news without borders9theSun | TUESDAY JUNE 30 2009

 Taliban kill 12

soldiers in ambushWANA (Pakistan): Taliban militants am-bushed a Pakistani military convoy near theAfghan border on Sunday killing 12 soldiers,the army said, as it prepared an assault onPakistan’s Taliban chief.

The military, near the end of an offensivein the northwestern Swat Valley after twomonths of fighting, is set to launch a newdrive in South Waziristan, where PakistaniTaliban chief Baitullah Mehsud is based.

Pakistan’s campaign against the Talibanhas won the praise of close ally the UnitedStates, which needs Pakistan to go after themilitants as it pursues its own strategy todefeat Al Qaeda and stabilise Afghanistan.

The top US commander for the region, GenDavid Petraeus, arrived for talks with Paki-stani leaders, the US embassy said. Media saidhe met army chief Gen Ashfaq Kayani.

The Taliban have responded to the offen-sive with bombings in towns and cities andattacks on the military across the north.

Militants firing rocket-propelled grenades

ambushed the military convoy in NorthWaziristan, another militant stronghold onthe Afghan border, intelligence agency of-ficials said.

Several vehicles were hit and the militarysaid 12 soldiers were killed and 10 wounded.It was the heaviest military toll in an attackfor months.

“An exchange of fire between securityforces and terrorists continued for some time.Ten terrorists were killed,” the military saidin a statement.

The fragile civilian government has thesupport of most political parties and mem-bers of the public for the offensive, but heavyarmy casualties will raise criticism.

As Petraeus arrived unannounced fortalks with a Pakistani leadership he said last month had been “galvanised” by the Talibanthreat, about 10,000 Islamist party support-ers rallied in the city of Karachi calling onAmerica to stop interfering in the country.– Reuters

Europe’s oldestperson dies at 113ROME: The oldest person inEurope, Italian Lucia Lauria, diedon Sunday at the age of 113 inthe village where she was born,news agency Ansa reported.Lauria passed away in Pietrap-ertosa, aged 113, three monthsand 24 days. Lauria is survivedby two children, both aged over80, one who used to spendpart of the year with her and asecond who has emigrated tothe United States. She was con-sidered the oldest living personin continental Europe. – AFP

 

China studentsshun HongkongHONGKONG:The number ofstudents from China applyingto study in Hongkong hasdropped steeply as a result ofthe global economic slump, a

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news report said. Applicationsfrom China for universities in thecity, which has one of the world’shighest costs of living, havefallen by up to half compared to2008, the South China Morning Post said. The private Shue YanUniversity has seen a 50% dropin applications from Chinesestudents while the University ofHongkong reported a 30% fall,the newspaper said. – dpa

Wheelchairgunman shot deadWELLINGTON: A paraplegic gun-man who terrorised a suburbanstreet by firing about 100 shotsat random from his wheelchairwas shot dead by police after athree-hour stand-off, police said yesterday. They said the drama inthe Christchurch suburb of Burn-side began on Sunday night afterShayne Richard Sime, 42, calledhis family, saying he was suicidal.News reports said that Sime hada head injury and was drunk. Apolice officer and a 39-year-oldneighbour were shot during thestand-off. Sime was shot deadafter refusing demands to putdown the shotgun and rifle heused – dpa

Great Train RobberhospitalisedLONDON: Ronnie Biggs, thelegendary Great Train Robberwho surrendered to police in2001 after 36 years on therun, was hospitalised onSunday, days before familymembers hoped he wouldbe released from prison. The79-year-old has broken hiship and is suffering from achest infection, said his sonMichael on Sunday. Biggswas discovered on the floorof his cell in the hospital wingof Norwich prison on Sundaymorning. – dpa

Activists savecats from the potSHANGHAI: Animal activistsin Shanghai rescued 300 catsfrom a dealer who had boughtthe allegedly stolen pets forsale to restaurants in southernChina, state media reported yesterday. The activists, actingon a tip from, found 22 bamboocages full of cats in a freight yard, from where they were tobe shipped to Guangdong, the

 Shanghai Daily reported. – AFP

Search and rescue ...Chinese rescuers search for victims following a train collision at the railway station inChenzhou city, in central China’s Hunan province on Monday. At least three people werekilled and 60 injured when the two passenger trains collided.