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July 21, 2008

Monday

Rajab 17, 1429

Updated round-the-clock, with major updates after 10:00 PST (05:00 GMT)

Pakistan, India agreed to continue dialogue process, resolve all outstanding issues New Delhi, July 21, (PPI) - Pakistan and India Monday agreed to continue the dialogue progress to resolve all outstanding issues besides discussing even more complicated ones for betterment of two countries. This was agreed at conclusion of talks between the Foreign Secretaries of both countries during which fifth round of bilateral Composite Dialogue Process began here. Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir led Pakistan's delegation at talks while his Indian counterpart Shiv Shankar Menon led his country's delegation. (First Posted @ 15:55 PST Updated @ 23:48 PST)

Cricket: South Africa beat England LEEDS, England, July 21, (AFP) - South Africa beat England by 10 wickets to win the second Test at Headingley here Monday and so take a 1-0 lead in the four-match series following the drawn opener at Lord's. Brief scores: England: 203 (M Morkel 4-52, D Steyn 4-76) and 327 (S Broad 67 no, A Cook 60; M Morkel 3-61, D Steyn 3-97) South Africa: 522 (AB de Villiers 174, A Prince 149; M Panesar 3-65, J Anderson 3-136) and 9-0. (Posted @ 23:35 PST)

Olmert invites Palestinian President to residence in first JERUSALEM, July 21 (AP): Israeli President Shimon Peres will host Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at his residence in Jerusalem for talks, the first time a Palestinian president will visit the official residence of Israel's president. Peres spokeswoman Ayelet Frisch said at the Tuesday meeting, the two will discuss “promoting the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians.” (Posted @ 23:25 PST)

15 employees at French nuclear plant contaminated PARIS, July 21 (AP): Electricite de France said 15 workers were exposed to radioactive contamination while carrying out maintenance at a nuclear plant in the French Alps.The electricity giant said “traces of radioactive elements” were found during standard monitoring of workers at the Saint-Alban plant in the Isere region. EDF is searching for the cause of the contamination. The incident occurred Friday, and EDF announced it Monday. (Posted @ 23:04 PST)

Bin Laden driver pleads not guilty in Guantanamo: Pentagon WASHINGTON, July 21 (AFP): Osama bin Laden's former driver, Salim Hamdan, pleaded not guilty on Monday at the opening of the first trial before a special military tribunal at the US base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, officials said. “The trial has started and he pleaded not guilty,” a spokeswoman for the US Defense Department, told AFP. Hamdan, from Yemen, is the first “enemy combatant” from the US “war on terror” to face a full-scale trial since the prison camp at the naval base in Guantanamo was opened in late 2001. (Posted @ 22:38 PST)

Putin orders oil supplies restored to Czech Republic MOSCOW, July 21 (AFP): Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Monday ordered oil supplies to the Czech Republic to be restored after a cut that came after the signing of a US-Czech defence deal, news agencies reported. “I understand ... this problem had no direct relation to Russian suppliers,” Putin said, reiterating a previous denial by Russia's Transneft pipeline monopoly that the cut was not politically motivated. (Posted @ 22:18 PST)

Zimbabwe parties agree need to amend constitution: Mugabe HARARE, July 21 (AFP): Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe said on Monday there was an agreement between his ruling party and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change on the need to amend the country's constitution. “Yesterday we agreed, ZANU-PF (Mugabe's ruling party) and the two MDCs, that our constitution as it is should be amended variously,” said Mugabe at a ceremony after signing a deal paving the way for full-scale talks with the opposition. (Posted @ 21:48 PST)

12 Afghans wounded in clash in eastern Afghanistan KABUL, July 21 (AP): Militants attacked a NATO patrol in eastern Afghanistan on Monday and 12 people were wounded in the ensuing clash, including some civilians, officials said. The foreign troops were passing through Pech River Valley in Kunar province when militants fired on them, provincial police chief Gen. Abdul Jalal Jalal said. Troops returned fire and 12 people were wounded, he said. A spokesman for NATO's International Security Assistance Force in Kabul said one of its patrols was fired upon in the area and returned fire, he said he had no reports of casualties. (Posted @ 21:24 PST)

US-led soldier among scores killed, Afghan district falls KABUL, July 21 (AFP): An international soldier, eight security workers and dozens of rebels were killed in new attacks in Afghanistan while Taliban militants captured a remote district, authorities said Monday. The soldier with the US-led coalition died Monday after being wounded in a bomb explosion in the southern province of Helmand at the weekend, the force said in a statement. The death took to 138 the number of international soldiers killed in Afghanistan this year, mostly in hostile action. Nearly 220 foreign soldiers died in violence last year. Four police officers and four security guards escorting a convoy of civilian trucks carrying supplies for foreign troops were killed in separate attacks in southern Helmand and Zabul provinces, officials said. Security forces launched a counterattack and killed 15 rebels, the provincial police chief said. (Posted @ 20:50 PST)

Hockey: Pakistan announce Olympic squad LAHORE, July 21 (AFP): Pakistan Monday announced their 16-man hockey squad to be led by full-back Zeeshan Ashraf for next month's Olympics in Beijing. Squad: Zeeshan Ashraf (captain), Mohammad Imran, Imran Warsi, Salman Akbar, Nasir Ahmed, Shakil Abbasi, Mohammad Javed, Mohammad Saqlain, Adnan Maqsood, Rana Asif, Waqas Ashraf, Waqas Akber, Rehan Butt, Abbas Haider, Zubair Ahmed, Shafqat Rasool. Pakistan are placed in pool B of the 12-nation event which starts August 8. (Posted @ 20:44 PST)

Helicopter used by Bolivia's President Morales crashes, 5 dead LA PAZ, July 21 (Reuters): Four Venezuelan army officers and a Bolivian military official were killed when a helicopter often used by President Evo Morales crashed in central Bolivia, Bolivia's defence minister said Monday. Morales was not aboard when the accident occurred in the central Cochabamba region, but had used the helicopter two hours earlier, said Defence Minister Walker San Miguel. “This helicopter had been used by the president yesterday ... and today he was going to use it again,” San Miguel told reporters. The helicopter is one of two the Venezuelan government lent Morales after he took office in January 2006. San Miguel said a commission would investigate the crash. (Posted @ 19:30 PST)

Pakistani police arrest 6 Afghans; thwart car bomb QUETTA, July 21 (Reuters): Pakistani police arrested six Afghans and recovered 450 kg of explosives and more than a dozen detonators during a raid in the southwest city of Quetta, security officials told Reuters on Monday. “They had a car ready, filled with explosives to strike in the city,” Mohammad Akbar Arain, the senior-most police official of Balochistan province. “I can't give you exact details but I can tell you that their handler is not here but settled across the border,” he said, referring to Afghanistan. (Posted @ 19:16 PST)

Nepal picks first president, rejects Maoist candidate KATHMANDU, July 21 (Reuters): Nepal's lawmakers picked the country's first president on Monday, rejecting a candidate backed by former Maoist rebels in a move that could plunge the Himalayan nation's nascent republic into more political turmoil. Ram Baran Yadav, an ethnic Madheshi from the centrist Nepali Congress party, won 308 out of the 590 votes cast by the constituent assembly, defeating Ramraja Prasad Singh who had the support of the Maoists, officials said. (Posted @ 19:04 PST)

Nepal's governing assembly elects the new republic's first president KATHMANDU, July 21 (AP): State-run television says Nepal's governing assembly elected Ram Baran Yadav of the Nepali Congress party as the new republic's first president since it abolished the centuries-old monarchy in May. (Posted @ 18:04 PST)

Syria invites Lebanese president to discuss ties BEIRUT, July 21 (Reuters): Lebanese President Michel Suleiman will visit Syria soon to discuss establishing diplomatic ties between the neighbouring countries, the Syrian foreign minister said on Monday. Walid Moualem handed Suleiman an invitation to Damascus in what would be the first official visit by a Lebanese president to Syria in more than three years. “We in Damascus are expecting the visit of President Michel Suleiman at the nearest opportunity,” Moualem told reporters after meeting the Lebanese leader in Beirut. (Posted @ 17:58 PST)

Russia mulls regular bomber flights to Cuba: report MOSCOW, July 21 (AFP): Russia may start regular flights by long-range bombers to Cuba in response to US plans to build missile defence sites in Eastern Europe, the newspaper Izvestia reported Monday, quoting an official. “Such discussions exist,” the unidentified senior Russian air force official was quoted as saying, adding that the measure would be a response to the United States “deploying missile defence systems in Poland and the Czech Republic.” (Posted @ 17:44 PST)

China, Russia sign agreement to finally demarcate eastern border BEIJING, July 21 (AP): China and Russia signed an agreement Monday to end a long-running dispute over the demarcation of their eastern border. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov signed the agreement with his Chinese counterpart, Yang Jiechi, but no details were immediately released on how the border issues were resolved. “From a legal point of view we have created the preconditions for the border to become a link of stability, openness, mutual benefit, friendship and cooperation,” Lavrov said. (Posted @ 16:55 PST)

Weather hampers Italians' descent from Nanga Parbat ISLAMABAD, July 21 (AFP): Bad weather on Monday hampered the descent of two stranded Italian climbers from Nanga Parbat mountain in Gilgit, the Italian embassy said. A spokesman for the Italian embassy in Islamabad told AFP that the two mountaineers had informed rescuers that they would start descending to base camp at 4,200 meters today. “But they failed to establish contact with the rescuers because of bad weather on the peak,” he said. “The climbers are safe and have enough food with them,” the spokesman added. (Posted @ 16:40 PST)

British PM warns Iran in landmark Israel speech JERUSALEM, July 21 (AFP): British Prime Minister Gordon Brown warned Iran on Monday it must freeze sensitive nuclear work or face more sanctions, in the first address by a British premier to the Israeli parliament. Brown also attacked Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's “abhorrent” threats against Israel and declared that Britain stands alongside the Jewish state. (Posted @ 16:30 PST)

New round of India-Pakistan talks begins NEW DELHI, July 21 (APP): The fifth round of the Composite Dialogue between India Pakistan and India began at Hyderabad House here on Monday to discuss different subjects including the issue of Kashmir, peace and security and Confidence Building Measures. Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir is leading the Pakistani delegation while Shivshankar Menon, the Indian Foreign Secretary, is leading the Indian delegation at the talks. (First Posted @ 15:55 PST, Updated @ 16:10 PST)

India, Pakistan begin new round of peace talks NEW DELHI, July 21 (AP): The top diplomats of India and Pakistan began a new round of peace talks in New Delhi on Monday. The talks, led by Indian Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon and his Pakistani counterpart, Salman Bashir, are part of a peace process between the two countries that began in 2004. (Posted @ 15:55 PST)

Militants killed in occupied Kashmir after pilgrims targeted: police SRINAGAR, occupied Kashmir, July 21 (AFP): Indian troops killed two militants in Kashmir after thwarting an attempt by rebels to attack a convoy of Hindu pilgrims visiting the state, police said Monday. The attempted attack on the pilgrims happened Sunday evening when militants threw grenades at pilgrims returning to Srinagar after visiting a popular Hindu shrine on the outskirts of the city. “Militants lobbed hand grenades and opened fire towards a convoy of vehicles carrying Hindu pilgrims but alert troops reacted quickly and shot dead both the attackers,” a police officer Abdul Razaq said. He said no pilgrims were hurt in the attack. Police said three other militants were also shot dead in two separate gunbattles overnight in two northern districts. (Posted @ 14:50 PST)

Sri Lankan troops kill 42 rebels: military COLOMBO, July 21AFP): The Sri Lankan army killed 42 Tamil Tiger rebels while 10 of its own soldiers were injured during ground battles across the war-torn island's northern district on Sunday, the defence ministry said Monday. The Tamil Tigers did not comment on the casualties, but said eight civilians were injured when the navy and airforce shelled a coastal fishing community in the island's north on Sunday. (Posted @ 14:25 PST)

Two security personnel injured in landmine explosion in Balochistan DERA MURAD JAMALI, July 21 (APP): Two security personnel sustained severe injuries after their vehicle hit an anti-tank landmine during a routine patrol in Dasht-e-Goran area in Dera Bugti district on Monday, local officials told AFP. (Posted @ 14:05 PST)

Turkish engineers released in Afghanistan ANKARA, July 21 (AFP): Two Turkish engineers snatched earlier this month by unknown gunmen in Afghanistan were released early Monday, a senior Turkish diplomat said Monday. “They are in good health and will be flown to Turkey today,” the diplomat, who requested anonymity, told AFP. He said it was not yet clear who the abductors were and could not give details on the circumstances of the release. The two engineers were kidnapped on July 14 as they were driving to their compound on the outskirts of the city of Herat. (Posted @ 13:45 PST)

Militants kill 'U.S. spies' in Pakistan MIRANSHAH, Pakistan, July 21 (AFP): Pro-Taliban militants in a Pakistani tribal district shot dead two tribesmen after accusing them of spying for U.S. forces in Afghanistan, an official said Monday. A note left on the bodies in the border village of Lowara Mandi in North Waziristan tribal district indicated that the two men were killed for spying for U.S. forces, the official said. (Posted @ 13:40 PST)

Israel arrests 20 Hamas activists NAPLOUSE, Cisjordanie, July 21 (AFP): Israel arrested around 20 Hamas activists, including a Palestinian MP, in the West Bank city of Nablus on Monday, a Palestinian security source said. MP Muna Mansur and the others were seized when troops in dozens of jeeps carried out a dawn raid on the town in the north of the occupied West Bank. (Posted @ 13:20 PST)

Pakistani court upholds curbs on nuclear scientist Dr. A.Q. Khan ISLAMABAD, July 21 (Reuters): A Pakistani court upheld the detention of disgraced nuclear scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan on Monday and barred him from talking to the media about nuclear proliferation while he is under house arrest. Dr. Khan was pardoned but placed under house arrest by President Musharraf in 2004 soon after he made a televized confession to selling nuclear secrets to Iran, North Korea and Libya. Islamabad High Court Chief Justice Sardar Mohammad Aslam ruled Dr. Khan could meet relatives after security clearance and have access to health care of his choice, but would not be allowed to give media interviews. “He will be allowed to meet close relatives subject to security clearance, which is of paramount importance. He will not be allowed to make interviews to any print or television channel on the issue of nuclear proliferation,” the judge said. (Posted @ 12:55 PST)

Blast injures five police in Thai south YALA, July 21 (AFP): Five police officers were injured Monday when a bomb targeting their patrol exploded in Thailand's far south, police said. The blast was on a road leading to a village in Yala province. Three of the policemen were seriously injured, local authorities said. (Posted @ 12:40 PST)

Afghanistan: 6 civilians killed in attack on fuel truck KABUL, July 21 (APP/AP): Six civilians were killed when an oil tanker was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade fired by insurgents in Laghman province on Sunday, a spokesman for the provincial governor said. Two people were killed inside the truck and four others died in a minibus that was caught in the blast, he added. (Posted @ 12:25 PST)

Obama arrives in Iraq BAGHDAD, July 21 (AFP) - US Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama arrived in Iraq on Monday as part of a Congressional delegation along with Senator Jack Reed and Senator Chuck Hagel. (Posted @ 12:15 PST)

Indian parliament opens for confidence motion NEW DELHI, July 21 (AFP): India's parliament on Monday opened a special session to debate a coalition government confidence motion triggered by a pull-out of left-wing parties opposed to a nuclear deal with Washington. Ahead of the debate, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh expressed confidence his government will win what analysts have said will be a tight contest. “We will prove our majority on the floor of the House,” Singh told reporters outside the Lok Sabha, or parliament. After a day of debate, the confidence vote is expected to take place on Tuesday. The government will need 272 votes to stay in office. Singh's Congress party, which is headed by Italian-born widow Sonia Gandhi, maintains it has the support of 290 lawmakers and that it can see through its last year in office. But opposition parties -- including the left and the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) -- are equally confident they can force national elections. (Posted @ 12:10 PST)

B-52 bomber carrying six crew members crashes off the island of Guam HONOLULU, July 21 (AP): An Air Force B-52 bomber carrying six crew members and en route to conduct a flyover in a parade crashed off the island of Guam, officials said. At least two people were recovered from the waters, the Coast Guard said. The crashed occurred at 9:45 a.m. Monday about 30 miles northwest of Apra Harbor, the Air Force said. The B-52 was scheduled to fly over the Liberation Day parade, marking the day when the U.S. military arrived on Guam to retake control of the island from Japan. (Posted @ 12:05 PST)

Seven dead in crash near Kyrgyzstan resort BISHKEK, July 21 (Reuters): At least seven people died and dozens were injured in Kyrgyzstan on Monday when a bus loaded with tourists collided with a car near an alpine lake resort, the emergencies ministry said. The crash occurred near Issyk-Kul, the world's second biggest alpine lake, when a bus loaded with 53 tourists collided with a car. Regional emergencies ministry chief, Arstan Momokulov, said all the dead were tourists from neighbouring Kazakhstan. Also on Monday, four people died in car accident in Kazakhstan's Zhambyl region, local media reported. (Posted @ 11:30 PST)

Rice warns Iran of 'punitive measures' SHANNON, Ireland, July 21 (AFP): Iran has two weeks to respond seriously to an international offer to halt its sensitive nuclear work or face further “punitive measures,” US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice warned. A meeting in Geneva on Saturday sent a “very strong message to the Iranians that they can't go and stall ... and that they have to make a decision,” Rice told reporters travelling with her to the Middle East on Monday. “It clarifies Iran's choices and we will see what Iran does in two weeks. But I think the diplomatic process now has a kind of new energy in it,” Rice said. The top US diplomat did not expect any “imminent action” but expected work to begin soon after on drafting another round of “punitive measures.” Rice, who was heading to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to discuss Iran and other Middle East issues, said Washington would also look at further unilateral measures it can take to put the squeeze on Iranian financial institutions. (First Posted @ 08:50 PST, Updated @ 10:50 PST)

NATO admits its forces accidentally killed four civilians in Afghanistan KABUL, July 21 (AP): NATO has admitted that its forces accidentally killed at least four civilians in eastern Afghanistan late Saturday night. ISAF said it was investigating whether three other civilians also were killed Saturday night in the Barmal district of Paktika province when its troops fired two mortar rounds that landed nearly half a mile short of their target. Four civilians were wounded in the incident. Separately, a mine exploded under a civilian vehicle in Gereshk district in the southern province of Helmand on Sunday, killing three children and wounding four other people, said provincial police Chief Mohammad Hussein Andiwal. (Posted @ 10:10 PST)

Cricket- England 203 and 50-2 v South Africa 522, 3rd day 2nd test LEEDS, England, July 21 (Reuters): At the close England were 50 for two in their second innings after bowling out South Africa for 522 on the third day of the second test at Headingley on Sunday. Scores: England 203 (K.Pietersen 45; D.Steyn 4-76, M.Morkel 4-52) and 50-2; South Africa 522 (A. Prince 149, AB de Villiers 174). (Posted @ 10:00 PST)

27 Pakistanis held on Pak-Iran border QUETTA, Pakistan, July 21 (APP): Iranian border security force arrested 27 Pakistanis on Pak-Iran border and handed them over to Taftan police on Sunday evening, police said, adding that they had tried to enter into Iran without travel documents. (Posted @ 09:35 PST)

Two dead in bus explosions in Chinese city BEIJING, July 21 (AFP): Two people were killed and 14 injured in two separate explosions on public buses in a southwestern Chinese city on Monday, the Xinhua news agency reported. The explosions occurred within 55 minutes of each other during the morning rush hour in downtown Kunming, the capital of Yunnan province, Xinhua reported, citing local police. No details were given as to the cause of the explosions. (Posted @ 09:20 PST)

Strike on Iran means turmoil: Admiral Mullen WASHINGTON, July 21 (Reuters): White House military adviser Adm. Mike Mullen said Sunday he was concerned that any U.S. or Israeli strike on Iran carried a notable risk of more turmoil in the Middle East. “I think it would be significant. I worry about it a lot,” Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the “Fox News Sunday” television program. “I worry about the instability in that part of the world and ... the possible unintended consequences of a strike like that,” Mullen said. “Right now I'm fighting two wars, and I don't need a third one,” Mullen said, speaking of U.S. military engagements in Iraq and Afghanistan. But he quickly added the U.S. military would be capable of handling another front. (Posted @ 09:10 PST)

Landslide kills Guatemalan family after heavy rains GUATEMALA CITY, July 21 (Reuters): A mudslide killed a Guatemalan family of 12 on Sunday, burying their house under tonnes of mud and rock, local emergency workers said. The bodies of a couple and their 10 children were dug out by neighbors in the tiny hamlet of El Campanario near Guatemala's Caribbean coast, after heavy rains pummeled the region for several days. In other parts of the country, rivers swelled, washing away one small bridge. (Posted @ 08:55 PST)

Rice heads to Middle East, Asia WASHINGTON, July 21 (AFP): US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice left Washington for travel to the Middle East and Asia late Sunday, as she prepared to meet her North Korean counterpart for the first time on the sidelines of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF). Rice is expected to meet North Korean Foreign Minister Pak Ui-chun in an informal meeting of the top diplomats of the six countries negotiating Pyongyang's denuclearization program. In Abu Dhabi on Monday, Rice and Gulf Arab allies were to get a first-person account from her number-three envoy William Burns about his participation in talks Saturday with the Iranians in Geneva. Pakistan is in the ARF, and Washington could discuss its growing concerns about militants on the Pakistani border with Afghanistan. (Posted @ 08:50 PST)

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