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| September 27, 2005 | Tuesday | Sha'aban 22, 1426 |
Updated round-the-clock, with major updates after 10:00 PST (05:00 GMT)
Case-by-case inquiry into 250 missing New Orleans police officers NEW ORLEANS, Sept 27 (AFP) - The New Orleans police department will conduct a case-by-case investigation into the nearly 250 officers who went missing from the 1,700-strong force during Hurricane Katrina, a newspaper reported Tuesday. The Times-Picayune, the New Orleans daily, said police had identified 249 officers who were absent without permission during Hurricane Katrina and the days following the August 29 storm.(Posted @ 23:30 PST)
Pak High Commissioner calls on Bangladeshi PM DHAKA, Sept. 27, (APP): High Commissioner of Pakistan Alamgir Khan Babar called on Bangladeshi Prime Minister, Begum Khaleda Zia here Tuesday and exchanged views on matters of mutual interest. They discussed bilateral and regional issues, the forthcoming SAARC Summit in Dhaka and economic, trade and cultural relations between the two countries.(Posted @ 23:15 PST)
Iran threatens to cut trade with nuclear critics TEHRAN, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Iran threatened on Tuesday to use trade to punish countries that have voted to report it to the U.N. Security Council for possible sanctions, after Tehran failed to convince the world its nuclear programme was peaceful. "We will reconsider our economic cooperation with countries that voted against us," Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi told reporters at a weekly news conference. "India's vote came as a great surprise to us," he added.(Posted @ 22:15 PST)
Six bodies recovered, eleven rescued from BRB canal DASKA, Sept 27 (APP)- Six bodies were recovered while eleven persons including nine women were rescued from BRB canal after a van plunged into it here Tuesday. The van carrying 28 passengers was proceeding to Pasrur from Daska. The mishap occurred near Barokey village.(Posted @ 21:06 PST)
PM urges nation to reject extremism and sectarianism ISLAMABAD, Sep 27 (APP): Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz Tuesday urged the nation to inculcate the true spirit of Islam by shunning extremism and sectarianism and living together in harmony. Speaking to a delegation of Islamic Ideology Council led by Chairman Dr Muhammad Khalid Masood , he emphasised the need for removing misunderstandings through Ijtehad adding that "we must have tolerance and ability to understand each others point of view with an open heart" .(Posted @ 21:04 PST)
US fully supports Musharraf's "bold agenda": Stephen Hadley ISLAMABAD, Sep 27 (APP): US National Security Advisor, Stephen J. Hadley on Tuesday said that the United States would do whatever it could to assist and support President Musharraf's agenda for Pakistan which he termed as "bold" . "President Musharraf has laid out bold agenda for the future of Pakistan and we want to do what we can to support and assist him in developing that agenda," Hadley said addressing a press conference at the conclusion of his two-day visit to Pakistan. During the talks, he said, "one of the topics was to address how to broaden and deepen the existing strategic relationship to develop a long term agenda that would be tailored to the needs and plans of Pakistan".Talking about global war against terror, he praised President Musharraf for the steps Pakistan has taken. "These have been the bold steps not without risk."(Posted @ 20:58 PST)
Iraqi police find 22 bodies of shooting victims BAGHDAD, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Iraqi police said on Tuesday that they found 22 bodies of shooting victims near the town of Kut, southeast of Baghdad. The victims had their hands bound and had plastic bags over their heads. The victims were wearing civilian clothes but some had police identification cards.(Posted @ 20:54 PST)
Afghan parliamentary candidate shot dead in north MAZAR-I-SHARIF, Afghanistan, Sept 27 (Reuters) – A candidate for a parliamentary seat in Afghanistan's legislative elections was shot dead along with one of his bodyguards in northern Afghanistan on Tuesday, police said. National assembly candidate Mohammad Ashraf Ramazan was driving through the city of Mazar-i-Sharif when his car was attacked by unknown gunmen, police spokesman Sher Jan said.(Posted @ 20:34 PST)
Australia A end Pakistan tour with one-day series win LAHORE, Pakistan, Sept 27 (AFP) - Australia A clinched the one-day series Tuesday to finish their three-week tour of Pakistan with a 97 runs win in the third and final one-dayer to take the series 2-1. Phil Jacques cracked a brilliant 114 and Cameron White a quickfire unbeaten 59 in Australia A's total of 273-7 in 50 overs in the decider. Pakistan A were shot out for 176 in 39 overs with Test batsman Bazid Khan topscoring with 95. Pakistan had won the two-match Test series 1-0 earlier this month.(Posted @ 20:24 PST)
Two UN workers wounded in Afghanistan ambush JALALABAD, Afghanistan, Sept 27 (AFP) - Two UN workers, one of them a Bangladeshi citizen, were wounded Tuesday when suspected Taliban militants ambushed their vehicle near Jalalabad , police said. Ali Noor from Bangladesh was in a critical condition.(Posted @ 20:16 PST)
About 50 killed in attack on Chadian village: govt NDJAMENA, Sept 27 (AFP) –About 50 people were killed in a village in eastern Chad during an attack on Monday by an armed group from neighbouring Sudan and subsequent clashes with Chadian forces, a government spokesman said Tuesday. "Armed and uniformed horsemen from Sudan infiltrated Chadian territory and took to massacring Chadian people and stole their livestock," he said. "The Chadian armed forces responded rapidly," he added, saying the soldiers killed eight of the attackers and captured seven.(Posted @ 20:12 PST)
Germany will have 'grand coalition' government: Schroeder STRASBOURG, Sept 27 (AFP) - German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said Tuesday he was convinced that his Social Democrats and the Christian Union alliance would form a "grand coalition" government following general elections earlier this month. Germany will soon have "a solid government in the form of a grand coalition", he said during a German WDR television program. The coalition must meet expectations of most voters, who want a continuation of reforms introduced by the outgoing Red-Green government but who are also opposed to dismantling Germany's welfare system, he added.(Posted @ 20:10 PST)
Blair says Britain must be America's 'strongest ally' BRIGHTON, England, Sept 27 (AFP) - Prime Minister Tony Blair declared Tuesday that Britain should remain the "strongest ally" of the United States, while remaining engaged with the European Union. In a keynote speech to the Labour Party conference, Blair said that Britain must "at every point, no matter how difficult ... remain strong partners in Europe".He then added: "Britain should also remain the strongest ally of the United States... I never doubted that after September 11 (2001) that our place was alongside America and I don't doubt it now."(Posted @ 20:05 PST)
PM: Aziz inaugurates two-day International Conference on ''China & Emerging Asian Century'' (ISLAMABAD, Sept. 27 PPI) Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has said China as a major power has to play a pivotal role in the emerging international situation .Inaugurating a two-day international conference on "China and the Emerging Asian Century" in Islamabad on Tuesday under the auspices of the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad and Hanns Seidel Foundation of Germany he said China has been an anchor for the Asian miracle and its economy has boomed at a very fast speed during the last two decades. China, he said, is now playing a major role in the international economy. China's rise as a political and economic power augurs well for Asia and the world at large, he added. Turning to Pak-China relations, the Prime Minister said Pakistan and China enjoy all weather friendship based on complete trust and confidence and expressed the confidence these ties would be further strengthened with the passage of time. Referring to Pakistan's role in the rising Asia, Mr. Shaukat Aziz said Pakistan is situated at the cross road of three regions that are South, Central and West Asia and the Middle East and our strategic significance impels us to promote peace and stability and our rather volatile neighbourhood. Scholars from Bangladesh, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Myanmar, Russia, South Korea and the United States are participating in the conference which would discuss Chinese relations particularly with Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and USA besides its role in WTO.(Posted @ 19:45 PST)
Pak. High Commission starts issuing Machine Readable Passport in Britain LONDON Sept 27(APP) Pakistan High Commission started issuing Machine Readable Passport(MRP) hereon Monday to British Pakistanis who were in possession of National Identity Cards for Overseas Pakistanis(NICOP) while those having old Identity Cards would get an ordinary passport for only three months. Pakistan had earlier started MRP service in Dubai, Frankfurt, and Jeddha. London has become the fourth station while there were plans to introduce MRP in New York, Los Angeleas, Oslo, Rome and New Delhi by December this year.(Posted @ 19:20 PST)
President, PM stress optimum water utilization for socio-economic development RAWALPINDI, Sep 27 (APP): President General Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz Tuesday stressed the need for optimum utilization of water at a presentation which reviewed the future water and energy requirements of the country. The presentation by the Ministry of Water and Power stressed that additional water reservoirs were essential for sustained development and it was equally important to increase hydro-electricity generation in view of rapid increase in the price of fuel oil internationally. They informed that there was a consensus among all members of the Technical Committee on Water for the creation of additional water storage facilities in the country. The President and the Prime Minister were of the view that any decision on the construction of water storage facilities would be taken keeping in view the interests of all provinces and underscored the importance of creating public awareness on importance of conservation and proper utilization of water.(Posted @ 19:08 PST)
President stress US support to efforts for Kashmir settlement RAWALPINDI, Sep 27 (APP): President General Pervez Musharraf Tuesday stressed on the need for the United States to lend its support to the efforts aimed at resolving the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, which is at the root of tension in South Asia. Receiving US National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley, the President underscored the importance of moving towards a settlement of the Kashmir dispute in the interest of durable peace and stability in the region. Hadley praised the President for this initiatives to promote peace and stability in South Asia including the Pakistan-India peace process. He appreciated Pakistan's exemplary contribution in countering terrorism and taking measures to curb extremism and lauded the support extended by Pakistan in the stabilization and reconstruction of Afghanistan.(Posted @ 18:52 PST)
SC upholds death penalty to RAW agent Surbajeet Singh ISLAMABAD, Sep 27 (APP): The Supreme Court Tuesday dismissed a review petition by Surbajeet Singh alias Manjeet Singh, an agent of India's Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) intelligence network, and upheld the death sentence awarded to him for spying and bombings. A two-member bench comprising Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar and Justice Syed Saeed Ashhad dismissed the petition after hearing detailed arguments of the counsels of the petitioner and the respondent. The court rejected the petition on merit as well as the ground that it had not been filed within the stipulated period and had thus become time barred. The convict did not submit his petition in the allowed 30-day period. The bench said: "The delay of this petition is 620 days as per rule."(Posted @ 18:48 PST)
USC announces 5 to 15 % cut in prices under PMs Ramazan package ISLAMABAD, Sept 27 (APP): The Utility Stores Corporation (USC) Tuesday announced 5 to 15 % reduction in the prices of more than 500 items under Prime Minister's Ramazan Relief Package for common man. Federal Minister for Industries and Production, Jehangir Khan Tareen told a press conference that e reduction in the prices of pulses, rice, squashes, syrup, baison, dates, pickles, milk, spices would be 10 % and in tea and vegetable ghee/cooking oil by 5 % while the USC will also continue retailing sugar and flour (atta) at the subsidized rates of Rs 23 and Rs 11.50 per kilogram, respectively.(Posted @ 18:44 PST)
Two Taliban 'commanders' captured in southern Afghanistan KABUL, Sept 27 (APP/AFP) - Two suspected Taliban commanders were captured during a swoop by Afghan and US troops in restive southeastern Afghanistan, the defense ministry said Tuesday. Mullah Abdul Bashir and Mullah Abdul Satar were arrested following a "clean-up" operation in Zabul province on Monday, it said in a statement.(Posted @ 18:34 PST)
USAID to provide $ 1.5 billion for development projects in Pakistan: Stephen PESHAWAR, Sept 27 (APP): United States is providing more than 1.5 billion dollars for development projects in social sector in Pakistan for the next five years through USAID, said US National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley. The programmes include education, health, economic growth and governance, he said Tuesday while inaugurating a boys primary school at Sur Kamar in Khyber Agency under a programme jointly financed by the governments of Japan and the United States in collaboration with the FATA Secretariat . Under the programme, a total of 130 government schools (a two-storey building) will be reconstructed with the same design in all the seven FATA agencies.(Posted @ 18:32 PST)
Israeli missiles hit Gaza; militants say truce on again GAZA, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Israel fired missiles into Gaza and detained dozens of Palestinian militants in the West Bank on Tuesday as Islamic Jihad said it and other militant groups were abiding once again by an informal ceasefire. Tuesday's air strikes destroyed two bridges and two buildings while Israeli troops rounded up 82 suspected militants in the West Bank, bringing to 379 the number arrested since Sunday.(Posted @ 18:22 PST)
Foreign hostages in Iraq Sept 27 (Reuters) - An Egyptian man was kidnapped by unidentified gunmen in Baghdad on Monday, police said. He worked for one of the mobile phone companies that has contracts in Baghdad. More than 200 foreigners and thousands of Iraqis have been kidnapped since the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003.(Posted @ 18:08 PST)
Cricket-Ganguly, Chappell told to patch up differences MUMBAI, India, Sept 27 (Reuters) - India coach Greg Chappell and captain Saurav Ganguly have been told by an Indian cricket board committee to end their damaging row and focus on the team's progress. "The committee was of the view that cricket is to go forward," cricket board president Ranbir Mahendra said after a special meeting on Tuesday to review the crisis. Both Ganguly and Chappell appeared before the six-man panel, which included ex-captains Sunil Gavaskar, Srinivas Venkatraghavan and Ravi Shastri. The committee rejected Chappell's view that Ganguly appeared to be faking injury to avoid facing fast bowling "Some of the points, particularly with regards to injury, the captain Saurav faking injury etc... after hearing the concerned people, the committee came to the conclusion that whatever has been said is far from the truth." He said any decision on Ganguly's captaincy would have to be decided by the national selectors.(Posted @ 18:04 PST)
Zarqawi’s second in command killed Baghdad, Sept 27 (Reuters) - The second-in-command of al Qaeda in Iraq, Abu Azzam, was shot and killed by U.S.-led forces in Baghdad on Sunday, the U.S. military said on Tuesday. Abu Azzam, a financier and religious aide to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, was killed while hiding out in a high-rise apartment building in the capital, the military said. At least 10 Iraqis were killed and 28 injured when a suicide bomber attacked a large crowd of people outside a police recruiting centre in the town of Baquba 65km north-east of Baghdad, police said. Police found the bodies of three Iraqis, bound and blindfolded, with gunshot wounds near the volatile town of Latifiya, just south of Baghdad. A roadside bomb on a police patrol killed an Iraqi civilian and injured two policemen in the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk, while insurgents assassinated police Major Fakhir Jalal Amin in central Kirkuk. Amin worked for the city's counter-insurgency centre. A car bomb wounded five civilians near a restaurant in central Baghdad's Nidhal street as a convoy of foreign security contractors passed, police said.(Posted @ 17:50 PST)
Bangladesh airline staff end Biman strike DHAKA, Sept 27 (Reuters) - A strike by pilots and employees of the state-run Biman Bangladesh airlines was called off on Tuesday afternoon and all flights would resume shortly, civil aviation officials said. "The deadlock is over," Civil Aviation Minister Mir Mohammad Nasiruddin told Reuters after a meeting with the strikers. "We have decided to return to work following assurances by the minister and Biman authorities to address our grievances," said Captain Syed Mahboob Helal, general secretary of the pilots' association. They gave no details. The strike was called in protest against the sacking of its president, Captain Nasimul Huq, on the grounds of poor health. Biman's 150 pilots and then over 5,000 ground staff joined the strike, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded.(Posted @ 17:38 PST)
Bollywood director drags government to court over smoking ban MUMBAI, Sept 27 (AFP) -Top Bollywood film director Mahesh Bhatt took the Indian government to court Tuesday over its decision to ban smoking on movie screens. He filed a case in the New Delhi High Court saying it curbed creativity. "This is the worst kind of censorship," Bhatt told AFP by telephone from London, where he is on a personal visit.The court Tuesday heard the petition and asked the health and information ministries to respond by September 30(Posted @ 17:20 PST)
Indian troops kill seven militants in fresh Kashmir violence SRINAGAR, Sept 27 (AFP) - Indian soldiers have martyred seven militants in three separate incidents in revolt-hit occupied Kashmir, the army said Tuesday. "Three militants were killed during a night-long fierce gunbattle in the town of Shopian," while one soldier was injured . "The area is still under cordon and a search operation is on there," it said.In another incident, three militants were killed Tuesday at Machial, northwest of Srinagar, while one more was killed in a brief encounter in Srinagar's Bemina locality early Tuesday,it said.(Posted @ 17:14 PST)
Pakistan's Inzamam commits to Super Test after rows LAHORE, Pakistan, Sept 27 (AFP) - Pakistan cricket captain Inzamam-ul Haq has finally agreed to play in next month's Super Test against Australia, reversing an earlier decision to withdraw. "I did say that I would not go but after being convinced by the chairman(Sheharyar Khan )that my participation is necessary for the better image of the country, I have decided to tour Australia," Inzamam told reporters.. The PCB said the matter had been resolved.(Posted @ 16:59 PST)
SAARC performance disappointing: Aziz ISLAMABAD Sep 27 (PPI) Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz expressed disappointment over the performance of SAARC which he blamed on the differences that exist among the member states. Addressing an international conference on 'China and the Emerging Asian Century' at the Institute of Strategic Studies here, Aziz said resolution of differences through political and diplomatic channels was necessary for the effective performance of SAARC. (Posted @ 14:55 PST)
EU bars visits by Sri Lanka Tiger rebels COLOMBO, Sept 27 (Reuters) The European Union on Tuesday barred Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels from visiting its member states and said it was considering listing the group as a terrorist organisation. In a harshly worded statement, the European Union deplored the assassination of Sri Lanka's foreign minister in August and called on the rebels to uphold a truce that halted two decades of civil war. (Posted @ 14:50 PST)
India and China end border talks with little progress BEIJING, Sept 27 (AFP) India and China ended a sixth round of border talks on Tuesday with no apparent progress in settling a dispute that has languished since a 1962 frontier conflict, officials said. "The talks have concluded, I really have nothing to share with you on the progress made," said Sanjay Verma, spokesman for the Indian Embassy in China. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang also did not give specific details about the two days of talks except for saying that, "The two sides have the sincerity to seek a solution to this issue." (Posted @ 14:50 PST)
India, Pakistan hold talks in New Delhi to finalize new bus services NEW DELHI, Sept 27 (AFP) India and Pakistan met Tuesday in New Delhi to agree on details of new bus services between three border cities, Lahore-Amritsar and Amritsar-Nankana, being launched as part of the ongoing peace process, the Indian foreign ministry said. Dilip Sinha, joint secretary at the foreign ministry, lead the India delegation while Mohammad Abbas, additional secretary in the Ministry of Communications, lead the Pakistan side. (Posted @ 13:00 PST)
Afghan interior minister says he has resigned KABUL, Sept 27 (Reuters) Afghanistan's Interior Minister Ali Ahmad Jalali said on Tuesday he had resigned. Jalali, who officials and analysts have said has been at odds with President Hamid Karzai over appointments of provincial officials, announced his resignation in an interview broadcast on Afghanistan's private Tolo television channel. (Posted @ 12:30 PST)
Two U.S. soldiers killed in Afghan attacks KABUL, Sept 27 (Reuters) A U.S. soldier and a U.S. Marine have been killed in separate attacks in southern and eastern Afghanistan, the U.S. military said on Tuesday. The soldier died after his unit came under rocket-grenade and small arms fire west of the city of Kandahar on Monday, while the marine was killed in a similar attack the same day on a forward base near the eastern town of Asadabad, a military statement said. (Posted @ 10:50 PST)
Karachi Stocks up 22.83 points: KARACHI, September 27: At close of trading, the KSE-100 index was at 8194.64, down 22.83 points from Monday's close. (Bureau Report) (Updated @ 14:20 PST)
Forex update: KARACHI, September 27: The Pakistani Rupee was traded at Rs 60.4 to the US Dollar in the open market. (Bureau Report) (Updated @ 14:20 PST)
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