7 dead in rail crash

Washington: Seven people were killed in the deadliest-ever train crash in Washington’s subway system, the city’s mayor said on Tuesday, the day after the collision. “On Monday, we had a number of six confirmed dead. We are changing that number to seven confirmed dead — as was discussed yesterday, by far the deadliest crash in the history of the Washington, DC Metro transit system,” said Mayor Adrian Fenty during a press conference. — AFP

Ukraine prez polls

KIEV: Ukraine’s parliament has set January 17 as the date for the politically turbulent nation’s next presidential election. The legislators did that Tuesday, ending a dispute among rival politicians over the timing of what’s likely to be a hard-fought contest. Parliament initially scheduled the vote for October 25, but President Viktor Yushchenko challenged that date. The Constitutional Court agreed and ordered the election be held in January. Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and other Yushchenko rivals wanted an earlier vote. — AP

TV host dead

LOS ANGELES: Ed McMahon, the loyal Tonight Show sidekick who bolstered boss Johnny Carson with guffaws and a resounding “H-e-e-e-e-e-ere’s Johnny!” for 30 years, died on Tuesday. He was 86. McMahon died shortly after midnight at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center surrounded by his wife, Pam, and other family members, said his publicist, Howard Bragman. Bragman didn’t give a cause of death, saying only that McMahon had a “multitude of health problems the last few months.” — AP

Indians attacked

MELBOURNE: There have been two more attacks against Indians in Melbourne. While a student from Hyderabad was mugged, an Indian taxi driver was attacked by passengers.

Earlier, a 20-year-old youth from Hyderabad was badly punched on the face. MA Khan, pursuing hospitality course from Victoria Institute of Technology, was walking near a railway station in eastern suburb of Melbourne on Sunday evening when two Caucasian men, wearing hooded jackets, walked-up to him and punched him without any provocation. Khan was punched so badly that he suffered cuts below his eyes and forehead and was admitted to a local hospital were he received multiple stitches on his face. — Agencies

Russian prez hopeful

CAIRO: Russian President Dmitry Medvedev says he sees some progress toward resolving the Israel-Palestinian dispute and is continuing to push for an international conference on the issue in Moscow. After meeting with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Cairo on Tuesday, Medvedev also told reporters that Egypt is playing a constructive role “to establish mutual confidence on this issue.” — AP