Nation & world

North Korea accuses

U.S. of rights violations

SEOUL, South Korea - North Korea said the United States was the"world's worst violator" of human rights in an angry reaction to newU.S. legislation aimed at improving human rights in the communiststate.

In its first response to the legislation, North Korea said thatthe North Korean Human Rights Act proves that Washington's intentionis to topple its state.

"The U.S. is the world's worst violator of human rights as it iskilling innocent civilians including children everyday afterillegally igniting a war against Iraq," an unidentified North KoreanForeign Ministry spokesman said Monday. He was quoted by KCNA, theNorth's official news agency.

The U.S. measure promotes rights in the North, where a dynasticdictatorship has ruled a hunger-stricken populace for over half acentury with no tolerance for dissent.

Under the legislation, approved by both houses of Congress andsent to President Bush last week, Washington could spend up to $24million a year in humanitarian aid for North Koreans, much of it forrefugees who have fled their communist state.

No progress being made

in Sudan, Annan says

UNITED NATIONS - Secretary-General Kofi Annan reported no progressby the Sudanese government to end the crisis in the western Darfurregion, citing continuing clashes, attacks against civilians,escalating banditry and tribal conflict.

In a report to the U.N. Security Council circulated Monday night,Annan described fresh promises by the Khartoum government but nopositive action during September to end the 19-month conflict thathas killed over 50,000 people and forced 1.4 million to flee theirhomes.

The secretary-general said the government made "no furtherprogress" in September in key areas essential to restoring securityincluding implementing a cease-fire, stopping attacks on civilians,disarming militias, and persecuting the perpetrators of atrocities.

Sudan's Arab-dominated government is accused of mobilizing Arabtribal fighters for attacks on Darfur's villagers, in retaliation foruprisings launched by two non-Arab Darfur rebel movements in February2003. Sudan denies any responsibility.

Iranian missiles now

can reach 1,200 miles

TEHRAN, Iran - Iran said today its missiles now have a range ofmore than 1,200 miles, a substantial extension of their previouslydeclared range.

The old version of Iran's Shahab-3 missile had a range of 810miles, capable of reaching Israel and various U.S. military bases inthe Middle East.

In August, Iran tested a new version of the Shahab-3, and DefenseMinister Ali Shamkhani said the country was trying to improve therange and accuracy of the missile in response to efforts by Israel toupgrade its missile system.

"Today we have the power to fire missiles to a range of 2,000kilometers" - about 1,250 miles, former President Hashemi Rafsanjanisaid today, according to a report by the official Islamic RepublicNews Agency.

"Experts know that a country that possesses this can obtain allsubsequent stages" in missile production, Rafsanjani told staff atthe Aerospace Research Institute in Tehran.

Rafsanjani, who still wields great power in Iran, did notelaborate, but appeared to be saying that Iran can make missiles ofany range it requires.