The Daily Star: Internet Edition Fri. August 11, 2006

Vol. 5 Num 785

Fri. August 11, 2006


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World

Fighting worsens in Lanka: 13 killed
Tigers blame troops for killing 50 civilians
The Sri Lankan military attacked Tamil Tiger rebels from land and air yesterday, and the rebels retaliated in heavy fighting that killed at least 13 combatants, officials said.

Opposition to move no-trust vote against Pakistani PM
Pakistani opposition parties plan to move a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on August 23, opposition lawmakers said yesterday.

Fighting kills 20 in Afghanistan
Fighting in Afghanistan's south left 12 suspected Taliban and eight police dead, while a roadside bomb yesterday killed an Afghan civilian in an eastern province, officials said.

Floods hit 13m Indians
Swamped diamond city sees hope
Thirteen million people across west and south India were still hit by floods yesterday, officials said, but water levels in one city, which had faced total inundation were beginning to recede.

Nepal govt, rebels refuse draft interim constitution
Nepal's government and Maoist rebels Wednesday refused to accept a draft interim constitution as some key issues remained unsettled, officials said.

Pakistan detains Lashkar-e-Taiba outfit's ex-chief
Pakistani authorities have placed under house arrest the former head of an Islamic militant group which Indian police suspect had a role in the Mumbai bombings, officials said yesterday.

Verdict in 1993 Mumbai blasts delayed until Sept 12
An Indian court put off until next month a final verdict on the 1993 serial bomb blasts in the country's financial hub that killed 257 people.

Myanmar rebel group signs up to landmine ban
An anti-landmines campaign group said yesterday that it hoped two of Myanmar's largest armed opposition movements would give up using the weapons, after a smaller rebel group committed itself to an international

'US spy' shot dead in Pak tribal area
Pro-Taliban militants shot dead a Pakistani tribesman after accusing him of spying for US troops in neighbouring Afghanistan, local officials and family members said yesterday.

British bomb plot causes worldwide airline chaos
Air travel to and from Britain was plunged into chaos yesterday in the wake of the discovery of an suspected plot to blow up airlines on transatlantic flights.

US-French split delays UN action on ME war
The United States and France were still at odds yesterday over when and how Israel should withdraw from Lebanon, delaying a UN resolution aimed at ending the five-week war between Israel and Lebanon-based

Gaza crisis deepens
The month-old international crisis sparked by Israel's devastating offensive in Lebanon has stolen the spotlight from the Gaza Strip, which continues to be pounded daily by Israeli forces and is suffering

Dwindling energy supplies threaten Lebanon with standstill
Lebanon's dire fuel shortage caused by an Israeli sea blockade and the bombing of power station fuel tanks could set off a chain reaction that threatens to bring the country to a standstill.

Lebanon crisis seen pushing US credibility in ME to all-time low
The United States' credibility as a diplomatic broker in the Middle East has been pushed to an all-time low by the Bush administration's handling of the conflict in Lebanon, experts say.

KL urges countries to cut off ties with Israel
Malaysia yesterday urged other countries, particularly those in the Middle East, to sever diplomatic relations with Israel over its military operations in Lebanon.

Airlines ban hand luggage from UK
Airlines banned hand luggage on flights out of the United Kingdom on Thursday and warned of massive delays after British police said they had disrupted a plot to blow up aircraft in mid-flight.

US threats make Castro's health a state secret
Cuba on Wednesday justified the dearth of news on ailing President Fidel Castro's health, arguing that the country faces a clear and imminent threat from the United States.

UN sleuth hits Taliban over Afghan school attacks
A United Nations investigator on Wednesday castigated "terrorist groups" in Afghanistan -- a clear reference to the Taliban insurgents -- over increasing attacks on schools and teachers around the country.