US drone strike kills 5 in Pakistan�s North Waziristan

At least five people have been killed in a US drone strike in Pakistan’s northwestern restive tribal region near the Afghan border.  Two missiles were fired on Saturday at a compound in Mada Khail neighborhood of Datta Khail area in North Waziristan. Local security officials confirmed...

Panel to advise against punishment for CIA computer search

A CIA panel has decided not to consider punishment for the agency’s officers who spied on the US Senate's computer inquiries into the use of torture, according to current and former officials. The panel is investigating the CIA’s search of a computer network, which staff members...

Afghan civilian casualties hit record high: UN

The United Nations says civilian casualties in Afghanistan increased by 19 percent this year, reaching a record high. The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said on Saturday that at least 3,188 civilians lost their lives and another 6,429 sustained injuries in the war-torn country by December. "The...

Foreign presence pretext for Afghanistan attacks: Iran

Iran’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations says the presence of tens of thousands of foreign boots on the Afghan soil serves as a pretext for “terrorist groups” to launch more attacks against the country’s infrastructure. Addressing a Friday meeting of the UN Security...

Australian woman arrested over child murder

An Australian woman has been arrested on suspicion of murdering eight children who were found dead inside her home. The 37-year-old woman is currently recovering from stab wounds in hospital under police guard, Queensland Police Detective Inspector Bruno Asnicar told The Associated Press on...

Ghani and Abdullah to introduce 9 key ministers in next 48 hours

President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Abdullah Abdullah are expected to introduce nominees for nine key ministries. Sources close to President Ghani and CEO Abdullah have confirmed that four of the nominees would be introduced by President Ghani and four others by CEO Abdullah. According...

Kabul Suicide Attack Kills One, Wounds 3

In a suicide attack in Police District nine of Kabul City one policeman was killed and three others were wounded early Thursday morning, Kabul police said. The incident took place in Tangi Tarakhail area near the Dehsabz district of Kabul City, police said. According to the Kabul Police Chief Abdul...

US torture and tyranny: Lies, injustice and the CIA way

As a boy in the United States in the 1950s, I recall watching a weekly television program about a benevolent alien with superhuman powers who came to earth from the distant planet Krypton. Disguised as a mild-mannered reporter for a great metropolitan newspaper, this superhero always managed to...

128 Journalists Killed Worldwide in 2014

At least 128 journalists have been killed around the world so far in 2014 with Gaza leading the list of most dangerous countries for reporters, according to an annual report by Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) in Geneva. Gaza, where 16 journalists were killed during the Israeli attack on the strip, leads...

EU Urges Rapid Reform in Electoral System

The European Union's Election Assessment Team (EU EAT) presented its final report on Afghanistan's recent presidential elections, calling for a "rapid anti-fraud electoral reform." Presenting the report to the press on Monday in Kabul, the EU Chief Observer Thijs Berman said the report included...

Peshawar attack over, militants killed: Pakistan police

Pakistani police say an attack by pro-Taliban militants on a school in the northwestern city of Peshawar is over and all the militants are dead. The attack on an army-run school in Peshawar killed at least 130 people, leaving a dozen more injured. Officials said the combat operation is over...

Five hostages escape from Australia cafe

Five people have reportedly escaped from a café in the central Australian city of Sydney, where at least one gunman took an unknown number of people hostage early Monday local time. According to witnesses, some six hours into the siege three men emerged from the cafe and ran for their lives,...

Imran Khan supporters block roads in eastern Pakistan

Supporters of Pakistan’s opposition Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) party have staged anti-government demonstrations in the eastern city of Lahore, causing a suspension of public transport services. On Monday, dozens of supporters of the PTI party gathered at the city’s main roads, burning tires...

Gunmen take several hostages in Australia caf�

Gunmen have reportedly taken several people hostage at a café in the central Australian city of Sydney, making them hold a black flag, apparently belonging to a Takfiri group, against a window. According to witnesses and reports, as many as 30 people are believed to be held by at least...

Turkish police raid TV station close to former Erdogan ally

Turkish police have raided a television station and a newspaper close to a self-exiled US-based cleric, detaining some people, media reports say. Police launched simultaneous operations in different parts of the city of Istanbul and provinces across Turkey, arresting people, among them a top...

British Muslims commemorate Arba�een

Thousands of British Muslims march in the streets of London to mark the 40th day after the martyrdom anniversary of Prophet Muhammad's grandson, Imam Hussein. Black-clad Muslims marched in commemoration of the annual occasion held to mourn the martyrdom of Imam Hussein and his 72 companions...

FBI to investigate death of black teen in North Carolina

The FBI has launched an investigation into the death of an African-American teenager previously ruled a suicide by authorities in North Carolina. Lennon Lacy, 17, was found hanging from a swing set by two belts in Bladenboro, southeast of Charlotte, in August. It was confirmed on Friday that...

There is No Good and Bad in Terror: Ghani

Marking International Human Rights Day in Kabul on Sunday, President Ashraf Ghani said that the region must understand that there "is no such thing as good and bad terror." "We will never surrender to terror," Ghani said. "Peace is crucial for each and every one of us. The acts of violence and terror...

Central Asian Countries Vow Anti-Terror Combat

Expressing deep concerns over the increased influence of insurgent groups in Afghanistan, the central Asian countries have promised a serious fight against the militants including the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in the region.At the end of two-day Central Asian Cooperation Conference held...

Germany not in favor of swift end to NATO mission in Afghanistan

Ursula von der Leyen, defense minister of Germany who is on a surprise visit in Afghanistan said her country is not in favor of “abrupt end” of the current mission or future withdrawal of international forces from Afghanistan. She said even though Afghan Security Forces have positive...

17 MoD Personnel Killed in Kabul Attack

At least Seventeen personnel of the Ministry of Defense (MoD) were killed and 14 others were injured in a suicide attack Saturday afternoon in Kabul, officials said. The attack happened near Pul-e-Artal locality of Kabul when a suicide bomber detonated his explosives near a bus carrying the MoD employees,...

IncreaseNormalDecrease Millions of pilgrims in Karbala on eve of Arba�een

Millions of pilgrims from around the world are in the holy Iraqi city of Karbala on the eve of Arba’een, which marks the 40th day after the martyrdom anniversary of the third Shia Imam. The pilgrims have arrived in the city on foot, by cars, buses and many other means from Iraq, Iran, Saudi...

US Congress approves over half a trillion dollars in military spending

The US Congress approved a massive military spending bill on Friday worth more than half a trillion dollars, which includes billions of dollars for waging wars and developing nuclear weapons. The legislation sets the Pentagon’s budget for fiscal year 2015 at $577 billion, including a base...

Afghan government seeks bailout from donors to pay salaries

The Afghan government has asked donors for a bailout before the end of the year, as salary payments to government employees are still pending. The national treasury has run out of money to pay salaries this month and has called on international donors for a bailout. Mohammad Aqa Kohestani, head of...

Secretariat Head of Supreme Court Killed in Kabul

The head of secretariat of Supreme Court of Afghanistan was shot dead early Saturday in the capital city of Kabul, local officials said. The incident took place near the 5th district police station of Kabul after armed insurgents opened fire at Atiqullah Raoufi's vehicle when he was in the way office,...

Number of Karbala pilgrims to hit new record in Arba�een

Iraqi officials say they expect the number of pilgrims flocking to the holy city of Karbala for Arba’een to hit 20 million. More Shia pilgrims from around the world are pouring into Karbala to commemorate the religious ceremony, which marks the 40th day after the anniversary of martyrdom...

Pakistan arrests al-Qaeda commander in Karachi

Pakistani authorities have arrested a regional al-Qaeda commander during a raid in the southern port city of Karachi. Police said on Friday that Qari Shahid Usman was captured on Thursday with four other militants. Ali Raza, a Pakistani police official, said ten kilograms of explosives were also...

Haqqani network used child bomber in French school attack: NDS

The Haqqani terrorist network has been accused for being involved in plotting and conducting a suicide attack in at the French Institute of Afghanistan in Estiqlal high school in Kabul. The Afghan Intelligence – National Directorate of Security (NDS) said Friday that the a 15-year-old child...

Logar Districts on the Edge of Collapse: Officials

Afghan Members of Parliament and Logar provincial council members have raised their voices in concern of the possible collapse of Logar's districts in the hands of armed opposition. According to the government officials, most parts of Charkh, Kharwar and Azra districts are under the control of...

CIA Chief Defends Agency, But Admits 'abhorrent' Abuses

US spymaster John Brennan admitted Thursday that some CIA interrogators had used unauthorized and "abhorrent" tactics in the past decade and said he believes torture tends to lead to false intelligence. In an extraordinary news conference, broadcast live from the agency's Langley headquarters...