Today's News..

1. The key stock index yesterday closed above 1,900 points for the first time as investors shrugged off the central bank's interest rate hike to absorb excess liquidity in the money market.

2. The National Election Commission urges the Constitutional Court to turn down a petition filed by President Roh Moo-yun saying Roh was not eligible to file the petition to the high court as he was the head of state.

3. Twelve crewmen including 4 Koreans went missing in waters near Oman yesterday as a Korean freighter was on the verge of sinking..

4. China announced yesterday that the six-nation nuclear talks on ending North Korea's nuclear ambitions will resume in Beijing next Wednesday for a duration of two days..

5. Hanwha Group Chairman Kim Seung-youn was released from custody and is being treated at a hospital for depression and a nervous breakdown..


Foreign medics sentenced to death in Libya..

In a case that has dragged on for eight months, Libya's Supreme Court on Wednesday confirmed its death penalty against six foreign medics. They were first arrested in February 1999, and were sentensed to death in May 2004. The five Bulgarian nurses and Palestinian doctor are convicted of infecting 438 Libyan children with the deadly HIV virus while they worked at the children's hospital in the city of Benghzai. Since then, 56 of the children have died. The verdict is expected to pave the way for a compensation for the infected children's families to be worked out between the Bulgarian government and the European Union. Some Western experts have said the AIDS epidemic in Benghazi was probably the result of poor hygiene and that the six were made into scapegoats..

Iraqis split over the withdrawal of coalition forces..

In Iraq all agreements and divisions meet at this question. What will happen after the withdrawal of American troops? Iraqis are divided along sectarian lines over the withdrawal, with many Sunnis welcoming the gradual exit and Shiited and Kurds fearful it would increase the mayhem. Most Iraqis agree that a rash and complete pullback would severely weaken the already fragile Iraqi government and increasing chaso and bloodshed may end in civil war. A recent analysis on Iraqi perceptions of the war said most Iraqis did not see the American troops as allies or liberator, but still feared a sudden withdrawal. 64 percent of Iraqis said American forces should remain until security was restored, Iraqi govenment and forces could operate independently. Only 36 percent said Amrican troops should leave as soon as possible..


From Morning Special..