Volume 4 Number 133 Mon. October 06, 2003       Advertise with The Daily Star -- Advertising on the Website    Advertising in the Printed E dition-- Home  News Today's Index Front Page Business Political Sports Foreign Relations Metropolitan National International Culture General Views Editorial Letters to Editor Write to Editor Sections Others About Us Contact Advertisement Suppliments Archives International   Bush seeks time for Iraqi self-rule Egypt calls for 'specific timetable' President Bush on Saturday asked for time in working out a plan for Iraqi self-rule even as he faces doubt from UN Secretary General Kofi Annan about US plans.   Nuke command chain in place: Fernandes Delhi takes serious note of Musharraf's 'threat' Declaring that both short and medium-range nuclear-capable Agni ballistic missiles were ready for deployment, Defence Minister George Fernandes yesterday said the country's nuclear command chain, including   Democrats decry cost of Iraqi reconstruction Democrats on Saturday criticised President Bush's $87 billion spending request for Iraq, saying the cost of rebuilding the shattered country was draining resources from growing needs at home.   World leaders condemn suicide attack in Israel World leaders sharply condemned a suicide attack in northern Israel Saturday that killed 19 victims including five children on the eve of the Jewish faith's holiest day.   Iran ready to answer IAEA questions, but 'not bound' by deadline Iran intends to answer International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) questions over its nuclear programme "as quickly as possible", even though it does not consider itself bound by an October 31 deadlineto   EU leaders hope to endorse constitution in mid-Dec European Union leaders said Saturday they hope to endorse their new constitution in mid-December, setting a tight deadline for overcoming a power struggle between small and large nations.   Japan seeks to counter China's dominance in Southeast Asia Japan wants to widen its largely business-oriented ties with Southeast Asia to counter China's aggressive political, economic and security forays but the region is playing hard to get.   Mahathir pledges not to be a 'back seat driver' after retirement Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said he would not be a "back seat driver" continuing to run the government after his retirement at the end of this month, a report said yesterday.   Indo-US joint naval exercise begins today Over 750 US naval personnel and an equal number of Indian Navy personnel would participate in the fifth Indo-US joint exercises, 'Malabar 2003', commencing on Monday off Kochi.   Harkat training camp destroyed in Pakistan Pakistan's security forces on Saturday destroyed a terrorist training camp reportedly run by Harkat ul Mujahideen in North West Frontier Province, even as top US officials arrived in Islamabad for talks   Poland says sorry to France for missiles report Poland apologised to France on Saturday for saying its troops had found advanced French-made missiles in Iraq that had been produced this year.     Advertisement