SAARC NEWS

DESPERATION IN PAKISTANI HOSPITALS, REFUGEE CAMPS: MINGORA, Pakistan – Civilians cowered in hospital beds on Saturday and refugees looted U.N. supplies — all of them desperate for relief from the fighting that has engulfed a northwestern valley as troops and warplanes try to drive out Taliban militants. Continue...

GRIM FIGHT FOR SURVIVAL AFTER MYANMAR CYCLONE: YANGON - More than one million homeless in Myanmar were battling to stave off disease and hunger Thursday, but the military government maintained tight limits on foreign assistance six days after a massive cyclone. Continue...

BANGLADESH BANS RICE EXPORTS: DHAKA - Bangladesh has banned exports of rice for six months after prices at home doubled in a year causing widespread hardship to the country's impoverished millions, an official said Thursday. Continue...

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WORLD NEWS

PENTAGON PROCEEDING CAUTIOUSLY ON AID DROP: WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Thursday the U.S. military was moving forward with plans to mount a relief mission in Myanmar, but he said he couldn't imagine air dropping aid without permission from the closed regime. Continue...

SECTARIAN STREET CLASHES IN BEIRUT BOIL UP INTO GUNBATTLES: BEIRUT, Lebanon - Running gunbattles raged in parts of Beirut on Thursday after the leader of Hezbollah accused Lebanon's Western-backed government of declaring war on his Shiite militant group. At least four people were killed and eight wounded in the capital. Continue...

WEDDING BELLS FOR BUSH'S DAUGHTER JENNA DRAW NEAR: CRAWFORD, Texas - President George W. Bush has been trying to cajole North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons and tamp down violence in Iraq and Afghanistan, but lately all that seems to be on his mind are wedding bells. Continue...

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