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| April 12, 2008 | Saturday | Rabi-us-Sani 5, 1429 |
Updated round-the-clock, with major updates after 10:00 PST (05:00 GMT)
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 Dost Mohammad Khosa elected Punjab CM, takes oath LAHORE, April 12 (APP): Dost Muhammad Khosa, PML-N’s coalition backed candidate for Chief Minister was elected unopposed by the house Saturday. He secured 263 out of the total 353 votes in the Punjab Assembly. During the session, chaired by Speaker Rana Mohammad Iqbal, the voting was completed peacefully as the PML-Q and its forward block abstained from voting. The new Chief Minister was administered oath of office at the Governor House Saturday evening. The Punjab Assembly Speaker after completion of the proceedings of vote of ascertainment for the new Chief Minister Sardar Muhammad Khosa adjourned the House for indefinite period. (First Posted @ 14:00 PST Updated @ 17:20 PST)   Iran bomb blast kills 8, injures over 50: agency TEHRAN, April 12, (REUTERS) - A bomb blast in a mosque in southern Iran on Saturday killed at least eight Iranians in southern Fars province and injured more than 50 people, the semi-official Fars news agency reported. “The death toll is expected to rise above eight because some of the injured people are in a critical condition,” Fars said. (First Posted @ 23:38 PST Updated @ 23:50 PST) Pakistan, UK relations consolidating with passage of time: Kaira ISLAMABAD, April 12 (APP): Lord Mayor of London Borough Waltham Forest Ch. Liaquat Ali who is heading an 11-member delegation Friday called on Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Northern Areas Qamar Zaman Kaira and discussed matters pertaining to promoting Pak-UK relations. Welcoming the delegation, the Minister said that solution of Kashmir issue would not only prevail durable peace in the region but also open new avenues of cooperation among the regional countries. (Posted @ 11:55 PST) Five killed in two mishaps in Pakistan BUREWALA, April 12 (APP): Three persons on a motorcycle were killed when their vehicle slipped due to heavy rain on Friday nigh on Burewala road. The victims two men and a woman, were siblings and residents of a village in Vehari. Two killed near Chitral: Two persons were killed when their car plunged into a storm water drain near Chitral while negotiating a sharp turn on Saturday. Police said car was coming to Chitral from Kalash Valley. (Posted @ 23:36 PST) Pakistan move up five places in FIFA World Rankings LAHORE, April 12 (PPI): Pakistan has leapt 5 places to 161st in the latest FIFA World Ranking. There are no changes in the top five, with Argentina leading the way ahead of Brazil, Italy, Spain and Germany. The heroics of Akhtar Mohiouddin's men have propelled Pakistan to overtake several nations of the world and also closed the gap against arch-rivals India. (Posted @ 23:06 PST) India to import more cement from Pakistan New Delhi, April 12 (PPI): India plans to increase import of cement from Pakistan and buy seven million tonnes this fiscal, said a senior commerce ministry official here Saturday. “We have already imported 2.1 million tonnes from Pakistan and plan to import about 4,000 tonnes every day starting May 1. We plan to import about seven million tonnes of cement by this year,” he said. (Posted @ 22:56 PST) China police seize 9 monk bombers in Tibet BEIJING, April 12 (Reuters): Chinese police arrested nine Buddhist monks suspected of bombing a government building in Tibet, the official Xinhua news agency reported Saturday. It said the bombing occurred on March 23. (Posted @ 22:12 PST) Boats collide off Japan, three dead, 13 missing TOKYO, April 12 (AFP): A Hong Kong freighter and a Chinese fishing boat collided off southern Japan, leaving three people dead and thirteen missing, the Japanese Coast Guard said Saturday. The two boats collided Friday night due to high seas around 0500 GMT, about 350 kilometres west of Takarajima island off Japan's Kagoshima prefecture on southern Kyushu Island, a coast guard official told AFP. (Posted @ 21:52 PST) Zimbabwe crisis summit starts in Zambia LUSAKA, April 12 (Reuters): Leaders from 14 Southern African countries began an emergency summit on Saturday to discuss Zimbabwe's election stalemate. President Robert Mugabe also attended the Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit in Lusaka, called by Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa to help end the impasse over Zimbabwe's disputed elections. (Posted @ 20:40 PST) Yemen govt troops, southerners, clash again DHALAE, April 12 (AP): Anti-riot police wounded three south Yemen demonstrators when they opened fire Saturday to disperse thousands of protesters in the latest incident in the restive south, a southern activist said. The shooting in the city of Dhalae comes amid almost daily violence across swathes of south Yemen, where southerners' have staged a fortnight of protests which often turned violent, to demand equal treatment by the northern-dominated government. (Posted @ 19:56 PST) Four anti-drug police killed in Afghanistan: police KANDAHAR, April 12 (AFP): Taliban militants killed four Afghan counter-narcotics police in a clash Saturday in southern Afghanistan that also left an unknown number of militants dead, police said. The fighting erupted after Taliban attacked a unit of counter-narcotics police engaged in southern Kandahar province, a police commander said. (Posted @ 19:46 PST) Small bomb explodes in northern Spain MADRID, April 12 (AP): A small bomb exploded Saturday next to a telecommunications transmitter in the northern Rioja region of Spain, and police found another unexploded device nearby. The Interior Ministry said no injuries or damage had been reported. (Posted @ 19:42 PST) Macedonian parliament votes for early election SKOPJE, April 12 (Reuters): Macedonian legislators voted to dissolve parliament on Saturday, clearing the way for an early election after months of political stagnation and rejection of the country's NATO membership bid. Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski's ruling coalition backed the motion. Seventy of the 120 deputies voted to dissolve the assembly after two days of stormy debate. (Posted @ 19:18 PST) 
Nepal Maoists leading in early vote count KATHMANDU, April 12 (AP): Nepal's Maoist former rebels took a shock early lead Saturday in an election aimed at cementing a peace deal that ended a decade-long civil war. Early tallies from Thursday's vote show the Maoists lead in 65 out of 122 constituencies where counting has begun. They have also won 23 out of the 33 constituencies where results have been declared, election officials said. (First Posted @ 16:25 PST Updated @ 19:02 PST) Cricket: West Indies put Sri Lanka in to bat PORT OF SPAIN,West West Indies, April 12 (Reuters): West Indies won the toss and invited Sri Lanka to bat in the second one-day international at Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain on Saturday. West Indies lead 1-0 in the three match series. (Posted @ 18:50 PST) US soldier killed in Baghdad BAGHDAD, April 12 (AFP): A roadside bomb killed a US soldier in northwest Baghdad on Saturday, the 13th to die in the capital this week, the American military announced. The soldier was struck by the bomb at around 0730 GMT, but no more details were given. The death brings the military's losses in Iraq since the March 2003 invasion to 4,034, according to an AFP tally. (Posted @ 18:42 PST) Bugti tribal elder survives third attempt on life DERA MURAD JAMALI, April 12 (APP): Mir Abdul Rehman Bugti, a pro-government tribal elder was slightly injured in a bomb explosion on Saturday in Dera Bugti. This was the third attempt on his life in a month. Mr Bugti who was among the top militant commanders and later renounced violence and now supports the government was on his way home when his vehicle was targeted with a remote controlled explosive device in the heart of Dera Bugti town. Bugti and his companions received slight injuries and taken to Sui hospital. Three hurt in landmine explosion at Nasirabad: DERA MURAD JAMALI: Three people were critically injured after their vehicle hit a landmine in Rabi Canal area of Nasirabad, police said. (Posted @ 18:38 PST) 
Former Irish President Patrick Hillery dies at 84 DUBLIN, April 12 (AP): Ireland's government has announced the death of former President Patrick Hillery. He was 84. Prime Minister Bertie Ahern said he died Saturday following a short, undisclosed illness. (Posted @ 17:52 PST) Cricket- India 288-9 v South Africa (265) third test - close KANPUR, India, April 12 (Reuters): India were 288 for nine at the close of the second day in reply to South Africa's first innings 265 in the third and final test in Kanpur, India Saturday. Brief scores: South Africa 265 (G. Smith 69, H. Amla 51) v India 288-9 (V. Laxman 50, S. Ganguly 87). (Posted @ 17:00 PST) Zimbabwe election deadlock not a crisis: South African President Mbeki HARARE, April 12 (Reuters): Zimbabwe's election deadlock is not a crisis and patience should be exercised over the release of presidential vote results, South African President Thabo Mbeki said Saturday. Mbeki said after an hour-long meeting with President Robert Mugabe in Harare that the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission is the only body authorised to release results. Mugabe told reporters after the meeting that he did not snub a summit of southern African leaders on Zimbabwe due to start later Saturday, adding he had “other business” to attend to. (Posted @ 16:45 PST) Eight die in Moldovan plane crash CHISINAU, Moldova, April 12 (AP): A Sudanese-owned transport plane laden with fuel crashed at an airport near the Moldovan capital shortly after takeoff and burst into flames, killing all eight people on board, authorities said Saturday. The plane, an An-32, took off for Sudan late Friday but pilots requested permission to return to Chisinau airport 10 minutes into the flight, the press service of the country's emergency department said. It said all eight crew died, including two technical crew, and that four were Moldovans and four Ukrainians. Seven bodies have been recovered, it said. (Posted @ 16:35 PST)
Quake shakes Alban Hills near Rome ROME, April 12 (AP): The Italian authorities say an earthquake has shaken the Alban Hills southeast of Rome. No injuries or damage have been reported. Many people were awakened by the quake, which struck at 0544 GMT Saturday. Parts of eastern Rome also reported feeling it. Italy's Civil Protection Department says the quake had a 3.8 magnitude. About 15 minutes after the quake, an aftershock shook the area of the epicenter, near the towns of Frascati and Marino. (Posted @ 16:25 PST) 10,000 workers protest in Bangladesh for better wages to meet higher food prices DHAKA, Bangladesh, April 12 (AP): Some 10,000 textile workers clashed with police near Bangladesh's capital Saturday during protests demanding better wages to meet higher food prices, an official said. Dozens of people including at least 20 police officials were injured in the violence, police said. (Posted @ 16:00 PST) Afghan suicide blast kills three Indians, one Afghan KABUL, April 12 (Reuters): A suicide blast killed three Indian road engineers and an Afghan in southwestern Afghanistan’s Nimroz province Saturday, provincial governor Ghulam Dastagir Azad said. “The bomber got out of a car and then blew himself up,” Azad told Reuters. Three people wounded in the blast. A Taliban spokesman claimed responsibility, the Afghan Islamic Press news agency reported. (First Posted @ 11:50 PST, Updated @ 15:35 PST) President Musharraf for international, regional cooperation to protect environment BOAO, China, April 12 (APP): In a keynote address Saturday here at the Boao Forum for Asia on “Green Asia: Moving towards win-win through changes,” President Musharraf called for strengthening concerted international and regional cooperation, protecting the environment, striving for conservation and improvement of energy efficiency and free transfer of technology to cut environmental hazards. He said “the challenge of sustaining economic development and ensuring environmental protection is overwhelming and beyond the capacity of most individual countries in Asia,” and that environmental issues will assume increasing gravity for the world and especially for Asia as it advances in economic and technology. He stressed the need for sharing expertise and experiences, removing barriers for investments, involving both public and private sectors in the change and setting up regional cooperation networks to raise environmental and energy efficiency. He said Pakistan was dedicated to promoting cooperation for Green Asia, both in the region and within the SAARC framework. President Musharraf said Pakistan was deeply committed to helping the global efforts to mitigate climate change and it has taken several steps such as establishing a policy and review forum on climate change, launching of a mega forestry project, mountain areas conservancy programme and Pakistan Wetlands Programme. (Posted @ 15:35 PST) Mass grave unearthed in northern Afghanistan; 100 bodies found MAZAR-I-SHARIF, Afghanistan, April 12 (Reuters): Afghan authorities discovered a mass grave in the northern province of Balkh, about 15 km from the city of Mazar-i-Sharif, containing at least 100 bodies believed to be victims of a Taliban massacre in the 1990s, security officials said Saturday. “We expect the number may rise,” provincial security official Abdurrauf Taj told Reuters. Residents of the area said they suspected the dead were members of the Hazara ethnic minority, massacred after the Taliban captured the area in the late 1990s. (Posted @ 14:55 PST) Soldiers destroy rebel bunkers as fighting kills 11 Tamils in northern Sri Lanka COLOMBO, April 12 (AP): Soldiers destroyed two Tamil Tiger rebel bunkers in northern Sri Lanka while fighting in the region killed 11 separatists and wounded eight soldiers, the military said Saturday. Troops destroyed two rebel bunkers in the village of Kilali on the northern Jaffna peninsula Friday night, a defence ministry official said. Two soldiers were wounded in the fighting, the official said, requesting anonymity. Also Friday, soldiers killed four rebels in a battle in Vavuniya district, just south of rebel-held territory, the official said. One soldier was wounded in the fighting. Other battles in Jaffna and Welioya regions left seven rebels dead and five soldiers wounded, he said. Rebel spokesman Rasiah Ilanthirayan could not be reached for comment. (Posted @ 14:25 PST) France's Kouchner says can't stay in Afghanistan for ever KABUL, April 12 (AFP): French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said Saturday that international forces would not stay in Afghanistan for ever and Afghans had to take over more responsibilities. “We're not going to leave tomorrow, and we're not going to stay for ever,” he told French and other international troops at Camp Warehouse, a major base for NATO-led forces outside Kabul. “Between the two, we for our part will take account of the responsibilities of the Afghans while they, on their side, assume their responsibilities. As soon as that is possible, we will withdraw and hand over to them,” Kouchner said. “We will not win this war, we won't lost it either, but we have to win the hearts of the Afghans,” he said. (First Posted @ 13:25 PST, Updated @ 14:15 PST) French, Canadian, foreign ministers in Afghanistan KABUL, April 12 (Reuters) Afghan President Hamid Karzai met French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner Saturday, days after France promised to send an extra 700 soldiers to help battle the Taliban. Also in Kabul for talks with Karzai Saturday was Foreign Minister Maxime Bernier of Canada, whose troops have been battling Taliban in the Afghan south. (Posted @ 13:25 PST) Curfew lifted in Najaf NAJAF, Iraq, April 12 (AFP): Iraqi police lifted a curfew in the central shrine city of Najaf which they imposed after gunmen shot dead Riyad al-Nuri, a senior leader of the movement of cleric Moqtada al-Sadr. The curfew was lifted at 6:00 am Saturday, a day after it was imposed for an indefinite period, Najaf police chief Major General Abdel Karim Mustafa said. (Posted @ 12:40 PST) 24 Taliban militants killed in clashes, airstrikes in southern Afghanistan KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, April 12 (AP): Afghan and foreign troops killed 24 Taliban militants during an operation in southern Afghanistan’s Zabul province Friday, a provincial official said. Ghulab Shah Alikheil said eight other militants were wounded in the clashes and airstrikes. (Posted @ 12:35 PST) 13 killed as fighting rages in Baghdad BAGHDAD, April 12 (AFP) - US and Iraqi forces killed 13 people in firefights and airstrikes overnight in eastern Baghdad where security forces have been battling Shiite militiamen for a week, the military said on Saturday. Among those killed, a US military statement said, were two snipers, two “criminals” firing rocket-propelled grenades, groups firing machine guns and automatic weapons and three men placing roadside bombs. (Posted @ 11:45 PST) Israeli army withdraws after Gaza raid kills seven GAZA CITY, April 12 (AFP) -Israeli forces withdrew from the Gaza Strip on Saturday, the army said, after a raid that left seven people dead, including a 10-year-old boy. Palestinian medics said the toll from the operation rose to seven overnight when a militant from the armed wing of the Hamas movement died of his wounds. Another 27 people were wounded, with four in a serious condition. Palestinians reported seeing several Israeli tanks rolling out of the territory before dawn, and the army confirmed that the operation had ended at 4:00 am local time (0100 GMT). Israeli tanks and armoured bulldozers, backed by assault helicopters, had advanced one kilometre into central Gaza early on Friday near the Bureij refugee camp in the south, drawing heavy fire from militants. (Posted @ 11:45 PST)
Bush says no plans to attack Iran: interview CRAWFORD, Texas, April 12 (APP/AFP) - US President George W. Bush said Friday he has no intention of attacking Iran, in an interview in which he also gave some advice to his successor on how to deal with the Islamic Republic. Questioned during an interview with ABC television whether his intention was to not attack Iran, Bush replied: “Exactly” -- although he refused to rule out the use of force altogether. “I have always said all options need to be on the table, but my first effort is to solve this issue diplomatically,” he said from his Texas ranch. The president also offered some advice to his successor in the White House. The Illinois senator has said he would open a dialogue with Iran if elected president, while Bush has said any talks must take place in a multilateral forum and on condition that Tehran suspend its sensitive nuclear activities. (Posted @ 09:55 PST) Mexico police rescue 83 migrants from sweltering cargo truck TUXTLA GUTIERREZ, Mexico, April 12 (AP) - Police rescued 83 illegal migrants Friday from the hidden compartment of a cramped, sweltering cargo track carrying animal feed through southern Mexico. At a roadblock near the Guatemalan border, the panicked migrants alerted officers to their presence by screaming and banging on the walls of the truck, officials said. They were dehydrated, bruised and scraped. 76 were from Guatemala, five from El Salvador and two from Brazil. (Posted @ 09:45 PST) Powerful 7.1 quake hits Southern Ocean WELLINGTON, New Zealand, April 12 (AP) - A strong magnitude 7.1 earthquake hit the open waters of the Southern Ocean near the Australian territory of Macquarie Island on Saturday, U.S. monitors said. There were no immediate reports of damage. The quake was centered some 755 kilometers southwest of New Zealand's uninhabited Auckland Island and some 1,995 kilometers south of the New Zealand capital of Wellington. (Posted @ 09:40 PST) Olympic torch goes to Africa after Latin American leg BUENOS AIRES, April 11 (AFP) - The Olympic torch left Argentina for the East African nation of Tanzania late Friday after passing through Buenos Aires under tight security in a relay free of trouble. More than 2,500 police and other security personnel lined the 13-kilometer course in the Argentine capital as the flame was carried through the city Friday. (Posted @ 09:25 PST)
Founder: Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah
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