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| July 07, 2006 | Friday | Jumadi-ul-Sani 10, 1427 |
Updated round-the-clock, with major updates after 10:00 PST (05:00 GMT)
Pakistan amends law to allow women facing adultery charges to be released on bail ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, July 7 (AP) _ Pakistan's president on Friday amended a controversial Islamic law to pave the way for the release on bail of women facing adultery charges and other minor crimes, a Cabinet minister said. The much-awaited amendment by President Gen. Pervez Musharraf to the Hadood Ordinance will initially help 1,300 women get out of prisons on bail, the minister for women's affairs, Sumaira Malik, told journalists. The Hadood Ordinance currently does not allow for women to be released on bail. ``President Musharraf has taken a bold decision to protect the rights of women and save them from the misuse of Islamic laws,'' she said. Currently, more than 6,000 women are awaiting trial in jails. (Posted @ 20:54 PST)
Plot uncovered to bomb New York tunnels NEW YORK, July 7 (AFP) - The FBI has uncovered a terrorist plan to bomb New York tunnels, part of what a member of the US Congress described Friday as a complex series of plots against the city's transit system. The main target of the extremists, one of whom was arrested in Beirut, was the Holland Tunnel -- the main road link between Manhattan and New Jersey that runs under the Hudson River. News of the plot was broken by the New York Daily News.The alleged conspirator arrested in the Lebanese capital at the request of US officials was identified as Amir Andalousli. Other targets of the bombing plot were the New York subway system and other tunnels connecting the New York boroughs. (Posted @ 20:46 PST)
Suspect was targeting NYC metro tunnels -Lebanon BEIRUT, July 7 (Reuters) - A suspect arrested by Lebanese authorities for involvement in a plot to carry out attacks in New York said the plan was targeting metro tunnels under the Hudson river, the Interior Ministry said on Friday. "After questioning he confessed ... that he was planning to travel to Pakistan for four months training and that the date for the attack was decided to be late in 2006," the ministry said in a statement. (Posted @ 21:05 PST)
Israeli minister says `Israel knows how to free prisoners' if JERUSALEM, July 7 (AP) _ Avi Dichter, Israel's minister of public security said Friday that Israel might release Palestinian prisoners as part of an Egyptian proposal to win freedom for an Israeli soldier held by militants in Gaza. He said once the Israeli soldier is released and militants stop rocket attacks from Gaza, Israel could release Palestinian prisoners as a goodwill gesture. ``The release of the soldier, Gilad Shalit, will be a must,''Dichter said Friday in a speech to Israeli business people. If the Palestinians halt attacks, ``Israel will need to, after some time, release prisoners as a return gesture,'' Dichter said.``Israel knows how to do this. Israel has done this more than once in the past.'' (Posted @ 20:50 PST)
PM asks Islamic finance industry to bring up more innovative products KARACHI, July 7 (APP) - Prime Minister Shuakat Aziz on Friday asked Islamic financial industry to develop more innovative products and educate consumers about Islamic banking to foster growth in this area. He was speaking at the inauguration of Bank Islami Pakistan at Governor House here. "Islamic financial industry needs to allocate more resources towards research and development of new products and consumer education for creating awareness about Islamic banking", he added. (Posted @ 23:42 PST)
Eight involved in New York terror plot, three in custody: FBI NEW YORK, July 7, 2006 (AFP) - The FBI said Friday it had identified eight "principal players" involved in a plot to attack the transit system in New York, of which three have been taken into custody overseas. "We believe we have what I'll call eight principal players, and we have them largely identified," Mark Mershon, head of the FBI's New York office, told reporters. Three have been arrested, but only one -- a Lebanese national described as the "mastermind" of the plot -- has been formally charged, Mershon said. (Posted @ 23:36 PST)
England A 530-9 against Pakistan CANTERBURY, England, July 7, 2006 (AFP) - England A, after winning the toss, were 530 for nine when bad light forced an early close on the second day of their four-day match against Pakistan at the St Lawrence Ground here Friday. Chris Read was 120 not out and Stuart Broad 29 not out. (Posted @ 23:28 PST)
NKorea willing to return to talks if US lifts sanctions SEOUL, July 7 (AFP) - North Korea, under international pressure for firing missiles this week, is ready to return to talks on ending its nuclear drive if Washington lifts financial sanctions, an official was quoted as saying Friday. Han Song-Ryol, the North's deputy ambassador to the United Nations, told South Korea's Yonhap news agency that Pyongyang "is willing to return to the six-party talks on the North's nuclear programs if the US lifts punitive measures." (Posted @ 21:44 PST)
Iran's Larijani says talks with Solana "fruitful" MADRID, July 7 (Reuters) - Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani said on Friday his meeting with the European Union's foreign policy chief this week had been "very fruitful and constructive". (Posted @ 21:34 PST)
Bush: Missile defense system had 'chance' against Taepodong-2 CHICAGO, July 7, 2006 (AFP) - President George W. Bush said the US missile defense system is modest but had a "reasonable chance" of shooting down a long-range North Korean missile fired at the United States. "Yeah, I think we had a reasonable chance of shooting it down. At least that's what the military commanders told me," Bush said at a news conference. US interceptor missiles were on alert but not used during North Korea's launch this week of a long-range Taepodong-2 missile, which failed early in flight. (Posted @ 21:26 PST)
Bush says focusing on diplomacy with N. Korea CHICAGO, July 7 (Reuters) - President George W. Bush stressed on Friday that he was pursuing diplomatic efforts to rein in North Korea, even if the process was "slow and cumbersome," and sidestepped a question about whether the United States had a military option on the table. At a news conference, Bush was upbeat that the U.N. Security Council, which is considering its options, would "speak with one voice" to condemn the launches. "We're now working the diplomacy and you're watching the diplomacy work, not only in North Korea but in Iran ... The diplomatic process can be slow and cumbersome," he said. (Posted @ 21:16 PST)
Flawless Federer storms into Wimbledon final LONDON, July 7 (AFP) - Roger Federer hammered Swedish veteran Jonas Bjorkman 6-2, 6-0, 6-2 to move within one match of a fourth Wimbledon title. (Posted @ 20:48 PST)
Iraqi army arrests 56 BAQUBA, Iraq, July 7, 2006 (AFP) - An Iraqi army general said Friday his forces had arrested 56 suspects while in pursuit of a former regime official, Rasheed Taan, who ranks number six on a most wanted list released last week. The suspects were detained during raids in the Muqdadiyah area in Diyala province northeast of Baghdad, the commander of the Iraqi army's 5th Division, Major General Ahmed al-Awad, told state television Al-Iraqiya. "We were actually in the house where he had been, but he had left before we got there. We will get him. The operation is ongoing until we achieve victory." Taan, a former chairman of the ruling Baath party's command in Al-Anbar province, is number six on the list of the 41-most wanted former regime loyalists and Islamist militants released by Iraq's national security advisor Muwaffaq al-Rubaie on Sunday. (Posted @ 20:44 PST)
15 killed in mosque attacks in Iraq BAGHDAD, July 7 (AFP) - Iraq was engulfed in series of attacks on mosques that killed 15 people on Friday, triggering fears of a new upsurge in sectarian violence. At least 30 people were also killed or wounded in deadly clashes in Sadr City between Shiite militiamen and US-Iraqi forces who claimed to have captured a leading insurgent there. At least five mosques were attacked across the country while reports of kidnappimg and killing of two clerics were also received. In the deadliest attack Friday at least seven people were killed and 46 wounded in a car bombing against a mosque in the village of Tal al-Banat near the town of Sinjar, west of Mosul. Two civilians were killed and three wounded when a car bomb exploded near the Fakhri Shanshal Sunni mosque in Baghdad's western Jihad neighbourhood. Another three people were killed and seven wounded when a mortar round exploded in front of Al-Nidaa mosque in Al-Qahira neighbourhood as the faithfuls assembled for prayers. In Baquba, a roadside bomb exploded as worshippers emerged from Ahmed bin Hanbal mosque, killing one person and wounding four. Another two Iraqis were killed and four policemen wounded in clashes between police and rebels when the mosque in Salman Pak southeast of Baghdad was attacked. US military said the main police station was also hit. "The terrorists conducted coordinated attacks on the sites with rocket propelled grenades and mortars," it said, adding that five were captured. Meanwhile, at least 30 people were killed or wounded in gunbattles between Shiite militiamen and US-Iraqi forces in Sadr City, the US military and security sources said. The military said a "high level insurgent leader" behind attacks on Iraqi and US-led forces was captured, but did not name him. "An estimated 30-40 enemy fighters were killed or wounded in the 43-minute firefight," it said. In other developments, Japan started withdrawing its troops from Iraq with the first batch of 38 soldiers of some 600 troops being flown to Kuwait. (Posted @ 20:40 PST)
Twelve die in Bangladesh wedding party crash DHAKA, July 7 (AFP) - Twelve members of a Bangladesh wedding party died Thursday when their minibus collided head on with a coach near the northeastern town of Habiganj during heavy monsoon rains, police said. The bride and groom who were travelling in another vehicle were unhurt. (Posted @ 20:36 PST)
Five killed, 13 injured in road mishap CHAKWAL, Pakistan, July 7: (APP)-Five people were killed and 13 others injured when a Chakwal-bound bus collided with a truck at Sohawa, some 60 kilometer from here Friday. (Posted @ 20:32 PST)
Afghan MP says family shot in coalition misfire KANDAHAR, July 7 (Reuters) - A member of the Afghan parliament said on Friday U.S.-led troops mistakenly opened fire on a car carrying members of his family, killing one and wounding four. Abdul Khaliq, MP from Uruzgan province, said U.S.-led troops gave the driver no warning before firing. He said his brother-in-law was killed and his wife, a daughter, a son and a nephew were wounded. In a separate incident, insurgents ambushed U.S.-led troops in the province of Helmand, killing one and Wounding another, the U.S. military said. (Posted @ 20:10 PST)
Israeli troops in sporadic Gaza clashes, kill 5 GAZA, July 7 (Reuters) - Israeli aircraft and tanks killed five Palestinians in sporadic clashes with militants across northern Gaza on Friday. An air strike in northern Gaza killed two militants, witnesses and medics said. Tank fire also killed one man near the northern town of Beit Lahiya, scene of the worst violence on Thursday. Despite Israel's push into Gaza, militants fired at least five homemade rockets into the Israeli border town of Sderot on Friday, with one strike wounding three people, medics said. (Posted @ 19:40 PST)
Sonn named ICC president LONDON, July 7 (AP) _ Percy Sonn of South Africa replaced Ehsan Mani as ICC president on Friday.The 56-year-old lawyer is the sixth man to fill the most senior role at cricket's world governing body, and the first from Africa. He will be president for a minimum of two years and a maximum of three. Mani, who was International Cricket Council president for three years, said Sonn brought ``a wealth of experience and a deep understanding of the issues in the game.'' (Posted @ 18:28 PST)
Cabinet Committee approves purchase of warships and submarines- New Delhi, July 7 (APP): The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) has approved purchase of three more Russian-made stealth warships and 28 submarine-launched KLUB cruise missiles. The three Russian Krivak-class frigates would be acquired by India at a cost of Rs 51.14 billion, while the submarines would be part of a Rs 8.44 billion deal. (Posted @ 17:28 PST)
370 in run for AJK assembly polls MIRPUR, Azad Kashmir, July 7 (APP): A total of 370 candidates are in the run for the July 11 polls to elect the 41-seat Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly which include 29 seats for AJK and 12 occupied Jammu Kashmir refugees dwelling in various parts of Pakistan, official sources said. Polling will be held in all the constituencies from 8.00 A.M. to 5.00 P.M without any break. (Posted @ 17:26 PST)
Pak Navy to be equipped with new frigates, subs KARACHI, July 7 (APP)- Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz Friday said the Pakistan Navy would be provided resources for frigates, submarines and airborne surveillance systems. Talking to reporters after the 85th Midshipmen Commissioning Parade of the Pakistan Naval Academy, he highlighted the significant role of Pakistan Navy towards the defence of the country and its role to safeguard maritime interests, and said new frigates were being acquired from China and Europe. Pakistan was building submarines with French assistance and work on the third Agosta will be completed soon. "We are focusing on the Naval facilities on ground, water and air so that PN is modernized and made effective with adequate firepower, defensive and offensive capability," he said. (Posted @ 17:16 PST)
Shaukat highlights role of navy for national and maritime sovereignty KARACHI, July 7 (APP)- An efficient, strong and a viable Navy is critical not only to deter war but also to protect national and maritime sovereignty and perform activities that support foreign policy and enhance national prestige, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said while addressing the 85th Midshipmen Commissioning Parade of the Pakistan Naval Academy Friday. He said: "We recognize that as we move forward in the Third Millennium, the nature of warfare is in transition because of rapid technological advancement which is assymmetric in nature and has no defined borders. Changing operational concepts, weaponry and naval doctrine is a test for our genius." (Posted @ 17:12 PST)
London bombers didn't receive training in Pakistan, says minister ISLAMABAD, July 7 (AP) _ Pakistan on Friday denied any of the London transit system bombers received training or support during visits to the country, including the suicide bomber who appeared in a recently aired video warning of further attacks. Information Minister Mohammed Ali Durrani said there has been no connection proven between Pakistan and the July 7, 2005, bombings that killed 52 people and four bombers, including three British Muslims of Pakistani origin.``Let me tell you with full confidence that there is no evidence that any suicide bomber had received training or any other support from militants in Pakistan,'' Durrani told The Associated Press. His comments came a day after Al-Jazeera tv aired a video showing one of the suicide bombers, Shehzad Tanweer, warning of further attacks. (Posted @ 17:10 PST)
Iran talks in Brussels a 'good start': EU diplomat BRUSSELS, July 7, 2006 (AFP) - EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana and Iran's top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani made a "good start" overnight in talks about the nuclear standoff between Iran and the West, Solana's spokeswoman said Friday. "It's a good start," said his spokeswoman Cristina Gallach. "We have laid the ground for the meeting on the 11th (July), which we are hoping will be postive." (Posted @ 17:02 PST)
Twelve injured in Pakistan market bomb QUETTA, Pakistan, July 7 (AFP) - A bomb attached to a scooter ripped through the busy Surajganj bazaar in Baluchistan province capital Qetta on Friday, injuring 12 civilians, city police chief Ghulam Mohammad Dogar said. An unknown attacker parked the scooter between two cars and the force of the explosion blew out the windows of the vehicles, showering the victims with glass shards, Dogar said. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the bombing. (Posted @ 16:15 PST)
Coalition soldier, eight rebels killed in Afghanistan KANDAHAR, July 7 (AFP) - A soldier from the US-led coalition and eight rebels died in new violence in Afghanistan, officials said Friday. The coalition soldier was killed and another wounded on Thursday when rebels attacked a convoy in Baghran Valley in Helmand province. "Coalition forces returned fire, and at least five extremists were killed," a statement said. In another incident in Helmand rebels stormed a police post overnight, sparking an hour-long exchange of fire, said provincial police chief Mohammad Nabi Mullah Khail. Three Taliban were meanwhile killed and two wounded when a remote-controlled bomb they were planting in the province's Girishk district exploded late Thursday, the police chief said. Another insurgent was arrested elsewhere in the province while he was planting another bomb, Khail said. (First Posted @ 13:30 PST; Updated @ 16:05 PST)
Israel says killed 40 Palestinians since last week JERUSALEM, July 7 (Reuters) Israeli forces have killed nearly 40 Palestinian “militants” since an offensive was launched in the Gaza Strip last week, the Israeli military chief said on Friday. (Posted @ 14:00 PST)
Bush rules out new incentives for North Korea WASHINGTON, July 7, 2006 (AFP) US President George W. Bush on Thursday ruled out any new incentive packages for North Korea and said that he had "other options" beyond diplomacy to end a missile and nuclear crisis. "We want to solve all problems diplomatically. That's our first option. But, of course, the president has got other options," Bush said in an interview with CNN television. Asked whether he was hopeful of ending the crisis, which has competed with the Iraq war and Iran's nuclear programs for his attention, Bush replied: "We will succeed in Iraq, we will deal with the Iranian issue, we will help the person in North Korea understand the wisdom of working in the international community". The US president also flatly rejected any direct talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, saying: "I think he'd love to have the United States sit down at the table alone." "The problem is we tried that and it didn't work," said Bush. (Posted @ 13:30 PST)
Afghan president says foreign terrorists behind recent surge in violence TOKYO, July 7 (AP) Afghan President Hamid Karzai said Friday he blamed foreign terrorists for the recent surge in militant attacks in his country. ``A factor of instability is the continuation of terrorists being able to attack Afghanistan from aboard who are equipped, financed, and sent to Afghanistan,'' Karzai told a press conference Friday. ``I hope that Afghanistan, Pakistan and the region will cooperate much more effectively and strongly, and much more sincerely, to stop terrorism and eliminate its sources of training and financing,'' he said. (Posted @ 13:15 PST)
Britain's foreign policy motivating terrorism: report LONDON, July 7, (AFP/Guardian website) The war in Iraq has had a "huge impact” on extremists planning acts of violence in Britain, according to extracts of a secret briefing document to police published by The Guardian on Friday. The newspaper, which said it had seen the report to senior officers at London's Metropolitan Police, said that British policy over Iraq and the Israel-Palestinian conflict is used by terrorists to justify their actions. It continues: "Iraq is cited many times in interviews with detained extremists but it is over-simplistic to describe terrorism as the result of foreign policy. What western foreign policy does provide is justification for violence ..." The report says the removal of grievances the extremists use to justify violence will take time: "What will change them - gradually - is argument, the removal of justifying causes (Palestine, Iraq), the erosion of perverted beliefs and day-to-day frustrations." According to The Guardian, the document suggests that anger at British foreign policy "masks" other motives, such as insecurity, fear, loss of identity through increasing secularism and a "sense of cultural failure". (Posted @ 09:30 PST)
North Korean threatens Japan with "stronger physical actions" TOKYO, July 7 (AFP) A North Korean official has demanded Japan halt sanctions imposed following Pyongyang's missile tests and threatened "stronger physical actions" in response, Japanese media reported Friday. "We will continue test-firing of missiles as part of our normal military training," the North's envoy told a group of Japanese reporters in Pyongyang. Japan strongly protested the comments. (Posted @ 09:12 PST)
China coal-mining village blast kills 43 BEIJING, July 7 (Reuters) Explosives stored in a Chinese farmer's home blew up on Friday killing 43 people and injuring 28, Xinhua news agency said. (Posted @ 09:10 PST)
Karachi Stocks down 80.04 points: KARACHI, July 7: At close of trading, the KSE-100 index was at 9836.04, down 80.04 points. (Bureau Report) (Updated @ 16:02 PST)
Forex update: KARACHI, July 7: The Pakistani Rupee was traded at Rs 60.53 to the US Dollar in the open market. (Bureau Report) (Updated @ 16:02 PST)
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