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| August 23, 2007 | Thursday | Sha’aban 9, 1428 |
Updated round-the-clock, with major updates after 10:00 PST (05:00 GMT)
Former Pakistan PM Sharif wins appeal against exile ISLAMABAD, Aug 23, 2007 (AFP) Pakistan's Supreme Court said Thursday that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif can return home after seven years in exile imposed by arch foe President Pervez Musharraf. Sharif's supporters danced jubilantly outside the court in Islamabad after the verdict was announced, chanting “Go Musharraf, go!” “and “Long live Nawaz Sharif”. Sharif was ousted in October 1999 by Musharraf, who had him sentenced to life in prison on hijacking, tax evasion and treason charges. He and his brother Shahbaz went into exile in Saudi Arabia the following year. “The Sharifs can return to Pakistan unhindered,” Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry said in his judgement. “They had an inalienable right to return and remain in the country as citizens of Pakistan.”Chaudhry added: “Their safe return will not be restricted or hampered by the federal governments or provincial governments or any other agencies in any manner.” (Posted @ 16:30 PST)
Ex-PM Sharif pushes for return from exile; govt quells fresh talk of emergency ISLAMABAD, Aug 23 (AP) Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif Thursday ramped up his campaign to return to Pakistan to contest elections, arguing that President Pervez Musharraf had illegally sent him into exile. Sharif's lawyers were presenting arguments in a Supreme Court hearing. A lawyer for Sharif said his client had an ''undeniable, unqualified, fundamental right to remain in Pakistan and contest the forthcoming elections.'' ''You have no right to send someone abroad, to send someone into exile,'' attorney Fakhruddin Ibrahim said in the first hearing on a petition filed by the former leader and his brother. Attorney General Malik Mohammed Qayyum said the government accepted that it could not prevent the Sharifs from returning but suggested they could face legal action on Pakistani soil. 'Let them come and the law will take its own course,'' he said. He asked the court to dismiss the petition and not to interfere in an arrangement that involved another state, Saudi Arabia. At one point, government lawyer Ibrahim Satti drew indignation from the judges for suggesting that Sharif's rights were still limited by a state of emergency declared back in 1998. Qayyum hastily asked for an adjournment and came back with a denial that any emergency powers were in force. ''The country is not under any emergency and all the citizens have full, fundamental rights available to them under the constitution,'' Qayyum said. (Posted @ 16:20 PST)
Police break up Islamist meeting in Jerusalem JERUSAELM, Aug 22(Reuters): Israeli police broke up what they claimed was a gathering of Hamas and an Israeli Islamic group in Arab East Jerusalem on Wednesday. The paramilitary border police threw several stun grenades onto a rooftop where the meeting took place and one of the participants, Sheikh Raed Salah, a prominent Israeli-Arab Islamist leader was taken to hospital on a stretcher. Police said in a statement that about 30 people, including Hamas members, took part in the gathering. They did not say whether any arrests were made. (Posted @ 10:00 PST)
Three killed, 14 hurt in Afghan blast KANDAHAR, Aug 23(AFP): At least Three people were killed and 14 injured when a bomb planted by Taliban militants exploded on Thursday, an official said. The bombing at Greshk in Helmand province apparently targeted Afghan police and army vehicles patroling the area, the official told AFP. He said the bomb was detonated by remote control in the middle of a bazar. (Posted @ 12:40 PST)
Three dead babies discovered in boxes in France LYON, France, Aug 23 (Reuters) French police have discovered the bodies of three babies hidden in boxes in a house in eastern France, a judicial source said Thursday. The mother of the children, who were born in 2001, 2003 and 2006 and all died shortly after birth, admitted Wednesday she tried to hide them and was held for questioning. Her partner discovered the first two bodies Wednesday in a state of decomposition in plastic bags inside the boxes.(Posted @ 20:50PST)
US highlights democracy as exiled Sharif allowed to return WASHINGTON, Aug 23 (AFP) The United States emphasized Thursday that it wanted to see a moderate, democratic Pakistan, reacting cautiously to a court decision in Islamabad allowing ex-premier Nawaz Sharif to return home from exile. “It is up to their legal system, we have been pretty clear about what we hope to see in Pakistan,” State Department spokesman Gonzo Gallegos said after the Supreme Court ruling Thursday. “What we wish to see is strengthening of Pakistan’s democratic traditions, serving the people's desire for opportunity and stable participatory rule,” Gallegos said. “The major point here is we are looking for a moderate democratic Pakistan,” he said. Sharif said he would come back within weeks from exile in Saudi Arabia to stand in upcoming elections and lead the growing opposition to Musharraf. The Pakistani government warned that Sharif and his brother would face criminal charges if they were to return. “They can of course come to Pakistan, but when they land the law will take its course,” government lawyer Ahmed Raza Kasuri said.(Posted @ 20:50PST)
Ten killed in Taliban attack on supply convoy KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, Aug 23 (AFP) Taliban militants attacked Thursday a convoy carrying supplies for international troops in Afghanistan, killing 10 Afghan guards, officials said. The convoy of trucks was attacked by dozens of militants on the main highway between Kabul and southern Kandahar city in Zabul province. About 80 private security guards escorting the convoy fought the militants near provincial capital Qalat, an official from the security company said. “I've lost 10 guards,” official Mohammad Saleem said.(Posted @ 19:50PST)
Bangladesh curfew back in effect DHAKA, Aug 23 (AFP) Bangladesh's military-backed government declared Thursday a national holiday and briefly lifted an indefinite curfew in a bid to cool tensions after three days of rioting.Police vans patrolled the streets of Dhaka - one of six cities under curfew - using loudspeakers to urge people to return home after a three-hour respite. The curfew went into effect before nightfall Wednesday after one man died and scores were hurt in clashes which spread from Dhaka University to other cities. (First Posted @ 14:30 PST, Updated @ 19:40 PST)
25 inmates die Brazil prison fire after inmates set mattresses on fire SAO PAULO, Brazil, Aug 23 (AP) Twenty five inmates died in a fire early Thursday after inmates rounded up rivals in a cell and set mattresses ablaze to kill them, police said. The prisoners could not escape the blaze in what appeared to be a settling of scores between rival gangs in the lockup in Ponte Nova in the south-central Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, said police Lt. Andre Amara Lopes.(Posted @ 19:40 PST)
Serious injuries in Letchworth incident LONDON, Aug 23 (Reuters) Police said a number of people were seriously injured and weapons were seized following an incident in Letchworth Garden City Thursday. Officers had been called to the scene in the Hertfordshire town shortly before mid-day. An unspecified number of people had sustained serious injuries and others had been arrested. No further details were immediately available.(Posted @ 19:10 PST)
Bangladesh declares holiday, eases curfew to cool tensions DHAKA, Aug 23 (AFP) Bangladesh's military-backed government Thursday declared a public holiday and eased an indefinite curfew in a bid to cool rising tensions after three days of rioting.The curfew was clamped on six cities including Dhaka before nightfall Wednesday after one man died and scores were hurt in clashes which spread from Dhaka University to other cities. (First Posted @ 14:30 PST, Updated @ 19:00 PST)
Nawaz Sharif says to return, contest election LONDON, Aug 23 (Reuters) Pakistan's exiled former prime minister Nawaz Sharif said Thursday he intended to return to Pakistan “as soon as possible” and contest elections to try to oust President Pervez Musharraf from office. “It is the beginning of the end of Musharraf,” Sharif told a news conference in London. Pakistan's Supreme Court ruled earlier Thursday that Sharif, 57, could return home after seven years in exile.(Posted @ 19:00 PST)
Cluster bombs kill one, wound three in Lebanon TYRE, Lebanon, Aug 23 (AFP) Cluster bombs killed one de-mining specialist and wounded three Thursday in continuing efforts to clear the unexploded munitions dropped by Israel on south Lebanon in its war with Hezbollah last year. The casualties were inflicted in two accidents, one in the village of Kfar Rumman, in the Nabatiyah region where the British Mine Advisory Group is working.(Posted @ 18:55 PST)
Death toll from China storms rises to at least 39 BEIJING, Aug 23 (AFP) The death toll from Typhoon Sepat which swept central and southeastern China edged up to 39 and eight other people are still missing, the government said Thursday. A total of 1.76 million people were evacuated from their homes in the provinces, where storms and rains have destroyed crops on 339,000 hectares of farmland, toppled 23,000 houses and caused direct economic losses of about 883 million dollars. In the central province of Hunan alone, two people were killed after days of torrential rain sent rivers rising to dangerous levels, the Xinhua news agency reported.(Posted @ 18:50 PST)
Six killed, 15 injured in road accident OKARA, Aug 23 (APP) Six persons were killed and 15 others injured in a head-on collision between a bus and a wagon near Renala Khurd on G. T. Road Thursday morning. The injured were rushed to the hospitals of Renala Khurd and Okara, according to local police. (Posted @ 16:25 PST)
Al-Qaida attacks two villages; 15 villagers, 10 attackers dead Baqouba, Iraq, Aug 23 (AP) Alleged al-Qaida fighters attacked a village east of Baqouba Thursday and killed a village leader, witness and police said. At the same time Timim, a nearby village, came under attack, again by alleged al-Qaida fighters. A total of 15 people, including seven women, were killed and 22 wounded in the two assaults, police said. Ten attackers were killed as villagers fought back, he said. (First Posted @ 14:40PST, Updated @ 16:25 PST)
Two reported killed, houses torched in East Timor DILI, Aug 23 (Reuters) A market and 10 houses were torched in East Timor during fighting between gangs armed with machetes and steel darts, while two people were reported killed in another confrontation, the United Nations said Thursday. Three people were arrested after the fighting in Metinaro east of the capital Dili, during which a market was badly damaged by fire, the U.N. police said in a statement. In Ermera, southwest of Dili, there were reports of a confrontation in which two people were killed, the U.N. said.(Posted @ 16:15 PST)
Renewable energy can save East Asia $2 trillion SINGAPORE, Aug 23(AFP): Shifting to renewable energy could save countries in East Asia as much as two trillion US dollars in fuel costs over the next 23 years, or more than $80 billion annually, environmental group Greenpeace said on Thursday. A shift could also reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 22 percent in the same period, it said in a report released to coincide with a meeting of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) energy ministers here. (Posted @ 14:35 PST)
US missile shield is provocation: Austrian minister VIENNA, Aug 23(Reuters): Austrian Defence Minister Norbert Darabos has called U.S. plans for a missile defence shield in eastern Europe a “provocation” reviving Cold War debates. “That the United States are installing a defence shield in eastern Europe is a provocation in my view,” Darabos was quoted as saying in an interview with daily Die Presse on Thursday. (Posted @ 14:20 PST)
Israel to buy advanced Patriot missiles JERUSALEM, Aug 23(AFP): Israel is to buy advanced US-made missiles, capable of intercepting aircraft and long-range ballistic missiles, to upgrade the current air defence system, said a report on Thursday. The Patriot PAC-3 missiles, will replace the PAC-2 currently in use The missile weighing 320kgs, increases the firepower of the Patriot battery, as 16 of them fit on a Patriot launcher, compared with four PAC-2s, it said. (Posted @ 14:10PST)
China hits back at US over trade BEIJING, Aug 23 (AFP): China accused the United States on Thursday of becoming increasingly protectionist. Senior officials told a briefing in Beijing their US counterparts were uncooperative and that the US government had broken World Trade Organisation rules while carrying out anti-dumping investigations against Chinese products. “Recently, the United States has carried out a series of measures with a distinct protectionist flavour,” assistant commerce minister Wang Chao said. “It's also fair to say that they have not given full consideration to Chinese requests for consultations,” he added. (Posted @ 13:05 PST)
Israeli, Hamas forces clash inside Gaza GAZA, Aug 23(Reuters): Israeli and Hamas forces clashed inside the Gaza Strip on Thursday and at least three Hamas activists were wounded, Palestinian medical workers said. An Israeli ground force entered the southern Gaza Strip before dawn where they were challenged by Hamas forces. An Israeli missile wounded three Hamas militants, one critically, Hamas officials said. In the West Bank, Israeli soldiers came under fire near the city of Nablus and three were lightly wounded, the army said. (Posted @ 11:30 PST)
Russian soldier killed in attack in Ingushetia MOSCOW, Aug 23 (Reuters) One Russian soldier was killed and at least three were wounded when a column of troops came under attack in the southern province of Ingushetia that borders Chechnya overnight, Russian news agencies reported on Thursday. Itar-Tass said the unidentified attackers, who used guns and grenades, escaped after targeting a truck and an armoured personnel carrier carrying Interior Ministry troops. Russia sent an additional 2,500 troops to Ingushetia earlier this month. (Posted @ 10:50 PST)
Myanmar protesters defy junta with new rally YANGON, Aug 23(AFP): About 40 pro-democracy supporters defied Myanmar's ruling junta again on Thursday and staged the third protest this week against a massive hike in fuel prices. Such public defiance of the military government, which deals harshly with any dissent and has run the isolated and impoverished country for decades, has not been seen in Myanmar in at least nine years. (Posted @ 10:40 PST)
Three Hamas fighters injured in Israeli airstrike GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip, Aug 23 (AP) An Israeli airstrike injured three Hamas fighters in southern Gaza Strip early Thursday, Hamas and the army said. Hamas said its troops were monitoring the movement of Israeli soldiers near the town of Khouza, east of Khan Younis, when they were targeted by an Israeli drone. (Posted @ 10:10 PST)
Four killed, 15 hurt in attack on US, Iraqi outpost in Baghdad BAGHDAD, Aug 23(AFP): Two suicide car bombers attacked an outpost in northern Baghdad killing four Iraqi soldiers and wounding 11 American troops, the US military said on Thursday. Four Iraqi soldiers were also wounded in the assault. The attack took place on Wednesday at the outpost manned by US soldiers from 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division and Iraqi soldiers from 3rd Brigade, 9th Iraqi Army Division. The military did not reveal the exact location of the outpost. (Posted @ 10:00 PST)
Bollywood actor Dutt freed from jail in India MUMBAI, Aug 23 (Reuters) Bollywood star Sanjay Dutt, jailed for six years for receiving guns from gangsters involved in the country's worst bombings, was released from prison in Pune city early on Thursday. Dutt, sporting a beard and a shaved head, walked free following 24 days in jail and after being granted bail by the Supreme Court on Monday. He flew to Mumbai in a private jet. (Posted @ 09:55 PST)
Maliki should go, says Hillary Clinton WASHINGTON, Aug 23(AFP) Leading Democratic Party presidential hopeful, Hillary Clinton, on Wednesday urged the Iraqi parliament to get rid of embattled Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki saying he was not up to the job. She was speaking after Senator Carl Levin, the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, hinted after a two-day visit to Iraq that Maliki should go.Levin had “confirmed that the Iraqi government's failures have reinforced the widely held view that the Maliki government is nonfunctional and cannot produce a political settlement, because it is too beholden to religious and sectarian leaders,” Clinton said in a statement. (Posted @ 09:00 PST)
Afghanistan blast kills Canadian troops, interpreter OTTAWA, Aug 23 (AFP) Two Canadian soldiers and an Afghan interpreter were killed, and two Canadian journalists and a soldier injured Wednesday when a land mine blew up under their vehicle in south Afghanistan, the Canadian military said. Radio-Canada's star reporter Patrice Roy and cameraman Charles Dubois were traveling with the interpreter and the soldiers when their military vehicle hit the device, the military statement said. The explosion took place some 50 kilometers west of Kandahar City. (Posted @ 09:00 PST)
Karachi Stocks down 318.52 points: KARACHI, Aug 23: At close of trading, the KSE-100 index was at 12002.03, down 318.52 points. (Bureau Report) (Updated @ 14:15 PST)
Forex update: KARACHI, Aug 23: The Pakistani Rupee was traded at Rs 60.8 to the US Dollar in the open market. (Bureau Report) (Updated @ 14:15 PST)
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