■ NEPAL
Parties seek extension
The ruling political parties and former communist rebels sought a five-day delay yesterday in election nominations as they continued talks on resolving a stalemate that has plunged the country into a fresh political crisis. The leaders of the six ruling parties and the former rebels met until midnight on Saturday, Minendra Risal of the Nepali Congress party said, and another meeting was planned for yesterday.
■ INDIA
Radio station in hot water
A private radio station has been threatened with government action after allegedly insulting the winner of the Indian Idol talent show and his entire ethnic group. The Red FM station provoked rioting by referring to contest winner Prashant Tamang from the northeastern town of Darjeeling as a "guard" -- one of the jobs frequently held by economically marginalized ethnic Nepalese. "It is prima facie evident that the remarks are in violation of the program code," the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said in a statement, which also branded the station "racist and insulting."
■ INDONESIA
Volcanic eruption likely
Scientists stepped up the alert level for a volcano in East Java and told people to stay away from the crater amid fears it is building up to an eruption, the vulcanology office Web site said yesterday. The office advised people to maintain a 5km safety zone around the crater and told residents to be prepared to evacuate at the first sign of any eruption. Although its slopes are sparsely inhabited, the peak is a popular domestic tourist destination and is located on a densely populated plain.
■ INDIA
Teacher forces girl to strip
A seven-year-old girl was made to strip naked by her teacher in a New Delhi school on Friday for not completing her homework, a police spokesman said yesterday. The nude girl had to stand on a desk in her class while other students were asked to boo her, the officer said. "The teacher was arrested on a complaint by the parents but she has been released as it was a bailable offence," Rajan Bhagat said. "This is barbaric," Shanta Sinha, head of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, said in a newspaper report. "No one has the right to outrage the modesty of a child."
■ AUSTRALIA
Costello hints at poll date
The general election is likely to be held on Nov. 24, or at least that is how it looks after Treasurer Peter Costello seemed to reveal the nation's biggest political secret while bantering on a TV show. Appearing on a special program on Saturday ahead of the Australian Rules football grand final, Costello was asked how he was feeling. His reply? "Toey," Australian slang for nervous. Was that because of the game or the election? Costello, set to become prime minister some time in the next parliament if his party wins another term, said they both culminate at this time of year, "the last day of September and the last day of November, isn't it?" With elections held on Saturdays, that would make polling day Nov. 24.
■ NEW ZEALAND
Quake hits off South Island
A strong earthquake with an estimated magnitude of 7.4 hit off the west coast of South Island at 6:24pm yesterday, but reports said the quake was too far offshore to be felt -- about 350km. Japan's Meteorological Agency put the quake's magnitude at 7.4, while Geoscience Australia said it was 7.6.
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