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| August 27, 2008 | Wednesday | Sha'aban 24, 1429 |
Updated round-the-clock, with major updates after 10:00 PST (05:00 GMT)
Two shot dead during Kashmir protests SRINAGAR, occupied Kashmir, Aug 27 (AFP): Indian security forces opened fire Wednesday on Muslim protesters demanding the end of New Delhi's occupation and rule in Kashmir, killing two people, officials said. “The security forces had to fire when protesters hurled stones and defied a curfew in Handwara,” a police spokesman said of the first death. He said in the ensuing clashes five security personnel were injured. Another Muslim man was killed in central Budgam district when protesters also targeted security forces with stones, police said. (Posted @ 23:48 PST)
German soldier killed in Afghan attack: FM BERLIN, Aug 27 (AFP): A German soldier was killed in an attack in Afghanistan Wednesday that also injured other German troops, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said. The attack occurred on the outskirts of the northern city of Kunduz. Steinmeier said two other German soldiers were slightly injured, while Defence Minister Franz Josef Jung said the number of injured was three. (Posted @ 23:05 PST)
Oil touches $119 as storm Gustav threatens LONDON, Aug 27 (Reuters): Oil rose for a third day on Wednesday, lifted by the possibility that Tropical Storm Gustav could become the first major storm since 2005 to threaten U.S. Gulf oil and gas installations. U.S. crude for October delivery was up $2.98 at $119.25 a barrel after adding $1.16 on Tuesday. London Brent crude gained $2.31 to $116.94 a barrel. Oil could head towards last week's near-three-week high of just above $122 a barrel in the next few days depending on Gustav's path, said Masaki Suematsu, analyst at broker Newedge in Tokyo. (Posted @ 22:30 PST)
Nearly 50 Taliban killed in Afghanistan: officials KHOST, Aug 27 (Reuters): An air strike killed 30 Taliban in southeastern Afghanistan and Afghan police killed 18 more militants in the south of the country, officials said Wednesday. International troops called in the air strike in which 30 Taliban fighters were killed after the militants attacked a convoy of foreign troops and Afghan forces in Sarobi district of Paktika province on Tuesday, the deputy provincial governor said. “Only six of our police were wounded in the Taliban attack,” he said, adding there were no casualties among foreign troops in the incident. Also on Tuesday, 18 Taliban were killed in a clash with police in Nad Ali district of southern Helmand province, the provincial police chief said. Separately on Tuesday, four police died when a roadside bomb hit their vehicle in Ghazni province. (First Posted @ 13:45 PST Updated @ 21:10 PST)
Nearly 50 militants killed in clash with Pakistan forces: officials KHAR, Pakistan, Aug 27 (AFP): Pakistani troops Wednesday killed up to 50 militants, including foreign fighters, near the troubled Afghan border, security officials said. More than 30 rebels died in Bajaur tribal district. “Security forces killed 25-30 militants, including some important commanders and foreigners in Bajaur's Raghan region,” a security official told AFP. In another clash, Pakistani helicopter gunships pounded militant hideouts Wednesday in a different part of Bajaur bordering Afghanistan, killing eight rebels and wounding 12 others, another official said. The army said in a statement Wednesday that 11 militants were killed in a gunbattle that broke out after a military checkpost came under rebel attack in South Waziristan tribal region. “Around 75-100 militants attacked a checkpost on the night of August 26-27. Security forces repulsed the attack. Reportedly 11 militants were killed and 15-20 others injured,” the statement said. (First Posted @ 14:40 PST Updated @ 21:04 PST)
US soldier dies in Baghdad BAGHDAD, Aug 27 (AP): The U.S. military said an American soldier had died of wounds suffered in a roadside bombing in northeast Baghdad. A U.S. statement said the soldier's vehicle was struck by a roadside bomb Tuesday. The soldier was rushed to a military hospital in Baghdad but died Wednesday. No further details were released. The latest death brings to 20 the number of American soldiers who have died in Iraq this month. That's up from the 13 deaths suffered in July but still well below monthly tolls of a year ago. (Posted @ 20:48 PST)
13 dead as Gustav lashes Haiti, Dominican Republic PORT-AU-PRINCE, Aug 27 (AFP): Tropical Storm Gustav stalled over Haiti on Wednesday, lashing the country with heavy rain after striking it with hurricane force and killing 13 people. The US National Hurricane Center warned that Gustav could regain hurricane strength on Thursday as it passes between Jamaica and the southeastern coast of Cuba, and oil prices rose on fears that the storm could strike installations in the Gulf of Mexico. The US southern coastal state of Louisiana's governor Bobby Jindal activated a storm crisis team and vowed to lead advance preparation efforts. (Posted @ 20:42 PST)
India scores 258 vs. Sri Lanka in fourth ODI COLOMBO, Aug 27 (AP): Suresh Raina and captain Mahendra Dhoni frustrated Sri Lanka with a 143-run partnership Wednesday to take India to 258 runs all out in the fourth one-day international. Sri Lanka fast bowler Thilan Thushara had a career-best 5-47. Raina top scored with 76 in 78 balls. Dhoni made 71 in 80 balls including four boundaries. (Posted @ 20:02 PST)
10 South Koreans die in Philippine car crash MANILA, Aug 27 (AP): Police said 10 South Korean passengers were killed after their van smashed into a warehouse along a road in the northern Philippines. Pangasinan provincial police director Isagani Nerez says the accident happened in Bolinao town. (Posted @ 19:54 PST)
Indian police told to shoot religious rioters BHUBANESWAR, Aug 27 (AFP): Indian police were ordered to shoot on sight to end Hindu-Christian clashes on Wednesday as Pope Benedict XVI “firmly condemned” violence that has killed at least nine people. Parts of eastern Orissa state have been rocked by Hindu-Christian clashes since Saturday, when a hardline Hindu holy leader and four other people were shot dead by unknown assailants. “We issued shoot-on-sight orders in the wake of large-scale violence,” despite a curfew imposed Monday, said a local administrator. Pope Benedict XVI “firmly condemned” the violence in Orissa. (Posted @ 19:38 PST)
Cricket: India all out for 258 COLOMBO, Aug 27 (AFP):India were bowled out for 258 in the fourth one-day international against Sri Lanka at the Premadasa Stadium here on Wednesday. (Posted @ 19:10 PST)
19 militants killed in clashes near Pakistan-Afghan border: officials KHAR, Aug 27 (AFP): Pakistani troops killed 19 militants in clashes near the Afghan border as the government struggled to combat an upsurge in Taliban bloodshed, officials said Wednesday. The army said in a statement that 11 militants were killed in a gunbattle that broke out after a military checkpost came under rebel attack in South Waziristan tribal region. “Around 75-100 militants attacked a checkpost on the night of August 26-27. Security forces effectively repulsed the attack. Reportedly 11 militants were killed and 15-20 others injured,” the statement said. Separately, Pakistani helicopter gunships pounded militant hideouts on Wednesday in the troubled Bajaur tribal region near the Afghan border, killing eight rebels. “Helicopters shelled militant hideouts in the Salarzai and Nawagai areas of Bajaur tribal region today, killing eight militants and wounding 12 others,” a security official told AFP. (First Posted @ 14:40 PST Updated @ 19:06 PST)
Cricket: Injury forces Mushtaq retirement LONDON, Aug 27 (AFP): Sussex's legendary former Pakistan international spinner Mushtaq Ahmed confirmed Wednesday that he has been forced to retire because of a persistent knee injury. Mushtaq won three county championships, a C&G Trophy and the Totesport Division Two title with Sussex but after a season plagued by injury problems, he has decided to call it a day. The 38-year-old has been one of the driving forces behind the county's success during his six years at Hove - taking 598 wickets in all competitions. (Posted @ 19:02 PST)
Swiss government opposes minaret ban ahead of vote BERN, Aug 27 (AP): The Swiss government is opposing an initiative to ban the construction of minarets at Islamic prayer houses in the country. The Federal Council recommended Wednesday rejecting the ban when it goes to popular referendum in two months. The government said the proposal violates human rights and the Swiss constitution. The coalition government includes all major political factions except the right-wing Swiss People's Party. It is the strongest in the country and most supportive of the ban. (Posted @ 18:42 PST)
Police official: 11 labourers die in Dubai fire DUBAI, Aug 27 (AP): A Dubai police official said that a fire in a building packed with foreign labourers had killed 11 people. India's Consul in Dubai, Venu Rajamony, said 10 of the victims were Indian. The police official, from Dubai's criminal investigation department, said Tuesday's blaze engulfed a house in the city's commercial district. He said up to 1,000 labourers were crammed in the 30-room building just behind a police station. International rights organizations have long criticized appalling conditions and safety standards for foreign laborers, mostly Asians, who work in the oil-rich Gulf. (Posted @ 18:36 PST)
11 militants killed, 20 injured in clash with security forces in S.Waziristan RAWALPINDI, Aug 27 (APP): Eleven militants were killed and almost 20 injured in an exchange of fire with security forces in South Waziristan Agency. A statement issued by the ISPR, said that on the night between August 26-27 at about 2330 hours, around 75 to 100 militants attacked Tiarza Fort and Tiarza Bridge Checkpost in South Waziristan Agency. Security Forces responded effectively and repulsed the attack. At least 11 militants were killed and around 20 injured in the clash. (Posted @ 17:00 PST)
Vaas takes 400 one-day wickets COLOMBO, Aug 27 (AP): Sri Lanka seamer Chaminda Vaas on Wednesday became the fourth bowler to take 400 career wickets in one-day international cricket. The 34-year-old Vaas, playing in his 322nd match, dismissed Yuvraj Singh caught by Mahela Jayawardene at short mid-wicket to reach the milestone at R.Premadasa Stadium, Colombo. (Posted @ 16:50 PST)
Hijackers hold crew after freeing Sudan jet passengers TRIPOLI, Aug 27 (Reuters): Hijackers who freed all the passengers from a Sudanese plane on Wednesday are still holding seven crew members, Libya's Civil Aviation Authority said. “The hijackers still have with them the seven crew in the plane. We are pursuing negotiations with the hijackers,” a top official from the Authority told Reuters. Libyan authorities said earlier there were at least 10 hijackers. (First Posted @ 09:00 PST Updated @ 16:46 PST)
Gunmen kidnap Israeli in Nigerian oil city PORT HARCOURT, Aug 27 (Reuters): Gunmen kidnapped an Israeli expatriate from his residence in Nigeria's oil hub of Port Harcourt, a security official in the restive Niger Delta region said Wednesday. The security source said the Israeli was abducted on Tuesday evening. No group has yet claimed responsibility. More than 200 foreigners have been seized in the Niger Delta, the heart of the country's oil sector, since early 2006. Almost all have been released unharmed. (Posted @ 16:40 PST)
Cricket: India win toss, bat first v Sri Lanka in 4th ODI COLOMBO, Aug 27 (Reuters): India won the toss and chose to bat first in the fourth one-day international against Sri Lanka on Wednesday. India fielded the same team that won the third one-dayer on Sunday while Sri Lanka made one change, replacing middle order batsman Chamara Silva with opening bat Malinda Warnapura. The match had originally been scheduled to be played on Tuesday but was postponed due to rain. India lead the five-match series 2-1. (Posted @ 15:55 PST)
Fifth arrest over alleged plot to kill British PM LONDON, Aug 27 (AFP): British police have arrested a fifth man over a suspected plot to assassinate Prime Minister Gordon Brown, they said on Wednesday. The 29-year-old suspect was detained Tuesday under anti-terrorism legislation in Derby, central England, where detectives searched a property. Four other men are already in custody: three were arrested at Manchester Airport and Acrrington in northwest England on August 14, while another was detained in nearby Blackburn on Tuesday. (Posted @ 15:22 PST)
Pakistan Army kills eight more militants in Bajaur: official KHAR, Pakistan, Aug 27 (AFP): Pakistani helicopter gunships pounded militant hideouts on Wednesday in Bajaur, killing eight rebels, officials said. “Helicopters shelled militant hideouts in the Salarzai and Nawagai areas of Bajaur tribal region today, killing eight militants and wounding 12 others,” a security official told AFP on condition of anonymity. The three-week-old military operation has left more than 500 people dead and 260,000 displaced in the region. (Posted @ 14:40 PST)
Zimbabwe to form new government: Mugabe HARARE, Aug 27 (AFP): Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe says he will form a new government, despite a deadlock in the country's power-sharing negotiations with the opposition, a state daily said Wednesday. “We shall soon be setting up a government,” Mugabe was quoted as saying in the Herald newspaper following the opening of parliament Tuesday. “The MDC (Movement for Democratic Change) does not want to come in apparently.” (Posted @ 14:35 PST)
Five killed in occupied Kashmir shooting SRINAGAR, Aug 27 (AFP): Indian troops killed one of three militants who barricaded themselves inside a house after attacking an army post in Jammu on Wednesday, police said. The attackers, wearing camouflage dress, opened fire on an army post in the outskirts of Jammu, killing one officer and injuring two other soldiers, they said. The soldiers retaliated but the militants escaped in a taxi rickshaw and later killed its driver and two other civilians, a police spokesman said. The Jammu police chief said the militants were cornered in a house, where some civilians were also present. “We have killed one of the three militants as he tried to force his way out by resorting to heavy fire,” he said. (Posted @ 14:30 PST)
New Chief Justice Sindh High Court, judges take oath KARACHI, Aug 27 (PPI): Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan on Wednesday administered an oath to Justice Anwer Zaheer Jamali as Chief Justice of Sindh High Court at a ceremony conducted at Governor House. Earlier, Acting Chief Justice of Sindh High Court Justice Azizullah Memon administered oath to Justice Anwer Zaheer Jamali as Judge of the High Court of Sindh. Later, the newly-sworn in Chief Justice Anwer Zaheer Jamali administered oath to new judges including Justice Khilji Arif Hussain, Justice Anwer Hani Muslim, Justice Faisal Arab and Justice Sajjad Ali Shah. The Chief Justice also administered oath to new additional judges of SHC including Justice Zafar Ahmed Sherwani, Justice Salman Ansari and Justice A Rasheed Kalwar. (Posted @ 14:20 PST)
Zardari nominated for being symbol of federation: PM Gilani ISLAMABAD, Aug 27 (APP): Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Wednesday said the country's president should be the symbol of federation, adding that Asif Ali Zardari’s nomination as the presidential candidate was made on the same principle. The Prime Minister made the comments to reporters after meeting Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao, the chief of PPP (Sherpao), at his residence to seek his faction's support for Asif Ali Zardari in the upcoming presidential election. He added that all political parties in the Balochistan supported the PPP’s nominee for president and that the nation would soon receive “good news about Balochistan.” (Posted @ 14:10 PST)
30 suspected Taliban, four policemen killed in Afghanistan KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, Aug 27 (AP): More than 30 Taliban fighters and four policemen were killed in a series of clashes, airstrikes and bombings in Afghanistan, officials said Wednesday. A group of Taliban fighters attacked a police checkpoint in Nad Ali district of southern Helmand province on Tuesday, sparking a clash that killed 18 militants, a provincial police chief said. There were no casualties among Afghan troops, he said. U.S.-led coalition troops, meanwhile, clashed and called in airstrikes against militants in the same province, killing more than a dozen insurgents, the coalition said in a statement. Separately, a roadside bomb in the central Ghazni province hit a police vehicle, killing four officers on Tuesday, said Sayed Ismail Jahangir, a government official said. A suicide bomber, meanwhile, blew himself up next to a British military patrol outside Lashkar Gah on Tuesday, wounding three civilians, police said. The NATO-led force said they sustained no casualties from the bombing. (Posted @ 13:45 PST)
Curfew imposed parts of South Waziristan WANA, Pakistan, Aug 27 (Reuters): Pakistani authorities imposed a curfew in parts of South Waziristan on Wednesday following an attack by militants the previous night. Militants attacked on a military post east of the region's main town of Wana on Tuesday night, but there were no immediate reports of casualties. The government responded by imposing a curfew. “The curfew has been imposed for an indefinite period,” said Shahab Ali Shah, the top government official in the region. Security forces were patrolling and had set up check points on main routes but witnesses said Taliban militants were ignoring the order and wandering around the town centre. (Posted @ 13:10 PST)
Body of abducted Japanese aid worker found: official JALALABAD, Afghanistan, Aug 27 (AFP): Police on Wednesday found the bullet-riddled body of a Japanese aid worker kidnapped the day before in eastern Afghanistan, a district governor said. “We found the abducted Japanese man minutes ago. He has been shot several times,” Kuz Kunar’s district governor told AFP. Kazuya Ito, 31, was kidnapped in the district on Tuesday as he headed to carry out his daily inspection of an irrigation project, officials said. (First Posted @ 12:30 PST, Updated 13:00 PST)
Body of abducted Japanese aid worker found: official JALALABAD, Afghanistan, Aug 27 (AFP): Police on Wednesday found the bullet-riddled body of a Japanese aid worker kidnapped the day before in eastern Afghanistan, a district governor said. (Posted @ 12:30 PST)
Tamil Tiger air raid wounds 10 sailors; 27 separatists killed in Sri Lanka ground clashes COLOMBO, Aug 27 (AP) Separatist Tamil Tigers wounded at least 10 sailors in a brazen airstrike on a key harbor controlled by the navy in eastern Sri Lanka, while clashes in the north killed 27 separatists and two soldiers, the military said Wednesday. Two bombs dropped by a single Tamil Tiger light aircraft fell on into the naval base dockyard in the eastern port city of Trincomalee Tuesday night, military spokesman Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara said. Ten soldiers were wounded by shrapnel from the blast, Nanayakkara said. He said the base was not damaged in the attack. Separatist spokesman Rasiah Ilanthirayan could not be reached for comment Wednesday. Nanayakkara said ground battles Tuesday in the northern regions of Jaffna, Vavuniya, Mullaitivu, Kilinochchi and Welioya killed 27 separatists and two soldiers. (Posted @ 11:05 PST)
One dead after small planes collide in Australia MELBOURNE, Aug 27 (AP) One person was killed after two small planes collided mid-air on Wednesday, causing one to crash into the backyard of a house in Australia, police said. The other plane was able to land safely at nearby Moorabbin Airport south of Melbourne. (Posted @ 10:51 PST)
Strong earthquake hits Russia's Lake Baikal MOSCOW, Aug 27 (AFP) A strong 6.3 magnitude earthquake hit the southern part of Russia's Lake Baikal Wednesday, causing brief power and phone outages in the nearby city of Irkutsk, the RIA news agency said. No casualties or serious damage were reported. The US Geological Survey said it measured the quake at 6.3 on the moment magnitude scale which struck 64 kilometres south of Irkutsk at a depth of 10 kilometres. The local Russian seismological centre measured the quake at 6.0 on the Richter scale, adding that moderate tremors of up to 5.0 magnitude were felt in Irkutsk. (Posted @ 10:50 PST)
Militants kill four in occupied Kashmir SRINAGAR, occupied Kashmir, Aug 27 (AFP) Suspected militants Wednesday opened fire on an army post in occupied Kashmir’s Jammu region, killing four people, including one soldier, police said. “The attack killed four people and injured several others,” a police spokesman said. “The Indian army, backed by police and paramilitary forces, has launched a major operation to eliminate these militants,” he said. (Posted @ 10:46 PST)
Dr. Aafia Siddiqui’s son believed to be in custody of Afghan officials NEW YORK, Aug 27 (AP) The 11-year-old son of Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani woman accused of trying to shoot a U.S. Army captain, is believed to be in custody, U.S. authorities confirmed Tuesday. U.S. Attorney Michael Garcia notified a defence lawyer for Aafia in a letter dated Friday that the boy, believed to be U.S. citizen Ahmed Siddiqui, was taken into custody in mid-July when authorities arrested his mother outside an Afghan governor's compound. Garcia said authorities can't say for sure because the boy claimed that his parents were killed in Pakistans October 2005 earthquake and that he had been traveling with Aafia since then, though he knew her as Saliha. Garcia said FBI agents last Thursday compared pictures of Aafia’s three children with the boy and realized he might be her son. He said a preliminary DNA analysis demonstrated that the boy was Aafia’s son, but further tests were under way to ensure the finding was correct. A copy of the letter, addressed to defence lawyer Elizabeth Fink, was released by the government Tuesday, though some parts of it were blacked out. The U.S. government has said Aafia was with a teenage boy when she was taken into custody in Afghanistan. Garcia said the boy has been in the custody of Afghan officials since July 17. One of Aafia’s lawyers, Elaine Whitfield Sharp, said if the boy is her son he should be returned to his relatives. Aafia Siddiqui, who has pleaded not guilty, is scheduled to appear in court again next month. (Posted @ 10:40 PST)
Thai police, protesters clash briefly BANGKOK, Aug 27 (AP) Thousands of demonstrators occupying the Thai prime minister's office compound beat back an effort by riot police to remove them Wednesday and vowed to stay until the government resigns. Protesters who accuse Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej of corruption and of being a proxy for his disgraced predecessor have camped in a huge garden outside Government House offices in Bangkok since scaling fences there Tuesday afternoon. They have remained peaceful and have not tried to enter any government buildings. About 500 helmeted riot police forced their way into the compound overnight, briefly clashing with protesters. But the police later backed off from the confrontation, while establishing themselves inside the compound and mingling with protesters at the perimeter. The protest organizers, the People's Alliance of Democracy, accuse Samak of being too close to former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a 2006 coup and faces several pending corruption cases. (Posted @ 10:25 PST)
21 killed in clashes in Turkey ANKARA, Aug 27 (AP) Turkish troops killed 16 Kurdish separatists in clashes Tuesday in Turkey's southeast, authorities said. Five pro-government village guards were also killed. The office of the governor of Bitlis province said 14 separatists were killed in a clash with Turkish soldiers aided by village guards near the town of Mutki. Five guards were also killed. Two other separatists were killed Tuesday near the city of Mardin. Separatists in the Kurdish-dominated southeast have been fighting for autonomy since 1984. Tens of thousands have been killed in the fighting. (Posted @ 10:05 PST)
Six killed in India religious riots BHUBANESWAR, India, Aug 27 (Reuters) Six people were killed when Hindu and Christian mobs clashed Tuesday in eastern India, where dozens of churches have been vandalized in spiraling religious violence. Authorities imposed a curfew in nine towns of Orissa state’s Kandhamal district in an effort to end two days of violence. Orissa officials said at least four people, including a woman, were killed in Kandhamal's Barakhama village when Hindus and Christians clashed and shot at each other. “Police broke up the two groups and brought the situation under control,” said Satyabrata Sahoo, a top administrative official said. Two more bodies were found in a separate village in the district late on Tuesday, both killed a day earlier, Kishan Kumar, administrative head of Kandhamal district said. Violence erupted after unidentified men killed a Hindu leader linked to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and four others last week. (Posted @ 09:40 PST)
Eight killed, three more decapitated in northern Mexico violence MEXICO CITY, Aug 27 (AFP) Hitmen killed eight people, including five members of one family, in Mexico's northern Chihuahua state, officials said Tuesday, as police found three decapitated bodies in a rubbish dump in Tijuana. In the attack in Chihuahua state, a group of armed men stormed a family meeting on a ranch, killing five, the state prosecutor's office said. (Posted @ 09:35 PST)
Israel arrests Israeli peace activist for entering Gaza SDEROT, Israel, Aug 27 (Reuters) Police Tuesday arrested an Israeli peace activist who had sailed to the Gaza Strip to challenge Israel's blockade of the coastal enclave. They accused Jeff Halper, who also has U.S. citizenship, of violating a ban on Israelis entering Gaza. Halper was among 44 “Free Gaza” activists from 17 countries who sailed in two boats from Cyprus to the Gaza Strip Saturday in defiance of the blockade. The activists plan to sail back to Cyprus on Thursday and have vowed to take several Palestinians with them, including students prevented by Israel from leaving Gaza to study abroad. Halper spent three days in the territory before entering Israel through the Erez border crossing, where he was arrested. (Posted @ 09:30 PST)
Two Guantanamo detainees transferred to Algeria: Pentagon WASHINGTON, Aug 27 (AFP) Two detainees at the Guantanamo war-on-terror jail were recently transferred to Algeria, the US Department of Defence said Tuesday. The department declined to identify the two prisoners or provide other details, but said they were transferred to Algeria in July. “These detainees were determined to be eligible for transfer following a comprehensive series of review processes,” the department said in a statement. Some 260 detainees remain at the center in a US enclave in Cuba, with 65 awaiting repatriation, according to the Pentagon. More than 500 have been freed or transferred to other countries from Guantanamo since 2002, the Pentagon said. (Posted @ 09:25 PST)
Strong earthquake rattles Peruvian jungle WASHINGTON, Aug 27 (AFP) A strong earthquake shook Peru's central, eastern jungle region Tuesday, the US Geological Survey said. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries. The 6.3-magnitude quake struck at 04:00 p.m., at a depth of 152 kilometers, with its epicenter located at 93 kilometers north of the jungle town of Pucallpa, or 580 kilometers northeast of Lima. (Posted @ 09:20 PST)
China chemical plant blast death toll rises to 16 BEIJING, Aug 27 (Reuters) The death toll from a series of explosions which ripped through a chemical plant in southern China has risen to 16 after rescuers found five more bodies, Xinhua news agency said Wednesday. Another six people were missing, and 57 injured after the blasts early Tuesday at the factory in Guangxi's Yizou city, Xinhua reported. Some 11,500 residents were forced to evacuate the area. A blaze, which had spread over more than 10,000 square metres, has been extinguished, Xinhua said. (Posted @ 09:10 PST)
Sudanese hijackers from Darfur rebel faction TRIPOLI, Aug 27 (AFP) The hijackers of a Sudanese plane with more than 100 passengers on board have said they are from a Darfur rebel group, the director of Libyan airport where the aircraft stopped said Wednesday. The hijackers, who had not previously identified themselves or made any demands except for fuel, have said they belong to the Sudanese Liberation Army faction of Abdel Wahid Mohammed Nur, who lives in Paris, and apparently want to fly there, said the director of the Kufra military airport in southeastern Libya. “The plane's pilot has indicated that the pirates, who number 10 or maybe more, have said they belong to the Sudanese Liberation Army of Abdel Wahid Mohammed Nur,” Khaled Saseya was quoted as saying by the Jana news agency. The pilot said “the pirates claim to have coordinated with him (Nur) to join him in Paris,” he added. The passenger jet was hijacked Tuesday shortly after takeoff from the Sudans Darfur region and landed in Libya. The Sun Air Boeing 737 took off from Nyala, the largest city in Darfur, at 04:40 pm and was bound for Khartoum, airline officials said. (Posted @ 09:00 PST)
Hurricane Gustav kills five in Haiti, aims at Cuba PORT-AU-PRINCE, Aug 27 (AFP) Hurricane Gustav slammed into Haiti Tuesday, killing at least five as it lashed the Caribbean nation with powerful winds and heavy rain. Gustav, a Category One hurricane, was headed next toward Jamaica and Cuba, then into the Gulf of Mexico on the weekend, where it could threaten offshore oil rigs. At least five people died and seven were injured in southeast Haiti as roofs flew off houses and electricity pylons were ripped away by violent winds, authorities said late Tuesday. Gustav was packing sustained winds of 150 kilometers per hour, with higher gusts, the Miami-based National Hurricane Center said in a statement. Gustav formed over the Caribbean Sea on Monday, becoming the seventh tropical storm of the June-November 2008 Atlantic hurricane season. (Posted @ 08:40 PST)
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