World digest
Sunni bloc walks out:
BAGHDAD -- Baghdad shook with bombings and political upheaval Wednesday as the largest Sunni Arab bloc quit the government and a suicide attacker blew up his fuel tanker in one of several attacks that claimed 142 lives. The bloc's withdrawal from the Cabinet leaves only two Sunnis in the 40-member body. Story on Page 9.
Russians reach North Pole:
MOSCOW -- An expedition aimed at strengthening Russia's claim to much of oil and gas wealth beneath the Arctic Ocean reached the North Pole on Wednesday, and preparations immediately began for two mini-submarines to drop a capsule containing a Russian flag to the sea floor. Story on Weather Page.
Monsoon displaces millions:
DHAKA, Bangladesh -- Monsoon floods ravaging Bangladesh for more than a week have displaced or marooned at least 5 million people and left 40 others dead, officials said Wednesday. More than a third of Bangladesh, a low-lying delta nation of 145 million people, has been inundated by floods, the government said.
Chavez pressures channel:
CARACAS, Venezuela -- An opposition-aligned television channel, already booted from the airwaves, faced a deadline Wednesday to agree to carry speeches by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez or be yanked from the cable lineup. The channel must interrupt programming at government request for Chavez speeches.
Afghan army plans mission:
GHAZNI, Afghanistan -- The Afghan army dropped leaflets Wednesday warning of impending military action in the region where Taliban militants are holding 21 South Korean hostages, though the army said the operation is not connected to the captives. Another deadline passed with no word any more hostages were killed.
Darfur force's lineup forms:
PARIS -- France, Denmark and Indonesia offered Wednesday to contribute to a joint U.N.-African Union peacekeeping force for Darfur, while Sudan praised the U.N. resolution, watered down to drop the threat of sanctions. Acceptance of the force marked a major turnaround for Sudan's government.
Khmer Rouge official to talk:
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia -- The former chief of a Khmer Rouge prison is willing to testify about the regime's atrocities that led to an estimated 1.7 million deaths in the 1970s, Cambodia's genocide tribunal announced Wednesday. Duch, 64, was indicted Tuesday for offenses committed by the Khmer Rouge from 1975-79.