Word in Brief

* UN SCANDAL – A long-awaited report on the corruption-tainted UN oil-for-food programme for Iraq cleared UN chief Kofi Annan of ethical misconduct but faults him for serious management lapses.

* EBOLA VIRUS – The deadly Ebola virus, which has killed hundreds of great apes in recent years, remains one of the gravest threats to the endangered species in central Africa, according to researchers. Hundreds, possibly thousands of great apes are estimated to have been killed by Ebola since an outbreak of the disease in 2001 in the countries of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Cameroon and Gabon.* RIGHTS ABUSES – US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice insisted that human rights abuses in North Korea should be highlighted, ignoring the risk of angering the Stalinist regime which has delayed talks designed to end its nuclear weapons drive.* SAUDI UNREST – Saudi security forces stormed a suspect al Qaeda hideout in the eastern city of Damman, ending three days of gunbattles that saw four Saudi security men and a number of suspects killed.* POWERFUL TYPHOON – Japan searched through the debris for the missing from a powerful typhoon that left at least nine dead and threatened to strike again, this time in the north of the country.* CRASH CAUSE – Investigators probing the crash of jetliner in northern Indonesia said engine failure could be to blame for disaster which killed at least 150 people.* URANIUM ACTIVITIES – The European Union has lost hope that Iran will again suspend its uranium conversion activities or resume talks on its controversial nuclear programme, a senior EU diplomat said, adding that the EU’s present role had virtually ended.* AFGHAN ATTACK – An explosives-packed car driven by two suspected suicide bombers blew up in southern Afghanistan, killing the pair and wounding four passers-by, a provincial official said.* DISEASE TOLL – The official death toll from Japanese encephalitis passed 500 in northern India where more than 2 000 children were fighting for their lives against the mosquito-borne disease.- Nampa-AFP-ReutersHundreds, possibly thousands of great apes are estimated to have been killed by Ebola since an outbreak of the disease in 2001 in the countries of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Cameroon and Gabon.* RIGHTS ABUSES – US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice insisted that human rights abuses in North Korea should be highlighted, ignoring the risk of angering the Stalinist regime which has delayed talks designed to end its nuclear weapons drive.* SAUDI UNREST – Saudi security forces stormed a suspect al Qaeda hideout in the eastern city of Damman, ending three days of gunbattles that saw four Saudi security men and a number of suspects killed.* POWERFUL TYPHOON – Japan searched through the debris for the missing from a powerful typhoon that left at least nine dead and threatened to strike again, this time in the north of the country.* CRASH CAUSE – Investigators probing the crash of jetliner in northern Indonesia said engine failure could be to blame for disaster which killed at least 150 people.* URANIUM ACTIVITIES – The European Union has lost hope that Iran will again suspend its uranium conversion activities or resume talks on its controversial nuclear programme, a senior EU diplomat said, adding that the EU’s present role had virtually ended.* AFGHAN ATTACK – An explosives-packed car driven by two suspected suicide bombers blew up in southern Afghanistan, killing the pair and wounding four passers-by, a provincial official said.* DISEASE TOLL – The official death toll from Japanese encephalitis passed 500 in northern India where more than 2 000 children were fighting for their lives against the mosquito-borne disease.- Nampa-AFP-Reuters