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| September 15, 2007 | Saturday | Ramazan 2, 1428 |
Updated round-the-clock, with major updates after 10:00 PST (05:00 GMT)
Musharraf says no terrorist safe havens in Pakistan ISLAMABAD, Sept 15 (AFP) - President Pervez Musharraf told a visiting US Congressional delegation Saturday there were no safe havens for terrorists on Pakistani soil, an official statement said. Musharraf also reiterated Pakistan's “strong resolve to fight extremism and terrorism” during a meeting with a US delegation led by House Republican Leader John Boehner in Rawalpindi. “The president said there was no safe haven for terrorists and that Pakistan was determined not to allow its territory to be used by anyone for terrorist activity,” the statement said. Musharraf also urged US media to develop a better understanding of Pakistan's efforts in fighting terrorism, the statement said, adding that the US lawmakers appreciated the country's efforts in that area. (Posted @ 17:52 PST)
Musharraf to doff uniform after Presidential election: Mushahid ISLAMABAD, Sep 15 (APP): Secretary General of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League Mushahid Hussain Sayed Saturday said the Presidential election would be held in the first week of October, after which President Musharraf will doff his uniform. The ruling Muslim League and allied parties have the required majority in the assemblies to re-elect President Pervez Musharraf, he told a private tv channel. Replying to a question he welcomed PPP's Chairperson Benazir Bhutto's announcement to return Pakistan on October 18 and said: “Her return is timely, and It shows she doesn't want to sabotage the presidential election”. (Posted @ 15:50 PST)
10 killed in Baghdad suicide bombing BAGHDAD, Sept 15, 2007 (AFP) - Ten people were killed and 15 hurt when a suicide bomber blew himself up in a market place in southwest Baghdad Saturday evening as Muslims were preparing to break the Ramadan fast, officials said. The blast occurred in front of a bakery in the mainly Shiite Amil neighbourhood around 6:30 pm (1430 GMT), half an hour before the start of the iftar meal that breaks the daily fast, interior ministry and medical officials said. (Posted @ 22:10 PST)
CJ refers applications of Jamat-e-Islami, Imran to 9-member bench ISLAMABAD, Sep 15 (APP): Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry Saturday referred to a 9-member bench two applications filed by Jamaat-e-Islami and Imran Khan separately for the constitution of a full court to hear petitions regarding holding of dual offices by the President as well as his candidature in the forthcoming presidential election. The bench will take up the applications for constitution of a full court on Monday. This bench was constituted by the Chief Justice on Thursday to hear six constitutional petitions which were clubbed together for hearing. Besides Qazi Hussain Ahmed, the petitioners included Dr.Anwar-ul-Haq, Shahid Orakzai and Eng. Jameel. (Posted @ 21:30 PST)
Cricket: Sri Lanka beat New Zealand by seven wickets JOHANNESBURG, Sept 15 (AFP) - Sri Lanka defeated New Zealand by seven wickets in their last preliminary match on Saturday to record their second successive win in the Twenty20 world championships. Both teams had already qualified for the Super Eights round from group C. Brief scores: New Zealand 164-7 in 20 overs; Sri Lanka 168-3 in 18.5 overs (Posted @ 20:15 PST)
Benazir's planned return is matter for Pakistan to deal with: U.S. Washington, Sept 15 (PPI): Ms Benazir Bhutto’s planned return home on October 18 from her self-imposed exile is a matter for Pakistanis to deal with. “I personally am not aware of any legal barriers to her return, but I think you'd have to check with Pakistani authorities and check with her party,” State Department spokesman Sean McCormack told newsmen. “Our view, very generally, is we are not in the business of picking candidates, we are not in the business of favouring parties. We have an interest, obviously, in seeing Pakistani democracy move forward and progress. Part of that is having free, fair, and open transparent elections. We have talked to the Pakistanis about that. “We've been very plain about that in public,” he said, making the point that any details on return of Bhutto to Pakistan would have to be referred to her political camp. The spokesman was asked if the Bush administration would be seeking any guarantees for Benazir Bhutto in light of what happened to Nawaz Sharif, who was deported to Jeddah when he entered the country on September 10 in a bid to end his seven-year exile. (Posted @ 19:46 PST)
SAARC Finance Ministers decide to urgently operationalize Development Fund New Delhi, Sept 15 (PPI): Finance Ministers from eight member states of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation SAARC Saturday decided to urgently operationalise US$300 million SAARC Development Fund by finalizing its agreement. A press release issued at conclusion of the meeting said the ministers approved recommendations of Finance Secretaries on identifying maternal and child health, women's empowerment and capacity building for enhancing quality of education for project implementation under SAARC Development Fund. They recommended that sub-group on investment and arbitration be directed to finalise agreement in this regard. It was also decided to expand cooperation in financial sector, capital market and harmonization of financial norms to increase growth in South Asian economies. An expert group would prepare and identify projects for speedy implementation of SAARC fund. (Posted @ 19:40 PST)
Cricket-Pakistan Twenty20 Premier League from next year KARACHI, Sept 15 (Reuters) - Pakistan will launch its edition of an international Twenty20 competition in October 2008 featuring foreign players and six franchised teams. Dr Nasim Ashraf, chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, told a news conference on Saturday that six teams would be franchised to corporate groups who had shown interest in the event. “The Pakistan Premier League is part of the International Champions League which is approved by the ICC and will be run by five boards,” Ashraf said. The Indian Cricket Board announced in New Delhi on Thursday the launch of the Champions League which will feature the top two Premier League teams from India, Pakistan, Australia, England and South Africa “In the Premier League each team will have four foreign players, four regional players and the rest retired and under-21 players,” he said. Ashraf added that it would eventually resemble English soccer's Premier League, with players allowed to move for transfer fees. (Posted @ 18:10 PST)
US forces kill 14 Qaeda suspects in Iraq BAGHDAD, Sept 15 (AFP) - US and Iraqi troops killed 14 suspected Al-Qaeda fighters in northern and eastern Iraq on Saturday. US military said in a statement that in separate operations in Tamim and Diyala provinces 17 suspected members of Al-Qaeda's Iraqi affiliate were detained. During an operation near the oil refining town of Baiji on Saturday, US forces called for close air support “which engaged and killed nine terrorists.” Four suspected Al-Qaeda operatives were killed when they lobbed grenades and opened fire on coalition forces during a separate raid north of Muqdadiyah in Diyala province, the military said. Another raid in Mosul left one militant killed, while a similar operation around Baghdad netted another 14 suspected Al-Qaeda members. (Posted @ 18:00 PST)
Two more martyred in occupied Kashmir Srinagar, occupied Kashmir, September 15 (PPI) Indian troops martyred two more innocent Kashmiri youth, one each at Magam in Handwara district and Tujar Sharief in Sopore, Kashmir Media Service reported adding that the dead body of a disappeared student was also recovered from Aharbal in Kulgam. (Posted @ 17:50 PST)
Fresh violence kills 26 in Sri Lanka COLOMBO, Sept 15 (APP/AFP) - At least 26 people, including two security personnel, were killed in a fresh wave of violence in Sri Lanka's embattled north, the defence ministry said on Saturday. The two soldiers were killed in a roadside bomb set off by suspected Tamil Tigers in the Jaffna peninsula on Friday night, the ministry said, adding seven troopers were also wounded. In the same region, security forces shot dead 10 members of the LTTE when they tried to break through army defence lines on Friday, the ministry said. Another 14 Tiger rebels were killed Friday in two confrontations in the district of Vavuniya, near the de facto mini-state run by the guerrillas, the ministry said. (Posted @ 17:15 PST)
President appoints Additional Judges in Sindh High Court ISLAMABAD, Sep 15 (APP): The President has appointed six Additional Judges in Sindh High Court for a period of one year from the date they take oath of their office. A notification issued here Saturday said the six Additional Judges include Arshad Siraj, Syed Mehmood Alam Rizvi, Abdul Rehman Farooq Pirzada, Abdul Rasheed Kalwar, Zafar Ahmed Khan Sherwani and Salman Ansari. (Posted @ 17:10 PST)
2 airplanes collide in 3rd fatal crash in 4 days at Nevada air race competition RENO, Nevada, Sept 15 (AP) - Two airplanes collided Friday at the Reno National Championship Air Races, killing one pilot and injuring another in the third fatal crash at the event in four days. Two pilots were killed in separate accidents at the event on Tuesday and Thursday. (Posted @ 15:45 PST)
More than 15,000 buildings damaged in Indonesian quake KETAHUN, Indonesia, Sept 15 (AFP) - More than 15,000 buildings collapsed or were seriously damaged by a series of massive earthquakes striking Indonesia's Sumatra, authorities said Saturday as the death toll rose to 17. In Bengkulu, nearly 2,000 houses were totally flattened and nearly 4,000 others badly damaged, said Bowo Santoso from the governor's disaster rescue centre. About 90 local hospitals and clinics were also damaged, he added. In West Sumatra, more than 9,700 houses collapsed or were too badly damaged to be inhabitable, said Suryadi from the disaster rescue centre there. More than 100 mosques and about 20 school buildings were also damaged, he said. (Posted @ 15:30 PST)
Cricket: Get rid of bowl outs, says India's Dhoni DURBAN, South Africa, Sept 15 (AFP) -Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni wants the bowl-out rule abolished despite defeating arch-rivals Pakistan in that fashion in the Twenty20 world championships. “I don't want to see a cricket match decided on a bowl-out,” he said. “The team plays so hard to get a result and it should always be decided on the field.”“It really amuses you, winning a cricket match 3-0,” said Dhoni. (Posted @ 15:20 PST)
Indian PM undergoes prostate surgery NEW DELHI, Sept 15(AP): India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh underwent successful prostate surgery on Saturday in a state-run hospital to remove a benign growth, his media adviser said. “The procedure was performed to treat a benign enlargement of the prostate gland,” media adviser Sanjaya Baru said in a statement. Singh, 75, was resting after the operation and was likely to remain in the hospital until Monday, it said. (Posted @ 11:27 PST)
Japan hits record number of centenarians TOKYO, Sept 15(Reuters): The number of Japanese aged 100 or older will reach a record of more than 32,000 next month, says a government survey, the latest sign that Japan is ageing quicker than any other country. One in five Japanese is now aged 65 or older and by mid-century that figure will nearly double, while the population is expected to drop by 30 percent to 90 million. Japan's women, who have topped the world's longevity ranking for 22 years, now account for 86 percent of the country's centenarians at 27,682, according to the recent government survey. (Posted @ 12:47 PST)
Bus-truck collision in Indonesia kills 10, injures 15 JAKARTA, Sept 15(AP): Ten people were killed and 15 others injured when a truck collided head on Saturday with a packed bus, sending it hurtling into a river on Indonesia's Java island, police said. The accident occurred as the speeding truck changed lanes to miss a pothole in the town of Ngawi in East Java.The truck slammed into the bus hauling 30 people, then plunged into a river near Ngawi, about 520 kilometers east of Jakarta, said a local police official.(Posted @ 09:57 PST)
Three dead, five hurt in Algerian bomb blast ALGIERS, Sept 14(AFP): Three people were killed and five others wounded when a homemade bomb exploded on Friday outside a police residence east of the Algerian capital, security forces said. Two people had to have their legs amputated after the incident at Zemmouri, about 50 kilometres east of Algiers. (Posted @ 08:58 PST)
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