Vol. 5 Num 247 Thu. February 03, 2005       Home  News Today's Index Front Page Business Sports Point-counterpoint Metropolitan National International Culture General Views Editorial Letters to Editor Write to Editor Sections Others About Us Contact Advertisement Supplements Archives International Mubarak invites Abbas, Sharon to summit Israel to freeze hunt for militants Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak is hosting a summit with Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh next week, Sharon's office said   Clinton named UN special tsunami envoy Tsunami death toll crosses 289,000 Former US President Bill Clinton has been named UN special envoy for tsunami-affected nations, reports UPI.   Nepal Maoist chief urges people to oppose king's power grab Nepal's Maoist guerrilla leader Prachanda has urged "pro-people forces of the world" to oppose King Gyanendra's dismissal of the government and seizure of power. 'No alarm' over Pope's condition The ill health of Pope John Paul II is "no reason for alarm", a Vatican spokesman has said.   US Lawmakers Tell Annan Deal with Darfur or resign Two key US lawmakers demanded that UN Secretary General Kofi Annan move immediately to end genocide in Darfur or resign in protest at the world body's inaction. DNA test for tsunami baby A Sri Lankan court has ordered a DNA test on a "miracle baby" who survived December's tsunami to determine who his parents are. The order upset a couple who say the child is their son.   2 US soldiers admit to Abu Ghraib abuses Two US soldiers pleaded guilty on Tuesday to charges of abusing Iraqi inmates at Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison by stomping on fingers and toes, and, in another incident, humiliating naked rape suspects. Kidnapped boy in Bihar rescued ahead of polls An Indian schoolboy abducted in India's lawless eastern state of Bihar was rescued Wednesday on the eve of regional polls, sparking accusations police and the local government had colluded with the kidnappers.   Newborn Iraqi baby named 'Elections' With many in Iraq regarding the first free vote in half a century as the rebirth of democracy, one woman who gave birth on Sunday named her baby girl "Intikhabat", Arabic for elections, a newspaper reported.   Iraq oil pipeline suffers new sabotage An oil pipeline linking two of Iraq's major refineries was attacked Wednesday near the restive Sunni city of Samarra north of Baghdad, police and oil sources said.   One killed as earthquake jolts Java island One person was killed and four people injured when an earthquake measuring 5.2 on the Richter scale rocked Indonesia's Java island Wednesday, radio and seismologists said.   'Britain to pressure US on anti-poverty plans' Britain is to pressure the United States to fully back its ambitious push to tackle poverty in the developing world at this week's G7 meeting in London, finance minister Gordon Brown said.     Advertisement