|
Scepticism greets clone rumours
The scientific community is treating with some scepticism rumours that a company in the United States has produced the first human clone. Florida based group Clonaid is expected to announce the birth of a cloned baby girl, apparently born healthy. Company founder Brigitte Boisselier and her team are members of an obscure sect known as the Raelians. Raelians believe extra terrestrials created mankind and that cloning could extend human life for hundreds of years. While their claims to have created a human clone cant be discounted, their work hasn't been published in established scientific journals and wont be recognised unless independent tests show a perfect genetic match between mother and daughter. Last month Italian fertility specialist Severino Antinori claimed that a consortium of doctors had produced a human clone who would be born in January. Doctors in the field have been accelerating their research in anticipation of a worldwide ban. North Korea to expel UN expectors - reports
North Korea is set to expel UN inspectors of its nuclear energy programme, according to South Korean news agency reports. It would be the latest escalation of the deepening crisis in the wake of Pyong Yang's decision to refuel a nuclear reactor that's capable of producing weapons grade plutonium. North Korea's defiantly rejected international criticism of its actions, telling the United States in particular it was rushing into an extremely dangerous confrontation. The communist state says it needs to boost its nuclear programme to compensate for a US lead oil embargo. But South Korean president elect Roh Moo Hyun has weighed in too, saying North Korea's actions were not beneficial to peace and security on the peninsula. Roh, who was elected on the promise of increased dialogue with the North, said that his policy of reconciliation would now be difficult to realise. Poland rejects European defence order and goes for American offer
Poland has apparantly placed a huge order to buy 48 American combat jets - F16s built by Lockheed Martin. The order is worth more than 3.5 billion euros and will replace Poland's aging fleet of Soviet MiGs. To get the contract Lockheed also has to create jobs in Poland's out-of-date defence sector. But what makes the deal unusual is that a rival offer from the French planemaker Dassault was turned down even though Poland has just been accepted as part of the wave of new members of the European Union. In fact its Dassault which has announced it didnt get the contract. So far there has been no word from the European Commission but since its trying to put together a common European defence force separate from NATO, Poland's loyalties may be called into question. Fiat shares fall to twenty year low.
Shares in the Italian car maker Fiat fell to their lowest level in twenty years after the markets reopened following the Christmas holiday. Moody's investment service cut the loss making company's debt ratings to "junk status". Fiat stock has plunged fifty six percent this year as it battles against widening losses caused by a slump in sales at its car unit Fiat Auto. The company whose brands include Alfa Romeo and Lancia plans to lay off thousands of workers and anticipates its car production unit to post losses of 1.2 million euro this year. Workers trying to stave off unemployment have staged a number of strikes as the one of the giants of the automotive trade plunges deeper into financial difficulty. Tayyip Erdogan a step closer to becoming prime minister of Turkey
Tayyip Erdogan a step closer to becoming prime minister of Turkey Tayyip Erdogan, the driving force behind his party's landslide victory in November's parliamentary elections - is constitutionally banned from holding public office. The reason, 3 years ago he was found guilty of inciting racial hatred. So parliament now packed with supporters from his Justice and Development Party has approved an amendment to the constitution allowing their leader to run in a by-election in February. If he becomes an mp he can then take over as Prime Minister. At the moment a close ally is filling the gap as acting Prime Minister. Erdogan's party is viewed with deep suspicion by the Turkish establishment because of fears it has an Islamic agenda. On the other hand its leader a former mayor of Istanbul has a big followingacross the country. Kenya set for landmark elections
Candidates have been campaigning across Kenya in a final bid for support before tomorrow's presidential election. Analysts predict a historic opposition win, replacing President Daniel arap Moi and ending the 39-year rule of his KANU party. Moi is bound by the constitution to step down. He has been in power since 1978 meaning the majority of Kenyans have grown up under his autocratic leadership.Moi has pledged to support whoever takes over, saying he would have great challenges to overcome. The man whom he is backing, 41-year-old Uhuru Kenyatta, is promising the country a "fresh start". Relatively new to politics, the ruling party's candidate is no stranger to public attention, as he is the son of Kenya's first President Jomo Kenyatta. Kenyatta says he will fight corruption, but he is having to fight a common perception that he was been handpicked to safeguard Moi's interests. Political analyst Mutahi Ngunyi says: "The president simply went and he picked him up and he told him, man, I'm gonna make you president. And you have to owe it to me. And as a result of that you also have to protect me." Supporters of the main opposition candidate, 71-year-old Mwai Kibaki, insist he can unite the country's numerous tribes and create a new political system. Kibaki's National Rainbow Coalition says three supporters were killed by police firing on a bus in the capital yesterday. Police confirmed two deaths but disputed the circumstances. There has been no repeat so far of ethnic clashes that killed hundreds in the run-up to the 1992 and 1997 elections. But the vote has been overshadowed by last month's hotel bombing in Mombassa in which 12 Kenyans and three Israelis died.
elebrity photographer dies at the age of
Fashion and celebrity photographer Herb Ritts has died at the age of fifty in Los Angeles. Ritts photographed the icons from three decades in fashion shots, album covers, advertisements and music videos. He developed a unique style and shot a variety of subjects from nude studies of Masi women in Africa to pop singer Madonna and former South African President Nelson Mandela. Following the announcement of his death curators at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston described him as an "image maker for our time, who translated our culture's dreams and desires into strong memorable pictures. He claimed not to have a favourite image, too many stood out for him, a fact he said pleased him.
|
