WORLD briefs

HONDURAS. Honduras' interim government backed off its refusal of a visit by foreign delegates aimed at resolving the country's political crisis. The negotiators are welcome as long as Jose Miguel Insulza, head of the Organization of American States, participates only as an "observer," the Foreign Relations Ministry said in a statement Sunday. The government of interim President Roberto Micheletti has objected to what it calls a "lack of objectivity" by Insulza.

GUATEMALA. Prosecutors in Guatemala have requested a restraining order against four former top police officials linked to the disappearance of hundreds of pounds of cocaine, in order to keep them from leaving the country. The fired men are former National Police general director Porfirio Perez, assistant director Rolando Mendoza, and deputy directors Victor Lopez and Hector Castellanos.

INDIA. Indian authorities were inspecting a North Korean ship detained in the Bay of Bengal for nuclear material or fuel, officials said yesterday, the latest sign of the international noose tightening around the North. A preliminary investigation by a team of nuclear scientists failed to detect any radioactive presence on board the ship carrying a huge sugar consignment, Ashok Chand, a senior police officer in India's Andaman and Nicobar islands said.

AUSTRALIA. Australia has pledged 7.8 million US dollars this year to help save more than 100 indigenous languages which are in grave danger of dying out. Arts Minister Peter Garrett said the money would be spent on translation services, tests for children and a feasibility study for a national centre for Aboriginal languages.

TAIPEI. At least 34 people died and scores more were reported missing Monday after typhoons battered East Asia, as parts of the region experienced their worst weather in half a century. Most those killed were in Taiwan when Typhoon Morakot slammed into the island, dumping a record 2.5 meters of rain at the weekend. The storm hit mainland China Sunday afternoon, authorities ordered more than a million people to evacuate several provinces. In Japan, 13 people died in floods and landslides caused by torrential rain as Typhoon Etau bore down on the archipelago.