chongli17/AG-Pair · Datasets at Hugging Face

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same	BBC story on Dow Chemical responsibility a hoax: report	LONDON (CBS.MW) -- A source at the BBC told AFX News that their story alleging that Dow Chemical (DOW) has taken responsibility for the Bhopal disaster is a hoax, and Reuters reported that a spokesman for Dow #39;s Union Carbide denied the report.	Three Dutch Police Injured in Anti-Terror Raid	Suspects sought in a Dutch anti-terrorism raid threw a hand grenade in a standoff with police on Wednesday, injuring three officers, amid a spiral of violence following the killing of an outspoken filmmaker.
same	U.S. Agrees to Release Terror Suspect	WASHINGTON - The Justice Department has agreed to release a U.S. citizen held as an enemy combatant for more than two years, clearing the way for him to return to Saudi Arabia, officials said Wednesday...	Karzai dismisses powerful military governor ahead of Afghan polls	KABUL - Afghan President Hamid Karzai dismissed a powerful warlord from his post as provincial governor Saturday in the latest move to solidify the central governments control of wayward provinces ahead of Octobers landmark polls.
same	Captured mercenaries escape mass execution	Seventy suspected mercenaries standing trial in Harare escaped a possible death sentence yesterday when Zimbabwe announced that they will not be extradited to Equatorial Guinea.	Pakistan assembly discards anti-speaker motion (Reuters)	Reuters - Pakistan's National Assembly discarded a no-confidence motion against its speaker on Friday after opposition deputies declined to vote when the deputy speaker refused to allow all 107 of those present to speak.
same	Five civilians die in vehicle blast	KABUL -- A doctor helping organize Afghan elections died yesterday along with four other civilians when an explosion tore through their vehicle, police said.	Sub crew safe after fire off the coast of Ireland	HALIFAX (CP) - Canada #39;s problem-plagued submarine fleet was hit by another major setback Tuesday when a small electrical fire broke out aboard HMCS Chicoutimi as it was making its maiden trip to Canada from its former base in Scotland.
same	Brazil Upset in Ecuador; China Eliminated	Ecuador upset Brazil 1-0 Wednesday to send the World Cup champions to their first loss in qualifying for the 2006 tournament, and it cost them the top spot in South America's World Cup qualifying.	Koda #39;s Iraq trip was driven by sheer curiosity	TOKYO - Shosei Koda was a student learning English in New Zealand before entering Iraq, but his self-searching trip to one of the most dangerous places in the world without proper preparation ended in tragedy as the Japanese government confirmed Sunday
same	Nuclear Chief Pressures Iran, N. Korea	UN nuclear chief Mohamed ElBaradei urged Iran on Monday to suspend uranium enrichment and called on North Korea to dismantle its weapons program or at least allow inspectors to ensure it is quot;exclusively peaceful.	UN Appeals for Release of Workers in Afghanistan (Reuters)	Reuters - The United Nations again appealed for the\safe return of three of its workers held hostage in Afghanistan\on Thursday, three weeks after they were snatched from their\car on a busy street in central Kabul.
same	Danforth Quit U.N. Post to Return to Mo. (AP)	AP - U.S. Ambassador John Danforth said Friday he took himself out of the running for any job in President Bush's second term because he wanted to go home to Missouri.	Syria rejects US accusations of meddling in Iraqi affairs	Syria on Thursday rejected accusations by US President George W. Bush and some Iraqi officials of meddling in Iraqi affairs as quot;groundless, quot; the official SANA news agency reported.
same	Pakistani court grants bail to Bhutto #39;s husband	ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani court yesterday granted bail to the husband of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, and officials from her party said the decision should result in his release after eight years in prison.	Annan refuses to resign over Iraq programme	The United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, has said he will not resign over the controversial Iraqi Oil-for-Food programme.
same	Abbas #39; own militants reject call to end intifida	Key Palestinian militant groups, including ones headed by Mahmoud Abbas, have rejected the leader #39;s calls to end their armed fight against Israel.	Senate Condemns Russia School Massacre (AP)	AP - The Senate used a voice vote Thursday to denounce the massacre of hundreds at a Russian school and to express its condolences to that nation's people.
same	India tests nuclear-capable missile	BHUBANESHWAR, India: India on Sunday successfully tested its indigenous Agni-II ballistic missile, the military said as it announced it was armed with a shorter-range version of the nuclear-capable missile.	UN calls for immediate end to Congo fighting	The United Nations called on Monday for an immediate ceasefire in eastern Congo as fighting between rival army factions flared for a third day.
same	Police reveal prime suspects	POLICE last night released the names and mugshots of the bombers and terror masterminds believed responsible for the Australian Embassy attack in Jakarta.	Wildlife conference starts as battle lines drawn	A major wildlife conference started yesterday in Bangkok bringing together 166 nations to scrutinise trade in some of the world #39;s rarest species amid promises of greater action to fight smuggling.
same	Heineken Profit Falls As Sales Increase (AP)	AP - The Dutch brewer Heineken NV reported its profit fell 27 percent due in part to the weaker dollar despite a rise in sales in the first half of the year.	Afghan Blast Has Alarming Implications	NAIK NAM, Afghanistan -- Saher Gul was chalking a long division lesson on the blackboard of his two-room village school. Twenty-five boys, ages 9 to 19, were sitting cross-legged on the dirt floor. Suddenly the earthen walls and ceiling exploded and collapsed, smothering the class in a mountain of rubble.
same	Susilo prepares five-year program: Spokesman	: Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is preparing a five-year program for Indonesia #39;s new government after winning three in five votes in the presidential election, M. Lufti, a spokesman for Susilo, said late last night.	Myanmar Official: Democracy Plans on Track (AP)	AP - Military-ruled Myanmar will stick to its plans for gradual democratization despite the abrupt appointment of a new prime minister believed to hold a hard line in dealing with the country's political reform movement, Foreign Minister Nyan Win said Thursday.
same	Judgment at Hand in Landmark Berlusconi Trial	MILAN (Reuters) - Judges in the corruption trial of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi withdrew on Thursday to decide their verdict, which could hobble the Italian leader's political future.	Press Freedom Under Threat Most In Asia, Mid-East: Report	Paris, Oct. 27 (NNN) : A report from media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RWB) has put Press freedom under most under threat in Asia and the Middle East.
same	CNN journalist has been released	Riad Ali, who is an Israeli Arab, was handed over to Palestinian police today, nearly 24 hours after he was abducted at gunpoint from a CNN van.	US and Iraqis raid Sunni centres	US and Iraqi forces raid mosques in Ramadi, after an overnight air strike on a popular restaurant in Falluja.
same	Deaths in Nigerian cult clashes	At least 18 students have been killed in clashes between rival student gangs in south-eastern Nigeria.	Belarusian Chief Sees Vote As Mandate	Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko, 50, is seen during a news conference in Minsk, Monday, Oct. 18, 2004. According to the Central Elections Commission a preliminary tally of ballots from Sunday #39;s election
same	Australia accused over #39;fair trial #39; call	Canberra has been accused of playing politics after it called on Washington to ensure the military trials of two Australians are conducted fairly.	S.Korea #39;s Ruling Party Head Resigns on Father #39;s Past	SEOUL (Reuters) - The chairman of South Korea #39;s ruling Uri Party resigned on Thursday after saying his father had served as a military police officer during Japan #39;s 1910-1945 colonial rule on the peninsula.
same	Iran's conservatives seen tightening power in republic	TEHRAN -- After eight years of a bold but bungled experiment with reform, Iran's government is in the throes of a takeover by conservatives determined to restore the revolution's Islamic purity, according to Iranian politicians and analysts.	Big business spells out economic agenda for new Indonesian <b>...</b>	In the lead up to his inauguration as Indonesian president tomorrow, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has remained tight-lipped about the make-up of his cabinet, and, as throughout the election campaign, any policy details.
same	Colombia Militia Leader Said Killed (AP)	AP - The leader of a paramilitary faction involved in peace talks was apparently one of five insurgents killed in an ambush on Monday, officials said.	British redeployment in Iraq meets with opposition	The British Ministry of Defense confirmed on Sunday that the US has sent a request to the British government for redeployment of the British forces stationed in Iraq because the US troops stationed in Iraq are preparing for new military actions in Fallujah
same	Upturn in Oil Prices Leave Stocks Mixed	NEW YORK - A fresh upturn in oil prices left stocks mixed Friday even as a satisfactory report on durable goods orders provided new evidence that the economy might be gaining traction. Downbeat outlooks from a pair of microchip makers weighed on tech stocks...	Incubus Singer Arrested at N.Y. Airport	NEW YORK - The lead singer of the rock band Incubus was arrested for a carrying a switchblade in his bag while trying to board a plane on his way to a concert in North Carolina. Brandon Boyd, 28, was stopped Wednesday at LaGuardia Airport when baggage screeners spotted the knife in his carry-on luggage, said Lou Martinez, a spokesman for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates the airport...
same	Mexican Rebels Withdraw From Reserve (AP)	AP - Leftist Zapatista rebels announced Wednesday they will voluntarily withdraw seven squatter settlements from an endangered jungle nature reserve, a move that may mark the end a decade-long standoff with authorities.	25 dead in India rail accident	NEW DELHI - At least 25 people are feared killed and more than 50 hurt after two Indian Railway trains collided head-on in the Hoshiarpur District of Punjab State about 350 kilometers north of New Delhi on Tuesday.
same	Another Buddhist killed in #39;revenge attack #39;	Thailand - Unknown assailants on Tuesday beheaded a 60-year-old Buddhist plantation worker in the southern province of Narathiwat in an act of revenge for 87 Muslims slain in a government crackdown there in October.	Peace must be #39;imposed #39; on I Coast, says France	PARIS, Nov 16 (AFP) - Peace must be quot;imposed quot; on Ivory Coast if the warring sides there refuse to abide by a ceasefire, French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier said Tuesday, hailing sanctions voted by the UN Security Council against the west African state.
same	US embassy in Malaysia in 'anthrax scare' (AFP)	AFP - Malaysian emergency services rushed to the tightly-guarded US embassy in Kuala Lumpur after a powder which police said could be anthrax was found in a letter.	Chechen bombers slip the net	TWO Chechen women suspected of blowing up two Russian passenger planes last month were detained but freed -- and then went on to bribe their way aboard.
same	British soldier faces murder charge over death of Iraqi man	A British soldier appeared before a court in London yesterday accused of murdering a civilian in Iraq. Kevin Williams, 21, was brought before a civilian court after his own commanding officer had initially dismissed the charges.	Israel destroys home of teenage bomber	NABLUS, WEST BANK -- The Israeli army yesterday destroyed the home of a teenage suicide bomber despite his mother #39;s public and impassioned criticism of the group that sent her son on the deadly mission.
same	Indonesian embassy blast	TEN people were injured yesterday when a bomb exploded outside the Indonesian embassy in Paris. Most of the victims, who included four embassy staff, were hit by flying glass.	Convicted killer Robert Baltovich finally in court in bid to clear his name (Canadian Press)	Canadian Press - TORONTO (CP) - Lawyers for Robert Baltovich, convicted 12 years ago in the murder of his girlfriend, began a long-awaited legal bid to clear his name Monday in an appeal that's expected to resurrect the grim spectre of sex killer Paul Bernardo.
same	US arrests two Hamas 'racketeers'	US authorities arrest two alleged members of Palestinian militant group Hamas on racketeering and terrorism charges.	Aid workers increasingly a target in conflict zones	The group holding three foreign aid workers in Afghanistan says it will decide Friday whether to kill them. NEW DELHI AND ISLAMABAD - The brazen daylight kidnapping of three international aid workers in
same	Brit soldier charged	British authorities have, for the first time, charged a soldier with murder in the death of a civilian in Iraq. The man was indicted yesterday in a civilian court after his commanding officer blocked a court martial.	'All Aboard' France's Artouste Express, France's highest-altitude train (AFP)	AFP - Eighty years ago the Artouste train in the French Pyrenees transported workers and materiel to build a dam at 2000 meters (6500 feet) altitude, but today it ferries tourists for a sometimes hair-raising ride along one of Europe's highest rail lines.
same	India urges Bangladesh not to kill stray elephants (Reuters)	Reuters - Authorities in northeast India urged Bangladesh on Monday not to kill about 100 wild elephants that have strayed across the border and gone on a rampage, killing 13 people and injuring dozens more.	Shining Path retrial halted again	The retrial of Peruvian guerrilla leader Abimael Guzman is halted for a second time in a week.
same	Why Iran wants its own nuclear deterrent	Iran's leaders apparently believe that the benefits of obtaining a nuclear bomb now outweigh the drawbacks.	Efforts to remove fear of China among Asean	Even as smaller countries of the 10-member Asean grouping have expressed reservations about the proposed Free Trade Area (FTA) with China as it will put them at a great disadvantage, efforts are on to remove their misgivings.
same	Iraqi Government, Al-Sadr OK Peace Deal	NAJAF, Iraq - Iraq's top Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, made a dramatic return to Najaf on Thursday and swiftly won agreement from a rebel cleric and the government to end three weeks of fighting between his militia and U.S.-Iraqi forces. The renegade Muqtada al-Sadr accepted the proposal in a face-to-face meeting Thursday night with the 75-year-old al-Sistani...	Romania Opposition Demands Election Rerun, Alleges Fraud	BUCHAREST, Romania (Reuters) - Romania's centrist opposition Tuesday demanded a rerun of Sunday's general elections, alleging fraud in the electronic vote counting had helped the ruling ex-communists, who held a slim lead.
same	Real estate bargain ends for US envoy	MOSCOW -- Russia and the United States have agreed to a new lease for the US ambassador's lavish Moscow residence after Russia complained he paid less than \$3 a year for it, officials announced yesterday. The annual rent for Spaso House in central Moscow was set in rubles in 1985, but the currency's value plummeted by 99.9 percent after the ...	Cambodia set to crown new king	PHNOM PENH, Cambodia -- Cambodia is preparing to crown its first new king in decades later Friday, amid an array of official celebrations.
same	30 Killed in Spate of Attacks in Iraq	More than 60 were wounded in a rash of suicide bombings and attacks, as U.S. forces prepared for a possible assault on Fallujah.	Security key in Indonesia vote?	After eight months of campaigning centered largely on personality, security issues could become a key factor in Indonesia #39;s presidential election.
same	Roadmap for troops cut being readied:Pranab	NEW DELHI: A day after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced reduction of troops in Jammu and Kashmir, Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Friday said a roadmap was being prepared for the withdrawal.	Rooney shirts go to war children	Everton shirts sporting the name of Wayne Rooney could soon be seen on the streets of Liberia, West Africa.
same	How Would They End the War?	President Bush and John Kerry have said little more than that each will end the war the right way and his opponent will not.	Allawi Threatens New Offensive To Take Over Al-Fallujah	Interim Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi says time is running out for Al-Fallujah residents to evict foreign fighters from the city of face a US-Iraqi military operation to do so.
same	In Paris, a slick maneuver tries to lure tourists to Eiffel Tower	PARIS -- Holiday on ice takes on new meaning high above the rooftops of Paris doing figure eights inside the Eiffel Tower.	More Aftershocks as Japan Aids Quake Victims (Reuters)	Reuters - Japan resumed rescue efforts at\first light on Monday as aftershocks rattled the area where the\country's deadliest earthquake in nine years killed at least 23\people and injured more than 2,000 at the weekend.
same	Balkan states ready to increase participation in NATO operations (AFP)	AFP - Albania, Croatia and Macedonia said they were ready to increase their participation in NATO operations and pledged to further develop cooperation in their bid to join the alliance.	Florida authorities searching 58,000 missing ballots (AFP)	AFP - Authorities in Florida were looking for 58,000 absentee ballots whose disappearance stirred renewed controversy in the state that held up the 2000 presidential election for five weeks.
same	Arafat's Wife Opposes Leaders Visiting Him (Reuters)	Reuters - Yasser Arafat's senior deputies hoped to\travel to France on Monday to meet the critically ill\Palestinian president but his wife was opposed to the visit, a\senior Palestinian official said.	The \$5m royal wedding	Three weeks of celebrations, a guest list that included princes and world leaders, and a 21-gun salute. Jonathan Este reports on the marriage of the Crown Prince of Brunei.
same	EQUATORIAL GUINEA: Foreign coup plotters given long jail terms	LIBREVILLE, 26 November (IRIN) - A South African mercenary was found guilty Friday of leading a failed coup against the president of oil-rich Equatorial Guinea and sentenced to 34 years in jail, police and court sources said.	Eritrean Asylum Seekers Force Plane to Land in Sudan	A group of 76 Eritreans on a repatriation flight from Libya Friday forced their plane to change course and land in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, where they
same	South Korea to explain uranium experiments at IAEA meetings this <b>...</b>	SEOUL - South Korean officials will meet with the UN nuclear watchdog this month to explain about controversial uranium enrichment tests conducted four years ago, Foreign Minister Ban Ki-Moon said on Saturday.	Bomb Hits Jakarta's Paris Embassy, Motive Unclear	PARIS (Reuters) - A small parcel bomb exploded outside the Indonesian embassy in Paris before dawn on Friday, slightly injuring 10 people and shattering windows, but officials said they had no clues to the motive.
same	Qurei nominated as chief of Palestinian security council	Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei was nominated by acting President Rawhi Fattouh as chief of the national security council on Sunday.	Democrats Claim Bush's Bounce Will Fade (AP)	AP - Democrats on Sunday said President Bush's post-convention bounce was triggered by "four days of mean, vicious attacks" on John Kerry, and would be short-lived.
same	US, Africa team up to help Darfur	The US has provided airlifts and pledged \$300 million to support African troops in western Sudan.	At least eight dead in Dubai airport construction site collapse	DUBAI : At least eight workers were killed when a wall on a vast construction site at Dubai airport in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) collapsed, Al-Arabiya television reported.
same	Zarqawi Aide Killed During US Air Strike	WASHINGTON, Oct 26, 2004 -- Coalition forces launched precision strikes on a safe house in Fallujah early this morning, killing an associate of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi #39;s terrorist organization, military officials in Baghdad reported today.	French police arrest 17, find heavy weapons in anti-ETA swoop	PARIS (AFP) - French police arrested 17 people and discovered a cache of heavy weapons during raids in southwestern France that targeted suspected members of Spain #39;s armed Basque separatist group ETA, officials said.
same	Darfur Governor Says Rebels Attempted Coup (AP)	AP - West Darfur's governor on Sunday linked an alleged coup attempt against the national government to a rebellion in western Sudan, saying the same group was behind both insurrections.	Serbia Elections Draw Millions of Voters (AP)	AP - Serbia on Sunday held its first democratically organized local elections since Slobodan Milosevic's ouster in what was expected to be a close race between nationalists loyal to the former president and pro-Western reformists.
same	4 Iraqis Tell of Looting at Munitions Site in '03	Three Iraqi witnesses and a security chief said that looters stormed Al Qaqaa just days after U.S. troops swept through on their way to Baghdad in early April 2003.	Peace may now stand a chance	In his olive nylon bomber jacket, olive fatigue pants and black combat boots, Al-Aqsa Martyr #39;s Brigades member Abu Said sees himself as a soldier, fighting Israeli occupation of Palestinian land.
same	U.S. Says More Iraqi Police Are Needed as Attacks Continue	At a time when Iraqi insurgents are targeting local police officers and recruits for attack, the United States has raised by one-third -- to 135,000 -- the size of the Iraqi police force it says will be needed to help secure the country, according to information the administration has provided to Congress.	Stocks Set to Open Higher	NEW YORK - U.S. stocks are seen chalking up small gains at the open Thursday following Wednesday's pullback but the release of August's CPI data and weekly jobless claims could ultimately decide direction...
same	Brazil says nuclear deal reached	UN nuclear inspectors abandon demands for unlimited access to Brazilian facilities, the country says.	Bosnian local elections confirm strength of nationalists (AFP)	AFP - Bosnians were reluctant voters in their third post-war local elections this weekend, with the ruling Croat, Muslim and Serb nationalists benefiting from the lower turnout, early results indicated.
same	Cricket: England name squad	Andrew Flintoff and Marcus Trescothick will miss England's controversial tour of Zimbabwe.	Israel OKs more settlements	Israel announced plans yesterday to build 533 new homes in the West Bank, increasing the number of permits to three times those allowed in the previous three years combined.
same	Afghan election brings political marketing to wartorn country (AFP)	AFP - quot;If you are showing the new Afghanistan, you cannot do it with a photo of a cemetery! quot; explains an exasperated worker with the media production house guiding Afghan presidential candidates into the murky world of political marketing.	Panel Urges Strong Warning on Antidepressants for Children	The panel recommended that the warning should say that antidepressants can sometimes lead children to become suicidal.
same	Haitians pray for dead, give thanks for their lives	GONAIVES, HAITI -- Haitians surrounded by the destruction from tropical storm Jeanne prayed for the 1,500 dead and gave thanks their lives were spared at church services yesterday while the United Nations rushed more peacekeepers in to stem looting in the	Al-Zawahri Vows to Keep Fighting U.S. (AP)	AP - In a videotape aired Monday, Osama bin Laden's top lieutenant vowed to continue fighting the United States until Washington changed its policies.
same	Sudan committed to resolving Darfur crisis: Bashir	KHARTOUM, Sept 4 (AFP) -- Sudanese President Omar el-Bashir declared that he was committed to resolving the crisis in the troubled western Darfur region amid international criticism that his government was not doing enough to stop what the UN has	UN Official Warns of #39;Spiral of Violence #39; Following Burundi Massacre	The United Nation #39;s top peacekeeping official says there is quot;real danger quot; of a new war in central Africa following the massacre of Congolese refugees in Burundi.
same	Rescue teams waiting to enter Fallujah	Medical teams and convoys from the Iraqi Red Crescent are expected to enter the embattled city of Fallujah Saturday carrying urgent humanitarian assistance.	Report Expected to Blame 24 in Iraq Abuse	WASHINGTON - Two dozen people will be blamed by an Army investigation into the abuse of inmates at Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison, says a senior defense official. The official, who spoke Wednesday on condition of anonymity, provided no details of the report...
same	China takes aim at corruption	BEIJING -- Chinese authorities have arrested or reprimanded more than 750 officials in recent months in connection with billions of dollars in financial irregularities ranging from unpaid taxes to embezzlement, according to a report made public yesterday.	American Diplomatic Drive Comes Up Short (AP)	AP - Bush administration persistence in using diplomacy to solve a nuclear weapons crisis with North Korea is coming up short as the insular regime bobs and weaves away from resuming negotiations.
same	US troops, insurgents fight around Iraqi rebel city of Fallujah	FALLUJAH, Iraq : US troops and insurgents battled on the edge of rebel-held Fallujah and nine policemen were killed in an ambush, as UN chief Kofi Annan said he did not think the invasion of Iraq had made the world a safer place.	Cricket: Australia in command	Justin Langer hits an unbeaten 144 as Australia reach 327-3 against New Zealand.
same	Taliban Suspected in Failed Karzai Attack	A failed rocket attack on a US helicopter carrying President Hamid Karzai was carried out by a self-confessed Taliban commando, Afghanistan #39;s top law-enforcer said Saturday.	Teen in the dock for first Madrid bombings trial (AFP)	AFP - A teenage youth was due in the dock for the first trial of a suspect implicated in the Madrid train bombings, which killed 191 people in Spain's worst terrorist attack.
same	France hopeful that journalists will be released	Signs suggest hope for a possible release of the two French journalists held hostage in Iraq, Interior Minister Dominique de Villepin said Saturday.	Afghanistan Bomb Attacks Kill 16	At least 16 people, many of them children, were killed in explosions at the office of a US security contractor in Afghanistans capital and a school in the south east as the country moves towards its first post-Taliban election.
same	Group #39;kills second US hostage #39;	Militants in Iraq have killed the second of two US civilians they were holding hostage, according to a statement on an Islamist website.	Israel Feuds With Agency Set Up to Aid Palestinians	For years, Israel has feuded with the United Nations refugee agency for Palestinians over a wide range of issues, and recently Israel thought it had found a smoking gun to press its case.
same	Cricket: Hall battles India attack	Andrew Hall steers South Africa to 230-4 on day one of the first Test against India.	American Allies Embrace U.S. Military Plan (AP)	AP - American allies Japan and Australia embraced a new U.S. plan to restructure its forces abroad, while Russia said it was not concerned by the proposal. But Germany, home to 70,000 U.S. soldiers, said any withdrawal from the former Cold War frontier may hurt its economy.
same	Rebels attack military camp in Kashmir, two dead	Rebels have attacked a military camp in disputed Kashmir, killing a soldier hours before India #39;s Home Minister was due to visit the troubled region, security officials said.	U.S. Blasts All Parties in Darfur Conflict (AP)	AP - The United States on Tuesday accused all parties in the 22-month conflict in Sudan's western Darfur region of complicity in a growing humanitarian disaster and demanded that those responsible be held accountable for atrocities and attacks on civilians.
same	Car Bomb Rocks Western Baghdad	Iraqi authorities say at least six people were killed and more than 50 others wounded in a car bomb explosion in a commercial district in western Baghdad Wednesday.	Annan Backs U.S. on Darfur; Vote Due Saturday	UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Thursday threw his weight behind a U.S.-drafted resolution on Sudan's Darfur region, saying the Security Council should adopt it immediately to stop atrocities.
same	Bomb Threat Sparks Stansted Emergency	A bomb threat forced a passenger plane to divert to a London airport under military escort for an emergency landing today. The Olympic Airways flight	Haiti Flood Death Toll Passes 3,000	PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (Reuters) - Haiti's death toll from last month's devastating flooding rose to more than 3,000 on Tuesday, according to government officials who released what they believe is the final death tally.
same	Norway envoy meets with Tamil Tigers	Norwegian peace envoy Erik Solheimmet Wednesday with Tamil Tigers leaders at the rebel-held northerntown of Kilinochchi in a fresh attempt to revive Sri Lanka #39;s peacetalks, the national television reported.	Iraq PM Adamant Jan. Election Will Be Held	Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi said Sunday elections would be held on schedule in January despite a surge in violence and more than a score of hostages under threat of death from insurgents.
same	Sarkozy defends French backing for Alstom	CBI director general Digby Jones yesterday clashed with French finance minister Nicolas Sarkozy over the state-backed rescue of one of France #39;s biggest industrial companies.	Iraqi prime minister to seek election reassurances from UN chief (AFP)	AFP - Iraq's interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi said he would seek an explanation from UN chief Kofi Annan for his attitude to Iraq's elections when they meet on Friday at the United Nations.
same	Iran Denounces U.N. Demands As 'Illegal'	TEHRAN, Iran - Iran on Sunday denounced as "illegal" demands from the U.N. atomic watchdog agency that it freeze all work on uranium enrichment - technology that can be used for nuclear weapons...	AU pledges to increase ceasefire observers in Darfur	The African Union (AU) pledged Thursday to increase its ceasefire observers from the current 1,000 to 3,320 in the troubled western Darfur region of Sudan.
same	Japanese corporate bankruptcies in August fall for 20th month in row (AFP)	AFP - The number of Japanese corporate bankruptcies in August fell 18.2 percent from a year earlier to 1,080 cases, marking the 20th consecutive monthly decline, according to a research firm.	Hurricane Ivan Slams Gulf Coast; 23 Dead	PENSACOLA, Fla. - Hurricane Ivan drilled the Gulf Coast on Thursday with 130-mph winds that inflicted far less damage than feared everywhere except Florida's Panhandle, where residents were left with surge-ravaged beachfronts, flooded streets and homes ripped apart by deadly tornadoes...
same	Six killed as train smashes into car at crossing	AT LEAST six people were killed and around 150 injured last night after a high-speed train packed with hundreds of passengers hit a car on a level crossing and derailed.	Palestinians call for peace talks	The Palestinian prime minister calls for new peace efforts with Israel, a day after Yasser Arafat's burial.
same	Bush arrives in Canada for first stage of world charm offensive (Canadian Press)	Canadian Press - OTTAWA (CP) - U.S. President George W. Bush swooped into town Tuesday for a whirlwind visit designed to begin mending international fences in the wake of the Iraq war.	Blasts in Baghdad Target Two Ministerial Convoys	A suicide car bomb attack targeting Iraq #39;s environment minister killed four of her bodyguards on Tuesday, while a separate blast near the education minister #39;s convoy killed one bodyguard, police and government officials said.
same	Russia woos Indian IT firms, call to jointly tap global markets (AFP)	AFP - Russia said it wants to emulate India's success in information technology as it wooed Indian firms for joint projects and called on both nations to team up to tap global markets.	India and Pakistan to meet at UN	India and Pakistan will aim to push forward the peace process between them at talks in New York on Friday. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf will meet on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
same	Russian tycoon rocks Vilnius	by RN Eastern Europe editor Margreet Strijbosch, 25 October 2004. A Russian-born millionaire has turned Lithuanian politics on its head.	Marine Killed in Iraq's Anbar Province (AP)	AP - A U.S. Marine was killed while conducting security operations in Anbar province, the military said Thursday.
same	Pakistani Security Forces Free Chinese Hostages	Pakistani commandos on Thursday freed two Chinese engineers taken hostage near the Afghan border and killed their five kidnappers, who are led by a former Guantanamo Bay prisoner, officials said.	Former Costa Rican President Ordered Held (AP)	AP - A court on Friday ordered that former President Rafael Calderon be jailed for nine months as investigators probe corruption allegations.
same	Cuba Hospitalizes Dissident After Wife's Protest (Reuters)	Reuters - Cuban authorities transferred a jailed\dissident suffering from a herniated disc to a military\hospital on Thursday after his wife staged an unprecedented\protest in Havana's Revolution Square.	Nordic leaders say US terror alert serious but security already <b>...</b>	STOCKHOLM, Nov 1 (AFP) - Prime ministers of the five Nordic countries meeting here on Monday said they were worried by a US warning of potential terror attacks in the region, but claimed that security was high enough to ward off the threat.
same	Egypt arrests five suspects over Sinai bombings (AFP)	AFP - Egypt said it had arrested five suspects accused of carrying out a wave of deadly car bomb attacks in Red Sea resorts almost three weeks ago.	Florida governor turns to US Supreme Court in euthanasia case (AFP)	AFP - Florida's Governor Jeb Bush asked the US Supreme Court to intervene to keep a comatose woman alive, over the wishes of her husband, who wants to disconnect the feeding tube that has sustained her for 14 years.
same	Special UN envoy urges Sudan to accept more foreign aid (AFP)	AFP - UN chief Kofi Annan's special envoy to Sudan urged the Sudanese government to accept international aid if it is unable to protect the population in its troubled Darfur region.	India, Pakistan Leaders Hail New Chapter in Ties	The leaders of India and Pakistan on Friday hailed a new era in often fraught relations between the two south Asian nuclear rivals and agreed to study a joint pipeline project as part of closer economic ties.
same	DRC FORCES ALERT AS CIVILIANS FLEE	The Democratic Republic of Congo has placed it troops on alert and is deploying soldiers to the east of the country, after reports that Rwandan troops have infiltrated the area.	Blast hits Pakistani mosque	ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN - A suicide attacker detonated a bomb at a Shia mosque in the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore Sunday, killing at least four people.
same	Five die in stampede for train	FOUR women and a 12-year-old girl died and at least 10 people were injured in a stampede at the Indian capital #39;s main railway station today as hordes of people tried to board a train, officials said.	ASEAN recognizes China as market economy	SHANGHAI : The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has recognised China as a full market economy, Chinese state press reported following a meeting of ASEAN finance ministers in Indonesia.
same	Riot witness to clarify testimony	India's Supreme Court orders a key Muslim witness to explain why she changed statements in a Gujarat riot case.	Lebanese police release detained sisters of dead Al-Qaida detainee	Police on Tuesday released two sisters of the alleged al-Qaida leader in Lebanon who died of a heart attack in custody, security officials said.
same	Two US soldiers killed, four wounded during attack in Mosul	Two US soldiers were killed and four wounded when their patrol came under attack in the northwestern city of Mosul, the military said Sunday.	President to open EC hospital	CAPE TOWN - President Thabo Mbeki, who was still in Ivory Coast yesterday, is scheduled to perform the official opening of Mthatha #39;s Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital tomorrow, the Eastern Cape Health Department announced yesterday.
same	Israeli Missile Wounds 2 Gaza Policemen -Medics	An Israeli missile fired from a pilotless aircraft wounded two Palestinian policemen in the southern Gaza town of Khan Younis on Sunday, witnesses said.	Iran nuclear chief hails #39;new chapter #39; with Europe after talks	Iran #39;s top nuclear official Hassan Rowhani hailed Monday a quot;new chapter quot; in relations between Tehran and Europe, after talks with key EU ministers on rewards Iran is to receive for suspending uranium enrichment to show it is not making atomic weapons.
same	Typhoon flooding kills 25 in Vietnam	Torrential rains hit the region this week and floods submerged more than 10,000 houses and brought traffic to a standstill. A disaster management official from the coastal province of Quang Ngai says a red	Militant Killed in Israeli Missile Strike-Witness	GAZA (Reuters) - An Israeli helicopter missile strike killed a Palestinian militant and wounded two others in the northern Gaza Strip on Saturday, witnesses said.
same	MP calls for release of old school pal	North-west Norfolk MP Henry Bellingham has called for the release of an old college friend accused of plotting a coup in Equatorial Guinea.	Bush warns Iran and North Korea	US President George W Bush is stepping up pressure on North Korea and Iran to abandon their nuclear weapons programmes. At the Apec summit of Pacific-rim countries in Chilean capital Santiago Mr Bush has been
same	Indian sensitivities in mind: Rumsfeld	NEW DELHI: Manmohan said India would address all issues with Pakistan, provided General Pervez Musharraf stuck to his commitment to stop terrorism against India.	House Approves #36;477 Billion Defense Bill (AP)	AP - Congress on Saturday approved a #36;477 billion defense bill with a military pay raise and new money for Iraq and Afghanistan.
same	Bollywood superstar Bachchan joins Mandela's anti-AIDS campaign (AFP)	AFP - Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan has been appointed a key player in an anti-AIDS campaign headed by South African former president Nelson Mandela, according to a statement here.	A Plea for Support of Innovation	America risks losing its leadership of the global economy if government and industry fail to make changes that encourage innovation, a panel of leading executives and university presidents say in a study to be released today.
same	Dole Questions Kerry's Vietnam Wounds	CRAWFORD, Texas - Former Republican Sen. Bob Dole suggested Sunday that John Kerry apologize for past testimony before Congress about alleged atrocities during the Vietnam War and joined critics of the Democratic presidential candidate who say he received an early exit from combat for "superficial wounds." Dole also called on Kerry to release all the records of his service in Vietnam...	GSLV carrying EDUSAT blasts off from Sriharikota	Sriharikota, Sept 20 (ANI) : India added another feather to its cap in space technology and stole a march over other countries by launching EDUSAT, its first exclusive satellite for educational sector, from here on Monday.
same	Probe launched into parliament intrusion	Britain has launched an inquiry into the first storming of its parliament since 1674 after a protest stunt revealed shambolic security at the heart of Prime Minister Tony Blair #39;s government.	Hurricane Ivan Charges Westward Through Caribbean	The latest in a series of violent storms continues to charge westward through the Caribbean, after making a direct hit on Grenada, knocking over trees and utility poles.
same	Afghan Opposition Boycotting Election	KABUL, Afghanistan - All 15 candidates running against interim Afghan leader Hamid Karzai signed an agreement Saturday boycotting the vote because of what they say is widespread fraud, and say they will not recognize the election results. The announcement was read out after a meeting of candidates and their representatives at the home of Abdul Satar Sirat, an Uzbek who is an ex-aide to Afghanistan's last king...	Israel #39;s deadly Gaza offensive enters third week	JABALIYA, Gaza Strip, Oct 12 (AFP) - Israel #39;s massive military onslaught in the northern Gaza Strip entered its third week Tuesday with the death toll topping 110 and scenes of utter devastation in the territory #39;s largest refugee camp.
same	Bush to Talk Health Care in Pennsylvania (AP)	AP - President Bush is returning to the swing state of Pennsylvania on Thursday to talk about health care.	GOP Wants Bush to Draw Attention Off Iraq	NEW YORK - Nervous Republicans are urging President Bush to unveil a robust second-term agenda at his convention next week to shift voters' focus from the unpopular war in Iraq and other issues that are a distraction to his re-election drive. Some contend the party should ditch the GOP-fueled controversy over rival John Kerry's combat record in Vietnam...
same	Abductors threaten to kill UN trio unless troops leave Afghanistan	KABUL - A breakaway Taleban group claiming to hold three UN workers threatened Saturday to execute them unless foreign troops withdrew from Afghanistan and condemned its invasion by US-led forces.	India #39;s ruling Congress party retains power in richest state	BOMBAY : India #39;s Congress-led alliance held onto power in the nation #39;s richest state, Maharashtra, after winning the most seats in assembly elections and dealing a humiliating defeat to the opposition Hindu nationalists.
same	Money Is Driving Moscow Makeover	For decades, pilgrims to Red Square have first passed in the shadow of the stolid Moskva hotel and the elegant Manezh exhibition hall. Once they made it across the square's cobblestoned expanse, they found their view obscured by the modernist concrete hulk known as the Hotel Rossiya.	Accused deserter set to face Army trial	TOKYO -- Responding to Sergeant Charles Robert Jenkins's pledge to surrender after spending four decades in North Korea, US military officials say they are ready to put the frail 64-year-old back in uniform, give him a haircut, set him up in on-base housing -- and then try him for desertion.
same	UN says children suffering the most	GENEVA -- The fighting in Iraq is ''wreaking havoc quot; on the children, all but preventing relief groups from working in the country, the UN children's agency said yesterday.	At lest 22 die in north Iraq clashes, curfews slapped on <b>...</b>	MOSUL, Iraq, Nov 10 (AFP) - At least 22 people were killed in a wave of violence in northern Iraq Wednesday, prompting the government to slap curfews on the Sunni Muslim cities of Mosul and Baiji.
same	Commander: Osama Probably Not in Pakistan Region (Reuters)	Reuters - Osama bin Laden is unlikely\to be hiding in Pakistan's tribal region near the Afghan\border, the top military commander in the area said on Tuesday.	6 dead in typhoon deluge	At least six people died in Shikoku after heavy rains from Typhoon Megi pounded the western Japan island on Tuesday and Wednesday, officials said.
same	Suicide Bombers Kill 25 Iraqi Troops	BAGHDAD (Reuters) - A suicide car bomb hit a bus packed with Iraqi National Guards on Sunday, killing 26 people in the deadliest attack of its kind in four months on Iraqis cooperating with U.S. forces to secure a Jan. 30 election.	India #39;s diplomatic gains in UN	Manmohan Singh #39;s recent trip to the United Nations General Assembly in New York, his first as India #39;s prime minister, has been widely seen as a diplomatic triumph.
same	Iraq cleric agrees to ceasefire... sort of	However, key members of the cleric #39;s movement insisted terms of the deal had not been finalised. The claims and counterclaims followed an announcement Tuesday by prime minister Ayad Allawi that the basis of	Unemployment, Oil News Keep Stocks Mixed	NEW YORK - A slowdown in economic growth and oil prices hovering around \$48 per barrel renewed fears of disappointing third-quarter earnings Thursday and kept stocks mixed. In late morning trading, the Dow Jones industrial average fell 39.53, or 0.4 percent, to 10,069.65, one day after the index lost more than 135 points...
same	India assess Bangladesh security	An Indian security team travels to Bangladesh to decide on the tour's future.	Kidnappers Say They Have Killed Italian Hostage --TV (Reuters)	Reuters - Militants in Iraq said they have killed\Italian journalist Enzo Baldoni, who went missing after being\ambushed on the road between Baghdad and Najaf, Al Jazeera\reported Thursday.
same	KYOTO PROTOCOL GETS GREEN LIGHT	The Kyoto Protocol has finally been given the green light and will become a binding treaty on February the 16th. The finalisation of the United Nations #39; environmental accord, which is designed to combat global	Chavez celebrates referendum win	Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and throngs of his supporters jammed avenues in downtown Caracas on Friday to celebrate the president #39;s defeat of an August 15 recall referendum.
same	Iraq captors repeat Bigley tactics	British-Iraqi aid worker Margaret Hassan #39;s captors have released a tape of her pleading for Tony Blair to save her life, repeating a tactic used with political effect in the case of slain hostage Kenneth Bigley.	Croatians vote in presidential elections; Mesic expected to win second term (AFP)	AFP - Croatians go to the polls with incumbent President Stipe Mesic expected to win his second five-year term with the prospect of leading the former Yugoslav republic into the European Union.
same	Taiwans DPP vows sweeping reforms with victory	Taiwan #39;s ruling Democratic Progressive party has promised to pass sweeping economic and political reforms if it gains control of the legislature for the first time in Saturday #39;s election.	S.Korea's Roh Sees Slow Progress in 6-Party Talks (Reuters)	Reuters - South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun said\on Sunday he expected only slow progress in the six-nation\talks to end Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions but retained hopes\for a diplomatic resolution.
same	Stevens Returns to U.K. After Detention	LONDON - Puzzled and angry at being barred from the United States, Yusuf Islam, the singer formerly known as Cat Stevens, returned to London on Thursday vowing to find out why. Surrounded by a throng of reporters at Heathrow Airport, Islam said it was ludicrous that he's on Washington's no-fly list, suspected of ties to terrorists, and said he would challenge the decision to block him from entering the country...	Death toll soars to 322 in Russia school siege	BESLAN, Russia -- Hundreds of children, their parents, and teachers died in the bloody culmination of a 52-hour siege that began when heavily armed Muslim guerrillas stormed their school Wednesday and ended in hours of battle with Russian troops Friday.
same	Pakistan Publishes 'Most-Wanted Terrorists' List (Reuters)	Reuters - Pakistan published pictures of six\"most-wanted terrorists" on Wednesday and offered rewards for\information leading to the arrest of two al Qaeda-linked\militants wanted over assassination attempts on the president.	Iran readies uranium for enrichment, UN watching	TEHRAN (Agencies) -- Iran began processing uranium just more than a week ago to prepare it for enrichment, a diplomat said on Wednesday.
same	Telstra to stay in Aussie hands	TELSTRA will remain firmly in Australian hands even after the Government sells its shares in the company, Treasurer Mr Peter Costello said yesterday.	Pitcairn Mayor 'Led Rape' on Island - Prosecutor	SYDNEY (Reuters) - The trial of seven Pitcairn Island men, descendants of the 18th century Bounty mutineers, began Wednesday with the mayor the first to face charges of rape and underage sex, pool reports said.
same	Saddam Aides Refusing Food, U.S. Military Says	BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Several of Saddam Hussein's jailed deputies have been refusing food but Saddam himself is not on hunger strike on the eve of the first anniversary of his capture, an officer in charge of detainees said on Sunday.	Clashes Across Bangladesh After Rally Attack	DHAKA (Reuters) - Clashes between police and opposition supporters erupted across Bangladesh on Sunday in the aftermath of grenade attacks on a rally that killed 17.
same	PMs publish devolution proposals	The British and Irish prime ministers are publishing their proposals to restore devolution in NI.	Man arrested after 2 killed, 29 hurt in bombing of Pakistani cinema (Canadian Press)	Canadian Press - PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) - A bomb exploded in a cinema during a screening early Wednesday in northwestern Pakistan, killing two people and injuring 29 others, police said.

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BBC story on Dow Chemical responsibility a hoax: report

LONDON (CBS.MW) -- A source at the BBC told AFX News that their story alleging that Dow Chemical (DOW) has taken responsibility for the Bhopal disaster is a hoax, and Reuters reported that a spokesman for Dow #39;s Union Carbide denied the report.

Three Dutch Police Injured in Anti-Terror Raid

Suspects sought in a Dutch anti-terrorism raid threw a hand grenade in a standoff with police on Wednesday, injuring three officers, amid a spiral of violence following the killing of an outspoken filmmaker.

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U.S. Agrees to Release Terror Suspect

WASHINGTON - The Justice Department has agreed to release a U.S. citizen held as an enemy combatant for more than two years, clearing the way for him to return to Saudi Arabia, officials said Wednesday...

Karzai dismisses powerful military governor ahead of Afghan polls

KABUL - Afghan President Hamid Karzai dismissed a powerful warlord from his post as provincial governor Saturday in the latest move to solidify the central governments control of wayward provinces ahead of Octobers landmark polls.

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Captured mercenaries escape mass execution

Seventy suspected mercenaries standing trial in Harare escaped a possible death sentence yesterday when Zimbabwe announced that they will not be extradited to Equatorial Guinea.

Pakistan assembly discards anti-speaker motion (Reuters)

Reuters - Pakistan's National Assembly discarded a no-confidence motion against its speaker on Friday after opposition deputies declined to vote when the deputy speaker refused to allow all 107 of those present to speak.

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Five civilians die in vehicle blast

KABUL -- A doctor helping organize Afghan elections died yesterday along with four other civilians when an explosion tore through their vehicle, police said.

Sub crew safe after fire off the coast of Ireland

HALIFAX (CP) - Canada #39;s problem-plagued submarine fleet was hit by another major setback Tuesday when a small electrical fire broke out aboard HMCS Chicoutimi as it was making its maiden trip to Canada from its former base in Scotland.

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Brazil Upset in Ecuador; China Eliminated

Ecuador upset Brazil 1-0 Wednesday to send the World Cup champions to their first loss in qualifying for the 2006 tournament, and it cost them the top spot in South America's World Cup qualifying.

Koda #39;s Iraq trip was driven by sheer curiosity

TOKYO - Shosei Koda was a student learning English in New Zealand before entering Iraq, but his self-searching trip to one of the most dangerous places in the world without proper preparation ended in tragedy as the Japanese government confirmed Sunday

same

Nuclear Chief Pressures Iran, N. Korea

UN nuclear chief Mohamed ElBaradei urged Iran on Monday to suspend uranium enrichment and called on North Korea to dismantle its weapons program or at least allow inspectors to ensure it is quot;exclusively peaceful.

UN Appeals for Release of Workers in Afghanistan (Reuters)

Reuters - The United Nations again appealed for the\safe return of three of its workers held hostage in Afghanistan\on Thursday, three weeks after they were snatched from their\car on a busy street in central Kabul.

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Danforth Quit U.N. Post to Return to Mo. (AP)

AP - U.S. Ambassador John Danforth said Friday he took himself out of the running for any job in President Bush's second term because he wanted to go home to Missouri.

Syria rejects US accusations of meddling in Iraqi affairs

Syria on Thursday rejected accusations by US President George W. Bush and some Iraqi officials of meddling in Iraqi affairs as quot;groundless, quot; the official SANA news agency reported.

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Pakistani court grants bail to Bhutto #39;s husband

ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani court yesterday granted bail to the husband of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, and officials from her party said the decision should result in his release after eight years in prison.

Annan refuses to resign over Iraq programme

The United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, has said he will not resign over the controversial Iraqi Oil-for-Food programme.

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Abbas #39; own militants reject call to end intifida

Key Palestinian militant groups, including ones headed by Mahmoud Abbas, have rejected the leader #39;s calls to end their armed fight against Israel.

Senate Condemns Russia School Massacre (AP)

AP - The Senate used a voice vote Thursday to denounce the massacre of hundreds at a Russian school and to express its condolences to that nation's people.

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India tests nuclear-capable missile

BHUBANESHWAR, India: India on Sunday successfully tested its indigenous Agni-II ballistic missile, the military said as it announced it was armed with a shorter-range version of the nuclear-capable missile.

UN calls for immediate end to Congo fighting

The United Nations called on Monday for an immediate ceasefire in eastern Congo as fighting between rival army factions flared for a third day.

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Police reveal prime suspects

POLICE last night released the names and mugshots of the bombers and terror masterminds believed responsible for the Australian Embassy attack in Jakarta.

Wildlife conference starts as battle lines drawn

A major wildlife conference started yesterday in Bangkok bringing together 166 nations to scrutinise trade in some of the world #39;s rarest species amid promises of greater action to fight smuggling.

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Heineken Profit Falls As Sales Increase (AP)

AP - The Dutch brewer Heineken NV reported its profit fell 27 percent due in part to the weaker dollar despite a rise in sales in the first half of the year.

Afghan Blast Has Alarming Implications

NAIK NAM, Afghanistan -- Saher Gul was chalking a long division lesson on the blackboard of his two-room village school. Twenty-five boys, ages 9 to 19, were sitting cross-legged on the dirt floor. Suddenly the earthen walls and ceiling exploded and collapsed, smothering the class in a mountain of rubble.

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Susilo prepares five-year program: Spokesman

: Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is preparing a five-year program for Indonesia #39;s new government after winning three in five votes in the presidential election, M. Lufti, a spokesman for Susilo, said late last night.

Myanmar Official: Democracy Plans on Track (AP)

AP - Military-ruled Myanmar will stick to its plans for gradual democratization despite the abrupt appointment of a new prime minister believed to hold a hard line in dealing with the country's political reform movement, Foreign Minister Nyan Win said Thursday.

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Judgment at Hand in Landmark Berlusconi Trial

MILAN (Reuters) - Judges in the corruption trial of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi withdrew on Thursday to decide their verdict, which could hobble the Italian leader's political future.

Press Freedom Under Threat Most In Asia, Mid-East: Report

Paris, Oct. 27 (NNN) : A report from media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RWB) has put Press freedom under most under threat in Asia and the Middle East.

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CNN journalist has been released

Riad Ali, who is an Israeli Arab, was handed over to Palestinian police today, nearly 24 hours after he was abducted at gunpoint from a CNN van.

US and Iraqis raid Sunni centres

US and Iraqi forces raid mosques in Ramadi, after an overnight air strike on a popular restaurant in Falluja.

same

Deaths in Nigerian cult clashes

At least 18 students have been killed in clashes between rival student gangs in south-eastern Nigeria.

Belarusian Chief Sees Vote As Mandate

Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko, 50, is seen during a news conference in Minsk, Monday, Oct. 18, 2004. According to the Central Elections Commission a preliminary tally of ballots from Sunday #39;s election

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Australia accused over #39;fair trial #39; call

Canberra has been accused of playing politics after it called on Washington to ensure the military trials of two Australians are conducted fairly.

S.Korea #39;s Ruling Party Head Resigns on Father #39;s Past

SEOUL (Reuters) - The chairman of South Korea #39;s ruling Uri Party resigned on Thursday after saying his father had served as a military police officer during Japan #39;s 1910-1945 colonial rule on the peninsula.

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Iran's conservatives seen tightening power in republic

TEHRAN -- After eight years of a bold but bungled experiment with reform, Iran's government is in the throes of a takeover by conservatives determined to restore the revolution's Islamic purity, according to Iranian politicians and analysts.

Big business spells out economic agenda for new Indonesian ...

In the lead up to his inauguration as Indonesian president tomorrow, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has remained tight-lipped about the make-up of his cabinet, and, as throughout the election campaign, any policy details.

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Colombia Militia Leader Said Killed (AP)

AP - The leader of a paramilitary faction involved in peace talks was apparently one of five insurgents killed in an ambush on Monday, officials said.

British redeployment in Iraq meets with opposition

The British Ministry of Defense confirmed on Sunday that the US has sent a request to the British government for redeployment of the British forces stationed in Iraq because the US troops stationed in Iraq are preparing for new military actions in Fallujah

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Upturn in Oil Prices Leave Stocks Mixed

NEW YORK - A fresh upturn in oil prices left stocks mixed Friday even as a satisfactory report on durable goods orders provided new evidence that the economy might be gaining traction. Downbeat outlooks from a pair of microchip makers weighed on tech stocks...

Incubus Singer Arrested at N.Y. Airport

NEW YORK - The lead singer of the rock band Incubus was arrested for a carrying a switchblade in his bag while trying to board a plane on his way to a concert in North Carolina. Brandon Boyd, 28, was stopped Wednesday at LaGuardia Airport when baggage screeners spotted the knife in his carry-on luggage, said Lou Martinez, a spokesman for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates the airport...

same

Mexican Rebels Withdraw From Reserve (AP)

AP - Leftist Zapatista rebels announced Wednesday they will voluntarily withdraw seven squatter settlements from an endangered jungle nature reserve, a move that may mark the end a decade-long standoff with authorities.

25 dead in India rail accident

NEW DELHI - At least 25 people are feared killed and more than 50 hurt after two Indian Railway trains collided head-on in the Hoshiarpur District of Punjab State about 350 kilometers north of New Delhi on Tuesday.

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Another Buddhist killed in #39;revenge attack #39;

Thailand - Unknown assailants on Tuesday beheaded a 60-year-old Buddhist plantation worker in the southern province of Narathiwat in an act of revenge for 87 Muslims slain in a government crackdown there in October.

Peace must be #39;imposed #39; on I Coast, says France

PARIS, Nov 16 (AFP) - Peace must be quot;imposed quot; on Ivory Coast if the warring sides there refuse to abide by a ceasefire, French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier said Tuesday, hailing sanctions voted by the UN Security Council against the west African state.

same

US embassy in Malaysia in 'anthrax scare' (AFP)

AFP - Malaysian emergency services rushed to the tightly-guarded US embassy in Kuala Lumpur after a powder which police said could be anthrax was found in a letter.

Chechen bombers slip the net

TWO Chechen women suspected of blowing up two Russian passenger planes last month were detained but freed -- and then went on to bribe their way aboard.

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British soldier faces murder charge over death of Iraqi man

A British soldier appeared before a court in London yesterday accused of murdering a civilian in Iraq. Kevin Williams, 21, was brought before a civilian court after his own commanding officer had initially dismissed the charges.

Israel destroys home of teenage bomber

NABLUS, WEST BANK -- The Israeli army yesterday destroyed the home of a teenage suicide bomber despite his mother #39;s public and impassioned criticism of the group that sent her son on the deadly mission.

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Indonesian embassy blast

TEN people were injured yesterday when a bomb exploded outside the Indonesian embassy in Paris. Most of the victims, who included four embassy staff, were hit by flying glass.

Convicted killer Robert Baltovich finally in court in bid to clear his name (Canadian Press)

Canadian Press - TORONTO (CP) - Lawyers for Robert Baltovich, convicted 12 years ago in the murder of his girlfriend, began a long-awaited legal bid to clear his name Monday in an appeal that's expected to resurrect the grim spectre of sex killer Paul Bernardo.

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US arrests two Hamas 'racketeers'

US authorities arrest two alleged members of Palestinian militant group Hamas on racketeering and terrorism charges.

Aid workers increasingly a target in conflict zones

The group holding three foreign aid workers in Afghanistan says it will decide Friday whether to kill them. NEW DELHI AND ISLAMABAD - The brazen daylight kidnapping of three international aid workers in

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Brit soldier charged

British authorities have, for the first time, charged a soldier with murder in the death of a civilian in Iraq. The man was indicted yesterday in a civilian court after his commanding officer blocked a court martial.

'All Aboard' France's Artouste Express, France's highest-altitude train (AFP)

AFP - Eighty years ago the Artouste train in the French Pyrenees transported workers and materiel to build a dam at 2000 meters (6500 feet) altitude, but today it ferries tourists for a sometimes hair-raising ride along one of Europe's highest rail lines.

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India urges Bangladesh not to kill stray elephants (Reuters)

Reuters - Authorities in northeast India urged Bangladesh on Monday not to kill about 100 wild elephants that have strayed across the border and gone on a rampage, killing 13 people and injuring dozens more.

Shining Path retrial halted again

The retrial of Peruvian guerrilla leader Abimael Guzman is halted for a second time in a week.

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Why Iran wants its own nuclear deterrent

Iran's leaders apparently believe that the benefits of obtaining a nuclear bomb now outweigh the drawbacks.

Efforts to remove fear of China among Asean

Even as smaller countries of the 10-member Asean grouping have expressed reservations about the proposed Free Trade Area (FTA) with China as it will put them at a great disadvantage, efforts are on to remove their misgivings.

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Iraqi Government, Al-Sadr OK Peace Deal

NAJAF, Iraq - Iraq's top Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, made a dramatic return to Najaf on Thursday and swiftly won agreement from a rebel cleric and the government to end three weeks of fighting between his militia and U.S.-Iraqi forces. The renegade Muqtada al-Sadr accepted the proposal in a face-to-face meeting Thursday night with the 75-year-old al-Sistani...

Romania Opposition Demands Election Rerun, Alleges Fraud

BUCHAREST, Romania (Reuters) - Romania's centrist opposition Tuesday demanded a rerun of Sunday's general elections, alleging fraud in the electronic vote counting had helped the ruling ex-communists, who held a slim lead.

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Real estate bargain ends for US envoy

MOSCOW -- Russia and the United States have agreed to a new lease for the US ambassador's lavish Moscow residence after Russia complained he paid less than \$3 a year for it, officials announced yesterday. The annual rent for Spaso House in central Moscow was set in rubles in 1985, but the currency's value plummeted by 99.9 percent after the ...

Cambodia set to crown new king

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia -- Cambodia is preparing to crown its first new king in decades later Friday, amid an array of official celebrations.

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30 Killed in Spate of Attacks in Iraq

More than 60 were wounded in a rash of suicide bombings and attacks, as U.S. forces prepared for a possible assault on Fallujah.

Security key in Indonesia vote?

After eight months of campaigning centered largely on personality, security issues could become a key factor in Indonesia #39;s presidential election.

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Roadmap for troops cut being readied:Pranab

NEW DELHI: A day after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced reduction of troops in Jammu and Kashmir, Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Friday said a roadmap was being prepared for the withdrawal.

Rooney shirts go to war children

Everton shirts sporting the name of Wayne Rooney could soon be seen on the streets of Liberia, West Africa.

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How Would They End the War?

President Bush and John Kerry have said little more than that each will end the war the right way and his opponent will not.

Allawi Threatens New Offensive To Take Over Al-Fallujah

Interim Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi says time is running out for Al-Fallujah residents to evict foreign fighters from the city of face a US-Iraqi military operation to do so.

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In Paris, a slick maneuver tries to lure tourists to Eiffel Tower

PARIS -- Holiday on ice takes on new meaning high above the rooftops of Paris doing figure eights inside the Eiffel Tower.

More Aftershocks as Japan Aids Quake Victims (Reuters)

Reuters - Japan resumed rescue efforts at\first light on Monday as aftershocks rattled the area where the\country's deadliest earthquake in nine years killed at least 23\people and injured more than 2,000 at the weekend.

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Balkan states ready to increase participation in NATO operations (AFP)

AFP - Albania, Croatia and Macedonia said they were ready to increase their participation in NATO operations and pledged to further develop cooperation in their bid to join the alliance.

Florida authorities searching 58,000 missing ballots (AFP)

AFP - Authorities in Florida were looking for 58,000 absentee ballots whose disappearance stirred renewed controversy in the state that held up the 2000 presidential election for five weeks.

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Arafat's Wife Opposes Leaders Visiting Him (Reuters)

Reuters - Yasser Arafat's senior deputies hoped to\travel to France on Monday to meet the critically ill\Palestinian president but his wife was opposed to the visit, a\senior Palestinian official said.

The \$5m royal wedding

Three weeks of celebrations, a guest list that included princes and world leaders, and a 21-gun salute. Jonathan Este reports on the marriage of the Crown Prince of Brunei.

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EQUATORIAL GUINEA: Foreign coup plotters given long jail terms

LIBREVILLE, 26 November (IRIN) - A South African mercenary was found guilty Friday of leading a failed coup against the president of oil-rich Equatorial Guinea and sentenced to 34 years in jail, police and court sources said.

Eritrean Asylum Seekers Force Plane to Land in Sudan

A group of 76 Eritreans on a repatriation flight from Libya Friday forced their plane to change course and land in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, where they

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South Korea to explain uranium experiments at IAEA meetings this ...

SEOUL - South Korean officials will meet with the UN nuclear watchdog this month to explain about controversial uranium enrichment tests conducted four years ago, Foreign Minister Ban Ki-Moon said on Saturday.

Bomb Hits Jakarta's Paris Embassy, Motive Unclear

PARIS (Reuters) - A small parcel bomb exploded outside the Indonesian embassy in Paris before dawn on Friday, slightly injuring 10 people and shattering windows, but officials said they had no clues to the motive.

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Qurei nominated as chief of Palestinian security council

Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei was nominated by acting President Rawhi Fattouh as chief of the national security council on Sunday.

Democrats Claim Bush's Bounce Will Fade (AP)

AP - Democrats on Sunday said President Bush's post-convention bounce was triggered by "four days of mean, vicious attacks" on John Kerry, and would be short-lived.

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US, Africa team up to help Darfur

The US has provided airlifts and pledged \$300 million to support African troops in western Sudan.

At least eight dead in Dubai airport construction site collapse

DUBAI : At least eight workers were killed when a wall on a vast construction site at Dubai airport in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) collapsed, Al-Arabiya television reported.

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Zarqawi Aide Killed During US Air Strike

WASHINGTON, Oct 26, 2004 -- Coalition forces launched precision strikes on a safe house in Fallujah early this morning, killing an associate of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi #39;s terrorist organization, military officials in Baghdad reported today.

French police arrest 17, find heavy weapons in anti-ETA swoop

PARIS (AFP) - French police arrested 17 people and discovered a cache of heavy weapons during raids in southwestern France that targeted suspected members of Spain #39;s armed Basque separatist group ETA, officials said.

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Darfur Governor Says Rebels Attempted Coup (AP)

AP - West Darfur's governor on Sunday linked an alleged coup attempt against the national government to a rebellion in western Sudan, saying the same group was behind both insurrections.

Serbia Elections Draw Millions of Voters (AP)

AP - Serbia on Sunday held its first democratically organized local elections since Slobodan Milosevic's ouster in what was expected to be a close race between nationalists loyal to the former president and pro-Western reformists.

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4 Iraqis Tell of Looting at Munitions Site in '03

Three Iraqi witnesses and a security chief said that looters stormed Al Qaqaa just days after U.S. troops swept through on their way to Baghdad in early April 2003.

Peace may now stand a chance

In his olive nylon bomber jacket, olive fatigue pants and black combat boots, Al-Aqsa Martyr #39;s Brigades member Abu Said sees himself as a soldier, fighting Israeli occupation of Palestinian land.

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U.S. Says More Iraqi Police Are Needed as Attacks Continue

At a time when Iraqi insurgents are targeting local police officers and recruits for attack, the United States has raised by one-third -- to 135,000 -- the size of the Iraqi police force it says will be needed to help secure the country, according to information the administration has provided to Congress.

Stocks Set to Open Higher

NEW YORK - U.S. stocks are seen chalking up small gains at the open Thursday following Wednesday's pullback but the release of August's CPI data and weekly jobless claims could ultimately decide direction...

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Brazil says nuclear deal reached

UN nuclear inspectors abandon demands for unlimited access to Brazilian facilities, the country says.

Bosnian local elections confirm strength of nationalists (AFP)

AFP - Bosnians were reluctant voters in their third post-war local elections this weekend, with the ruling Croat, Muslim and Serb nationalists benefiting from the lower turnout, early results indicated.

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Cricket: England name squad

Andrew Flintoff and Marcus Trescothick will miss England's controversial tour of Zimbabwe.

Israel OKs more settlements

Israel announced plans yesterday to build 533 new homes in the West Bank, increasing the number of permits to three times those allowed in the previous three years combined.

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Afghan election brings political marketing to wartorn country (AFP)

AFP - quot;If you are showing the new Afghanistan, you cannot do it with a photo of a cemetery! quot; explains an exasperated worker with the media production house guiding Afghan presidential candidates into the murky world of political marketing.

Panel Urges Strong Warning on Antidepressants for Children

The panel recommended that the warning should say that antidepressants can sometimes lead children to become suicidal.

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Haitians pray for dead, give thanks for their lives

GONAIVES, HAITI -- Haitians surrounded by the destruction from tropical storm Jeanne prayed for the 1,500 dead and gave thanks their lives were spared at church services yesterday while the United Nations rushed more peacekeepers in to stem looting in the

Al-Zawahri Vows to Keep Fighting U.S. (AP)

AP - In a videotape aired Monday, Osama bin Laden's top lieutenant vowed to continue fighting the United States until Washington changed its policies.

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Sudan committed to resolving Darfur crisis: Bashir

KHARTOUM, Sept 4 (AFP) -- Sudanese President Omar el-Bashir declared that he was committed to resolving the crisis in the troubled western Darfur region amid international criticism that his government was not doing enough to stop what the UN has

UN Official Warns of #39;Spiral of Violence #39; Following Burundi Massacre

The United Nation #39;s top peacekeeping official says there is quot;real danger quot; of a new war in central Africa following the massacre of Congolese refugees in Burundi.

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Rescue teams waiting to enter Fallujah

Medical teams and convoys from the Iraqi Red Crescent are expected to enter the embattled city of Fallujah Saturday carrying urgent humanitarian assistance.

Report Expected to Blame 24 in Iraq Abuse

WASHINGTON - Two dozen people will be blamed by an Army investigation into the abuse of inmates at Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison, says a senior defense official. The official, who spoke Wednesday on condition of anonymity, provided no details of the report...

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China takes aim at corruption

BEIJING -- Chinese authorities have arrested or reprimanded more than 750 officials in recent months in connection with billions of dollars in financial irregularities ranging from unpaid taxes to embezzlement, according to a report made public yesterday.

American Diplomatic Drive Comes Up Short (AP)

AP - Bush administration persistence in using diplomacy to solve a nuclear weapons crisis with North Korea is coming up short as the insular regime bobs and weaves away from resuming negotiations.

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US troops, insurgents fight around Iraqi rebel city of Fallujah

FALLUJAH, Iraq : US troops and insurgents battled on the edge of rebel-held Fallujah and nine policemen were killed in an ambush, as UN chief Kofi Annan said he did not think the invasion of Iraq had made the world a safer place.

Cricket: Australia in command

Justin Langer hits an unbeaten 144 as Australia reach 327-3 against New Zealand.

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Taliban Suspected in Failed Karzai Attack

A failed rocket attack on a US helicopter carrying President Hamid Karzai was carried out by a self-confessed Taliban commando, Afghanistan #39;s top law-enforcer said Saturday.

Teen in the dock for first Madrid bombings trial (AFP)

AFP - A teenage youth was due in the dock for the first trial of a suspect implicated in the Madrid train bombings, which killed 191 people in Spain's worst terrorist attack.

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France hopeful that journalists will be released

Signs suggest hope for a possible release of the two French journalists held hostage in Iraq, Interior Minister Dominique de Villepin said Saturday.

Afghanistan Bomb Attacks Kill 16

At least 16 people, many of them children, were killed in explosions at the office of a US security contractor in Afghanistans capital and a school in the south east as the country moves towards its first post-Taliban election.

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Group #39;kills second US hostage #39;

Militants in Iraq have killed the second of two US civilians they were holding hostage, according to a statement on an Islamist website.

Israel Feuds With Agency Set Up to Aid Palestinians

For years, Israel has feuded with the United Nations refugee agency for Palestinians over a wide range of issues, and recently Israel thought it had found a smoking gun to press its case.

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Cricket: Hall battles India attack

Andrew Hall steers South Africa to 230-4 on day one of the first Test against India.

American Allies Embrace U.S. Military Plan (AP)

AP - American allies Japan and Australia embraced a new U.S. plan to restructure its forces abroad, while Russia said it was not concerned by the proposal. But Germany, home to 70,000 U.S. soldiers, said any withdrawal from the former Cold War frontier may hurt its economy.

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Rebels attack military camp in Kashmir, two dead

Rebels have attacked a military camp in disputed Kashmir, killing a soldier hours before India #39;s Home Minister was due to visit the troubled region, security officials said.

U.S. Blasts All Parties in Darfur Conflict (AP)

AP - The United States on Tuesday accused all parties in the 22-month conflict in Sudan's western Darfur region of complicity in a growing humanitarian disaster and demanded that those responsible be held accountable for atrocities and attacks on civilians.

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Car Bomb Rocks Western Baghdad

Iraqi authorities say at least six people were killed and more than 50 others wounded in a car bomb explosion in a commercial district in western Baghdad Wednesday.

Annan Backs U.S. on Darfur; Vote Due Saturday

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Thursday threw his weight behind a U.S.-drafted resolution on Sudan's Darfur region, saying the Security Council should adopt it immediately to stop atrocities.

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Bomb Threat Sparks Stansted Emergency

A bomb threat forced a passenger plane to divert to a London airport under military escort for an emergency landing today. The Olympic Airways flight

Haiti Flood Death Toll Passes 3,000

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (Reuters) - Haiti's death toll from last month's devastating flooding rose to more than 3,000 on Tuesday, according to government officials who released what they believe is the final death tally.

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Norway envoy meets with Tamil Tigers

Norwegian peace envoy Erik Solheimmet Wednesday with Tamil Tigers leaders at the rebel-held northerntown of Kilinochchi in a fresh attempt to revive Sri Lanka #39;s peacetalks, the national television reported.

Iraq PM Adamant Jan. Election Will Be Held

Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi said Sunday elections would be held on schedule in January despite a surge in violence and more than a score of hostages under threat of death from insurgents.

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Sarkozy defends French backing for Alstom

CBI director general Digby Jones yesterday clashed with French finance minister Nicolas Sarkozy over the state-backed rescue of one of France #39;s biggest industrial companies.

Iraqi prime minister to seek election reassurances from UN chief (AFP)

AFP - Iraq's interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi said he would seek an explanation from UN chief Kofi Annan for his attitude to Iraq's elections when they meet on Friday at the United Nations.

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Iran Denounces U.N. Demands As 'Illegal'

TEHRAN, Iran - Iran on Sunday denounced as "illegal" demands from the U.N. atomic watchdog agency that it freeze all work on uranium enrichment - technology that can be used for nuclear weapons...

AU pledges to increase ceasefire observers in Darfur

The African Union (AU) pledged Thursday to increase its ceasefire observers from the current 1,000 to 3,320 in the troubled western Darfur region of Sudan.

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Japanese corporate bankruptcies in August fall for 20th month in row (AFP)

AFP - The number of Japanese corporate bankruptcies in August fell 18.2 percent from a year earlier to 1,080 cases, marking the 20th consecutive monthly decline, according to a research firm.

Hurricane Ivan Slams Gulf Coast; 23 Dead

PENSACOLA, Fla. - Hurricane Ivan drilled the Gulf Coast on Thursday with 130-mph winds that inflicted far less damage than feared everywhere except Florida's Panhandle, where residents were left with surge-ravaged beachfronts, flooded streets and homes ripped apart by deadly tornadoes...

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Six killed as train smashes into car at crossing

AT LEAST six people were killed and around 150 injured last night after a high-speed train packed with hundreds of passengers hit a car on a level crossing and derailed.

Palestinians call for peace talks

The Palestinian prime minister calls for new peace efforts with Israel, a day after Yasser Arafat's burial.

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Bush arrives in Canada for first stage of world charm offensive (Canadian Press)

Canadian Press - OTTAWA (CP) - U.S. President George W. Bush swooped into town Tuesday for a whirlwind visit designed to begin mending international fences in the wake of the Iraq war.

Blasts in Baghdad Target Two Ministerial Convoys

A suicide car bomb attack targeting Iraq #39;s environment minister killed four of her bodyguards on Tuesday, while a separate blast near the education minister #39;s convoy killed one bodyguard, police and government officials said.

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Russia woos Indian IT firms, call to jointly tap global markets (AFP)

AFP - Russia said it wants to emulate India's success in information technology as it wooed Indian firms for joint projects and called on both nations to team up to tap global markets.

India and Pakistan to meet at UN

India and Pakistan will aim to push forward the peace process between them at talks in New York on Friday. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf will meet on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

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Russian tycoon rocks Vilnius

by RN Eastern Europe editor Margreet Strijbosch, 25 October 2004. A Russian-born millionaire has turned Lithuanian politics on its head.

Marine Killed in Iraq's Anbar Province (AP)

AP - A U.S. Marine was killed while conducting security operations in Anbar province, the military said Thursday.

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Pakistani Security Forces Free Chinese Hostages

Pakistani commandos on Thursday freed two Chinese engineers taken hostage near the Afghan border and killed their five kidnappers, who are led by a former Guantanamo Bay prisoner, officials said.

Former Costa Rican President Ordered Held (AP)

AP - A court on Friday ordered that former President Rafael Calderon be jailed for nine months as investigators probe corruption allegations.

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Cuba Hospitalizes Dissident After Wife's Protest (Reuters)

Reuters - Cuban authorities transferred a jailed\dissident suffering from a herniated disc to a military\hospital on Thursday after his wife staged an unprecedented\protest in Havana's Revolution Square.

Nordic leaders say US terror alert serious but security already ...

STOCKHOLM, Nov 1 (AFP) - Prime ministers of the five Nordic countries meeting here on Monday said they were worried by a US warning of potential terror attacks in the region, but claimed that security was high enough to ward off the threat.

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Egypt arrests five suspects over Sinai bombings (AFP)

AFP - Egypt said it had arrested five suspects accused of carrying out a wave of deadly car bomb attacks in Red Sea resorts almost three weeks ago.

Florida governor turns to US Supreme Court in euthanasia case (AFP)

AFP - Florida's Governor Jeb Bush asked the US Supreme Court to intervene to keep a comatose woman alive, over the wishes of her husband, who wants to disconnect the feeding tube that has sustained her for 14 years.

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Special UN envoy urges Sudan to accept more foreign aid (AFP)

AFP - UN chief Kofi Annan's special envoy to Sudan urged the Sudanese government to accept international aid if it is unable to protect the population in its troubled Darfur region.

India, Pakistan Leaders Hail New Chapter in Ties

The leaders of India and Pakistan on Friday hailed a new era in often fraught relations between the two south Asian nuclear rivals and agreed to study a joint pipeline project as part of closer economic ties.

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DRC FORCES ALERT AS CIVILIANS FLEE

The Democratic Republic of Congo has placed it troops on alert and is deploying soldiers to the east of the country, after reports that Rwandan troops have infiltrated the area.

Blast hits Pakistani mosque

ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN - A suicide attacker detonated a bomb at a Shia mosque in the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore Sunday, killing at least four people.

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Five die in stampede for train

FOUR women and a 12-year-old girl died and at least 10 people were injured in a stampede at the Indian capital #39;s main railway station today as hordes of people tried to board a train, officials said.

ASEAN recognizes China as market economy

SHANGHAI : The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has recognised China as a full market economy, Chinese state press reported following a meeting of ASEAN finance ministers in Indonesia.

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Riot witness to clarify testimony

India's Supreme Court orders a key Muslim witness to explain why she changed statements in a Gujarat riot case.

Lebanese police release detained sisters of dead Al-Qaida detainee

Police on Tuesday released two sisters of the alleged al-Qaida leader in Lebanon who died of a heart attack in custody, security officials said.

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Two US soldiers killed, four wounded during attack in Mosul

Two US soldiers were killed and four wounded when their patrol came under attack in the northwestern city of Mosul, the military said Sunday.

President to open EC hospital

CAPE TOWN - President Thabo Mbeki, who was still in Ivory Coast yesterday, is scheduled to perform the official opening of Mthatha #39;s Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital tomorrow, the Eastern Cape Health Department announced yesterday.

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Israeli Missile Wounds 2 Gaza Policemen -Medics

An Israeli missile fired from a pilotless aircraft wounded two Palestinian policemen in the southern Gaza town of Khan Younis on Sunday, witnesses said.

Iran nuclear chief hails #39;new chapter #39; with Europe after talks

Iran #39;s top nuclear official Hassan Rowhani hailed Monday a quot;new chapter quot; in relations between Tehran and Europe, after talks with key EU ministers on rewards Iran is to receive for suspending uranium enrichment to show it is not making atomic weapons.

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Typhoon flooding kills 25 in Vietnam

Torrential rains hit the region this week and floods submerged more than 10,000 houses and brought traffic to a standstill. A disaster management official from the coastal province of Quang Ngai says a red

Militant Killed in Israeli Missile Strike-Witness

GAZA (Reuters) - An Israeli helicopter missile strike killed a Palestinian militant and wounded two others in the northern Gaza Strip on Saturday, witnesses said.

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MP calls for release of old school pal

North-west Norfolk MP Henry Bellingham has called for the release of an old college friend accused of plotting a coup in Equatorial Guinea.

Bush warns Iran and North Korea

US President George W Bush is stepping up pressure on North Korea and Iran to abandon their nuclear weapons programmes. At the Apec summit of Pacific-rim countries in Chilean capital Santiago Mr Bush has been

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Indian sensitivities in mind: Rumsfeld

NEW DELHI: Manmohan said India would address all issues with Pakistan, provided General Pervez Musharraf stuck to his commitment to stop terrorism against India.

House Approves #36;477 Billion Defense Bill (AP)

AP - Congress on Saturday approved a #36;477 billion defense bill with a military pay raise and new money for Iraq and Afghanistan.

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Bollywood superstar Bachchan joins Mandela's anti-AIDS campaign (AFP)

AFP - Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan has been appointed a key player in an anti-AIDS campaign headed by South African former president Nelson Mandela, according to a statement here.

A Plea for Support of Innovation

America risks losing its leadership of the global economy if government and industry fail to make changes that encourage innovation, a panel of leading executives and university presidents say in a study to be released today.

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Dole Questions Kerry's Vietnam Wounds

CRAWFORD, Texas - Former Republican Sen. Bob Dole suggested Sunday that John Kerry apologize for past testimony before Congress about alleged atrocities during the Vietnam War and joined critics of the Democratic presidential candidate who say he received an early exit from combat for "superficial wounds." Dole also called on Kerry to release all the records of his service in Vietnam...

GSLV carrying EDUSAT blasts off from Sriharikota

Sriharikota, Sept 20 (ANI) : India added another feather to its cap in space technology and stole a march over other countries by launching EDUSAT, its first exclusive satellite for educational sector, from here on Monday.

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Probe launched into parliament intrusion

Britain has launched an inquiry into the first storming of its parliament since 1674 after a protest stunt revealed shambolic security at the heart of Prime Minister Tony Blair #39;s government.

Hurricane Ivan Charges Westward Through Caribbean

The latest in a series of violent storms continues to charge westward through the Caribbean, after making a direct hit on Grenada, knocking over trees and utility poles.

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Afghan Opposition Boycotting Election

KABUL, Afghanistan - All 15 candidates running against interim Afghan leader Hamid Karzai signed an agreement Saturday boycotting the vote because of what they say is widespread fraud, and say they will not recognize the election results. The announcement was read out after a meeting of candidates and their representatives at the home of Abdul Satar Sirat, an Uzbek who is an ex-aide to Afghanistan's last king...

Israel #39;s deadly Gaza offensive enters third week

JABALIYA, Gaza Strip, Oct 12 (AFP) - Israel #39;s massive military onslaught in the northern Gaza Strip entered its third week Tuesday with the death toll topping 110 and scenes of utter devastation in the territory #39;s largest refugee camp.

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Bush to Talk Health Care in Pennsylvania (AP)

AP - President Bush is returning to the swing state of Pennsylvania on Thursday to talk about health care.

GOP Wants Bush to Draw Attention Off Iraq

NEW YORK - Nervous Republicans are urging President Bush to unveil a robust second-term agenda at his convention next week to shift voters' focus from the unpopular war in Iraq and other issues that are a distraction to his re-election drive. Some contend the party should ditch the GOP-fueled controversy over rival John Kerry's combat record in Vietnam...

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Abductors threaten to kill UN trio unless troops leave Afghanistan

KABUL - A breakaway Taleban group claiming to hold three UN workers threatened Saturday to execute them unless foreign troops withdrew from Afghanistan and condemned its invasion by US-led forces.

India #39;s ruling Congress party retains power in richest state

BOMBAY : India #39;s Congress-led alliance held onto power in the nation #39;s richest state, Maharashtra, after winning the most seats in assembly elections and dealing a humiliating defeat to the opposition Hindu nationalists.

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Money Is Driving Moscow Makeover

For decades, pilgrims to Red Square have first passed in the shadow of the stolid Moskva hotel and the elegant Manezh exhibition hall. Once they made it across the square's cobblestoned expanse, they found their view obscured by the modernist concrete hulk known as the Hotel Rossiya.

Accused deserter set to face Army trial

TOKYO -- Responding to Sergeant Charles Robert Jenkins's pledge to surrender after spending four decades in North Korea, US military officials say they are ready to put the frail 64-year-old back in uniform, give him a haircut, set him up in on-base housing -- and then try him for desertion.

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UN says children suffering the most

GENEVA -- The fighting in Iraq is ''wreaking havoc quot; on the children, all but preventing relief groups from working in the country, the UN children's agency said yesterday.

At lest 22 die in north Iraq clashes, curfews slapped on ...

MOSUL, Iraq, Nov 10 (AFP) - At least 22 people were killed in a wave of violence in northern Iraq Wednesday, prompting the government to slap curfews on the Sunni Muslim cities of Mosul and Baiji.

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Commander: Osama Probably Not in Pakistan Region (Reuters)

Reuters - Osama bin Laden is unlikely\to be hiding in Pakistan's tribal region near the Afghan\border, the top military commander in the area said on Tuesday.

6 dead in typhoon deluge

At least six people died in Shikoku after heavy rains from Typhoon Megi pounded the western Japan island on Tuesday and Wednesday, officials said.

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Suicide Bombers Kill 25 Iraqi Troops

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - A suicide car bomb hit a bus packed with Iraqi National Guards on Sunday, killing 26 people in the deadliest attack of its kind in four months on Iraqis cooperating with U.S. forces to secure a Jan. 30 election.

India #39;s diplomatic gains in UN

Manmohan Singh #39;s recent trip to the United Nations General Assembly in New York, his first as India #39;s prime minister, has been widely seen as a diplomatic triumph.

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Iraq cleric agrees to ceasefire... sort of

However, key members of the cleric #39;s movement insisted terms of the deal had not been finalised. The claims and counterclaims followed an announcement Tuesday by prime minister Ayad Allawi that the basis of

Unemployment, Oil News Keep Stocks Mixed

NEW YORK - A slowdown in economic growth and oil prices hovering around \$48 per barrel renewed fears of disappointing third-quarter earnings Thursday and kept stocks mixed. In late morning trading, the Dow Jones industrial average fell 39.53, or 0.4 percent, to 10,069.65, one day after the index lost more than 135 points...

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India assess Bangladesh security

An Indian security team travels to Bangladesh to decide on the tour's future.

Kidnappers Say They Have Killed Italian Hostage --TV (Reuters)

Reuters - Militants in Iraq said they have killed\Italian journalist Enzo Baldoni, who went missing after being\ambushed on the road between Baghdad and Najaf, Al Jazeera\reported Thursday.

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KYOTO PROTOCOL GETS GREEN LIGHT

The Kyoto Protocol has finally been given the green light and will become a binding treaty on February the 16th. The finalisation of the United Nations #39; environmental accord, which is designed to combat global

Chavez celebrates referendum win

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and throngs of his supporters jammed avenues in downtown Caracas on Friday to celebrate the president #39;s defeat of an August 15 recall referendum.

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Iraq captors repeat Bigley tactics

British-Iraqi aid worker Margaret Hassan #39;s captors have released a tape of her pleading for Tony Blair to save her life, repeating a tactic used with political effect in the case of slain hostage Kenneth Bigley.

Croatians vote in presidential elections; Mesic expected to win second term (AFP)

AFP - Croatians go to the polls with incumbent President Stipe Mesic expected to win his second five-year term with the prospect of leading the former Yugoslav republic into the European Union.

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Taiwans DPP vows sweeping reforms with victory

Taiwan #39;s ruling Democratic Progressive party has promised to pass sweeping economic and political reforms if it gains control of the legislature for the first time in Saturday #39;s election.

S.Korea's Roh Sees Slow Progress in 6-Party Talks (Reuters)

Reuters - South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun said\on Sunday he expected only slow progress in the six-nation\talks to end Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions but retained hopes\for a diplomatic resolution.

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Stevens Returns to U.K. After Detention

LONDON - Puzzled and angry at being barred from the United States, Yusuf Islam, the singer formerly known as Cat Stevens, returned to London on Thursday vowing to find out why. Surrounded by a throng of reporters at Heathrow Airport, Islam said it was ludicrous that he's on Washington's no-fly list, suspected of ties to terrorists, and said he would challenge the decision to block him from entering the country...

Death toll soars to 322 in Russia school siege

BESLAN, Russia -- Hundreds of children, their parents, and teachers died in the bloody culmination of a 52-hour siege that began when heavily armed Muslim guerrillas stormed their school Wednesday and ended in hours of battle with Russian troops Friday.

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Pakistan Publishes 'Most-Wanted Terrorists' List (Reuters)

Reuters - Pakistan published pictures of six\"most-wanted terrorists" on Wednesday and offered rewards for\information leading to the arrest of two al Qaeda-linked\militants wanted over assassination attempts on the president.

Iran readies uranium for enrichment, UN watching

TEHRAN (Agencies) -- Iran began processing uranium just more than a week ago to prepare it for enrichment, a diplomat said on Wednesday.

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Telstra to stay in Aussie hands

TELSTRA will remain firmly in Australian hands even after the Government sells its shares in the company, Treasurer Mr Peter Costello said yesterday.

Pitcairn Mayor 'Led Rape' on Island - Prosecutor

SYDNEY (Reuters) - The trial of seven Pitcairn Island men, descendants of the 18th century Bounty mutineers, began Wednesday with the mayor the first to face charges of rape and underage sex, pool reports said.

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Saddam Aides Refusing Food, U.S. Military Says

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Several of Saddam Hussein's jailed deputies have been refusing food but Saddam himself is not on hunger strike on the eve of the first anniversary of his capture, an officer in charge of detainees said on Sunday.

Clashes Across Bangladesh After Rally Attack

DHAKA (Reuters) - Clashes between police and opposition supporters erupted across Bangladesh on Sunday in the aftermath of grenade attacks on a rally that killed 17.

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PMs publish devolution proposals

The British and Irish prime ministers are publishing their proposals to restore devolution in NI.

Man arrested after 2 killed, 29 hurt in bombing of Pakistani cinema (Canadian Press)

Canadian Press - PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) - A bomb exploded in a cinema during a screening early Wednesday in northwestern Pakistan, killing two people and injuring 29 others, police said.