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| July 29, 2008 | Tuesday | Rajab 25, 1429 |
Updated round-the-clock, with major updates after 10:00 PST (06:00 GMT)
 Pakistan raises interest rates to fight inflation KARACHI, July 29 (AP) Pakistan's central bank Tuesday announced it has raised its main interest rate by 1 percentage point to 13 percent to help fight inflation. State Bank of Pakistan Governor Shamshad Akhtar also warned the government to curb heavy borrowing from the bank to finance its ballooning budget deficit. She said the bank was forced to make “hard decisions” to combat inflation, which hit 21 percent in June. Fareed Alam of AKD Securities criticized the rate rise. He said it would increase the cost of doing business and feed inflation. After years of rapid growth, Pakistan's economy is slowing and citizens are struggling with high prices. The government is slashing fuel and food subsidies to cut the budget deficit. (Posted @ 19:50 PST)  Militants take hostage 30 police, troops in Swat MINGORA, Pakistan, July 29 (Reuters): Pro-Taliban militants attacked a security post and took up to 30 hostages on Tuesday in Swat valley, officials said. Militants attacked a joint military-police post in the Kabal area, 35 km north-west of Mingora, and captured 30 police and paramilitary personnel, according to officials, though a militant spokesman put the number at 27. “They were asked to surrender or face death, and they gave up,” militant spokesman Muslim Khan told Reuters. Two soldiers and a young girl were killed when security forces traded fire with militants around Kabal after the attack on the post. Security forces arrested several suspects in a search of the village. Militants also torched a health office in exchanged fire with police in Matta, one of the militants' stronghold, on Tuesday. (Posted @ 14:30 PST) US needs to be patient, warns against 'unilateral' action: PM Gilani WASHINGTON, July 29 (AFP): Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani called on the United States not to act “unilaterally” against militants in Pakistan. “We are committed to fight against extremists and terrorists who are destroying and making the world not safe,” he said. “This is a war which is against Pakistan, and we'll fight for our own cause.” Speaking to CNN television after seeing Bush, Gilani said the United States needs to be more patient and should not take unilateral actions against militants in Pakistan. Asked by CNN about a suspected US missile strike on an Al-Qaeda leader in Pakistan on Monday, Gilani said he told Bush that “unilaterally it should not be done. We must have more cooperation with each other,” he said. “Basically Americans are a little impatient. Therefore in the future I think we'll have more cooperation on the intelligence side and we'll do the job ourselves,” he said. Bush said he had received a “strong commitment” from Gilani that Pakistan would try “as best as possible” to prevent Taliban and Al-Qaeda militants from crossing from Pakistan into Afghanistan, where they attack US and NATO troops. (Posted @ 09:45 PST) John McCain assures PM Gilani of close ties WASHINGTON, July 29 (APP): U.S. Republican presidential candidate Senator John McCain has said if elected he would support fostering relations with Pakistan and work closely with the country on areas of common interest. In a telephonic conversation with Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, the presumptive Republican nominee, who was out of Washington Monday, said he is aware of Pakistan's challenges. Prime Minister Gilani spoke of the importance of forging long-term strategic relationship between Pakistan and the United States and said the elected government is committed to socio-economic uplift of the people. The conversation lasted for about 20 minutes (Posted @ 13:25 PST)  Pakistan military blames India for Kashmir clash ISLAMABAD, July 29 (AFP) Pakistan's military Tuesday rejected Indian accusations that it had violated the ceasefire in Kashmir, saying that Indian troops had crossed the Line of Control and opened fire first. Pakistan also denied Indian media reports that any of its troops were killed in the fierce overnight gunbattle in the disputed Himalayan region. A Pakistani military spokesman “refuted the Indian Army's claim that Pakistani Troops had crossed 200 metres on the Indian side of the LoC…which resulted in an exchange of fire.” ”No Pakistani soldier had crossed the LoC,” the spokesman was quoted in a statement as saying. “Indian soldiers wanted to establish a forward post in the area on the Pakistani side of the LoC, which was objected to by our soldiers,” the statement said. “On Pakistan's objection, Indian troops opened indiscriminate and unprovoked fire. The Indian fire was immediately responded to.” The gunbattle continued throughout the night and was still underway when the statement was issued, it said. Pakistan had “material evidence” of the Indian incursion which would be presented to the Indian military at a meeting called between the two sides, it said. “After the firefight, the Indian soldiers were forced to flee from the area leaving behind their weapons. The evidence will be shown to the Indians during the flag meeting,” it said. The spokesman “condemned the unprovoked firing by the Indian troops and strongly denied the report of any casualty on the Pakistani side.” (Posted @ 16:35 PST) Clashes end on LoC; Indian army accuses Pakistan of 'serious' ceasefire violation SRINAGAR, occupied Kashmir, July 29 (AFP) The Indian army accused Pakistan Tuesday of a “serious” ceasefire violation along the Line of Control in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir after a fierce overnight gun battle. The fighting was sparked by an incursion and killing of an Indian soldier by a small unit of Pakistani troops in the mountains north of Srinagar, the army said. “The fighting lasted for 13 to 14 hours,” Indian army spokesman Anil Kumar Mathur told AFP. Indian army spokeswoman Neha Goyal said the latest clashes halted with India proposing a “flag meeting” - or formal meeting by army officers from both sides. (First Posted @ 11:10 PST Updated @ 15:25 PST) Pakistan seeks confirmation of top Al-Qaeda expert’s death PESHAWAR, Pakistan, July 29 (AFP) - Security officials in Pakistan were seeking confirmation Tuesday that Midhat Mursi al-Sayid Umar, a top Al-Qaeda expert on chemical and biological weapons, had been killed in a suspected US missile strike. There was no immediate confirmation from Washington or the US-led coalition in Afghanistan about Monday's strike in the South Waziristan tribal district, which Pakistani officials said was thought to have killed Umar, the Egyptian militant who is also known as Abu Khabab al-Masri. “We believe he was killed in this strike,” a senior Pakistan intelligence official based in Peshawar told AFP on promise of anonymity. “It was his hideout, and information that has been shared with us says he was targeted in this strike,” the official added. Islamabad-based officials said they also believed Umar had been killed. Security officials also said Umar's 18-year-old son, another Egyptian, two Saudis and a Pakistani were among the six people killed when missiles fired from a suspected US drone hit a house attached to a village mosque. Umar's second wife, a Pakistani, and another son were being treated at a hospital in Wana, the main town in South Waziristan, they said. Militants were keeping everyone away from the building, residents added. Pakistani officials said Umar had given explosives training to a generation of militants, including British “shoe bomber” Richard Reid, who tried to blow up a transatlantic jet in December 2001. “Since 1999, he has distributed training manuals that contain instructions for making chemical and biological weapons.” More recently, Umar ran a training camp specialising in making car bombs, Pakistani officials said. He wore local dress to blend in, they said. “Al-Masri was present in the area for a long time and according to our information he trained a significant number of people for suicide bombings,” a security official said. Residents said victims of the strike were buried soon after the attack. Pakistani military spokesman Major General Athar Abbas said the army was still seeking “authentic information” as claims that Umar was killed in another air strike in January 2006 turned out to be untrue. (Posted @ 17:30 PST) Thousands greet deposed CJP Iftikhar in Karachi KARACHI, July 29 (AP) Thousands of supporters Tuesday welcomed Pakistan's deposed chief justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry on his arrival in Karachi, more than a year after his last attempt to visit the city sparked deadly unrest. He was accompanied by Supreme Court Bar Association President Aitzaz Ahsan and other office-bearers of the SCBA. About 5,000 lawyers and political activists, including deposed chief justice of Sindh High Court, Mr. Justice Sabihuddin Ahmed, greeted justice Iftikhar on his arrival at the Karachi airport. Strict security measures had been taken for the occasion and authorities had setup barricades to stop all those coming to the deposed chief justice from entering the terminal building. The otherwise enthusiastic welcome was marred by the death of noted lawyer Imdad Awan, who suffered a heart attack while driving the Pajero of the deposed chief justice on way to the city. As a mark of respect to the deceased, the organizers consequently cancelled all the functions scheduled for justice Iftikhar Chaudhry for Tuesday. (First Posted @ 13:25 PST, Updated @ 18:45 PST) Lawyer dies while driving justice Iftikhar from Karachi airport KARACHI, July 29 (APP) Noted lawyer Imdad Awan, driving the Pajero of deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, died of heart attack in Karachi Tuesday. He suffered the heart attack while on the wheels and was rushed to hospital where doctors pronounced him dead, Munir Malik, former President Supreme Court Bar Association, said. He was the president of Sukkar Bar Association and senior voice president of SCBA. (Posted @ 16:30 PST; Updated @ 20:15 PST) Bush approves military execution, first president to do so since 1957 WASHINGTON, July 29 (AP) President George W. Bush approved the execution of an Army private, the first time in over a half-century that a president has affirmed a death sentence for a member of the U.S. military. With his signature from the Oval Office, Bush said yes Monday to the military's request to execute Ronald A. Gray, the White House confirmed. Gray had been convicted in connection with a spree of four murders and eight rapes in the Fayetteville, North Carolina, area over eight months in the late 1980s while stationed at Fort Bragg. Members of the U.S. military have been executed throughout history, but just 10 have been executed by presidential approval since 1951 when the Uniform Code of Military Justice was enacted into law. President Dwight Eisenhower was the last president to approve a military execution. (Posted @ 22:00 PST) Barack Obama to meet with PM Gilani WASHINGTON, July 29 (AP) Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama planned to meet Tuesday with Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani, one of a series of private sessions for discussions ranging from international to economic concerns. Obama was to confer with Gilani, according to Obama's campaign. (Posted @ 21:45 PST) Oil falls to $121, lowest since May LONDON, July 29 (Reuters) Oil fell more than $3 a barrel towards $121 on Tuesday, touching the lowest price since mid-May. U.S. crude was down $3.30 at $121.43 a barrel by 1420 GMT and traded as low as $121.10, the lowest since May 15. Brent crude was off $3.36 at $122.48. (Posted @ 21:00 PST) British soldier killed in Afghanistan Kabul, July 29 (Reuters) - A British soldier was shot dead while on foot patrol in the southern Nad Ali district of Helmand province on Monday, the British Ministry of Defence said in a statement. Meanwhile, U.S.-led coalition forces killed several militants in air and ground assaults targeting a Taliban leader in the southern Gairo district of Ghazni province on Tuesday, the U.S. military said in a statement. Separately, Afghan soldiers backed by international air support killed and wounded more than 10 insurgents when the militants engaged them with rocket-propelled grenades and heavy machinegun fire on Monday in Kandahar province, the Defence Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday. A lawmaker survived a roadside bomb blast on Monday but three of his body guards were killed and three more wounded when the device hit their convoy in Paktia province, while a roadside bomb killed two Afghan soldiers near Lashkar Gah, the provincial capital of Helmand, the ministry said on Tuesday. Also, a Taliban bomb maker was killed with four others in a house while making a device in Chaoki district of Kunar province on Monday, a government official said. (First Posted @ 09:50 PST; Updated @ 20:45 PST) Turkish warplanes hit Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq ISTANBUL, Turkey, July 29 (AP)- Turkish warplanes attacked Kurdish rebel targets in Zab region and Qandil Mountain where rebel leaders are based, the military said adding that many of a 40-strong rebel group outside a cave at Mount Qandil were killed. (Posted @ 20:15 PST) Alcohol poisoning kills 16 in Indonesia's Papua JAKARTA, July 29 (Reuters) - Sixteen fishermen died in Indonesia's Papua province and 93 hospitalised after drinking a traditional liquor, police said Tuesday. Some of the victims were believed to be Thai. “They drank the alcohol while sailing and fishing,” he said. (Posted @ 19:50 PST) Three die, 28 injured as bus overturns on Karachi’s Northern Bypass KARACHI, July 29 (PPI) Three persons, including two women, died and 28 others were injured when a contract carriage overturned and fell into a ditch at Northern Bypass near Hub Chowki on the outskirts of Karachi Tuesday, police said. (Posted @ 19:20 PST) U.S. committed to Pakistan's success: State Department Washington, July 29 (PPI) United States is committed to Pakistan's success as “a moderate, prosperous, stable democracy and will modernize its security forces to help ensure security of the country,” State Department spokesman Gonzalo Gallegos said after Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani had talks with U.S. President George W. Bush at the White House. “We are looking to assist in modernizing their educational system, build their healthcare system, modernize the government and improve government functions, looking to help build up their democratic institutions that will guarantee that democracy is a long-term institution in Pakistan,” Gallegos said. “We are also looking to modernize the security apparatus and the military forces so that they can maintain security and stability of the country.” (Posted @ 19:16 PST) Non-Aligned Movement meets in Iran TEHRAN, July 29 (Reuters) Iran's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called on Tuesday for a group of almost 120 developing countries to unite to end what he said was bias shown by world bodies such as the U.N. Security Council that served only the big powers' interests. “The major powers are on a descending course. The extent of their influence drops day by day. They are approaching the end of their era,” Ahmadinejad told the 15th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) ministerial meeting. (Posted @ 18:00 PST) India's central bank hikes key interest rate MUMBAI, July 29 (AFP) - India's central bank Tuesday raised its key short-term lending rate by half-a-percentage point in an aggressive new bid to tame inflation riding at a 13-year high of close to 12 percent. The repo rate, at which commercial banks borrow funds from the central bank, was hiked by 50 basis points to nine percent, while the cash reserve ratio -- the sum banks must keep on deposit -- was increased by a quarter point to nine percent. (Posted @ 17:35 PST) Indian police defuse more bombs after weekend blasts NEW DELHI, July 29 (AFP) Indian police on Tuesday discovered at least seven bombs and were searching for others in a town in western Gujarat where a series of blasts killed 49 people last weekend, Indian media reported. Police found four more bombs in the diamond-processing city of Surat after earlier defusing three unexploded devices, the Press Trust of India news agency said. (Posted @ 16:45 PST) Pilot killed in Russian fighter jet crash MOSCOW, July 29 (AFP) A Russian Su-27 fighter jet crashed Tuesday in the country's far east, killing one member of its two-man crew, the Interfax news agency reported, citing a spokesman for the Russian air force. “One of the pilots ejected and the second died,” Lieutenant Colonel Vladimir Drik, an aide to the top commander of the air force, was quoted as saying by Interfax. The crash took place 12 kilometres north of Ussuriisk in Russia's Primorye region on the Pacific Ocean at 11:30 a.m. during a regularly scheduled flight, Drik said. (Posted @ 16:25 PST) Japan holds ballistic missile shield exercise in Tokyo TOKYO, July 29 (AP): Japan tested a ballistic missile defense unit in the center of Tokyo on Tuesday, stepping up preparations to secure the capital from what is seen as an increased threat from neighboring North Korea. The drill at the Defense Ministry headquarters in Tokyo involved land-to-air PAC-3 Patriot interceptors, official said. (Posted @ 13:25 PST) Petrol bombs found underneath Indonesia train JAKARTA, July 29 (Reuters): Police launched an investigation after a cache of 10 petrol bombs was found stashed underneath a train heading to the Indonesian capital Jakarta, officials said on Tuesday. The petrol bombs were detected on the executive train after it departed the West Java city of Cirebon, 225 km from Jakarta on Tuesday morning. “There were at least nine bottles with wicks and wrapped in black plastic attached to the train,” said a spokesman of the rail company. A police officersaid the petrol bombs had been removed at Jatibarang station for further investigation. (Posted @ 12:30 PST) Sri Lanka fighting kills 37: govt COLOMBO, July 29 (AFP): Sri Lankan troops killed at least 34 Tamil Tiger rebels for the loss of three of their own men in the latest reported clashes in the island's north, the defence ministry said Tuesday. Security forces fought with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in northern Wanni region where they have been trying to advance into rebel-held territory for weeks, the ministry said. It said an estimated 37 guerrillas were also wounded in the clashes on Monday while security forces suffered another 11 wounded. (Posted @ 11:30 PST) Four killed execution-style in Philippines COTABATO, July 29 (AFP): Armed men stopped a mini-bus carrying about 15 people n the southern Philippines and murdered four Christian male passengers execution-style, police said Tuesday. They said a fifth passenger, also taken off the bus was missing. Police and military sources said the killings took place in an area known to be a stronghold of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). (Posted @ 11:05 PST) Japanese woman goes on stabbing rampage, wounds 7 TOKYO, July 29 (AP): A Japanese woman went on a stabbing rampage at a crowded train station wounding seven men after failing to slash her own wrist, police said Tuesday. The woman attempted to cut her wrist with an army knife at a shopping mall near the train station in Hiratsuka, on Monday night, but someone bumped into her and she became angry, said police official Hidetoshi Yukitake. “She was screaming as she was slashing people at random,” Yukitake said. (Posted @ 10:15 PST) Two buses collide in eastern Philippines; 11 killed, 29 injured MANILA, July 29 (AP): A packed commuter bus strayed into the incoming lane and smashed head-on into another bus Tuesday, killing at least 11 people and injuring 29, police said. An official said the driver of the first bus may have been sleepy while negotiating the stretch of the highway in Pamplona township in eastern Camarines Sur province, which has been the site of many accidents.The crash happened before dawn Tuesday, he said. (Posted @ 09:50 PST) Three Guantanamo detainees transferred: Pentagon WASHINGTON, July 29 (AFP): The Pentagon announced Monday that three more detainees were transferred from its “war on terror” detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. One of the detainees was sent back to Afghanistan, another to United Arab Emirates, and the third to Qatar, it said in a statement. More than 65 detainees have been identified for transfer and release, but remain at Guantanamo while the State Department tries to get their home countries or third countries to take custody of them. Currently, there are about 265 detainees at Guantanamo, the Pentagon said. (Posted @ 09:05 PST) Karachi Stocks down 130.30 points: KARACHI, July 29: At close fo trading, the KSE-100 index was at 10448.19, down 130.30 points. (Bureau Report) (Updated @ 14:20 PST) Forex update: KARACHI, July 29: The Pakistani Rupee was traded at Rs 72 to the US Dollar in the open market. (Bureau Report) (Updated @ 14:20 PST)
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