Aug
30
Hundreds of sick Gazans crossed into Egypt after Hamas and Egyptian authorities temporarily opened the Rafah crossing for the first time in weeks.
Filed Under News, Women Health, World News | Leave a Comment
Over 600 people left the blockaded Palestinian territory into Egypt through the crossing — the only one that bypasses Israel. The people allowed to cross include hundreds of Palestinians requiring treatement in Egyptian hospitals as well as Egyptian nationals and Palestinians holding Egyptian passports.
Aug
27
The All Parties Hurriyet Conference has strongly condemned the arrest of Hurriyet leaders, continuation of the imposition of curfew and excessive use of brute force against peaceful protestors in occupied Kashmir.
Filed Under News, World News | Leave a Comment
The APHC leaders, Shabbir Ahmed Shah And Nayeem Ahmed Khan in their separate statements demanded immediate release of all illegally detained Hurriyet Leaders and activists including the APHC chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Syed Ali Gilani and Muhammad Yasin Malik. They expressed concern over occupation authorities’ denial to disclose whereabouts of the detained leaders. Jammu Hurriyet Leader, Muhammad Sharif Sartaj, The President of Jammu and Kashmir democratic forum, Pandit Bhushan Bazaz and the muslIm action committee Jammu said that India would not succeed in stifling Kashmiris’ voice by such undemocratic tactics. On the other hand, India’s leading peace activists in a joint statement condemned the imposition of curfew and other repressive measures in occupied Kashmir urging India to rein in its paramilitary troopers. Signatories of the statement included Arundhati Roy, Aruna Roy, Anand Chakravarti, Goutam Novlakha, Mahaseweta Devi, Medha Patkar, Nikhil Dey, Prashant Bhushan, sanjay Kak and Uma Chakravarti. Reporters sans frontiers (RSF), an international media watch dog, in a statement issued from its Paris office asked India to put an immediate stop to the censorship and violence against the media persons in occupied Kashmir. The statement said that at least 13 journalists were beaten by Indian police on Sunday in Srinagar. Meanwhile, curfew remained in force in all the ten districts of the Kashmir valley for the third day, today. Indian troops resorted to teargas shelling and gunfire to disperse hundreds of protesters, who defying curfew orders, came to the streets in Achabal, Ganderbal and Magam areas. Complete strike was observed in rajouri, Mandi, Surankote, Doda, Bhaderwah, Mandher, Banihal and Kishtwar against the killing of innocent Kashmiris in troops’ indiscriminate firing, yesterday. The troops desecrated a mosque in Hyderpora area, which triggered forceful protests. Three persons including a woman succumbed to the injuries; they received in troops’ firing in Hajan. The occupation authorities did not allow funeral rites for a youth, martyred in troops’ firing in Hajan and permitted only four persons to take his dead body to graveyard.
Aug
27
Eight people were killed and several others injured in a bomb blast in Humak town of Islamabad.
Filed Under National News, News | Leave a Comment
Some of the injured persons are stated to be in critical condition. The interior ministry said the bomb blast occurred in a hotel when it was crowded. Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has expressed grief and sorrow over the loss of precious lives in the blast.
Source
Aug
27
Minister for Information and Broadcasting Sherry Rehman said that Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) does not feel any threat from any party or an emerging coalition, in the forthcoming Presidential election.
Filed Under National News, News | Leave a Comment
Talking to newsmen after filing nomination papers of Asif Ali Zardari for the office of the President, the minister expressed confidence to safely sail through the Presidential Election.
“We do not fear if any party forms coalition with the other against PPP,” the minister responded to a question whether the ongoing contacts between the PML-N and the Pakistan Muslim League could create any problems for PPP and coalition partners.
“We enjoy the support of as many voters as required,” she confidently stated.
Sherry described the day of filing the nomination papers for the office of the President as “a day of victory of democratic forces, a victory achieved after years-long struggle.”
Stressing for politics of reconciliation, the information minister said, former Prime Minister Shaheed Benazir Bhutto has also sacrificed her life for the very cause and the PPP would not let her sacrifice squander.
Sherry Rehman said the party is in constant touch with other political parties and added that the PPP would never go against its manifesto and would continue its struggle to strengthen democracy in the country.
“We will steer country out of all crises including inflation, price hike and oil and food problems. PPP would follow Charter of Democracy in its true spirit,” the minister added.
She said that uncertainty was prevailing in the country but the government was determined for people’s deliverance from the challenges of extremism and terrorism.
Source
Aug
22
President Bush has assured that the US administration will continue to support the government and democratic forces in Pakistan.
Filed Under National News, News | Leave a Comment
In a telephonic conversation with Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani he renewed us firm commitment to economic and anti-terrorism cooperation with Pakistan
White house spokesman Gordon Johndroe said in Washington that the two leaders reaffirmed their mutual support for going after extremists who are a threat to Pakistan, the United States and the entire world. Talking to newsmen in Islamabad, information minister Sherry Rehman said that president bush expressed happiness on successful transition to democracy in Pakistan.
Source
Aug
22
A joint investigation team of different agencies has been constituted to probe the two suicide bomb blasts outside Wah Ordnance Factories in, which at least 71 people were killed and over 100 others injured.
Filed Under News, World News | Leave a Comment
Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has directed the authorities to make efforts to expose the hidden hands behind the incident. The area was cordoned off after the blasts and security put on high alert. A suicide attacker along with a suicide jacket was arrested. Advisor on interior Rehman Malik visited POF Hospital and enquired about the health the injured persons. He announced financial assistance of three hundred thousand rupees each for the heirs of the deceased and one hundred thousand rupees each for the injured. The Punjab Chief Minister Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif also the injured at POF hospital and announced five hundred thousand rupees each for the heirs of the deceased, one hundred thousand rupees each for the injured and fifty thousand rupees each for slightly injured.
Source
Aug
22
The U.N. is still divided on permanent truce between Russia and Georgia.
Filed Under News, World News | Leave a Comment
Russia has put forward a draft resolution to counter the French draft that called for an immediate Russian troops withdrawal and reaffirmation of Georgia’s territorial integrity. There are conflicting reports about the Russian withdrawal from Georgia as provided by French-broker ceasefire. Speaking in Gori, chairman organization for security and cooperation in Europe, Alexander Stubb said there is no sign of Russian troop withdrawal from Gori. Russian general Vyacheslav Borisov said in Gori that a planned withdrawal continues and checkpoints are being removed today. A top Russian general said the withdrawal may take ten days.
Source
Aug
20
Tropical storm Fay sloshed through central Florida with severe winds and drenching rains.
Filed Under News, World News | Leave a Comment
Millions from Miami to Saint Petersburg kept indoors as the storm knocked power out to thousands of people. The tornado damaged several homes causing some injured. All of Florida was under a state of emergency, although surfers braved the elements to ride the storm-driven swells. Source
Aug
20
The United States and Poland are set to sign an agreement on the U.S. global anti-missile system in Poland.
Filed Under News, World News | Leave a Comment
The U.S. secretary of state Condoleezza Rice has arrived in Warsaw to sign the agreement. Washington says the interceptors and radar in Eastern Europe would form part of a global missile shield protecting the United States and its allies from long range missiles. Russia is strongly opposing the US missile shield in the region. Source
Aug
20
PPP spokesman Farhatullah Babar has said that ruling coalition will hold another meeting after completion of intra-party consultations by ANP, JUI(F) and Fata MNAs.
Filed Under National News, News | Leave a Comment
In an interview he expressed the confidence that the issue of restoration of judges would be resolved amicably.