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| January 21, 2006 | Saturday | Zilhaj 20, 1426 |
Updated round-the-clock, with major updates after 10:00 PST (05:00 GMT)
Musharraf hopes Bush visit will strengthen ties ISLAMABAD, Jan 21, 2006 (AFP) President Pervez Musharraf said Saturday Pakistan was looking forward to a visit by US President George Bush, with hopes it would further strengthen ties between the allies in the war on terror. Musharraf told the visiting US under secretary of state Nicholas Burns during a meeting that the visit would lead to "further broadening and deepening of the bilateral relationship." Musharraf also discussed with Burns the ongoing peace process between Pakistan and India as well as developments in Afghanistan. He also thanked the US for assistance in the aftermath of the October 8 earthquake. The official statement did not say whether a recent CIA-sponsored attack in a Pakistani tribal region bordering Afghanistan that killed 18 innocent people was discussed.(Posted @ 18:43 PST)
U.S. starts Pakistan quake reconstruction aid ISLAMABAD, Jan 21 (Reuters) The United States handed over the first tranche on Saturday of its $200 million grant to Pakistan for reconstruction in the northern region devastated by an Oct. 8 earthquake. U.S. Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns signed an agreement with Pakistani officials for the provision of the grant over four years. The $200 million grant, $15 million of which was paid over on Saturday, is part of a total $510 million pledged by Washington for relief and reconstruction in quake-hit areas. Burns said U.S. relief support had arrived in Pakistan within hours of the earthquake. "This immediate response is a reflection of the cooperative relationship that has developed between our two countries over the years and which we are committed to continuing to expand," Burns said in a statement after signing the agreement.(First Posted@19:24 PST Updated @ 21:30 PST)
Bangladesh activists hurt in pre-strike violence DHAKA, Jan 21 (Reuters) At least 25 people were injured in running battles between police and opposition activists in the Bangladesh capital on Saturday, a day before a planned nationwide strike. Witnesses said two newspaper photographers were also injured in the violence near the office of the main opposition party, the Awami League, in central Dhaka. Violence erupted as police moved in to stop hundreds of activists marching on the streets and chanting in support of Sunday's daylong strike.(Posted @ 21:20 PST)
Kuwait to examine new ailing emir's ability to rule KUWAIT, Jan 21 (Reuters) Kuwait's cabinet said on Saturday it was starting a constitutional process that could lead to the removal of the OPEC producer's new ailing emir nearly a week after he took over power. The announcement, made in a statement after an emergency session, was referring to a law that allows the cabinet to appoint a medical team to examine Emir Sheikh Saad al-Abdulla al-Sabah, 76, and present a report to parliament about his ability to rule. Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah, the late emir's brother, has been de facto ruler for the past few years and analysts say he is the most likely contender for the post of emir if Sheikh Saad steps down.(Posted @ 21:18 PST)
Rodgers riding high in Pakistan Open KARACHI, Pakistan, Jan 21, 2006 (AFP) Englishman Chris Rodgers blazed the course as he continued to lead the third round of the 200,000 dollar Pakistan Open on Saturday. The 29-year-old Londoner was in formidable form as he struck a four-under-par 68 to a three-day total of 15-under-par 201 at the Karachi Golf Club. Local hero Mohamed Munir shot a brilliant 66 as he was tied second with Welshman and European Tour veteran Mark Mouland who fired a 71, three strokes off the pace. Former Indian national champion Amandeep Johl, in search of his first Asian Tour title, was thick in the action in tied fourth after a 73.(Posted @ 19:30 PST)
Cricket-Bowling ban on Pakistan's Shabbir upheld LONDON, Jan 21 (Reuters) An independent bowling review group (BRG) has upheld Pakistan pace bowler Shabbir Ahmed's 12-month ban from international cricket after a hearing in Dubai. "We have decided the player had an illegal bowling action and the suspension of the player is to be maintained. This is the unanimous view of the BRG," said the BRG in an International Cricket Council (ICC) statement on Saturday. The BRG, which included former India pace bowler Javagal Srinath, watched video evidence from the Multan test against England in November after which Shabbir was reported again.(Posted @ 18:40 PST)
India-Pakistan 'friendship' bus collides with truck, no injuries AMRITSAR, India, Jan 21, 2006 (AFP) A bus headed to New Delhi from Lahore collided with an army truck in the Indian state of Punjab but there were no injuries, police said.The bus carrying 24 passengers was delayed for repairs for an hour some 80 kilometers from Amritsar. Police said the accident occurred in early afternoon soon after the bus crossed the northern Indian border post town of Wagah.(Posted @ 18:40 PST)
Avalanche kills nine passengers in eastern Turkey DIYARBAKIR, Turkey, Jan 21 (Reuters) An avalanche killed nine and injured 17 passengers in a coach travelling between two eastern Turkish cities Bitlis and Diyarbakir.(Posted @ 18:00 PST)
Kosovo President Rugova, icon of Albanians, dies PRISTINA, Serbia and Montenegro, Jan 21 (Reuters) Kosovo President Ibrahim Rugova, icon of the ethnic Albanian drive to win independence from Serbia, died on Saturday, a source close to his office said. Rugova, 61, was diagnosed with lung cancer in Sept. 2005 and had been undergoing treatment at his residence in Pristina. His death comes just days before the United Nations is due to launch negotiations to decide whether Kosovo's majority ethnic Albanians win the outright independence they want.(Posted @ 17:58 PST)
Turkey says stops exporting oil products to Iraq ANKARA, Jan 21 (Reuters) Turkish firms stopped selling oil products to Iraq on Saturday due to $1 billion in unpaid debt, CNN Turk channel quoted Foreign Trade Minister Kursad Tuzmen as saying. If Baghdad pays its debt, then the problem will be solved and oil flow into Iraq will resume, the minister said. Iraq imports oil products from Turkey, Iran and Kuwait but it plans to import less because of increased oil refining capacity at home.(Posted @ 17:56 PST)
Bus crash kills 21 in western India MUMBAI, Jan 21 (Reuters) An overcrowded bus plunged into a deep ditch in western India on Saturday, killing 21 people including six women, a government official said. The bus was carrying over 60 passengers when the accident occurred, near Vani town in Maharashtra state, around 650 km from India's financial hub Mumbai, the official added.(Posted @ 17:53 PST)
Cricket-Pakistan 379-4 v India on first day of 2nd test-close FAISALABAD, Jan 21 (Reuters) Pakistan scored 379 for four against India on the first day of the second test on Saturday. Score: Pakistan 379-4 in 90 overs (Younis Khan 83, Mohammad Yousuf 65, Inzamam-ul-Haq 79, Shahid Afridi 85, Rudra Pratap Singh 3-77).(Posted @ 17:44 PST)
One dead, two wounded, in Baghdad market car bomb BAGHDAD, Jan 21 (Reuters) One person was killed and two were wounded when a car bomb exploded close to a market in eastern Baghdad on Saturday, police said.(First Posted @15:38 PST Updated @ 16:08 PST)
Tennis-Martina reigns supreme to join Kim and Amelie in Open fourth round MELBOURNE, Australia, Jan 21 (AFP) Triple champion Martina Hingis stormed into the Australian Open fourth round Saturday, overcoming extreme heat to join Kim Clijsters and Amelie Mauresmo who both had easy wins. The Russians also continued coming, with 12th seed Anastasia Myskina becoming the country's fifth woman through, but the sixth seed Guillermo Coria of Argentina was knocked out by France's Sebastien Grosjean in the mens draw. (Posted @ 15:13 PST)
Nepal protesters clash with police, hundreds rounded up KATHMANDU, Jan 21, 2006 (AFP) Nepalese police on Saturday rounded up hundreds of protesters and fired tear gas during running clashes in central Kathmandu with activists demonstrating against King Gyanendra. Hundreds of protesters played cat-and-mouse with police, throwing stones and running away in and around Durbar Square in the historic centre of the Nepalese capital. Some 300 demonstrators were rounded up and taken away in police vans, according to journalists at the scene and other eyewitnesses. (Posted @ 15:10 PST)
Roadside bomb wounds five on Iraq president's staff KIRKUK, Iraq, Jan 21 (Reuters) Five members of the Iraqi president's staff were wounded when a roadside bomb struck their motorcade north of Baghdad, police said on Saturday, adding that President Jalal Talabani was not present. An official said the bomb went off as the convoy entered the town of Tuz Khurmatu, 70 km south of the northern oil city of Kirkuk late on Friday. A presidential spokesman declined comment. (Posted @ 15:04 PST)
U.S. continues to raise funds for Pakistan earthquake victims: says Hughes WASHINGTON, Jan 21 (APP)- U.S. Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs has said the United States "continues to raise funds" for Pakistan earthquake victims. In her remarks at the Asia Society, Hughes, who was representing President Bush at the gathering of U.S. corporate leaders, said: "the people of America who are concerned about the victims of the horrible earthquake in Pakistan are coming together to send money to people in Pakistan halfway across the world- people they don't know, but they are concerned. They care about them." Ms. Hughes said U.S. business leaders and government officials have been very impressed by Pakistan's plans to deliver aid quickly and help people rebuild their homes and communities. "We were also very impressed with the resilience of the [Pakistani] people and their sense of spirit," she said. (Posted @ 13:30 PST)
Afghan protesters denounce bombings, Pakistan GHAZNI, Afghanistan, Jan 21 (Reuters) - Hundreds of Afghans staged a protest on Saturday outside the provincial governor's offices to denounce a wave of suicide bomb attacks, with many of the protesters blaming neighbouring Pakistan for the violence. There have been 13 suicide blasts since November, the worst last Monday when 23 people were killed in the town of Spin Boldak, on the border with Pakistan. The government blames Al Qaeda and Taliban supporters for the violence. (Posted @ 12:50 PST)
PM woos US investors to inject money in value-addition NEW YORK, Jan 21 (APP): Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has wooed the US investors to inject their money in value-addition in the agriculture, textiles, engineering and IT sectors for healthier returns. At the Investors Conference hosted by J.P.Morgan the prime minister responding to questions after a presentation on Pakistan's Emerging Economy said Pakistan was pursuing the broadest reform agenda ever done anywhere in the world and said history would bear witness to this fact. He said country’s revolutionary reforms had started paying dividends as evident from the high growth rate that rose to 8.4 per cent. It was only made possible because of the broad range of reforms dealing with social sector, judiciary, police and political sectors in the past six years. (Posted @ 11:45 PST)
Palestinian security forces vote in legislative poll GAZA, Jan 21 (Reuters) - Palestinian security forces cast the first ballots on Saturday in the Palestinian Legislative Council election, voting early before the national poll next week, the first contested by the militant group Hamas. Security officers are voting from Saturday to Monday to free them for duty on Jan. 25, when Palestinian civilians will cast ballots in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and Arab East Jerusalem, which Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East war and which Palestinians want as capital of a future state. (Posted @ 11:30 PST)
Cheney does not believe in close ties between Iran, Al-Qaeda WASHINGTON, Jan 21, 2006 (AFP) - Vice President Dick Cheney said Friday he did not believe there were close relations between Iran and Al-Qaeda, seeming to distance himself from some earlier US administration charges. "I think you've got to remember that the Al-Qaeda organization is primarily made up of radical Sunni Islamists, of course, and the Iranian regime is Shia-dominated -- Shia. So there's not a natural fit there," Cheney said in a telephone interview with the Hugh Hewitt Show, released by the White House."That doesn't mean that there haven't been relationships over the years, but I don't believe it's close. I haven't seen any evidence of that," Cheney added (Posted @ 10:30 PST)
Iraqi insurgents launch concerted attacks on military bases BAGHDAD, Jan 21, 2006 (AFP) - Iraqi rebels launched concerted attacks on military bases in the western town of Ramadi as final general election results were being announced Friday, the US military said Saturday. "The attacks by insurgents were a combination of small arms and mortar fire," it added. There were no indications on the number of casualties in the town some 100 kilometres (60 miles) west of the capital, but the military said the fighting lasted an hour with US forces calling in aviation and firing heavy artillery. (Posted @ 10:20 PST)
Nepal rebels kill five police, wound three KATHMANDU, Jan 21, 2006 (AFP) - Suspected Maoist rebels killed five policemen and seriously wounded three when they attacked two police checkposts in mid-western Nepal, a police official said Saturday. (Posted @ 10:20 PST)
Shaukat Aziz speaks to Bill Clinton NEW YORK, Jan 20 (APP)- Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Friday spoke to former US President, Bill Clinton. He said that Clinton is helping us with various ideas for the rehabilitation of the earthquake affectees including microfinance. The former US president also plans to undertake a visit to Pakistan, he added. (Posted @ 10:10 PST)
Ex-Pentagon analyst sentenced for sharing secrets ALEXANDRIA, Va., Jan 20 (Reuters) - A former Pentagon analyst was sentenced to 12 years and seven months in prison on Friday for passing U.S. defense information to two pro-Israel lobbyists and for sharing classified information with an Israeli diplomat. Lawrence Franklin, 59, who had worked as an analyst in the office of the secretary of defence, pleaded guilty in October to sharing the information and also to illegally having classified documents at his home. (Posted @ 10:00 PST)
Pakistan prudent on Iran pipeline deal -premier UNITED NATIONS, Jan 20 (Reuters) - Pakistan will not rush into a deal for a natural gas pipeline from Iran to India via Pakistan while the United Nations has Iran's nuclear program under scrutiny, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said Friday. Aziz, at the United Nations before visiting Washington next week, said the proposed $7 billion pipeline project with Iran would help his country's economy keep growing at a fast clip while fostering better relations with India after years of brinkmanship between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. But "I think it would be fair to wait to see how these things unfold," he said when asked whether Pakistan was determined to see a pipeline deal go through, regardless of what might happen to Iran at the United Nations. "We will take any decision which we have to in our national interest," Aziz said. "Once the environment changes, naturally we will see what these regulations or resolutions are, and create or follow a strategy accordingly." The prime minister said the Iran pipeline proposal was one of three possible alternatives Pakistan had been looking at for natural gas. It is also weighing a pipeline from Qatar and one that would carry gas from Turkmenistan by way of Afghanistan. Officials from India, Pakistan and Iran would meet in the next month or so for additional talks on the plan, he said. (Posted @ 09:50 PST)
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