■ Bangladesh
Strike cripples capital
A two-day general strike called by the opposition party in protest of the weekend bomb attack on an anti-government rally that killed 19 people has Tuesday brought the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka to a standstill. The countrywide shutdown was enforced by the opposition Awami League as tension and anger mounted over Saturday's bomb and grenade attack on a crowded rally in front of the party headquarters in central Dhaka. Police sources and senior Awami League officials said the bloody attack was targeted on opposition chief and former prime minister Sheikh Hasina who addressed the rally.
■ Japan
Permanent UN spot sought
Japan's prime minister said Tuesday he will argue for making his country a permanent member of the UN Security Council during an upcoming trip to the United Nations. Japan, the world's second-largest economy, has long called for an expansion of the permanent council seats, now held by five countries: the United States, Britain, France, China and Russia. Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's office said details of his trip have not been finalized, but he is widely expected to be at the UN during the Sept. 21-22 General Assembly. "UN Security Council reform has become a major agenda item," Koizumi told reporters Tuesday.
■ China
Women's sex lives probed
China's communist leaders are easing their official prudishness about sexuality, and carrying out the first nationwide survey on women's sex lives. The 2004 China Female Sex Survey will ask respondents how often they have sex, whether they've had extramarital affairs and other questions, the official Xinhua News Agency said yesterday. The survey will be carried out among women who visit a popular Chinese Web site, Sina.com, the report said, adding that participants must be over age 21. "The aim of the survey is to find out the status of Chinese women's sex life, analyze their sexual behaviors and psychology and provide sexual knowledge and advice for them," Xinhua said, citing Ma Xiaonian, a researcher at the institute.
■ Hong Kong
Man chases mother's coffin
A grieving Hong Kong man tried to open a casket for a final look at his dead mother but was stopped by police in a bitter family feud over the funeral arrange-ments, newspapers reported Tuesday. As the hearse was about to depart for the cemetery, jewelry designer Edward Chiu beat it with his hands in frustration as officers restrained him, according to newspaper accounts. Chiu then hired a taxi to chase the hearse but was unable to stop it, the Sing Tao Daily reported.
■ Cambodia
Buddhists annoy judge
A Cambodian judge has lodged a complaint with authorities against Buddhist monks for waking him up at 4am by banging on their gong, a newspaper reported Tuesday. Supreme Court Justice Kong Phirun has asked the Religion Ministry to intervene and stop the monks at the Langka pagoda near his home in the capital, Phnom Penh, from disturbing his slumber, the Rasmei Kampuchea newspaper said. The monks, who began observing Buddhist Lent earlier this month, have been beating a gong at 4am every morning as a call to prayers, he reportedly lamented to the ministry.
■ United States
Planes broadcast to Cuba
The US confirmed Monday that it had begun broadcasting Radio and TV Marti into Cuba from military airplanes. "On Saturday, the United States successfully [broadcast] Radio and TV Marti to the Cuban people for several hours from an airborne broadcasting platform operated by the Air National Guard," State Department deputy spokesman Adam Ereli said. Cubans got their first taste late Saturday of the US$18 million effort to help bring democracy to Cuba. US President George W. Bush adopted the measure in May, which had been recommended by the Commission for Assistance to a Free Cuba.
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