Germany warns Iran over sanctions

Germany has warned Iran that it would support tougher sanctions if diplomatic efforts to stop the Iranians acquiring nuclear weapons broke down.

Speaking at a security conference in Munich, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she would back any change in approach by US President Barack Obama.

Filed under: Europe, E.U, European Union, Foreign affairs, Foreign policy, France, International, Iran, Islam, Middle East, MidEast, Terror, Terrorism, The Terror Journal, U.N, U.S.A, UK, War, World

Israel strikes at Gazan tunnels

The Israeli military fired missiles at four smuggling tunnels and a weapons depot in Gaza late on Friday, it said.

The attacks came after two rockets were fired from Gaza into southern Israel, the military said.

Filed under: MidEast, Arab, Arab Media, Barack Obama, E.U, Egypt, European Union, France, Gaza, Gaza raids, Gaza strip, Hamas, IAF, IDF, International, Iran, Iraq, Islam, Israel, Israel Air Force, Jordan, Kassam Rockets, Lebanon, Middle East, MidEast, Muslim, Operation Cast Lead, Palestine, Palestinian Authority, Qassam Rockets, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Terror, Terrorism, The Terror Journal, Turkey, U.N, U.S.A, UK, War, West Bank, World

Pakistan’s Muddled War

Militancy in Pakistan has been spreading inward from the lawless tribal region along the Afghan border. The Pakistani Taliban has seized large swaths of territory (CSMonitor) in North West Frontier Province (NWFP). Militants have also increasingly mounted attacks in Peshawar, the provincial capital, as well as on trucks transiting the city to supply NATO forces in Afghanistan. Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani says Pakistan remains committed to fighting terrorism (FT) using dialogue, development, and deterrence.

Filed under: Think Tank, Afghanistan, Al Qaeda, Children, Islamabad, Islamic law, Kabul, Militants, Pakistan, Sharia, Taleban, Terrorism, The Terror Journal, War

Sudan expels a Canadian journalist

The expulsion of a Canadian journalist from Sudan has brought new attention to Khartoum’s uneasy relationship with the news media.

Sudan is a relatively free country – with a vibrant independent media, where other African countries have only state-owned newspapers – but it maintains firm control over local and foreign news organizations through censorship on issues deemed sensitive by the government. In the case of Heba Aly, a Canadian journalist with Egyptian nationality as well, Sudan says it expelled her because of immigration issues, not because of her reporting.

Filed under: Africa, African Union, Aid, Civil war, Darfur, Foreign affairs, Genocide, International, International Criminal Court, Justice, South Africa, Sudan, Terrorism, The Terror Journal, U.N, United Nations, War, War Crimes, World

Empower the Muslims to stand up against extremists

Although President Barack Obama and all of us in Congress are understandably focused on the economic crisis, we also face multiple crises in the rest of the world — beginning with the war in Afghanistan. Security there has been deteriorating as the insurgents have grown in strength, size and sophistication, expanding their influence over an increasing swath of territory.

Filed under: Think Tank, Arab, Arab Media, Barack Obama, E.U, Egypt, European Union, France, Gaza, Gaza raids, Gaza strip, Hamas, IAF, IDF, International, Iran, Iraq, Islam, Israel, Israel Air Force, Jordan, Kassam Rockets, Lebanon, Middle East, MidEast, Muslim, Operation Cast Lead, Palestine, Palestinian Authority, Qassam Rockets, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Terror, Terrorism, The Terror Journal, Turkey, U.N, U.S.A, UK, War, West Bank, World

Seven police killed in Pakistan

Police in Pakistan say seven officers have been killed in an attack on a checkpoint in Mianwali in Punjab near restive North-West Frontier province.

Residents in the town heard gunfire and an explosion as the checkpoint building was attacked before dawn.

Filed under: Asia, Afghanistan, Al Qaeda, Children, Islamabad, Islamic law, Kabul, Militants, Pakistan, Sharia, Taleban, Terrorism, The Terror Journal, War

Taliban kills Polish oil worker

Taliban militants in troubled northwestern Pakistan claimed Saturday that a Polish oil worker held by them for the last 18 weeks has been killed. A Taliban spokesman who identified himself as Mohammad told various media organisations over the phone that Peter Stanczak was executed after the expiry of a Feb 6 deadline given to Pakistani and Polish governments to fulfil the militants’ demands.

Filed under: Asia, Afghanistan, Al Qaeda, Children, Islamabad, Islamic law, Kabul, Militants, Pakistan, Poland, Sharia, Taleban, Terrorism, The Terror Journal, War

Doctor’s dilemma in Gaza

Twenty-year-old Yahya Abu Saif lies in his hospital bed looking wide-eyed, gaunt and scared.

He was lucky to survive an Israeli air strike. But, like so many others in Gaza, his life was transformed in an instant.

He lost his right leg in the explosion. The left side of his body is paralysed.

Filed under: Voice, Arab, Arab Media, Barack Obama, E.U, Egypt, European Union, France, Gaza, Gaza raids, Gaza strip, Hamas, IAF, IDF, International, Iran, Iraq, Islam, Israel, Israel Air Force, Jordan, Kassam Rockets, Lebanon, Middle East, MidEast, Muslim, Operation Cast Lead, Palestine, Palestinian Authority, Qassam Rockets, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Terror, Terrorism, The Terror Journal, Turkey, U.N, U.S.A, UK, War, West Bank, World