Sydney teen critical as party gatecrashed

A teen is in a critical condition in hospital after being stabbed at a party in Sydney's inner west. Source: AAP

IT was meant to be a small gathering of friends for a 14-year-old girl's birthday.

But the get-together at a house in Five Dock, in Sydney's inner west, turned into a violent brawl after gatecrashers showed up.

Now a teenage boy is fighting for his life in hospital after being stabbed several times at the out-of-control party on Friday night.

Another is facing criminal charges.

Police were called to the home on Charles Street and found two injured teenagers in the backyard.

A 17-year-old boy was stabbed in the chest and in his side and is in hospital in a critical but stable condition.

On Saturday a 16-year-old, who also sustained minor head injuries during the brawl, was charged with assault and affray. He was released on bail and is expected to appear at a children's court on June 20.

Another teenager, 17, was allegedly hit in the head with a bottle and was also taken to hospital. He was discharged on Saturday.

It is understood a 14-year-old girl, who was staying at the dual-level brick home with her grandparents, was having friends over for her birthday.

Her grandmother told AAP she allowed the girl to have half a dozen people over but the gathering was gatecrashed.

She said she was coming home from the Blue Mountains when she received a call from her daughter telling her the party had escalated.

"I went straight to Burwood police station," she said on Saturday morning.

It is understood most of the party-goers were from Concord High School.

The granddaughter is now with her father and on her way to Canberra, the woman, who did not want to be named, said.

Burwood police Inspector Michael Penfold said officers faced chaotic scenes when they arrived on Friday night.

He said there was at least one adult home.

Surrounding residents of the usually quiet suburban street heard bottles smashing and people screaming.

Jay Nam looked out her window to see young people on the street yelling at each other.

"Some of the residents came out and tried to get them away from the street," she said.

Next-door neighbour Ed White said the party-goers were about 15 or 16 years old.

"They were really young," he said.

"There was just lights flashing, sirens and cops up and down the street."

Insp Penfold had a warning for parents planning a party for their children.

"One of the main issues is make sure only invited guests attend and adequate security provisions beforehand," he said.

18.16 | 0 komentar | Read More

One dead and six injured in NSW crash

Last updated: May 31, 2014

A MAN is dead and six people, including two children, have been injured in a head-on collision at Coffs Harbour on NSW's north coast.

Russian adventurer reaches Australia

RUSSIAN adventurer Fedor Konyukhov has landed on the Sunshine Coast today after 160 days at sea, rowing solo more than 16,000km across Pacific Ocean.

Driver rams police car head-on

POLICE are hunting a driver who smashed head-on with a police car before driving at it again, forcing the officer to jump out of the way.

Outback search for missing man

A LAND and air search involving police and SES is underway on an outback cattle station after a worker disappeared yesterday.

Woman bashed, robbed by girl gang

POLICE are hunting a gang of teenage girls who bashed and robbed a woman in Townsville yesterday afternoon.

Mum sues State for son's brain injury

THE mother of a boy with severe cerebral palsy is suing the State for $10m, alleging he was brain injured at birth because of a delayed delivery.

Clarko's simple message from hospital bed

'JUST keep the ball rolling.' That was the simple message from ailing Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson to his replacement Brendon Bolton.

Reality shows run with recaps

AN analysis of top rating programs The Voice, House Rules and MasterChef has shown networks are robbing viewers of singing, renovating and cooking in favour of recaps, previews and ads.

', gcseBox = '

'; if (drawLightForm) { gcseBox = '

'; } if (isResultPage) { $(resultsContainer).append(gcseResults); } if (pre) { $(container).prepend(gcseBox).length; } else { $(container).append(gcseBox).length; } // Always load on results page of or light form option it toggled off if (cx && ! drawLightForm || isResultPage) { gcse = document.createElement('script'); gcse.type = 'text/javascript'; gcse.async = true; gcse.src = (document.location.protocol == 'https:' ? 'https:' : 'http:') + '//www.google.com/cse/cse.js?cx=' + cx; s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(gcse, s); } }); })(ndm.jQuery || window.jQuery, ndm.gcse || false); //]]>

18.16 | 0 komentar | Read More

Ash grounds flights to Darwin, Bali

A massive ash cloud from an Indonesian volcano may disrupt aviation in parts of Australia. Source: AAP

DARWIN remains cut off to all air services until Sunday, and flights from Australia to Bali are now affected, as three separate ash plumes billow from an Indonesian volcano.

The Sangeang Api volcano off the Indonesian island of Sumbawa is now erupting continuously after an initial blast on Friday afternoon, the Bureau of Meteorology's Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre in Darwin said on Friday.

Darwin International Airport was closed to all inbound and outbound flights on Saturday, while Bali's airspace is now also affected.

The major plume affecting Australian aviation is sweeping southeast over the west side of the Northern Territory as far south as Alice Springs.

The plume that is affecting Darwin would be around for the next 18 hours to 24 hours, said Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre assistant manager Cyndee Seals.

"It is starting to pull more westerly and it may move a little bit more to the north," she told AAP.

"We can see it right down to the Kimberley."

A second plume, hovering north of Darwin between 9.5km and 16km in the air, may cause problems for flights between Australia and Malaysia and Singapore..

A third, lower-level plume is drifting west from the volcano and is within 100km of Bali.

"The volcano is still erupting as it has done for most of the day, but not as violently as initially erupted but there is a steady plume," VAAC spokesman Tim Birch said.

Virgin Australia spokeswoman Jacqui Abbott confirmed two Saturday afternoon flights to Denpasar - one from Adelaide and on from Melbourne - have now been cancelled.

Qantas Group spokeswoman Kira Reed said Jetstar has cancelled an Adelaide-Denpasar flight that went via Darwin, and all its services to and from Darwin remain grounded.

Earlier, Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss said it may be days before flights through northern Australia return to normal.

"Depending on wind and other weather conditions, the ash has the potential to affect flights to and from other airports, including Brisbane, during coming days. This is currently being fully assessed," he said.

"Passengers are advised to check with their airlines for further information."

Airservices Australia has begun diverting international flights around the ash cloud.

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority says volcanic ash can affect all aircraft with piston or jet engines at all flight levels.

Fine particles of pulverised rock consisting mainly of silica contained in volcanic ash clouds can be highly abrasive and damage aircraft engines, structures and windows.

18.16 | 0 komentar | Read More

Vic agencies unprepared for scale of fire

A VICTORIAN coalmine fire was so big it took agencies responsible for firefighters' health time to adjust to the scale of their task, the state's fire chief says.

Fire Service Commissioner Craig Lapsley has dubbed health monitoring at the Hazelwood mine fire a success but said the response would have to be better at future fires.

The monitoring system was based on previous, smaller fires and agencies improved over the 45 days the fire burned, Mr Lapsley said.

"We had to be agile in the way that we did it," Mr Lapsley told an inquiry into the blaze on Friday.

"The system of work needs to be embedded to ensure that we can deal with not only 30 or 40 firefighters, but the shifts of 200, 300, 400 if it was to happen again."

Fourteen firefighters were hospitalised with carbon monoxide poisoning while battling the blaze.

The inquiry heard the monitoring project was the largest of its kind in the world, with 7000 people being assessed for the effects of carbon monoxide poisoning and 23 WorkCover claims filed.

"I'd say (it was) a very successful operation," Mr Lapsley said.

The inquiry heard the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning at mine fires was known following a 2006 fire, but when the blaze started on February 9 the Country Fire Authority was yet to implement a 2010 draft operating procedure.

Mr Lapsley said it should have been signed off and published earlier.

He was also pressed on why firefighters were not given breathing apparatuses after it was agreed they should be compulsory when entering the mine.

Mr Lapsley said protocols were set around the use of breathing apparatuses in consultation with firefighters who did their own "dynamic risk assessment".

"It was found to be totally impractical to actually wear a breathing apparatus all the time," Mr Lapsley said.

He was also questioned on the possibility of the fire starting within the mine, which he said he could not rule out but was unlikely.

"The probability of having a fire start within the mine from some vehicle movement, mechanical device or other things, you couldn't actually take away," Mr Lapsley said, adding there was no evidence of fires starting from any way other than ember attacks.

18.16 | 0 komentar | Read More

Teacher acquitted of SA woman's murder

Last updated: May 30, 2014

A TEACHER has been found not guilty of the 1991 murder of a young mother who was bashed so severely that no blood was left in her dumped body.

State schools a turn-off: Garrett

Tanya Chilcott AUSTRALIA'S former Education Minister says public schools are a residual system that turns off middle-class parents worried their children might suffer in it.

The bitter battle threatening a whole industry

THE increasingly bitter war between Amazon and a major publisher has embroiled the likes of JK Rowling and is threatening to up-end the industry.

Shocking sledge against Socceroos

A CHILEAN video says Holland and Spain will be "hard" opponents in the upcoming World Cup. What it says about Australia is nowhere near as nice.

More Aussie shows for 1D fans

AFTER demand for tickets exploded during the pre-sale, boy band One Direction has add extra shows in Australia.

', gcseBox = '

'; if (drawLightForm) { gcseBox = '

'; } if (isResultPage) { $(resultsContainer).append(gcseResults); } if (pre) { $(container).prepend(gcseBox).length; } else { $(container).append(gcseBox).length; } // Always load on results page of or light form option it toggled off if (cx && ! drawLightForm || isResultPage) { gcse = document.createElement('script'); gcse.type = 'text/javascript'; gcse.async = true; gcse.src = (document.location.protocol == 'https:' ? 'https:' : 'http:') + '//www.google.com/cse/cse.js?cx=' + cx; s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(gcse, s); } }); })(ndm.jQuery || window.jQuery, ndm.gcse || false); //]]>

18.16 | 0 komentar | Read More

Sydney ferry staff take industrial action

Sydney ferry workers will not collect ferry tickets as part of industrial action across the weekend. Source: AAP

SYDNEY ferry workers have decided to take industrial action this weekend but it will hurt the NSW government rather than ferrygoers.

The Maritime Union of Australia has told its workers not to collect ferry tickets after 6pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the latest salvo in a wages dispute with Harbour City Ferries.

"The workers will still be there to get people on and off the boat," said MUA Sydney assistant secretary Paul Garrett with massive crowds expected in the city for the popular Vivid Festival this weekend.

"We want Harbour City to come and make fair proposals."

Mr Garrett said workers were being asked to take a pay rise that was below inflation while some were being offered work at $500 per week less than before.

Transport Minister Gladys Berejiklian said she was dismayed by the decision which followed months of negotiations between Harbour City and the unions.

"I am disappointed that both the Maritime Union of Australia and the Australian Institute of Marine and Power Engineers have chosen to take industrial action this weekend, during the popular Vivid Festival," she said in a statement.

"I'm dismayed that the unions would choose to sabotage the Vivid Festival and disrupt the journeys of so many people, including families."

Harbour City Ferries chief executive Steffen Faurby said his organisation would try to minimise disruptions.

"We will continue negotiations, but our main priority is making sure our customers are not inconvenienced," he said.

Mr Faurby said extra services were being run during Vivid.

18.16 | 0 komentar | Read More

NBN chief denies role in US disaster

THE executive appointed to run the national broadband network will "vigorously defend" the actions he took while boss of an American gas company before two of its pipelines exploded and killed nine people.

Bill Morrow was appointed as chief executive of NBN Co by the Abbott government in December after stints at major overseas infrastructure companies.

One was at Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) in the US, where he was chief operating officer in 2006 and chief executive a year later, before leaving in August 2008.

Four months later, a man was killed and five others were injured in Rancho Cordova after a PG&E pipeline explosion was triggered by a teenager lighting a cigarette.

Two years after that, another pipeline exploded in San Bruno, killing eight people, injuring 58 and destroying 38 homes.

Investigations found safety faults with both pipelines. Hundreds of millions of dollars in fines, compensation and restitution have been paid by the company.

Mr Morrow is named in an unsettled consolidated shareholder lawsuit along with 21 other PG&E executives. The company stands accused of putting profits and bonuses before safety.

The suit was filed by PG&E shareholders, who are seeking the return of "lucrative executive compensation packages allegedly approved by senior management at the same time safety budgets were being slashed".

Mr Morrow told a Senate estimates hearing into NBN Co on Thursday he would "continue to vigorously defend the proceedings".

"When the legal process runs its course, it will confirm that my fellow directors, officers and I acted with care, in good faith, and in the best interests of PG&E at all times," he said.

Mr Morrow brought up the issue with the board of NBN Co and the government before his appointment.

He said parties named in the suit included almost every person who was a director or senior officer at PG&E between 1995 and 2013.

"As the matters are still before the US courts, I am unable to comment any further, other than to make one final important point.

"I regard safety as paramount."

Labor senator Stephen Conroy spent the next hour unsuccessfully attempting to extract more information from Mr Morrow.

Committee chairman and Nationals senator John Williams ruled Mr Morrow could decline to comment further because parliamentary privilege would not extend to US courts.

18.16 | 0 komentar | Read More

State Of Origin tops 2.4 million viewers

More than 2.4 million viewers tuned in to watch Wednesday's State of Origin opener. Source: AAP

NSW'S State Of Origin victory over Queensland was watched by more than 2.4 million viewers, with about half of the audience living in Sydney.

Game one of the series filled the first three spots on OzTAM's overnight ratings because the Nine Network breaks down the coverage into three segments.

The match (2.487 million) was number one in the ratings followed by the pre-match coverage (1.714 million) and the post-game segment (1.348 million) was third.

Of the 2.487 million viewers who tuned in to watch the Blues win at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium, 1.288 million lived in Sydney.

There were 747,000 viewers in Brisbane, 426,000 in Melbourne and 86,000 in Adelaide. The game was not screened in Perth.

It was a solid ratings figure for State Of Origin, but well short of the record.

Nine says Game Three in 2012, watched by 2.626 million viewers, was the biggest audience ever for a State of Origin match since official ratings began.

State Of Origin's dominance in the ratings took its toll on a few shows.

Network Ten's reality cooking series MasterChef and its quality drama Offspring were shunted out of the top 10.

MasterChef was 11th with 779,000 viewers and Offspring was a spot further back with 766,000 viewers.

18.16 | 0 komentar | Read More

HK man charged over undeclared $A300,000

Last updated: May 28, 2014

A HONG Kong national has been charged after attempting to leave Australia with $300,000 in undeclared cash he had stashed in his luggage.

', gcseBox = '

'; if (drawLightForm) { gcseBox = '

'; } if (isResultPage) { $(resultsContainer).append(gcseResults); } if (pre) { $(container).prepend(gcseBox).length; } else { $(container).append(gcseBox).length; } // Always load on results page of or light form option it toggled off if (cx && ! drawLightForm || isResultPage) { gcse = document.createElement('script'); gcse.type = 'text/javascript'; gcse.async = true; gcse.src = (document.location.protocol == 'https:' ? 'https:' : 'http:') + '//www.google.com/cse/cse.js?cx=' + cx; s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(gcse, s); } }); })(ndm.jQuery || window.jQuery, ndm.gcse || false); //]]>

18.16 | 0 komentar | Read More

Ice addict thief spared extra jail time

A HOMELESS ice addict who went on a $20,000 spending spree across Sydney using credit cards stolen from mailboxes has been spared extra time in prison.

Kayla Hemmings, 25, received a minimum sentence of 18 months at the NSW District Court on Tuesday for deliberately lighting a fire at the historic Sydney pub, the Lansdowne Hotel, which caused $2 million damage.

Magistrate Eve Wynhausen said she took Tuesday's punishment into account at Central Local Court on Wednesday when she sentenced Hemmings to concurrent sentences, the longest a nine-month jail term, for a string of offences including credit card theft.

Ms Wynhausen said Hemmings had shown remorse for the two-week spending binge in October 2013, which was funded by bank cards stolen from mailboxes on Sydney's north shore.

By the time Hemmings was charged on October 31, 2013, her spending included 48 separate transactions on a credit card totalling just under $5000 and using a David Jones store card to buy two Apple Mac Pro laptops worth more than $5000.

Hemmings' counsel, Mary Underwood, told the court at her sentencing on Wednesday that her client had been using the drug ice at the time and under the influence of her boyfriend.

"I am not excusing her actions, but she did not have a serious criminal record ... until she was in a relationship with someone that amplified this behaviour," Ms Underwood said.

The lawyer said Hemmings was introduced to amphetamines as a teenager by her mother.

"Unfortunately, she's had a number of converging events," Ms Underwood said.

"There's been abuse, physical and sexual, she got pregnant and was abandoned, she was introduced to ice and got mixed up with domestic violence."

Ms Wynhausen said Hemmings' offending had cost the community tens of thousands of dollars.

"I hope that once she is released from custody, she gets her life in order," she said.

18.16 | 0 komentar | Read More

Row over green reforms derails debate

A STRAIGHTFORWARD proposal to change the way fees are managed under national environment law has been sidetracked by a lengthy debate about the Abbott government's green credentials.

The non-controversial bill allows for cost recovery for environmental impact assessments, and on Wednesday cleared the first hurdle of parliament with bipartisan support.

But Labor's environment spokesman Mark Butler used the occasion to move an amendment condemning the government's plan to create a "one-stop-shop" for environmental approvals.

"In eight short months... this government has shown itself to have scant regard indeed for its responsibilities to protect and nurture Australia's environment," Mr Butler told the chamber.

Critics claim the proposal will erode environmental protections by handing federal powers to the states but the government argues it will deliver faster approvals and reduce regulatory duplication.

The amendment failed, and Environment Minister Greg Hunt pushed the bill through in a vote.

He said almost all state governments - Liberal and Labor - strongly supported the reforms on the table.

"The only people opposed to this reform are the current members of the federal opposition," he said.

18.16 | 0 komentar | Read More

Letter bid to block Vic child abuse bill

Last updated: May 26, 2014

ANTI-VIOLENCE groups want three Nationals MPs to block new Victorian laws that they fear will turn women who fail to report child sexual abuse into criminals.

Car crashes into tourists at Noosa

TWO German tourists are in hospital after they were hit by an out-of-control car in Noosa.

Is the floating body Jamie Gao?

FISHERMEN heading out to sea off the coast of Cronulla this morning were horrified to come across a blue object police later confirmed to be a dead body wrapped in a tarpaulin. WARNING: Graphic images

Cyclist hitches ride with bus in stupid stunt

THIS 15-year-old school boy riding a bike hitched a ride on the back of a bus prompting a warning from police about the stupidity of such actions.

Rolf gears-up for solo court show

ROLF Harris will launch his defence tonight in an attempt to rebuild his reputation after more than two weeks of indecent assault court hearings.

Unwanted Aussies dying in India

UNWANTED, unemployed, running amok ... then ending up as roadkill. Aussie expats are in trouble overseas — and they can't fly home.

', gcseBox = '

'; if (drawLightForm) { gcseBox = '

'; } if (isResultPage) { $(resultsContainer).append(gcseResults); } if (pre) { $(container).prepend(gcseBox).length; } else { $(container).append(gcseBox).length; } // Always load on results page of or light form option it toggled off if (cx && ! drawLightForm || isResultPage) { gcse = document.createElement('script'); gcse.type = 'text/javascript'; gcse.async = true; gcse.src = (document.location.protocol == 'https:' ? 'https:' : 'http:') + '//www.google.com/cse/cse.js?cx=' + cx; s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(gcse, s); } }); })(ndm.jQuery || window.jQuery, ndm.gcse || false); //]]>

18.16 | 0 komentar | Read More

Speaker stands by fundraising event

Speaker Bronwyn Bishop must explain what took place in her suite on budget night, says Labor. Source: AAP

SPEAKER Bronwyn Bishop has refused to reveal details of how her parliamentary office was used for a Liberal Party fundraising event.

Labor says a $2500 a head budget night function in the Speaker's Parliament House office - revealed in weekend newspaper reports and not denied by Ms Bishop - is unprecedented and breaches the independence of the role.

Ms Bishop told parliament on Monday that all members of parliament were entitled to use their suites "for their own purposes, but not for illegal purposes".

The opposition asked her to reflect on her ruling, but she stood by her statement.

Now Labor has written to the privileges committee asking for an investigation.

A motion asking the House to refer the same was voted down.

"This is a motion about smear and innuendo directed at the speaker's office," Leader of the House Christopher Pyne said, noting political fundraising events were held in Parliament House all the time.

As long as the costs were covered privately or by a political party there was no breach of the rules, he said.

Opposition frontbencher Tony Burke said the speaker's suite was a special case and the fundraiser represented "improper interference" in the independence of the office.

"This is not an ordinary venue," he told parliament.

"Your job is not owned by the Liberal Party."

Prime Minister Tony Abbott, who is understood to have attended the fundraiser, told parliament Labor was looking for distractions from its lack of policy.

"They worry about what might be in what room at what time in this parliament," he said.

Taking aim at Labor leader Bill Shorten the prime minister said: "Really and truly, this man is no Bob Hawke - he is no leader."

Labor has been critical of Ms Bishop's appointment from an early stage, especially in her handling of question time and biased language.

She has suspended 101 opposition MPs from parliament, but none from the government.

That image was reinforced when Ms Bishop said, after Mr Burke finished his speech: "I find it a bit rough to be lectured on morality from you."

Earlier, the secretary of the Department of Parliamentary Services, Carol Mills, told a Senate estimates hearing she was unaware of any rule preventing such a use of the speaker's suite.

"It is up to the speaker, president or the other holders of special suites to decide how to use them," she said.

Greens senator Lee Rhiannon asked for a list of events held in Parliament House over the past three years to ascertain how many were party fundraisers.

Two previous speakers, Anna Burke and Harry Jenkins, have said they never used the suite for political fundraising events.

18.16 | 0 komentar | Read More

Man, 21, burned in Sydney gas fireball

A GAS-FUELLED fireball in a busy northern Sydney shopping plaza has left a man with serious burns.

The 21-year-old was rushed to Sydney's Royal North Shore Hospital with burns to his lower body after a gas main caught alight about 1pm (AEST) on Monday at the front of a shop in Lane Cove.

He was reported to be in a stable condition.

The local primary school was locked down and about 150 people were moved to safety as firefighters monitored the fire.

They decided not to put the fire out, opting instead to ask the gas company to shut the gas down - which it did an hour later.

"It's actually safer to allow the gas to burn," Superintendent Ian Krimmer told AAP.

"If you put the fire out, you create a bigger problem because the gas leak could go to other areas and cause explosions in other locations."

As the gas was being shut off, six fire crews were protecting buildings, while police kept Longueville Road closed to all traffic.

18.16 | 0 komentar | Read More

Belgians vote, brace for new stalemate

Last updated: May 25, 2014

BELGIANS are casting their vote Sunday for a new national parliament, amid fears that a fresh political stalemate may be in the making for the fissured country.

Smith reveals why he rejected Broncos

MAROONS skipper Cameron Smith has confirmed he held talks with the Broncos last year which could have seen him finish his career at Red Hill.

Tim Mathieson's attack on PM's wife

EXCLUSIVE: FORMER "first bloke" Tim Mathieson has launched an extraordinary attack on Prime Minister Tony Abbott's wife Margie, saying she is not doing enough charity work.

Lost in a remote Stone Age tribe

"SHE'S a naked jungle woman who eats tarantulas!" A man has revealed his mother is actually a member of the Yanomami tribe of Venezuela. This is her life.

Death threat as anti-vaxxer set to speak

SECURITY beefed up at a Sunshine Coast event where a prominent anti-vaccination campaigner will this afternoon question whether shots save lives.

Angelina's secret Aussie sleepover

EXCLUSIVE: WE all know Maleficent star Angelina Jolie lived in Australia this year, but you won't believe where she spent three nights.

Renewed Raiders lift for Sticky

WEARING yellow jerseys and with Josh McCrone restored to the starting line-up the Raiders had a new look against the Cowboys, and it worked.

7 most ridiculous luxury products

IF you've got far too much money and barely any common sense, these absurdly expensive and pretentious household items are just for you.

', gcseBox = '

'; if (drawLightForm) { gcseBox = '

'; } if (isResultPage) { $(resultsContainer).append(gcseResults); } if (pre) { $(container).prepend(gcseBox).length; } else { $(container).append(gcseBox).length; } // Always load on results page of or light form option it toggled off if (cx && ! drawLightForm || isResultPage) { gcse = document.createElement('script'); gcse.type = 'text/javascript'; gcse.async = true; gcse.src = (document.location.protocol == 'https:' ? 'https:' : 'http:') + '//www.google.com/cse/cse.js?cx=' + cx; s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(gcse, s); } }); })(ndm.jQuery || window.jQuery, ndm.gcse || false); //]]>

18.16 | 0 komentar | Read More

Taliban frees 24 Afghan hostages

TALIBAN militants have released 24 hostages who were seized in northeastern Afghanistan last week, an official says.

Taliban fighters captured Yamgan, a remote mountainous district in Badakhshan province on Wednesday, and took 40 policemen hostage.

Police recaptured the area on Friday.

"Tribal elders negotiated with Taliban and freed 24 hostages, most of who are policemen, but held three senior ranked officials," said Nawid Frotan, the governor spokesman for Badakhshan province.

Earlier, Fazluddin Ayyar, the provincial police chief said that 15 policemen were freed in Friday's operation.

Frotan said that the three senior ranked officials were a district police chief, a district prison chief and a member of the secret service.

The Taliban have launched their spring offensive, targeting Afghan and NATO troops, and government employees.

18.16 | 0 komentar | Read More

Gunmen kill 6 police officers in Pakistan

GUNMEN have stormed a tribal police post in southwestern Pakistan, killing six police officers and wounding three, authorities say.

The attack took place in Wadh area of Baluchistan province's Khuzdar district, where insurgents have launched previous attacks, said Baroz Khan, a senior government official.

Officers manning the post returned fire and pushed the gunmen back toward nearby mountains, Khan said. Reinforcements from the paramilitary Frontier Corps later reached the post, some 300 kilometres south of Quetta, the provincial capital, he said.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but suspicion immediately fell on Baluch nationalist groups who have claimed responsibility for such attacks in the past.

For over a decade, Baluchistan has been the scene of a low-intensity insurgency by some nationalist groups demanding autonomy or a greater share from mineral and gas resources being extracted from the impoverished province. It is also believed to be home to many Afghan Taliban members.

Residents say a crackdown has sparked disappearances in Baluchistan blamed on security forces. They say the disappearances swelled in the mid-2000s, when Gen. Pervez Musharraf's government cracked down on insurgents there.

Two years ago, the Voice for Baluch Missing Persons organisation handed the United Nations a list of 12,000 names they said belonged to people missing in the conflict.

18.16 | 0 komentar | Read More