Israel imposes age restrictions for Friday prayers entry

Israeli security was tightened in and around the city of Jerusalem as tens of thousands of Palestinian worshippers tried to cross the border to take part in prayers in Jerusalem s al-Aqsa mosque.

Men under the age of 50 and women under the age of 45 were denied access to Jerusalem on the second Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

At the Israeli army s two main checkpoints, Bethlehem in the south and Qalandiya checkpoint in the north, which link the West Bank to Jerusalem, tens of thousands of Palestinians queued at the crossing points as Israeli troops checked identification cards, denying any men under 50 years of age or women under 45 access to the holy city.

For most Palestinians residing across the West Bank, access to Jerusalem — where Islam s third holiest shrine, the al-Aqsa is located — is denied due to Israeli army restrictions on access and movement imposed on Palestinians.

PCB Denies Any Financial Assistance To Players

Pakistan Cricket Board’s Chairman Ijaz Butt said that they are not providing any financial or legal assistance to players. He added that players are contesting their case by their own and PCB lawyers are not accompanied by them. He said that only thing PCB is doing is monitoring them.

According to violation of different clauses of article 2 of code of conduct of ICC they have suspended three Pakistani players. The appeal of two players for removal of suspension was also dismissed by the ICC committee. ICC did not disallow suspension on players and also did not announce the reason of such suspension.

PCB is also bound under ICC contract to provide any assistance to players. PCB legal advisor said that PCB is not providing any assistance to player as they are under contract with ICC. Not PCB but every cricket board who is under contract with ICC cannot provide assistance to any player who is suspended by ICC.

Players are contesting the cases by themselves and according to new code of conducts PCB has tighten the restrictions on suspended players. They are restricted from using any PCB ground. ICC has also asked PCB that the match fee of players should not pay by PCB.

Eight more Kashmiri youth martyred

SRINAGAR: In occupied Kashmir, Indian troops, in their fresh acts of state terrorism, martyred four more innocent Kashmiri youth in Bandipore district, today.

These youth were martyred in Panar and Dardpora areas of the district. Earlier, a trooper was killed in an attack in Panar.

On the other hand, four more Kashmiri youth, who were injured in the firing of Indian police and troops during the recent anti-India demonstrations at different places, succumbed to their injuries in various hospitals.

The occupation authorities continued to impose curfew and other restrictions in Srinagar and other major towns for the eighth successive day, today. Indian troops beat up journalists at Kaka Sarai and Press Enclave in Srinagar who were performing their professional duties.

The occupation authorities in a dramatic move released the President of High Court Bar

Gas pipeline in country”s interest: Qureshi

MULTAN: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said on Sunday energy is the need of country and Pak-Iran gas pipeline agreement should remain intact as it is in the best interest of the country.

Talking to journalists here at local airport, he said that our experts hoped that Pak-Iran gas pipeline accord would not affect by the sanctions imposed on Iran. Similarly, the US strategic team did not know about it that whether it comes under restrictions or not. He, however, added if it falls in the restrictions then country will not violate international laws.

The minister said that Pakistan would protect its interests with regard to energy, which is the requirement of the country. He, however, added that it would be premature to give final opinion at this stage.

The FM disclosed that all the different phases of the gas pipeline agreement have been finalised and we wished that it should proceed forward.

He said the strategic dialogues are in progress as seven phases out of 11 have occurred. He said we have engaged different sectors (including finance ministry, defence etc) in the strategic dialogues process.

The foreign minister said Pakistan was getting aid under Kerry-Luger bill and added that major portion of the aid was being utilised on social sector including health, education and empowerment of women.

Shah Mehmood said KL Bill was introduced for the period of five years and we were engaged to expand the cooperation for long period even after the five years of the assistance programme. He disclosed that a dossier, in this connection, would be sent to Secretary of State who will visit Pakistan during July next.

About resumption of dialogues with India, he acknowledged that there exists trust deficit between both countries.

He said both the countries have to bridge the trust deficit and will have to move step by step in this regard.

To a question, he said, we also have reservation about the activities of our neighbour but we are heading forward through diplomatic channels.

The foreign minister said, we have succeeded to convince Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Thimphu meetings that dialogue was the only way forward.

Shah Mehmood Qureshi said there were some issues (including water, terrorism etc) pending between two countries, which require settlement.

He added we should not be defensive regarding the issue pertaining to terrorism as our own country is victim of terrorism.

He said that the country want meaningful and result-oriented dialogues with India.

About students studying in Kyrgystan, the government would ensure steps to safeguard their future.

To a query about students stranded in Beshkek, the FM said there was a peaceful environment in Beshkek and is no harm to our students. He thanked Kargyz government for offering special cooperation towards Pakistan.

About inauguration of new terminal at Multan airport, he said the development would open an era of prosperity in the region as it would boost trade especially export of mango.

Abbas urges Hamas to sign reconciliation deal

CAIRO: Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas on Tuesday again urged Hamas movement to sign an Egyptian-drafted reconciliation document to pave the way for a transitional government.

Abbas stressed “the importance of Hamas signing the Egyptian reconciliation document,” in remarks carried by a local news agency, after talks with President Hosni Mubarak in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.

“After that we can discuss all the demands of Hamas and other parties during the implementation of the document,” Abbas said.

“If the paper is signed, we do not mind forming a transitional government or a government of technocrats or independents to oversee several issues, most notably receiving reconstruction funds,” he said, referring to the billions of dollars pledged to rebuild Gaza following the December 2008-January 2009 war.

Abbas said last week that he would send a delegation to the Gaza Strip to seek reconciliation with Hamas, following a deadly Israeli raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla.

Hamas has said it will only sign the document with certain amendments, while Egypt and Fatah have refused to reopen the negotiations.

Abbas described as a “massacre” the May 31 Israeli raid on a flotilla of aid ships bound for Gaza that left nine Turkish activists dead and called for more aid convoys to pressure the Jewish state into scrapping its blockade.

Israel has sealed Gaza off from all but limited humanitarian aid since the capture of an Israeli soldier by Hamas and other militants in June 2006 and tightened the restrictions after the Hamas takeover a year later.

In the wake of the flotilla raid, Egypt which had also cut off the territory indefinitely opened its Rafah border post, the only gateway to Gaza that bypasses Israel.

But it still aims to complete an underground barrier on its border with the Gaza Strip “by the end of the summer,” in a bid to stop the smuggling of goods and weapons into Gaza via a network of underground tunnels.

Iran sanctions matter of days: Biden

WASHINGTON: The UN will impose sanctions against Iran for illegally pursuing nuclear weapons “in a matter of days”, US Vice President Joe Biden said.

During a live appearance on a US news channel, Biden said UN sanctions, backed by the permanent members of the UN Security Council, including China, will be announced by the end of this month or in the first week of May.

“Everyone from the Israeli prime minister straight through to the British prime minister to the president of Russia, everyone agrees that the next step we should take is the UN sanctions route,” he said. “I believe you”ll see a sanctions regime coming out by the end of this month, the beginning of next month.”

The US and its Western allies have long opposed Iran”s pursuit of nuclear weapons, but have been unable to push a sanctions regime with real teeth through the UN without the support of Russia and China.

Iceland closes airports for first time due to volcanic ash

LONDON: Iceland will close two airports on Friday for the first time, a week after ash from an Icelandic volcano forced the shutdown of airspace over much of Europe and stranded thousands of passengers around the world, the Icelandic aviation authority announced.

The Keflavik International Airport and Reykjavík International Airport will be closed beginning early Friday morning, the aviation authority said, according to a statement on the Keflavik airport”s website.

Though the ash cloud originated in Iceland, the country”s airports have been spared from closure until now. Strong northwest winds had been blowing ash from the volcano, in the south of Iceland, out to sea and over Europe.

Elsewhere in Europe, most airports appeared to be open on Thursday and are expected to be open Friday.

That reduction in volcanic activity appeared to be the main reason that flights resumed operating in Europe on Wednesday, along with European countries relaxing their restrictions on flight, according to a spokeswoman for Eurocontrol, an intergovernmental body that manages European air travel.

Thousands stranded due to Iceland volcano

REYKJAVIK: Thousands of air passengers were stranded for a second day Saturday because of ash from an Icelandic volcano that paralyzed European airports.

Most major European airports have been closed as a plume of volcanic ash drifts south from Iceland across the continent, bringing travel chaos.

Air traffic suspensions are now in force in more than a dozen countries in an unprecedented move.

Thousands of travellers are stranded and airlines are losing an estimated $200m each day.

Many countries and airlines have grounded fleets amid fears that the ash a mixture of glass, sand and rock particles, drifting from 5,000ft (1,500 metres) – could be catastrophic to aircraft.

In some of the biggest disruption in commercial aviation history, a swathe of northern European sky was empty of aircraft on Friday.

About two-thirds of the 28,000 daily flights in the affected zone were cancelled, while only half the usual number of flights between Europe and North America operated.

Some 20 countries shut down all or most of their airspace, although restrictions were gradually lifted in Sweden, Ireland and Norway.

Europe”s busiest airports, including Heathrow, Frankfurt and Charles de Gaulle, have been affected by the closures.

The disruption has affected hundreds of thousands of travellers since Wednesday when the Eyjafjallajokull volcano began erupting for the second time in a month.

Britain”s airspace ban back

LONDON: British air authorities reintroduced a flight ban on the country”s entire airspace on Saturday because of the Iceland volcano ash cloud and warned the situation was ”worsening”.

Restrictions which had earlier been lifted on flights over Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern England were reapplied, said the National Air Traffic Services (NATS).

”Current forecasts show that the situation is worsening throughout Saturday,” said NATS, which manages British airspace.

The ban was also extended by six hours to 7pm (1800 GMT, 3am Singapore time).

The air authority had introduced a virtually unprecedented flight ban across all British airspace at midday on Thursday, before relaxing the restrictions in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Manchester in north-west England.

Britain is one of more than 15 European countries to have introduced flight bans because of the ash cloud.

Abortion Rights Groups Scramble In Stupak Amendment’s Wake

Full Story And Original Content.TrendPK.com WASHINGTON — Abortion rights groups, outflanked and outnumbered in the health debate, are scrambling to regain lost ground after the House passed a health bill with strict abortion limits. They’re blanketing Capitol Hill with lobbyists, petitions, letters and phone calls in efforts to defeat the restrictions in the Senate, where debate could

Full Story And Original Content.TrendPK.com WASHINGTON — Abortion rights groups, outflanked and outnumbered in the health debate, are scrambling to regain lost ground after the House passed a health bill with strict abortion limits.
They’re blanketing Capitol Hill with lobbyists, petitions, letters and phone calls in efforts to defeat the restrictions in the Senate, where debate could [...]