|
| February 25, 2008 | Monday | Safar 17, 1429 |
Updated round-the-clock, with major updates after 10:00 PST (05:00 GMT)
|
|
|
 Blast kills AMC Lt General, 7 others in Rawalpindi ISLAMABAD, Feb 25 (AP): A suicide bomber killed Pakistan Army's top medical officer and seven others in Rawalpindi on Monday. The chief of the Army Medical Corps, Lieutenant-General Mushtaq Ahmed Baig, was the most senior military officer killed by militants to date. He died with two of his staff and five passers-by. “The general was on his way home and his car was stopped at a traffic light. The bomber was on foot and blew himself up there,” said Interior Ministry spokesman Javed Iqbal Cheema. He said the bomber was about 16 years old and also killed five civilians and wounded 12 others. (First Posted @ 15:25 PST Updated @ 19:48 PST)   Four killed, ten hurt in attack on British NGO office in Mansehra PESHAWAR, Feb 25 (AFP): Gunmen opened fire and hurled grenades Monday at the office of a British-run aid group in Mansehra, killing at least four local staff and wounding 10 others, officials said. The attackers stormed the office of Plan International, a non-governmental organisation, in Mansehra and fled after setting the premises ablaze, they said. “We have collected four bodies. There are 10 injured, it's an emergency situation -- we are trying to confirm more details,” Mohammad Ashfaq, local coordinator for Plan International told AFP. (Posted @ 18:42 PST) 
 Blast kills three soldiers in southwestern Pakistan QUETTA, Pakistan, Feb 25 (AFP): At least three paramilitary soldiers were killed and four others wounded Monday when a remote-controlled roadside bomb blew up an army vehicle in Balochistan province’s Dera Bugti district’s Lehri town, officials said. The bombing was claimed by a militant group identifying itself as the Balochistan Republican Army. (Posted @ 17:25 PST) Musharraf dismisses talks of political exit after election defeat ISLAMABAD, Feb 25 (AP): President Musharraf's spokesman Rashid Qureshi Monday dismissed a suggestion from a U.S. senator that he make a ''graceful'' retreat from power after the victory of his opponents in Pakistan's elections. Musharraf was elected to a new five-year presidential term last year by Pakistani lawmakers, ''not by any senator from the United States,'' Qureshi told Dawn TV. ''So I don't think he needs to respond to anything that is said by these people.'' ''The president will function with them (lawmakers)…the president is an easy man to get along with and I don't think we should feel that there'll be any friction there,'' Qureshi said. However, Joe Biden, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said Sunday he would advise Musharraf to seek a dignified way to leave office. ''I firmly believe if they (political parties) do not focus on old grudges and give him a graceful way to move,'' then it could happen, Biden, a Democrat, said on ABC television. Republican senators Kay Bailey Hutchison and Chuck Hagel also endorsed a negotiated retreat. However, Asif Ali Zardari said in remarks published Monday that his priority was for the transition to remain smooth. ''We want to unify the country, which is facing some very serious challenges,'' Zardari was quoted as saying in The Wall Street Journal. ''We have to establish democracy and for that we need unity and not confrontation.'' (Posted @ 15:10 PST) Army vows to clear Swat valley of militants MINGORA, Feb 25 (AFP): Pakistan will not halt a military offensive in Swat valley until all militants are cleared from the once-popular tourist site, the region's army commander said Monday. “There is no time frame for completion of the operation, as 400 hardcore militants are still hiding in Swat valley,” Major General Nasser Janjua, told reporters. “It will take time to wind up the operation” he added. Janjua said the army was still on the trail of Maulana Fazlullah, a radical cleric. “He is around Swat district but is hiding somewhere and keeps changing his location. We are behind him,” Janjua said. He said the army had secured 90 percent of the region near the Afghan border, with more than 230 militants killed and 1,035 questioned during the offensive. He said 36 soldiers had died during operations. (Posted @ 19:14 PST) 
Major powers meet in Washington to tackle Iran WASHINGTON, Feb 25 (Reuters): The major powers began talks in Washington on Monday to agree on strategy to tackle Iran's nuclear plans, including a third round of U.N. sanctions and inducements to get Tehran to drop its sensitive atomic work. A State Department spokesman said senior diplomats from the five permanent member of the U.N. Security Council -- China, Russia, the United States, France and Britain -- and Germany began their meeting at around 1530 GMT and the talks were expected to run for several hours. (Posted @ 23:24 PST) Cyclone Ivan kills 44, leaves 145,000 homeless in Madagascar ANTANANARIVO, Feb 25 (AP): The toll from Cyclone Ivan has risen to 44 dead and 145,000 homeless in Madagascar, the government said Monday. Eastern parts of the island remained cut off by flood waters, more than a week after the cyclone hit carrying winds of up to 230 kph and torrential rains. A government statement said the worst affected is Fenerive Este district, where out of a population of 281,000, more than 80,000 had lost their homes and up to 70 percent buildings had been destroyed. (Posted @ 22:48 PST) Poland to sign $1.2billion arms deal with India WARSAW, Feb 25 (AFP): Polish state-controlled arms company Bumar on Monday announced it was poised to sign a $1.2-billion deal to supply military equipment to India. The Polish newspaper Dziennik said Bumar has clinched six separate contracts with India, covering the supply of 200 WZT-3 armoured cars, 80 Kroton de-mining vehicles, 100 Loara mobile anti-aircraft units and 110 self-propelled cannons. Bumar is to supply 1,000 tank engines and help upgrade the same number of T-72 tanks currently used by the Indian army. Bumar may also work with India on the production of tank engines, the newspaper said. (Posted @ 22:15 PST) Gunmen kill eight Iraqi troops BAQUBA, Feb 25 (AFP): Gunmen ambushed an Iraqi army patrol in the restive province of Diyala on Monday, killing seven soldiers and a major, a senior Iraqi army officer told AFP. The attack took place in the town of Bohruz at around 1400 GMT, said Brigadier General Ragib al-Omairi, an Iraqi army commander in Baquba, the capital of Diyala province. (Posted @ 21:46 PST) Six persons die, 12 injured in Lakki Marwat road accident PESHAWAR Feb 25 (APP): Six persons died and 12 others were wounded after a collision between a passenger coach and an oil tanker on Indus Highway at Niamatabad village in Lakki Marwat on Monday, a police official said. The dead included a child. (Posted @ 21:44 PST) Lebanon presidential vote postponed to March 11 BEIRUT, Feb 25 (Reuters): Lebanon's presidential election was postponed on Monday to March 11 from Feb. 26, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri said, declaring the 15th delay of a vote blocked by a bitter political conflict. (Posted @ 21:42 PST) Turkish army says 41 rebels, two soldiers killed Monday ANKARA, Feb 25 (AFP): The Turkish army said in a statement posted by the general staff on its website that 41 Kurdish rebels and two Turkish soldiers were killed in fighting Monday, taking the death toll from its operations in northern Iraq since Thursday to 153 rebels and 17 troops. (Posted @ 21:40 PST) Arab League chief fails in bid to resolve Lebanon crisis BEIRUT, Feb 25 (AFP): Arab League chief Amr Mussa was leaving Lebanon on Monday having failed in a new bid to break a political deadlock that has left the country without a president for three months. He said that while some headway was made in breaking the standoff more talks were needed. (Posted @ 21:34 PST)
Two killed, eight injured in mine explosions in Pat Feeder, Dera Bugti QUETTA, Feb 25 (PPI): Two persons including a security personnel were killed and eight injured in land mines explosions in Dera Bugti and Pat Feeder. Police said a vehicle of the security forces was carrying rations from Dera Bugti struck a land mine. A security forces official was killed on the spot and seven others injured. In another incident of land mine explosion in Pat Feeder killed a motorcyclist while the pillion rider was injured. (Posted @ 20:45 PST) Cuba's new leader offers no sign of change: White House WASHINGTON, Feb 25 (AFP): The White House on Monday said its embargo on Cuba would remain and that the Communist-ruled island's decision to name Fidel Castro's brother Raul as president offered no sign of democratic change, a spokeswoman said. (Posted @ 20:28 PST) Three die, 15 hurt in road accident near Bolan DERA MURAD JAMALI, Feb 25 (APP): At least three people were killed and 15 others wounded when a rashly driven wagon overturned near Aabe Gum, Bolan on Monday, police said. The wagon was going to Sibi from Quetta and the driver lost control. The condition of six of the injured was serious. (Posted @ 20:26 PST) Afghan cabinet in historic meeting outside capital: statement JALALABAD, Feb 25 (AFP): President Hamid Karzai held a cabinet meeting Monday in Jalalabad, becoming the first Afghan leader to do so outside the capital for 200 years, officials said. The president's office said in a statement the aim was to “study closely the progress of reconstruction in the provinces and to address the needs of the people.” (Posted @ 20:04 PST) Turkish Cypriot leader says Cyprus division could be solved by year end NICOSIA, Feb 25 (AP): The decades-long division of Cyprus could be resolved by the end of the year, the leader of the breakaway Turkish Cypriots said Monday, a day after Greek Cypriots elected a new president. “I believe that it won't be a surprise if we solve the problem by the end of 2008,” Mehmet Ali Talat told reporters. President-elect Dimitris Christofias had campaigned on a pledge to act quickly to restart long-stalled talks to reunify the island. Reunification would remove one of the obstacles to Turkey's efforts to join the EU. (Posted @ 20:02 PST) Roadside bomb kills 3 pilgrims, wounds 15 in Iraq HILLA, Feb 25 (Reuters): Three pilgrims walking to a religious festival south of Baghdad were killed by a roadside bomb on Monday. Police said the bomb exploded near a group of pilgrims on the outskirts of Baghdad, wounding 15 of them as they made their way to the festival, in the southern city of Kerbala. (Posted @ 19:58 PST) Iran to launch higher denomination bank note TEHRAN, Feb 25 (AFP): Iran is to launch a new banknote twice the value of any other note in circulation, the central bank head said on Monday, amid double-digit inflation in the Islamic republic. “We hope the new 100,000 rial banknote (worth around 10 dollars) will be issued in July,” said the head of Iran's central bank, Thamasb Mazaheri, according to the Mehr news agency. (Posted @ 19:30 PST) Kenya unrest toll above 1,500: police NAIROBI, Feb 25 (AFP): More than 1,500 people have died in Kenyan unrest since the disputed re-election of President Mwai Kibaki in December, police said Monday, a sharp rise on the previous toll of at least 1,000. “Our figures indicate that more than 1,500 have been killed in tribal fighting, political rioting and everything that was associated with the elections,” a senior police commander told AFP on condition of anonymity. (Posted @ 19:22 PST) Czech, Poland close to deal on US anti-missile shield: officials PRAGUE, Feb 25 (AFP): The Czech Republic and Poland said Monday they were both on the verge of striking a deal with Washington on hosting elements of an US anti-missile shield, despite Russian anger over the project. Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek is to finalise a deal on siting an anti-missile radar on Czech soil during a two-day visit to the United States starting Tuesday, his government said in a statement. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Monday that he was “close to a good solution,” but again stressed the importance of security guarantees. “This solution must also be of benefit to Poland, not only to the United States,” Tusk told Polish Radio. “Either our conditions will be fulfilled ... or there will be no shield,” he added. (Posted @ 19:10 PST) Afghanistan able to rule itself in a few years: foreign minister OSLO, Feb 25 (AFP): Afghan Foreign Minister Rangin Dadfar Spanta kickstarted a week-long visit of Nordic capitals in Oslo on Monday saying his country should be able to govern itself “in a few years.” Afghanistan should manage to stand on its own feet “when we can (further) the building and rebuilding of the Afghan national army, when we can give better training and equip” troops, police and border guards, Spanta told reporters. “I think we will have success in a few years,” he said after meeting with Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg and Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere. (Posted @ 19:08 PST) At least four killed in Cameroon port city violence DOUALA, Cameroon, Feb 25 (Reuters): At least four people were killed when violence and looting broke out in Cameroon's economic capital Douala on Monday after taxi drivers launched a strike against high fuel prices, police and witnesses said. “Two persons were pulled out of their car and beaten to death at Bonaberi neighbourhood. One man was burned to death when the Douala Fire Council was set ablaze and another young man suffocated after inhaling too much tear gas,” a police officer in Douala told Reuters. (Posted @ 18:54 PST) Burundi police say rebels kill three officers BUJUMBURA, Feb 25 (Reuters): Police accused rebels on Monday of killing three officers during a shootout at the home of a government official in the capital Bujumbura. A police spokesman said dozens of fighters from the Forces of National Liberation (FNL) attacked a house belonging to Rugazi district administrator late on Sunday. “Police who were ensuring his security tried to push back the attack, but three of them were killed,” he said, adding that the official had not been harmed. (Posted @ 18:50 PST) 
Porsche halts production of 911 after explosion at plant STUTTGART, Feb 25 (AP): Automaker Porsche AG said Monday that an explosion at its plant where 911 models are made has halted production for two to three days. Two workers were injured in a gas explosion early Monday at the Zuffenhausen factory, which produces 160 of its popular 911 models a day. Porsche said gas leaked from a drying oven in the paint shop and ignited. The workers were taken to a hospital for treatment and later released. (Posted @ 18:44 PST) Two killed in Nepal protests: official KATHMANDU, Feb 25 (AFP): A police officer and a protester were killed in violent clashes Monday, bringing the total number of deaths in recent ethnic unrest in southern Nepal to four, an official said. “We have received confirmation that two people died in clashes on Monday,” a home ministry official told AFP. (Posted @ 18:28 PST) Powerful blast rocks Kandahar KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, Feb 25 (Reuters): A strong explosion shook Afghanistan's southern province of Kandahar Monday, but it was not immediately clear what caused it and if there were any casualties, residents and the interior ministry said. The blast occurred to the west of the city of Kandahar. (Posted @ 16:15 PST) Death toll from bombing near Iraq’s Iskandariya rises to 63 HILLA, Iraq, Feb 25 (Reuters): The death toll from Sunday's suicide bomb attack on Iraqi pilgrims heading south of Baghdad has risen to 63, a health official said Monday. The bomber exploded a suicide vest packed with metal ball bearings in a refreshment tent full of pilgrims heading to the annual Arbain festival in the southern city of Kerbala. Sattar al-Jashami, spokesman for the health department in Babil province, said the blast near the town of Iskandariya, 40 km south of Baghdad, had killed 63 people. He had no details about the numbers wounded. (FirstPosted @ 14:35 PST, Updated@ 15:50 PST) 
Turkish military fires artillery at suspected rebel hideouts in Iraq CUKURCA, Turkey, Feb 25 (AP): Turkish troops fired dozens of salvos of artillery shells across the Iraqi border Monday. Turkey began the ground operation Thursday to target Kurdish rebels who attack Turkey from hideouts on the Iraqi side of the border. (Posted @ 14:55 PST) Blast shakes northwestern city in Iran TEHRAN, Feb 25 (Reuters): An explosion shook the northwestern Iranian city of Tabriz shortly after mid-day Monday, but the cause of the blast and whether there were any casualties was not immediately clear, the Fars news agency reported. (Posted @ 14:47 PST) Cricket- Pakistan dump Australia from under-19 World Cup KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 25 (AFP): Defending champions Pakistan stayed on course for a hat-trick of under-19 World Cup titles with a six-wicket win over Australia Monday to enter the semi-finals. Pakistan, who won the last two tournaments in 2004 and 2006, steamrolled Australia for 129 after electing to field and then surpassed the target in the 28th over at the Kinrara Oval. New Zealand joined Pakistan, India and South Africa in the semi-finals with an 80-run victory over Sri Lanka in the last quarter-final at the Royal Selangor Club here. The young Kiwis scored 213 after being given first strike and then bowled out Sri Lanka for 133 in 42.1 overs. India clash with New Zealand in Wednesday's day-night semi-final at the Kinrara Oval, while Pakistan take on South Africa under lights in the other semi-final at the same venue Friday. (Posted @ 14:45 PST) Wheelchair bomber kills senior Iraqi policeman SAMARRA, Iraq, Feb 25 (Reuters): A suicide bomber in a wheelchair killed a top policeman and wounded two others when he blew himself up in the police operations centre in the Iraqi city of Samarra Monday, police said. The bomber had entered the building in Samarra, 100 km north of Baghdad, and asked to speak to assistant police chief Major-General Abdul-Jabbar Rabee Muttar, an official in the Samarra police chief's office said. The bomber, in his 40s, then detonated a vest packed with explosives, killing Muttar and wounding two other policemen, police said. (Posted @ 14:35 PST) 7.2-magnitude quake hits Indonesia, tsunami warning issued JAKARTA, Feb 25 (AFP): A 7.2-magnitude quake struck Monday off Indonesia's Sumatra island, sparking a tsunami alert, the geophysics and meteorology agency said, but there were no immediate reports of damage. The quake hit 165 kilometres northwest of Sumatra's Mukomuko at 3:36 pm at a depth of 10 kilometres, the agency said. The US Geological Survey measured the quake at 7.3 and said it occurred at a depth of 35 kilometres. The quake was felt in tall buildings in the capital Jakarta. In Bengkulu, about 280 kilometres from the epicentre, provincial government official Linda told AFP that the quake was felt strongly. (Posted @ 14:20 PST) Airstrike, ground battles killed 36 rebels, five soldiers in Sri Lanka COLOMBO, Feb 25 (AP): Sri Lankan forces launched an airstrike against a Tamil Tiger naval base and attacked rebel fortifications in a wave of violence that killed 36 rebels and five soldiers, the military said Monday. In fresh fighting Sunday, government troops launched a series of raids against rebel bunkers along the front lines in the Mannar region, military spokesman Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara said. The fighting killed 17 rebels and five soldiers, he said. The pro-rebel TamilNet website said 11 Sri Lankan troops were killed in the battle. In another attack Sunday, air force jets bombed a training camp used by female members of the Sea Tigers, the rebels' naval wing, killing 10 fighters, the military said. Other battles in Mannar, Vavuniya and the northern Jaffna peninsula killed nine rebels, the military said. (First Posted @ 11:35 PST, Updated @ 13:45 PST) Two killed in Thai south NARATHIWAT, Thailand, Feb 25 (AFP): Two people were shot dead by insurgents in southern Thailand, police said Monday. A man was killed and his wife injured when two gunmen stormed into their home in Narathiwat province late Sunday and shot them, police said. In nearby Pattani province, a man who volunteered with the government defence forces was shot dead early Monday, police added. (Posted @ 13:40 PST) Cricket- India turn down Pakistan's one-day series invitation KARACHI, Feb 25 (AFP): Pakistan's efforts to fill a gap in their cricket schedule received a setback Monday when India turned down an offer to play a short three-match one-day series next month, officials said. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had invited India for a three-match one-day series starting from March 12 after Australia's tour was reduced to 30 days from a planned 48 days. “The president of the Indian cricket board, Sharad Pawar, called up and spoke to the (PCB) chairman Nasim Ashraf explaining the tour was not possible due to a hectic schedule of the Indian team,” PCB spokesman Ahsan Hameed Malik said. (Posted @ 13:30 PST)
Nawaz Sharif says judges should decide Musharraf's fate ISLAMABAD, Feb 25 (AFP): Former premier Nawaz Sharif called Monday for Pakistan's ousted judiciary to rule on the legality of President Musharraf's position before any parliamentary move to impeach him. He said the top judges sacked by Musharraf under a state of emergency in November should be restored first so that they can decide the legality of Musharraf's re-election as president in October last year. “Before parliament impeaches him we want this issue resolved by the judiciary... it should not reach that stage,” Sharif told reporters after meeting Jamaat-i-Islami’s Qazi Hussain Ahmed in Islamabad. “On November 3 the judiciary was murdered, that's why we say he is an unconstitutional and illegal president,” Sharif said. He reiterated his call for Musharraf to step down before any action by the courts or the new government. “Musharraf should quit as soon as possible. It would be better for him because the people have given their mandate,” Sharif said. (Posted @ 13:25 PST) Insurgents in Somalia kill nine soldiers, briefly take town MOGADISHU, Somalia, Feb 25 (AP): Insurgents briefly took control of a southern Somali town over the weekend in a battle that left nine government soldiers dead, police said Monday. The insurgents overran a government base on the outskirts of Dinsor town Sunday then occupied the city for three hours before retreating, said Mohamed Ahmadey, a police officer. Eight other government soldiers were wounded, Ahmadey said. A spokesman for the insurgents said his men moved into the town to chase away ''bandits'' disguising themselves as ''Somalia's honourable army.'' ''We defeated them, burned three of their military vehicles, and seized two others,'' he said. Government officials could not immediately be reached for comment Monday. (Posted @ 13:00 PST) Baghdad road bomb kills four Shiite pilgrims BAGHDAD, Feb 25 (AFP) -Insurgents killed four Shiite pilgrims in a roadside bomb attack in southern Baghdad on Monday, officials said, a day after 40 devotees were killed by a suicide bomber near the Iraqi capital. Three of the four killed were women, they said, and 15 others were wounded. Iraqi security and medical sources said a group of pilgrims was walking towards the city of Karbala when the road bomb was set off in the city's Al-Zafaraniyah neighbourhood. (Posted @ 11:30 PST) Cricket-South Africa beat Bangladesh by five wickets DHAKA, Feb 25 (Reuters) - South Africa beat Bangladesh by five wickets on the fourth morning of the first test here Monday. Scores: Bangladesh 182 (J.Siddiqui 74, J.Kallis 5-30, D.Steyn 4-48) (and 192) v South Africa 170 (S.Hossain 6-27) and 205-5 (G.Smith 62, Shahadat Hossain 3-70) (Posted @ 11:05 PST) Iraq militant group kills 12 Nepalese workers DUBAI, Feb 25 (Reuters) - An Iraqi militant group posted a video on the Internet on Monday showing the killings of 12 Nepalese men who it said worked for a Nepalese company with a U.S. contract. A militant beheaded one of the men with a knife. The rest were shot in the back while laying face down in a sandy lot, the video, posted by the Army of Ansar al-Sunna, showed. (Posted @ 11:02 PST) Fire sweeps major Myanmar market YANGON, Feb 25 (AFP) - A major fire Monday tore through the largest market and biggest shopping mall in Myanmar's second city Mandalay, witnesses said. The blaze broke out around 8:00 am (0130 GMT) and was still raging three hours later, they said. Flames swept through the Yadanarbon market as well as the Sky World shopping mall. (Posted @ 11:00 PST) 'No Country' dominates Oscars HOLLYWOOD, Feb 25 (AFP) - Violent thriller “No Country for Old Men” won the best picture Oscar at the 80th Academy Awards Sunday as European stars scored a clean sweep in the acting honors in an historic Hollywood night. The movie also scooped four Oscars including best director for brothers Joel and Ethan Coen, best adapted screenplay and best supporting actor for Javier Bardem. The film, a bleak and bloody drama about a drug deal that goes wrong and its murderous aftermath, was the overwhelming pre-Oscars favourite. The evening's acting awards were dominated by European talent, with France's Marion Cotillard winning best actress for “La Vie En Rose” and Ireland's Daniel Day-Lewis winning best actor for “There Will be Blood. (Posted @ 10:55 PST) Rockets hit Peshawar, no casualties PESHAWAR, Pakistan, Feb 25 (AFP) - Suspected militants fired two rockets into Peshawar, capital of North West Frontier Province, police said Monday, damaging cars but narrowly missing the airport. Peshawar residents said they heard loud noises when the rockets exploded late Sunday, one in the garrison city's commercial area and another in suburban Pushtakhara, which is close to the airport and also houses a key airforce base. An AFP reporter saw up to 10 damaged cars, which were parked at a repair shop in the commercial neighbourhood when a rocket landed on the roof. (Posted @ 10:50 PST) Railways stop ex-minister’s college project RAWALPINDI, Pakistan, Feb 25 (APP): Pakistan Railways has stopped the construction of Post- Graduate (girls) College in Rawalinidi on the plea that the former Federal Minister for Railways Sheikh Rashid Ahmed had not obtained approval from the Railways. The electricity of the construction company has also been disconnected. The foundation stone laying ceremony of the project was performed last October by Sheikh Rashid who contested elections on two Rawalpindi seats on PML-Q ticket and lost in both constituencies. (Posted @ 10:45PST) Russia's NATO envoy says U.S. wants to divide and rule MOSCOW, Feb 25 (AP) - Russia's ambassador to NATO suggested Sunday that Kosovo's split from Serbia was the result of an imperialistic American effort to “divide and rule.” In heated remarks in a televised interview, Dmitry Rogozin also reiterated Russia's warning that Western recognition of Kosovo could encourage separatism worldwide, using Germany's large ethnic Turkish population as an example. (Posted @ 10:30 PST) Sharapova wins Qatar Open, maintains unbeaten streak in 2008 DOHA, Qatar, Feb 25 (AP) - Maria Sharapova stretched her unbeaten streak to 12 matches and won her 18th career title Sunday by defeating Vera Zvonareva 6-1, 2-6, 6-0 in the Qatar Open final. (Posted @ 10:25 PST) John McCain wins all 20 at-large delegates at stake in Puerto Rico TOA BAJA, Puerto Rico, Feb 25 (AP) - Republican Party members in Puerto Rico awarded all 20 presidential convention delegates at stake here Sunday to Arizona Sen. John McCain, who has vowed to help resolve Washington's complicated relationship with the U.S. Caribbean territory. Sunday's win gives McCain 998 total delegates, inching him closer to the 1,191 needed to secure the Republican nomination. His rival, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, trails with 254. (Posted @ 10:20 PST)
US reservations on Pakistan militants dialogue offer ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Feb 25 (AP) - Taliban-style militants battling government forces in northwest Pakistan say they want dialogue with the winners of parliamentary elections and are urging the new leadership to abandon President Pervez Musharraf's war on terror. Musharraf's critics have long complained that military operations have worsened the security situation in the border areas, and have urged the government to combat extremism through dialogue and economic incentives. They say a new approach is needed to build public support. However, U.S. officials fear a dialogue-based strategy may end up giving al-Qaida and other hardliners a sanctuary in Pakistan. American officials believe a 10-month cease-fire in mountainous North Waziristan, which collapsed last year, enabled al-Qaida and Afghan Taliban fighters to regroup after being driven by U.S.-led forces from Afghanistan. A survey released by the U.S.-funded International Republican Institute in early February found that three-quarters of the 3,845 Pakistanis polled considered Islamic extremism a serious problem. But only 9 percent believed the country should cooperate with the United States in the war against terror. The poll was conducted Jan. 19-29 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 1.69 percentage points. (Posted @ 10:15 PST) Oil prices rise to near US$100 a barrel SINGAPORE, Feb 25 (AP) - Oil prices rose to near US$100 a barrel Monday as the Turkish incursion into northern Iraq and warnings by Iran against further sanctions heightened concerns over potential crude supply disruptions. Light, sweet crude for April delivery rose 74 cents to US$99.55 a barrel after climbing as high as US$99.70 a barrel in Asian electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange by midday in Singapore. In other Nymex trading, heating oil futures added 1.51 cents to US$2.7781 a gallon (3.8 liters) while gasoline prices rose 2.03 cents to US$2.554 a gallon. Natural gas futures added 19.1 cents to US$9.337 per 1,000 cubic feet. (Posted @ 10:00 PST) Two US soldiers killed in action in Baghdad BAGHDAD, Feb 25 (AFP) - Two US soldiers were killed in action in separate incidents in the Iraqi capital on Sunday, the US military announced. One soldier was killed during a combat patrol in northern Baghdad, while the other was killed “by small-arms fire during combat operations”in southern Baghdad. (Posted @ 09:50 PST) Hamas says three fighters killed in Israeli air strike GAZA CITY, Feb 25 (AFP) -Three members of the armed wing of Hamas were killed overnight Sunday in two Israeli air strikes on the Gaza Strip, the group said. Two members of the Al-Qassam Martyrs' Brigades were killed in the first raid to the east of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip, while the third was killed in a raid in Gaza City, it said. Israeli army confirmed the attacks. (Posted @ 09:45 PST) Karachi Stocks down 32.98 points: KARACHI, Feb 25: At close of trading, the KSE-100 index was at 14947.68, down 32.98 points. (Bureau Report) (Updated @ 14:20 PST) Forex update: KARACHI, Feb 25: The Pakistani Rupee was traded at Rs 62.6 to the US Dollar in the open market. (Bureau Report) (Updated @ 14:20 PST)
Founder: Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah
|
