Today's other stories in brief
Court strips Pinochet of immunity
SANTIAGO - Chile's supreme court stripped former dictator Augusto Pinochet of immunity yesterday to face charges in a human rights case involving the use of torture at the infamous Villa Grimaldi prison.
"He's been stripped of immunity," a court source said after the decision by a supreme court panel in Santiago. The ruling opens the way for Pinochet to be charged with human rights abuse, murder and torture. - (Reuters)
No agreement on air passenger data
BRUSSELS - Top European and US officials failed to reach agreement yesterday to replace an annulled deal on sharing air passenger data due to expire on September 30th, a European Commission spokesman said.
"We will continue talks next week. Both parties are committed to finalise the agreement by the end of this month," said Friso Roscam Abbing. - (Reuters)
Miners still missing in Siberia
MOSCOW - Rescuers struggled yesterday to reach more than 20 Russian miners still missing underground more than a day and a half after a fire broke out at a gold mine in eastern Siberia.
Rescue workers recovered the bodies of at least 11 miners. Smoke and high temperatures hindered the search for the rest. - (Reuters)
Glitch postpones shuttle launch
CAPE CANAVERAL - Nasa postponed the launch of the space shuttle Atlantis from Florida yesterday due to a problem with a sensor in the spacecraft's external fuel tank, a Nasa official said.
The mission to resume construction of the International Space Station had already been delayed nearly two weeks due to weather problems and a technical glitch. Nasa said it would make another attempt today. - (Reuters)
Dump collapses on 30 near Jakarta
BEKASI - A rubbish dump collapsed on about 30 people searching for recyclable items near the Indonesian capital Jakarta yesterday, killing at least three people, a police official said.
Rescuers were searching for 22 others still believed to be buried at the Bantar Gebang dump in Bekasi, east of Jakarta. - (Reuters)
Struggle to find bodies of miners
JHARIA, India - Rescue teams struggled to locate and remove the charred bodies of 54 Indian miners killed after the roof of a state-owned coal mine collapsed following an explosion, authorities said yesterday.
Eighteen bodies had been brought out so far after the explosion late on Wednesday in Dhanbad district in the eastern state of Jharkhand. - (Reuters)