Ahmadinejad wins disputed Iran vote, crowds clash

Protests erupt in Iranian capital
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By Parisa Hafezi and Fredrik Dahl
TEHRAN (Reuters) - Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei told Iranians Saturday to respect Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's victory in a presidential election that his closest challenger described as a "dangerous charade."
The scale of Ahmadinejad's triumph upset widespread expectations that the race would at least go to a second round and his re-election is unlikely to help unblock a standoff with the West over Iran's nuclear program.
Trouble erupted on the streets when riot police, on motorcycles and armed with batons, beat supporters of presidential candidate Mirhossein Mousavi who were protesting against the result of Friday's vote.
Khamenei, Iran's top authority, told defeated candidates and their supporters to avoid "provocative behavior."
"The chosen and respected president is the president of all the Iranian nation and everyone, including yesterday's competitors, must unanimously support and help him," Khamenei said in a statement read on state television.
Interior Minister Sadeq Mahsouli, an ally of the hardline Ahmadinejad, declared the president had been re-elected to a second four-year term with 62.6 percent of the vote, against 33.7 percent for Mousavi, in a record 85 percent turnout.
Mousavi, a veteran of the 1979 Islamic revolution, protested against what he said were many obvious election violations.
"I'm warning I will not surrender to this dangerous charade. The result of such performance by some officials will jeopardize the pillars of the Islamic Republic and will establish tyranny," Mousavi said in a statement made available to Reuters.
Mousavi urged senior clerics in Iran's Shi'ite religious center of Qom to speak out.
"Today all the ways to preserve our rights are closed. Silence of the ulema and grand ayatollahs may create more harm than fixing voting," he said in a statement on his website.
Iranian and Western analysts abroad greeted the results with disbelief. They said Ahmadinejad's re-election would disappoint Western powers aiming to convince Iran to halt nuclear work they suspect is aimed at making bombs, and could further complicate efforts by U.S. President Barack Obama to reach out to Tehran.
"It doesn't augur well for an early and peaceful settlement of the nuclear dispute," said Mark Fitzpatrick at London's International Institute for Strategic Studies.
A bitter election campaign generated strong interest around the world and intense excitement inside Iran. It revealed deep divisions among establishment figures between those backing Ahmadinejad and those pushing for social and political change.
Ahmadinejad accused his rivals of undermining the Islamic Republic by advocating detente with the West. Mousavi said the president's "extremist" foreign policy had humiliated Iranians.
Friday night, before official results emerged, Mousavi had claimed to be the "definite winner." He said many people had been unable to vote and ballot papers were lacking. Continued...
Source: Reuters

Gaddafi invites back Italians expelled from Libya

ROME (Reuters) - Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi ended a first visit to former colonial power Italy on Saturday by inviting Italians expelled in the wake of his 1969 revolution to return to the North African country.
Gaddafi's four-day trip has led to a warming in relations. Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi apologized for the excesses of Italy's 1911-1943 colonial rule, opening the door to billions of euros of investment from the oil-rich Arab republic.
On Saturday, Gaddafi received a delegation of Italians expelled from Libya when he swept to power four decades ago and promised the doors of his country were open to them.
"Gaddafi has acknowledged our problem. He has invited us all to return to Libya," David Jerbi, one of thousands of Libyan Jews forced to flee the country.
Jerbi said Gaddafi did not explicitly speak about the case of Libya's Jewish community which traces its origins to Roman times and has dwindled almost to nothing.
"It's a very good start on his behalf: he has approached us and is opening possibilities," Jerbi said outside the park where the Libyan leader pitched his tent during his stay.
Gaddafi angered Rome's Jewish community by calling the meeting on a Saturday, the sacred Sabbath day. Many Jewish leaders refused to attend.
Berlusconi said all Italians were now able to return to Libya.
The Libyan leader, who says the wounds of the past have healed, angered many Italians by wearing a photograph of an executed resistance leader on his arrival in Rome, and by criticizing the condition of women and democracy in Europe.
Some Italians deported from Libya sounded skeptical about Gaddafi's offer, which did not appear to deal with reparations.
"He told us that he was forced (to expel us) and that by doing so he saved our lives because the Libyan people wanted to kill us," said Umberto Robbi, who was expelled in 1970.
"So to save us he also confiscated all our property."
(Reporting by Antonio Denti; writing by Daniel Flynn; editing by Robert Woodward)

Source: Reuters

Ahmedinejad wins disputed Iran vote, crowds clash

Ahmadinejad re-elected in Iran
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By Parisa Hafezi and Fredrik Dahl
TEHRAN (Reuters) - Hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad won re-election by a thumping margin, official figures showed Saturday, but his moderate challenger rejected the tally as a "dangerous charade" that could lead to tyranny.
The scale of Ahmadinejad's victory -- he took nearly twice as many votes as former Prime Minister Mirhossein Mousavi with counting almost complete after Friday's poll -- upset widespread expectations that the race would at least go to a second round.
Interior Minister Sadeq Mahsouli said Ahmadinejad won 62.6 percent of the vote and Mousavi 33.75 percent. Turnout was a record 85 percent of eligible voters.
Mousavi protested against what he said were many obvious violations.
"I'm warning I will not surrender to this dangerous charade. The result of such performance by some officials will jeopardize the pillars of the Islamic Republic and will establish tyranny," Mousavi said in a statement made available to Reuters.
He had been due to hold a news conference, but police at the building turned journalists away, saying it was canceled.
Iranian and Western analysts abroad greeted the results with disbelief. They said Ahmadinejad's re-election would disappoint Western powers aiming to convince Iran to halt work they suspect is aimed at making bombs, and could further complicate efforts by U.S. President Barack Obama to reach out to Tehran.
"It doesn't augur well for an early and peaceful settlement of the nuclear dispute," said Mark Fitzpatrick at London's International Institute for Strategic Studies.
A bitterly fought campaign generated strong interest around the world and intense excitement inside Iran. It revealed deep divisions among establishment figures between those backing Ahmadinejad and those pushing for social and political change.
Ahmadinejad accused his rivals of undermining the Islamic Republic by advocating detente with the West. Mousavi said the president's "extremist" foreign policy had humiliated Iranians.
Friday night, before official results emerged, Mousavi had claimed to be the "definite winner." He said many people had been unable to vote and ballot papers were lacking.
He also accused authorities of blocking text messaging, with which his campaign tried to reach young, urban voters.
State election commission figures showed Ahmadinejad had secured a second four-year term with 61.6 percent of ballots against 32.5 percent for Mousavi with 39 million votes counted. It put the turnout at 80 percent of 46 million eligible voters.
Trita Parsi, president of the Washington-based National Iranian American Council, expressed disbelief at the wide margin in Ahmadinejad's favor. "It is difficult to feel comfortable that this occurred without any cheating," Parsi said.
Ali Ansari, who heads the Institute for Iranian Studies at St Andrews University in Scotland, said: "People will wake up today in Iran in shock, not that Ahmadinejad has won, but that he has won on such a dramatic scale." Continued...
Source: Reuters

North Korea responds to U.N. with nuclear threats

U.N. approves North Korea sanctions
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By Jon Herskovitz
SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea on Saturday threatened military action if the United States tried to isolate it after the U.N. Security Council imposed widened sanctions against the reclusive communist state for a nuclear test in May.
The North also vowed to start a programme to enrich uranium and to weaponise plutonium at its nuclear weapons plant, the North's official news agency KCNA quoted its foreign ministry spokesman as saying.
The sanctions resolution approved on Friday banned all weapons exports from North Korea and most arms imports into the state. It authorized U.N. member states to inspect North Korean sea, air and land cargo, requiring them to seize and destroy any goods transported in violation of the sanctions.
A senior South Korean official said that North Korea may possibly respond to U.N. punishment with "another nuclear test and maybe more missiles."
"They will never, never give up their nuclear weapons," said the official who asked not to be named due to the sensitive subject matter.
North Korea has raised tension in the region in the past months by test-firing missiles, restarting a plant to produce arms-grade plutonium and holding the May 25 nuclear test, which put it closer to having a working nuclear bomb.
Two senior diplomats negotiating the U.N. resolution told Reuters on condition of anonymity the Chinese had never really clarified whether they intended to implement the new sanctions resolution.
China's U.N. ambassador, Zhang Yesui, said the resolution showed the "firm opposition" of the international community to North Korea's nuclear ambitions, but he urged countries to exercise caution when inspecting North Korean cargo.
"Under no circumstances should there be use or threat of the use of force," Zhang said.
Studies have shown that U.N. sanctions imposed on North Korea for missile testing and its only prior nuclear test in 2006 had almost no impact, while its meager trade actually increased due to lax enforcement of those measures.
"The success of financial sanctions depends heavily on how far China and the United States are willing to go to pressure North Korea," said Jeong Hyung-gon, a research fellow at the Korea Institute for International Economic Policy.
The isolated country's $2 billion annual trade with neighboring China, equal to about 10 percent of the North's annual GDP, is its most important economic relationship. Beijing has wanted to avoid any measures that could cause the North's economy to collapse and lead to chaos on its border.
READYING FOR SUCCESSION
South Korea's defense minister said this week the North's saber rattling is to build internal support for leader Kim Jong-il, 67, as he prepares for succession in Asia's only communist dynasty.
Since Kim took over in 1994 and launched his guiding "military first" policy, the North's economy has grown weaker and an estimated 1 million people died in a famine in the late 1990s. Continued...
Source: Reuters

New Moroccan party leads in local elections

RABAT (Reuters) - A new Moroccan political party grouping King Mohammed's staunchest supporters has won most seats in local elections, preliminary official results showed on Saturday.
With more than 80 percent of seats counted, the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) had 4,854 seats, ahead of the governing Istiqlal (Independence) party with 4,246, according to figures from the Interior Ministry carried by the state news agency MAP.
PAM, created last year by lawmakers from five parties, has positioned itself as an alternative to both opposition Islamists and Istiqlal, and has sought to combat voter apathy with promises to follow through on policy commitments.
It is the brainchild of Fouad Ali Himma, a former deputy interior minister and close friend of the king, who has won strong backing at home and abroad for reforms to combat poverty, improve the business climate and bolster women's rights.
The vote was the first major test for the governing coalition of conservatives and socialists since the moderate Islamist Justice and Development Party (PJD) scored its best result in 2007 legislative elections.
Widespread disillusionment and cynicism toward traditional parties may have played into the PJD's hands, and the authorities were hoping for a big turnout Friday.
Provisional figures put the turnout at 51 percent, below the 54 percent recorded in 2003 local elections.
Critics of Istiqlal Prime Minister Abbas el Fassi say his administration lacks energy and direction. The government lost its parliamentary majority last month when PAM withdrew support.
The PJD were sixth with 1,135 seats. It fielded far fewer candidates than PAM and Istiqlal and was focusing its campaign on key towns including Fez, Sale and Casablanca.
PJD leader Abdelilah Benkirane said Friday he expected a good result, but the party lacks a strong support base in rural areas where family and tribal links often ensure victory for local dignitaries.
A proportional voting system makes it almost impossible for a single party to gain outright control of one town and control of local councils often depends on deals between parties after the vote.
Final provisional results would be released by the interior ministry later Saturday, officials said.
(Writing by Tom Pfeiffer; Editing by Robert Woodward)

Source: Reuters

North Korea threatens military action, to enrich uranium

U.N. approves North Korea sanctions
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By Jon Herskovitz
SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea on Saturday threatened military action if the United States tried to isolate it after the U.N. Security Council imposed widened sanctions against the reclusive communist state for a nuclear test in May.
The North also vowed to start a programme to enrich uranium and to weaponise plutonium at its nuclear weapons plant, the North's official news agency KCNA quoted its foreign ministry spokesman as saying.
The sanctions resolution approved on Friday banned all weapons exports from North Korea and most arms imports into the state. It authorized U.N. member states to inspect North Korean sea, air and land cargo, requiring them to seize and destroy any goods transported in violation of the sanctions.
A senior South Korean official said that North Korea may possibly respond to U.N. punishment with "another nuclear test and maybe more missiles."
"They will never, never give up their nuclear weapons," said the official who asked not to be named due to the sensitive subject matter.
North Korea has raised tension in the region in the past months by test-firing missiles, restarting a plant to produce arms-grade plutonium and holding the May 25 nuclear test, which put it closer to having a working nuclear bomb.
Two senior diplomats negotiating the U.N. resolution told Reuters on condition of anonymity the Chinese had never really clarified whether they intended to implement the new sanctions resolution.
China's U.N. ambassador, Zhang Yesui, said the resolution showed the "firm opposition" of the international community to North Korea's nuclear ambitions, but he urged countries to exercise caution when inspecting North Korean cargo.
"Under no circumstances should there be use or threat of the use of force," Zhang said.
Studies have shown that U.N. sanctions imposed on North Korea for missile testing and its only prior nuclear test in 2006 had almost no impact, while its meager trade actually increased due to lax enforcement of those measures.
"The success of financial sanctions depends heavily on how far China and the United States are willing to go to pressure North Korea," said Jeong Hyung-gon, a research fellow at the Korea Institute for International Economic Policy.
The isolated country's $2 billion annual trade with neighboring China, equal to about 10 percent of the North's annual GDP, is its most important economic relationship. Beijing has wanted to avoid any measures that could cause the North's economy to collapse and lead to chaos on its border.
READYING FOR SUCCESSION
South Korea's defense minister said this week the North's saber rattling is to build internal support for leader Kim Jong-il, 67, as he prepares for succession in Asia's only communist dynasty.
Since Kim took over in 1994 and launched his guiding "military first" policy, the North's economy has grown weaker and an estimated 1 million people died in a famine in the late 1990s. Continued...
Source: Reuters

U.N. seeks review of special forces in Afghanistan

By Peter Graff
KABUL (Reuters) - The United Nations has asked NATO defense ministers to review how special forces are deployed in Afghanistan in a bid to reduce civilian casualties that risk jeopardizing Western efforts to stabilize the country.
"I welcome additional troops coming in. But every effort must be made to avoid a situation where more troops and more fighting leads to more civilian casualties and behavior that offends the population," U.N. Special Representative Kai Eide told NATO defense ministers in Brussels by video link from Kabul.
With violence at its worst level since the Taliban's ouster in 2001, Washington is pouring thousands of extra troops into Afghanistan this year.
The reinforcements will more than double troop levels from 32,000 at the end of 2008 to 68,000 by the end of this year. Other Western troops battling the Taliban-led insurgency number about 30,000.
Eide's remarks, made late on Friday, were released by the U.N. mission in Afghanistan on Saturday.
"We cannot eliminate civilian casualties, but we cannot afford mistakes that lead to the loss of civilian lives, the alienation of the population and media headlines month after month that overshadow all the positive trends," he said.
"The political costs are simply disproportionate to the military gains."
Civilian casualties have long been a source of anger for Afghans, worsened last month by U.S. air strikes in western Afghanistan that the Afghan government says killed 140 villagers, including 93 children.
Washington has acknowledged that not all procedures were followed in that bombing. It says it believes 20-35 civilians were among 80-95 people killed, most of them Taliban fighters.
Those air strikes were called in by a unit of U.S. Marine special forces in support of Afghan and U.S. troops who had been ambushed.
U.S. special forces operate across Afghanistan outside of NATO's command structure but report to the same U.S. general that commands NATO troops. The new U.S. and NATO commander, General Stanley McChrystal, is a veteran special forces leader.
"There is an urgent need to review the operations of special forces, including how such operations can be Afghanised," Eide said. He did not elaborate on what he meant by "Afghanised."
"That review should consider all options, and I repeat, all options, and their possible implications. Furthermore we must all make sure that the training of military personnel is such that they are fully aware of Afghan sensitivities."
(Editing by Paul Tait)

Source: Reuters

Ethiopia denies its soldiers in central Somalia

By Barry Malone
ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) - Ethiopia denied on Saturday it had sent soldiers into Somalia, a day after residents reported seeing heavily armed troops from the neighboring Horn of Africa nation in at least two different regions.
Ethiopia's head of government information, Bereket Simon, told reporters the reports were being fabricated by Islamist rebels to try and muster popular support for their battle to topple the government of President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed.
"Ethiopia is defending its border. We have no intention of going back into Somalia. When we decide to enter Somalia we will tell the world that we have decided to enter based on our national interest," he said.
Ethiopian troops invaded Somalia in late 2006 to oust an Islamist movement from the capital in which Ahmed played a leading role. He fled into exile but joined a peace process last year and was elected in January.
Addis Ababa has said it supports the new government, but is wary of the hardline Islamists, who have links to al Qaeda, because they control large areas of Somalia and have threatened to destabilize Ethiopia and Kenya.
"We think the reason (for the reports) is that the extremists are losing ground and feel they can mobilize people by presenting Ethiopian interventions to the public," he said.
"That is why they are building these accusations as a scarecrow to get support."
RECONNAISSANCE MISSIONS
The Ethiopian troops were deeply unpopular during their two-year intervention and helped rally support for the insurgency as it became a nationalist campaign to oust the foreign invaders.
There were hopes Islamist President Ahmed would be able to reconcile the warring factions by building an inclusive government and introducing sharia law throughout the country.
But hardline Islamist group al Shabaab, which has ties to al Qaeda, and allies in Hizbul Islam, led by Ahmed's former ally Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys, have instead stepped up their fight.
They control most of southern Somalia, parts of the central region and a number of suburbs in the capital Mogadishu.
African Union troops are protecting the presidential palace, the airport and sea port in Mogadishu. But despite a government offensive last month, the rebels are still anchored in the capital and neither side seems able to deliver a knockout blow.
The on-off skirmishes in the capital have displaced 122,000 people since May 7 and killed hundreds. Since the start of 2007 more than 18,000 people have been killed and at least one million depend on food aid in a country prone to drought.
Residents, local media, some aid groups and Islamist insurgents have reported seeing Ethiopian troops on the Somali side of the border in the past few weeks and months. Continued...
Source: Reuters

Ahmadinejad wins Iran election, Mousavi cries foul

Iran votes in tight election
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By Parisa Hafezi and Fredrik Dahl
TEHRAN (Reuters) - Hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad won Iran's election by a thumping margin, according to official results which his moderate challenger rejected on Saturday as a "dangerous charade" that could lead to tyranny.
The level of the incumbent's support, nearly twice as many votes as former Prime Minister Mirhossein Mousavi with most ballots counted from Friday's poll, confounded widespread expectations that the race would at least go to a second round.
Mousavi protested against what he said were many obvious violations in Friday's presidential election.
"I'm warning I will not surrender to this dangerous charade. The result of such performance by some officials will jeopardize the pillars of the Islamic Republic and will establish tyranny," he said in a statement made available to Reuters.
Iranian and Western analysts abroad greeted the results with disbelief. They said Ahmadinejad's re-election would disappoint Western powers aiming to convince Iran to halt work they suspect is aimed at making bombs, and could further complicate efforts by U.S. President Barack Obama to reach out to Tehran.
"It doesn't augur well for an early and peaceful settlement of the nuclear dispute," said Mark Fitzpatrick at London's International Institute for Strategic Studies.
A bitterly fought campaign generated strong interest around the world and intense excitement inside Iran. It revealed deep divisions among establishment figures between those backing Ahmadinejad and those pushing for social and political change.
Ahmadinejad accused his rivals of undermining the Islamic Republic by advocating detente with the West. Mousavi accused him of humiliating Iranians with an "extremist" foreign policy.
Listing several complaints before official results were announced, Mousavi said late Friday that many people had not been able to vote and that there was a lack of ballot papers.
He also accused authorities of blocking text messaging, with which his campaign tried to reach young, urban voters.
"I am the definite winner of this presidential election," Mousavi told a news conference.
But the state election commission said Ahmadinejad had won a second four-year term with about 63.4 percent of votes against 34.7 percent for Mousavi with almost all ballots counted. It put the turnout at around 80 percent of 46 million eligible voters.
Trita Parsi, president of the Washington-based National Iranian American Council, expressed disbelief at the wide margin in Ahmadinejad's favor. "It is difficult to feel comfortable that this occurred without any cheating," Parsi said.
"The potential for unrest is high," said Ali Ansari, who heads the Institute for Iranian Studies at St Andrews University in Scotland. "People will wake up today in Iran in shock."
STREET SCUFFLES Continued...
Source: Reuters

Forty vie to unseat Afghanistan's Karzai

By Sayed Salahuddin and Peter Graff
KABUL (Reuters) - Afghanistan's election commission published Saturday the final list for the August 20 presidential election, launching a campaign in which 40 challengers will face an uphill climb to topple incumbent Hamid Karzai.
Karzai has ruled since the ouster of the strict Islamist Taliban in 2001, and won the country's first election in 2004.
He has consolidated his position in recent weeks against a divided opposition, despite worsening insurgent violence and public dismay with a corrupt and weak government, and even his opponents now acknowledge he will be difficult to beat.
His main challengers include two former members of his cabinet, ex-foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah and ex-finance minister Ashraf Ghani.
Other candidates include two women, several former government ministers and officials, and even a former Taliban commander now sitting in the parliament. Three little-known candidates were disqualified earlier this week.
The official campaign begins Monday and runs for two months. The United Nations is helping organize the poll and Western donors, many with troops fighting the Taliban, are paying the $223 million bill, election commission chief Azizullah Ludin told reporters while announcing the final list of the candidates.
The announcement of the official list ends a registration period that saw Karzai win endorsements from ethnic and regional leaders, while his opponents failed to unite.
"If I was a betting man I would reckon he (Karzai) was going to win on the first round," a senior Western diplomat told reporters this week. "The reason why so many people are coming aboard with him is because they are jumping aboard the bandwagon of the person they think is going to win."
CHANGE OF FORTUNE
This marks a change of fortune for the president, who was seen as weak both at home and abroad just a few months ago.
"He was quite low in the winter, and I think he was personally quite down," the Western diplomat said of Karzai. But he said opponents had so far failed to build a coalition that would draw appeal across the country's ethnic divides.
It is still important for the international community to ensure that the election is perceived as fair. Karzai's opponents are "winding themselves up to cry foul," the diplomat said.
The Taliban, leading the insurgency against some 90,000 Western troops, have called the elections a sham and have vowed to unleash a campaign of violence throughout the next few months.
The commander of U.S. forces in central Asia and the Middle East, General David Petraeus, said this week that insurgent attacks have become more frequent than at any time since the Taliban fell after a U.S.-led invasion.
Washington, which calls Afghanistan its top foreign policy priority, and other allies are sending thousands of extra troops in part to help secure the poll. The U.S. force is more than doubling from 32,000 at the end of 2008 to an anticipated 68,000 by the end of this year. Continued...
Source: Reuters

Ahmadinejad re-elected in Iran, Mousavi cries foul

Iran votes in tight election
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By Parisa Hafezi and Fredrik Dahl
TEHRAN (Reuters) - Hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad resoundingly won Iran's election, preliminary official results showed on Saturday, but his moderate challenger alleged irregularities and claimed victory for himself.
The level of the incumbent's support, nearly twice as many votes as former Prime Minister Mirhossein Mousavi with most ballots counted from Friday's poll, confounded widespread expectations that the race would at least go to a second round.
Ahmadinejad's re-election is likely to disappoint Western powers aiming to convince Iran to halt work they suspect is aimed at making bombs, and could further complicate efforts by U.S. President Barack Obama to reach out to Tehran.
"It doesn't augur well for an early and peaceful settlement of the nuclear dispute," said Mark Fitzpatrick at London's International Institute for Strategic Studies.
A bitterly fought campaign generated strong interest around the world and intense excitement inside Iran. It revealed deep divisions among establishment figures between those backing Ahmadinejad and those pushing for social and political change.
Ahmadinejad accused his opponents of trying to undermine the Islamic Republic through a policy of detente with the West. Mousavi hit back by saying the conservative president had humiliated Iranians with his "extremist" foreign policy.
Listing several complaints before official results were announced, Mousavi said late on Friday that many people had not been able to vote and that there was a lack of ballot papers.
He also accused authorities of blocking text messaging, with which his campaign tried to reach young, urban voters.
"I am the definite winner of this presidential election," Mousavi told a news conference.
But the state election commission said Ahmadinejad had won about 63.8 percent of the votes from the election in the world's fifth biggest oil exporter, with 38 million counted.
Mousavi had around 32.7 percent support, said the commission. Based on an Interior Ministry estimate of more than 80 percent turnout of Iran's 46 million eligible voters, he could not beat Ahmadinejad with the votes still to be counted.
Trita Parsi, president of the Washington-based National Iranian American Council, expressed disbelief at the wide margin in Ahmadinejad's favor. "It is difficult to feel comfortable that this occurred without any cheating," Parsi said.
Speaking in Washington before the results were released, U.S. President Barack Obama said his administration was excited about the debate taking place in Iran and he hoped it would help the two countries to engage "in new ways."
STREET SCUFFLES
Western capitals had hoped a victory for Mousavi could help ease tensions with the West, which is concerned about Tehran's nuclear plans, and improve chances of engagement with Obama, who has talked about a new start in ties with Tehran. Continued...
Source: Reuters

Pakistani warplanes strike Taliban's Waziristan redoubt

By Augustine Anthony
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistani warplanes struck a stronghold of Pakistani Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud on Saturday, hours after President Asif Ali Zardari vowed to wage war against militancy "to the end."
U.S. officials, thankful that their nuclear-armed ally has gone on the offensive to stop the Taliban tide sweeping across the northwest, said they believed an operation had begun against Mehsud's forces in the South Waziristan, at the southeast extremity of the tribal belt bordering Afghanistan.
"We will continue this war to the end," Zardari said in a televised address to the nation broadcast in the early hours of Saturday morning.
"This war has the support of parliament, the support of the political parties as well as the people of Pakistan," he said.
Under pressure in their sanctuaries, Islamist militants have responded with a wave of bomb attacks in Pakistani cities, including one on Tuesday that killed nine people and devastated the top hotel in Peshawar, the main city in the northwest.
In the past few days the Pakistani military has expanded its theater of operations, and launched strikes on Taliban fighters across the northwest, most notably in Bannu district at the gateway to the Waziristan region, where according to the military more than 130 militants have been killed since Tuesday.
The military says around 1,300 militants have been killed in Swat and adjoining areas since the army swung into action in late April. Independent casualty estimates were unavailable.
Rising violence has raised fears for Pakistan's stability and for the safety of its nuclear arsenal but the offensive in Swat has reassured the United States, which needs its Muslim ally's support to defeat al Qaeda and stabilize neighboring Afghanistan.
On Thursday, the U.S. House of Representatives approved tripling aid to Pakistan to about $1.5 billion a year for five years to help combat extremism through development. Pakistan is now the biggest recipient of U.S. aid.
WAZIRISTAN OPERATIONS UNDERWAY
The airstrike on Makeen village came amid expectations of an imminent military offensive in South Waziristan, as the army enters the final stages of a campaign to rid the Swat valley, northwest of the capital, of Taliban.
"Four fighter jets bombed parts of Makeen early on Saturday but we don't know about the extent of damage or any casualties," said Mohammad Khan, a shopkeeper in the village.
Artillery also pounded militant positions in Mehsud territory overnight after a fort at Siplatoi came under rocket fire, according to intelligence officials in the area.
Praising Pakistan's resolve in Swat, U.S. defense officials told reporters in Washington that Pakistani forces appeared to have commenced their operations yet in Waziristan.
One official said the Pentagon anticipated combat operations against the Mehsud network, blamed for many of the suicide attacks in Pakistan, including the assassination of Zardari's wife, former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, in December 2007. Continued...
Source: Reuters

Ahmadinejad scores big win in Iran vote

Iran votes in tight election
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By Parisa Hafezi and Fredrik Dahl
TEHRAN (Reuters) - Hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad resoundingly won Iran's election, preliminary official results showed on Saturday, but his moderate challenger alleged irregularities and claimed victory for himself.
The level of the incumbent's support, roughly twice as many votes as former Prime Minister Mirhossein Mousavi with most ballots counted, confounded analyst predictions of a tight race.
A bitterly fought campaign generated intense excitement inside Iran and strong interest around the world, with policymakers looking for signs of a change in Tehran's approach in a long-running row with the West over its nuclear ambitions.
Listing several complaints before official results were announced, Mousavi said many people had not been able to vote and that there had been a lack of ballot papers.
He also accused authorities of blocking text messaging, with which his campaign tried to reach young, urban voters.
"I am the definite winner of this presidential election," Mousavi told a news conference.
But the Islamic Republic's election commission said Ahmadinejad was ahead with 64.8 percent of the votes from Friday's presidential election in the world's fifth biggest oil exporter after more than 30 million ballots had been counted.
Mousavi had around 32 percent support, said the commission. Based on an Interior Ministry estimate of a maximum 80 percent turnout of Iran's 46 million eligible voters, he could not beat Ahmadinejad with the votes still to be counted.
The official news agency IRNA said: "Dr Ahmadinejad, by winning most votes ... has secured his victory." State media said final results would be announced at 10 a.m. (1:30 a.m. EDT).
Trita Parsi, president of the Washington-based National Iranian American Council, expressed disbelief at the wide margin in Ahmadinejad's favor.
"It is difficult to feel comfortable that this occurred without any cheating," Parsi said.
Speaking in Washington before the results were released, U.S. President Barack Obama said his administration was excited about the debate taking place in Iran and he hoped it would help the two countries to engage "in new ways."
STREET SCUFFLES
Western capitals had hoped a victory for Mousavi could help ease tensions with the West, which is concerned about Tehran's nuclear plans, and improve chances of engagement with Obama, who has talked about a new start in ties with Tehran.
Now they will have to find a way to deal with Ahmadinejad's government if they want to make progress in defusing the dispute over Iran's nuclear programme. Continued...
Source: Reuters

N.Korea threatens military action, to enrich uranium

U.N. approves North Korea sanctions
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By Jon Herskovitz
SEOUL (Reuters) - U.N. Security Council sanctions imposed on North Korea for its nuclear test may do little to change the ways of the reclusive state and could prod Pyongyang to stoke tensions with military moves, analysts said on Saturday.
The sanctions resolution approved on Friday banned all weapons exports from North Korea and most arms imports into the state. It authorized U.N. member states to inspect North Korean sea, air and land cargo, requiring them to seize and destroy any goods transported in violation of the sanctions.
"The success of financial sanctions depends heavily on how far China and the United States are willing to go to pressure North Korea," said Jeong Hyung-gon, a research fellow at the Korea Institute for International Economic Policy.
Studies have shown that U.N. sanctions imposed on North Korea for missile testing and its only prior nuclear test in 2006 had almost no impact, while its meager trade actually increased due to lax enforcement of those measures.
The isolated country's $2 billion annual trade with neighboring China, equal to about 10 percent of the North's annual GDP, is its most important economic relationship. Beijing has wanted to avoid any measures that could cause the North's economy to collapse and lead to chaos on its border.
Two senior diplomats negotiating the resolution told Reuters on condition of anonymity the Chinese had never really clarified whether they intended to implement the new sanctions resolution.
China's U.N. ambassador, Zhang Yesui, said the resolution showed the "firm opposition" of the international community to North Korea's nuclear ambitions, but he urged countries to exercise caution when inspecting North Korean cargo.
"Under no circumstances should there be use or threat of the use of force," Zhang said.
MISSILES ON THE HORIZON
A senior South Korean official said that North Korea may possibly respond to U.N. punishment with "another nuclear test and maybe more missiles."
"They will never, never give up their nuclear weapons," said the official who asked not to be named due to the sensitive subject matter.
North Korea has raised tension in the region in the past months by test-firing missiles, restarting a plant to produce arms-grade plutonium and holding the May 25 nuclear test, which put it closer to having a working nuclear bomb.
South Korea's defense minister said this week the North's saber rattling is to build internal support for leader Kim Jong-il, 67, as he prepares for succession in Asia's only communist dynasty.
Since Kim took over in 1994 and launched his guiding "military first" policy, the North's economy has grown weaker and an estimated 1 million people died in a famine in the late 1990s.
North Korea has been readying a missile that could hit U.S. territory for a test launch by as early as this month and could also test fire mid-range missiles that can strike all of South Korea and most of Japan, South Korean officials have said. Continued...
Source: Reuters

Iran's Ahmadinejad heads for big win

Iran votes in tight election
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By Parisa Hafezi and Fredrik Dahl
TEHRAN (Reuters) - Hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad took an unbeatable lead in Iran's election on Saturday, official results showed, but his moderate challenger alleged irregularities and claimed victory for himself.
The level of the incumbent's support, roughly twice as many votes as former Prime Minister Mirhossein Mousavi with most ballots counted, confounded analyst predictions of a tight race.
A bitterly fought campaign generated intense excitement inside Iran and strong interest around the world, with policymakers looking for signs of a change in Tehran's approach in its row with the West over its nuclear ambitions.
Listing several complaints before official results were announced, Mousavi said many people had not been able to vote and that there had been a lack of ballot papers.
He also accused the authorities of blocking text messaging, which his campaign has used to reach young, urban voters.
The Islamic Republic's election commission said Ahmadinejad was ahead with 65 percent of the votes from Friday's presidential election in the world's fifth biggest oil exporter after nearly 29 million ballots had been counted.
Mousavi had 32 percent support, said the commission. Based on an Interior Ministry estimate of a maximum 80 percent turnout of Iran's 46 million eligible voters, he could not beat Ahmadinejad with the votes still to be counted.
The official news agency IRNA said: "Dr Ahmadinejad, by winning most votes ... has secured his victory." It said final results would be announced at 8 a.m. (0330 GMT).
Speaking in Washington before early results were announced, U.S. President Barack Obama said his administration was excited about the debate taking place in Iran and he hoped it would help the two countries to engage "in new ways."
Analysts had said a victory for Mousavi could help ease tensions with the West, which is concerned about Tehran's nuclear ambitions, and improve chances of engagement with Obama, who has talked about a new start in ties with Tehran.
Mousavi had tried to pre-empt official announcements by calling a news conference at which he claimed victory and made his allegations about irregularities.
"I am the definite winner of this presidential election," he said.
It was unclear how his supporters, who thronged the streets of Tehran nightly in the run-up to Friday's vote, might react to an Ahmadinejad victory. U.S. strategic intelligence group Stratfor called the situation "potentially explosive," with a considerable risk of unrest.
Scuffles broke out early on Saturday between police and chanting Mousavi supporters in a Tehran square, a Reuters witness said. Police say they have increased security across the capital to prevent any trouble. All gatherings have been banned until the publication of final results.
CAMPAIGN MUDSLINGING Continued...
Source: Reuters

Isolated North Korea could avoid U.N. pinch: analysts

U.N. approves North Korea sanctions
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By Jon Herskovitz
SEOUL (Reuters) - U.N. Security Council sanctions imposed on North Korea for its nuclear test may do little to change the ways of the reclusive state and could prod Pyongyang to stoke tensions with military moves, analysts said on Saturday.
The sanctions resolution approved on Friday banned all weapons exports from North Korea and most arms imports into the state. It authorized U.N. member states to inspect North Korean sea, air and land cargo, requiring them to seize and destroy any goods transported in violation of the sanctions.
"The success of financial sanctions depends heavily on how far China and the United States are willing to go to pressure North Korea," said Jeong Hyung-gon, a research fellow at the Korea Institute for International Economic Policy.
Studies have shown that U.N. sanctions imposed on North Korea for missile testing and its only prior nuclear test in 2006 had almost no impact, while its meager trade actually increased due to lax enforcement of those measures.
The isolated country's $2 billion annual trade with neighboring China, equal to about 10 percent of the North's annual GDP, is its most important economic relationship. Beijing has wanted to avoid any measures that could cause the North's economy to collapse and lead to chaos on its border.
Two senior diplomats negotiating the resolution told Reuters on condition of anonymity the Chinese had never really clarified whether they intended to implement the new sanctions resolution.
China's U.N. ambassador, Zhang Yesui, said the resolution showed the "firm opposition" of the international community to North Korea's nuclear ambitions, but he urged countries to exercise caution when inspecting North Korean cargo.
"Under no circumstances should there be use or threat of the use of force," Zhang said.
MISSILES ON THE HORIZON
A senior South Korean official said that North Korea may possibly respond to U.N. punishment with "another nuclear test and maybe more missiles."
"They will never, never give up their nuclear weapons," said the official who asked not to be named due to the sensitive subject matter.
North Korea has raised tension in the region in the past months by test-firing missiles, restarting a plant to produce arms-grade plutonium and holding the May 25 nuclear test, which put it closer to having a working nuclear bomb.
South Korea's defense minister said this week the North's saber rattling is to build internal support for leader Kim Jong-il, 67, as he prepares for succession in Asia's only communist dynasty.
Since Kim took over in 1994 and launched his guiding "military first" policy, the North's economy has grown weaker and an estimated 1 million people died in a famine in the late 1990s.
North Korea has been readying a missile that could hit U.S. territory for a test launch by as early as this month and could also test fire mid-range missiles that can strike all of South Korea and most of Japan, South Korean officials have said. Continued...
Source: Reuters

Ahmadinejad on track for re-election

Iran votes in tight election
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By Parisa Hafezi and Fredrik Dahl
TEHRAN (Reuters) - Hard-liner Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was on track for re-election in Iran's presidential vote, official figures showed on Saturday, but his moderate challenger alleged irregularities and claimed victory for himself.
State media declared Ahmadinejad, whose first term saw a sharp deterioration in Iran's relations with the West, the winner against pro-reform rival Mirhossein Mousavi.
The election commission said Ahmadinejad was ahead with about two-thirds of the votes from Friday's election in the world's fifth biggest oil exporter after nearly 26 million ballots had been counted, out of 46 million eligible voters.
Mousavi, a former prime minister, had 31.4 percent of the votes, said the commission, a part of the Interior Ministry. It said 73 percent of all ballot boxes had now been counted.
The official news agency IRNA said: "Dr Ahmadinejad, by winning most votes ... has secured his victory." It said final results would be announced at 8 a.m. (11:30 p.m. EDT).
A bitterly fought campaign generated intense excitement inside Iran and strong interest around the world, with policymakers looking for signs of a change in Tehran's approach.
Speaking in Washington before early results were announced, U.S. President Barack Obama said his administration was excited about the debate taking place in Iran and he hoped it would help the two countries to engage "in new ways."
Analysts had said a victory for Mousavi could help ease tensions with the West, which is concerned about Tehran's nuclear ambitions, and improve chances of engagement with Obama, who has talked about a new start in ties with Tehran.
Mousavi had tried to pre-empt official announcements by calling a news conference at which he alleged there had been irregularities, including a shortage of ballot papers.
"I am the definite winner of this presidential election," he said.
It was unclear how his supporters, who thronged the streets of Tehran nightly in the run-up to Friday's vote, might react to an Ahmadinejad victory. U.S. strategic intelligence group Stratfor called the situation "potentially explosive," with a considerable risk of unrest.
Scuffles broke out early on Saturday between police and chanting Mousavi supporters in a Tehran square, a Reuters witness said. Police say they have increased security across the capital to prevent any trouble. All gatherings have been banned until the publication of final results.
BALLOT "IRREGULARITIES"
Mousavi said many people had not been able to vote even after polling was extended by four hours. He listed what he said were problems with the voting process.
"(We) are waiting for the counting of votes to officially end and explanations of these irregularities be given," he said. "We expect to celebrate with people soon." Continued...
Source: Reuters

Ahmadinejad leads Iran vote, challenger defiant

Iran votes in tight election
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By Parisa Hafezi and Zahra Hosseinian
TEHRAN (Reuters) - State media declared President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad the winner of Iran's election but challenger Mirhossein Mousavi alleged irregularities and claimed victory for himself.
The state election commission said early on Saturday that Ahmadinejad, a hardline conservative, was ahead with almost 68 percent of the vote after 15 million votes -- or 47 percent of ballot boxes -- had been counted. Mousavi, a moderate, had just over 30 percent.
The official news agency IRNA said: "Dr Ahmadinejad, by winning most votes at the 10th presidential election, has secured his victory."
A bitterly fought campaign has generated intense excitement inside Iran and strong interest around the world, with policymakers looking for signs of a change of approach by Tehran, whose ties with the West worsened under Ahmadinejad.
Mousavi had earlier tried to pre-empt official announcements by calling a news conference at which he alleged there had been irregularities, including a shortage of ballot papers.
"I am the definite winner of this presidential election," he declared.
It was unclear how his supporters, who thronged the streets of Tehran nightly in the run-up to Friday's vote, might react to an Ahmadinejad victory.
Scuffles broke out early on Saturday between police and chanting Mousavi supporters in a Tehran square, a Reuters witness said. Police say they have increased security across the capital to prevent any unrest. All gatherings have been banned until the publication of final results, expected on Saturday morning.
Analysts had said a victory for Mousavi could help ease tensions with the West, which is concerned about Tehran's nuclear ambitions, and improve chances of engagement with U.S. President Barack Obama, who has talked about a new start in ties with Tehran.
In Washington, Obama said his administration was excited about the debate taking place in Iran and he hoped it would help the two countries to engage "in new ways."
BALLOT "IRREGULARITIES"
Mousavi, a former prime minister, said many people had not been able to cast their ballots even after voting was extended by four hours. At his news conference, he listed what he said were problems with the voting process.
"(We) are waiting for the counting of votes to officially end and explanations of these irregularities be given," Mousavi said. "We expect to celebrate with people soon."
Ahmadinejad draws his bedrock support from rural areas or poorer big city neighborhoods. Mousavi enjoys strong backing in wealthier urban centers, and was expected to attract votes from women and young Iranians.
Two other candidates attracted only a tiny share of the vote, according to early results. Under election rules, 50 percent of the vote is needed to win outright; otherwise a second round run-off would be held on June 19 between the two front-runners. Continued...
Source: Reuters

Dissident neurosurgeon allowed to leave Cuba

HAVANA (Reuters) - A prominent neurosurgeon has been given permission to leave Cuba, 15 years after breaking ranks with former leader Fidel Castro over the communist-ruled island's healthcare system, authorities said on Friday.
Hilda Molina, 66, had complained publicly for years about being denied permission to leave Cuba and join her only son and grandchildren in Argentina and asked Argentine President Cristina Fernandez to intercede on her behalf last year.
In Buenos Aires, Fernandez said on Friday the Cuban government had finally issued the papers Molina needed to travel. "She has been granted a passport by the Cuban authorities and also authorization to leave the country for Argentina," Fernandez told reporters.
Molina picked up her Argentine visa at the South American nation's embassy in Havana on Friday.
"She was very emotional and grateful to the government of President Raul Castro," said Argentine diplomat Pedro Von Eyken.
He did not elaborate and it was not immediately clear when Molina would actually leave the island, where many dissidents say they are denied the right to travel abroad.
Government officials could not be reached for immediate comment.
Molina, once a Communist Party member who was elected to Cuba's parliament in 1993, had her falling out with Fidel Castro a year later when she began asserting that the government's objective of free, quality medical care for all was eroding due to Cuba's pressing need for foreign currency.
Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, she maintained that the government had begun catering to "medical tourists," turning Cuban healthcare into a profit-making business with disparities in quality of treatment for Cubans and foreigners.
Raul Castro took over as president on February 24, 2008, after his brother retired due to health problems.
Fidel Castro has said Molina was forced out of the government for seeking to take over the state-run International Center for Neurological Rehabilitation, which she once ran.
But in the prologue to a book in June last year, he also said her case provided "excellent material for imperialist blackmail against Cuba."
Cuban authorities consider dissidents to be mercenaries working for the United States, which has openly supported opposition to Cuba's communist-run government.
(Reporting by Esteban Israel and Karina Grazina in Buenos Aires, Editing by Tom Brown)

Source: Reuters

Both sides claim victory in Iran election

Iran votes in tight election
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By Parisa Hafezi and Zahra Hosseinian
TEHRAN (Reuters) - State media declared President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad the winner of Iran's election on Friday but challenger Mirhossein Mousavi alleged irregularities and claimed victory for himself.
The head of the state election commission said Ahmadinejad was leading Mousavi by 69.04 percent to 28.42 percent with more than 5 million votes counted from about 8,800 ballot boxes, or 19 percent of the total.
The official news agency IRNA said: "Dr Ahmadinejad, by winning most votes at the 10th presidential election, has secured his victory."
Mousavi had earlier tried to pre-empt official announcements by calling a news conference at which he alleged there had been irregularities, including a shortage of ballot papers.
"I am the definite winner of this presidential election," he declared.
A bitterly fought campaign has generated intense excitement inside Iran and strong interest around the world, with policymakers looking for signs of a change of approach by Tehran, whose ties with the West worsened under Ahmadinejad.
A victory for Mousavi could help ease tensions with the West, which is concerned about Tehran's nuclear ambitions, and improve chances of engagement with U.S. President Barack Obama, who has talked about a new start in ties with Tehran.
In Washington, Obama said his administration was excited about the debate taking place in Iran and he hoped it would help the two countries to engage "in new ways."
Mousavi, a former prime minister, said many people had not been able to cast their ballots even after voting was extended by four hours. At his news conference, he listed what he said were problems with the voting process.
"(We) are waiting for the counting of votes to officially end and explanations of these irregularities be given," Mousavi said. "We expect to celebrate with people soon."
The streets of Tehran appeared quiet.
Under the election rules, if no candidate wins 50 percent of the votes, a run-off will be held on June 19 between the two front-runners.
VOTING QUEUES
Long queues had formed at voting centers, both in northern, affluent areas of Tehran where Mousavi draws support and in southern, poorer neighborhoods seen as Ahmadinejad strongholds. The election commission, announcing early returns, did not say which areas had been counted first.
High turnout could indicate voting by many pro-reformers who stayed away when Ahmadinejad won four years ago on a pledge to revive the values of the 1979 Islamic revolution. Political analysts have said they expect a close race. Continued...
Source: Reuters

U.N. widens sanctions on North Korea; China joins in

By Louis Charbonneau and Claudia Parsons
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The Security Council on Friday unanimously approved wider U.N. sanctions against North Korea over its May 25 nuclear test, a move which close ally China said showed firm opposition to Pyongyang's atomic ambitions.
The sanctions resolution banned all weapons exports from North Korea and most arms imports into the reclusive Communist state. It authorized U.N. member states to inspect North Korean sea, air and land cargo, requiring them to seize and destroy any goods transported in violation of the sanctions.
Both China and Russia, which had been reluctant to support punitive measures against North Korea in the past, endorsed the U.S.-drafted resolution, which is now binding under international law.
China's U.N. ambassador, Zhang Yesui, said the resolution showed the "firm opposition" of the international community to North Korea's nuclear ambitions, but he urged countries to exercise caution when inspecting North Korean cargo.
"Under no circumstances should there be use or threat of the use of force," Zhang said, adding that the inspections should be done in line with domestic and international law.
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice said Washington would press to ensure that the resolution was fully implemented and would not get into a "tit-for-tat reaction" to every provocation from Pyongyang.
"It would not be a surprise if North Korea reacted to this very tough sanctions regime in a fashion that would be further provocation and further destabilizing," she said in Washington.
BELLIGERENT THREATS
North Korea, which prompted a period of high tension in the region with the nuclear explosion followed by a series of missile tests and belligerent threats, did not send a representative to speak at the Security Council meeting.
Japanese Ambassador Yukio Takasu welcomed the resolution but acknowledged that it did not permit the use of force, even during the inspection of suspicious North Korea cargo.
"The inspections regime on the open seas should be on the basis of cooperation and consent," he said, adding that if a North Korean ship refused inspection, the only recourse was to report it to the Security Council.
During more than two weeks of negotiations on the draft resolution, the United States and Japan had pushed to authorize forced inspections of suspicious air, land and sea cargo. But diplomats said Russia and China had made clear they would veto the resolution unless the inspections were based on consent.
The resolution did speak of a "required inspection" if a ship refuses to be inspected. However, the ship's flag country could then send the vessel to any port it chooses where the local authorities would carry out any cargo inspection.
This, analysts says, weakened the inspection regime.
All financial transactions with North Korea that could contribute to its nuclear or ballistic missile programs will remain banned. The resolution urges, but does not require, states and institutions not to make new grants or loans to North Korea, except for humanitarian or development aid. Continued...
Source: Reuters

Pakistan's Zardari vows to fight Taliban to the end

Anti-Taliban cleric killed
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By Zeeshan Haider
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari said on Saturday the Taliban wanted to take over the country and vowed to fight against militancy "to the end."
Militants have launched a wave of bomb attacks in recent days in response to an army offensive in the Swat region, to the northwest of the capital, Islamabad.
Rising violence has raised fears for Pakistan's stability and for the safety of its nuclear arsenal but the offensive in Swat has reassured the United States about its commitment to the global campaign against militancy.
"We will continue this war to the end," Zardari said in a televised address to the nation broadcast after 1 a.m. (1900 GMT on Friday).
"This war has the support of parliament, the support of the political parties as well as the people of Pakistan," he said.
In the latest bomb attacks, a prominent anti-Taliban cleric who had condemned suicide bombings was killed on Friday in a suicide attack at his office in the city of Lahore. Two other people were killed and 11 wounded.
Also on Friday, four people were killed and more than 20 were wounded when a car bomber attacked a mosque next to an army depot in the northwestern garrison town of Nowshera.
Zardari said the moderate cleric, Sarfraz Naeemi, who was an outspoken critic of suicide attacks, and the other people killed in the bombings were martyrs.
The Taliban claimed to act in the name of Islam but had nothing to do with the religion, he said.
"These people want to capture the institutions of Pakistan by spreading terrorism and by intimidating the people. They have killed thousands of innocent people," said Zardari, the widower of assassinated former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.
The offensive in Swat has broad public support and the bomb attacks appear to be hardening opinion against the militants.
Zardari said the people were behind the armed forces and he announced an increase in pay for soldiers.
Security forces have made progress in more than a month of fighting in Swat and in recent days have been attacking militants in several other parts of the northwest.
Pakistan is a vital ally of the United States as it struggles to stabilize neighboring Afghanistan and defeat al Qaeda.
(Writing by Robert Birsel)

Source: Reuters

Ethiopian troops cross deeper into Somalia: residents

By Abdi Guled
MOGADISHU (Reuters) - Heavily-armed Ethiopian soldiers crossed into central Somalia on Friday and entered a town controlled by a pro-government militia nearly 30 kms (19 miles) from the border, residents said.
"They came with battle wagons and trucks all full of soldiers and guns," said Hassan Abdi, a resident in the town of Balanbale in Galgadud region. "Everybody is very worried."
Residents said the Ethiopian troops were setting up positions in the center of the town.
Ethiopia sent thousands of troops into Somalia in 2006 to help topple an Islamist movement holding Mogadishu and most of the south. That drew protests from some in the Muslim world and enraged the Islamists, who regrouped to launch an insurgency.
The Ethiopian soldiers withdrew in January but residents, insurgents and humanitarian organizations have reported new incursions in the past few months.
Addis Ababa initially denied any soldiers had crossed into Somalia but said earlier this month that military personnel had been carrying out "reconnaissance" missions into its neighbor.
"Ethiopia has no intention to go back into Somalia. That is the standing position of our government," the Ethiopian government's head of information, Bereket Simon, told Reuters on Friday when asked about reports of new incursions.
People living in the southwestern Somali region of Bakool, which is controlled by hardline Islamist rebel group al Shabaab, said Ethiopian troops moved into a village called Washaga on Friday and residents were fleeing.
"I'm now packed up to leave the village, al Shabaab and the Ethiopians are close to each other and on the verge of fighting," said resident Fatima Isaq Madey.
(Additional reporting by Mohamed Ahmed and Ibrahim Mohamed in Mogadishu, Barry Malone in Addis Ababa, Writing by David Clarke)

Source: Reuters