|
| January 28, 2006 | Saturday | Zilhaj 27, 1426 |
Updated round-the-clock, with major updates after 10:00 PST (05:00 GMT)
Pakistan teenagers wraps-up ODI series against Windies 3-1 KARACHI, Jan 28 (APP): Pakistan teenagers wrapped-up 3-1 their four match series against the visiting West Indies under-19 with a five wickets win in the fourth and final One-Day International (ODI) at UBL Sports Complex Saturday. Batting first, West Indies made substantial recovery from 52 for eight to be 113 all out in 40.3 overs. Left arm pacer Jamshed took four wickets for 24 runs in 8.3 overs. Pakistan under-19 reached the target in 25.1 overs, scoring 117 for five.(Posted @ 23:25 PST)
Roof of expo hall collapses in Poland WARSAW, Jan 28, 2006 (AFP) - The roof of an exposition hall collapsed with some 500 people believed to be inside Saturday near the southern Polish city of Katowice, firefighters and public radio said. "Around 500 people were inside," public radio Trojka reported, citing a police officer at the site where an exhibition of pigeons was taking place.(First Posted @ 22:20 PST Updated @ 22:38 PST)
Darfur rebels attack Sudan army base KHARTOUM, Jan 28 (Reuters) - Darfur rebels attacked a Sudanese military base in West Darfur state on Saturday, killing 78 soldiers, a rebel leader said, accusing Chadian insurgents of working alongside Sudan's armed forces. Khalil Abdallah, political leader of the Darfur rebel National Movement for Reform and Development (NMRD), said 17 soldiers were taken prisoner in the attack on the town of Arm Yakui, some 30 km (19 miles) northwest of West Darfur's main town el-Geneina. A Sudanese army source confirmed there was an attack on one of their bases in the area but could not give casualty figures. "We attacked the town of Arm Yakui today -- a Sudanese military base," Abdallah told Reuters. "We killed 78 soldiers and took 17 prisoners," Abdallah said, adding his group lost two men with five injured.(Posted @ 22:02 PST)
Leader of Indian technology state quits, paves way for new govt BANGALORE, India, Jan 28, 2006 (AFP) - Karnatka chief minister Dharam Singh, resigned Saturday after his coalition ally withdrew support for the government. "I have submitted my resignation," he told reporters.(Posted @ 19:40 PST)
Final round of talks for Khokhrapar-Monabo rail link on Monday ISLAMABAD, Jan 28 (APP): Islamabad and New Delhi will on Monday hold last round of talks to finalize arrangements for commencement of "Thar Express" on Khokhrapar-Monabo section. Indian Railways delegation has arrived and is expected to ink the agreement, official sources said. They said Thar Express would run once a week every Saturday. The service is expected to commence from February 4, but final date and schedule would be announced after the meeting with Indian authorities, they said.(Posted @ 19:40 PST)
Inzamam in doubt, Akhtar fit for series decider against India KARACHI, Pakistan (AP) _ Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq is hoping to recover from a back injury while fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has declared himself fit for Sunday's decisive third test against archrival India.``I still have 24 hours to get some more treatment, but I will take the final decision tomorrow morning,'' Inzamam said.``The injury has responded well to the treatment and I am trying my best not to miss the all important match,'' he added. Shoaib Akhtar, world’s fastest bowler, who has recovered from ankle injury, is likely to challenge the strong Indian batting lineup on a grassy National Stadium wicket.(Posted @ 19:38 PST)
Fatah gunmen enter Abbas' compound RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) _ Hundreds of Fatah activists, angry at their party's election defeat, entered the compound of Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday to pray at the grave of the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. The group, which included several gunmen, were allowed into the compound by guards and peacefully proceed toward Arafat's tomb in an empty lot inside. Abbas' security force formed a cordon around the activists to prevent them from approaching the nearby building that holds the Palestinian leader's office. The marchers had earlier demonstrated at the Palestinian parliament building, where several gunmen climbed on the roof and fired in the air to the cheers and whistles from hundreds of supporters below. Thousands of Fatah activists held protest marches across the West Bank on Saturday, demanding the resignation of their leaders after a stinging election defeat at the hands of Hamas. (Updated @ 18:45 PST posted @ 17:50 PST)
Iran says Moscow agrees to more countries joining plan to enrich uranium in Russia TEHRAN, Iran (AP) _ Tehran and Moscow have agreed to expand the number of countries taking part in the plan to enrich Iranian uranium in Russia, Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said on Saturday.``Increasing the number of partners in the plan was agreed,'' Mottaki told a news conference. ``The place or the places ... is under review while negotiations continue.'' He refused to elaborate on what country or countries might be included. (Posted @ 18:40 PST)
Al Jazeera airs new video of four Western hostages DUBAI, Jan 28 (Reuters) - The Iraqi captors of four Western peace activists said they were giving the U.S.-led forces a last chance to free Iraqi prisoners or they would kill the hostages, Al Jazeera television said on Saturday. The Arabic channel aired a video from the Swords of Truth group, apparently showing the two Canadians, one Briton and American man standing against a wall. The grainy footage was dated Jan. 21. (Posted @ 18:40 PST)
Gunmen kill prominent Iraqi academic in Baghdad BAGHDAD, Jan 28 (Reuters) - Gunmen shot dead a prominent Iraqi scholar and political analyst in his car in Baghdad on Saturday, police said. Abdul Razak al-Na'as, a familiar face on Al-Jazeera and Al- Arabiya Arabic satellite television channels, had just left his offices at Baghdad University's College of Information when gunmen blocked his car and opened fire,killing him instantly. The Sunni academic had often condemned the continued presence of U.S. troops in Iraq and criticised the Kurdish- andShi'ite-led government, saying it was unable to run the country. (Posted @ 18:25 PST)
Gas field, rail track, power line attacked in Balochistan QUETTA, Pakistan, Jan 28, 2006 (AFP) - Suspected tribal militants Saturday fired rockets at a major gas field, blasted a main power line and tried to blow up a rail track in the province of Baluchistan, officials said. Rockets damaged the water pumping station at Pirkoh gas field, 230 miles southeast of Quetta, local administration chief Abdul Samad Lasi told AFP. Tribesmen also bombed and damaged two main water supply lines which feed the gas field, Lasi said. Meanwhile, Quetta police Saturday defused a three-kilo (6.6-pound) bomb planted at a main railway track just an hour before two passenger trains were due to pass, police official Khalid Garamkani said. Also, suspected militants bombed a main electricity pylon near the town of Rakhni, some 400 kilometres southeast of Quetta. (Posted @ 18:20 PST)
Three more schools torched in insurgency-hit Afghanistan KABUL, Jan 28, 2006 (AFP) - Suspected militants burned down three boys schools in the latest in a series of attacks on educational institutions, officials said Saturday. The schools, all in the Nawa area of insurgency-hit Helmand province, were torched late Friday, said spokesman Moheedin Khan. The fire totally destroyed the schools but there were no casualties, he said adding that one of the schools was a group of tents. There have been at least 10 attacks on schools and education officials in Afghanistan in the past two months. (Posted @ 18:10 PST)
Britain says diplomacy, not force, only way forward on Iran DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan 28, 2006 (AFP) - Britain struck a conciliatory tone Saturday ahead of crunch talks next weeks on Iran's nuclear programme, saying diplomacy was the only way to solve the dispute and military action was not on the cards. Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said Iranian negotiators appeared willing to resume talks with Western powers, and urged that any eventual deal must allow Tehran to "preserve a sense of national dignity." His remarks at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, seemed to signal a softening by the European Union and United States, which have called for the nuclear dossier to be referred to the UN Security Council. (Posted @ 18:00 PST)
13 die as new violence flares in revolt-hit Nepal KATHMANDU, Jan 28, 2006 (AFP) - Eleven Maoist rebels and two soldiers have been killed in a battle in Hatuwagadhi area in Bhojpur, 162 miles east of Kathmandu, the army said Saturday. The clash, which began late Friday, lasted until 2:00 am local time Saturday, an official said. (Posted @ 17:55 PST)
Pakistani Islamists arrested for vowing to disrupt mixed marathon LAHORE, Pakistan, Jan 28, 2006 (AFP) - Police said Saturday they had arrested more than 100 opposition Mutehda Majlis-i-Amal activists after they threatened to block a mixed-sex marathon in Lahore on Sunday. "More than 100 MMA workers and activists including students have been arrested by Lahore police for attacking and injuring policemen," police spokesman Nayab Haider Naqvi said. MMA's Lahore chief Amirul Azeem claimed more than 1,000 workers had been arrested from Lahore and different cities of Punjab province. He claimed that on Friday police had stopped the MMA supporters from holding a "peaceful" protest and had arrested more than 200 activists from outside a Lahore mosque. Police had also surrounded the Lahore headquarters of Pakistan's largest religious party, Jamaat-i-Islami, to restrict the movement of its workers and leaders, he said. MMA spokesman Liaquat Baloch demanded immediate release of all the detained workers and vowed their protest would continue. Meanwhile, the government said it would not bar women from taking part in the race. " The government has deputised more than 5,000 policemen to protect participants of the race," Lahore Mayor Aamir Mehmood said. Punjab chief minister Pervez Illahi said the government would deal with those who stood in the way of the mixed marathon with "iron hands." (Posted @ 17:45 PST)
US to review aid to Palestinians after Hamas win WASHINGTON, Jan 27, 2006 (AFP) - The United States will review all aid to Palestinians after the Hamas victory in the Palestinian legislative elections, the State Department said Friday. (Posted @ 16:20 PST)
Ten killed, four hurt in Pakistan road accident PESHAWAR, Pakistan, Jan 28, 2006 (AFP) - Ten people were killed and four injured critically Saturday when their vehicle collided head-on with a truck in near the town of Kohat, police said. (Posted @ 16:10 PST)
Hamas vows to be effective reformist, political force AMASCUS, Jan 28, 2006 (AFP) - Hamas will prove as effective in politics and reform as in fighting Israel, its Syrian-based supremo pledged on Saturday, following its landslide electoral win. "Those who are counting on our defeat are wrong. We have succeeded in the resistance and we will succeed in politics, reforms and change," Khaled Meshaal told reporters. (Posted @ 16:00 PST)
President returns after paying visit to Norway Switzerland ISLAMABAD, Jan 28 (APP): President General Pervez Musharraf returned home at the conclusion of his six-day visit to Norway and Switzerland during which he held talks on bilateral ties and participated in the World Economic Forum. (Posted @ 15:50 PST)
U.S. efforts to assist quake victims WASHINGTON, Jan 28 (APP)- The U.S. Senate passed a resolution Friday commending U.S. relief efforts in response to the earthquake in South Asia and pledged further support. Adopted unanimously, it urged commitment by the United States and the international community to support long-term relief and reconstruction efforts in the affected areas. The resolution was sponsored by Barbara A. Mikulski, a Democratic Party Senator from Maryland, while its co-sponsors included Senator Richard Lugar, Republican from Indiana; Senator Joseph Biden,Democratic Party from Delaware; and Paul S. Sarbanes of Democratic Party from Maryland. (Posted @ 15:45 PST)
Surface to Air missile "Akash" testfired from ITR NEW DELHI, Jan 28 (APP): The surface-to-air missile ''Akash'' was Saturday testfired successfully from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur on sea, around 15 km from Balasore (Orissa).The indigenously-built multi-target, medium-range missile, having a range of 25 km, is one of the five missiles currently under development. The 650 kg missile has the capacity to carry a 50 kg payload and uses integrated two-stage ramjet propulsion technology. Prior to the testfiring of the missile, Pilotless Target Aircraft was test flown from the Integrated Test Range and the object dropped from the unmanned vehicle was targeted by the Akash missile. (Posted @ 15:35 PST)
National quality policy, plan worth Rs 10 bln approved KARACHI, Jan 28 (APP)- A national quality policy and plan to provide quality goods and services both in the national as well as the international market has been approved with a financial allocation of Rs. 10 billion over a period of five years, Federal Minister for Science and Technology, Choudhry Nouraiz Shakoor Khan, said Saturday at the conference on productivity for national competitiveness and launching of the Pakistan National Quality Award. He said that out of Rs. 10 billion, Rs. six billion would be earmarked for strengthening laboratory infrastructure. Two state of the art labs would also be established - one in Karachi and the other in the Punjab. These labswould come on ground by the end of this year. (Posted @ 15:30 PST)
National quality policy, plan worth Rs 10 bln approved KARACHI, Jan 28 (APP)- A national quality policy and plan to provide quality goods and services both in the national as well as the international market has been approved with a financial allocation of Rs. 10 billion over a period of five years, Federal Minister for Science and Technology, Choudhry Nouraiz Shakoor Khan, said Saturday at the conference on productivity for national competitiveness and launching of the Pakistan National Quality Award. He said that out of Rs. 10 billion, Rs. six billion would be earmarked for strengthening laboratory infrastructure. Two state of the art labs would also be established - one in Karachi and the other in the Punjab. These labswould come on ground by the end of this year. (Posted @ 15:30 PST)
Musharraf urges developed world to help in science and technology fields GENEVA, Jan 28 (APP): President General Pervez Musharraf has urged the developed world to enhance its cooperation with developing countries in the fields of science and technology so that millions of people lagging behind may also realize their goals of rapid socio-economic progress. He stated this during a visit to the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) and stressed that knowledge should not be confined to the developed world. He also announced an allocation of five million Swiss francs for collaboration between CERN and Pakistan over next three years. These funds would be available to the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission for coordinating the collaboration of CERN with different scientific and academic institutions in Pakistan. (Posted @ 14:10 PST)
Bomb hits coalition force in Afghanistan, wounds three policemen KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, Jan 28, 2006 (AFP) A bomb has struck a convoy of Afghan, Romanian and Canadian forces in insurgency-hit southern Afghanistan, wounding three Afghan policemen, police said Saturday. A purported Taliban spokesman claimed responsibility for the attack. The convoy was returning Friday from a humanitarian mission in southern Kandahar province when the roadside bomb hit, a police official said. (Posted @ 12:00 PST)
Five rebels killed while making bombs in Nepal KATMANDU, Nepal (AP) At least five communist rebels were killed while they were making bombs in southern Nepal, officials said on Saturday. The bombs exploded Thursday night at a house in Shivnagar, about 300 kilometers southwest of Katmandu, said a Defense Ministry.(Posted @ 11:05 PST)
Charges added in U.S.-Pakistani California case SAN FRANCISCO, Jan 27 (Reuters) The U.S. government has added new terrorism-related charges against a Pakistani-American father and son in a move that could add eight years to their prison sentences if convicted, officials said on Friday. Updating an indictment filed last year, prosecutors accused the son, Hamid Hayat, of attending a terrorist training camp in Pakistan in 2003 and 2004. The new indictment adds a third charge of making a false statement to U.S. investigators during questioning on June 4, 2005. Hayat now faces a maximum penalty of 39 years. Hayat's lawyer said "it's all pretty ridiculous; if they can't prove the first one that he didn't go to a camp, then they obviously can't prove the second two." The updated indictment, filed in federal court on Thursday evening, also added a second charge of making a false statement against Hayat's father Umer, an ice cream vendor. The father now faces up to 16 years if convicted. Both men are scheduled to go to trial in Sacramento on Feb 14.(Posted @ 11:00 PST)
US cautions citizens to defer non-essential travel to Pakistan WASHINGTON, Jan 27, 2006 (AFP) United States cautioned citizens Friday to defer non-essential travel to Pakistan amid concerns over "terrorist" activity. Updating a March 2005 travel advisory, the State Department said Al-Qaeda and Taliban militants, particularly along the porous Afghan border region, and other indigenous sectarian and militant groups in Pakistan posed "potential danger" to US citizens. It cited the bombing of McDonalds and Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants in Karachi in September last year, which resulted in multiple injuries. The US embassy in Islamabad and consulates in Karachi, Lahore, and Peshawar continue to operate at reduced staffing levels.(Posted @ 10:45 PST)
Tennis-Mauresmo wins Australian Open after Henin retires MELBOURNE, Jan 28 (Reuters) Third seed Amelie Mauresmo won her first grand slam title when former champion Justine Henin-Hardenne retired from the Australian Open women's singles final because of injury on Saturday. Amelie Mauresmo (France) beat Justine Henin-Hardenne (Belgium) 6-1, 2-0, third set retired hurt. (Posted @ 09:55 PST)
Six killed in clash in Occupied Kashmir JAMMU, Occupied Kashmir, Jan 28, 2006 (AFP) Four freedom fighters and two soldiers were killed in the Salotri area of Poonch district, 240 kilometres from Jammu when an Indian army patrol allegedly foiled an infiltration attempt, an army spokesman said Saturday. "The encounter is still going on," he added. (Posted @ 09:43 PST)
Founder: Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah
Editor: Tahir Mirza
The DAWN Group of Newspapers
Haroon House, Dr. Ziauddin Ahmed Road, Karachi 74200, Pakistan.
Phone:+92 (21) 111-444-777 Fax: +92 (21) 569-3995
webmaster@dawn.com
Make sure to reload these pages so you're viewing the current version.
|
|
|
Contributions |