Gunmen torch 19 NATO oil tankers in Mastung

MASTUNG: Suspected militants attacked a convoy of tankers carrying fuel supplies for coalition forces in Afghanistan, torching 19 vehicles.

The attack took place on Sibi-Quetta Highway in Mastung District of Balochistan.

Fire brigade teams were brought to Mastung from Quetta to extinguish the blaze that could be seen several kilometers away.

Security forces reached the scene and cordoned off the area.

No loss of life was reported in the attack. TrendPK

Anger still burns in epicentre of UK riots

Last Sunday residents of the multi-ethnic neighbourhood were assessing the scale of the damage after a night that saw running battles with riot police, homes and businesses reduced to cinders and stores smashed into.

But while the clean-up continues and businesses get back to normal one week on, the tension has not dissipated.

Tottenham High Road, the neighbourhood s main thoroughfare which was the scene of last Saturday s explosion of violence, remained a crime scene for a week, taped off by the police as they gathered evidence.

Saturday should have seen the area streaming with football supporters for Tottenham Hotspur s match against Everton as the English Premier League season kicked off, but the game was postponed for safety reasons.

“We re closed since last Saturday,” a Turkish restaurant owner said as he finally reopened for business, a week on.

“People never demonstrate here to protest. Everybody s unhappy, frustrated. Economy, racism. And suddenly it all explodes,” he said.

The trigger for last Saturday s riot, which then sparked a wave of arson, looting and disorder across London and then to cities beyond, was the death of Mark Duggan.

The 29-year-old was shot dead on Thursday, August 4 by armed police operating with officers from Trident, the unit of London s Metropolitan Police that deals specifically with gun-related murders in the black community.

He was stopped in a pre-planned attempted arrest.

A non-police issue handgun was recovered from the scene. The Independent Police Complaints Commission, which investigates all deaths involving officers, said there was no evidence of an exchange of shots.

Last Saturday s events began with a peaceful march to Tottenham police station on the High Road from Broadwater Farm, a 1960s public housing estate that is notorious across Britain for a deadly 1985 riot.

However, within hours, rioting broke out.

“The people wanted police to know that they re messing up,” reckoned 14-year-old Dillz Shah.

His friend Jeffrey Freeman said: “The people wanted revenge for Duggan s killing.

James Cardelle added: “My dad thinks Duggan was a very good man, he knew him.”

Duggan lived on Broadwater Farm, a collection of ugly-looking grey social housing blocks.

“He was a nice guy. So sad,” said Mohammed Abrar, 22, from beneath a grey hood.

The October 6, 1985 Broadwater Farm riot followed riots a week before in Brixton, south London.

They were sparked by the stroke death of a black woman during a police search at her home on the Tottenham estate.

Youths rioted, attacking police with petrol bombs and bricks. Shots were fired at officers and a policeman was hacked to death by a mob in some of the worst urban rioting in Britain of the past 30 years.

Then, as now, fingers were pointed at police “lies”, but also at “anger” provoked by governments past and present.

In a hairdressing salon opposite a burnt-out two-storey building, the black clientele lambast the authorities and the upper echelons of society.

“They abandon the population”; “the government has tripled the tuition fees”; “they cut the benefits”; “they evict people whose children were involved in the riots”; “these bankers have stolen our money”, they say as they discuss the situation.

Perry Linton, a 50-something, is “frustrated” by a society in which “we worked hard, very hard, to get what? Things went worse”.

Linton adds: “Racism is a big issue”.

Christina Showunmi, a mother in her 40s, replies: “Racism? I don t want to think about it, otherwise it will affect my attitude towards other people. So I just block it out of my mind.”

“True”, other customers say. “We do the same”.

Stella Saunders, 60, was having her nails painted blue.

“The youth are hanging around, have no jobs. If the factories were open, it would keep them busy. Everybody needs hope and an income,” she said.

If not, despair is simply passed on from generation to generation.

“If you have no hope at 14, 15, how can you become a good parent?” she said.

Showunmi warned: “This will happen again and it will escalate. The government will make it happen again.”

Arizona: US congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords shot in the head

Gabrielle Giffords, a Democratic congresswoman, has been shot in the head at point blank range by a gunman who opened fire on a public meeting that she was holding in Tucson, Arizona today.

At least 11 others including some of her staff members were reported to have been injured, some seriously, and there were reports that between four and six people had died including a Federal Judge. There were conflicting reports over whether Miss Giffords had herself been killed.

Miss Giffords, 40, who is married to astronaut Mark Kelly, was talking to a couple outside a Safeway grocery store when the attacker ran up and opened fire indiscriminately.

Andrea Gooden, an eyewitness who was working across the road from the scene, said: I heard about 15 shots. Then there were people racing across the parking lot. She said there were many sheriffs and firefighters on the scene within minutes.

A respected US website reported another eye-witness, Steven Rayle, who was on the scene at the time of the shooting and helped to hold the suspect down while waiting for police. He told The event was very informal: Giffords had set up a table outside the Safeway and about 20-30 people were gathered to talk to her. The gunman, who may have come from inside the Safeway, walked up and shot Giffords in the head first.

According to Mr Rayle, who is a former Accident and Emergency doctor, Giffords was able to move her hands after being shot.

Lahore: Drunken car driver injures a police constable

A drunken car driver injured a police constable who tried to stop him near a check post in Lahore, trendpk.com reported.

According to police, Constable Nasir Javed of Muhafiz Force was on a routine patrol when he saw a dangerously over-speeding car and tried to stop it. The drunken car driven hit the police constable making him suffer serious injuries, and after that he too lost control and his car got turned over. The drunken driver, Muhammad Sajid, left his car and fled the scene.

The injured constable is said to be critical in hospital.

Five blasts rock Turbat airport

Staff Report

TURBAT: Five back-to-back blasts have rocked Turbat airport, Trend Pk reported Wednesday.

Paramilitary Frontier Corps (FC) personnel reached the scene and cordoned off the entire area.

Fire was opened at FC personnel from a house, which is reportedly owned by Baloch leader Ayub Khan Gachki.

According to reports, insurgents are present in the house which has been surrounded by paramilitary troops.

There are no immediate reports of casualties. Trend Pk

10 NATO oil tankers torched in Peshawar

Staff Report

PESHAWAR: Unidentified assailants set ablaze 10 NATO oil tankers parked at a mechanical workshop in Peshawar on Saturday.

According to police, six unknown miscreants stormed a workshop located on Ring Road and torched 10 NATO oil tankers, completely gutting them.

Police reached the scene and called fire brigade teams, which managed to control the blaze after half an hour.

The police also disabled a 2.5 kilograms of explosives recovered from the site of the attack.

A case has been registered against unknown attackers. Trend Pk

Asin denies shooting ‘steamy scene’ with Salman

Ready may be months away from release but is definitely one of the most awaited films of 2011. After all it brings the hit combination of Salman Khan and Anees Bazmee together years after No Entry. Also, it would be the third Bollywood outing for Asin who waited to sign a new film after Ghajini and London Dreams.

However, the lady in question found herself in the news for all the wrong reasons with a piece of rumour floating around the world of web. As per that, she shares a steamy scene with Salman in the film and has finally let go off her imagination. The fact though is that this is far away from being true.

Says a highly placed source associated with Ready, “No, Asin hasn’t shot for any such scene in Ready. The film doesn’t need that. This is someone’s imagination really running wild. Asin knew that such a news piece was floating around for last few days but she decided to stay low.”

Why not raise an early alarm?

“You can’t stop people from speculating. Some people write things that do not carry any semblance of truth”, continues the source, “Asin has been in the industry for long and understands that such news pieces do float around. She decided to let it go so that it could die a silent death in due course of time. However, when certain reputed publications and glossies also fell for the so-called piece of information, she thought it was best to clarify.”

One would have expected Asin to be all fired up when confronted with the query to unveil the truth. However, surprisingly one heard a giggle from her and though it didn’t convey a ‘care-a-damn’ gesture, Asin was stern and sure in her denial.

“I am rather amused to hear this because I haven’t shot any steamy scene with Salman in Ready”, Asin comes clean here.

With the lady at the hot seat going on the records about her act in the film, there is of course no room for any more speculation or rumour.

“To think of it, the speculation by itself stands on a flimsy ground”, smiles Asin, “Ready is a family entertainer. Now tell me, where would such a scene feature in it in any case? It’s really weird that someone actually thought of bringing out such news for a movie like this where there is no scope for such a sequence in any case.”

Now that should set the records straight.

People capture robber in Karachi

Staff Report

KARACHI: The people have captured one robber while attempting a robbery and injuring one person on a busy avenue of Karachi on Monday.

According to details, one robber was robbing people of mobile phones and cash at a very busy and congested place, Fresco Chowk, near Aram Bagh and shot injured one victim for resisting.

The people present on the scene attacked the robber and captured him with weapon. Angry crowd handed him over to police after beating him for some time.

The police recovered one T.T pistol and a snatched motorcycle from the robber. Trend Pk

Blast hit Karachi Police Building; 20 killed

KARACHI, News Trends: At least 20 people were killed and more than 150 injured when a powerful blast ripped through CID police building in highly sensitive area of Karachi.
Defunct Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has claimed responsibility of the blast.

The explosion took place close to a police building that is not far from the heavily fortified US consulate in Karachi. The Chief Minister House, offices of the security agencies, five star hotels and embassies are also situated in the red zone.

Officials said the CID police building which was demolished completely was apparently target of attackers.

Officials say it might be a car bomb blast that created a wide pit in the ground. Firing was also reported for 10 to 15 minutes before the blast hit the building.

At least 28 people, most of them policemen, are said to be killed in the incident. The death toll may rise.

TV footages showed bloodied victims leaving the scene and security officers searching through the debris of a building. Huge smoke covered the area.

Ambulances and rescue teams thronged to the spot and transferred the deadbodies and injured to hospitals where emergency has been declared.

More than 80 injured were ferried to Jinnah and Civil Hospitals.

The explosion shattered window panes of dozens of buildings. Several houses around the blast site were badly damaged and shaken up after very loud bang hit the CID police office.

A heavy contingent of police and law enforcement agencies arrived at the scene and cordoned off the area. Nature of the blast has not so far been established.

Karachi: Three killed in firing incidents

Staff Report

KARACHI: At least three persons have been killed in different incidents of firing in Karachi on Wednesday.

According to details, two corpses, of unknown youths were discovered near Shah Latif Bhittai Hall in Baghdadi area of Lyari. Hands and legs tied, both dead bodies were packed in bags.

After receiving information, the police rushed to the scene and moved the corpses to Civil Hospital.

The police have told that both Baloch looking victims seem to be 25 to 30 years old and they were shot dead after kidnap and torture. The police added that it is possible that the murdered youths had links to any gang war group but after a thorough investigation the real facts would come out.

In another incident, a disabled rickshaw driver has been shot dead in Kalapul area of the metropolis. The police have started its investigation after

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