■ South Korea
Google causes concern
South Korea is raising concerns with the US government over a service offered by Internet company Google that displays satellite photos of sites across the globe, the president's office said yesterday. South Korean newspaper reports in recent days have noted that the Google Earth service provides images of the presidential Blue House and military bases in the country, which remains technically at war with communist North Korea. North Korean sites such as its main nuclear research facility at Yongbyon are also displayed on the service, which was launched in June. Presidential spokesman Kim Man-soo said that the office was planning to raise concerns with US authorities.
■ Australia
Politician attempts suicide
An Australian politician who quit his party's leadership after calling the Asian-born wife of his political opponent a "mail-order bride" was in hospital yesterday after an apparent suicide bid. John Brogden, 36, who quit as leader of the New South Wales state opposition Liberal party on Monday after his racist remark was made public, was found unconscious with self-harm wounds in his Sydney electorate office on Tuesday night, local media said. The apparent suicide bid shocked his conservative party colleagues who called a halt to campaigning to elect a new state party leader. "Nothing is worth trying to end it all," Liberal Australian treasurer Peter Costello told reporters.
■ Uzekistan
Activist sent to asylum
A leading human rights activist in Uzbekistan has been locked up in a psychiatric hospital in an echo of Soviet-style practices after distributing anti-government leaflets which prosecutors claimed insulted the country's emblem. Elena Urlayeva had earlier criticized President Islam Karimov for the Andizhan massacre in May when government troops allegedly shot hundreds of protesters. Talib Yakubov, chairman of the Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan, said Urlayeva had on previous occasions been detained and forcibly injected with drugs. Karimov's regime is accused of a catalogue of human rights abuses and fears a backlash from opposition groups.
■ New Zealand
Hammer-attacker guilty
A father of four pleaded guilty yesterday to the claw-hammer beating of a truck driver -- a brutal road rage attack caught on security cameras that shocked New Zealand. Toma Lauaki, 35, admitted one count of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. The victim, Barry Fletcher, remains in stable condition in hospital with multiple fractures to his right ankle and left wrist, lacerations to the bone on his lower right leg, and extensive bruising on his arms. After ripping open the door to Fletcher's rig as he waited to make a delivery, Lauaki bludgeoned him using the hammer's long claw, with one blow puncturing his right leg down to the bone. Fletcher suffered multiple bone fractures in the attack.
■ South Korea
Roh could give up power
South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun has hinted he could give up power earlier than the end of his term if it would help foster political harmony in the country, according to comments released yesterday by his office. "Provided that a new political culture and a new era can be opened, I have even considered retiring from the forefront of politics or shortening my tenure," Roh was quoted as telling legislators from his ruling Uri Party late Tuesday at the presidential Blue House.
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