ISLAMABAD, Nov 17, 2007 (AFP) - A senior official in the party that backs Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf said Saturday that emergency rule should be lifted before a general election due by early January.

Mushahid Hussain, secretary general of the Pakistan Muslim League-Q, which was in government until parliament dissolved on Thursday, said his party did not need a state of emergency to win the vote.

LOS ANGELES, Oct 21, 2007 (AFP) - California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency Sunday in seven counties of the state, where wild fires have killed at least one person and forced mass evacuations.

'Governor Schwarzenegger tonight proclaimed a state of emergency in the counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Santa Barbara, and Ventura due to more than 11 major wildfires,' his office said in a statement.

PALO ALTO, California, Oct 12, 2007 (AFP) - Former US vice president Al Gore on Friday described climate change as a 'planetary emergency' and vowed to use his Nobel Peace Prize to raise awareness of the issue.

'It truly is a planetary emergency and we have to respond quickly,' Gore said in brief comments to reporters at the Alliance for Climate Protection offices in Palo Alto, California.

SUVA, Oct 5, 2007 (AFP) - Fiji's military regime said Friday it would lift emergency measures reintroduced last month to gag deposed prime minister Laisenia Qarase.

The emergency regulations, which included allowing the military to detain people without charge, would be eased from Saturday, local reports quoted military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Mosese Tikoitoga as saying.

'The military is confident and we want to inform the public of Fiji that we do not see any threat to the nation or its people,' Tikoitoga told Fiji Radio.

SUVA, Sept 7, 2007 (AFP) - The European Union warned Friday a reintroduction of a state of emergency by Fiji's military regime could break undertakings on which hundreds of millions of dollars in EU aid depend.

The leader of December's bloodless coup and self-proclaimed interim Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama Thursday reintroduced emergency regulations, which had been lifted at the end of May.

ATHENS, Aug 25, 2007 (AFP) - Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis declared a nationwide state of emergency Saturday as the worst wildfires in a decade claimed at least 44 lives.

In a message to the nation, Karamanlis said the decision was taken 'to mobilise all means and all forces' to respond to the drought-stocked infernos on the Peloponnese peninsula and elsewhere.

In the face of the 'national tragedy,' he announced a series of immediate measures, including financial aid and housing to those left homeless by the flames.

KINGSTON, Aug 19, 2007 (AFP) - The government of Jamaica declared a state of emergency late Sunday after devastating Hurricane Dean hit the island nation.

The state of emergency will continue for a period of 30 days, but can be lifted any time during this period, according to an announcement made by the prime minister's office.

Under the decree, the security forces are given wider powers to deal with criminal elements.

ISLAMABAD, Aug 10, 2007 (AFP) - The decision by Pakistan's military leader not to impose a state of emergency was broadly welcomed Friday with calls for elections and stepped-up operations against militants in border regions.

Newspaper editorials attacked emergency rule as being against the interests of the nation and called on the government of President Pervez Musharraf to secure a public mandate via the ballot box to tackle existing problems from a position of strength.

ISLAMABAD, Aug 9, 2007 (AFP) - Embattled President Pervez Musharraf decided Thursday not to impose a state of emergency in Pakistan, ignoring the advice of aides who wanted strong action to prevent more instability in the troubled nation.

The military ruler, facing the greatest challenge to his leadership since he seized power in a 1999 coup, opted against the move, which would have postponed elections, Information Minister Mohammad Ali Durrani told AFP.

WASHINGTON, Aug 9, 2007 (AFP) - US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has spoken by telephone to embattled Pakistan military ruler Pervez Musharraf, the State Department said Thursday amid rumblings about the prospect of emergency rule in the country.

But department spokesman Sean McCormack refused to divulge details of the conversation between the two leaders late Wednesday, except saying the talks were 'good.'

'She did speak with him last night, had a good conversation,' McCormack told reporters.

ISLAMABAD, Aug 9, 2007 (AFP) - Embattled President Pervez Musharraf on Thursday decided against imposing a state of emergency in Pakistan, a senior government official told AFP.

'The president has rejected the suggestions to declare a state of emergency as proposed by his political allies,' the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Private television channels meanwhile quoted the leader of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Q party, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, as ruling out the possibility of emergency rule.

ISLAMABAD, Aug 9, 2007 (AFP) - Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf met Thursday with close political aides on whether to impose a state of emergency due to 'external and internal threats,' an official said.

Official sources said late Wednesday they believed that proclamation of a state of emergency was likely later Thursday following the talks at his camp outside the capital Islamabad.

ISLAMABAD, Aug 9, 2007 (AFP) - Embattled Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf was set to decide Thursday whether to impose emergency rule due to 'external and internal threats', a government spokesman said.

Official sources said late Wednesday they believed that a proclamation of a state of emergency was likely following the meeting later Thursday at the president's camp outside the capital Islamabad.

'The president will chair a meeting to decide about a state of emergency in the country,' said one source who asked not to be named.

ISLAMABAD, Aug 8, 2007 (AFP) - Pakistan's embattled President Pervez Musharraf is considering imposing a state of emergency due to 'external and internal threats' to the country, a government spokesman said early Thursday.

Deputy Information Minister Tariq Azeem told AFP the measure had been discussed and could not be ruled out, as Musharraf battles an upsurge in militant violence in the volatile tribal regions bordering Afghanistan.

'I cannot confirm whether a decision has been taken or not,' Azeem said.