I could not sleep during Mumbai attack: Tendulkar

NEW DELHI: He may have made many bowlers lose their sleep by his explosive batting but Sachin Tendulkar could not close his eyes on the night the terror struck Mumbai, so disturbed was he. " I have been disturbed. I have been tracking the horrific images of mayhem on television. It saddened me to see my countrymen being targeted. I couldn't sleep all this time. I am numb, the images keep playing in my head," Tendulkar said. "This was just not an attack on Mumbai; it is an attack on India," he added. Tendulkar saluted the security persons who risked their lives to save the people of Mumbai. lick site

Mumbai attackers came from Pakistan: India

Updated at: 1949 PST, Wednesday, December 03, 2008 NEW DELHI: India's foreign minister said Wednesday there was "no doubt" that the militants who attacked Mumbai came from Pakistan and were coordinated from Pakistan."I informed Dr. Rice that there is no doubt the terrorists were individuals who came from Pakistan and whose controllers are in Pakistan," foreign minister Pranab Mukherjee said at a joint news conference with visiting US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.He said India wanted to see that "the terrorists and organisations who perpetrated these attacks are arrested and brought to justice"."We expect all friendly governments and the international community to ensure that this happens," he said."What action will be taken by the government will depend on the response we have from the Pakistan authorities."I am expecting the response, (and) after obtaining the response, whatever the government considers necessary to protect its territorial integrity, safety and security of its citizens, the government will do that," he added. link site

Four security personnel injured in suicide attack

Updated at: 2112 PST, Wednesday, December 03, 2008 CHARSADDA: Four security men sustained injuries in a suicide attack in Shabqadar area of Charsadda district on Wednesday, a senior police officer said. “Four personnel of paramilitary Mohmand Rifles sustained injuries when a suicide bomber targeted their vehicle at Subhan Khawar area Wednesday evening,” DPO Charsadda Waqif Khan told reporters.The suicide bomber, riding a donkey-cart immediately jumped over the van of Mohamand Rifle, he added. The injured were immediately shifted to hospital for treatment. The security forces and police soon after the incident rushed to the site and cordoned off the area. link site

Australian minister sees economic boost after U.S. election

SYDNEY: Confidence in the Australian economy should receive a boost when the U.S. presidential election on Tuesday is over, Assistant Treasurer Chris Bowen said on Sunday.

This should occur regardless of whether Democratic candidate and frontrunner Barack Obama or Republican rival John McCain is returned to the White House, Bowen told television.

"The tendency tends to be that once the election is out of the way, regardless of the winner, you see a boost in confidence," Bowen said, noting the boost would be felt globally.

"Now, there's no doubt that around the world there are strong views about who should win this election, but of course American confidence would be affected regardless of the result."

The election comes amid what is regarded as the most severe global economic downturn since the Great Depression of the1930s. The crisis was first sparked by a meltdown in the U.S. sub-prime home loan sector.

The state of the world's largest economy is shaping up as easily the most critical issue in the campaign for U.S. voters.

Pakistan accepts 11 IMF conditions

ISLAMABAD: After minor changes in the 11-point agenda of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Pakistan government has agreed to gradually impose the Central Excise Duty (CED) on services and agriculture sectors at the rate of eight to 18 per cent in place of the General Sales Tax (GST), The News learnt here on Saturday.“In view of the IMF demand, the Pakistani currency will also be devalued after slight changes in the discount rate and exchange rate will be decreased officially by six to seven per cent,” an official in the Ministry of Finance disclosed, wishing to remain anonymous.Moreover, the official said the release of 60 per cent funds for the next three quarters of the current financial year, under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP), would be reviewed downward to 45 per cent.According to the official, the foreign assistance flow had already declined by 40 per cent because donors had refused to provide funds for new projects at the federal and provincial levels under the PSDP against the ongoing projects funded by the Japan-IBRD, the World Bank, the Islamic Development Bank and the Asian Development Bank.ìThe IMF proposal received by the federal government in the last week of October contained 16 conditions having 180 points that were discussed in four meetings between Pakistani and IMF officials in Dubai,î the official disclosed. Eleven of the 16 conditions have been accepted with slight changes,î he added.The official said that major conditions accepted by the Pakistan government included changes in the Islamic Development Bank loans and differentiation between loans and grants, devaluation of rupee, freezing of non-development expenditure under the defence budget for the last three quarters of the current financial year, non-provision of supplementary grants to government departments, ending subsidy on gas and electricity, 20 per cent reduction in non-development expenditure of civil departments and federal ministries, increase in markup rate of banks and on inter-bank transactions, uniformity in the inter-bank and open market dollar exchange rate and stoppage of government financial intervention in stock markets.ìUnder the conditions accepted by the government, the IMF will be informed at the time of the issuance of credit line by any international financial institution, including the World Bank or immediately after it,î the official said. ìThe matters on which the government and its financial managers have differed with the IMF include release of $1.5 billion to$2 billion for the current financial year under the annual assistance package,î he said.The government wants the IMF to provide $3 billion and another $1.5 billion to $2 billion for adjustment of the loan instalments and maintenance of the balance of payments during the current financial year, said the official.ìBut the IMF wants to release $2 billion for repayments in the first six months after reaching the agreement for saving Pakistan from default and another $500 million for the stability of the national economy,î he said. ìFor this too, the IMF wants increase in the markup rate on the already approved 600 million World Bank loan and grant,î he added.The official opined that despite all the tough conditions, objections and differences, Pakistan would be compelled to seek the IMF assistance package because under the IMF pressure on the Friends of Pakistan, no friendly country has so far agreed to extend loan to Islamabad to meet its repayment obligations. ìTherefore, the government has decided to write a letter of intent to the IMF for assistance,î he said

Chavez threatens to expropriate petroleum Co.

CARACAS: President Hugo Chavez on Saturday threatened to expropriate a major Venezuelan company because of its owners' ties to a scandal involving the seizure of a suitcase stuffed with $800,000 in cash.A Miami jury is deliberating the case of Franklin Duran, a wealthy businessman who was a partner in Industrias Venoco, CA, a company that makes lubricants and other petroleum-based products in Venezuela's central Carabobo state. "The owners of this business, Venoco, are lending themselves to an action against the fatherland in the United States," Chavez said. "This business needs to be expropriated." Telephone calls to Venoco's headquarters were not returned Saturday. Duran has been accused of acting as an illegal foreign agent in the U.S. to cover up the source and destination of the cash-filled suitcase, which authorities seized last year in Argentina. Prosecutors say Venezuela sent the cash as a gift to fund Argentine President Cristina Fernandez's presidential election campaign. Both Chavez and Fernandez have denied the allegation.

Hundreds of acres of Army land given as bribe to JUI

ISLAMABAD: The mystery behind General Pervez Musharraf’s success in convincing Maulana Fazlur Rehman of the JUI in 2004 not to oppose his uniform has been partially solved — the general had doled out hundreds of acres of military land worth millions of rupees to the near and dear ones of the Maulana.Documents of these land allotments obtained by The News explain why the Muttahida Majlis Amal (MMA) always remained a friendly opposition to General Pervez Musharraf, bailed him out at critical times and why its JUI-led provincial government was able to complete a five-year term in the NWFP.The scale of the buyout price of the JUI, which has now been confirmed, is massive in terms of state land and money paid to the JUI leaders and their relatives.It is not clear whether the Pakistan Army could actually cancel these allotments of its lands to relatives of a politician even if it wanted to.Musharraf’s dubious promise of taking off his uniform by December 2004 was first quietly accepted by the MMA and then when he went back on his promise the JUI-led MMA never created any problem, except for low-level noises made off and on for public consumption.This was done all because JUI’s Maulana Fazlur Rehman had been allotted hundreds of acres of state land, mostly in the name of his relatives, staff and employees. Documents of these allotted lands, now in the possession of The News, reveal the blatant corruption of the JUI leaders, who use Islam to fool the people but never stop from compromising themselves and their principles for material and monetary gains.The ousted dictator is now known to have secretly allotted 1,200 Kanals of military land in D I Khan to his opposition leader in the last National Assembly Maulana Fazlur Rehman and his chief minister in the NWFP Akram Khan Durrani in 2004.Though the military land was transferred in the names of those who are either closely related to these two JUI-F leaders or are their relatives, the Revenue Department in DI Khan confirmed that both these leaders had at least 600 Kanals each in their personal possession.A senior member Board of Revenue in the Frontier government was also allotted 400 Kanals of the same land for his role in this highly controversial allotment from the land earmarked for soldiers, who are given this land for their services and in line with the policy derived by the GHQ.The allotment letters, relating to 1200 Kanals, were issued by the Army’s General Headquarters Adjutant General (Welfare and Rehabilitation Directorate), Rawalpindi under the signatures of Lt-Col Muhammad Zafar on behalf of the adjutant general and countersigned by Brigadier DWR-I Zafar Iqbal Shah on Oct 23rd 2004 — a little over two months prior to the deadline set for Musharraf’s stepping down as Army chief.Maulana Fazlur Rehman could not be reached for comments despite all efforts. However, his party spokesman categorically said that there was no truth in this and that it was a vilification campaign launched against the party and its leader.The spokesman said that the land was neither allotted in the name of the two leaders nor in the names of their close associates or relatives.Former JUI chief minister Akram Khan Durrani, however, admitted that some of his close associates/relatives were allotted lands but he said he had nothing to do with those.But the documents, available with The News, confirm that six men connected with Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Akram Durrani were allotted 200 Kanals each whereas a senior Revenue officer, serving in DI Khan, also acknowledged that the said land was actually in the possession of these two leaders.Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s main ally in the MMA at that time Qazi Hussain Ahmad of the Jamaat-e-Islami, when approached, said that he and his party did not have the hint of this wheeling and dealing.The documents show that whole of this land was allotted in Rakh Ghass, Tehsil and district Dera Imail Khan where the provincial government had allotted almost 136,000 Kanals of land to the Pakistan Army for its scheme under which the officers and JCOs and their families are allotted agriculture land of different sizes on the basis of their performance, seniority, sacrifice etc under a well determined formula.Adjutant General’s Branch, W&R Directorate, in its six separate letters dated Oct 23, 2004 and clearly tagged as “restricted”, allotted 200 Kanals of agriculture land in Rakh Ghass D I Khan to each of the following beneficiaries:1. Abrar Ahmad Khan son of Muhammad Ismail Khan, street 41 Sector I-9/4 Jamia Masjid Farooq-e-Azam, Islamabad.Generally known as Mufti Abrar, this allottee is the personal assistant of Maulana Fazlur Rehman. He has been allotted land in Khasra No 717, 716 and 715, the document shows;2. Sharifullah son of Mr Rahmatullah, Mohallah Mehmood Khel, village Abdul Khel, district D I Khan. He is attached with the brother of the Maulana, Maulana Lutfur Rehman, and is considered as their family member. He has been allotted land in Khasra No 718, 719 and 720; 3. Muhammad Ramzan son of Mr Feroz Khan, Mohallah Mehmood Khel, village Abdul Khel district D I Khan. He is closely related to Sharifullah and is also close with the Maulanas. He was allotted land in Khasras No 715 and 714; 4. Ibrar Ali Shah son of Asghar Ali Shah, Mewa Khel, Fazal Haq Malwana, Bannu. He is cousin of Durrani, who admitted the same and asserted that his father is a retired soldier so the son got the land. He was allotted land in Khasra No 718, 719 and 720; 5. Muhammad Ashraf Ali Khan son of Muhammad Shahzad Khan, village Khutti, Tehsil and dist D I Khan. He is included in the personal staff of Maulana Fazlís brother Maulana Lutfur Rehman. He was allotted land in Khasra No 717, 716 and 715; and6. Muhammad Shahzad Khan son of Alam Sher Khan, Hibak Sharzah Khan P/O Sikandar Khel Bannu. He is the uncle of Durrani as admitted by the former chief minister. Durrani said that his uncle was a retired soldier so was given land by the GHQ. Shahzad Khan was allotted land in Khasra No 715 and 714.Following these allotment letters issued by the GHQ, the land was formally transferred by the concerned Revenue officer to the above mentioned on 26 January, 2005.After the issuance of the allotment letters, the provincial government referred the case of Reayat Khan, the then senior member Board of Revenue, to the GHQ for the allotment of 400 Kanals of land in the same Moza for the officer, who had reportedly played an important role in getting 1200 Kanals transferred in favour of the men of JUI-Fís top leaders.Though Maulana Fazlur Rehman was not accessible, party spokesman Maulana Amjad told this correspondent that this was all disinformation and aimed at maligning the name of the Maulana. He said that neither the land was transferred to the two top JUI leaders nor to any of their front men. Maulana Amjad said that they did not believe in the politics of opportunism.Akram Durrani clarified that the land was actually allocated to the Pakistan Army before he took over as the chief minister of the province. He said that during his rule, he tried his level best to get the decision reversed but in vain. He denied that the land allotted in 2004 to his close men belonged to him. He argued that his uncle was allotted plot because he was a retired soldier whereas his other relative was gifted 200 Kanals because his father was in the Army.“I have nothing to do with all this,” he said. Durrani, when asked about Maulana, said that he would not respond on behalf of his party head.The former chief minister of the Frontier province suggested to this correspondent that the media should focus on what is going on in Islamabad. When asked if he was the beneficiary of the four Agro-plots that the CDA was recently pressurized to allot, he said that it was just media gossip.A senior district Revenue official, serving in the D I Khan, however, said that the land in question was in possession of the Maulana and Durrani. He said he did not know under what law the then Army chief had made this allotment because such a military land was only allotted to army officers and NCOs or to the families of the martyred.

ME can play role in preventing world financial crisis: Brown

RIYADH: British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said here that the Middle East rich with the wealth of oil can play an important role in preventing the world financial crisis.The British Prme Minister has reached Saudi Arabia on Saturday on the first leg of his four-day tour of the Gulf states to raise funds from the Middle East states for preventing the world economic crisis.Brown said that the rich countries should help the International Monetary Fund (IMF) at maximum so that the poor countries could be provided financial aid. The IMF eeds "hundreds of billions of dollars" to help countries at risk of collapsing amid the world financial crisis.In a meeting with Saudi ruler Sahh Abdulla bin Abdel Aziz Al Saud, the British Prime Minister said that the Arab countries are important for their wealth and reserves of oil and they can play a central role in preventing the economic crisis.

First-ever park fascinates visually impaired children

IslamabadThe first-ever park for visually impaired children was inaugurated here Saturday at Almaktoom Center having every possible measure for their safety and security.The air was filled with joy, laughter, songs and clapping, as it fascinated visually impaired children. Although occupying a small area, the park comprises everything to entertain the special children.Children on the occasion enthusiastically celebrated the inauguration of the park while singing national songs, staging short skits and participating in different games.Talking on the occasion, Special Education Directorate Director General Khalid Naeem said that construction of a special park for visually impaired children was undoubtedly a great work that should be appreciated. “Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) and civil society should help the government in launching such projects for the facilitation of special children,” he said.Khalid said that according to United Nations, almost 10 million population of Pakistan comprises persons with different disabilities while according to Pakistan census 1998, there were only 4 million. “Out of such massive population only 700,000 are school going and only 30,000 are getting proper education,” he said.He said that special persons were an important segment of the society that should not be neglected. “They could perform much better than ordinary people in many fields of life if they are provided with proper opportunities,” he said.Khalid said that the competency of special children could be witnessed in different sports where they were bringing laurels to the country. “In Beijing Olympics no one was able to bring a single medal except one silver medal in Para Olympics by a special person,” he said.He said that present government was committed to facilitate special persons and team for National Plan of Action (NPA) has already been constituted to work on national policy for persons with disability.Pakistan Foundation Fighting Blindness (PFFB) Chief Executive Saima Ammar said that it was the most memorable and unique white cane day in the history of Pakistan. “People with disabilities have equal right to enjoy the privileges of life as other people do,” she said.She said that the initiative of making a special park would change the definition of disabilities in future. “It would prove that disabled people are no less than normal people in every field of life if they are provided with equal opportunities as that of normal people,” she said.Saima said that PFFB was striving hard in bringing visually impaired children into mainstream. “We are having medical research centre, rehabilitation training centre, daily life skills, income generating skills and computer trainings,” she said.She said that the aim of her foundation was to enable special children for performing their routine chores without any hindrance and difficulty. “We want special persons to be able to earn their money respectfully by learning income generating skills,” she said.Capital Development Authority (CDA) Director Parks Malik Abid said that CDA was trying its level best to turn every recreational facility accessible for disabled persons. “We are now working to modify kid’s devices in public parks in order to facilitate special children.”Al Maktoom National Special Education Centre President Sohail Altaf said that the institution was established in 1982 under the Directorate General of Special Education. “The centre is providing educational facilities to visually impaired children from nursery to high school,” he said.He said it also provides numerous services such as assessment and diagnosis of vision, pre-vocational training, training in Braille, mobility, music, library, integration and rehabilitation services and many more.He announced that two students of the institution, Anis Javed and Zeeshan Gul, have been selected in national cricket team of disabled, which was undoubtedly a matter of pride for them.

8 security men die in SW suicide blast

WANA: A suicide blast near the FC fort at Zalai Kla in South Waziristan killed 8 security personnel, while several left injured.Sources told that a suicide attack near FC fort at Zalai Kla area of South Waziristan on Sunday morning took place, which left several security men dead and injured. The injured were shifted to the nearby hospital for medical aid. Sources said that the blast was so severe that it shook the entire area and was heard far and wide.

Junior hockey team to be announced today for series against India

KARACHI: The announcement of the Pakistan junior hockey team is being announced today for the five-match series against India.Minor changes have been named in the itinerary of the Pak-India junior hockey series.Final trials for the selection of the Pakistan junior hockey team will be held today at the Hockey Club of Pakistan Stadium in Karachi.Besides the national selection committee, president Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) Qasim Zia and secretary Asif Bajwa will also review the performance of the players.Meanwhile, the PHF has made changes in the itinerary of the Pak-India junior hockey series.As per the revised itinerary, the Indian Junior team will arrive in Pakistan via Wahgah Border on November 10.The first match of the five-test series will be played at the Hockey Club of Pakistan Stadium, Karachi on November 11 under flood lights whilet the second match will be held at Army Hockey Stadium, Rawalpindi on November 13.The third match will be played at Faisalabad on November 15, the fourth will be held at Sialkot on November 18 and the final match will be staged at National Hockey Stadium, Lahore on November 21.

Ghee selling costlier in Peshawar

PESHAWAR: Despite the announcement of the government relating to a slash in per kilo ghee price by Rs42, it is being sold here at Rs150 per kilo.The government had announced a cut in ghee price by Rs42 and accordingly the per kilo ghee price has been fixed at Rs98, but the shopkeepers in blatant defiance are still selling ghee at their old price of Rs120/150 per kilo, complained the hapless consumers here, while the shopkeepers took the plea that they have as yet not received the announced concession on price from the manufacturers and they were actually selling old stock, which was not possible to be sold at the cut price.

India, Iran for tri-nation ministerial system for gas pipeline

TEHRAN: India and Iran have agreed on adopting a ministerial system between three countries including Pakistan for completion of the gas pipeline.This has been decided in the meeting between Indian foreign minister Pranab Mukherjee and Iranian petroleum minister Ghulam Hussain Nawazi here on Sunday.Under this decision, the petroleum ministers of Pakistan, Iran and India will work together for the completion of the IPI project.After this decision, it is being hoped that the IPI project, pending for a long time, will be completed and a meeting of the spokesmen of all the three countries will soon be held in this regard.Experts say that India is taking more interest in this project of $7.5 billion because it fears that the gas supply may be disconnected to it if the relations with Pakistan strain.

Sindh, Punjab police trade fire, several policemen arrested

GHOTKI: Sindh police have arrested six Punjab policemen including one ASI after registering a case on the charge of shooting to injure one person near here.Obaro SHO, Manzoor Chandio said that a cultivator Shabbir was carrying diesel on tractor trolley at the Sindh-Punjab border, when the Punjab policemen posted at Daowala check post of Tehsil Sadiqabad signaled him to halt and fired on defiance injuring Shabbir. Following the incident, Obaro police cordoning off the check post arrested Punjab police inspector, Imran Khan, constables Sajid Jat, Muhammad Shahid, Faisal Khan, Zubair Quraishi and Majid Dho y registering a case. On the other hand, Rahimyar Khan DPO, Muhammad Tahir Rai told that the person injured by Sadiqabad police firing was smuggling wheat, but the Obaro SHO said that the tractor trolley was within the boundary of Sindh and Punjab police illegally took the action.

Teenager Waters shines for Kenya

KIMBERLEY, South Africa: Teenage opening batsman Seren Waters hit a solid half-century to lead Kenya to a respectable total in the second and final one-day international at the Diamond Oval Sunday.Waters, 18, made 74 as Kenya reached 222 for nine after winning the toss and making first use of a good batting pitch.Playing in his fourth one-day international after making his debut against Ireland in Nairobi last month, Waters advanced cautiously to a maiden half-century off 105 balls.He then unleashed some impressive attacking strokes, including a six over long-off against South African debutant Johann Louw.Waters, who was educated at Cranleigh school in England and has played for Surrey second XI, hit nine fours and a six in a 116-ball innings which was ended when he missed a drive against Albie Morkel and was bowled.Waters and Thomas Odoyo provided substance to the Kenyan innings with a fourth wicket stand of 88 after the tourists had been reduced to 63 for three when the hard-hitting Alex Obanda and star batsman and captain Steve Tikolo were dismissed in the space of nine balls.Odoyo made 32 off 60 balls before he was run out in a mix-up with David Obuya.South Africa, who won by 159 runs in the first match in Bloemfontein on Friday, handed a first international cap to seam bowler Johann Louw, 29, at the expense of fast bowler Morne Morkel. Louw opened the bowling and took a wicket with his tenth delivery when he had Morris Ouma caught behind by Mark Boucher.Albie Morkel was South Africa's most successful bowler with three for 47.

Unscheduled load-shedding continues despite weekly holiday in Karachi

KARACHI: After the PEPCO announced the end of load-shedding all over the country, the KESC still continued the unscheduled load-shedding in some areas of Karachi despite the weekly holiday.As per the KESC sources, only 580 mw electricity is being provided by the WAPDA to the company.However, after the PEPCO announcement for ending the load-shedding in the country, now the KESC has also announced the complete end of load-shedding in the industrial areas whereas the 4-5 hours duration of load-shedding in residential and commercial areas will be reduced to one hour. But the load-shedding still continues in the civic areas.Meanwhile, the citizens have confirmed the cut in duration of load-shedding in the city by the KESC.The KESC sources said that the city is still facing the shortage of 300 mw electricity but they claimed that the load-shedding in the next few days would be gradually reduced in commercial and residential areas of the city.
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15 killed, 34 missing in southwest China landslide

BEIJING: Fifteen people were confirmed dead and 34 were missing Sunday after a mudslide engulfed a village in southwest China.The mud and rock flow occurred near Chuxiong city in Yunnan province with the exact number of people killed still being counted, China’s official news agency said, citing local authorities.According to the local government, up to 300 people live in the area where the slide occurred.

Survey to assess quake losses from tomorrow

QUETTA: Survey for assessing the losses in the quake-hit areas of Balochistsan will begin tomorrow.At least 99 aftershocks of severe nature were recorded during the five days after the devastating earthquake. On the other hand, relief activities are underway in full swing. The officials told that the survey for assessing the quake losses would kick off from tomorrow, which would be completed in 10/15 days. Although relief activities have been geared up, but the severity of cold intensifying piling up miseries on the affectees. Met Department Director General, Qamruz Zaman said that the showers not expected in the days to come, but the cold would intensify and the mercury could dip down to minus 5. He said that 99 aftershocks of significant magnitude have been witnessed thus far and last night alone seven aftershocks were recorded, whose magnitude was in the range of 3 to 3.9.On the other hand, complaints from several quake-hit areas relating to relief goods not reaching being received, while the affectees marched to the central relief camps for recording their protests. Kali Tangyan and Kali Tarawan affectees irked by not getting relief goods attempted blocking the highway at Ziarat this morning, but they dispersed peacefully on the assurance of relief and succour from the relief operation and local administration.

Trials for women’s junior hockey team in Karachi tomorrow

KARACHI: Trials for selecting the Pakistan women’s junior hockey team for the Junior Women Asia Cup Hockey Tournament will be held tomorrow in Karachi.The trials will be held at the Hockey Club of Pakistan Stadium in Karachi where the members of the national selection committee will review the performance of the players.Earlier, 27 players were short-listed from 65 who participated in the trials held in Lahore.The camp of the probable players will be held from November 15 in Karachi while the final team will be announced on November 27.The Women Junior Asia Cup Hockey Tournament will be played from November 13 to 21 in Kuala Lumpur and nine teams will participate in the event.

Palin takes prank call from fake French president

TORONTO: Sarah Palin unwittingly took a prank call Saturday from a Canadian comedian posing as French President Nicolas Sarkozy and telling her she would make a good president someday."Maybe in eight years," replies a laughing Palin.The Republican vice presidential nominee discusses politics, the perils of hunting with Vice President Dick Cheney, and Sarkozy's "beautiful wife," in a recording of the six-minute call released Saturday and set to air Monday on a Quebec radio station.Palin campaign spokeswoman Tracey Schmitt confirmed she had received the prank call."Governor Palin was mildly amused to learn that she had joined the ranks of heads of state, including President Sarkozy and other celebrities, in being targeted by these pranksters. C'est la vie," she said.The call was made by a well-known Montreal comedy duo Marc-Antoine Audette and Sebastien Trudel. Known as the Masked Avengers, the two are notorious for prank calls to celebrities and heads of state.Audette, posing as Sarkozy, speaks in an exaggerated French accent and drops ample hints that the conversation is a joke. But Palin seemingly does not pick up on them.He tells Palin one of his favorite pastimes is hunting, also a passion of the 44-year-old Alaska governor."I just love killing those animals. Mmm, mmm, take away life, that is so fun," the fake Sarkozy says.He proposes they go hunting together by helicopter, something he says he has never done."Well, I think we could have a lot of fun together while we're getting work done," Palin counters. "We can kill two birds with one stone that way."The comedian jokes that they shouldn't bring Cheney along on the hunt, referring to the 2006 incident in which the vice-president shot and injured a friend while hunting quail."I'll be a careful shot," responds Palin.Playing off the governor's much-mocked comment in an early television interview that she had insights into foreign policy because "you can actually see Russia from land here in Alaska," the caller tells her: "You know we have a lot in common also, because ... from my house I can see Belgium."She replies: "Well, see, we're right next door to different countries that we all need to be working with, yes."When Audette refers to Canadian singer Steph Carse as Canada's prime minister, Palin replies: "Well, he's doing fine and yeah, when you come into a position underestimated it gives you an opportunity to prove the pundits and the critics wrong. You work that much harder." Canada's prime minister is Stephen Harper.Palin praises Sarkozy throughout the call and also mentions his wife Carla Bruni, a model-turned-songwriter."You know, I look forward to working with you and getting to meet you personally and your beautiful wife," Palin says. "Oh my goodness, you've added a lot of energy to your country with that beautiful family of yours."The Sarkozy impersonator tells Palin his wife is "so hot in bed" and then informs her that Bruni has written a song for her about Joe the Plumber entitled "Du rouge a levres sur une cochonne" — which translates as "Lipstick on a Pig."Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama derided his Republican challenger John McCain's call for change in Washington as "lipstick on a pig," days after Palin made a lipstick joke at the Republican convention. The McCain-Palin campaign then released an ad implying Obama was calling Palin a pig with that remark.The caller asks Palin if Joe the Plumber is her husband and adds: "We have the equivalent of Joe the Plumber in France. It's called Marcel, the guy with bread under his armpit."He also tells the Alaska governor that he loved the "documentary" made about her and referred to a pornographic film with a Palin look-alike made by Hustler founder Larry Flynt.She answers tentatively, "Ohh, good, thank you, yes."The callers then reveal the prank and identify themselves and their radio station."Ohhh, have we been pranked?" Palin asks before handing the phone to an aide who ends the call.Obama's campaign spokesman Robert Gibbs, commenting on the prank, said: "I'm glad we check out our calls before we hand the phone to Barack Obama."

Int’l aid organizations seek financial help for quake victims

QUETTA: International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) has appealed for 7.8 million dollars aid for provision of shelter to the Balochistan earthquake victims while UNICEF asks for 5 million dollars for supply of drinking water in the affected areas.The ICRC sought the funds to provide shelters to the roofless as the winter is setting in, saying that at least 20,000 to 30,000 people have been affected by the quake. Over 4,000 mud and timber houses were destroyed, leaving thousands of people homeless, Pascal Cuttat, the ICRC’s head said in a statement. Cuttle said: “Our priority will be to provide shelter as winter sets in. Because of continuing aftershocks, many people decided to sleep outdoors at altitudes of 6,500 to 8,200 feet.” He said although it has not starting snowing, the temperature in the affected areas could drop below zero degree at night. The 6.4-magnitude quake hit the region about 60 kms north-east of Quetta, the capital of Balochistan, in the wee hours of Wednesday leaving a trail of death and destruction across the region. Several aid organisation are already providing blankets and stoves to the victims to stave off the extreme cold. The committee said the worst-hit area appeared to be the district of Ziarat where massive landslide occurred which buried hundreds of homes.

'Political settlement'

At Sunday's talks hosted at Meiendorf Castle, the presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia agreed "to speed up further moves in the negotiating process" over Nagorno-Karabakh, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said in a statement.

Profile: Nagorno-Karabakh
"They will facilitate the improvement of the situation in the South Caucasus and establishment of stability and security in the region through a political settlement of the conflict based on the principles and norms of international law and the decisions and documents adopted in this framework," he said.
The two country's foreign ministers would work with Russia, the US and France, co-chairmen of the Minsk Group of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), which is seeking a diplomatic solution to the conflict, he added.
Mr Sarkisian and Mr Aliyev made no comment.
Hopes of a peace deal between Azerbaijan and Armenia were first raised in 2001, after a series of meetings between Armenia's former President, Robert Kocharyan, and Heydar Aliyev, the late Azeri leader. However, the talks and subsequent occasional meetings have come to nothing.
In March, the OSCE said it was sending a mission to Nagorno-Karabakh following serious clashes which reportedly left several soldiers dead on both sides.
Correspondents say Russia's brief war with Georgia in August has given impetus to international efforts to resolve disputes in the Caucasus, a region where Moscow is seeking greater influence.

Nagorno-Karabakh agreement signed

Armenia and Azerbaijan have signed a joint agreement aimed at resolving their dispute over the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh at talks near Moscow.
Azeri President Ilham Aliyev and his Armenian counterpart, Serzh Sarkisian, agreed to intensify their efforts to find a political settlement.
It is the first time in nearly 15 years that such a deal has been reached.
Sporadic clashes have continued over Nagorno-Karabakh, despite the signing of a ceasefire agreement in 1994.
Before the truce, several years of fighting had left some 30,000 people dead and forced more than one million from their homes.
In 2006, an overwhelming majority of Nagorno-Karabakh residents - mostly ethnic Armenians - voted in favour of declaring a sovereign state. The declaration has not been internationally recognised.

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Seven policemen injured in Ingushetia blast

MOSCOW: Police say a homemade, radio-controlled bomb has exploded and injured seven officers in the southern Russian republic of Ingushetia.
The policemen had been responding to a smaller blast in the courtyard of a private home early Sunday. None of the residents was hurt.
Federal Interior Ministry officials say the Ingush police fell into a well-known trap, when a first explosion is used to draw law enforcement officers to the scene.
Ingushetia has seen almost daily attacks targeting police and other officials. The attacks are blamed on criminal gangs, Islamic fighters and opponents of the Kremlin-backed leadership.
The longtime leader of the republic, the deeply unpopular Murat Zyazikov, was dismissed last week and a transition of power is under way.

Mahmoud Abbas to attend Middle East mediators' meeting

HELD AL QUDS: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will attend a Nov. 9 meeting of Middle East mediators in Egypt where negotiators will brief them on Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, an aide said on Sunday.Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who resigned amid corruption allegations in September but remains in office until an Israeli election on Feb. 10, does not plan to participate in the meeting of the so-called Quartet, an Israeli official said. Israel will be represented at the session, in Egypt's Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, by Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, who now heads the centrist Kadima party that Olmert once led.U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is to attend the meeting, three days after her return to the Middle East for further talks with Israeli and Palestinian leaders on a peace deal Washington had hoped to achieve this year.A senior Bush administration official said on Thursday the Israeli election meant an agreement, held up by disputes over Jewish settlements and the future of Jerusalem, was all but impossible this year.Nimmer Hammad, a senior Abbas aide, said the Palestinian leader would see Rice in the West Bank city of Ramallah before the Quartet meeting. The group comprises the United States, the European Union, the United Nations and Russia.The Palestinians want the Quartet to issue more than a general statement on the status of the peace process."We want the Quartet to specify that the Palestinian state would be set up on 1967-occupied lands with East Jerusalem as its capital," Hammad said.

Russia cuts oil export duties: report

MOSCOW: Russia's government decided Saturday to cut oil export duties aimed at helping the country's oil producers cope with declining prices, a foreign news agency reported.Prime Minister Vladimir Putin approved a decision to reduce customs duty on the export of crude oil to 287 dollars (225 euros) per tonne from 372 dollars per tonne at the start of November. The cut, favoured by the finance ministry, was brought forward by one month in response to the global financial crisis. Vedomosti daily said Saturday the government considering lowering the duty to 195 dollars per tonne instead, as promoted by the economic development ministry -- a difference that would have cost Moscow's state coffers two billion dollars per month.Putin also ordered proposals for a new formula for crude oil export tariffs, based on market prices, by the beginning of December.

Students rally in Swat, demand reopening of schools

MENGORA: Students staged a protest demonstration in Derai area of Tehsil Kabal on Sunday, demanding reopening of the schools which continue to remain closed for the last one and a half year.Meanwhile, four policemen were kidnapped in Nangolai area while curfew remains imposed in Sarsenai for the seventh consecutive day.Sources said, the students staged a protest in Derai ground, Tehsil Kabal demanding of the authorities to make the security ... Full Story

Taliban free three kidnapped FC men

GHALLANAI: The Taliban on Friday released three Frontier Corps personnel after their talks with Jirga members .Sources said that after negotiations, the militants handed the kidnapped FC personnel to the Jirga elders unconditionally. Naib Subedar Aslam Khan and Lance Naik Salih Muhammad had ...
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Child abuse mushrooming as shops offering ‘services’ spring up

Visitors to Nazimabad Number 2 (‘Doh Number’) know the area for numerous reasons. One may be for the spicy food items that are available here while another is the number of shops that sell fine quality handmade shoes.However, the area is also known amongst pedophiles for its s ...
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ICC could look again at result of forfeited Oval Test

SYDNEY: ICC president David Morgan said Wednesday the result of the controversial 2006 Oval Test between England and Pakistan could be reconsidered after pressure from Marylebone Cricket Club.The result of the forfeited Test match was changed from an England win to a draw by the International Cricket Council in July but the MCC said on Sunday the move contravened the laws of cricket and set "a very dangerous precedent."Morgan, in Sydney ahead of next year's women's World Cup, said the ICC might look again at the decision, which was made before he became president."The MCC World Cricket Committee is a very responsible group," he was quoted as saying by media."It is made up of some of the world's top cricketers and chaired by (former England captain) Tony Lewis and I would be very interested in hearing what has been reported."I'll be very interested to actually read their minutes and I'm sure they will make that available and it's something we (the ICC) will have to consider very carefully."It was a decision that was made by the ICC and it's a decision that I was not happy with."He added: "I was president-elect and I didn't believe it was appropriate to change the result of the England-Pakistan match."The first and only forfeit in the history of Test cricket took place in August 2006 when Australian umpire Darrell Hair and his West Indian colleague Billy Doctrove penalised Pakistan five penalty runs for alleged ball-tampering.That sparked an angry response from Pakistan, who refused to take the field after tea on the fourth day in protest -- a move that saw the umpires declare that Pakistan had forfeited the match and award it to England.Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul Haq was subsequently cleared of ball tampering and Hair was removed from the ICC's elite panel of umpires.He was only reinstated as a Test umpire earlier this year after a legal battle which saw Hair allege he was the victim of racial discrimination by the ICC before dropping his case at an employment tribunal hearing in London.The MCC says the ICC does not have the power under the laws of cricket to overturn a result.

I'm sorry to be leaving: Lawson

LAHORE: Geoff Lawson, who was sacked as the Pakistan coach last week, has said he was better off than other officials working with the Pakistan board since he was paid out and got a decent exit. "There are so many other staff who have been sacked or are leaving and I don't think they got paid an awful lot," Lawson was quoted as saying in a newspaper.Lawson worked out a financial agreement with the PCB after sending back a cheque the board had given him, claiming the payment was far short of what was owed to him as per the terms of his contract. Under Lawson's charge, Pakistan reached the World Twenty20 final but then lost vital series against South Africa at home and India away. Pakistan's frontline fast bowlers, expected to prosper under a former fast bowler, were plagued by injuries, and the losses only added to the pressure on the new coach-captain pair of Lawson and Malik. "I am sorry to be leaving these guys," Lawson said. "I went into this thing full of hope and enthusiasm. I just needed to get a few more pieces of the puzzle together and I won't get a chance to do that." Lawson said his sacking had nothing to do with the coaching. "When the government changed everyone knew the cricket board chairman would change and when that happens, a lot of things change. So it was always a possibility rather than a probability. That is just how things work over here. I am very philosophical about it. There is no other way to be."

Saudi Arabia announces $ 100 mln aid for quake victims

ISLAMABAD: The Saudi Government would provide $ 100million for Balochistan quake victims.Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan Ali Awadh Asseri said that Saudi King Shah Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz has sent the aid of $ 100 million.An aerial bridge has been established between Saudi Arabia and Balochistan on the directives of Shah Abdullah which would be use to deliver the aid directly to Quetta.Saudi Arabia also assured to provide all possible ... Full Story

36 Afghani, 7 Pakistani arrested in Quetta

Updated at: 0628 PST, Friday, October 31, 2008 QUETTA: As many as thirty-six Afghan nationals and seven Pakistani have been held in Quetta during a raid conducted by FIA as they were trying to cross Pak-Iran border illegally on Friday.FIA sources said that suspects were trying to slip into Iran illegally through Hazar Gunji bus stop in Quetta.

Death toll mounts to over 300 in quake-hit Ziarat

QUETTA: The death toll of Wednesday’s severe earthquake has crossed 300 and about 1000 are injured in the worst-affected quake district, Ziarat, 120 kilometers off from the provincial capital, District Nazim Ziarat, Dilawar Khan Kakar and the District Health Officer Ziarat told media by phone.Villagers in the badly affected areas fear about estimation of death figures saying causalities might be over 400 while the official sources were citing tentative figures, but the District Nazim and the DHO had yet confirmed officially the death toll as over 300.Thousands of people were struck by the Wednesday calamity tragedy as 40,000 people were left homeless. 200 houses were completely destroyed in 30 villages in Ziarat, the district administration sources told media. They said “casualty figures are difficult to predict exactly, but the exact figure of the victims will be produced once the full rescue operation is completed in the devastated villages of Ziarat.” The aftershocks of the earthquake further added to miseries of the survivors which rattled their minds and caused more losses in the quake-stricken villages of Ziarat, the sources said, adding that survivors passed tough and difficult times last night on open grounds in the chilly weather.

Nadal, Federer, Murray reach Paris Masters quarterfinals

PARIS: Rafael Nadal. Murray and Roger Federer rolled into the Paris Masters quarterfinals without the ousted Novak Djokovic.Fourth-ranked Andy Murray, Andy Roddick and defending champion David Nalbandian also made the last eight. Nadal beat Gael Monfils of France 6-3, 6-2, Federer defeated Marin Cilic of Croatia 6-3, 6-4, while Djokovic, the year's other major winner, lost to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France 6-4, 1-6, 6-3.He'll have to go through James Blake, who defeated Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany 6-4, 6-4.Seventh-seeded Roddick overcame 10th-seeded Simon 6-3, 7-5 on his fifth match point. Both have won three titles this year.Murray topped Fernando Verdasco of Spain 6-3, 7-6 (6) for his 14th straight win, staying on track for a third straight Masters title.Murray will face Nalbandian in the quarterfinals, after the Argentine defeated countryman del Potro 6-4, 6-0.

President, PM denounce Mardan suicide attack

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani strongly condemned the suicide attack at DIG Mardan convoy. Adviser to Prime Minister on Interior Rehman Malik and head of Awami National Party (ANP) Asfandyar Wali also denounced the attack termed it as cowardly act.

KSE liquidity crunch will end in Nov.: FA

ISLAMABAD: Finance Advisor, Shaukat Tareen has said that the Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) liquidity crunch would end in November.He said that Rs20 billion Fund set up for KSE would be operative soon. Shaukat Tareen said that the KSE should itself decide on the issue of continuing the ‘floor’ index or giving it up. The finance advisor said that he was endeavouring for bringing down the discount rate to a single digit by controlling inflation and a .... Full Story

Obama says stop Iraq war escalation

WASHINGTON: U.S. Senator Barack Obama introduced binding and comprehensive legislation that not only reverses the President's dangerous and ill-conceived escalation of the Iraq war, but also sets a new course for U.S. policy that can bring a responsible end to the war and bring our troops home."Our troops have performed brilliantly in Iraq, but no amount of American soldiers can solve the political differences at the heart of somebody else's civi .... Full Story

4 cops among 8 killed in Mardan suicide attack

MARDAN: Eight people were killed and 15 others injured in a suicide attack targeted a police convoy here on Friday. Nazim Mardan Hemayatullah told Geo News that a suicide bomber blew up himself near police convoy killing eight people including four policemen and injuring 15 others. The injured were shifted to district headquarter hospital where many reported in a critical state.DIG Mardan Akhter Ali Shah has confirmed the attack. Police have cor .... Full Stor

Paris Masters Tennis: Feeder, Murray, Alfred reach 3rd round

PARIS: Andy Murray of Britain, world number two Roger Federer and Joe Alfred of France all marched into the third round of the Paris Masters Tennis here on Thursday.In the second round of the event, world number four Andy Murray of Britain defeated Sam Querrey of America 6-2, 6-4 in straight sets while Roger Federer of Switzerland beat Robin Soderling of Sweden 6-4, 7-6.Joe Alfred Slonga of France ousted Radek Stepanek of Czheck Republic 3-6, 4-6 .... Full Story

20 killed in series of 12 bomb blasts in Assam

GUWAHATI: Twenty people were killed and more than 100 wounded in a series of 12 bomb blasts in the Indian state of Assam. According to an Indian TV, four bombs exploded in Guwahati, capital of the state, while eight blasted in the areas of upper Assam, including Barpita, Kokrajhar and Bonghi villages and other areas.The Indian TV report said that the bombs exploded in the crowded markets of the city of Guwahati, including Daspur Road, Pan Bazar, .... Full Story

Rescue operations underway in Balochistan

QUETTA: Pakistan army, FC, administration, political parties and charity organizations are carrying out rescue operations in Balochistan’s quake-hit areas. More than 100 people have been buried in the affected.IG FC Major General Saleem Nawaz told Geo News that aid would be provided to quake victims at their doorstep. Priorities for rescue activities would be establish today.General Saleem said that FC tent village has accommodated 300 men and wo .... Full Story

Balochistan quake death toll rises to 236

QUETTA: The death toll in an earthquake hit Ziarat division of Balochistan has risen to 236 whereas 391 people were injured. The toll is expected to climb furtherBalochistan police sources said that Ziarat, Khawas, Varshoom are the worst affected areas where more than 300 houses have been destroyed completely and recovery of bodies and injured from the rubble is still underway.Meanwhile, series of aftershocks continue in Ziarat. Metrologica ... Full Story