theSun | FRIDAY APRIL 10 2009
news without borders
Iran to review
offer of nuclear talks
ISFAHAN (Iran): Iran will decide on the offer
of nuclear talks made by the United States and
five other world powers after reviewing the
details, a senior adviser to Iranian President
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said yesterday.
“We will review it and then decide about
it,” said Ali Akbar Javanfekr.
Underlining Teheran’s determination to
press ahead with its disputed nuclear pro-
gramme, Ahmadinejad was expected to an-
nounce later that Iran has mastered the final
stage of atom fuel production.
The West suspects Iran is seeking to de-
velop nuclear bombs. The Islamic Republic,
which marks its National Nuclear Day, says it
only aims to produce electricity. The new US
administration of President Barack Obama is
trying to reach out to the Islamic Republic, of-
fering a “new beginning” of engagement after
three decades of mutual mistrust.
Wednesday’s invitation to direct talks
marked a major policy change in Washing-
ton, which under former President George W.
Bush spearheaded a drive to isolate Iran over
its nuclear activity.
The United States, Russia, China, France,
Germany and Britain said in a statement they
would ask European Union foreign policy
Italy earthquake rescue
workers hit by aftershocks
L’AQUILA (Italy): A series
of aftershocks disrupted
rescue workers in central
Italy early yesterday as they
picked through rubble for a
third night in their search
for survivors of Monday’s
earthquake that killed 272
people.
One tremor measuring
5.2 on the Richter scale hit
at 2.53am (8.53am in Ma-
laysia) according to the US
Geological Survey, shaking
the city of L’Aquila and
nearby villages. It caused A family of a
damage to buildings but quake victim
there were no immediate react during
reports of any more vic- his funeral
tims although it was felt in in the town
Rome, some 100km to the of Raiano
west. yesterday.
The aftershocks terri-
fied many of the survivors
– 17,000 of whom stayed in tent villages for
another cold night after being made home-
less. Rescuers acknowledge hope of finding
anyone alive under the devastated city are
fading with every hour.
“This city has been annihilated and I
don’t think we’ll ever go back to that house,
our house. It’s full of ghosts and fear,” said
Claudio Gaudieri, 53, sitting in a tent camp
in L’Aquila.
“We lost everything,” he said.
The death toll climbed to 272 after rescu-
ers pulled more bodies from the collapsed
Swedish court rules against ‘affirmative action’
STOCKHOLM: A Swedish district court has
criticised the Swedish University of Agricultural
Sciences for discriminating against women in
its selection process for applicants to veterinary
studies.
The district court in the university city of
Uppsala, north-west of Stockholm, ruled that
44 women were discriminated against by be-
ing denied places in veterinary school even
though they had the same grades as the male
applicants.
The district court said the quota used in 2006
and 2007 to increase the number of male veteri-
nary students had discriminated against women
who applied from adult education colleges.
“We have obtained redress,” Sofia Lindblad,
13
chief Javier Solana to invite Teheran to the
talks to find “a diplomatic solution to this criti-
cal issue”.
Breaking with past US policy of shunning
direct talks with Iran, Obama’s administration
said the United States would join in nuclear
discussions with Iran from now on.
“We strongly urge Iran to take advantage of
this opportunity to engage seriously with all of
us in a spirit of mutual respect,” the six powers
said in a statement after a meeting of senior
diplomats in London on Wednesday.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the
United States would be a “full participant” in
major power talks with Iran.
Iran has so far reacted cautiously to US
overtures since Obama took office in January,
saying it wants to see a real shift in Washing-
ton’s policies rather than a change in words.
“If you (Obama) say you are after change
... change your method, change your literature
and your way,” Ahmadinejad said in a televised
speech on Wednesday. Analysts say Iran may
be setting tough conditions for dialogue in a bid
to buy time. Adding to uncertainty, it holds a
presidential vote in June in which Ahmadine-
jad faces a challenge from a moderate politician
seeking detente with the West. - Reuters
REUTERSPIX
buildings. Relatives began holding private
funerals for the dead. A mass state funeral
and a national day of mourning are expected
to be held today.
At least 16 children, including a five-
month-old baby, were killed by Monday’s 5.8
to 6.3 magnitude earthquake.
Rescue workers haven’t found any sur-
vivors in at least 24 hours. The last person
rescued, a 20-year-old woman, was pulled
out the rubble late on Tuesday. The interior
minister said searches would continue at
least until Easter. – Reuters
one of the plaintiffs, told Swedish radio after
the ruling. Lindblad welcomed the ruling but
said the 35,000 kronor (RM15,120) awarded in
damages was insufficient compensation for the
extra years she spent studying to acquire more
credits.
The university used a special quota in its
selection to secure more male students in
2006 and 2007. The odds suggested that a male
student from an adult education college had a
38 times higher chance of being accepted to
veterinary training than a woman.
More than 85% of applicants were women,
said lawyer Gunnar Strommer from the Centre
for Justice, who handled the group action case.
– dpa