79 more killed as Syria pounds protest hubs

DAMASCUS: The Syrian regime’s rocket and shell bombardment of protest hubs has left another 79 civilians dead, activists said, as Washington closed its Damascus embassy and Britain recalled its ambassador.

The opposition Syrian National Council (SNC) said the regime was surrounding Homs with tanks on Monday ahead of “a major offensive” and warned of a “genocide” in the central Syrian city.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 42 civilians were killed in Homs alone in another day of blood-letting, and warned the death toll was likely to rise with many of the dozens of wounded in critical condition.

State media reported the deaths of three soldiers and said a “terrorist group” blew up an oil pipeline in Homs.

The army also launched an assault on the Zabadani area near Damascus with heavy tank shelling, killing at least ten people, according to the Britain-based Observatory.

It also reported civilian deaths in Rastan, Hula and Qusair, all towns in Homs province, as well at Sarghaya, near Damascus, in the northern city of Aleppo and in Idlib, northwest Syria.

A resident of Homs told AFP the latest assault began shortly after 0400 GMT Monday, with unprecedented barrages of rockets, mortar rounds and artillery shells.

“What is happening is horrible, it’s beyond belief,” said activist Omar Shaker, reached by telephone as loud detonations were heard in the background.

“There is nowhere to take shelter, nowhere to hide,” he said. “We are running short of medical supplies and we are only able to provide basic treatment to the injured.”

One video posted on YouTube apparently showed a field hospital hit by shelling in the Baba Amro district and wounded patients lying on stretchers on the floor amid pools of blood and shattered glass.

Footage shot by a BBC undercover team in Homs showed buildings ablaze in rebel neighbourhoods as they were pounded with heavy weapons.

Damascus blamed the bloodshed in Homs on “terrorist gangs” using mortars.

The violence comes as Western powers seek new ways to punish Damascus amid growing outrage over Saturday’s veto by Russia and China of a UN Security Council resolution condemning Syria for its near 11-month crackdown on dissent.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called the veto a “travesty.”

White House spokesman Jay Carney warned Syria’s allies that backing President Bashar al-Assad was a “losing bet.”

The State Department said it had closed the American embassy in Syria and withdrawn remaining staff after Damascus refused to address security concerns.

Senior State Department officials told CNN that two embassy employees left by air last week and 15 others, including Ambassador Robert Ford, left overland through Jordan on Monday morning.

The Polish government is to provide emergency consular services to any American citizens remaining in Syria.

US President Barack Obama shied away from talk of military intervention and vowed to pursue diplomatic means.

“It is important to resolve this without recourse to outside military intervention and I think that’s possible,” he said in an NBC television interview.

Britain recalled its ambassador to Syria “for consultations,” Foreign Secretary William Hague told parliament.

“We will use our remaining channels to the Syrian regime to make clear our abhorrence at the violence that is utterly unacceptable to the civilised world,” Hague said.

Belgium also recalled its ambassador from Damascus.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy said, after meeting German Chancellor Angela Merkel, that he would call Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to discuss the international response to the crisis.

Neither France nor Germany, he said, would accept the “blocking” of action on Syria.

Russia and China both defended their vetoes, with Moscow condemning as “hysterical” the West’s angry reaction.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Foreign Intelligence Service chief Mikhail Fradkov are due in Damascus on Tuesday, as news reports said the mission could try to persuade Assad to quit.

China called on both sides of the conflict to halt the violence that has claimed the lives of at least 6,000 people since March, according to opposition activists.

The Syrian National Council said the “genocide” in Homs showed the regime was “increasing the pace of its crimes and repression.”

Saudi Arabia called for “critical measures” on Syria and warned of an impending “humanitarian disaster” after the failure of the UN resolution.

The six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council, of which Riyadh is the leading member, is to meet on Saturday on Syria, on the eve of an Arab League ministerial meeting at the organisation’s Cairo headquarters.

EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton and Brazilian foreign minister Antonio Patriota on Monday underscored their support for the Arab League effort to end violence in Syria.

Referring to Arab League chief Nabil al-Arabi, Ashton at a meeting in Brasilia said she and Patriota discussed “how much we support him on the Arab League’s initiative and the importance of seeing that leadership (being) able to support the people of Syria into a future free of bloodshed.”

Meanwhile the British-born wife of Syria’s president has spoken in support of her husband for the first time since the uprising began, a British newspaper reported Tuesday.

“The president is the president of Syria, not a faction of Syrians, and the first lady supports him in that role,” The Times quoted Asma al-Assad as saying in an email sent via an intermediary from her office.

Australian cricketer Katich cleared of fracture

SYDNEY: Former Test opener Simon Katich was cleared of any fracture Tuesday after suffering concussion when he top-edged a pull shot into his face during a Sheffield Shield match.

The 36-year-old was treated at the ground Monday by New South Wales medical staff during the game against Tasmania and was subsequently x-rayed.

“Simon has had provisional x-rays which have cleared him of any fracture to the area,” said NSW physio Murray Ryan.

“He has soft tissue bruising above the left eye with a mild concussion.”

Katich was controversially dropped from Cricket Australia’s contract list last year and was disciplined in December after accusing Test captain Michael Clarke of playing a part in his axing from the Australian team.

Clarke has denied playing any part in Katich’s axing.

LHC’s 4 additional session judges take oath

TrendPK.com
LAHORE: As many as four additional session judges of Lahore High Court (LHC) took oath today, TrendPK reports Tuesday.

Chief Justice of the LHC Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed administered oath to the judges including Justice Yawar Ali, Justice Mamoon Rasheed, Justice Farrukh Irfan Khan and Justice Mazhar Ali.

It should be mentioned here President Asif Ali Zardari approved to make these additional session judges permanent. TrendPK

Karachi police carry out bootless search operation

TrendPK.com

KARACHI: Police failed to catch any big fish from Karachi’s Machar Colony on Tuesday after they carried out a search operation as part of their efforts to curb the recent targeted-killing spree, TrendPK reports.

However, they claimed to have arrested five suspected criminals and recovering arms from their possession.

SSP West, Haseeb Sheikh told TrendPK that three TT pistols and a Kalashnikov was recovered from the criminals captured in Muchar colony during a brief search operation in Kemari area.

Sources said heavy police contingents from different police stations took part in the operation, but to no avail as the operation lasted just for an hour in which police raided few houses, arresting five people, most of them sitting in streets.

“The high officials were in a non-serious mood. They were seen busy in taking tea and chitchatting during the raid,” they said, adding none of the key criminals were arrested. TrendPK

Police raid, seal sub-standard biscuits, snacks factory in Layyah

TrendPK.com

LAYYAH: The local police raided a factory. involved in production of sub-standard biscuits and snacks, and sealed it after seizing a large quantity of low grade spices and sub-standard oil in Layyah today, TrendPK reported on Monday.

The Assistant Commissioner and District Health Officer of Layyah raided the factory, on public complaints, today and a large quantity of sub standard oil and spices taken into custody from the production house of low grade biscuits, snacks and sweets.

No one was found on the location as the factory staffers managed to escape before the raid. The Assistant Commissioner sealed the factory after registering a case against the culprits. TrendPK

Three US F-16 fighter planes arrive in Pakistan

TrendPK.com

JAFFARABAD: Three more US made F-16 fighter planes have arrived in Pakistan today, TrendPK reported on Monday.

After arrival of these three planes at Shahbaz Air Base, an eighteen-plane squadron of 52-B fighter jets has also completed this day.

Two F-16 fighters after over hauling and a last fighter jet of F-16-D50 series has arrived in Pakistan from the US this day.

Earlier two years ago, the US and Pakistan signed agreement for 18, F-16 fighter planes and today those all planes delivery has completed with arrival of these last three jets.

These F-16s are the latest combat planes amongst their category of fighter jets. TrendPK

Who Is Joël Robuchon?

Joël Robuchon was born in 7th April 1945 in Poitiers city of  Central France. Joël Robuchon is a famous French chef (professionally cook) and a restaurant. He was titled “Chef of the Century” by Gault Millau in 1989 and also awarded the Meilleur ouvrier the France (Best Craftsman France), in the kitchen in 1976. He has published several cookbooks in French, two of which were translated into English, is chairman of the Committee on the edition of  Larousse Gastronomique,  is hosting a culinary TV show in France. It operates a dozen restaurants in cities around the world, in Hong Kong, Las Vegas, London, Macau, Monaco, New York, Paris and Tokyo, with a total of 25 Michelin Guide stars among them – more than any other cook in the world.

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Who Is Joël Robuchon? was first posted on September 10, 2009 at 10:24 am.
©2009 “News Trends“.

One Detained In Mexican Hijackers In Police Raid

MEXICO CITY: A Bolivian religious fanatic briefly hijacked a plane in the city of Cancun, and it landed in Mexico City on Friday, police said. All the crew were freed unharmed.
The Bible kidnappers using a juice can lead to a bomb, said the celebration of the 103 passengers and crew on the tar for more than an hour.
Masked police stormed the aircraft with guns drawn and escorted several handcuffed men away without firing a shot. Police later said there was only one hijacker, and the other men aboard were detained because the suspect had told a flight attendant he had three accomplices. The others were quickly released.

Jose Flores, 44, later told police his three companions were “the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.”

Flores hijacked Aeromexico Flight 576 after a divine revelation, according to Public Safety Secretary Genaro Garcia Luna. Flores said Wednesday’s date — 9-9-09 — is the satanic number 666 turned upside down.

Flores, speaking to reporters after he was detained, said he took control of the aircraft with “a juice can … with some little lights I attached.”

“Christ is coming soon,” he added, smiling.

As the plane was landing, Flores stood up and showed his contraption to a flight attendant, Garcia Luna said.

He ordered the pilot to circle over Mexico City seven times and asked to speak with Mexican President Felipe Calderon, saying he wanted to warn him of an impending earthquake, Garcia Luna said.

His wife, Elizabeth Melgar, told W Radio that Flores “always told me that he was looking for a way to attract the attention of the media … he always told me that he was waiting for a signal from God to do something.”

“Don’t worry if they put me in jail,” Melgar quoted him as saying. “(It will be) glory to God.”

Garcia Luna said Flores is a drug addict who was convicted of armed robbery in Bolivia, and has lived in Mexico for 17 years. Flores described himself as a pastor in southern Oaxaca state who had gone to Cancun to preach.

U.S., French and Mexican citizens were among the passengers, according to a U.S. official in Washington who was briefed on the situation. The official was not authorized to discuss the case and spoke on condition of anonymity.

A U.S. Embassy spokesman said at least 14 U.S. citizens were on the plane and were being interviewed by Mexican authorities at the airport.

Aeromexico said in a statement that neither passengers or crew suffered any harm.

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One Detained In Mexican Hijackers In Police Raid was first posted on September 10, 2009 at 11:35 am.
©2009 “News Trends“.