Pakistan targets Taliban holdouts
PARACHINAR, Pakistan, June 12 (UPI) -- Government air strikes killed at least 10 Pakistani Taliban holdouts Saturday in a tribal area, a local official said.
The strikes took place in Orakzai, a region where the government declared victory over the Taliban last week, Dawn reported. Members of the Taliban dug in there after fleeing from Waziristan to avoid an offensive that began last year.
The push against the Taliban in Orakzai began in mid-March.
Samiullah Khan, a local administrator, said fighter jets bombed several remaining strongholds. He said 10 militants were killed and several more injured.
Tehran protests mark election anniversary
TEHRAN, June 12 (UPI) -- Protesters turned out in Tehran to mark the first anniversary of Iran's disputed election, ignoring a government ban on demonstrations.
Opposition leaders, fearing a violent response, had called off demonstrations, The Washington Post reported. But protesters were visible along Revolution Street, along with a heavy police presence.
"There were so many plainclothes officers, that we didn't know who was with us or who against us," one protester told the Post. "But people were not afraid at all, which must be worrying for the government."
The demonstrations, the first in four months, were smaller than those a year ago. They began Friday night with a religious act that has become a sign of defiance in Tehran, going to the roof and chanting "God is great" in Arabic.
Posts on blogs and on YouTube reported some violence, especially at universities.
Last year's demonstrations began after President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was declared the official winner of the disputed presidential election. The pattern of votes was suspicious, with election officials reporting decisive margins for Ahmadinejad even in parts of the country where his principal opponent, Mir Hossein Mousavi, was popular.
Arroyo pats her own back as her term ends
MANILA, Philippines, June 12 (UPI) -- Gloria Arroyo said Saturday she is handing over a "new Philippines" to her successor as she celebrated Independence Day for the last time as president.
A parade in Manila included 11 floats celebrating Arroyo's achievements as president, The Manila Times reported.
"We will leave a legacy of hard work, a strong and stable economy and renewed global engagement, major investments in healthcare, education and physical infrastructure," she said. "I know much work remains to be done, but I am determined to turn over to a new government a new Philippines, one that is ready for the challenges of bringing the nation to the verge of first world in 20 years.'
Her successor, Benigno S. Aquino III, takes a somewhat darker view of the country's condition. Aquino, son of former President Corazon Aquino and her assassinated husband, is to be inaugurated June 30. He points to a $95.8 billion budget deficit and other problems.
Indian Ocean quake registers 7.5
CHENNAI, India, June 13 (UPI) -- An earthquake registering a magnitude of 7.5 rumbled in the Indian Ocean off India's Nicobar Islands Sunday, a U.S. monitoring agency said.
The U.S. Geological Survey reported the temblor occurred about 95 miles west of the islands' city of Mohean and 710 miles southwest of Bangkok shortly before 1:30 a.m. local time.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued, then called off, a tsunami warning for the region.
The Chinese news agency Xinhua reported the Malaysian Meteorological Department issued a tsunami advisory for the northern peninsula of the Malaysia region, but the quake-generated wave was forecast to be only 0.1 meter high when it arrived at coastal areas by 7 a.m. Sunday.
The Press Trust of India reported moderate tremors lasting just a few seconds were felt in parts of Chennai, India, for a few seconds. Police said no casualties or property damage were reported, though the quake did cause people to rush from their homes in several cities.
