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| December 05, 2007 | Wednesday | Ziqa'ad 24, 1428 |
Updated round-the-clock, with major updates after 10:00 PST (05:00 GMT)
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Lawyers hold anti-Musharraf rally in Islamabad ISLAMABAD, Dec 5 (Reuters): Lawyers abandoned their legal tomes at 11am sharp and took to the capital’s streets Wednesday, shouting slogans and punching the air in protest at President Pervez Musharraf's purge of the judiciary. Chanting “Go Musharraf Go,” members of the Islamabad Bar Association announced they were cutting their work day in half indefinitely until Musharraf reinstates a host of judges he deposed to fend off challenges to his re-election. “We want the judges who have been removed illegally and unconstitutionally from their offices ... to be reinstated, the constitution restored and the fundamental rights of the people restored,” said Haroon Ur Rashid, President of the Islamabad Bar Association. “Until then we will continue our protest,” he said. “Until the reinstatement of the other judges, we will not appear before the High Courts and Supreme Court of Pakistan.” (Posted @ 16:00 PST)
Pakistan polls will be free and fair: Election Commission ISLAMABAD, Dec 5 (AFP) - Pakistan's election commission Wednesday rejected allegations from leading opposition parties that January polls will be struck by vote rigging, insisting that the vote will be free and fair. “The Election Commission is a constitutional body and it is fully independent to hold free, fair and transparent polls,” the commission's secretary Kanwar Dilshad told AFP. “The entire election exercise is absolutely free, fair and transparent,” he said. “More than 95 percent of polling stations will be in schools or government buildings, but in some areas where there is no proper building, polling stations are established in tents or some other premises,” Dilshad said. He said such a move was not new and that improvised polling stations would be set up in consultation with the contesting candidates. Addressing allegations that thousands of ballot papers would be stolen, Dilshad said they would be handed over to officials by January 5 and “there is no question of somebody getting hold of them.” (Posted @ 11:20 PST)
Attack on civilian bus in northern Sri Lanka kills at least 15 people, military says Sri Lanka Dec 5 (AP): A land mine struck a passenger bus crowded with civilians in northern Sri Lanka, killing at least 15 people and wounding 23 others Wednesday, the military said. The bus had been heading north from the agricultural town of Kabithigollewa near rebel-controlled areas when it was hit by the blast, said military spokesman. (Posted @ 21:35 PST)
Georgia to cut defence spending, says PM BRUSSELS, Dec 5 (Reuters): Georgia will make significant cuts in defence spending next year after its sharp increases had prompted Russia to complain of a dangerous military build-up. Prime Minister Lado Gurgenidze told Reuters in an interview Wednesday the defence cuts were needed to balance the budget but did not say how much would be stripped out. (Posted @ 20:25 PST)
Russian navy to start sorties in Atlantic: Tass MOSCOW, Dec 5 (Reuters): Russia's navy will start sorties in the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean as part of a drive to boost Russia's military presence on the world's oceans, Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov said Wednesday. “A sortie of ships is planned into the north-eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea,” Serdyukov told President Vladimir Putin, Itar-Tass news agency reported. (Posted @ 20:20 PST)
Four bomb blasts in Iraq kill 23, wound scores amid Gates visit BAGHDAD, Dec 5 (AP): A parked car bomb exploded near a mosque in Karradah, central Baghdad Wednesday killing at least 14 people and wounding 32 others as the U.S. defense secretary visited the Iraqi capital to assess whether the downturn in violence in parts of Iraq country can be sustained. It was at least the fourth car bomb in Iraq on Wednesday. Earlier, a blast went off in Mosul, where Pentagon chief Robert Gates landed on his sixth trip to Iraq. Police said explosives hidden in a parked car killed a civilian and wounded seven others. The deadliest attack Wednesday was in Baqouba, 60 kilometers northeast of Baghdad, where a suicide car bomber targeted a bus station and killed five civilians, police said. At least 20 others were wounded. In Kirkuk, a parked car bomb killed three Kurdish soldiers in a convoy guarding a police chief. At least 12 others were wounded in the attack. (First Posted @ 14:00 PST, Updated @ 20:15 PST)
Three US soldiers killed, one wounded in ‘complex attack’ in Iraq BAGHDAD, Dec 5 (AP): Three U.S. soldiers were killed in a “complex attack” involving a roadside bomb and small arms fire north of Baghdad, the U.S. military said Wednesday. The soldiers were attacked Tuesday in Salahuddin province north of Baghdad, the military said. It raised the death toll to three after one soldier died Wednesday of wounds sustained in the attack. A fourth soldier was wounded, the military said. (First Posted @ 10:25 PST Updated @ 19:40 PST)
US Supreme Court takes up key Guantanamo rights case WASHINGTON, Dec 5 (AFP): The US Supreme Court Wednesday will consider the right of Guantanamo prisoners to challenge their detention in civil courts, in what rights activists call “the most important case of the decade.” In a case that has drawn attention from rights activists and governments around the world, the landmark hearing will focus on whether it is constitutionally legal for the US Congress to block detainees from attempting to fight their detentions in non-military courts. While the appeal involves only a handful of the 300 or so “war on terror” detainees at the US naval base in Guantanamo Bay, the court's decision will affect all of those in the prison camp, especially the roughly 150 who have been neither charged nor released. (Posted @ 19:30 PST)
Irfan Pathan back for third Test NEW DELHI, Dec 5 (AFP): Pacemen Irfan Pathan and Vikram Raj Vir Singh were included Wednesday in India's 14-member squad for the third and final Test against Pakistan starting in Bangalore on Saturday. The duo will take the place of new-ball bowlers Zaheer Khan and Munaf Patel. (Posted @ 19:25 PST)
Greek border guards arrest 115 migrants KOMOTINI, GREECE, Dec 5 (AFP): Greek border guards on Wednesday arrested 115 illegal immigrants and a Turkish truck driver near the Greek-Turkish border, a police source in Komotini town said. The migrants from Pakistan, Iraq and Afghanistan had boarded the truck after crossing the Evros River that separates Greece from Turkey, the source said. They had each paid the 42-year-old driver 1,000 euros to drive them to the northern Greek city of Salonika. (Posted @ 18:55 PST)
Kenya clashes kill 16 ahead of elections NAIROBI, Dec 5 (Reuters): Land clashes in Kenya's fertile Rift Valley highlands have killed 16 people, uprooted hundreds and fuelled fears of a bloody campaign ahead of a Dec. 27 election, police said on Wednesday. Some 14 million Kenyans are eligible to vote in presidential and parliamentary elections in east Africa's biggest economy but many are braced for violent skirmishes in a race shaping up to be Kenya's closest ever. (Posted @ 18:10 PST)
29 Tamil rebels, 7 soldiers killed in Sri Lanka COLOMBO, Dec 5 (AP): Soldiers battled Tamil Tiger rebels Wednesday across northern Sri Lanka in a wave of violence that killed 29 rebels and seven soldiers, the military said. In two battles that erupted about 6:30 a.m., rebel fighters fought troops near Adampan and Parapakandal villages in Mannar district, a military spokesman said. The gunbattles killed 13 rebels, he said. In another battle, Tamil Tigers ambushed soldiers guarding a key road, killing three of them. Hours later, a farm tractor carrying soldiers was ripped apart by a mine blast on the same road, killing four soldiers. Troops killed 11 rebels, while another unit shot and killed five Tamil Tigers in no man's land, he said. (First Posted @ 13:20 PST, Updated @ 17:25 PST)
Czech parliament approves withdrawal of troops from Iraq in 2008 PRAGUE, Dec 5 (AP): The lower chamber of the Czech parliament voted Wednesday to approve a government plan to withdraw 80 of its 100 troops from Iraq in the second half of next year. Of the 195 lawmakers present in the 200-seat chamber, 129 deputies were in favor of the plan while 45 were against it, with 21 deputies abstaining. The Czech troops are deployed in southern Iraq as guards at a British base. (Posted @ 16:45 PST)
Sri Lanka beat England in first test KANDY, Dec 5 (Reuters): Sri Lanka beat England by 88 runs on the fifth and final day of the first test on Wednesday. Ian Bell top-scored with 74 as England, chasing 350 to win, were bowled out for 261. (First Posted @ 12:45 PST, Updated @ 16:35 PST)
Indian police to question Nicky Boje NEW DELHI, Dec 5 (AP): South African cricketer Nicky Boje is to be questioned by Indian police over his alleged role in a match-fixing scandal in 2000, a police spokesman said Wednesday. The left-arm spinner, who has retired from international cricket, is currently in India playing in a breakaway Twenty20 competition in the northern Indian town of Panchkula. (Posted @ 16:30 PST)
Latvian prime minister announces government's resignation RIGA, Dec 5 (AP): Latvia's Prime Minister Aigars Kalvitis announced Wednesday that his government has resigned. Kalvitis, Latvia's longest serving prime minister, handed his resignation to President Valdis Zatlers, who is expected begin talks with several possible replacements. (Posted @ 16:25 PST)
Turkish troops kill eight more Kurdish rebels ANKARA, Dec 5 (AP): Turkish soldiers have killed eight more Kurdish rebels, increasing the rebel death toll to 14 in a two-day clash near the border with Iraq, the military said Wednesday. The clash began on Tuesday on Mount Gabar in Sirnak province, the military said in a statement posted on its web site. Six rebels were reported killed on Tuesday and the military said eight others were killed later. (Posted @ 16:20 PST)
No proof that Iran ever had nuclear weapons programme: Russian FM: MOSCOW, Dec 5 (AP): Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Wednesday that there was no proof that Iran has ever run a nuclear weapons programme. “Data that we have seen don't allow to say with certainty that Iran has ever had a nuclear weapons programme,” Lavrov said, asked to comment on the U.S. intelligence report saying Iran suspended its efforts to develop nuclear weapons in 2003. (Posted @ 15:50 PST)
German court jails three for Al-Qaeda links BERLIN, Dec 5 (AFP): A German court jailed three Arab men on Wednesday on charges of financially backing Al-Qaeda using fraudulent life insurance policies in a landmark verdict. The judges in Duesseldorf found two suspects Ibrahim Mohamed Khalil of Syria and Palestinian Yasser Abu Shaweesh, guilty of belonging to Osama bin Laden's network and sentenced them to seven and six years in prison respectively. A third defendant, Shaweesh's 30-year-old brother Ismail, was convicted of supporting a terrorist organisation and handed a sentence of three and a half years in prison. The court called the trial a pilot case for Germany. (Posted @ 15:30 PST)
Niger rebels kill three soldiers in attack on convoy NIAMEY, Dec 5 (Reuters) Tuareg-led rebels in Niger's desert north attacked a military convoy carrying food and provisions to the oasis town of Iferouane, killing at least three soldiers, the government said late Tuesday. The rebel Niger Movement for Justice (MNJ) said its fighters destroyed nine military vehicles and all those on board in the attack between the towns of Arlit and Iferouane. But the Defence Ministry denied this version of events, saying three soldiers had been killed and 10 injured when their vehicles ran over land mines. “Eight of the bandits who were laying the mines were killed and one of their vehicles was destroyed,” the ministry said in a statement broadcast on state television late Tuesday. (Posted @ 14:40 PST)
Suicide attack on army bus in Kabul kills 16 KABUL, Dec 5 (AFP) - A suicide attacker slammed a bomb-filled car into an Afghan army bus in Kabul Wednesday, killing at least 16 people and wounding 17 others. Eight Afghan National Army soldiers and eight civilians were killed according to information given to the NATO-led ISAF, spokesman Brigadier General Carlos Branco told reporters. Another defence ministry official said requesting anonymity that up to 20 civilians may have been killed, many of them children. (First Posted @ 08:35 PST, Updated @ 13:15 PST)
Pakistan retires 37 anti-emergency judges ISLAMABAD, Dec 5 (AFP) - Pakistan's government has formally retired 37 judges, including the former chief justice, who refused to approve President Musharraf's emergency rule, the attorney general said Wednesday. “Thirteen judges of the Supreme Court and 24 judges of the high courts of Lahore, Peshawar and Sindh stand retired with the issuance of notification by the law ministry,” Attorney General Malik Muhammad Qayyum told AFP. Qayyum said the judges were not entitled to any post-retirement benefits. “However, the government will soon enact a law to enable these judges to get these benefits,” he added. He said the retired judges would also have to vacate their official residences for their successors. (Posted @ 13:05 PST)
Pentagon chief Gates in Iraq MOSUL, Iraq, Dec 5 (Reuters) - U.S. Defence Secretary Robert Gates arrived in Iraq Wednesday to hear from commanders how they plan to maintain gains made during a security crackdown this year as the Pentagon begins to draw down American forces. Gates flew into the northern Iraqi city of Mosul after visiting Afghanistan. (First Posted @ 11:55 PST, Updated @ 12:55 PST)
Punjab-Balochistan border jolted by mild intensity quake PESHAWAR, Dec 5 (APP) - An earthquake with 4.7 magnitude on the International Richter scale hit the Punjab-Balochistan border area with its epicentre about 450 kilometres south of Peshawar early Wednesday. The meteorological station here said the quake originated at 08:15 hours. (Posted @ 12:25 PST)
Three Palestinians killed by Israeli fire in Gaza GAZA CITY, Dec 5 (AFP) - Three Palestinians were killed and five wounded by Israeli fire Wednesday in the north of the Hamas-run Gaza Strip, medics said. (First Posted @ 11:15 PST, Updated @ 11:40 PST)
Several rebels killed in Taliban 'gateway': US military KABUL, Dec 5 (AFP) - US-led soldiers killed several militants in a raid against networks bringing foreign fighters and weapons into the Taliban-led insurgency in Afghanistan, a military coalition said Wednesday. Soldiers with a US-led coalition carried out the raid in southern Helmand province Tuesday targeting a man linked to smuggling weapons and associated with a Taliban leader, the force said. “While performing a search of one of the compounds, coalition forces killed several armed militants who posed an imminent threat,” it said in a statement. (Posted @ 11:40 PST)
Thousands rally against ETA in Madrid after deadly attack MADRID, Dec 5 (AFP) - Thousands of people protested against violence by the Basque separatist group ETA in Madrid on Tuesday, following the shooting death of one Spanish civil guard member and the wounding of another. Several political leaders attended the rally in Madrid, including PP leader Mariano Rajoy and the Socialist party's number two, Jose Blanco. (Posted @ 10:50 PST)
Floods hit US northwest SEATTLE, Washington, Dec 5 (AFP) - Authorities declared states of emergency in the northwestern US states of Washington and Oregon after a major storm killed two people and unleashed widespread flooding, local officials said. Catapulted by the Pacific Ocean, the storm struck both states on Monday with wind gusts of more than 150 kilometres per hour, downing power lines and trees up and down the coast. In the Chehalis region of southwestern Washington, more than 130 people were rescued by Coast Guard helicopters and taken to safety, said Coast Guard spokesman Tara Moller. Two people were killed by the storm in Washington. (Posted @ 10:30 PST)
British soldier killed in Afghan blast LONDON, Dec 5 (Reuters) - A British soldier was killed and two others wounded Tuesday when their vehicle was hit by an explosion while on patrol in southern Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence said. “The soldiers were conducting a tactical patrol to the north of Sangin, Helmand Province, when the vehicle they were travelling in was caught in an explosion,” the MoD said. (Posted @ 09:05 PST)
Moderate quake jolts Taiwan TAIPEI, Dec 5 (AFP) - A 5.3-magnitude earthquake jolted Taiwan Wednesday, the central weather bureau said, but there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties. The tremor struck at 9:41 am and was centred 21 kilometres southeast of Lidao in the southeastern county of Taitung, the bureau said. It occurred at a depth of eight kilometres underground, it said. (Posted @ 08:50 PST)
Fugitive Philippine coup soldier arrested MANILA, Dec 5 (AFP) - One of four Philippine soldiers who escaped after a failed coup bid was arrested before dawn Wednesday while trying to leave the country, the country's police chief said. Sergeant Alvin Celestino was nabbed by airport police and military personnel at Manila's international airport, Director General Avelino Razon said. (Posted @ 08:40 PST)
Karachi Stocks up 100.94, points: KARACHI, Dec 05: At the close of trading, the KSE-100 index was at 14137.38, up 100.94, points. (Bureau Report) (Updated @ 14:20 PST)
Forex update: KARACHI, Dec 05: The Pakistani Rupee was traded at Rs 61.5, to the US Dollar in the open market. (Bureau Report) (Updated @ 14:20 PST)
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