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| July 02, 2006 | Sunday | Jumadi-ul-Sani 5, 1427 |
Updated round-the-clock, with major updates after 10:00 PST (05:00 GMT)
Gaza crisis escalates as Israel strikes Hamas PM's office GAZA CITY, July 2 (AFP) - An Israeli air raid struck the Gaza offices of Palestinian prime minister Ismail Haniya early Sunday, ratcheting up the pressure to free a captured Israeli soldier even as mediation talks continued. Haniya, who was not present at the time of the raid, swiftly condemned the attack, which set his office ablaze. "It's an attack against a Palestinian symbol. We ask the international community and the Arab League to take its responsibilities towards our people and intervene" to end what he called Israel's "insane policy" he said. Witnesses said a second near-simultaneous air strike in the northern Gaza strip town of Jabaliya killed a member of the armed wing of Haniya's Hamas movement and wounded another, marking a fifth straight night of Israeli air raids on Gaza. Israeli military confirmed it carried out an air strike on Haniya's office and another two targeting Hamas infrastructure in Gaza. (Posted @ 09:55 PST)
Prime Minister Aziz discusses UN reforms with Norwegian, Mozambique premiers GENEVA, July 2 (APP): Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg of Norway and Prime Minister Lusia Dias Diogo of Mozambique Sunday called on Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and discussed issues relating to the United Nations Secretary General's High Level Panel on System-wide Coherence in the areas of development, humanitarian assistance and the environment. The three Prime Ministers discussed the issues that are before the Panel and the strategy to make the UN system efficient and effective in these areas.(Posted @ 23:50 PST)
Helicopter crashes near foreign base in Afghanistan KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, July 2 (Reuters) - A military helicopter crashed on Sunday near the main foreign military base in southern Afghanistan but there was no immediate word on casualties, military officials said. (Posted @ 23:42 PST)
At least 11 Iraqis killed as Sunni Arabs boycott parliament BAGHDAD, July 2, (AFP) - At least 11 Iraqis were killed and a Shiite MP escaped an assassination bid Sunday as Sunni Arab lawmakers boycotted the parliament, demanding the release of an abducted Sunni woman MP. Three car bombs rocked the Iraqi capital and another exploded in a town south of Baghdad. (Posted @ 23:38 PST)
NASA delays Discovery launch again due to weather CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida, July 2, 2006 (AFP) - NASA postponed its second attempt to launch the Discovery shuttle Sunday due to persistent bad weather and will try again Tuesday.(Posted @ 23:30 PST)
13 foreign nationals held on Pak-Iran border QUETTA July 2 (APP): Levies forces have arrested eight Afghani and five Iran nationals on Pak-Afghan border in Taftan on Sunday evening, Levies sources told APP. The sources said that these people had entered into Pakistan without any legal documents. Cases have been registered against them under Foreign Act. Meanwhile, Iran Border Security Forces arrested 18 Pakistanis on Pak-Iran border and handed them over to Taftan Levies Force, the sources informed. These people were crossing the border without any legal document. They wanted to go to some European countries via Iran for seeking employments. (Posted @ 23:18 PST)
Italian army officer dies of a heart attack in Afghanistan ROME, July 2, (AP) _ An Italian army officer serving in Afghanistan died Sunday of a heart attack, the Defense Ministry said. Lt. Col. Carlo Liguori, 41, suffered a heart attack in the morning while he was standing in line for breakfast. Attempts to revive him were unsuccessful, and he died at a military hospital there, the ministry said.(Posted @ 23:10 PST)
Israel ransacks homes in Gaza hotspot ABASSAN, Gaza Strip, July 2, 2006 (AFP) - Israeli tanks withdrew Sunday from a spot of farmland in the southern Gaza Strip, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake after the fiercest clashes since Israel began its offensive. Palestinian families, uprooted from their homes during Saturday's day-long operation, returned after dawn to ransacked homes. Israeli tanks and bulldozers had destroyed storehouses, knocked down bedroom walls and uprooted olive trees.(Posted @ 21:54 PST)
Al-Zarqawi's brother rejects Iraqi burial, demands transfer of body to Jordan AMMAN, Jordan (AP) _ A brother of slain al-Qaida in Iraq leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi on Sunday rejected news of his burial in Iraq, demanding that his body be transferred to his homeland of Jordan instead. The U.S. military and Iraqi government officials announced Sunday that the terror leader was buried in an undisclosed location in Iraq. But Sayel al-Khalayleh told The Associated Press that al-Zarqawi's relatives ``don't accept'' his burial in Iraq and accused the U.S. of lying about the matter.(Posted @ 21:30 PST)
PM arrives in Geneva to attend UN meetings GENEVA, July 2 (APP): Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz arrived in Geneva on Sunday where he will co-chair the meetings of the UN Secretary General's High-Level Panel on System-Wide Coherence. He will also participate in a number of other important meetings including delivering a keynote address to the High-Level Segment of ECOSOC, speaking to a leading think tank, the Pakistani community, European business leaders as well as the international media. The Prime Minister was accompanied by Minister of State for Economic Affairs, Ms. Hina Rabbani Khar, Minister of State for Environment, Malik Amin Aslam Khan and Minister of State for information and Broadcasting, Tariq Azim Khan. (First Posted @ 12:10 PST Updated @ 20:48 PST)
Kuwait emir reappoints nephew as prime minister KUWAIT, July 2 (Reuters) - Kuwait's ruler on Sunday reappointed his nephew as prime minister of the Gulf Arab oil producer and asked him to form a new cabinet following last week's parliamentary polls. State news agency KUNA said Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah asked Sheikh Nasser al-Mohammad al-Sabah to submit a list of ministers for the new cabinet for approval.(Posted @ 19:16 PST)
Four dead, two injured in German seaplane crash HAMBURG, July 2 (Reuters) - Four people were killed and two seriously injured when a seaplane crashed near the harbor in Germany's northern city of Hamburg on Sunday, police said. The aircraft came down on railway lines and burst into flames, police said. The two injured were badly burned and have been taken to a specialist clinic for treatment, according to the fire brigade. German media reports said the aircraft was a single-engine de Havilland Beaver DHC-2 that was used for sightseeing flights over the city.(Posted @ 19:02 PST)
Two British soldiers, 12 Taliban killed in Afghanistan KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, July 2 (AFP) - Two British soldiers and an Afghan interpreter were killed when rebels attacked their base in southern Afghanistan in a district where 12 Taliban also died in battle, officials said Sunday. Rebels attacked the base in the Sangin district of Helmand province with small arms and rocket-propelled grenade fire, British military spokesman Lieutenant Rob Hunt told AFP. The base had been under attack for three nights, said another spokesman, Captain Drew Gibson. (First Posted @ 12:00 PST Updated @ 18:40 PST)
Saddam's wife, daughter on Iraq most wanted list BAGHDAD, July 2, (AFP) - The wife and a daughter of ousted leader Saddam Hussein, both living in exile, figured on a new list of 41 most wanted fugitives unveiled by Iraq's national security advisor on Sunday. "This list will be posted everywhere in government institutions, mosques and elsewhere to help track them down," Muwaffaq al-Rubaie said.(Posted @ 18:28 PST)
Indian troops kill four more militants in occupied Kashmir SRINAGAR, occupied Kashmir, July 2 (AFP) - Indian troops Sunday shot dead four suspected militants in northern Baramulla district during a bloody encounter that began around four in the morning (on Sunday)," defence ministry spokesman Hemant Joneja said. "We are ascertaining more details," he said. The insurgency against Indian rule launched in 1989 has left more than 44,000 people dead, by official count. (Posted @ 12:15 PST)
Around 1,000 protest Israeli attacks on Palestinian territories at U.S. embassy in Jakarta JAKARTA, July 2 (AP) _ Around 1,000 Indonesian men, women and children rallied Sunday at the U.S. Embassy against Israel's ongoing military operation in the Palestinian territories. The protest was organized by the Justice and Prosperity Party whose members shouted anti-American slogans and denounced Israel and accused its troops of human rights violations. (Posted @ 11:30 PST)
Bangladesh police clash with protesters demanding electoral reforms DHAKA, Bangladesh, July 2 (AP) _ Riot police on Sunday fired tear gas at stone-throwing protesters trying to march through the Bangladesh capital to demand electoral reforms and the resignation of the country's top election officials, witnesses and TV reports said. Clashes broke out in central Dhaka after nearly 1,000 activists from a 14-party opposition alliance tried to stage street marches. (Posted @ 11:30 PST)
Iraq PM wins Saudi backing for peace efforts JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia, July 2 (AFP) - Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki Saturday won Saudi Arabia's backing for his efforts to halt the bloodshed in Iraq at the start of a Gulf tour to rally support for his peace plan. "On behalf of ... King Abdullah, I assure you of ... (Saudi Arabia's) full support for you and your constitutional government," Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz told Maliki, according to the official SPA news agency. Prince Sultan, who chaired a formal session of talks with Maliki late Saturday, said Saudi Arabia hoped his government would usher in "stability and security" in Iraq and put an end to the hardships of the Iraqi people. (Posted @ 10:50 PST)
Trescothick backs Strauss despite Sri Lanka mauling LEEDS, England, July 2 (AFP) - Marcus Trescothick backed Andrew Strauss to succeed as England captain despite seeing his fellow opening batsman lead the team in a record 5-0 one-day series thrashing by Sri Lanka. Trescothick said Strauss, the leading candidate to captain the team in the absence of the injured Michael Vaughan in the upcoming Test series against Pakistan, which starts at Lord's on July 13, should not have his leadership credentials demolished on the basis of a one-day series where England's injury-hit attack frequently struggled to bowl straight. "I do think he's done a decent job. It's a really tough situation that he is in. When things are not going right and everything you try goes wrong it is easy for people to criticise. But I think the thing is to just give Andrew a fair crack of the whip, and then we'll have a better idea of how good a captain he is." Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene whose youthful side came from behind to square the preceding Test series 1-1, was keen not to have the efforts of his team diminished by England's problems. "To finish the series on such a high note has been brilliant," he said. "There was a little bit of old Sanath there today. The way Sanath played today any decent attack would have gotten the same from him. I've seen him going against Australia, with Glenn McGrath, Brett Lee and Jason Gillespie and he has done the same thing." (Posted @ 10:30 PST)
Two dead in Thailand's restive south YALA, Thailand, July 2 (AFP) - Two Muslims have been shot dead by suspected militants in separate attacks in Thailand's insurgency-torn south, police said Sunday. Separately, some 10 suspected militants opened fire on a police camp in Yala late Saturday. Police exchanged fire with the militants for about 10 minutes but no one was injured in the attack. (Posted @ 10:00 PST)
Three killed in communist rebel attacks in Philippines MANILA, July 2, 2006 (AFP) - A soldier and two policemen were killed last week in two separate attacks by communist insurgents in the Philippines, officials said Sunday. A lieutenant was killed and one of his men wounded in an ambush on Tuesday while two policemen were killed and four others wounded when fighters from the communist New People's Army (NPA) ambushed them in Catanduanes island, a police report said. (Posted @ 09:40 PST)
NASA looks for better weather in second Discovery launch attempt CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida, July 2 (AFP) - NASA prepared for a new attempt Sunday to launch the Discovery shuttle on a critical mission for the US space program after storm clouds scuttled Saturday's liftoff just minutes before schedule. The Saturday attempt was canceled due to storm clouds near the launch pad that officials feared could produce lightning during blastoff. If Sunday's launch is canceled, NASA will skip Monday and try again Tuesday. The mission has a July 1-19 launch window. (Posted @ 09:40 PST)
Tajikistan to rename Soviet-dubbed mountains DUSHANBE, July 2 (AFP) - Tajikistan's government has decided to rename two mountains whose Soviet-style names evoke the 1917 Russian revolution and its leader Vladimir Lenin, the presidential administration's press service said. The 7,134-meter Lenin Peak will become the Peak of Independence while the 6.940-meter Revolution Peak will bear the name of Abu Ali ibn Sina, or Avicenna, the celebrated Eastern doctor and philosopher. Both peaks are popular with mountain-climbers. The first mountain to be renamed in Tajikistan, Communism Peak, in 1999 became the Peak of Ismail Somoni, after the founder of the first Tajik state. (Posted @ 09:30 PST)
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