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Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Karadzic no-show forces trial adjournment


Former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic failed to attend the opening of his long-awaited war crimes trial at The Hague Monday, forcing the judge to adjourn proceedings until Tuesday. Former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic failed to attend the opening of his long-awaited war crimes trial at The Hague Monday, setting up a test of wills between the accused and the judges, who must now decide how to proceed. Opening the proceedings at The Hague shortly after 9:00 am (0800 GMT) Monday, the presiding judge, O-Gon Kwon, noted that "the accused Mr Karadzic is not present," before launching an early warning at Karadzic. "We request Mr Karadzic to attend so that his trial is not further obstructed," said Kwon. Barely 15 minutes after the opening, the judge adjourned the trial until Tuesday, when the prosecution is to make its opening address. But after meeting with his client on Monday, a member of Karadzic's legal team, Marco Sladojevic, told AFP that Karadzic would not be present for Tuesday’s proceedings. "I don't think he can read a million pages in one night," the lawyer said, echoing Karadzic's argument that he needed more time to study a million pages of prosecution evidence and hundreds of witness statements.

Afghan chopper crashes leaves 14 Americans dead



Two helicopter crashes killed 14 American troops and civilians in Afghanistan on Monday in one of the blackest days for the United States since its 2001 invasion, officials said. As anti-US protests erupted in Kabul over the alleged burning of a Koran, Afghan President Hamid Karzai also questioned Washington's commitment to the war-torn nation ahead of a run-off election in less than a fortnight. Following a first round riddled with fraud, Karzai's presidential rival Abdullah Abdullah called for the head of the country's election commission to be sacked. The deadlier of the two chopper crashes was in western Badghis province where seven troops and three civilians were killed. The Nato-led force in Afghanistan said enemy fire was not believed to be the cause. The Taliban said, however, it was behind the downing of the helicopter and claimed 14 Afghan civilians were killed in a subsequent aerial bombardment by the foreign force. The militia also claimed to have caused a mid-air collision in the south of the country which Nato's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said had killed four American soldiers. 'Four ISAF service members were killed and two others injured in the incident,' it said. Two helicopters apparently collided mid-air and the cause was being investigated but no hostile fire was involved, it added. The crash in Badghis occurred during a joint search operation by Afghan and Western forces of 'a suspected compound believed to harbour insurgents conducting activities related to narcotics trafficking', ISAF said.

'No rush' on US-Afghanistan plan



The US president has said that he will not rush a decision on whether to send tens of thousands more troops to Afghanistan, during an address to military servicemen and women in Florida. "I will never hesitate to use force to protect the American people or our vital interests, I also promise you this - and this is very important as we consider our next steps in Afghanistan," Barack Obama said at a naval air station in Jacksonville on Monday. "I will never rush the solemn decision of sending you into harm's way ... I won't risk your lives unless it is absolutely necessary, and if it is necessary, we will back you up. Obama's address came hours after he led a sixth meeting of a bipartisan war council, which focused on future military strategy in Afghanistan.

Kashmiri observing black day today


Kashmiri, across the world, are observing black day today against India’s tyrannical occupation of Occupied Kashmir, reported Dunya News. Various rallies, protests, processions and gatherings are being organized in Muzaffarabad and Azad Kashmir. All Parties Hurriyat Conference Azad Kashmir will take out a rally from Supreme Court Chowk to United Nations (UN) office and submit a protest memorandum. India occupied Jammu Kashmir on October 27, 1947 by sending its troops to the valley. All Parties Hurriyat Conference Occupied Kashmir Chairman Mirwaiz Umer Farooq said that they were ready to talk about a third option rather than freedom to resolve Kashmir dispute. He opined that Gilgit-Baltistan was a part of Kashmir.

Israel 'cutting Palestinian water'



Israel is denying Palestinians adequate access to clean, safe water while allowing almost unlimited supplies to Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank, human rights group Amnesty International has said. "Swimming pools, well-watered lawns and large irrigated farms in Israeli settlements... stand in stark contrast next to Palestinian villages whose inhabitants struggle even to meet their domestic water needs," the group said in a report released on Tuesday. Amnesty said between 180,000 and 200,000 Palestinians in West Bank rural communities have no access to running water, while taps in other areas often run dry.

Pakistan arrests 12 Iranians for illegal infiltration: officials



Authorities in Pakistan on Monday interrogated 12 Iranians who were arrested for illegally crossing the border with Iran, Pakistan officials said. "There are 12 Iranians who have been arrested along with two vehicles," Mohammad Akbar Durrani, home secretary of Pakistan's western province of Baluchistan, which borders Iran, told AFP. "They are being interrogated," Durrani said, declining to give any details on the men's identities. "We informed the Foreign Office about the arrests," he added. A border official said 11 Iranian Revolutionary Guards were arrested after they crossed the border into Pakistan, but he spoke on condition of anonymity and there was no other confirmation. A paramilitary spokesman said only that "some Iranians" who intruded four kilometres (2.4 miles) into Pakistani territory were arrested at Mashkail, around 400 kilometres (240 miles) west of Quetta. Al-Alam, the Iranian TV news channel, rejected reports that the men were Revolutionary Guards, and quoted an "informed source" as saying negotiations were under way to secure the release of the men, who were border guards.

Six militants killed in Mohmand Agency


Six militants were killed and 11 others injured in an attack on a check post in Mohmand Agency while two security officials got martyred and five injured in clashes and a landmine explosion on Tuesday, reported Dunya News. Security sources told that militants attacked on Bedmini check post in Bazai area of Mohmand Agency today morning in which two officials martyred and two others injured. Retaliation by the forces killed six militants and injured 11. Militants carried the corpses of their accomplices while fleeing. Separately, three officials got critically injured in a landmine explosion in Khazena area of Safi.