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| April 9, 2006 | Sunday | Rabi-ul-Awwal 10, 1427 |
Updated round-the-clock, with major updates after 10:00 PST (05:00 GMT)
Stampede at Pakistan religious gathering kills 29 KARACHI, April 9 (Reuters) - At least 29 women and children were killed in a stampede after a religious gathering in Karachi on Sunday, witnesses said. Around 20,000 women had gathered with their children in Faizan-e-Madina mosque in the eastern district of the sprawling city to mark the birthday of the Holy Prophet, which falls on Tuesday. Local police official Zahid Hussain said the stampede occurred after a girl coming out of the mosque fell down. Witnesses said the child cried out, sparking panic among the women who tried to force their way out of the mosque. "All of a sudden there had been screams and shouts. Everyone ran for safety and we too," Haleema Bibi, one of the participants told Reuters. "We were just shouting. We did not know what has happened." "Women fell on each other as panic spread. It was an absolute mayhem. Nobody knew what has happened," another woman said.(First Posted @ 18:26 PST Updated @ 20:40 PST)
Bush and Cheney should publicly explain their role in CIA leak case: Republican lawmaker WASHINGTON (AP) _ President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney should speak publicly about their involvement in the CIA leak case so Americans can understand what happened, a leading Republican lawmaker said Sunday. ``We ought to get to the bottom of it so it can be evaluated by the American people,'' said Sen. Arlen Specter, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. In a federal court filing last week, the prosecutor in the case said Cheney's former chief of staff, I. Lewis Libby, testified before a grand jury that he was authorized by Bush, through Cheney, to leak information from a classified document that detailed intelligence agencies' conclusions about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.(Posted @ 23:46 PST)
Socialist-led Hungarian coalition headed for reelection BUDAPEST, April 9, 2006 (AFP) - Socialist Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany's leftist coalition was headed for an unprecedented reelection in the country's first parliamentary vote since joining the European Union, according to two exit poll projections after the first round voting on Sunday.(Posted @ 23:26 PST)
Indian bank workers call off strike after pension hike NEW DELHI, April 9, 2006 (AFP) - Employees of the State Bank of India called off a week-long strike Sunday after the government agreed to hike their pensions, Finance Minister P. Chidamabaram said. "We have reached an agreement with unions representing the workers," Chidambaram told a news conference. More than 200,000 employees of the government-owned bank -- the country's largest -- had been on strike since Monday demanding a hike in pensions, which have remained at 4,250 rupees (96 dollars) a month for more than a decade.(Posted @ 23:10 PST)
Security forces fire at protesters in Nepal town, 1 dead KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) _ Security forces fired at anti-monarchy protesters in a town in eastern Nepal Sunday, and at least one man was killed, an official said. The death is the third in the ongoing pro-democracy demonstrations across Nepal. The newest casualty occurred in Banepa, 32 kilometers (20 miles) east of the national capital Kathmandu, where a large crowd of protesters was shouting slogans and hurling stones at security forces, a local official said.(First Posted @ 09:10 PST Updated @ 21:20 PST)
NKorea says it won't return to nuclear talks unless U.S. lifts sanctions TOKYO (AP) _ North Korea said Sunday it won't return to six-way talks on its nuclear weapons program unless the United States lifts its sanctions on North Korean companies. ``Is there anything to do if the United States doesn't change its position?'' Song Il-hyuck, a member of North Korean delegation told The Associated Press.(Posted @ 21:12 PST)
Militant group threatens to kill two German hostages CAIRO, Egypt (AP) _ An Iraqi militant group threatened to kill two German engineers held hostage since January unless prisoners held by U.S. forces are freed. The two Germans were shown in a video posted to the Internet on Sunday pleading for help. The Germans were shown in front of a black banner emblazoned with the name of the militant group, the Brigade of Supporters of the Sunna and Tawhid, and one of them _ Thomas Nitzschke _ spoke for about 10 seconds. ``We've been held here as prisoners for more than 60 days now. We're at the end of our nerves. Please help us. We can't take it any more, please help us,'' he said in German, speaking quickly, his eyes darting nervously but avoiding looking up toward the camera.(Posted @ 21:08 PST)
First lady inaugurates exhibition of handicrafts ISLAMABAD,April 09 (PPI)First Lady Begum Sehba Musharraf inaugurated an exhibition of handicrafts, organized by Pakistan Navy Women Association here Sunday aimed at raising funds for the earthquake victims. Begum Musharraf visited the stalls where artistically designed handicrafts were put on display. She evinced keen interest in the crafts and lauded the efforts of the Association in supporting the quake-affected people of Azad Kashmir and NWFP.(Posted @ 19:04 PST)
Davis Cup results: India 3 Pakistan 2 MUMBAI, April 9, 2006 (AFP) - Results from the Asia-Oceania Group One Davis Cup play-off tie between India and Pakistan at the Brabourne stadium here on Sunday: Reverse singles: Aisam Qureshi (PAK) bt Prakash Amritraj (IND) 6-2, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 Leander Paes (IND) bt Aqeel Khan (PAK) 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) 3-6, 0-6, 6-1 Saturday's doubles Leander Paes/Mahesh Bhupathi (IND) bt Asim Shafik/Jalil Khan (PAK) 6-2, 6-3, 6-1 Friday's singles: Aisam Qureshi (PAK) bt Rohan Bopanna (IND) 7-6 (7/5), 6-4, 6-4 Prakash Amritraj (IND) bt Aqeel Khan (PAK) 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7/1), 6-4(Posted @ 19:00 PST)
Shaukat says Pakistan wants to live in peace with its neighbours MADRID, April 09 (PPI)Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has said that the Overseas Pakistanis are instrumental in raising profile of the country abroad and contributing significantly in betterment of the economy with their remittances. He was addressing members of Pakistani community in Madrid. The Prime Minister informed the Pakistani community about internal and external policies of the government and responded to their questions.(Posted @ 18:15 PST)
Shaukat returns after six day visit to USA,Spain ISLAMABAD,April 09 (PPI) Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has returned home after six day visit to New York and Spain. The prime objective of the visit was to attend the meetings of the high level UN Panel for System-wide coherence assigned with the task of preparing the recommendations in the three key areas of operational activities of the world body.(Posted @ 18:08 PST)
Iraqi police arrest 30 security employees believed to be plotting attacks BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) _ Iraqi police arrested 30 employees of a security company they said were planning to carry out attacks on civilians, the Interior Ministry said. The company is based in a central Baghdad complex containing the Hamra Hotel which houses several foreigners including journalists from U.S. and British media outlets. The ministry launched the arrests ``based on reliable intelligence,'' a statement released Saturday said.(Posted @ 18:05 PST)
Pakistan not to allow miscreants to hold Balochistan hostage: Embassy spokesman NEW YORK, Apr 9 (APP): Pakistan is determined to establish its writ in Balochistan and not allow a "handful of miscreants" to hold the province and its people as their hostages, a Pakistani Embassy spokesman in Washington said Sunday. "Anti-development forces are against the development plans that the government has put in place to benefit the Baloch people," Akram Shaheedi, the embassy press minister said in a letter to The New York Times, while responding to a recent article. "Intelligence agencies also indicate that there could be a foreign hand behind the situation in the province," he added.(Posted @ 17:05 PST)
Balochistan Liberation Army declared terrorist organisation ISLAMABAD, Apr 9 (APP): Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) has been declared as a terrorist organisation, owing to its anti state activities, Minister for Interior Aftab Ahmad Sherpao said Sunday. The lists of all office bearers of BLA activists would be sent to all the police stations for taking strict action of their involvement in sabotage and subversive activities, The activities of BLA were under vigil of the authorities since long. It has been proved that their activities were against the country's sovereignty and integrity, he said. Responding to a question he said United States have pledged to help Pakistan in countering terrorism and capacity building of various fields, including education, energy and science and technology.(Posted @ 16:40 PST)
Israeli shelling kills Palestinian in Gaza GAZA, April 9 (Reuters) - The Israeli army fired artillery shells at two Palestinian security posts in the northern Gaza Strip on Sunday, killing one person and wounding 14, Palestinian security sources said. They said an artillery shell landed on a small security base east of the northern Gaza town of Beit Hanoun as well as on another position on the southern outskirts of the town. A civilian was killed and 14 people, civilians and policemen, were wounded, the sources said. (Posted @ 14:00 PST)
US assault kills eight suspected Iraqi insurgents BAGHDAD, April 9, 2006 (AFP) US forces killed eight suspected insurgents in a raid west of Baghdad Sunday, while three Iraqi civilians were killed in bomb blasts that targeted police patrols. US forces stormed an insurgent bomb-making facility early Sunday morning near Hamaniyah, 22 kilometers (14 miles) west of Baghdad, the military said in a statement. Five suspected rebels were killed in an ensuing firefight, while three more suspected insurgents were killed when the US ground commander called in "air support" to target their machine-gun fire, the statement read.Numerous weapons, ammunition, and falsified documents were found in the targeted safehouse, it added. In other violence, one Iraqi bystander was killed Sunday and three wounded, including two policemen, when a roadside bomb exploded against a passing police patrol in eastern Baghdad, an interior ministry official said. A civilian was killed in a similar roadside bomb attack against a police patrol in western Baghdad which also wounded two policemen. In another incident in western Baghdad, three policemen were wounded when their patrol was hit by a roadside bomb near Um al-Qura mosque, which is home to the Muslim Scholars' Association, the main Iraqi organisation for Sunni clerics.In Mahmudiyah, 30 kilometers (20 miles) south of Baghdad, one civilian was killed and another wounded by a roadside bombing on the town's main route. A policeman was wounded in a mortar attack against his patrol in the town of Madain, 25 kilometers (15 miles) west of Baghdad. The police also found the body of an Egyptian citizen holding Iraqi nationality in Madain Sunday. The man was shot to death. Four more tortured and bullet-riddled bodies were recovered Sunday in Baghdad, police added.(Posted @ 13:45 PST)€
Two bombs in southern Afghan city wound 11 KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, April 9 (AP) _ Two bombs exploded within minutes of each other Sunday in Kandahar and wounded 11 people, officials said. The first blast occurred in the city centre when a convoy of Afghan army trucks was passing. It caused no casualties and only minor damage to the vehicles, said army officer Khair Mohammed. The second bomb exploded about 10 minutes later once the soldiers had disembarked and were searching the surrounding area along with police who had arrived on the scene. That blast wounded three police, three soldiers and five civilians, including two children, he said(Posted @ 10:30 PST)
US Marine killed in western Iraq BAGHDAD, April 9 (AFP) The US military announced early Sunday the death of a marine from wounds sustained in combat in Iraq's western Al-Anbar province on Friday. The US military death toll in Iraq since the March 2003 invasion touched 2,350 as of April 7, the Pentagon said. (Posted @ 10:00 PST)
Indian flexibility must for resolution of Kashmir dispute: Shabbir ISLAMABAD, April 9, (APP) President Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party, Shabbir Ahmad Shah has urged India to adopt flexible attitude towards resolving Kashmir dispute through the talks process. Addressing a public gathering at Kokernag, he also emphasized participation of true representatives of Kashmiris in India-Pakistan dialogue process so that a just and durable solution is worked out, PTV reported. He maintained that both Pakistan and Kashmiris have adopted flexibility and it was now for India to demonstrate similar approach.(Posted @ 10:00 PST)
Police find eight bodies on Canadian farm MONTREAL, April 9 (AFP) Ontario provincial police said they found eight bodies on a farm on Saturday. A farmer in Elgin County, Ontario province, some 200 kilometers from Toronto, called police early Saturday to tip them off to the gruesome discovery on his property. The farmer spotted three vehicles on his property and found the bodies inside the vehicles, Ontario Police Sergeant David Rektor said. (Posted @ 09:45 PST)
Egypt's Mubarak warns of Iraq civil war, Iran influence DUBAI, April 9 (AFP) Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak warned Saturday Iraq was in the middle of a civil war that threatened the Middle East and expressed alarm about Iran's influence in the Arab world. "There is effectively a civil war underway now (in Iraq)," Mubarak told the satellite news channel Al-Arabiya. "If the Americans left now, it would be a catastrophe because the war will get worse and Iran and others will interfere and the country will become the theatre of an ugly civil war and terror will eat up not only Iraq but the entire region."(Posted @ 09:40 PST)
US document portrays dire security situation in Iraq: report NEW YORK, April 9 (AFP) An internal US government report rates the stability of six of Iraq's 18 provinces as "serious" and another as "critical," The New York Times reported on its website Saturday. The report shows the country partitioning along ethnic and religious lines, and warns of sectarian and ethnic friction even in areas US officials had portrayed as peaceful, the Times said. The 10-page document was written by US diplomatic and military officials in Baghdad and dated January 31, 2006 -- three weeks before the bombing of a Shiite shrine in Samarra set off waves of sectarian violence. Recent updates have left its conclusions unchanged, Daniel Speckhard, a US ambassador to Iraq, told the Times. (Posted @ 09:20 PST)
Brazil's first astronaut returns to Earth NEAR ARKALYK, Kazakhstan, April 9 (AFP)- The Soyuz space capsule carrying Brazil's first astronaut Marcos Pontes, as well as US astronaut William MacArthur and Russian cosmonaut Valery Tokarev from the International Space Station (ISS), landed in Kazakhstan early Sunday, space officials said. (Posted @ 09:15 PST)
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