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| July 25, 2005 | Monday | Jumadi-us-Sani 17, 1426 |
Updated round-the-clock, with major updates after 10:00 PST (05:00 GMT)
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Strong earthquake jolts northeastern China BEIJING, July 25 (AFP) - A strong earthquake measuring 5.1 on the Richter scale shook northeastern China on Monday, state media said, quoting China's Seismological Bureau. The quake occurred at 11:43 pm local time (1543 GMT) with its epicentre 33 kilometers (21 miles) north of Daqing city in the province of Heilongjiang, Xinhua reported. There were no immediate reports of casualties. People living in the nearby cities of Daqing, Qiqihar, and Harbin felt the quake, according to local government sources quoted by Xinhua.(Posted @ 23:55 PST)
19 killed in Sudan military helicopter crash KHARTOUM, July 25 (AFP) - Nineteen people were killed Monday when a Sudanese military helicopter (eds: correct) crashed over the war-torn western region of Darfur, the army said."An M-17 helicopter crashed as it was on an administrative mission. It was heading to the Al-Leait Jar al-Nabi region in southern Darfur," a statement said. The press release explained the helicopter was unable to land due to bad weather and crashed after several failed attempts to land elsewhere in Darfur. "It hit the ground in the Damayat region west of Nyala, causing the death of its entire crew, including three officers, one technician and 15 passengers, who were all soldiers,"(Posted @ 22:55 PST)
Saudi forces arrest wanted militant suspect RIYADH, July 25 (Reuters) - Saudi security forces arrested one of the country's most wanted militant suspects in the holy city of Medina on Monday, the Interior Ministry said. Mohammad bin Saeed Al-Amri was carrying a pipe bomb when he was arrested along with two other men, the ministry said in a statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency. Amri, 25, was named by Saudi authorities last month in a list of 36 wanted militants. The ministry offered rewards of upto 7 million riyals ($1.87 million) to anyone who helped capture any of the men or foil any planned attack. The ministry said Amri was seized after a group of Saudi citizens became suspicious and contacted authorities.(Posted @ 21:15 PST)
Musharraf rejects direct Pakistan Al-Qaeda link to Egypt blasts ISLAMABAD, July 25 (AFP) - Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf on Monday said a "broken" Al-Qaeda network in his country could not have directed the bomb blasts in Egypt and London and called the terror network a global "phenomenon". Musharraf rejected as "absolutely and totally baseless" suggestions that Osama Bin Laden's Al-Qaeda network had its headquarters in Pakistan and said their communications structure had been broken. "So in this situation, is it possible that an Al-Qaeda man sitting here is controlling events in London or Sharm el-Sheikh or other parts of the world," he said, speaking to journalists in Lahore. "This is absolutely wrong." He added that "the world must understand that this Al-Qaeda has become a phenomenon. "It is a phenomenon where everyone has started calling himself Al-Qaeda, whether he has done it in London or Sharm el-Sheikh," he said.(Posted @ 21:08 PST)
Pakistan surprised at change of tone in Indian statements ISLAMABAD, July 25 (APP): Pakistan Monday said the ongoing peace process with India was important for both the countries and expressed surprise over the change of tone in recent statements made by the Indian leadership. Referring to recent statements by Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, Foreign Office spokesman Naeem Khan said at the briefing that Pakistan was surprised, as these were different from what he had been saying before. He said Foreign Minister Khurshid M. Kasuri also expressed disappointment, at a press conference held on Sunday, over the change of tone and tenor in Indian statements, which were not in consonance with the statements made in the past.On Prime Minister Singh’s statement on the proposed Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline, the spokesman said Pakistan needed gas for its own requirement and would go ahead with the project anyway. He said officials from Pakistan and Iran met early this month in Islamabad and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). India showed interest in the project, after which the Joint Working Group was found , held a meeting in New Delhi and there was a forward movement. However,if it was not feasible for India to join the project, " Pakistan is going to go ahead with it any way," as it was a very important project for the country to meet its growing requirements.(Posted @ 21:00 PST)
Purported tape by Taliban chief urges Afghan insurgents to unite KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, July 25 (AFP) - Fugitive Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar has called on supporters to unite and fight Afghan and foreign troops according to an unverified audio tape address to insurgents released Monday. "Get united, put aside your differences, continue jihad (holy war) against the invaders, and you will be victorious," a man purported to be the Taliban leader is heard saying on the tape obtained by AFP. If authentic, it would be Omar's first direct audio address to followers since the hardline Islamic regime was ousted in a US-led invasion in late 2001 following the September 11 attacks against New York and Washington. The tape was distributed to major news agencies by an unknown person in Kandahar, but it was unclear if it had been broadcast across Afghanistan. The audio message said the Taliban had formed two military councils to coordinate attacks around Afghanistan and expanded its leadership council from 10 to 18 members. The recording also calls on Taliban fighters not to harass civilians.(Posted @ 20:05 PST)
Police confirm device found in London park was bomb LONDON, July 25 (AFP) - A bomb appearing to have similarities with the four used by the bombers in the deadly July 7 attacks in London was found in a park in the west of the city, British police confirmed Monday.(Posted @ 19:25 PST)
Police identify two London bombers by name and release new photos LONDON, July 25 (AFP) - British police on Monday identified two suspects by name who allegedly staged failed attempts to blow up a London bus and a subway train last week, releasing two new photographs of them. Peter Clarke of Scotland Yard told a press conference that Mukhtar Said Ibrahim was the name of the man who tried to blow up the bus and Yassin Hassan Omar was the one who tried to bomb a subway train. The pair are among four suspects the police have been looking for since last Thursday's near-simultaneous attacks on three subway trains and a bus in London. Clarke said Ibrahim, 27, was believed to have recently visited an address in north London, which police were searching Monday. Ibrahim, a heavy-set, dark-skinned man with a fu manchu moustache and beard, appeared smiling in the photograph released by the police.(Posted @ 19:23 PST)
Abbas relocates to Gaza until completion of Israeli pullout RAMALLAH, West Bank, July 25 (AFP) - Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas said that he was relocating to the Gaza Strip Monday where he would be based until the completion of Israel's pullout from the occupied territory. "I'm going now to Gaza to stay for the entire disengagement period to follow all the details about the disengagement from Gaza," he told Palestinian radio. "I will have contact with all the Palestinian parties," he added. Abbas is under immense international pressure to ensure that the pullout operation, which is due to begin on August 17, takes place free of violence from militant groups such as Hamas and Islamic Jihad.(Posted @ 19:15 PST)
Pakistan says no to joint control of controversial dam in Occupied Kashmir JAMMU, July 25 (AFP) - Pakistani officials Monday ruled out joint control of a controversial dam being built by India in disputed Kashmir after visiting the project. Leader of the Pakistani delegation, Syed Jamat Ali Shah, told reporters Islamabad would await the bank's verdict Asked if Pakistan would accept joint control of the dam as a solution, Shah said, "Not at all." The visit was the third by the Pakistani delegation to the dam site. India and Pakistan are in the midst of a peace dialogue over eight nagging issues including the dam and the core problem of Kashmir.(Posted @ 19:12 PST)
Egypt police open fire in hunt for bombing suspects SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt, July 25 (AFP) - Egyptian police exchanged fire with gunmen Monday as they hunted for suspects of deadly bombings in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh. The firefight with Bedouin gunmen erupted in the mountainous interior of the Sinai peninsula some 30 kilometres (18 miles) from the scene of Saturday's carnage on the coast, security officials said. It came after police surrounded the nearby villages of Khurum and Rweissat in overnight raids, they said. "Two Pakistanis had been staying there and it is suspected that the bombs were assembled in this area," an intelligence source said. Their passports were found in an unspecified Sharm el-Sheikh hotel, police said, adding that one of them may have died in the deadly bombings but stressing that the Pakistanis were not necessarily the bombers. Pictures of more than 30 other suspects besides the Pakistanis were distributed, mostly Egyptians as well as internationally wanted terror suspects.(Posted @ 19:05 PST)
Arabs working on summit in two weeks-spokesman CAIRO, July 25 (Reuters) - The Arab League, Egypt and other Arab states are trying to arrange an Arab summit in Egypt within about two weeks to discuss Iraq and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, an Arab League spokesman said on Monday. " We are talking about a date in the next two weeks or so," said Hesham Youssef, spokesman for Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa. "The agenda would be the general situation in the region with the focus on the Arab-Israeli conflict and the situation in Iraq," he added.(Posted @ 18:48 PST)
One U.S. soldier among 13 killed in Afghan fighting KABUL, July 25 (Reuters) - A U.S. soldier was killed along with an Afghan soldier and 11 guerrillas in heavy fighting in central Afghanistan on Monday, the U.S. military said. Three U.S. troops and an Afghan government soldier were wounded in the fighting in a small village in Uruzgan province, a statement said. Earlier, the military said one U.S. soldier was killed in the southern province of Helmand on Sunday, while six were wounded on the same day by a roadside bomb in the eastern province of Kunar.(Posted @ 18:40 PST)
21 Killed in Iraq BAGHDAD, July 25 (Reuters) – Twelve Iraqi civilians were killed when a suicide car bomber blew up his minivan outside a hotel in central Baghdad,defence ministry said. A suicide car bomber killed three Iraqi commandos and injured six when he struck their compound in Nisour Square, western Baghdad, police and hospital officials said. Gunmen stormed a house in the southern Baghdad district of Dora killing four, including two women, and injuring three, including a child, police said. The head of Samarra's local council, Taha Ahmed, was assassinated with an associate by insurgents in the town of Samarra late on Sunday, police said.(Posted @ 18:35 PST)
Pakistan seeks nuclear cooperation with U.S. Islamabad (dpa) - Almost a week after the United States agreed tohelp India develop its peaceful use of atomic energy, Pakistan on Monday said it also wanted to expand cooperation with the U.S. in the nuclear field. "Pakistan has its own strategic relations with the U.S. and we would like to extend this cooperation in multiple fields including the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and space technology," foreign ministry spokesman Naeem Khan told a press briefing in Islamabad. "Our position has been that the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) should extend cooperation to Pakistan for the peaceful uses of nuclear energy under the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards," Khan said adding that Pakistan had a substantive nuclear programme and all its nuclear power reactors were under the IAEA safeguards. A two-member delegation of the 44-member NSG visited Pakistan last March to discuss the country's export control regime and efforts against nuclear proliferation. The spokesman said one of the objectives of the country's nuclear programme is to produce 8800 megawatts of electricity by 2025 through nuclear means. "We are closely watching as to how the U.S. will amend its legislation to accommodate the understanding that has been reached between the Bush administration and India on the peaceful uses of nuclear energy," he added.(Posted @ 18:18 PST)
Troops martyt 6 Kashmiris in IHK SRINAGAR, July 25 (APP):In occupied Kashmir, the Indian troops in their fresh acts of state terrorism, martyred another six Kashmiri youth at different places, reports Kashmir Media Service.Two Kashmiri youths each were shot dead by troops at Muradpora in Shopian area and Bala Bhaderwah in Doda district, and one in a fake encounter at Bhata Dhurian in Ghursai area of Poonch district.A body was recovered from the gutted house at Ajas in Bandipora where troops destroyed two houses on Saturday, and a decomposed body was recovered from river Jehlum near Pushwara in Islamabad district.(Posted @ 17:50 PST)
Mob sets fire to Indonesian government buildings in election protest JAKARTA, July 25 (APP/AFP) - An angry mob set government buildings and cars alight on Indonesia's Sumatra island Monday as hundreds of people vented their fury over the results of local elections, police said. Police said almost 1,000 protesters had gone on the rampage in the town of Bintuhan, setting fire to public works and religious affairs offices and a police van."Two buildings and one car were set alight by the demonstrators in Bintuhan," said Brigadier General Sunarko Danu Ardanto, adding that the violence was linked to district elections held last month in Bintuhan and across many other parts of Indonesia.(Posted @ 17:43 PST)
Six drowned in River Jhelum MUZAFFARABAD, July 25 (APP)-Six people were drownedwhen their van plunged into River Jhelum near Rarah, some 5 km away from here on late Sunday, police said here Monday. The Muzaffarabad-bound passengers van was coming from Rawalakot.Near Rarah it skidded off the road and fell into the river.Six passengers were drowned, five were rescued but two were still missing.(Posted @ 17:40 PST)
Gunmen kill Afghan electoral worker, wound son in country's southeast KABUL, July 25 (APP/AFP) - An Afghan electoral worker was shot dead in Paktika province, the UN-backed electoral commission said Monday. Two or more unidentified attackers killed Hamid Mohammad Sarwar and shot his son in the leg as he tended to his father's body last Wednesday, it said.(Posted @ 17:35 PST)
Egypt not in touch with Pakistan on Sharam-ul-Sheikh blasts: FO ISLAMABAD, July 25 (APP): A foreign office spokesman Monday said the Egyptian government has not approached Pakistan over the issue of alleged linkages of Pakistani nationals with the weekend blasts at Sharm-al-Sheikh. Responding to some media reports that claimed Egyptian police was looking for Pakistani nationals in connection with the explosions, spokesman Naeem Khan told weekly press briefing that Egyptian daily Al-Akbar has quoted Egyptian security officials as denying these reports.They had told the newspaper that such reports were aimed at disrupting the investigations and there was no connection between reports of nine Pakistani entering the Egypt and the bomb blasts.(Posted @ 17:33 PST)
Incidence of poverty on decline: President LAHORE, July 25 (APP)- President Pervez Musharraf Monday said that government's efforts to tackle the problems of poverty and unemployment had yielded positive results. " The incidence of poverty is on decline while the job opportunities for the people are increasing," he said while speaking at a ceremony organized by Pakistan Baitul Maal for the distribution of cheques among the needy. He said the government had been successful in stabilizing country's economy. Now, it was time to carry out projects for the social well-being of the people especially those belonging to poor strata of the society.(Posted @ 16:19 PST)
Indian army martyr another 3 Kashmiri youth SRINAGAR, July 25 (APP): Indian army in its fresh acts of state terrorism martyred another three Kashmiri youth in Kupwara district.Kashmir Media Service reported that all the three youth were martyred in a fake encounter in Machil area of Kupwara district near Line of Control.(Posted @ 16:15 PST)
Bomb in eastern India kills water board official, injures three local councilors PATNA, India (APP/AP) _ Four unidentified assailants exploded a bomb in the office of on Ashok Yadav, chairman of the Patna Water Board on Monday, killing him instantly and injuring three local councilors, police said. The assailants fled on two motorcycles after the attack(Posted @ 16:12 PST)
Twenty held in occupied Kashmir amid fury over boys' killing SRINAGAR, July 25 (Reuters) - Indian police detained at least 20 activists of occupied Kashmir's separatist alliance on Monday after a protest against the killing of three teenagers by troops who mistook them for militants, police and witnesses said. "Stop killing and genocide of innocent Kashmiris," members of the All Parties Hurriyat (Freedom) Conference shouted before being grabbed by police and taken to a police station in Srinagar. The protesters, led by separatist leader Javid Mir, carried banners that read: "We want freedom, stop state terrorism." On Sunday also, thousands of people -- some of them carrying the victims' bodies -- protested against the army near Kupwaratown, northwest of Srinagar. Occupied Kashmir's chief minister, Mufti Mohammad Syed, has ordere a probe into the incident. (Posted @ 15:59 PST)
Eight-wicket Murali sends Windies crashing to huge defeat KANDY, Sri Lanka, July 25 (AFP) - Sri Lanka won the second cricket Test by 240 runs here on Monday to sweep the short series 2-0.Muralitharan grabbed eight for 46 as the tourists, set a huge victory target of 375, folded up for 137 before tea on the fourth day . Muralitharan's 14th haul of 10 wickets in a match -- he claimed 2-37 in the first innings -- gave him 17 wickets in what was his first series in 11 months due to a shoulder injury. He now has 549 Test wickets from 93 matches, second only to Shane Warne, who took his tally to 589 from 124 games after Sunday's first Test against England at Lord's. Earlier, Kumar Sangakkara remained unbeaten on 157 as Sri Lanka declared their second innings at 375-7 midway through the morning session. Sri Lanka won the first Test in Colombo by six wickets. (Posted @ 15:44 PST)
Two Pakistani soldiers wounded in rocket barrage, blast near Afghan border MIRANSHAH, Pakistan, July 25 (AFP) - A Pakistani army major was wounded early Monday as militants unleashed a barrage of more than 30 rockets on four different army locations near the Afghan border, security officials said. Another army officer was slightly injured when a remote-controlled bomb hit his patrol convoy overnight, they said.The overnight rocket attacks started around 11:00 pm (1800 GMT) Sunday and continued intermittently until 4:00 am Monday, sources said. Troops in retaliatory strikes arrested three suspected militants, one of whom was wounded, one security official said. At least seven rockets targeted a checkpoint outside Miranshah, the main town in the tribal North Waziristan region, wounding the army major Seven rockets each also hit near the Saidgai and Shawal check posts. And about a dozen rockets struck near a troop base in Razmak, damaging a nearby telephone exchange but causing no casualties. (Posted @ 15:36 PST)
Cricket ruled out of Doha Asian Games NEW DELHI, July 25 (AFP) - Cricket will not figure in next year's Asian Games in Doha, the organisers said here Monday."It has been decided to drop cricket because of a tight schedule," said Ahmed Abdulla Al-Khulaifi, deputy director general of the Doha Asian Games Organising Committee (DAGOC). "Also, the Asian Cricket Council was willing only to promise junior (under-19) teams for the event," he added. Al-Khulaifi said security would be tight for the Games, in which over 10,000 athletes from 45 countries are expected to take part. (Posted @ 15:30 PST)
SC adjourns hearing of presidential reference on Hasba bill till 1st August ISLAMABAD, July 25 (APP): A nine-member bench of the Supreme Court Monday adjourned the hearing of the presidential reference on Hasba Bill till 1st August on the request of the government of NWFP received through its counsel, Khalid Anwar Advocate. Commenting on the request of the NWFP government regarding adjournment of the hearing of the reference for two weeks, Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry observed, "It is impossible for the court because we will have to dispose of the case before August 17, 2005 which is the cut off date for the bill according to Khalid Anwer, counsel for NWFP government.". (Posted @ 14:34 PST)
Sunni Arabs end boycott of Iraq’s constitutional commission BAGHDAD, Iraq, July 25 (APP/AP) Twelve Sunni Arab members of a committee writing Iraq's new constitution ended their boycott Monday, an official of the committee said. (Posted @ 13:11 PST)
16 killed, 13 injured in two accidents in south-western Pakistan Quetta, Pakistan (dpa) - At least 16 people were killed and 13 others were injured in two separate road accidents in Pakistan's south-western Balochistan province on Monday, police said. An officer said a mini-bus carrying at least 30 passengers was on its way to Karachi when it collided head-on with a trailer-trolley near Balochistan's Khuzdar district, leaving 12 dead and injuring 13. In another accident, four youths died when their motorbike rammed into a jeep in the Hub district, some 550 kilometres south of Quetta. (Posted @ 13:07 PST)
US-North Korea bilateral talks start BEIJING, July 25 (AFP) Rare bilateral talks between the United States and North Korea began Monday at 0700 GMT ahead of six-party negotiations over Pyongyang's nuclear weapons programme, US officials said. (Posted @ 13:01 PST)
Train slams into passenger bus, kills nine in North Java Jakarta (dpa) - At least nine people died and 23 others were injured when a train slammed into a passenger bus in North Sumatra province, news reports said Monday. (Posted @ 12:22 PST)
Three policemen wounded in Afghanistan bomb blast KABUL, July 25 (AFP) Three policemen were wounded early Monday when a bomb exploded near a densely-populated neighbourhood of Kabul, police officials said. The target of the explosion was not immediately clear although the bomb exploded near a police guard and a UN vehicle, witnesses said. (Posted @ 10:30 PST)
Karachi Stocks down 47.84 points: KARACHI, July 25: At close of trading the KSE-100 index was at 7306.01, down 47.84 points from Friday's close. (Bureau Report) (Updated @ 15:15 PST)
Forex update: KARACHI, July 25: The Pakistani Rupee was traded at Rs 60.5 to the US Dollar in the open market. (Bureau Report) (Updated @ 15:15 PST)
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