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Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Taliban claims Peshawar attack


The Pakistani Taliban has claimed responsibility for an attack on the US consulate in Peshawar in Pakistan's northwest. The assault was just one of a series of attacks to hit the volatile region on Monday. As many as 44 people were killed in a blast at a rally in Lower Dir district, while the Peshawar attack - which occurred just hours later - claimed at least six lives. More than 100 people were wounded in the day's attacks.

Israeli FM warns Palestinians not to declare state


Israel's hard-line foreign minister warned Palestinians against plans to unilaterally declare independence next year, saying in an interview Tuesday that such a move could prompt Israel to annex parts of the West Bank and annul past peace agreements. Avigdor Lieberman also made harsh comments about Turkey, Israel's increasingly alienated ally, saying the Turkish prime minister was coming to resemble Libyan ruler Moammar Gadhafi. Lieberman, who heads an ultranationalist party, has become known for a belligerent tone that has earned him critics abroad and inside Israel. His remarks Tuesday on Palestinian independence took aim at a Palestinian policy that has emerged as U.S. attempts to restart peace talks have stalled. Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, whose Western-backed administration has a limited governing role in the Israeli-controlled West Bank, announced plans to unilaterally declare a Palestinian state, possibly as early as the summer of 2011 — even without a peace deal.

Indian Americans rally to block F-16s sale to Pakistan


A group of prominent Indian Americans, led by noted physician Sudhir Parikh, are lobbying hard to block Washington's sale of F-16 combat aircraft to Pakistan, drawing support from a large Congressional caucus. "Our contention is the sals of F-16s to Pakistan will escalate the arms race in South Asia. This goes against US interests in the region and the world at large," said the New Jersey-based asthma and allergy specialist and publisher, here to receive the Padma Shri from President Pratibha Patil. "We feel it is also not advisable to sell these aircraft to Pakistan since the US wants a peaceful transition in Afghanistan where it counts both Pakistan and India as key allies," Parikh, who runs as many as 28 clinics in the US, told IANS in an interview.  "India today is a major growing power -- a super power in the making. I am sure the US sees India as an ally and will not seek to upset the Indian people," he said, adding this was the factor that helped clinch the US-India civilian nuclear deal. 

Renowned Pakistani human rights activist Ansar Burney said that he would be visiting India soon on the request of the Siddiqui family to unearth the truth behind their claims that cricketer Shoaib Malik is already married to their daughter Ayesha. Shoaib, who is all set marry Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza in Hyderabad on April 15, entangled into a legal soup owing to a past affair with another Hyderabad girl Ayesha. Burney, a former minister for human rights, said that he has been contacted by the Siddiqui family to help them in their legal battle against the beleaguered Pakistani all-rounder and would be flying to India in the next three to four days. 

Brown announces UK election date


Britain's prime minister has announced parliamentary elections on May 6, setting the stage for a poll that could end 13 years of rule by his centre-left Labour Party. Earlier on Tuesday Gordon Brown met Queen Elizabeth to request a dissolution of parliament - a formality marking the start of a month-long campaign in what is set to be the country's most unpredictable election for almost two decades.

US team visits blast site to gather evidence


A US team visited the US Consulate building that was hit by terrorists in Peshawar the other day to collect evidence. The team gathered information from the Consulate’s officials besides the evidence from the site. They also took away the footages from cameras installed inside the building.  Two important offices of the security agencies have also been damaged in yesterday’s attack, while the UN shut down all its offices in Peshawar in view of the attacks.

Indian Maoists stage deadly raid


Maoist rebels have killed 75 paramilitary police officers in an attack in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh, government officials say. About 300 fighters are said to have attacked the police from a hilltop on Tuesday in Dantewada district as the police returned from an operation. When reinforcements came to their rescue, hundreds of heavily armed fighters ambushed their bus. "Seventy-five [people] have been killed, and seven [others] injured," G Pillai, the Indian home secretary, said. P Chidambaram, India's interior minister, condemned the attack, saying it showed the "savage nature" of the Maoists. "Something has gone very wrong. They seem to have walked into a camp or a trap," he said, referring to the police force which came under attack.