Lastnight World

15 killed in tanker blast in Pakistan

PESHAWAR: A tanker carrying oil for NATO forces in Afghanistan exploded Saturday in northwestern Pakistan as people tried to siphon off fuel,and 15 were killed. Separately,14 NATO tankers were damaged in a bombing at a nearby border town,but no one was hurt. A Pakistani Taliban group claimed responsibility for both incidents.

Saleh says will leave,warns of al-Qaeda

Sanaa: Yemens president Ali Abdullah Saleh said Saturday he will sign a proposal by Gulf Arab mediators for him to step down,but he condemned the deal as a coup and warned al-Qaeda will take control of the country. He said,We accept the initiative to stop bloodshed, and an official statement said he would sign the deal on Sunday.

20 orphans killed in Malaysia landslide

KUALA LUMPUR: A landslide buried 20 boys and 4 adults at a Malaysian orphanage,Saturday. 6 boys and a warden were critically injured. Heavy rain likely caused the landslide and was also hampering rescue work. A warden,said that the children were preparing to receive visitors when the earth shook.

Shock as Dutch priest backs paedophilia

AMSTERDAM: The Dutch Catholic Church and the Salesian order are investigating claims that a priest served on the board of a group that promotes paedophilia. Delegate Herman Spronck,a top official in the order,confirmed that 73-year-old Father Van B served on the board of Martijn, a group that campaigns to end the ban on adult-child sex. A superior said he will investigate both Spronck and Van B,after both were quoted as saying such relationships are not harmful.