W O R L D

LTTE agrees to peace talks
Colombo, October 19
Peace broker Norway today clinched an agreement with Tamil Tigers to resume talks with the Sri Lankan government later this month, despite spiralling violence even as three soldiers were killed in a mine blast blamed on the rebels.

UN appoints human rights representative in Nepal
United Nations, October 19
The United Nations has appointed Lena Sundh, a Swedish diplomat, the UN representative for human rights in Nepal, which endures abuses on both sides of a decade-long Maoist insurgency.

The head of a 400-million-year-old Devonian fish fossil named Gogonasus — meaning snout from Gogo, after Gogo Station where it was discovered — protrudes from a rock and which Dr John Long of Museum Victoria claims is the missing clue in vertebrate evolution, with the world's first complete perfect skeleton of the kinds of fishes that gave rise to the first land animals and overturning a century-old theory on evolution of the first land animals, at the Melbourne Museum. AFP

Nepal king fails to answer probe on crackdown
Kathmandu, October 19
Nepal's isolated King Gyanendra has missed a deadline to answer questions by an inquiry panel on a crackdown on pro-democracy protests in which at least 22 persons were killed, a committee member said today.

Lord Paul honoured by House of Commons
London, October 19 
In a rare distinction, the House of Commons has congratulated NRI industrialist Lord Swraj Paul on his appointment as the first Chancellor of the prestigious University of Westminster.

Execution of Briton put off Islamabad, October 19 The execution of a British man on death row in a Pakistani jail has been postponed until the end of the year, a jail official said today. Mirza Tahir Hussain, 36, was convicted of murdering taxi driver Jamshed Khan in 1988 and has been in custody since then. Yesterday, officials said his death penalty, which had been repeatedly delayed, had been set for November 1.  Mirza Tahir Hussain

LTTE agrees to peace talks

Colombo, October 19
Peace broker Norway today clinched an agreement with Tamil Tigers to resume talks with the Sri Lankan government later this month, despite spiralling violence even as three soldiers were killed in a mine blast blamed on the rebels.

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) told Norwegian peace envoy Jon Hanssen Bauer that they would attend talks with the Sri Lankan Government on October 28 and 29 in Switzerland.

The rebels said they would name their delegation in a few days, the group's political wing leader S.P. Thamilselvan said.

"We will attend the talks out of respect for the international community, "Thamilselvan told reporters in the rebel-held town of Kilinochchi after talks with Hanssen-Bauer.

"We are going for talks because the international community and it is up to them to guarantee the safety of our delegation," he said.

There was no immediate word from the Norwegians, but the breakthrough came amid stepped up diplomatic pressure on both sides to enter talks this month and save a collapsing ceasefire.

Japan's envoy Yasushi Akashi met with the Tigers yesterday after talks with President Mahinda Rajapakse on reviving peace efforts.

US Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher arrived here today to push the stalling process and held talks with Rajapakse.

Both the Tigers and the Sri Lankan Government have said they were keen to resume negotiations which stalled after a meeting in Switzerland in February. — PTI

UN appoints human rights representative in Nepal

United Nations, October 19
The United Nations has appointed Lena Sundh, a Swedish diplomat, the UN representative for human rights in Nepal, which endures abuses on both sides of a decade-long Maoist insurgency.

Ms Sundh, who has specialised in conflict management and peacekeeping during her 30-year international career, is expected to take up her position in the coming weeks for a period of six months, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour said while announcing the appointment yesterday.

She said her office was fortunate to benefit from Ms Sundh's considerable international and human rights experience during this most important period in Nepal's transition to peace.

"The Seven-Party Alliance government and the CPN-Maoist have made it clear that they seek the support of my office in the protection and promotion of human rights during the peace process," Ms Arbour said in a statement.

"I am confident that with Ms Sundh's leadership OHCHR will continue its role in strongly defending human rights in Nepal through this sensitive and critical period."

Ms Sundh joined the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1976 and has served in Thailand, Namibia, Morocco and at the UN in Geneva and New York. She was Ambassador of Sweden to Angola from 1995 to 2000 and also served as Director at the Departments of African Affairs and of Global Cooperation at Sweden's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. — UNI

Nepal king fails to answer probe on crackdown

Kathmandu, October 19
Nepal's isolated King Gyanendra has missed a deadline to answer questions by an inquiry panel on a crackdown on pro-democracy protests in which at least 22 persons were killed, a committee member said today.

A powerful panel, set up by Nepal's multi-party government, sent questions to the monarch last week, asking him what he knew about the bloody crackdown on anti-King activists in April and gave him until yesterday to answer.

More than 5,000 people were injured in the action.

It was not immediately clear what action the monarch would face next. The panel, headed by a retired judge of the Supreme Court, is due to submit its findings later this month.

King Gyanendra gave in to the mass protests and handed power back to the political parties, more than a year after he had taken it.

The protests were organised by seven political parties and supported by the Maoist rebels, who have been fighting against the King to turn Nepal into a communist republic in a conflict which has killed more than 13,000 people since 1996. 

Lord Paul honoured by House of Commons

London, October 19
In a rare distinction, the House of Commons has congratulated NRI industrialist Lord Swraj Paul on his appointment as the first Chancellor of the prestigious University of Westminster.

In an early day motion moved by Labour MP and former Minister for Foreign and Commonwealth Office Keith Vaz and three others, the House also applauded Lord Paul for becoming the first person to be the Chancellor of two universities simultaneously — Westminster and Wolverhampton.

The motion read "that this House congratulates Lord Paul of Marylebone on his appointment as Chancellor of Westminster University; notes that this is his second Chancellorship of a University; further notes his achievements in other fields, including receiving the Padma Bhushan Award and the Bharat Gaurav Award from the Indian Merchant's Chamber; and wishes him well in his tenure as chairman of the London 2012 Olympic Delivery Committee." — PTI

Execution of Briton put off

Islamabad, October 19
The execution of a British man on death row in a Pakistani jail has been postponed until the end of the year, a jail official said today. Mirza Tahir Hussain, 36, was convicted of murdering taxi driver Jamshed Khan in 1988 and has been in custody since then. Yesterday, officials said his death penalty, which had been repeatedly delayed, had been set for November 1.

“We have received orders for a delay in the execution until December 31, 2006,” said Mr Mehmood Ahmed, an official at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi where Hussain is being held.

“We have informed him and he is happy.” AP