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| February 18, 2008 | Monday | Safar 10, 1429 |
Updated round-the-clock, with major updates after 10:00 PST (05:00 GMT)
Dawn Election 2008 Blog http://blog.dawn.com |
Nine killed in polling day violence in Pakistan: officials ISLAMABAD, Feb 18 (AFP) - At least 14 people were killed and nearly 100 injured in election-related violence across Pakistan on Sunday and Monday, officials said. Nine of the deaths came on election day itself. On Monday, six people died in shootings in Punjab between rival party supporters, officials said. Two others died in the southern province of Sindh and one death was reported in Karak town of North West Frontier Province. A security official said about 100 people were also injured in election violence on polling day. But interior ministry spokesman Brig Javed Cheema said Monday's polling was generally peaceful and orderly except for sporadic incidents. In Lahore, the victims of Sunday's shooting included Asif Ashraf, a provincial assembly candidate from former prime minister Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-N party. In another incident, a worker for Sharif's PML-N party was shot dead by rivals outside a polling station in the industrial city of Sialkot, north of Lahore, on Monday, said party vice president Javed Hashmi. In Sindh province’s Ghotki town, six people were injured during a clash between supporters of PPP and the pro-Musharraf Pakistan Muslim League-Q during polling, police said. And in Bajaur tribal district bordering Afghanistan, a bomb blast ripped through a wall of a polling station while around 300 people queued to cast their votes, officials and witnesses said. No one was injured and polling resumed shortly afterwards. A rocket-propelled grenade hit a polling station in a remote part of southern Sindh province without causing casualties, a police official said. Separately, a bomb blast was heard in Quetta's Nauroz Sports Complex area where several polling stations were located, while a small bomb exploded near a polling station on the city's outskirts, police and witnesses said. There were no reports of casualties or damage. Also In Baluchistan province, two small bombs exploded separately near uncrowded polling stations, but there were no casualties, police said.(Posted @ 20:30 PST)
Occupied Kashmir lists custodial deaths for first time SRINAGAR, occupied Kashmir, Feb 18 (AFP) - More than 300 people have been killed in police custody in occupied Kashmir since a Muslim insurgency began in 1989, according to a state police report obtained by AFP from a source. It said 331 people had died in custody and 111 had disappeared after being arrested -- the first time security officials have given numbers on custodial killings and disappearances. Local human rights groups, however, say some 8,000 people are missing, most of them after they were arrested by the security forces. But officials say many of these people had crossed over to neighbouring Pakistan. Police in occupied Kashmir are also investigating five cases where innocent civilians were detained and killed, and then passed off as Islamic militants. Nearly a dozen police officers have been arrested and charged with murder in those cases. The official report also put the overall death toll from the insurgency at 43,183, with civilians accounting for more than thirty percent of the victims. Rights workers have also disputed that toll. “Nearly 60,000 people have died since the start of insurgency,” said Pervez Imroz, the head of Coalition of Civil Society, occupied Kashmir's main rights group.“Our figures are based on a proper survey,” he said, adding that police wanted to “downplay the figures”.(Posted @ 19:35 PST)
Two killed as blasts rock Baghdad BAGHDAD, Feb 18 (AFP) - A barrage of mortars and rockets slammed into Baghdad's international airport and an adjoining US military base Monday, killing two people and wounding about a dozen, officials and witnesses said. Katyusha rockets struck a workers' housing complex within the perimeter of the airport, killing two workers and damaging houses, a defence ministry official said. “At least 10 people were also wounded, among them women and children,” he said.The American military said Camp Victory military base next to the airport was struck by “indirect fire” -- a term it uses for rockets or mortars. “We are aware there are some casualties but damage and casualties are still being assessed,” US spokesman Navy Commander Scott Rye told AFP.(Posted @ 23:50 PST)
Twenty-four dead in China mine explosion BEIJING, Feb 18 (AFP): Twenty-four people were killed and five injured in an explosion at an illegal iron mine in northern China, local government officials said, according to state news agency Xinhua. The explosion happened on Sunday at the mine in Hebei Province, which is disguised as a wild boar farm, trapping 30 people, the local government said.(Posted @ 23:50 PST)
U.S. formally recognizes Kosovo WASHINGTON, Feb 18 (Reuters) - The United States on Monday formally recognized Kosovo in a statement by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, a day after the majority Albanian province declared independence from Serbia. “President Bush has responded affirmatively to a request from Kosovo to establish diplomatic relations between our two countries,” Rice said. “The establishment of these relations will reaffirm the special ties of friendship that have linked together the people of the United States and Kosovo,” she added. “The Kosovars are now independent. It's something I've advocated along with my government,” Bush said earlier in a live interview aired on NBC television from Arusha, Tanzania. Washington's action, which was expected, followed recognition of Kosovo by Europe's largest states -- France, Britain, Italy and Germany. More European countries are expected to follow suit, but Spain said it would not recognize Kosovo. Serbia and Russia strongly oppose the region's independence. Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), a body of 57 Muslim countries, also welcomed the independence of Kosovo in a statement from its headquarters in Riyadh. Kosovo has been under United Nations supervision since 1999, when NATO bombing forced a withdrawal of Serb forces that had been attacking Albanians there. There are now some 17,000 NATO-led troops in Kosovo.(Posted @ 23:35 PST)
Russia parliament sees policy change after Kosovo independence MOSCOW, Feb 18 (AFP) - Russia's parliament said Monday Moscow had the right to review its stance on separatist states in the former Soviet Union if Kosovo is recognised as an independent state, Interfax news agency reported.(Posted @ 23:16 PST)
OIC backs Kosovo independence RIYADH, Feb 18 (AFP) - The 57-member Organisation of the Islamic Conference on Monday said it supports the independence of Kosovo, whose Albanian ethnic majority are mostly Muslim. “The Islamic umma (nation) wishes the people of Kosovo and its government success in their new struggle to build a strong and prosperous country,” the OIC said in a statement issued from its headquarters in Jeddah.(Posted @ 23:10 PST)
Bodies of 6 minor children recovered WAZIRABAD, Pakistan, Feb 18 (APP): Bodies of six minor children were found dumped in a garbage heap near railway line in Ghakkar Mandi town in Punjab province on Monday, police said. The unidentified bodies were recovered when a sanitary worker opened a garbage bag, police officials said adding that the bodies of three girls and three boys. No other details were available.(Posted @ 22:30 PST)
Gas pipelines blown up in Pakistan Quetta, Feb 18 (Reuters) Miscreants blew up two pipelines supplying natural gas to a main plant in the town of Sui in Balochistan province early Monday, officials said. Baluch Republican Army claimed responsibility for the attacks. No further details were immediately available(Posted @ 20:30 PST)
UAE PM holds talks in Iran to expand ties TEHRAN, Feb 18 (AFP) - UAE Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashed al-Maktoum held talks with the Iranian leaders on Monday on a visit aimed at further boosting strong trade links with the Islamic republic. “Iran and the United Arab Emirates have historical and strong relations and with my trip to the Islamic Republic of Iran bilateral relations will rise to new horizons,” the Mehr news agency quoted him as saying. “The intervention of the foreigners does not have any effect on the boosting of cooperation between Iran and the UAE,” said President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad during his talks with Sheikh Mohammad, according to the ISNA news agency. “Iran and the UAE can cooperate for sustainable security in the region,” said Ahmadinejad. Iran's First Vice President Parviz Davoudi after his talks with Sheikh Mohammad stressed “Iran's right to peaceful nuclear activities”, Mehr reported.(Posted @ 19:55 PST)
18 killed in fresh Maoist unrest in India RAIPUR, India, Feb 18 (AFP) - Thirteen Maoist rebels and five police were killed in gunbattles in the eastern Indian state of Chhattisgarh Monday as heavy fighting continued for a third day in a neighbouring state, police said. Three guerrillas and five police were killed in a gunfight in thick forest around 450 kilometres from the local capital Raipur. Another 10 insurgents were killed after they fled the area, police sources said. The violence in Chhattisgarh broke out as security forces clashed with Maoist guerrillas for a third day in neighbouring Orissa state where the rebels killed 13 police and a civilian during the weekend.(Posted @ 19:30 PST)
US $300,000 Pakistan Open Golf in August KARACHI, Feb 18 (APP): The Pakistan Open, carrying US$300,000, will be held at Karachi Golf Club from August 7 to 10, Pakistan Golf Federation (PGF) announced Monday.PGF Secretary Taimur Hassan said some of world's top 100 golfers and about 50 from Pakistan would be featuring in the event.(Posted @ 19:00 PST)
U.S. officially recognises Kosovo independent LONDON, Feb 18 (Reuters) The United States has officially recognised the independence of Kosovo, BBC World television news reported Monday.(Posted @ 18:20 PST)
Heavy snowfall, ice wreak havoc in Greece, Turkey ATHENS, Feb 18 (Reuters): Heavy snowfall and freezing temperatures shut down schools, paralysed traffic and grounded airplanes in Greece and Turkey Monday. Athens International Airport struggled to stay open. Since midnight, only three flights managed to land and one to take off due to icy conditions while dozens of cancellations were expected throughout Monday.In Turkey, where snowfall and subzero temperatures forced the closure of schools and universities across much of the country, the Bosphorus strait in Istanbul was closed to transit shipping in the north-south direction since Sunday morning, the coast guard said. Hundreds of motorists were stranded around Turkey, some major roads were closed, thousands of villages were cut off and at least two people froze to death Sunday and Monday, Turkish media reported. Ankara witnessed 355 traffic accidents over the past 24 hours and nearly 30 people were injured, while in Istanbul bad weather caused more than 500 accidents, private broadcaster NTV said. (Posted @ 17:25 PST)
Serbia charges Kosovo leaders over independence bid BELGRADE, Serbia, Feb 18 (AP) Serbia filed criminal charges Monday against the three leaders of Kosovo who were instrumental in proclaiming its independence. The Interior Ministry said in a statement Monday that President Fatmir Sejdiu, Prime Minister Hashim Thaci and parliament speaker Jakup Krasniqi had been charged, a day after the Albanian-dominated Kosovo parliament declared independence from Serbia. It accused the three of committing ''a serious criminal act against the constitutional order and security of Serbia'' by participating in the proclamation of a ''false state'' on Serbian territory. (Posted @ 17:00 PST)
Suicide car bomber kills 35 in Afghanistan KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, Feb 18 (AFP): A suicide car bomber killed 35 civilians in an attack targeting Canadian troops in the Afghan border town of Spin Boldak Monday, Kandahar’s provincial governor Asadullah Khalid told AFP. “The suicide attacker detonated near a Canadian military convoy,” Khalid said. “In the attack 35 civilians were killed, 27 civilians were wounded and also three Canadian troops were wounded,” he said. The Canadian military could not immediately confirm its involvement. The governor said the blast had set some shops alight. (First Posted @ 15:45 PST, Updated @ 16:55 PST)
Afghan-Pakistani border sealed for elections KABUL, Feb 18 (AFP) - The two main border posts between Afghanistan and Pakistan have been closed as a security measure during Pakistan's parliamentary elections on Monday, officials said. The Torkham and Spin Boldak posts, used by thousands of people daily, were shut on the request of Pakistan and for the “smooth” running of the elections, they said. Torkham closed late Sunday for all vehicle and pedestrian traffic and was due to reopen on Tuesday, the border police commander in the area Chitral Shinwari told AFP. Spin Boldak, further south, would be closed for three days to vehicles but would be opened on Tuesday and Wednesday for pedestrians, Kandahar border police commander General Abdul Razeq said. (Posted @ 16:20 PST)
Toll passes 100 dead in Kandahar blast KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, Feb 18 (AP): Death toll from a suicide blast in Kandahar Sunday rose to more than 100, Kandahar Gov. Asadullah Khalid told The Associated Press. (Posted @ 14:45 PST)
Many EU nations will recognise Kosovo: EU presidency BRUSSELS, Feb 18 (AFP): Slovenia's Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel, whose country holds the EU's rotating presidency, said Monday he understood that “many EU member states” would recognise Kosovo's independence. “I understand that many EU member states will recognise” Kosovo's independence, he said as he arrived for a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels, adding that there was likely to be “a lively discussion”. (Posted @ 14:00 PST)
Rice arrives in Kenya to push for deal to end crisis NAIROBI, Feb 18 (AFP): US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived in Kenya Monday to push for a power-sharing deal to end turmoil that has left more than 1,000 dead in the country. Rice went to a Nairobi hotel where she was due to meet with former UN chief Kofi Annan, who has been mediating the crisis talks for almost a month, following disputed December 27 elections. (Posted @ 13:50 PST)
Thirty hurt mourning Bangladesh film hero DHAKA, Feb 18 (Reuters): At least 30 people were injured Monday as mourning fans clashed with police as they paid their respects to a popular actor who died in Dhaka Sunday. Police fired teargas and charged batons to disperse thousands of fans after some of them threw stones at police escorting the coffin of Aslam Talukdar Manna, 44, who died following a heart attack. (Posted @ 13:00 PST)
Blasts heard in Quetta QUETTA, Pakistan, Feb 18: Two loud explosions were heard in Quetta Monday, private television channels reported. Police was determining the blasts’ location(s). (First Posted @ 12:45, Updated @ 12:55 PST)
Weekend battles kill 51 in Sri Lanka COLOMBO, Feb 18 (AFP): Heavy fighting raged in northern Sri Lanka Monday, the defence ministry said, reporting that 49 Tamil Tiger rebels and two soldiers were killed in weekend battles. “Forty nine LTTE terrorists were killed while 20 others were injured during the (weekend) clashes,” the ministry said. “Two army soldiers made their supreme sacrifice while 16 others received injuries.” There was no immediate comment from the Tigers. (Posted @ 12:25 PST)
Chinese vessel sinks in northern Philippines; 26 rescued, two missing MANILA, Philippines, Feb 18 (AP): A Japanese oil tanker rescued 26 crewmen of a Chinese vessel that sank in the northern Philippines while two other members of the crew remained missing, the coast guard said Monday. The M/V Jinshan developed problems and sank late Sunday off the Philippine province of Ilocos Norte, coast guard spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Armand Balilo said. A Japanese tanker in the South China Sea later rescued 26 of the vessel's crew, but two others were still missing, he said. (First Posted @ 08:55 PST, Updated @ 12:10 PST)
Gunmen kill at least three police, several civilians in Guyana GEORGETOWN, Guyana, Feb 18 (AP): Gunmen killed at least three police officers and two civilians in a Sunday night assault on a small town in Guyana, authorities and local media said. Police said armed men invaded a police station and raided an ammunitions and weapons depot in the southwestern township of Bartica. Three officers were killed, police commander Gavin Primo confirmed. (Posted @ 10:40 PST)
Fire kills three on Chilean cargo ship docked in Brazil SAO PAULO, Brazil, Feb 18 (AP): Three crew members of a Chilean ship were killed by a fire that broke out in the vessel's machine room as it was docked in Brazil, a fire official said Sunday. The ''Rio Blanco'' was taking on a cargo of automobiles and farm equipment in the southeastern port of Santos when the blaze began late Saturday, Lt. Nelson Pinherio Duarte of the Santos fire department said. Firefighters extinguished the flames shortly after dawn on Sunday. (Posted @ 09:10 PST)
Moderate quake hits off Taiwan TAIPEI, Feb 18 (AFP): A moderate 5.8-magnitude earthquake hit off eastern Taiwan Monday, the central weather bureau said, but there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties. The undersea tremor struck at 4:33 am and was centred 17.8 kilometres southeast of Yuli in the eastern county of Hualien, the bureau said. It occurred at a depth of 19.4 kilometres under the sea floor, it said. (Posted @ 09:00 PST)
No UN accord on Russian call to invalidate Kosovo independence UNITED NATIONS, Feb 18 (AFP) Russia failed Sunday to secure the backing of the UN Security Council for its call to declare “null and void” the decision by Kosovo's Albanian majority to unilaterally declare independence from Serbia. Russia's UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin called the closed-door meeting only hours after Kosovo's parliament officially secede from Serbia. He insisted on implementation of Security Council resolution 1244 and other relevant documents that in his view should invalidate Kosovo's unilateral independence. “No country supported the proposal from Russia that the (move) be declared null and void,” his British counterpart John Sawers told reporters after the meeting. “We regret that the Security Council cannot agree on the way forward,” said a joint statement read out on behalf of the European members of the Council (Belgium, France, Italy, Britain, Croatia) plus Germany, the United States and the European Union presidency. (Posted @ 08:50 PST)
Grenades target EU, UN in flashpoint Kosovo town KOSOVSKA MITROVICA, Feb 18 (AFP) A grenade exploded Sunday in the flashpoint northern Kosovo town of Mitrovica after the Albanian-majority parliament declared independence, the NATO-led Kosovo Force (KFOR) said. Spokesman Etienne du Fayet de la Tour said four grenades were thrown in total - two at a European Union building, which failed to explode, and two others against a court building “of which one exploded. There were no victims”. Separately, riot police using tear gas and batons dispersed hundreds of Serbian youths who ran riot through central Belgrade Sunday, targeting the embassies of western backers of Kosovo's independence. The youths, who numbered about 800 at the height of the violence, smashed the windows of two restaurants, and those of the US and Slovenian embassies. The rioting lasted several hours and at least 50 people - among them 20 policemen - were injured during the rioting, radio B92 reported. Anger at Kosovo's independence declaration also flared in Serbia's second largest city, Novi Sad. Several hundred people there staged a protest march. (Posted @ 08:50 PST)
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