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Thursday, October 01, 2009 WASHINGTON: More than 6,000 people were killed trying to cross the US-Mexican border illegally in the past 15 years, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) said Wednesday.The ACLU urged the North American neighbors to declare a humanitarian crisis in the area, protect human lives and change policies that have led to an increase in the number of people who die trying to make the illegal move. "The current policies in place on both sides of the US-Mexico border have created a humanitarian crisis that has led to the deaths of more than 5,000 people," said Kevin Keenan, Executive Director of the ACLU of San Diego. "Because of deadly practices and policies like Operation Gatekeeper, the death toll continues to rise unabated despite the decrease in unauthorized crossings due to economic factors," he added. The ACLU data were from the Mexican foreign ministry. It says 6,607 people died trying to cross the border since 1994. US Homeland Securi...

Wednesday, September 30, 2009 JOHANNESBURG: Mining group Petra Diamonds has discovered a 507.55 carat white diamond at South Africa's Cullinan mine, one of the largest high-quality rough diamonds ever found, the firm said on Tuesday."This spectacular gemstone was recovered on Thursday 24 September and is currently with experts for analysis," said a statement released by the London-listed company which operates mainly in Africa.Initial examinations of the diamond which weighs just over 100 grams (3.5 ounces), have shown it to be of exceptional colour and clarity.The diamond is undergoing colour grading, but is believed to be a rare Type II diamond, with very low traces of nitrogen -- considered an impurity -- making them among the most transparent and colourless of the gems."The Cullinan mine has again given the world a spectacularly beautiful and important diamond... we now eagerly await the findings of the expert analysis," said Johan Dippenaar, Petra’s chief ...

Wednesday, September 30, 2009 BEIJING: Chinese authorities are leaving nothing to chance to mar the country's 60th anniversary celebrations next week, observers say.A report in a New York-based newspaper said every possible precaution has been taken to ensure the show at Beijing's Tiananmen Square to mark the Oct. 1 founding of the People's Republic of China goes without a flaw, hitch or incident.The preparations include about 10,000 police officers and security guards monitoring Beijing street corners and checkpoints and another 800,000 volunteers maintaining security, the report said. There will be a ban on knife sales at some stores and the capital's international airport will close Thursday for three hours. No domesticated pigeons will be allowed for fear they could be used to carry mini bombs and there will be no parade-watching from balconies or through opened windows.Three reporters for Japan's news agency told the daily Chinese authorities assaulted them af...

Updated at: 1528 PST, Wednesday, September 30, 2009 UNITED NATIONS: A top U.N. envoy warned Tuesday that Afghanistan was facing "decision-time," including certification of results of the flawed presidential elections and its decision on whether to pursue a peace process with the rebels to try to end the country's eight-year-old war.Kai Eide, the world body's special representative in Afghanistan, also cautioned against relying on "simplistic" plans to split the Taliban insurgency by buying off rank-and-file fighters."This is decision-time in Afghanistan and for Afghanistan," Eide told the U.N. Security Council. "A number of critical decisions will be made over the next weeks (that) will determine the prospects for success in ending a conflict that has become more intense in the last months."These included endorsement of the results of the Aug. 20 presidential election. Preliminary results show President Hamid Karzai won a majority, but p...

Wednesday, September 30, 2009 ISLAMABAD: The two-day fourth Interfaith Conference under the aegis of the Muslim World League (MWL) will begin in Geneva, Switzerland, today.The custodian of the two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz, who took initiative of the Interfaith Dialogue, will inaugurate the major event. As many as 128 prominent religious leaders and officials from around the world, including the US, the UK, China, Italy, India, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Japan and the Philippines, will take part in the conference.According to the MWL website, the main theme of the conference is ‘The Impact of King Abdullah’s Inter-Religious Dialogue Initiative in Disseminating Human Values’. Other topics for discussion in the conference are: King Abdullah’s Initiative and the Scope of Coexistence Among the Various Civilisations; the Role of Religion and Culture in Promoting Dialogue; the Impact of Religious Values in Reforming Societies; and the Role of Media in Strengthening Dialogue and Hu...

Wednesday, September 30, 2009 MANAMA: Kuwait is planning to deport 17,000 foreigners guilty of overstaying in the country or of involvement in illegal activities that include forgery, embezzlement and prostitution. The decision was suggested by the interior ministry which does not see any reason for keeping them in Kuwait, especially that most of them are free visa labourers, a daily reported on Sunday, quoting unnamed ministry sources. According to the sources, the list of the people to be deported includes 4,000 Bangladeshis, 3,500 Indians, 1,200 Egyptians, 1,000 Filipinos, 1,000 Indonesians, 1,000 Pakistanis, 1,000 Afghanis, 750 Syrians, 500 Thais, 500 Iranians, 500 Chinese, 500 Nepalese and 500 Ethiopians. The remaining people to be deported are from other countries, but their numbers vary between 50 and 100 for each nationality, the sources said.

Wednesday, September 30, 2009 MANILA: Two US troops and a Filipino soldier have been killed in a landmine explosion on the southern Philippines island of Jolo.The cause of the explosion is thought to have been a landmine, planted by members of the Abu Sayyaf group.US troops have been providing combat and counterterrorism training to Filippino troops battling the Abu Sayyaf.The two dead US soldiers are believed to be the first American casualties in region since they were first deployed in 2002.Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner, a military spokesman, said a joint convoy was on its way to an area in Jolo's Indanan township when the land mine exploded.The convoy was assisting an operation to build two schools and dig wells in the township.

Wednesday, September 30, 2009 WASHINGTON: Saudi Arabia's drive to disrupt al Qaeda financing networks should be more strictly enforced while Yemen is emerging as a new base for terror groups plotting against U.S. and Saudi interests, a U.S. government watchdog report said on Tuesday, a British news agency reported.The Government Accounting Office (GAO) said Saudi Arabia has made progress in the fight against terrorism, arresting and prosecuting suspects and taking steps to curtail fund-raising by extremist groups inside the country.But it said loopholes remain, including the flow of donations from individuals and charities in Saudi Arabia to support extremist organizations outside the country as well as the nation's limited ability to crack down on cash couriers who physically transfer funds.The report stressed there was no indication the government of Saudi Arabia is providing funding for terrorism.But it said Washington should set certain specific performance targets on preve...

Wednesday, September 30, 2009 MUMBAI: Police in the Indian city of Mumbai have taken delivery of two new speed boats as part of measures to strengthen security along the coast. The initiative is aimed at improving security after the devastating attacks on the city last November. Those attacks killed more than 170 people and injured scores of others. There has been criticism of coastal security following the attacks as the gunmen arrived in the city by boat. Up until now the Mumbai police had nine boats, which they said was not sufficient to protect the coastline. Police commissioner D Sivanandhan announced that there would eventually be about 40 boats to ensure security of the Mumbai coast. "The new ones are of superior quality. They are bullet-proof and reach a speed of nearly 40 nautical miles per hour," he said.

Wednesday, September 30, 2009 A strong quake triggering tsunami in the South Pacific killed at least 100 people in the Samoa, totally devastating the islands, giving rise to the fears that death toll might exceed one hundred valuable lives. An 8.3-magnitude quake struck at 1748 GMT, generating 15ft (4.5m) waves in some areas of Samoa and American Samoa. The Samoa islands comprise two separate entities - the nation of Samoa and American Samoa, a US territory - with a total population of about 250,000 people.Eyewitness said, “"It caused severe damage to property, there are cars floating everywhere." Reports pouring said that they had seen "bodies everywhere" in the main hospital in Lalomanu, on Samoa's main island of Upolu, including at least one child. South Korea's news agency has reported that three South Koreans were among the dead and one is still missing. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre (PTWC) said the quake struck at a depth of 33km (20 miles) some ...

Wednesday, September 30, 2009 JOHANNESBURG: Pacemen Ashish Nehra and Praveen Kumar shared six wickets as India dismissed under-strength West Indies for 129 in an inconsequential Champions Trophy match here on Wednesday.India were knocked out of the competition following defending champions Australia's tense two-wicket victory over Pakistan in a day match at Centurion on Wednesday, while the West Indies were already out of the tournament.Australia topped the four-team Group A with five points from three matches, followed by Pakistan (4/3). India have secured just one point and the West Indies none after two games.The top two sides advance to the semi-finals.India's slim hopes before this match rested first on a Pakistan victory over formidable Australia and then beating the West Indies in a day-night game. It was all over when Australia clinched a last-ball victory.Left-arm seamer Nehra finished with 3-31 and Kumar with 3-22 to boost India's hopes of posting a consolation v...