BONN: Germany has alerted its industry against any dealing with 29 Pakistani companies following suspicion that they are involved in clandestine acquisition of nuclear technology for Islamabad's "secret" weapons programme. "The German government suspects Pakistan wants to acquire high-tech equipment for its secret nuclear weapons programme and that it is exploring the prospects in Germany also," the federal ministry of economics said in a letter to the apex body of German industries.The ministry did not disclose the identity of the suspected companies but its spokesman made it clear the letter did not have anything to do with the situation in the sub-continent following New Delhi's nuclear tests and Islamabad's planned response, the Der Speigel magazine said.

Russia-Iran ties

MOSCOW: Russia has accused the American senate of trying to hinder its trade with Iran and complicate US-Russian ties by approving a bill to impose sanctions on firms thatsell missile technology to Tehran. The bill, approved on Friday, followed US Accusations that projects in which Russia is involved could help Iran develop a nuclear arsenal. Moscow denies the charges.

Cult leader

TOKYO: A Japanese doctor belonging to a secret religious cult was sentenced to life imprisonment for spreading deadly gas in Tokyo's subways that killed 12 people and sickened thousands in 1995. The Tokyo district court found Ikuo Hayashi, a senior member of the Aum Shinrikyo (supreme truth sect), guilty of charges including murder and terrorism and awarded him the penalty for his involvement in releasing sarin nerve gas in the crowded underground trains.

Iraq arms

SYDNEY: UN weapons inspectors are to confront Iraq with new information on its arms programme and demand it surrender the last of its illegal weapons, head of the UN inspection team Richard Butler said here today. Butler said the data, which would be presented to the UN Security Council on June 3, included newlydeclassified information and photographs taken from US spy planes.

Abkhazia pact

MOSCOW: Georgia has agreed to a ceasefire and troop withdrawal with Abkhaz separatists to end clashes which had threatened to plunge Abkhazia province back into all-out war. Interfax news agency announced the deal hours later.