CONFLICT & TERROR 06/24

Sri Lanka says at least 29 killed in fresh fightingPosted on Monday, June 23, 2008 at 7:02amHeavy fighting between government troops and Tamil Tiger rebels across Sri Lanka's northern regions left at least 29 combatants dead, the defence ministry said on Monday. Full Story

French workers kidnapped in NigerPosted on Monday, June 23, 2008 at 7:23amTuareg-led rebels say they have abducted four French workers from a uranium mine in northern Niger. In Niger's capital, Niamey, the government confirmed the kidnapping and said everything was being done to ensure the release of the hostages. Full Story

Sarkozy urges settlement freezePosted on Monday, June 23, 2008 at 7:24amFrench President Nicolas Sarkozy has called for an end to Jewish settlement construction on Palestinian land, in an address to Israeli MPs. He told the Israeli Knesset that without this there would be no lasting peace in the Middle East. Full Story

Councils warned over spying lawsPosted on Monday, June 23, 2008 at 7:32amCouncils in England have been urged to review the way they use surveillance powers to investigate suspected crime. Under laws brought in to help fight terrorism, councils can access phone and e-mail records and use surveillance to detect or stop a criminal offence. Full Story

Brown focusing on social mobilityPosted on Monday, June 23, 2008 at 7:52amGordon Brown is to set out his vision of increasing fairness and social mobility, in what Downing Street says is a major policy speech. Parents who agree to options such as treating children with behavioural difficulties or accepting free childcare places will receive #200. Full Story

German business confidence falls in JunePosted on Monday, June 23, 2008 at 7:54amGerman business confidence fell in June, dragged down by concerns over record high oil prices, a closely watched survey of attitudes in Europe's biggest economy showed Monday. "Dark clouds are gathering over the German economy," said Andreas Rees, chief German economist at UniCredit. "Today's business barometer showed that it is time to say good bye to the so-far outstanding resilience of 'Made in Germany.'" Full Story

German airline Lufthansa hit by warning strikesPosted on Monday, June 23, 2008 at 7:59amDomestic and international services by the German airline Lufthansa were hit by warning strikes on Monday as it negotiated pay agreements, the airline and trade union Verdi said. Several flights, including some to Paris were canceled as a result, a Lufthansa spokeswoman said. Full Story

Militants abduct 17 Pakistan police in Khyber PassPosted on Monday, June 23, 2008 at 8:08amSuspected pro-Taliban militants have kidnapped 17 Pakistani policemen from posts on the Khyber Pass, the latest security incident on the vital supply route for Western forces in Afghanistan. Militants attacked four checkposts on Sunday night on the winding road through the pass which leads to the Afghan border, kidnapping the policemen and wounding one in a brief exchange of fire, a senior government official in the region said. Full Story

Qantas flights grounded by strikePosted on Monday, June 23, 2008 at 8:09amSix Qantas flights have been cancelled and 18 cancellations are expected on Tuesday as engineers begin a series of strikes over pay. The Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers Association (ALAEA) last week announced action in five major cities after failing to agree a pay deal. Full Story

Pakistan Reports New Bird Flu OutbreakPosted on Monday, June 23, 2008 at 8:11amPakistani authorities have reported a new outbreak of bird flu at a poultry farm in the country's northwest. The authorities said Sunday tests conducted at laboratories in Islamabad confirmed the presence of the deadly H5N1 strain of avian flu at a farm in Swabi district of the North West Frontier Province. Full Story

Thai Senate blasts government's performancePosted on Monday, June 23, 2008 at 8:13amMembers of the Thai Senate on Monday blasted the government's four-month performance as thousands of protestors laid siege to the cabinet's offices demanding its resignation. "After four months in office, the government's performance has been a complete failure," Senator Sumon Sathariyawat said, launching a debate on the performance of Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej and his ministers, who assumed their posts February 6. Full Story

US-led forces kill 55 militants in AfghanistanPosted on Monday, June 23, 2008 at 8:21amUS-led coalition forces killed 55 militants including three "extremist leaders" in fighting near the insurgency-hit Afghan-Pakistani border, the coalition said in a statement on Monday. The fighting erupted in the eastern province of Paktika after rebels attacked a coalition patrol on Friday, the statement said, while a coalition spokesman said the casualties occurred over the past three days. Full Story

12 officials fired over earthquake responsePosted on Monday, June 23, 2008 at 8:24amChina fired 12 officials for dereliction of duty and misuse of earthquake relief, a top anti-corruption official said Monday. Supervision Minister Ma Wen said her department had received 1,178 complaints involving officials' response to the May 12 quake in Sichuan province and had dealt with more than 1,000 of them. Full Story

Malaysia releases Sri Lankan accused of nuclear linksPosted on Monday, June 23, 2008 at 8:26amMalaysia said on Monday it had released a Sri Lankan man held for four years over alleged links with a nuclear black market run by Pakistan's Abdul Qadeer Khan, saying he did not pose any threat. Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar said Buhary Syed Abu Tahir remained in the country and would be monitored. Full Story

Female suicide bomber in Iraq kills 15, wounds 40Posted on Monday, June 23, 2008 at 9:08amA female suicide bomber concealing explosives beneath her black robe struck outside a government complex northeast of Baghdad on Sunday, killing at least 15 people and wounding more than 40, U.S. and Iraqi officials said. Full Story

Fighting rages in north Lebanon for 2nd dayPosted on Monday, June 23, 2008 at 9:21amSecurity sources say nine people killed, 50 wounded in clashes in Tripoli. Fighting continues on outskirts of mainly Sunni Muslim port city despite ceasefire agreement between government, gunmen close to Hizbullah-led opposition. Full Story

Talks on new Iraq oil law to resume this weekPosted on Monday, June 23, 2008 at 9:35amOfficials from the Iraqi central government and the self-ruled Kurdish region in the north will resume talks this week in Baghdad to try to settle their differences over a proposed new oil law, a Kurdish spokesman said Sunday. Full Story

U.N. nuclear inspectors arrive in SyriaPosted on Monday, June 23, 2008 at 9:56amSenior U.N. inspectors arrived in Syria on Sunday to investigate U.S. allegations that Damascus was building a clandestine nuclear reactor for military purposes before an Israel air strike destroyed it in September. Full Story

North Korea to submit nuclear declaration on ThursdayPosted on Monday, June 23, 2008 at 10:19amNorth Korea is scheduled to submit a long-awaited declaration of its nuclear programmes on Thursday, six-party talks sources said Monday, according to Kyodo News. Diplomatic sources in Beijing told the Japanese agency that the declaration, a key part of a nuclear disarmament deal, would be handed to Chinese negotiators on June 26. Full Story

Pakistan court disqualifies Sharif from by-electionPosted on Monday, June 23, 2008 at 10:21amA Pakistani court disqualified former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Monday from contesting this week's by-election, an aide and his lawyers said. Sharif was barred from the general election in February because he had been convicted for the hijacking of then army chief General Pervez Musharraf's plane in 1999. Full Story

Raids hit EU 'people-smugglers'Posted on Monday, June 23, 2008 at 2:52pmA pan-Europe police operation has led to the arrest of 75 people suspected of trafficking Iraqi Kurds into the EU. The suspects, believed to belong to a network of Iraqi nationals, were detained in nine European countries. Full Story

Council workers vote for strikePosted on Monday, June 23, 2008 at 2:54pmCouncil workers have voted in favour of industrial action in a dispute over pay, the union Unison has announced. Members in England, Wales and Northern Ireland voted by 55% to strike, after rejecting a 2.45% pay offer. Full Story

EU lifts Cuba sanctions: presidencyPosted on Monday, June 23, 2008 at 2:58pmThe European Union officially lifted its sanctions against Cuba, the Slovenian presidency of the bloc said Monday, in the hope of encouraging democracy on the island in the post-Fidel Castro era. "The problems that came up during the day have been resolved. The decision has been adopted," a spokesman for the presidency said, referring to a procedural obstacle that had briefly delayed the move. Full Story

France's Sarkozy offers in Israel to broker peacePosted on Monday, June 23, 2008 at 3:00pmFrench President Nicolas Sarkozy put himself forward on Monday as a possible Middle East peace broker, offering in a speech to Israel's parliament to help reach agreement and mobilize French troops if necessary. "I ask you to trust us because we want to help you," said Sarkozy, the first French president to address the Knesset since Francois Mitterrand in 1982. Full Story

Canadian aided foiled UK bomb plot, court hearsPosted on Monday, June 23, 2008 at 3:02pmA Canadian software developer designed a remote bomb detonator he called the "hi-fi digimonster" to be used in planned attacks in the United Kingdom, an Ottawa court heard on Monday. In a highly detailed opening statement, prosecutor David McKercher said Momin Khawaja, 29, was "directly involved" in the British bomb plot, and met with members of a terrorist cell during visits to the U.K. in 2003 and 2004. Full Story

Pakistani Taliban seize tribal town, six killedPosted on Monday, June 23, 2008 at 4:14pmPakistani militants loyal to Taliban commander Baitullah Mehsud captured a town at the entrance to the South Waziristan tribal region on Monday after a battle with pro-government tribesmen, police said. At least six people, four tribesmen and two militants, were killed in the fighting for control of Jandola town, the gateway to Waziristan, they said. Full Story

Colombian rebels release video of abducted congressmanPosted on Monday, June 23, 2008 at 4:29pmColombia's main rebel group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, has released a video of an abducted congressman as proof the politician is alive. The video, broadcast Saturday on Colombian TV Caracol, showed Sigifredo Lopez, who was kidnapped in 2002 with 11 other politicians in the city of Santiago de Cali. Full Story

Colombia's main oil pipeline closed after guerrilla attackPosted on Monday, June 23, 2008 at 4:31pmColombia's main oil pipeline was closed on Monday, after a dynamite attack on Saturday by the Farc guerrilla movement, the military authorities said. Some 100,000 barrels per day of crude oil is transported along the 780 kilometre pipeline, which is located in the Tibu area, 650 km northeast of Bogota. Full Story

Paraguay's president quits, but Congress may not accept resignationPosted on Monday, June 23, 2008 at 4:33pmParaguay's outgoing President Nicanor Duarte resigned Monday two months before his term ends _ but opposition parties in Congress may not accept the move. Duarte wants to take a seat in Paraguay's Senate with the ruling Colorado Party. President-elect Fernando Lugo, who won last April's election with the opposition coalition Patriotic Alliance for Change, takes office on Aug. 15. He has supported Duarte's right to resign. Full Story

Trial begins for Canadian accused of role in 2004 UK bombing plotsPosted on Monday, June 23, 2008 at 4:39pmA man accused of participating in an al-Qaida-inspired cell that plotted bombings in Britain pleaded not guilty Monday as his trial began under heavy security. Momin Khawaja, a 29-year-old Canadian-born software developer, is the first man to be charged under Canada's Anti-Terrorism Act. Khawaja faces seven terrorism-related charges that could put him in prison for life if he's convicted. Full Story

President of Ecuador's Constitutional Assembly resignsPosted on Monday, June 23, 2008 at 4:49pmThe president of Ecuador's Constitutional Assembly has resigned just weeks before the Assembly's July 26 deadline to draft a new constitution. Assembly President Alberto Acosta has not given any reasons for his resignation, which was included on the assembly's agenda for Monday. Full Story

Courtesy Terrorism Research Center, Inc.