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| November 24, 2005 | Thursday | Shawwal 21, 1426 |
Updated round-the-clock, with major updates after 10:00 PST (05:00 GMT)
Cricket-Second test match between Pakistan and England ends in draw FAISALABAD, Pakistan, Nov 24 (Reuters) The second test between England and Pakistan ended in a draw on Thursday. England, set a target of 285 to win, were 164-6 in 48 overs when bad light ended play 16 overs short. Pakistan lead the three match series 1-0. Inzamam was named man of the match after hitting two centuries in the same test for the first time in his career. Scores: Pakistan 462 (Inzamam-ul-Haq 109, Shahid Afridi 92, Mohammad Yousuf 78; Steve Harmison 3-85) and 268 for nine declared (Inzamam-ul-Haq 100 not out, Salman Butt 50; Andrew Flintoff 3-66, Hoggard 3-50) England 446 (Ian Bell 115, Kevin Pietersen 100, Geraint Jones 55; Shahid Afridi 4-95) and 164-6 (Andrew Flintoff 56, Kevin Pietersen 42, Geraint Jones 30 not out; Shoaib Akhtar 3-61, Rana Naved 3-30)(First Posted@ 17:10 PST Updated@ 20:35 PST)
Cricket-Inzamam sets new record for most centuries by Pakistan FAISALABAD, Nov 24 (Reuters) Inzamam-ul-Haq on Thursday scored his 24th test hundred on the final day of the second test against England to set a new record for most test centuries by a Pakistani batsman. He has now scored 7,955 runs in 104 tests and has also got 10,971 runs in 347 one-dayers. Inzamam's scores of 109 and 100 not out in the test is also only the second instance of a Pakistani scoring two centuries in the same match against England and the fifth time overall by a Pakistani batsman. Hanif Mohammad in 1961/62 scored 111 and 104 against England at Dhaka.(Posted @ 14:40 PST)
IAEA puts off referring Iran to Security Council - official VIENNA, Nov 24 (AFP) - The UN nuclear watchdog has postponed referring Iran to the UN Security Council, according to an official statement summarizing a meeting in Vienna on Thursday and obtained by AFP.(Posted @ 23:00 PST)
Pakistan probes threat to hotels in China, Hong Kong ISLAMABAD, Nov 24 (Reuters) Pakistani security forces were investigating an anonymous threat of attacks on hotels in Hong Kong and mainland China in response to a request by the Chinese authorities, intelligence sources said on Thursday. The threat was made in a letter bearing the name Ali Rizvi that was faxed to the Chinese consulate in Karachi just over three weeks ago, according to the sources. The U.S. embassy in Beijing subsequently issued a warning to citizens frequenting four or five star hotels in China, advising them to be vigilant. "The letter mentioned possible attacks in Hong Kong and not in Pakistan. But there is no evidence it was a genuine threat," said Tasnim Aslam, foreign ministry spokeswoman. But Pakistani investigators suspect a connection with a small, militant separatist group called East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) based in China's western Xinjiang province, a senior intelligence officer said. "They are only a few individuals who are trying to create panic and we will get hold of those active in Karachi very soon," the source added.(Posted @ 20:56 PST)
EU committee approves telecoms data storage rule BRUSSELS, Nov 24 (Reuters) European Union lawmakers have agreed to store details of all EU-wide phone calls and Internet use, but the steps do not go as far as some member states had wanted in the battle against terrorism and other serious crime. The European Parliament's civil liberties committee voted by 33 to eight in favour of the new rules, whereby details on telephone calls and Internet use , but not their content, would be kept for six to 12 months. Telecoms firms typically store data for three months for billing purposes, but some member states want it kept for up to 24 months.(Posted @ 20:52 PST)
Car bomber kills 34 outside hospital near Baghdad MAHMOUDIYA, Iraq, Nov 24 (Reuters) A suicide car bomber attacked a hospital south of Baghdad on Thursday, killing 34 people and wounding dozens more as militants stepped up their campaign of violence ahead of elections next month. The explosives-packed car detonated as Iraqi security forces were gathered outside Mahmoudiya General Hospital and as U.S. civil affairs soldiers were visiting the facility to look at ways to improve it, the U.S. army and witnesses said. Four U.S. troops were wounded in the blast, but most of those killed and injured were civilians.(Posted @ 20:48 PST)
Suicide car bomb kills 14 in Iraqi city of Hilla BAGHDAD, Nov 24 (Reuters) A suicide car bomber attacked a crowded market in Hilla, south of Baghdad, on Thursday killing at least 14 people and wounding 23 others, police said. In February, a similar attack killed 125 people in post-war Iraq's worst single blast.(Posted @ 20:44 PST)
Cricket-Pakistan pacer Mohammad Asif called up for third test FAISALABAD, Nov 24 (Reuters) Pakistan have called up young pace bowler Mohammad Asif for next week's third test against England starting in Lahore. Pakistan go into the third test without pace bowler Shabbir Ahmed after he was reported for a suspect action and all rounder Shahid Afridi, who picked up a one-match ban for scuffing the pitch in the second test. A Pakistan cricket Board official said Asif would be the only addition to the squad. Pakistan squad: Inzamam-ul-Haq, Salman Butt, Shoaib Malik, Younis Khan, Mohammad Yousuf, Asim Kamal, Hasan Raza, Kamran Akmal, Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Sami, Mohammad Asif, Rana Naved, Danish Kaneria, Arshad Khan, Mushtaq Ahmed.(Posted @ 20:40 PST)
President Musharraf, Indonesian leader Yudohoyono hold talks ISLAMABAD, Nov.24 (APP): Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono held talks with President General Pervez Musharraf on Thursday which focused on invigorating bilateral economic relations. At the outset of the meeting, Yudhoyono offered his nation's condolences over the heavy loss of lives in the October 8 tragedy, saying the people and the government of Indonesia stand with Pakistan in this hour of trial. The two leaders then discussed enhancing bilateral relationship through increased economic cooperation and exchanged views on a host of regional and international issues including counter-terrorism and the need to address root-causes of the menace. Musharraf also briefed his Indonesia counterpart on Pakistan's efforts for establishment of durable peace in South Asia. The two leaders also discussed efforts aimed at reforming the Organization of Islamic Conference and making it a vibrant voice of the Muslim world.(Posted @ 20:26 PST)
Issues of self-governance, demilitarization in Kashmir discussed with India: FO ISLAMABAD, Nov 24 (APP): Foreign Office Spokesperson Tasnim Aslam said that issues of self-governance and demilitarization in Kashmir were discussed with India but no decision has so far been reached in this regard. In an interview with BBC Radio the spokesperson said "I am surprised on the Indian statement that nothing has been discussed because both the ideas - demilitarization and self -governance were discussed.” She added that "we would like India to respond positively to this so that we may be able to go ahead with talks on Kashmir dispute", she said.(Posted @ 20:15 PST)
India says no let-up in infiltration from Pakistan NEW DELHI, Nov 24 (AFP) India said Thursday there had been no let-up in the number of militants sneaking into Occupied Kashmir despite pledges by Islamabad to seek to halt the flow. The infiltration level this year "is almost the same as last year," a junior foreign minister E. Ahmed said but gave no figures. He added in a written parliamentary statement the government had told Pakistan it had taken no effective action to permanently dismantle "the infrastructure of support to terrorism," the Press Trust of India reported.(Posted @ 18:55 PST)
80-kilometer slick flows into China's Harbin city HARBIN, China, Nov 24 (AFP) An 80-kilometer-long slick of highly toxic benzene flowed along the icy Songhua river into one of China's biggest cities Thursday, contaminating water supplies for up to four million people. The carcinogenic chemical reached the outskirts of Harbin, capital of the northeastern province of Heilongjiang, on Thursday morning, after the city prepared for the potential disaster by closing down the water supplies. Schools were also closed, while dozens of wells were dug, millions of bottles of water stockpiled and hospitals put on alert for a potential influx of contaminated patients.(Posted @ 17:32 PST)
India holds war games at island base hit by tsunami NEW DELHI, Nov 24 (AFP) India was set Thursday to wrap up a week-long war games held amid secrecy at a strategic island military base in the Indian Ocean that was flattened by last year's tsunami, officials said. The exercises at Car Nicobar island, which is off-limits to civilians, involved a battalion-sized (1,000 men) combat force ferried by warships across the 900 kilometres from mainland India, they said. "This is a week-long exercise to check the operational status of our base in Car Nicobar," a senior officer with the Integrated Services Command said from Port Blair.(Posted @ 17:28 PST)
Jordan's government quits, monarch appoints new PM AMMAN, Nov 24 (Reuters) Jordan's King Abdullah on Thursday asked national security head Marouf Bakheet to form a new cabinet after the government resigned, a government source said It said the monarch officially accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Adnan Badran, 69, a U.S.-educated academic appointed last April, and asked Bakheet to take over the post and form a new team.(Posted @ 17:24 PST)
Bangladesh warns foreign missions about possible attacks DHAKA, Nov 24 (Reuters) Bangladesh has warned foreign missions about the threat of possible attacks by extremist militants who have been blamed for a spate of deadly attacks this year, officials said on Thursday. The warning came as police seized explosives and bomb-making materials, as well as automatic weapons in raids on five hideouts in northwest and south-eastern Bangladesh, a security official said. Two people were detained during the raids, taking to 10 the number of suspected militants captured over the past two days.(Posted @ 15:55 PST)
World opposed to Iran making nuclear fuel: EU draft VIENNA, Nov 24 (Reuters) The U.N. nuclear watchdog's governing board has reached a "broad consensus" that Iran should not be allowed to pursue nuclear enrichment, which would enable it to develop atom bombs, an EU diplomat said on Thursday. A draft statement outlining this position was submitted by the European Union's three biggest powers, France, Britain and Germany, to the chairman of the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) board as it began a two day meeting.(Posted @ 15:50 PST)
India appoints Consul General for Karachi consulate New Delhi, Nov. 24 (PPI): Navdeep Suri, presently joint secretary (Africa) in the ministry of external affairs, was appointed India's consul-general for its Karachi consulate, The Hindustan Times reported Thursday. India and Pakistan decided to reopen their consulates in Karachi and Mumbai following a steady improvement in bilateral ties over the past two years. Former external affairs minister Natwar Singh had inaugurated the renovated Indian consulate building in his last October visit to Karachi. The consulates were scheduled to open on January 01, 2006.(Posted @ 15:45 PST)
Sea phase of Naval Sino-Pakistan 2005 exercise begins KARACHI, Nov 24 (APP) The sea phase of Naval Sino-Pakistan 2005 exercise commenced in the Arabia Sea on Thursday, a press release of Inter Services Public Relations (Navy) issued here said. It said that the surface ships along with the helicopters were pitched and tested in the wartime scenario including the rehearsal to collective response to large scale disasters like Tsunami. The joint exercise included search and rescue from helicopters, advanced manoeuvres and cross deck transfers, the statement added.(Posted @ 15:35 PST)
PM leaves to attend Commonwealth moot ISLAMABAD, Nov 23 (APP): Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz left here Thursday to represent Pakistan at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Malta from 25-27 November.(Posted @ 15:30 PST)
China says contaminated water to reach Russian border in 14 days BEIJING, Nov 24 (AFP) China said Thursday the toxic benzene slick flowing down the Songhua River would likely reach its border with Russia in two weeks. "It will be about 14 days before the polluted current flows into the Heilong River," an official from the State Environmental Protection Administration's deputy director, told reporters. Russian authorities have already expressed concerns over the benzene slick, saying a total of 1.5 million residents in and around Khabarovsk may have their water supplies contaminated. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said Thursday it was setting up a hotline for quick contact between officials from both countries on the issue, adding China had already twice briefed its neighbour.(Posted @ 15:25 PST)
India's parliament erupts in chaos over Iraq oil-for-food scandal NEW DELHI, Nov 24 (AFP) India's parliament erupted in chaos Thursday as the opposition attacked the ruling coalition over alleged links between a federal minister and Iraq's oil-for-food scandal. Members of the opposition and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's Congress-led coalition traded charges over the naming of former foreign minister Natwar Singh and Congress as beneficiaries in a UN report on the oil-for-food scam. "The house can function only if (Congress party president) Sonia Gandhi and Natwar Singh resign. It cannot run until then," said Vijay Kumar Malhotra, a leader of the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The uproar on the second day of parliament's new winter session forced an adjournment of both houses.(Posted @ 15:25 PST)
Senior West Bank militant surrenders after siege JENIN, West Bank, Nov 24 (Reuters)A Palestinian militant leader in the West Bank surrendered on Thursday to Israeli troops who mounted a day-long siege of his hideout, the Israeli army said. Iyad Abu el-Rob, the Palestinian militant group's chief in the Jenin area, gave himself up along with an aide after the soldiers fired rockets at a five-storey building where the two men were hiding and began demolishing part of the structure. During the course of the Jenin raid on Wednesday, Israeli troops killed one Palestinian and wounded 12 while quelling stone-throwing protests, Palestinian security sources added.(Posted @ 15:07 PST)
India's lawless Bihar gets new chief PATNA, India, Nov 24 (AFP) The new chief minister of India's eastern state of Bihar, Nitish Kumar, was sworn in Thursday, spurring hopes of a new era for the crime-ridden impoverished region. Tens of thousands of cheering supporters thronged the swearing-in ceremony of the 54-year-old engineer-turned-politician as he was sworn in as chief minister by state governor Buta Singh. Kumar led an alliance of the right-leaning regional Janata Dal-United party and Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to end regional strongman Laloo Prasad Yadav's 15-year rule over Bihar.(Posted @ 15:05 PST)
Two killed by car bomb outside Afghanistan drugs summit JALALABAD, Afghanistan, Nov 24 (AFP) A car bomb exploded outside the venue of an anti-drugs conference in eastern Nangarhar province's Khogiani district Thursday, killing two people including a policeman and wounding two others, a district official said. Police later arrested three suspects. Meanwhile the government and the UN drugs office on Thursday released the first nationwide survey of drug use in Afghanistan, the world's top opium producer, showing nearly one million people took drugs, mostly hashish. The survey this year also found that 170,000 adults, or 1.4 percent of the adult population, took often-addictive opium and heroin, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said.(Posted @ 14:52 PST)
Charity workers arrested for selling babies in central China BEIJING, Nov 24 (AFP) - Chinese police arrested 27 people, mostly charity workers, for buying and selling babies through state-run orphanages in the central province of Hunan, state media reported Thursday. China's "one child" birth control policy and the country's long tradition of favouring boys are seen as catalysts for the trafficking of children. Last year, 3,500 children were rescued from their captors in 1,975 cases, according to earlier state media reports.(Posted @ 11:30 PST)
Pakistani man convicted of aiding al Qaeda in NY NEW YORK, Nov 23 (Reuters) - Federal jurors on Wednesday convicted a 25-year-old Pakistani of supporting an al Qaeda plot to attack the United States, despite the man's claim that he falsely confessed under the pressure of three days of interrogation by the FBI. Uzair Paracha was convicted of all five counts he faced, including conspiracy and providing material support to al Qaeda, identification fraud and receiving funds for the benefit of al Qaeda. All five counts carry a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. A sentencing date was not set.(Posted @ 10:25 PST)
Opposition strike grips Bangladesh; no violence DHAKA, Nov 24 (Reuters) - Police patrolled streets and paramilitary troops guarded key buildings in Dhaka on Thursday as an opposition-led general strike disrupted transport and business in Bangladesh.Police said traffic in Dhaka was thin because many people left the city before the strike took hold to enjoy an extended weekend. There were no reports of violence. (Posted @ 10:15 PST)
Australian team to play West Indies in third Test ADELAIDE, Australia, Nov 24 (AFP) - The Australian team to play the West Indies in the third and final cricket Test at the Adelaide Oval starting here on Friday is :Justin Langer, Matthew Hayden, Ricky Ponting (captain), Brad Hodge, Mike Hussey, Andrew Symonds, Adam Gilchrist, Shane Warne, Brett Lee, Stuart MacGill, Glenn McGrath. Nathan Bracken (12th man).(Posted @ 09:35 PST)
Three Russian soldiers, policeman killed in Chechnya fighting VLADIKAVKAZ, Russia, Nov 24 (APP/AFP) - Three Russian soldiers and a policeman were killed in fighting in Chechnya, a source in the local government told AFP Wednesday. Two soldiers died and three were wounded during attacks by insurgents on military posts, while another died near the mountain village of Itum-Kale in a landmine explosion, the official, who requested anonymity, said by telephone from Grozny. On Tuesday a policeman was killed in Grozny and two others died when their patrol came under fire. A fourth soldier died in the eastern hill district of Nozhai-Yurt in an accidental explosion.(Posted @ 09:20 PST)
Re-modelling of Taunsa Barrage project contract awarded LAHORE, Nov 24 (APP): The contract of rehabilitation and re-modelling of Taunsa Barrage has been awarded to two foreign companies and agreements in this regard have also been signed with the companies by Punjab Irrigation Minister during his visit to Japan. According to a handout, the contract for provision of Bulk Head Gates, changing of seven doors, repair of 22 doors, change of deck, structuring of 65 gates and electricity work has been awarded to Consortium of Remoto limited and Tasi Corporation for 3776 million Yen. Another contract of 645 million Yen for Gate Guides and training has been given to Moribini Corporation. Both companies will complete their work within two years.(Posted @ 09:20 PST)
Japan agrees to waive US$6.1 billion in loans to Iraq TOKYO Nov 24 (APP/AP) _ Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso and his Iraqi counterpart Hoshyar Zebari signed an agreement Thursday to waive about US$6.1 billion in Japan's loans to Iraq, a news report said. This represents about 80 percent of the US$7.6 billion owed Iraq to Japan, Kyodo News agency reported.(Posted @ 09:10 PST)
Five-year-old Malaysian girl survives fall from 12th floor: report KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 24 (APP/AFP) - A five-year-old Malaysian girl miraculously survived after falling from her home on the 12th floor of an apartment building in Malaysia's northern Penang state, local media said Thursday. V. Sneeha sustained injuries to her left hand and suffered a broken right leg but landed conscious after the fall, which was broken by awnings and a tree. (Posted @ 08:50 PST)
Karachi Stocks up 56.48 points: KARACHI, Nov 24: At the close of trading the KSE-100 index was at 9072.82 , up 56.48 points from Wednesday's close. (Bureau Report) (Updated @ 14:50 PST)
Forex update: KARACHI, Nov 24: The Pakistani Rupee was traded at Rs 60.15 to the US Dollar in the open market. (Bureau Report) (Updated @ 14:50 PST)
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