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January 14, 2009

Wednesday

Muharram 16, 1430

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

Hamas talks on ceasefire, Gaza death toll passes 1,000 Wednesday, 14 Jan, GAZA: Hamas officials were negotiating a ceasefire on Wednesday as Israeli forces kept up pressure in the Gaza Strip, where the Palestinian death toll rose above 1,000 after 19 days of air and ground attacks. Intensive talks took place in Cairo on an Egyptian truce proposal, but sticking points remained. A senior Beirut-based Hamas official, Osama Hamdan, told Al Jazeera television: 'There are still points of difference on the initiative.' Ayman Taha, a Hamas official working with Egyptian mediators in Cairo, was due to give a news conference at 08:00 p.m. Speaking to Reuters, he declined to say whether he would announce an agreement, saying only: 'Hamas has accepted Egyptian efforts to achieve a ceasefire and lift the blockade.' (Posted @ 22:57 PST)

India, Pakistan managing tensions: US Wednesday, 14 Jan, WASHINGTON: The US State Department said Wednesday that Pakistan and India have so far managed to control tensions over the November Mumbai bombings, despite the deployment of troops to their common border. In New Delhi, the head of India's army, General Deepak Kapoor, confirmed Wednesday that Pakistan has redeployed troops along the two countries' tense border but said he regarded war as a 'last resort.' State Department spokesman Sean McCormack told reporters that India and Pakistan have so far managed the tensions well when asked if the United States was concerned about the latest troop movements. (Posted @ 22:50 PST)

NA discusses nuclear command, other issues Wednesday, 14 Jan, ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly was informed on Wednesday that the country’s nuclear command and control structure is in place and that Pakistan's nuclear assets are in safe hands. 'The propaganda being unleashed by some international papers carries no weight,' Federal Minister for Privatisation Syed Naveed Qamar, while responding to a point of order raised in the House by Ahsan Iqbal, said. Ahsan Iqbal had drawn attention of the House to a report titled 'Alarm on Pakistan’s nuclear controls' published in the International Herald Tribunal and reproduced by the New York Times saying that conspiracies were being hatched to de-nuclearise Pakistan after proving it to be an irresponsible state. (Posted @ 22:32 PST)

Kurd urges every Pakistani to participate in long march HYDERABAD: Addressing members of Hyderabad District Bar Association (HDBA) here Wednesday, President Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) Ali Ahmed Kurd said the lawyers’ sit-on of March 9 will be the biggest political event of the country and it will be entirely different from previous one. He asked the government to reinstate the deposed chief justice and other judges to their November 2, 2007 position.President High Court Bar Association (HCBA) Abdul Sattar Kazi, president HDBA Bashir Gujjar, secretary HDBA Nisar Durrani, HCBA joint secretary Ayaz Tunio and vice president Abdul Rehman Sheikh were also present.(Posted 21:25 PST)

Talks on EU-Israel ties frozen amid Gaza war JERUSALEM: The European Union and Israel are to freeze talks on upgrading relations in the light of the war in the Gaza Strip, officials from both sides said on Wednesday.'There is a time-out in the furthering of the upgrading of bilateral relations,' Ramiro Cibrian-Uzal, the head of the European Commission delegation to Israel told reporters.'Both sides decided it was appropriate to take a time out. Both sides realise it is a convenient time for a time-out,' Cibrian-Uzal said.(Posted @ 21:20 PST)

Eight killed in South Korea karaoke bar fire SEOUL: Eight people were killed and a ninth was seriously injured in a fire at a karaoke bar in the South Korean city of Busan on Wednesday, police said.They said dozens of other customers escaped the blaze which broke out in mid-evening in the Youngdo district of the southern port city. The cause of the fire was not yet known.(Posted @ 20:55 PST)

Pakistani squash players threw matches: coach ISLAMABAD: Two Pakistani junior squash players, Waqar Mehboob and Shoaib Hasan, deliberately threw away their matches in the recently concluded British Junior Open Squash Championship, alleged the coach of the team Faheem Gul.Pakistan junior squash team returned home after putting up a poor show in the recently concluded British Junior Championship held in Sheffield, England from Jan 2-6. Seven Pakistani players participated in the four-day event in U-15, U-17 and U-19 categories.(Posted @ 20:55 PST)

Bolivia severs diplomatic ties with Israel over Gaza LA PAZ: President Evo Morales announced Wednesday that Bolivia had broken off diplomatic ties with Israel in protest at its deadly attacks in the Gaza Strip.'I would like to announce that Bolivia had diplomatic relations with Israel (and) given these grave crimes against life and humanity, Bolivia is breaking off diplomatic relations with Israel,' the president said.Morales, a socialist, is a close ally of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez who Jan 6 decided to expel Israel's ambassador from Caracas.(Posted 20:30 PST)

Indonesian cargo vessel sinks, nine missing JAKARTA: Nine crew members were missing after an Indonesian cargo vessel sank in heavy seas off the coast of Sumatra's Bangka Belitung province, an official said Wednesday.Four of the Bangka Jaya Express's 13 crew members were rescued, Choyriah Bari, head of the Pangkalbalam Port Authority's marine traffic unit, told AFP.'One of them broke an arm, another had breathing difficulties. The other two were too traumatised to speak. We are still looking for the others,' she said.(Posted @ 19:30 PST)

Thousands rally in Quetta over police killings QUETTA: Thousands of people protested in Quetta on Wednesday after four police officers were shot dead in what an official said was a sectarian attack against Shias.The four officers were killed when gunmen riding a motorbike sprayed their vehicle with bullets on a main road on the outskirts of Quetta, the capital of restive gas-rich Balochistan province, which borders Afghanistan and Iran.The province, which has been in the grips of an insurgency for more than four years, has also been the scene of sectarian attacks between Sunnis and Shias.(Posted 19:30 PST)

Russia lashes Ukraine on gas, demands EU action MOSCOW: Russia accused Ukraine Wednesday of holding Europe 'hostage' by blocking efforts to resume gas supply to desperate people and demanded forceful EU intervention to get deliveries moving again.Ukraine hit back, charging that Russia had deliberately chosen a gas transit route through Ukraine that made it technically impossible for shipments to Europe to pass through the country's Soviet-era pipeline network.While millions of people in Europe began a second week of suffering as a result of the sudden cutoff of Russian gas supply, leaders of two EU states travelled to the region to confront Russian and Ukrainian political leaders.(Posted @ 18:50 PST)

India arrests top HuM leader in Kashmir SRINAGAR: Indian police arrested a senior guerrilla leader and founder member of Kashmir's largest militant group on Wednesday, police said.Mohammad Ahsan Dar, former chief and founder member of Hizbul Mujahideen was arrested in a raid near Sumbal area north of Srinagar.Hizbul Mujahideen, the largest and most active militant group in Indian-administered Kashmir for almost two decades, wants Kashmir to become part of Pakistan. India and Pakistan both claim the region in full but rule it in part.(Posted 18:20 PST)

Osama Bin Laden calls for jihad over Gaza DUBAI: Al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden called for jihad (holy struggle) over the Israeli offensive in Gaza in a new audio tape that appeared on Islamist websites on Wednesday, Reuters reported.The Saudi-born militant said the global financial crisis had exposed the waning U.S. influence in world affairs and would in turn weaken its ally Israel.‘Our brothers in Palestine, you have suffered a lot.... the Muslims sympathise with you in what they see and hear. We, the mujahedeen, sympathise with you also...’ bin Laden said in the tape entitled ‘A Call for Jihad to Stop the Aggression against Gaza’.(Posted @ 17:50 PST)

Karachi gets back to back games Wednesday, 14 Jan, ISLAMABAD: Karachi will host back to back one-day internationals between Pakistan and Sri Lanka, following the Pakistan Cricket Board's revision of the tour schedule Wednesday at Sri Lanka's request. Sri Lanka will now play two one-day internationals on Jan. 20 and Jan. 21 at the National Stadium in Karachi, with Lahore hosting the final match of the series on Jan. 24. ‘Sri Lanka requested us to change the program which we have done accordingly,’ PCB's chief operating officer Salim Altaf said. Earlier, the matches were scheduled to be played at Karachi (Jan. 21), Lahore (Jan. 24) and Multan (Jan. 27). (Posted @ 14:12 PST)

UN chief arrives in Cairo Wednesday, 14 Jan, CAIRO: UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon arrived in Cairo on Wednesday at the start of a regional tour aimed at ending the devastating war in the Gaza Strip. Ban was to meet Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak who, along with his senior intelligence officials, has been at the forefront of efforts to mediate a truce between Israel and the Islamist Hamas which controls the Gaza Strip. Ban's trip comes amid fears of an escalation of the conflict, now in its 19th day and with almost 1,000 Palestinians killed, after a second rocket attack in less than a week from Lebanon hit northern Israel on Wednesday. (Posted @ 01:11 PST)

Gunmen kill four police officials in Quetta Wednesday, 14 Jan, QUETTA: Gunmen riding a motorbike sprayed a police vehicle with bullets in southwest Pakistan on Wednesday, killing four officers, police said. The incident took place on a main road on the outskirts of Quetta. 'Unidentified gunmen riding a motorbike opened fire on a police vehicle while it was on its way to police training school, killing four police officers,' senior police official Humayun Jogezai told AFP. Jogezai said no one had claimed responsibility for the attack, in which one high-ranking police official also sustained serious injuries. (Posted @ 12:09 PST)

Chaman supply route opened following negotiations Wednesday, 14 Jan, CHAMAN: A key route for NATO supply trucks through southwest Pakistan into Afghanistan reopened Wednesday five days after tribesmen blocked it over the killing of a man in a drugs raid, police said. Hundreds of trucks and tankers have been stranded since Friday along the highway between Quetta and the border town of Chaman due to the tribesmen's blockade in the rural town of Qila Abdullah. The men were protesting at the recent killing of a tribesman during a joint raid by Pakistani paramilitary forces, anti-narcotics police and intelligence agents. ‘The tribesmen have lifted the road blocks and the highway is open for all traffic,’ senior police official Hammad Shakil told AFP, although he said the drivers were waiting for snow to be cleared from the road. ‘The tribesmen were assured by higher authorities that investigations would be carried out and those responsible for the killing would be taken to task, after which they lifted the blockade,’ he said. (Posted @ 11:32 PST)

Israel forges on in bloody Gaza street battles Wednesday, 14 Jan, GAZA CITY: Israel’s army fought street battles with Hamas fighters in Gaza’s main city on Tuesday and bombarded the southern border from the air as the death toll from its war on Hamas neared the 1,000 mark. ‘This is the 18th day of the Israeli aggression against our people, which is becoming more ferocious each day as the number of victims rises,’ Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas said as terrified Gaza residents fled for their lives. ‘Israel is keeping up this aggression to wipe out our people over there,’ added Abbas, speaking from his base in the West Bank. Israeli special forces backed by tanks and air strikes barrelled their way ever deeper into Gaza’s City, advancing several hundred metres into several neighbourhoods in the south, witnesses said. The thud of tank shells and the crackle of gunfire echoed through much of the day. Although there were no reports of air strikes in the evening, residents reported extensive gunbattles in Zeitun neighbourhood and Jabaliya refugee camp on the city outskirts, where Apache helicopter gunships were also in action. (Posted @ 08:06 PST)

Biden travels to Iraq's north after meeting PM Wednesday, 14 Jan, KIRKUK: US vice president-elect Joe Biden, on a trail-blazing visit to Iraq ahead of Barack Obama's inauguration, met Tuesday with Iraq's prime minister before travelling to the troubled city of Kirkuk. After talks with Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki in Baghdad, the Delaware senator arrived in the oil-rich city where he met governor Abdul Rahman Mustafa and his deputy Rakan Saeed al-Juburi. ‘Solving the main issues of Kirkuk is a major issue for the United States government in Iraq,’ Biden told a group of journalists at the airport. ‘The new administration is very concerned about the conflict in Kirkuk and I call on all political parties in Iraq to find a consensus that will resolve this conflict.’ (Posted @ 05:36 PST)

Bush gives longtime allies top US civilian honor Wednesday, 14 Jan, WASHINGTON: President George W Bush on Tuesday gave the United States' highest civilian award to three foreign leaders who have been among his most loyal partners on the world stage. Bush awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Colombian President Alvaro Uribe and to two former leaders: former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and former Australian Prime Minister John Howard. The awards come just one week before Bush leaves office. 'They are the sort of guys who look you in the eye, and tell you the truth and keep their word,' Bush said during his final scheduled event in the White House's East Room. (Posted @ 03:18 PST)

Govt, CNG association hold talks, strike postponed Wednesday, 14 Jan, ISLAMABAD: The All Pakistan CNG Association postponed for another two days the launch of a countrywide strike, protesting the recent 10 per cent increase in compressed natural gas (CNG) prices, after holding a meeting with Advisor to Prime Minister on Petroleum, Asim Hussain on Tuesday. The advisor asked the Ministry of Petroleum and the CNG association to come up with detailed reports, which must contain facts and figures, on the issue. The association has warned of countrywide strikes if the government does not take back its decision to increase prices from January 1. (Posted @ 02:46 PST)

SC asked to assign new judges in Sharif case Wednesday, 14 Jan, ISLAMABAD: A proposer of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in the last elections, requested the Supreme Court judges hearing the candidature of Sharif brothers to withdraw themselves from the proceedings and instead refer the matter to the chief justice to constitute a bench comprising pre-emergency judges. ‘For doing complete justice, it is humbly prayed that the case be sent to the chief justice for the constitution of an appropriate bench comprising judges not appointed in the aftermath of Nov-3, 2007 constitutional deviation,’ Mehr Zafar Iqbal, the proposer of Nawaz Sharif during the February 18 general elections said in an application filed before the Supreme Court here Tuesday. The filing of the application reflects that the petitioner wants that though the chief justice should order formation of a new bench but should not head the same. (Posted @ 02:02 PST)

Durrani for re-unification of PML before Senate elections Wednesday, 14 Jan, ISLAMABAD: Former Information Minister Central Vice President Pakistan Muslim League (Q) Senator Muhammad Ali Durrani has called for re-unification of all the PML factions before the Senate elections. Talking to reporters here on Tuesday, Senator Durrani a united PML would be able to grab more than 17 Senate seats, leaving all other political parties well behind, and making the PML largest group in the Upper House of the Parliament. ‘This unity would also help elect new Chairman Senate from the PML as the PML would emerge as the largest group with 40 members in Senate. Naturally, the PPP does not want to see merger of the PML factions as it would block its way of securing majority and its own Chairman in the Senate. So the PPP leadership is luring both the PML factions just to keep them apart,’ he said, urging the senior leaguers to leave dreaming for power and just concentrate on serving the masses by protecting their rights as a robust opposition. (Posted @ 01:41 PST)

PPP to take credit for repealing 17th amendment Wednesday, 14 Jan, ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani on Tuesday said Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) will take credit of repealing 17th amendment that bestowed ‘politically undesirable’ powers to the President, sources in the PPP said. Presiding over a late night meeting of PPP parliamentarians at Prime Minister House, Gilani said the PPP will negotiate with all political parties of the country who have presented their separate bills for constitutional amendment or those who are planning to do so. ‘We want that a unanimous bill should be presented in this regard which should be acceptable to all,’ he said. Some four political parties have so far presented their separate draft bills in the National Assembly while Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) has announced that it will follow suit in the current session of the lower house. (Posted @ 01:25 PST)

PIA plane evacuated in Norway after bomb threat Wednesday, 14 Jan, OSLO: A passenger plane flying from Pakistan to Denmark was evacuated Monday due to a bomb threat against it while it was on a lay-over at Oslo's main airport, police said. ‘The threat came in at 4:40 pm when the plane was on the ground. It was evacuated and we are now inspecting it,’ said Hans Holmgrund, the police station chief in Gardermoen, where Oslo's international airport is located. He said the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) plane was a Boeing 777 and that the evacuation ‘went well and was not problematic’, adding that parts of the airport had also been evacuated as police checked the aircraft for explosives. Holmgrund would not say where the threat had come from and how it had been delivered, saying only that the case was under investigation. (Posted @ 01:10 PST)

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