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| November 03, 2006 | Friday | Shawwal 10, 1427 |
Updated round-the-clock, with major updates after 10:00 PST (05:00 GMT)
New Delhi warned by military on Siachen deal with Pakistan SRINAGAR, occupied Kashmir, Nov 3 (AFP) - India's million-plus military Friday cautioned New Delhi against extending concessions to Pakistan on strategic Siachen glacier in disputed Kashmir. "I am sure that security concerns will be kept in mind when any such decisions are arrived at by the government," Indian army chief General J.J. Singh told reporters in Srinagar. "The government has been conveyed our views and we hope that the dialogue which is going to take place between the foreign secretaries (of India and Pakistan) will tell us what lies in the future," he said. India and Pakistan opened talks in February 2004 on eight nagging issues including Siachen, where the two fought a bloody battle in 1987, three years after India occupied the strategic peaks. Military experts estimate that a 7,000-strong Indian military and 4,000 Pakistani troops are stationed on the 6,300 metre (20,700 feet) icy wasteland where the bitter cold and high altitude claim more lives than actual combat. (Posted @ 18:52 PST)
200 Palestinian women help gunmen escape Israeli mosque siege BEIT HANUN, Gaza Strip, Nov 3 (AFP) Around 15 Palestinian fighters (60 according to Reuters) holed up in al-Nasr mosque since Thursday escaped in a daring rescue operation mounted by 400 persons, including at least 200 heavily veiled women Friday as Israel pressed a Gaza offensive that has seen 25 Palestinians killed in 72 hours. Meanwhile, in the West Bank, Haniya's public works and housing minister Abdelrahman Zidane was arrested at dawn from his home in Ramallah, Palestinian security sources said. In the northern Gaza Strip, four protestors, including two women, died and another 25 people were wounded by Israeli gunfire ahead of a daring rescue attempt to free the Palestinian fighters holed up in al-Nasr mosque since Thursday. Braving Israeli air and ground fire including tanks, the estimated 200 valiant women entered the mosque to collect the gunmen, before walking out, shielding them in the midst of their heavily veiled ranks. Israeli army claimed that around 3,000 people, mostly women, had gathered to provide cover for gunmen holed up in the mosque. Israeli troops also shot dead a Palestinian and wounded two others in a series of military operations. Twenty-five Palestinians have been killed since the offensive began on Wednesday. More than 80 people have been wounded and around 100 detained, Israeli authorities said. (First Posted @ 10:00 PST Updated @ 19:22 PST)
Pakistan tribesmen burn Bush dummies at airstrike protest KHAR, Pakistan, Nov 3 (AFP) Thousands of tribesmen burned effigies of the US president George W. Bush Friday in protest against a raid on a madrassa that killed 80 people, as militants killed two alleged US spies. A complete strike was observed throughout Bajaur. Shops and markets were closed and traffic stayed off the roads, residents said. "The people of Bajaur are 100 percent convinced that the attack was launched by US forces," tribal elder Akhunzada Chatan told more than 3,000 demonstrators in Khar, near the site of the bombed madrassa, in Chingai. Another 2,000 tribesmen waving assault rifles in the air chanted anti-government slogans in the small town of Enayat Killi in Bajaur, while 2,500 more gathered in Loyisom, a town just north of Khar. As the protesters marched towards Khar they were joined by hundreds of angry villagers en route. In Lahore, capital of Punjab province, more than 3,000 supporters of the Islamic charity Jamaat-ud-Dawa offered funeral prayers for those killed in the Monday raid. Another 3,000 protesters, mostly ethnic Pashtuns took to the streets of Karachi raising anti-Musharraf and anti-US slogans. In the southern Punjab city of Multan some 400 protesters belonging to Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz group) also held protest rally, witnesses said. Similar protest rallies were also held in Peshawar and other places. Meanwhile, security officials said militants late Thursday beheaded a 45-year-old madrassa teacher near Makin, a town in North Waziristan. The body of Maulvi Salahuddin was found near a drain with a note saying that he was a "US spy", residents said. Earlier a man named as Jan Mohammad, 40, was shot dead in Bajaur district. He was allegedly seen near the destroyed madrassa talking on a satellite phone after the attack. "We had suspicions that he had been working for US forces and the attack today confirmed that he was a US spy," said a note pinned to his body. (First Posted @ 16:40 PST Updated @ 18:26 PST)
Greek woman freed by Iraqi kidnappers - source BAGHDAD, Nov 3 (Reuters) - A Greek woman who was kidnapped in Baghdad around a week ago has been released, an Iraqi interior ministry source said on Friday. The source said the woman had been working for a non-governmental organisation in Iraq. There were no further details immediately available and the Greek embassy in Baghdad did not answer calls for information. (Posted @ 23:58 PST)
Prince Charles leaves after five-day visit ISLAMABAD, Nov 3 (APP): Prince Charles and his wife Camilla left here Friday after five-day visit to Pakistan. (Posted @ 23:46 PST)
Extra-ordinary level operational preparedness key to protect sea frontiers: President Musharraf KARACHI, Nov 3 (APP) - President General Pervez Musharraf has said that an extraordinary level of operational preparedness is a key to safeguard sea frontiers and thwart any aggressive designs. He was addressing the officers and sailors of Pakistan Navy at Jinnah Naval Base Ormara, says an ISPR press release on Friday. "We will radiate constant presence in the region through naval operations, maritime diplomacy and exercises with foreign navies. Pakistan Navy's continued participation in Coalition Maritime Campaign Plan (CMCP) is an extension to this policy and has brought home laurels from the entire world". On arrival at the Jinnah Naval Base, the President was received by Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Muhammad Afzal Tahir. (Posted @ 23:34 PST)
Proofs indicate Bajaur camp imparting training to terrorists: Report ISLAMABAD, Nov 3 (APP): It has now been proved that persons were being imparted training to carry out acts of terrorism and suicide bombings in a camp in Bajaur agency which was destroyed recently. According to PTV report the camp in North of the Bajaur agency was located at a distant place. The Madarissah was in-fact an arm training camp where people were being imparted training of terrorism and suicide bombing. The training secessions were held during night and early in the morning. The photographs taken from the infrared camera much before 'Fajjar' clearly showed that the training was being imparted by the highly skilled experts. The trainees showed in the video were acted according to directives of instructors. One of the trainee in the video is crawling on the instruction of his instructors. Far from the populated area the training site is being run by the Molvi Faqeer Muhammad and Molivi Liaquat. (Posted @ 23:15 PST)
Cricket-Ponting declared ICC's cricketer of the year MUMBAI, Nov 3 (Reuters) - Australia captain Ricky Ponting was named cricketer of the year at the third International Cricket Council annual awards on Friday. Australian team mate Michael Hussey won the one-day international player of the year award; Sri Lanka skipper Mahela Jayawardene was declared the inaugural captain of the year; England's Ian Bell was named as the emerging player of the year; Australia's Karen Rolton won the inaugural women's player of the year award; Simon Taufel was named umpire of the year for the third year running; while England won the spirit of cricket award. Teams of the year: Test team: Matthew Hayden (Australia), Michael Hussey (Australia), Ricky Ponting (Australia), Rahul Dravid (India,captain), Mohammad Yousuf (Pakistan), Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka, wicketkeeper), Andrew Flintoff (England), Shane Warne (Australia), Makhaya Ntini (South Africa), Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka), Glenn McGrath (Australia). 12th man: Brett Lee (Australia). One-day team: Adam Gilchrist (Australia), Mahendra Dhoni (India), Ponting, Mahela Jayawardene (Sri Lanka, captain), Yuvraj Singh (India), Hussey, Flintoff, Irfan Pathan (India), Lee, Shane Bond (New Zealand), Muralitharan. 12th man: Andrew Symonds (Australia). (Posted @ 21:54 PST)
1 police officer killed, 3 wounded in land mine explosion in Chechnya GROZNY, Russia, Nov 3 (AP) _ A police officer was killed and another three were wounded Friday when their vehicle hit a rebelradio-controlled land mine across a bridge in Chechnya's provincial capital, Grozny, officials said. (Posted @ 21:48 PST)
Norway cancels 20 million dollars of Pakistan debt OSLO, Nov 3 (AFP) Norway said Friday it had agreed to cancel 20 million dollars of debt owed by Pakistan on the condition that the money is used for reconstruction efforts following a 2005 earthquake that killed some 74,000 people. "We are pleased that this money can be used to help rebuild Pakistan after the 2005 earthquake," Aid Minister Erik Solheim said in a statement. The funds are to be used to help rebuild social infrastructure, such as schools and health care centres, by the end of 2008. (Posted @ 21:02 PST)
Jammu martyrs’ day observed ISLAMABAD, Nov 3 (APP) Jammu martyrs’ day was observed throughout occupied Kashmir on Friday. On this occasion Chairman All Parties Hurriyat Conference Mirwaiz Umar Farooq vowed that Kashmiris would not sit idle till Kashmir dispute was resolved in accordance with their wishes. Senior APHC leaders Maulana Abbas Ansari, Agha Syed Hassan Al-Moosvi and Ghulam Ahmad Mir also paid tributes to the Jammu martyrs. Addressing a big gathering in Bandipora Chowk, the President of Democratic Freedom Party Shabbir Ahmad Shah urged India to match flexibility demonstrated by Pakistan and Kashmiri leadership to resolve Kashmir dispute. (Posted @ 20:40 PST)
Iraq military on alert ahead of Saddam verdict BAGHDAD, Nov 3 (APP/AFP) Iraq cancelled all military leave Friday and put the armed forces on alert to thwart any outbreak of violence after the verdict in the trial of Saddam Hussein expected on Sunday. (Posted @ 20:38 PST)
US-led forces kill 13 in Iraq Baghdad, Nov 3 (Reuters) U.S.-led forces killed 13 suspected insurgents, detained one more and seized explosives in two raids near Mahmudiya, about 30 km south of Baghdad, the military said. It said one of the dead was wearing a suicide-bombing vest and several appeared to be foreign fighters linked to al Qaeda. (Posted @ 20:22 PST)
Militias kill 63, many of them children, in Darfur TINE, Sudan, Nov 3 (Reuters) Attacks in West Darfur’s Jabel Moun area on Oct 29 have killed at least 63 people, half of them children, as rebels on Friday accused Khartoum of remobilising Arab militia after suffering two military defeats on the Sudan-Chad border. "The government have begun mobilising the Janjaweed widely, especially in West Darfur, because they want to clear the area and move north along the border and defeat us," said Bahr Idriss Abu Garda, a leader of the National Redemption Front (NRF). (Posted @ 20:14 PST)
Police find 57 murdered in Baghdad in 24 hours BAGHDAD, Nov 3 (Reuters) Police in Baghdad found 56 bodies and a severed head over the past 24 hours in various parts of the capital, the highest daily figure since the end of Ramadan, an Interior Ministry source said on Friday. The body count in Baghdad on Wednesday was 35 compared with 50 on Oct 22, the second highest for the month. (Posted @ 20:10 PST)
Five US soldiers killed as spy chief visits Baghdad BAGHDAD, Nov 3 (AFP) Five US soldiers have been killed in Iraq, the military said Friday, as the United States' intelligence chief John Negroponte met Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki during an unannounced visit to Baghdad. Three soldiers died in a single attack on Thursday when their vehicle hit a roadside bomb in Baghdad. Also on Thursday, a marine was killed in the western Anbar province, while another soldier died "due to non-combat causes" on Wednesday. Meanwhile, US National Intelligence Director John Negroponte met Maliki and "discussed the need for the Iraqi armed forces to have enough numbers and equipment to take charge of the security portfolio," a statement said. Maliki has been pushing the United States to grant him more control over his own armed forces and to pay for more equipment and recruits, promising that he could be ready to take charge of security within six months. US commanders, however, believe the process will take more than a year.(First Posted @ 11:35 PST Updated @ 19:36 PST)
Taliban attacks leave six Afghan police, eight NATO soldiers injured HERAT, Afghanistan, Nov 3 (AFP) - Six Afghan police and a soldier were killed and eight NATO troops injured in three separate attacks by Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan, officials and the military said Friday. The attacks which occurred at Herat in the west and Laghman in the east also left three Afghan police and four soldiers injured, they said. The six policemen, including a district police chief, were killed when rebels attacked a police convoy in Herat province on Thursday. A spokesman said seven ISAF soldiers were injured Friday when their convoy was hit by a rocket fired by Taliban in Laghman province. We had "two incidents in the last two days in Laghman province. Eight ISAF were soldiers wounded, one yesterday, 7 today. An IASF convoy was hit by Rocket Propeled Grenade (RPG)" he said. (Posted @ 18:58 PST)
Strike planned at French airport over Muslim workers row PARIS, Nov 3 (AFP) - Trade unionists at Paris's Charles de Gaulle-Roissy airport said Friday they plan to call for a strike over the withdrawal of security badges from 72 airport workers, mostly Muslims, on suspicion of links to extremists groups. "We are going to call for a strike at the end of November and for a rally outside the prefecture in Roissy," which took the decision to remove the staff badges, said Didier Frassin, the head of the main CGT union at the airport. Seven unions are to hold a meeting on Tuesday to decide whether to back the strike call and what further action to take. Unions have already filed a complaint for discrimination and the French anti-discrimination agency HALDE is also investigating the matter. Another 40 airport employees are currently being investigated as posing a possible security risk, while 68 others have been cleared since the start of the investigation in May last year. (Posted @ 18:56 PST)
India says occupied Kashmir insurgency deaths drop sharply SRINAGAR, India, Nov 3, (AFP) - Insurgency-related killings in occupied Kashmir have fallen by nearly 30 percent from a year ago, army chief General J.J. Singh told reporters Friday in Srinagar. "Combat-related casualities (of the army) have also come down substantially," he said. The army chief gave no figures but an Indian government statement reported that "there has been a decline of over 19 percent in overall acts of violence and a 29 percent drop in the killings between November 2005 and October 2006." The insurgency has claimed over 44,000 lives by official count and more than double that number according to the separatists' tally. (Posted @ 18:50 PST)
Italian photojournalist freed in Afghanistan: charity ROME, Nov 3, (AFP) - Italian photojournalist Gabriele Torsello was released in southern Afghanistan on Friday after three weeks in captivity, the Italian aid agency Emergency reported. Confirming his release, Italy's ambassador to Afghanistan Ettore Francesco Sequi said the 36-year-old independent photographer was in good health. (Posted @ 17:50 PST)
Bangladesh opposition extends deadline DHAKA, Nov 3 (AFP) The leader of Bangladesh's main opposition Awami League Friday extended by its deadline for the interim government to purge top officials or face renewed street protests by a week. "We have given you seven days during which we want to see that you implement all our 11 demands. We want to see that you have taken all the effective measures to hold free and fair elections," said party leader Sheikh Hasina, addressing the head of the country's caretaker government at a rally attended by 100,000 supporters. (Posted @ 16:58 PST)
Cricket-Pakistan to review central contracts after doping bans KARACHI, Nov 3 (Reuters) The Pakistan Cricket Board will conduct a review of central contracts awarded to players, Saleem Altaf, director cricket operations said Friday. "The central contracts of Shoaib and Asif are automatically cancelled after they were banned," Altaf said. "But we are also going to review the remaining contracts now," he said, adding that the PCB would revise the contracts in line with its zero tolerance policy on doping. He indicated the new contracts would be awarded only to players who have played a minimum number of matches and would include incentive-based match fees. "We are trying to curtail players' power in a methodical manner and we will try to adopt policies of other boards while awarding fresh contracts with added responsibility on players." (Posted @ 16:50 PST)
UN refugee agency sounds alarm over crisis in Iraq GENEVA, Nov 3 (AFP) The UN refugee agency has warned donors that it is "distressed" at the lack of an international response to a growing humanitarian crisis in Iraq caused by alarming levels of violence, a spokesman said Friday. "UNHCR officials who just returned from the region warned that we are now facing an even larger humanitarian crisis than we had initially prepared for in 2002 to 2003," said Ron Redmond, a spokesman for the office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. He said the agency briefed representatives of donor governments at a meeting in Geneva Thursday. There are now hundreds of thousands more displaced than the 600,000 refugees planned for three years ago, yet the agency is "sorely lacking" in funding to deal with the situation inside and outside the country, Redmond said. (Posted @ 16:48 PST)
Iran fires three new missiles in Gulf exercises TEHRAN, Nov 3 (Reuters) Iran test fired three new missiles on Friday, the second day of military exercises in the Gulf, state radio said. "Different kinds of land-to sea and sea-to sea missiles were successfully test fired, including Kousar, Noor and Nasr missiles," a senior Revolutionary Guards commander told state radio. (Posted @ 16:46 PST)
Pakistan ahead of many nations in reforms' implementation: PM Aziz LAHORE, Nov 3 (APP) Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said here Friday that Pakistan was ahead of many countries in terms of implementing economic reforms and improving governance. "Pakistan has been ranked as one of the top ten reformers globally, and the top reformer in the South Asian region," he said while delivering a keynote address at the regional conference of Young Presidents Association (YPO). Aziz claimed that the country was now well positioned to make the best of all available opportunities. (Posted @ 14:45 PST)
Indian coins warn commuters over terror attacks MUMBAI, Nov 3 (AFP) Police are dropping coins in trains in Mumbai, India's financial capital, carrying messages warning commuters to be on guard against terror attacks. At least 10,000 one-rupee coins are being placed in train compartments and elsewhere with stickers bearing messages such as, "If you are as alert to this coin as you are to unattended baggage, lives can be saved," police said. (Posted @ 14:40 PST)
Cricket-Pakistan's Asif says he’s traumatized LAHORE, Pakistan, Nov 3 (AFP) Pakistani fast bowler Mohammad Asif said Friday he would fight a one-year ban for doping and pledged to emerge stronger from the scandal. "I am appealing against the ban. I will appeal this ban and fight it out," Asif said. "I had never thought of facing such a situation in my career…It's so unimaginable that I won't be playing the World Cup. I want to play the event to help Pakistan win it," he said. Asif said he felt traumatised. "I can't tell you what I am going through. Sometimes you go through a crisis, like you don't get wickets or you are out of favour with selectors -- but this is something I never thought of…My whole family, father, mother and brothers and a lot of friends are very worried. My team-mates, captain Inzamam-ul-Haq and coach Bob Woolmer are disappointed but everyone has tried to lift me up from this," he said. Asif pledged that he had not taken any banned substances on purpose, adding "I have earned a name only on my God-gifted abilities and not on anything else and knew nothing about doping". (Posted @ 14:30 PST)
Three killed in attack on Iraqi wedding party KUT, Iraq, Nov 3 (AFP) Gunmen attacked a wedding party and killed three relatives of the bridegroom south of Baghdad Thursday night, security and medical sources said Friday. (Posted @ 12:45 PST)
US redeploys Abu Ghraib abuser to Iraq: report NEW YORK, Nov 2 (AFP) A US Army dog handler court-martialed for abusing Iraqi inmates at Abu Ghraib prison has been ordered to return to Iraq after serving his sentence, Time magazine said in a new report. Sergeant Santos Cardona, 32, was sentenced in June to hard labor without confinement for 90 days, demoted one rank and docked 7,200 dollars by a military court. Time magazine said Thursday that Cardona left this week for Kuwait, a staging area for a return to Iraq. The magazine said that Cardona's military police company would be training Iraqi police. "The symbolic message perceived in Iraq will likely be that the US is simply insensitive to the abuse of their prisoners," retired US general Barry McCaffrey told Time. (Posted @ 12:45 PST)
Kidnapped Iraqi journalist found dead BAGHDAD, Nov 3 (AFP) An Iraqi journalist, Abdelmajid Ismail, who was kidnapped last month in Baghdad was found dead two days ago, the Iraqi Media Association said Friday. The Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said Ismail was the 127th media professional to die in Iraq since the March 2003 invasion. (Posted @ 12:45 PST)
Policeman killed in occupied Kashmir SRINAGAR, occupied Kashmir, Nov 3 (AFP) A policeman was killed late Thursday in the northern town of Baramulla, police said Friday. (Posted @ 12:35 PST)
Six killed in Afghanistan ambush HERAT, Afghanistan, Nov 3 (AFP) Insurgents ambushed a police convoy in Herat province killing a district police chief and five others, and wounding three other policemen, police said Friday. (Posted @ 10:00 PST)
Karachi Stocks up 301.35 points: KARACHI, Nov 3: At close of trading, the KSE-100 index was at 11246.70, up 301.35 points. (Bureau Report) (Updated @ 16:05 PST)
Forex update: KARACHI, Nov 3: The Pakistani Rupee was traded at Rs 60.62 to the US Dollar in the open market. (Bureau Report) (Updated @ 14:30 PST)
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