Vol. 5 Num 149 Thu. October 21, 2004       Home  News Today's Index Front Page Business Sports Metropolitan National International Culture General Views Editorial Letters to Editor Write to Editor Sections Others About Us Contact Advertisement Supplements Archives International   'Rampant corruption hobbling global poverty fight' Corruption is crippling the battle against poverty and robbing oil-rich countries such as Iraq of their development potential, a respected global graft watchdog said yesterday in an annual report on sleaze.   'Iraq to ask foreign troops to leave after Jan vote' Care suspends Iraq operations, 6 of a family killed in US airstrikes The Iraqi government to be elected in January will ask foreign forces operating in the US-led military coalition to leave shortly after taking office, Italian Defence Minister Antonio Martino said inan   Blair Says No decision yet on UK troops redeployment Britain has not yet decided whether to send 650 troops to relieve US forces in Iraq, Prime Minister Tony Blair said yesterday, while rejecting suggestions that such a move would be aimed at boosting US   US Election 2004 Bush, Kerry sidestep ME conflict Locked in a bitter battle for the US presidency, incumbent President George W.   Pak army helicopters attack militant hideouts in tribal region Pakistani helicopter gunships yesterday attacked suspected hideouts of al-Qaeda-linked militants in a remote tribal region near the Afghan border, a day after an ambush killed several soldiers, residents   11 killed as typhoon pounds Japan At least 11 people were killed and 62 injured yesterday as the biggest typhoon to hit Japan for more than a decade battered the south of the country with heavy rain and powerful winds, officials said.   Asian Neighbours Say Shake-up may hurt Myanmar's reforms The sacking of Myanmar's prime minister prompted concern among the country's neighbours yesterday, with key players warning that the change could be a blow to hopes of democracy in the military-ruledstate.   US soldier pleads guilty to prisoner abuse One of the US soldiers at the heart of the prisoner abuse scandal at Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison pleaded guilty to five charges of maltreatment and indecency at a court martial in Baghdad yesterday.   UNSC presses Syria on Lebanon pullout The UN Security Council on Tuesday called unanimously for Syria to pull its troops out of neighbouring Lebanon, a demand that the Syrians quickly rejected.   Commuter jet crashes in US: 8 killed A twin-engine turboprop commuter plane crashed in the woods about three miles from the airport where it was preparing to land, killing at least eight of the 15 people on board, officials said.     Advertisement