No change in Iran policy, WH insists

WASHINGTON: "There was no intention to change the position, and nothing the vice president said in any way indicates a change in U.S. position," said a White House official of Biden's remarks Sunday. "What he said and what chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Michael Mullen said taken together reflect our position, Israel is a sovereign nation, Israel is an ally and Israel has a right to defend itself and other countries cannot dictate how it defends itself. That being said, it would not be helpful if Israel were to act against Iran." Any interpretation that Biden's remarks signaled a change in U.S. policy is "spin," he added.Biden did, however, strike a different tone when answering a similar question back on April 7. Asked if he were concerned that Netanyahu might strike Iranian nuclear facilities, Biden told media, "I don't believe Prime Minister Netanyahu would do that. I think he would be ill advised to do that."How to account for the seeming discrepancy? "Any tonal difference is not intentional at all," the White House official said.Did Biden coordinate with the White House to pressure Iran to respond to the still-outstanding offer of talks with Washington? Again, the answer from the White House was no.Washington foreign-policy hands, however, were skeptical that the message was not quite deliberate.

Six dead, 40 wounded in Philippine bombing: police

JOLO, Philippines (AFP) — At least six people were killed and more than 40 wounded by twin bomb blasts in the Philippines Tuesday, in what officials described as coordinated attacks by Al Qaeda-linked militants.
The first bomb exploded in a commercial area on Jolo island, killing six people and wounding around 30, police said. It was followed around two hours later by car bomb blast next to a parked military patrol jeep in Iligan city.
The second blast wounded at least 10 people, including three soldiers, the military said.
Jolo, in the southern Philippines, is a stronghold of Abu Sayyaf Muslim rebels and local anti-terror task force chief Major General Juancho Sabban was quick to point the finger at the militant group.
"This is a signature bomb attack of the Abu Sayyaf," Sabban said, speaking on local radio. He said that the bomb was hidden beneath the saddle of a motorcycle that was parked outside a downtown hardware store.
The Abu Sayyaf has been blamed for a string of bombings and kidnappings, most recently of three Red Cross workers on the island in January. They are still holding one of them, an Italian.
Regional police spokesman Superintendent Bayani Gucela said six civilians were killed in the Jolo blast, while at least 30 others were wounded. Police in Iligan, also in the south, said at least 10 people were wounded there.
"The (Jolo) commercial district area was packed with people when the explosion happened," Sabban said on local radio. "All our doctors and nurses are already there in the area taking care of the victims."
Police disarmed another bomb near Jolo's Mount Carmel Catholic cathedral while a third suspicious package was also found and safely detonated.
"We have cordoned off the area and (are) setting up checkpoints," Sabban said.
Tuesday's bombings came just two days after a bomb exploded outside a Roman Catholic cathedral in Cotabato city, also in the south.
The number of deaths in that attack, which was blamed on the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), another Islamic rebel group, rose to six Tuesday, when one of the more than 50 people wounded died of his injuries, officials said.
President Gloria Arroyo's senior adviser for the south, Jesus Dureza, said the spate of bombings appeared to be coordinated. "This is no longer isolated, but orchestrated," Dureza told reporters in Cotabato.
He said foreign militants from the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) militant group had recently trained dozens of local bombers for missions in the south.
Since January, there had been about 56 bombings in the south, some of them targeting troops, but most of them killing or maiming civilians, he added.
Arroyo's spokeswoman, Lorelei Fajardo, said government remained open to resuming peace talks with the MILF, stressing that the authorities have yet to determine which group was behind the attacks.
"We strongly condemn the people behind this act of needless violence," Fajardo said in Manila. "Nothing could be accomplished through violence."
Sabban said it was not clear whether the Abu Sayyaf attack on Jolo was linked with the MILF attack, although both groups were known to have helped each other in the past.
The MILF has also admitted to training with the JI in the past, and military intelligence officials have said dozens of foreign militants remain in the south.
The Abu Sayyaf has been on the run from a military offensive launched after they kidnapped Italian aid worker Eugenio Vagni in January. A Filipina and a Swiss colleague abducted with Vagni were separately freed in April.
It is thought that Vagni is being held hostage in the dense jungles of Jolo, and the 62-year-old has been in poor health, according to the government.
In May, the island province's governor Abdusakur Tan escaped a roadside bomb attack by the Abu Sayyaf that wounded five of his bodyguards.

Official: US hints at talks on SKorean missiles

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The United States is open to talks on the possibility of South Korea developing ballistic missiles capable of striking all of North Korea, a South Korean Defense Ministry official said Tuesday.
A senior general at the U.S. command in Seoul told deputies to South Korean lawmakers last week that the allies can discuss the revision of a 2001 accord barring the South from developing missiles with a range of more than 186 miles (300 kilometers), the ministry official said.
He spoke on condition of anonymity, citing department policy, and refused to identify the U.S. general. The U.S. military command in Seoul said it could not immediately confirm the remarks.
South Korean politicians and experts have called for the improvement of their country's missile capability, citing North Korea's increasing missile and nuclear threats.
North Korea carried out its second nuclear test in May. On Saturday it test-fired a barrage of ballistic missiles into waters off its east coast, its biggest display of missile firepower in three years.
The North deploys hundreds of missiles that have all of South Korea and Japan within their striking range. In April, the North test-launched a long-range rocket believed capable of reaching Alaska.
The restriction on the South's missile capability was imposed due to concerns over a regional arms race. Under a 1979 accord with the U.S., South Korea had been barred from developing a missile with a range longer than 110 miles (180 kilometers) until 2001 when it was allowed to extend the range to 186 miles (300 kilometers).
In April, Prime Minister Han Seung-soo told the National Assembly it was time "to review" the restriction and discuss the matter with the U.S., days after the North test-fired a long-range rocket that flew over Japan and landed in the Pacific Ocean.
The missile accord still allows South Korea to develop a cruise missile without range restriction as long as its payload is under 1,100 pounds (500 kilograms). Cruise missiles can be intercepted more easily than ballistic missiles due to their slower speed, experts say.
Media reports say South Korea has been developing a cruise missile with a range of 930 miles (1,500 kilometers).
South Korea does not publicize the location of its missile facilities so it is difficult to know how much of North Korea is currently within range.
The distance from Seoul to the northernmost part of North Korea is about 400 miles (640 kilometers). The North Korean capital of Pyongyang is about 120 miles (200 kilometers) from Seoul.
North Korea's Saturday missile tests drew more international censure when the U.N. Security Council issued a condemnation after a closed meeting Monday in New York.
Uganda U.N. Ambassador Ruhakana Rugunda, who holds the council's rotating presidency, said members "condemned and expressed grave concerns" at the missile launches, which violate U.N. resolutions and "pose a threat to regional and international security."
The Security Council passed Resolution 1874 last month to punish North Korea after its May 25 nuclear test. The country, already banned from conducting ballistic missile tests under previous resolutions, is also forbidden from selling arms and weapons-related material.
The resolution allows other countries to request boarding and inspection of North Korean ships suspected of transporting illicit cargo, though the vessels do not have to give permission. North Korea is believed to earn money from selling missile technology and weapons.
The first North Korean ship to be subject to possible searches under the resolution has likely arrived back home after leaving port last month, the South Korean Defense Ministry official said.
The Kang Nam 1 is believed to have entered the port of Nampo on North Korea's western coast late Monday, the official said. He said South Korea was trying to obtain confirmation of the vessel's return.
The U.S. Navy had tracked the cargo vessel. The ship, which was believed destined for Myanmar, suddenly turned back on June 28.
A U.S. admiral said the Kang Nam's aborted journey demonstrates that efforts are working to enforce U.N. sanctions.
"I think that's an indication of the way the international community came together," Adm. Gary Roughead, the chief of Naval operations, said Monday in Seoul.
Speculation has included the possibility the Kang Nam 1 was carrying weapons, possibly to Myanmar. The ship has been suspected of transporting banned goods to the Southeast Asian country in the past.
Associated Press Writer Ron DePasquale at United Nations headquarters in New York contributed to this report.

Suspected US attack kills 12 in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistani intelligence officials say suspected U.S. missiles have hit a training camp run by Pakistani Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud, killing 12 insurgents and wounding some others.
Four intelligence officials said the two missiles flattened a compound in the Makeen area of South Waziristan on Tuesday. They said local militants had pulled out twelve bodies from the rubble.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to media.

Moulana Muhammad Ali Jauhar

It is difficult to come across in history men of the calibre of Maulana Muhammad Ali Jauhar. Maulana Jauhar was unique in many respects: A lover of the land, lover of liberty, lover of Islam, and lover of highest absolute values, who would stake his life to gain his cherished objectives. Well-versed in the learnings of both east and west, Maulana rose to be a political leader of high repute, a poet of great eminence, a journalist par excellence, an orator of captivating impact, and more than all a humanist, whose sensitive heart would react emotionally to the sorrows and sufferings of man. Maulana Jauhar was the finest flower of the Islamic renaissance. His thought process was pregnant with the basic Islamic values; steadfastness in faith (Iman), equilibrium (Islam) and benevolence (Ihsan). The concept of certainty (yaqin-e-kamil) invites the thought to ultimate reality, which is eternal Beauty, its nature being self-expression, got reflected in the mirror of the universe because of love, Love is appreciation of beauty, and beauty is perfection. Thus a single concept of certainty leads to the basic absolute values of truth, beauty, love and perfection. Likewise, the equilibrium (Shariah) fixes the laws or code of conduct, which the Islamic creed preaches, such as salat, saum, zakat and haj. But faith and belief, the code and the creed alone do not complete the message of Islam, which expects the faithful to serve a cause, which is to exist for others (Ihsan). It calls for immense sacrifice, (sidq-e-khaleel), intense love (Ishq-e-Rasool), indomitable courage (Zor-e-Haidar) and limitless patience (Sabr-e-Hussain). Maulana Jauhar was an embodiment of this essence of Islam, which he both preached and practised. Maulana's life can be summarised in four phases; the first phase is his youthful life until 1912; the second phase is from 1912 to 1919 when the Balkan and the world war set his tone against the colonials; the third phase is from 1919 to 1924, when he was at the summit of national movement; and the last phase is from 1924 to 1930, when dejected and disappointed at the trends of events both within the country and abroad, he vowed never to return to a slave country like India but to seek a resting place from where the Prophet of Islam had ascended the heavens. In the first phase his bubbling energy and fertility of mind witnessed a prodigy shaping himself into that fascinating figure, where he would become a lover of all good things of life, a poet to open the inner recesses of heart; an orator of golden tongue; a graduate of reputed Aligarh College; an Honours from Oxford University; a master of English language; a critique of Shakespeare; an impeccable youth of western style; an admirer of western learning and culture; a good friend of British Civil Servants, catching the eye even of the Viceroy; in short a fine product of what Mill and Macaulay had envisioned. It is in this phase that he became a journalist to edit the legendary paper, Comrade, which would make King George V restless, if it did not reach him on time. It is strange that God had injected into this Muslim that potential which would shake the whole world. Then the Maulana came out with its Urdu equivalent, Hamdard, which too moved multitudes. How fortunate was the Millat that if Maulana Azad was igniting fire through his Al-Hilal and Al-Balagh from Calcutta, Maulana Jauhar was crossing swords through Hamdard in Delhi with the empire which had a stranglehold over the Islamic World. Both Azad and Jauhar had been struck with that passionate zeal and zest of the Islamic creed; with that profound depth of Islamic learning and culture; and with that crusading urge to liberate the land from the foreign clutches so that both seemed to redeem the dream of Tipu Sultan. In the second phase this resolve of resistance to foreign hold was concretised when the Balkan and the World War I broke out. What little love for the West was still there in Jauhar's hearts was all changed to a bitter fight against the English when they set their eyes on the Ottoman Empire. Like a fierce tiger Maulana pounced on the English in the columns of Comrade, never to compromise again with the colonials, who were out to dismember the Turkish Empire, and to keep India under their thumb. Maulana Jauhar or Maulana Azad, both of them were put behind bars for five years from 1914 to 1919. Those who doubt the Muslim loyalty to the land and the degree of their patriotism and nationalism should read the pages of Comrade, Hamdard, Al-Hilal and Al-Balagh. Maulana Jauhar's five years in jail (1914-19) made him an inveterate foe of the colonials. His mind revived the memory of the crusades of Salahuddin Ayubi. The severe contest between the Crescent and the Cross was again on, in which the Cross had all the guns and the Crescent had all the pens. The Maulana joined the prestigious club of Islamic thinkers and writers such as Muhammad Abdul Wahab of Najad, Jamalud Afghani, Sheikh Muhammad Abduhu, Rasheed Raza, Shakeeb Arsalan, Abdul Qadir Maghribi and Mustafa Kamal Pasha. Maulana enters into the third phase of his life (1919-1924) when his fight against the west was intensified. This is the golden period of his life when he was at the peak of his glory. He joined hands with Gandhiji and initiated the Khilafat movement of epic importance. India witnessed a new upsurge of nationalism when the distinction between the Mahatma and the Maulana was wiped off. The two went about the country setting fire to the foreign goods and exciting people to join the non-violent non-cooperation movement. The satyagraha was a unique event of history. Never had the Muslims come so close to Hindus, and never had the Hindus supported so whole-heartedly a Muslim cause such as Khilafat. The excitement of the period was something like the days of the French Revolution which had unchained the tigers of emotion and had harnessed the horses of reason. The imperial throne seemed tottering in India. The Hindu-Muslim unity, the main architect of which was Maulana Jauhar, was about to snatch the brightest jewel from the British crown, when suddenly Mustafa Kamal of Turkey turned the table against the Khilafat movement. That single act changed the course of world history. The British stabilised their position in India, sent all leaders to jail, fanned the fire of Hindu-Muslim disunity and got the lease of life to stay in India for two more decades. The only solid gain the Muslims got in this phase was the establishment of Jamia Millia Islamia, of which Maulana Jauhar was its first chancellor. He would teach Islamic History to the students in such a manner as though Hazrat Umar had appeared again in his second birth. This phase did not last long. The Hindus and the Muslims reverted to their old game of fighting each other. The Maulana was disappointed at these events. The Indian National Congress itself fell into factions of pro-changers and non-changers. The Shuddhi movement was all in its fury, only to excite Tabligh among the Muslims. The drama of Hindu-Muslim riots was taking its toll, solving bitter seeds of discord only to reap the fruits of the holocaust of 1947. Maulana's last phase (1924-30) is extremely tragic. The rise of Swaraj Party, the revival of Hindu Mahasabha, Urdu-Hindi conflict, Shuddhi Sanghattan, Tanzim-o-Thabligh, Nehru report, Jinnah's fourteen points, retreat of Gandhiji into constructive programme away from politics, subtle game of the English and disunity and rudderless drift of the Muslims, all shattered the dreams of Maulana Jauhar, who was itching for a Finale, which would make him ever live in history. That opportunity came in the form of the Round Table Conference in London, whither he went with the avowed object of either to bring home freedom or never to return empty-handed. The conference Halls reverberated with the thunder of his speeches. Perhaps since the days of Haidar and Tipu whose invasion of Carnatic had made Edmund Burke electrify the British audience by his fiery oratory, they had not known the thunder and the glow of a passionate soul which could rise to sublime heights even to excel Edmund Burke. Islam has produced mighty souls, but not in recent times the like of Muhammed Ali Jauhar. His last wish never to return home without freedom was fulfilled, for he went to that celestial world of peace and joy, which is beyond the flight of time, and beyond the realm of death. While going he carried the casket of his soul in its pristine purity only to report to the Almighty, "Oh God! You are a witness, that I did my duty, while in mortal frame, to uphold the banner of your Majesty, your grace, your mercy, and your graciousness."

Where Have All The Dolphins Gone This Summer?

Researchers from the wildlife conservation charity Marinelife are extremely concerned about what it is NOT seeing this summer in the Bay of Biscay.

Dolphins Maintain Round-the-clock Visual Vigilance

Dolphins have a clever trick for overcoming sleep deprivation. Sam Ridgway from the US Navy Marine Mammal Program explains that they are able to send half of their brains to sleep while the other half remains conscious. What is more, the mammals seem to be able to remain continually vigilant for sounds for days on end. All of this made Ridgway and his colleagues from San Diego and Tel Aviv wonder whether the dolphins' unrelenting auditory vigilance tired them and took a toll on the animals' other senses?

Dolphins Get A Lift From Delta Wing Technology

We can only marvel at the way that dolphins, whales and porpoises scythe through water. Their finlike flippers seem perfectly adapted for maximum aquatic agility. However, no one had ever analysed how the animals' flippers interact with water; the hydrodynamic lift that they generate, the drag that they experience or their hydrodynamic efficiency. Laurens Howle and Paul Weber from Duke University teamed up with Mark Murray from the United States Naval Academy and Frank Fish from West Chester University, to find out more about the hydrodynamics of whale and dolphin flippers.

Alhaj Muhammad Owais Raza Qadri Biography

Alhaj Muhammad Owais Raza Qadri is the crownless king of Sana Khawans around the world and undoubtedly the most heartily loved, popular and legend of Sana Khawans, known for his melodious voice and unique style of expressing his great love and respect with the Holy Prophet, Hazrat Muhammad .
There are millions of Owais Raza Qadri's fans worldwide who deeply admire and inspired with him. They longed to know about the personal details which are still undiscovered and how he spent his daily life, so some information was collected about his daily routine. This is the first edition of his biography. Further information will continue to be added day by day, Insha-Allah-o-Rabb-ul Aalameen.
Alhaj Muhammad Owais Raza Qadri was born on 8th. July 1970 in Pakistan. He is Intermediate in academic qualifications. He has performed several Hajj and Umras, the first Umra being in 1992 while the first Hajj in 1996. Apart from Holy Places, Pakistan is Owais Qadri's favourite country. Among clothes, he likes Shalwar Qameez the best. Owais Qadri's closest friend is Mohammad Shoaib Qadri. According to him, the memorable moment of his life has not arrived. His favourite personality is Alahazrat, Mujaddid-e-Din-o-Millat Imam Shah Ahmed Raza Khan Barelvi. His favourite dish is Bar B.Q. and favourite colors are black and white.
He rests after 8 o'clock in the morning. Each night two or three Mehfil-e-Naats were used to be attended but now onwards, there will be just one each night. He is currently working on an new album.
There are numerous wishes which have not yet been fulfilled but are confidential. Bulbul-e-Madinah plans to open a Naat Academy very soon, Insha-Allah-o-Rabb-ul Aalameen.
Alhaj Muhammad Owais Raza Qadri was married in 1994 and has four children: two daughters and two sons named Mohammad Anees Raza and Mohammad Afeef Raza.
He started reciting naats at the age of 8 only. He was inspired by AlHaaj Yousuf Ashrafi (late) who was his ideal Naat Khawan also. He did not take special naat classes but acquired the companionship of good, pious "Ushaqaan-e-Rasool". All naats are his favorites. Reciting the Kalaam of Imam-e-Ahle-Sunnat, Ala-Hazrat Shah Ahmed Raza Khan Barelvi is liked by Owais Raza Qadri. His first album was released in 1983 and after that numerous albums have been released.
He has traveled to many countries of the world spreading the message of Islam and love for the Holy Prophet including England, Dubai, Iraq, Iran, India, Hijaz-e-Muqaddas South Africa, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Malawi, Kenya, Syria etc.
There are no formalities for the bookings of Mehfil-e-Naat, however, privilege is given to areas where something could be done to promote Islam.
Regarding his future plans, Owais Qadri states that he will continue reciting naats and work for getting people back to the path of Sala'at-o-Sunnat. Muhammad Owais Raza Qadri advises new naat khawans that Naat Khawani is Ibaadat and before reciting any naat essential knowledge should be collected about it and special care should be taken to ensure that it is not objectionable by Islamic Shariah. It is best to check all naats with a learned scholar. Furthermore, they should restrain from such acts which can be criticized by others. They should be true and practical Muslims, i.e. not that talking about love for the Holy Prophet and murdering the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet by shaving off the beard and not showing regularity in daily prayers.
Addressing the young generation, Muhammad Owais Raza Qadri remarks that undoubtedly success lies within the fact that we must walk on the path guided to us by Allah Rabb-ul Aalameen and the Holy Prophet , leave the way of strangers and always believe in death. Acquire adequate knowledge of Islam and recite at least one Ruku of the Holy Quran (Kanzul Eemaan) with translation.

National Express Failure Fuels Crisis Fears

The collapse of Britain's most expensive rail franchise has triggered fears of major setbacks to transport expansion and upgrade plans.

series of rail projects may be put on hold or scrapped as a result of National Express handing its £1.4bn London-to-Scotland rail franchise back to the Government.

The firm's refusal to continue funding the loss-making East Coast Main Line beyond the next few months was described by Transport Secretary Lord Adonis as "regrettable and disappointing".

It is also a huge blow to the Department for Transport's finances, with the DfT expected to have to accept a far lower offer for the franchise when it is put out to tender.

Lord Adonis said operations would be taken over by the publicly-owned East Coast Main Line Company with "no disruption of services" but admitted that reduced income could force the Government to revise other plans.

There is doubt over whether the Government will be able to press ahead with plans to expand capacity on Thameslink and replace ageing intercity trains.

n addition, the electrification of the Great Western Main Line and Midland Mail Line may be put on hold.

But the Government has insisted its £16bn Crossrail project linking Heathrow Airport to Canary Wharf and Essex remains on track.

The doubts come as a leaked document revealed a potential £29bn transport budget shortfall.

The transport industry memo, seen by the Guardian newspaper, warned of "looming spending cuts" on road and rail plans which could lead to schemes being delayed, downsized or scrapped.

Lord Adonis said the Government planned to tender for a new East Coast franchise operator "from the end of 2010".

He also warned there might be grounds to terminate the two other National Express rail franchises - East Anglia and the London to Tilbury and Southend operation c2c

Tarin says will negotiate with IMF over power tariff

ISLAMABAD: Finance Advisor Shaukat Tarin said Pakistan will negotiate with IMF, World Bank and other organizations about increased power tariff.

Talking to Geo News here, Tarin said the country is facing shortfall of 3,000 to 4,000 MW. The government is aware of the miseries of people created by load-shedding. Efforts are underway to overcome the crisis. He said an effective policy would be chalked out for dues of oil companies and elimination of circular debts.

16-hour long load shedding in Lahore enrages people

LAHORE: The duration of unannounced load shedding has touched to 16-hours in some parts of Lahore, forcing people to remain outside their homes under open air all night long.

The most affected areas were Wapda Town, Behrin Town, Green Town, Town Ship, Kot Lakhpat, Kahna, Faisal Town, Model Town, Allama Iqbal Town and many more other areas.

The last night rainfall also multiplied peoples’ miseries as it had left atmosphere hot and close all night long so people had to pass their night outside homes under open atmosphere.

Power outages have also led to water shortages in many areas while people demanded government overpowering power crisis so that people may receive a sigh of relief, sources said.

3 militants, 3 volunteers killed in Upper Dir clash

SWAT: Three militants and three volunteers of national lashkar were killed during between militants and national lashkar in Upper Dir.

According to sources, clash happened between national lashkar and militants in Dogdaga area of Upper Dir. Three militants and three volunteers of national lashkar including district ameer Naeemullah were killed and four injured in the trade of fire.

National lashkar set ablaze three houses of militants including the house of Naeemullah. On the other hand, unknown gunmen shot dead two persons in tehsil Kabal of Swat.

According to Swat media center, curfew will be relaxed till 6 pm in Khawazkhela, Madeen, Dareeshkhela and Bedra. Curfew relaxation also announced in district Shangla till 6 pm whereas in district Lower Dir, curfew has been eased till 8:00 pm in tehsil Maidan and Adeenzai.

Punjab not to be divided: Zardariv

LAHORE: President Asif Ali Zardari, in a message to the Punjab Assembly (PA), has said he is against any kind of division of Punjab, and the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) will not let any such conspiracy foster. Finance Minister Tanveer Ashraf Kaira read out the message of the president in the PA on Wednesday, saying for a few days the division of Punjab was in the air and an impression had developed that the PPP wanted it. He said the president, also the co-chairman of the PPP, in his message had clarified he was against any division of Punjab. Kaira said the president had also mentioned they wanted to move forward through amicable resolution of issues. The president also said each province would be given its constitutional rights. The MPAs from Southern and Northern Punjab have been demanding a division of Punjab on administrative grounds. They demanded that the province be divided into three parts to ensure that the people of Southern and Northern Punjab are not neglected. A few MPAs termed the demand for a divided Punjab a conspiracy against Pakistan and said it was not the right time to make such demands. staff report

UN opens inquiry into assassination of Benazir Bhutto in Pakistan

The CIA and the former president, Pervez Musharraf, blamed the leader of the Pakistani Taliban, Baitullah Mehsud, for masterminding the assassination.

Mehsud, a close ally of al-Qaeda who is facing an offensive by the Pakistani army and the constant threat of an air strike by a US drone, has denied playing any part in the killing. However, he has admitted responsibility for a series of bombings against opponents.

The three-member inquiry team will arrive in Pakistan later this month. It is headed by Chile's ambassador to the UN, Heraldo Munoz, and includes a former Indonesian attorney general and a former senior Irish police officer.

The inquiry will last six months and investigate the "facts and circumstances" of Bhutto's death.

Pakistan's 62-year history is pitted by a long line of unsolved political murders.

After Bhutto had narrowly escaped a massive bombing on the day of her return to Pakistan from self-imposed exile in October 2007, she accused what she called "enemies" and "rogue elements" in Mr Musharraf's administration.

Her son, Bilawal Bhutto, who is a student at Oxford University, recently blamed Mr Musharraf, a former military ruler, over his mother's death.

He said that the killer of his mother had only pulled the trigger, but the gun "had been loaded by the dictator".

Mr Musharraf, a retired president and head of the Pakistan army who has left the country due to fears for his own security, strenuously denies any responsibility.

The UN inquiry cannot instigate criminal proceedings, but will apportion blame if it chooses to do so.

A Pakistani investigation into Bhutto's death concluded that a lone attacker fired shots at her before detonating explosives, but said that bullets were not the cause of death.

The PPP has claimed that the security provided to Bhutto was inadequate and called for a wider inquiry.

"We want to know who was behind this, who had conspired it, who has financed it. And we think this was a big international conspiracy," said Rehman Malik, the head of Pakistan's interior ministry, who was in charge of Bhutto's security at the time of her assassination.

"Obviously, there might be some actors within Pakistan or within the region, but we want really to expose the whole conspiracy, because we think that this was a kind of a beginning of an attempt to Balkanise Pakistan," he added.

Police: Bomb kills 2 officers in NW Pakistan

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — A roadside bomb exploded in Pakistan's northwest Thursday, killing two police officers in the latest attack on the country's security forces as they try to eliminate Taliban insurgents nesting near the border with Afghanistan.

The blast came as the Pakistani military wages a major offensive in the nearby Swat Valley, readies another in the South Waziristan tribal region, and engages Taliban fighters in other spots of the troubled region.

Security forces killed 28 militants late Wednesday in Khyber tribal region, according a statement from the paramilitary Frontier Corps. Some local tribes also have launched militias to take on the insurgents — fighting that has left dozens dead in recent days.

The U.S. believes security in Pakistan is vital to defeating the Taliban in neighboring Afghanistan and has applauded Pakistani efforts to confront the militants. But Thursday's bomb was another sign that Pakistani militants won't give up despite the rising pressure.

The bomb detonated on a road in Peshawar's outskirts, hitting a police vehicle, senior police official Ghayoor Afridi said. At least five officers were wounded. No group has claimed responsibility, but Taliban militants have carried out numerous such attacks.

Keeping Khyber militant-free is considered especially important for American interests: the region is home to the Khyber Pass, the major land transit route for fuel and other supplies headed to U.S. and NATO troops in Afghanistan.

The Frontier Corps statement gave few details of the fighting there, and did not say if any Pakistani troops died. The information is nearly impossible to confirm independently because of restrictions on journalists and the dangerous nature of the region.

Pakistan's military is pursuing operations against the Taliban with greater public support than in the past.

A poll released Wednesday said that 81 percent of Pakistanis believe the activities of the Taliban and other Muslim extremists were a "critical threat" to the country, up from the 34 percent polled on the same question in September 2007.

Review : Garou : Mark of the Wolves for Xbox 360 Xbox Live Arcade

is a game that I've secretly always wished would eventually come to Xbox Live Arcade. This game represents the end of an era of 2-D fighting games since it was last Fatal Fury game and was the last game made before SNK's bankruptcy in the late 1990s. Mark of the Wolves was originally developed for the aging Neo-Geo arcade system and the only release it ever got on a home console was on the Sega Dreamcast, and it was one of the very last Sega Dreamcast games to ever be released in the US. Up to today Mark of the Wolves has been quite a gem of a fighting game that has been out of the public consciousness with the exception of some hard-core fighting game Otaku. I have this game on the Dreamcast and am stoked that other people are finally getting to play it.

Review : Garou : Mark of the Wolves for Xbox 360 Xbox Live Arcade

is a game that I've secretly always wished would eventually come to Xbox Live Arcade. This game represents the end of an era of 2-D fighting games since it was last Fatal Fury game and was the last game made before SNK's bankruptcy in the late 1990s. Mark of the Wolves was originally developed for the aging Neo-Geo arcade system and the only release it ever got on a home console was on the Sega Dreamcast, and it was one of the very last Sega Dreamcast games to ever be released in the US. Up to today Mark of the Wolves has been quite a gem of a fighting game that has been out of the public consciousness with the exception of some hard-core fighting game Otaku. I have this game on the Dreamcast and am stoked that other people are finally getting to play it.

Two militants arrested in NW Pakistan operation

ISLAMABAD, June 26 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani security forces apprehended two militants while four soldiers and one civilian were killed and 16 soldiers got injured in northern Pakistan and tribal areas during last 24 hours, the army said in a press release on Friday.
Two persons were killed in a suicide explosion in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir early Friday morning, while three were injured.
The security forces continue search and sweep operation in Swat valley in North West Frontier Province (NWFP), while two people were apprehended and three Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) were neutralized.
A military convoy was targeted by an IED followed by fire at Miranshan in North Waziristan tribal agency, resultantly three people were killed and 11 soldiers were injured.
Restoration of services and relief activities are carried out by security forces and army engineers in NWFP, the army statement said.
Nearly 1,500 militants have been killed since security forces launched the military operation against Taliban militants late April after militants in early April entered the Buner district from the neighboring Swat district and refused to vacate the area despite their pledge to do so.

Talks to benefit both Pakistan and India: FO

ISLAMABAD: Resumption of talks between Pakistan and India is in the interest of both countries and is not a favour by either country to the other, a statement by the Foreign Office said on Thursday.“Let me underline that the talks will not be a favour by one country to the other, they are in our mutual interest,” Foreign Office spokesperson Abdul Basit said at a weekly press briefing.He said the peace process was unavoidable for viable peace and stability in the region and India’s hesitation to resume the dialogue process was incomprehensible, especially when it knew Pakistan was methodically probing into the Mumbai attacks.Basit said he was unaware if the government planned to release Sarabjit Singh, adding he had not seen the reports that non-bailable warrants had been issued by India for criminals in Pakistan’s custody.He called on the US to review its policy of drone attacks as losses by the attacks far outweighed the gains. “We will continue conveying the concerns of the people of Pakistan to them,” he said.Basit said India and Pakistan were working out dates for their secretary-level meeting. “The date and venue of the meeting have not been decided yet,” he added.