700 migrants feared drowned in Mediterranean
Geneva, September 15
More than 700 people fleeing Africa and the Middle East may have drowned in the latest shipwrecks in the Mediterranean, bringing the death toll this year to almost 3,000, the International Organisation for Migration said on Monday.

Paris, September 15
World powers backed military measures on Monday to help defeat Islamic State fighters in Iraq, boosting Washington's efforts to set up a coalition, but made no mention of the tougher diplomatic challenge next door in Syria.

France sent fighter jets on a reconnaissance mission over Iraq, a step closer to becoming the first ally to join the United States in new bombing there since President Barack Obama declared his plans to establish a broad coalition last week.

Paris also hosted an international conference, attended by the five UN Security Council permanent members, European and Arab states, and representatives of the EU, Arab League and United Nations. All pledged to help the government in Baghdad fight against Islamic State militants.

But a statement after Monday's conference made no mention at all of Syria, the other country where Islamic State fighters hold a wide swathe of territory. Iraq attended Monday's meeting but Syria did not, nor did its main regional ally, Iran.

Obama pledged last week to establish a coalition to defeat Islamic State fighters in both Iraq and Syria, plunging the United States into two separate civil wars in which nearly every country in the Middle East has a stake.

"All participants underscored the urgent need to remove Daesh from the regions in which it has established itself in Iraq," said a statement after Monday's talks, using an Arabic acronym for the group which now calls itself Islamic State.

"To that end, they committed to supporting the new Iraqi Government in its fight against Daesh, by any means necessary, including appropriate military assistance...." it said.

Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said French aircraft would begin reconnaissance flights over Iraq. A French official said two Rafale fighter jets and a refuelling aircraft had taken off on Monday for Iraq.

"The throat-slitters of Daesh - that's what I'm calling them - tell the whole world 'Either you're with us or we kill you'.

And when one is faced with such a group there is no other attitude than to defend yourself," Fabius told a news conference at the end of the talks.

Iraqi President Fouad Massoum told Monday's conference he hoped the Paris meeting would bring a "quick response". "Islamic State's doctrine is either you support us or kill us". It has committed massacres and genocidal crimes and ethnic purification," he told delegates. — Reuters

The District and Sessions Judge, Islamabad, has ordered registration of an FIR "in accordance with law" against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Interior Minister Nisar Ali Khan Chaudhry on a complaint by the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAC).

The PAC had sought registration of the case on charge of murder of its six workers during clash with the police last month while advancing towards the Prime Minister's house and Parliament.

Geneva, September 15
More than 700 people fleeing Africa and the Middle East may have drowned in the latest shipwrecks in the Mediterranean, bringing the death toll this year to almost 3,000, the International Organisation for Migration said on Monday.

In the worst incident, as many as 500 migrants are believed to have died after traffickers rammed their ship off Malta's coast last week, an event that only came to light this weekend in testimony from two of the nine survivors.

The survivors said the traffickers ordered the migrants to change vessels in the middle of the Mediterranean. The migrants refused, leading to a confrontation that ended when traffickers rammed the ship carrying the migrants, IOM spokeswoman Christiane Berthiaume told Reuters in Geneva.

"Some 500 people were on board - Syrians, Palestinians, Egyptians and Sudanese. They were trying to reach Europe," Berthiaume said. "That means that 700 people perished at sea these last days in the Mediterranean, the deadliest incidents in the space of a few days," she said.

The vessel had set off on Saturday, September 6 from Damiette, Egypt, and sank off Malta's coast on Sept 10th, she said. The UN refugee agency also learned of the shipwreck, but said its information was the wreck occurred on Friday.

"In all, nine people survived and were picked up boats," Berthiaume said. IOM officials interviewed two Palestinian survivors who were taken to Sicily, Italy, while other survivors were taken to Malta and to Crete, Greece, Berthiaume said.

Four days later, another ship packed with up to 250 African emigrants sank off the Libyan coast, and most of them are feared dead, a spokesman for the Libyan navy said late on Sunday. — Reuters

London, September 15
Queen Elizabeth II has waded into the debate over Scotland's future as part of the United Kingdom, asking Scots to "think very carefully about the future" before voting in a historic referendum this week.

In a much hoped for intervention by politicians in Westminster, the Queen told well-wishers outside church in Aberdeenshire in Scotland yesterday: "Well, I hope people will think very carefully about the future".

It is the first time she has spoken directly on the historic referendum and follows calls from Unionists for her to speak out in favour of a 'no' vote.

Last week, Buckingham Palace had warned politicians not to drag her into the battle, after both Labour and Conservative backbenchers urged her to intervene.

If Scots vote for independence in Thursday's referendum, the Scotland would split from the United Kingdom in 18 months. — PTI