A round-up of today's other stories in brief...
Plame to co-write series of spy books
NEW YORK - Former CIA operative Valerie Plame is to co-author a fiction spy series of books with a female undercover espionage operative as the central character, Penguin Books said yesterday.
Ms Plame, whose life has been depicted in the film Fair Game, will write a "new international suspense series" with author Sarah Lovett. Ms Plame's cover was blown by the Bush administration in 2003 when her husband, a former ambassador, challenged the administration's case for war in Iraq. – (Reuters)
Death toll from Pakistan coal mine explosion rises to 45
QUETTA – The death toll from methane gas explosions on Sunday in a coal mine in Pakistan’s southwestern province of Baluchistan rose to 45 yesterday, government officials said, as hopes faded that there would be any survivors.
More than 50 miners were in the mine when three big explosions triggered by methane gas ripped through the caverns. “Forty-five miners have died. We have retrieved 25 bodies so far,” Aslam Bizenjo, provincial irrigation minister, told the provincial assembly.
Officials said the chances of finding the trapped workers alive were very slim because of a fire, which had consumed all the oxygen. Witnesses said the bodies had severe burns from the huge fire. – (Reuters)
Pawlenty enters Republican race
WASHINGTON - Former Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty is expected to become the first high-profile Republican to show serious intent to enter the US presidential election race against President Barack Obama in 2012.
Leaping in ahead of his rivals would give Mr Pawlenty some of the media attention that he needs to improve his national profile. A conservative who advocates smaller government and deep cuts in public spending, he has been travelling to early voting states to build support. – (Reuters)