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| April 29, 2007 | Sunday | Rabi-us-Sani 11, 1428 |
Updated round-the-clock, with major updates after 10:00 PST (05:00 GMT)
Suspicions fall on militants for Pakistan attack PESHAWAR, Pakistan, April 29 (Reuters) - Investigators on Sunday attempted to identify a suicide bomber who tried to kill Pakistan's interior minister Aftab Sherpao and which left 28 people killed and dozens injured on Saturday. Investigators found the severed head and torso of the grey-bearded suspect and were trying to establish his identity. “It is continuation of what is going on in our tribal areas and across the border in Afghanistan,” Asif Iqbal Daudzai, Information Minister for the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) told Reuters. A senior police investigator said the bomber appeared to be in his 30s. “He is either an Afghan or belongs to our tribal areas,” he said. “The pattern of attack was similar to previous ones, all of which had links in our tribal areas,” he added. Meanwhile, White House spokesman Tony Fratto said the attack “shows the terrorists are out there as we saw from this activity in Pakistan but also from the roundup in Saudi Arabia”. (Posted @ 11:30 PST)
1 Pakistani soldier, 3 militants killed in clash in tribal region MIRAN SHAH, Pakistan, April 29 (AP) - Suspected Islamic militants fired rockets and assault rifles at a military post in northwestern Pakistan prompting a clash early Sunday that left three attackers and one soldier dead, intelligence officials said. Paramilitary and army troops returned artillery fire in the pre-dawn attack on the post near the village of Nari Dogg in North Waziristan. One soldier died at the scene. Another intelligence official, who also requested anonymity because he was unauthorized to speak to the media, said the security forces' retaliatory fire killed three militants. Military officials were not immediately available to confirm the clash or casualties. Pakistan has deployed about 80,000 troops to its border regions with Afghanistan to track down militants. (Posted @ 11:10 PST)
Musharraf, Karzai, Turkish President hold informal meeting ANKARA, Apr 29 (APP) - President Pervez Musharraf and his Afghan and Turkish counterparts Hamid Karzai and Ahmed Necdet Sezer held informal meeting here at the Presidential Palace on Sunday to discuss the Pak- Afghan relationship in the context of their effort to fight terrorism. The Turkish President also hosted a banquet in honour of the President Musharraf and President Karzai. Earlier, the Turkish President formally received President Musharraf on his arrival at the Presidential Palace and the two leaders embraced each other. President Musharraf and President Karzai are scheduled to hold formal talks on Monday and will discuss the matters relating to bilateral cooperation in the fight against terrorism. (First Posted @ 16:54 PST Updated @ 23:52 PST)
Terrorists can not terrify nation: Shaukat Aziz Attock, April 29 (PPI) - Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has said that the terrorist elements can not terrify the nation or hamper the development process in the country. He was talking to newsmen during his brief visit to Attock on Sunday. Condemning the terrorist act in Charsadda public meeting, the Prime Minister vowed to take strict action against the terrorist elements. (Posted @ 23:06 PST)
Mass rally in Turkey amid tense political standoff ISTANBUL, April 29, (AFP) - More than a million Turks rallied here Sunday in support of secular democracy amid an unprecedented stand-off between the Islamist-rooted government and the army over presidential elections. As calls for calm mounted, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, a former Islamist and the sole candidate in the race to become president, ruled out withdrawing his bid, defying the army's threat of intervention in politics. (Posted @ 22:38 PST)
British soldier killed in southern Iraq BAGHDAD, April 29,(REUTERS) - A British soldier was shot dead while on patrol in the southern Iraqi city of Basra on Sunday, in what has been the bloodiest month for British forces in Iraq since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003. (Posted @ 22:16 PST)
Terror incident will not weaken our determination of serving people: Sherpao PESHAWAR, April 29 (APP) - Federal Minister for Interior, Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao said Sunday that terrorist attack would not weaken his determination and he will continue his mission of serving people with more dedication and commitment. Talking to various delegations who called on him here at Peoples House to inquire about his health, Sherpao said, “I was the prime target of the suicide bomber but with the grace of Almighty Allah and prayers of people I am safe which is miracle.” He said that the incident was not new for him as his brother Hayat Muhammad Khan Sherpao was also martyred in a bomb blast. (Posted @ 21:54 PST)
Indian troops martyr five more Kashmiri youth ISLAMABAD, Apr 29 (APP) - In occupied Kashmir, Indian troops in fresh acts of state terrorism martyred five more Kashmiri youth, four of them in a single incident of fake encounter at Kundi in Kupwara and one in Butal area of Rajauri. (Posted @ 20:44 PST)
7 Chinese, 2 other oil workers captured in eastern Ethiopia have been released ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, April 29, (AP) - Seven Chinese oil workers and two other African civilians were released Sunday by an Ethiopian rebel group that attacked a Chinese oil exploration facility last week, a Red Cross spokesman said. (Posted @ 19:34 PST)
Iran's Larijani in Baghdad on surprise visit TEHRAN, April 29, (APP/AFP) - Iran's top national security official Ali Larijani on Sunday arrived in Baghdad for a previously unannounced three-day visit, Iranian state television reported. (First Posted @ 12:30 PST Updated @ 19:14 PST)
Three killed as truck plunges into deep ravine BATTAGRAM, Pakistan, Apr 29 (APP): Three persons were killed when a truck plunged into a deep ravine, near Kapro, district Kohistan, police said on Sunday. The truck was heading towards Mansehra from Gilgit. (Posted @ 18:32 PST)
Nine more US soldiers killed in Iraq BAGHDAD, April 29 (AFP) - Nine more US soldiers have been killed in fighting in Iraq, the US military said Sunday, reporting casualties from incidents over the previous two days.“Three Task Force Marne soldiers were killed and one was wounded when their patrol was struck by a roadside bomb southeast of Baghdad today,” the US command in Baghdad announced in a statement. Another Task Force Marne soldier was killed in a similar incident on the same day. “Three soldiers and two marines assigned to Multinational Force West were killed on April 27 while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar Province,” another statement said. (Posted @ 09:40 PST)
Protest in Afghanistan east after civilian deaths KABUL, April 29 (Reuters) - Hundreds of Afghans, some shouting “Death to America”, protested on Sunday after six people were killed during a raid by U.S.-led coalition forces. Nangahar police said the six dead were all civilians, including three women, but the U.S.military said four of those killed were Taliban fighters and that two women civilians died in crossfire. The military said the early Sunday morning raid had targeted a car bomb cell when its soldiers came under fire. Angry demonstrators blocked a main road near Jalalabad, and some also chanted “Death to Karzai. (Posted @ 11:05 PST)
Musharraf visits Bosnia monument dedicated to Pakistani forces SARAJEVO, Bosnia, April 29 (APP): President General Pervez Musharraf Saturday visited a monument dedicated to Pakistani forces at Tuzla city, about 120 km from the capital of Bosnia. Speaking on the occasion, he paid tributes to the people and armed forces of Bosnia and lauded their bravery and courage in the most difficult time of their history in defeating their enemies. President Musharraf who was accompanied by Bosnian President Haris Silatjic assured that the people of Pakistan would always stand by their Bosnian brothers and sisters at the time of need. Later, at a special ceremony the President conferred Sitar-e-Isar and Tamgha-e-Isar on 49 members of the Bosnian medical mission who served in remote areas of Pakistan after the October 2005 earthquake. (Posted @ 10:55 PST)
Sri Lankan air force bombs Tamil rebel positions in volatile north COLOMBO, April 29 (APP/AP)- _ Sri Lankan fighter jets pounded Tamil Tiger positions in the country's north on Sunday, the defence ministry said, hours after the rebels launched an air strike on oil installations near Colombo. Air force planes bombed rebel areas in their stronghold of Kilinochchi, targeting rebel aircraft, the ministry said. There were no immediate reports about damage caused. (Posted @ 10:48 PST)
Large explosions heard in Baghdad BAGHDAD, April 29 (AP) - Large explosions rocked Baghdad on Sunday, apparently an artillery barrage in the south of the city. The blasts began after 9 a.m. but the cause was unclear. The size and the pattern of the explosions suggested they were caused by a U.S. artillery barrage directed at Sunni militant neighbourhoods along the city's southern rim. Such blasts have been heard in the evenings but they are rare at that time of day. (Posted @ 10:40 PST)
Cricket: Aussies are extra special, says Jayawardene BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, April 29 (AFP) - Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene believes that Australia have that something extra which separates champions from the others. “I think they always keep improving. A lot of teams have competed really well against Australia in the past, but maybe when they come to a big tournament they seem to have that little bit of extra,” said Jayawardene. “They have different ways of going about things. They went unbeaten when it was difficult to remain unbeaten in the tournament because of different conditions and opposition, but they played really good cricket.” “We thought we had a very decent chance in the final, but they proved us wrong. They have some very good players who deliver in big games.” The Sri Lankan captain was all praise for Adam Gilchrist who smashed an unbeaten 149 - the highest ever in a World Cup final - off 104 balls with eight sixes and 13 fours. “That was a brilliant innings and unfortunately I was the opposing captain looking at it. You try different things, but sometimes even a mistimed shot went over the ropes, so it was Gilly for you.. I thought 240-250 would have been a very competitive to chase.” Sri Lanka looked in the game when opener Sanath Jayasuriya (63) and wicketkeeper-batsman Kumar Sangakkara (54) put on 116 for the second wicket. “The way Sanath and Sanga chased we thought we had a chance, but after the rain we had to go for the Duckworth-Lewis method and take a few chances. We lost three wickets and that was it,” said Jayawardene. (Posted @ 10:35 PST)
Cricket: Australia future excites Ponting BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, April 29 (AFP) - Australia captain Ricky Ponting said he was excited by the team's future prospects despite the retirement of Justin Langer, Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and Damien Martyn. “You're obviously disappointed about losing the greats of the game, but when you get younger guys in and around the team it's a really exciting time. “I fully expect us to win every game we play, it doesn't matter what the make up of the game is.” “Our domestic cricket at home is very strong. I've seen a lot of the young players play so when they do come into the side I'd like to think our performances won't drop off at all.” Ponting, reflecting on Australia's achievement in the Caribbean, said: “To go through and play the cricket we have and make other very good international teams look pretty ordinary at different times, everybody should be proud of what we've achieved.” (Posted @ 10:25 PST)
68 more bodies found around Iraq Baghdad, April 29 (Reuters) - More than sixty bodies were found by police from across the country during the last 24 hours ending Saturday midnight, officials said. Seventeen bodies were found across Baghdad; and 27 bodies were found around Baquba, out of which 15 decomposing bodies were found in a field. All were handcuffed and had gunshot wounds. Another 12 bodies with gunshot wounds and showing signs of torture were found in different areas of Baquba. A handcuffed and blindfolded corpse was found dumped on the outskirts of Mahmudiya , while 16 bodies were found in Mosul, and one body with bullet wounds to the head was found in Mahaweel, 75 km south of Baghdad, police said. (Posted @ 10:10 PST)
Gaddafi cautions West on Darfur involvement SIRTE, Libya, April 28 (Reuters) - Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi urged the international community on Saturday to stay out of Sudan's Darfur crisis unless the warring parties themselves were willing to implement a solution. addafi made the remarks as he welcomed international envoys to Libya for talks on Darfur, where four years of fighting between rebels, government forces and Arab Janjaweed militia have killed at least 200,000 people and displaced some 2.5 million, creating one of the world's worst humanitarian crises. “My advice to the world, after this conference and finding solutions to the issue, is to ignore the disputing parties if they don't respond to these solutions,” Gaddafi told envoys from the United Nations, African Union (AU), United States and a string of Western and African countries. “I call on (the world) not to finance them materially and to stop supporting them and not to send international forces,” he added as he received the officials in his hometown of Sirte. (Posted @ 09:55 PST)
Cricket-World Cup referee Crowe admits error BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, April 29 (Reuters) - - World Cup match referee Jeff Crowe admitted that Sri Lanka had been mistakenly asked to come back on the field for a final three overs in the rain-reduced World Cup final against Australia. Australia were celebrating their third consecutive World Cup victory after the Sri Lanka batsman had gone off for bad light when the teams were told they would have to complete the final three overs or come back on Sunday to finish the match. The game, in fact, was already completed under ICC rules because Sri Lanka had batted the minimum 20 of their reduced allotted 36 overs and failed to reach their target.Crowe told a news conference the highly experienced umpiring team of himself, on-field referees Steve Bucknor and Aleem Dar and the third and fourth umpires Rudi Koertzen and Billy Bowden would take collective responsibility for the error. “It's a human error,” he said. “It was a mistake,” said Crowe who indicated that Koertzen had first suggested the game could continue on Sunday. (Posted @ 09:50 PST)
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