China’s space mission

SHANGHAI:

China could move ahead the launch of its next manned space mission to as early as this month, a state newspaper reported on Wednesday. “The launch time for the Shenzhou VI is around September or October,” Zhang Qingwei, president of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp, told the Shanghai Morning Post. When technicians conclude last-minute testing, a more concrete flight time will be determined and two astronauts will be chosen from a group of 14. — AFP

Rumsfeld’s China visit

BEIJING:

US Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld will visit China in October as Washington and Beijing attempt to strengthen military relations, a US commander said on Wednesday. “There are a number of visits scheduled here - my first visit, the secretary of defence next month... then the president,” Admiral William Fallon, head of US Pacific Command, said. Full details of Rumsfeld’s visit were still being worked out. — AFP

Quake rocks Aceh

JAKARTA:

An earthquake measuring 5.2 on the Richter scale shook Indonesia’s Aceh province on Wednesday but there were no reports of casualties or damage, the meteorology office said. The quake, centered 30 km under the seabed 105 km northwest of Banda Aceh, struck at 0642 GMT. Indonesia sits on the so-called Pacific Rim of Fire, where the meeting of continental plates causes high volcanic and seismic activity. — AFP

Pak to free Indians

KARACHI:

Pakistan is to release 371 Indian fishermen held since last year for illegally fishing in its territorial waters, as part of an ongoing peace process with New Delhi, an official said on Wednesday. They will travel from Karachi to Lahore on Saturday and will be handed over at the Wagah on Sunday, said Brigadier Ayaz Mughni, prison chief of Sindh province. “This will be part of the goodwill gestures” between India and Pakistan, who are pushing along a peace process, Mughni said. — AFP

Iran’s N-man in Pak

ISLAMABAD:

Iran’s top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani has arrived for talks with Pakistan amid threats the row over Tehran’s atomic programme could be referred to the UN Security Council. “He is here to explain and inform us the Iranian position and the developments in Iran’s nuclear talks with EU and International Atomic Energy Agency,” a foreign office official said. Larijani was due to hold talks with Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri, call on President Pervez Musharraf and PM Shaukat Aziz. — AFP