Azeri ban on foreign broadcasts

Azerbaijan has decided to ban from 1 January foreign radio broadcasts on the country's national frequencies.

The decision - taken by the Azeri National TV and Radio Council - will affect the BBC, Voice of America, Radio Liberty and Europa Plus.

Azeri officials denied opposition claims that the decision was political.

The move was criticised by the United States and the European security body, the OSCE, who both urged Baku to reconsider the ban.

"These media organisations play a crucial role in supporting democratic debate and the free exchange of ideas and information," said US State Department spokesman Gordon Duguid, quoted by the Associated Press news agency.

"This decision, if carried out, will represent a serious setback to freedom of speech, and retard democratic reform in Azerbaijan," he said.

'International practice'

The OSCE's media freedom representative, Miklos Haraszti, said "closing down FM news radio broadcasts that were among the few remaining sources of varied, public-service quality information is a serious step backwards for an OSCE democracy".

The head of the Azeri National TV and Radio Council, Nushiravan Magerramli, said earlier that the ban "has nothing to do [with politics]".

"The issue here is to bring the practice in line with legislation," he told Azerbaijan's Day.az website.

An official from President Ilham Aliyev's administration said Baku was "not closing down foreign radio stations".

"But we want their activities to be regulated according to international practice," Ali Hasanov added.

Azeri officials said foreign stations could broadcast via satellite, internet or cable. But the OSCE argues that Azeris have less access to those options than to FM radio.

European human rights groups and the Azeri opposition have accused President Aliyev of stifling democracy and media freedom in the oil-rich former Soviet republic.

Mr Aliyev - who took over as president from his father Heydar in 2003 - denies the accusations.

Pakistan suspends Afghan supplies

There has been a spate of attacks on supplies to Afghanistan

Pakistan has blocked a key supply route to US and Nato forces in Afghanistan in order to begin an offensive against militants, officials say.

Troops backed by helicopter gunships and tanks began the operation in the Khyber Pass area early on Tuesday.

There has been a spate of hijackings and attacks on vehicles carrying crucial overland supplies to US and Nato troops fighting the Taleban.

The route from the port city of Karachi is the major source.

About 70%-80% of supplies for international forces in Afghanistan come through Pakistan despite efforts to develop alternative routes.

Drone attacks

The leading administrator in Khyber, Tariq Hayat, said: "Supplies to Nato forces will remain suspended until we clear the area of militants and outlaws who have gone out of control."

Speaking from Peshawar, capital of North West Frontier Province, Mr Hayat said a curfew had been imposed and the main road to the Afghan border was closed.

Surprise offensive

The operation was taking place in the Jamrud district, he said, and would continue until the route to Kabul was fully secured.

The military had identified 26 militant sites to target, Mr Hayat said.

He said the local Kukikhel tribe had been found to be harbouring Taleban militants.

The main border crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan at Torkham has also been closed.

Mr Hayat said the operation would be extended to other areas of Khyber if necessary.

Capt Mark Windsor, of Nato's International Security Assistance Force, told the BBC it was aware of the "temporary" closure.

"It's in the best interests of clearing that area of people who have been disrupting supplies, or attempting to disrupt our supplies, over the last few weeks," he said.

The BBC's Charles Haviland in Islamabad says attention is now shifting back to the troubles in the Afghan border region, after a month of heightened tensions with India after the attacks on Mumbai.

Since September the Taleban in Pakistan have targeted vehicles carrying supplies for foreign forces in Afghanistan.

They have hijacked lorries, stolen their cargo and kidnapped their drivers.

Some lorry drivers recently suspended organised convoys to Afghanistan due to the worsening security although some supplies did continue under heavy paramilitary guard.

Recently thousands of protesters turned out in Pakistan's city of Peshawar to demand an end to the supply route and to US strikes into Pakistan.

There have been a number of missile attacks by pilotless US drones on targets inside Pakistan, which the government in Islamabad has strongly opposed.

Pinochet-era 'disappeared' found

Gen Pinochet died in 2006 without facing trial for human rights abuses

Three people listed as "disappeared" in Chile during General Augusto Pinochet's military rule have been found or died in other circumstances, it has emerged.

Their names surfaced as investigators looked into a previous non-victim who has lived in Argentina for 35 years.

Gen Pinochet's supporters have long said reports of the missing, officially put at more than 1,183, are false.

President Michelle Bachelet, who was detained the 1970s, said these cases must not cast doubt on Chile's missing.

"Speaking as a woman who herself suffered this pain and as president of the nation, I am not going to accept that the suffering of families who are still awaiting truth and justice be taken advantage of nor much less played with," said President Bachelet.

She said she hoped all political forces would oppose any attempt to manipulate or score points over a subject that Chilean society had confronted with "responsibility and maturity".

The cases have given ammunition to supporters of the late Gen Pinochet who have long argued that cases of the "disappeared" are ficititious, says the BBC's Gideon Long in Santiago.

They have also embarrassed the state which has handed out thousands of dollars in compensation to the victims' families, he adds.

Special payments

The first case came to light in November when it was discovered that a person on the official list of missing, German Cofre, had been living in Argentina for the past 35 years.

He had supposedly been abducted and killed by Gen Pinochet's forces in 1973, the year the general took power in a military coup.

The three new cases emerged over the weekend.

Edgardo Palacios, a Socialist activist, died in 2006 while Carlos Rojas Campos was located in Buenos Aires.

The third, Emperatriz Villagra, died in childbirth in 1955, according to her family, who were not paid any compensation. It is not known how her name came to be put on the list of victims.

Officials have suspended special benefit payments to the families of Palacios and Rojas Campos.

A judge has been appointed to see if there are more people listed as missing who are alive or died in different circumstances.

Official lists put the number of victims of the military dictatorship at 3,195, of which 1,183 are listed as "disappeared".

Opposition 'wins' Ghana election

John Atta Mills (l) says he has defeated Nana Akufo-Addo (r)

Opposition candidate John Atta Mills says he has won Ghana's election run-off, with official results expected to be released shortly.

"The figures show clearly that I have won the election. I am only waiting for the electoral commissioner to declare me winner," he told his supporters.

Police earlier fired warning shots as large crowds converged on the election headquarters demanding the results.

The governing NPP party said the result was still too close to call.

New Patriotic Party chairman Peter Mac Manu said there had been widespread intimidation of its election agents in the Volta region and results from these areas would be challenged.

Its candidate Nana Akufo-Addo gained the most votes in the first round earlier this month but did not pass the 50% threshold needed for outright victory.

The BBC correspondent in Ghana says that with suspicion of vote-rigging on both sides, there are fears that violence could break out.

The stakes have been raised in these elections because of the discovery of oil, which is expected to start generating revenue in 2010.

Unofficial results published by local media show Mr Atta Mills has a narrow lead.

State broadcaster Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) says Mr Atta Mills has 4,330,705 votes compared to 4,324,085 for Mr Akufo-Addo with results declared in 226 out of 230 constituencies.

These figures give the candidate of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) 50.04%, against 49.96% for the governing NPP.

Ghana is seen as one of Africa's most democratic countries and is hoping to restore the continent's faith in elections after flawed polls and violence in Kenya and Zimbabwe this year.

Some 12.5 million people were eligible to vote in the election - the fifth since the country's return to democracy in 1992.

President John Kufuor is standing down having served two consecutive terms.

He defeated Mr Atta Mills in the two previous elections.

Israel pounds Gaza for fourth day

The UN says Israel has killed 320 Palestinians since Saturday

Israeli jets have attacked the Gaza Strip for a fourth day, with raids on a number of Hamas government buildings and security installations.

Air strikes early on Tuesday killed at least 10 people, medical officials in the coastal enclave said.

About 320 Palestinians have died since Saturday, the UN says. Four Israelis have been killed by rockets from Gaza.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has called for an immediate ceasefire and condemned both Israel and Hamas.

While recognising Israel's right to defend itself from militant rocket attacks, he condemned its "excessive use of force".

See detailed map of attacks

"The suffering caused to civilian populations as a result of the large-scale violence and destruction that have taken place over the past few days has saddened me profoundly," he said.

The UN says at least 62 of the Palestinians killed were women and children.

'Bitter end'

Forty people were said to have been wounded in Tuesday's raids, which targeted Hamas-run offices and security installations, Palestinian officials said.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has called for an immediate ceasefire

Israel's defence chief earlier said his country was fighting a "war to the bitter end" against Hamas.

Israel has massed forces along the boundary with Gaza and has declared the area around it a "closed military zone".

Correspondents say the move - in addition to the call-up of thousands of reservists - could be a prelude to ground operations, but could also be intended to build pressure on Hamas.

The Red Cross earlier described the situation in Gaza's hospitals as chaotic, with medical teams "stretched to the limit".

Trucks laden with medical aid have been permitted to cross into Gaza from Egypt at the Rafah crossing.

European Union foreign ministers are scheduled to to meet in Paris later (1730 GMT) to discuss the escalating crisis.

The meeting, hosted by French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, is expected to consider the idea of an humanitarian aid corridor, and how to bring additional aid to Gaza.

Angry protests

Dozens of centres of Hamas strength, including security compounds, government offices and tunnels into Egypt, have been hit since Israel started its massive bombing campaign on Saturday morning.

US tacitly backs Israeli offensive Aid worker diary: Gaza raids Rocket attacks plague Israeli towns

Israel says its aim is to end the rocket attacks by Hamas-linked militants - of which there were reportedly more than 40 on Monday.

Defence Minister Ehud Barak said Israel wanted to deal Hamas a "severe blow" and its operation would be "widened and deepened as needed".

The US - Israel's strongest ally - said the onus was on Hamas to end the violence and commit itself to a truce, but there have been angry protests against the offensive in many cities across the Arab world and in several European capitals.

The strikes began less than a week after the expiry of a six-month-long ceasefire deal with Hamas, which has controlled Gaza since 2007.

Israel withdrew in 2005 but has kept tight control over access in and out of Gaza and its airspace.

GAZA VIOLENCE 27-29 DECEMBER 1. Ashdod: First attack so far north, Sunday 2. Ashkelon: One man killed, several injured in rocket attack, Monday3. Sderot: rocket attacks4. Nevitot: One man killed, several injured in rocket attack, Saturday5. Civilian family reported killed in attack on Yabna refugee camp, Sunday 6. Israeli warplanes strike tunnels under Gaza/Egypt border, Sunday7. Three young brothers reported killed in attack on Rafah, Sunday8. Khan Younis: Four members of Islamic Jihad and a child reported killed, Sunday 9. Deir al-Balah: Palestinians injured, houses and buildings destroyed, Sunday 10. Interior ministry and Islamic University badly damaged, Monday11. Gaza City port: naval vessels targeted, Sunday 12. Shati refugee camp: Home of Hamas leader Ismail Hanniyeh targeted, Monday 13. Intelligence building attacked, Sunday14. Jebaliya refugee camp: several people killed in attack on mosque, Sunday

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Pakistan 'should avoid conflict'

India denies any significant extra troop movements to the border

The head of Pakistan's military has said there is a "need to de-escalate and avoid conflict" in the wake of the Mumbai attacks.

In what were thought his first comments since tension rose, Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani said the focus should be on "peace and security in the region".

At the weekend Indian and Pakistani military officials held a "hotline" conversation on recent troop movements.

Last month's attacks on Mumbai left more than 170 people dead.

'Routine'

Gen Kayani's comments were carried in an army statement linked to his meeting with visiting Chinese Vice Foreign Minister He Yafei.

The general's comments made no direct reference to India but analysts said they were an attempt to ease the atmosphere.

Relations between the nuclear-armed rivals have been strained since the attacks, which India blames on the Pakistan-based militant group, Lashkar-e-Taiba. The group and the Pakistani government deny any involvement.

Pakistan has suspended some army operations against militants

The unscheduled "hotline" conversation between Indian and Pakistani military officials discussed reports of troop movements, Indian defence sources said.

The Press Trust of India reported the sources as saying Saturday's "unprecedented" call was to clarify positions on either side of the border.

The sources said both sides made it clear they were not taking aggressive positions and that the military movements were routine.

A Pakistani military official confirmed to Agence France-Presse news agency that the directors general of military operations (DGMOs) of both sides had spoken.

Reports last week said Pakistan had redeployed some troops from the north-west to the Indian border and cancelled some army leave.

Air strikes against militants in the restive Swat and Bajaur regions had been scaled down, officials said.

But one Pakistani military official told Reuters that reports of thousands of troops being redeployed were "absolute rubbish".

India's military has denied any significant bolstering of troops on the border.

Bangladesh awaits election count

Strikes and violent protests have marked Bangladeshi politics

Polls have closed in Bangladesh in an election held amid tight security that will replace the interim government after two years of army-backed rule.

About 50,000 soldiers and 600,000 police were deployed to guard against election fraud and violence.

Polling was reported calm, with voters lining up in their thousands.

The frontrunners, the Awami League of Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), have ruled Bangladesh for years.

Both leaders were jailed for suspected corruption but released to contest the vote.

Perhaps we have taken the toughest-ever security precautions to ensure that balloting takes place peacefully Noor MohammadPolice inspector general In pictures: Bangladesh votes Battle of familiar foes

The two rivals pledged to lower food prices, and to tackle corruption and terrorism in the nation of 144 million people.

Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia also both promised to end the confrontation, strikes and violent street rallies that have marked Bangladeshi politics for years. The two women alternated in power for 15 years until 2006.

Polls closed at 1600 local time (1000 GMT) and the Election Commission hopes to start announcing results at about 1300 GMT.

Observers say there may be no clear winner in parliament.

Anti-corruption drive

Long queues formed as Bangladeshis began to vote at the country's 35,000 heavily guarded polling stations.

The BBC's Mark Dummett in the capital, Dhaka, said the mood at the polling station he visited - at Dhaka University - was festive, with a lot of enthusiasm to see the end of the military-backed government.

No serious violence was reported.

Thousands of people have been waiting in line to vote in the election

Sheikh Hasina cast her vote shortly after polling started.

"We have waited so long... but [are] feeling good the election is held at last," she said.

Khaleda Zia voted in the capital some time later.

Some 200,000 electoral observers, including 2,500 from abroad, were monitoring the national vote.

Noor Mohammad, the Inspector General of Police, said: "Perhaps we have taken the toughest-ever security precautions to ensure that balloting takes place peacefully, free from rigging, intimidation and threats."

The army cancelled elections due in January 2007 after months of street protests and battles between gangs of rival party supporters spiralled out of control.

The army-backed caretaker government then tried to root out corruption from the country's elites.

Our correspondent says the newly-empowered Anti-Corruption Commission sought to prosecute the top politicians and businessmen who had earned Bangladesh its reputation as one of the world's most corrupt countries.

More than 11 million phoney names were purged from the voter roll, which now numbers about 81 million people.

A simple majority of the parliament's 300 seats is enough to secure victory, but analysts say no clear winner may emerge, leading to fears of unrest if supporters of the rival parties take to the streets.