20 October 2004 Wednesday 05 Ramazan 1425 Crackdown in Iraq must be 'calibrated', says Annan LONDON, Oct 19: A crackdown on guerillas in Iraqi hotspots like Fallujahh must be carefully conducted to Avoid losing a battle for the hearts and minds of Iraqis, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said on Tuesday. ... Saudi plan for Muslim force rejected UNITED NATIONS, Oct 19: The Iraqi government and the United States military commanders have rejected a Saudi plan for an all-Muslim force to protect the United Nations staff in Baghdad, said White House spokesman Scott McClellan on Monday. ... Bush would accept 'Islamic' govt in Iraq WASHINGTON, Oct 19: US President George Bush said on Monday that he would grudgingly accept an "Islamic" government in Iraq, if the Iraqi people voted to create one in free elections. ... Afghans urged to win over Taliban WASHINGTON, Oct 19: The United States wants Afghanistan to coax lower-level Taliban members away from their organization, US Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad told a news briefing in Washington on Tuesday. ... Sharon under threat of assassination: Peres's apprehension JERUSALEM, Oct 19: Israel's opposition leader Shimon Peres said on Tuesday he feared extremists might try to assassinate Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, the target of growing far-right fury over a planned withdrawal from Gaza next year. ... Bush maintains narrow lead ORLANDO, Oct 19: John Kerry mounted a furious counterattack against George W. Bush on national security on Tuesday, seeking to regain the momentum in their heated presidential race two weeks before polling day. ... Bush will win, says Mahathir KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 19: Former Malaysian premier Mahathir Mohamad, in remarks published on Tuesday, predicted US President George Bush would win the election because Americans were "very ignorant" people and would "accept a liar". ... Myanmar PM ousted, put under house arrest BANGKOK, Oct 19: Myanmar's prime minister has been ousted and put under house arrest after a lengthy power struggle in which hardliners in the military government appear to have come out on top, Thai officials and diplomats said on Tuesday. ... India, Iran discuss gas pipeline project NEW DELHI, Oct 19: A high-level Indian delegation returned from Iran on Tuesday where it discussed, among other things, the proposed gas pipeline project that would link the two countries via Pakistan, official sources said. ... India, Lanka finalize deal on defence cooperation COLOMBO, Oct 19: India and Sri Lanka finalised a draft defence agreement on Tuesday that would boost military cooperation between them, an official said. ... AL ends boycott of BD assembly DHAKA, Oct 19: Lawmakers from the main opposition party, Awami League, began to attend meetings of parliamentary standing committees on Tuesday, almost three years after the current parliament came into being on Oct 28, 2001. ... Referendum on Turkey opposed ISTANBUL, Oct 19: Any future referendums on Turkey's European Union membership would set a "dangerous" precedent by stoking anti-Muslim sentiment in Europe, a leading European Parliament lawmaker said on Tuesday. ... UN experts inspect Brazilian N-plant RESENDE, Oct 19: Three UN nuclear experts on Tuesday began a day-long inspection at a Brazilian uranium-enrichment plant, but Brazilian authorities insisted on giving the inspectors limited access to the centrifuges to protect trade secrets. ... Britain to review blasphemy laws LONDON, Oct 19: Britain is taking a new look at its old laws of blasphemy and blasphemous libel with a view to replacing them with a socially more liberal but judicially extremely prohibitive law against inciting religious hatred. ... Abu Hamza charged with 16 offences LONDON, Oct 19: Muslim religious leader Abu Hamza al-Masri was charged by a British court on Tuesday with 16 offences including incitement to murder Jews, bypassing a request from the United States for him to face trial there on terrorism-related allegations. ... New vaccine technology developed LONDON, Oct 19: British scientists have taken tips from Mother Nature to develop a new technology that could deliver cheaper, life-saving vaccines without refrigeration to millions of children in remote areas of the world. ... Ministers affected by chemicals: study BRUSSELS, Oct 19: Ministers across the European Union show signs of contamination by potentially dangerous chemicals found in common daily items ranging from pizza boxes to sofas, environmental group WWF said on Tuesday. ... Sharon leads Bush by the nose LONDON: In the Middle East maelstrom all parties acknowledge one fixed point: forceful US diplomatic engagement is essential if the central Israel-Palestine conflict is ever to be resolved. ...

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