Al-Qaida claims attacks on Iraq jails
Baghdad, July 23
An Al-Qaida front group today claimed brazen assaults on two Iraqi prisons that freed hundreds of militants, including leaders, killed more than 40 persons and threaten to further erode confidence in the government.

London, July 23
Britain was in full celebratory mood today as Prince William's wife Kate Middleton gave birth to a bouncing baby boy — the third in line to the throne — with hundreds thronging the street leading to the hospital hoping to catch the first glimpse of the new royal heir.

Prince Charles and his wife Camilla outside London’s St Mary’s Hospital on Tuesday. — AFP

"We could not be happier," said William, the 31-year-old Duke of Cambridge, in reference to the new prince of Cambridge, whose name is yet to be announced.

The Duchess of Cambridge (31) gave birth to the baby boy, weighing 3.8 kg, yesterday at the private Lindo Wing at St Mary's Hospital in Paddington here.

William and Kate thanked hospital staff for caring the baby, who was "doing well".

"Mother, son and father are all doing well this morning," a spokesman of the Kensington Palace, William and Kate's official residence, said in a statement.

"We would like to thank the staff at the Lindo Wing and the whole hospital for the tremendous care the three of us have received," the Royal couple said in the statement.

"We know it has been a very busy period for the hospital and we would like to thank everyone — staff, patients and visitors — for their understanding during this time."

People continued to celebrate the birth of the boy even as congratulatory messages poured in from across the globe.

The fountain in Trafalgar Square was lit up with blue lighting to mark the birth of the third in line to Britain's throne and "It's a boy" was instantly being flashed on the BT Tower in central London. Queen Elizabeth II was the first to be informed about her newest great-grandson over phone.

Prince Charles, the grandfather of the baby, responded to news of the birth by saying he was "enormously proud and happy" on becoming a grandparent. — PTI

Indian doctor assisted Royal birth

London: There was an Indian connection in the delivery of Britain's new prince, who is third-in-line to the throne. One of the doctors present at the birth of Prince William and wife Kate Middleton's first child was Sunit Godambe, who grew up in Mumbai.

Royal debut: William, Kate give first glimpse of newborn

London, July 23 
The world today got its first glimpse of the baby destined to be Britain's king one day, as Prince William and Kate Middleton posed with their newborn son while leaving hospital for ecstatic Britons to capture the historic moment.

Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, show their newborn to world media outside the Lindo Wing of St Mary's Hospital in London on Tuesday. — AFP

Prince William and Kate Middleton emerged on the steps of St Mary's Hospital in London this evening with their newborn baby boy for the first time. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge gave the world a glimpse of the Prince of Cambridge for the customary royal family portrait amid cheers from the crowd of well-wishers and mediapersons from across the globe who were camped outside the hospital.

The baby raised a tiny hand above his white blankets but remained quiet. "He has a good pair of lungs on him and he's quite heavy. We are still working on a name," said William, taking the little prince from his wife's arms. 

"It's the first time we have seen him really so we are having a proper chance to catch up. He's got her (Kate) looks, thankfully," he added, when asked whom the baby looks like. The 31-year-old Kate said: "It is a very emotional moment, like any new parent would know".

William, 31, dressed casually in a blue shirt, and Kate wearing a light blue polka dotted dress, then took their 26-hour-old baby boy wrapped in a white blanket back into the hospital to secure him into a car seat before stepping out again to be driven away to their home in Kensington Palace. — PTI

A terrorist plot to target Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif at his residence in Lahore has been foiled by Pakistani security agencies with the arrest of eight persons, including four alleged suicide bombers.

The plot to attack Nawaz at his sprawling farmhouse at Raiwind on the outskirts of Lahore was uncovered by a joint investigation team of police and intelligence officials which was probing the abduction of former premier Yousuf Raza Gilani's son Ali Haider during the election campaign in May.

The team traced a North Waziristan-based militant group that was active in Lahore and plotting to target Nawaz with suicide bombers, according to an intelligence report.

During a raid in Multan district to trace Gilani's son, security agencies arrested two suspects who belonged to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan factions led by commanders Matiur Rehman and Muhammad Yasin.

These suspects divulged the plan to attempt a suicide attack on Nawaz at his Raiwind residence. The suspects also revealed the name of Fahim Meo, a resident of Raiwind who was described by officials as a "prime facilitator" of the planned attack.

A team of investigators stayed in Raiwind for a week and arrested Meo. Acting on information provided by him, investigators arrested another suspect identified as Usman alias Saifullah Mehmood Iqbal, also a resident of Raiwind.

Investigators said Usman owned land adjacent to Nawaz's palatial farmhouse and had direct links with Taliban militants based in Bannu and North Waziristan.

The security agencies also arrested a group of four would-be suicide bombers from North Waziristan while they were travelling from Bannu to Lahore.

(With PTI inputs)

Cairo, July 23
At least 10 persons were killed and over 80 others injured in deadly clashes across Egypt between supporters and opponents of ousted President Mohamed Mursi as pressure grew on the country's new leadership to release the Islamist leader.

Clashes broke out yesterday when Mursi supporters en route to the US embassy attacked anti-Mursi protesters near the Tahrir Square. Rocks were exchanged as well as gunshots. One person died and at least 23 were injured during the violence.

Six persons were killed in an area near Cairo University in Giza, while three were killed in Qalioubiya governorate and the Tahrir Square.

From the 86 injured, 12 persons suffered minor injuries and were released from multiple hospitals, while 74 are still being treated, El-Khatib said in an official statement.

The military ousted Mursi (61) on July 3 following days of massive street protests by millions of Egyptians demanding that the Islamist president step down.

His supporters are calling for his reinstatement and insist they won't join the military-backed political process until then.

The clashes late that night saw the use of birdshot, gunfire and molotov cocktails, witnesses said. The police then intervened, firing tear gas to disperse the crowd. The Muslim Brotherhood, the group from which Mursi hails, blamed "thugs" and the police for the deaths.— PTI

Beijing, July 23
The death toll in twin shallow earthquakes in China's north-west Gansu province near Tibet rose to 95 today while rescue workers struggled to reach remote areas to reach victims buried under landslides.

Over 1,000 injured in the earthquakes jolted the juncture area of Minxian and Zhangxian counties in the city of Dingxi yesterday, official media here reported today.

One person remained missing, the Gansu provincial earthquake emergency response centre said. Initial reports said over 51,800 houses collapsed and 2.40 lakh houses severely damaged.

Local governments have relocated over 2.26 lakh people, state-run Xinhua reported.

Over 400 aftershocks rocked the area causing extensive damage.

Reports in the official media said no casualties have been reported in schools so far from the earthquake as all the summer schools were closed for summer vacation.

Thousands of relief workers were sent to clear the debris and rescue as many people as possible in the 42-hour period.— PTI