From the International Desk
Published 5/28/2003 8:45 AM
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India, Pakistan restore diplomatic ties

NEW DELHI, May 28 (UPI) -- Pakistan has selected Foreign Ministry spokesman Aziz Ahmed Khan as Islamabad's high commissioner to India and on Wednesday India approved the appointment, setting up the restoration of diplomatic relations between the rivals. India appointed its ambassador to China, Shivshanker Menon, as its high commissioner to Islamabad. Diplomatic ties were cut when India recalled its high commissioner following an attack on the Indian Parliament in December 2001. India blamed Pakistan for the attack, a charge Islamabad denied and condemned the raid.

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Abu Mazen: Sharon meeting set

GAZA, May 28 (UPI) -- Palestinian Prime Minister Abu Mazen announced Wednesday that his second meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was scheduled Thursday. On the agenda is preparation for a three-way summit in June with U.S. President George W. Bush as well as easing Israeli security restrictions, a Palestinian spokesman said.

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Roh denies scandal allegations

SEOUL, South Korea, May 28 (UPI) -- South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun apologized to the nation Wednesday for bribery allegations and fraudulent real estate accusations involving his older brother. But Roh, who took office in February with an anti-corruption pledge, denied any wrongdoing in real estate transactions or involvement in influence-peddling activities -- allegations that have dominated the country's newspapers for the past week. In a televised news conference, Roh said he had nothing to hide and has not been implicated in any scandal.

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Serial killer suspect arrested in Atlanta

ATLANTA, May 28 (UPI) -- The prime suspect in the serial slayings of five Louisiana women was arrested without incident Tuesday night on the grounds of an Atlanta tire store, the FBI said. Derrick Todd Lee, a 34-year-old truck driver from St. Francisville, La., was taken in custody by two detectives of the Joint Atlanta Police-FBI Armed Robbery Task Force after information had been received on Lee's whereabouts, FBI Special Agent Joe Parris told United Press International. Lee was on foot on the grounds of the tire store on the west side of the city, Parris said. He was taken to Atlanta Police headquarters and will later be moved to the Fulton County Jail to await extradition back to Baton Rouge, La.

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Canada mad cow may have hit U.S. dog food

WASHINGTON, May 28 (UPI) -- Seventeen herds of cattle in Canada have been quarantined out of fear they are tainted with mad cow disease, while the one Canadian cow where the disease has been confirmed may have wound up being processed into dog food shipped to the United States for sale. The Food and Drug Administration this week notified Pet Pantry International, based in Nevada, that the cow contaminated with the disease was slaughtered, with part of its material processed into dog food that was sent to the United States. FDA officials are monitoring dog food shipments in hopes of finding the possibly tainted pet feed, which records indicate would have been sent to Pet Pantry.

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Asian stocks follow Wall Street higher

SINGAPORE, May 28 (UPI) -- The sharp gains on Wall Street overnight set a bullish tone for Asia with most stock market indexes ending the day higher. After Monday's holiday, the Nasdaq composite jumped more than 3 percent, while the Dow Jones industrial average gained 2.1 percent after a strong rise in the U.S. consumer confidence index, as well as separate data showing a recovery in confidence. Technologies stocks throughout the region were pulling markets higher. In Tokyo, the Nikkei average rose 1.4 percent to 8,234.18, dragged up by TDK Corp, up 5.24 percent; and NEC Corp, up 4.23 percent.

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Angels honored at White House by Bush

WASHINGTON, May 27 (UPI) -- The Anaheim Angels, reigning world champions of Major League Baseball, Tuesday were congratulated at the White House by President George W. Bush. The Angels won their first World Series title in 2002 by beating the San Francisco Giants in seven games. Two charter buses were given a police escort to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. from the team's hotel in Baltimore, where the Angels played the Orioles on Tuesday night.

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Roddick again ousted in first round

PARIS, May 28 (UPI) -- American Andy Roddick suffered a 6-7 (3-7), 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 first-round loss at the French Open to Armenia's Sargis Sargsian as the 20-year-old Roddick strangely collapsed, winning only seven games after taking the first set in a tiebreaker. Two years ago, Roddick upset fellow American Michael Chang, who won the French Open in 1989, to reach the third round of the French Open. Since then, neither player has won a match in the year's second Grand Slam. Roddick arrived at Roland Garros fresh off winning his first title of the year on Saturday at St. Polten. He also was runner-up on hard courts at Memphis and on clay at Houston.