions on...
More than a quarter of the US Senate introduces a new bill to impose fresh sanction on Iran.
The bill is sponsored by 13 Democrats and 13...
More than a quarter of the US Senate introduces a new bill to impose fresh sanction on Iran.
The bill is sponsored by 13 Democrats and 13 Republicans. They say the sanctions will be slapped against Iran if the country breaches the terms of last month\'s Geneva deal. The draft also forces the US administration to support Israel militarily, diplomatically and economically in case Tel Aviv decides to launch an attack against Iran\'s nuclear energy program. Congress has recently tripled the US government\'s requested aid for Israel. Meanwhile, the White House has highlighted the use of diplomacy as a suitable approach for resolving Iran\'s nuclear issue.
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[19 Dec 2013] 26 US senators introduce bill to impose fresh sanctions...
More than a quarter of the US Senate introduces a new bill to impose fresh sanction on Iran.
The bill is sponsored by 13 Democrats and 13...
More than a quarter of the US Senate introduces a new bill to impose fresh sanction on Iran.
The bill is sponsored by 13 Democrats and 13 Republicans. They say the sanctions will be slapped against Iran if the country breaches the terms of last month\'s Geneva deal. The draft also forces the U-S administration to support Israel militarily, diplomatically and economically in case Tel Aviv decides to launch an attack against Iran\'s nuclear energy program. Congress has recently tripled the US government\'s requested aid for Israel. Meanwhile, the White House has highlighted the use of diplomacy as a suitable approach for resolving Iran\'s nuclear issue.
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[20 Dec 2013] 2nd day of technical talks on Iran nuclear program starts...
Its the second day of a new round of technical talks between Iran and the permanent members of the U-N Security Council plus Germany in the Swiss...
Its the second day of a new round of technical talks between Iran and the permanent members of the U-N Security Council plus Germany in the Swiss city of Geneva.
Experts from the two sides began negotiations over Iran\\\\\\\'s nuclear program on Thursday. The talks follow four days of similar discussions in Vienna last week. Iran walked out of the last round after the U-S expanded its sanctions against Tehran. The added measures came as, under a landmark deal in Geneva last month, the West had promised not to slap new sanctions on Iran. Tehran says it\\\\\\\'s ready to pick up the talks after the E-U foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton assured it that the P-five-plus-one countries, especially the U-S, would continue the negotiations in goodwill.
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[22 Dec 2013] Egypt opposition coalition says it will boycott referendum...
An Egyptian opposition coalition-- led by the Muslim Brotherhood-- has said in a statement that it will boycott an upcoming referendum on the new...
An Egyptian opposition coalition-- led by the Muslim Brotherhood-- has said in a statement that it will boycott an upcoming referendum on the new constitution.
The so-called National Alliance Supporting Legitimacy cited political and legal reasons to boycott the referendum scheduled for January 2014. The coalition also says it will use peaceful methods to persuade Egyptians to join the boycott. The new constitution was amended by the military-backed interim government which came to power after former president Mohamed Morsi was ousted by the army. The interim authorities have launched a massive crackdown on Morsi\'s supporters. The former president has called for demonstrations during the referendum.
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