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| July 09, 2008 | Wednesday | Rajab 5, 1429 |
Updated round-the-clock, with major updates after 10:00 PST (06:00 GMT)
 Tribal elders, authorities agree on peace in Pakistani area PESHAWAR, Pakistan, July 9 )AP) - Authorities and tribal elders have reached a peace agreement for Bara area in Khyber Agency that has been the target of an anti-militant paramilitary offensive. Tariq Hayat, chief administrator for Khyber region, says tribal elders have pledged to ensure peace in the Bara area, where the operation has focused. He gave few details, but said the elders have offered money and weapons as guarantees if they do not meet the terms. Hayat would not give a date for a troop pullout, saying it would depend on upcoming conditions. Pakistan launched the offensive after militants began threatening Peshawar, a major northwestern city, as well as a key road used to send supplies to U.S. forces in Afghanistan. Private TV channels reported that the peace agreement with Lashkar-i-Islam also provided guarantees that its men will not disturb peace in Peshawar. (Posted @ 21:48 PST)  Pro-Taliban militants surround police station in northwest Pakistan PESHAWAR, Pakistan, July 9 (AFP) - Around 200 pro-Taliban militants surrounded a police station in the town of Hangu in northwest Pakistan on Wednesday to demand the release of suspected extremists, police said. The tense standoff was triggered after police and paramilitary forces patrolling in Hangu district of the Northwest Frontier Province arrested seven suspected militants, local police station chief Jehangir Khan told AFP. “There are about 35 police personnel in Doaaba police station and the armed Taliban have surrounded the building from all directions,” Khan said, adding that the seven arrested had been shifted to another station. The official said police reinforcements have been called in while a jirga, or committee of local elders, was making efforts to resolve the matter amicably. Hangu district has a history of sectarian violence. (Posted @ 21:38 PST) Rehman Malik asks lawyers to postpone July 10 rally due to security threat ISLAMABAD, July 9 (APP): Adviser to Prime Minister on Interior Ministry Rehman Malik has appealed to lawyers community to postpone the proposed rally on July 10 due to security threat prevailing in the federal capital and to hold it on some other date. A statement said the Advisor has taken Shahbaz Sharif, Chief Minister of Punjab into confidence with regard to the serious threat level reported by the intelligence agencies, adding that the threat of suicide attack still persists in major cities of Punjab and Islamabad. (Posted @ 21:10 PST) PPP to develop broad based consensus on fighting against militants: Farhatullah Babar ISLAMABAD, July 9 (APP): Pakistan People's Party spokesman Farhatullah Babar Wednesday said PPP would hold meeting with political leaders to develop broad-based consensus on fighting against militants. Talking to Dawn News he said, “PPP would be meeting with JUI leader, PTI chief Imran Khan and other political leaders to develop a broad based consensus on fighting militants.” He said Advisor to Prime Minister on Interior Rehman Malik has also held a meeting with chief of Jamaat-i-Islam Qazi Hussain Ahmed to seek his support on fighting extremists and militants in the tribal areas. To a question, he said PPP was not backing down from its commitment to crush militants. “PPP will not negotiate with those who have taken up arms against the state. We will negotiate with those who will give up their arms and not fight against state elements,” he added. (Posted @ 21:26 PST) SC dismisses NAB appeals over Sherpao acquittal ISLAMABAD, July 9 (APP): A three-member bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar on Wednesday dismissed three appeals of the National Accountability Bureau over acquittal of former interior minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao by the Peshawar High Court in three plot allotment cases. The cases related to allotment of plots in Peshawar by Sherpao as chief minister of NWFP from 1993 to 1996. The bench, after a statement submitted by the Prosecutor General NAB about the acquittal under the National Reconciliation Ordinance, declared the three appeals infructuous. Sherpao and other accused in the three references were acquitted by the Accountability Court Peshawar and later by the Peshawar High Court. The NAB filed appeals in the Supreme Court against the decision of the Peshawar High Court. (Posted @ 21:14 PST) PM Gilani in Dubai for PPP meeting DUBAI, July 9 (APP): Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani arrived in Dubai on Wednesday from Malaysia where he represented Pakistan at the 6th Summit of the Development Eight (D-8) countries. During his stay here the prime minister will attend a meeting of the top leaders of the Pakistan Peoples Party convened by its co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari. (Posted @ 21:20 PST) Pakistan wants good relations with neighbours including Afghanistan, India: PM Gilani Kuala Lumpur, July 9 (PPI):- Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani Wednesday said Pakistan wants good relations with all its neighbours including India and Afghanistan. Talking to newsmen after attending D-8 Summit, he stressed “it is better we all fight against terrorism rather than blaming each other.” Gilani said that after coming into power the PPP- led coalition finalized a three pronged strategy to deal with terrorism which includes dialogue, development and force. “We also need to look into root causes of terrorism. Poverty is one of the root causes of this menace which should be eliminated.” On national economy, he said: “we do not believe in blame game. We have accepted the challenge, face it and put the economy on track. For this purpose, we have to control law and order.” About the restoration of deposed judges Gilani said there is no truth in allegations that Pakistan Peoples Party is not serious in restoring the judges. He said there are modalities to restore deposed judges and experts are working on it . Earlier, talking to a delegation of Malaysian investors, Gilani said Pakistan is open to investment by foreign investors in different sectors particularly energy. The government will soon announce new power policy to attract investment in this vital sector. Malaysian investors showed interest to invest in a coal fired power project at Gadani in Balochistan province. (Posted @ 21:32 PST) 41st death anniversary of Madar-e-Millat observed LAHORE, July 9 (APP): Nazaria Pakistan Trust organised a special reference to mark the 41st death anniversary of Madar-i-millat Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah on Wednesday. NPT Chairman Majeed Nizami was the keynote speakers..NPT Vice Chairman Dr. Rafique Ahmed, ex-federal minister Afifa Mamdot,Syed Ahmed Saeed Kirmani,Begum Saffia Ishaq and Prof. Dr. Perveen Khan also paid gloing tributes to Madar-i-millat. (Posted @ 19:50 PST)  Six killed in attack outside US consulate in Istanbul ISTANBUL, July 9 (AFP) - Three gunmen and three Turkish policemen were killed Wednesday in an attack on a guardpost outside the well-fortified US consulate here that the United States and Turkey both labelled a “terrorist”act. The assailants “directly” targetted the police post outside the high-walled US consulate in the upscale district of Istinye, Istanbul Governor Muammer Guler said. They jumped from a car and opened fire at the post, a witness told NTV television, adding that they also fired shots at the building. Security forces returned fire, killing all three gunmen. The shoot-out lasted about eight minutes. One policeman died on the spot, while two others succumbed to their injuries in hospital, Guler said. Two other people -- a policeman and the civilian driver of a police truck -- were injured, he said. The assailants were aged between 25 and 30, and all three were Turkish nationals. Their car was driven by a fourth accomplice who sped away after the attack. (First Posted @ 15:20 PST Updated @ 18:46 PST) US, India must 'stand shoulder to shoulder:' Manmohan Singh TOYAKO, Japan, July 9 (AFP): Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh vowed Wednesday to stand “shoulder to shoulder” with the United States. “India and the United States must stand tall, stand shoulder-to-shoulder and that's what is going to happen,” Singh told US President George W. Bush in talks on the margins of a rich nations summit in Japan. “We talked about the India-US nuclear deal, and how important that is for our respective countries,” Bush said. ”Our relationship with the United States has never been in such good shape as it is today,” Singh said. “We have progressed in nuclear cooperation, space cooperation, defence cooperation, educational exchanges.”(First Posted @ 10:00 PST Updated @ 16:50 PST) Iran test-fires longer range missile TEHRAN, July 9 (AFP): Iran on Wednesday test-fired its Shahab-3 missile as part of a broadside of nine missiles fired off in the early morning from an undisclosed location in the Iranian desert, state channel Al-Alam reported. Al-Alam said the missiles included a “Shahab-3 with a conventional warhead weighing one tonne and a 2,000-kilometre (1,240-mile) range.” “The aim of these war games is to show we are ready to defend the integrity of the Iranian nation,” Al-Alam quoted Revolutionary Guards air force commander Hossein Salami as saying. (First Posted @ 10.20 PST, Updated @ 13:15 PST) Attacks from Pakistan up, but 'we do return fire:' NATO commander KABUL, July 9 (AP): There has been a spike in mortar and rocket attacks from militants in Pakistan at U.S. and Afghan border outposts in Afghanistan, top NATO commander U.S. Gen. David D. McKiernan said. But militants shouldn't feel safer just because they're in Pakistan's territory, because U.S. and NATO forces “do return fire,” he said. “We have seen an increase in the eastern part of Afghanistan of cross-border indirect fires coming into some of our, not only our but Afghan, stationary sites, outposts, border police sites,” said McKiernan, who took command of the 40-nation International Security Assistance Force mission last month. The four-star general did not have figures, but said in an interview this week “there definitely has been an increase since I've been here in the last 30 days.” McKiernan believes the number of attacks has risen because militant groups have been free to operate in Pakistan's tribal areas and cross the Afghan-Pakistan border unimpeded to resupply and recruit. “There is a continuing issue of the very porous border with Pakistan and it has allowed insurgent militant groups a greater freedom of movement across that border, a greater freedom to resupply, to provide leadership, to provide manning across that border,” McKiernan said. (First Posted @ 12:45 PST Updated @ 17:05 PST) ADB to invest $810m on power projects in Pakistan ISLAMABAD, July 9 (APP): Asian Development Bank proposes to provide $810 million loan to Pakistan by September for power projects. The funds will enable transmission systems of the power distribution companies to be upgraded all over the country. (Posted @ 22:02 PST) Bombs kill 13 in Iraq, dozens wounded BAGHDAD, July 9 (Reuters) - Bomb blasts killed at least 13 people and wounded dozens in northern and western Iraq on Wednesday. Two blasts in quick succession in Falluja, in Anbar province, killed six people and wounded 18, police said. One hit a police unit guarding a bank, they said. The second bomb detonated minutes later when a police convoy arrived to evacuate casualties. Four policemen were among the dead. Hours later, a suicide car bomber killed seven civilians and wounded 15 people in the northern city of Mosul. The attack targeted the convoy of Major-General Riyadh Jalal Tawfiq, army commander of Nineveh province, who escaped unhurt, said a security spokesman in the city. Of the 15 wounded, seven were policemen in the convoy. (First Posted @ 13:15 PST Updated @ 21:06 PST) Iran progress ”modest” on nuclear program-U.S. WASHINGTON, July 9 (Reuters) - - Iran has made only “modest” progress in its nuclear program because of U.N. sanctions, U.S. Under Secretary of State for political affairs William Burns said Wednesday, while also warning the costs would be high to Tehran if it continued on its current course. “While Iran seeks to create the perception of advancement in its nuclear program, real progress has been more modest,” he said in prepared testimony to a House of Representatives panel, adding that pressure would intensify on Tehran. “It is apparent that Iran has not yet perfected enrichment (of uranium), and as a direct result of UN sanctions, Iran's ability to procure technology or items of significance to its missile programs, even dual-use items, is being impaired,” he added. Moreover, he said key individuals involved in Iran's procurement activities had been cut off from the international financial system by sanctions, and restricted from travel. But Burns cautioned that if Tehran continued to refuse to give up its sensitive enrichment work, there would be consequences. (Posted @ 20:52 PST) 5 peacekeepers killed, 17 missing after Darfur ambush KHARTOUM, Sudan, July 9 (Reuters) - Five peacekeepers from a U.N.-African Union force were killed and 17 others remain missing after their patrol was ambushed by gunmen riding in 40 sport utility vehicles in northern Darfur on Tuesday, Sudan's official news agency reported Wednesday. Another 18 peacekeepers were wounded, and ten U.N.-AU vehicles were destroyed, the report said. Among those killed, three were from Rwanda, one from Ghana and one from Uganda, SUNA said. (Posted @ 19:46 PST) India seeks release of thousands held over UAE riot DUBAI, July 9 (AFP) - United Arab Emirates police arrested more than 3,000 mostly Indian workers after a dining room riot at a construction site in which a manager, security guards and the workers were beaten up, India's ambassador Talmiz Ahmad said on Wednesday. “A total of 3,147 mostly Indian workers were arrested after a small group had a violent altercation in the dining room with the mess manager” at a construction site in the northern emirate of Ras al-Khaimah on Friday evening, the diplomat told AFP by telephone from the capital Abu Dhabi. “They beat up the manager and security guards, and they were also beaten up. The police were called,” he said. “We have informed the UAE government officially through a note and unofficially that while we totally condemn violence, we believe that people not involved in the violence should be released immediately,” the envoy said. Ahmad said the workers were being held in prisons in several of the seven emirates making up the UAE. (Posted @ 19:40 PST) US, Aussie soldiers killed in Afghanistan Kabul, July 09 (Reuters) - A roadside bomb, probably planted by Taliban insurgents, killed an Australian soldier and wounded two others in southern Uruzgan on Tuesday, Australia's military said. A similar blast killed a U.S. soldier in Kunar province also on Tuesday, a provincial official said. Meanwhile, two Afghan policemen and six Taliban fighters were killed and four more insurgents were wounded in a clash in Ghazni province on Wednesday, a government official said. Taliban insurgents attacked two Afghan security forces' check posts on Wednesday in northeastern Nuristan, kidnapped four policemen, and a clash was going on, a district governor said. He did not have more details. (First Posted @ 09:20 PST Updated @ 18:56 PST) Hu thanks Bush for Olympics visit TOYAKO, Japan, July 9 (AFP) - Chinese President Hu Jintao on Wednesday thanked US President George W. Bush, who has announced he will attend the Beijing Olympics opening ceremonies, for not “politicising” the Games. Hu said through an interpreter after talks with Bush on the margin of a rich nations summit in Japan that he “highly appreciated that President Bush has on various occasions expressed his opposition to politicising the Olympic Games.” (Posted @ 17:36 PST) 2 women killed, 15 injured as vans crash in Pakistan SIALKOT, Pakistan, July 09-(PPI):- Two women were killed and at least 15 other passengers were injured, most of them seriously, when two over-speeding passenger vans collided near Kot Gondal-Qila Kalarwala area in Pasrur tehsil of Punjab province Wednesday. (Posted @ 17:26 PST) China kills five Muslims training for 'holy war' BEIJING, July 9 (AFP): Chinese police killed five Muslims in its far northwest who were planning to wage a “holy war” against the nation's majority Han population, the official Xinhua news agency reported on Wednesday. Five were killed and 10 arrested on Tuesday when police raided their hide-out in Urumqi, the capital of the Muslim-populated Xinjiang region. “The suspected criminals that police killed and nabbed... were from a 'holy war' training group,” Xinhua said, citing an Urumqi police spokesman. (Posted @ 15:25 PST) Medvedev warns US on missile shield TOYAKO, Japan, July 9 (AFP): Russian President Dmitry Medvedev warned Wednesday that he was considering countermeasures if the United States goes ahead with a plan to build a missile defence shield in eastern Europe. Medvedev said a deal on the missile plan signed this week between the United States and the Czech Republic “offends us greatly.” ”Russia isn't going to get hysterical but will be studying countermeasures,” Medvedev told reporters. (Posted @ 15:15 PST) G8 urges Afghan govt to do more on own security TOKYO, July 9 (Reuters): The Group of Eight rich nations on Wednesday urged the government of Afghanistan to “assume greater responsibility for security, governance and reconstruction”. In a chairman's statement issued at the end of a three-day summit in northern Japan, the G8 also said it underscored its commitment to support presidential and parliamentary elections and agreed to strengthen assistance to the border region between Afghanistan and Pakistan. (Posted @ 13:30 PST) Two dead, 41 wounded in north Lebanon clashes TRIPOLI, Lebanon, July 9 (Reuters): At least two people were killed and 41 wounded on Wednesday in renewed sectarian clashes in Lebanon's second largest city Tripoli, security sources said. Explosions and machinegun fire rocked the city from midnight as government and opposition supporters battled on the outskirts of the port. The fighting began after four grenades were fired at a street separating the Bab Tibbaneh district and Jabal Mohsen district. (First Posted @ 09:10 PST, Updated @ 13:05 PST) Three officers killed, four kidnapped in southern Russia NAZRAN, Russia, July 9 (AP): Three officers were killed and four kidnapped in separate attacks in the violence-plagued Russian province of Ingushetia, police said. The local Interior Ministry said militants attacked several villages and police stations in the province west of Chechnya. It said Wednesday militants killed three policemen and kidnapped three others along with their vehicles in the village of Muzhichi. Another police officer was kidnapped in the town of Sunzha. (Posted @ 12:30 PST) Israeli troops raid Nablus city hall, mosques NABLUS, West Bank, July 9 (AP): Israeli troops raided the city hall of the West Bank town of Nablus, confiscating five computers, Palestinians said. Troops also raided six mosques Wednesday and seized five buses belonging to different schools. Businesses planned a general strike Wednesday to protest the crackdown. The military had no immediate comment. (Posted @ 12:15 PST) Fighting kills 24 in Sri Lanka COLOMBO, July 9 (AFP): At least 22 Tamil Tiger rebels and two government soldiers died in the latest clashes in northern Sri Lanka, the island's defence ministry said Wednesday. The fighting, which took place Tuesday, was centred around the Weli Oya, Vavuniya and Mannar regions, the statement said. The rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) did not comment on Tuesday's fighting. But guerrillas said 50 civilians were killed in the rebel-held north in June, including seven who died in roadside mine attacks blamed on army commandos. (Posted @ 12:10 PST) Magnitude 6.2 quake rattles southern Peru AREQUIPA, Peru, July 9 (Reuters): A magnitude 6.2 earthquake shook southern Peru early on Tuesday, killing at least one person in the Andean country's second-largest city, Arequipa, and damaging scores of homes. The epicenter of the quake was located 35 miles north-northwest of Arequipa, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It was recorded at a depth of 45 miles. A man died in Arequipa, police said. In Moquegua, a province near Arequipa, at least five people were killed and another 34 injured when their bus tumbled into a ravine just minutes after the quake. (Posted @ 09:30 PST) Bolivia truck accident kills at least 46 people LA PAZ, July 9 (Reuters): At least 46 people died and 11 were injured in Bolivia Tuesday when a truck loaded with goods and peasants lurched off a mountainous highway and fell nearly 1,000 feet, local media reported. “The truck was loaded with 60 people who were sitting on top of their loads, which crushed them when the truck fell,” Erbol radio reported. The accident took place in Yocalla, a town in southern Bolivia nearly the mining city of Potosi. (Posted @ 09:05 PST) Karachi Stocks down 16.77 points: KARACHI, July 09: At close of trading, the KSE-100 index was at 11796.47, down 16.77 points. (Bureau Report) (Updated @ 14:15 PST) Forex update: KARACHI, July 09: The Pakistani Rupee was traded at Rs 72.5 to the US Dollar in the open market. (Bureau Report) (Updated @ 14:15 PST)
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