■ Myanmar
Suu Kyi on hunger strike: US
The US Department of State said it believes Myanmar pro-democracy activist Aung San Suu Kyi is on hunger strike to protest her detention by the country's military regime. "We have what we consider credible reporting from our embassy, but I'm not in a position to go through the sourcing of that," State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said on Tuesday when asked how the US learned that Suu Kyi was on hunger strike. Boucher said that the department was "deeply concerned for her safety and her well-being" and added that it continued to urge the Burmese government to release the Nobel Peace Prize laureate and all other political prisoners immediately.
■ India
Fifty feared drowned
About 50 people, including 10 women, were feared drowned after a boat capsized in a river in eastern India, police said yesterday. Police officer Nayeem Akhtar said the overloaded boat was carrying some 75 people when it capsized in the Kosi river on Tuesday evening. Only 25 managed to swim to safety. India has been hit by a string of disasters in recent days, starting with twin car bombings in the financial capital, Bombay, last week in which 52 died. The motorboat capsized midstream in the Saharsa district about 240km north-east of Patna, capital of the eastern state of Bihar.
■ Afghanistan
US bombs Taliban redoubts
US jets kept up their bombardment of suspected Taliban positions in the mountains of southern Afghanistan yesterday, while US and Afghan troops tightened the noose around a cave where several insurgents are holding out, an Afghan commander said. American fighter jets and attack helicopters yesterday bombed several suspected Taliban positions in the Larzab and Sairo Ghar mountains, in Zabul province's Dai Chupan district, said Haji Saifullah Khan, the main Afghan commander in the area. "US and Afghan forces have surrounded the cave," said Khan, speaking by satellite phone from the front lines. He said it was possible that several Taliban commanders were inside. Khan's account could not be independently verified.
■ Hong Kong
Falun Gong appeal begins
An appeal hearing began yesterday for 16 Falun Gong followers who were convicted in Hong Kong over their protest against China's crackdown on the spiritual movement. The followers -- four Swiss citizens, a New Zealander and 11 Hong Kong people -- were fined for obstructing a public place during a March 14 sit-in last year outside the Chinese government's liaison office in Hong Kong. Three of the Hong Kong protesters were convicted of assaulting police in a scuffle with police that broke out during the protest. Nine of the protesters, including the New Zealander, were convicted of obstructing police.
■ Australia
Murder trial ends soon
Two men accused of Australia's worst serial killings awaited their fate in Adelaide, Australia yesterday. South Australia's infamous "bodies in the barrels" case followed the discovery in 1999, of eight dismembered bodies in six plastic barrels in the vault of an abandoned bank. Prosecutors alleged the two men were members of a gang that tortured and murdered their victims for enjoyment and to fraudulently claim their welfare benefits. John Bunting, 36, is facing 12 murder charges, and Robert Wagner, 31, is charged with eight.
■ Austria
Cough CPR developed
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