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| September 11, 2006 | Monday | Sha'aban 17, 1427 |
Updated round-the-clock, with major updates after 10:00 PST (05:00 GMT)
President Musharraf for substantive talks with Indian PM; arrives in Brussels BRUSSELS, Sept 11 (Agencies) President General Pervez Musharraf arrived in Brussels Monday at the start of his four-day visit. Musharraf told reporters before leaving for Belgium Monday that he hoped to have substantive talks with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the sidelines of the Non-Aligned Movement summit in Cuba. "I hope and will make full efforts to make the talks substantive, so that these are result-oriented," he said. He also said he will meet with Afghan President Karzai at an Iftar Ramadan party to be hosted by US President Bush. ``That has its own significance of resolving our problems between Pakistan and Afghanistan, misunderstanding between Pakistan and Afghanistan,'' he said. He said that Pakistan and Afghanistan had already resolved problems in their relationship when he visited Kabul last week, but “maybe we consolidate that further while we meet again with President Bush.” Musharraf will travel from Brussels to Havana to attend the NAM summit before visiting the United States, an official said. In Brussels, Musharraf will hold talks with several EU leaders and is scheduled to address an EU-sponsored forum on Kashmir. After the two-day visit, Musharraf will proceed to Havana. On the last leg of his tour, Musharraf will travel to New York to attend the U.N. General Assembly session, and will pay an official visit to Washington and will meet with Bush for talks on Pakistan-U.S. relations and cooperation in fighting terrorism, the official said. (First Posted @ 14:14 PST Updated @ 21:32 PST)
Pakistan for comprehensive strategy to counter terrorism: FO ISLAMABAD, Sep 11 (APP): Pakistan on Monday called for evolving a comprehensive strategy to counter terrorism, saying that the military option alone was not the solution. "We need a long term strategy to address political disputes, sense of alienation, removal of grievances, depravation of socio-economic issues," Foreign Office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam told newsmen here at a weekly briefing. To a question about the recent agreement between the local authorities and the tribals in North Waziristan, the spokesperson said the accord was not between Pakistan and the Taliban and any such linkage was wrong. "This (accord) is not a defeat," she said, adding "This agreement is in line with our policy that military operations alone do not provide a solution to the problem of violence, extremism or terrorism." When questioned about reports regarding presence of Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan, she said "there is no evidence to suggest that." She dismissed reports that the US Special Operations Group has been tasked to track Osama and termed these as mere "speculations" and said there was no such thing. "Pakistan is responsible for any operation on its side of the border against any terrorists," she said. She also rubbished reports about sighting of Mullah Omer and termed it as a baseless allegation. Aslam dismissed suggestions that the Pakistani army engineers would serve under the expanded United Nations military mission that is being deployed in southern Lebanon. ``This is not a peacekeeping mission,'' Aslam said. ``This mission is being set up at the specific request of the Lebanese leadership.'' (First Posted @ 17:48 PST Updated @ 18:54 PST)
Comoros-flagged ship with 53 on board sinks-police ANTANANARIVO, Sept 11 (Reuters) - A ship with 53 people on board sailing between Madagascar and the Comoro islands in the Indian Ocean sank on Monday, with only 21 survivors found, police in Madagascar said. The Comoros-flagged "Ali Mubarak" had left Madagascar on Friday on its way to the Comoros, a police spokesman said, adding that 17 of those on board were of Malagasy nationality. (Posted @ 23:56 PST)
PM for immediate measures to supply food, clean drinking water for flood affected people in Sindh ISLAMABAD, Sept 11 (APP): Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has directed the relevant authorities in the federal government to take immediate measures in coordination with provincial and district governments to arrange supply of food packets and clean drinking water to the people affected in the torrential rains and flooding both in urban and rural areas in Sindh. (Posted @ 23:46 PST)
World Cup hockey results MONCHENGLADBACH, Germany, Sept 11, (AFP) - Men's World Cup field hockey tournament results Monday: Spain 3 (Alegre 9, S. Freixa 18, Tubau 36) New Zealand 1 (H. Shaw 40) India 1 (S. Singh 46) South Korea 2 (Jang 63, 69) Argentina 1 (Vila 41) Pakistan 0 (Posted @ 23:42 PST)
Troops retake Afghan district from Taliban KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, Sept 11 (AFP) Afghan security forces backed by NATO-led troops retook Garmser district in the southern province of Helmand Monday which was overrun by Taliban insurgents last week, killing at least four rebels, officials said. The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in neighbouring Kandahar province confirmed that the district was back under control. (Posted @ 22:06 PST)
More troops urgently needed in Afghanistan to avoid failure: expert LONDON, Sept 11 (AFP) The West needs urgently to send more troops to southern Afghanistan to prevent the Taliban defeating NATO forces there and sending shockwaves across the region, an expert warned Monday. Major Charles Heyman of The Armed Forces UK review lamented that intelligence sources had failed completely to predict the scale of the opposition in the volatile south of the country, notably in Helmand province. "If this mission fails, the Karzai government in Kabul probably has about one month of survival time. If the Karzai government goes in Kabul, it's possible that the shockwave of that will impact on Pakistan, and the Musharraf government in Pakistan will be in serious trouble…And if the Musharraf government goes, there are going to be problems for some of the governments in the Gulf. So there's a huge knock-on effect," he said. (Posted @ 22:00 PST)
Suspected militants behead one in Pakistan’s South Waziristan WANA, Pakistan, Sept 11 (AFP) Police recovered a headless body from Karwan Manza village in South Waziristan region Monday, security officials said. The body had been mutilated beyond recognition, the official said. Earlier unknown gunmen sprayed bullets from a car, killing Malik Mohammad Ali, an elder of the Kakakhel Waziri clan in the region's main city of Wana late Sunday, a local administration official said. (Posted @ 21:56 PST)
Hudood law amendments bill to be presented in parliament on Wednesday ISLAMABAD, Sept 11 (Agencies) The Pakistan government on Monday said the Hudood laws amendments bill would be presented in the parliament on Wednesday. Under the new amendments to the bill, agreed after meetings with opposition’s religious parties, "if there are four witnesses (in a rape case) it will be tried under (Shariah law), if there are not, it will be tried under the penal code," said Law Minister Mohammad Wasi Zafar. "In the case of both adultery and rape, the judge will decide how to try the case," he told reporters. Zafar said a draft of a new amendment bill would be presented to parliament for debate on Wednesday. Supporters in parliament of the original amendments said they would wait until seeing the new draft before commenting. (Posted @ 21:54 PST)
Pakistan geared to become a regional hub for trade: PM Aziz ISLAMABAD, Sep 11 (APP): Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz claimed Monday that the investment regime of the government coupled with incentives and the level playing field provided to investors have reduced the cost of doing business in Pakistan. He was talking to Anwar Merchant, President of Canadian Pakistan Business Council (CPBC) who called on him here at the Prime Minister house. The Prime Minister identified construction, agribusiness, infrastructure, energy, mining and IT and Telecom as areas with vast opportunities for the investors. (Posted @ 21:46 PST)
Quaid's death anniversary observed ISLAMABAD, Sept 11 (APP): The 58th death anniversary of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah was observed in the country on Monday. The National Assembly on Monday offered fateha for the soul of the founder of Pakistan after recitation from the Holy Quran. Special prayers in mosques for Quaid's soul and progress and prosperity of the country were offered. Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad and Sindh Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim Monday visited the mausoleum of Quaid-e-Azam, and offered Fateha after laying a floral wreath. Various organisations held programmes to highlight different aspects of Jinnah’s life. (Posted @ 21:16 PST)
No-confidence move against Deputy Speaker Sindh Assembly defeated KARACHI Sep 11 (Agencies) A no-confidence motion against Deputy Speaker Sindh Assembly, Raheela Tiwana, was defeated as no assembly member participated in the secret balloting on the motion Monday. "No vote has been cast in favour or against the no-confidence motion, therefore the motion stands defeated", announced Speaker Sindh Assembly Syed Muzaffar Hussein Shah. The opposition had demanded that the opposition leader and the movers of the motion be given time to speak before voting begins. However, when the speaker refused the opposition's demand, neither the opposition nor the treasury members moved to cast their votes. The speaker adjourned the session till September 19. (Posted @ 19:32 PST)
Saddam trial adjourns BAGHDAD, Sept 11 (AFP) The trial of deposed Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein on charges of genocide against the Kurdish people adjourned until Tuesday following the testimony of three witnesses on Monday. Saddam Hussein said Iraqis should not feel guilty for the Kurds who were killed under his regime. "I want to give a message to the Iraqi people that they should not suffer from guilt that they killed Kurds. This is shameful," he said shortly before the trial was adjourned. Saddam described the trial as an attempt to divide Kurds and Arabs. "The whole beginning (of witness testimonies) is aimed at creating a split within Iraq between the Kurds and Arabs," he said, going on to list examples of how pro-Kurd his regime had been. "After the Iran-Iraq war ... I made a statement on TV and radio giving orders that no Iraqi security force should arrest Kurds, and if anyone has problems with Kurds, they should complain to Saddam Hussein," he said. (First Posted @ 17:32 PST Updated @ 19:20 PST)
Palestinians reach deal on unity govt programme GAZA CITY, Sept 11 (AFP) Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas said Monday an agreement had been reached with Hamas on the programme for an incoming national unity government. "We have finished defining the political programme of a national unity government, based on the national reconciliation document," which was agreed on by Palestinian factions on June 27, Abbas told reporters. Prime minister Ismail Haniya, the head of the Hamas-led government, confirmed the deal. "Current prime minister Ismail Haniya will be charged by (Palestinian) president (Mahmud) Abbas with forming a national unity government," a senior official said. Abbas will dissolve the Palestinian government within 48 hours and name a prime minister charged with forming a national unity cabinet, a spokesman said Monday. (First Posted @ 13:54 PST Updated @ 19:18 PST)
US diverts plane from Atlanta to San Francisco: report WASHINGTON, Sept 11 (AFP) United Airlines flight en route from Atlanta, Georgia to San Francisco was diverted to Dallas, Texas Monday because of "suspicious activity" CNN reported, citing the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). The move was taken as the United States marked the fifth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terror attacks. (Posted @ 19:14 PST)
Blair pledges British help in rebuilding Lebanon BEIRUT, Sept 11 (AFP) British Prime Minister Tony Blair pledged help in rebuilding war-ravaged Lebanon during his first visit to Beirut Monday. "I hope that out of what has been a tragic and terrible time we can rebuild in a way that is not just lasting peace here in Lebanon but lasting peace in the region, but where we see Lebanon once again for what it is and can be, which is a model for the whole of this region of democracy, of liberty and of prosperity," Blair said at a press conference with Prime Minister Fuad Siniora. The press conference was briefly disrupted by a protestor brandishing a banner saying: "Boycott Israeli apartheid," who shouted: "This is an insult, shame on you, shame on you," before she was escorted out of the room. Both Blair, the highest-ranking Western leader to visit Beirut since the war, and Siniora said that solving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was the key to bringing stability to the region. Blair said London had pledged more than 40 million pounds to the rebuilding of Lebanon and promised support for the country's army. (Posted @ 19:12 PST)
War on terrorism more than killing terrorists: Bush WASHINGTON, Sept 11 (AFP) US President George W. Bush said in an interview broadcast Monday that the global war on terrorism must do more than kill extremists -- it must transform governments in the broader Middle East. Bush had been asked whether US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld was right to suggest, in a leaked memorandum in 2003, that winning the war required killing or detaining more terrorists than their leaders can recruit. "No, it's not…," the US president said in an exchange with NBC television. "In a sense he is right for the short term. In the long term, we have got to defeat an ideology of hate with an ideology of hope. And that's why I've called it an ideological struggle," Bush said. "In other words, if you don't have hope, you're more likely to be attracted to an ideology that says it's OK to go kill somebody, including yourself. And the way to defeat that ideology is with liberty," he said. (Posted @ 19:12 PST)
Israeli police fail to probe Jewish settler violence: report JERUSALEM, Sept 11 (Reuters) Nearly all investigations by Israeli police into reports of violence by Jewish settlers against Palestinians end in failure, a report by an Israeli human rights group said on Monday. In a year-long study of the actions of the Israeli police in the occupied West Bank, rights group Yesh Din found that 90 percent of investigations into settler violence against Palestinians failed because files were lost or closed due to "lack of evidence". In its report, Yesh Din said its findings and other similar studies showed that "Israel is abusing its obligation to defend the Palestinian civilian population in the occupied Palestinian territories against the criminality of Israeli civilians". "Failures abound in all stages of law enforcement in cases of settler violence against Palestinians in the West Bank," Yesh Din (Hebrew for "there is law") said in its 148-page report. (Posted @ 17:45 PST)
America 'not safe enough' five years after 9/11: Hillary Clinton WASHINGTON, Sept 11 (AFP) US Senator Hillary Clinton said Monday on the fifth anniversary of the September 11 terror attacks that America, while less vulnerable, is "not safe enough." "I think there is certainly a very strong case to be made that in Iraq, people are now turning into suicide bombers," the New York lawmaker and former US first lady told NBC television's "Today Show.". "We have seen suicide bombings in Afghanistan -- something we never saw before. So the source of the hatred, the source of the conflict has probably spread beyond Al-Qaeda," she said. (Posted @ 17:42 PST)
Hundreds protests Blair visit to Lebanon BEIRUT, Sept 11 (AFP) Hundreds of demonstrators held a protest Monday in Beirut against British Prime Minister Tony's Blair's visit, charging he had blood on his hands for backing Israel in its war with Hezbollah. About 1,000 people gathered near Martyr's Square in central Beirut but were prevented by hundreds of army troops, tanks and barbed wire from marching to the UN headquarters located near the prime minister's office. Blair was meeting at the office with his Lebanese counterpart Fuad Siniora. (First Posted @ 12:50 PST Updated @ 17:40 PST)
Russia will send military engineers to Lebanon: Putin MOSCOW, Sept 11 (AFP) Russia is preparing to send a contingent of military engineers to Lebanon to help with reconstruction work, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Monday, news agency Interfax reported. "A corresponding request should be sent to the Federation Council as soon as an official request is received from the Lebanese parliament," Putin said during a meeting with cabinet ministers, Interfax reported. (Posted @ 17:36 PST)
Five Afghan police killed in suicide attack on governor's funeral HISARAK, Afghanistan, Sept 11 (AFP) Five police officers were killed and 30 people wounded Monday in a suicide blast at the funeral of an assassinated provincial governor in eastern Afghanistan, a doctor said. Police said a suicide bomber blew himself up at the funeral of Hakim Taniwal, the late governor of eastern Paktia province, at his birthplace in Hisarak village in the neighbouring province of Khost. (Posted @ 17:30 PST)
NATO, Afghan troops kill more than 90 Taliban KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, Sept 11 (AFP) NATO and Afghan forces killed 92 Taliban rebels in air and artillery strikes in southern Afghanistan, the latest deaths in a major offensive called Operation Medusa launched on September 2, the alliance said Monday. "Further analysis of yesterday's (Sunday's) battle damage assessment reports that 92 insurgents were killed," a statement from the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force said. It said the latest deaths were separate from 94 Taliban said to have been killed in other battles overnight Saturday and early Sunday. The Taliban rejected the alliance's figures and said only two of its fighters had died on Sunday. (Posted @ 15:55 PST)
Blasts cause major power cut in Pakistan’s Balochistan QUETTA, Pakistan, Sept 11 (AFP) Tribal militants blew up four power pylons disrupting supplies to more than half of Pakistan’s province of Balochistan, officials said Monday. Militants detonated explosives in Aab-e-Gum town, 50 kilometers south of the provincial capital Quetta before dawn, state-owned water and power supply company spokesman said. "The blasts plunged at least 16 of Baluchistan's 29 districts into darkness," he said, adding “it may take four or five days to restore normal supplies". A bomb exploded in an abandoned building near a post office in Kharan district late Sunday, police said, adding there were no casualties. No one claimed responsibility for the blasts. (First Posted @ 13:52 PST Updated @ 15:46 PST)
Amnesty urges EU to press Pervez Musharraf to end use of death penalty BRUSSELS, Sept 11 (AP) Human rights group Amnesty International called on European Union officials Monday to press Pakistan's President Gen. Pervez Musharraf to end the use of the death penalty in Pakistan. Amnesty urged European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, who will hold talks Tuesday with Pervez Musharraf, to call for an immediate moratorium on executions. ``Pakistan's rate of executions is one of the highest in the world,'' an AI official said. ``Given the EU's strong commitment to oppose the death penalty, President Musharraf should be pressed hard for a moratorium.'' (Posted @ 14:59 PST)
One dead, two wounded in Thai south YALA, Thailand, Sept 11(AFP) A Buddhist woman was shot dead and two policemen were slightly wounded in a bomb attack south of Thailand, police said Monday. The woman, a 43-year-old grocer, was gunned down at her store by two suspected militants who posed as customers in Yala. After killing her, the militants put a small bomb inside a coffee bean carton and triggered a blast via mobile phone when two policemen arrived at the shop. (Posted @ 14:47 PST)
Zawahiri issues new warning on 9/11 anniversary DUBAI, Sept 11, 2006 (AFP) - Osama bin Laden's number two Ayman al-Zawahiri warned that the Gulf and Israel would be the next targets of Al-Qaeda, in a video message coinciding with the fifth anniversary of the September 11 attacks on the United States. (Posted @ 14:04 PST)
Manmohan-Musharraf meet to help re-activate peace process: PDP NEW DELHI, Sept 11 (APP): "People are eagerly looking forward for the positive outcome of Manmohan-Musharraf meet as it offers a golden opportunity to break the deadlock triggered by some recent unfortunate incidents like Mumbai blasts," PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti told a public meeting at Vilgam in Kupwara in occupied Kashmir. She said the peace process was in the larger interests of the people of the sub-continent in general and occupied Kashmir in particular. "Peace process has the overwhelming public endorsement and it has to move forward anyway," she added. (Posted @ 13:58 PST)
Gunmen in Iraq kill nine in attacks on police, telephone exchange center, oil workers BAGHDAD, Sept 11 (AP) _ Gunmen killed at least nine people in separate attacks overnight and on Monday morning in northern Iraq and in the capital, authorities said. Assailants opened fire at a telephone exchange center in Alwiya commercial area of central Baghdad early Monday morning,killing a man and a woman, police said. Late Sunday night, clashes between gunmen and police in al-Maalif area of southern Baghdad killed two policemen, while a roadside bomb targeting a U.S. military patrol exploded on Monday morning near central Baghdad's al-Jadriya bridge, wounding an Iraqi civilian. In the eastern part of the capital, authorities found the bodies of two men dumped in the street in al-Ubaidi district. Elsewhere in Iraq, gunmen in two cars ambushed a bus carrying oil employees from Beiji, the country's biggest refinery, to Tuz Khormato district in northern Iraq late Sunday, killing four and injuring another, police said. In Kut, gunmen killed a local policeman when they broke into his house at dawn Monday in the Jihad neighborhood, police 1st Lt.Mohamed al-Shamari said. (Posted @ 13:54 PST)
Explosion kills 16 army recruits in Baghdad BAGHDAD, Sept 11 (AP) A mini bus exploded near the al-Muthana army recruiting center in central Baghdad Monday, killing at least 16 people and injuring seven, the Defense Ministry said. (First Posted @ 11:34 Updated @ 13:54 PST)
Mine blast kills policeman in occupied Kashmir SRINAGAR, occupied Kashmir, Sept 11 (AFP) An Indian policeman was killed and his colleague hurt when a landmine went off in the southern district of Kulgam in revolt-hit occupied Kashmir, police said Monday. The explosion took place late Sunday as Indian army chief General S.S. Dhillon said cross-border infiltration from Azad Kashmir was "marginally higher" than last year but “not something very sensational”. (Posted @ 12:48 PST)
Olmert ally calls for state inquiry into Lebanon war JERUSALEM, Sept 11 (AFP) Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was dealt a new blow Monday after Transport Minister Shaul Mofaz became the first senior member of his Kadima party to demand a powerful state commission into the Lebanon war, instead of a limited inquiry supported by the premier. A state commission is Israel's most powerful type of public inquiry. (Posted @ 11:32 PST)
Israeli tank fire kills Palestinian boy GAZA, Sept 11 (Reuters) An Israeli tank shell landed near a group of Palestinians in the southern Gaza town of Rafah on Sunday, killing a 14-year-old boy and wounding a relative, Palestinian witnesses and medics said. An Israeli army spokesman confirmed the incident. (Posted @ 09:55 PST)
Atlantis in top shape as it prepares for ISS rendezvous HOUSTON, Texas, Sept 11 (AFP) The space shuttle Atlantis, was in top physical shape and with no apparent exterior damage, NASA officials said Sunday, one day after a flawless launch that marked the US space agency's first construction mission since the 2003 Columbia disaster. Atlantis, carrying a six-member crew, lifted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Saturday. (Posted @ 09:37 PST)
Iran denies uranium suspension reports VIENNA, Sept 11 (AFP) Iran has not proposed suspending uranium enrichment for up to two months, the Iranian ambassador to the UN nuclear watchdog agency in Vienna said Sunday in response to press reports. "Such a thing has not been discussed" in the two days of meetings between European foreign policy chief Javier Solana and top Iranian nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani, said Ali Asghar Soltanieh, part of the Iranian delegation at the talks. (Posted @ 09:32 PST)
Bush honours Sept 11 victims NEW YORK, Sept 11 (AFP) US President George W. Bush on Sunday laid wreaths where the World Trade Center's twin towers once stood, launching two emotional days of events marking five years since the September 11 terrorist strikes. Just a few blocks away, dozens of protestors waved signs reading "End the Occupation" of Iraq, "Troops Home Now" and "Bush and Co. War Criminals." (Posted @ 09:28 PST)
Federer clinches ninth Grand Slam title NEW YORK, Sept 11 (AFP) Swiss superstar Roger Federer claimed his ninth major title, firing 17 aces en route to a 6-2, 4-6, 7-5, 6-1 win over former world number one Andy Roddick in the US Open final Sunday. The 25-year-old Federer captured his third consecutive US Open title and also became the first player to win back-to-back Wimbledon and US Open titles for three years in a row. (Posted @ 09:27 PST)
Karachi Stocks down 72.31 points: KARACHI, September 11: At close of trading the KSE-100 index was at 9892.90, down 72.31 points. (Bureau Report) (Updated @ 14:20 PST)
Forex update: KARACHI, September 11: The Pakistani Rupee was traded at Rs 60.52 to the US Dollar in the open market. (Bureau Report) (Updated @ 14:20 PST)
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