Perry to visit India, Pakistan:

us l>lo»r Sviclarv Wilhani Perry leaves Washington next week lo visit Egypt Israel Pakistan and India the Defence Department announced on Friday. Reuter reports from Washington

Brrn will h-ave next Friday and return to Washington on Saturday January 14, it said

Rao gets poor rating:

.uuan prune Muustrr P v Narasimha Rao scored only 5 61 oul of a possible 10 ui an opinion poll in which respondents were asked tf he was clean or honest a leading newspaper reported Saturday AP says from New Delhi

Finance Minister Manmohan Singh scored more than Ray •Uh 6 30 marks and topped the list of seven ministers who were chosen for the poll, jointly conducted by MODE, a leading research group and The Times of India newspaper.

Karnataka HC bans fox-killing:

Indian animal rights activists are struggling to block the ritual torture and killing of dozens of red foxes in two southern Inchan villages. AP reports from New Delhi

The All Indian Animal Welfare Association of Bombay recently persuaded Karnataka state's High Court to outlaw the annual killings. But activists fear police will be unable to stop the ritual when the full moon appears Jan 16.

Chile may resume ties with Cuba:

Chile is planning to resume full diplomatic relations with Cuba ui January bringing to an end a 21 year break, a senior government official said on Friday. Reuter reports from Santiago.

The government will make a formal decision on renewing Ues before January 15. said the source, who declined to be named.

Picasso’s heirs file lawsuit:

The heirs of Pablo Picasso have filed a lawsuit against a Beverly Hills man accusing hito of ripping off the late artist by reproducing his works on T-shirts, neckties and watches. AFP reports from Los Angeles.

The Administrator of Picasso estate. Claude Picasso filed the lawsuit Wednesday against Neil Normal saying that he was illegally cashing in on the artists" celebrity.

2 killed in Turkish attack:

Four people killed two passengers and wounded 25 others in a machinegun attack on a coach tn northwestern Turkey s Kacaell region early yesterday, the Anatolia news agency reported. AFP says from Ankara.

Three men and a woman forced the driver to stop the vehicle which was going from the capital Ankara to Istanbul, made other passengers move to the back of the bus. opened fire on them and threw- a hand grenade. An 18-year-old woman and 25-vear-oM man were killed in the 4:00 am (0200 GMT attack near Hereke.

5 die in ROK road mishap:

Fh« p«pie died and more than 60 were injured when two buses collided head on in South Korea yesterday, the domestic Yonhap news agency said. Reuter reports from Seoul.

The accident happened near the remote eastern town of Samchok when a bus skidded on ice into the path of the second oncoming bus. Yonhap said

Kim gets Luther King award:

South Korea s King Young-Sam. the country’s first dissident pot I tic fan turned president, has been awarded the 1994 Martin Luther King Jr Non-Violent Peace Prize, the government said yesterday. AFT reports from Seoul.

The announcement was made December 30 by the King Centre In Atalanta. Georgia, citing Kim's ' uncompromising dedication to the principle of non violence In pursuit of hu man rights and democracy "

19 executed in C China:

Nineteen criminals were executed in the central Chinese city of Xian In December for crimes ranging from murder theft and arson to rape, the Shanxi Daily reported vestrrdwv AFP says from Beijing

The criminals were executed over a 10 day period begin rung December 17 after being sentenced to death by the Intermediate People # Court tn Xl/in the capital of Shaanxi province th> report said

3 Filipinos stabbed to death:

An elderly couple and their daughter were at a titled to death yesterday by a worker in their family Imbery In the Philippine capital police ask! Reuter reports from Manila

They said the Couple* Hirer year old grand daughter was spared arid later alcrtrcl relative* Io the killing*

150 held in Colombia:

on Friday launched a major crackdown on drug and arms trafficking liiat resulted in ISO arrest* and 23 airraft grounded at righl airport* around the nation AFP report* from IVigot*

Some 8 UOO peraonnel look part in Operation Swallow carried out by Colombian police backed by the US Drug Enforcement Administration and Interpol General Lula Enrique Montengro of the Cofombuu. polk e said

2 killed in Belgrade blast:

two •*rtt killed early Friday whet; a hand grenade exploded in a private Belgrade apartment Tanjug news agency reported AP says from Belgrade

Police thai =n investigation wax under way into 'he Zemun district blast No other details were available

3 hostages rescued in India:

Anu lerronM commandos rescued three hoatages who were held by a notorious gang of ivory poachers and sandalwood smugglers in southern inckan jungles police said on Saturday AP reports from New Delhi

The gang led by Koose Muruswamy Veerappan held the hostages including a senior police official for four weeks There was no ransom demand, but in the past Veerappan had used hostages as human sineid against police attack.

1 dies in Istanbul blast:

a boo* explode In a central Istanbul hole! on Friday killing a Turkish woman tour guide and injuring two men. hotel officials said. Reuter reports from Istanbul.

Bike Gureh. general manager of the five star Marmara Hotel, told Reuters the bomb was left in the pocket of a coat hanging tn a cafe at the hotel entrance

Hutus kill 10 in Rwanda:

Hutu extremist iniliiiamen killed 10 villagers who had refused to follow them into exile in Tanzania in an attack in southeastern Rwanda state-run Rwandan Radio said. Reuter reports from Nairobi.

The radio monitored by the British Proadcasting Corporation on Friday night quoted reports from the southeastern town of Kibungo saying nine members of the ousted former government's Interahamwe militia attacked pnrple In Kigar-ima village near Akagera Park which borders

Fireworks claim 7 Filipinos:

^^ p-hpk were kiHed m New Year s Eve acckfents triggered by hr.-works explosions in the Philippines yesterday officials and radk- repors said .V? reports from Manila

Six people burned to death when a fire caused by a firecracker Maw gutted a market tn the town of Calambta •outh M Mamia officials said while in the capital, a bystander was killed and six people were injured when pyrotechnic sparks caused an acetylene tank to explode. Radio DZXL