Australia boosts aid budget to combat terrorism: Australia lifted
Australia boosts aid budget to combat terrorism: Australia lifted
its overseas aid budget by A$79 million (US$51.4 million) on
Tuesday, saying it wanted to help combat terrorism in the Asia-
Pacific region. Total aid to Indonesia will increase by A$30
million to A$152 million, including funds to increase the
archipelago's counter-terrorism capability. An A$10.5 million
grant was allocated towards an intensive care ward and eye center
in Bali as a memorial to the 202 people, including 88
Australians, who died in a terrorism bombing on the island last
year. --AFP
Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan dies: Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan, uncle
of the spiritual leader of the Shi'ite Ismaili community of
Islam, the Aga Khan, has died at the age of 70 after a long
illness, one of his foundations said on Tuesday. "The prince died
on Monday at Massachusetts Boston Hospital," an official at the
Bellerive Foundation told in Geneva said. The prince had a long
career with the United Nations and other humanitarian
organizations, serving as UN High Commissioner for Refugees from
1965 to 1977. --AFP
Japan political deal paves way for defense bills: Japan's ruling
bloc and its largest opposition group agreed on three
controversial defense bills on Tuesday, paving the way for
passage of legislation strengthening Japan's ability to defend
itself. Such legislation, opposed by peace activists, has been a
long-held dream of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's dominant
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), with moves to enact it gaining a
boost from the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States as
well as the nuclear crisis involving North Korea. --Reuters
New U.S. boss starts work in Baghdad: The new U.S. boss in Iraq
started work in Baghdad on Tuesday as U.S. hopes of reshaping the
region were overshadowed by anti-Western bomb attacks in Saudi
Arabia and a harsh rebuke from neighboring Iran. Paul Bremer, the
new chief U.S. administrator, is expected to toughen U.S. efforts
to provide security to the anarchic capital and rebuild the
shattered country. Bremer is faced with the huge task of
realizing Washington's plan to building a model pro-western
democracy in Iraq and winning back Iraqis' trust after a month of
chaos following Saddam Hussein's fall. --AFP