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Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Clinton backs reconciliation with moderate Taliban

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urged fellow leaders at the Conference on Afghanistan in The Hague to offer some "form of reconciliation" to Taliban militants who renounce violence and break with al Qaeda.US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton backed reconciliation with Taliban members who abandon extremism, during a conference on Afghanistan in The Hague. "We must ... support efforts by the government of Afghanistan to separate the extremists of al Qaeda and the Taliban from those who joined their ranks not out of conviction, but out of desperation," Clinton said on Tuesday."They (Taliban members) should be offered an honourable form of reconciliation and reintegration into a peaceful society, if they are willing to abandon violence, break with al Qaeda, and support the constitution," she added.Representatives from nearly 70 countries, including Iran, are attending the UN-backed conference in a bid to boost reconstruction efforts and tackle the Islamist insurgency in the strife-ridden country.This is the first international meeting since US President Barack Obama unveiled policy changes for Kabul. Since taking office in January, Obama has ordered 17,000 extra troops to Afghanistan to tackle the violence, and a further 4,000 to help train the army, along with hundreds of civilians to improve basic services.“Afghans know about the new American strategy in the region,” reports FRANCE 24’s Claire Billet in Kabul. “Obama spoke about an economic and political solution and that’s been appreciated,” she added.After talks with fellow NATO leaders in Brussels earlier this month, US Vice-President Joe Biden said it would be "worth exploring" possible talks with Taliban moderates as part of a change of strategy in Afghanistan.

Lahore Police Academy Re-captured after deadly battle

Asian economic outlook 'bleak' for 2009

Asia's economic growth will tumble to the slowest pace since the 1997-1998 Asian financial crisis, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) said in a report released Tuesday."The short term outlook for the region is bleak as the full impact of the severe recession in industrialized economies is transmitted to emerging markets," said Jong-Wha Lee, acting chief economist for the ADB.The Asian Development Outlook 2009 forecasts that economic growth in developing Asia will slip to 3.4 percent in 2009, down from 6.3 percent last year and 9.5 percent in 2007. Growth could improve to 6 percent in 2010, if the global economy experiences a mild recovery next year, the report says."The concern for the region, and especially for the region's poor, is that it is not yet clear that the [United States], European Union and Japan will recover as soon as next year," Lee said.

Taliban leader claims Lahore raid

Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud on Tuesday claimed responsibility for an attack on a police academy in Lahore, Pakistan, that killed eight cadets and wounded dozens more.Pakistani Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud, for whom the United States has posted a five-million-dollar reward, on Tuesday claimed responsibility for an attack on a police academy in Lahore."We claim responsibility for the attack. This was in retaliation to the ongoing drone attacks in the tribal areas. There will be more such attacks," Mehsud told AFP in a telephone conversation from an unknown location.Attackers armed with guns, grenades and suicide vests Monday stormed the training centre near Pakistan's cultural capital Lahore, unleashing eight hours of gun battles until they were overpowered by security forces.Seven police cadets, a civilian and four attackers died in what was the assault in Lahore in March, sparking fears that violence is seeping out of the tribal badlands on the Afghan border and into the heart of Pakistan.Mehsud also claimed responsibility for a suicide attack outside a special branch police office in Islamabad, which killed one person on March 23, and a recent assault on a police post in Bannu in northwest Pakistan.

Pakistani Forces Retake Academy After 12 Killed in Attack (Full story)

LAHORE, Pakistan A group of gunmen, some in police uniforms, attacked a police academy Monday and held it for hours, seizing hostages, throwing grenades and killing at least six trainee officers before being overpowered by Pakistani commandos.Four suspected militants were arrested while at least three blew themselves up in the eight-hour battle to retake the compound on the outskirts of Lahore in eastern Pakistan, said Rao Iftikhar, a top government official in Punjab province.He said three other bodies were still unidentified.Interior Ministry chief Rehman Malik said one of the arrested man was an Afghan, and that investigators believe the attack may have its roots along Pakistan's border with Afghanistan, where Taliban militants have hideouts. But Malik also pointed fingers at a Punjab-based Sunni extremist group and refused to rule out an Indian role.Meanwhile, a member of the Pakistani Taliban who uses the name Omar Farooq told The Associated Press by phone that a little-known group called Fedayeen al-Islam was behind the attack and that he was speaking on their behalf."As long as the Pakistan troops do not leave tribal areas, these attacks would continue," he said, referring to military operations in the lawless regions next to Afghanistan.Officials said more than 90 officers were wounded and that some of the attackers wore police uniforms in Monday's attack. As the siege ended, black-clad Pakistani commandos fired their guns in the air in celebration at the top of the building, shouting "God is Great!" and "Long live Punjab police!"The highly coordinated attack underscored the threat that militancy poses to the U.S.-allied, nuclear-armed country. It prompted Malik, Pakistan's top civilian security official, to say that militant groups were "destabilizing the country."The ambush on the Manawan Police Training School began as dozens of the officers carried out morning drills. About 700 trainees were inside at the time."We were attacked with bombs. Thick smoke surrounded us. We all ran in panic in different directions," said Mohammad Asif, a wounded officer taken to a hospital. He described the attackers as bearded and young.Another officer, Ahsan Younus, told The Associated Press that some of the attackers wore police uniforms and took some of the police hostage.TV footage showed several frightened police officers jumping over the wall of the academy to flee. Some crouched behind the wall of the compound, their rifles pointed toward the parade ground where police said the attack took place. Farther back, masses of security forces and civilians monitored the tense standoff, taking shelter behind security and rescue vehicles.The forces had surrounded the compound, exchanging fire in televised scenes reminiscent of the militant siege in the Indian city of Mumbai in November and the attack on Sri Lanka's cricketers earlier this month in Lahore.Armored vehicles entered the compound while helicopters hovered overhead. At times, explosions rocked the scene.At one point, security forces cornered several militants on the top floor of a building on the compound, where the gunmen held about 35 hostages, Iftikhar said."The eight hours were like eight centuries," said Mohammad Salman, 23, one of the hostages. "It was like I died several times. I had made up my mind that it was all over."Police captured one of the suspected gunmen six hours after the initial assault, dragging the scruffy, bearded man to a field outside the academy and kicking him.On the roof of the building where hostages were kept, an AP photographer saw body parts, blood and spent ammunition strewn about, and several police officers — apparently hostages — came out with their hands above their heads in fear.Pakistan has endured scores of suicide bombings and other attacks in recent years, and it faces tremendous U.S. pressure to eradicate Al Qaeda and Taliban insurgents on its soil. Most of the violence occurs along the country's northwest border with Afghanistan, but attacks have occurred in all the major cities.Monday's attack occurred close to the Indian border.In name potential suspects, the Interior Ministry chief suggested the attack could have been staged by Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, a Punjab-based Al Qaeda-linked terrorist group that has been implicated in several other attacks in the country.The attacks pose a major test for the weak, year-old civilian administration of Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, which has been gripped with political turmoil in recent weeks. The Obama administration has warned Pakistan that militancy threatens the nation's very existence, while U.S. officials complain the country's spy agencies still keep ties with some of the insurgent groups.Malik said Pakistan's integrity was "in danger at this time" and suggested that a foreign country was interfering in the country's domestic affairs, a possible reference to longtime foe India."Some rival country, or some hostile (intelligence) agency is definitely out to destabilize our democratic forces," he said.Earlier, he told state-run TV that Pakistan's police were not equipped to fight the wave of terrorism."In our country, at our different borders, arms are coming in, stinger missiles are coming in, rocket launchers are coming in, heavy equipment is coming — it should be stopped," Malik said. "Whoever the anti-state elements are, they are destabilizing the country."India's Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon told reporters his country was "deeply saddened and shocked by the events in Lahore."British Foreign Secretary David Miliband released a statement condemning the attack.

The U.S. Embassy in Islamabad issued a warning advising Americans to avoid travel between Lahore and the Indian border and prohibiting its employees from doing the same.Lahore, a vibrant metropolis considered by many to be Pakistan's cultural capital, has become an increasingly alluring target for militants. The cricket ambush in early March sparked a battle that left six police officers and a driver dead and wounded several players.Those gunmen escaped unscathed and have not been publicly identified.The brazen assault used commando-style tactics reminiscent of measures used by the militants who laid siege to several parts of Mumbai last year for three days. The Sri Lankan attack also had similar features — including heavily armed, backpack-toting gunmen — but it was much quicker. Observers have since speculated that those attackers might have hoped to grab hostages as well.India has blamed the Pakistani militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba for the Mumbai assault, and Pakistan has taken several of the outfit's alleged leaders into custody. Lashkar-e-Taiba, which is largely based in eastern Punjab province, has denied involvement in both attacks.Several militant groups operate well beyond Pakistan's northwest. Some of them, including Lashkar-e-Taiba, have their roots in the Kashmir dispute with India, and Pakistani spy agencies are believed to have established them.Pakistan's stability is of paramount concern to the U.S., which is fighting a growing Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan more than seven years after the American-led invasion ousted the militant regime from power there. Al Qaeda and Taliban fighters are believed to hide out in Pakistan's northwest while planning attacks on U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan.In unveiling a new strategy for Afghanistan last week, President Barack Obama pledged more aid to Pakistan but warned it not to expect a "blank check" without any accountability. Obama pledged increased assistance to Pakistani security forces, specifically equipment for the military.

Doubts over Mumbai suspect lawyer

The sole known surviving suspect from last November's attacks in Mumbai (Bombay) may once again be without proper legal representation.A lawyer who was appointed for Ajmal Amir Qasab has said she is resigning from the case, after a crowd of protesters gathered outside her home.The state government has now promised to give the lawyer Anjali Waghmare police protection.Qasab has been charged with murder and "waging war" against India.He has told the court he was from Pakistan's Punjab province and asked for a lawyer.After the attacks, Indian lawyers had refused to represent Qasab.

Manawan attack martyred policemen Nimaz-e-Janaza offered

LAHORE The Nimaz-e-Janaza of the seven policemen, who yesterday were martyred in Munawan police centre, offered here today.Punjab Governor, Salman Taseer, Federal Minister, Manzoor Watto, Punjab IG, Lahore CCPO including other high police officials besides the relatives of the martyrs and a large number of citizens attended the Nimaz-e-Janaza held at the police line. Following the burial prayers, a guard of honour was presented to the ‘Janazas’ of martyred and Punjab Governor laid the wreathes on the ‘Janazas’Seven policemen and one civilian were killed in yesterday’s terror attack on a police training school at Munawan here and the burial prayers of seven policemen were offered at the police line. Heavy security arrangements have been made on the occasion of Nimaz-e-Janaza, as the policemen have been posted on the rooftops in the surroundings and all those coming to attend the prayers are being frisked.The mourning environment at the training centre persisted today, as the shocked trainers didn’t hold the routine drill. 

Israelis, Palestinians Clash on Gaza Border

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip A Gaza Health Ministry official says two Palestinians have been wounded by Israeli gunfire in a clash along the Gaza-Israel border.Dr. Moaiya Hassanain says it is not yet clear if the men are civilians or militants. Palestinian witnesses say they heard two explosions from the border area on Tuesday morning, after which Israeli helicopters hovered over the fence and fired at targets inside Gaza.Israeli security officials say troops saw armed militants placing explosive devices along the fence. They spoke on condition of anonymity because the military had yet to release an official comment.There has been rocket fire and sporadic fighting along the Gaza-Israel border since Israel ended its offensive in the territory on Jan. 18. The border has been relatively quiet in recent weeks.

UK troops begin Iraqi withdrawal

British forces will officially begin their withdrawal from Iraq on Tuesday as the UK's top general in the south of the country hands over to a US general.Major General Andy Salmon will transfer authority for what will become Multi-National Division South to US Major General Michael Oates.Most of Britain's 4,000 troops will leave by 31 May, the official end-of-combat date.About 400 will stay after that, either in HQ roles or to train the Iraq Navy.

Bomber hits Afghan district office

At least nine people have been killed and eight wounded after a suicide bomber blew himself up in a government office in southern Afghanistan, police said.The bomber walked into the office in the government headquarters of Dand district, about 10km south of the city of Kandahar, on Monday, officials said."In this incident, five policemen and four civilians were martyred," the interior ministry said in a statement."Two policemen and six civilians were wounded."The registration office is inside a Kandahar district government compound that includes administration offices, the police headquarters and a court.

Abu Sayyaf upholds hostage deadline

Separatist fighters in the southern Philippines have said they will stick to a deadline to behead one of three Red Cross workers they have taken hostage unless government troops withdraw from its stronghold.The Abu Sayyaf group has said it will behead one of the hostages they are holding on Jolo island by 1400 local time (0600GMT) on Tuesday if the military does not meet its demands."The decision of the group is to behead if there will be no pullout," Abu Ali, an Abu Sayyaf commander, told the Associated Press."There will be no extension of the deadline for the pullout and we have no plan to release any hostage if there will be no pullout."The three aid workers - Mary Jean Lacaba, a Filipino national, Andreas Notter, a Swiss national and Eugenio Vagni, from Italy – were seized on January 15.Government officials say the group's demand is "physically impossible", and that the troops cannot be moved within the 24 hours they have been given.Al Jazeera's Marga Ortigas, reporting from Manila, said that both sides appear to have given up on reaching a compromise."The government is saying it is logistically impossible to comply with this demand, and the Abu Sayyaf are saying that it is all or nothing," she said.

US soldier jailed on Iraq murders

A US soldier has been sentenced to 35 years in prison for murdering four Iraqi detainees in 2007.Sgt Joseph Mayo, 27, was earlier convicted by a court martial of premeditated murder and conspiracy to commit premeditated murder.The detainees were shot and dumped in a Baghdad canal in retribution for an attack on an US patrol in the Iraqi capital in which two soldiers died.Mayo will be eligible for parole in 10 years, the court ruled.He had pleaded guilty to the charges during the hearing at the US Army's Rose Barracks in southern Germany.

Migrant boats with hundreds on board sink

Two boats bearing hundreds of Europe-bound migrants sank off the Libyan coast in separate incidents, killing at least 21 people, according to Libyan officials. Hundreds of people were still missing.At least 21 migrants died and hundreds more were missing after two boats to Italy sank off Libya in separate incidents, Libyan officials said on Monday.The bodies were found after a rickety boat carrying 253 people sank off the coast of the North African state.At least 23 people were rescued by Libyan coastguards when a second boat packed with migrants went down, but another 342 people on board were still missing, the officials told Reuters."We have information that two more boats were drifting off Libya's coast but we do not know the exact conditions and the number of the migrants on board," one of the officials said.Asked when exactly the boats had sank, one official said: "The boat incidents took place in the past two days and rescue and search operation are continuing."Libyan officials said it was not yet clear whether the two confirmed capsized boats and the two other spotted drifting off Libya all sailed from Libya.Libya, a popular departure point for African migrants trying to reach Europe, signed a new accord with Italy in February to strengthen their efforts to stem the flow of illegal migration to southern Europe.

Iran, US join key talks on Afghanistan

Representatives from more than 70 nations – including Iran and the US – come together in The Hague Tuesday for a key conference on Afghanistan, the first since US President Barack Obama unveiled his new strategy for Afghanistan.Iran rejected the presence of foreign troops in Afghanistan, apparently putting it sharply at odds with Washington before Tuesday's first major conference on Kabul since President Barack Obama unveiled his strategy.U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is hoping to win support at the 90-nation conference for greater military involvement along with increased economic development and army and police training to defeat al Qaeda and Taliban insurgents."The presence of foreign troops cannot bring peace and stability for Afghanistan," Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Mohammad Mehdi Akhoundzade was quoted as saying in The Hague on Monday by Iran's official IRNA news agency. "It encourages radicalism," he said, adding that a regional solution was needed."This policy (the Western countries) decide for the Afghan nation and for the Afghan officials does not work out any more."Obama came to office offering a new engagement with Iran, ending decades of official U.S. hostility towards the Islamic Republic. Iran has welcomed Obama's overtures but says it wants to see changes in policy rather than words.More than 70,000 U.S. and NATO troops are in Afghanistan battling a growing insurgency by the Sunni Islamist Taliban movement, which is also spreading its influence in Pakistan through the porous mountain border between the two countries.Since taking office in January, Obama has ordered 17,000 extra troops to Afghanistan to tackle the violence, and a further 4,000 to help train the army.

Arab leaders snub al-Bashir warrant

Arab Leaders meeting in Doha, the Qatari capital, have rejected an international arrest warrant for Omar al-Bashir, the Sudanese president accused of war crimes in Darfur.In a draft communique issued at the end of the first day of the 21st Arab League summit on Monday, the leaders said they considered the warrant to be in violation of the Vienna agreement of 1961.It stated that any efforts to address the situation in Darfur would need an agreement between all Sudanese factions, rather than the trial of the president."We emphasise our solidarity to the Sudan and our dismissal and rejection of the decision handed down by the International Criminal Court [ICC]," Amr Moussa, the Arab League secretary-general, read from the communique. He said that the decision to arrest al-Bashir was aimed "at undermining the unity and stability of Sudan".

Monday, March 30, 2009

Obama: U.S. prepared to pursue targets in Pakistan

WASHINGTON President Obama said Sunday that his administration remains prepared to order strikes against "high-value" targets within Pakistan.Obama reiterated a previous assertion that the U.S. military would pursue extremists within Pakistan's borders after consulting with the Pakistani government.The U.S. policy doesn't change American recognition of Pakistan's "sovereign government," Obama said during an appearance on CBS's "Face the Nation." But the United States needs to hold that government "more accountable.""This is going to be hard," he added. "I'm under no illusions." Obama said his administration remains determined to weaken or destroy al Qaeda until it no longer presents a threat to the United States.He added that his administration is prepared to continually adjust its strategy in Pakistan and Afghanistan as necessary. On Friday, Obama announced a new plan for the region encompassing Pakistan and Afghanistan. It calls for, among other things, more U.S. troops, greater economic assistance, improved Afghan troop training, and added civilian expertise to defeat the "terrorists who planned and supported the 9/11 attacks.""Let me be clear: Al Qaeda and its allies -- the terrorists who planned and supported the 9/11 attacks -- are in Pakistan and Afghanistan," he said Friday."Multiple intelligence estimates have warned that al Qaeda is actively planning attacks on the U.S. homeland from its safe haven in Pakistan."He added that "al Qaeda and its extremist allies are a cancer that risks killing Pakistan from within."Obama specifically announced plans to send another 4,000 troops to Afghanistan along with hundreds of civilian specialists, such as agricultural experts, educators and engineers.The troops -- who are in addition to the 17,000 the president announced earlier would be sent to Afghanistan -- will be charged with training and building the Afghan army and police force.

Report: N. Korea Readying Another Missile Test

SEOUL, South Korea North Korea is preparing to launch a short- or medium-range missile, possibly right after it carries out its plan to fire a long-range rocket in early April, a Japanese newspaper reported Sunday.North Korea says it will launch a communications satellite into orbit between April 4 and 8 as part of its space development program. Regional powers, however, suspect the North is using the launch to test long-range missile technology, and have warned it could face international sanctions under a 2006 U.N. Security Council resolution prohibiting ballistic activity by North Korea.U.S. officials said last week that North Korea has mounted a rocket onto its northeast coastal Musudan-ni launch pad, putting the country well on track for a launch. U.S., South Korean and Japanese officials have warned they will take the North to the U.N. Security Council if it goes ahead with its plan.

Tension high after Baghdad arrest

Security forces in Baghdad have taken control of main roads leading to a district where at least three people were killed on Saturday.Clashes between US and Iraqi forces and a patrol group broke out when a local Sunni militia leader was arrested.On Sunday, troops drove through the Fadil neighbourhood urging fighters to hand over their weapons.US officials are trying to negotiate the release of five Iraqi soldiers taken hostage during the clashes.The security forces have warned the militants that they will be treated as terrorists if they do not surrender their weapons.

'High School Musical 3' Wins Big at Kids Choice Awards

LOS ANGELES  "High School Musical 3: Senior Year" graduated with honors Saturday at the Kids Choice Awards.he Disney musical was selected as the favorite movie by audience votes at the 22nd annual slime-filled Nickelodeon spectacle held inside UCLA's Pauley Pavilion. "High School Musical" star Vanessa Hudgens was also selected as the favorite movie actress."Lately, a lot of people have been taking credit for bringing back the musical," Zac Efron said while accepting the movie's trophy. "The truth is we've known who's been responsible for bringing back the musical all along. It was you guys!"The show's hijinks kicked off with host and "Race to Witch Mountain" star Dwayne Johnson zip-lining over the audience of screaming teens and tweens into a "slime temple." Johnson proceeded to spray the first row with gooey green slime. Other shenanigans included squirting singer Jesse McCartney with a fake microphone and Will Ferrell slipping and sliding down a hill.Winners included "iCarly" for TV show, "American Idol" for reality show, Jonas Brothers for music group and "Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa" for animated movie.Jack Black arrived in motorcycle sidecar to pick up his award for favorite voice from an animated film for "Kung Fu Panda."Miley Cyrus was brought to tears when she was announced as favorite female singer."I really thought I was gonna lose, so thank you, guys," said Cyrus.Johnson said over 90 million viewer votes were cast at Nick's Web site. Instead of envelopes, blimp recipients were revealed from inside spy-like steel briefcases. Some held surprises throughout the show. Before presenters Sandra Bullock and Hugh Jackman announced the "Twilight" series as favorite book, a briefcase doused the pair with green slime.The green theme took on an entirely different meaning when Cameron Diaz presented her "Gangs of New York" co-star Leonardo DiCaprio with the first-ever Big Green Help Award. The "Titanic" and "Revolutionary Road" actor was selected to receive the green blimp trophy because of his contribution and promotion of environmental issues."Right now, our mother — our mother — all of our mothers, Mother Earth is hurting," said DiCaprio. "And she needs a generation of thoughtful, caring and active kids like all of you to protect her for the future. You can help us win the battle to clean up our air, our water, our land, to protect our forests, our oceans and our wildlife."Most of the blimp recipients were relegated to brief announcements before and after the commercials.Among those winners were "Wizards of Waverly Place" star Selena Gomez for TV actress, "The Suite Life of Zack and Cody" star Dylan Sprouse for TV actor, "SpongeBob SquarePants" for cartoon, Jesse McCartney for male singer, Beyonce's "Single Ladies" for song, Will Smith for movie actor, "Guitar Hero World Tour" for video game, Candace Parker for female athlete andPeyton Manning for male athlete.Earlier this year, controversy found its way into the show when pop star Chris Brown withdrew his name from Kids' Choice contention. The nominations were announced shortly before his arrest for allegedly attacking girlfriend and fellow Kids' Choice nominee Rihanna. Neither was in attendance Saturday, and Rihanna, twice nominated, lost in both categories.The show concluded with Johnson and a troop of Polynesian dancers summoning the "slime temple" to spew the sticky stuff all over the audience. Instead, the Jonas Brothers emerged and sang a cappella, causing slime to cascade over the boy band, Johnson, the dancers and much of the audience."What you guys don't know is that's real boogers," comedian Marlon Wayans said earlier in the show.

indian terrorist attack on police training school in lahore

Tanzania train crash 'kills 15'

At least 15 people have died after a passenger train ploughed into a stationary cargo train in Tanzania.Bodies of other victims may be trapped in the wreckage in the Dodoma region of central Tanzania, officials say.William Lukuvi, Dodoma's regional commissioner, said he feared the number of dead would rise.He said cranes had been ordered to move the wreckage of the trains after the crash, which occurred around midday local time on Sunday."We are investigating the cause of the accident, which has already claimed at least 15 lives," Mr Lukuvi told the Associated Press news agency."Cranes have been ordered to help separate the crumpled wreckage and retrieve bodies."Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation said the accident happened in Pandambili, in Dodoma's Mpwapwa District.In 2002, more than 200 people were killed and hundreds more wounded when a freight train collided with a passenger train outside Dodoma, the worst rail accident in the country's history.

Police training school attacked

Gunmen stormed into a police academy in the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore, killing at least 20 people, according to police. Gunfire could be heard from the premises, according to local media reports.Gunmen attacked a police training school near the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore on Monday, police said, with state television reporting at least four dead.Gunfire could be heard echoing around the camp as television footage showed the bodies of some policemen lying on the parade ground.The attack came just weeks after another assault by gunmen on the visiting Sri Lankan cricket team in the same city on March 3 left eight Pakistanis dead and seven players and a coach injured."Unknown gunmen have attacked the police training school, we have called in elite forces," senior police official Mumtaz Sukhera told reporters."We do not know about casualties," Sukhera said.The training facility is located outside Lahore at a place called Manawan.Police cordoned off the area as commandos and armoured personnel carriers moved in, television pictures showed.A second senior police official, Inam Wahid, said that the assailants were wearing police uniform and had occupied the training school."According to initial reports up to 20 policemen are injured," he told AFP.

Madonna to begin Malawi adoption

Madonna has arrived in Malawi to begin the process of adopting a second child from the African country.The pop star wants to adopt a young girl called Mercy James, local officials have said.The singer was seen walking through the village of Chinkhota with her 12-year-old daughter Lourdes.She refused to answer questions from reporters but said it was "amazing" to be back in the country where she adopted David Banda in 2006.Madonna is due to sign adoption papers in court in the capital Lilongwe in the coming days.An unnamed welfare official told the Associated Press (AP) agency Mercy James' mother was an unmarried 18-year-old who died a few months after the baby was born.The girl is in the same orphanage that was home to David, who is now three years old.There are differing reports of Mercy James' age, with AP and Reuters saying she is four years old and Agence France Presse (AFP) saying she is three.But Madonna has come in for criticism over her plans. David Nutt, spokesman for the Save the Children charity, urged Madonna to think again.

Top marks for High School Musical

High School Musical got top marks at the Kids' Choice Awards in Los Angeles, where its third instalment was voted best movie.Zac Efron accepted the prize for High School Musical 3: Senior Year, while his co-star Vanessa Hudgens was picked as favourite movie actress.Hannah Montana star Miley Cyrus was named top female singer, while iCarly was named favourite TV show.TV network Nickelodeon said 90 million votes were cast in 18 categories.

US admiral says Pakistani intelligence helping al Qaeda

US Admiral Mike Mullen (pictured) told CNN there were "indications" that elements of Pakistani intelligence are backing al Qaeda and its allies. US President Barack Obama said earlier in the day that Pakistan was vital to anti-terrorism efforts. There are "indications" that elements of Pakistan's intelligence service are lending support to Al-Qaeda and Taliban militants, the top US military officer said on Friday."There are certainly indications that's the case," Admiral Mike Mullen told CNN when asked if elements of Pakistan's spy agency were backing the Al-Qaeda network and its Taliban allies."Fundamentally that's one of the things that has to change."Pakistan's Inter-Services Agency (ISI) has been widely accused of refusing to sever its links with Islamist groups that date back to the Cold War and the US-backed fight against Soviet forces in Afghanistan.After the attacks of September 11, 2001, Washington demanded Islamabad ensure ISI cut its ties to the Taliban and Al-Qaeda, but there have been persistent reports that some members of the spy service remain in league with the extremist networks.India has directly accused its neighbor's powerful military intelligence agency of involvement in last year's Mumbai attacks that killed 165 people.Pakistan has denied the government has links to the Mumbai attackers or to Al-Qaeda and its allies.Mullen's comments came as President Barack Obama unveiled a new US strategy for the war in Afghanistan, in which he called for Islamabad to crack down on insurgents operating inside Pakistan's borders.

Ivorian stadium crush 'kills 19'

Nineteen people have reportedly died in a crush at a football stadium during a World Cup qualifier in the Ivory Coast.Reports says fans panicked after a wall collapsed at the Houphouet-Boigny arena in the West African country's largest city of Abidjan.At least 36,000 spectators were in the stadium, where hosts Ivory Coast beat Malawi 5-0.Hundreds of fans have died in recent years during riots and stampedes at football games across Africa.Police tried in vain to control the panicking crowd.He says the stadium was packed for the return of Chelsea striker Didier Drogba, who scored twice.

Militants Kidnap, Kill Police in Pakistan

PESHAWAR, Pakistan  Militants fired rockets at police chasing them after a kidnapping, killing a senior police official and five other people in Pakistan's northwest Sunday, a government official said.Elsewhere in the region, militants kidnapped 11 police officers in a tribal area that is home to a major U.S. military supply route and where a bomber recently killed dozens at a mosque, another official said.Parts of Pakistan's northwest — especially the lawless tribal regions bordering Afghanistan — are strongholds for Al Qaeda and Taliban fighters, and security forces stationed in the area are routinely targeted for kidnapping and killing.Cracking down on militants along the Pakistan-Afghan border is a major focus for President Barack Obama. In unveiling a new strategy for Afghanistan, Obama warned last week that for Americans, "this border region has become the most dangerous place in the world."The six deaths occurred in Balambat area of Lower Dir, a rough region just outside the semiautonomous tribal belt.A group of police officials, including the district police chief Khurshid Khan, were chasing militants suspected in the kidnapping of a local resident, said Syed Mohammed Javed, a high-ranking government official in the province.

At least 5 killed in election clashes in Turkey

ISTANBUL, Turkey At least five people were killed and dozens more wounded in clashes as municipal elections were held across Turkey.arly election results suggested the ruling political party, led by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, won the overall election as predicted. However, Erdogan's Justice and Development Party, or AKP, appeared to have slipped several percentage points, compared to its landslide victory in 2007 parliamentary elections.The preliminary results suggest the AKP lost some ground to an Islamist party and a Kurdish nationalist party.More than 90,000 positions are up for grabs Sunday, from the mayor of Turkey's largest city, Istanbul, which has a population of more than 12 million, to the muhtar, or headman, of the smallest Anatolian village.The election is widely seen as a referendum on the AKP. Erdogan's party has been in power since it captured a majority of seats in parliamentary elections in 2002.

New team Brawn GP kicks off season with Australian double

The Formula One Grand Prix season has begun like a dream for newcomers Brawn GP: British driver Jenson Button (photo) took victory in Melbourne on Sunday, just ahead of his Brazilian teammate Rubens Barrichello.Britain's Jenson Button led home a sensational one-two finish for Brawn GP in its debut Formula One team start at the twilight Australian Grand Prix here on Sunday.Button rocketed away from the pole to lead throughout the 58 laps of the season-opener and kept clear of the mayhem behind him to cruise home in a safety car finish for his second victory in 154 GPs.The 29-year-old Briton, who led by as much as 34secs at one stage, had 0.807seconds to spare in beating his teammate Rubens Barrichello.Italian Jarno Trulli in a Toyota crossed the line in third, but was stripped of the position by race stewards, leaving world champion Lewis Hamilton in a McLaren-Mercedes another 1.3secs away in third.It was the first time since 1954 when five-time world champion Juan Manuel Fangio led home Karl Kling for Mercedes in the French Grand Prix that a debut team had finished one-two in a race.

Obama rules out sending US troops inside Pakistan

Obama agreed that things are worse than ever in Afghanistan

WASHINGTON US President Barack Obama said on Sunday he will consult with Pakistan’s leaders before going after terrorist hideouts in the country.The US President said he also wants Pakistan to be more accountable, but has ruled out deploying US troops there. In Obama’s words, his Afghanistan strategy ‘does not change the recognition of Pakistan as a sovereign government.’In an interview with CBS television’s ‘Face the Nation,’ the president discussed the tenuous security situation in that region. He said, ‘Unless we get a handle on it now, we’re gonna be in trouble.’Obama added that his new strategy is ‘not going to be an open-ended commitment of infinite resources’ from the United States.In a wide-ranging interview, Obama sought to counter the notion that Afghanistan has become his war. He emphasised that it started on George W. Bush’s watch.‘I think it’s America’s war. And it’s the same war that we initiated after 9/11 as a consequence of those attacks,’ Obama said. ‘The focus over the last seven years I think has been lost.’Obama taped the interview Friday, the same day he launched the fresh effort to defeat al-Qaida terrorists in Pakistan and Afghanistan, widening a war that began after terrorists struck the US on Sept. 11, 2001. He set new benchmarks and ordered 4,000 more troops to the war zone as well as hundreds of civilians and increased aid. The plan does not include an exit timeline.Defense Secretary Robert Gates, in an interview on ‘Fox News Sunday,’ said the short-term objectives for US forces in Afghanistan have narrowed under Obama’s new strategy even as a flourishing democracy in Afghanistan remains a long-term goal.‘I think what we need to focus on and focus our efforts is making headway and reversing the Taliban’s momentum and strengthening the Afghan army and police, and really going after al-Qaida, as the president said,’ Gates said.Pakistan has urged Obama to halt the strikes. But Gates has signaled to Congress that the US would continue to go after al-Qaida inside Pakistan, and senior Obama administration officials have called the strikes effective.Without directly referring to the strikes, Obama said: ‘If we have a high-value target within our sights, after consulting with Pakistan, we’re going after them. But our main thrust has to be to help Pakistan defeat these extremists.’Asked if he meant he would put US troops on the ground in Pakistan, Obama said: ‘No.’He noted that Pakistan is a sovereign nation and said: ‘We need to work with them and through them to deal with al-Qaida. But we have to hold them much more accountable.’‘What we wanna do is say to the Pakistani people: You are our friends, you are our allies. We are going to give you the tools to defeat al-Qaeda and to root out these safe havens. But we also expect some accountability. And we expect that you understand the severity and the nature of the threat,’ Obama added.In the interview, Obama said he won’t assume that more troops will result in an improved situation. ‘There may be a point of diminishing returns in terms of troop levels. We’ve gotta also make sure that our civilian efforts, our diplomatic efforts and our development efforts, are just as robustly encouraged.’Obama agreed that things are worse than ever in Afghanistan, and then sought to clarify his point.‘They’re not worse than they were when the Taliban was in charge and al Qaida was operating with impunity,’ Obama said. But, he added, ‘We have seen a deterioration over the last several years.’‘This is gonna be hard,’ Obama said. ‘I’m under no illusions. If it was easy, it would have already been completed.’ He also stressed the need to be flexible. ‘We will continue to monitor and adjust our strategies to make sure that we’re not just going down blind alleys.’

Major cyber spy network uncovered

An electronic spy network, based mainly in China, has infiltrated computers from government offices around the world, Canadian researchers say.They said the network had infiltrated 1,295 computers in 103 countries.They included computers belonging to foreign ministries and embassies and those linked with the Dalai Lama - Tibet's spiritual leader.There is no conclusive evidence China's government was behind it, researchers say. Beijing also denied involvement.The report, Tracking GhostNet: Investigating a Cyber Espionage Network, comes after a 10-month investigation by the Information Warfare Monitor (IWM), which comprises researchers from Ottawa-based think tank SecDev Group and the University of Toronto's Munk Centre for International Studies.They were acting on a request from the Tibetan spiritual leader's office to check whether the computers of his Tibetan exile network had been infiltrated.

Police station attacked in Tibetan area

A police station in the northwest Chinese town of Xining, near Tibetan-populated areas, was attacked in the early hours of Sunday, a day after China launched a new national holiday for Tibetans called "Serf's Liberation Day".A police station in a part of northwestern China near Tibetan-populated areas was attacked early on Sunday, leaving two police officers hurt, state media reported.The brief dispatch by Xinhua news agency said the incident occurred in Xining, capital of Qinghai province, which neighbours Tibet and has a substantial Tibetan population.It gave no other details besides saying the incident was under investigation.However, the report comes amid a heavy security crackdown in Tibet and adjacent areas with Tibetan populations to prevent unrest during this month's 50th anniversary of an uprising against Chinese rule.It also comes a day after China launched a new national holiday for Tibetans called "Serf's Liberation Day" to mark what the government calls the emancipation of Tibetans from the "feudal" rule of the now-exiled Dalai Lama.

Protests show Madagascar divides

Supporters of both Madagascar's ousted president and the man who replaced him have held rival demonstrations in the country's capital, Antananarivo.On one side of the city, 30,000 people attended a church ceremony to protest against new leader Andry Rajoelina.Meanwhile, 600 people commemorated the killing of 28 people when former President Marc Ravalomanana's bodyguard opened fire on protesters in February.On Saturday, police used live gunfire to disperse an anti-government rally.At least 30 people were injured - some from gun shots - as supporters of Mr Ravalomanana clashed with security services.Some 20,000 demonstrators had been protesting in Antananarivo for a sixth consecutive day against Mr Rajoelina's new administration.

Court backs Karzai term extension

Afghanistan's supreme court has recommended that Hamid Karzai, the Afghan president, stay in office until elections are held on August 20, Afghan media has reported.The decision ends weeks of uncertainty about a potential power vacuum caused by the constitution's stipulation that the presidential term must end on May 21, despite elections being set for three months later.The move is also likely to fuel the fears of critics who are worried that Karzai will use the privileges of his office, such as access to state media and aircraft, to give him an unfair advantage in the election campaign.The court ruled there was a need for a "continuation" of leadership until the inauguration of the next leaders, a presidential spokesman told the AFP news agency.

'Awakening' group in Baghdad battle

Iraqi and US troops have clashed for a second straight day in Baghdad with so-called Awakening Council fighters opposed to the arrest of a local militia leader.The fighting in the Fadhil district of the Iraqi capital, in which four people were killed, came after Iraqi forces arrested Adel Mashhadani, the local chief of the Sahwa Council trained and financed by the US and Iraq to battle al-Qaeda fighters.American troops assisting Iraqi forces on Sunday ordered Sahwa members to surrender their weapons or face reprisals, while Iraqi soldiers blocked access to the area and made several arrests."We captured 14 people wanted by Iraqi justice in al-Fadhil district and we found weapons," Qassim al-Moussawi, Baghdad security spokesman, said.More than 20 people have also been wounded during the fighting, officals said.The fighting is the most severe seen in central Baghdad since US and Iraqi forces, aided by Sahwa loyalists, battled against al-Qaeda-linked fighters in 2007.

Bashir in Qatar before start of Arab summit

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir (pictured left) arrived in Doha ahead of talks Monday with Arab leaders to discuss the ICC warrant for his arrest for crimes against humanity in Darfur.Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir arrived in the Gulf state of Qatar on Sunday, Al Jazeera television reported, as Arab leaders gathered for a summit set to discuss his indictment for war crimes.Bashir has visited Egypt, Eritrea, Libya and Ethiopia in the weeks since the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued a warrant for his arrest and accused him of masterminding war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur.Qatar, which hosts a key U.S. military base, said last week it had faced unspecified pressure not to receive Bashir but it repeated an invitation for him to attend.Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi on Sunday described the indictment of Bashir as “First World terrorism”.“The ICC warrant to arrest President Bashir is an attempt by (the west) to recolonise their former colonies,” Gaddafi, the current chairman of the African Union (AU), told reporters in the Ethiopian capital Addia Ababa.“It is a practice of a First World terrorism. It is not fair that a sitting head of state should be arrested. That is why all Third World countries are opposing ICC’s warrant against Bashir,” Gaddafi added.The ICC issued an arrest warrant for Bashir on March 4 on  seven counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Darfur region of western Sudan, where international experts say more than 200,000 people have been killed since 2003.

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Shuttle Discovery Lands After Delay Due to Weather Conditions

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. Space shuttle Discovery and its crew are back on Earth.Discovery landed at its home port in Florida on Saturday afternoon, ending a 13-day mission that left the international space station with all its solar wings.The space station can now produce enough electricity to support a larger crew and conduct more research.The shuttle crew also helped fix a recycling machine at the space station that turns astronauts' urine and sweat into drinking water.Touchdown occurred a little later than planned. Cloudy and windy weather forced NASA to delay Discovery's homecoming by about 90 minutes. But the wind shifted and the conditions improved enough so that the seven astronauts could make the second and final landing opportunity for the day.