Fewer than 10 Britons are reported to be missing in the area of

Fewer than 10 Britons are reported to be missing in the area of
Indonesia that was struck by a powerful earthquake on Monday, the
Foreign Office in London said. It had been feared that the number
would be higher, but a Foreign Office spokeswoman said the figure
dropped overnight on Tuesday "as some people thought to be
missing have got in touch". Inquiries were continuing into the
whereabouts of the others, she added. One of the missing Britons
was identified by her mother on Wednesday as Jo-Anne Wau, 27, who
runs a backpackers' hostel and restaurant at Sorake Beach on Nias
with husband Robin, 22, an islander whom she married last year.
-- AFP

Laura to back
women's education

U.S. first lady Laura Bush visited Afghanistan for the first time
on Wednesday to promote education for women, which was forbidden
by the Taliban government overthrown by U.S.-led forces three
years ago. Shortly before Bush landed in Kabul, a car bomb
attack, which the Taliban claimed responsibility for, killed one
person and wounded another in the city of Jalalabad, 120
kilometers east of the capital. Bush flew into Kabul by
helicopter after landing at the U.S. base at Bagram and dined
with troops at the base before leaving just a few hours later.
Addressing an audience at Kabul University, Bush spoke of women's
role in democracy as Afghanistan moves on from the success of
October's presidential election. -- Reuters