Awaz Apni

LONDON: International cease-fire efforts and the worldwide protests were gaining momentum as Israel's offensive against Gaza's Islamic militant rulers entered a second week Saturday.French President Nicolas Sarkozy is visiting the region next week to try to end the violence, and President George W. Bush and U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon both spoke in favor of an internationally monitored truce.But Hamas, in its first reaction to the proposal on Saturday, reacted coolly to the idea of international monitors.Israel launched the offensive on Dec. 27 in response to intensifying rocket fire by Hamas militants in Gaza. The operation has killed more than 430 Palestinians so far, including dozens of civilians, according to Palestinian and U.N. counts. Four Israelis have also been killed, and rocket attacks on southern Israel persist.The Israeli offensive has sparked large protests around the world over the past few days.Tens of thousands rallied Saturday in about a dozen European countries ag...

Awaz Apni WASHINGTON: President-elect Barack Obama spoke with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Saturday about the violence in Gaza, which has left as many as 228 people dead, two transition aides told media."The president-elect appreciated the call and the information from Secretary Rice," one aide said, adding that Obama initiated the eight-minute phone call. "He will continue to closely monitor these and other global events."Israeli airstrikes pounded targets in Hamas-ruled Gaza on Saturday and continued into the night, retaliating against Palestinian militants who have been escalating rocket attacks against southern Israel. The fighting sparked eight days after a six-month Egypt-brokered cease-fire between Hamas and Israel expired.Obama has pledged to make Middle East peace a priority from the beginning of his presidency. Arabs are calling for a more even-handed approach than the Bush administration, but Israel is expecting Obama to stay true to the pro-Is...

CNews NEW YORK: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi Friday held discussions with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on enhancing Pakistan-US cooperation in economic, energy and security fields. According to CNews News correspondent, after an hour long meeting with the top U.S. diplomat, Qureshi told reporters at the State Department that they also discussed strategic partnership dialogue due next month The two senior officials also discussed fight against extremism along Afghan border including efforts towards jirga meeting to be convened shortly between Pakistani and Afghan tribal representatives. Responding to a question on the notion of foreign forces carrying out anti-terror action on Pakistani side of the Afghan border, Qureshi said Pakistan’s concerns are known to the United States and reaffirmed Islamabad’s stance that only Pakistani troops would act against terrorists on its soil. “Pakistan is doing whatever is possible” in the counterterrorism efforts as it wants stability ...