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| December 19, 2006 | Tuesday | Ziqa'ad 27, 1427 |
Updated round-the-clock, with major updates after 10:00 PST (05:00 GMT)
Pakistani tribal leader dies in Balochistan blast QUETTA, Pakistan, Dec 19 (Reuters) A tribal leader was killed and two of his companions wounded Tuesday when a landmine exploded under their vehicle in Dera Bugti district, a security official said. The fatal attack on Banglan Khan was claimed by the Balochistan Liberation Army in phone calls to local media. In a separate incident, suspected militants blew up two power pylons in the same district early Tuesday.(First Posted @ 14:25 PST Updated @ 21:40 PST)
2006 worst year on record for journalist casualties: watchdog GENEVA, Dec 19 (AFP) Ninety-four journalists lost their lives in the course of their work in 2006, which is more than any other year, the Geneva-based Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) said on Tuesday. Media casualties in Iraq nearly doubled to 48 from 25 the year previously. Four journalists were also killed in both Sri Lanka and the Philippines; three in Pakistan and Colombia; two in China, India, Angola and Lebanon.(Posted @ 21:30 PST)
Pakistan not responsible for deteriorating situation in Afghanistan: Kasuri ISLAMABAD, Dec 19 (Agencies): Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri Tuesday said Pakistan was not responsible for the current deteriorating situation in Afghanistan. Speaking to the special envoy of the European Union, Francess Vengal, Kasuri said maintaining law and order in Afghanistan was the responsibility of the Afghan army and NATO forces. The overall security situation in the region, restoring peace in Afghanistan, Pak-Afghan borders issues and Pakistan's strategy in the tribal areas were also discussed during the meeting.(Posted @ 19:50 PST)
Soldier suicides continue to blight occupied Kashmir SRINAGAR, occupied Kashmir, Dec 19 (AFP) A soldier on counter-insurgency duty used his service rifle to kill himself in Baramulla district late Monday, police said Tuesday. Around 100 Indian soldiers kill themselves every year in occupied Kashmir and the insurgency-racked northeastern states, according to army figures.(Posted @ 19:30 PST)
Bangladesh ruling party puts on show of strength for vote DHAKA, Dec 19 (AFP) At least 200,000 supporters of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) rallied Tuesday in a show of strength to counter opposition threats to boycott next month's elections. BNP chief, Khaleda Zia, told the crowd: "we have only one demand, that the election should be held in due time. We will not accept any delay." Also Tuesday, Britain's envoy to Dhaka, Anwar Choudhury, issued a statement expressing concern at the continuing stand-off between political parties and warned of “unwelcoming consequences” to Bangladesh democracy. (First Posted @ 16:00 PST Updated @ 19:25 PST)
Writer Fukuyama says Iraq war encouraged North Korea, Iran TOKYO, Dec 19 (AFP) Francis Fukuyama, former US neoconservative writer, best-known for his 1992 book "The End of History and the Last Man", said Tuesday that the mishandling of the Iraq war led Iran and North Korea to pursue nuclear programs. Fukuyama said that President George W. Bush's administration relied on flawed assumptions. He said that lingering emotions from the September 11, 2001 attacks prevented US foreign-policy makers from "reasonably" addressing the terrorism threat.(Posted @ 19:15 PST)
Saudi Arabia denies it will back Iraq Sunnis RIYADH, Dec 19 (AFP) Saudi Arabia's foreign minister on Tuesday denied reports that the kingdom would step in to back the Sunnis in Iraq in the event of a US pullout. "Since the beginning of the crisis in Iraq and the formation of the government ... the kingdom has been saying that it stands at an equal distance from all Iraqi factions," Prince Saud al-Faisal told a Riyadh news conference. "We do not pose as guardians of one faction or sect," he said.(Posted @ 19:00 PST)
Olmert on surprise visit to Jordan AMMAN, Dec 19 (AFP) Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert paid a surprise visit to Jordan Tuesday for talks with King Abdullah II on ways of reactivating peace talks with the Palestinians, the royal court said.(Posted @ 19:00 PST)
Iraq on brink of disintegration: think-tank BAGHDAD, Dec 19 (AFP) Iraq faces "complete disintegration into failed state chaos", the International Crisis Group warned Tuesday, urging the United States to adopt a radical change of strategy to end the crisis. The ICG's new report endorsed the Iraq Study Group's criticisms of White House strategy, but warned the recommendations of former secretary of state James Baker's panel would not be enough to stem the bloodshed. In particular, the Crisis Group criticised the US insistence on supporting Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's coalition government, and called instead for the international community to open talks with all Iraq's warring parties.(Posted @ 19:00 PST)
Russia keen to help in Middle East: Putin MOSCOW, Dec 19 (AFP) Russian President Vladimir Putin voiced concern Tuesday at the turmoil in the Middle East and stressed Moscow's desire for a diplomatic role in the region, as he held talks with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.Noting that he had recently hosted Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora, Putin said: "We continue in the most active way possible to participate in the Middle East peace process and continue to have contacts with all the political forces in Palestine".(Posted @ 19:00 PST)
Government focusing on education and technical skills: PM Aziz LAHORE, Dec 19 (APP): Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz Tuesday said the government was focusing on education and technical skills to ensure progress and prosperity of the nation. Addressing a ceremony at the Pakistan Institute of National Affairs' House (PINA), Aziz said Pakistan’s human resource assets were the best. "Young people are the future of Pakistan and it is our belief to provide education to the entire young generation so that Pakistan can face all types of challenges", he said.(Posted @ 17:50 PST)
Libya court condemns six to death in AIDS trial TRIPOLI, Dec 19 (AFP) A Libyan court Tuesday condemned to death five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor accused of spreading HIV-AIDS among children in hospital. The medics, held for the past seven years, had previously been sentenced in May 2004 to face a firing squad, before Libya's supreme court ordered a retrial following an appeal in December 2005.(Posted @ 16:30 PST)
Three killed in Gaza clashes GAZA CITY, Dec 19 (AFP) Two Palestinians were killed and seven teenagers were wounded in clashes between rival Palestinian factions in a Gaza City street, bringing to three the number of people killed Tuesday, medical sources said.Earlier, a member of the police force was killed and at least 12 others were injured in a separate clash in Gaza. (First Posted @ 10:30 PST Updated @ 16:05 PST)
Iraq attacks are at a record high: Pentagon report WASHINGTON, Dec 19 (AFP) An average of 959 attacks per week between August 12 and November 10 took place in Iraq, the highest level on record, the Pentagon said Tuesday in a quarterly report. There was a 22 percent jump in attacks and a two percent increase in civilian casualties compared to the three preceding months said the report, titled "Measuring Stability and Security in Iraq." Sixty-eight percent of the attacks were aimed at soldiers with the US-led coalition, but most casualties were Iraqis. Fifty-four percent of all attacks took place in the provinces of Baghdad and Al-Anbar.(Posted @ 15:45 PST)
US military challenges Bush plan for more troops in Iraq: report WASHINGTON, Dec 19 (AFP) Top US military officials are questioning a White House plan to send between 15,000 and 30,000 more US troops to Iraq for up to eight months, the Washington Post reported Tuesday. The paper, citing unnamed US officials familiar with the "intense" debate, said the Joint Chiefs of Staff unanimously disagree with the plan, in part because the force's mission has not been defined.(Posted @ 15:30 PST)
Blair arrives in UAE ABU DHABI, Dec 19 (AFP) British Prime Minister Tony Blair arrived in the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday on the final leg of a regional tour aimed at boosting peace efforts in the Middle East.(Posted @ 15:25 PST)
Reforms transforming Pakistan into prosperous country: PM Aziz LAHORE, Dec 19 (APP): Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Tuesday said the economic reforms being pursued by the government would help transform Pakistan into a prosperous and progressive country. Speaking at the inaugural session of a four-day annual conference of the Pakistan Society of Development Economics (PSDE), he said: "our financial reforms and privatization strategy have led to a vibrant financial sector that is empowering the consumer for the first time." Aziz claimed that investment as a percentage of GDP had grown to 20 per cent, the highest ever in the last two decades. Further, poverty in the country had declined by 11 per cent in the rural areas and 8 per cent in the urban areas over the period of last five years, he added.(Posted @ 15:20 PST)
Musharraf attends army Exercise Desert Shield-I KARACHI, Dec 19 (APP) President Pervez Musharraf stressed the need for intensive peace time training at all levels as this would yield dividends in the time of trials and deter aggression. He made these observations while attending "Exercise Desert Shield-I" being held at the Corps Headquarters in Karachi, an ISPR press release Tuesday said. The President appreciated the concept, scope and setting of the war game, which are aimed at refining operational plans in a realistic battlefield environment, and added that the Pakistan armed forces were adequately equipped and trained to deal with all challenges.(Posted @ 14:10 PST)
Iran vows retaliation against any sanctions TEHRAN, Dec 19 (AFP) President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Tuesday vowed Iran will retaliate if the UN Security Council imposed sanctions against Tehran over its nuclear programme. "The European countries should know that if they insist on preventing Iran's moves (in its nuclear work), we will consider this behaviour a hostile act and we will react in return," he said in a speech broadcast on state television.(Posted @ 14:10 PST)
Bear killers face prosecution in occupied Kashmir SRINAGAR, occupied Kashmir, Dec 19 (AFP) Police are to prosecute several people who burnt a black bear to death in occupied Kashmir, officials said Tuesday after horrific footage of a mob starting the fire was shown on television. The bear died last month in the district's Tral town, but the case had been brushed under the carpet until the video footage was aired. Witness Ghulam Ahmed said the bear had held a child in its lap for about 20 minutes before releasing him without harm. "Scores of people later locked the animal in a cowshed and early morning next day set the bear on fire," he said.(Posted @ 14:00 PST)
Tamil rebel factional fight leaves three dead COLOMBO, Dec 19 (AFP) At least three Tamil rebels were killed in a skirmish between rival factions in northern Sri Lanka Tuesday as members of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the breakaway "Karuna" group clashed in Vavuniya district, police said.(Posted @ 12:30 PST)
One mln Afghans in Pakistan register in UN-backed operation to help repatriation UNITED NATIONS, Dec 19 (APP) Nearly one million of the 2.4 million Afghans still in Pakistan after fleeing the 1979 Soviet invasion and later factional fighting have now been registered in a U.N.-backed operation by the Pakistani Government. The 10-week exercise began October 15 and runs until December 31.Even after more than 2.8 million Afghans returned home over the last five years Pakistan still hosts one of the largest groups of refugees in the world; there are 1 million Afghans living in camps and more than 1.4 million living in urban areas, UNHCR said.(Posted @ 12:10 PST)
Shuttle to undock from space station DALLAS, Dec 19 (Reuters) NASA plans to undock the space shuttle Discovery from the International Space Station on Tuesday after an eventful mission that included a crucial rewiring and the retraction of a stubborn solar array. The undocking, scheduled to start at 5:09 p.m. EST, will be the first step in the shuttle Discovery's journey home, which is slated for Friday, a day later than originally planned. (First Posted@ 11:15 PST, Updated@ 12:00 PST)
Cricket-Australia name unchanged squad for Melbourne test SYDNEY, Dec 19 (Reuters) Australia named an unchanged 12-man squad on Tuesday for the fourth Ashes test starting in Melbourne on December 26. Australia squad: Ricky Ponting (captain), Justin Langer, Matthew Hayden, Mike Hussey, Michael Clarke, Andrew Symonds, Adam Gilchrist, Shane Warne, Brett Lee, Stuart Clark, Glenn McGrath, Mitchell Johnson.(Posted @ 11:55 PST)
ADB lends US$50 million for Indonesia's madrasa schools MANILA, Philippines, Dec 19 (AP) _ The Asian Development Bank said Tuesday it will lend US$50 million (euro38 million) to Indonesia to improve the quality of Islamic schools (madrasa), which are becoming more popular among girls and the rural poor. The money will be used to improve the qualifications of teachers, expand the schools textbooks and other learning materials, and improve facilities and equipment, launch scholarship programs, particularly for poor and female students, aimed at increasing enrollment and decreasing dropouts and repetition rates.(Posted @ 11:45 PST)
NATO jets kill several Taliban in Afghanistan KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, Dec 19 (AFP) NATO-led warplanes dropped guided bombs on a Taliban command post in southern Kandahar’s Panjwayi district overnight, killing a number of insurgents, the alliance said Tuesday.(Posted @ 11:45 PST)
Report: Three militants arrested in New Delhi NEW DELHI, Dec 19 (AP) _ Police Tuesday morning arrested three suspected militants who authorities said were planning attacks in New Delhi, PTI news agency reported. The three were picked up near the 17th-century Red Fort with explosives, detonators and a hand grenade, PTI said quoting senior police official Karnal Singh. The trio belonged to Lashkar-e-Tayyabba, the report quoted Singh as saying, but gave no further details.(Posted @ 11:40 PST)
US plans Gulf naval buildup to warn Iran: report WASHINGTON, Dec 19 (AFP) The United States is planning to position an aircraft carrier group in the Gulf after the new year as a warning to Iran, CBS news reported Monday, citing unnamed officials. The network said the Pentagon is deploying "a major buildup of naval forces in and around the Persian Gulf" in response to what the United States considers "increasingly provocative acts." The Pentagon declined comment on the report.(Posted @ 0920 PST)
Karachi Stocks down 285.76 points: KARACHI, Dec 19: At close of trading the KSE-100 index was at 10055.65 , down 285.76 points. (Bureau Report) (Updated @ 14:20 PST)
Forex update: KARACHI, Dec 19: The Pakistani Rupee was traded at Rs 61.1 to the US Dollar in the open market. (Bureau Report) (Updated @ 14:20 PST)
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