Saturday, 15 December 2012 09:35
Sri Lankan Wins International Quran Contest for First Time.
Sri Lanka’s Rifti Muhammed Rizwan, who came first in the international Holy Quran recital contest, held at Mecca in Saudi Arabia recently, returned to the country on Wednesday. Eighty six countries participated in the event.
This is the first time that a Sri Lankan had secured the top slot in this prestigious international contest.
Friday, 30 November 2012 16:50
Overwhelming majority of states vote to give Palestine non-member observer status, despite Israeli and US opposition.
Jubilant Palestinians have rejoiced at the historic but largely symbolic vote at the UN General Assembly in New York granting them a non-member observer status.
Celebrations took place overnight in the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip, Al Jazeera's correspondents in both places reported.
"People here know that when they wake up on Friday they'll still be living under an Israeli occupation. They won't, for instance, be in control of their own borders," reported Nadim Baba from Ramallah, West Bank, amid deafening noise from ecstatic Palestinians.