02 March 2005 Wednesday 20 Muharram 1426 Constitution writing may be divisive: Iraq's dilemma BAGHDAD: Iraq's prime minister says the drafting of a new constitution will be as important to his country as the writing of the US constitution was to America over 200 years ago. ... Palestinian militant fires at minister JENIN, March 1: A local West Bank strongman fired a gun near a Palestinian minister's motorcade on Tuesday, wounding no one but stirring fears of civil strife if President Mahmoud Abbas tries to rein in armed groups. ... Britain, Europe funding Israel's occupation and expansion LONDON: Far from bolstering a serious peace process, Tony Blair's Middle East conference in London could even make things worse. ... Blair sees promise, opportunity in ME ISLAMABAD, March 1: British Prime Minister Tony Blair said on Tuesday that "a moment of promise and opportunity" for Israelis and Palestinians had arrived. ... Tough policy against WMD spread sought WASHINGTON, March 1: US experts called for a tougher international policy to deter the spread of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction that would put new demands on the five nuclear powers as well as undeclared nuclear states like Israel, India and Pakistan. ... Suit alleges Rumsfeld approved torture WASHINGTON, March 1: Two US human rights groups on Tuesday sued Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, saying he first authorized and then failed to stop torture of prisoners in Iraq and Afghanistan. ... S. Arabia, Russia violate rights: US WASHINGTON, March 1: Two key US allies in the "war on terror" - Saudi Arabia and Russia - have received prominent mention in the US State Department report on human rights abuses. The report was released on Monday. ... Paid-up parliamentarians LONDON: William Hague, according to the new register of members' interests, makes about 20 times as much for not being an MP as he makes for being one. ... 9/11 backlash: Muslims protest closure of bank accounts SAN FRANCISCO, March 1: American Muslims are protesting at the closure of Muslim businesses and Muslim organization's bank accounts. ... Iran has rejected inspection, says UN VIENNA, March 1: Iran rejected a request by UN nuclear inspectors to return to its Parchin military base, where Washington suspects Iran might have conducted tests linked to nuclear bomb-making, the U.N. atomic watchdog said on Tuesday. ... US carrier crew suspected of drug use TOKYO, March 1: Fourteen crew members of the US aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk are suspected of having used the synthetic drug MDMA, better known as Ecstasy, and marijuana in violation of military regulations, a press report said Tuesday. ... Rice puts off visit to Canada LONDON, March 1: US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has put off a visit to Canada next month, the State Department said Tuesday in what was seen as a rebuff to Ottawa for pulling out of US plans to deploy a missile defence shield over North America. ... Former president blames BJP for Gujarat pogroms NEW DELHI, March 1: The Gujarat pogroms in February-March 2002 were staged as part of a "conspiracy" between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) governments in the state and the Centre ... Lebanon slips into political turmoil BEIRUT: Less than 24 hours after the unexpected resignation of Prime Minister Omar Karami, the dominant question here is, what next. ...

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