The Daily Star: Internet Edition Thu. January 04, 2007

Vol. 5 Num 924

Thu. January 04, 2007


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International

Baghdad to hang two Saddam aides today
Iraq will execute two former henchmen of Saddam Hussein today, five days after the former dictator was himself hanged in Baghdad, an official at the Iraqi prime minister's office said yesterday.

As inmate ,Saddam read poetry, fed the birds
Former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein was an avid reader, fed birds and told jokes while he was in US custody, an American military nurse who looked after him said in interviews with US media.

Hundreds still missing five days after ferry disaster off Java
Indonesian navy ships yesterday battled storms and gale force winds to rescue 13 survivors of a ferry disaster, with hundreds still missing five days after the ship sank in a storm off Java island.

Maoists blame Nepal govt for delaying constitution
Nepal's Maoists yesterday said the government had endangered a power-sharing pact and elections by not sending an interim constitution agreed to almost a month ago for parliamentary approval.

Indian police probe organ trade angle to child killer case
Indian police Tuesday probed whether a plot to harvest vital organs such as kidneys was behind some of the deaths of at least 17 children found buried next to a house near New Delhi last week.

Ban declines to condemn Saddam's execution
The new UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon declined on Tuesday to condemn or defend the execution of Saddam Hussein, saying it was for each country to decide its position on the death penalty.

Former Saddam trial judge says execution violates law
The first chief judge who presided over Saddam Hussein's trial for crimes against humanity said on Monday that the late dictator's execution by the Iraqi government was illegal.

Three 'foreign fighters' to die in Iraq
An Iraqi court has sentenced a Saudi, a Syrian and a Sudanese to death after finding them guilty of Al-Qaeda related terrorist offences, the US-led coalition in Iraq said yesterday.

Kidnap Threats
Foreigners advised to leave Gaza
Palestinian security officials advised European and American nationals to leave Gaza yesterday because of a threat of kidnappings, a top official said, two days after the abduction of an AFP photographer

Construction of controversial Narmada dam complete
India Sunday completed the construction of a controversial dam almost two decades after the project was launched, despite protests from environmentalists who said hundreds of thousands of people would

Powerful Iraqi Sunni tribal chief killed
A 75-year-old chief from Iraq's powerful Tamin tribe was thrown to his death from the top of a Baghdad building after gunmen kidnapped him from a funeral, a relative said yesterday.

Pak PM to visit Afghanistan amid border mining row
Pakistan Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz will visit Afghanistan today for talks with President Hamid Karzai amid a row over Pakistan's decision to fence and mine their joint border, the foreign ministry said.

Nepal bars visas to 4 African nations
Nepal has told its diplomatic missions abroad not to issue visas to citizens from four African countries because of unspecified security reasons, the foreign ministry said yesterday.

France backs Italian drive for global death penalty ban
France said yesterday that it would back Italy's efforts, as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, to push for a worldwide ban on the death penalty.

Iran's top N-negotiator goes to China today
Iran's top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani will arrive in China today for a two-day visit carrying a message from President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the state news agency IRNA reported.

Moderate quake hits Sumatra
A moderate 5.3-magnitude earthquake struck off the Indonesian island of Sumatra yesterday, seismologists said, but there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties.

Israel urges UN chief to revoke Iran membership
Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Avigdor Lieberman yesterday called on UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to revoke Iran's membership over its nuclear programme and calls for the Jewish state's destruction.