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| May 07, 2007 | Monday | Rabi-us-Sani 19, 1428 |
Updated round-the-clock, with major updates after 10:00 PST (05:00 GMT)
Pakistan court suspends inquiry into sacked judge ISLAMABAD, May 7 (AFP) - Pakistan's Supreme Court on Monday suspended a judicial inquiry by the Supreme Judicial Council into misconduct charges against the country's top judge that triggered weeks of nationwide protests. The court ordered the suspension as it took up a petition from Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry challenging his sacking. “The SJC proceedings have been stayed,” Tariq Mehmud, a lawyer for Chaudhry, told AFP after the hearing. Mehmud said the Supreme Court had demanded that Chaudhry's case should be heard by a full court comprising all of its judges. “The SJC would not hear the case until Supreme Court decides the petition of chief justice,” Chaudhry's main lawyer Aitzaz Ahsan said. “The court's order shows that the proceedings so far of the Supreme Judicial Council were unconstitutional,” Ahsan added. The SJC was scheduled to resume its proceedings on Wednesday. “I am not unhappy over the order,” Malik Mohammad Qayyum, a senior lawyer representing the government, told reporters. Asked if the government would appeal against the suspension order, he said there could not be an appeal against an interim order and added that when a full court assembled, it could decide the matter. (First Posted @ 15:00 PST Updated @ 17:20 PST)
Iraqi prime minister and President Bush discuss conflict in Iraq BAGHDAD, May 7, (AP) - Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki held a videoconference with U.S. President George W. Bush on Monday to discuss the ongoing conflict in Iraq and ways to resolve it, the Iraqi government said in a statement. Al-Maliki told Bush of the need to maintain cooperation between U.S. and Iraqi forces as they wage a crackdown intended to end the chaos and violence in Baghdad, the statement said. The White House confirmed that Bush spoke with al-Maliki. (Posted @ 23:48 PST)
U.S. military confirms brigade commander wounded at barrier wall in Baghdad BAGHDAD, May 7, (AP) - The U.S. military confirmed Monday that an American brigade commander was wounded by small-arms fire while inspecting a security barrier being built to separate a Sunni enclave from Shiite areas in Baghdad. Col. B.D. Farris, commander of the 2nd ''Falcon'' Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, was hit by a single bullet Thursday while conducting a survey of the construction site in Azamiyah, the military said in a statement. (Posted @ 22:38 PST)
Zone of peace in Siachin being discussed between Pak-India: FO ISLAMABAD, May 07 (PPI) - Pakistan and India are discussing a package envisaging establishment of a zone of peace in Siachin, Foreign Office spokesperson Tasneem Aslam said at the weekly news briefing Monday. She said a number of proposals relating to solution of the Siachin dispute are being considered by the two sides including possibility of indicating present position of the troops of the two countries and their position after relocation. She said a number of reports and studies suggest an impending environmental catastrophe as a result of melting of the glacier and resolution of the issue would be an important step toward saving the glacier. Replying to another question, she said Pakistan wants to make functional at the earliest Pakistan-India joint committee of jurists on prisoners. This is a priority for Pakistan as a number of our citizens are languishing in Indian jails. To another question, she said Azad Kashmir is an open territory and there are no so-called training camps there. The spokesperson said the Prime Minister of Czech Republic is paying a three day official visit to Pakistan from Tuesday. The two countries are expected to sign several MOUs to promote cooperation in various fields including science, health, culture, trade and bilateral consultations between the two foreign offices. The spokesperson said that during their forthcoming meeting in Islamabad, the Foreign Ministers of the OIC would discuss a host of issues like Palestine, Kashmir, Islamophobia, disarmament and cooperation among Muslim countries in various fields. (Posted @ 22:18 PST)
NATO chief arrives for cooperation, Afghanistan talks ISLAMABAD, May 7(PPI) - NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer arrived here Monday on two-day visit for talks on cooperation with Pakistan. Before leaving Brussels, Scheffer said he wanted to broaden bilateral ties in talks on Tuesday with President Pervez Musharraf and other officials. This is first visit to Pakistan by a head of NATO military alliance.Scheffer is accompanied by NATO's top military commander, General John Craddock. (Posted @ 21:54 PST)
Britons urge Putin to seek justice in Chechnya LONDON, May 7 (Reuters) - Leading British politicians, dignitaries and playwrights have written to Russian President Vladimir Putin urging him to make “peace and justice” in Chechnya the focus of his final year as president. The open letter, signed by more than 100 people including the leader of Britain's Liberal Democrats party, Menzies Campbell, and playwright Sir Tom Stoppard, said Chechnya under Russian rule was the scene of war crimes and rights abuses. “We can no longer remain silent in the face of the persistent human rights abuses and war crimes in Chechnya,” said the letter published in Britain's Independent newspaper on Monday. “Since 1999, hundreds of thousands of Chechens have been displaced and more than 100,000 killed -- mostly civilians. “Disappearances, torture, rape, extra-judicial killings and the silencing of independent journalists and human rights defenders have been daily occurrences, both by Russian forces and the militia of the president whom President Putin recently appointed.” Russia has been fighting in Chechnya since 1994, when former President Boris Yeltsin sent in troops to put down a separatist rebellion. When he took office seven years ago, Putin vowed to crush the rebels. Despite the crackdown, the separatists insist they are not finished off and have pledged to keep attacking Russian forces. A gunfight on Monday between police and rebels in a small mountain village killed six people -- three from each side, the Chechen Interior Ministry press office said. (Posted @ 20:38 PST)
Two Palestinians killed in Lebanon refugee camp clash EIN EL-HELWEH, Lebanon, May 7 (AFP) - Two Palestinian belonging to the Fatah movement of president Mahmud Abbas were killed and four wounded during clashes between rival factions in Lebanon's main refugee camp of Ein el-Helweh on Monday, a Palestinian security source told AFP. (Posted @ 20:36 PST)
US soldier dies in Baghdad BAGHDAD, May 7 (AFP) - A US soldier was killed by small arms fire during a patrol in west Baghdad on Sunday, the US military said on Monday. (Posted @ 20:34 PST)
Hockey: Power cut halts Azlan Shah Cup match IPOH, Malaysia, May 7 (AFP) - Pakistan and South Korea were forced to abandon their Sultan Azlan Shah Cup hockey match on Monday after a lengthy power cut, bringing a chaotic end to the tournament's third day. The stadium lights went out for 30 minutes with the score at 2-2, but both teams refused to play afterwards saying full power had not returned and there were shadows on the pitch. After a meeting between team managers it was decided the match would be continued on Wednesday at 4.30pm. The managers said the game would be continued from the time that it was stopped Monday -- after 27 minutes of play. Pakistan had twice gone ahead through Tariq Aziz and Imran Mohamed with South Korea's goals coming from Kang Moon-Kweon and Jeong Yun-sang before the power cut after 27 minutes. Earlier, Argentina continued their impressive run with a 3-2 win over China in Group A and need just a point from their last match against India to make the semi-finals. (Posted @ 20:32 PST)
Blast destroys 30 m of Ukraine pipeline-ministry KIEV, May 7 (Reutrs) - An explosion has destroyed a 30-metre section of a gas pipeline crossing Ukraine, stopping the flow of Russian gas to Europe, the Emergencies Ministry said Monday .“There was a powerful explosion that destroyed 30 metres of the pipeline. There are no casualties and no threat to local residents,” a ministry spokesman said by telephone.“I cannot say how long it will take to restore the flow of gas,” he added. (Posted @ 19:46 PST)
Landmine kills 4 civilians in Afghanistan JALALABAD, Afghanistan, May 7 (AFP) - A landmine blew up a minibus Monday killing four civilians on board and wounding another seven in eastern Afghanistan, police said.The minibus ran over a landmine about five kilometres from Mehtarlam, the capital of Laghman province, deputy police chief Najeeb Hottak said. Meanwhile, in Khost province a man and his nephew were shot dead in Gurbuz district, police said, adding one of the victims was an Afghan militia soldier with the US-led coalition forces. (Posted @ 19:40 PST)
Cricket-Pakistan pacer Asif recalled for Sri Lanka series KARACHI, May 7 (Reuters) - Pakistani pace bowler Mohammad Asif has been recalled to the squad for this month's three-match one-day series against Sri Lanka in Abu Dhabi from May 18-22. Pakistan squad: Shoaib Malik (captain), Imran Nazir, Salman Butt, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Yousuf, Yasir Hameed, Kamran Akmal, Shahid Afridi, Abdul Razzaq, Fawad Alam, Abdul Rehman, Mohammad Asif, Umar Gul, Rao Iftikhar, Mohammad Sami, Najaf Shah. (Posted @ 18:06 PST)
Two suicide car bombs kill 25 near Iraq's Ramadi BAGHDAD, May 7 (Reuters) - Two suicide car bombers killed 25 people and wounded dozens more near Ramadi on Monday in separate attacks. The first bomb went off in a packed market at Albu-Thiyab, killing 13 people and nearly 20 injured. The second car bomb exploded soon after at a police checkpoint in a town called al-Jazeera, where 12 people including five policemen were killed, he added. More than 25 were wounded. (First Posted @ 17:22 PST Updated @ 18:02 PST)
'No survivors' after Kenyan plane crash: prosecutor MBANGA-PONGO, Cameroon, May 7 (AFP) - No survivors have been found in and around the wreckage of a Kenya Airways plane that crashed in a swamp in Cameroon with 114 people aboard, a government official confirmed Monday. “There are no chances of finding any under the circumstances,” Douala prosecutor Luc Ndjodo told AFP, adding that rescue workers had begun to recover the bodies of the victims. He said that at the scene the wreckage was scarcely visible at first sight. “There is a crater filled with water and a clearing, then buried in the mud there are scattered plane parts and debris,” Ndjodo said. (Posted @ 17:18 PST)
Ex-Bangladesh PM returns home DHAKA, May 7 (AFP) - Former Bangladeshi prime minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed arrived home Monday after almost two months abroad, during which the military-backed government tried to ban her from returning to the country. Sheikh Hasina, leader of the Awami League, one of the country's two main political parties, was greeted at the airport by senior party leaders amid tight security. “The government made a mistake by not allowing me to return home and it will repeat the same mistake if they arrest me,” Sheikh Hasina told reporters referring to murder and extortion charges filed against her in her absence. (Posted @ 17:14 PST)
Bus crash leaves nine dead, 25 wounded in northern Afghanistan KABUL, Afghanistan May 7 (APP/AP) A bus crashed in northern Afghanistan, sparking a fire that left nine people dead and 25 injured, an official said Monday. The bus flipped over as it sped around a corner in Balkh province and burst into flames Sunday, a spokesman for the Balkh police chief said. Women and children were among the dead and wounded. (Posted @ 12:50 PST)
Six dead in southern England truck accident LONDON, May 7 (Reuters) Six people died and one was seriously injured in a truck crash on the M25 highway in southern England early Monday. A recovery vehicle, carrying a broken down minibus and its passengers, was in collision with a truck at 2:15 a.m. in Surrey, police said. (Posted @ 12:30 PST)
Fire in shanty town in Indian capital kills three children NEW DELHI May 7 (APP/AP) A fire swept through a shanty town close to the diplomatic area in the Indian capital, killing three children and wounding four others, a fire service official said Monday. The cause of the fire, which gutted 25 huts made of wood and plastic sheets, in New Delhi late Sunday was not immediately known. (Posted @ 11:10 PST)
17 killed in China bus accident BEIJING, May 7 (AFP) Seventeen people were killed and another 24 injured Monday when a bus carrying 41 passengers plunged off a highway in southwest China, the Xinhua news agency said. Three children were among those who died in the accident, which happened early Monday in Qianxi county, Guizhou province. (Posted @ 10:55 PST)
Palestinian rocket hits southern Israeli town JERUSALEM, May 7 (AFP) A rocket fired by Gaza militants into southern Israel Monday morning struck near a nursery school in the town of Sderot but caused no injuries, the Israeli army and media reported. (Posted @ 10:22 PST)
Police battle anti-Sarkozy protestors across France PARIS, May 7 (AFP) Riot squads fired tear gas Sunday at protestors throwing stones, bottles and, in one instance, acid at police in cities across France after Nicolas Sarkozy's presidential victory. In Paris, clashes erupted at the Place de la Bastille, where about 5,000 supporters of the Segolene Royal had gone to await the election results and stayed on after Sarkozy's triumph. Up to 300 rioters used bottles and stones in running attacks on police, who responded with baton charges, tear gas and water cannon. A small crowd of demonstrators set fire to an effigy of Sarkozy. More than 100 cars were burned in the Paris suburbs. Anti-Sarkozy demonstrations took place in several cities across France Sunday night, with police using tear gas on over 1,000 protestors in Nantes city who began to throw rocks and bottles. Two police officers were slightly injured by acid thrown on them and 22 people were arrested. In Lyon, a dozen people were lightly injured after several hundred protestors clashed with police, officials said. Around 40 cars were set on fire in the city centre, firefighters and police said. Disturbances were also reported in the cities of Marseille, Lille, Bordeaux, Nancy and Metz. (Posted @ 10:15 PST)
Six wounded in Kabul rocket attack KABUL, Afghanistan, May 7 (AP) A rocket slammed outside a building in the Afghan capital Monday, wounding six people including a young boy, officials said. The missile struck in a street outside a building complex in Kabul's east, the Kabul police director of criminal investigation said. (Posted @ 10:10 PST)
Twenty four dead bodies recovered in Baghdad BAGHDAD, May 7 (Reuters) Twenty four bodies were recovered from different parts of Baghdad in the last 24 hours, police said. (Posted @ 09:53 PST)
More than 50 hurt in Israeli soccer crush JERUSALEM, May 7 (Reuters) More than 50 soccer fans were injured, at least two of them seriously, in a crush when celebrating supporters invaded the pitch at the end of an Israeli Premier League soccer match at Jerusalem's Teddy Kollek Stadium Sunday, medics said. Dozens in the crowd became pressed against a perimeter fence as fans tried to get on to the pitch. Others escaped on to the playing area through a narrow gate that then gave way and collapsed under the weight of the crush. (Posted @ 09:50 PST)
Quakes hits Fiji SUVA, May 7 (AFP) Two earthquakes with a magnitude of more than 6.0 struck off the coast of Fiji Monday, the US Geological Survey said, but there were no early reports of damage. The first quake, with a magnitude of 6.4, was centred 265 kilometres southeast of the capital Suva and 165 kilometres northwest of the southern island of Ndoi, the USGS said. It struck at 9:11 am local time at a depth of 687.6 kilometres. Another 6.2 magnitude quake struck nearby less than an hour later. (Posted @ 09:45 PST)
Karachi Stocks down 357.16 points: KARACHI, May 7: At the close of trading the KSE-100 index was at 12154.92, down 357.16 points. (Bureau Report) (Updated @ 14:17 PST)
Forex update: KARACHI, May 7: The Pakistani Rupee was traded at Rs 60.75 to the US Dollar in the open market. (Bureau Report) (Updated @ 14:17 PST)
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