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| September 06, 2007 | Thursday | Sha'aban 23, 1428 |
Updated round-the-clock, with major updates after 10:00 PST (05:00 GMT)
Musharraf says presidential term ends on November 15 ISLAMABAD, Sept 6(AFP): General Pervez Musharraf's term as president will end on November 15, his lawyers said on Thursday, after a court ordered him to clear up uncertainty over his plans for re-election. “The term of office of the president expires on November 15, 2007,” said a statement filed by his lawyers in the Supreme Court. Government sources have previously said that Musharraf planned to call a new presidential election by the federal and provincial assemblies some time between mid-September and mid-October. General elections are due by early 2008. But the situation remains fluid. (Posted @ 16:40 PST)
Lawyers boycott courts to pressure Musharraf to step down ISLAMABAD, Sept 6(AP): Hundreds of lawyers rallied and boycotted courts across Pakistan on Thursday in a renewed campaign to force President General Pervez Musharraf to step down, organizers said. Courts in major cities including Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta, Islamabad and Rawalpindi were largely deserted and lawyers hoisted black flags. In Lahore, about 500 lawyers wearing black armbands marched on a road chanting slogans against Musharraf. Dozens of lawyers rallied in Quetta. “This is the second phase of our protest, and God willing, we will again be successful,” said Mohammed Azhar, a spokesman for the Supreme Court Bar Association. (Posted @ 16:25 PST)
Pakistan army kills 7 suspected militants near Afghan border MIRAN SHAH, Sept 6(AP): A Pakistan Army helicopter opened fire on a vehicle carrying suspected militants near the Afghan border on Thursday, killing seven people inside, intelligence officials said. The officials said local authorities were trying to identity the slain men. One official said seven militants have been killed in the strike. The second official confirmed the incident and said the slain men included a foreigner. (Posted @ 18:00 PST)
Syria says repulses Israeli jets DAMASCUS, Sept 6(AFP): Syria said its air defences went into action to force out Israeli jets which had entered Syrian airspace at dawn on Thursday, heightening tensions between the two foes. “Enemy Israeli planes penetrated Syrian air space from the Mediterranean Sea heading towards the northeast, breaking the sound barrier,” an army spokesman told the official SANA news agency. “Our air defences forced them to leave... without causing human or material loss,” he said. “The Syrian Arab Republic warns the government of the Israeli enemy against this aggressive action and reserves the right to respond in a way it deems appropriate. ”Syria and Israel remain technically at a state of war, and peace talks broke down in 2000 over the fate of the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. (Posted @ 16:50 PST)
Most Lebanese killed by Israeli 'indiscriminate' attacks: report JERUSALEM, Sept 6(AFP): Indiscriminate Israeli attacks caused the vast majority of deaths among Lebanese civilians in last summer's war with the Shiite Hezbollah, the US-based Human Right Watch said in a report on Thursday. The group's research found that more than 1,100 Lebanese died in the conflict, most of them civilians. The Lebanese government puts the figure at over 1,200, many of them children. (Posted @ 15:10 PST)
Algeria suicide attack kills 10 ALGIERS, Sept 6, 2007 (AFP) - Ten people were killed and 23 injured Thursday in a suicide bombing in the eastern Algerian city of Batna, local security services said. The bomber had targeted a crowd awaiting the arrival of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika on a visit to the region. The head of state was not in the area when the explosion occurred. (Posted @ 22:40 PST)
U.S. transfers 16 Guantanamo detainees to Saudi Arabia SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, Sept 5(AP): Sixteen Saudi detainees have been transferred from the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to the custody of their home kingdom, a Pentagon spokesman said on Thursday. About 340 detainees remain in Guantanamo on suspicion of links to terrorism, Al-Qaeda or the Taliban. Most have been held for years without being charged. Of the 759 people who have been held at Guantanamo, 136 have been Saudis, the second-largest group behind Afghan nationals, according to Defense Department documents released to the AP. (Posted @ 21:05 PST)
Israel kills six militants in Gaza clash GAZA, Sept 6(Reuters): Six Palestinian militants were killed on Thursday by Israeli helicopter fire during a thwarted attack on an Israeli military post near the border with the central Gaza Strip, Islamic Jihad said. (First Posted @ 15:45 PST; Updated @ 20:55 PST)
Abbas asks Blair to press Israel on checkpoints RAMALLAH, Sept 6(Reuters): Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas asked Middle East envoy Tony Blair on Thursday to put pressure on Israel to remove some of the hundreds of checkpoints that restrict travel in the West Bank. Blair, who started a visit to Israel and the West Bank on Tuesday, made no public comments after his meeting with Abbas in Ramallah. (Posted @ 20:10 PST)
Congo army, rebel general agree to ceasefire: U.N. BUKAVU, Congo, Sept 6(Reuters): The Democratic Republic of Congo's army and a renegade general have agreed to a U.N.-brokered ceasefire to halt more than a week of clashes in the east, the U.N. mission in Congo (MONUC) said on Thursday. (Posted @ 20:05 PST)
Twelve Afghan deminers kidnapped KABUL, Sept 6(Reuters): An armed group kidnapped 12 Afghan nationals working for a local demining group in the country's east on Thursday, their employer said. The deminers were driving in the eastern province of Paktia when their convoy was stopped and the men taken away. (Posted @ 19:30 PST)
Kashmir alliance open to truce offer OCCUPIED SRINAGAR, Sept 6(AFP): An alliance of Kashmiri organizations have said they are willing to consider a ceasefire offer if it is sincere. “On the eve of the upcoming month of Ramadan, if a sincere and serious offer of ceasefire comes from some responsible quarter the leadership will consider it in the light of the prevailing situation and respond accordingly,” Syed Salahudin, the head of United Jihad Council, told Kashmir News Service. A number of Kashmiri political groups, including the main opposition National Conference and moderate separatists, have been urging New Delhi to declare a ceasefire in Muslim-majority Kashmir to mark Ramadan. (Posted @ 19:20 PST)
Two US soldiers killed in Iraq bombing BAGHDAD, Sept 6(AFP): Two American soldiers died from wounds sustained when a bomb exploded near their vehicle in the northern Iraqi province of Salaheddin, the US military reported on Thursday. Three other soldiers were injured in the incident, which happened on Wednesday, a military statement said. (Posted @ 18:50 PST)
Portuguese gold museum robbed as EU ministers meet LISBON, Sept 6(Reuters): Armed men wearing wigs robbed a famous gold museum in Portugal's Viana do Castelo early on Thursday despite the city being full of police guarding a meeting there of EU foreign ministers. Four people were injured by gunshots, including one policemen, local radio TSF said. A witness saw the robbers exchange fire with police as they fled. (Posted @ 18:30 PST)
Norwegian, British jets intercept Russian bombers again OSLO, Sept 6(AFP): Norwegian and British fighter jets scrambled to intercept Russian bombers over the north Atlantic, Norway's military command said on Thursday. Eight Russian Tupolev-95s were detected in international air space over the Barents Sea early Thursday, said a spokesman for Norway's general staff in Stavanger. “We sent up two F-16s to mark out Norwegian air space,” he said. British interceptors were also sent to the zone. “Four RAF Tornado F3 aircraft from RAF Leeming and Waddington were launched to intercept eight Russian Bear aircraft which had not entered UK airspace,” Britain's Ministry of Defence said. (Posted @ 18:25 PST)
Myanmar monks free all hostages YANGON, Sept 6(AFP): Buddhist monks in central Myanmar have released all 20 hostages they seized on Thursday, ending a tense confrontation with the nation's military government, residents said. A first group of five hostages were released after being held for about five hours inside a temple The other 15 people, mainly local and security officials, were released about 45 minutes later, residents said. (Posted @ 17:40 PST)
Floods kill four Romanians, hundreds evacuated BUCHAREST, Sept 6(Reuters): Four people were killed and several were missing after torrential rains flooded areas of eastern Romania on Wednesday and Thursday, officials said on Thursday. “Hundreds of households were flooded in several villages,” an interior ministry press officer told Reuters. (Posted @ 17:32 PST)
Strong typhoon closes in on Tokyo TOKYO, Sept 6(AFP): A strong typhoon closed in on Tokyo Thursday, bringing downpours and gusts that injured five people and disrupted hundreds of flights, officials and reports said. Japan went on alert for landslides and floods as it braced for Typhoon Fitow, which is expected to hit the capital and its vicinity by early Friday. (Posted @ 16:50 PST)
Bandladesh may grant citizenship to stranded Pakistanis DHAKA, Sept 6(Reuters): Nearly half of about 300,000 Urdu-speaking “Bihari” Muslims awaiting repatriation to Pakistan for over 36 years may be granted Bangladeshi citizenship ahead of elections next year, a senior government official said on Thursday. “We are considering to give citizenships to about 140,000 Biharis who were either born in Bangladesh or have expressed loyalty to us,” said a Home Ministry official. He said the rest of the Biharis, also known as “stranded Pakistanis”, would continue to wait for an agreement on their fate. (Posted @ 15:58 PST)
Germany hunting 10 more suspects in Islamist bomb plot BERLIN, Sept 6(AFP): German police are looking for 10 accomplices of the three men arrested over a foiled Islamist plot to blow up airports and US installations in Germany, a senior official said on Thursday. Deputy Interior Minister August Hanning told ARD television the police were searching for “the 10 people who were behind this” within Germany and abroad. (Posted @ 15:57 PST)
Ex-Bangladesh PM’s son denied bail DHAKA, Sept 6(AFP): A Bangladesh court on Thursday extended the detention of former prime minister Khaleda Zia's younger son, who was arrested this week on corruption charges, police said. “Arafat Rahman Coco was produced before a court this afternoon. The court has rejected a bail plea by his lawyers and sent him to jail pending a probe into his corruption link,” a deputy commissioner of police said. (Posted @ 15:47 PST)
Arrests over Kashmir lake pollution OCCUPIED SRINAGAR, Sept 6 (AFP): Police in Indian Kashmir said on Thursday they have arrested five people for throwing rubbish into a mountain-ringed lake to send a tough message to polluters destroying the picturesque area. Pollution is turning Srinagar's Dal lake, the main tourist draw in the region, into a weed-clogged swamp and is hampering the recovery of the tourism sector in the insurgency-wracked Himalayan state. “We arrested five people for throwing garbage into the water,” a police inspector told AFP. (Posted @ 15:10 PST)
Nepal crown prince has heart attack KATHMANDU, Sept 6(AFP): Nepal's heir to the embattled throne, Crown Prince Paras, suffered a serious heart attack on Thursday but was out of danger, doctors said. The 36-year-old known for his wild lifestyle was rushed to hospital in the Nepalese capital earlier in the day after complaining of chest pains. “The crown prince has had a major heart attack,” one of the doctors treating Paras, told reporters. “He is out of danger now, but we can't say if he will have another heart attack. (Posted @ 15:03 PST)
40 die as hurricanes lash Central America, Mexico BILWI, Nicaragua, Sept 6(AFP): Nicaragua and Mexico launched major relief operations on Thursday after two hurricanes that killed at least 40 people with the toll expected to rise. While Nicaragua surveyed the destruction left by Hurricane Felix that struck the Central American country Tuesday, Mexico's Pacific coast was hit onWednesday by Hurricane Henriette, which left two people dead. (Posted @ 15:00 PST)
US air strike in Baghdad kills 14 sleeping civilians BAGHDAD, Sept 6 (AFP) - US air strikes on a Baghdad neighbourhood before dawn on Thursday killed 14 civilians and injured 10 others while they were sleeping and destroyed several houses, angry residents and Iraqi officials said. Defence and interior ministry officials said US helicopters fired on houses in Al-Washash neighbourhood of Mansour district in west Baghdad between 2.00 am and 3.00 am while in pursuit of insurgents. “The attacks on the houses took place while people were sleeping. There were no clashes. The area had been quiet,” said an interior ministry official who did not want to be named. “There were tanks and armoured vehicles and many troops,” 35-year-old Saad told AFP. “The tanks started firing; then the helicopters came. Missiles were fired from the air. Houses were destroyed. A family of five were killed in this house,” he said, referring to his neighbours. In other violence, a bomb exploded near a line of workers seeking daily employment in Baghdad's southeastern Zafaraniya district, killing one worker and wounding five, a defence ministry official said. (Posted @ 13:00 PST)
Iraq: 17 bodies found Baghdad, Sept 6 (Reuters) - Eleven bodies were found in different districts of Baghdad on Wednesday, police said. Six more bodies were found shot on Wednesday in southwestern city of Mosul, 390 km north of Baghdad, police said adding that the victims were wearing camouflage uniforms.. (Posted @ 12:33 PST)
Militants blow up Pakistani tailor's shop for making Western-style clothes KHAR, Pakistan, Sept 6 (AP) - Suspected militants blew up a tailor's shop Thursday in northwest Pakistan for making Western clothes. The pre-dawn blast also damaged two other nearby shops in Kasi, a village in Bajur tribal region, said Mohammed Khan, a local government official. No one was hurt. (Posted @ 11:43 PST)
Four Russian policemen killed in Chechnya MOSCOW, Sept 6 (Reuters) - Unidentified gunmen killed four policemen in Russia's volatile province of Chechnya in two separate incidents early on Thursday, Interfax news agency reported. Two policemen died and one was wounded after a blast and a shootout, the agency said, giving no further details. In another incident, two policemen were killed after being sprayed with bullets. (Posted @ 11:38 PST)
Court quashes jail term for Hyundai chief SEOUL, Sept 6 (AFP) - A South Korean court Thursday quashed a three-year prison sentence imposed on Hyundai Automotive Group chairman Chung Mong-Koo over a multi-million dollar slush fund scandal. The Seoul High Court imposed a suspended sentence instead and ordered him to undertake community service. (Posted @ 11:33 PST)
US general, two officers sanctioned in Haditha killings probe WASHINGTON, Sept 6 (AFP) - A two star general and two other officers were censured Wednesday for failing to promptly investigate the killings of 24 civilians at Haditha, Iraq, on November 19, 2005 but were cleared of a coverup, the military said Wednesday. The US Marine Corps said “letters of censure” were issued by the secretary of the navy to the former commanding general of the 2nd Marine Division, Major General Richard Huck, and two colonels -- a regimental commander and Huck's former chief of staff. Lieutenant General James Mattis, who reviewed their performance, “did not find any evidence that these senior officers intended to cover up the incident,” the marines said in a statement. “He did determine that their actions, or inactions, demonstrated lack of due diligence on the part of senior commanders and staff.” (Posted @ 10:45 PST)
Nepal river boat capsizes, 11 dead KATHMANDU, Sept 6 (AFP) - An overloaded ferry carrying passengers to a religious festival capsized in the monsoon swollen Rapti river Wednesday in Banke district, around 350 kilometres southwest of Kathmandu , leaving 11 people dead and 15 others feared drowned, officials said Thursday. “We rescued seven people who survived the accident, but at least 11 have been killed and 15 are missing,” said a local police officer. (Posted @ 10:35 PST)
Hurricane Felix kills 38 on Nicaraguan coast PUERTO CABEZAS, Nicaragua, Sept 6 (Reuters) - Hurricane Felix killed at least 38 people on Nicaragua's Caribbean coast and more than 80 people were missing after the storm destroyed thousands of flimsy homes, the government said. (Posted @ 10:30 PST)
Tennis- US Open: Federer sees off Roddick, Venus advances NEW YORK, Sept 6 (Reuters) - Triple champion Roger Federer and two-times winner Venus Williams took different paths to the semi-finals of the U.S. Open on Wednesday. Federer stopped American Andy Roddick 7-6 7-6 6-2 in business-like fashion while Williams was pushed to the brink before beating Jelena Jankovic 4-6 6-1 7-6, setting up semi-final with top-seed Justine Henin. A trio of Russians -- Svetlana Kuznetsova, Anna Chakvetadze and Nikolay Davydenko -- have already booked their places in the last four. Kuznetsova, the 2004 champion, defeated Hungarian teenager Agnes Szavay to set up a match against Chakvetadze, while Davydenko beat German Tommy Haas and now faces Federer. Kuznetsova beat Szavay 6-1 6-4; sixth-seeded Chakvetadze, advanced to the last four of a grand slam for the first time by overwhelming Israeli 18th seed Shahar Peer 6-4 6-1 and fourth seed Davydenko won his fifth consecutive straight-sets match with a 6-3 6-3 6-4 quarter-final victory over Haas, the 10th seed. (Posted @ 10:25 PST)
8 more American soldiers die in Iraq BAGHDAD, Sept 6 (AP) - The U.S. command announced the deaths of eight more American soldiers across Iraq _ some victims of a weapon the American command believes comes from Iran. Three of the American soldiers were killed and two were wounded after their Humvee was hit with an explosively formed penetrator, a type of bomb that the U.S. alleges Iran has been supplying to Shiite militias. Iran denies the accusation. Two other U.S. soldiers were killed and another wounded in an eastern section of Baghdad on Wednesday during combat operations, the military said. Two other Americans were mortally wounded Wednesday in a blast in Salahuddin province north of the capital. Another soldier was killed and two were wounded during fighting Tuesday in western Baghdad, the U.S. command said. (Posted @ 10:10 PST)
Afghan, coalition troops kill more than 40 insurgents in latest clashes KABUL, Sept 6 (AP) - Afghan and U.S.-led coalition troops killed more than 40 suspected Taliban militants in Sha Wali Kot district in Kandahar province, the latest in a wave of strikes that have claimed the lives of hundreds of insurgents, the coalition said Thursday. A joint Afghan and coalition force on a combat patrol Wednesday came under attack from insurgent small-arms fire and rocket propelled grenades. Soldiers repelled the attack before calling in coalition aircraft which “destroyed the positively identified enemy firing positions with precision guided munitions,” it said. The coalition said “more than 40 insurgents” were killed, while Afghan and foreign forces suffered no losses. Taliban spokesmen were not immediately available for comment nor it was possible to independently confirm the death toll. (Posted @ 09:55 PST)
Karachi Stocks down 96.48, points: KARACHI, Sept 6:At the close of trading the KSE-100 index was at 12567.38, down 96.48, points. (Bureau Report) (Updated @ 14:20 PST)
Forex update: KARACHI, Sept 6: The Pakistani Rupee was traded at Rs 60.98 to the US Dollar in the open market. (Bureau Report) (Updated @ 14:20 PST)
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