In Brief

* CLASHES – At least 22 people, mainly Karbi tribals, were hacked to death and their dismembered bodies burnt by a rival tribe in India’s troubled northeastern state of Assam, police said.

They said more than 60 were wounded, many critically, in the attack in the south-central district of Karbi Anglong in the tea-and-oil rich state. * QUAKE – Pakistan’s relief operation entered full swing in the race against time to save thousands of earthquake survivors left without food, tents or blankets in dropping temperatures as the death toll soared past 50 000.* FLU – Romania said it had killed all poultry in the country known to have been infected by bird flu, while officials in Turkey said an outbreak in their country had been brought under control.* SPACE – China’s second manned space flight ended successfully as the Shenzhou VI craft returned to Earth, leading to patriotic celebrations and plans for an ambitious new mission in 2007.* ATTACKS – Australia launched its biggest ever counter-terror exercise as pressure built on the government to water down tough new anti-terror laws which critics say could blur the line between sedition and freedom of speech.* NUCLEAR – Iran said it would not return to a full freeze of its disputed nuclear activities and voiced confidence it could avoid being referred to the UN Security Council.* KILLED – Three Israelis were killed and another four wounded in a drive-by shooting close to the major Gush Etzion Jewish settlement bloc in the southern West Bank.* STEMCELLS – US scientists say they have devised two new methods of extracting precious embryonic stem cells from mice without destroying their pre-existing ability to generate life, potentially offering a way out of a protracted political stalemate over regenerative medicine.- Nampa-Reuters-AFP* QUAKE – Pakistan’s relief operation entered full swing in the race against time to save thousands of earthquake survivors left without food, tents or blankets in dropping temperatures as the death toll soared past 50 000.* FLU – Romania said it had killed all poultry in the country known to have been infected by bird flu, while officials in Turkey said an outbreak in their country had been brought under control.* SPACE – China’s second manned space flight ended successfully as the Shenzhou VI craft returned to Earth, leading to patriotic celebrations and plans for an ambitious new mission in 2007.* ATTACKS – Australia launched its biggest ever counter-terror exercise as pressure built on the government to water down tough new anti-terror laws which critics say could blur the line between sedition and freedom of speech.* NUCLEAR – Iran said it would not return to a full freeze of its disputed nuclear activities and voiced confidence it could avoid being referred to the UN Security Council.* KILLED – Three Israelis were killed and another four wounded in a drive-by shooting close to the major Gush Etzion Jewish settlement bloc in the southern West Bank.* STEMCELLS – US scientists say they have devised two new methods of extracting precious embryonic stem cells from mice without destroying their pre-existing ability to generate life, potentially offering a way out of a protracted political stalemate over regenerative medicine. – Nampa-Reuters-AFP