Exorcism school
A course in exorcism has been organised by the Roman Catholic Church, alarmed at the popularity of Satanism among young people. The class, at Pontifical University Regin Apostolorum, in Rome, is open to Roman Catholic priests and theology students.
Nuclear deadlock
Islamabad: Malaysia refused to deport Buhary Syed Abu Tahir, named by President Bush as a “deputy” to Abdul Qadeer Khah, the scientist who made Pakistan a nuclear power, for questioning in the US about nuclear parts sent to Iran and Libya. (AFP)
Bicycles for guns
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Kinshasha: More than 500 firearms were exchanged for bicycles in the Democratic Republic of Congo in an attempt to end violence in the remote Katanga region. The bicycles are the first in a countrywide scheme against local gangs. (AFP)
Double-quick wedding gifts
Bombay: Fleet-footed “lunch-runners” are trying to get ahead in the race to shower the Prince of Wales and his fiancée, Camilla Parker Bowles, with wedding gifts. The Prince is an admirer of the runners, who deliver lunch to thousands of office workers every day in India’s financial capital.
Known locally as “tiffin carriers”, they said that they plan to send wedding gifts of a turban for the Prince and bangles and a sari for Mrs Parker Bowles. (AFP)
Silk road revival
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Beijing: China, the UN and neighbouring Central Asian countries plan to revive the ancient, 6,000-mile (9,600km) Silk Road trading route. A $1 million (£529,000) project aims to relieve isolation and poverty by boosting investment and tourism. (AP)
Skiing in desert
Ashgabat: A French company hopes to build a ski resort in Turkmenistan, a country mostly covered by desert. President Niyazov welcomed the proposal by the Bouygues construction company, saying: “Finally, you’ve understood that we also have snow.” (AP)
Nuclear talks
Beijing: Diplomats from the US and South Korea have agreed with China to try to bring North Korea back into multilateral talks about its nuclear weapons. North Korea recently refused to participate in such talks and said it would deal only with the US. (AFP)
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Bomb kills five
Bangkok: A car bomb near a hotel killed five people and injured more than 40 in Sungai Kolok, Thailand. The bomb exploded as Thaksin Shinawatra, the Prime Minister, threatened to lay siege to villages that support Muslim separatists. (AP)
Rebels repulsed
Kathmandu: A Nepalese army chief has claimed that villagers have taken up arms against Maoist rebels in the Birpur region, 120 miles southwest of the capital, to resist extortion attempts. He said villagers had killed four rebels and captured two. (AP)
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Butterfly blame
Mexico City: The Mexican Government said that 75 per cent fewer Monarch butterflies have appeared at wintering grounds. It pointed the finger at farming practices in the US and Canada, rather than at the illegal logging of central Mexican fir forests. (AP)
Shallow grave
Asunción: The body of Cecilia Cubas, 32, the daughter of Raúl Cubas, the former Paraguayan President, has been found in a shallow grave. She was abducted in September. Forensics experts said that she probably died from a sedative overdose. (AP)
A cut above
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New York: Americans had almost 12 million cosmetic procedures last year, up 44 per cent on 2003. Liposuction and botox were the most popular. The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery said 90 per cent of the procedures were done on women. (AFP)