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| February 02, 2008 | Saturday | Muharram 23, 1429 |
Updated round-the-clock, with major updates after 10:00 PST (05:00 GMT)
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Aitzaz Ahsan “detained for 30 days” LAHORE, Pakistan, Feb 2 (Reuters) Pakistani authorities Saturday detained Aitzaz Ahsan, a former member of parliament and cabinet minister under assassinated former premier Benazir Bhutto, a day after he was released from three months in detention. Ahsan was first detained under emergency powers that Musharraf invoked on November 3. He was freed late Thursday in Lahore, but was again placed under house arrest shortly after trying to fly to Benazir's home province of Sindh to express condolences over her assassination to her husband, Asif Ali Zardari. “Mr. Aitzaz Ahsan has been detained for 30 days,” a senior home ministry official in Lahore told Reuters. He did not give a reason for the detention. Authorities renewed detention orders for senior opposition lawyer Tariq Mehmood and placed him under house arrest in Islamabad. “These orders have no legal and constitutional justification. In fact, there is no law and constitution prevailing in the country,” Mehmood said.(Posted @ 18:30 PST, Updated @ 19:18 PST)
Three militants, two police killed in Pakistan clash PESHAWAR, Pakistan, Feb 2 (AFP) A seven-hour gun battle between suspected militants and police in northwest Pakistan Saturday left three militants and two policemen dead, officials said. Rebels hurled grenades and fired rockets at police after officers surrounded a house following intelligence reports that militants with ties to local Taliban were hiding there. North West Frontier Province police chief Sharif Virk told AFP: “Three militants and two policemen were killed in the prolonged firefight.” He said the fighting was over now and two policemen were wounded in the operation. A local official added: “They (police) retrieved the dead bodies of militants and then dynamited the house.” (First Posted @ 12:40 PST, Updated @ 17:56 PST)
Pentagon says Pakistan nuclear weapons secure WASHINGTON, Feb 2 (APP): A top US military leader on Friday reaffirmed confidence in the security of Pakistan's nuclear assets and praised the steps the Pakistani leadership has taken to ensure their protection. “I am very comfortable that nuclear weapons in Pakistan are secure and Pakistani leadership has taken steps to ensure that security,” Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff told a Pentagon news conference. He said he will be traveling to Pakistan shortly to meet with Pakistani leaders. (Posted @ 11:10 PST)
Soomro stresses OIC's active role in resolving Kashmir, Palestine issues SANA'A, Yemen, Feb 2 (APP): Caretaker Prime Minister Mohammadmian Soomro Saturday stressed for an active role of Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) to help resolve issues confronting the Muslim world, especially the Kashmir and Palestine issues. “Islamic world is passing through a difficult phase and there is a dire need for unity among the Muslim Ummah to address the issues,” Soomro said in his opening statement at the commencement of delegation-level talks at PM Secretariat here. The Pakistani side was led by caretaker PM Soomro, while the Yemeni delegation was headed by Prime Minister Dr Ali Mohammad Mujowwar assisted by ministers from the two countries. Regarding the Kashmir issue, Soomro said “Kashmiri people are party to this dispute and must be associated in a dialogue process between Pakistan and India.” He also expressed Pakistan's unreserved support to the Palestinian issue and said the government remained supportive to the Palestinians’ cause. (Posted @ 17:15 PST)
Some elements intend to cause unrest in country: Ch. Shujaat KARACHI, Jan 2 (APP): President Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q), Chaudhary Shujaat Hussain Saturday said some elements intend to create unrest in the country. He was addressing the workers and PML-Q leadership in Sindh at Muslim League House here. He said some elements do not want solution of the problems confronting to the country and intend to create disturbance. He said it has been decided by the leadership of his party that its office- bearers will only be elected for a term of two years. Speaking on the occasion, PML-Q General Secretary, Mushahid Hussain Sayed said the Muslim League has always openly expressed its stand on every issue.
Cricket- Pakistan beat Zimbabwe by seven wickets for clean sweep SHEIKHUPURA, Pakistan, Feb 2 (AFP) Pakistan beat Zimbabwe by seven wickets in the fifth and final one-day international here at Sheikhupura Stadium on Saturday to complete a clean sweep. Brief Scores: Zimbabwe 181 in 45.4 overs; Pakistan 187-3 in 31 overs. (First Posted @ 12:55 PST, Updated @ 16:00 PST)
Caretaker PM Soomro, Yemeni PM hold formal talks SANA'A, Yemen, Feb 2 (APP) Caretaker Prime Minister Mohammadmian Soomro Saturday held one-on-one meeting with his Yemeni counterpart Dr Ali Mohammad Mujowwar at Prime Minister Secretariat. During the meeting, the two sides reviewed bilateral relations and exchanged views on international and regional issues. The meeting will be followed by delegation-level talks between the two countries. (Posted @ 15:15 PST)
Soomro arrives in Saudi Arabia JEDDAH, (Saudi Arabia) Feb 2 (APP): Caretaker Prime Minister Mohammedmian Soomro arrived here Saturday evening on a visit to Saudi Arabia. The Prime Minister and his delegation was received at Jeddah International by Chief of Royal Protocol, Usman Nadir and senior officials of Saudi Arabia and Pakistan Embassy.(Posted @ 23:02 PST)
NASIRABAD-Rockets, Mortar shells fired at check posts NASIRABAD Feb 2 (PPI): Miscreants fired 5 rockets and 8 Mortar shells in check posts in various parts of Dera Bugti district. Reports said, miscreants fired 5 rockets and 8 Mortar Shells on check posts in Sui, Pat Feeder, Killa Misri and Sandak Post. Two security men were injured. Meanwhile, security forces and police arrested 10 terrorists in Loti, Pir Koh and Uch gas fields and recovered arms and ammunition and explosive from them.(Posted @ 23:01 PST)
Two Saudis killed when bomb hits embassy in Chad RIYADH, Feb 2, 2008 (AFP) The wife and daughter of a Saudi employee at the Saudi embassy in Ndjamena were killed on Saturday when a bomb hit the ambassador's residence, the Saudi foreign ministry announced. “During the fighting in Ndjamena, the residence of the Saudi ambassador was hit by a bomb, killing the wife and daughter of an embassy employee,” state news agency SPA said, quoting an unnamed ministry spokesman.(Posted @ 23:00 PST)
Egypt arrests 2 Palestinians with bomb near Gaza border RAFAH, Egypt (AP) Egyptian security forces arrested two Palestinians carrying a bomb Saturday who managed to slip through the border with the Gaza Strip and were trying to sneak further into the Sinai Peninsula, security and police officials said.(Posted @ 21:16 PST)
Sixteen migrant workers die in Saudi road crash RIYADH, Feb 2 (Reuters) Sixteen migrant workers have died in a road accident in Saudi Arabia after the bus that was carrying them collided with a car, newspapers said on Saturday. The reports said the bus hit a sports utility vehicle on a desert highway near Abqaiq in the Eastern Province on Thursday night. Eleven of the dead are Bangladeshi, three are Pakistani and two are Indian.(Posted @ 21:15 PST)
Athens clash injures three ATHENS, Greece, Feb 2 (AP) A group of leftists clashed with right-wing demonstrators Saturday, injuring at least three people and prompting riot police to fire tear gas and blockade streets in central Athens, police said. The leftists had called a counter-demonstration against a planned march by members of extreme-right Hrysi Avgi, or Golden Dawn, who were commemorating the 1996 Greek military standoff with Turkey. A fight broke out between the groups midday, with both sides hurling rocks at one another. The police fired tear gas to disperse the crowds and blockaded central streets. “We have some 200 riot police trying to separate the two groups,” police spokesman Dimitrios Zeris said.(Posted @ 20:10 PST)
One killed, 13 injured in wagon crash in Pakistan NAWABSHAH, Feb 2 (PPI) One person was killed and 13 others injured when a wagon travelling from Nawabshah to Moro rammed into a tree near here Saturday morning.(Posted @ 20:02 PST)
Only PPP CEC to nominate party candidate for premiership: Amin Fahim MIRPURKHAS, Pakistan, Feb 2 (PPI) Pakistan People's Party (PPP) vice chairman Makhdoom Amin Fahim while addressing a press conference at Gilani House here Saturday said there is no importance of the statement issued by Babar Awan about making Asif Ali Zardari the party's prime ministerial candidate, as only Central Executive Council (CEC) of the party could take a decision in this regard.(Posted @ 20:00 PST)
Naval chief witnesses Pak-Saudi joint naval exercise Naseem al Bahr KARACHI, Feb 2 (PPI) Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Mohammad Afzal Tahir along with Rear Admiral Abdullah Sultan Al-Sultan Commander Western Fleet, Royal Saudi Naval Forces Saturday witnessed the ongoing Pak-Saudi joint naval exercise Naseem al Bahr. A number of Pakistan Navy and Royal Saudi Naval Forces units including destroyers, submarines, missile boats, mine hunters, naval aviation, special services and marines are participating in the exercise which comprises sea and land phases.(Posted @ 19:55 PST)
40,000 Turks protest government plans to lift head scarf ban ANKARA, Turkey, Feb 2 (AP) Some 40,000 flag-waving Turks Saturday denounced the government over its plans to lift a decades-old ban on head scarves in universities. “Turkey is secular and will remain secular,” the protesters chanted as they marched to the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. Senal Saruhan, head of the Association of Republican Women which organized the demonstration, accused the government of “exploiting religion.” While Egemen Bagis, a close aide to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said: “We want to lift all ridiculous bans in Turkey; we want everyone to freely walk and receive education, either with their miniskirts or head scarves.”(Posted @ 19:47 PST)
Chad rebels say trapped president can leave NDJAMENA, Feb 2 (AFP) A Chadian rebel leader said Saturday that President Idriss Deby Itno can leave his palace in the capital Ndjamena where he has been trapped by insurgent forces, if he so wishes. “We suppose that Deby is inside. If he wants to leave we have no problem,” Abakar Tollimi told AFP by satellite telephone. Tollimi said that government troops were around the presidential palace and using heavy weapons against the rebels, who military sources said earlier were armed with machine-guns, assault rifles and rocket launchers. (Posted @ 15:35 PST, updated @ 19:42 PST)
Former premier Sharif to pursue cases of hundreds of missing people LAHORE, Feb 2 (AP) Former premier Nawaz Sharif pledged Saturday to pursue the cases of hundreds of missing people and prosecute those responsible if his party wins the February 18 parliamentary elections. “No government agency or official has a mandate to keep people in illegal confinement,” Sharif told about 100 relatives of people missing and believed to be held illegally by intelligence agencies. “They are accountable for their misdeeds before the court of law.” The relatives, including women, children and elderly men, held placards and portraits of their loved ones as they gathered in a tent in front of Sharif's residence in Lahore. Sharif told the relatives he was optimistic about his party’s chances in the February 18 balloting, after which all the judges removed by Musharraf would be returned to the bench. “The first thing would be restoration of the independent judiciary,” he said.(Posted @ 19:41 PST)
Pakistani, Indian ministers to visit Iran over pipeline deal TEHRAN, Feb 2 (AFP) Iran said Saturday that the petroleum ministers of India and Pakistan would come to Tehran later this month to discuss a multi-billion dollar project to transport Iranian gas to India via Pakistan. “We have invited the Indian petroleum minister with the Pakistanis to come here ... and they have accepted,” Oil Minister Gholam Hossein Nozari told a news conference. “We are making efforts to make it a tripartite deal or it will become a bilateral one,” he said, adding that talks were due to be held between February 14 to 16. In November 2007, Iran gave India a four-month deadline to formally agree its participation after finalizing the content of the 7.4-billion-dollar gas export deal with Pakistan.(Posted @ 19:41 PST)
Musharraf directs Federal Food Committee to ensure steady supply of essential food items RAWALPINDI, Feb 2 (APP) President Musharraf Saturday directed the Federal Food Committee to put in place an effective monitoring mechanism to plug gaps in the system that resulted in the shortage of wheat, flour and other commodities in the country and ensure that there was no such recurrence. Chairing a meeting here at his Camp Office to review the availability of essential food items in the country, he took strong exception to the recent flour crisis in the country said there was no justification for shortage of wheat in an agricultural country that has a vast fertile area and an extensive irrigation network. The President attributed the shortage to “lack of proper management” and said it has exposed the loopholes in the system. Musharraf directed an immediate review of the availability situation of various commodities and comprehensive strategy to ensure their provision across the country. Minister for Food, Agriculture and Livestock Mohammad Isa Jan Baloch told the media that all routes of smuggling of wheat and flour have been plugged and that there was no more any crisis of shortage of wheat or flour in the country and 1.2 million bags of 20 kg flour were available and were being supplied.(Posted @ 19:13 PST)
Sarkozy marries girlfriend Carla Bruni PARIS, Feb 2 (AFP) French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his girlfriend Carla Bruni were married at the Elysee palace Saturday, local district mayor Francois Lebel told Europe 1 radio. Lebel said he had performed the ceremony. “I married two voters of the 8th district who live at 55 rue du Faubourg Saint Honore”, Lebel said, giving the address of the presidential palace.(Posted @ 17:25 PST, Updated @ 18:55 PST)
Scores dead in Kenya NAIROBI, Feb 2 (AFP) The death toll from ethnic fighting and a police crackdown in western Kenya rose to 44 Saturday. Thirty-four people have died in fresh clashes, police said Saturday, including in western Nyanza province after fighting with machetes and poisoned arrows, and in clashes in Ainamoi. (First Posted @ 12:50 PST, Updated @ 18:05 PST)
Zimbabwe bus crash kills 14 people, injures 55 HARARE, Zimbabwe, Feb 2 (AP) A bus carrying 75 people veered off a highway and crashed into a tree in southern Zimbabwe, killing 14 people and injuring 55 late Thursday, state radio reported Saturday. (Posted @ 16:15 PST)
One dead in Yemen grenade attack SANA’A, Feb 2 (Reuters) One person was killed and 26 people were wounded Saturday when a grenade was thrown at a coffee shop outside a university in the Yemeni capital Sana’a, security sources said. Police captured the attacker and preliminary questioning suggested his motives were personal rather than political. (Posted @ 16:10 PST)
Death toll in Baghdad market blasts rises to 99 BAGHDAD, Feb 2 (AP) Two mentally disabled women strapped with remote-control explosives brought carnage to two pet bazaars in different parts of Baghdad Friday, killing at least 99 people Brig. Gen. Qassim al-Moussawi, Iraq's chief military spokesman in Baghdad, said the women had Down syndrome and may not have known they were on suicide missions. He said the bombs were detonated by remote control. (Posted @ 14:00 PST)
Indonesian policeman dies in clash with military JAKARTA, Feb 2 (AFP) At least one policeman died and three others were seriously injured in a clash with soldiers in Indonesia Friday, national police spokesman Sisno Adiwinoto said Saturday. Rumours a soldier had been kidnapped by police provoked an attack on their headquarters in eastern Maluku province, Adiwinoto said. (Posted @ 13:00 PST)
Iraqi troops raid northern village; kill three suspects, capture three others BAGHDAD, Feb 2 (AP) Iraqi commandos stormed the Polah Pash village, about 40 kilometres northeast of Tal Afar in northern Iraq early Saturday, killing three wanted men and arresting three others, police said. Among those captured was a top al-Qaeda in Iraq figure, accused of organizing militant operations in western Mosul, said Brig. Gen. Ibrahim al-Jibouri, commander of Tal Afar police. (Posted @ 12:45 PST)
6 killed in plane’s crash landing bid amid North Carolina fog MOUNT AIRY, North Carolina, Feb 2 (AP) - A twin-engine plane crashed Friday as it tried to land amid low fog at a small airport in northwest North Carolina, killing all six people on board, officials said. The passengers were on their way to Primland, a hunting and golf resort in Meadows of Dan, Virginia, about 25 miles north of the Mount Airy airport. (Posted @ 11:05 PST)
Iran's regional power strengthened by US-led invasions in Iraq and Afghanistan UNITED NATIONS, Feb 2 (AP) - Iran is stronger today because of the U.S.-led invasions of Afghanistan in 2001 and Iraq in 2003, the American ambassador to the United Nations, Zalmay Khalilzad, said Friday. “It's helped Iran's relative position in the region, because Iraq was a rival of Iran, and the balance there has disintegrated or weakened,” he said while answering questions from students at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs. “And so one of the objectives of Iran, in my view, is to discourage a reemergence of Iraq as a balancer. And Afghanistan, too, the change was helpful to Iran.” (Posted @ 11:00 PST)
5 Indian sailors die after inhaling poisonous gas on vessel NEW DELHI, Feb 2 (AP) - Five Indian navy sailors died after inhaling poisonous hydrogen sulfide gas while carrying out maintenance aboard a ship in southern India, a navy spokesman said Saturday. Another three sailors were hospitalized after Friday's accident on INS Jalashva, an amphibious transport vessel, during a military exercise, said Comm. Neeraj Kumar Sinha. The condition of one of the sailors was serious, he said. (Posted @ 10:35 PST)
Third undersea cable cut in Middle East MUMBAI, Feb 12 (Reuters) - A third undersea cable was cut on Friday, just two days after two breaks near Egypt disrupted Web access in parts of the Middle East and Asia, Indian-owned cable network operator FLAG Telecom said. FLAG said on its Web site on Friday its FALCON cable had been reported cut at 0559 GMT, 56 kms from Dubai, between the United Arab Emirates and Oman. “The repair ship has been notified and expected to arrive at the (Dubai) site in (the) next few days,” FLAG said. Cable repair ships had already been sent to fix the earlier breaches off northern Egypt, which are in segments of two intercontinental cables known as SEA-ME-WE-4 and FLAG Europe-Asia. FLAG said these repairs should start by Feb. 5 and be complete after one week. (Posted @ 10:25 PST)
Bush to seek $515 billion for Pentagon in 2009 WASHINGTON, Feb 2 (Reuers) - U.S. President George W. Bush will seek $515.4 billion for the Pentagon for fiscal 2009, up 7.5 percent from the funds Congress approved for this year, according to Pentagon documents obtained by Reuters on Friday. In his final budget request on Monday, Bush also will ask Congress for $70 billion in “emergency” funds for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the documents show. The budget request will include $183.8 billion to modernize the military and $20.5 billion to increase the size of the Army and Marine Corps -- the two services most strained by Iraq and Afghanistan. (Posted @ 10:15 PST)
Gaza-Egypt border stays open as Cairo talks end RAFAH, Egypt, Feb 2 (AFP) - Thousands of Gazans poured over the breached border with Egypt for a 10th straight day on Friday as officials in Cairo held fresh talks with the Hamas movement on restoring order. For a second day, Egyptian security forces attempted to block vehicles passing through the two makeshift crossing points in the divided border town of Rafah. But the action drew an angry response from Hamas militants who tore down the heavy metal roadblocks erected by police prompting the Egyptian authorities to allow cars through in the afternoon. Motorists were unable to drive too far into the Egyptian part of Rafah, however, as police set up roadblocks causing immense traffic jams. (Posted @ 09:55 PST)
Security Council members want more time on Iran sanctions: France WASHINGTON, Feb 2 (AFP) - France said Friday that some UN Security Council members were asking for more time to consider additional sanctions on Iran over its controversial nuclear program. Without naming the countries, French envoy to Washington Pierre Vimont said a “few” members wanted to wait for Iran to clear up questions over its nuclear program with the IAEA. (Posted @ 09:50 PST)
US military should consider shifting focus to Afghanistan: general WASHINGTON, Feb 2 (AFP) - The commander of the US Marine Corps warned Friday that as conditions improve in Iraq the US military should begin thinking about when to shift its focus to Afghanistan. “That's a very worthy debate,” General James Conway told reporters here. Conway said it was arguable whether the marines will be required to deploy more forces to Afghanistan after this unit's seven month stint is up. But he said that if more marines are needed in Afghanistan, he will ask for a reduction in the marine presence in Iraq. “The focus has been Iraq, the larger enemy, the larger fight,” Conway said. “Now I think that the discussion is going to become: 'As things continue to improve in Iraq, at what point do we shift focus into Afghanistan to try to create the same margins of success there?'” (Posted @ 09:45 PST)
Bus bombing kills 20 in Sri Lanka COLOMBO, Feb 2 (AFP) - Suspected Tamil Tiger rebels set off a powerful bomb on a crowded bus in Dambulla, 150 kilometres north of Colombo Saturday, killing at least 20 people and wounding another 61, the military and hospital sources said. The bus was taking Buddhist pilgrims from the central town of Kandy to north-central Anuradhapura town and had stopped at Dambulla to pick up more passengers. On Friday, a suicide bomber on a bicycle killed four people in the northern peninsula of Jaffna. (Posted @ 09:40 PST)
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