Japan defence review warns of China's military might

Japan has unveiled sweeping changes to its national defence polices, boosting its southern forces in response to neighbouring China's military rise.

It said Beijing's military build-up was of global concern. Japan shares a maritime border with China.

It will also strengthen its missile defences against the threat from a nuclear-armed North Korea.

China has responded saying it is a force for peace and development in Asia and threatens no-one.

China's Foreign Ministry said no country had the right to make irresponsible comments on China's development.

Flashpoints

The National Defence Programme Guideline has been approved by the cabinet and will shape Japan's defence policy for the next 10 years.

Japan is changing its defence policy in response to the shifting balance of power in Asia, analysts say.http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12015362

Ivory Coast: Gbagbo under pressure to stand down

International pressure is growing on Ivory Coast incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo to cede power to opposition leader Alassane Ouattara after last month's disputed presidential election.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy says Mr Gbagbo must stand down by "the end of the week" or face EU sanctions.

Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga has called for African nations to remove Mr Gbagbo by force if necessary.

Mr Gbagbo's refusal to stand down has sparked fears of renewed civil war.

The United Nations, Washington, African states and others say the election on 28 November was won by Mr Ouattara.

Mr Gbagbo insists the result was rigged by rebels who still hold the north after the civil war in 2002-03.

Ouattara supporters threatened to take to the streets, a day after gun battles in the main city, Abidjan, left at least 20 people dead.

However, the BBC's John James in Abidjan says the city is quiet, although many businesses are closed.

20 pc Khi people supported MQM: Leaks quotes Zardari

Updated at: 0350 PST, Sunday, December 05, 2010
KARACHI: President Asif Ali Zardari told the then US ambassador Anne W Patterson that Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) hardly enjoyed support of 20 per cent population in Karachi, the capital city of Sindh, Geo News reported, quoting WikiLeaks.

Although, MQM had adopted an aggressive posture but we wanted to take them along, said Zardai to ex-US envoy Patterson, as reported by WikiLeaks.

According to leaked diplomatic memos, the party always emerged victorious only on the basis of delimitation of constituencies, Zardari further told her.

India plotted Mumbai attacks: Leaks quote Zardari Updated at: 0501 PST, Sunday, December 05, 2010 India plotted Mumbai attacks: Leaks quote Zardari

India plotted Mumbai attacks: Leaks quote Zardari

Updated at: 0501 PST, Sunday, December 05, 2010 WASHINGTON: WikiLeaks has disclosed another key point regarding Pakistan-US ties, which is about putting a condition on Pakistan for securing a nuclear cooperation with superpower likewise India, Geo News reported. During a meeting with President Zardari in 2009, a US’s Senator John Kerry placed a condition on Pakistan that the latter would have to ink a ‘New Security Arrangement’ accord with neighbour India, if it wanted a civil nuclear cooperation with US, according to leaked memos of US diplomatic cables, cited in a letter of the then US ambassador N.W Patterson. Citing a letter of Patterson, WikiLeaks claimed that Senator Kerry wanted Pakistan to make agreement with New Delhi on New Security Arrangement, if latter was looking for winning a cooperation with US on Civil Nuclear deal. Kerry also urged Pakistan to strengthen democratic institutions first for the purpose, leaked diplomatic cables disclosed. Senator said AQ Khan network was key hurdle in way of progress of Pakistan. While, during the same sitting, President Zardari told him that India itself plotted Mumbai Attacks in November 2008.

Senate showdown may pave way for year-end tax deal

Play Video AP – Senate blocks bill on upper income tax cuts

• Play Video Tax Season Video:Senate blocks bill on upper income tax cuts AP
• Play Video Tax Season Video:Will High-Income Earners Get Extension? FOX News

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AFP/Getty Images/File – (L-R) Office of Management and Budget Director Jacob Lew, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, Rep. Chris …

By DAVID ESPO, AP Special Correspondent David Espo, Ap Special Correspondent – 1 hr 49 mins ago

WASHINGTON – Senate Republicans derailed legislation Saturday to extend expiring tax cuts at all but the highest income levels in a political showdown that paradoxically clears a path for a compromise with the White House on steps to boost the economy.

"We need to get this resolved and I'm confident we can do it," President Barack Obama said shortly after the near party-line votes. The public must have "the peace of mind that their taxes will not go up" on Jan. 1, he added.

Obama has signaled that he will bow to Republican demands for extending tax cuts at all income levels, and his remarks capped a day that lurched between political conflict and talk of compromise on an issue that played a leading role in last month's elections.

Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., eyeing the 2012 campaign, accused Republicans of siding with "millionaires and billionaires" with their rejection of proposals that would let tax cuts passed during George W. Bush's presidency lapse on seven-figure incomes.

Republicans noted that unemployment rose to 9.8 percent last month and said it made no sense to raise taxes on anyone in a weak economy. Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., jabbed that Democrats were undergoing a "political catharsis" in public after losing control of the House and surrendering several seats in the Senate in the Nov. 2 election.

But the rhetoric subsided quickly after the votes, and Senate leaders in both parties said they hoped political clashes would give way to compromise in the next several days.

Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell, the GOP leader, said he was relatively confident there would be a deal with the White House "not to raise taxes in the middle of a recession." He said talks were continuing on the length of an extension to be enacted for the cuts that were put in place in 2001 and 2003.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said he hoped for an agreement by the middle or end of next week on legislation that would combine an extension of tax cuts with a renewal of expiring jobless benefits for the long-term unemployed.

Officials have said that in addition to tax cuts and unemployment benefits, the White House wants to include renewal of several other tax provisions that are expiring. They include a break for lower- and middle- class wage earners, even if they don't make enough to pay the government, as well as for college students and for companies that hire the unemployed.

Obama later spoke with Reid and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. A White House official said the president told them he was open to a temporary extension of the tax cuts if the Democratic priorities were included in the deal.

Key lawmakers and administration officials have been at work negotiating the terms of a possible deal for several days.

But many congressional Democrats privately have expressed anger at Obama for his willingness to surrender to Republican demands to let the tax cuts remain in place at upper incomes, and numerous officials said no compromise would be possible until they had engineered votes in both the House and Senate.

Any deal would mean a reversal for Obama, who said in the 2008 presidential race and this year that he wanted to let cuts expire above incomes of $200,000 for individuals and $250,000 for couples.

In the Senate, a bill to enact Obama's original position was blocked on a vote of 53-36, seven votes short of the 60 needed to advance. Republicans were unanimous in their opposition, and were joined by Democratic Sens. Russell Feingold of Wisconsin, Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Ben Nelson of Nebraska, Jim Webb of Virginia and independent Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut.

The second measure would have let taxes rise on incomes over $1 million. It appeared crafted to appeal to senators from states with large high-income populations, as well as cast Republicans as protectors of the rich.

It was blocked on a vote of 53-37, also seven short of the 60 needed. A slightly different lineup of Democrats sided with Republicans, including Sens. Dick Durbin of Illinois, Tom Harkin of Iowa, Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia and Feingold. Lieberman also opposed it.

The White House opposed the second measure bill, and given the president's willingness to sign a bill to extend all the expiring tax cuts, there was never any doubt about the outcome of the day's proceedings in the Senate.

But Democrats said that even with elections nearly two years away, they intended to try and depict Republicans as defenders of the rich whose policies contribute to rising deficits.

"Do we want to extend those tax breaks for millionaires and billionaires at a time of huge deficits. I would argue vociferously we shouldn't, said Schumer.

Referring to the 2012 elections, he said about Republicans: "I'm going to be here for the next year, next two years, to remind my colleagues that they were willing to increase the deficit $300 billion to give tax breaks to people who have income over a million dollars."

Republicans sounded alternately bemused and offended.

"It is the most astounding theory I have ever seen. Raise taxes to create jobs," said Sen. John Thune, R-S.D.

Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, said Democrats perhaps viewed the votes as a gift to their political constituents. But, he added, "two years of wall to wall Democratic rule has only made the situation worse" in the economy.

The day's events capped a week that included a meeting at the White House at which Obama and top congressional Republicans sat down together for the first time since the elections.

Both the president and GOP lawmakers pledged afterward they would try to work together for the good of the economy, and agreed to set up a small negotiating group to discuss the tax issues.

The White House, Reid and Republicans have been negotiating quietly, and McConnell made a point of saying he had been in frequent touch with the administration in recent days.

In addition to tax cuts, Obama has made ratification of a new arms control treaty with Russia a priority of the postelection session of Congress, reducing his leverage with Republicans in the struggle over taxes.

Senior Senate Republicans have indicated they will not try to interfere with a debate on the issue as long as government spending and tax cut issues have been resolved to their satisfaction.

A two-thirds majority is required for ratification, meaning the White House will need the support of at least nine Republicans to prevail. Vice President Joseph Biden and other officials have been involved in talks with several GOP senators in hopes of lining up the votes needed.

US cable: China leaders ordered hacking on Google

AP – In this photo taken Monday, March 22, 2010, a Chinese woman cleans the Google logo outside the Google …

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By GILLIAN WONG, Associated Press Gillian Wong, Associated Press – 15 mins ago

BEIJING – Sources told American diplomats that hacking attacks against Google were ordered by China's top ruling body and a senior leader demanded action after finding search results critical of him, leaked U.S. government cables show.

The American Embassy sent a cable to Washington saying a source told diplomats the Chinese government coordinated late last year's attacks on Google under the direction of the Politburo Standing Committee.

It was impossible to verify the details of the cables, but if true, they show the political pressures facing Google when it decided in March to close its China-based search engine.

The cable about the hacking attacks against Google, which was classified as secret by Deputy Chief of Mission Robert Goldberg, was released by WikiLeaks to The New York Times and The Guardian newspapers.

It notes that it is unclear if Chinese President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao were aware of these reported actions before Google went public about the attacks in January.

Another source said in that cable he believed an official on the top political body was "working actively with Chinese Internet search engine Baidu against Google's interests in China."

Google's relations with Beijing have been tense since the U.S.-based search giant said in January it no longer wanted to cooperate with Chinese Web filtering following computer hacking attacks on Google's computer code and efforts to break into the e-mail accounts of human rights activists. Google closed its China-based search engine March 22 and began routing users to its unfiltered Hong Kong site.

Google's spokeswoman in Tokyo, Jessica Powell, said the company had no comment on the cables released by Wikileaks, and on the hacking attacks, referred to a January statement that said it had evidence that the attack came from China. Google did not release any details then.

A man who answered the phone at the spokesperson's office of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said no one was around to comment Sunday. Calls to the State Council Information Office and the Foreign Ministry rang unanswered.

A separate cable released by WikiLeaks showed a Politburo member demanded action against Google after looking for his own name on the search engine and finding criticism of him.

The May 18, 2009, cable did not identify the leader but The New York Times reported it was propaganda chief Li Changchun, the fifth-ranked official in the country.

The cable classified as confidential cited a source as saying the Chinese official had realized that Google's worldwide site is uncensored, capable of Chinese language searches and search results, and that there is a link from the home page of its China site, google.cn, to google.com.

The official "allegedly entered his own name and found results critical of him," and asked three government ministries to write a report about Google and "demand that the company ceases its 'illegal activities,' which include linking to google.com," the cable said.

The cable said American officials could neither confirm nor deny the details given by the source about the Chinese leadership's action.

Thabo Mbeki to mediate in Ivory Coast president crisis

The African Union says it is sending former South African President Thabo Mbeki to Ivory Coast to help mediate the current political crisis.

Laurent Gbagbo and opposition candidate Alassane Ouattara have both sworn themselves in after claiming victory in a presidential run-off.

Mr Ouattara was initially declared the winner but the result was overturned in the incumbent's favour.

The AU has warned the crisis could have "incalculable consequences".

In a statement, the organisation rejected "any attempt to create a fait accompli to undermine the electoral process and the will of the people".

It called on all parties to "show the necessary restraint and to refrain from taking actions which will exacerbate an already fragile situation".

Several countries and international organisations - including the US, UN, France and the IMF - have backed Mr Ouattara as the true winner of last Sunday's run-off.

Conflict fear

The AU has not said when Mr Mbeki is likely to travel to Ivory Coast, but the BBC's John James in the capital Abidjan says his arrival is being widely discussed.

The crisis has already led to unrest on the streets of the capital

When he was president of South Africa, Mr Mbeki helped to mediate a peace deal in Ivory Coast.

But he was seen by the opposition as being uncomfortably close to Mr Gbagbo.

It is difficult to see what scope there is for Mr Mbeki to mediate, says our correspondent, as both men are adamant that they legitimately won the poll.

The fear is that if he fails to find a way out, rebel groups in the north who support Mr Ouattara will take up arms in protest.

Mr Ouattara was declared the winner by the Election Commission on Thursday, but on Friday, its ruling was overturned by the Constitutional Council, which is led by an ally of the incumbent, Mr Gbagbo.

Mr Gbagbo, who has the backing of the head of the country's armed forces, was sworn in for a third term in office at the presidential palace on Friday afternoon.

He repeated the accusations of fraud that had led the Council to discount large number of ballots in the north, where Mr Ouattara's supports is strongest.You think that you can cheat, stuff ballot boxes and intimidate voters and that the other side won't see what is going on," Mr Gbagbo said.

He also said he had noted "serious cases of interference" in recent days, referring to international disapproval of his return to power.

"We didn't ask anyone to come and run our country. Our sovereignty is something I am going to defend," he said.

'Brief episode'

But within hours, Mr Ouattara, a former rebel from the predominantly Muslim north of the country, was himself sworn in, at an Abidjan hotel guarded by UN peacekeepers.

He said the election had been "historic" and that he was proud of it, but that the last few days had been "difficult".

"But it's just a brief episode - I want to tell you that Ivory Coast is now in good hands," he said.

Mr Ouattara immediately re-appointed Guillaume Soro as his prime minister. Mr Soro had tendered his resignation in Mr Gbagbo's administration just hours earlier.

Mr Soro - who is the head of the New Forces rebels in the north - has warned that overturning the results threatens to derail attempts to stabilise and reunify the country after the 2002 war.

The political crisis has led to protests on the streets of the country's main city of Abidjan, with opposition supporters saying Mr Gbagbo's investiture amounts to a coup d'etat.

At least four people have been killed in election-related clashes in Abidjan this week.

Ivory Coast has closed its borders and stopped broadcasts of international news media into the country. An overnight curfew remains in place over the weekend.

Haiti cholera reaches Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic has detected its first case of cholera, following the outbreak of the disease in neighbouring Haiti last month. The patient is a Haitian migrant who had recently returned from his homeland, the health minister said.

The Dominican authorities had stepped up border controls and health checks to try to stop cholera from spreading from Haiti.

More than 1,000 Haitians have died of the disease.

Dominican health minister Bautista Rojas said the patient, a 32-year-old Haitian construction worker, was being treated in isolation in the eastern town of Higuey.

Like Haiti, the Dominican Republic had not had a confirmed case of cholera in more than a century until this year.

In Haiti, the government says 1,034 people have died and the disease is still spreading rapidly

Eurozone ministers to 'intensify' work to help Ireland

His statement came at the end of an emergency meeting of eurozone ministers and financial institutions in Brussels.

Finance ministers from all the 27 European Union countries are set to meet shortly.

Tuesday's emergency talks came against a background of renewed financial market turmoil.

At the centre of this has been the markets' fear that the governments of the weaker eurozone countries - particularly the Irish Republic - would not be able to afford to repay their huge debts.

Mr Rehn said that "the Irish authorities are committed to working" with the EU, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund to calm market turmoil.

A statement by the eurogroup following its meeting praised Ireland's efforts to combat its problems: "The Eurogroup welcomes the significant efforts of Ireland to deal with the challenges it faces in the budgetary, competitiveness and financial sector areas."

'Short and focused'

The statement said the Irish government would engage in a "short and focused consultation" with the Commission, the ECB and the IMF in order to determine the best way to provide any necessary support.

It concluded by adding "We confirm that we will take determined and co-ordinated action to safeguard the financial stability of the euro area, if needed, and that we have the means available to do so".

The IMF welcomed Ireland's decision to allow a "short and focused consultation" to decide if the country needs a budget bailout.

Mr Rehn called Ireland the most pressing challenge of today, adding that there was "an intensification of preparations of a potential programme in case it is requested" but the meeting proposed no concrete course of action.......

SKA, parts of KP celebrate Eid Tuesday

Updated at: 0501 PST, Wednesday, November 17, 2010 ISLAMABAD: Eid-ul-Azha was celebrated Tuesday in Saudi Arabia and parts of Khybar Pakhtunkhah with full devotion and enthusiasm. According to Geo News, after Hajjis completed last rituals of Hajj in Makkah like rami (stoning the devil), they sacrificed their animals (qurbani) to revive Sunnat-e-Ibrahimi. They have also shaved their heads off and changed “Ahram” as part of Hajj’s essential rite. After that they did sa’hi and returned back to Mina. The Hajjis also offered namaz-i-eid in Masjid-e-Nabavi. Bohri community of Karachi also celebrated Eid on Tuesday with religious fervor and offered Eid prayers.

PC to meet on judges’ appointment Nov 22

Updated at: 0103 PST, Wednesday, November 17, 2010
ISLAMABAD: Meeting of the Parliamentary Committee (PC) has been convened on November 22 to discuss issues pertaining to judges’ appointment at higher judiciary, Geo News reported.

Secretary PC Raja Mohammed Ameen told Geo News, the session of PC has been scheduled to kick off at 1.30pm at Parliament House.

The meeting would discuss the recommendations forwarded by Judicial Commission (JC).

It is pertinent to mention that JC had nominated Justice Ijaz Chaudhry for the position of Chief Justice in Lahore High Court (LHC).

Nationwide Eid-ul-Azha today,Eid day in pakistan

Updated at: 0402 PST, Wednesday, November 17, 2010
ISLAMABAD: The nation is celebrating Eid-ul-Azha with religious zeal and religious fervour today (Wednesday) across the country. The Muslims will throng to mosques and Eidgahs to offer Eid prayers countrywide. The biggest Eid congregation in the federal capital will be held at Shah Faisal Mosque.

Special prayers will be offered for strengthening national solidarity, prosperity, integrity and sovereignty of Pakistan and the liberation of all occupied Muslim territories, including held Jammu and Kashmir.

Scholars from different schools of thought will deliver special sermons to highlight the significance of the day and the purpose of the sacrifice rendered by Prophet Hazrat Ibrahim (AS) centuries ago.

The state-run and the private channels have chalked out special programmes for the auspicious occasion.

After Eid prayers, camels, cows, goats and sheep will be sacrificed to revive the Sunnah of the Prophet Hazrat Ibrahim (AS).

A large number of people migrated to their hometowns to mark the Eidul Azha. Scores of congregational prayers will be held early in the morning followed by slaughter of sacrificial animals for the next three days till Friday before sunset.

In Karachi, the biggest congregation will be held at Nishter Park. Besides, a number of Eid prayer’s congregation will be held across metropolis wherein religious scholars will deliver special sermons in accordance with the day.

In Lahore, the mass congregation will be held at the historic Badshahi Mosque where more than one lakh people will offer Eid prayers.

Other congregation will be held at Data Darbar, Jamia Naeemia, Mansoora and open places. Special prayers will be offered for national integrity and solidarity and for the liberation of occupied Muslim territories including Indian-occupied Kashmir.

Meanwhile, the sale of sacrificial animals could not pick momentum this year because of price hike as most people stayed away from buying animals.

The city district governments of the major cities finalised arrangements for cleanliness during the Eid days as majority of the people throw offal of the sacrificial animals on roads and streets.

However, special instructions given to the staff of Solid Waste Management (SWM) to continue patrolling on the city roads to lift the waste and to keep the city clean.

Govt withdraws two weekly holidays

Updated at: 2001 PST, Tuesday, November 16, 2010
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has approved to end two weekly holidays from November 27, Geo News reported on Tuesday.

According to the spokesman for the PM House, the decision to end weekly two holidays was made after consultation with the provincial governments and respective ministries.

Earlier, the traders’ community and provincial governments had said that they were facing problems owing to two weekly holiday, while the ministry of water and power had pointed out that in winter season there was no need of two day weekly off.

Saboteurs blow up 2 schools in Bajaur

Updated at: 1213 PST, Sunday, October 24, 2010 SALARZAI: The terrorists blew up two schools with the explosives in Bajaur Agency, Geo News reported Sunday. According to the sources, the terrorists planted the explosives at both the schools in Bajaur Agency’s Salarzai area of Manogai Mandal. Both the premises were completely destroyed it the explosions. Political administration started probe in the incident. Meantime, the political administration and the security forces, beefing up the security across the Agency, began snap checking at exits and entrances. Also, heavy contingents of Bajaur Levies Force and the FC have been deployed on various sensitive points.

Pak banks improve in competitiveness: Kent

Updated at: 1100 PST, Sunday, October 24, 2010 ISLAMABAD: Pakistani banks in public sector have higher cost-inefficiency compared to foreign banks operating in the country, said Professor Kent Matthews of Cardiff University, UK, here. Professor Kent, who delivered a lecture on 'Banking efficiency in emerging market economies' at National Institute of Banking and Finance (NIBAF) here on Saturday at 17th lecture of Zahid Memorial Lecture series, said that the banking sector in the emerging economies is facing stronger competition due to globalisation in financial system. However, he added that after reforms in banking sector, efficiency of banks had improved and concentration was reduced in recent years, which was because of competitiveness. He said that human capital and development, along with incentives, is very critical to motivate management to perform best. The foreign banks were the most efficient in terms of cost in Pakistan whereas the public sector banks have cost technical and allocative inefficiencies. The reasons for high cost-inefficiency of local banks, he said, was because of their large network of branches, even in remote areas. But there is a need to introduce improved management and increase motivation levels to reduce cost, and increase profits in the banking sector. The performance of Islamic banks surged during the earlier years and this was due to the fact that only two banks were operative till 2005. The index goes down because a couple of new entrants started their operations in 2005-06. Thus, it was seen that the performance of Islamic banks had been most consistent after the year 2006. Moreover, the efficiency scores of Islamic banks are getting closer to that of the foreign banks. It is also evident that the consolidation in Pakistani banking sector due to the raise in minimum paid up capital requirement has led to stable performance of these banks. He said that he used input and output variables in estimating bank efficiency in Pakistan by applying five models. These, in turn, are decomposed into its technical inefficiency and allocative inefficiency components. The results suggested that there was sufficient independent variation in each bank category type to separate the distribution of technical efficiency from the rest of the population. Also, the only bank category that had a distribution of allocative inefficiency that could be separated from the rest was foreign banks. However, these statistics are only indicative as the means and distribution could be signalling other relevant but unidentified factors, he said. Rof Kent said: "Bank efficiency is clearly a topic worthy of consideration and it is particularly worthy of study in the case of emerging markets. In economies where capital and debt markets are as yet undeveloped, the principal conduit for economy wide investment and saving is through the banking system. The efficiency of the banks is an indicator of the efficiency of financial intermediation. Furthermore, the banking sector of the emerging economies is facing stronger competition due to the globalisation of the financial system. While the trend in deregulation and global competition will be muted for the next few years as a result of the financial crisis, the pace will pick up once the world economy is stabilised."

Suresh Raina’s links with bookies disclosedSuresh Raina’s links with bookies disclosed Updated at: 1422 PST, Sunday, October 24, 2010 Suresh Raina’s

Suresh Raina’s links with bookies disclosed

Updated at: 1422 PST, Sunday, October 24, 2010 MUMBAI: A British newspaper has revealed Indian cricketer Suresh Raina’s links with a bookmaker but the Indiana cricket board on Sunday described the report baseless while the International Cricket Council (ICC) refused to give any comment. The ICC Anti-Corruption and Security Unit is probing why the Indian Board kept quiet about a report of its player Suresh Raina being seen in the company of a woman linked to an associate of an illegal bookmaker, a media report said in London. Making it clear that Raina was not suspected of any wrongdoing, 'The Sunday Times', quoting a senior ICC source, said the incident related to India's tour of Sri Lanka earlier this year. With the heightened security concerns following the 2009 terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team in Pakistan, the Sri Lankans deputed a former general to look after the Indian team. CCTV Cameras installed at the Indian team hotel showed that on more than one night Raina was in the company of a woman known to be an associate of a man allegedly linked to a bookmaker. A report, including the CCTV footage, was submitted by the Sri Lankan Cricket Board to their Indian counterparts. BCCI keeping quiet on Suresh Raina accompanying a woman allegedly linked to bookies during the Sri Lankan tour as "baseless", saying that she was the agent of the Indian batsman.

Haiti cholera cases 'detected in Port-au-Prince'

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Aisha Bain, International Rescue Committee, says the infection risk is "great"

Five cases of cholera have been detected in Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince, the UN says, amid an outbreak that has killed more than 200 people.

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UN spokeswoman Imogen Wall told the Reuters news agency the patients had been quickly diagnosed and isolated.

She said they had been infected in the main outbreak zone - the Artibonite region - and had subsequently travelled to the capital, where they fell ill.

This meant Port-au-Prince was "not a new location of infection", she noted.

Earlier, Ms Wall said the prospect of cholera in the city, where more than a million survivors of January's earthquake are living in tents, was "awful".

Those in the camps are highly vulnerable to the intestinal infection, which is caused by bacteria transmitted through contaminated water or food. con..

Karachi’s Kabari Market death toll rises to 12

Updated at: 1903 PST, Tuesday, October 19, 2010
KARACHI: The death toll in firing incident in Karachi’s Kabari Market of Sher Shah, mounted to 12, Geo News reported Tuesday.

According to Geo News correspondent, at least six unidentified armed men riding three motorbikes, opened indiscriminate fire in Kabari Market in Sher Shah area of Karachi, killing at least 12 people including shopkeepers and shoppers and injuring several others.

The eyewitnesses told Geo News that the miscreants, wearing helmets, went on firing spree for five minutes, triggering the panicked people to break up in stampede.

The saboteurs fled the scene effortlessly.

The injured have been shifted to hospitals, where emergency has been declared with more medical staff called on duty.

According to police sources, arriving late on the mishap site, the personnel of police and the Rangers put a security cordon around the Market.

Meantime, more additional contingents of security forces have been called in.

Hospital sources confirmed 12 deaths. Two bodies were transported to Abbasi Hospital and eight in Civil Hospital. (Last updated at 35)

Karachi’s Kabari Market death toll rises to 12

Updated at: 1903 PST, Tuesday, October 19, 2010
KARACHI: The death toll in firing incident in Karachi’s Kabari Market of Sher Shah, mounted to 12, Geo News reported Tuesday.

According to Geo News correspondent, at least six unidentified armed men riding three motorbikes, opened indiscriminate fire in Kabari Market in Sher Shah area of Karachi, killing at least 12 people including shopkeepers and shoppers and injuring several others.

The eyewitnesses told Geo News that the miscreants, wearing helmets, went on firing spree for five minutes, triggering the panicked people to break up in stampede.

The saboteurs fled the scene effortlessly.

The injured have been shifted to hospitals, where emergency has been declared with more medical staff called on duty.

According to police sources, arriving late on the mishap site, the personnel of police and the Rangers put a security cordon around the Market.

Meantime, more additional contingents of security forces have been called in.

Hospital sources confirmed 12 deaths. Two bodies were transported to Abbasi Hospital and eight in Civil Hospital. (Last updated at 35)

Pakistan rejects Indian army chief allegations

Updated at: 2042 PST, Saturday, October 16, 2010
Pakistan rejects Indian army chief allegations

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Saturday took a serious exception to reported statement of Indian Army Chief about his threat perception from Pakistan, war under a nuclear scenario and uncalled for and gratuitous comments on the internal affairs of Pakistan.

In a statement, a Foreign Office Spokesman here on Saturday said that the repetitive mentioning by Indian High Command about war under the nuclear scenario is not only irresponsible but also jingoistic and unwise.

"Such statements and grandstanding by India are evidently unhelpful to the cause of promoting peace, security and stability in South Asia," he added.

He said Pakistan remains committed to a purposeful and result-oriented dialogue with India on all outstanding issues, including the core issue of Jammu and Kashmir.

Karachi violence kills 19; hurts dozens

Updated at: 0525 PST, Sunday, October 17, 2010
KARACHI: In a fresh spate of violence that erupted in the metropolis city Saturday, one day ahead of by-polls, has left at least 15 people killed and over four dozens others injured while unknown armed men forced shops in different areas to close, Geo News reported Saturday.

Meanwhile, five vehicles including an OB van of a private television channel have been reportedly torched in different areas during the violence-ravaged incidents. con

US drone kills six in NWaziristan

Updated at: 1424 PST, Sunday, October 10, 2010
MIRANSHAH: A US drone strike killed seven militants at a compound in Pakistan's tribal North Waziristan region Sunday, security officials said.

The compound was located by a road in Shewa district about 40 kilometres (25 miles) northeast of the region's main town of Miranshah.

The drone fired four missiles at the compound and two vehicles parked outside were also destroyed, an intelligence official in Miranshah said.

Put international pressure on Pak after Musharraf remarks, BJP tells govt

The BJP today asked the government to factor the admission of former Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf about his country's involvement in cross-border terrorism while framing its policy towards the neighbour and put international pressure on Islamabad to end the proxy war.

"Confession of former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf is vindication of India's position and consistent with BJP stand that terrorism in India is basically cross-border terrorism sponsored by Pakistan," BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said.

"Just as our analysis on Ayodhya was vindicated by the court, our analysis on Pakistan's proxy war against India has been proved now," he added.

Former military ruler Pervez Musharraf has admitted that Pakistan had trained underground militant groups to fight in Kashmir, the first such admission by a top leader of the country.

Musharraf's candid remarks came days after he announced his return to active politics from London where he has been living in self-imposed exile.

Javadekar said though the Pakistan government has denied the claims of Musharraf, the "cat is out of the bag. The denial is a formality while the confession is the reality".

The principal Opposition alleged that Pakistan has sponsored terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir and was also behind the recent law and order problems in the Valley, including stone-pelting.

"BJP demands that the government should factor in these revelations (of Musharraf) while formulating its Pakistan policy," Javadekar said.

He insisted that one day the involvement of Pakistan in 26/11 Mumbai terror attack and funding of separatists and stone-pelters would come out. "This is just the skeletons coming out of the cupboard," he said.

The Rajya Sabha MP charged that after the formation of Bangladesh, Pakistan cannot digest the fact that Kashmir is with India.

"Government must utilise these revelations to expose Pakistan and its dubious role in waging a covert war through state-sponsored terrorism directed at India. Pakistan government's oft-repeated alibi of blaming non-state actors to hide its own direct complicity also needs to be exposed at international forums," Javadekar said.

Suspended supply route may surge Taliban attacks: report

KABUL: If countries were rated on how tough it is to fight wars on their soil, Afghanistan would come close to the top of the list.

Landlocked, with an extreme climate and paralyzing dust storms, it’s also bordered by dizzying mountains and safe highways are sparse.

That’s why escalating militant attacks on NATO fuel trucks heading from Pakistan to Afghanistan — the most recent on Monday — are a sign that the war against the Taliban is limping badly, if not hobbled. And they show the scarcity of supply line options may be a decisive factor in how and when the conflict concludes.

“The U.S. has tried to develop the northern distribution system, but the heavy duty supplies still have to go through Pakistan,” says Shuja Nawaz, director of the Atlantic Council’s South Asia Center in Washington. “Given the short timetable the coalition is operating on, the chances of finding an alternative are dim.”

Between 75 and 80 per cent of NATO supplies are trucked from the Pakistani port of Karachi through the forbidding Khyber Pass and into Afghanistan. The most crucial is fuel. But they include vital items from water to weapons.

The pass has been shut down several times, and after a helicopter fired on and killed three Pakistani frontier troops last week Pakistan blocked the supply lines. It had complained earlier of similar cross-border attacks.

For NATO, the route has been dogged by years of mayhem and uncertainty.

“We accept responsibility for the attacks on the NATO supply trucks and tankers,” spokesman Azam Tariq of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan told reporters Monday. “We will carry out more such attacks in future. We will not allow the use of Pakistani soil as a supply route for NATO troops based in Afghanistan.”

The U.S. is well aware of the dilemma and has been expanding its use of an air base in Kyrgyzstan to deliver troops and supplies to Afghanistan’s battlefields. But there have been ongoing disputes with the Central Asian country over rental fees, and a coup earlier this year put its stability in doubt.

Possible overland alternatives include a route through Georgia, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan, inviting a diplomatic wrangle with Russia, which is wary of American influence on its former possessions.

“We are pretty much stuck with Pakistan,” says Thomas Johnson of the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, who has advised the Canadian and U.S. governments. “The Central Asian states are completely landlocked. It is a very dire situation.”

The dependence on Pakistan includes more than geography, says Ontario-based defence analyst Sunil Ram of the American Military University.

“About 80 per cent of (NATO) fuel requirements are from refineries in Karachi,” he said. “It’s strategically easy for the Taliban to stop the convoys. Even if they cut off 15 to 20 per cent of the fuel it has a large impact on the war because it reduces the ability to operate.”

And, he points out, a number of international media reports contend the U.S. has reverted to paying the Taliban to stay away from the convoys.

Washington is also at odds with Pakistan over Islamabad’s responsibility for quelling the Taliban on its territory, although the dispute has diminished since massive floods hit the country and the army was deployed to aid displaced civilians.

“There are 70,000 troops deployed in flood relief, and 150,000 are in locations in the northwest and along the (Afghan) border,” said Nawaz. “But it’s still not enough to protect convoys going up from Karachi. The danger used to be when they approached the Khyber Pass. Now it’s starting from Karachi. The local Taliban has affiliates all over.”

Afghanistan itself may be working on a solution. Officials there “want to create a state-run military brigade equipped with its own trucks and thousands of soldiers to carry essential NATO supplies around the country,” said a report by McClatchy Newspapers.

But there is skepticism that Afghanistan, often at odds with neighbouring Pakistan, would be able to deal with the “highway barons” who control the roads and demand protection money — both at home and across the border.

Zawwar Sheikh sent on 4-month leave

LAHORE: District Session Judge Lahore Zawwar Ahmed Sheikh has been sent on four-month leave, Geo News reported Tuesday.

Sohail Nasir will act as the District Session Judge Lahore.

It should be mentioned here that the lawyers and judges were locked in a dispute over the transfer of Zawwar Sheikh.

Dutch anti-Islam MP Geert Wilders goes on trial

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Geert Wilders: "I am sitting here as a suspect because I have spoken... nothing but the truth"

The Dutch anti-Islam MP Geert Wilders has gone on trial in Amsterdam accused of inciting hatred against Muslims

Mr Wilders, whose statements have included comparing the Koran with Hitler's Mein Kampf, told the court freedom of expression was on trial.

If found guilty, he faces a maximum sentence of a year in jail.

Mr Wilders' Freedom Party is the third biggest in the Netherlands after June's elections, and is expected to play a key role in the next parliament.

Prosecutors have brought five charges of inciting hatred and discrimination, and the trial will scrutinise statements he made between 2006 and 2008.

In one such statement, in an editorial for the De Volkskrant newspaper, he wrote: "I've had enough of Islam in the Netherlands; let not one more Muslim immigrate.

"I've had enough of the Koran in the Netherlands: Forbid that fascist book."

In 2008, he released a short film called Fitna which infuriated Muslims by juxtaposing images of suicide bombings with verses from the Koran.

Mr Wilders, in a bright blue tie and with his trademark shock of blond hair, waved to supporters as he entered the court complex in Amsterdam.

A small group of protesters had gathered outside court and riot police were on duty nearby.

In an opening statement, he told the court that he was being persecuted for "stating my opinion in the context of public debate", adding: "I can assure you, I will continue proclaiming it."

His lawyer, Bram Moszkowicz, then told the presiding judge that Mr Wilders would thereafter exercise his right to silence and not answer questions during the trial.

When presiding judge Jan Moors said it appeared Mr Wilders was "avoiding discussion" Mr Moszkowicz accused him of bias and moved to have him substituted.

The trial was adjourned and a separate hearing arranged to decide whether Judge Moors could continue on the trial. The panel is expected to decide on the issue on Tuesday.

Earlier, Mr Wilders gave his views via his Twitter account, calling it a "terrible day".

"The freedom of expression of at least 1.5 million people is standing trial together with me," he wrote, in what seemed to be a reference to the number of voters who backed the Freedom Party in June.

The coalition deal that emerged last week joins two centre-right parties in a minority government, which will seek the backing of parliament this week.

But, holding only 52 of the 150 seats in parliament, they will depend on the support of 24 Freedom Party MPs to pass legislation.

In return for that support, he has already extracted policy concessions. The new government has said it will try to ban the Islamic face veil, and curb immigration.

It is not clear whether a conviction for Mr Wilders would affect the government's willingness to deal with him.

Mr Wilders has infuriated opponents not just with his opinions, but with language they see as inflammatory, such as stating that Muslim headscarves, which he referred to as "head rags", ought to be taxed for "polluting" the Dutch landscape.

Mr Wilders was briefly refused entry to Britain last year, after being invited to show his film in the House of Lords.

Having received numerous death threats, he is usually surrounded by bodyguards.

A verdict in the trial is expected on 4 November

Gold hits record near 1,300 dollars, silver at 30-year peak

Updated at: 1829 PST, Friday, September 24, 2010 LONDON: The gold price soared to a record peak within a whisker of 1,300 dollars an ounce on Friday, dragging sister metal silver to a 30-year pinnacle, as investment demand propelled precious metals higher. Gold prices struck a record 1,299.90 dollars an ounce in mid-day trading on the London Bullion Market, as investors sought a safe-haven to park their cash amid heightened uncertainty over the global economic outlook. And silver surged to 21.41 dollars an ounce -- nailing the highest level since October 1980. "The underlying bullish trend in the gold market continues to be fuelled by the high level of uncertainty regarding the United States and European economies," said SEB Commodity Research analyst Filip Petersson. "Wealth preservation are the keywords. "As long as we do not see a reduction in the uncertainty regarding the long-term economic outlook, gold prices will remain well-supported as the currency of choice for risk-averse investors." He added: "The strategic view remains bullish and we expect prices above 1,350 dollars per ounce before the end of the year." Gold and silver were also propelled by keen demand from exchange traded funds (ETFs). ETFs allow traders to invest money more easily in the commodities, without trading on the futures market. They are traded like shares and are widely regarded as an inexpensive and low-risk way of investing. "Gold is fuelled by a combination of things," said Commerzbank analyst Daniel Briesemann. "High investment demand can be seen in inflows into gold ETFs," added Briesmann. "Some central banks in Asia are also diversifying their currency reserves further, even at the current high price levels. "Furthermore, the general interest of investors is not waning and gold is sought for mainly as a 'stable currency'."

PSMA opposes allowing unlimited raw sugar imports

Updated at: 1857 PST, Friday, September 24, 2010 ISLAMABAD: Sugar millers oppose a government decision to allow unlimited imports of raw sugar after massive sugarcane crop losses, an industry official said on Friday, adding the shortfall would be smaller than expected. The price, he said, expected to be between Rs 60 to Rs 65 per kilogramme. The government this week waived a 25 percent regulatory duty and allowed millers and traders to import raw sugar at will after estimates the 2010/11 crop would produce about 3 million tonnes of refined sugar against an annual demand of 4.2 million tonnes. Millers estimate output at 3.6 million tonnes and say the government should set a limit in line with total demand. "We are telling the government that there should be a limit on the import of raw sugar. It should not be more than 500,000 tonnes," Iskandar Khan, chairman of the Pakistan Sugar Mills Association (PSMA), said. "We are expecting 3.6 million tonnes of sugar output after flood damage and together with raw sugar import and purchases being made by the TCP, the availability will be according to our consumption," he said referring to the state-run trading agency. While Khan frames the issue in terms of protecting local farmers and even health issues surrounding unprocessed sugar, unlimited sugar imports would drive down domestic prices and cut into industry profits. Pakistan aims for a sugarcane harvest of 54.8 million tonnes for 2010/11 -- which could produce roughly 3.8 million tonnes of white sugar -- before August floods destroyed millions of acres of cropland. Khan said the government should specify a limit and it should be channeled through the Industry Ministry to millers according to their production last year. The government said the Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) would have no role and importers would decide the quantity and timing of purchases. Khan said raw sugar should reach the country within three months to enable millers to refine it by the end of February, the end of the crushing season, which starts in late November this year. Pakistan produced a little over 3 million tonnes of sugar from the 2009/10 crop and issued a series of tenders this year to import 1.2 million tonnes to make up the shortfall. The TCP said this week it had so far received 478,155 tonnes and more was in the pipeline. PSMA's Khan and a government official said that imported white sugar included shipment from India, Pakistan's first purchase from the neighbouring country after a three-year gap. "MV Orbit carrying 30,000 tonnes of sugar from India reached Pakistan on Sept. 22," the government official said, speaking anonymously because he wasn't authorised to speak with the press, adding that another ship, the "Unicorn Brave," that was due the same day also carried Indian sugar.....

Floods may mar IMF-set targets: Qureshi

Updated at: 1136 PST, Saturday, September 25, 2010 NEW YORK: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has feared that it may be hard for Pakistan authorities to meet IMF-set targets due to the worst devastations wreaked by deluge, Geo News reported Saturday. Addressing a mass gathering of think-tank in New York, Qureshi worried that Pakistan authorities guaranteed IMF of bringing reforms in many sectors but the dismal situation emerged following worst spate of deluge, it appears second to impossible for them to meet the IMF targets. “Finance Minister Dr. Abdul Hafeez Sheikh visited IMF officials in Washington some weeks ago to discuss the said worries”, he maintained, adding, a delegation will meet IMF officials next month for finding a way out in this wake. “Now, the government will have to devise new plans by sorting out its priorities given the havocs inflicted by floods”, he proposed. Discussing fast sliding support of Taliban in country, he said, they are no longer popular among public in Pakistan after their brutalities made people think otherwise. con

Qayyum faces music after careless remarks

Updated at: 2207 PST, Saturday, September 25, 2010
ISLAMABAD: After failing to satisfy Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani over his remarks, State Minister for Defence Production Abdul Qayum Jatoi was made to resign Saturday, Geo News reported.

Earlier today, replying to a question while talking media on the occasion of his meeting with Talal Akbar Bugti here at Bugti House, he said everyone including Sindhi, Pashtun, Baloch, Seraiki and Punjabis should get share in corruption.

Later, taking serious notice of it PM Gilani summoned the state minister to Islamabad.

MQM leader Imran Farooq assassinated in London

Updated at: 0115 PST, Friday, September 17, 2010
LONDON: Senior MQM leader Dr. Imran Farooq was stabbed to death in Mill Hills locality in London late Thursday night, Geo News reported.

According to reports so far reached here, he was ambushed and killed by an unidentified assailant outside his house in London when he was on his way back home after a regular walk.

As per hospital sources, Dr. Imran Farooq was hurried to the hospital after receiving critical wounds in head but on arrival at hospital, doctors confirmed his death.

Police cordoned off the crime scene after the incident.

The Scotland Yard confirmed report of the incident at 5:00 PM, according to their local time. It further said that Dr. Imran Farooq breathed his last on the spot instantaneously following the attack.

A British newspaper said that Dr. Imran Farooq was supposed to attend a celebration program scheduled to be held at MQM Secretariat.

According to British media, no arrest has so far been made following the incident.

MQM leaders visited Dr. Imran Farooq’s home in Karachi and expressed condolence with the bereaved family.

MQM sources have also confirmed murder of Dr. Imran Farooq in London, adding that Quaid Altaf Hussain has issued party workers directives of extending condolence with his family members at his native residence in Karachi.

London Police Scotland Yard has cordoned off Mill Hills locality and is engaged in collection of evidences for investigation from assassination site, sources said.

It may be mentioned that Dr. Imran Farooq has remained associated with Altaf Hussain and MQM since establishment of the party. Besides, he has served as Convener and Deputy Convener MQM for a long time.

SSC Part I result on Monday

Updated at: 2129 PST, Saturday, September 25, 2010
KARACHI: The Board of Secondary Education Karachi (BSEK) will announce the result of SSC Part I (Class IX) General Group Regular and Private Annual Examination 2010 on September 27.

This was announced by the Controller of Examinations of the BSEK on Saturday.

Troika vow to defend democratic process

Updated at: 1721 PST, Monday, September 27, 2010 ISLAMABAD: A meeting between President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani and the Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Ashfaq Parvaiz Kiyani on Monday expressed resolve to defend and protect the democratic process and to resolve all issues in accordance with the constitution. The meeting held here at the Presidency was presided over by President Asif Ali Zardari and lasted for over 90 minutes. Spokesperson to the president, Farhatullah Babar said the meeting reviewed the current situation obtaining in the country. The meeting also reviewed flood relief measures in the country and the ongoing fight against militancy. Security situation in the country and the region also came under discussion in the meeting, he said.

SC gives time to govt in Implement NRO case

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) has given two-week time to the government, as the apex court adjourned the hearing of NRO Implementation case till October 13 on the request by the government, Geo News reported Monday. The apex court accepted government petition and adjourned the case hearing till October 13. It should be mentioned here that Government of Pakistan filed a petition at Supreme Court (SC) to adjourn the case regarding implementation of National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO). Earlier, Attorney General of Pakistan Maulvi Anwarul Haq told Geo News the petition said Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani will take stock of various legal aspects of the summary sent by the Law Ministry. Attorney General of Pakistan Maulvi Anwarul Haq filed the petition that the Premier is busy with certain national and foreign affairs of the state in the perspective of flood situation in the country; accordingly he could not follow up on the case. The petition pleaded the court to adjourn the case hearing in view of the busy schedule of the PM. Former AG Anwar Mansoor said the government has no options.

Palestinian leader puts Israel talks decision on hold

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The BBC's Jon Donnison on the extent of Israeli construction work

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is to talk to Arab governments next week before deciding whether to continue talks with Israel.

His spokesman said there would be no official response yet to Israel's lifting of the ban on building in West Bank settlements.

Limited construction work began on Monday, with bulldozers clearing land on a handful of settlements.

The BBC's Wyre Davies in Jerusalem says peace negotiations are in the balance.

"Israel is ready to pursue continuous contacts in the coming days to find a way to continue peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority," he said in a statement.

On Monday morning, Israeli media said bulldozers had started levelling ground for 50 homes in the settlement of Ariel in the northern West Bank.

Similar activity was also reported in the settlements of Adam and Oranit.

However, construction work was expected to be slow because of the Jewish holiday of Sukkot.

'Waste of time'

The Palestinian leader, who was due to meet French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Monday, made no immediate comment on the end of the freeze.

His spokesman, Nabil Abu Rudeina, said there would be no official answer until the Palestinian leader had consulted other Arab leaders in Cairo on 4 October.

"During that day President Abbas will consult with the Arab governments and will come back to the Palestinian leadership to take the right decision and the right answer, with all what we have from the Americans and the Israelis," he said.

He added that there should be an immediate halt to settlement activity.

On Sunday, Mr Abbas warned that the peace talks renewed earlier this month would be a "waste of time" unless the ban continued.

If they see that the extent of construction in the West Bank has been limited, that might be enough to keep them at the table, our correspondent says.

In his statement, Mr Netanyahu made no direct mention of the issue of the settlement freeze.

But he maintained that it was possible "to achieve a historic framework accord within a year".

He had earlier urged settlers "to display restraint and responsibility".

Some Jewish settlers celebrated the end of the construction ban.

At the settlement of Revava, near the Palestinian town of Deir Itsia, they released balloons and broke ground for a new nursery school before the moratorium expired.

Earlier in the evening, a pregnant Israeli woman and her husband were slightly wounded in a gun attack in the West Bank.

Israeli police said Palestinian gunmen had opened fire on their car south of the city of Hebron. The woman later gave birth in hospital.

Compromise deal

Continue reading the main story

Obstacles to peace

• Jerusalem
• Borders and settlements
• Refugees
• Water

Meanwhile, the US has renewed calls for Israel to maintain the construction freeze, saying its position on the issue remained unchanged and the US state department was staying "in close touch" with all parties.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoke to Mr Netanyahu and also to Tony Blair, the representative of the Middle East Quartet (the EU, Russia, the UN and US), as the end of the construction freeze neared, a spokesman said.

Israel says the settlements are no bar to continuing direct talks on key issues, and US negotiators have been working intensively to secure a deal.

Hamas, the Palestinian militant group that controls Gaza, is strongly opposed to the talks.

On Saturday, Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak told the BBC he would attempt to convince government colleagues of a compromise deal, and said the chances of a deal on the issue were "50/50".

It is estimated that about 2,000 housing units in the West Bank already have approval and settler leaders say they plan to resume construction as soon as possible.

The partial moratorium on new construction was agreed by Israel in November 2009 under pressure from Washington.

It banned construction in the West Bank, occupied by Israel since the Middle East war of 1967, but never applied to settlements in East Jerusalem.

US President Barack Obama has urged Israel to extend the moratorium, saying it "made a difference on the ground, and improved the atmosphere for talks".

Nearly half a million Jews live in more than 100 settlements built since Israel's 1967 occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem. They are held to be illegal under international law, although Israel disputes this.

David Miliband rallying call: Ed's a great leader

"I don't know if you noticed but I came here on Saturday planning a slightly different week. I am now thinking what I am going to do instead," he told reporters ahead of the speech.

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David Miliband: 'I'm incredibly proud of my brother'

David Miliband has issued a rallying call to the Labour conference, saying the party now had a "great leader" in his younger brother Ed.

The shadow foreign secretary, long favourite for the top job, said "I'll be fine" before calling for party unity and getting a standing ovation.

He has yet to say whether he will serve in his brother's shadow cabinet.

Ed Miliband has said that his brother has a "huge amount" to give to the party and British politics.

David Miliband has said he is talking to colleagues about his future, and wanted to take his time to make sure he made the right decision - with no decision until after the conference.

BBC political editor Nick Robinson said a friend of Mr Miliband told him he was considering not running for the shadow cabinet and could quit politics, although colleagues insist he has yet to make up his mind.

Asked about his brother's future on Monday, Ed Miliband said he would make his decision "in his own way and in his own time" but praised his "loyalty to me and the country".

"He has a huge amount to offer our politics," he added.

The two brothers met in private for nearly 10 minutes on Monday but it is understood they did not discuss David's future.

Nominations have opened for the 19 shadow cabinet posts, to be elected by a ballot of MPs, but it is unclear whether David Miliband will put himself forward by Wednesday's deadline.

Ed Miliband will allocate posts to the successful candidates after the vote on 7 October and he has insisted that decisions about who will get what job must wait until then.

In a speech ahead of a session on foreign affairs, David Miliband told activists in Manchester that he had been "honoured and humbled" by the support he had received since narrowly losing the leadership election.

He urged the party to unify around his brother, saying he was "incredibly proud" of him.

"We have got a great new leader and we all have to get behind him," he told party supporters.

While he was proud of the campaign that he had fought, he said that no-one should enter such a high profile contest unless they were reconciled to the possibility of defeat.

Labour's task at the conference was to begin its "fightback", he added, and to show that it was focused on the country's future as well as its own.

A spokesman said many voters had failed to comply with "clear" instructions to tick a box confirming they were Labour supporters.

But Derek Simpson, joint general secretary of the Unite union, whose governing body recommended that members back Ed Miliband, said: "It's being portrayed as just getting the union votes. But, in fact, Ed got 175,000 votes to David's 147,000.

There must be "no more cliques, no more factions and no more soap opera" within the party, he said, arguing that "unless we are united, we will lose".

Former minister Vera Baird told BBC Radio Four's World at One that it would be "helpful" if David Miliband became shadow chancellor to ensure Labour continued to support the four-year plan for halving the deficit it endorsed at the election.

Union backing

But ex-Treasury minister Geoffrey Robinson said Ed Balls - who has argued for a slower approach to reducing borrowing - was the "outstanding candidate" for that crucial position and would be the best man to take the fight to the coalition on the economy.

Although David won a higher percentage of votes from Labour MPs, MEPs and party members, Ed Miliband's success with trade union members and affiliated societies pushed him into first place in the leadership contest.

He defeated his brother in the leadership race by just over 1% after second, third and fourth preference votes came into play.

Ed Balls was third, Andy Burnham fourth and Diane Abbott last in the ballot of MPs, members and trade unionists.

The party has revealed that nearly a tenth of the votes cast - more than 36,000 out of 375,000 - were spoiled.

"It was individual union members. All the candidates attended hustings meetings, and there were many of them over the campaign."

Mr Simpson also told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that the leaderships of some large unions, including Usdaw and Campaign, had supported David Miliband.

Ed Miliband has been portrayed as being to the left of his brother and been dubbed "Red Ed" by some newspapers. But he rejected the tag as "rubbish" in a BBC interview on Sunday and said his leadership would not see "a lurch to the left".

Meanwhile, in his final speech to conference as a frontbencher, outgoing shadow chancellor Alistair Darling said Ed Miliband was capable of winning back the support and trust of the British people.

Mr Darling defended his original deficit cutting plan, describing it as "measured and balanced" approach, and accusing the coalition of pursuing billions of additional spending cuts for ideological reasons.

Ed Miliband has described Mr Darling's plans as "broadly the right starting point", but said he wanted to look at how they could be improved.

Asian stocks mixed as yen edges back up

Updated at: 1219 PST, Wednesday, September 22, 2010 HONG KONG: Asian stocks were mixed Wednesday and the yen hit its highest level against the dollar in a week after the US central bank said it was prepared to pump more money into its economy if necessary. At its key monthly policy meeting on Tuesday, the Federal Reserve warned that "the pace of recovery in output and employment has slowed" in the world's biggest economy. It did not announce any new stimulus measures but did say it "will continue to monitor the economic outlook and financial developments and is prepared to provide additional accommodation if needed to support the economic recovery". The news pushed the dollar to its lowest level against the yen since Tokyo last week stepped into the currency markets for the first time in six years to rein in the Japanese unit. In Tokyo morning trade the dollar was at 84.80 yen, down from 85.15 yen in New York late Tuesday. However, the yen is well off a 15-year high of 82.86 struck last week before the government's intervention. "The dollar is being dumped as the suggested credit easing spawned expectations of lower interest rates" in the United States, said Daisuke Karakama, market economist at Mizuho Corporate Bank. The Fed held interest rates at a record low of 0.1 percent on Tuesday. Focus has now moved to Japan, where investors are waiting to see if the government will again step into the foreign exchange market to prevent the yen strengthening. "The previous intervention was unexpected, so it's possible the government will intervene again at the lower 84 yen level," Takashi Ushio, general manager at Marusan Securities, told Dow Jones Newswires. A strong currency weighs on the nation's key exporters as it makes them less competitive abroad and squeezes their repatriated earnings. Tokyo's Nikkei slipped 0.12 percent in the afternoon as exporters were sold off. However, Hong Kong was up 0.81 percent and Sydney gained 0.18 percent while Singapore picked up 0.40 percent. Markets in China, South Korea and Taiwan were closed for public holidays. The region was given a weak cue from Wall Street, where the Dow posted a weak 0.07 percent gain as the Fed's comments did little to calm nervous traders. Markets were also were little moved by better than expected data showing US housing starts jumped more than 10 percent in August. Construction starts on privately owned homes rose to 569,000 last month, the Commerce Department said, a four-month high for the index. The euro rose to $1.3275 from 1.3253 in New York, while holding steady at 112.84 yen. Gold opened at a record high $1,287.50-1,288.50 an ounce in Hong Kong, up from Tuesday's closing price of 1,275.00-1,276.00 as traders picked up the safe-haven metal on growing concerns over the global economy. On oil markets New York's main contract, light sweet crude for delivery in November, gained 13 cents to $75.10 a barrel and Brent North Sea crude for November fell seven cents to $78.35.