The Daily Star: Internet Edition Sat. August 04, 2007

Vol. 5 Num 1130

Sat. August 04, 2007


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International

France confirms major arms deal with Libya
Libya has reached a multi-million dollar arms deal with the European aerospace giant EADS, in what would be the first such purchase since a weapons embargo was lifted on Tripoli in 2004.

Opposition attacks Indo-US nuke deal, scientists satisfied
Delhi unveils text of accord
India and the United States unveiled yesterday the text of an operating agreement for their controversial civilian nuclear technology deal, with key provisions on fuel supplies and safeguards.

Flood victims desperate for food, water in India
The noise of a hovering helicopter quickly draws villagers in eastern India, desperate for food and fresh water, from their partly flooded huts.

Korean hostage talks heading towards a dead end
South Korean officials scrambled yesterday to free 21 aid workers held by the Taliban but reiterated they were in no position to meet a demand for rebel prisoners to be freed from Afghan jails.

Nepal Maoist leader rejects minister's resignation
The leader of Nepal's former rebel Maoists rejected yesterday the resignation of one of his ministers who complained of a lack of cooperation from his government partners.

50 dead after Sierra Leone boat capsizes
At least 50 people are dead and 148 others are missing after a coastal ferry capsized overnight in rough seas off northern Sierra Leone, a port official said yesterday.

Sanjay Dutt to take 'aptitude' test for prison work
Jailed Bollywood star Sanjay Dutt will be given an "aptitude test" to decide what manual work he should perform in prison, a report said yesterday.

Rough river stymies recovery in US bridge collapse
The murky, swirling waters of the Mississippi river hampered the search for victims of a disastrous bridge collapse, amid warnings about the decrepit state of America's infrastructure.

Pakistan slams Obama for attack comments
Pakistan criticised US presidential candidate Barack Obama on Friday for saying that, if elected, he might order unilateral military strikes against terrorists hiding in this Islamic country.

Glasgow terror suspect dies from burns
A man critically burned after allegedly crashing an explosive-laden Jeep into Glasgow Airport died of his injuries Thursday, Strathclyde Police said.

Indian agriculture in crisis
Manmohan warns
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh warned yesterday against complacency over India's booming economy, saying the dividends of growth are yet to trickle down to the rural poor and farmers are in crisis.

China arrests hundreds in ethnic Tibetan region
Chinese police have arrested hundreds of people in western China after residents there called for the return of exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, reports yesterday.

Climate deal talks gain global support
Nearly 100 countries speaking at the first UN General Assembly meeting on climate change signalled strong support for negotiations on a new international deal to tackle global warming.

Darfur rebel factions gather for unity talks
Darfur's fractious rebel groups gathered here Friday for talks aimed at hammering out a united front, following UN approval of a beefed up peacekeeping mission in the Sudanese region.

Nepal launches new king-free national anthem
Nepal launched its new national anthem yesterday, a song notably making no mention of the nation's embattled monarch, King Gyanendra.

India hikes perks for glacier warriors to end suicides
India on Thursday increased perks for troopers deployed on a frigid glacier in a bid to reduce psychological stress and a spate of suicides in the ranks, officials said.

Taliban refuse to allow medical team access to hostages
The Taliban yesterday refused to allow an Afghan medical team access to 21 South Koreans and said it would free two who are gravely ill only if the government released two imprisoned rebels.

Iran, US experts to meet on Iraq security
Iranian, US and Iraqi experts will meet next week to discuss the makeup and responsibilities of a tripartite security committee, Tehran's ambassador in Baghdad was quoted as saying yesterday.

US underestimated Iraq divisions: Gates
Washington underestimated the difficulty of getting Iraq's Sunnis and Shias to agree on key national reconciliation measures, US Defence Secretary Robert Gates admitted on Thursday.

Lake Superior changes mystify scientists
Deep enough to hold the combined water in all the other Great Lakes and with a surface area as large as South Carolina, Lake Superior's size has lent it an aura of invulnerability.

India's battle against polio making headway: report
India's fight against the most dangerous strain of polio appears to be making headway with a sharp fall in the number of cases reported so far this year, according to a report Friday.