■ Afghanistan
Roadside bomb kills two
A US soldier and an Afghan interpreter were killed when a roadside bomb hit their armored vehicle in the latest spate of violence involving Taliban guerrillas. The two were in a convoy re-supplying US-led forces during an operation against militants in the central province of Uruzgan when the incident happened on Tuesday, the US military said in a statement. The death of the soldier brings the number of US casualties this year as a result of hostile action to nearly 60, the bloodiest period since US-led forces overthrew the Taliban government in late 2001. Taliban guerrillas have launched a string of attacks, including suicide blasts, in southern and eastern areas in recent weeks after failing to disrupt legislative elections in September.
■ Nepal
Officials review pact
Nepal's monarchist government is reviewing an agreement between Maoist rebels and seven major political parties intended to force King Gyanendra to restore democracy, the home minister said yesterday. The rebels and the political alliance issued a statement announcing they have reached a crucial understanding to intensify movement against the king, who seized absolute power in February. The 12-point agreement did not explain how the rebels and parties planned to step up their campaign against the government. But the political parties made it clear they do not support the communist rebels' violent campaign and that the agreement does not constitute an alliance. Top political leaders flew to New Delhi last week, apparently to meet rebel leaders, but announced the agreement only on Tuesday.
■ China
eBay baby-sale ad `a joke'
Police have detained a man on charges of posting an advertisement offering babies for sale on the Chinese arm of auction Web site eBay in what he says was a joke, a news report said yesterday. The company said it deleted the ad shortly after it appeared on Oct. 16. It offered a baby boy for 28,000 yuan (US$3,500) and a baby girl for 13,000 yuan. Police "investigated the scheme and found out it's an evil joke," the Shanghai Daily newspaper reported. The report said the man detained, identified only by the sur-name Wu, was arrested on Oct. 28.
■ The Philippines
David does Davao?
A replica of Michaelangelo's naked statue, "David," is stirring controversy in the southern Philippine city of Davao with local officials seeing it as a veiled advertise-ment for a local love-nest. Davao city councillors are objecting to a replica of David that was put up in a beach-front park by the owners of Queensland Lodge, a local motel known as a hideaway for lovers, saying that the statue was clearly intended to raise thoughts of sex. Coun-cilor Mabel Acosta stressed that what is questionable is not the "work of the master" but why it was placed near a motel. Some other city councillors are proposing a compromise: that a pair of pants be put on the statue.
■ Sri Lanka
Floods affect thousands
Floods triggered by heavy rains in Sri Lanka have affected some 40,000 people, the government said yesterday, including many living in makeshift shelters since last year's tsunami. Water levels had begun to fall in most parts of the country after the rains eased, but officials were still assessing the damage in the north and east. Officials said there was no figure yet on deaths caused by the floods but newspapers said that at least two people were killed in central Colombo when a wall, weakened by the rain, collapsed.
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