Prime minister’s ouster urged
Holding candles overhead and kneeling to pay their respects, tens of thousands of protesters Saturday called on Thailand’s revered king to end a political crisis by replacing Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
“The crisis has reached an impasse,” Sondhi Limthongkul, a key leader in the anti-Thaksin alliance, told the crowd. “We, the king’s subjects, see no other way out in resolving the crisis without causing bloodshed.”
Thaksin’s opponents, who accuse him of widespread corruption and abuse of power, have held almost daily street protests in recent weeks, at times attracting as many as 100,000 demonstrators.
Ramallah, West Bank
Abbas challenges Hamas leaders
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas issued a thinly veiled threat Saturday to bring down Hamas’ new government if it does not change its violent ways.
The tough talk came just two days before designated Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh is to present his proposed Cabinet to parliament for approval and three days before the Israelis are to hold elections.
Western powers, while reluctant to create a humanitarian crisis, have threatened to cut hundreds of millions of dollars of aid if Hamas does not recognize Israel, renounce violence and accept past peace agreements between Israel and the Palestinians.
Abbas, who would like to negotiate a final peace deal with Israel, expressed his dissatisfaction with Hamas’ political program in a letter to Haniyeh.
Quetta, Pakistan
Pakistan attacks yield 57 arrests
Police said Saturday they had arrested 57 tribesmen in connection with a string of bomb and rocket attacks in southwest Pakistan that killed more than 250 people in just over a year.
The arrests began Friday and the suspects were being held for questioning, senior police investigator Mujeebur Rahman told reporters in Quetta, the capital of insurgency-wracked Baluchistan province.
Rahman said most of the detainees belonged to the Marri and Bugti tribes, whose top leaders have been accused by authorities of targeting security forces, government officials and key gas installations to press their demands for more royalties on resources extracted in their territories.