At least 150 bodies have been recovered since last week following flash floods caused by heavy monsoon rains in India’s desert state of Rajasthan, officials said on Monday. The toll has risen sharply since Sunday as rescue workers continue to find more bodies as flood waters fell in the normally drought-prone area.
Uganda’s rebel Lord’s Resistance Army on Monday ordered its forces to prepare for an imminent truce with the government under which they will move to neutral camps in southern Sudan. In recorded government-authorised messages broadcast over radio stations in war-ravaged northern Uganda, LRA commanders called on their fighters to come out of the bush.
Former England captain David Beckham has signed a two-year contract extension with Real Madrid, the president of the Spanish giants has announced. Real president Ramon Calderon told Television Espanola late on Sunday that 31-year-old Beckham has now committed himself to the club until June 2009, the Marca sports daily reported.
Mat Rogers, Australia’s back-up playmaker, will undergo knee surgery this week and will miss the last 2006 Tri-Nations rugby international in South Africa. Scott Staniforth was drafted in on Monday as cover in Australia’s 25-man squad, which leaves on Friday for Johannesburg to fine tune for the September 9 match.
Iran said on Monday a United States threat to form an independent coalition to impose sanctions if the United Nations Security Council failed to act over Tehran’s nuclear programme was an insult to the council’s work. Iran has so far shown no sign it will halt enrichment, a process which can make fuel for nuclear power plants or material for nuclear bombs.
United States Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld on Sunday warned North Korea may pose a threat as a weapons seller to terrorists and that the US would consider taking the nuclear warheads off intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) so they could be used against terrorists.
Iran has for the first time given the green light for the breeding and slaughter of crocodiles — as long as they are killed in line with Islamic rules, a newspaper reported on Monday. But it’s unlikely the fearsome beasts will be killed to make handbags, belts or shoes.
The build-up of Sudanese troops in the war-torn western Darfur region could lead to a human-rights catastrophe unless United Nations peacekeeping troops are sent to the region soon, Amnesty International warned on Monday. Witnesses in el-Fasher in North Darfur said that Sudanese military flights have been flying in troops and arms to the region.
Two-time defending champion Chelsea beat Blackburn 2-0 on Sunday in the English Premier League, winning on Frank Lampard’s 50th-minute penalty and a late goal from substitute Didier Drogba. Unlike the Blues of the last two seasons, Chelsea looked unconvincing — particularly in the first half.
Felipe Massa of Ferrari won the Turkish grand prix on Sunday from the pole position, his first Formula One victory in his 67th race. ”It’s like a dream come true,” he said, choking back tears after an emotional win. Renault’s Fernando Alonso held off Ferrari’s Michael Schumacher in a duel over the last dozen laps to take second and increase his lead slightly over the German in the standings.