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| February 25, 2007 | Sunday | Safar 7, 1428 |
Updated round-the-clock, with major updates after 10:00 PST (05:00 GMT)
Muslim ministers urge Palestinian settlement ISLAMABAD, Feb 25, (REUTERS) - Seven Muslim foreign ministers said on Sunday the Palestinian problem had to be resolved without delay and the stand-off over Iran's nuclear programme must be worked out through diplomacy. The foreign ministers of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Malaysia, Indonesia, Egypt and Jordan, and the chief of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference met in the Pakistani capital to prepare for an Islamic summit aimed at ending turmoil in the Middle East. After the talks, Pakistani Foreign Minister Khursheed Mehmood Kasuri said they needed more deliberations before their summit in Saudi Arabia. No date has been set for the meeting. The idea for a summit of Islamic countries has been championed by Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf who has long said the Palestinian conflict was the root of terrorism. (Posted @ 23:50 PST)
British foreign secretary arrives in Pakistan ISLAMABAD, Feb 25, (AFP) - British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett arrived in Pakistan Sunday for talks on tackling militants on the Afghan border ahead of an anticipated Taliban offensive, Pakistani officials said. Beckett will hold talks with her counterpart Khurshid Kasuri, President Pervez Musharraf - a key ally in the US-led “war on terror” - and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, the government and security officials said. (Posted @ 23:42 PST)
Cheney arrives in Persian Gulf for talks with U.S.-allied Oman DUBAI, United Arab Emirat, Feb 25, (AP) - U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney landed in Oman Sunday, and went directly to talks with Oman's foreign minister, Omani government officials said. A U.S. embassy spokesman in Oman declined to detail Cheney's plans or the focus of his visit to the sparsely populated oil-producing state. (Posted @ 23:34 PST)
Iran needs 'stop button' on nuclear program -Rice WASHINGTON, Feb 25, (REUTERS) - U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice responded to Iran's declaration that it had no “reverse gear” on its nuclear program by saying on Sunday that what Iran needed to do was halt weapons-related activities. Rice said if Tehran did so, the United States was prepared to discussed trade and political issues, and she would be willing to meet her Iranian counterpart. “They don't need a reverse gear. They need a stop button,” Rice said on “Fox News Sunday.” (Posted @ 23:30 PST)
Death toll from Iraq mosque blast rises to 56 FALLUJAH, Iraq, Feb 25, (AFP) - The death toll from a bomb attack on a Sunni mosque in western Iraq has risen to 56 with 103 wounded, a doctor said on Sunday as Iraq's prime minister blamed Al-Qaeda for the carnage. (Posted @ 23:20 PST)
Democracy still a US goal in Iran: Rice WASHINGTON, Feb 25, (AFP) - US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice brushed aside Iran's latest defiant statements on its contested nuclear program Sunday and reaffirmed her offer of negotiations with Tehran if it suspends its uranium enrichment activities. Rice also expressed confidence that US, Russian, Chinese and European diplomats due to begin meeting in London on Monday would find common ground on measures to increase pressure on Iran over its suspected nuclear arms drive. “We all agreed we needed to pursue the Security Council track,” Rice said in an interview on Fox News Sunday, referring to the possibility of additional UN sanctions against Iran. (Posted @ 23:04 PST)
Sadr calls on Iraqi forces not to work with US BAGHDAD, Feb 25, (AFP) - Radical Iraqi cleric Moqtada al-Sadr urged Iraqi security forces not to work with US troops in enforcing a new Baghdad security plan, in a message read to his supporters on Sunday. (Posted @ 22:56 PST)
Pirates hijack UN-chartered ship in northeastern Somalia NAIROBI, Feb 25, (AFP) - Pirates on Sunday hijacked a United Nations-chartered freighter off the coast of northeastern Somalia, UN officials said. The vessel, NV Rozen, was seized after delivering a total of 1,800 tonnes of food aid to the Somali towns of Bosasso and Berbera, UN World Food Programme spokewoman Stephanie Savariaud told AFP. (Posted @ 22:52 PST)
Nablus under curfew after Israeli raid NABLUS, West Bank, Feb 25, (AFP) - Israeli troops stormed Nablus on Sunday, arresting 20 Palestinians and triggering clashes that left six people wounded in the largest military crackdown in the West Bank in months. Israeli troops rode into the centre of Nablus in dozens of jeeps and armoured vehicles, imposing a curfew and surrounding several buildings including two hospitals, witnesses said. Palestinians condemmed the “outrageous aggression” and warned it could undermine president Mahmud Abbas's efforts to revive the peace process just one week after a three-way summit with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. (Posted @ 22:48 PST)
Iraqi PM blames Al-Qaeda for Sunni mosque attack BAGHDAD, Feb 25, (AFP) - Iraq's Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki on Sunday blamed Al-Qaeda for a deadly bomb attack on a Sunni mosque, that killed at least 40 people and injured more than 60, saying the blast proved that “terrorists” will attack anyone, regardless of their sect. (Posted @ 21:06 PST)
Pakistanis still looking for missing relatives after train blasts WAGAH, Feb 25, (AFP) - More Pakistanis came to India Sunday to look for missing relatives aboard a trans-national train that was firebombed last week, officials said. Four Pakistani men crossed over to India through the land opening at the Wagah border in northern Punjab state to search for family members who were returning to Pakistan last Sunday when the train was attacked. So far, 41 Pakistani nationals have come to India seeking information about their relatives after the attacks that killed 68 people and injured around 60. (Posted @ 20:24 PST)
Jordan king embarks on new Mideast peace bid CAIRO, Feb 25, (AFP) - Jordan's King Abdullah II held talks with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Sunday on the first leg of a four-nation tour aimed at relaunching Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking. Their meeting focused on efforts by rival Palestinian factions to form a unity government following a power-sharing deal. According to the official MENA news agency, conflicts and crises elsewhere in the Arab world, including Iraq, Lebanon and the Sudanese region of Darfur, were also on the agenda. (Posted @ 20:04 PST)
Pakistan meeting of Muslim ministers urges diplomacy with Iran ISLAMABAD, Feb 25, (AFP) - The foreign ministers of seven Muslim nations called Sunday for a diplomatic solution to the “dangerous” standoff over Iran's nuclear programme, a joint statement said after talks here. “The ministers reviewed with deep concern the dangerous escalation of tension especially over the Iranian nuclear issue,” said the statement, read by Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri. “It is vital that all issues must be resolved through diplomacy and there must be no resort to use of force,” the statement said. “There is need for de-escalation instead of aggravation and confrontation in the Gulf region. All countries must work towards that objective.”Kasuri and the visiting foreign ministers of Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia and Turkey held talks in Islamabad on an Islamic initiative to end the turmoil in the Middle East. The secretary general of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, also attended the meeting. (Posted @ 19:54 PST)
Suicide bomber kills 40 at Baghdad college BAGHDAD, Feb 25, (AFP) - At least 40 people were killed and 35 wounded on Sunday when a suicide bomber struck a college in eastern Baghdad, a security official said. Most of the victims of the blast at the School of Economy and Administration were students, about half of them women, according to a spokesman for the nearby Imam Ali hospital. “They sold us out,” one man cried as some students collected body parts they said would be buried on the school grounds. The attacker struck at the college's main gate, and the walls on both sides were splattered with blood and bits of flesh. There were fewer students than usual, however, owing to mid-term holidays. (First Posted @ 16:56 PST Updated @ 19:48 PST)
Cricket: Pakistan announce rewards for World Cup win LAHORE, Pakistan, Feb 25, (AFP) - The Pakistan Cricket Board said Sunday it would give five million rupees (83,000 dollars) to each member of its World Cup squad if they win the tournament. The 15 members of the squad will get 2.5 million rupees each if they reach the final in the Caribbean and 1.2 million rupees for getting to the semi-finals. “We hope the team achieves the best results in the coming World Cup and as a reward each player will get a handsome cash prize and we hope the incentives encourage them,” PCB chairman Naseem Ashraf said. (Posted @ 19:02 PST)
One dead in Siberian mine accident MOSCOW, Feb 25, (AFP) - One miner was killed and several others were injured when a mine roof collapsed on Sunday in the central Siberian province of Kemerovo, Russian news agencies quoted local officials as saying. (Posted @ 18:16 PST)
Ahmadinejad vows no retreat on nuclear drive TEHRAN, Feb 25, (AFP) - President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Sunday vowed Iran would not retreat in the face of Western pressure on its nuclear programme, comparing its atomic drive to a “train with no brakes,” local media reported. “Iran has reached the technology to produce nuclear fuel and Iran's movement on this path is like a train on a one-way track with no room for stopping, reverse gear or braking,” the president told a gathering of religious leaders. (Posted @ 17:36 PST)
Suicide bomber kills 22 at Baghdad college BAGHDAD, Feb 25, (AFP) - At least 22 people were killed and at 30 wounded on Sunday by a suicide bomber at the School of Economy and Administration in eastern Baghdad, a hospital official said. Most of the dead and wounded were students, according to a spokesman for the Imam Ali hospital, the closest to the scene. The spokesman said at least 22 people had been killed and 30 wounded people had been admitted to the hospital, about half of them women. (First Posted @ 16:56 PST Updated @ 17:06 PST)
Suicide bomber kills 10 in Baghdad BAGHDAD, Feb 25, (AFP) - Ten people were killed and at least 20 wounded by a suicide bomber outside a college of economy and administration in eastern Baghdad on Sunday, a security official said. (Posted @ 16:56 PST)
Muslim ministers meet in Pakistan on Mideast ISLAMABAD, Feb 25, (AFP) - Pakistan Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz told foreign ministers from seven key Muslim states meeting here Sunday that a joint push by the Islamic world is needed to end the turmoil in the Middle East. Pakistan is hosting the ministers from Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey plus the secretary general of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC). The goal is to lay groundwork for a future leaders' summit hosted by Saudi King Abdullah and the talks were set to focus on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the bloodshed in Iraq and tensions over Iran's nuclear programme. (Posted @ 16:48 PST)
One killed, three missing as gutted Indonesian ferry wreck JAKARTA, Feb 25, 2007 (AFP) - An Indonesian ferry gutted by a deadly fire this week sank unexpectedly Sunday off the coast of Jakarta with investigation teams still on board, leaving one person dead and three missing. (Posted @ 14:30 PST)
Iran says fires first rocket into space TEHRAN, Feb 25, 2007 (AFP) - Iran on Sunday said it had successfully launched its first rocket into space, state television said, without disclosing its range. “The first space rocket has been successfully launched into space,” a state television anchor announced. “The rocket was carrying material intended for research created by the ministries of science and defence,” Dr Bahrami, the head of Iran's aerospace research centre told state television. His first name was not given. He did not give further details on the nature of the cargo. (Posted @ 13:10 PST)
Minibus bomb outside Iranian embassy in Baghdad BAGHDAD, Feb 25, 2007 (AFP) - A minibus bomb exploded outside the Iranian embassy in central Baghdad early on Sunday, killing two people and wounding eight, a defence official said. The blast occurred around 8:45 am (0545 GMT) during peak morning traffic and the site, less than 50 metres (yards) from the Iranian embassy complex in the Karrada Miriam district, was immediately sealed off. “The police told us that it was a Kia minibus, and that two people were killed. It was close to the embassy, but we weren't the target,” said Iranian diplomat Khalil Saadati. (First Posted @ 11:12 PST; Updated @ 12:00 PST)
Car bomb near Iranian embassy in Baghdad BAGHDAD, Feb 25, 2007 (AFP) - A car bomb exploded outside the Iranian embassy in central Baghdad early on Sunday, killing one person and wounding four, security officials said. The blast erupted around 8:45 am (0545 GMT) during peak morning traffic and the site, just 50 metres (yards) from the Iranian embassy complex in Karrada Miriam district, was immediately sealed off. An employee in the embassy, who refused to give her name, told AFP by telephone that no-one in the compound was hurt. (First Posted @ 11:12 PST; Updated @ 11:30 PST)
Car bomb near Iranian embassy in Baghdad BAGHDAD, Feb 25, 2007 (AFP) - A car bomb exploded near the Iranian embassy in central Baghdad early Sunday, killing one person and wounding four, security sources said. (Posted @ 11:12 PST)
President Musharraf urges Pak team to play with determination in World Cup LAHORE, Feb 25 (APP)- President General Pervez Musharraf Saturday urged the Pakistan cricket team to start afresh in the World Cup to produce a performance which portray courage and determination for achieving desired results in the mega event. He was speaking at a programme “ Cricket Bahar (Spring) organised by Pakistan Cricket Board at Gadaffi stadium to raise funds for Cricket Pension Plan for former test cricketers and National Literacy Programme.President Musharraf termed Pakistan team a combination of talent and skills capable of beating any top team of world in the Cup.“ What is needed determination and right approach to go into the field with a positive mind to beat the opponents and if our players have that thought in their mind they can defeat their respective opponents no matter how strong or top ranked they are “,he asserted. (Posted @ 10:00 PST)
Islamic gathering in Pakistan not aimed at Shiites or Iran, says Turkish premier CAIRO, Egypt, Feb 25 (AP) - A string of meetings in Pakistan on Sunday for leaders of key Muslim nations are not aimed at forging an alliance against Shiite Iran, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said.. “This is not designed to isolate any country,” Erdogan told the Qatari-based Al-Jazeera television network Saturday. The foreign ministers of Egypt, Indonesia, Malaysia, Turkey, Jordan and Saudi Arabia are in Islamabad to lay the groundwork for a summit of Muslim leaders at Makkah. The goal of the summit is “a new initiative to address the grave situation in the Middle East, in particular the Palestinian issue, and for harmony in the Islamic world,” the Pakistani foreign minister said earlier in a statement. Erdogan said Iran and Syria will be invited at a later stage. (Posted @ 09:35 PST)
7 deaths blamed on winter storm in central US; winds cause damage in South DENVER, Feb 25 (AP) - A large, fast-moving snowstorm that closed sections of major highways in the central U.S. was blamed for seven traffic deaths, while strong winds in the South destroyed buildings and injured at least 27 people.The storms in the central Plains area dumped more than a foot of snow on the northern Midwest on Saturday. The seven deaths all occurred on slippery roads in the Midwestern state Wisconsin. (Posted @ 09:25 PST)
U.S. vice president's plane lands in Singapore SYDNEY, Australia, Feb 25 (AP) - U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney's plane from Sydney landed in Singapore on Sunday. Australian Prime Minister John Howard had said earlier that he had received a report that Cheney's plane was diverted after it took off from Sydney on Sunday morning, but that he did not have any more details. Sky News television in Australia said Cheney's plane may have been diverted due to a mechanical problem. Cheney left Australia on Sunday at the end of a three-day visit. He had earlier visited Japan and Guam. (Posted @ 09:20 PST)
Moderate quake rattles Tibet, no damage or injuries reported BEIJING, Feb 25 (AP) - A moderate earthquake shook a sparsely populated region of Tibet on Sunday, but there were no immediate reports of damage or injury. The magnitude 5.3 temblor struck Tibet's Naqu region, a wide swath of grasslands a few hundred kilometers (miles) north of the capital Lhasa, a duty officer with the Chinese seismological bureau said. (Posted @ 09:15 PST)
Cheney's plane diverted to Singapore SINGAPORE, Feb 25 ( Reuter) The plane carrying U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney from Australia to the United States has a small mechanical fault and will stopover in Singapore on Sunday, a source said in Singapore. Australian Prime Minister John Howard earlier told reporters in Sydney: “I am not aware of the full circumstances and I have not been told except that it has been diverted.” (Posted @ 09:10 PST)
US air strikes in southeast Baghdad BAGHDAD, Feb 25 (AFP) - US forces launched air strikes in southeast Baghdad on Saturday, Iraqi officials said. “American aircraft are bombarding terrorist targets that have been chosen by US and Iraqi forces, as part of our Baghdad security plan,” said Brigadier General Qasim al-Mussawi.Newsmen heard the rumble of more than three dozen powerful blasts in rapid succession at around 10:00pm (1900 GMT). Shortly after the first blasts, electricity was cut in part of central Baghdad, but it was not clear if these events were linked. A senior Iraqi interior ministry official said the air strikes were aimed at insurgent strongholds in Bo'aitha, a sparsely populated neighbourhood on the west bank of the Tigris, south of the city centre. Details of casualties were not immediately available. (Posted @ 09:05 PST)
US air strikes in southeast Baghdad BAGHDAD, Feb 25 (AFP) - US forces launched air strikes in southeast Baghdad on Saturday, Iraqi officials said. “American aircraft are bombarding terrorist targets that have been chosen by US and Iraqi forces, as part of our Baghdad security plan,” said Brigadier General Qasim al-Mussawi.Newsmen heard the rumble of more than three dozen powerful blasts in rapid succession at around 10:00pm (1900 GMT). Shortly after the first blasts, electricity was cut in part of central Baghdad, but it was not clear if these events were linked. A senior Iraqi interior ministry official said the air strikes were aimed at insurgent strongholds in Bo'aitha, a sparsely populated neighbourhood on the west bank of the Tigris, south of the city centre. Details of casualties were not immediately available. (Posted @ 09:05 PST)
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