Vol. 4 Num 189 Fri. December 05, 2003       Advertise with The Daily Star -- Advertising on the Website    Advertising in the Printed E dition-- Home  News Today's Index Front Page Business Political Sports Point-counterpoint Metropolitan National International Culture General Views Editorial Letters to Editor Write to Editor Sections Environment World Others About Us Contact Advertisement Supplements Archives World   Israel to scale down raids if militants halt attacks Israel will scale back its military operations in the West Bank and Gaza Strip if the Palestinians pledge to halt attacks on Israel, a senior defense official said yesterday as Palestinian militant groups   US can't accept EU defence plan, says Powell NATO urged to take greater role in Iraq US Secretary of State Colin Powell said yesterday that Washington could not accept EU defence plans which double up with NATO, while welcoming any proposals which boost Europe's military muscle.   India steps up fencing along Kashmir border The Indian army said yesterday it was taking advantage of a truce with Pakistan to step up fencing of the divided border in Kashmir to prevent Islamic rebels from crossing.   US forces kill 1, capture 63 during raids in Iraq US paratroopers killed one "enemy" and captured 63 in a series of patrols over the last 24 hours west of the Iraqi capital, the coalition said in a statement yesterday.   Koizumi okays dispatch of 1,100 troops to Iraq Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi has approved the dispatch of around 1,100 troops to Iraq after hearing a report from his defence chief, a report said yesterday.   'UK foiled plot against London-US flight' A US television network reported Wednesday that British police foiled a plot to blow up a jet on a Britain-US flight with the arrest last week of a suspected Muslim radical.   S Korea urges US to ease stance on North Korea South Korea's key envoy on North Korea urged the United States yesterday to take a softer stance toward the communist country amid signs that a new round of nuclear crisis talks could be delayed.   Rumsfeld talks disarmament issue with Afghan warlords Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld began a one-day visit to Afghanistan yesterday with the focus on issues ranging from war on the Taliban to efforts to rein in provincial warlords and narcotics traffic.   World facing 'decisive moment' says Annan UN reform panel presented The world is facing a "decisive moment in history," UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said in a newspaper article yesterday, announcing that a panel set up to review the role of the United Nations in the   US court strikes down part of anti-terror law A federal appeals court on Wednesday struck down part of a 1996 federal anti-terrorism law, saying the government's definition of what constituted "material support" to foreign terror groups was too vague.     Advertisement