Ajmal Kasab retracts statement on Mumbai attacks

Ajmal Kasab, accused in the 26/11 terror strike in Mumbai, retracted from his previous statement concerning his involvement on the attack and said he was forced to confess earlier, India media Friday reported.
The sole survivor among the 10 attackers who killed more than 170 people during the attack on India's commercial capital, had earlier admitted his role in the 26/11 case. Rejecting all charges brought against him, Kasab reportedly said he was forcibly made to confess and tortured, reports said.
In his earlier statement, Kasab had confessed to involvement in the 26/11 attacks.
The prosecution cross-examined 610 witnesses against Kasab and two Indians, Faheem Ansari and Sabauddin Ahmed, the Indian media reported. Pakistan government however has denied that Pakistan’s soil was used in any way to attack India.

India refuses to reduce troops along LOC

The Indian army said Friday it had pulled 30,000 troops out of Kashmir, one of the biggest military drawdowns in a decade.
"We have moved out two divisions of infantry formations who were on internal security duties ... and approximately the number of soldiers pulled out is 30,000 men," spokesman Colonel Om Singh said in New Delhi.

Australia collapse as West Indies hit back in Perth Test

It was a third day of dramatic collapses in the third Test at the WACA with Australia slumping to 137 for eight in their second innings after bowling West Indies out for 312 to set up the game for either side to win.
The Windies looked out of the game when dismissed just after lunch, 208 behind Australia. But Sulieman Benn (two for 26), Dwayne Bravo (three for 34) and Kemar Roach (one for 18) bowled them back into the match with Australia losing seven wickets for 68 runs to establish a lead of 345 at stumps.
The West Indies came into day three on 214 for two in reply to Australia's 520 for seven declared and had made steady progress to be 280 for four at lunch. But that was when the drama began. The Windies lost six for 32 after the first interval to miss the follow-on target. The tourists lost their last four wickets for just two runs off 10 balls, as Doug Bollinger (five for 70) and Nathan Hauritz (three for 66) did the damage.
Australia elected to bat again and were moving on solidly with Michael Clarke and Shane Watson together after Simon Katich was out early for 10. But the hosts then lost six wickets for 59 runs to slip to 125 for seven with Ricky Ponting coming in at number nine due to a tendon injury in his elbow. Roach immediately came on to pepper him with short balls and after he got one hook shot away, he fended one straight to short leg to be out for two and leave Australia on 134 for eight. Hauritz and debutant Clint McKay added three more before the close

Younas eyeing return

Pakistan Cricket Team former captain Younas Khan has started missing international cricket once again. Younas, therefore, has decided to represent his bank in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy’s final. Talking to media in Lahore he said that he is ready to serve the nation all the time.
It is important to mention that for the last some time, Younas had decided to take rest for some time. He didn’t play test match series against New Zealand as well.

UN asks leaders to stay overnight in Copenhagen

COPENHAGEN: The United Nations has asked world leaders to plan to stay overnight in Copenhagen because of deadlock at a U.N. climate summit meant to end on Friday, European Union Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas said.

"The Secretary-General of the United Nations (Ban Ki-moon) has asked people not to leave tonight," Dimas told reporters.

He said he was confident that leaders would eventually reach a deal. "I cannot imagine 120 leaders going back to their countries with empty hands. Everyone expressed commitment to fight climate change. OK, do it," he said. AGENCIES

Global swine flu pandemic deaths pass 10,000: WHO

The number of swine flu deaths worldwide passed the 10,000 mark about eight months after the pandemic strain was uncovered in April, reaching 10,582, World Health Organisation data showed Friday.

Early data suggested that the death rate had not worsened as the flu virus took hold in its most propitious territory, the northern hemisphere, in winter, the WHO indicated.

"As of 13 December 2009, worldwide more than 208 countries and overseas territories or communities have reported laboratory confirmed cases of pandemic influenza H1N1 2009, including at least 10,582 deaths," the WHO said.

In data for December 6 released a week ago, the death toll stood at 9,596.

Transmission of the A(H1N1) virus remains "active and geographically widespread" in the northern hemisphere but disease activity has reached a peak or is waning in many locations there, the UN health agency added.

Preliminary data from the northern hemisphere after a season of winter transmission indicated that the death rate was similar to the one observed in the southern hemisphere's winter earlier in the year.

"This would indicate that the overall severity of the pandemic has not changed," the WHO said.

At least 10 western and northern European countries reported a decline in disease activity but in four -- Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Montenegro and Switzerland -- respiratory disease continued to increase or only levelled off.

High intensity was still reported in parts of south eastern Europe and Russia.

Swine flu was extending into Western and Central Asia, especially Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, but was reaching a peak in Afghanistan, Oman, and Israel and also in parts of the Middle East.

The WHO said flu transmission was starting to decline in east Asia, including Japan, northern and southern China, Taiwan and Mongolia

But it was on the increase in south Asia -- northern India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

Only sporadic cases of pandemic flu were reported in the southern hemisphere.

US Drone attacks kill 7 in NWaziristan

NORTH WAZIRISTAN: The suspected US Drone attacks have killed at least seven people in North Waziristan, sources told SAMAA on Friday.

SAMAA learnt that three missiles were fired over a village, Paikhel, some 30 km away from Miranshah where at least seven people were killed on the spot while five others injured, sources added.

US DRONE ATTACK KILL 12 IN NORTH WAZIRISTAN ON THURSDAY

At least 12 people including seven foreigners have been killed in US Drone strikes, SAMAA reported on Thursday evening.

The local sources said that five spying jets carried out eight missiles over village Dighan some 25 km west to the Miranshah, the headquarter of North Waziristan. Fifteen people were killed on the spot including seven foreigners, sources added. The foreign news agencies claimed 15 have been killed. Two houses and a vehicle were completely destroyed in the strikes. More causalities are being feared.

AGENCIES ADD: Two separate US missile strikes killed at least 14 militants in northwest Pakistan Thursday, officials said, as Islamabad faces growing US pressure to dismantle Islamist extremist networks.

The attacks hours apart by unmanned US drone aircraft hit suspected militant hideouts in the same area of North Waziristan, part of the lawless tribal belt branded the most dangerous place in the world by Washington.

It was not clear which groups were targeted, with North Waziristan rife with Taliban militants, Al-Qaeda fighters and members of the Haqqani network, a powerful group known for staging attacks on foreign troops in Afghanistan.

In the deadliest attack, multiple drones launched an onslaught in the evening on several houses in North Waziristan's Ambarshaga area, about 30 kilometres (18 miles) west of the main district town Miranshah.

"Five US drones fired at least seven missiles, targeting two houses and two vehicles in the Ambarshaga area in North Waziristan and killing 12 militants," a senior security official in the area told AFP.

He said that those killed in the strike included at least four foreigners, adding that their nationalities could not be immediately established.

Pakistani officials mostly use the term "foreigners" to refer to Al-Qaeda recruits operating in the tribal regions.

He added it was also not clear whether any high-value target was present in the area at the time of attack.

Another security official confirmed the bombing by the drone and said the death toll may rise due to the intensity of the strike.

In a second attack in the same area, missiles fired by a US drone at around midday slammed into a house allegedly used by militants.

"The American drone fired two missiles, killing two militants and badly damaging a house and an attached guest portion. A car was completely destroyed," said a security official based in Miranshah.

"The militants rented out this house and were using it as a base."

A local intelligence official confirmed the strike and the death toll in the village of Dattakhel. Officials refused to be named because of the sensitivity of the US strikes in Pakistan, which inflame anti-American sentiment.

PM Gilani suspends Interior Ministry, FIA officials

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister of Pakistan Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has taken notice the incident of stopping Federal Defense Minister Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar to leave for China and suspended Secretary Interior Ministry Qamar-uz-Zaman on Friday.

PM Gilani has also ordered the inquiry of the incident of stopping Federal Defense Minister Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar . The officials on duty Additional Director Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and two inspectors have also been suspended.

NAB CHAIRMAN APOLOGIZES DEFENSE MINISTER

Chairman National Accountability Bureau Naveed Ahsan has apologized Pakistan Defence Minister Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar On Friday for stooping him to go to China for official visit on Thursday.

Talking to SAMAA, Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar confirmed that NAB chairman has apologized. He said that NAB chairman had confirmed that his name was not included in the Exit Control List.

The defence minister, after talking to the NAB chairman, informed Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani and briefed him about the situation and demanded the inquiry into the matter.

PM Gilani has assured the defence minister for thorough inquiry.

The NAB spokesman, Ghazni Khan, also confirmed that the name of defence minister was not included in the ECL. He said that there are 53 names except Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar.

MINISTER STOPPED AT AIRPORT AFTER NRO RULING

Pakistani's defence minister was stopped from leaving the country, news reports said on Friday, after a court struck down an amnesty protecting him and other leaders, including President Asif Ali Zardari from prosecution.

Fears of political turmoil have increased as the opposition mounts pressure on Zardari and his aides to resign following the Supreme court order, even though he is shielded by presidential immunity.

On Thursday, Defence Minister Ahmed Mukhtar, who faces the resumption of an earlier corruption-related case, was stopped by immigration authorities when he tried to go on an official visit to China, the Financial Times and CNN said.

The prospect of political instability comes as the United States increases calls on Pakistan to tackle the Afghan Taliban in lawless border enclaves, where Pakistani security agents said suspected U.S. drones attacked on Thursday, killing 12 fighters.

The Supreme Court threw out on Wednesday the 2007 amnesty that protected Zardari and top aides from graft charges, heaping pressure on the unpopular pro-American leader.

The ruling means all old cases covered by the amnesty, most of them corruption cases, have been revived. It also asked the government to seek the revival of cases lodged in foreign countries.

Among those protected by the amnesty were the interior and defence ministers and several of Zardari's top aides. If they departed from government it would not have a significant impact on Pakistan's war on militancy, which is led by the army.

Immediately after the Wednesday evening court ruling, Zardari's spokesmen said the president's ruling Pakistan People's Party (PPP) respected the decision but there was no question of the president resigning.

NAB Chairman apologizes Defence Minister

ISLAMABAD: Chairman National Accountability Bureau Naveed Ahsan has apologized Pakistan Defence Minister Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar On Friday for stooping him to go to China for official visit on Thursday.

Talking to SAMAA, Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar confirmed that NAB chairman has apologized. He said that NAB chairman had confirmed that his name was not included in the Exit Control List.

PM GILANI SUSPENDS INTERIOR, MINISTRY, FIA OFFICIALS

Prime Minister of Pakistan Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has taken notice the incident of stopping Federal Defense Minister Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar to leave for China and suspended Secretary Interior Ministry Qamar-uz-Zaman on Friday.

PM Gilani has also ordered the inquiry of the incident of stopping Federal Defense Minister Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar . The officials on duty Additional Director Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and two inspectors have also been suspended.

Earlier, The defence minister informed Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani and briefed him about the situation and demanded the inquiry into the matter. PM Gilani has assured the defence minister for thorough inquiry.

The NAB spokesman, Ghazni Khan, also confirmed that the name of defence minister was not included in the ECL. He said that there are 53 names except Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar.

MINISTER STOPPED AT AIRPORT AFTER NRO RULING

Pakistani's defence minister was stopped from leaving the country, news reports said on Friday, after a court struck down an amnesty protecting him and other leaders, including President Asif Ali Zardari from prosecution.

Fears of political turmoil have increased as the opposition mounts pressure on Zardari and his aides to resign following the Supreme court order, even though he is shielded by presidential immunity.

On Thursday, Defence Minister Ahmed Mukhtar, who faces the resumption of an earlier corruption-related case, was stopped by immigration authorities when he tried to go on an official visit to China, the Financial Times and CNN said.

The prospect of political instability comes as the United States increases calls on Pakistan to tackle the Afghan Taliban in lawless border enclaves, where Pakistani security agents said suspected U.S. drones attacked on Thursday, killing 12 fighters.

The Supreme Court threw out on Wednesday the 2007 amnesty that protected Zardari and top aides from graft charges, heaping pressure on the unpopular pro-American leader.

The ruling means all old cases covered by the amnesty, most of them corruption cases, have been revived. It also asked the government to seek the revival of cases lodged in foreign countries.

Among those protected by the amnesty were the interior and defence ministers and several of Zardari's top aides. If they departed from government it would not have a significant impact on Pakistan's war on militancy, which is led by the army.

Immediately after the Wednesday evening court ruling, Zardari's spokesmen said the president's ruling Pakistan People's Party (PPP) respected the decision but there was no question of the president resigning