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| May 11, 2006 | Thursday | Rabi-us-Sani 12, 1427 |
Updated round-the-clock, with major updates after 10:00 PST (05:00 GMT)
Landmine blasts kill six policemen in southwest Pakistan QUETTA, Pakistan, May 11 (AFP) - Six policemen were killed and dozens were wounded on Thursday in a series of landmine blasts at a police training school in Quetta, officials said. Five landmines blew up in quick succession as the police officers were taking part in target practice on a firing range at the school. The outlawed Baluchistan Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the blasts, insisting that nine police were killed. The bodies of the six were taken to a hospital in Quetta along with 28 injured, seven of whom are in critical condition, doctor Fazalur Rehman told AFP. Two suspects have been detained in connection with the blast, Balochistan police chief said. He said Pakistani authorities had "proof" that the Indian consulate in southern Afghanistan was funding separatist groups in Baluchistan to fuel insurgency. Separately on Thursday, suspected tribal rebels blew up a pylon disrupting power to the Kohlu and Barkhan districts, about 400 kilometers southeast of Quetta, officials said. Also on Thursday police defused a bomb planted under a bridge on the main highway linking Quetta with Karachi.(First Posted @ 09:36 PST Updated @ 20:26 PST)
Boxing legend Patterson dead at 71 NEW PALTZ, New York, May 11, 2006 (AFP) - Floyd Patterson, the first world heavyweight champion to lose the crown and then reclaim it, died here Thursday at his home at age 71. Patterson went 55-8 with one draw and 40 knockouts. The American first won the heavyweight throne in 1956 at age 21, lost the title to Ingemar Johansson in 1959 but reclaimed the crown the following year.(Posted @ 23:56 PST)
Musharraf reiterates support to Afghan peace ISLAMABAD, May 11 (PPI) A seven-member NATO delegation headed by Deputy Secretary General, Ambassador Allessandro Minuto Rizzo called on President Pervez Musharraf here Thursday. Talking to the delegation the President emphasized the need for continued support of the international community for peace and reconstruction in Afghanistan. He expressed satisfaction at the growing cooperation between Pakistan and NATO. He thanked Ambassador Minuto Rizzo for NATO's prompt and substantive assistance in the wake of October 8 earthquake. General Pervez Musharraf briefed Deputy Secretary General NATO on Pakistan's role in the war against terrorism. Mr. Minuto Rizzo greatly praised President Pervez Musharraf 's role in the war against terrorism and Pakistan's contribution towards peace and stability in Afghanistan.(Posted @ 23:32 PST)
Prime Minister Aziz leaves for Indonesia, Greece, Libya, Morocco ISLAMABAD, May 11 (PPI) Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz left here for Indonesia to attend the D-8 Summit on Thursday night. Some Federal Ministers, members of the National Assembly and senior officials accompanied him. Mr. Shaukat Aziz will also visit Greece, Libya, Morocco and Egypt from the May 14 to May 19. During his visit to Greece, the Prime Minister will meet President Karolos Papoulias and Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis. He will also address a Greece think tank. During his visit an agreement on tourism cooperation would also be signed. During his visit to Libya, Mr. Shaukat Aziz will hold talks with his Libyan counterpart, Dr Baghdadi Ali Al Mahmudi on bilateral relations, regional and international issues of mutual interest. He will also meet leader of the Great Al-Fateh Revolution Col. Muammar Al-Qaddafi. During his stay in Rabat, the Prime Minister will have a meeting with King Hassan-II and hold talks with his Moroccan counterpart, Driss Jettou. Mr. Shaukat Aziz will also represent Pakistan at the World Economic Forum to be held on May 20 at Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt. (First Posted @ 12:35 PST Updated @ 22:50 PST)
Russian, Iranian officials hold talks on Bushehr reactor MOSCOW, May 11 (AFP) - Iranian officials met with Russian atomic energy agency chief Sergei Kiriyenko in Moscow on Thursday to discuss an ongoing Russian project to build a nuclear reactor in southern Iran, a spokesman said. "During the talks a whole spectrum of issues was raised, including Bushehr," Sergei Novikov, spokesman for Russia's atomic energy agency Rosatom, told AFP. The Iranian delegation was made up of the country's ambassador to Moscow, Gholamreza Ansari, and Mohammad Saidi, deputy head of Iran's Atomic Energy Agency, Novikov said.(Posted @ 22:26 PST)
At least 67 dead in Sri Lanka sea battle COLOMBO, May 11 (Reuters) - Sri Lanka's Tamil Tigers killed 17 sailors on Thursday in the worst naval battle since a 2002 truce halted two decades of civil war, and 50 rebels were believed to have died, a top Navy source said. He said the crew were killed when Tiger suicide bombers rammed their fast attack boat off Sri Lanka's northern tip, while the military sank 5 rebel boats. A naval transporter carrying 710 troops had sought refuge in Indian waters and was now safe, he said. Sri Lanka's government responded by scrambling fighter jets and helicopter gunships to bomb rebel territory, but there was no immediate confirmation of casualties in rebel areas.(First Posted @ 20:02 PST Updated @ 21:00 PST)
Assailants attack oil tankers in Chechnya, nobody hurt ROSTOV-ON-DON, Russia (AP) _ Unidentified assailants attacked an oil tanker train and trucks during loading operations at a railroad station in Chechnya, sparking an explosion and fire but causing no casualties, an official said Thursday. Attackers fired grenades and set off a bomb, starting fires that destroyed five trucks and damaged six railroad tanker cars, a spokesman said. Chechen police meanwhile claimed killing a suspected militant leader in a gun fight Wednesday in the village of Noviye Atagi while in neighboring Dagestan, a powerful roadside bomb exploded late Wednesday on a passing police truck but nobody was hurt. Early Thursday, unidentified assailants in Dagestan's provincial capital, Makhachkala, killed a son of Mairbek Yusupov, the coach of Dagestan's wrestling team, the city police said.(Posted @ 20:54 PST)
India charges five army officers over civilian deaths in occupied Kashmir SRINAGAR, occupied Kashmir, May 11 (AFP) - India's top investigating agency, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Thursday charged five army officers with murdering five civilians who had wrongly been described as militants in occupied Kashmir, a court official said. The charges were filed against a brigadier, a lieutenant colonel, two majors and a junior commissioned officer before a chief judicial magistrate in Srinagar. The charges include murder, abduction with intention to murder, wrongful confinement, criminal conspiracy and destruction of evidence. The army must say by the next hearing on May 24 whether it would launch court martial proceedings against the accused or would like them to be tried by a civilian court. The army claimed in March 2000 it had killed five "hardcore" Islamic militants involved in the massacre of 37 Kashmiri Sikhs in district Anantnag earlier that month. Huge public protests forced the government to have the bodies undergo DNA Testing which proved that the five were civilians and not rebels. Rebel groups also denied responsibility and blamed security forces whom they charged were seeking "to malign" them. The CBI was asked to investigate the case by former Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah.(Posted @ 20:40 PST)
Silver, gold hit peaks last seen in 1980 LONDON, May 11 (AFP) - The prices of precious and base metals struck historic peaks on Thursday, with silver and gold reaching their highest levels since 1980 owing to geopolitical and supply concerns, traders said. On the London Bullion Market, the price of gold touched 726.70 dollars per ounce, which was last reached in January 1980, more than 26 years ago. Silver prices broke through 15 dollars per ounce for the first time since December 1980, reaching as high as 15.21 dollars per ounce. Platinum climbed to a record high of 1,298.50 dollars per ounce on the London Platinum and Palladium Market on Thursday.(Posted @ 20:32 PST)
APHC urges India to stop HR abuses SRINAGAR, occupied Kashmir, May 11 (PPI) The executive committee of the All Parties Hurriyet Conference has urged India to stop human rights violations in occupied Kashmir and show seriousness in resolving Kashmir dispute, reports Kashmir Media Service. The meeting presided over by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq emphasized that India should give up its intransigence and adopt a realistic policy, so that an honorable solution, acceptable to all the three parties to the dispute, is worked out. The meeting discussed all aspects of the Pakistan-India dialogue, India-APHC talks and the second roundtable Conference to be convened by India on the 25th of this month. Another meeting of the APHC Executive committee will be held on Monday to take major policy decisions. Prof Abdul Ghani Butt, Maulana Abbas Ansari, Agha Syed Hassan Al-Moosvi, Bilal Ghani Lone and Fazal Haq Qureshi were among the leaders who attended the meeting.(Posted @ 19:30 PST)
Beheaded body found in Pakistani tribal area PESHAWAR, Pakistan, May 11 (AFP) - Suspected pro-Taliban militants beheaded a man in Mamond area of Bajaur tribal district bordering Afghanistan, officials said Thursday. The killers took away the man's head and shoes before dumping it in a ditch late Wednesday, a local administration official said. The body could not be identified, an official said adding that the man may be an Afghan national. Separately two children were seriously injured in a landmine blast late Wednesday in the same area, the official said.(Posted @ 18:34 PST)
5 police killed, 20 injured when their truck fell from a flyover CAIRO, May 11 (AP) _ Five policemen were killed and 20 others injured Thursday when their truck drove off a highway flyover in Cairo as they were on their way to reinforce riot police deployed outside a courthouse two pro-reform judges were to face a disciplinary hearing for speaking to the media about allegations of fraud during last year's elections. The trial of the two judges provoked violent protests resulting in injuries to many protestors and several arrests.(Posted @ 17:55 PST)
Israeli troops arrest Islamic Jihad leader in West Bank town JENIN, West Bank, May 11 (AP) _ Israeli troops on Thursday arrested a leader of the militant Islamic Jihad group in the West Bank town of Jenin, the army and Palestinians said. Saleh al-Sabi, surrendered to the soldiers after they surrounded his hideout for several hours and shot in the air, witnesses and gunmen said. One of his assistants also surrendered, they said. Heavy exchanges of fire were heard in the area between soldiers and Islamic Jihad gunmen, but no injuries were reported, witnesses and medical officials said. Palestinian youths threw stones at the more than 15 army jeeps involved in the operation, witnesses said. The army responded by firing rubber-coated steel bullets, wounding five Palestinians, the witnesses and medical officials said.(Posted @ 17:52 PST)
7 Iraqi hostages freed by coalition forces; 3 Americans killed by bombs BAGHDAD, May 11 (AP) _ Gunmen kidnapped 10 people in two villages in northern Iraq on Thursday, but U.S. and Iraqi forces saved seven of them in a gunbattle, police said. Three American soldiers were killed in separate attacks south of Baghdad. In another development, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, Iraq's top Shiite cleric, ordered all Shiite mosques to close for three days in a town in southern Iraq where a local Sunni Arab leader was killed on Wednesday. The hostage drama occurred in two villages near Baqouba. The attackers arrived in several vehicles and seized 10 young men from their homes, police said. Citizens confronted them and in the meantime Iraqi and U.S. forces rushed to the scene and fierce fighting took place, police said. Five gunmen were wounded and 36 captured, and three villagers injured, police said in a statement. Seven of the hostages were freed, but one vehicle escaped with the other three, police said. The three U.S. soldiers died when roadside bombs hit two separate U.S. Army convoys southwest of Baghdad on Thursday morning, the military said. Also Thursday, a roadside bomb killed five street cleaners and wounded two others in western Baghdad, police 1st Lt. Thaeir Mahmoud said.(Posted @ 17:50 PST)
Mild quake felt in parts of northern Pakistan, no damage reported PESHAWAR, Pakistan, May 11 (AP) _ A mild earthquake was felt in parts of northwestern Pakistan on Thursday, but there were no immediate reports of injuries or damage, an official said. The magnitude 4.8 quake was centered about 325 kilometers north of Peshawar in the Hindu Kush mountains near Afghanistan, said Arif Ullah, a Met official. He said the tremor jolted Peshawar, and remote northern areas like Chitral. Officials say mild and moderate aftershocks from last year’s Oct. 8 quake will continue for several months, although they are not likely to cause any major damage.(Posted @ 16:30 PST)
India's Sonia Gandhi sweeps back to parliament with huge majority RAE BARELI, India, May 11 (AFP) - India's ruling Congress party chief Sonia Gandhi swept to a massive victory Thursday in a by-election she provoked by resigning amid charges of holding two salaried posts, officials said. She won by a margin of more than 417,800 votes, poll official Jitender Kumar said. R.K. Chowdhury of the regional SJP party, her nearest rival in the Rae Bareli parliamentary constituency in Uttar Pradesh took just 57,000 votes. Gandhi garnered a total of 474,891 votes and bettered her previous 240,000 votes victory margin record.(Posted @ 16:26 PST)
Military action in Iran could make region 'explode': Russia MOSCOW, May 11 (AFP) - Any military action in Iran could cause the regional situation to "explode", the head of Russia's Security Council Igor Ivanov warned Thursday, state-run news agencies reported. Ivanov called for a diplomatic solution to the international standoff over Iran's nuclear programme. "Any military action in Iran will lead to consequences that could seriously explode the situation in the region and beyond," he was quoted as saying by ITAR-TASS.(Posted @ 16:24 PST)
Thousands evacuated after chemical blast in Chinese metropolis BEIJING, May 11 (AFP) - About 10,000 people including 6,000 students in nearby universities were evacuated after an explosion at a chemical warehouse injured 49 in the southern Chinese metropolis of Guangzhou, state press reported Thursday.It was not immediately clear if any fatalities occurred in the blast, it said. The warehouse stored sodium hydrosulfite, a bleaching agent used in the construction industry, newspaper reports said.(Posted @ 16:22 PST)
Lack of resources blamed for failure to stop London bombings LONDON, May 11, 2006 (AFP) Britain's security services were ill-equipped to prevent the July 7 London bombings in which 56 people died because of a lack of resources, an official report concluded on Thursday. The text, by an influential committee of lawmakers, noted that two of the four suicide bombers who targeted London's transport network, had come to the attention of the intelligence authorities. However, nothing was done about them because "there were more pressing priorities," the long-awaited report said.(Posted @ 14:15 PST)
US's Rumsfeld says Russia, China policies worrying PARIS, May 11 (Reuters) The United States is concerned about Russia's use of its energy resources as a political weapon and China's lack of transparency over military spending, U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld was quoted as saying. In an opinion piece printed in France's Le Figaro daily on Thursday, Rumsfeld said the U.S. focus was currently on Iraq and Afghanistan but that in the future, its policies would be determined by choices made by other powers such as China and Russia.(Posted @ 14:10 PST)
Oil rises towards $73 on gasoline fears, funds buy SINGAPORE, May 11 (Reuters) Oil climbed towards $73 on Thursday as dealers fretted that strong U.S. gasoline demand and outages at two refineries may quickly drain rising inventories. U.S. light crude gained 50 cents to $72.63 a barrel by 0752 GMT, after rising by $1.44 on Wednesday. London Brent crude rose 61 cents to $73.05 a barrel. Gold hit a quarter-century peak of $712.50 an ounce, while copper surged to record-highs above $8,200 a tonne.(Posted @ 14:00 PST)
Lawyers protest; demand names involved in Kashmir sex scandal SRINAGAR, Occupied Kashmir, May 11, 2006 (AFP) Occupied Kashmir's top lawyers Thursday protested on the streets of Srinagar demanding action against people caught up in a prostitution racket. Led by Kashmir High Court Bar Association president Mian Abdul Qayoom, about 100 lawyers in black gowns shouted "Down with Kashmir police" and "Hang the culprits" as they marched through Srinagar. "We are concerned that police have not disclosed names of those alleged to be involved in the scandal," Qayoom told reporters. On Wednesday, all the lawyers in Srinagar boycotted the courts over what Qayoom called the "police's inaction against the culprits."(Posted @ 13:05 PST)
NSA has database of domestic US phone calls: report WASHINGTON, May 11 (Reuters) The agency in charge of a U.S. domestic spying program has been secretly collecting phone call records of tens of millions of Americans, including calls made within the United States, USA Today reported on Thursday. It said the National Security Agency has been building up the database using records provided by three major phone companies: AT&T Inc., Verizon Communications Inc. and BellSouth Corp., but that the program "does not involve the NSA listening to or recording conversations." "It's the largest database ever assembled in the world," the paper quoted one source as saying. The agency's goal is "to create a database of every call ever made" within U.S. borders, it said the source added.(Posted @ 12:33 PST)
Five Iraqis killed by roadside bomb in Baghdad BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) A roadside bomb targeting municipal workers exploded in Baghdad on Thursday, killing five of them and wounding two, police said. The attack occurred at 9:30 in Mansour, an upscale area in western Baghdad where the workers were cleaning streets, said police.(Posted @ 12:30 PST)
Australia denies plan to lift uranium ban on India SYDNEY, May 11, 2006 (AFP) Australia on Thursday denied it had plans to lift a ban on selling uranium to India even if nuclear-armed New Delhi refused to sign the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Foreign Minister Alexander Downer, responding to a newspaper report that a deal could be on the cards, said Australia's policy of only supplying the nuclear fuel to countries which have signed the NPT had not changed. The Australian newspaper had reported that a meeting of senior officials in New Delhi last week explored how Australia could change its ban if there was "suitable reciprocal movement" from India.(First Posted @ 09:10 PST Updated @ 12:25 PST)
Five killed in Occupied Kashmir SRINAGAR, Occupied Kashmir, May 11, 2006 (AFP) Two policemen were shot dead Thursday in the Soura area of Srinagar while a soldier and two others died in gunbattles, police said. A little-known group called al Mansurain claimed responsibility for the early morning attack on the policemen in a telephone call to a local news agency. The soldier and two suspected militants were killed in two separate gunbattles in the southern districts of Rajouri and Doda late Wednesday and Thursday, a police spokesman said.(Posted @ 12:20 PST)
Almost 120 killed in Somalia fighting NAIROBI, May 11 (Reuters) At least 20 people, including a pregnant woman and her three children, were killed overnight in the Somali capital, a militia leader said on Thursday, bringing the death toll in five days of fighting to almost 120. It is the worst fighting in the capital of the failed Horn of Africa state for several years. "At least 20 people have died since last night," a militia leader said. "The worst fighting took place last night in Siisii, it's still going on. The death toll will definitely rise," he said. Siisii is a shanty town in northern Mogadishu.(Posted @ 12:20 PST)
India's communists take early lead in state polls NEW DELHI, May 11 (Reuters) Indian communist parties took early leads on Thursday as votes were counted after polls for five state assemblies. The communists had established clear leads in the eastern state of West Bengal, and the southern coastal state of Kerala ahead of Congress, TV stations showed. Communist party workers had already begun celebrations across the state. At 10 a.m. (0430 GMT) the communists were leading in 201 seats of the total 294 in West Bengal. In Kerala, an alliance of left parties was leading in 91 seats of the total 140. A Congress alliance was leading in 47 seats in the southern state. In Tamil Nadu, the DMK-led alliance was ahead in 134 of 234 seats. In Assam, Congress was leading in 27 of the 120 seats while the regional Asom Gana Parishad was ahead in 19 seats. Other smaller parties had 16 leads. Sonia Gandhi was also ahead of her nearest rival in by-elections in Rae Bareli in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh. The elections were held over five stages between April 3 and May 8.(Posted @ 10:20 PST)
China and U.S. commanders agree to upgrade military ties BEIJING, May 11 (Reuters) China and the United States have agreed to upgrade military exchanges after commanders from the two military powers met in Beijing, Chinese state media reported on Thursday. The commander of the U.S. Pacific naval force, William Fallon, and Chinese Defence Minister Cao Gangchuan agreed on Wednesday to "step up military exchanges at all levels", Xinhua News Agency reported. The Chinese media reports carried no mention whether the United States would invite China to observe any military exercises.(Posted @ 09:45 PST)
Iran says nuclear programme peaceful, ready to talk JAKARTA, May 11 (Reuters) Iran's nuclear programme is peaceful, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Thursday. "It has nothing to do with nuclear weapons, or military purposes," he said during a visit to Indonesia. He was speaking in an interview broadcast live on local Metro television. He also said it was "ridiculous" for countries with nuclear arsenals of their own to be pressing Iran to curb its effort to develop nuclear energy. "We also possess the technical and other capabilities to defend our interests," Ahmadinejad added.Iran is "ready to engage in dialogue with anybody", Ahmadinejad said in the interview, responding to a question about a letter he wrote to U.S. President George W. Bush this week. The Iranian president remains in Jakarta till early afternoon on Friday, visiting universities and speaking to business executives and Islamic leaders.(Posted @ 09:15 PST)
North Korea reverses course, to accept food aid: WFP BEIJING, May 11 (Reuters) North Korea has agreed to accept international food aid that will feed 1.9 million in the impoverished country, nearly a year after it said it no longer wanted handouts, World Food Programme officials said on Thursday. "We will restart the operation immediately," said the director of the WFP's Regional Bureau for Asia.(Posted @ 09:10 PST)
Karachi Stocks down 40.52 points: KARACHI, May 11: At close of trading the KSE-100 index was at 11531.31, down 40.52 points. (Bureau Report) (Updated @ 14:20 PST)
Forex update: KARACHI, May 11: The Pakistani Rupee was traded at Rs 60.23 to the US Dollar in the open market. (Bureau Report) (Updated @ 14:20 PST)
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