■ China
Talks with Japan ruled out
China yesterday ruled out a summit with Japan on the sidelines of the APEC meeting this week, dashing hopes that the Asian neighbors would start mending ties soured over history and energy disputes. "There is no possibility at the moment" that President Hu Jintao (胡錦濤) would meet Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, the Chinese foreign ministry deputy spokesman said. China had already said it would be "very difficult" for Hu to meet Koizumi after the Japanese premier defied warnings last month and visited the Yasukuni Shrine.
■ Indonesia
Trained bombers are loose
Police chief General Sutanto warned yesterday that master bombmaker Azahari Husin, who was killed in a raid last week, had trained several followers in bombmaking and they are still on the loose. "There are several individuals who have not yet been caught and they have already learned to make bombs, although not at a level as sophisticated as Azahari's," Sutanto said, adding that VCDs obtained from Azahari's raided hideout at Batu in East Java show that the Malaysian expert taught several of his followers his skills. Sutanto mentioned no names or number but said that "we should not drop our guard." Azahari, one of Asia's most wanted men, was killed during a shootout with police on Wednesday after they tracked him to his bomb-filled hideaway.
■ China
Plant blasts killed one
One person has died and five remain missing a day after seven explosions at a chemical plant in northeast China. Another 21 people with light injuries remain hospitalized, the Jilin Province Work Safety Bureau said. The explosions at the benzene production plant in Jilin city occurred on Sunday, injuring more than 70 people. More than 10,000 people, including students at a university, were evacuated as authorities feared air contamination from the explosion. However the explosion has not caused air contamination and evacuated residents have begun to return home. Initial investigations showed a tower in one of the factories collapsed and "the improper handling" in the clearing of the blockage caused the explosion.
■ New Zealand
Clark: US must play ball
Prime Minister Helen Clark rejected yesterday a claim by the new US ambassador that it is up to her to mend a 20-year-old rift with the US over her country's anti-nuclear policy. Ambassador Bill McCormick told reporters after arriving in Wellington last week: "The ball is in your court." Clark rejected this when questioned at a news conference, saying: "We're always happy to have a dialogue, so the ball's in everybody's court, I guess." Clark said yesterday: "We're all capable of dialogue, but it will have to occur within the framework of the nuclear-free legislation."
■ North Korea
Plan proposed for phaseout
North Korea proposed a five-stage plan for the gradual elimination of its nuclear weapons program at last week's six-nation talks. South Korean Unification Minister Chung Dong-young said the plan showed the North was serious about giving up its nuclear weapons. "North Korea has proposed a five-stage road map on nuclear dismantlement," Chung said. Under the plan, North Korea said it would halt any nuclear testing and stop any transfer of nuclear technology while shutting down production of additional nuclear weapons, Chung said.
■ Iraq
Device explodes at embassy
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