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| August 11, 2008 | Monday | Sha’aban 8, 1429 |
Updated round-the-clock, with major updates after 10:00 PST (06:00 GMT)
 Indian troops shoot dead prominent Kashmir leader Sheikh Aziz, 7 others, injure 200 SRINAGAR, occupied Kashmir, Aug 11 (Agencies) - Indian troops on Monday shot dead prominent Kashmiri separatist leader Sheikh Abdul Aziz and 7 other protesters as they tried to halt huge Muslim demonstrations in the revolt-hit occupied Kashmir, police and witnesses said. At least 200 others were injured. Sheikh Abdul Aziz, a former militant turned moderate political leader, was killed while taking part in a protest march close to the Line of Control, which separates the Indian and Pakistani parts of the Himalayan region. A police official said at least 7 other protesters were killed in a day of fierce clashes in the disputed Kashmir valley. A doctor at Srinagar's main hospital, Manzoor Ahmed, confirmed Aziz died of a gunshot wound. “We will spill blood for blood,” Aziz's supporters chanted as they carried his body out of the hospital. Security forces immediately imposed a strict curfew in Srinagar. Aziz, 52, was a prominent member of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference. The shooting came as Indian security forces tried to prevent about 100,000 Muslims from marching towards the LoC -- one of the biggest protests ever seen in occupied Kashmir. The marchers had reached a point just 40 kilometres from the LoC.. Police said the day's violence had also left at least 200 people injured. Kashmiri separatist leaders had called the march to protest against an economic blockade of the Muslim-majority Kashmir valley by Hindu extremists in Jammu. The blockade causd shortages of essentials such as medicines. Fruit growers and traders had also vowed to cross the LoC so they can sell their produce in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Azad Kashmir. Aziz, who had been jailed on several occasions for demanding occupied Kashmir’s merger with Pakistan, is the third prominent separatist leader to have been killed since the eruption of the Muslim insurgency in 1989. Mirwaiz Molvi Mohammed Farooq was killed by unidentified gunmen in 1990. Another top separatist, Abdul Gani Lone, was gunned down in 2002. (First Posted @ 20:12 PST Updated @ 21:00 PST)  Parliament convenes as govt seeks Musharraf ouster ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Aug 11 (AP) - The Punjab Assembly on Monday adopted a resolution demanding President Pervez Musharraf step down as the ruling coalition geared up to impeach him. The provincial assembly passed the resolution by a big majority vote. It has no constitutional weight, but is intended to crank up political pressure on the longtime U.S. ally to resign. Provincial Law Minister Rana Sanaullah tabled the resolution that contends that Musharraf is “unfit” to serve as president, accusing him of violating the constitution, gross misconduct and economic mismanagement. It calls on the president to seek a vote of confidence from federal and provincial lawmakers or resign. The other three provincial assemblies are expected to tackle similar resolutions in the coming days after which an impeachment motion would be brought up in the National Assembly, or lower house, which convened in Islamabad for a new session on Monday, as coalition officials huddled to prepare a “charge sheet” against Musharraf whose spokesman on Sunday declared the president had a “clean track record” and would not resign. Tariq Azeem, spokesman for the main pro-Musharraf party, the Pakistan Muslim League (Q), said the charges against Musharraf were “baseless” and would only redouble the president's resolve to rebut the charges. “President Musharraf will prove all this wrong. There is no way he will quit now quietly while being blamed for corruption,” he said. (First Posted @ 19:02 PST Updated @ 19:56 PST) Pakistani clashes kill six civilians, 20 Taliban KHAR, Pakistan, Aug 11 (AFP) - Pakistani airstrikes killed at least six civilians in Bajaur tribal area bordering Afghanistan on Monday after fierce clashes in which 20 Taliban militants were killed, officials said. Jets pounded suspected militant hideouts after rebels attacked two security posts overnight, but some bombs hit civilian houses, they said. “The Taliban launched a big attack on Tor Ghundi fort and Iskandro post (in Bajaur). Security forces responded and 20 militants were killed,” a paramilitary official told AFP. A local security official said fighter jets and helicopter gunships were called in after the battle and carried out air strikes lasting more than three hours. “Some of the bombs dropped by jets on suspected militants' hideouts in Tauheedabad and Damadola villages also hit many houses killing six civilians and wounding 12 others,” the security official said. There was no immediate information about casualties to security forces. Residents said the fighting erupted at 1:00 am on Monday and bodies were scattered across farmland 20 kilometres east of Khar, the main town in Bajaur tribal region. Separately in the tribal area, militants kidnapped two men and dumped their headless bodies on Sunday with a note accusing them of “spying on Taliban activities”, residents and officials said. Pakistani military officials said on Sunday that nine soldiers and 100 militants had been killed in four days of fighting in Bajaur. Elsewhere on Sunday, militants shot dead a pro-government tribal in South Waziristan, another restive tribal district, local administration official Muwaz Khan said. Tribesmen blocked a key road leading out of South Waziristan to protest the killing, residents said. (First Posted @ 12:50 PST Updated @ 18:46 PST)  Ruling alliance confident of impeachment move passage ISLAMABAD, Aug 11 (APP): Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani chaired a joint meeting of the parliamentary parties of the ruling coalition on Monday during which it was decided to bring a unanimous impeachment motion in the parliament against the President. MNAs from PPP, PML-N, ANP and JUI-F as well as FATA attended the meeting. Briefing the media, Minister for Finance Syed Naveed Qamar said :“It has been decided that the incumbent session of the National Assembly would continue till the passage of impeachment motion or resignation by the president,”. (Posted @ 22:02 PST) Blast kills suspected bomber in northwest Pakistan PESHAWAR, Pakistan, Aug 11 (AFP): A suspected bomber was killed and his companion was injured Monday when a bomb they were planting exploded in the northwestern city of Peshawar, police said. The blast occurred near a hospital in Peshawar. “A man suspected to be the bomber was killed in the blast and another suspect was injured. He has been admitted to hospital,” police official Khurshid Khan told AFP. Bomb disposal officials said it was a bomb with a timer and had about half a kilogram of explosives. “It is not clear how the bomb detonated when it was apparently attached to a timer. There is a possibility that it short circuited because of rain,” bomb disposal squad chief Hukam Khan told AFP. (Posted @ 12:40 PST) Mirwaiz demands opening of Srinagar-Muzaffarabad route ISLAMABAD, Aug 11 (APP): Chairman of All Parties Hurriyet Conference, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Monday demanded opening of Srinagar-Muzaffarabad route by terming it a first step towards economic independence of Kashmiris. Talking to Dawn News) TV he said: “We want Srinagar-Muzaffarabad should be opened and this will be a first step towards economic independence of Kashmiri people”. He said opening of Srinagar-Muzaffarabad is also linked with the political future of the Kashmiri people. Mirwaiz said India many time in the past chocked the lifeline of Kashmiri's economy by blocking national highway which created shortage of basic amenities of life. ”It is our right to seek alternative ways and Srinagar-Muzaffarabad is natural route for trade and commerce for Kashmiri,” he said. (Posted @ 17:58 PST) Olympic Hockey: Pakistan lose 2-4 in opener BEIJING, Aug. 11 (APP): Pakistan lost 2-4 to Great Britain in their opening match of Olympics hockey competition here Monday. This was Pakistan’s first defeat against England in the Olympics. Missed opportunities caused the undoing of Pakistan who trailed 0-3 at half-time and failed to capitalize on open net chances besides six penalty corners. Pakistan will take on Canada on Wednesday. The following are the results of the Olympic men's field hockey matches played on Monday: Pool A-- Germany 4 (Christopher Zeller 21, Florian Keller 43, 54, Carlos Nevado 68); China 1 (Na Yubo 7); New Zealand 3 (Hayden Shaw 43, 57, 64), South Korea 1 (Lee Nam-Yong 12); Pool B-- Britain 4 (James Tindall 2, Rob Moore 14, Ashley Jackson 28, Matt Daly 63), Pakistan 2 (Shakeel Abbasi 47, Muhammad Waqas 60); Australia 6 (Des Abbott 15, 16, 54, Fergus Kavanagh 22, Eddie Ockenden 48, Grant Schubert 57), Canada 1 (Peter Short 38). (First Posted @ 18:06 PST Updated @ 18:48 PST) 37 killed in rains in Pakistan’s Punjab LAHORE, Aug 11 (APP)- The rain-flood related death toll swelled to 37 in the 10 districts of Punjab province, Director of Relief and Crisis Management, Mian Mohammad Akram told APP Monday adding that 3,472 houses were completely destroyed, standing crop over an area of 62013 acres was badly affected, and 90, 752 people were affected in the 171 villages of Muzaffargarh, Rajanpur, DG Khan and Mianwali districts. Rain and floods have also taken heavy toll of life and property in other parts of the country, mainly the NWFP and Balochistan. (Posted @ 18:16 PST) Eight more killed in Kurram inter-tribe clashes PARACHINAR, Pakistan, Aug 11 (APP): Eight more people were killed and 10 others were injured in fresh clashes between Mangal and Tori tribesmen in troubled Bilyamin and adjoining areas in Lower Kurram Agency, political authorities said Monday. The tribesmen are using heavy, light and automatic weapons in Bilyamin, Kuch and Munda areas as the clashes entered fifth day. (Posted @ 21:56 PST) Cricket: England beat South Africa by six wickets in final Test LONDON, Aug 11 (Reuters) - England beat South Africa by six wickets on the fifth day of the fourth and final test at The Oval on Monday. Scores: England 316 & 198-4 (Cook 67, Strauss 58), South Africa 194 & 318. South Africa won the series 2-1. (Posted @ 21:04 PST) Three killed in Kabul suicide attack targeting NATO KABUL, Aug 11 (AFP) - A Taliban suicide car bomber rammed a NATO-led military convoy in Kabul on Monday, killing at least three people and injuring 15 others. Three ISAF soldiers were wounded in the bombing on a busy road leading to several military bases in east Kabul, the force said. The attack was the second of the day in the Afghan capital. Earlier, a police officer was killed and two others were injured in a roadside bomb explosion on the southeastern outskirts of the city. (First Posted @ 19:18 PST Updated @ 20:24 PST) Three dead, six missing in Gaza tunnel collapse GAZA CITY, Aug 11 (AFP) - The bodies of three Palestinians have been recovered from a smuggling tunnel between Egypt and the Gaza Strip which collapsed at the weekend, while six people are missing, medics said Monday. The tunnel near the Rafah border crossing caved in on Saturday, burying the nine Palestinians, the medics said. (Posted @ 19:20 PST) Georgia says hundreds of Russians killed, 80 planes downed TBILISI, Aug 11 (AFP) - Georgian forces have killed several hundred Russian servicemen and shot down at least 80 Russian aircraft, President Mikheil Saakashvili said in a conference call with journalists on Monday. (Posted @ 19:12 PST) Olympics: Bindra wins India's first individual gold medal BEIJING, Aug 11 (APP/AFP) - Abhinav Bindra won India's first ever individual Olympic gold medal on Monday. Bindra, a 25-year-old businessman from Chandigarh, followed his world championship title of two years ago by grabbing the men's 10m Air Rifle shooting gold medal. Athens Games champion Zhu Qinan of China won the silver and Henri Hakkinen of Finland the bronze. (Posted @ 18:08 PST) Cricket: Sri Lanka clinch India Test series COLOMBO, Aug 11 (APP/AFP) - Sri Lanka beat India by eight wickets on the penultimate day of the third and final Test here on Monday to clinch the series 2-1. Brief scores: India 249 and 268; Sri Lanka 396 and 123-2. (Posted @ 17:50 PST) Australian forces capture Taliban leader Kabul, Aug 11 (PPI)- Australian special forces have captured a senior Taliban commander who was behind a wave of deadly roadside bombings. Mulla Bari Ghul was captured in an operation last week, reports The Australian. Australian defence sources said that no Australian soldiers or Afghan civilians were hurt in the operation. A Defence spokeswoman said Bari Ghul coordinated numerous attacks on both Afghan and international troops and facilitated the flow of money, equipment and foreign fighters into Afghanistan. He is being held at a Dutch detention facility. (Posted @ 17:44 PST) Russia keeps up attacks on Georgia TBILISI, Aug 11 (AFP): Russia kept up its attacks on Georgia in the early hours of Monday, ignoring appeals for a ceasefire. Russian planes bombed a special forces base and an air traffic control centre in the suburbs of Tbilisi, the Georgian capital, early Monday, an interior ministry spokesman said. Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili said Russian tanks were on Georgian territory outside South Ossetia and a “massive”aerial bombardment of the central Georgian city, Gori was taking place. He said Tbilisi had reports Russian troops and tanks were preparing a ground attack. The claim of a new offensive by Russia came after Georgia said it had ended its offensive in South Ossetia and offered a ceasefire and negotiations to Moscow, as French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner arrived in Tbilisi to spearhead mediation efforts. 40,000 displaced by Georgia unrest, says ICRC: About 40,000 people were forced from their homes due to continuing unrest in Georgia, an International Committee of the Red Cross spokeswoman told AFP. Referring to Russian estimates of the number of displaced people who fled South Ossetia for Russia, the spokeswoman said “the figure of 30,000 seems true” and added “inside Georgia, according to first estimates, it is more than 10,000.” Georgian attack boat sunk: MOSCOW: Russia on Sunday sank a Georgian naval vessel after it attacked Russian ships, a defence ministry official said Sunday, quoted by news agencies. (Posted @ 09:40 PST) Russia says 18 troops killed, four planes downed in Georgia MOSCOW, Aug 11 (AFP): Russia's armed forces have lost 18 soldiers and four aircraft in the conflict with Georgia, a senior Russian commander told a news conference Monday. “Total personnel losses on Georgian territory consist of 18 deaths including one officer and 17 sergeants and soldiers. Fifty-two people were injured,” deputy General Staff commander Anatoly Nogovitsyn said at a press conference. “Aviation losses consisted of four planes,” he added. Also, Russian president Dmitry Medvedev said a “major part” of Russian operations in South Ossetia has been completed, Russian news agencies reported Monday. “A major part of operations to force the Georgian side, the Georgian authorities, into peace in South Ossetia has been completed,” the reports quoted Medvedev as saying at a meeting with Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov. (First Posted @ 09:50 PST, Updated @ 15:55 PST) Two killed, 20 hurt as passenger bus overturns near Pakistan’s Khuzdar KHUZDAR, Pakistan, Aug 11 (APP): At least two people were killed and 20 others sustained critical injuries after a passenger bus going to Karachi overturned near Baghbana area of district Khuzdar in Balochistan province here Monday, police said. The speedy bus turned turtle after the driver failed to maintain his control on the bus while negotiating a sharp turn. (Posted @ 14:30 PST) Eight Turkish soldiers killed in landmine blast ISTANBUL, Aug 11 (Reuters): Eight Turkish soldiers were killed in a landmine explosion in the eastern Turkish province of Erzincan, broadcaster NTV said Monday. It said four soldiers were also injured in the blast. No further details were immediately available. (Posted @ 15:25 PST) Five women killed in Iraq roadside bombing BAQUBA, Iraq, Aug 11 (AFP): Five women were killed and three men wounded on Monday when a roadside bomb exploded next to their vehicle in the central Iraqi province of Diyala, a witness and a doctor said. The attack occurred as they were driving in a pick-up truck near Al-Wajihiyah, about 20 kilometres east of the city of Baquba, a passenger said. Ahmed Alwan, a doctor at the local hospital, said he had received the bodies of four women and that the fifth had died in the emergency room. (Posted @ 13:40 PST) US-led force kills eight civilians in Afghanistan KABUL, Aug 11 (AFP): Eight civilians were killed in an air strike by US-led troops that also killed 25 Taliban insurgents in southern Afghanistan, the force said Monday. Coalition troops had called in close-air support Sunday against insurgents Uruzgan province, it said. “Survivors reported that coalition aircraft dropped a bomb on the enemy position which killed eight of the civilians,” it said. (Posted @ 13:40 PST) Oil jumps above $116 on Russia-Georgia conflict SINGAPORE, Aug 11 (AP): Oil prices rebounded Monday in Asia to above $116 a barrel on concerns a widening conflict between Russia and Georgia over a breakaway province could disrupt supplies in the region. Light, sweet crude for September delivery rose $1.46 to $116.66 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange by midday in Singapore. The contract fell $4.82 on Friday to settle at $115.20 a barrel. “The market is watching what happens there closely,” said a senior commodity strategist. (Posted @ 12:55 PST) 130,000 people flee fighting in southern Philippines: govt MANILA, Aug 11 (AFP): Fighting between militants and troops in southern Philippines has forced about 130,000 people to flee their homes, the government said Monday. The National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) said 129,819 people had been displaced from 42 villages in North Cotabato province since the fighting began last week. The refugees are being housed in 43 government evacuation centres in the province in the southern island of Mindanao, said an NDCC executive officer. (Posted @ 10:55 PST) Pakistan intelligence helping Taliban: NATO general KABUL, Aug 11 (AFP): Pakistan's intelligence agency is helping the Taliban to pursue an insurgency in Afghanistan that has seen a 50 percent hike in attacks in some areas this year, the NATO commander here told AFP. The number of foreign fighters, including Europeans, is also increasing while NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) still lacks the soldiers it needs, claimed US General David D. McKiernan in a weekend interview. “There is a level of ISI complicity in the militant areas in Pakistan and organisations such as the Taliban,” the general said. “I can't say to what level of leadership that goes to but there are indications of complicity on the part of ISI... to the extent that they are facilitating militant groups that come out of the tribal areas in Pakistan.” McKiernan, who took command of the 53,000-strong ISAF force in June and led US troops into Iraq in 2003, said the increase in unrest in Afghanistan is in part because Afghan and international troops have pushed into new areas. He alleged insurgents had changed their tactics to operate in smaller groups carrying out more attacks while militant sanctuaries in Pakistan had been allowed to grow. He claimed these include men who are not Pashtuns. “Unfortunately we see a higher number of non-Pashtun, non-Afghanistan fighters this year than this time last year,” McKiernan said. (Posted @ 10:40 PST) 46 killed in fresh Sri Lanka fighting: military COLOMBO, Aug 11 (AFP): Sri Lankan security forces have stepped up attacks against Tamil Tiger rebels in the island's north, leaving at least 44 guerrillas dead for the loss of two soldiers, the military said Monday. Troops advanced into territory held by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) on three fronts in Wanni region on Sunday, military officials said.They said 10 soldiers were wounded in Sunday's fighting. There was no immediate word from the Tigers about the military's latest claims. (Posted @ 10:05 PST) Three killed, several injured in Mississippi bus crash JACKSON, Mississippi, Aug 11 (AP): A casino bus full of tourists overturned in northwestern Mississippi on Sunday, killing three people and injuring several others. The bus belonged to Harrah's Tunica casino and was carrying 43 people when it flipped over in a median at an intersection in Tunica, a Tunica County spokesman said. (Posted @ 09:25 PST) Karachi Stocks up 262.41 points: KARACHI, Aug 11: At close of trading, the KSE-100 index was at 10171.86, up 262.41 points. (Bureau Report) (Updated @ 14:15 PST) Forex update: KARACHI, Aug 11: The Pakistani Rupee was traded at Rs 74.3 to the US Dollar in the open market. (Bureau Report) (Updated @ 14:15 PST)
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