|
|
| June 30, 2007 | Saturday | Jamadi-us-Sani 14, 1428 |
Updated round-the-clock, with major updates after 10:00 PST (05:00 GMT)
Pakistan's army struggles to ferry aid to 1.3 million affected by floods TURBAT, Pakistan, June 30 (AP) Pakistani troops and rescuers struggled Saturday to help 1.3 million victims of monsoon-triggered floods in the country's southwest, officials said. The death toll from the floods in worst-affected Baluchistan province rose to 17, an official said, with local media reporting that more than 200 people have died across the country after four days of rains and flooding. Floods triggered by rains from Cyclone Yemyin Tuesday began wreaking havoc in Baluchistan province, which includes the coastal town of Turbat, about 650 kilometres southeast of Quetta. Khudah Bakhsh, the relief commissioner for Baluchistan, said Saturday the situation was now under control in Turbat and officials were trying their best to get food to victims. ''Pakistan's army is using transport planes and helicopters to ferry aid'' to the flood-hit areas in Baluchistan, he said, adding the storm and floods had left an unspecified number missing in the province. The floods also killed more than two dozen people in a northwestern tribal region in Pakistan. Helicopters dropped food into Baluchistan as homeless people continued to arrive in Turbat from nearby flood-hit areas in a bid to get relief aid. (Posted @ 18:34 PST)
Bomb explodes at bus station in northwestern Pakistan, two injured PESHAWAR, Pakistan, June 30 (AP) A bomb exploded at a bus station in northwestern Pakistan Saturday, injuring at least two people, police said. It was not immediately clear who had planted the bomb under a bus in Peshawar, said local police official Fazal Mola Khan. Police were investigating, Khan said. He said no passengers had been aboard the bus, which was badly damaged. (Posted @ 20:45 PST)
PM reviews situation arising out of recent heavy rains, wind storms in Karachi, Sindh KARACHI, June 30 (PPI) A high-level meeting chaired Saturday by Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz reviewed situation arising out of recent heavy rains and wind storm in Karachi and other districts of Sindh province. It discussed in detail damage caused by torrential rains and steps taken by provincial and district governments to cope with the situation. The meeting finalized future action plan, relief and rehabilitation of affected people and precautionary measures. Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan and Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim briefed about steps taken by the provincial and districts governments in this regard. Governor said due to early warning to the people particularly fishermen ''we were able to curtail great human losses in the coastal areas.'' Shaukat Aziz and other participants offered fateha for those who died during the recent heavy rains and storm. (Posted @ 17:32 PST)
Pakistan's Musharraf warned Taliban are spreading: NY Times WASHINGTON, June 30 (AFP) - President Pervez Musharraf has been warned that without “swift and decisive action” the militant Islamic movement will soon spread across all of Pakistan, The New York Times reported Saturday. The newspaper said the warning came in an interior ministry document made available to it, which said Pakistani security forces in North West Frontier Province were outgunned and outnumbered and had forfeited authority to the Taliban and their allies. “The ongoing spell of active Taliban resistance has brought about serious repercussions for Pakistan,” The Times quotes the 15-page document as saying. “There is a general policy of appeasement towards the Taliban, which has further emboldened them.” The document was discussed by the Pakistani National Security Council in the presence of General Musharraf. A diplomat, who was not authorized to speak for attribution, called the document “an accurate description of the dagger pointed at the country's heart,” the report said. (Posted @ 11:35 PST)
Pakistan to hand over 50 Indian prisoners LAHORE, June 30, (PPI) - Pakistan will release and hand over about 50 fishermen to Indian authorities here at Wahga border on Monday July 2 afternoon. These prisoners were arrested in violation of Pakistan sea territory and had been detained in Malir Jail Karachi for the last few months. According to Mr. Ghlam Muhammad, section officer of ministry of interior Islamabad the Indian fishermen would be released from Malir Jail Karachi on Sunday and then they would leave for Lahore by road. All prisoners would be released through an agreement among two neighboring countries, he added. (Posted @ 23:32 PST)
US boosts airport security after Britain scares KENNEBUNKPORT, Maine, June 30, (AFP) - The White House announced Saturday that security was being reinforced at US airports in the wake of the discovery of two car bombs in London and the crash of a blazing vehicle into a terminal building at Glasgow's airport. (Posted @ 23:04 PST)
US, South Korea sign landmark free trade pact WASHINGTON, June 30, (AFP) - The United States and South Korea signed Saturday a landmark free trade agreement, the biggest such deal for Washington in nearly 15 years, but the US Congress has indicated it may not approve the pact. US Trade Representative Susan Schwab and her South Korean counterpart Kim Hyun-chong inked the deal on Capitol Hill. (Posted @ 22:46 PST)
Dam breaks near Quetta QUETTA, June 30, (PPI) - A dam was broken in the outskirts of the metropolis Saturday afternoon. According to details, a dam in the outskirts of Quetta along Eastern By pass was broken this afternoon. Due to destruction of this dam, Kechi Baig, Sariab road, new Sariab Police Station were submerged in knee deep water. (Posted @ 22:28 PST)
Met office forecast: widespread rains in next four days in Sindh, Punjab ISLAMABAD, June 30, (PPI) - Pakistan Meteorological Department Saturday said a strong monsoon system lying over Orissa, India is moving towards Pakistan, and expected to cause widespread heavy rains at times extremely heavy accompanied with strong gusty winds in Sindh and Punjab provinces in next four days starting Sunday July 1. The rainfall is later expected to extend to catchment areas. Widespread at times heavy downpours accompanied with gusty winds are also expected in Kashmir, Earthquake affected areas, and parts of Balochistan and NWFP. The system has the potential to cause urban and river flooding, Met Office said. (Posted @ 22:14 PST)
Car on fire crashes into Glasgow airport terminal GLASGOW, June 30 (AFP) A blazing car crashed into the terminal building at Glasgow Airport in Scotland Saturday, police said. “The police have been called at about 3:15 pm at Glasgow Airport. A car had crashed inside the terminal. It was on fire,” a police spokeswoman told AFP. (Posted @ 21:44 PST)
65 Afghan civilians killed in air strike KABUL, June 30 (AFP) Coalition and NATO air strikes in southern Afghanistan killed 65 civilians, including women and children, and 35 Taliban, a district mayor said Saturday, citing the results of an investigation. “The finding of our investigations about the civilian casualties in Girishk district so far is that 65 civilians including women, children and men have been killed,” said district mayor Dur Alisha of Friday's strikes. “Thirty-five Taliban have been killed,” said Alisha. There was renewed fighting in the district, which is in the southern province of Helmand, he said. (Posted @ 21:22 PST)
Rain hampers relief effort after Pakistan storm QUETTA, Pakistan, June 30 (AFP) Heavy rain has hampered intensifying efforts to relieve suffering in Pakistan after a deadly cyclone led to flooding that hit thousands of people, officials said Saturday. Tropical Cyclone Yemyin struck Tuesday across southwestern coastal areas, including in Baluchistan province, and was followed by early monsoon rains. “There are some areas still out of reach for aid teams but we are trying hard to deliver assistance to the affected people,” provincial deputy relief commissioner Ali Gul Kurd said. “Our fear is the outbreak of disease among the victims in the affected areas,” he said. The army had rescued more than 10,000 people in Baluchistan's coastal town of Gwadar, and relief operations were in top gear, military spokesman Major General Waheed Arshad said Saturday. (Posted @ 21:10 PST)
Lal Masjid warns President Musharraf ISLAMABAD, June 30 (AFP) Lal Masjid Saturday threatened forceful retaliation if the government launches an operation against it after President Pervez Musharraf said it housed suicide bombers. “We have read the statement by Mr Musharraf and we want to warn him that in case of an operation against our mosque and the seminary we will put up a very forceful retaliation,” Abdul Rashid Ghazi, from Lal Masjid, told AFP. Dawn quoted President Musharraf as saying many potential suicide bombers were inside the mosque. (Posted @ 20:38 PST)
Two killed, 35 injured in blasts in India's northeast GUWAHATI, India, June 30 (AFP) At least two people were killed and 35 wounded Saturday in four separate explosions in India's northeast, officials said. Two explosions took place in crowded markets of Tinsukia town, about 510 kilometres east of the state of Assam's main city of Guwahati. (Posted @ 20:26 PST)
Two Palestinians killed in Gaza air strike GAZA, June 30 (Reuters) An Israeli aircraft fired at a vehicle in the Gaza Strip Saturday, killing two Palestinians, a rescue worker and a Hamas security source said. A third Palestinian was injured in the strike, the source said. (Posted @ 19:56 PST)
US finds 35 bodies in mass grave in Iraq's Anbar BAGHDAD, June 30 (Reuters) The U.S. military said Saturday it had uncovered 35 to 40 bodies in a mass grave south of Falluja, in Iraq's Anbar province. The military said the killings were relatively recent and the bodies had been bound and bore gunshot wounds. The mass grave was found late Friday near a place called Ferris, roughly 35 km south of Falluja, after a tip-off from a local, it said. (Posted @ 19:06 PST)
Three wounded as Georgia, rebel region clash TBILISI, June 30 (Reuters) Grenade attacks wounded three people Saturday on the third day of cross-border violence between Georgia and the Russian-backed breakaway region of South Ossetia. (Posted @ 19:02 PST)
10 killed in Vietnam bus collision HANOI, June 30 (AFP) Ten people were killed and several others injured when two buses collided at noon Saturday in central Vietnam’s Khanh Hoa province, the Thanh Nien newspaper said in its online edition. (Posted @ 18:54 PST)
Iran vows to press on with nuclear work TEHRAN, June 30 (AFP) Iran's leaders Saturday dismissed the threat of fresh UN Security Council sanctions. “The Iranian nation will pursue its right and the disturbances will have no effect,” supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was quoted as saying by state television. Also, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said “the policy of resistance to defend Iran's (nuclear) right will continue without any faltering.” (Posted @ 18:48 PST)
Villagers clash with police in protests against Kashmir killings SRINAGAR, occupied Kashmir, June 30 (AP) Hundreds of villagers clashed with police in occupied Kashmir Saturday as protests against the killing of four people by government forces continued for a third day, officials said. The clashes, which left three police officers injured, occurred in the village of Putoshahi, 105 kilometres from Srinagar. The protesters threw stones at security forces when police tried to stop their march through the village, the local police chief said. Also, thousands of demonstrators marched through Kupwara chanting ''Down with police'' and ''We want freedom.'' (Posted @ 18:40 PST)
India rebuffs US call over foreign policy NEW DELHI, June 30 (AFP) India has rebuffed a US call to ditch the Non-Aligned Movement, saying it remains strongly committed to the 116-member organisation that includes some of Washington's biggest foes. “There can be no question of India's firm and abiding commitment to non-alignment,” Indian foreign ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna said in a statement Saturday. (Posted @ 17:54 PST)
At least six Iraqis killed by suicide bomber BAGHDAD, June 30 (Reuters) A suicide bomber dressed as a policeman killed at least six people and wounded 30 Saturday when he blew himself up outside a police recruitment centre northeast of Baghdad, an Iraqi army source said. (Posted @ 17:46 PST)
Small bomb goes off at Spain's Ibiza airport MADRID, June 30 (Reuters) A small bomb exploded at Spain's Ibiza airport Saturday, after it had been evacuated, the website of newspaper El Pais reported. The airport had been cleared after a telephoned bomb warning in the name of the Basque separatist movement ETA. (Posted @ 17:38 PST)
Pope says China “suffocates” faith, urges dialogue VATICAN CITY, June 30 (Reuters) In his most significant address on China to date, Pope Benedict Saturday decried state restrictions on religious freedom that “suffocate” the Church and sow division among the country's Catholics. But the Pontiff also extended an olive branch to Beijing, saying he hoped to strike an agreement with officially atheist China, where millions of Catholics worship under a state-controlled church that does not recognise his authority. (Posted @ 17:28 PST)
Under fire Kuwait oil minister steps down KUWAIT CITY, June 30 (AFP) Kuwaiti Oil Minister Sheikh Ali Jarrah al-Sabah, who faced a no confidence vote in parliament over alleged financial irregularities, has stepped down along with the communications minister, official media said Saturday. (Posted @ 17:20 PST)
Air strike killed at least eight Afghan civilians KABUL, June 30 (AFP) A foreign military air strike in southern Afghanistan killed at least eight civilians and 39 armed Taliban, a provincial police chief said Saturday. “Our investigation has found that eight civilians were killed, 39 armed Taliban killed and four civilians have been wounded,” Helmand province police chief Mohammad Hussain Andiwal said. (Posted @ 17:14 PST)
Rough seas in Indonesia kill one, dozens rescued KUPANG, Indonesia, June 30 (AFP) One person died and 28 others, including two Americans, were rescued from rough seas in eastern Indonesia this week, police said Saturday. A boat sailing from the resort of Bali to Komodo island encountered big waves Wednesday, killing one person, but the other passengers were found safe off an another island several hours later. (Posted @ 17:02 PST)
Over 30 afghan civilians killed in airstrike KABUL, June 30 (Reuters) More than 30 civilians were killed and dozens wounded Saturday in an airstrike by foreign forces fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan's southern Helmand province, a regional official said. “It happened in the early morning,” said provincial official Mohammed Daoud. (Posted @ 16:54 PST)
London mayor defends Muslims as bomb plot foiled LONDON, June 30 (AFP) London Mayor Ken Livingstone called on Britons Saturday not to demonize Muslims after a double car bomb plot was foiled in London. ”In this city, Muslims are more likely to be law-abiding than non-Muslims and less likely to support the use of violence to achieve political ends than non-Muslims,” he told BBC Radio. “They have played a good and active and growing role in creating a multi-cultural society,” he added. (Posted @ 16:46 PST)
IAEA team to visit Iran July 11-13 TEHRAN, June 30 (Reuters) A team from the U.N. nuclear watchdog will visit Iran on July 11-13 to discuss how to resolve questions about Tehran's disputed nuclear programme, the ISNA news agency quoted an Iranian official as saying Saturday. “A team consisting of the agency's deputy and some officials ... will come to Tehran to study a working plan that will answer all the remaining issues in regard to Iran's nuclear programme,” Iran's IAEA envoy, Ali Asghar Soltanieh, told ISNA. (Posted @ 16:44 PST)
Heavy rains lash Mumbai, halt air travel MUMBAI, June 30 (AFP) Heavy monsoon rains accompanied by gusting winds lashed Mumbai Saturday, halting air travel and leaving some areas under water. International and domestic flights to and from Mumbai were suspended while a vital rail network that crosses the city carrying millions of passengers daily halted operations due to water-logging. Several long-distance trains were also cancelled to and from Mumbai which had received 243 millimetres of rain in 24 hours. Several areas of Mumbai were flooded with people wading through shin-deep water. No injuries were reported. (Posted @ 16:38 PST)
Seven civilians killed as explosives found in Sri Lanka COLOMBO, June 30 (AFP) Suspected rebels in Sri Lanka shot dead seven civilians and security forces discovered a truck packed with powerful explosives, the country's defence ministry said Saturday. Tamil Tiger rebels gunned down four farmers in the eastern town of Serunuwara late Friday, the military said. Two Tamil civilians were shot dead by the guerrillas in the northern town of Jaffna late Friday, the ministry added. The rebels also shot dead a former child soldier in the eastern Batticaloa district late Thursday. (First Posted @ 12:33 PST Updated @ 16:24 PST)
Japan defence chief says US A-bombs ended war TOKYO, June 30 (AFP) The atomic bombs dropped by the United States on Japan were the inevitable way to end World War II, preventing the Soviet Union from invading the Asian country, Japan's defence chief said Saturday. “I understand the bombings brought the war to its end. I think it was something that couldn't be helped,” Defence Minister Fumio Kyuma said in a speech at a university east of Tokyo. (Posted @ 16:18 PST)
US military accuses media of exacerbating Iraq murders BAGHDAD, June 30(AFP): The US military accused the international media on Saturday of exacerbating Iraq's violent tensions by reporting false claims of massacres which it said were deliberately fabricated by extremist groups. “Extremists promote falsehoods of mass killings, collateral damage and other violence specifically to turn Iraqis against other Iraqis,” Rear Admiral Mark Fox, chief spokesman for the US-led coalition in Iraq, said. TWO SOLDIERS CHARGED: The U.S. military said on Saturday it had charged two U.S. army soldiers with the “premeditated murder” of three Iraqis. The alleged killings took place in separate incidents in the religiously mixed town of Iskandariya, south of Baghdad, between April and June 2007, the U.S. military said in a statement. (Posted @ 13:06 PST)
India to get Iranian gas by 2011 NEW DELHI, June 30(AFP): India will receive gas from energy-rich Iran via a multi-billion-dollar pipeline through Pakistan in four years, an Iranian oil official said in New Delhi. “The gas supply will start in 2011,” said Ghanimi Fard, the Iranian oil ministry's special representative, “Almost 18 percent of the physical work on the pipeline in Iran has been completed since last year.”Fard made the comments to reporters after talks that wrapped up on Friday with Indian oil minister Murli Deora and Pakistan petroleum secretary Ahmad Waqar to finalise details for the pipeline. (Posted @ 12:48 PST)
US, Russia to unveil nuclear initiative soon KENNEBUNKPORT, Maine, June 29(Reuters): The United States and Russia are expected to announce an agreement within days aimed at enhancing civilian nuclear cooperation and preventing the spread of nuclear weapons, a White House official said on Friday. “It's likely to come to a conclusion in the next few days,” the official said, adding that an announcement may come on Tuesday. Under the initiative, the United States and Russia would guarantee countries access to nuclear power and fuel to be used for reactors that are designed to be “proliferation resistant.” In return, those countries would need to give up nuclear enrichment. (Posted @ 12:26 PST)
2 Taliban killed while planting roadside bomb; 3 kids killed playing with rocket KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, June 30 (AP) - Two suspected Taliban were killed while trying to place an improvised explosive device on the side of a road in Zhari district in Kandahar province on Friday, district's police chief said Saturday. Three children were also killed Friday and another wounded when an old rocket they were playing with exploded in Zabul province, said Gen. Yaqoub Khan, the provincial police chief. (Posted @ 11:42 PST)
US forces kill 26 militants in Baghdad BAGHDAD, June 30(Reuters): The U.S. military said it killed about 26 militants believed to have ties to “Iranian terror networks” in the early hours of Saturday in the Baghdad stronghold of Sadr City. In a statement, the military said the raids targetted four cars belonging to “secret cell” networks, adding 17 militants had also been detained. (Posted @ 11:02 PST)
2 killed, 29 wounded when Lebanese soldiers fire on protesting Palestinian refugees in north BEIRUT, June 30 (AP) - Government soldiers Friday shot at angry Palestinian demonstrators trying to march home to their besieged camp in northern Lebanon, and two people were reported killed and 29 wounded. Lebanese youths supported the troops by engaging in fistfights with Palestinian protesters, the state-run National News Agency said. (Posted @ 11:22 PST)
East Timor goes to polls DILI, June 30(Reuters): East Timorese voted on Saturday in a parliamentary election that could put the impoverished, young country on a new path after communal violence last year. The election campaign was mostly peaceful and security in the capital low-key, with small groups of U.N. police at polling stations. (Posted @ 10:50 PST)
iPhone fever surges at launch NEW YORK, June 29(AFP): Apple's iPhone, one of the most eagerly awaited devices in years, went on sale Friday with technology buffs queued up countrywide to shell out at least 500 dollars for the cell phone-music/video player. Interest in the phone has swept the technology business and telecoms markets since Apple chief Steve Jobs unveiled the iPhone in January. Overseas consumers will have to wait a few more months. The iPhone is due to debut in Europe in late 2007 and Asia in 2008. (Posted @ 10:23 PST)
Nepal Muslims demand seats in national election KATHMANDU, June 30(Reuters): A leading Muslim group in Nepal said on Saturday it would organise street protests if the government does not meet its demand to set aside seats for its community in November elections. (Posted @ 10:55 PST)
Aboriginals protest en masse in Canada OTTAWA, June 30 (AFP) - Thousands of Canada's aboriginals protested gross poverty in their communities Friday with fires burning on rail lines and ramshackle buses parked across highways, marches in every city and teepees on legislature lawns. Bryan Hendry, spokesman for the Assembly of First Nations, told AFP more than 100,000 people were expected at over 50 major events from Halifax to Vancouver, from coast to coast, he said. “We want our people to be treated with dignity and respect. We are looking for the basic necessities of life that come with being Canadian: clean drinking water, decent housing, education, and health care.” ”We are looking for equality of opportunity so that we can get good jobs and support ourselves and our families. We are looking to control our own destinies.” (Posted @ 10:16 PST)
Four indicted in plot to blow up New York airport NEW YORK, June 29(Reuters): Four men were indicted by a federal grand jury in Brooklyn on Friday for an alleged plot to blow up New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport. Russell Defreitas, Kareem Ibrahim, Abdul Kadir and Abdel Nur will face a total of six charges, including conspiracy to attack a mass transportation facility, conspiracy to destroy a public building by explosion and conspiracy to destroy international airport facilities. (Posted @ 10:14 PST)
Tennis: Federer destroys Safin as Wimbledon gets Tipsy LONDON, June 30 (AFP) -Roger Federer defeated former world number one Marat Safin 6-1, 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) to register his 51st grass court win in a row and will now face experienced German Tommy Haas, who put out Russia's Dmitry Tursunov, for a quarter-final spot. (Posted @ 10:12 PST)
UN nuclear inspectors confirm NKorea will close reactor BEIJING, June 30 (AFP) - United Nations inspectors confirmed on Saturday after visiting North Korea that the country intended to shut down its main nuclear reactor, although no time frame had yet been set. “We have now reached an understanding on how we are going to monitor the sealing and shutting down of the Yongbyon nuclear facility,” the head of the IAEA team, Olli Heinonen, told reporters. However, Heinonen said it was still too early to say when the Yongbyon reactor, which is at the core of North Korea's nuclear weapons programme, would be sealed. (Posted @ 09:50 PST)
Dubai commuters angry over proposed toll road DUBAI, June 30 (AFP) - More than 8,000 Dubai commuters have signed an online petition urging the government to postpone a plan to impose a toll on Sheikh Zayed Road from July 1 until alternative routes and the new metro network are completed. They also say the four-dirham (1.08 dollar, .80 euros) levy is too high for a majority of workers, already facing rampant inflation, which hit 9.3 percent in 2006. For an average low-middle income earner of around 5,000 dirhams (1,360 dollars) a month, who commutes between the relatively cheaper northern emirate of Sharjah to Dubai's southern industrial zone, the toll road means an extra monthly expense of around 400 dirhams (110 dollars). (Posted @ 09:35 PST)
Founder: Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah
Editor: Abbas Nasir
The DAWN Group of Newspapers
Haroon House, Dr. Ziauddin Ahmed Road, Karachi 74200, Pakistan.
Phone:+92 (21) 111-444-777 Fax: +92 (21) 569-3995
webmaster@dawn.com
Make sure to reload these pages so you're viewing the current version.
|
|
|
Contributions |