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| June 21, 2008 | Saturday | Jamadi-us-Sani 16, 1429 |
Updated round-the-clock, with major updates after 10:00 PST (06:00 GMT)
 Benazir Bhutto's supporters mark slain leader's 55th birthday with mournful ceremony in Pakistan NAUDERO, Pakistan, June 21 (AP) - Supporters of slain former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto are commemorating her 55th birthday in mournful ceremonies in Pakistan. Dozens of somber-looking men are gathering Saturday at her mausoleum near her hometown of Naudero in Sindh province to offer prayers. Some men are carrying large Benazir portraits and demanding the arrest of her killers. Benazir Bhutto's widowed husband and political successor Asif Ali Zardari laid flowers at her grave and recited verses from the Holy Quran. The government has renamed the airport that serves Rawalpindi and the capital Islamabad after the popular slain leader. The government also renamed the main road running through Rawalpindi and a hospital after her, and announced plans to build a monument at the site of her martyrdom. Pakistan Post Office has produced commemorative stamps and prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has announced upto 90-day remission to prisoners (Posted @ 13:10 PST)  Pakistan parliament honours slain Bhutto on anniversary of birth ISLAMABAD, June 21 (AFP) - Pakistan's parliament observed a moment of silence on Saturday to honour slain ex-premier Benazir Bhutto in one of a series of remembrance gestures 55 years after her birth. “We will accomplish the mission of our great leader and make Pakistan a peaceful democratic and welfare state,” Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani told parliament. “She believed in democracy and wanted priority for the health and education sectors,” he said. (Posted @ 13:40 PST) Asif Zardari denounces conspirators against democracy LARKANA, Pakistan, June 21 (APP) Pakistan People’s Party(PPP) co-chairman, Asif Ali Zardari said some hidden forces and conspiring elements are engaged in machinations for the downfall of the present coalition government. Addressing a press conference at Bhutto House, Naudero, Saturday, Zardari said coalition partners were working out a strategy to dislodge the President. “If we don't succeed, Landhi Jail would be the destination for the two coalition parties”, he said and added that he and Nawaz Sharif held talks in Lahore for two days in an endeavour to sort out the issues through reconciliation. “Dialogue is continuing and our coalition is intact”, Zardari said. He pointed out that differences do occur in a house between two brothers and families and that the coalition partners too have differences but these will be resolved soon and bring a consensus President after the slot goes vacant. To a question Zardari said the UN has been approached with the request for an inquiry into the assassination of Benazir Bhutto and our UN Ambassador is quite active in this regard while he himself lobbying in the matter and has contacts with Turkey and other friendly countries who have assured of their cooperation.Earlier, the main ceremony marking the 55th Birth Anniversary of Benazir Bhutto was held at her grave in Garhi Khuda Bux Bhutto which was attended by thousands of PPP workers. (Posted @ 19:24 PST) Pakistan's US ambassador urges patience over negotiations with tribes along Afghan border WASHINGTON, June 21 (AP) - Pakistan's new ambassador to the United States Husain Haqqani has urged patience for those in Washington frustrated with his government's pursuit of peace deals with tribes along the Pakistani-Afghan border. He said in an interview with Associated Press reporters and editors Friday that the United States should judge the outcome of talks being conducted by Pakistan's “fledgling democracy,” not the often contentious process of negotiating. Pakistan's government is working to strike agreements that would require the tribes to give up their weapons, withdraw support for foreign fighters in their midst and “end attacks inside Pakistan, across the border and around the world,” Haqqani said. “These are our own people,” he added. “We cannot, just because somebody in the United States wants us to, just go and start bombing them, without at least going through the process of showing our desire to negotiate in good faith.” Replying to a question about nuclear scientist Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan, Haqqani said the United States has not requested that the new Pakistani government grant access to Khan. But, he added, Islamabad would not provide access even if it was asked because all the information that Pakistan has obtained on Khan's network has been shared. Pakistan would not hand over Khan, he said, because of the scientist's knowledge of “Pakistan's own strategic deterrent, and, therefore, it would be a security risk for Pakistan. No other country would do it either.” (First Posted @ 10:55 PST) Rs 71.19 billion Balochistan budget 2008-09 unveiled QUETTA, June 21 (APP) The new coalition government of Balochistan presented Rs 71.19 billion; its first annual a tax-free budget for the fiscal year 2008-09 with an overall deficit of Rs 8.8 billion. “The budget includes Rs 15.74 billion for development programmes, Rs 47.52 billion for current expenditure, and capital expenditure of Rs7.92 billion,” Balochistan finance minister Asim Kurd Gailu said in the budget speech in Balochistan Assembly here Saturday. The total estimated receipts are 62.38 billion out of which Rs 3.47 billion as the province's own receipts, Rs 48.05 billion as federal transfer, capital receipt at Rs 6.22 billion and Rs 4.6 billion as foreign project assistance, the minister said. He announced an increase from Rs 16.23 billion to Rs 20.46 billion on the resources passed on the districts in the financial year 2008-09 in the province. He said the deficit in the budget is amounting to Rs 8.8 billion which would be reduced to Rs 5.8 billion after the receipt of Rs 3 billion from the federal government as Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has recently promised to provide to the province from his discretionary fund. Adding the deficit would be met by enhancing resources to control the expenditure and by acquiring financial assistance from the federal government. He said the government is creating 2425 posts during the fiscal year 2008-09 aimed at reducing unemployment in the province. (Posted @ 20:38 PST) Pakistan air force fighter jet crashes, no injuries ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, June 21 (AP) - A jet fighter plane of the Pakistani Air Force crashed on a training flight near the industrial city of Faisalabad in Punjab province early Saturday. An air force spokesman said the Chinese-made FT-7 aircraft went down because of technical problems. The pilot and his trainer ejected from the plane safely, he said adding that there were no reports of injuries or damage on the ground. The spokesman declined to be named citing air force policy. (Posted @ 10:45 PST)  Western propaganda against Pakistan’s nuclear program should stop: Musharraf RAWALPINDI, June 21: Director General of Pakistan’s Strategic Planning Division (SPD), Lt-Gen (retired) Khalid Qidwai held an important meeting with President Musharraf here. During the meeting, the President said there would be no compromise over Pakistan’s nuclear capability and that minimum deterrence would be maintained. He said the country’s indigenous nuclear program was in safekeeping. He also urged the western media to stop its malicious propaganda against Pakistan’s peaceful nuclear program and said the national missile program would be further strengthened. (Posted @ 18:42 PST) UN atom watchdog chief says to quit if Iran attacked DUBAI, June 21 (Reuters) - International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Mohamad ElBaradei said in remarks aired on Friday that he would resign if there was a military strike on Iran, warning that any such attack would turn the region into a “fireball”. “I don't believe that what I see in Iran today is a current, grave and urgent danger. If a military strike is carried out against Iran at this time ... it would make me unable to continue my work,” ElBaradei told Al Arabiya television in an interview. (Posted @ 10:10 PST) Eight Tamil rebels killed in new fighting in northern Sri Lanka COLOMBO, June 21 (AP) Sri Lanka's military attacked Tamil Tiger rebel positions along the civil war's northern front lines by land and air Saturday, killing at least four guerrillas, the military said. Four other rebels were killed in clashes a day earlier, it said. Air force helicopter gunships attacked a rebel gathering point in northern Mannar district to assist army troops fighting the rebels in the area, said air force spokesman Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara. He did not give details about damage or casualties, but said the pilots hit their target. In other fighting Saturday, army troops fired rocket-propelled grenades at a rebel bunker in northern Vavuniya district, killing four rebels, the military said in a statement. Four other guerrillas were killed Friday in separate clashes in Welioya and Vavuniya districts, the military said. Nine government soldiers were wounded in the battles, it said. Rebel spokesman Rasiah Ilanthirayan could not immediately be reached for comment. (Posted @ 21:10 PST) Five foreign troops killed in Afghan fighting KABUL, June 21 (AP) Roadside bombs killed five foreign troops in Afghanistan Saturday. Officials also reported that two Afghan soldiers died in a bombing. In Saturday's deadliest incident, a bomb blast killed four coalition troops and seriously wounded two others in Kandahar province, a coalition statement said. It provided no details. To the east, a Polish soldier from the separate NATO-led force died when a bomb hit his patrol shortly after midnight in the Dila district of Paktika province. Jacek Poplawski, a Polish military spokesman in Warsaw, said four other soldiers were wounded. Also Saturday, a roadside bomb hit a vehicle carrying Afghan army troops in the Sori district of Zabul province, killing two and wounding three others, provincial police official Faridullah Khan said. Separately, warplanes Saturday bombed a group of suspected Taliban militants in the mountains of Khost province. There was no word on casualties. (First Posted @ 12:55 PST Updated @ 20:32 PST) Nearly 100 rebels killed in Arghandab ops: general KABUL, June 21 (AFP) Nearly 100 rebels including Al-Qaeda-linked militants were killed in an operation near Kandahar city this week, a top military official said Saturday, increasing an earlier toll. Authorities had said earlier that up to 56 rebels were killed in the operation against hundreds of them massing in the Arghandab district just outside Kandahar. “The enemy casualties were very high,” general Sher Mohammad Karimi, chief of operations for the US-trained Afghan Army -- giving an update of the operation - told a news conference in Kabul. “The bodies of 94 enemies were counted by our personnel,” he said, adding most of the casualties were “foreigners”. Two Afghan troopers were also killed, he added. The general said nearly 30 fighters captured were suspected escaped prisoners “but eight of them were captured with their guns on their shoulders and have confessed to be escaped prisoners.” “There still might be some Taliban in the area hiding. A search operation is underway,” he said, adding the district was likely to be declared “free-of-enemy” by Monday. (Posted @ 20:26 PST) Cricket: New Zealand 182 all out against England BRISTOL, England, June 21 (AFP) New Zealand, after losing the toss, were bowled out for 182 against England in the third one-day international here Saturday. Grant Elliott top scored with 56, his maiden ODI fifty, while Kyle Mills made a career-best 47. England lead the five-match series 1-0. (First Posted @ 15:45 PST Updated @ 20:10 PST) Accident kills four, injures 30 in Pakistan road mishap HYDERABAD, Pakistan, June 21 (APP) Four persons were killed while 30 others injured in a collision between a Hyderabad-bound bus and a truck on Super Highway near Looni Kot, some 30 kilometers from here Saturday. (Posted @ 19:58 PST) Typhoon leaves 19 dead, 30,000 stranded in Philippines ILOILO, June 21 (AFP) Flash floods and landslides triggered by Typhoon Fengshen left at least 19 people dead in the Philippines, while an overflowing dam stranded tens of thousands on rooftops, officials said Saturday. At least 30,000 people living in Iloilo in the central Philippines had scrambled onto rooftops fleeing the rushing water after the man-made dam overflowed, said the city's acting mayor Jed Mabilog. Fengshen, upgraded from a tropical storm on Friday, swept through the country's center over the weekend, unleashing torrential rains, causing power outages and forcing the evacuations of hundreds of thousands of people. Officials said earlier that flash floods and landslides triggered by the typhoon had left at least 19 people dead. Fengshen also uprooted small trees, blew away tin roofs and caused power outages in the central Visayas provinces. At 5:00 p.m. Saturday, Fengshen was tracking northwest, packing winds of 195 kilometres an hour as it headed towards Mindoro province. (First Posted @ 09:45 PST Updated @ 19:50 PST) Pakistan, India agree to increase rail traffic ISLAMABAD, June 21 (APP) Pakistan and India have agreed to increase railway traffic between the two countries as a delegation of Pakistani officials returns to the country after holding talks with their Indian counterparts. This was stated by Railways Operations Director Shafiq-ullah at Wahga Border, a private television channel said. He said Indian officials have agreed to increase the number of weekly cargo trains between the two countries from present 60 to 150 in addition to running of a new train, Thar Express, twice every week. He also said Indian Railways Minister Lalo Parshad Yedev will visit Pakistan in the near future. (Posted @ 18:56 PST) Four killed as militants attack train in Thai south NARATHIWAT, Thailand, June 21 (AFP) Four railway staff were killed when separatist militants opened fire on a passenger train in southern Thailand late Saturday, an official said. Up to four militants were believed to have shot a railway policeman and three other staff at Marubo station in Ra Ngae district, the State Railway official said. “All four died instantly on the train,” the official said. The train was travelling from Surat Thani to the border town of Sungai Kolok in Narathiwat province. (Posted @ 18:28 PST) 500 Tibetans detained in Nepal in protest over Lhasa torch relay KATHMANDU, June 21 (AFP): Some 500 Tibetan exiles were held Saturday by Nepal police after demonstrating outside the Chinese embassy against the Olympic torch relay's visit to Tibet. “We have rounded up over 500 Tibetan protesters. They have been driven to various detention centres,” police officer Ramesh Thapa told AFP. “All of them will be released later in the evening,” he said. (Posted @ 17:25 PST) Two killed, four injured in Pakistan road accident HAZRO, June 21 (APP): At least two people were killed and four others injured when a Mardan- bound passenger wagon skid off the road and fell into a deep ravine near Chach interchange, late Friday night, police sources confirmed. According to police, the vehicle, going to Mardan from Rawalpindi, fell into the ravine, when its driver lost control over the vehicle while negotiating a steep turn near the interchange. As a result two people died on the spot while four others sustained serious injuries. (Posted @ 17:00 PST) Hearing in Benazir Bhutto’s assassination case adjourned ISLAMABAD, June 21 (APP): An Anti Terrorism Court Saturday adjourned the Benazir Bhutto's assassination case till July 14 on completion of the arguments on age of one of the accused. Judge of the court, Chaudhry Habibur Rehman, declared suspect Aitzaz Shah as "under-age" after hearing the arguments. The court dismissed the bail applications of the three accused, Aitzaz Shah, 15, Sher Zaman and Abdul Rasheed, charged of carrying out successful attempt to assassinate former premier Benazir Bhutto at Liaquat Bagh on December 27, 2007. (Posted @ 16:55 PST) One killed in clash over POSCO plant in India BHUBANESWAR, India, June 21 (Reuters): One man was killed and two others were injured in clashes between supporters and opponents of South Korea's POSCO planned steel plant in an east Indian village, police said Saturday. The man was killed Friday when around 150 supporters and 300 opponents attacked each other with swords, axes and home-made bombs in Gobindpur, a village in Orissa. (Posted @ 16:40 PST) China railway building accident kills seven BEIJING, June 21 (Reuters): A steel structure being added to a bridge on a new railway line in southeastern China’s Zhejiang province collapsed Saturday killing at least seven people and burying three houses, local media reported. (Posted @ 16:40 PST) PM Gilani urges president to commute all death sentences in tribute to Benazir Bhutto ISLAMABAD, June 21 (AP): Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani called Saturday for the country's thousands of death sentences to be commuted to life in prison as part of a birthday tribute to slain former premier Benazir Bhutto. Gilani does not have the authority to directly commute the thousands of sentences, but said he would forward a recommendation to President Musharraf, who is expected to approve it. Earlier this week, New York-based Human Rights Watch said about 7,000 people were awaiting execution in Pakistan and that the Asian nation had among the highest number of executions in the world. In 2007, 309 prisoners were sentenced to death, the group said. Gilani said he wanted to stop the executions as a tribute to Benazir Bhutto. “We have asked the Ministry of the Interior to send a recommendation to the president to convert the death sentence of prisoners to life in prison,” he said. (Posted @ 15:25 PST) Iran says no negotiation based on uranium suspension TEHRAN, June 21 (AFP): Iran Saturday stressed it will not negotiate with world powers over its nuclear programme if it is required to suspend its uranium enrichment activities. “Suspending uranium enrichment has no logic behind it and it is not acceptable and the continuation of negotiation will not be based on suspension,” Iranian government spokesman Gholam Hossein Elham told reporters. (Posted @ 15:20 PST) At least 17 killed as Typhoon Fengshen sweeps through central Philippines MANILA, June 21 (AP): Flash floods and landslides killed at least 17 people in the southern Philippines Saturday as heavy rains from Typhoon Fengshen inundated the region, causing widespread damage. Ten people drowned after the Rifao River overflowed its banks and swept away three houses in a riverside village in South Upi in southern Maguindanao province, provincial administrator Norie Unas said. Five others were missing. At least 40 people were trapped on an island in the middle of the river, said town councilor Justina Betita. In nearby Cotabato city, a 50-year-old man and his 10-year-old grandson were killed when a landslide buried their hillside shanty, Mayor Muslimin Sema said. Four other people drowned in Maguindanao, while in neighboring Cotabato province, authorities recovered the body of a farmer, one of three people reported missing, the mayors of two towns reported. The typhoon packed sustained winds of 88 miles per hour and gusts of up to 106 mph when it made landfall near the southern tip of Samar island, southeast of Manila, late Friday. (First Posted @ 09:45 PST, Updated @ 15:20 PT) Four US-led soldiers killed in Afghanistan KABUL, June 21 (AFP) -Four US-led soldiers were killed and two others seriously injured in a bomb explosion in Kandahar province on Saturday, the force said in a statement. Two more soldiers were badly wounded in the incident in the restive province where dozens of Taliban were killed in a massive operation by Afghan and foreign troops last week. The incident came a day after two other US-led soldiers were killed in separate incidents including a suicide bombing elsewhere in the country. (Posted @ 12:55 PST) Maoists quit Nepal govt, demand PM's resignation KATHMANDU, June 21 (AFP) - Nepal was thrown into political limbo on Saturday after the Maoists quit the interim government of the newly republican nation late on Friday and demanded the prime minister's resignation. “Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala must resign to open the way for the formation of a new government,” senior Maoist official Dinanath Sharma told AFP after the ultra-leftists announced their resignations. The Maoists, who dominate the new assembly elected in April, say they have the right to lead the government and choose a new president. “The constituent assembly has not been able to begin drafting a new constitution because of these power-sharing problems,” said Sharma. (Posted @ 12:50 PST) 12 people trampled to death in Mexico nightclub raid MEXICO CITY, June 21 (AFP) - At least nine youths and three police were trampled to death Friday during a police raid on a nightclub in Mexico City, security officials said. Police entered the nightclub to break up the illegal sale of alcohol to minors. “Unfortunately, the person in charge of the nightclub took the microphone and announced a police operation was underway,” an official said, adding that about 1,000 people inside the nightclub panicked and rushed to get out, causing a stampede. (Posted @ 09:55 PST, Updated @ 12:00 PST) Olympic torch relay ends in Tibet LHASA, China, June 21 (AFP) - The Olympic torch relay ended in the Tibetan capital Lhasa on Saturday. Amid tight security, the torch arrived in front of Potala Palace, the Dalai Lama's former chief residence, carried by Caidan Zhuoma, a famous Tibetan singer. The flame from the torch was mixed with the special flame that was carried to the top of Mount Everest during an earlier leg of the lengthy relay. The event lasted less than two hours. (First Posted @ 09:50 PST, Updated @ 11:55 PST) Explosion kills US-led soldier in Afghanistan KABUL, June 21 (AFP) - A soldier with the US-led force was killed and two other troopers were injured in a roadside bomb explosion late Friday in Afghanistan’s Farah province, the coalition said. An Afghan civilian working with the troops was also injured. (Posted @ 11:45 PST) Threatening Iran could hurt nuclear talks - Russia UNITED NATIONS, June 21 (Reuters) - Russia's U.N. envoy said on Friday that threatening Iran with military action over its nuclear program could undermine newfound momentum in the drive by six world powers to resolve the standoff with Tehran. “What we have now, for the first time in a while, we have something of a diplomatic momentum on the heels of Mr Solana's trip to Tehran, with a new expanded and enlarged package,” Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin told reporters. This new momentum “can and should be exploited in the dealings of the six with Iran,” he added. Churkin was also asked about a New York Times article that cited U.S. officials as saying Israel carried out a large military exercise this month that appeared to be a rehearsal for a potential bombing attack on Iran's nuclear facilities. He declined to comment on the article itself but said threats of force against Iran, or attempts to impose sanctions outside of the U.N. Security Council, would be a “distraction” that would undermine the delicate negotiations with Iran. “Any efforts or attempts to use force in this situation would be extremely counterproductive,” Churkin said. (Posted @ 10:40 PST) Car bomb kills 3, injures 10 in Baghdad Baghdad, June 21 (Reuters) - A parked car bomb killed three people and wounded 10 others when it exploded near a restaurant in central Baghdad's Harthiya neighbourhood, just outside the fortified Green Zone government and diplomatic compound, police said. In another incident a suicide car bomber attacked a police checkpoint, wounding five policemen in Mosul, 390 km north of Baghdad, police said. Meanwhile, a body was found dumped in a street in Baghdad, while two decomposed bodies were found inside a mosque two years after they were kidnapped in Iskandariya, 40 km south of Baghdad, police said. (Posted @ 10:30 PST) Soccer-Euro-Turkey beat Croatia in shootout thriller VIENNA, June 21 (Reuters) - Turkey beat Croatia 3-1 on penalties after their nerve-tingling Euro 2008 quarter-final finished 1-1 following extra time on Friday. Turkey will meet Germany, who beat Portugal 3-2 on Thursday, in the first semi in Basel on Wednesday. Extra time had finished in dramatic fashion with two goals in the last minute. Croatia scored in the 119th minute and Turkey, who twice rallied from behind to win in the group stages, equalised in breathtaking style as Semih Senturk scored with the last kick of the game. Croatia messed up with the penalties as Turkey won 3-1. (Posted @ 10:20 PST) Cricket: Australia lose rain-affected Twenty20 with Windies BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, June 21 (AFP) - Australia lost their unblemished Caribbean tour record as the West Indies completed a seven-wicket victory in a rain-affected Twenty20 International on Friday. Defending a victory target of 98 from 11 overs, Australia failed to keep a lid on the West Indies, and the home team won with 11 balls to spare, when Dwayne Bravo scooped a short, rising ball from Shane Watson over mid-wicket for six. The two sides now face each other in a five-match One-day International series, starting on Tuesday in St. Vincent. (Posted @ 10:00 PST) Obama jumps to 15-point lead over McCain: Newsweek WASHINGTON, June 21 (AFP) - Democratic White House hopeful Barack Obama has surged to a 15-point lead over Republican John McCain in the latest Newsweek poll out Friday, by far the biggest margin of any recent survey. The magazine's poll gave Obama 51 percent to 36 percent for McCain among registered voters nationwide -- three times the margin of four to five points that other polls this week have given the Illinois senator. The magazine cautioned that polls this far out from November's election can be unreliable, but noted that Obama was performing much better than either of the Democrats' last two nominees, John Kerry and Al Gore, at this stage. (Posted @ 10:00 PST)
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