President Zardari arrives in Iran for important visit

TEHRAN: According to state television, Pakistani President Asif Zardari is arrived in Tehran for talks with officials in less than a month after the two countries agreed to cooperate with Afghanistan to fight against militants.

Afghan Army soldier fires on NATO Soldiers killing at least One

KANDAHAR: At least one Nato soldier was killed by an Afghan army soldier this Saturday, near the southern Afghan city of Lashkar Gah, due this week to be one of the first places where Nato will hand security control to Afghan forces, a senior police source said.

“The shooting happened during a joint security patrol,” said the senior police detective, who asked not to be named as he was not authorised to speak to the media.

California Governor orders to include Gay and Lesbian History in Text books,

SAN FRANCISCO: Californian Governor Jerry Brown has signed the mandate into law that the public school textbooks should include the accomplishments of gay, lesbian and transgender Americans.

“History should be honest,” Brown said in a written statement released by his office.

Violence continues in Iraq as US troops resumed attacks on Militias

BAGHDAD: The six pilgrims were killed on the outskirts of the holy shrine city of Karbala, 100 kilometres south of the capital, who were making their way as part of commemorations for the birth of a revered Muslim figure.

“A car bomb killed three people and wounded 20 people inside a bus station north of the city of Karbala,” said General Othman al-Ghanimi, a security official in charge of security in the region.

US Pull out from Afghanistan begins as first troops leave

KABUL: The pullout from Afghanistan begins as first US troops have left the country as part of US President Barack Obama’s announced withdrawal plan in June this year which was the fastest timetable than the military had recommended.

The first 10,000 troops will come home by the end of the year, but Obama left the details up to his commanders.

The commander of Harkat-ul Jihad al Islami Ilyas Kashmiri is stil Alive

ISLAMABAD: The commander of Harkat-ul Jihad al Islami Mohammad Ilyas Kashmiri who was reportedly killed in a US drone attack in South Waziristan last month, is still alive, according to Pakistani Meida reports.

It claimed on the account that security officials of the United States and Pakistan failed to confirm the death of the HuJI commander and he is still active in the border areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan, sources added.

US cut Pakistan’s military aid over trainers: FO

Minister for Foreign affairs Hina Rabbani Khar briefing the committee 

KARACHI: The Foreign Office said on Friday that the United States cut of $500 million in aid to Pakistan was in response to the cutback in the number of US trainers in Pakistan.

The Senate’s Standing Committee on Foreign Relations has ordered an investigation into the matter.

Suicide bomber attacked the funeral of Karzai's brother

Kandahar :A suicide bomber hits funeral of Karzai's brother killing three people along with the cleric Hikmatullah, head of the Kandahar provincial religious council, and wounded 15 others, the governor of Kandahar Toryali Wesa told the media.

The bomber appears to have hid his explosives in his turban when he arrived at the funeral in the city's Red Mosque.

South Sudan becomes 193rd UN member

Juba : people dance to celebrate independence

 UNITED NATIONS : United Nations General Assembly admitted South Sudan 193rd member of the United Nations, sealing the new African country's independence after decades of conflict.

The assembly vote, by acclamation, followed South Sudan's independence ceremony in the capital Juba on Saturday, after its people voted in a January referendum to break away from Sudan -- a decision accepted by Khartoum.

Pakistan will continue busting underground CIA Networks, ISI chief to tell US

Islamabad : Chief of the Pakistan Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), Lt-Gen Ahmed Shuja Pasha is going to give the following message to his American counterpart in Washington: Yes to formalised anti-terror cooperation, No to private CIA network, as he is to meet acting CIA Director Michael Morell on Wednesday.

According to senior intelligence officials here, Pasha would tell the American spy chief that the ISI has no objection to anti-terror cooperation between the two agencies but would never tolerate a private ‘network’ the CIA is secretly maintaining in Pakistan.

Israel bombs Gaza after rocket fire

JERUSALEM: Israeli fighter jets bombed two sites in Gaza early on Wednesday, wounding one woman, Palestinian sources said.

The Israeli military said its aircraft “targeted two weapons manufacturing sites in the northern Gaza Strip.” Direct hits were confirmed and secondary explosions were identified,” the military said in a statement.

U.S General James Mattis Meets Pakistani leaders

ISLAMABAD : U.S Central Command Commander Gen. James Mattis visited Pakistan as part of his routine of visiting and consulting with senior Pakistani military and security officials. 

According to US embassy here, Gen. Mattis met General Kayani, the Chief of the Pakistani Army, and General Wynne, Pakistan’s Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee to share perspectives on the current relationship between the two militaries and to review the way ahead. 

This is Gen Mattis’ fifth visit to Pakistan in his 11 months as CENTCOM commander.

India Tightens Security as Kashmiri People mark 'Martyr's Day'

Indian security forces attacking Kashmiri protestors

Srinagar : Indian security forces have imposed tight security restrictions in Srinagar ahead of Wednesday's 80th anniversary of a violent crackdown on Kashmiri Muslims in the city.

Kashmiri separatist leaders have called for a strike and public processions to commemorate the 1931 killings of 21 Kashmiri Muslims who were revolting against the rule of Kashmir's Hindu king.

Cypris Navy Chief among 12 killed in Iranian confiscated ammunition Blast

Nicosia : The head of Cyprus' navy, Andreas Ioannides, was among 12 people killed when seized containers of gunpowder exploded at its main base.

The commander of the Evangelos Florakis base, Lambros Lambrou, also died, reported BBC.

The defence minister and military chief have resigned over the incident, which officials said occurred after a bush fire ignited the explosives.

CIA Ran a fake vaccine programme to get Bin Laden family

Osama bin laden compound

London : According to the Guardian newspaper US intelligence (CIA) launched a fake vaccine drive in Pakistani city of Abbottabad to trace Bin Laden family DNA. 

The British News Paper further claimed that CIA officials recruited a senior local doctor to organize the campaign after it tracked down a bin Laden courier to what turned out to be the al-Qaida fugitive's compound in the town of Abbottabad.

US drone Kills 10 people in North Waziristan

Miramshah : A US operated drone have attacked a compound by killing atleast 10 people in North Waziristan area according to Local security officials.

The unmanned aircraft fired four missiles, hitting the compound and a vehicle parked nearby in North Waziristan tribal district, a senior official based in Peshawar told AFP

A Russian Volga River cruise Ship Sinks, At least 50 died

File Photo of Russian Volga River Cruise Ship

MOSCOW : An overloaded Volga River cruise ship of Russia has sank in a storm Sunday afternoon and dozens of people are missing and presumed dead in Russia's worst marine accident in 25 years.The current death toll rose to 50 but officials said it was likely to climb further as divers continued the grim task of removing the dead.

Iran's IRGC calls for foreign warships pullout from Persian Gulf

TEHRAN : The Aerospace Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Amir Ali Hajizadeh called for the withdrawal of foreign warships from the Persian Gulf, local Mehr news agency reported on Sunday.

The countdown for the withdrawal of foreign warships from the Persian Gulf has started, Hajizadeh was quoted as saying.

Israel welcomes South Sudan independence

Tel Aviv :  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Sunday that the Jewish state recognizes South Sudan and wished the world's newest nation "much success."

"Yesterday, a new state was born, South Sudan. I hereby announce that Israel recognizes the Republic of South Sudan," he said. "We wish it much success."

Pro-Palestinian activists plan week of protests in West Bank

Jerusalem : Pro-Palestinian activists gathered from different countries of world have planned a week of protests in West Bank to show solidarity with Palestinian people and mount pressure on Israel to end the Gaza and West Bank siege. 

The Protests will Start in Bethlehem and end in J'em, foreign activists will take a stand in support of Palestinian statehood in second phase of the "Welcome to Palestine" campaign which began with the "flightilla."

Whose coalition will break first, Kadafi's or NATO?"

NATO Bombing civilian targets in Libya

 Burssels : Despite some rebel gains against Kadafi regime, Western allies fear their coalition may split before he is ousted. And pressure for a negotiated settlement may leave Kadafi with some leverage. NATO victory looks still elusive after 15 weeks of bombing and Western allies arrayed against Libyan leader Moammar Kadafi are racing to crack his regime before their own coalition fractures.

Al-Qaida's defeat within reach if US Kills or captures 20 more Al-Qaida leaders, Panetta

KABUL - New U.S. Defence Secretary Leon Panetta arrived in Afghanistan on Saturday, saying he believed the strategic defeat of al-Qaida was within reach if the U.S. could kill or capture up to 20 remaining leaders of the core group and its affiliates.

Panetta, on his first trip since taking over the Pentagon on July 1, told reporters before arriving in Kabul that now was the time - in the wake of the May killing of Osama bin Laden - to intensify efforts to target al-Qaida's leadership.

Israel Jails 120 foriegn activists

JERUSALEM : Israel has jailed some 120 foreign activists Saturday after  they arrived at Tel Aviv's airport over the weekend as part of a solidarity mission with the Palestinians.

Others who managed to get through Israeli border controls traveled to the West Bank where they joined a demonstration against Israel's separation barrier. Associated Press Television footage showed some foreign activists, along with Palestinians, cutting threw the barrier's barbed wire fence with clippers.

Terrorists interested in putting bombs inside humans to attack

WASHINGTON — The U.S. government has warned domestic and international airlines that some terrorists are considering surgically implanting explosives into humans to carry out attacks, The Associated Press has learned.