UPI NewsTrack TopNews

Clinton praises Pakistan military action

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Oct. 28 (UPI) -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who arrived in Islamabad Wednesday, praised the Pakistani military's counterinsurgency offensive in South Waziristan.

In interviews with Pakistani television networks aired after her arrival, Clinton said the operation against extremist militants "appears to be a very well-planned and implemented effort to go after those who threaten Pakistan."

"We believe that what the Pakistanis are doing in standing up to extremism in Pakistan is in our national security interest," CNN quoted her as saying.

"I think it's important for Americans and others to recognize the high price the Pakistanis are paying," she added.

U.N. guesthouse attacked, several killed

KABUL, Afghanistan, Oct. 28 (UPI) -- Afghan militants Wednesday attacked a United Nations guesthouse in Kabul, killing and wounding several U.N. employees, authorities said.

The New York Times, quoting a U.N. spokesman and an Afghan rescue official, said five people were killed including three U.N. staff members. A German staff member was rescued from the guesthouse.

The U.S. Embassy quoted Afghan authorities as saying five of the attackers were killed.

Daniel McNorton, another U.N. spokesman, told the Times the attack occurred at the Bakhtar guesthouse in an upscale area of the capital where other such facilities and embassies also are located.

The gunfire lasted for a long time and much smoke was seen rising from the area, the report said.

The attack comes days ahead of the Nov. 7 presidential runoff election which the Taliban has vowed to disrupt.

The BBC quoted the United Nations saying at least six people died and nine more were wounded in the attack. The militants began firing after entering the building in the morning, the BBC reported.

U.N. spokesman Aleem Siddique told the British broadcaster there was gunfire and an explosion outside the building, as employees tried to flee. Hours later, Afghan authorities announced security forces were in control of the building.

Eight U.S. soldiers died during fighting in southern Afghanistan Tuesday.

Indirect Mideast talks may have to do

JERUSALEM, Oct. 28 (UPI) -- Some within the Obama administration are saying indirect Mideast peace negotiations may have to suffice, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported Wednesday.

The newspaper, without naming its sources, said voices inside the White House are advocating indirect negotiations for now to advance the peace process between Israelis and Palestinians after efforts by U.S. special envoy George Mitchell have failed to narrow the gap between the two sides.

Haaretz said U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who is due to arrive in Israel Saturday for her first visit since Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu was sworn in, is set to take a more direct role in the Mideast diplomatic process. Mitchell is to arrive in Israel Thursday to prepare for Clinton's visit.

Officials told the newspaper that Clinton is expected to meet Netanyahu, Defense Minister Ehud Barak and President Shimon Peres on Sunday. Before that, she is to meet with Arab foreign ministers in Morocco.

Netanyahu's office, meanwhile, said the prime minister will travel to Washington to address the United Jewish Communities General Assembly, which meets Nov. 8-10, and is expected to confer with President Barack Obama during the trip.

Czech delay on Lisbon creates uncertainty

BRUSSELS, Oct. 28 (UPI) -- A decision by the Czech constitutional court on the legality of the Lisbon Treaty won't come until after this week's EU summit, officials said.

That means final decisions by EU leaders on divvying up the new posts created under the treaty are unlikely to be made at the Brussels meeting, the EUobserver reported Wednesday.

The Czech court said it won't issue a decision on a legal challenge against the treaty brought by 17 conservative senators until it reconvenes Nov. 3, a move leaving Thursday's EU summit awash in uncertainty about when, and if, the body will be able to make the changes called for by Lisbon, the publication said.

The Czech Republic must approve the treaty for it to take effect. It calls for the creation of new EU president and foreign minister posts and sets out the future of the European Commission, which will see its current mandate expire Saturday.

"We cannot begin the consultations (on the names) until we have legal clarity," Swedish Europe minister Cecilia Malmstrom told reporters. "If we obtain legal clarity, then there is time for consultations and a first debate."

Sanford impeachment effort stalls

COLUMBIA, S.C., Oct. 28 (UPI) -- The South Carolina House speaker blocked an impeachment effort against Republican Gov. Mark Sanford after Democrats voiced concern about the statehouse mood.

Speaker Bobby Harrell said his refusal to allow the resolution to be introduced during Tuesday's special session only postpones it for about three weeks, when the pre-filing period begins for bill to be considered when the Legislature meets in January, the Greenville News reported Wednesday.

The resolution alleges Sanford's actions constituted a "dereliction of duty" when he left the state in June on a five-day trip to Argentina to meet his lover.

Harrell said he ruled to block the resolution of Rep. Greg Delleney, a Republican, because research indicated an impeachment resolution couldn't be introduced during a special session after the regular session adjourned.

Delleney said his resolution eventually will be assigned to a committee, where work can begin on the case against the governor when the Legislature returns in January.

The two Democrats who objected to the resolution being introduced Tuesday said they were protecting the reputation of the House.

"What I don't want us to do is to create a kangaroo court, inadvertently, arbitrarily or whatever because of some deep-seated feelings about the governor and his actions," Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter said.

Canadian hiker killed by coyotes

CHETICAMP, Nova Scotia, Oct. 28 (UPI) -- A 19-year-old Toronto woman died early Wednesday hours after being mauled by two coyotes in a Nova Scotia national park, police said.

The unidentified woman was hiking in Cape Breton Highlands National Park when the attack occurred around 3:15 pm Tuesday, the Cape Breton Post reported.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said other hikers shooed the coyotes off the woman but they remained close by. An RCMP officer shot one of the animals, but it crawled into the brush as the other coyote fled.

The woman was taken to a hospital with major injuries and then airlifted to a Halifax hospital, where she died overnight, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. said.

A search was continuing Wednesday for the body of the coyote that was shot.

Biologist Don Anderson with the Department of Natural Resources told the Post coyote attacks on humans are rare unless the animal is diseased or has lost its fear of humans because of too much contact or being fed.