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| December 23, 2006 | Saturday | Zilhaj 01, 1427 |
Updated round-the-clock, with major updates after 10:00 PST (05:00 GMT)
Pakistani envoy says US opposition can block Iran-Pakistan-India pipeline WASHINGTON, Dec 23 (AP) The proposed gas pipeline between Iran, Pakistan and India may never be built if the United States continues to object to the project based on its continuing hostile relationship with Iran, Pakistani Ambassador Mahmud Ali Durrani in an AP interview said Friday. Durrani said the project could also be scuttled by a disagreement with Iran over the price Pakistan should pay for the gas. If American objections derail the project, the envoy said, Pakistan would expect the United States to help find other ways of enabling the country to meet its energy needs. He suggested that neither India nor Pakistan would be willing to sacrifice their relationships with the United States for the sake of the pipeline “because America is an important ally.'' Pakistan's basic concern is that India will divert all of the nuclear fuel it receives to its weapons program and not to meet energy needs, he said. He expressed regret that the United States has been unwilling to provide Pakistan with the same nuclear fuel deal that India now has. However there is a certain stability in Islamabad’s relationship with New Dehli because as India's deterrence has grown in recent year's, so has Pakistan's, he said. (Posted @ 10:15 PST)
Intelligence boosted to enforce accord with tribal elders: Pakistani ambassador to US WASHINGTON, Dec 23 (AP) Addressing international concern, the Pakistani ambassador to the United States Mahmud Ali Durrani during an AP interview said his government is directing greater intelligence resources toward enforcing an accord with tribal elders to improve security along its border with Afghanistan. He said the world was unfair to condemn the deal the day it was signed. ``The agreement needs more time. We need another couple of months. I am not convinced the trouble in Afghanistan is because of these guys,'' he said. Defending the deal, Durrani said the Pakistani army withdrew from the internal posts, but the government still has troops in garrisons located in the region. And, he said, intelligence assets have been added as part of ``checks and balances'' to ensure the tribes hold their part of the bargain. ``If we get evidence that this is happening and these chaps are hoodwinking us, it will go. This (agreement) will be scrapped,'' Durrani said. (Posted @ 10:10 PST)
Pakistan, India agree to conduct Sir Creek joint survey ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Dec 23 (AP) Pakistan and India on Saturday agreed to conduct a joint survey to identify the border line in the Sir Creek zone from Jan. 15 at the end of their two-day talks in Rawalpindi. (First Posted @ 09:55 PST Updated @ 19:44 PST)
Israeli, Palestinian leaders meet in Jerusalem JERUSALEM, Dec 23, (AFP) - Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas began their first official meeting in Jerusalem on Saturday evening, an Israeli official said. The two leaders were meeting in Olmert's official residence in Jerusalem, the official said. (Posted @ 23:00 PST)
UN slaps nuclear-related sanctions on Iran: council president UNITED NATIONS, Dec 23, (AFP) - The Security Council on Saturday slapped the first-ever UN sanctions on Iran, targeting its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, in response to its refusal to halt sensitive nuclear fuel work. In a resolution adopted unanimously, the 15-member council directed all states "to prevent the supply, sale or transfer ... of all items, materials, equipment, goods and technology which could contribute to Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programs." (Posted @ 22:46 PST)
Pakistan doing all to promote inter-faith harmony: PM ISLAMABAD, Dec 23 (APP): Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said Saturday, with the rights of minorities fully protected in Pakistan, the country was working hard and making good progress in promoting inter-faith harmony. "Jesus Christ is regarded by all of us as a Prophet, who served the cause of peace and harmony", he said while speaking to the participants of a Special Christmas Party held here at the PM House in honour of the diplomatic community living in the federal capital. (Posted @ 22:40 PST)
Putin, Bush stress importance of 'unified position' on Iran WASHINGTON, Dec 23 (AFP) Russian President Vladimir Putin telephoned US President George W. Bush Saturday to discuss Iran, the White House said. The two leaders "agreed on the need to move forward with a resolution in the UN Security Council and stressed the importance of maintaining a unified position on Iran's nuclear program," it said in a statement. (Posted @ 22:18 PST)
ARD destined to stay: Javed Hashmi MULTAN, December 23 (Agencies): PML-N acting president, Makhdoom Javed Hashmi, was released on parole Saturday to attend his daughter's marriage. Talking to the media at the Multan airport, he said the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy (ARD) is destined to stay and no genuine political party, including the PPP-P, would strike any deal with the government. He said differences between PPP-P and PML-N is a separate issue, and stressed that both parties are engaged in a joint struggle against the government. (Posted @ 20:14 PST)
Government has prepared a 25-year plan to meet energy need: PM Aziz MIANWALI, Dec 23 (Agencies): Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz Saturday said the government has prepared a plan to meet the energy requirements of the country till the year 2016 through the construction of five mega water reservoirs including the Kalabagh dam. Addressing a ceremony to commemorate the Rs12.8 billion Jinnah Hydro Power Project on the Indus River, Aziz said "this is a step towards the completion of master plan that will be completed within 25 years". (Posted @ 19:12 PST)
Iraq violence claims 10 dead SAMAWA, Iraq, Dec 23 (AFP) At least ten Iraqis died in violence Saturday, officials said. Six people were killed, including five policemen, in Samawa city during a gunbattle between police and militiamen that began Friday night and continued Saturday, police sources said. Another four people were killed in Baquba and Kirkuk. The defence ministry announced separately that 15 suspected "terrorists" were arrested in Diyala province. (First Posted @ 12:50 PST Updated @ 18:42 PST)
Coalition claims killing Bin Laden's "close associate" in Afghanistan KABUL, Dec 23 (AFP) US-led coalition forces killed Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Osmani, a close associate of Osama bin Laden and a Taliban leader, and two of his unidentified associates on December 19 in Helmand province, a military statement said Saturday. A Taliban spokesman, however, denied Osmani had been killed, saying the airstrike claimed a low-ranking commander and three other militants. "Mullah Akhtar Osmani is alive and inside Afghanistan," the spokesman said. (First Posted @ 15:40 PST Updated @ 18:34 PST)
Indian army colonel killed, four hurt in occupied Kashmir clash SRINAGAR, occupied Kashmir, Dec 23 (AFP) An Indian army colonel was killed and four soldiers were injured in a clash with gunmen in the village of Tilgam, the army and police said Saturday. Also Saturday, Sopore town observed a complete shutdown to mourn the deaths of two civilians killed there Friday when they were caught in a crossfire during an ambush on an army convoy. (Posted @ 18:26 PST)
Tamil Tigers 'rescue' crew from Jordanian ship COLOMBO, Dec 23 (AFP) Tamil Tiger rebels said Saturday they had rescued 25 sailors from a crippled Jordanian ship off Sri Lanka's northeastern coast, dismissing government allegations they had staged a "pirate attack". (First Posted @ 14:00 PST Updated @ 18:22 PST)
Gunmen kill university professor in northwestern Pakistan DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Pakistan, Dec 23 (AP) Gunmen killed a university professor in Dera Ismail Khan on Saturday, police said. Later, about 200 students of Gomal University blocked a main road to protest the slaying of Professor Nizakat Ali and demanded the immediate arrest of his attackers. (Posted @ 18:08 PST)
ADB lends 320 million dollars to help Pakistan's poor MANILA, Dec 23, 2006 (AFP) The Asian Development Bank (ADB) said Saturday it was lending 320 million dollars to help the poor in Pakistan obtain access to wider financial services, including microfinance. The loans would go to developing a legal and regulatory framework and removing bottlenecks that would allow more of the country's poor access to financial networks, the ADB said in a statement from its headquarters in the Philippine capital. The bank would also work to set up public-private partnerships, including reliable business and credit information systems as well as improved, reliable and lower-cost remittance services for overseas workers. (Posted @ 14:15 PST)
Police hunt launched after uranium stolen in India RANCHI, India, Dec 23 (AFP) Police in the eastern Indian state of Jharkhand are hunting for a container packed with highly radioactive material stolen from a research facility, officials said Saturday. "It carries uranium and radiation could have an adverse effect in an area of 1.5 kilometres," Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Khoda warned. (Posted @ 14:10 PST)
Security official wounded in Gaza Strip ambush GAZA CITY, Dec 23 (AFP) A colonel in the Preventive Security force was wounded in a shooting ambush in the southern Gaza Strip’s Rafah town early Saturday, witnesses and emergency services said. (Posted @ 13:05 PST)
Sudan says it will accept UN peacekeeper involvement in Darfur region KHARTOUM, Sudan, Dec 23 (AP) The Sudanese government has agreed to a UN peacekeeping role in the Darfur region, but in a mission with mostly African Union troops and an African commander, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said. (Posted @ 11:35 PST)
UN calls for immediate end to fighting in Somalia UNITED NATIONS, Dec 23 (AFP) UN chief Kofi Annan and the UN Security Council Friday called for an immediate end to fighting in Somalia, where Ethiopian-backed government forces claimed to have killed more than 500 militants in the past three days. (Posted @ 10:45 PST)
Fire in Thai slum kills woman, destroying 30 houses BANGKOK, Thailand, Dec 23 (AP) A fire broke out in a slum community in the Thai capital early Saturday, killing an 80-year-old woman and destroying more than 30 houses, police said. (Posted @ 10:35 PST)
Bush to deliver State of the Union address on January 23 WASHINGTON, Dec 23 (AFP) US President George W. Bush will deliver the annual State of the Union address, in which the president outlines domestic and foreign policies, on January 23, the White House said Friday. The address before the Congress, televised live nationwide, will come as Bush is under pressure from Americans to explain how he will get US troops out of Iraq. (Posted @ 09:10 PST)
Cricket-Australia's McGrath announces retirement SYDNEY, Dec 23 (Reuters) Australia fast bowler Glenn McGrath said Saturday he would retire from all forms of cricket after next year's World Cup in the West Indies in March and April. "It's probably a perfect or fitting ending," McGrath told a news conference in Melbourne. (Posted @ 09:05 PST)
Strong quake hits India's Andaman Islands region PORT BLAIR, India, Dec 23 (AFP) A strong earthquake with a magnitude of 6.1 struck in the vicinity of India's Andaman Islands early Saturday, but there was no risk of a tsunami, geologists said. The earthquake occurred some 115 kilometres south-southwest of the capital Port Blair, according to the US Geological Survey. There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties following the quake, which occurred at a depth of 45 kilometres. (Posted @ 09:05 PST)
Space shuttle Discovery lands in Florida CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida, Dec 23 (AFP) Space shuttle Discovery and its seven-member crew landed safely Friday at the Kennedy Space Center here after a nearly 13-day successful mission that advanced construction of the International Space Station. (Posted @ 09:00 PST)
At least nine killed in Haitian raid PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti, Dec 23 (Reuters) At least nine people were killed and 30 wounded in Haiti's Bwa Nef district Friday during a raid by security forces targeting armed gangs blamed for a recent surge in kidnappings and other crimes in the capital Port-au-Prince, humanitarian aid workers said. (Posted @ 09:00 PST)
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