20 June 2002
Israeli helicopters have fired at least five missiles at targets in the Gaza Strip. Four people were wounded in the strikes on metal foundries the army says are used to make weapons for Palestinian militants. It was a response to two suicide bombings in two days. On Wednesday evening a Palestinian ran into a crowd waiting at a Jerusalem bus stop and blew himself up. Six people died and 35 were wounded. The al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, an armed group linked to Palestinian President Yasser Arafat's Fatah faction, claimed responsibility. On Tuesday a member of militant group Hamas killed 19 people on a Jerusalem bus when he detonated explosives strapped to his body. That prompted a new Israeli policy of retaking and holding Palestinian territory as long as the bombings continue. Meanwhile right wing Israelis were quick to show their disgust at the attacks.They organised a noisy demonstration in Jerusalem as police and rescue workers continued their clear up.
Arafat scorned as he condemns attacks
After news of Wednesday's bombing broke Palestinian President Yasser Arafat did not respond by talking to the press directly, but instead issued a statement strongly condemning attacks that target Israeli civilians. He said they have nothing to do with his Authority's resistance to Israel, and merely give the Israeli government a "pretext" to launch raids into Palestinian territory. The Israeli government had a cynical response to Arafat's statement. Spokesman Dany Shek said, "The Palestinian condemnation means nothing. We've had it up to here with this - between each condemnation they do nothing to prevent the next attack. It simply can't go on like this." George W Bush delayed a speech expected to outline a path to a Palestinian state, but White House spokesman Ari Fleisher says he is hopeful, "The President condemns this latest attack and is still determined to help both parties to find peace."
Aznar claims "overall agreement" in EU over immigration
Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar has said European Union countries are in broad agreement over a plan for combatting illegal immigration and over new rules regarding asylum. His comments came after he met French president Jacques Chirac in Paris. Immigration is set to dominate the EU summit in Seville that starts on Friday. Aznar said: "We want to co-ordinate immigration policy within the EU, and we want to political economic and practical co-operation with those countries which are responsible for immigration." Aznar, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency, denied that the European Union was in effect creating a "fortress Europe." Earlier, he had held talks with the Danish premier, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, with both men agreeing that the EU needs a tool to ensure countries take back their illegal immigrants. On Monday, EU foreign ministers failed to agree whether to threaten sanctions against countries, which refuse to co-operate on stopping the immigrants and the human traffickers who organise their often precarious journeys. France, Sweden and Luxembourg objected to punishing developing nations.
General Strike embarasses Aznar on eve of E.U. s
u
Today is a day of action in Spain that's threatening to bring the country to a halt and embarrass the government. Trade Unions have called the one-day general strike to protest against unemployment reforms pushed through by Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar's administration. Media, transport, health and all services affecting public life are expected to be hit to varying degrees. A third of the country's workforce is set to join the strike. The new measures, which were introduced by the government by decree, will mean the unemployed will lose benefits if they refuse a job offer deemed acceptable the authorities. In a stormy parliament session yesterday Socialist opposition leader, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, said the issue was more than just a clash between political parties. He said it was about the dignity of the unemployed and their families. It is the first major confrontation with the unions Aznar has had to face since he came to power in 1996. His conservative government maintains the reforms are aimed at increasing the incentive for the jobless to find work. Spain's unemployment rate at over 11 percent is the highest in the EU. The strike comes as Spain prepares to host a EU summit in Seville - the last to take place under Spain's presidency of the bloc. The city will be the venue for the largest of several demonstrations organized by the unions across the country.
Report confirms torpedo explosion sank Kursk
The riddle of the Kursk is finally solved. The official Russian report into the fate of one of its navy's most modern submarines has concluded that it sank because a faulty torpedo exploded on board. Commission head Ilya Klebanov said, "There's only one theory left. We've discounted the theory of a collision with a vessel or a mine. So there's only one conclusion." The sinking of the Kursk, which claimed the lives of all 118 sailors on board, bruised the pride of the Russian navy. At first officers and politicians said the Kursk must have hit a Nato sub or a World War Two mine rather than suffer a catastrophic technical failure. Russian President Vladimir Putin had made it a point of honor to raise the wreck, at considerable cost, in order to launch the investigation.
A Hollywood hit outside Madrid
What will be astoundingly good news for children, might not go down so well with some adults. Theme Parks, such as Warner Brother's MovieWorld which has just opened in Madrid, generally split the adult population into those who would rather give up a limb than forego a theme park ride, and those who see these parks as a cruel and unusual punishment. For the first category MovieWorld will be great news. MovieWorld claims to be the biggest theme park in Europe with 25 attraction and 17 restaurants. Depending on the strength of their stomachs, visitors can sample the delights of rides such as Riddlers Revenge. At 328 feet, it glories in being the tallest free fall tower in Europe. The park, which is based on themes, characters and cartoons from Hollywood movies, is promoting itself as the natural successor to Disneyland Paris. Its aim is to take the lion's share of the 26 million annual visits to theme parks in Spain. "It's fantastic", said one breathless woman."Such fun. Everyone's having such a good time. Young, old, everyone. I love it. I'm like one of the kids. The same. It's wicked." The park, spread over a 625 acre site is decorated with golden age Hollywood Art Deco, gloomy Gotham City batcaves, wild west saloons and a kitsch cartoon village. But for all the hype the local press has recently reported teething problems such as interminably long queues, empty restaurant kitchens and angry clients. It's the sort of experience that's the stuff of parental nightmares. For the children, however, waiting in sweltering sunshine is nothing when at the end of it you can say the you did indeed see a six feet tall puddy cat.