Snipers hold up push into Gaddafi stronghold of Sirte

SIRTE: Forces of Libya’s new rulers, the National Transitional Council (NTC), broke weeks of resistance from Gaddafi loyalists to enter Sirte in recent days, but heavy gunfire has prevented them from reaching the city centre.

Snipers defending Muammar Gaddafi’s hometown of Sirte held off an advance on Tuesday by interim government forces into the centre of the city, one of the last bastions of supporters of the ousted Libyan leader.

Anti-Gaddafi units who approached the city from the east were, for a second day, pinned down at a roundabout approximately 2 km (1.5 miles) from the centre of Sirte.

“Gaddafi forces have placed a lot of snipers around the roundabout and it is not easy for us to advance forward until we get rid of the snipers,” said Ahmed Saleh, an NTC fighter there.

Explosions of artillery rounds and exchanges of small arms fire could be heard from the roundabout. NATO warplanes, which have been pounding targets in Sirte to clear the way for NTC forces to enter, were flying overhead.

Taking Sirte would be an important symbolic trophy for Libya’s new rulers, and would bring them closer to finally gaining control of the whole country more than a month since their fighters seized the capital Tripoli.

Gaddafi built lavishly, turning his birthplace — once a sleepy coastal town — into an informal second capital. It was in the marble halls of Sirte’s Ouagadougou conference centre that he hosted heads of state for summits designed to burnish his image as “African king of kings.”

Libya’s new rulers are under pressure to bring the fighting to an end. Humanitarian organisations have raised the alarm over conditions for civilians in Sirte and in the second pro-Gaddafi bastion, the desert outpost of Bani Walid southeast of Tripoli.

CIVILIANS TRAPPED

Scores of civilians in cars laden with personal belongings streamed out of the town to both the east and west on Monday.

“We are very concerned about the people inside and near Bani Walid and Sirte,” Georges Comninos, who heads the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Libya, said in a statement.

ICRC spokesman Steven Anderson said the agency was trying to get access to people trapped in both towns and provide aid to thousands of people who have fled.

People inside the two besieged Gaddafi bastions had appealed by e-mail and phone for help, he said. “People are talking about medical supplies and food running short.”

NTC fighters and people who have fled Sirte have alleged that pro-Gaddafi fighters were trying to prevent civilians from leaving, effectively using them as human shields.

“Gaddafi’s forces have surrounded the area, closed it off, by shooting at people,” said a man called Youssef, driving away from Sirte with his wife. “There are a lot of people who want to get out but can’t.”

Gaddafi’s fugitive spokesman Moussa Ibrahim said on Monday the ousted leader was in Libya and “very happy that he is doing his part in this great saga of resistance”.

Ibrahim would not comment further on Gaddafi’s whereabouts, but said he himself had been in Sirte the previous day. “The situation is quite bad.” AGENCIES

Peshawar: IDPs protest against not receiving aid

The internally displaced persons (IDPs) protested against non-availability of aid in front of World Food Programme Centre on Grand Trunk (GT) Road.

The protesters raised slogans against governments and administration of the centre and also blocked the road. The protesters were of the view that the administration of the World Food Programme Centre was involved in corruption and distributes the aid items among undeserved persons.

Chinese Premier inaugurates Pak-China Friendship Centre

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on Saturday inaugurated the Pak-China Friendship Centre – an icon of their evergreen relationship and a platform for promotion of their mutual cultural ties.

Chinese President at the occasion said that Pakistanis will get free treatment in Beijing Hospital. While PM Gilani appreciated the Chinese help for Pakistani people.

Chinese Premier who is on a three-day official visit to Pakistan, unveiled the plaque of the Centre at Shakarparian along with Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani. The foundation of the Centre was also laid by the Chinese Premier Wen in April 2005.It is a gift from the Chinese government to the people of Pakistan and has been built at a cost of Rs 2.5 billion in 22 months.

Wen Jiabao was presented bouquets by two children clad in traditional Pakistani dress as he arrived at the Pak-China Culture Centre. Keys of the Centre were handed over by Chinese Cultural Minister Cai Wu to Culture Minister of Pakistan Pir Aftab Shah Gilani before its inaugural.

School children in traditional dresses carrying Pakistani and Chinese flags also presented dance on the occasion.

Near the Crescent and Star famed intersection and with lush green Shakarparian hills in the backdrop, the Pak-China Friendship Centre stands distinguished depicting the splendour of unique friendly relations between the two countries.

Premier Wen Jiabao was briefed about various sections of the Centre that houses a 800-seat auditorium, conference centre for 200-250 persons, exhibition area, multi-purpose hall, and an art and dance centre over 12 acres of land. He was apprised that the Centre built by the Shanghai Construction Group would be now run by the Ministry of Culture after its inauguration. He was told that the Centre would help enhance people-to-people contacts and help the two sides understand each others cultures.

The Chinese premier took round of the Centre and appreciated the work done on making the building an important cultural platform for boosting the art and cultural activities of Pakistan and China.

He visited the gallery with Chinese brush paintings and photographs put on display. The exhibition marked the iconic friendship between Pakistan and China having all the ingredients of amity, goodwill and harmony.Premier Wen also interacted with the people who contributed towards the establishment of Pak-China Friendship Centre.

Later, he planted a sampling of Pine tree in the premises of the Centre as a gesture of growing friendly relations between Pakistan and China.

Italy: Berlusconi survives no-confidence vote

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has survived a crucial no-confidence vote in parliament by three votes, triggering violent clashes in the streets of Rome that left 90 people injured and dozens more arrested.

Angry protesters banged on the metal blinds of shuttered shops in the centre of Rome as word spread that Berlusconi had won the vote.

Some of the protesters then set cars alight and hurled cobblestones at police in chaotic scenes in some of Rome’s most tourist-heavy streets.

Riot police fired tear gas and could be seen striking some of the protesters with truncheons in running street fights. Several protesters were taken away, some with blood on their faces.

Officials said at least 90 people were injured in the violence, including 50 security officers and 40 protesters, while Forty-one people were detained on charges of violence, vandalism and use of illegal arms.

The clashes came after a peaceful march by several thousand anti-Berlusconi protesters through the centre of Rome. There were also protests in some of Italy’s biggest cities including Genoa, Milan, Naples and Turin.

S.Korea ship sinks off Antarctic, at least 5 dead

SEOUL/WELLINGTON: A South Korean fishing boat sank on Monday in freezing waters near Antarctica and five members of the crew were killed and 17 missing, New Zealand and South Korean authorities said.

Twenty members of the crew of the 614-tonne toothfish boat No 1 In Sung had been rescued by a ship.

The boat sank at 6.30 a.m. (1730 GMT) about 1,000 km (620 miles) north of Antarctica and 2,700 km (1,700 miles) south of New Zealand, the country’s Rescue Coordination Centre said.

It was not known what caused the ship to sink and no distress call had been made, the centre said.

Two New Zealand and three South Korean vessels were searching for survivors. A New Zealand air force aircraft may be sent, but it would take about 8 hours to get there.

The water temperature is about 2 Celsius (35 Fahrenheit) which means someone would survive

Gas Supply to Punjab industrial units suspended

The Sui Northern Gas Pipelines (SNGPL) suspended the supply to industrial units in Punjab owing to increase in cold and decrease in supply from gas fields.

As per a notification by the SNGPL, the decision to the effect has been taken to meet the house consumers demands. SNGPL cancelled the gas loadshedding plans earlier issued to the industrial units of Lahore, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Multan, Bahawalpur, Sheikhupura and Rawalpindi regions. The officials concerned said that approval from the Centre has been sought prior to the decision, adding that the shortage would continue till January, 2011.

Meanwhile, the traders association strongly reacted against the announcement with Chairman Textile Processing Mills Association Saeed Sheikh terming the gas stoppage a conspiracy.

He also announced to hold a protest campaign by all textile bodies after the Ashura.

"Don’t hunt down my son," says mother of WikiLeaks founder

CANBERRA: The mother of Australian WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange said on Wednesday she was distressed by an international police alert for her son’s arrest and did not want him “hunted down and jailed”.

Global police agency Interpol issued a “red notice” on Tuesday to assist in the arrest of Assange, founder of the whistle-blowing website WikiLeaks, who is wanted in Sweden on suspicion of sexual crimes.

Assange, 39, a former computer hacker now at the centre of a global controversy after WikiLeaks released a trove of classified U.S. diplomatic cables at the weekend, denies the Swedish allegations.

Christine Assange, who runs a puppet theatre in Australia’s Queensland state, said she was worried about her son’s wellbeing as Australia’s government joined the United States in launching an investigation into whether Assange and WikiLeaks had broken

PM Gilani calls federal cabinet meeting on Nov 30

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has convened the federal cabinet meeting on coming Tuesday (November 30) where the transfer of five ministries from the centre to the provinces would be approved, Trend Pk reported Thursday.

The chief ministers of four provinces, the chief secretaries and other high officials will attend the meeting.

About 3,918 employees would be affected with the transfers of five ministries from the centre to the provinces. Trend Pk

Aamir steps back; Kiran Rao will take centre stage for Dhobi Ghat

Aamir Khan started a trend of sorts of showing the first theatrical of his each film to the media and having an informal interaction with them.

Since Taare Zameen Par, Jaane Tu…Ya Jaane Naa, Ghajini, 3 Idiots and Peepli Live, Aamir has always personally shown the first look or theatrical promo of his films to the media.

But for the first time, in over 3 years, he will not be present for the launch of the first look of Dhobi Ghat.

Taken by surprise? Well, the story goes that Aamir wants Kiran Rao to take the centre stage and wants everyone to know that this is a Kiran Rao film. Hence, on Nov 17, when there is a dekho at the glimpses of the film, Aamir Khan will not be there. Instead, it’ll be Kiran Rao taking over the media interaction this time.

Dhobi Ghat will be releasing on Jan 21. It stars Aamir Khan and Prateik in lead roles.

15 hurt as bomber struck Turkish capital

At least 15 people have been injured in what appears to have been a suicide bomb attack in the centre of Istanbul, Turkish media say.
Police have cordoned off the area around Taksim Square where the blast occurred on Sunday morning. The blast occurred near a point where anti-riot police are stationed.
The Kurdish separatist PKK party has carried out bomb attacks in Istanbul in the past, as have extreme left-wing and Islamist groups.

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